Kansas Wrestling Forums General Discussion High School Most Exciting Wrestlers

Zach Roberson

Lots of good mentions on this thread, here's a few I've enjoyed watching that have yet to be mentioned:

*Lyle Geyer [Leoti] - DOMINATING!! Top, bottom, neutral... no matter, JUST DOMINATING!!

*Bill Gable [Sainty] - A master of controlling his opponent's balance (or lack thereof) when he was on his feet.

*Corey Johnston [Stockton] - One word... ACROBATIC!! Everything was high-flying. Lateral drops, standing granbys, suicide cradles, etc.

By the way, someone mentioned Wes Harding and perhaps I should start a new thread for this, but was his finals match against Lance Shepard from Hoxie back in '88 not the most exciting match in the history of Kansas state championship matches?
I can't think of one to touch it when it comes to excitement.

Im to young to remember that match but to me the most exciting match i have ever seen was 2001 Haddley vs. Pilkington. Haddley was undefeated and had hardly been scored on all year, he was winning 2-1 or 1-0, cant quite remember but he was trying to hold on for the last couple seconds and Pilkington caught him in a cow catcher with 1 second left and the refs had to confer weither it was a take down or not. The whole stadium was yelling either for 2, or for no points, to me that was the most exciting match i had ever seen in the finals.

Im going to have to correct the Chad Koop thread, he was a 2X state champ and placed 3rd as a freshman and soph, OUTSTANDING on his feet, had almost 300 takedowns in his career he is a rancher and a wrestling coach in Florida. a great great kid and had a lot of influence on a small southeastern HS still today... alot of kids started wrestling becasue of him, namely in the past few years, Rodger Kraft, Jerrid Baumgartel, Kenny Tyler and Marc Madison

Good call! I don't see how someone that had 37 tech falls in a career couldn't be exciting to watch.

Sprigg vs. Honas was one hell of a match Sprigg's junior year

Holy mistakes Batman! Chad Koop WAS a 2-timer. Lost to Schmeidler in the semis his So. year. Wow, I'm slipping

Kenny Taylor Jr's back flips were always exciting to watch!

I probably should not say anything and just let it go, but when you are accused of racism, it does not set well. Who saw Jerome Bettus on ESPN the other night explaining why he would be a good sports commentator? I did, and his response was quite interesting. Bettus stated that he would "call a spade a spade". Imagine that. I guess that it is ok for him to say that since he is black, huh. Or perhaps, he too is educated and knows the true origin of this statement like myself and bananabreath.

I had to add this in!! Chad Koop placed 3rd as a freshman and sophmore, and placed 1st as a junior and senior at the state tournaments. Also won the Bruite High School National Championship in 1996. He wrestled 152, 160, and 171lbs. He hurt his knees in high school and college. He has done some coaching in AL and FL.
I believe he was the most exciting wrestler!! But I am his wife!!
Thanks

I think one of the most exciting matches I remember watching was when Shawn Bunch and Micheal Bradley went at it. They had some great matchups.

Brine vs. Gable, All-star Classic classic

That Pilkington Hadley deal was great. How about the 1997 finals. Scott Jenkins Sainty against a wrestler from Osborne, can't remember his name. Went into overtime and Jenkins won on a late takedown.

I know some of you all are too young to remember the Harding/Shepard match I was talking about, and many of the matches you've posted I also saw and all were great, BUT...

You must realize that Harding was going for his 4th state championship. This was before "sudden victory" overtime. Harding was dinged twice for stalling in the third period, the second of which tied the match. At the end of the third period of overtime it was STILL tied. The referee's decision went to about the third or fourth level of criteria (and lasted like forever it seemed in front of a dead silent stadium) before Shepard was awarded the match thwarting Harding's quest for 4.

Maybe you had to be there.

dachaser

From years past I would have to add Billy Gable-St. Francis-4X champ, Chris Lampe(I think) also St. Francis-3X runner-up, Champ; Bryan Miller, Pete Koster and Adam Koster both Hoxie. These are just a few that came to mind.

Knoll from Osborne, I think

HeHeHe

back when you guys were talking about exciting finals matches, the only great one that i can remember is chad flores(SL) and brandon reddings(CV) 1996 finals match. down by 4 with 1 minute to go in the third period flores is loosing he is on top, cradles brandon now he is down by 1 he gets a stalling call with 8 seconds left and they stop the match Now it is tied flores is on top and he gets 3 more back points by another cradle to win the match. by far the best match that iv ever seen. 7 points in 40 seconds is pretty good in the state finals.

Was that 1996 Flores-Redding match in the same weight class where Pete Koster of Hoxie took 4th?