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2012 Top Gun Wrestling Tournament

When:* January 13-14, 2012

Where:* Alliance, OH

What:* Individual Tournament

** The Top Gun tournament began in 1987. The year before*(1986), co-founders*Chuck Kreiner (Head Wrestling Coach) and*John “Jack” B. Webb” (Alliance High School Assistant Principal) held an 8 team JV tournament. They decided to elevate it for the next season to a varsity one. The tournament grew and grew. The tournament has had teams from Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan, Utah, Virgina,*Maryland, New York, Florida and Kentucky. The Top Gun has been aided by community involvement from HS staff, students, administrators, businesses and organizations.*Top Gun settled on Martin*Luther King weekend to allow travel time for out of state teams. Originally the tournament occurred in late January.

The Top Gun Tournament hits a 26 year milestone in 2012. Top Gun has settled on 41 teams from the first tournament which gathered 16 teams to an all time high of 48 teams in 2000. Alliance won the first tournament.* Austintown Fitch*is the*only other team to*wrestle at every Top Gun since its inception. While there have been many outstanding matches at Top Gun over the 25 years, the most exciting match wrestled*was Zak Kalai’s upset of Jeff Ratliff in his senior year (1999). Ratliff was trying for*his elusive 4th title at Top*Gun. To this date,*no wrestler has won 4 Top Gun Titles. Close behind in top matches*is Ben Jordan’s last second takedown*in preventing Tony Jameson from winning his fourth title in 2008. Sonny Marchette (Walsh) and Brian Singleton (Alliance/Crestwood) are the only*two wrestlers to win two Kit Baucum Outstanding wrestler awards.*St.*Paris Graham*has won the most team titles with 6.

The Top Gun uses 7-8 mats, 6 in the main gym and 1-2 in the* auxiliary gym. The finals breaks down to 3 mats in the center of the main gym. The tournament has prided itself on having a finals show that have ranged from repelling out of the ceiling with paratroopers to Elvis impersonators, rock bands, sumo wrestling fights, karaoke and jump roping and martial arts exhibitions. The Top Gun averages between 1300 and 1400*spectators for the finals on Saturday Night. In addition, the Top Gun claims to have the best comp room of any tournament in North America. Wonderful food dishes are homemade and donated by many volunteers. Estimates figure that between 350 – 400 referees, volunteers and coaches are fed. While Top Gun has many sponsors, ASICS has been a main stay as was We’re Rolling Time Pretzel Company

~ Frank Mancini

Participating Teams:



  1. Alliance
  2. Austintown Fitch
  3. Boardman
  4. Carrollton
  5. Claymont
  6. Clear Fork
  7. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
  8. Dover
  9. Dublin Scioto
  10. Eaton
  11. Fairless
  12. Field
  13. Graham Local
  14. Hoover
  15. Jackson
  16. Lake
  17. Loudonville
  18. Louisville
  19. Madison
  20. Marysville
  21. Mayfield
  22. Medina
  23. Mentor
  24. Miami Trace
  25. Minerva
  26. New Oxford
  27. Olentangy
  28. Orrville
  29. Perry
  30. Piqua
  31. Poland
  32. Ravenna
  33. River View
  34. Riverside
  35. Sidney
  36. Steubenville
  37. Streetsboro
  38. Strongsville
  39. Walsh
  40. Wapakoneta
  41. Washington Court House
  42. West Holmes
  43. Westerville Central
2012 Top Gun Resources:

Top Gun* -* Results

Top Gun* -* Brackets

Top Gun* -* Tournament Website