Andover Central wrestler Zac Gentzler is Joanna Chadwick’s guest on the Big Show.

By Joanna Chadwick

Here’s the current high school basketball schedule, as I know it as of 3:50 p.m.

Girls at 6 p.m., boys 7:30
City League (on as scheduled, varsity only)
Carroll at Northwest
Kapaun at Heights
Southeast at East
West at North
AV-CTL
Andale at Collegiate, canceled
Andover at Campus (as scheduled)
Arkansas City at Andover Central (as scheduled)
Augusta at Clearwater, canceled
Buhler at Rose Hill, canceled
Circle at Wellington, canceled
Derby at Salina South, ppd.
Eisenhower at Goddard, canceled
El Dorado at Mulvane, canceled
McPherson at Winfield, canceled
Newton at Maize (as scheduled, varsity only)
Salina Central at Hutchinson, ppd.
Valley Center at Maize South
Other Area Games
Hutch Central Christian at Elyria Christian, canceled

Bowling regionals are still on. State wrestling has been postponed until 4 p.m. and on Saturday, finals are at 2:30 p.m. and will go simultaneously with third and fifth-place matches.

By Joanna Chadwick

The Kansas State High School Activities Association has delayed Friday’s starts to the state wrestling meets.

There will be a two-hour delay on Friday, bumping weigh-ins to 9 a.m., with the first-round competition starting at noon. The second round will begin 15 minutes after the conclusion of the first round.

By Joanna Chadwick

I was disturbed and saddened by this story I saw this morning on the Olympic committee getting rid of wrestling, as of 2020.

It just doesn’t seem possible that the Olympics would not have wrestling. It’s such a wonderful sport, so intense and enjoyable to watch. It’s also one of the oldest.

I don’t understand this decision. What is your take?

I am irked, though, to see how Title IX is blamed for the death of wrestling in college. I don’t think it’s right that colleges have let go of the sport to maintain their STANDARDS of GENDER EQUALITY, but let’s take a look at a sport like football, which has a ridiculous number of athletes and is the reason why most colleges struggle to maintain equality. Blame the colleges for their decisions instead of blaming Title IX.

Title IX insists on women being afforded the same opportunities as men in sports. Gasp!

Thank goodness for that. I say that not only because I benefited from it as a high school athlete but because being allowed to play sports — instead of standing on the sidelines and only being able to watch — it has afforded girls an avenue that gives them more confidence, healthier bodies, better lives. Just like boys.

So focus on how the Olympics are killing the sport. Be mad. Do something about it. Petition. Put the blame where the blame should be. Because this is ridiculous.

Valley Center wrestling coach Brian Shelton joins Joanna Chadwick on the Big Show.

Augusta wrestling coach Brandon Terry was Joanna Chadwick’s guest on the Big Show.

By Joanna Chadwick

Andover Central senior Zac Gentzler has made an oral commitment to wrestle at Oklahoma State.

Gentzler has won Class 5A titles at 103 pounds twice and at 113 in 2011. He is expected to wrestle at 120 this season and at 125 in college.

When I asked coach Chris Saferite what makes Gentzler a Division I wrestler, he gave a little laugh and said, “I don’t know where to start,” and then proceeded to talk about what a wonderful student and person Gentzler is.

“And then, just as far as wrestling, his work ethic. It’s great. He’s a smart wrestler, he’s a tough wrestler,” Saferite said. “He’s got the right attitude and the right mindset to be a wrestler. I think you need a combination of both to wrestle at a Division I school. You have to be physically able to do it, and he is. He’s probably the most technical wrestler I’ve ever coached.”

Gentzler will try to become the 29th wrestler in Kansas history to win four titles.

Gentzler originally committed to Lehigh two weeks ago.

“I originally committed to Lehigh and I didn’t really spend much time thinking about where I wanted to go … I made a pros and cons list and (Oklahoma State) felt like home. The academic structure they have there is great. They’ve won 34 national team championships and I can’t name the number of individual championships. I feel it will be the best opportunity to win a national title and get a degree.”

by joanna

Heights senior Matt Reed will sign Thursday with Oklahoma for wrestling. Reed was a Top 11 quarterback, playing in three state title football games and winning one.

He proved to be a dominant wrestler over the past two years, going undefeated, winning two Class 6A titles and pinning the majority of his opponents.

Reed is yet another outstanding wrestler that has come from Heights, following Daniel Deshazer and Kendric Maple, recently an All-American.

by joanna

If you follow wrestling in the Wichita area, you know there are some absolute stud athletes. We see it in the regular season and in the postseason.

Over the weekend, several of those wrestlers did Kansas proud while competing in Virginia Beach.

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by joanna

Team Kansas wrestling will take on Missouri on March 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Labette Community College. Team Kansas is 2-0 against Missouri. The team roster is below.

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