Wrestlers of all ages keep cool

MIKE SHEPHERD/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Dean Sheets, 76, left, wrestles with Kelsey Blackman, Kansas City, during Saturday's competition.

By Tom Allen

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

With the weather outside nearing triple digits, participants in this years Sunflower State Games wrestling tournament were enjoying the inside temperatures in the Shawnee Heights High School gymnasium.

Curtis Simon, Emporia High School coach for the past 10 years and winner of the 165-pound bracket last year, said it was cooler this year at Shawnee Heights than at Topeka West High School last year. Although disappointed he couldn't defend his title this year due to some soreness in his back, the six-time state wrestling champion still looked forward to coming to the Games to watch four of his students participate. One of the boys wrestling this year is Marcus Herrera, the 2002 state wrestling champion.

"There are about 210 wrestlers here this year so I'm not sure how my boys will place," Simon said.

The wrestlers in this year's event included people of varying ages, including 76-year-old Dean Sheets.

Sheets has entered the wrestling event at the Sunflower State Games for six years and was voted the Kansas Athlete of the Year in 2001. He won the 165-pound bracket two years ago but Sheets missed last year's event after being involved in a car accident in March 2002, injuring his neck and shoulders.

Many people at the wrestling event remembered five years ago when the Sheets family had three generations wrestling at the Games, including Sheets' son, grandson and granddaughter.

After winning his first match Saturday morning, Sheets could be seen relaxing on the bleachers in the gym.

"I'm a little tired," said Sheets. "I'll probably finish second."

Sheets was right. He finished second in the 165-pound, 50 and older division.

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