I live in Topeka and work at Highland Park. Yes it is a 5A school but that does not give us more kids to pull from then smaller schools. First transportation. 75% of these students don't have transportation to do extracurricular activities. Hell most can't even get to school 50% of the time. The only HS students that are bused in the Topeka 501 school district are the special ed kids. Then they have to be eligible. And then the only sports that are really valued in this city are football and basketball. Enrollment #'s may put some schools in the 5A category but after those #'s are turned in and school is in full swing the attendance #'s would put Highland Park at 4A maybe even 321A. It also is not just in wrestling they don't have a full Cross country roster or baseball roster. This is a true inner city school where a typical student has to climb a mountain to succeed in life. Heck just to graduate HS.

Ark City had a dairy queen across the street from what I believe is Dillions. You grew up there you dont remember?

Mr. L. Baker and Mr. Beeson. Please take all this Baker-Beeson BS back to the Ark City Topic where someone might give a s--t.

This topic is for people who are interested in the HP 5A Regional. We have our own issues without your problems.

It is early and I have not had my first coffee!!

Contrarian
Bill Mason
Lansing

Shawn. Would not go to far west of Topka and talk about consolidation. A passionate subject out west/small towns/small schools. But, probably needs to happen from a cost basis. Spent some time last night looking at some 4A and 321A rosters and brackets. More teams then 5A and 6A but very few 10-12 plus rosters. Lots of 4, 5, 6 wrestler rosters in 321A--most with all or several freshmen and sophmores. My questimate: looking at the team rosters, appears that wrestlers from the bigger 321A schools feed on the wrestlers from the smaller schools--probably also but to a lesser degree in 4A. 4A dominated by a few schools but have just as many short rosters as any other classification.

... 5 and 6 A regionals: this really makes me sad to see that over half the wrestlers from 5 and 6 A make it to state.. If they only have an 8 man bracket at Regionals, why not only make it an 8 man bracket at state? Send the top 2 on from each regional with a wrestle back for a true 2nd. Like I said, if they have smaller regionals, why not smaller state too?

MES this is a great idea. this would make it closer to fair. No need for a wrestle back you should not be able to get a second chance at beating a kid.

Anyone from Lansing going to the HPark regional willing to send me a PM with your cell phone number. Can't make it to HP--have to go with my wife to Holton 4A Regioan (she is and administrator at KC Sumner). Want to get updates on the home town boys at HP with out having to travel up and down Highway 75.

Bill MAson

Brackets 5 or less should be done as they are, then if you are the 5th guy, you get to challenge the 4th place finisher if he hasn't beaten you.

Or...Round Robin the weight.

Bottom line, not winning and going to state is like handing out participation ribbons to kids that sat the bench.

I apologize Mr. Mason, but I just need to clarify one thing. Luke, you could not have gone to the Dairy Queen in Ark City. It was closed by 1979. This was before BLIZZARDS and more importantly, BEFORE YOU! This is why it is hard to take you seriously. You make stuff up.