Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High

Coach: Cory Connell (10^th season)

Assistant coaches: Morgan DePrenger, Josh Marin, Chayse Schultz

Last season: 11^th at Class 3A state meet

Returning starters:. Ben Kueter, Jr. 220; Cale Seaton, Soph., 120; Kael Kurtz, Soph., 126; Carsen Newton, Soph., 113-120; Ryan Ott, Jr., 152; Gable Mitchell, Sr., 170; Sam Kueter, Soph., 195; Ari Collins, Jr., 145; Avery Goodrich, Sr., 285; Nick Marker, Jr., 182; Jacob Kahres, Soph., 138; Isaiah Svoboda, Sr., 132

Newcomers to watch: Kendall Kurtz, Fr., 106

Headliner: Junior Ben Kueter has already established himself as one of the elite wrestlers in the state going 35-0 with state titles at 160 pounds and 195 pounds the past two seasons.

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Cale Seaton capped an impressive freshman season in which he compiled a 16-2 mark with a 5-1 performance and a third-place finish at the Class 3A state tournament.

Circle the date: January 22 Bean City Duals. City High hosts nine teams at its own home dual tournament that the Little Hawks have dominated in recent seasons.

Breakdown: City High has a loaded lineup returning from a team that placed 11^th at the 3A state meet with 50.5 points last season.

Kueter and Seaton headline a strong list of returning varsity competitors that features a trio of state medalists and 12 wrestlers that saw varsity action a year ago.

Sophomore Kale Kurtz is back after placing seventh at the state meet in his debut season while state qualifiers Ryan Ott and Carsen Newton also return.

Ott went 11-5 last season while Newton was 4-3 in an abbreviated freshman campaign.

Seniors Gable Mitchell, Avery Goodrich and Isaiah Svoboda are all back with plenty of varsity match experience along with juniors Ari Collins and Nick Marker.

West High

Coach: Nate Moore (4^th season)

Assistant coaches: Kody Pudil, Byron Tate, Drew Proctor, Matt Lepic

Last season: 8^th at Class 3A state meet

Returning starters: Hunter Garvin, Sr., 145; Robert Avila, Sr., 152; Grant O’Dell, Sr., 138; Brett Pelfrey, Sr., 285; Kael Scranton, Sr., 160

Other returning letterwinners: Thomas Pierce, Sr., 113; Braden Doyle, Soph., 120

Newcomers to watch: Justin Avila, Fr.

Headliner: Senior Hunter Garvin has been a machine during the first three seasons of a stellar prep career with the Stanford recruit winning back-to-back state titles while amassing a 49-3 record over the past two seasons.

Keep an eye on: Senior Robert Avila Jr. is chasing a fourth consecutive state title after winning three consecutive Class 1A crowns at Lisbon and owns a career 131-1 record.

Circle the date: December 22 vs. City High. West High closes the 2021 portion of its competition schedule by hosting cross-town rival City High in what sets up as a spectacular night of wrestling.

Breakdown: Multi-year state champions and Division I recruits Garvin and Avila highlight a stacked West High lineup that brings back five state qualifiers from a squad that scored 82 points while posting a top-10 state meet finish a year ago.

Senior Grant O’Dell is seeking a fourth consecutive state medal after placing sixth last season and joins seniors Brett Pelfrey and Kael Scranton as returning state qualifiers.

Fourth-year head coach Nate Moore has high expectations for sophomore Braden Doyle who was third at the district meet last season as well as senior Thomas Pierce.

Freshman Justin Avila is expected to make a major immediate immediately.

Clear Creek Amana

Coach: Adam Endres (1^st season)

Assistant coaches: Tyler Endres, Seth Noble, Matt Trosky, Alex Coffroth

Last season: 3^rd at WAMAC Meet

Returning starters:. Jayden Massey, Sr., 120; Jack Stevens, Soph., 126; Beck Arant, Jr., 132; Max Carlson, Jr., 138; Ryker Jones, Soph., 138-145; Bela Upchurch, Sr., 145-152; Caden Baxter, Jr., 145-152; Nathan Speers, Soph., 138-145; Tyler Steines, Sr., 220; Kalvin Mendietta, Sr., 195; Tate Cox, Soph., 152-160; Sam Schneider, Jr., 152-160

Newcomers to watch: Cael Nash, Fr., 106; Ben Haughey, Fr., 145-152

Headliner: Sophomore Jack Stevens is seeking to build on a strong debut season in which he went 23-6 and advanced to the Class 3A state tournament.

Keep an eye on: Senior Jayden Massey has been a long-time fixture in the Clipper lineup and is coming off a 14-11 season as a junior

Circle the date: February 12 at Cedar Rapids Jefferson. This is the big one as the Clippers compete at the Class 3A state qualifier in Cedar Rapids with trips to the state meet on the line.

Breakdown: With eight upperclassmen among 12 varsity returners the Clippers will look to take a big step forward this season.

Stevens and Massey headline a long list of wrestlers returning with varsity experience after strong seasons a year ago.

Junior Caden Baxter (16-5) and sophomore Ryker Jones (15-7) both are back after posting winning records a year ago along with junior Beck Arant (7-6).

Seniors Tyler Steines (8-16) and Kalvin Mendietta (12-14) will look to take steps forward while providing stability at the upper weights.

Solon

Co-head coaches: Aaron Hadenfeldt (2^nd season), TJ Bevans (4^th season)  

Assistant coaches: Josh Steapp, Blake Williams, Andy Gnida, Ryan Osgood, Jacob Feurbach, Ryan Leonard

Last season: 17^th at Class 2A state meet

Returning starters: Tyson Wheeler, Soph.; Lawson Sinwell, Soph., Milo Ashbacker, Soph., Kaden Lamm, Sr.; Jakobe Lahr, Sr.; Hayden Taylor, Sr.; Lucas Kampman, Sr.; David Karam, Jr.; Tyler Hancox, Sr.; Gage Marty, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Jordan Schmidt, Fr., Charlie Karam, Fr.; Grant Wilson, Fr.

Headliner: Senior Gage Marty is seeking a third consecutive state medal after placing sixth at 220 pounds last season and is 76-22 over the past two years.

Keep an eye on: A long-time stalwart in the Spartan lineup senior Lucas Kampman was 24-17 last season and is poised to make a big jump during his senior season.

Circle the date: January 29 WAMAC Conference Meet. Solon plays host to the WAMAC conference meet a year after COVID kept a full conference meet from taking place.

Breakdown: With seven upperclassmen returning with varsity experience the Spartans will look to build on a solid season from a year ago.

Seniors Marty, Kampman, Jakobe Lahr and Kaden Lamm headline a group of 10 wrestlers that earned extensive varsity experience for the Spartans last season.

Six Spartans that posted .500 records last season are back including Marty, Kampman, Lahr (23-16), Lamm (11-11), Tyler Hancox (15-15) and sophomore Lawson Sinwell (25-15).

Sophomores Tyson Wheeler and Milo Ashbacker also return along with junior David Karam.

The Spartans are expecting freshmen Jordan Schmidt, Charlie Karam and Grant Wilson to help as well.

Regina

Coach: Zach Ries (4^th season)

Assistant coaches: Kile Beaver, Dustin Ellsbury, Drew Evans, Will Portis

Last season: 34^th at Class 1A state meet

Returning starters:. Aidan Udell, Sr., 170; Sam Aitchison, Sr., 152; Ronan Poynton, Jr., 220; Caden Shetler, Sr., 195; Christopher Waikel, Jr., 182; Carter Rios, Sr., 145; Elijah Fiegel, Jr. 138

Newcomers to watch: Holden Berg, Soph., 106; Alex Jensen, Soph., 113; Will Aitchison, Fr., 132; Ian Udell, Soph., 182; Leren Fernandez, Fr., 160; Spencer Winders, Fr., 126

Headliner: Already a 100-match winner in his career senior Aidan Udell is 59-15 over the past two seasons and claimed his first career medal last season with a fourth-place finish in his second consecutive appearance at the state meet.

Keep an eye on: Junior Ronan Poynton is poised for a big-time breakthrough season after going 19-5 and reaching the 1A state tournament a season ago as a sophomore.

Circle the date: December 18 Regina Invitational. The Regals host 11 teams at its home meet where it will look to improve on its fifth-place team finish at its own meet last season.

Breakdown: The Regals bring back as much talent and experience as any time in recent history with seven upperclassmen returning with varsity experience.

Udell and Poynton lead the way after reaching the state meet last season along with senior Sam Aitchison who posted an 18-11 mark a year ago.

Seniors Caden Shetler (14-14) and Carter Rios (17-13) are both back and ready to improve on strong junior seasons while juniors Christopher Waikel (18-12) and Elijah Fiegel (9-14) saw extensive varsity mat time last year.

Regina will have as much depth as it has had in several seasons with three sophomores and freshman ready to join the fold.

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