Define irony. The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament this upcoming Saturday will be held in York, Nebraska. In this day in age, why should that surprise anyone? After all the BIG 12 is made up of 16 teams & the BIG 10 is made up of 18. So why should this make sense? Nevertheless it is rather refreshing to see a conference based out of Kansas, with Kansas schools. After all the Wheat State produces quite a few good high school wrestlers. It should have collegiate homes for them to compete.
Let's take a look at the upcoming KCAC tournament, weight by weight. Here are my thoughts.
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| 125 lbs |
Brody Gee is hot, he's on fire & I expect a lot of big things out of him in the post season. A runner-up at last year's KCAC championships, he was runner-up at the Falcon Invite & 4th at the Oppeheim Invitational earlier this season. More recently, he turned it on and he turned it up, winning the Missouri Valley Invitational. I'm expecting a KCAC championship out of the Spire this tournament.
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| 133 lbs |
The lightweights are going to be rather enjoyable for Coach Chuck Kearney as here at 133 lbs, I mention two more Saints. Freddy Barajas, who won the KCAC title last season & Roman De La Cruz who has had a pretty respectable season in his own right. Barajas a runner-up at both the Falcon Invite as well as the Oppenheim Invitational, De La Cruz was 3rd at the Falcon Invite & a match away from placing at the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| 141 lbs |
I'm anxious to see how this one turns out. All three of these guys are pretty tough. Hartwell Taylor won the Falcon Invite earlier this season & Donte Lopez made the KCAC finals last season. I also consider what Ezavian Ortega of Friends is capable of.
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| 149 lbs |
The Spanish word for wrestling is Luche Libre, which literally translates to "Free for All." A rather fitting phrase for 149 lbs within the KCAC. Normally I can look at a weight class & give you a pretty fair assessment. I can't always say that you're going to agree with me, but I can say that I speak with merit and conviction. Here, all I can do is sit back and watch it unfold. Irish Furthmyre, who if anything competes for having one of the coolest names in wrestling, is a very tough freshman. One good enough to overcome a weight class full of experience? Austin Almaguer a junior, while Braydon Smith & Chad Sakamoto are both seniors. As to Smith, this is his final tournament on his home mats. You gotta think that will inspire him and that could make a big difference. Sakamoto? What can I say about the guy? I've been following him for years & my opinion has remained the same about him. It's like there's a chain around his neck. A lock of some sort & it's simply a matter of unlocking it. 4th-6th-4th in the KCAC thus far, it's like damn, he's gotta place at least 3rd, if he doesn't make the finals or even win it. And why not? If he comes in here and wrestles his best, yes, he can walk out of here KCAC champ. Coach Tom Carr knows that as well as I do.
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| 157 lbs |
Gotta likelihood of an all Spire final at 133 & here at 157 we have a high probability of an all Brave final. Francis Morrissey a former Life Runnin' Eagle against teammate Ben Mitchell, an NJCAA runner-up for North Idaho last season. If anyone can spoil these plans, it is Josey Jernegan of Saint Mary, who took 6th at a competitive Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| 165 lbs |
Years as a reserve for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Kevon Freeman is spending his final season at Ottawa & he's thus far proven himself to be one of the top wrestlers in the NAIA at 165 lbs. He looks poised to bring home the KCAC title this weekend as he'll then head into the national tournament looking for NAIA All American honors. His likely finals opponent will be teammate Dayton Hall, who himself won a KCAC title last season & who earlier this year took 4th at the Falcon Inviational.
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| #10 Braden Anderson Ottawa 174 lbs |
A KCAC runner-up last season, I say that Braden Anderson exchanges silver for gold this tournament. The Brave was runner-up at the Falcon Invite earlier this season.
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| 184 lbs |
One of the best matches of the finals I predict will be at 184 lbs. Last season Daryus Webb was the KCAC champ to J.D. Perez's runner-up finish, but it was Perez who took home NAIA All American honors with a 6th place finish. This season thus far, Perez won a Falcon Invitational, as Webb placed 8th at the prestigious Missouri Valley Invitational. Our battle for 3rd could be interesting as well. Last year's KCAC bronze medalist Gabe Chesbro, likely to face Jordan Lomeli who was 4th at the Falcon Invitational.
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| 197 lbs |
A KCAC champ & 7th in the NAIA nation last season, I think it's very likely that Tucker Tomlinson gives the Braves yet another conference champ. Likely finals opponent? Former Northwest College NJCAA grappler, Ryker Blackburn who's been doing very well for the Spires thus far this season.
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| HWT U.R. Gavin Howes Avila |
My pick for KCAC champion at HWT is yet another former NJCAA wrestler, Gavin Howes, formally of Otero who now competes for Avila.
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