And on further review, yeah there were a ton of kids "tilting" people and winning four time state championships, ie: Doug Duell, Roy Oeser, Lyle Neville, and there are few teams as strong as the old Liberal teams and no one as strong as J.D. Armstrong was then. J.D. might have been the strongest critter in the history of wrestling in this state pound for pound. My brother pinned 47 in a row and six straight in two state championships, heck you can find guys doing spectacular things in every single era of kansas wrestling. Can anyone tell me what move is done today that was not done by someone 25 years ago? I am just curious.

I do not know how anyone can argue that Jeff Boyle is not the best Hwt in history. For crying out loud his senior he pinned his opponent in the state finals in something like 27 seconds. (his opponent was Cody Parks who wrestled Hwt for Fort Hays and had a descent career) I would say that it is pretty much a dead give away. He was a muscle bound animal and no one could of even came close to beating him,(no not even Andrew Ubben. Someone was saying just the other day that he was benching more than anyone on the Bengals Pro Football Team. Way to go Boyle you are truly the best there ever was.

So you think pinning a guy that wrestled for fort hays state is a big deal huh. Or maybe playing for the Bengals makes it a sure thing. There have been a lot of heavyweights that have played pro football, Lon Austin, Danny Lankis, the kid from Ark City who played fourteen years and in two super bowls and never won the state but took second to the same kid from Coffeyville each time. Austin anchored the national record 880 yard relay team and weight 240 pounds and he benched about 480. J.D. Armstrong of Liberal benched over 500 pounds at Fort Hays and that must surely qualify him as the greatest wrestler in history. Face it there have been a lot of good ones and Boyle is just the latest of them.

Westfahl, you're right in saying that Boyle is the latest great heavyweight in Kansas but anybody that really knows wrestling knows that he is the best in states history, no questions, no arguments. As for Les Miller from Ark City, he did win a state title in 1983, and throughout his career in the NFL, when he was with the San Diego Chargers was the only time his team made it to the Super Bowl, and Les was injured at the time and didn't get to suit up. Les had a great career with the Saints, Chargers, and Panthers and it is great to see someone from Kansas do well at the next level, but on the mat he doesn't compare with Boyle.

I have to agree here. Jeff Boyle was absolutely incredible. A tremendous balance of speed, strength and technique. People who had to suit up against him indicated his grip was like being caught in a bench vise. He was reportedly benching well over 500 while at Wyoming. He wrestled more like a 155 pounder than 275 pounder. Always on the offensive. If he got in on a single leg you had two options, give him a takedown or have your leg ripped off - because he was not going to let go. Escaping from the bottom position was pretty much impossible. And trying to break his pinning combination, well 28 matches, 28 takedowns, 28 falls tells you all you need to know.

He was listed as the top recruit in the nation after his senior year by every major wrestling publication. He did not wrestle in HS Senior Nationals because the Dapper Dan extended him an invitation - and he became one of the few Kansans ever to win a match in that prestigous event.

College coaches were speculating that National Champion Stephen Neal of Cal-State Bakersfield was the only NCAA DI heavyweight that could beat him. The hype around Jeff Boyle was every bit as big as that experienced by Steven Mocco last year or Tommy Rowlands a couple of years ago.

Coach Westphal, with all due respect, had you seen him you would have known he was the real deal. Most of the coaches who did see him and had to wrestle against him sure felt he was that good - and keep in mind that some of these coaches (Gabel, Baker, Samuelson, Lippelman, ......) have been around the NWKL as wrestlers, coaches and fans for the past 30 - 40 years.

In my opinion, Jeff Boyle was without a doubt the best heavyweight in the state's illustrious history and I would also have to give him the nod as one of the state's best ever - at any weight class. He was that good.

Best wrestler in any weight class ever!!!! You have to be kidding. Don't get carried away here boys I saw the kid you are talking about many times and I saw most of the ones Westfahl is talking about too. He was a great heavyweight no doubt but so were those other guys that I doubt you guys are old enough to have seen. You can say it with conviction all you want but I think you are a little over the top with that best ever tag.

The actual quote was "one of the best ever - at any weight class" which I still feel is accurate.

And yep - I've only been actively engaged in following the Kansas high school ranks since I was 12 - which is 20 years, but have studied the archives as much as anyone. When I poll people who have been invloved in the sport for the past 40+ years and they echo my beliefs, I guess I take comfort in the authenticity of my convictions.

Les;
Well not to date myself but I wrestled in 1955 so I guess I am one of those 47 year guys. I missed that poll. Hey you are certainly entitled to your opinion I'd be the first to admit that, but I hope you allow for the idea that other people might have opinions that differ from yours and might be based on just as many "facts" as yours. I just get think it is interesting that people assume that when God made muscles and talent in one kid that he automatically didn't make them in anyone else. Maybe your right, or maybe.....

Hey - no hard feelings here. I have a lot of respect for Dan Lankas as an athlete, coach, outdoorsman and human.

Its just that the only scouting report I ever heard on him was that he was a tremendous athlete - as evidenced by All-American linebacker honors @ K-State and a school record in the shot put that lasted into the late 1990's - and that he possessed incredible strength. But, given that he only wrestled the last couple years of high school, he was awful green on the mat. He reportedly had good double leg and a great tight waist, but struggled if that did not work.

And, lets face it, if Lon Austin did not have the skills necessary to counter a double leg or break a tight waist, then maybe he should not be so highly touted here.

Give me Boyle and I'd spot you points in a hypothetical match-up with either of them. But, as Bernie so eloquently stated, that is just my opinion.

Lon Austin beat Dan Lankis for the state championship and he had a lot of skills he had the best grandby roll I have ever seen and was the fastest heavyweight I have seen. I have actually seen all of these guys wrestle that we are talking about here, i don't have to talk to anyone else about them.

I didnt mean for that to sound caustic and I know i spelled lankas wrong *laugh*. Heck there have been a lot of great heavys. The kid from Coffeyville, Nave was a great one, Hemmerling from Hutchinson at the same time as Austin and Lankas, several really good ones from Harmon that were better than the very good one they had this year, McClendon and Curtis. I wouldnt go spottin to many points to any of those guys.

Jeff Boyle hands down. Who pins there way thur an entire season. Only one person even made to the second period against him his senior year

Caleb Payne, Adam Venegas.

All I can say is that in 10 or 12 more years you might be average Westfahl.

I have to Agree its Boyle, I saw Boyle wrestle growing up in NW Kansas and he Destroyed everyone, i dont think he had anyone make it to the second period on him his senior year, he just shot in, picked the kid up, returned him real nice and soft like to the mat and pinned him. I wrestled against andrew Uben and he was Really really good and beat the living hell out of me but he had several matches go the whole length of the match his senior year and won one match by a score of 5-2, not saying thats at sin but that just didnt happen with Boyle, also Boyle beat the kid from Penn. like 9-3 and everyone thought he was unbeatable and Boyle also finished the season #1 in the nation and Uben ended up taking 7th i think which is unbelivably good, but im just saying between the two you have to Pick Boyle. as for all the other heavy weights i really never saw them wrestle so i dont know, im just stating my opinion off of what i have seen.

I would agree Boyle hands down...He was a very nice guy off the mat and the football field.

There are some very creditable posters on here and know what they are talking about in regards to Boyle. Anyone who disagrees with this opinion, one either were not following wresting at that time, or can not honestly say they know much about Kansas wrestling. I would defintiely compare Neal to him before even Mocco. Mocco is a stud but as an overall athelete Boyle was well ahead of him as well. That young man in his senior campaign was the best this state had to offer, had offered, and to date, offered in any wieght class. Others have gone on to prove their abilities as they grew but comparing only high school time period, Mr Boyle wins out.

zlatnik might be mentioned someday because he can't be stopped

can't be stopped or hasn't been stopped? The kansas class of HWT's is far down compared to other weights.

Boyle without a doubt, pure athleticism defined. Would have liked to see him wrestle after high school.