Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

 Wrestling season is almost here.

The first day of practice for wrestling teams in Iowa was Monday and the first day of competition is just more than a week away.

Every wrestler that hit the mats on Monday is hoping to end their season at the state meet schedule for February 17-19 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Before the season gets rolling here is a look at 10 Your Prep Sports area wrestlers to watch this winter.

Ben Kueter

Junior, City High

Kueter ran his career mark to 35-0 and captured his second consecutive state title last season winning the Class 3A 195-pound title.

The 3A 160-pound champ as a freshman, Kueter became the first back-to-back champion at City High since Kyle Anson in 2005.

An Iowa recruit in both football and wrestling, Kueter won two matches by fall and had a 17-4 major decision before winning the 195-pound title match 5-0 last season.

Hunter Garvin

Senior, West High

Continued an incredible prep career with one of the most dominant seasons in the storied history of West High wrestling claiming a second consecutive state title while becoming the first wrestling in program history to win every match by fall or tech fall.

A Stanford recruit, Garvin went 16-0 on his way to the 3A 138-pound title last season and is 49-3 over the past two seasons and owns a career 94-7 mark that includes a 30-match winning streak.

Hayden Taylor

Senior, Solon

Already the most decorated wrestler in Solon history Taylor will attempt to become a four-time state champion this season after winning the Class 2A 160-pound title a year ago.

Taylor completed his second straight unbeaten season last year going 39-0 and didn’t allow a takedown or reversal all season while stretching his unbeaten streak to 111.

Owns a career 142-2 record with consecutive 2A state titles at 126, 145 and 160 pounds.

Robert Avila Jr.

Senior, West High

Avila Jr. is attempting to win his first Class 3A state title after claiming three consecutive state crowns in Class 1A.

The University of Virginia recruit won consecutive Class 1A titles at 126, 132, 145 while at Lisbon and owns a career record of 131-1.

Avila Jr. is 79-0 over the past two seasons.

Kael Kurtz

Sophomore, City High

Kurtz opened his prep career with 13 consecutive wins and finished 15-2 as a freshman placing seventh at the Class 3A state meet at 106 pounds.

The only two losses for Kurtz during a strong debut season were a one-point overtime loss in the quarterfinals to the eventual state runner-up and a 4-2 decision to the eventual fourth-place finisher.

Jack Stevens

Sophomore, Clear Creek Amana

Stevens went 19-6 during an impressive freshman season that included a trip to the Class 3A state meet at 113 pounds.

The Clear Creek Amana sophomore opens the season ranked No. 10 in Class 3A at 126 pounds.

Cale Seaton

Sophomore, City High

Seaton capped a strong debut season with a 5-1 performance at the Class 3A state meet on his way to a third-place finish at 113 pounds.

The lone state tournament loss for Seaton came in the quarterfinals to unbeaten state champion

Nathanael Jesuroga of Southeast Polk.

Seaton finished 16-2 last season and enters the season ranked second behind Jesuroga at 120 pounds.

Grant O’Dell

Senior, West High

An injury forced O’Dell to default his final two matches at the state meet last season but the West High standout still earned a third consecutive state meet medal with a sixth-place finish at 126 pounds.

O’Dell was unbeaten until the state semifinals last season and finished the year 14-3.

Gage Marty

Senior, Solon

Marty earned a second consecutive state medal last season going 3-3 at the Class 2A state meet while finishing sixth at 220 pounds.

During a 35-11 season as a junior Marty had six losses to the Class 1A and 2A state champions.

A seventh-place finisher at 195 pounds as a sophomore, Marty is 76-22 over the past two seasons.

Aidan Udell

Senior, Regina

Udell earned the first state medal of his career last season in his second consecutive trip to the state meet going 4-2 at the 2A state meet while placing fourth at 170 pounds.

A career 100-match winner, Udell is 59-15 over the past two seasons after posting a 25-6 record a year ago.

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