Thanks to Tom Taulbee of the Kansas City Wrestling Association for compiling the data for this article

USA Wrestling and Dollamur are pleased to sponsor one of the most competitive high school wrestling competitions of the new season, the Kansas City Wrestling Classic set for the Hale Arena in Kansas City, Dec. 16-17.

Many of the nation’s top teams and individual competitors are travelling to the nation’s heartland to test themselves as the intensity of the new season picks up. Wrestling begins at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, with competition set for 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. Finals are anticipated at about 5:00 p.m. on Saturday evening.

There are seven teams which are represented in a recent national ranking on display there this weekend: No. 9 Bettendorf, IA; No. 18 Allen, TX; No. 26 Collins Hill, GA; No. 31 Blue Springs, MO; No. 32 Tuttle, OK; No. 33 Kearney, MO; and No. 45 Collinsville, OK. Others in this field of nearly 40 teams have long and successful wrestling traditions in their state and region.

National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones, a 1991 World champion and 1992 Olympic silver medalist, will make a special appearance at the event on Saturday, from approximately 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Coach Jones led Freestyle Team USA to third place at the 2011 World Championships.

The event is expected to be webcast by the Amateur Sports Network, which is an official service provider of iHigh.com. It will be available nationally through TheMat.tv.

Here is a current list of teams which will compete this weekend:

Allen (TX)
Arkansas City (KS)
Bettendorf (IA)
Blue Springs (MO)
Choctaw (OK)
Christian Brothers (TN)
Claremore (OK)
Collins Hill (GA)
Collinsville (OK)
Creighton Prep (NE)
Creston (IA)
Edmond North (OK)
Excelsior Springs (MO)
Farmington (MO)
Ft. Zumwalt West (MO)
Garden City (KS)
Gordon Lee (GA)
Granite City (IL)
Holt (MO)
Kearney (MO)
Klein Oak (TX)
Neosho (MO)
Nixa (MO)
Oak Grove (MO)
Oak Park (MO)
Omaha Skutt (NE)
Park Hill (MO)
Perry (OK)
Platte County (MO)
Ponca City (OK)
Randall (TX)
Rio Rancho (NM)
Savannah (MO)
Seckman (MO)
Timberland (MO)
Tuttle (OK)
Waynesville (MO)

We will take a peek at each weight class, with a short summary of those who are expected to stand out in the field there.

106– Look out for national No. 11 Noah Teaney of Oak Park (MO), a state champion last year and a Cadet National runner-up who has been dominant in USA Wrestling age-group programs. Another with national respect is No. 19 Ke-Shawn Hayes of Park Hill (MO), who was a Cadet bronze medalist last year in freestyle in Fargo. Already with an extensive resume is state champion Sean Russell of Collins Hill (GA), who has won medals in top prep events. Another Cadet All-American in the field is Davion Jeffries of Collinsville (OK). Others expected to have impact are Joseph Velliquette of Nixa (MO), fourth in the state and a USA Wrestling All-American on the Cadet and FILA Cadet levels. Jacob Schwarm of Bettendorf (IA) and state qualifier Gabe Torres of Allen (TX), will be tough, as well. Montana Drum of Neosho (MO) was a bronze medalist at the 2011 Girls Folkstyle Nationals.

113 – The headliner in this weight is No. 6 Jaret Singh of Kearney (MO), a state champion and state bronze medalist with national achievements including sixth place at the Cadet Nationals in freestyle last year. Fredy Stroker of Bettendorf (IA), was a Cadet National All-American last year competing for Pennsylvania with a long list of youth achievements. Ryan Millhof, a state runner-up from Collins Hill (GA) and Gunnar Woodburn, a state champion and runner-up for Claremore (OK) are talented. Millhof has won medals in a number of major national events. Andrew Wallace of Waynesville (MO) is another state runner-up in the field. State bronze medalists include JT Sloboth of Omaha Skutt (NE), John Erneste of Park Hill (MO) and Jamaree Swan of Perry (OK). 

120 – National rankings fall on No. 9 Calib Freeman of Claremore (OK), who boasts three state high school titles. Two-time state finalist Drew Ferguson of Collins Hill (GA) has won national-level titles. Braun Marquez of Randall (TX) is a state champion and two-time bronze medalist and has won medals at many USA Wrestling national and regional events in the Kids divisions. Cody Hummer of Savannah (MO) is a two-time state champion and two-time bronze medalist and a FILA Cadet Greco-Roman All-American.  Two-time state champion Matt Manley of Perry (OK) and state runner-up Gunnar Laffoon of Tuttle (OK) bring toughness from a very strong state. Seth Brayfield of Kearney (MO) was third in the state and has been successful in the international styles. Sky Darrah of Timberlane (MO) has been state Greco-Roman champion and a national medalist in USA Wrestling Kids programs.

126 – State champion Gary Wayne Harding of Collinsville (OK) was a Cadet Nationals freestyle runner-up in Fargo. Another state champion Tate Robinson of Christian Brothers (TN) was a Cadet National All-American in both styles last year. State champion and two-time state runner-up Jarrod Trotter of Allen (TX) was a runner-up in USA Wrestling’s Folkstyle Nationals last year. Two-time state champion Nate Rodriguez of Neosho (MO) and three-time state runner-up Colby Watters of Arkansas City (KS) are also respected. Daniel Lewis of Blue Springs (MO) and Alex Spires of Gordon Lee (GA) are other state champions in the field. 

132 – No. 4 Thomas Gilman of Omaha Skutt (NE), a three-time state champion, is one of the most decorated on the national level. Gilman was on the 2011 FILA Junior World Team and has won Cadet and Junior National titles in Fargo. Three-time state champion Kyle Garcia of Choctaw (OK) also has a national ranking of No. 15 at 126 pounds. Another three-time state champion Skyler Wood of Platte County (MO) is talented. Dylan Helm of Collinsville (OK) is a state champion and runner-up. Kevin Kinney of Kearney (MO) was fifth in the Cadet Nationals in freestyle last summer and a two-time state placewinner. Matt Kraus of Seckman (MO) boasts two state titles. Logan Ryan of Bettendorf (IA) is a state placer, and has been a state and Northern Plains Regional champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Miguel Barreras of Rio Rancho (NM) is a state runner-up.

138 – Among the talents here are national No. 18 Connor Ryan of Bettendorf (IA), a three-time state runner-up who has been a state finalist in both freestyle and Greco-Roman and a round short of All-American in Fargo. No. 20 Jack Bass of Allen (TX) has a state runner-up placement, plus was a Cadet National Freestyle runner-up last year in freestyle representing Virginia. Bass lost in the Cadet Nationals finals to Grant Leeth of Kearney (MO), also a state runner-up. Jake Marlin of Creston (IA) is a two-time state champion and a Cadet National All-American in both styles in 2010. Darick Lapaglia of Blue Springs (MO) is a state runner-up and was a Cadet National freestyle All-American in 2010. Will Steltzen of Collinsville (OK) is a state runner-up and Spencer Rickman of Collins Hill (GA) is a two-time state runner-up. Dakota Head of Tuttle (OK) is also a state runner-up.

145 – Bo Nickal of Allen (TX), a state runner-up as a freshman, won the USA Wrestling Preseason Folkstyle Nationals, a Cadet Nationals All-American in Fargo in both styles last summer and has a long list of USA Wrestling age-group honors. Kaleb Baker of Christian Brothers (TN), a state champion and runner-up, lost to Nickal in the Preseason Nationals finals, and was a 2010 Cadet Nationals All-American in freestyle. Greg Hegarty of Blue Springs (MO) is a state champion and a third-place finisher. Tanner Minder of Kearney (MO) is a three-time state runner-up and a 2009 Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman All-American. Bubba Hernandez of Bettendorf (IA) has been a two-time state placewinner and boasts a runner-up finish at the USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals. Levi Berry of Tuttle (OK) is a state champion and Derek White of Edmond North (OK) is a state runner-up. Daniel Carrillo of Rio Rancho (NM) has been third in the state.

152– Cougar Babin of Klein Oak (TX) has been second in the state, and has won medals at national-level events. Sterling Hawkins of Tuttle (OK) has been first, second and third in the state championships. Zane Sackett of Omaha Skutt (NE) and Trent Williams of Perry (OK) have been two-time state runners-up. Taylor Brinegar of Oak Grove (MO) is a two-time state placewinner. Dustin Gray of Timberland (MO) is a ninth grader with a strong youth-level record with USA Wrestling national medals. Zach Abkeimeir of Collinsville (OK) was fourth at state. 

160– One of the top young stars in high school wrestling is No. 8 Oliver Pierce of Allen, (TX), a state champion and bronze medalist. Pierce was a strong fifth at the 2011 FILA Cadet World Championships and was a FILA Cadet Nationals champion. At the 2011 Junior Nationals, Pierce was Greco-Roman runner-up and a freestyle All-American. Another national talent is Justin Valencia of Granite City (IL), a Cadet Nationals runner-up last year. Travis Leiskau of Klein Oak (TX) has two state placements and has medaled at national-level events. Brannon Hunt of Ponca City (OK) and Austin Elam of Tuttle (OK) have been state runners-up. Evan West of Gordon Lee (GA) was third in the state.

170 – Another top national star is No. 12 Zach Beard of Tuttle (OK), a Cadet Nationals freestyle champion in Fargo last summer, a USA Wrestling Folkstyle National champion and a two-time state champion. Matt Meyer of Allen (TX) and Chase Wrisinger (MO) are state runners-up. Lance Dixon of Edmond North (OK) and Barrett Walthall of Christian Brothers (TN) boast state third-place finishes. Morgan Fitzgerald of Kearney (MO) is a three-time state placewinner.

182 – Bryan Levsen of Bettendorf (IA) is a two-time state placewinner, taking fourth last season. Andrew Krawulski of Collins Hill (GA) was third in the state last year. Colban McOlgan of Christian Brothers (TN) was fourth in the state last year up at 215 pounds. Shelby Krout of Ponca City (OK) was a state runner-up in 2010 and a state qualifier last year. Joel Dixon of Edmond North (OK), a state qualifier last year, won a junior high state title in Oklahoma.

195 – A top star at this division is No. 19 Nick Cobb of Allen (TX), a two-time state champion, a Cadet Nationals freestyle All-American and a USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals Cadet bronze medalist. Hashim Omari of Oak Park (MO) has placed second and third in the state meet holds a national ranking of No. 15 at 220 pounds. Andy Dixon of Edmond North (OK) was fourth in the state and is a past Oklahoma Junior High state champion. Kyle Brown of Blue Springs (MO) was a FILA Cadet Greco-Roman All-American who missed some time for injury.

220 – No. 17 Nate Shaw of Bettendorf (IA) is a two-time state placewinner, placing fourth last year. He has been a Northern Plains Junior champion and multiple medalist in other USA Wrestling events. Stone Drulman of Allen (TX) was fourth in the state last year. State qualifiers in the field include Austin Reyes of Blue Springs (MO), Will Simpson of Excelsior Springs (MO) and Alex Howard of Omaha Skutt (NE).

285 – Collin Bevins of Creston (IA) was second in state last year and a two-time state placewinner. Cole Whitford of Granite City (IL) has been a two-time Cadet All-American in Fargo in Greco-Roman. Zach Carmin of Collins Hill (GA) was a state qualifier who has won medals at a number of national-level events. Nolan Smith of Park Hill (MO) was fifth in the state. State qualifiers in the field include Zach Noah of Arkansas City (KS) and Nathan Jackson of Tuttle (OK).