Les, Well put. But I do not buy expenses as a prohibitive issue, but as an excuse. That may be seen as harsh.

Case in point - Western Kansas American Legion baseball teams travel great distances for tournaments - it is merely the will they have to do so. Whether the comfort level to dominate traditional tournaments is keeping teams at home or the comfort level of team officials to not travel you have to look at the benefits. There is a reason the Ray-Pecs and Broken Arrows of the world make the sacrifice - they place their kids in the position to be noticed and receive scholarships (which is the same reason the American Legion teams do so). The vast majority of the Kansans have zero appreciation for 3A wrestling - because we never see it. The hard truth is that the teams from the East do not have to travel West. Instead they either cross the stateline to Missouri or travel 3 hours North or South. The Western teams will have to step up and go in order to get the respect they richly deserve. Until then it is all myth and Forum fodder.

I know you are not someone to ever be questioned when it comes to the stastical data you possess. It is amateurs vs professionals. But, to the surrounding states being a state champion in Kansas does not carry the weight it does elsewhere. Simply, Kansas has two too many classes and wrestle too few matches.