Posted on Fri, Feb. 15, 2008
Garden Plain's Patterson continues pursuit of perfection
The Owls' 189-pound senior is 25-0 and hasn't surrendered a takedown since he was a sophomore.
BY JON MCGILLIVRAY
Wichita Eagle correspondent
Garden Plain senior Ryan Patterson has grown accustomed to the taste of success.
Patterson was a member of the Owls' first state football championship team in the fall.
As a junior, Patterson won his first state wrestling title, going 44-0 en route to the Class 3-2-1A 160-pound championship.
He is also one of the few wrestlers in Kansas to own a victory over Hutchinson High standout Romero Cotton, a senior who's already signed with Nebraska.
Entering this weekend's Class 3-2-1A regional tournament at Eureka, Patterson remains unbeaten at 25-0, is the top-ranked wrestler at 189 pounds, and has not given up a takedown since his sophomore season.
In addition to all of Patterson's success, Garden Plain coach Travis Daerr, in his eighth season, said he is clearly the team's leader.
"He's always been a hard worker, but he definitely stepped up as a junior into a leadership role," Daerr said.
"It's nice when the hardest-working kid in the room is the one that wins state. It sets a really good example for others and their work ethic, and the things they need to do to accomplish that goal."
Patterson -- only the second individual wrestling champion in Garden Plain history -- placed fifth at 130 pounds as a freshman, followed by a fourth-place finish at 145 as a sophomore.
While a fourth-place finish at state is typically considered a good finish to the season, Patterson said it was just the thing to push him to a state title.
"Obviously, my sophomore year I didn't finish as high as what my expectations were," he said. "I came back... with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder and decided I'm the only one that can make me better.
"I didn't really care about being undefeated, I just wanted to win a state championship. That's been my goal since I was 5 years old."
Daerr said it was clear a state title was the only thing on Patterson's mind.
"He always worked hard, but it was obvious last year he was working for something... and we all knew what that was," he said.
With one state title to his credit, Patterson set this season's goals even higher. Another undefeated season and state championship, while keeping the takedown streak intact.
That opportunity continues this weekend in Eureka.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to the state tournament.
Patterson will have a tough road to a regional title with the 189-pound Eureka bracket featuring two other ranked wrestlers -- Jacob Yoder of Hillsboro and Josh Stillwell of Eureka.
"That's definitely a goal. A regional championship obviously has a lot to do with where you get placed in a state bracket, how you're gonna get setup against other wrestlers," Patterson said.
"I'll have three of the top four wrestlers at 189 in my regional, so it's not going to be a cakewalk."
