For those of you new to this subject matter the primary reason for the split can be attributed to the 4A Classification. Prior to the split there was great organizational effort by the Ark Valley League, Chisholm Trail League and the Greater Wichita Athletic League, all leagues located in South central Kansas and primarily within forty five (45) minutes of Wichita to run the combined three (3) classifications at the Kansas Coliseum.

For various reasons, the 4A group believed they were being mistreated and wished to have ownership of a standalone tournament. As I recall, the primary leaders of the movement were the North Central Kansas League.

The 3A tournament in Hays was never considered in the consolidation primarily do to Kansas only public university wrestling program located in Hays and lack of a suitable venue to host an event this large without causing more out of school time on the part of the students.

I do remember the good old days when I walked out of the Coliseum on Friday night at 10:30 or 11:00 P.M. at the conclusion of the second round of consolations(?).

At that time, the Semifinals were wrestled on Saturday morning, a schedule I still prefer.