30 CLASS 4-1A GIRLS WRESTLERS TO WATCH IN 2023-24
 

 
BROOKLYN BURENHEIDE, ROCK CREEK

Preseason No. 2 at 130
 
Burenheide had great expectations coming into her freshman season in 2021-22 following an eighth-grade year where she won a Kids State and Nationals Adidas title. But she tore her ACL during preseason training and missed her entire freshman season. Burenheide returned with a vengeance last year and established herself as a title contender last year. She carried a 26-1 record into the state tournament and knocked off Hoisington’s Daijah Jones in the second round, making her way to the finals where she fell 12-2 to Colby’s Amanda Jaeger, finishing the season 29-2 and as state runner-up at 130 pounds.
 

 
PAYTON BURTON, BLUESTEM
 
Preseason No. 3 at 105
 
Burton, a junior, parlayed her first regional title into a third-place finish and first state medal last winter at 105 pounds. Her state title quest was derailed by eventual champion Holly Thacher of Oskaloosa in a 7-1 semifinal decision, but Burton capped her 31-8 season with a first-period pin of Wichita County’s Jentri Porter in the consolation finals. Burton was 31-9 as a freshman and 2-2 at state at 109 pounds.
 

ATAVIA CAIN, OAKLEY

Preseason No. 2 at 170

The highlight of last season for Cain was arguably a thrilling win over Minneapolis’ Grace Johns in the regional final in which Cain rallied to pin Johns in the third period. Cain and Johns met up again in the 170-pound state championship match with Johns earning the pin in the second period. Cain finished her sophomore season 32-4 with three of her losses coming to Johns. Her other loss was to Valley Center’s Grace Timmons, a runner-up at 170 in 6-5A. Cain won a back-and-forth state semifinal match with Tonganoxie’s Grace Stean, getting the fall in the closing seconds of the third period. Cain’s junior campaign could feature more battles with Johns, who is top-ranked at 170 ahead of Cain.
 

   
ALYSSA CALOVICH, CHAPMAN

Preseason No. 1 at 110
 
Calovich wasn’t expecting to be a state champion as a freshman for the Irish, going into the season just hoping to make it to state. But when it was all said and done, Calovich was at the top of the podium, winning the Class 4-1A state title at 110 pounds. Calovich finished her freshman season 22-3 and after cruising into the finals with two pins and a major decision, she knocked off top-seeded Breanna Ross 2-1, making a first-period takedown hold up.
 

 
JOHANNA CARRASCO, BURLINGTON

Preseason No. 2 at 190
 
Nobody will be happier to see Buhler’s Emilie Schweizer graduate than Carrasco. Each of the last two years, the Burlington standout lost to the Crusader, falling in the 191 quarterfinals as a sophomore in 2021-22 and then in the semifinals last year as a junior. After not wrestling as a freshman and being a state qualifier as a sophomore, Carrasco came back to finish fourth last year, ending the season with a 31-4 mark. Carrasco is a two-time state qualifier and is 49-15 over the past two seasons, capturing a pair of Pioneer League championships.
 

 
REESE CLEMENTS, CHANUTE

Preseason No. 3 at 125
 
Clements returns for her senior year hoping to improve upon her state finish for the third straight season. She took third at 125 pounds after previously finishing fourth at 120 and taking sixth at 109 as a freshman. Clements knows it won’t be easy to push into the finals of 125 this year, seeing as two of the four wrestlers to defeat her last season will still be in her way. She reached the state semifinals before losing to eventual 125-pound state champ Gabi Koppes of Clay Center. In the finals, Koppes had to defeat Augusta’s Jill High, who got a win over Clements at Remington’s Broncos Invitational a month before state. Clements’ other losses last season were against 6-5A 120-pound state champion Kaylan Hitchcock of Olathe North and Washburn Rural’s Addison Broxterman, who took third at 125 in 6-5A. Clements picked up all three of her state victories via first-round pin. She enters this season with 93 career wins.
 

 
KIMBER CRABBS, BUHLER
 
Preseason No. 2 at 105
 
Crabbs was one victory away from a state title her freshman season, dropping a hard-fought, 2-1 decision to Oskaloosa’s Holly Thacher in the 4-1A 105-pound final. She posted a 26-4 record that included a 9-4 decision over Cimarron’s Veronica Green in the Wellington regional final. Crabbs also won tournaments at McPherson, Hays and Wichita South. Two of her losses came to 6-5A finalist Jessica Rivera of Dodge City.
 

 
HAILEE CROSLAND, SANTA FE TRAIL

Preseason No. 2 at 145
 
After going 1-2 at state as a sophomore first-year wrestler in 2021-22, Crosland emerged as one of the best in the state last year as a junior. She took an undefeated record at 145 pounds into the state tournament, which included a big win over then-unbeaten Goodland’s Destiny Gonzalez. But Gonzalez ended Crosland’s title dreams with a pin of the Charger in the state semifinals. Crosland bounced back to win her last two matches to finish third and post a 36-1 record overall. She's a two-time Pioneer League champion and is even more accomplished in the weight room where she is both a two-time high schol and USA state powerlifting champion and took third at nationals, owning both school and state records.
 

 
SHEENA GOCELA, WINFIELD
 
Preseason No. 1 at 100
 
Gocela enters her senior season with a 33-match winning streak and the title of Winfield’s first  girls state champion after pinning Columbus’ Grace Noel early in the second period of last winter’s 100-pound final. Gocela did so as a transfer from Hoisington, where she was a two-time fourth-place finisher at 101 pounds. Her career high school record is 79-15.
 

 
DESTINY GONZALEZ, GOODLAND

Preseason No. 1 at 145

Gonzalez entered last year’s state tournament with just one loss, which she avenged in the 145 semifinals with a pin of previously-unbeaten Hailee Crosland of Santa Fe Trail. Gonzalez narrowly missed out a state championship, taking a sudden-victory 5-3 loss to now-graduated Kammie Schanz from Mulvane. Gonzalez is a two-time regional champion and will enter her junior season with a 64-5 career record, placing fourth at state as a freshman in 2022. She’s ranked No. 2 at 145 in the all-class rankings behind Leavenworth’s Avari Johnson and No. 1 in 4-1A ahead of Crosland.


 

 
KAYDAWN HAAG, ELLIS

Preseason No. 1 at 140

Haag peaked at the right time to close her junior season, putting together a dominant state tournament with a major decision and three pins to secure the 140-pound championship. Haag pinned now-graduated Audrey Darnell from Baldwin in the final. Haag, also a regional champion, finished 29-3 on the season. She placed fifth at 143 pounds as a sophomore and was runner-up as a freshman. Haag is ranked No. 1 in all classes at 140 pounds.
 

ASHLYN HAHN, STOCKTON

Preseason No. 4 at 125

Hahn is a two-time state placer, taking fourth at 120 pounds last year as a sophomore and third at 115 as a freshman. She earned a regional championship by pinning Hoisington’s Kiana Grandclair in the final. At state, Hahn was beat by Chanute’s Kadynce Axelson in the quarterfinal. She won her next three matches to reach the third-place match before dropping a 2-1 decision to Grandclair to take fourth, finishing 32-4. Hahn, 65-10 in her career, will wrestle at 125 pounds this year.


 

 
JILL HIGH, AUGUSTA
 
Preseason No. 2 at 125
 
High came within seconds of handing Clay Center’s Gabi Koppes her first high school defeat last February in the state finals, finishing second in 4-1A at 125 after Koppes tallied four late points in a 7-4 decision. Still, it was the third state medal and the best career finish for High, who finished 37-2. High took third as a sophomore with a 27-3 mark, avenging two of her postseason losses to reach that point. She claimed the first of two regional titles as a freshman and finished fifth in the Division II meet at 126 with a 21-5 record.
 

HAILEY HORTON, ROSSVILLE

Preseason No. 1 at 155

Horton was an immediate impact addition for the Bulldawgs after transferring in from rival Silver Lake last winter following a sophomore season where she went 34-13 and was a state qualifier at 155 pounds. Staying at 155 pounds last year, Horton reached the state semifinals for the Bulldawgs before losing to Chanute's Brinly Bancroft. Horton bounced back and pinned her final two opponents at state to take third and finish the season 32-7. One of three Bulldawg placers, her performance helped Rossville to a runner-up finish in the team standings, the highest ever for the program, and will all three returning this year and ranked No. 1 at their respective weights, Rossville starts the season No. 1 in the team rankings.
 
 

 
AUBREY HUNT, WELLINGTON
 
Preseason No. 1 at 190
 
Hunt, a senior, made a meteoric climb last winter in her second season of high school wrestling. After finishing 12-17 as a sophomore with a 27-second pinfall loss to Buhler’s Emelie Schweizer in the regional quarterfinals, Hunt’s 37-7 junior season ended with a loss to Schweizer in the 4-1A 190-pound state final. Schweizer, who went 32-0, also defeated Hunt in the Wellington regional semifinals, but the Crusader bounced back with an impressive run at state, pinning 2021 state runner-up Holly Colvert of Tonganoxie to advance to the title match.
 

 
KENDRA HURLA, ROSSVILLE

Preseason No. 1 at 120
 
Hurla is one title away from becoming the first four-time state champion since girls wrestling state meet was sanctioned by the KSHSAA starting in 2019-20, picking up her third straight Class 4-1A state title last year. No. 3 was by far the toughest as Hurla gave up an early takedown to Columbus’ Addison Saporito in their 120-pound title match and battled through another takedown that tied the match to pull out a 9-5 victory. All three of Hurla’s state titles have come at 120 pounds and she finished last season with a 27-1 record – her lone loss coming to Clay Center’s Gabi Koppes, a two-time state champion at 125. Hurla is 89-3 in her career. Her title last year clinched a runner-up finish in the team standings for the Bulldawgs, the best-ever finish for the girls’ program.
 

 
AMANDA JAEGER, COLBY

Preseason No. 1 at 130

After dominating most of her opponents in western Kansas throughout the regular season, Jaeger had no trouble adapting to tougher opponents at regionals and state last season. She picked up a confidence-boosting major decision over Hoisington’s Daijah Jones in the regional final. In the state semifinals, Jaeger took a 2-0 decision over Pratt’s Jadyn Thompson in the semifinal then controlled the championship match against Brooklyn Burenheide, taking a 12-2 major decision. Jaeger finished the season the 32-1, her lone loss coming against Phillipsburg’s Isabella Keesee. Jaeger is ranked No. 1 in the all-class rankings at 130 heading into her senior season.
 

 
GRACE JOHNS, MINNEAPOLIS

Preseason No. 1 at 170
 
Transferring from Chapman to Minneapolis last year after finishing as a state runner-up at 170 pounds as a sophomore, Johns was the lone girls’ wrestler for the Lions a year ago. Toughened by working out with exclusively male counterparts, Johns completed her pursuit of the state title that had eluded her as a sophomore. After getting upset by Oaklay’s Atavia Cain in the regional finals, Johns avenged the loss in the 170-pound state championship match, getting a pin of Cain in the second period to cap a 36-2 junior season. She became Minneapolis’ first girls’ state champion.
 

 
ZOEY KESSLER, CHERRYVALE
 
Preseason No. 2 at 135
 
Kessler, a senior, took an unbeaten record into the 2023 postseason before exiting with a 22-2 record and a third-place finish in 4-1A at 135. She also finished third in the Coffeyville regional after Fort Scott’s Makaylae Rusk dealt her a sudden-victory defeat in the semifinals. At state, Kessler was pinned in the quarterfinals by eventual runner-up Jaden Ney of Russell, but she rebounded to win four consolation bracket matches, including a second-period pin of Pratt’s Wendy Candia in the third-place match.
 

 
GABI KOPPES, CLAY CENTER

Preseason No. 1 at 125
 
Koppes is undefeated in her high school career, but it took everything she had in last year’s 125-pound championship match to stay that way. After cruising into the finals with three straight pins, Koppes found herself trailing 4-3 with 10 seconds left. But the Tiger standout came up with a four-point move in the final 7 seconds to pull out a 7-4 victory to cap a 32-0 season. It was her second thriller of the season with High, the other a 4-2 double-overtime win in late January. Koppes won the 126-pound title as a freshman in 2021-22, going 30-0. She’s now 62-0 in her career and last year she also handed Rossville’s Kendra Hurla – the three-time reigning state champion at 120 – her only loss when Hurla stepped up a weight to meet her.
 

 
KEERA LACOCK, ROSSVILLE

Preseason No. 1 at 115
 
Lacock found herself in arguably the toughest top-heavy bracket at the Class 4-1A state meet last year with four wrestlers at 115 pounds entering the state meet with one loss, including Lacock. The Bulldawg came through her side of the bracket to reach the finals, beating one-loss Layla Tindle of Fredonia 6-2 in the semifinals. LAaock couldn’t quite complete the run to the title, however, falling 7-3 to two-time champion Josiah Ortiz of Lakin in the finals, finishing the season 33-2. Lacock is a two-time state placer, taking fourth at 115 as a freshman. She went 34-8 as a sophomore but didn’t place at state and is 87-17 in her career overall.
 

 
LEIANNAH LANDRETH, MULVANE
 
Preseason No. 2 at 120
 
Landreth enters her junior season with a 72-4 high school record, and the wrestler responsible for three of the losses, Lakin’s Josiah Ortiz, is now competing for Fort Hays State. Ortiz edged Landreth 1-0 in a semifinal classic at 115 en route to her second state title, while Landreth pinned her other four opponents to cap a 38-1 season with a third-place finish. As a freshman, Landreth reached the 109-pound finals, where Ortiz edged her 5-2. Landreth won nine tournaments last winter including the Wellington regional, where she pinned her four opponents in a combined mat time of 2:47.
 

 
KENA LEONARD, PAOLA

Preseason No. 1 at 235
 
Leonard learned quickly during her first year of high school wrestling for Paola. The junior went 33-7, with a majority of her losses coming against out-of-state competition. Of Leonard’s three regular-season losses against Kansas competition, she ended up coming away with the victory over those wrestlers in the rematch later in the season. After she lost to Whitley Cox-Halliburton of Prairie View by 4-2 decision during a dual in early January, Leonard pinned Cox-Halliburton during the quarterfinals of the Baldwin Invitational. But Leonard ended up losing to Baldwin’s Madi Hargett in the next round. She’d have to wait awhile, but Leonard finally got her revenge when she earned a 5-2 decision victory over Hargett in third-place match at state. Leonard won’t get a chance to return the favor against Santa Fe Trail’s Sierra Dempsey, who finished as the state runner-up after beating Leonard in the semifinals. But with Dempsey and state champ MacKayla Miller of Scott Community both graduated, Leonard enters this season as the preseason favorite for 235.
 

 
KENNA MILES, FORT SCOTT

Preseason No. 2 at 110
 
Miles pinned three opponents at state last year on her way to a fourth-place finish and 34-7 record as a freshman. After advancing through the first two rounds at state, she lost to eventual state champion Alyssa Calovich of Chapman in the state semifinals, followed by a 11-1 major decision loss against Oakley’s Citori Bosserman in the third-place match. Calovich, who is also a sophomore, is the only wrestler at 110 ranked above Miles in the first preseason rankings from KWCA.

 
TRINITY MOTTER, EL DORADO
 
Preseason No. 3 at 100
 
Motter’s third-place finish in 4-1A at 100 pounds last season is the best by an El Dorado girls wrestler. She earned that with a 5-1 decision over Santa Fe Trail’s Audry Johnson. Motter, a sophomore, finished 32-4, falling in the semifinals to eventual champion Sheena Gocela of Winfield. Her impressive debut season included a pin over 6-5A runner-up and then-top ranked Mykayle Sutton of Salina South. She also won the Wellington regional and Circle Invitational titles.
 

 
KEIRA MULLEN, SMOKY VALLEY
 
Preseason No. 1 at 135
 
Mullen, a senior, earned Smoky Valley’s first girls state wrestling title last February with a second-period pin over previously unbeaten Jaden Ney of Russell in the 135-pound final. It capped a 26-6 season for Mullen, a first-year wrestler who entered the state tournament unranked. Mullen, who finished second at regionals to Pratt’s Wendy Candia, outlasted Fort Scott’s Makaylae Rusk in a 13-11 sudden-victory quarterfinal during her state run. Mullen finished 18^th at the Class 3A state cross country meet this fall.
 

 
JADEN NEY, RUSSELL

Preseason No. 3 at 145

Following a third-place finish at state as a freshman, Ney’s sophomore season got off to a rough start when she suffered a broken hand during her second match of the season. She missed most of the regular season but returned in time to win regionals. Ney then reached the state title match at 135 pounds before losing to Smoky Valley’s Keira Mullen. Ney finished 10-1 on the season. She is moving up to 145 pounds where she is ranked third in 4-1A behind Goodland’s Destiny Gonzalez and Sante Fe Trail’s Hailee Crosland.
 

 
GRACE NOEL, COLUMBUS

Preseason No. 2 at 100
 
Noel reached the finals in each of her last two major tournaments last season. But she had the unfortunate experience of running into Winfield’s Sheena Gocela both times. Both of those two wrestlers will return for their senior seasons at the top of the 100-pound preseason rankings, with Gocela getting the top nod. Noel also reached state as a sophomore, but did not place that year.
 

 
HOLLY THACHER, OSKALOOSA

Preseason No. 1 at 105
 
Thacher burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2021-22, joining teammate Allison King as state champions that season when she went 28-1 and won the Class 4-1A state title at 101 pounds. The duo repeated their title seasons a year ago when King won her second straight at 155 and Thacher stepped up a weight class and won at 105. After dominating her title match as a freshman, Thacher got all she wanted in last year’s final from Buhler’s Kimber Crabb, settling for a 2-1 victory. Thacher finished the season 28-2 to move to 56-3 in her career. She’ll have to title hunt by herself this year with King having graduated.
 

 
LAYLA TINDLE, FREDONIA
 
Preseason No. 3 at 115
 
Tindle, a senior, finished fourth in the loaded 115-pound bracket at state last season – her third career state medal for the Yellowjackets. She posted a 24-3 record with a semifinal loss to eventual runner-up Keera Lacock of Rossville and to Mulvane’s Leiannah Landreth in the third-place match. Tindle won a career-high 35 matches as a sophomore and finished fifth at 120. Her best state finish was third at 126 in the Division II meet as a freshman. Tindle enters her final high school season with 80 career victories.