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Woodford County - # of individual state champions

Topic ID: 3588 | 21 Posts

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but according to my records Woodford County now has 35 individual state champs since 1995 (55 total) which is more than any other team has in total.

Sounds about right.  They have had one hell of a ride.

I think 19 years in a row being top 3 at State Tournament.  Kids in high school were not even born the last time Woodford got worse than 3rd.

I was wondering about Woodford and their number of individual state champs, so thanks for sharing.  On a side note:  Coach Matney, formerly of Sheldon Clark and the current coach of Johnson Central led his 18th wrestler to a state title this weekend with Corey Spencer winning 112. 

What are the other figures on the other coaches/teams in the state?

I was wondering about Woodford and their number of individual state champs, so thanks for sharing.   On a side note:  Coach Matney, formerly of Sheldon Clark and the current coach of Johnson Central led his 18th wrestler to a state title this weekend with Corey Spencer winning 112. 

What are the other figures on the other coaches/teams in the state?

I believe Coach Badida at Conner has 19.  I'm not sure what years Ploesser was at Hopkinsville, but they are second as a team with 34.  He probably has quite a few.  Here are the top 10 teams based on number of individual champs.

TEAM TOTAL

Woodford County 55

Hopkinsville 34

Fern Creek 32

North Hardin 30

Union County 28

Christian County 22

Conner 19

Simon Kenton 19

St. Xavier 18

Trinity (Louisville) 18

How do you get to the numbers? Are you counting the number of individuals that won state as one state champion, regardless of how many times they might have been a state champion? For example, did Woodford have 55 different state champions or say 40 or more different wrestlers, some of which won state 2-4 times?

How do you get to the numbers? Are you counting the number of individuals that won state as one state champion, regardless of how many times they might have been a state champion? For example, did Woodford have 55 different state champions or say 40 or more different wrestlers, some of which won state 2-4 times?

Each win counts as 1.  I'm not sure how many different kids make up the 55 wins.

Since 1995 Woodford County has had 20 different wrestlers win a total of 35 individual state championships.  I cannot provide any information before 1996 because my memory fails me before that point because of my age.  The individual champions and the years in which they won their title(s) are as follows.  1994 was the last year that Woodford County failed to have an individual champion, ironically Joe Carr Jr's freshman year (he won it as an eighth grader).

1995- Josh Campbell, Joe Carr Jr

1996- Chris Valentine, Joe Carr Jr, Ian Horn

1997- Chris Dunn, Joe Carr Jr, Ian Horn

1998- Chris Dunn, Josh Whitaker

1999- Chris Dunn, Josh Whitaker

2000- Ryan Leugers, Michael Jackson, John Gentry

2001- Tyler Baldwin, Eric Slugantz

2002- Tyler Baldwin, Eric Slugantz

2003- Kyle Vanzant

2004- Rusty Parks, Richard Starks

2005- Richard Starks

2006- Coty Lewis, Harrison Courtney, Will Starks, Richard Starks, Kyle Goodrich

2007- Harrison Courtney, Will Starks, Matt Byrd

2008- Shane Parks, Harrison Courtney

1991- Robert Kemper, Michael Benson

1992- Shawn Meckley

1993- Joe Carr, Robert Kemper, Matt Hecker(7 in finals, out of 13)

This should be the complete list of Woodford Co. champions.

1970

Wilson, Hartley-------------175

Weathers, Larry------------Hwt

1972

Woods, Jack----------------119

Fitch, Jeff------------------138

1973

Fitch,   Jeff--------------145 MVW

Lemaster, Ricky-------------185

1974

Campbell, Wayne------------138

Fitch, Jeff---------------155 MVW

1975

Boggs, Bruce----------------167

1976

Boggs, Bruce----------------187

1977

Cotton, Brian----------------112

1978

Bottoms, Ricky--------------126

Castle, Tommy--------------132

1982

Thornton, Terry-------------185

1984

Baker, Bryan----------------Hwt

1991

Kemper, Robert--------------135

Benson, MIcheal-------------171

1992

Meckley, Shawn-------------125

1993

Carr, Joe -------------------103

Kemper, Robert--------------160

Hecker, Matt----------------171

1995

Spencer, Josh---------------119

Carr, Joe -------------------126

Campbell, Josh---------------Hwt

1996

Valentine, Chris-------------103

Carr, Joe -------------------140

Horn, Ian -------------------145

1997

Dunn, Chris-----------------125

Carr, Joe -------------------145 MVW

Horn, Ian -------------------152

1998

Dunn, Chris-----------------135

Horn, Ian -------------------160 MVW

Whitaker, Josh--------------215

1999

Dunn, Chris-----------------135

Whittaker, Josh-------------215

2000

Lueggers, Ryan--------------125

Jackson, Michael-------------135

Gentry, John----------------145

2001

Baldwin, Tyler---------------112

Slugants, Eric---------------171

2002

Baldwin, Tyler---------------119

Slugantz, Eric---------------171

2003

Vanzant, Kyle---------------189

2004

Parks, Rusty----------------112

Starks, Richard-------------171

2005

Starks, Richard-------------189

2006

Lewis, Coty-----------------112

Courtney, Harrison ----------145

Starks, Will------------------171

Starks, Richard--------------189

Goodrich, Kyle---------------Hwt

2007

Courtney, Harrison ----------145

Starks, Will------------------189

Byrd, Matt-------------------Hwt

2008

Parks, Shane----------------125

Courtney, Harrison ----------145 MVW

Carr would be a 5 timer but he lost in the finals to Greg Woodring

Jeff Fitch was a 3 timer but i dont remember the other year

While looking at this I come up with 56 state champions.

36 different individuals.

It is great to see the list of state champs go back as far as it did.  As a former wrestler at Tates Creek and the University of Kentucky (that tells you how old I am) it sure brings back a lot of memories.  I wonder if anyone knows if Eric Slugantz's dad is Alan?  I wrestled him in high school my first year and he beat me like a drum through the season and I beat him in the quarters of the state on the way to the finals.  Just wondering.

While looking at this I come up with 56 state champions.

36 different individuals.

I didn't have one in 1976.  I have 56 as well.

I doubt you wrestled Eric Slugantz's dad.  Eric moved to Woodford County from Indiana his sophomore year.  I think his family is from there but I could be wrong.  I do know he has some cousins that are native to Versailles.  Also Courtney would be a four-timer already but got screwed by the officials in the semis against Joey Sanders from Wayne County (who he majored earlier in the year), and if you know me you don't hear me complaining about officials hardly at all.

I never complain about refs either, but that was one of the worse calls at the state tournament ever.  Also there was one in the finals years back(around 2002?) where someone got called for stalling on top in ot.  Anyone remember who that was?  I know thats not much to go on...

But that Woodford list is sick....all credit goes to Coach Parks and Carr.

I believe it was Jeremy Rhodes from Sheldon Clark who kept Joe from being a 5x state champion,  Rhodes was a 2x state champion if my memory is correct.  Joe had his growth spurt at a bad time...Jumping from 103 to 126 from an 8th grader to his freshman year was tough.

As for Slugantz.  I believe he went from 189 his junior to winning a State Championship his Senior year at 171.  Dedication.. Worth Ethic.. or Coach Parks and Coach Carr telling you to get to 171.  Never got the chance to congratulate you in person.  Nice Job Eric.

Scott Rhodes won state in 1996, and Jeremy Rhodes in 1997.

Joe was runner up in 1994, He lost to Greg Woodring from Union Co. 

Scott Rhodes won state in 1996, and Jeremy Rhodes in 1997.

Joe was runner up in 1994, He lost to Greg Woodring from Woodford Co. 

Greg Woodring was from UNION COUNTY

I believe it was Jeremy Rhodes from Sheldon Clark who kept Joe from being a 5x state champion,  Rhodes was a 2x state champion if my memory is correct.  Joe had his growth spurt at a bad time...Jumping from 103 to 126 from an 8th grader to his freshman year was tough.

As for Slugantz.  I believe he went from 189 his junior to winning a State Championship his Senior year at 171.  Dedication.. Worth Ethic.. or Coach Parks and Coach Carr telling you to get to 171.  Never got the chance to congratulate you in person.  Nice Job Eric.

I believe that Joe wrestled 119 his freshman year and then went to 126 his sophomore year.  I know he won his junior year while at 140 and then 145 his senior year.

Actually Slugantz wrestled 189 his sophomore year because it was better for the team.  We had a pretty strong wrestler at 171 (Drew Connors), although he had a bad state tournament and failed to place.  Slugantz then went down to 171 for his junior and senior seasons where he won both of his titles.

Eric stayed at 171 both years he won state, he beat Vessel's his junior year and then he moved up and won at 189 and Eric Stayed at 171 for his senior year and repeated

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