After a great year on the mat for many area grapplers in the Kanzaland area three area wrestlers will continue their wrestling career in the 21st annual Metro Classic wrestling showcase on March 5th at 6:30pm at Kansas City Kansas Community College. (For more information visit KC Metro Classic website)

The event annually pits the best wrestlers in the state of Kansas versus the best in the state of Missouri in a head to head showdown as some of the best talent comes together on the mat. This year three area wrestlers will be featured for the Kansas team and they include Holton Wildcat, Hunter Price, Royal Valley Panther, Tanner Ogden and Pleasant Ridge Ram, Jared Johnson.

All three wrestlers enjoyed great seasons and career's in their high school action and this season all three gentlemen came away with a medal at the state tournament.

Holton senior, Hunter Price wrapped up his season in impressive fashion capturing the 120lb weight class Class 4A state title after downing four opponents at the state tourney. Price not only captured a individual state title but with the help of eight of his wrestling mates Holton won the Class 4A state title as a team for the first time in school history. Price finished his season with a 39-5 record and a state championship. He will face off against Oak Park's, Brad Perkins who was 13-0 this season and is a three time state champion. (Check out the "Athlete of the Week" story on Holton Wrestling -- click here & listen to Justin Fluke's interview with Holton wrestling coach, Cullen Jackson -- click here).

Royal Valley Panther senior, Tanner Ogden as been a top wrestler in the area and state for a lot of his high school career on the mat and this season capped off a 41-5 campaign with a fourth place finish at state in Class 4A at 145lbs. Tanner in his high school career is a two-time state placer, finishing third a year ago. Ogden will face off against Darick Lapaglia from Blue Springs who went 44-2 this year and is a two-time state champion. (Check out previous "Athlete of Week" story on Tanner Ogden from early this year -- click here)

Pleasant Ridge Ram senior, Jared Johnson had a great season and came up just shy of an unbeaten record and state championship. Johnson finished as state runner-up at the weight class of 170lbs in Class 3-2-1A, suffering his only loss of the season in the state championship bout to finish 40-1 on the year. Jared during his time on the mat in high school is a three-time state placer, including his second place this year. He will square off with Chase Grey of Park Hill South on the mat in the Metro Classic; Grey was 51-3 this season and placed third at state.

These three wrestlers will hit the mat again at the Metro Classic on March 5th at 6:30pm at Kansas City Kansas Community College.