Jacobs_hook

A top 10 greatest and the history of Ky. wrestling

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Has anyone ever posted a top 10 best wrestlers from kentucky? What wrestlers made the list or what wrestlers would make the list? Wheres a good place to look up the history of wrestling in Kentucky, who were the early pioneers of the sport in our state and college results from back then. Who were the top wrestlers? How deep do the roots of wrestling go in the state of Ky.

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I guess it just depends on your criteria....here's some old timers that should definitely be considered in the top 10:

Robbie Clarkston from Conner

Rick Barker from Newport Central Catholic

Others that most likely deserve to be top 10 (based on h.s. & after careers)

Brad Cooper - SK

Joe Carr Jr (a given)

Kyle Ruschell - Ryle

Dave Barnes - SK

That's obviously a N. Kentucky bias...but those are the best wrestlers I recall watching.

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Has anyone ever posted a top 10 best wrestlers from kentucky? What wrestlers made the list or what wrestlers would make the list? Wheres a good place to look up the history of wrestling in Kentucky' date=' who were the early pioneers of the sport in our state and college results from back then. Who were the top wrestlers? How deep do the roots of wrestling go in the state of Ky.[/quote']

Jacobs hook:

I know of a coach that has many of the state tournament results. I believe he has the results of the state tourney from 1970 and up. I believe the first state tourney was in 1964 but that year and the next was not KHSAA sanctioned events.

I also beleive that Orville Williams was the one who brought wrestling to KY. I believe he started the 1st team at KSB (Ky school for the Blind)

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Ed Brandon from North Hardin was a 3 time state champion, 1967, 1968, 1969, two time MOW in State Tourney in '68 and '69, undefeated in 3 years, never had back points on him in his last 2 years, and he wrestled Division 1 for Indiana Univeristy for 4 years. He was also part of the State champion team from North Hardin in 1968 and 1969. I'd say that ranks him up there with one of the best high school careers in Ky.

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Willie Ennels of Hopkinsville.

4xState Champion

MOW his senior year

Did some wrestling in college before blowing out his knee

Willie did not win state 4 times.

He was defeated by Mike Migliochio (TC) (Sp) in 1990 which won Mike the MOW.

But yes he was a good wrestler. Not sure if he quallifies as top 10 however. A lot of controversy in many of his matches.

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He was the king of faking injuries. But never the less a great wrestler.

I don't think Chris Dunn for Woodford ever had a set of back points against him his whole high school career. That's the rumor. I think 6 loses and 4 by the same guy. Plus he coundn't wrestle varsity as a 7th and 8th grader because they had that stupid rule back then that middle schoolers coulnt wrestle varsity. I'd put him around number 10.

Tendi from St. X was really good. Even better of an athlete.

Does anyone remember how good that guy from Caldwell? was Roby(sp)?

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grappler of old, i believe you're talking about David Richey (not Rickey) from Caldwell County....if i'm wrong, please let me know. If so, yes, he was a phenom....he pinned a defending state champ in the finals and i remember that kid (antonio earthman) got up and looked like he knew it was coming. he must have been something else to wrestle against.

all these guys mentioned are top notch....this is an interesting thread.

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If you are talking about Joey Roby, he always wrestled Ennels from Hoptown. He did go on to wrestle in college, I think at Ohio Northern.

If you are going to talk best wrestlers in the state all-time you need some criteria, obviously finishing 1st or 2nd in the state-tournament is a must. I say 2nd because a wrestler may have screwed up in the finals but actually been a better wrestler. The more times they placed the better.

I don't know how you count winning the title when the wrestler was in Jr. High, since we went several years when they could not wrestle varsity. In addition, I feel that it is eaiser for a lighter weight wrestler to be successful at an earler age than it is for somebody wrestling in the heavier weights.

Do you count success in college? I would say no, because we are talking about high school. This is the same problem ESPN ran into when they did there all college basketball teams for 32 schools and played them in a tournament. A majority of the general public voted on what the players did in the NBA not the their success in college.

It is also dificult for many of us, including myself to know anything about those who wrestled in the 602 70s and probably early 80s. It might be better to break it down by decade. I have other reasons for this as well. Wrestling in the state is back on the rise after years of decline in the late 70's till the late 80's, thus competition is not comparable across decades. In addition, the rules have changed so much i.e. body fat percentages as well as equipment, diet, training etc. etc.

I also think you breakdown by weight class as opposed to just picking the top 10. I have a very difficult time comparing light weights to the big guys, because you begin to play a lot of what if games.

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From what I understand Tendai is no longer Coach for KCD.

Joe roby did wrestle at Ohio Northern and placed 6th in Div.III as a

sophomore, then blew his ACL the next fall playing 21 and didn't wrestle again.

Ennels was a NJCAA Runner-up for Cuyahoga Community College.

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Name Number of Titles

JoeCarrJr.(WoodfordCo.) 4

IsaacKnable(St.Xavier) 4

WillieEnnells(Hopkinsville) 3

TroyCole(Conner) 3

TendaiCharasika(St.Xavier) 3

RickBarker(NewportCatholic) 3

PatMartz(Conner) 3

LivingstonMerritt(Hopkinsville) 3

LarryCrowe(Ky.Schoolf/tBlind) 3

JeffFitch(WoodfordCo.) 3

JayCrawford(NorthHardin) 3

JamesEarlHardin(Ky.Schoolf/tBlind) 3

IanHorn(WoodfordCo.) 3

EdBrandon(NorthHardin) 3

DougSteger(BooneCo.) 3

DavidRichey(CaldwellCo.) 3

ChrisDunn(WoodfordCo.) 3

BruceStepp(SheldonClark) 3

BradCooper(SimonKenton) 3

Williams(Seneca) 2

TylerBaldwin(WoodfordCo.) 2

TonyGoren(Waggener) 2

TomLee(Christianco.) 2

TomCibull(TatesCreek) 2

TomAbell(Ahrens) 2

ToddMcAnly(Danville) 2

TimWhitfill(FernCreek) 2

TendaiCharasika(St.Xavier) 2

ScottCooper(LarueCounty) 2

RonChapman(Ft.Campbell) 2

RobertKemper(WoodfordCo.) 2

Robby(Clarkston(Conner) 2

RayRussell(Eastern) 2

PeterAnderson(MillersburgMilitaryInstitute). 2

PatModdy(Ft.Campbell) 2

NickSpine(FernCreek) 2

MikeNolan(NewportCatholic) 2

MikeGivens(Hopkinsville) 2

MiguelMerritt(Hopkinsville) 2

MarkWahle(St.Xavier) 2

LutherGraham(Ahrens) 2

LukeMetzger(HenryClay) 2

LivingstonMerritt(Hopkinsville) 2

LarryGibson(Trinity) 2

KellyKirchbaum(NorthHardin). 2

JoshWhittaker(WoodfordCo.) 2

JoshPreece(SheldonClark) 2

JerryWhalen(Eastern) 2

JerodTrice(Hopkinsville) 2

JeremyRhodes(SheldonClark) 2

JayHeickelback(Doss) 2

JasonTalbott(OldhamCo.) 2

JasonDetre(LaRueCo.) 2

JasonDaviaux(Scott) 2

GradyPeterson(ChristianCo.) 2

FrankWolnitzek(Cov.Holmes). 2

Ervin(UnionCo.) 2

EricSlugantz(WoodfordCo.) 2

EddieWade(Hopkinsville) 2

EddiePerson(Hopkinsville) 2

DylanBell(Scott) 2

DonBlevins(FernCreek) 2

DavidMoore(HenryClay) 2

DannyDickerson(Ky.Schoolf/tBlind) 2

DannyDavis(Ft.Knox). 2

ChrisHagen(CampbellCo.) 2

ChrisFloyd(WayneCo.). 2

ChrisDunn(WoodfordCo.) 2

ChesterMassie(Flaget) 2

CharlesRoach(NorthHardin) 2

BrianSelke(Trinity) 2

BrandonWilkens(CampbellCo.) 2

Beakes(Waggener). 2

ArthurNoonan(Waggener) 2

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Knable was and is a good wrestler, however in comparison to Joe Carr Jr he does not compare. Knable wrestled _some_ good wrestlers in high school. Joe Carr Jr wrestled tyough competition and dominated them. He went onto college and was _very_ successful in college. Knable is not as successful. Joe Carr Jr is an inspiration to all wrestlers in KY on what can be accomplished, and how to achieve the level of a champion.

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run_the_half,

You're crazy Joe Jr. was a much better wrestler than Isaac Knable. He was in a whole different league. Placed second at senior nationals and junior nationals, member of the dream team his senior year in high school (the best wrestlers at each weight in the country). Also WVU is better than Indiana, sorry.

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Pin to win;

Here is some help with that list.

Those you missed:

**Jacob Murton (Law) 2

**Jarious Murton (Law) 2

**Taylor Sherer (S.Old) 2

**Larry Little (J-town) 2

**Andre Offutt (Ft. Camp) 2

**Bernie McCamish (NH) 2

**Tommy Storms (SK) 2

**Matt Shotwell (Conner) 2

**Shawn Smith (Chr Co) 2

**Kenny Davis (Un Co) 2

**Maurice Brown(Un Co) 2

**James Smith (Un Co)

**Todd King (Fern Creek) 2

**Lawrence Woodford (Fern Creek) 2

**Glenn Griggs (Hop) 2

**Aaron Herring (Hop) 2

**Richard Starks (Wood) 2

**Pete McKay (St. Joseph)

Those that were incorrect

**JamesEarlHardin(Ky.Schoolf/tBlind) 4 (not 3)

**Robbie Clarkston (Conner) 4 (not 2)

**Troy Cole (Conner) 2 (not 3)

**Dan Dickerson (KSB) 3 (not 2)

Those that you listed Twice (these are the wrong totals)

TendaiCharasika(St.Xavier) 2

LivingstonMerritt(Hopkinsville) 2

ChrisDunn(WoodfordCo.) 2

I could have missed a couple myself.

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I just took the list off the KHSAA website (2005) results are not there and they have multiple spellings of names and sometimes only last names. When I ran the names through a program in excel it did not catch these errors. Sorry for any errors.

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A few to consider..

Carr Jr.

Ian Horn

Chris Dunn (dominated the state for years w/ minimal effort)

Josh Whitaker (won like 50 straight over 2 yrs. w. 2 titles and placed third the yr b/f)

David Moore

Issac Knable

Jeremy Rhodes

Migliachio from TC

Merrit brothers

the best Cooper brother

Michael Jackson (one of the most dominant single seasons ever)

Dan Howley was tough

Tom Cibull

George King was ridiculous

Chris Valentine at 103 was a monster

Kevin Case

Willie Randle from Eastern

oh yeah and Jeff Fitch

This is more like nominees for a top 50...top 10 is too hard..too many generations of unbelievable wrestlers to consider.

Nice Thread

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