The Kentucky High School Athletic Administration (KHSAA) proposed a new format for the high school wrestling championship due to the covid pandemic. Although this is the only year this format will be used everyone should want the same thing: send the best wrestlers in each weight class from regionals to semi state, and then on to the state tournament. In it’s current proposed format there is one glaring, yet easily fixable issue: The lack of a true 2nd place at semi state.

In the proposed format, only the wrestlers in the 1st place match at semi state will advance to the state tournament. This essentially converts semi state to a single elimination tournament where the 3rd place finisher is left without the opportunity to medal in the state tournament, even though they may be the 2nd best wrestler at semi state. This situation has always been present in the normal format of the state tournament, but the wrestlers are at least provided the opportunity to medal. 

This post season we could have a scenario where a wrestler gets 1st in region, loses once in their first two matches at semi state, and ends their season without a chance to medal at the state tournament (and a 6-1 post season record!). In my opinion, this is completely unacceptable.

Wrestling is built on the idea that you can always win. You can be losing by 14 and pin your opponent and still win. You can lose in the first round of state and wrestle 7 matches to get a 3rd place medal. I think that’s partly why not having a true 2nd place is such a bitter pill to swallow.

This could be easily changed up the day of the semi state tournaments; by adding a non team scoring match between the 2nd and 3rd placers (if they didn’t wrestle each other earlier in the semi state tournament) and award placement points after the completion of the entire semi state tournament.

Signers of this petition respectfully ask the KHSAA, Commissioner Julian Tackett, and Assistant Commissioner Mike Barron to revise the current state format proposal to include the opportunity for a true 2nd place match in semi state.