Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High

Coach: Cory Connell (6th season)

Last season: 11th in Class 3A with 46 points

Returning starters: Ethan Wood-Finley, Soph., 106; Jacob Dykes, Sr., 195/220; 47-2; Joey Harney, Sr., 138; Lance Bormann, Sr., 126/132; Kyle Hefley, Jr., 152; Wilfred Kadohou, Sr., 160; Jacob Murry, Jr., 285; Michael Santoro, Jr., 120; Brandon Lalla, Jr., 182; Ryan Ceynar, Jr., 126/132; Jack Anson, Sr., 145.

Other returning letterwinners: Garrett Bormann, Soph., 113; Max DePrenger, Jr., 132; Jack Bacon, Jr., 195; Joe Ring, Jr., 170.

Newcomers to watch: Dan Gustafson, Fr., 195.

Headliner: Senior Jacob Dykes won 46 straight matches to open the season and finished 5th at the state meet at 195 pounds last season.

Keep an eye on: Senior Joey Harney was 42-12 at 132 pounds a year ago and went 1-2 at the state meet.

Circle the date: December 14 vs. West High. The Little Hawks will go for its third straight win over West High rival when it hosts the Trojans in the annual cross-town showdown.  

What to watch: A year after posting its best state meet finish in a decade the expectations continue to rise at City High.

The Little Hawks bring back 11 starters from last year’s team that was runner-up at the Mississippi Valley Conference and District meets and finished 11th at the state meet with 46 points.

City High returns five wrestlers that won 30 matches a year ago as sophomore Ethan Wood-Finley (30-18), senior Lance Bormann (35-17) and Kyle Hefley (33-15) join Dykes and Harney with more than 30 wins.

Senior Wilfred Kadohou (25-23) also returns after reaching the state meet at year ago.

West High

Coach: Mark Reiland (19th season)

Last season: 12th in Class 3A with 45 points; 12-10, 6-4 MVC

Returning starters: Nelson Brands, Sr., 160; Guy Snow, Sr., 220-285; Hans von Rabenau, Sr., 113.

Other returning letterwinners: Ashton Stumpf, Sr., 170; Landon Green, Jr., 182-195; Keaton Speicher, Jr., 126-138; Hunter Davis, Sr., 126-138; Enutifa Gamia, Sr., 195-220; Will Hoeft, Soph., 182-195; Miguel Paredes, Sr., 132-145; Jo Dixon, Jr., 145-152; Micah Blair, Jr., 145-152.

Newcomers to watch: Francis Duggan, Sr., 220-285; Isaac Young, Fr., 106; Graham Gambrall, Fr., 132-138.

Headliner: Two-time state champion Nelson Brands is an Iowa recruit coming off a 54-1 junior season capped by title at 152 pounds.

Keep an eye on: Iowa State recruit Francis Duggan opens the season ranked No. 1 at 220 pounds in his first season at West High.

Circle the date: January 6. West High hosts the Tom Lepic Duals with a field that includes 3A second-ranked Fort Dodge.

What to watch: West High brings back a pair of state medalists in Brands and senior Hans von Rabenau (8th at 106) from a team that finished 12th at the 3A state meet with 45 points but has higher expectations this season.

The addition of Duggan and return of senior Guy Snow (No. 4 at 285) give the Trojans ranked wrestlers at each of the top two weights.

West High opens the season with five ranked wrestlers as Ashton Stumpf is fourth at 170 pounds.

Liberty High

Coach: Tom Van Dyke and Joe Williams (1st season as co-head coaches)

Newcomers to watch: Jackson Brennan, Soph., 120; Kaleb Williams, Soph., 138; Jared Alger, Fr., 132; Drew Snyder, Fr., 138/145; Ashton Barker, Fr., 145/152; Klein Theonsen, Fr., 145/152; Max Tafolla, Fr., 160/170.

Circle the date: Nov. 30 at Cedar Rapids Xavier. The first varsity action in program history comes in the form of a triangular against future Mississippi Valley Conference foes Cedar Rapids Washington and Cedar Rapids Xavier.

What to watch: The curtain lifts on the first season in program history under co-head coaches Tom Van Dyke and Joe Williams.

The Lightning roster is loaded with underclassmen but possess some talent especially at the lower weights where sophomores Kaleb Williams and Jackson Brennan should be stalwarts.

Clear Creek Amana

Coach: Jackson Litterer (1st season as interim head coach)

Last season: 8-12, 3-7

Returning starters: Sam Stevens, Soph., 106; Andrew Rohret, Jr., 145; Tanner Cochran, Sr., 220.

Other returning letterwinners: Alex Floryanovich, Soph., 113; Hunter Schmelzer, Jr., 120; Austin Smiddy, Jr., 132; Spencer Beltz, Jr., 195; Jonah Upah, Jr., 285.

Newcomers to watch: Jake Neuzil, Sr., 126.

Headliner: Junior Andrew Rohret returns after advancing to the district meet at 145 pounds last season.

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Sam Stevens was solid as a freshman at 106 pounds a year ago placing fifth at the WAMAC conference meet.

Circle the date: January 11. The Clippers hosts Center Point-Urbana, Central DeWitt and Solon in a WAMAC Quadrangular.

What to watch: Former assistant coach Jackson Litterer takes over at interim head coach for Kyle Forness who is taking a year away from coaching due to his involvement in the United States military.

Litterer inherits a program that brings back a trio of starters, five more letterwinners and a strong group of freshman.

Senior Tanner Cochran should be a leader at the upper weights while sophomore Alex Floryanovich along with juniors Hunter Schmelzer, Austin Smiddy, Spencer Beltz and Jonau Upah all have varsity experience.

Solon

Coach: Blake Williams (7th season)

Last season: Class 2A State Champion, 27-2

Returning starters: Zeb Gnida, Soph., 120; Aidan Dall, Jr., 126/132; Christian Haight, Sr., 126/132; Zack Bevans, Jr., 152; Mike Hoyle, Jr., 182/195; Zach Wegmann, Sr., 220; Tyler Linderbaum, Sr., 285.

Other returning letterwinners: Andy Brokaw, Jr., 138/145; Jax Flynn, Soph., 152/160; John Lilleodden, Jr., 182; Colton Spillman, Jr., 126; Michael Broghammer, Soph., 285.

Newcomers to watch: Seamus Poynton, Soph., 160; Adam Bock, Jr., 195.

Headliner: Senior heavyweight Tyler Linderbaum went 55-10 last season and finished fifth at the Class 2A state meet.

Keep an eye on: Senior Zach Wegmann was 42-21 and reached the state meet for the first time last season going 1-2 in his state meet debut.

Circle the date: January 13. Solon hosts the 5th Annual Ed Hadenfeldt Tourney, a 12-team event that included defending tournament champion and Class 1A top-ranked Lisbon.

What to watch: Much of the firepower from the Spartans’ state title team has graduated but Solon still returns seven starters including a trio of state qualifiers.

Linderbaum, Wegmann and junior Mike Hoyle all return with state meet experience.

Hoyle went 39-18 a year ago and enters the season ranked 10th at 182 pounds while Wegmann is ninth at 220 and Linderbaum is fourth at 285.

Sophomore Zeb Gnida (32-18), junior Aidan Dall (34-19) and senior Christian Haight (35-24) all return after winning more than 30 matches last season. 

Regina

Coach: Adam Martensen (5th season)

Last season: 8-7, 7-5 RVC

Returning starters: Ryan Schott, Sr., 170; Nick Milder, Jr., 170; Rowan Udell, Soph., 195; Henry May, Soph., 120; Scott Blondin, Jr., 152.

Other returning letterwinners: Will Bobst, Soph., 145; Russell Hingst, Soph., 220.

Newcomers to watch: Cole White, Sr., 220; Levi Quinlan, Fr., 138; Sean Nugent, Fr., 160; Drew Demory, Fr., 220.

Headliner: Junior Nick Milder is a two-time conference champion with 70 career wins coming off a 38-6 season that concluded with a trip to the state meet.  

Keep an eye on: Senior Ryan Schott had the best season of his career a year ago going 22-4 winning a RVC title and reaching the Class 1A state meet.

Circle the date: December 16. Regina hosts its own 12-team tournament, welcoming a field that includes a pair of Class 3A squads and three RVC rivals.

What to watch: The Regals lost one of the best in program history in two-time state champion Jared Brinkman but bring back a solid nucleus led by state qualifiers Milder and Schott.

Five starters are back for Regina and all of them won at least 13 matches last season.

Sophomore Rowan Udell (24-16) and junior Scott Blondin (16-21) join sophomore Henry May as returning starters and Regina should get a boost from a solid group of freshman as well as senior 220-pounder Cole White.