2014-2015 Preseason KWCA Rankings -- click here

As the winter sports season steadily approaches attention shifts to the sports of basketball and wrestling and to start the wrestling season 20 area Kansas high school wrestlers and three area teams will start the season ranked by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association.

In Class 4A the two-time defending State Champions in the Holton Wildcats come into the season preseason ranked second as a team just behind Chanute, as Holton has five individual wrestlers starting the season ranked in their weight class. Pacing the way for Holton is senior, Lucas Lovvorn who won the State title at 152lbs last year and moves to 160 this year and starts the year preseason #1. Senior, Mason Baum starts the year #2 at 170lbs after finishing fifth at State last year, while junior, Justin Rieschick is also preseason ranked #2 in his weight class of 145lbs, he returns after a fifth place at State last year at 138lbs. Junior, Justin Pool and sophomore, Tyler Price both return for the Wildcats with State experience and both start the season ranked also coming in at #5 at 132lbs and #6 at 138lbs, respectively.

Royal Valley and Jeff West also start the season with ranked wrestlers in Class 4A. For the Panthers both Mathew Bailey and Charles Todd return as juniors and both start the season ranked at #6 in their weight classes of 182lbs and 285lbs. Both gentlemen made the State competition last year at those, respective weight classes. Jeff West Tiger senior, Tucker Schreiner returns after a sixth place finish at 120lbs last year at State and starts this season ranked #3 at 126lbs.

Two area teams start the season preseason ranked in the Top 10 by the KWCA for Class 3-2-1A; the ACCHS Tigers who took home fourth at State last year on the mats start this season ranked fifth, while Marysville who finished 10th as a team last year at State, start the year ranked eighth.

The Tigers head into the season with four individual wrestlers in the rankings with sophomore, Hunter Ostertag leading the way preseason ranked #2 at 106lbs after a second place finish at State last year in that weight class. Tiger seniors, Logan Bowen and Willy Dieckmann will start the year ranked #3 at 132lbs and 138lbs, respectively. Bowen is coming off a third place showing at State and Dieckmann a sixth place finish at their respective weight classes. Dillon Weaver also starts the year ranked for ACCHS checking in at #4 at 182lbs.

For the Marysville Bulldogs, three individuals start the year ranked with senior, Josh Nelson leading the way ranking at #2 at 170lbs to start the year. Nelson took home fourth place at 160lbs last year at State, while junior, Chris Deters who also finished fourth at State last year at 113lbs, starts this season ranked at #4 at 126lbs for Marysville. Sophomore, Jacob Mintzmyer also will start the season ranked for the Bulldogs, coming in at #6 at 152lbs.

Troy, Doniphan West, Sabetha and Onaga all start the year with at least one ranked grappler. Troy Trojan senior, Tristan Speer starts the season #1 at 195lbs coming back as the defending State champion, finishing last year unbeaten. The Doniphan West Mustangs have a preseason #1 wrestler also as junior, Garret Dunlap starts the year ranked #1 at 160lbs after taking second at State last year in that weight class. For the Sabetha Bluejays senior, Jacob Leuthold will start the season ranked #6 at 285lbs and returns with State experience. The Onaga Buffaloes have a pair of grapplers in the preseason rankings as seniors, Kyle Ames and Dustin Blow both start the season ranked at #3 and #4 at 182lbs and 195lbs, respectively. Both guys return after making State last year and Ames took home sixth place at 182lbs last year for the Buffaloes.

The season on the mat sets up to be another great one for Northeast Kansas area grapplers as they strive to have success on the mat throughout the year, individually and for their teams.