13th Annual Metro Classic Wrestling Dual
Missouri Kansas
112 Craig Honeywell 40-6 1st Oak Grove High School vrs. Cory Bloodgood Spring Hill High School 38-5 2nd
119 Michael Dunkum 26-0 1st Platte County High School vrs. Keaton Baker Blue Valley High School 41-2 2nd
125 Julian Gunnels 43-3 1st Platte County High School vrs. Grant Baker Blue Valley High School 44-1 3rd
130 Trent Welczak 33-8 2nd Liberty High School vrs. Caleb Hulse Turner High School 35-6 4th
135 Matt Breit 33-9 3rd Ray-Pec High School vrs. Kenny Aubrey Shawnee Mission South High School 37-3 5th
140 William Forrest 43-7 2nd Ray-Pec High School vrs. Max Connelly Santa Fe Trail High School 36-6 3rd
145 Tyler Grayson 36-0 1st Winnetonka High School vrs. Cody Sprang Atchison County Community HS 37-6 3rd
152 Cameron Harms 26-2 2nd Blue Springs High School vrs. Travis Eden Santa Fe Trail High School 37-4 3rd
160 Brandon Simpson 39-0 1st Richmond High School vrs. Ross Starcher Tonganoxie High School 38-5 2nd
171 Michael Moore 49-0 1st Oak Grove High School vrs. Justin Wiscombe Santa Fe Trail High School 41-0 1st
171 Louis Caputo 52-0 1st Blue Springs High School vrs. Blake Malloy Shawnee Heights High School 43-1 1st
189 Taylor Moore 43-2 1st Oak Grove High School vrs. Tyler Gonzales Shawnee Heights High School 36-5 2nd
189 Sean Miller 34-5 1st Park Hill High School vrs. Neil Cisper St. Thomas Aquinas High School 43-1 1st
215 Mark Ellis 39-1 1st Ray-Pec High School vrs. Doug Thompson Turner High School 39-1 2nd
275 Jaron Baston 49-0 1st Blue Springs High School vrs. Brad Rittinghouse Bonner Spring High School 33-9 6th
Coaches: Coaches: Regan Erickson-Santa Fe Trail High School
Bob Gonzales-Shawnee Heights High School
Russ Hermreck-Paola
Tim Serbousek-Blue Valley Northwest High School
How exactly do they choose between mutliple state champs?
Ryan Sonderegger 2x State Champ will wrestle 171 for Kansas against Michael Moore.
It's too bad Cisper and Moore weren't matched up. I was hoping to see that happen.
Yeah I would much rather see Cisper wrestle Moore. Who decides the match ups anyways?
It must be hard for the selection committee to find room for many talented wrestlers in the KC area in a couple of weights. I feel badly for the guys left off. No one should feel snubbed. Wouldn't it be cool to have a Senior Open on a Sat. for all Metro seniors with the finals set up at night? That would take the pressure off of the selection committee. You could have a Kansas Pool and a Missouri Pool. I think the match-ups are chosen by the coaches/committee. Coach Gonzales is a coach and his son is wrestling Moore. Cisper/Caputo was the match-up that many people wanted to see but Caputo dropped to 171 and another Shawnee Hts/Malloy will face Caputo. Looks like the Hts. Coach got his guys the tougher draws.
Chris Pursel 189 3x state champ?????
SlamBam
State no-show, is this is so, where will Wiscombe wrestle and why would Mr. Phillips have the wrong info?
Changes have been made to the Missouri Line up
13th Annual Metro Classic Wrestling Dual
Missouri Kansas
Wt. Name W/L State School Name School W/L State
112 Craig Honeywell 40-6 1st Oak Grove High School vrs. Cory Bloodgood Spring Hill High School 38-5 2nd
119 Matt Groepel 37-15 4th Ray-Pec High School vrs. Keaton Baker Blue Valley High School 41-2 2nd
125 Michael Dunkum 26-0 1st Platte County High School vrs. Grant Baker Blue Valley High School 44-1 3rd
130 Trent Welczak 33-8 2nd Liberty High School vrs. Caleb Hulse Turner High School 35-6 4th
135 Matt Breit 33-9 3rd Ray-Pec High School vrs. Kenny Aubrey Shawnee Mission South High School 37-3 5th
140 William Forrest 43-7 2nd Ray-Pec High School vrs. Max Connelly Santa Fe Trail High School 36-6 3rd
145 Tyler Grayson 36-0 1st Winnetonka High School vrs. Cody Sprang Atchison County Community HS 37-6 3rd
152 Cameron Harms 26-2 2nd Blue Springs High School vrs. Travis Eden Santa Fe Trail High School 37-4 3rd
160 Brandon Simpson 39-0 1st Richmond High School vrs. Ross Starcher Tonganoxie High School 38-5 2nd
171 Michael Moore 49-0 1st Oak Grove High School vrs. Ryan Sonderegger Shawnee Mission East High School 44-2 1st
171 Louis Caputo 52-0 1st Blue Springs High School vrs. Blake Malloy Shawnee Heights High School 43-1 1st
189 Taylor Moore 43-2 1st Oak Grove High School vrs. Neil Cisper St. Thomas Aquinas High School 43-1 1st
189 Sean Miller 34-5 1st Park Hill High School vrs. Tyler Gonzales Shawnee Heights High School 36-5 2nd
215 Mark Ellis 39-1 1st Ray-Pec High School vrs. Doug Thompson Turner High School 39-1 2nd
275 Jaron Baston 49-0 1st Blue Springs High School vrs. Brad Rittinghouse Bonner Spring High School 33-9 6th
Coaches: John Daniels-Richmond High School Coaches: Regan Erickson-Santa Fe Trail High School
Bill Erneste-Park Hill High School Bob Gonzales-Shawnee Heights High School
Gary Mayhab-Oak Park High School Russ Hermreck-Paola
Tim Serbousek-Blue Valley Northwest High School
All I do is post what they sent me. I don't know how they pick the wrestlers or why some are and some aren't wrestling. I will try and find out and post it when I get the information.
This is how wrestlers are picked for the Metro Classic
Bob,
The range on the metro area is eliptical with Kansas being given 75 miles from the center to Kansas City and Missouri being given 50 miles. That allows a more even school population for both states.
The wrestlers are selected by committee based upon information that the committee has available to them.
Gary Ulmer
I just ask again...Why was Tyler Gonzales a 1x state champ and 1x runner-up and someone who lost to the kid from Salina South (can't spell him name) picked over Chris Pursel a 3x state champ who beat the Salina South kid? Both have lost to Cisper so no question there.
All due respect to Tyler Gonzales he is a great wrestler, but Pursel would have been the only 3x state champ in the lineup I believe. I am biased but it's a fair question.
SlamBam
So what happened to Wiscombe, Ryan? I'm glad you're there though, good luck man!
I agree, Pursel should be there. He definitely falls w/in the mile limit. Gonzales is there because, well let's face it, his dad is one of the coaches.
Unfortunately, I write just like I speak. Bob entered into this forum the email I sent to him just like I wrote it, and now you get to enjoy my lack of good grammer.
The metro territory starts at the border and extends 75 miles into Kansas and 50 miles into Missouri in an arch like fashion. They have so many large high schools in that range, that Kansas has to have more distance to equallize the student population.
No one should ever feel bad about not getting selected to this team. In most cases there is just one spot and many great candidates. The committee takes into account all of the information that it has been collected over the season and bases their selection on that. It is not an exact science.
Gary Ulmer
I don't know why Tyler Gonzales is ahead of Pursel, I doubt that his father did anything unethical to enter him. If you knew Bob, he would say put the other kid there before you put mine.
I don't know if you could count this as criteria for the selection, but Cisper beat Pursel in our tournament 9-5 and he beat Gonzales in the finals in overtime.
I injured my ribs somehow. They think it is torn cartliage. I really want to wrestle in the metro but I am not going to do it if I am not 100%.
Let me be clear I know and respect Bob Gonzales and am not in any way saying he did anything enethical for his kid. His kid is a stud. I was only pointing out we have the only 3x state champ eligible that is not going to get to wrestle. That it.
SlamBam
Can anyone tell me who's on this selection committee? Or if you're on the committee, can you tell me how they picked Cody Sprang over Chaz Hill at 145? I'm sure Cody is a good wrestler, but Chaz is by far the best 145 in the metro area on the Kansas side this year. He's 3-time state placer (2nd, 3rd, 3rd), has a 113-23 career record, shares the Kansas State record for team points, was selected 1st team All-Metro last year, placed above Cody at Junction City this year (the only place they were together), and at state this year Chaz beat Ryker Carter from Garden City, who placed above Cody at the Bobcat Inv. this year.
I know the old adage, "he beat this kid who beat that kid" may not mean much, but Chaz has beat a lot of kids that have beaten Cody or placed above him at tournaments, both this year and last. This just doesn't make sense. Isn't this supposed to be the best from each side of the state line or is it just a political thing? rhill
How much weight do the wrestlers get? Bloodgood is wrestling 112 in this dual, but he wrestled 125 this year! That could be a lot of weight to pull. Both Baker Boys will be wrestling down a weight class as well.
Justin:
I am sorry to hear that you were injured, I hope you heal up soon!-
7 lbs weight allowance. Caputo for MO wrestled 189 all year and is at 171 for the MoKan
This is Cory, I didn't cut but a few pounds this season so making 119 and wrestling 112 isn't fun but it's possible. I almost wrestled 119 this season but decided not to.
Gonzalez's value as a wrestler in the Metro Classic is not diminished by his loss to Pietrzyk. Purcell beat Pietrzyk. Chris is a great wrestler, but anyone who saw the match (w/Pietrzyk) will tell you Sean wrestled as poorly as he ever has throughout high school. He literally handed over 8 points in the match. I doubt any tapes of that match will be handed over to college recruiters. It wasn't so much that one wrestler won as another lost. Cisper, Gonzales, and Purcell are all worthy participants. Good luck to any of them who are given the chance to compete. Good luck Kansas.
Originally posted by Justin Wiscombe171:
I injured my ribs somehow. They think it is torn cartliage. I really want to wrestle in the metro but I am not going to do it if I am not 100%.
Good call, rest up those ribs so you can be healthy enough to sign a letter of intent with UCO!
here is my prediction on the meet:
112 Youngblood d. Honeywell (because of size, Honeywell isn't a big 112) KS 3-0
119 Baker md. Groepel KS 7-0
125 Dunkum d. Baker KS 7-3
130 Wilzcek d. Hulse KS 7-6
135 Breit d. Aubrey MO 9-7
140 Connelly d. Forrest KS 10-9
145 Grayson md Sprang MO 13-10
152 Harms d. Eden MO 16-10
160 Simpson md. Starcher (might be a tech) MO 20-10
171 Moore d. Sonderegger MO 23-10
171 Caputo md. Malloy MO 27-10
189 Moore d. Cisper MO 30-10
189 Miller d. Gonzeles MO 33-10
215 Thompson d. Ellis MO 33-13
275 Baston p. Rittinghouse MO 39-13
MO wins 39-13
Originally posted by cblood:
This is Cory, I didn't cut but a few pounds this season so making 119 and wrestling 112 isn't fun but it's possible. I almost wrestled 119 this season but decided not to.
good luck with that! you are already skin and bones man...hope you do ok.
Tunnel-boy, get off of our site and back on your Missouri site where they tolerate your kind of puke.
Gonzales wrestled Miller last year at the Lee Summit Touranment, and it was a real close match, but Gonzales ended up winning by a point or two, so i think this will be a great match up at 189.
Keep in mind that not every wrestler invited to the Metro Classic will opt to accept the invitation. It could be that Pursel has prior obligations or that he simply chooses not to take part in the Metro. It's happened before that stud wrestlers either decide that they do not want to compete or that they have prior obligations - track, baseball tryouts, etc. Last year, I believe Dave Ehret of Washburn Rural was asked but he decided not to do it - I'm guessing that it was his involvement with baseball and other activities.
That stinks that Wiscombe can't make it. I'd much rather see him wrestling Caputo.
Originally posted by gutwrench1:
Tunnel-boy, get off of our site and back on your Missouri site where they tolerate your kind of puke.
:p
Good Luck Kansas
Coach Peterman
yea i wish wiscombe could wrestle. he pinned me in the first period and i havn't been pinned that quick in about 3 years. it takes a lot to get me. anyway get healed and maybe i'll get another shot in college when i'm ready. oh and by the way, this is the first round kid.
sorry kansas fans. I saw wiscombe wrestle caputo out of season. caputo tech falled him. not even close. both have gotten equally better since then, but caputo has wrestled a lot more national competition. malloy is every bit as good as wiscombe and will give it a good go.
Also I think a lot (not all) of the planning is done before the state tournament. I am not positive but I think I have overheard talk about the meetings prior to state. I think there is a lot more work put into the decision than some realize and it is not a last minute decision. Hence a pre-liminary decision may have been made before Gonzales lost.
I really don't think it's that big of a deal that Gonzales got the nod over Pursel. Pursel is good, but I don't think he could win 3 championships in any other class besides 321A. At least not at the weights he's been wrestling the last few years.
I don't see why they don't do a wrestle off for those kids like a Gonzales or Pursel. Work it out on the mat rather than in some meeting.
Weisner 3 Gonzales 2 at the Hays tournament. Weisner, (a state runner up), won 1 match at state this year. Pursel dominated. Luv ya Tyler, just upset with those that picked this team.
You know I feel bad for a kid that wins a state championship and is a runner up the next year and he takes flak here for being named to the Metro Team. Tyler Gonzales has nothing to appologize for. He has had a great career and fully deserves to be on this team. I was one of the four or five guys that helped pick this team and I don't feel bad about one kid that we picked for this team. I also would not have felt bad if we had picked any one of ten or twelve other kids who are fully capable of representing if they had been picked. It is not as easy as it looks to pick this deal. It is a lot easier to wait until it is chosen and then reach out for one or two matches over the course of the season that you think supports your point of view and then hammer away. You know if you like the kids that are going to wrestle great. If you don't like it well what should we do? Kind of like the elections half the country is happy and half aren't and you know what, no matter how we would have done it that wouldn't change one bit. I am sorry if some of you, Harry and others, are not happy with us or with the process but I do not appogize one bit for any of these very deserving young men who should be proud to be wrestling on it. I wish we could have taken everyone that deserved to be on it. No way to do that though and it will never be any different no matter who choses this team. We do the best we can with the information we are sent and we have seen every single one of these kids wrestle including the ones that didnt make it. We didnt draw them out of a hat, we gave it a lot of thought and tried to do our best. I make no appologies for any of the picks or the process. I wish the kids good luck, all of them.
wrestler17105:
"It takes a lot to get me"
HAHA, I got you at the Tyler Clinic.
i'm with rudy...
how did chaz hill not get picked at 145?
he for sure earned a spot on that team.
I got you though computerized shoes. So leave my tag team champion partner alone. I got your back wrestler17105.
Yeah, Chaz not making it is absolutely ridiculous.
Randy W.,
I'm sure everyone on this selection committee is a well respected coach and I'd like to think they were fair and impartial in the selection process. However, this isn't unlike any other political selection or appointment, people just don't want secrecy. When you keep hearing about this "criteria" that no one seems to be able or willing to explain, unfortunately it gives the perception of "back door politics" or the "good ole boy" system. Maybe sometime you can explain the criteria that was used at 145 or 189, besides Cisper. I spend a lot of time looking at statistics and results and both seem to defy logic. rhill
I would be glad to talk to you about it in private. I really don't want to embarrass anyone by discussing names and weights of good wrestlers here in a public forum and airing that type of discussion about high school kids. It embarrasses good kids and good wrestlers to do so. That is really my point here. If you would like to know generally how we do it I would sit down with you and give you some idea. The point is no matter who we picked someone isn't going to like it. You understanding it or someone else doing so isn't going to change that. We don't have a set criteria as such but we use a lot of different ways to come to a consensus. Sometimes it is just far easier to sit in judgement than it is to actually do the deal. If you would like some insight come see me after the meet and we will sit down and jaw about it. I would be glad to.
Randy
One other thing that I don't understand really is the idea that some kind of "politics" or some underhanded or devious thing happened during this meeting. We don't do that. We don't always do everything right and sometimes what we do might not be what someone else would do, but we don't do that because we are corrupt or because we are mean spirited. We just try to do a very tough job so that we can get our butt kicked by every person in eastern kansas who doesn't personally agree.

That is ok with me, I expect that. No secrets here though and no evil alterior motive. Its a wrestling match and we really don't have a vested interest in the picks.
Therein lies the problem Curtis: I did not brag of being "hard to take." I am easy to takedown just ask Dan Gable.
Randy,
Let me be clear, I'm not suggesting in this case that there was anything dishonest. I don't know that and I wouldn't say it here if I did. I am saying however, that when you can't find out how decisions were made or even who made them, it leaves that perception. We can always say, "just trust the people doing it and don't question it", but we're way past that era. Until you posted here, I hadn't seen any information about the selection process. The one person I knew was involved hasn't bothered to respond to an email I sent. I'll contact you by email or see you Tuesday night. One thing for sure, regardless of how I feel about this, I'll be there in full support of Team Kansas! rhill
i know i'm easy to take down it's just one heck of a challenge to pin me and that's what he did. what i'm best at is reversals anywayz.
They picked Carrera over me last year even though I beat Carrera. I think it's because I choked at state and took fifth at 215 while he won heavyweight. Eh, oh well.
When and where is the Metro classic????
how many of our guys do you think will win?
Tues., Mar 8 at Kansas City Community College on State Avenue. I am not sure of the starting time, but believe it is 7PM.
looking at the matchups i think kansas will lose. This is really disappoining if it happens with all of the really great wrestlers in the east this year as evidenced by the success the metro area teams had at state.
Maybe Kansas should start sending kids who aren't from the Kansas City area...
Which would make for an awesome METRO classic...
Mayb there should be 3 189 matches.Pursel won 3 state championships. Tyler is a very worthy wrestler who won a state championship and was a runner up this year.
Originally posted by LancerM:
Which would make for an awesome METRO classic...
Well, it doesn't look like this one will be that great.
KS lost to MO like 16-35 i think.....
If you look at the Bobcat classic, I think it was fairly obvious the weights 152, 160, 171, 189 were so much deeper than the light weights or the heavier weights. I think you could go 4 or 5 deep in these weights and have better wrestlers than some of the other champions.