Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

With the first day of December right around the corner that means the state wrestling meet is less than three months away.

Wrestling season gets into full swing this week with area teams hitting the mat for the first time.

Here is a list of seven area wrestlers to keep an eye on this season on the road to the state meet which runs February 14-16 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Zeb Gnida

Junior, Solon

Gnida is coming off a breakthrough sophomore season in which he went 46-12 and earned his first state meet medal with a fourth-place finish in Class 2A at 120 pounds.

One of three ranked Spartans to start the season Gnida opens the year ranked fourth in 2A at 132 pounds.

Ethan Wood-Finley

Junior, City High

One of the biggest reasons behind the best season in recent history at City High was the smallest wrestler in the Little Hawk lineup.

Wood-Finley won Mississippi Valley Conference and district titles and placed fifth at the Class 3A state meet at 106 pounds last season on his way to a 42-7 record.

Wood-Finley opens this season as the top-ranked 106 pounder in Class 3A.

Graham Gambrall

Sophomore, West High

The longer the season went the better Gambrall seemed to get last season.

Gambrall posted a 47-19 record as a freshman last season at 132 pounds but was at his best during the postseason.

He won Mississippi Valley Conference and district titles before capping his debut season with a sixth-place finish at the 3A state meet.

Andrew Rohret

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

As a first-year starting quarterback Rohret was a huge part of one of the most successful football seasons in Clear Creek Amana history this fall and will look to translate that success onto the wrestling mat this winter.

Rohret had the best wrestling season of his career last year, posting a 38-15 record on his way to his first state meet appearance where he went 1-2.

He won Class 2A sectional and district titles at 145 pounds and opens the season ranked eighth in Class 3A at 152 pounds. 

Kyle Hefley

Senior, City High

Another Little Hawk to take a big step forward last season Hefley will look to end his career on a high note after a disappointing finish to an impressive junior season.

Hefley posted a 43-4 record that included a Mississippi Valley Conference title but fell in the district title match at went 0-2 at the state meet at 152 pounds.

The senior opens the season ranked second in 3A at 152 pounds by The Predicament.

Nick Milder

Senior, Regina

Milder will look to cement his status as one of the top wrestlers in Regina history with a strong senior season.

Last season Milder won his third consecutive River Valley Conference title and returned to the state meet for the second straight year.

Milder went 26-6 at 170 pounds a year ago and opens the season ranked fifth in Class 1A at 182 pounds.

Mike Hoyle

Senior, Solon

A two-time state qualifier, Hoyle is after some state meet hardware in his final prep season.

Hoyle went 47-9 at 182 pounds last season and won a WAMAC Conference title before going 1-2 at the state meet.

He is ranked fourth in Class 2A at 220 pounds to open the season.