The Middle School List - December 2011

[Ranger123 43]

I've seen a few events and while there are still some questions about final weights, I think things are starting to settle in.

70 Contenders: Pledger (River City), Holub (Turkeyfoot)

I'm not sure who may drop in from 75 by the end of the season.

75 Favorite: Yenter (Campbell Co)

Contenders: Roth (Walton) is a the top contender, Hahn (Campbell Co), Brooks (Oldham Co)

80 Favorite: Ervin (Union)

Contenders: Moore (Campbell Co), Creech (Walton), Fallon (Woodford Co), Metcalf (Larue Co)

86 Favorite: Sheffer (Union)

Contenders: Wells (Campbell Co), Martin (Walton), Kraezig (River City), Jacobs (Elkhorn), Wise (East Oldham), Roberts (Woodford Co)

92 Favorite: Bindner (River City)

Contenders: Gray (Caldwell Co), Siddens (Moore), Holub (Turkeyfoot), Smith (Walton)

98 Favorites: Wiley (Conner)

Contenders: Oxford (Union Co), Putty (Blazer), Ward (Owensboro), Floyd (Oldham Co)

105 Favorite: Erdman (Ryle)

Contenders: Hurst (Woodford Co), Barton (Trinity), Blanton (Johnson Co), Meyer (Walton)

113 Favorite: Heidorf (North Oldham)

Contenders: Spahr (Campbell Co), Kline (Trigg Co), Emerson (OIdham Co)

121 Favorite: Duncan (North Oldham)

Contenders: Smith (Union), Sutphin (McNabb), Cooper (Summit View)

130 Favorite: Rich (Ryle)

Contenders: Haven't seen a lot of depth here yet; Valentine (Elkhorn)

140 Favorite: Frankrone (River City)

Contender: Oxford (Union), Hayden (Elkhorn)

152 Favorite: Emerson (Oldham Co) - big shout out to Max, he has been on a tear, injured eye and all

Contender: Calhoun (Rivery City), Anderson (Elkhorn)

168 Favorite: Meiman (Ryle)

Contenders: McIntosh (Oldham Co)

190 Favorite: Graziani (Campbell Co)

Contenders: Haven't seen much here yet, either

230 Young (Lafayette)

Contenders: Kearns (Conner)

Top School Teams: Campbell County, North Oldham, Elkhorn

Top Club Teams: Union County, River City, Walton Verona

[yacmed 0]

Thanks Ranger, appreciate the update. If I had to bet, I'd say that Young from Lafayette may be the state MOW - he was impressive this weekend.

[Mike Frankrone 20]

I love to hear about the predictions, but as far as state mow, you never know until the state tournament comes! there's a lot of kids looking top-notch all over the state and sometimes by the time state comes around there's a sleeper who turns it on during the state tournament and walks away with mow award! That's usually the hardest award to predict during the regular season. Its fun to talk about it though!

[trithis 34]

I will have to say that David Rich looked tough to beat as well as a few others. The MOW this past weekend at the Bearcat Brawl in Walton Verona came down to Rich and Young. They both pinned their way through the tourney and the total time was the tie breaker, which Young had a little less of.

[Wky 25]

I would think the level of talent in a weight class would have lot to do with MOW.

[trithis 34]

It's up to what each individual coach determines what is important in their vote for MOW. Everyone is different.

[yacmed 0]

Heavy weight in Middle School isn't usually the most packed talent-wise, but I haven't seen someone with the physical maturity of Young in a while. This isn't a knock at anyone, I've seen some very good wrestling this year - but Young will likely dominate through the tournament. I understand that it may be impressive for wrestler Q to win in a stacked weight class but I personally think that if a kid is head and shoulders better than everyone else in his weight class, he should get consideration for MOW. Which also tosses in Frankrone and maybe Heidorf and Oxford into the same category.

It is always interesting to see who from West KY ends up showing up, Christian County was very impressive last year with a young team and who knows what to expect from East KY. should be a fun state tournament.

[trithis 34]

yacmed, you are right. Heavy is not usually the most packed talent wise, therefore I might have voted different. I'm sure there were several coaches that thought along the same lines are you...since Young won the MOW this weekend. I personally want to see a MOW wrestle and dominate against the next best in his weight class or post a big win over a quality opponent than being dominant over lesser talented kids.

[mat-king 4]

92 looks to be really good

[Wky 25]

6 placers from last yr 86

[nkw2k11 2]

Should be a one horse race at 92 not to put anybody down those are some good wrestlers but I do believe bindner is on a whole nother level. Now 98 seems to be pretty tough as well as 86. As far as mow goes like you said its unpredictable really.

[WHS98 34]

I will never understand the MOW voteing,If a kid is expected to win,and does, coaches tend to forget about him.But if there is an upset everyone jumps on the band wagon and he useally ends up getting it.Case in point,in high school how has John Fahy never won it.(a 3-time state champ with a Div. 1 scholarship).Another case in point last year Wiley beat Bindner( and did it soundly)so everone just more or less based everything on that match.And I am not saying that match wasn't hugh but Logan Erdmen got overlooked and he dominated all his matches(even pinning Ben Barton,who beat hiedorf a couple of weeks ago).Logan just won the Raider Rumble beating a 6th ranked 10th grader so he has to be toward the top of the list if you want an early season pick.Kids like Bindner,Sheffer,Frankrone and Wiley(all 2 time state champs) will not get as many votes because coaches are expecting them to win.So I do like the way cliff keen does it, most pins in the least amount of time.Takes away coaches just voteing for their kids and kids they know or like.Just my opinion.

[trithis 34]

Actually that is how the Bearcat Brawl ended up. Most pins and the least amount of time was the tie breaker. Darn, we thought we made that up. Nope. Thunder lost again. It was a three way tie in votes, but Rich and Young had 4 pins and Young won the tie breaker. Voting is always subjective. Might be a good time for a change.

[HardWork_Pays 2]

While I agree with what both of you are saying you also have to look at the competition in play. Just by looking at the current projections the winner of 86 pounds and 105 should be your frontrunners in Most Outstanding Wrestler. I think you have to look at a full body of work and who they wrestled to determine who is the most outstanding. What if Sheffer goes out there and tech's Martin, then tech's Jacob's, only to tech Wise in the semi's and pins in the finals? Since he only had one pin you can honestly tell me he does not deserve MOW?? Your a lunitic if you say so. Remember its call Most Outstanding Wrestler, NOT, Most Pins Least Amount of Time.

[marriedtothemat 13]

Actually that is how the Bearcat Brawl ended up. Most pins and the least amount of time was the tie breaker. Darn, we thought we made that up. Nope. Thunder lost again. It was a three way tie in votes, but Rich and Young had 4 pins and Young won the tie breaker. Voting is always subjective. Might be a good time for a change.

Only problem here is some kids had a bye the first round. The bye, even though no fault of their own, leaves them out of the running even if their average pin time was less than anyone else.

[EMS Coach Cardwell 17]

How can you really have a MOW State Champ, without considering his season. You can't judge it on an upset, most pins in least amount of time, or techs. IMHO, you have to consider the body of work that particular wrestler has put together throughout the entire season. I had an undefeated State Champ that wasn't even in the running in years past. Explain that! By far, that is the hardest feat to accomplish in any sport. Honestly, any Coach worth his weight, won't just scribble a kids name down at the end of the State Tournament. He will sit back and really think about who stuck out all season/career. If this things keep going the way I believe it will, it will be a 2 horse race between Binder and Frankrone. Not to ruffle any feathers, but those 2 kids are arguably the best 2 kids in middle school in the State of KY today. Just a side note, I have nothing to do with RC, as a matter of fact, they are a friendly rival. But you can't argue with what these kids have accomplished. This being said, my vote hasn't been cast, and there is a long season ahead. Good luck to all. I love the way our sport is heading!

[smg2 2]

Well it is not the most outstanding wrestler of the season it is most outstanding of the tournament

[EMS Coach Cardwell 17]

Well it is not the most outstanding wrestler of the season it is most outstanding of the tournament

Mmmmm. I disagree. If you only judge on that tournament, you are being rather narrowed minded. Let's look past the Middle School State Tournament, let's look at the High School State Tournament. Was Joe Carr, Isaac Knable, or Jacob Murton really that impressive at the State Tournament the year they won this illustrious award? Mmmmm, depends on your definition of impressive. Were they overall the most impressive wrestlers of the year, YES! smg2, you are welcome to your opinion, as is everyone, but let's be honest.....a kid that gets on a hot streak at the State Tournament is great, but does that really deserve the most illustrious award that we can offer? IMHO, No Way!

[Wky 25]

You have 4 kids going for their 3rd state championship 2 of which are consecutive .Its not mow of career it's of state tour.

[PinAndWin 64]

DW...I couldn't disagree with you more. It's Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. I have to say, this award has left me scratching my head many times.

"If this things keep going the way I believe it will, it will be a 2 horse race between Binder and Frankrone. Not to ruffle any feathers, but those 2 kids are arguably the best 2 kids in middle school in the State of KY today."

Who's being narrow minded? Cmon man...while these two are definately two of the top wrestlers in the state, there are several others equally as dominant. This is coming from someone who is personal friends with the dad of one of the forementioned, and he would agree with me. Are you paying attention to the entire state or just Louisville?

[WHS98 34]

See how everyone already has disagreements on who it should be.If we all were in the same room and got to watch each and every match and break down the brackets most of us might come up with the same wrestler.But coaches are to busy to watch other matches but their own.Case in point, 2 yrs ago when Frankrone won his first state title,our head coach did not have him on his ballot.When I reminded him that Frankrone(a 6th grader) just beat a kid that finished 4th at 103 in high school state he changed his vote.He was just so busy with his own wrestlers he overlooked it. I did it at cost of takeing away a vote for my son.I just think doing it the way the Bearcat Brawl and Cliff Keen do,we would not have any arguments.That being said, there is so many good wrestlers doing great at the high school level(that we don't see each week) it is a crowded field for MOW and that is a good thing.

[trithis 34]

That is a great thing and I'm impressed that you would sacrifice a vote for your son to let another kid have the vote. As others have said..."it's not always about your kid."

[EMS Coach Cardwell 17]

Pinandwin, its ok that you disagree with me. I guess until we have criteria to go by, we will have to vote how we individually see things. As far as asking if I'm watching the whole State or just Louisville, I'm going by what I've seen thus far. I don't even Coach in Louisville, so I certainly don't play favorites to them. If someone else that I SEE, is worthy, they will be considered. Like I said, my vote hasn't been cast yet, and there is a lot of wrestling yet to happen. Once again, good luck to all this year.

[PinAndWin 64]

I feel much better knowing it's ok if I disagree. Thank you for that.

It's common knowledge that coaches are supposed to be voting based on the tournament, not the entire year. If we're going by your criteria, how can it be a 2 horse race if you haven't seen all the horses? That's my point.

[EMS Coach Cardwell 17]

Glad you feel better with my approval. If it is such "common knowledge" why all the arguments. By your criteria, one of my former wrestlers should have been the hands down winner. If an undefeated season, 3 first period pins and a tech fall at the State Tournament don't win it, what does? I have no sour grapes over this, truly no big deal. All I'm saying, is you vote your way, I'll vote mine. Period.