wvmat.com

From the Editor:

Reliable sources indicate that the 2017 State Tournament will award team championship honors for BOTH AA and A. AA and A will still wrestle together as a single group, and individual champs will still be combined AA/A as before, but the change is that team scores will be noted to recognize AA AND A team state champs. (As is done in the OVAC).

I think that is great!

Shall we all look forward to seeing a Single A team ranking each week once the rankings begin?

From the Editor:

Good question.

The Top Ten team finish for single A schools at the 2016 states tournament was

4. Calhoun County 103.00
6. Greenbrier West 76.50
11. Madonna 59.00
15. Wirt County 34.00
19. Magnolia 28.00
20. (tie) Moorefield 25.00
23. Midland Trail 23.00
26. Buffalo 19.00
28. Tyler Consolidated 17.00
30. Fayetteville 14.00
30. (tie) St. Joe 14.00

Trying to come up with a team poll for, say, places 5-10 could be difficult to do objectively.

We'll see what the coaches want to do.

The AA coaches vote only for AA schools. The A coaches vote only for the A schools.

I know that there are many out there that's saying that it just watering down with this decision. From my view point, its giving the small schools a chance to build a better program, bringing pride inside your school in having a chance for your school to win a state team title, and not interrupting the scheme of things at the state tournament. This is not a new format that has just been proposed. Many a year ago we, as single A coaches have tried, to no avail. I'm so glad that the WVSSAC has finally opened their eyes and allowed this to happen. Agree or disagree, try coaching at a small school this day and age against the larger AA schools. We will still have a plenty of Class A/AA state champions. With this, the smaller schools can also reap team success.

I'm against breaking AA and A into separate team scoring.
Heck let's just give every team a participation trophy.

Personally I would prefer that the winners and placers awards be improved ... I think the individual champs deserve more than a small plaque.

Everybody should go to the link for "West Virginia WVSSAC High school Classifications 2017 - 2020.

PRINT it out and really look at it.

By 2021, Class A will be huge.

Truesouthfaninhunt wrote:I'm against breaking AA and A into separate team scoring.
Heck let's just give every team a participation trophy.

Personally I would prefer that the winners and placers awards be improved ... I think the individual champs deserve more than a small plaque.

Agree, waste of time.

They divide it up in most all other sports. What's the difference?

It is a good start, and yes they do divide up a very high percentage of the other sports. I agree with Coach Stump. I still would like the individual wrestlers to go to 3 classes as well. I believe the sport will grow in the smaller schools with these modifications. Overall, the AAA teams and individuals are still the best in most cases, but not all. There will still be lots of tournaments all season long where the the classes mix, A, AA and AAA wrestlers will meet each other. At the end, do it like nearly every other sport and divide them up. Or don't divide any sport up.

Class AA has been getting tougher and tougher in the past 4-5 years. This upcoming season will be very tough. It is time to give the Class A schools a chance.

I agree with Coach Stump. Dividing AA and A schools is done in other sports so it's nothing new. Also, dividing AA and A into separate team awards, has NOTHING to do with the awards that the individual wrestlers get.