25 CLASS 4-3-2-1A GIRLS WRESTLERS TO WATCH IN 2022-23
 

CITORI BOSSERMAN, OAKLEY

Preseason 4-1A No. 3 at 110

Bosserman captured a state championship at 101 pounds as a sophomore in 2021, going 27-1 that season. She moved up to 109 pounds last year and took fourth place, losing to Mulvane’s Leiannah Landreth in the semis. Bosserman posted a 33-6 record last year. She is ranked No. 3 at 110 pounds in the preseason rankings behind reigning state champion Josiah Ortiz from Lakin and Landreth.

KATHIE CHAVEZ, COLBY

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 115 pounds

Chavez was one win away from a state championship last year, reaching the 115 final before dropping a 4-0 decision to two-time champion Isabell Ortiz from Lakin. Chavez finished her sophomore year with a 34-9 record. She took an 8-0 major decision over Stockton’s Ashlyn Hahn in the semifinal. Chavez is ranked No. 1 at 115 pounds. 
 

DESTINY GONZALEZ, GOODLAND

Presason 4-1A No. 2 at 155 pounds 

Gonzalez capped a memorable freshman year with a fourth-place finish at 155 pounds last year at the state tournament. She gave state champion Allison King from Oskaloosa a good match in the semis, dropping a 9-5 decision. Gonzalez finished the year with a 30-3 record. She is ranked No. 1 at 155 pounds behind King.
 

ASHLYN HAHN, STOCKTON

Preseason 4-1A No. 2 at 115

Hahn capped a strong freshman season with a third-place finish at 115 pounds last year. She pinned Erie’s Breanna Ross in the third-place match. Hahn posted a 33-6 record as a freshman. She lost in the state semis to runner-up Kathie Chavez from Colby. Chavez and Hahn enter the year ranked 1-2 at 115 pounds.

 

JILL HIGH, AUGUSTA

Preseason 4-1A No. 2 at 130
 
A two-time state medalist, High posted a 27-3 record last season and finished third at 126 pounds, avenging a quarterfinal loss to McLouth’s Anna Patz to claim that spot. High, a junior, also earned a state victory over Winfield’s Mikayla Konrade, who entered the tournament unbeaten after outdueling High in the regional finals. High became Augusta’s first girl state medalist two seasons ago when she finished fifth at 132 pounds at the Division II meet.

 

KENDRA HURLA, ROSSVILLE

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 120
 
Hurla is halfway home in her quest to become a four-time state champion, capturing her second straight crown last year with a title at 120 pounds after winning her first as a freshman in 2021 at 120 pounds as well. Hurla went a perfect 39-0 last season, beating Pratt’s Jadyn Thompson 3-0 in the championship match after pinning her way to the finals. Hurla was 23-2 in her freshman state championship season, taking a 62-2 career record into this season.

 

GRACE JOHNS, MINNEAPOLIS

 Preseason 4-1 No. 1 at 170
 
Johns will be an impact addition to Minneapolis’ program this year after wrestling at Chapman last year. She had a memorable sophomore season for the Irish, fighting through injuries to finish 20-2 and as state runner-up at 170 pounds. Johns scored one of the biggest upsets of last year’s state tournament, knocking off two-time state champion Jolie Ziegler of Council Grove in the semifinals, but couldn’t quite complete her run to a title, getting pinned by Prairie View’s Kylee Eastwood in overtime of the championship match.
 

ALLISON KING, OSKALOOSA

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 155
 
A state runner-up at 155 pounds as a sophomore in 2021, King completed her quest for the crown as a junior last season. She capped a 29-1 season with a pin of Prairie View’s Alyssa Page in the 155 pound championship match, after pulling out tight wins in the quarterfinals (5-4 over Eureka’s Skylee Dodd) and semifinals (9-5 over Goodland’s Destiny Gonzalez). King’s only loss last year came to a Missouri opponent and over the past two seasons, she’s posted a 49-3 mark.

 

GABI KOPPES, CLAY CENTER

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 125
 
Even as she piled up win after win a year ago, Koppes flew a little bit under the radar heading into the state tournament. But she proved her undefeated record was nowhere near a fluke, pinning her way to the 126-pound state championship, including a first-period fall of No. 1 Kailyn Younger of Paola in the finals. Koppes finished her freshman season with a 30-0 record with 26 of those wins via pin. A USAWKS state champion and Adidas National Champion as well, Koppes will have everyone’s attention this year, either at 125 pounds where she is currently ranked No. 1 or at 130 if she moves up a weight class.
 

LEIANNAH LANDRETH, MULVANE

Preseason 4-1A No. 2 at 110
 
Landreth put together an impressive freshman season, posting a 34-3 record that took her all the way Class 4-1A 109-pound final, where Lakin’s Josiah Ortiz defeated her 5-2 to complete an undefeated season. Two of Landreth’s losses came to Ortiz; the other to Wellington standout Anna Cullens. Prior to the championship match loss, Landreth rolled through the postseason with three regional victories by pin to win that bracket, then three first-period pins at state to reach the final.

 

MALIYAH LOPEZ, BURLINGAME

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 100
 
Lopez is a two-time state placer for the Bearcats, placing fifth at 101 pounds as a freshman in 2021 before moving up to third at 101 last season. Lopez lost a wild, back-and-forth 16-8 battle with Burlington’s MJ Huff in the state semifinals last year, but bounced back to win her next two matches to take third and finish the season with an 18-3 record. One of her other losses last year came to eventual state champion Holly Tacher of Oskaloosa in the regional finals.
 

MACKAYLA MILLER, SCOTT CITY

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 235

Miller had no trouble getting acclimated to wrestling in her first year competing in the sport, finishing her junior season as the state champ at 235 pounds. She pinned Wellington’s Averie Burns in the title match to cap a 23-1 season. She won a tough 6-4 decision in overtime in the semis against McPherson's Ciara Rawson. Miller and Rawson are ranked 1-2. 
 

JAYDEN NEY, RUSSELL

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 138

Ney completed her freshman season by capturing third place at 132 pounds last year, pinning Hoisington’s Daijah Jones. She lost to runner-up Keimarla Thompson from Pratt in the semis. Ney went 31-5 last year. She is ranked No. 1 at 135 pounds ahead of Jones.
 

JOSIAH ORTIZ, LAKIN

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 110

In a special moment in last year’s 4-1A state tournament, Ortiz captured the 109-pound state championship last year and then watched her older sister, Isabell Ortiz, become a two-time state champion minutes later by winning the 115-pound crown to finish her high school career. Ortiz will look to become a two-state champ herself this year, competing at 110 pounds. She went 32-0 last year, defeating Mulvane’s Leiannah Landreth in the title match. Ortiz was 26-2 as a sophomore, placing fifth at state. She’s ranked No. 1 at 110 pounds ahead of Landreth.
 

ANNA PATZ, MCLOUTH

Preseason 4-1A No. 3 at 130
 
Unable to wrestle as a freshman because McLouth didn’t have a program, Patz burst onto the scene last year as a sophomore. She captured a regional title at 126 pounds, becoming the first regional champion in program history. Patz saw her bid for a state championship derailed by eventual undefeated state champion Gabi Koppes of Clay Center and Patz wound up fourth after getting pinned by Augusta’s Jill High in the third-place match. Patz finished the season 25-3, her only other loss to Rossville’s Keara Lacock, whom she also beat three times.

 

CIARA RAWSON, MCPHERSON

Preseason 4-1A No. 2 at 235
 
Rawson posted a 26-6 record as a freshman and was an overtime loss away from wrestling for the Class 4-1A 235-pound title. Eventual champion MacKayla Miller of Scott City scored the 6-4 sudden victory over Rawson in the semifinals. Rawson then bounced back to defeat Baldwin’s Madi Hargett and Santa Fe Trail’s Sierra Dempsey to claim third place. Rawson, who won her regional, will start the season right behind Miller in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings.

 

BREANNA ROSS, ERIE

Preseason 4-1A No. 4 at 115
 
After becoming a two-time state medalist in cross country this fall, Ross will try to duplicate that feat on the mat after finishing fourth at 115 pounds last February. Ross, who entered last year’s Class 4-1A tournament unbeaten, lost 7-6 to eventual champion Isabell Ortiz of Lakin in the semifinals. She then split two consolation matches to finish the season 31-2. Ross missed out on state as a sophomore and had her appearance in the inaugural all-class tournament halted by injury as a freshman. She enters her senior season with an 83-17 career mark.

 

ADDISON SAPORITO, COLUMBUS

Preseason 4-1A No. 3 at 115

Saporito moves up to 115 this year after placing third in 109 at state each of the past two seasons. She only had two losses last season, with one taking place against eventual 109-pound state champ senior Josiah Ortiz of Lakin. The older Ortiz, Isabell, graduated to open up the top spot in 115. In the preseason rankings Saporito sits behind last year’s 115-pound state runner-up Kathie Chavez of Colby and third-place finisher Ashlyn Hahn of Stockton. The Columbus senior is looking for her fourth state appearance and third state medal after placing the previous two seasons.
 

EMILIE SCHWEIZER, BUHLER

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 190


Schweizer, a senior, followed a state championship season two years ago with a third-place finish in Class 4-1A at 191 pounds last February. Limited to 18 matches by a shoulder injury, Schweizer finished 16-2. She was pinned by Abilene’s Lyndsey Buechman in the semifinals, but bounced back to defeat Humboldt’s Elizabeth White and Rose Hill’s Payton Sholander for third. Schweizer won the Division II 235-pound title as a sophomore with a trio of state tournament victories by fall.

 

KATELYN SCHMIDT, CIRCLE

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 145
 
Schmidt reached the Class 4-1A 143-pound final last season, but couldn’t prevent Pratt’s Livia Swift from winning her third state title. Still, Schmidt’s 31-7 campaign earned her a second state medal at 143. Schmidt also finished second to Swift at regionals. She finished 17-8 as a sophomore and finished fifth at the Division II meet.
 

HOLLY THACHER, OSKALOOSA

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 105
 
Thacher joined teammate Allison King as a state champion a year ago, winning her title not long after King became the first state champion in program history. Thacher finished her freshman season with a 28-1 record, the lone loss coming to Liberal’s Mana Chanthasone in an 8-7 decision. She pinned her first two state foes and then edged Hoisington’s Sheena Goceia 6-2 in the semifinals before taking a 7-0 decision over Burlington’s MJ Huff in the finals. Thacher will move up to 105 this season.
 

 

JADYN THOMPSON, PRATT

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 130

Thompson finished one victory shy of an individual state title last season, but her second-place finish to Rossville’s Kendra Hurla at 120 pounds helped Pratt win the Class 4-1A team title. In addition to her 3-0 loss to Hurla, Thompson’s only other setback was a 3-1 decision to 6A champion Rodah Bengi of Wichita North at the Nickerson Invitational. Thompson notched her 100^th career victory last season en route to a 37-2 campaign. Thompson was third at 115 as a sophomore and fifth in the all-class meet at 109 as a freshman.

 

KEIMARLA THOMPSON, PRATT

Preseason 4-1A No. 1 at 140

Thompson, a junior, joined Mission Valley’s Hope Blake for an all-unbeaten final in Class 4-1A at 132 pounds last February, finishing second after Blake pinned her in the second period. The runner-up finish was a three-place improvement on Thompson’s freshman season, when she went 28-13 and finished fifth in the Division II championships at 155. Thompson has two regional titles in her career.

 

TALLY WIKUM, HOISINGTON

Preseason 4-1A No. 2 at 140

Wikum advanced to the Class 4-1A final at 138 pounds last season before dropping a 10-1 decision to Hoxie’s Marissa Porsch. Wikum rolled through her first three state matches with pins and finished 23-2. Porsch also dealt Wikum her other loss in the regional final. Wikum went 27-4 as a sophomore and 22-8 as freshman.
 

 
CADENCE WILLIAMSON, BLUESTEM

Preseason 4-1A No. 2 at 120

Williamson is one of two Bluestem wrestlers ranked in the preseason along with sophomore Payton Burton after she finished third in Class 4-1A at 120 pounds last season. Williamson, who finished second to Pratt’s Jadyn Thompson at regionals, reached the semifinals at state by pinning Fredonia’s Layla Tindle. Eventual champion Kendra Hurla of Rossville pinned Williamson to send her into the consolation bracket, where she pinned Chanute’s Reese Clements for third. Williamson won a regional title and finished 10-9 as a freshman.