BY MACK McCLURE
mmcclure@gbtribune.com

The wrestling mats will be full this afternoon at the Panther Athletic Center, with the likes of Western Athletic Conference high school foes Liberal and perennial powerhouse Garden City coming to Great Bend.
 The first match of the day features Liberal vs. Garden City at 4, followed by Great Bend vs. Garden at 5 and Great Bend taking on Liberal at around 6.
Great Bend’s Chris Burley is ranked No. 1 at 112 pounds for the Panthers in the Class 5A state rankings by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association. He owns an impressive 29-3 record, although it’s likely he won’t be on the mat today.
“He has an ear problem,” Great Bend head coach Norbert Muth said of Chris Burley. “We hate losing him for today’s matches, but we want to get him back for regionals and for the state tournament.”
Another Burley currently sidelined is Greg Burley (125), who is out with a broken collarbone. His return has yet to be determined.
“At this point in the season, there’s not many guys that are l00 percent,” Muth said. “Our main goal is getting people to regionals and qualify for the state tournament.”
Louis Burley (152), a three-time state qualifier for the Panthers, who is in the midst of another 20-win season, returns to the mat after finishing with a 2-2 record last weekend at the Garden City tournament.
“He was going against some really tough competition,” Muth said of Louis Burley. “Actually, the Garden City tournament might be tougher than the state tournament.”
Jake Schridde (160) is currently ranked No. 3 in his respective weight classification for the Panthers with  a 20-8 record.
“When Jake is on, he’s really tough to beat,” Muth said.