River Valley Conferene Meet

When: Saturday, 10 a.m.

Where: Northeast High School, Goose Lake

Last Year

2016 Top 5 – 1. West Liberty; 2. Camanche; 3. Wilton; 4. Regina; 5. Mid-Prairie.

Ranked Teams

Class 2A No. 5 West Liberty

What to Watch

With three top-five ranked wrestlers, including a pair of top-ranked wrestlers in juniors Bryce Esmoil and Joe Kelly (35-2) West Liberty is the favorite to repeat as team champions.

Regina was fourth last season and will try to improve on that performance behind returning conference champs Jared Brinkman (27-1) and Nick Milder (30-2).

Senior 170-pounder Cale Donovan (25-8) is the top contender for West Branch.

Who to Watch

Regina junior Ryan Schott (14-2) will try to get over the hump at the RVC meet.

Schott, who missed the first half of this season with an injury, was an RVC runner-up as a freshman and placed fourth last season.

Senior Mason Simpson is another Regal looking for a return to the RVC title match.

Simpson was a conference runner-up two seasons ago but missed last season with an injury.

Class 1A sixth-ranked and defending RVC champion Bryce Oveson of Wilton is the favorite in the 182-pound bracket with Simpson (22-6) among the top challengers.

Weight Class to Watch

The 195-pound weight bracket will be a battle with a trio of ranked wrestlers including 2A’s top-ranked Bryce Esmoil (30-2) and 2A No. 4 Visouth Peterschmidt (36-3) of Mid-Prairie.

Keep an eye on 170 where Regina’s Milder (30-2) is putting together a strong season and will go for a second straight conference crown.

At 285 Jared Brinkman will have his first competition since his first loss in the last two seasons.

The top-ranked 285 pounder in Class 1A, Brinkman has won three matches via forfeit since he dropped a 3-2 decision to Western Dubuque’s Aaron Costello in a battle of top-ranked heavyweights on January 14.

Ranked Wrestlers

106 –   2A No. 5 Will Esmoil (West Liberty) Fr.

            1A No. 6 Nolan Noonan (Cascade) Soph.

120 –   1A No. 8 Ben Emrich (Tipton) Jr.

126 –   1A No. 10 John Crowley (Tipton) Soph.

132 –   *2A No. 10 Duncan McCain (Mid-Prairie) Sr.

138 –   *2A No. 9 Nathan Thoms (Camanche) Sr.

145 –  *2A No. 5 Baylor Crigger (Camanche) Soph.

            *1A No. 2 Trey Brisker (Wilton) Jr.

152 –   2A No. 1 Joe Kelly (West Liberty) Jr.

182 –   *1A No. 6 Bryce Oveson (Wilton) Sr.         

195 –   *2A No. 1 Bryce Esmoil (West Liberty) Jr.

            2A No. 4 Visouth Peterschmidt (Mid-Prairie) Sr.

            1A No. 7 Mason Lyons (Bellevue) Sr.

285 –   *1A No. 1 Jared Brinkman (Regina) Sr.

*-Denotes returning RVC Champion