Meet the Wichita area’s top 25 high school wrestlers, best 10 state title contenders
One of the most popular sports in Kansas has begun.
Wrestling season is here, so let’s rank the top 25 high school wrestlers and the top 10 teams looking for a state championship in 2019-20:
Top 25 Wrestlers
1. Kyle Haas, Maize, Jr., 220
Haas is one of the best wrestlers in the world. This summer, he was the only American to qualify for the freestyle and greco-roman junior national teams. His is the defending 5A 182-pound champion. He is ranked No. 1 at 220 pounds.
2. Devin Gomez, Maize, Sr., 152
Gomez went undefeated last season at 50-0. His motto was “undisputed.” He will look to double down in his final high school season coming off a Class 5A 145-pound champion. He is ranked No. 1 at 152 pounds this season.
3. Quentin Saunders, Wichita West, So., 182
Saunders had one of the best freshman seasons the Wichita area had seen in a long time. He lost one match all season, and that came by forfeit because of missed weight. He enters this season No. 1 in Class 6A at 182 pounds.
4. Grant Treaster, Newton, Sr., 120
Treaster already has two state championships under his belt with another year to go. He is one of the best wrestlers in Newton history but is ranked No. 2 at 120 pounds in Class 5A behind Goddard’s Jason Henschel.
5. Duwayne Villalpando, Maize, Sr., 182
Villalpando is verbally pledged to Nebraska. He won the Class 5A title at 152 pounds in 2018 before suffering a season-ending knee injury before the season started last year. He is No. 1 at 182 pounds in 5A this year.
6. Jason Henschel, Goddard, Sr., 120
Henschel is the leader of the Goddard wrestling room with the graduation of Troy Fisher. Henschel is a two-time champion and won last year at 113 pounds. He is the No. 1 wrestler at 120 pounds, one of the strongest weight classes.
7. Trevor Dopps, Goddard, Sr., 182
Dopps had an outstanding junior season, reaching the 160-pound 5A championship match. He is still seeking that first title and ranks No. 2 at 182 pounds.
8. Malachi Karibo, Wichita South, Sr., 160
Karibo has been one of the City League’s best wrestlers for years. An All-Metro selection last year, he reached the 6A 160-pound title match.
9. Cason Lindsey, Derby, Sr., 145
Taking over as the defending 6A champions’ leader, Lindsey has built from a third-place finish to runner-up last year. He is No. 1 at 145 pounds.
10. Braden Ledford, Winfield, Jr., 126
Ledford was one of the biggest reasons for Winfield’s runner-up team finish in 4A last year. He won the 113-pound title and enters at No. 2 at 126 pounds.
11. Ian Demoss, Maize South, Sr., 106
12. Tony Caldwell, Valley Center, Sr., 285
13. Nathan Bowen, Campus, Jr., 152
14. Jace Fisher, Goddard, Jr., 152
15. Taidon Wills, Derby, Sr., 182
16. Jerrdon Fisher, Goddard, So., 138
17. Kael Pappan, Arkansas City, Sr., 120
18. Bubba Wright, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, So., 106
19. Cayleb Atkins, Goddard, Jr., 160
20. Nolan Craine, Goddard, Jr., 170
21. David Leck, Rose Hill, Sr., 170
22. Carson Wheeler, Maize, Sr., 160
23. Dylan Sheler, Campus, So., 120
24. Cayden Hughbanks, Maize, Jr., 132
25. Hector Serratos, Andale, Jr., 126
Top 10 Teams
1. Goddard
Goddard enters the 2019-20 season at No. 2 in the Class 5A team rankings. The Lions are the five-time defending 5A champions. Betting against them to make it six in-a-row probably isn’t wise.
2. Maize
Maize is the only team on paper that could knock Goddard off. With projected state champions at four weight classes, it will be about whether the Eagles can find depth across the board to find points on the back side.
3. Arkansas City
Ark City lost a lot. The Bulldogs finished runner-up in 5A last year to Goddard but enter this season without multi-time state champions Gabe Buckbee and Montez Robinson. Trig Tennant and Kael Pappan will have to carry the load.
4. Derby
Derby is the defending Class 6A champion for the first time since 1986. The Panthers have a lot to replace, including state champions Triston Wills and Crew Squires. But they will be fine with a good, young core coming back.
5. Campus
Campus had one of the most surprising state tournaments in all of Kansas last season. The Colts sent five into the semifinal and five into the championship matches. Campus lost three of those five to graduation.
6. Bishop Carroll
7. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
8. Wichita West
9. Newton
10. Andale
This story was originally published December 6, 2019 at 10:41 AM.