The middle school national team is coming along very well.  The team will compete in Danville, Illinois on March 24th & 25th at the USA Middle School National Duals.  Some of the states competing are: Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Texas, California, Nebraska, Wyoming, Team Jordan.  Applications received so far:

70 Garth Yenter and Brock Ervin, Yenter gets the spot due to state finals matchup victory

75 Logan Wedding

80 Grant Palmer and Matt Fahy, wrestle-off scheduled for March 7th

85 John Fahy

90 Nick Paden

95 Brent Hitchings

102 Luke Troxell, Jayce Carr, Will Bryant.  Wrestle-offs being arranged

110 Zack Salyers

117 Caleb Ervin and JJ Jude, Wrestle-off opportunity can't be put together due to distance between homes.  Caleb will likely get the nod since he won state at 117 and JJ won at 110.  Sure want to include both.

125 Tom Shirey

132 Shaquille Cox

140 Cole Proctor

150 Austin Stepp

160 Bernard Ray

170 Conner Coyle

180 Drew Newberry and Johnny Powell, Drew likely with the spot based on higher finish at state

195 OPEN

215 Robert Channing

275 OPEN

Waiting to hear from Vince Staten on the 275 spot.  I need help filling the 195 spot.  Could Cameron Hicks, Cody Hollan, or Brandon Brammer make 195lbs?

Overall a very strong lineup for the national duals.  Many of these kids are 7th graders: Yenter, Palmer, J. Fahy, Paden, Hitchings, Carr, Jude, Ray, Newberry. 

The 7th grade class in Kentucky is the strongest class EVER.

We are no longer accepting applications for the team unless a weight class is not filled.

Luke troxell is a 7th grader as well

Why not bump Johnny Powell to 195?

So why should Luke Troxell have to wrestle off when he finished second at 103 and Jayce and Will finished lower in other weight classes?  Looks like he would be next in line.

Updated roster for Team Kentucky:

70 Garth Yenter

70 Brock Ervin-Alt

75 Logan Wedding

80 Grant Palmer

80 Matt Fahy

85 John Fahy

90 Nick Paden

95 Brent Hitchings

102 Luke Troxell

102 Jayce Carr-Alt

110 Zach Salyers

117 Caleb Ervin

125 JJ Jude

132 Shaquille Cox

140 Cole Proctor

150 Austin Stepp

160 Bernard Ray

170 Conner Coyle

180 Drew Newberry

195 Johnny Powell

215 Channing Smith

275 OPEN

Grant Palmer and Matt Fahy will be wrestling off soon.  Jayce Carr has agreed to accept the alternate spot behind Luke Troxell.  JJ Jude has grown into the 125lb. spot.  Johnny Powell is bumping up to 195lbs.  We still need a heavyweight OR Channing Smith will bump to heavy leaving open the 215lb spot.  Any takers?

just wondering  how the team is picked.  must have missed this post. Looks like kids sign up then are picked or wrestle off. does the winner of the state middle school auto get the spot and if does not want it does it fall to #2 and if he not signed up then whoever is signed up gets the spot

just wondering  how the team is picked.  must have missed this post. Looks like kids sign up then are picked or wrestle off. does the winner of the state middle school auto get the spot and if does not want it does it fall to #2 and if he not signed up then whoever is signed up gets the spot

Mark Hitchings essentially picks the team.  He gives first dibs to the state champ in that weight class if it matches up, if not, it is his call.  He has been running this team for 4 or 5 years now.  Without him, there would be no "Team Kentucky" for middle school.  He has done a great job with this, and it always seems to work out in the end. 

Last year we tried to pull off a try out type thing...all top 6 wrestlers from m.s. state got an invite.  They were required to let Mark or me know if they intended on trying out.  We had less than 5 kids interested in this.

Awesome job by Coach Hitchings!

This is a great event that each participant should be thrilled to be able to attend,

without the effort by Coach Hitchings I doubt that it would happen for them.

Thanks for getting this together year after year and good luck!