CLASS 4A BOYS WRESTLERS TO WATCH IN 2024-25
 

  
SEBASTIAN BENTLEY, ROSE HILL
 
Preseason No. 2 at 126
 
Bentley, a junior, moved up to varsity and made a big splash last season for the Rockets, playing an important role in Rose Hill’s first state team championship. Bentley’s late-season surge included Rose Hill Invitational and Andale regional titles, and a second-place finish in Class 4A at 120 pounds to three-time state medalist Kaiden Powell of Paola. Bentley’s 2-1 loss to Powell completed a 41-9 season. Bentley also notched a tournament title at the Augusta Invitational.
 

 
ADAM BILBY, ROSE HILL
 
Preseason No. 2 at 132
 
Bilby enters his senior season with a collegiate commitment to wrestle for Virginia Military Institute. He’d like to head east as a Class 4A champion after posting the third third-place finish of his career last February. Bilby finished the 2023-24 season with a 47-2 record, but saw his title hopes thwarted at 126 pounds by Abilene’s Murphy Randolph in the semifinals. Bilby, who won six individual tournament titles last season, including the Newton Tournament of Champions and Andale regional, was third at state at 113 in his freshman and sophomore seasons. He already has 109 career victories for Rose Hill, which opens the season ranked No. 1 in all classes. 
 

 
RYDER DEMPEWOLF, COLBY
 
Preseason No. 1 at 120

Dempewolf became a first-time state champion in thrilling fashion last season. In a 1-2 battle with Paola’s Bryson Rockers in the 113-final, Dempewolf pulled out a 7-5 victory in sudden-victory overtime to cap a 44-2 sophomore season. He placed third as a sophomore at 106 points. His only loss to an in-state opponent last season came against two-time 3-2-1A champion Brogan Monty from Beloit. Dempewolf and Rockers are expected to be in different weight classes this year, with Dempewolf set to wrestle at 120 and Rockers 126. Dempewolf is ranked No. 5 in all classes at 120.
 

SETH FERGUSON, OTTAWA
 
Preseason No. 2 at 190
 
Ferguson held the No. 1 spot at 215 in 4A heading into January of last season. But a couple losses looked to push him down the leaderboard. Ferguson would never really get the opportunity to work his way back up to the top of those rankings. After losing to Wamego’s Jake Meyer in the quarterfinals of the Bobcat Classic, Ferguson won two matches on the backside of the bracket before suffering an injury in the opening minute of his consolation semifinal against Lansing’s Elijah Mathis. Ferguson would not be able to get healthy in time for that postseason run. As a sophomore, Ferguson earned a state runner-up finish at 190. In that year’s state tournament, he controlled the action through his first two matches before needing to hold on for 3-2 decision in his semifinals match against Justin Degollado of Ulysses. Ferguson had to wrestle from behind in points during his state final against Baldwin’s Jack Harvey. Harvey secured two takedowns in the first period on the way to 4-1 advantage, which he extended to 5-1 after an escape point to start the second. Ferguson would start the third with an escape, followed by a quick takedown to pull within a point. He would not be able to close the gap though as Harvey held on for the 6-4 victory. During his freshman year, Ferguson finished third for 190 at state.
 

 
TRENTON FRANK, SCOTT CITY
 
Preseason No. 2 at 106

Frank pulled off a come-from-behind win in the 106 semifinals last season, rallying from an 8-1 deficit to fight back and pin Tonganoxie’s Tyler Chrisp. Frank finished runner-up after falling to Rose Hill’s Samson Whitted in the title match. He posted a record of 39-6 last season as a sophomore. Whitted and Frank are ranked 1-2 at 106 heading into the season. Frank is No. 5 in the all-class rankings.
 

 
BRODY GOMEZ, FORT SCOTT
 
Preseason No. 2 at 165
 
Gomez went 40-10 during his junior campaign last year, earning a fourth-place state finish at 165 in 4A. After earning a Southeast Kansas League title and taking second at his regional, Gomez started state strong with a 11-1 major decision in the opening round, only to get sent to the backside of the bracket after losing by 9-1 decision against Holton’s Kyler Jackson. Gomez responded with a pin and a pair of decision victories by margins of 8-1 and 7-1 to reach the third-place match against Tonganoxie’s Brady Martin. In a near repeat result of their match earlier in the year, Martin earned a 9-2 victory. It looks like Gomez will not have Martin in his way this year at 165 as Martin looks to move down to 157. As a sophomore, Gomez took fifth in 144 at state. He did not place at state that year, although he did win what would be his first of two straight regional titles.
 

 
CRUZ HERSHBERGER, BUHLER
 
Preseason No. 2 at 144
 
Anyone who witnessed Hershberger’s competitiveness in last year’s Class 4A 144-pound final knows what’s possible for the Crusader senior this winter. Hershberger trailed Tonganoxie’s Braeden Moore 7-0 in the title match before launching an offensive that nearly derailed Moore, the two-time champion. Moore held on for a 9-7 victory, but Hershberger’s 38-4 record provides a good springboard into his final season. Hershberger notched his 100^th career victory at state after winning the Andale regional title. He opens the season No. 2 at 144 behind Rose Hill’s Johnny Leck, last year’s 4A 132-pound champion. 
 

 
DAMON INGRAM ROSE HILL
 
Preseason No. 1 at 150
 
Ingram, a senior, returned to the Class 4A state finals last season and left no doubt as one of three Rose Hill champions. He pinned Independence’s Kohen Wright in the second period of the 138-pound title match to complete a 41-1 season. On the heels of a second-place state finish to Augusta’s Marcus Terry at 126 two years ago, Ingram blazed through his junior campaign, losing only to 5A champion Adam Maki of Andover at the Newton Tournament of Champions. Ingram countered by defeating Maki three times and also topped 5A finalist Josh Kerr of Maize South twice. Ingram is 77-6 over two seasons with the Rockets. 
 

 
KYLER JACKSON, HOLTON
 
Preseason No. 3 at 165

Jackson has won at least 30 matches each of his first three seasons, but last year was a breakthrough one for him. After going 0-2 at state as both a freshman and sophomore, Jackson reached the Class 4A 165-pound semifinals last season with a pair of easy decision victories in his first two matches. He ran into returning state champion Taye Wilson of Pratt in the semifinals and dropped an 11-3 decision. After losing his consolation semifinal match, Jackson finished the state meet with a 4-0 win over Clay Center’s Talyn Pfizenmmaier to finish fifth. He recorded his first 40-win season, going 40-6 and now has 106 career victories going into his senior season.
  

 
BROCK JOHNSON, PAOLA
 
Preseason No. 1 at 138
 
After Johnson won the 4A 106-pound state title as a freshman, he looked to move up to 126 last season. He had very few problems making the change. Johnson put together a 40-5 record on his way to winning another state championship. With just seven losses over his first two years, Johnson keeps looking for a new challenge as he plans to wrestle at 138 this year, where he’ll enter the season top ranked wrestler in the preseason polls.
 

 
JOHNNY LECK, ROSE HILL
 
Preseason No. 1 at 144
 
A three-time state finalist, Leck captured his second Class 4A individual title last winter and helped Rose Hill win its first team title by winning the 132-pound crown. Two years after capturing 4A’s 106-pound division, Leck topped Winfield’s Owen Suttles 8-4 in the finals to finish his junior season with a 38-3 record. A key part of Rose Hill’s 4-1A runner-up soccer team this fall, Leck went 41-4 as a freshman, topping Andale’s Trent Eck in the state finals. He finished second to Paola’s Brock Johnson in a 31-4 sophomore season.
 

 
BRADY MARTIN, TONGANOXIE
 
Preseason No. 1 at 157
 
After earning a 4A state runner-up finish at 144 as a freshman, Martin returned last year looking to return to the state final again, this time at 165. But Martin’s quest for a state title hit a snag when he ran into Paola’s Clayton Younger in the state quarterfinals. Younger squeezed out a 3-2 decision victory in that match, sending Martin to the backside of the bracket. Martin dominated during his consolation round matches before capping off his third-place finish with a 9-2 decision over Fort Scott’s Brody Gomez. This season, Martin will try his hand at wrestling down at 157, where he enters the year as the top-ranked 4A wrestler for that weight class in the preseason polls.
 

 
ASHTON MOORE, LOUISBURG
 
Preseason No. 3 at 215
 
Moore churned out a 38-9 campaign as junior last season on his way to a fourth-place finish at 190 in 4A. Moore opened the state tournament with a couple pin victories before falling to the eventual state runner-up in Baldwin’s Jack Harvey with a 9-1 major decision loss in the semifinals. Moore earned a 5-2 decision over Tonganoxie’s Colton Brusven, a flip of the result in the previous three matchups between these two wrestlers throughout the season. But Andale’s Isaiah Wilson defeated Moore via 5-4 decision in the third-place match. Moore reached state as a freshman and sophomore, but he did not place either of those years.
 

 
WILLY JON MORALES, AUGUSTA
 
Preseason No. 1 at 285
 
Consistency has led Morales to top-4 finishes at 285 pounds in Class 4A each of his first three seasons. He’ll try to complete the climb to the top as a senior after finishing second to Bishop Miege’s Baker North last season. Morales went 36-2 and won his first regional title as a junior, but got pinned in the second period by North in the state title match. Morales finished fourth as sophomore with a 37-8 record and was third as a freshman with a 38-9 mark, working all the way through the consolation bracket after an opening-round loss. 
 

 
MASON OBANION, COLUMBUS
 
Preseason No. 1 at 175
 
Obanion put together a 35-3 record on the way to a fourth-place state finish at 175 in 4A as a freshman last season. He lost in the state semifinal to Scott Community’s Houston Frank by 6-2 decision. Obanion recovered with a 2-1 decision win over Chanute’s Cade Small in the consolation semifinals. But Obanion ended his first state outing with a 7-5 decision loss against Andale’s Ian Aouad in the third-place match. 
 

 
KAIDEN POWELL, PAOLA
 
Preseason No. 1 at 132
 
After going from a fifth-place finish at 106 as freshman to taking third at 120 as a sophomore, Powell finally finished his climb to the top of the state podium as he won the 120-pound state championship last season. Powell put together a 36-6 record. Three of his losses were at Basehor Linwood’s Bobcat Classic in early January, with losses against Lansing’s Sawyer Jorgensen and Bishop Carroll’s Connor Landers. Landers finished third and Jorgensen finished fifth in 5A at that same 120 weight class. All four of his other losses were against wrestlers who would go on to win state championships that season, including three multiple time champs. Powell lost to Manhattan’s Caeleb Hutchinson, who would go on to win his second straight state title. But a week before that loss at the Manhattan dual tournament, Powell had beat Hutchinson by 4-1 decision at the Gardner Edgerton Invitational to open the season. In his next match though, Powell would lose by pin to Southeast Polk’s Carter Pearson, who would go on to win his first state title at the Iowa state tournament. Powell lost back-to-back matches at the KC Stampede last December. First Powell also lost to Liberty’s Hunter Taylor, who would finish his high school career with a third straight state championship in Missouri. In his first consolation match, Powell lost to Hillsboro’s Carter Wallis, who would go on to win his second state title at the Missouri state tournament. But Powell kicked things into gear starting with his team’s home invitational on Jan. 19. He would earn victories by pin, major decision or tech fall in 14 of his next 16 matches on the way to the state title, including a 13-0 major decision over Clay Center’s Hayden Kalivoda in the state championship match.
 

 
MURPHY RANDOLPH, ABILENE
 
Preseason No. 3 at 144

Even as he worked his way through his freshman season undefeated, Randolph didn’t command much respect it came to the KWCA rankings, sitting No. 6 at 126 pounds going into the Class 4A state tournament with a 32-0 record. Just as he did all season, Randolph ignored the rankings and kept on winning. After winning his first state match via pin, Randolph took down Independence’s Keith Sanders 6-3 in the quarterfinals and then knocked off Rose Hill’s Adam Bilby 4-3 in a sudden victory win to reach the finals. His run ended there as returning state champion Brock Johnson of Paola handled him in the finals with a 12-2 win. But Randolph still finished the season with a 35-1 mark. He’ll move up three weight classes to 144 this season and finds himself No. 3 in the rankings to start the year.
 

 
BRYSON ROCKERS, PAOLA
 
Preseason No. 1 at 126
 
Rockers put together a 39-4 record as sophomore last season on his way to a second straight state runner-up finish at 113 in 4A. Rockers only had one loss against a Kansas opponent in the regular season as Ezkiel Witt scored a 12-4 decision over Rockers on his home turf during the Manhattan dual tournament in December. After suffering multiple losses to out-of-state opponents during the KC Stampede, Rockers rolled the rest of the way through a Frontier League and regional title on his way to the 4A finals. But Colby’s Ryder Dempewolf prevented Rockers from bringing home the state title. Rockers took the first lead in the match with a takedown late in the first period. But Rockers gave away a penalty point late in the second period, which Dempewolf immediately followed up with an escape to tie the score heading into the third. In that one, both competitors traded points late as the clock hit zero with the score tied at 5-all. In overtime, Dempewolf earned the takedown to secure the 7-5 sudden victory and state title.
 

 
COLE ROGERS, ROSE HILL
 
Preseason No. 1 at 215
 
Rogers, a senior, is one of four Rose Hill wrestlers listed No. 1 in the KWCA preseason rankings. He took the top ranking into state last winter after winning the Andale regional, but settled for fifth after dropping a 6-5 quarterfinal decision to Holton’s Dalton Roush. Rogers won three consolation matches to complete a 34-9 season. The placing marked an improvement from Rogers’ 25-15 sophomore campaign and helped the Rockets capture their first state team title.
 

JAXSEN SALINAS, ULYSSES
 
Preseason No. 4 at 144

After not placing at state as a freshman in 2023, Salinas improved to a fourth-place showing as a sophomore. He reached the 138 semifinals after beating Santa Fe Trail’s Atticus Guenther by a 5-3 decision in the quarterfinals. Salinas took a major-decision loss in the semis to eventual champion Damon Ingram from Rose Hill. He went 1-1 on the backside to finish his season with a 33-10 mark. Salinas is headed up to 144, where he is ranked ninth in the all-class rankings.
 

 
TANNER SLEICHTER, SANTA FE TRAIL
 
Preseason No. 1 at 113

Sleichter has held down the leadoff spot in Santa Fe Trail’s lineup each of his first two seasons and did so quite capably. As a freshman in 2022-23, Sleichter posted a 33-7 mark that saw him qualify for state and go 1-2. He returned at 106 last year and despite missing some time with an injury still fashioned a 26-4 mark. At state, Sleichter fell in the second round to eventual champion Samson Whitted of Rose Hill 6-0, but bounced back to win three straight matches in the consolation bracket, two via pin, to reach the consolation finals where he dropped a 5-4 decision to Augusta’s Brayden Luinstra to finish fourth. Moving up to 113 this season, Sleichter will have a bigger target on his back than anticipated, holding down the No. 1 spot in the preseason rankings. 
 

 
OWEN SUTTLES, WINFIELD
 
Preseason No. 2 at 138
 
Suttles collected his 100^th career victory last season en route to a second consecutive runner-up finish in Class 4A. After finishing second to Rose Hill’s Johnny Leck at the Andale regional, Leck topped Suttles 8-4 for the 132-pound state title. That completed a 38-6 season for Suttles, who entered state ranked No. 1 at 120 as a sophomore and lost 5-1 to Rose Hill’s Julio Aguirre in the championship to cap a 40-5 campaign. Suttles finished fifth at 113 pounds as a freshman. He starts the season ranked behind Paola’s two-time champion Brock Johnson at 138. 
 

 
TALON SUTTLES, WINFIELD
 
Preseason No. 3 at 132
 
Suttles, a three-time state placer, provided the toughest hurdle for Class 4A 126-pound champion Brock Johnson of Paola to clear at last year’s state meet. Suttles’ 6-4 semifinal tiebreaker loss was Johnson’s closest match. Suttles also fell to Rose Hill’s Adam Bilby in the consolation finals, but his fourth-place finish was a career best. Suttles’ 41-7 record included a runner-up finish to Bilby at the Andale regional. Suttles notched sixth-place state finishes in each of his first two seasons, first at 106 pounds and then 113. He takes a high school career record of 87-26 into his senior season. 
 

 
SAMSON WHITTED, ROSE HILL
 
Preseason No. 1 at 106
 
Whitted hit the jackpot in his first varsity season, winning the Class 4A 106-pound title with a 39-2 record. Wrestling behind state champion Johnny Leck as a freshman, Whitted went unbeaten on junior varsity, then sat out as a sophomore. He returned to the Rockets as a junior and took his only losses to former Derby and current Goddard wrestler Jayden Grijalva, who went on to win the 6A title. After winning the Andale regional, Whitted pinned three of his four state opponents, including Scott City’s Trenton Frank in the second period of the final, to help the Rockets capture their first 4A team title. 
 

 
ISAIAH WILSON, ANDALE
 
Preseason No. 1 at 190
 
Wilson, a senior, finished third in Class 4A at 190 pounds last season after reaching the 175-pound final as a junior. His state title bid in a 40-10 junior campaign was halted by a 13-4 major decision loss in the semifinals to eventual champion Tucker Jackson of Clay Center. Wilson pinned Jackson in the 2023 state quarters en route to a second-place finish to Winfield’s Kody Brenn. After a 22-17 freshman season, Wilson reeled off 43 victories as a sophomore. Last winter, he also posted tournament titles at Pratt and Salina South. Wilson leads a group of five seniors in 4A’s preseason rankings at 190. 
 

 
TAYE WILSON, PRATT
 
Preseason No. 1 at 165
 
Wilson again enters a season ranked No. 1 in his weight class after capturing his second straight Class 4A title. The Pratt standout completed a 42-0 junior campaign with a 9-2 tiebreak victory over Paola’s Clayton Younger in the 165-pound final. Tied at 1 after regulation, Wilson dominated the extra time to return to the top of the state medal stand. Wilson’s first 4A title came as a sophomore, when he edged Augusta’s Cannon Carey in a sudden-victory championship to complete a 36-3 season. Wilson is a three-time state placer, taking sixth as a freshman at 132 after breaking his elbow in the consolation semifinals. He is coming off a solid senior football season in which he ran for 1,170 yards and 18 touchdowns for the 6-3 Greenbacks. 
 

CASON WYRICK, LABETTE COUNTY
 
Preseason No. 2 at 150
 
Wyrick posted a 33-7 record last season on his way to a third-place finish at 144 in the 4A state tournament. Other than a forfeit against Hillsboro/Canton-Galva’s Aaron Hein in the third-place match of the Circle Invitational, Wyrick’s only losses against Kansas wrestlers heading into state were against 4A state medalist. He lost twice to Buhler’s Cruz Hershberger, who would go on to finish as the 4A state runner-up, and once against Holton’s Cale Hein, who finished fifth at state. Wyrick won four matches at state, including a 4-3 decision over Hein from Holton. But Wyrick ended up suffering a first-period pin loss in the semifinals against eventual state champion Braeden Moore of Tonganoxie. Wyrick recovered with a his own first-period pin over Ulysses’ Braysen Salinas. Wyrick is a two-time state medalist after finishing sixth at 132 as a freshman. He qualified for state as a sophomore, but did not place.