Wrestling all-star events on tap for Monday, Wednesday

FORT SCOTT -- Two Fort Scott High School wrestlers will take part in a high-school all-star event at Labette Community College in Parsons Monday night. Wednesday night, one of the Tigers will compete in another event at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Monday's event is the First Annual SEK Vs. SEMO Wrestling Classic. Senior Denzell Davis, the Kansas Class 4A State runner-up at 119 pounds, will be taking on Missouri Class 3 112-pound State champion Joe Barnes of Neosho in a 112-pound bout. Classmate Tyler Sharp, fifth at Class 4A State at 125 pounds, will be going up against Billy Hessick of Reeds Spring, Mo., who finished fifth at the Missouri State Tournament.

Former FSHS wrestler Andy Albright, currently the head coach of Chanute, is one of the organizers of the SEK-SEMO event. Action is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Davis will stay busy as he goes to Kansas City, Kan., Wednesday night for the 18th Annual Metro Classic. He will become the seventh representative from Fort Scott in this event, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Davis has been scheduled to face Logan Welch of Lexington, Mo., who was Missouri State runner-up this season with a record of 48-3.

"This meet has become the largest high school sports event in the Kansas City area," Fort Scott head coach David Brown says. "Last year over 3,000 people packed into KCK's coliseum for two hours of down-to-the-wire high-school wrestling. Playing a rivalry that dates back to the 1860's, both states continue a battle at the border. The coliseum, large for a community college, is filled to the rafters on one side with Missouri fans and on the other with Kansas fans. They yell for their wrestlers; they yell at the officials; they yell at each other; they stomp in encouragement; they stomp in frustration and they eat hot dogs. The winning state will have bragging rights for one year."

These will not be the only post-season wrestling events for Davis. He has also qualified for the National High School Coaches Association Senior National Tournament, which will be held in Virginia Beach, Va., March 25-27. Davis is the fourth Fort Scott High wrestler to have qualified, according to Brown. He will compete in the 119-pound weight class, which is expected to have 50 competitors. The top eight finishers earn All-American honors.

The Kansas team will depart for the tournament March 24. Contributions are needed to help offset costs and made be made to FSHS Wrestling at the high school.