Latest KWCA Rankings (Dec. 17th) -- 3-2-1A & 4A

After some solid performances over the weekend in wrestling action from area grapplers there was plenty of movement in the latest Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings with two teams and 12 wrestlers ranked this week.

The Holton Wildcats continue to highlight the Class 4A rankings for the area as they are tied for third this week in the Top 10 teams. Wildcats took fourth at the Clay Center Invitational in their most recent action on the mats, leading the way was senior, Lucas Lovvorn who again took home first place going 5-0 in action at the tournament and remains ranked number one at 160lbs in 4A. Senior, Mason Baum (170lbs) and Justin Rieschick (145lbs) both remain ranked second in their respective weight classes and took home second place finishes at the Clay Center Invitational over the weekend. Junior, Justin Pool nabbed a third place finish at the Clay Center Invitational and continues to remain ranked in 4A for the Wildcats, moving down two spots this week to fifth.

Royal Valley Panther junior, Matthew Bailey remains as the only other area grappler ranked in Class 4A, remaining ranked fourth this week at 182lbs after the Panthers competed at the Cougar Invitational over the weekend at Shawnee Mission Northwest.

There was plenty of movement in Class 3-2-1A for area wrestlers as this week the Marysville Bulldogs off their third place team performance at the Clay Center Invitational are back in the Top 10, coming in at eighth as a team and ACCHS fell out of the team rankings.

Marysville is led individually in the rankings by senior, Josh Nelsen who went 5-0 and won the 170lbs weight class at the Clay Center Invitational over the weekend. Nelsen with that performance pushed himself to the number one spot in the rankings at 170lbs in Class 3-2-1A. While junior, Chris Deters moved up one spot this week, too checking in at third this week at 126lbs after going 4-0 and winning his weight class at the Clay Center Invitational.

Five other grapplers from the area ranked this week, too by the KWCA in Class 3-2-1A. Both Garrett Dunlap and Tristan Speer remained ranked number one in their weight classes of 160lbs and 195lbs. Dunlap and Speer both helped Doniphan West take second place as a team at the Onaga Invitational over the weekend as Dunlap posted a 4-0 day to take first and Speer went 2-0 at 220lbs to win.

Sabetha Bluejay senior, Jacob Leuthold moved up one spot this week to third at 285lbs after taking second at the Sabetha Tri-State Tournament over the weekend. ACCHS Tiger sophomore, Hunter Ostertag who has been ranked at 106lbs all year moved up to the 120lbs weight class and still is ranked checking in at fourth this week. Ostertag posted a fourth place performance at the Tournament of Champions at Eudora over the weekend. The Onaga Buffaloes continue to have a grappler ranked but this week its senior, Dustin Blow who at his home tournament wrestled to a first place finish at 195lbs going 4-0 on the day and ranks fifth this week at 195lbs.

For a few area teams they have finished their wrestling schedule before the holiday but for a few others the will hit the mats a few more times before the holidays with Duals during the week or tournaments this coming Saturday. (Watch the Sabetha at Holton wrestling Dual on Thursday, December 18th 5:30pm on the Holton Channel live -- click here to watch)