Three area wrestlers will represent the Sunflower State tonight in the 12th annual Kansas City Metro Classic Wrestling Dual.

Santa Fe Trail’s Dustin Crotinger and Baldwin’s Derek Lang and Kyle Flory each will wrestle in the dual, which starts at 7 tonight at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Santa Fe Trail coach Regan Erickson will be one of four Kansas coaches, a reward for the Chargers’ ninth-place finish at the Class 4A state meet.

The Metro Classic pits 15 of the top senior wrestlers on each side of the state line within a 100-mile radius of Kansas City against each other. Missouri leads the all-time series 7-4, including a 39-21 victory last year.

“As athletes, they want to compete and do well,” Baldwin coach Kit Harris said. “But at the same time, it’s a fun meet to feature our top wrestlers in the area. There’s not the pressure of winning it for the team or winning the state title or anything like that.”

Lang, who went 46-4 this season wrestling at 160 pounds, will drop down to 152 pounds and wrestle St. Joe Central’s Blake Peterson.

Lang placed third at the Class 4A state meet this year. Peterson won state in Missouri, finishing a perfect 49-0.

At 171 pounds, Flory, who went 42-4 and placed second at the 4A meet, will wrestle Robert Shadrach of Kearney. Shadrach finished 39-2 and placed third at state.

Baldwin’s two representatives are the second and third Bulldogs to compete in the Metro Classic. Lang’s brother, Luke, was selected to compete in 2000.

“It’s a great honor,” Harris said. “It’s another tribute to the careers they’ve had here for us.”

Crotinger is slated to wrestle Oak Park’s Jon Gerhold at 130 pounds tonight. Crotinger qualified for state with a 28-8 mark this season.

“It’s a big honor to be selected,” Erickson said. “Dustin’s a tough kid, and he’s going to give it his all.”

Proceeds from the Metro Classic will go to support the wrestling programs at Central Missouri State and Fort Hays State. In addition, the Wicina award will be announced midway through the dual which will award a $2,000 scholarship for a wrestler.