CLASS 5A BOYS WRESTLERS TO WATCH IN 2024-25
 
 

JASE ADAM, SALINA CENTRAL
 
Preseason No. 4 at 132
 
Adam came agonizingly close to capturing his first state title last season, falling 8-7 to Goddard’s Kolton McElwain in the Class 5A 126-pound final after leading for most of the match. The Mustang standout has been knocking on the door throughout his career, finishing third at 113 as a freshman and second to Newton’s Lucas Kaufman as a sophomore. He posted a career-high 39 victories as a junior, winning pre-holiday tournaments at Holdredge (Neb.) and Bishop Carroll. With a pair of 33-win seasons each of his first two years, Adam enters his final campaign with a 105-29 career high school record.
 

KADEN ALLEN, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
 
Preseason No. 1 at 144
 
Allen put together a 33-9 junior campaign as he finished the year as the 5A state runner-up at 144. Allen started his state run with a pin in the opening round before delivering back-to-back major decisions, including one by a 10-0 margin in the semifinals against Newton’s Bailey Steinmetz. Allen could not replicate that level of domination in the finals. Hays’ Harley Zimmeran earned a 5-3 sudden victory win over Allen to complete an undefeated season. Zimmerman had also defeated Allen by sudden victory in the 132-pound state finals the previous year. Allen will look to return to the state finals in that same weight class again, where he holds the No. 1 spot in 5A heading into the season.
 

WILL BURCHARD, ST. JAMES ACADEMY
 
Preseason No. 2 at 132
 
Burchard churned out a 40-15 record last year as a sophomore on his way to a 5A state runner-up finish at 132. Burchard earned his spot in the state finals by reeling off three straight victories by pin, including one in the semifinals when he took down Bishop Carroll’s Owen Newell late in the third period to secure the pin with just a few seconds remaining. Newell had led 6-2 heading into that final period, and held a three-point margin when his shoulders were held to the mat. But Burchard would not have the same luck against Andover’s Luke Potter in the finals. It was Potter who overcame a 1-0 deficit in the third period by scoring all three of his points in the final 26 seconds of a 3-1 decision over Burchard. Now the Thunder junior will try to run it back in that same weight class. But it won’t be easy with Potter returning as well.
 

STEPHEN CARROLL, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
 
Preseason No. 1 at 285
 
Carroll finished his sophomore season with a 23-12 record, a mark that does not quite capture how close he was to bringing home a state championship last season. He reached the 5A state finals at 285, facing off with Rykan Carver Shawnee Heights. Each wrestler only scored a single escape point during regulation to take 1-all score into overtime. They traded escapes again until Carver secured a takedown with 14 seconds left in the third overtime period. Carroll could only earn one escape before Carver clinched the state title with a 4-3 decision. As the returning state runner-up, Carroll enters this season as top ranked 5A wrestler for that 285 weight class in the preseason polls.
 

TREVOR CHRISTENSON, BASEHOR-LINWOOD
 
Preseason No. 4 at 120

Christenson couldn’t have asked for much more out of his freshman campaign than he got last year. Highly touted coming into his first season with the Bobcats, Christenson certainly lived up to the expectations. He served immediate notice when he became Basehor’s first-ever placer at the KC Stampede, placing fifth and suffering half of his losses at that prestigious tourney. Christenson only stumbled twice more and captured United Kansas Conference and Class 5A regional titles – earning wrestler of the year honors in the UKC -- before finishing his season with the Class 5A state title at 106. Christenson topped Goddard’s Oscar Gauna 6-4 in the title match to cap a 42-4 season in which he led the Bobcats in takedowns (78) and match points (288) as well as best overall record. Christenson will make a big jump in weight classes this year, moving up to the 120 class, which will be loaded this year with last year’s 113 champion Braxton Moody of Valley Center also moving up and Class 6A 106 champion Jayden Grijalva also there after transferring from Derby to Goddard.
 

TAD FORSYTH, BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST
 
Preseason No. 1 at 175
 
Forsyth put together a 43-3 sophomore campaign last season as he took third place in 175 at the 5A state tournament. At the state tournament, Forsyth paired a pin and 16-2 major decision to reach the semifinals. But Salina Central’s Cooper Reves sent him to the backside of the bracket with 5-2 decision. Forsyth recovered by earning a 12-10 decision victory over Goddard’s Zachary Wessley, followed by a 15-0 tech fall over Andover’s Logan Warkentine in the third-place match. Forsyth will stay at 175 this year, where he ranks first heading into the season.
 

OSCAR GAUNA, GODDARD
 
Preseason No. 1 at 106
 
Gauna put together a strong freshman season last winter for Goddard, posting a 36-6 record and advancing to the Class 5A 106-pound final, where he lost 6-4 to Basehor-Linwood’s Trevor Christenson on a late takedown. It was just the second loss of the season to a Kansas wrestler for Gauna, who stormed into the championship match with a trio of first-period pins. Gauna dealt current teammate Jayden Grijalva two of his three losses last season – the first in an action-packed, sudden-victory final at the Newton Tournament of Champions – before Grijalva went on to win the 6A title at 106 for Derby.
 

JACOB GOODWIN, GODDARD
 
Preseason No. 1 at 157
 
Goodwin helped Goddard win its ninth Class 5A title in 10 years last February by collecting his second straight individual title, moving up from 144 pounds to win the 150 championship with a second-period pin of Great Bend’s Cooper Liles. It was an injury-plagued 23-3 season for Goodwin, who tore the meniscus in his right knee in early January. Goodwin joined his older sister, AshLynn, as a state champion in 2023, defeating Salina Central’s Dawson Hogan in the 144-pound final. Goodwin took fourth at 132 as a freshman, and enters his final season with a 97-21 high school record. 
 

JAYDEN GRIJALVA, GODDARD
 
Preseason No. 2 at 120
 
A three-time state medalist at Derby – including the Class 6A winner at 106 last season – Grijalva transferred to Goddard, where he fortifies the already strong reigning 5A champions. Grijalva scored a 6-4 sudden victory over Garden City’s Braydon Pacheco in last year’s state finals to avenge a regional final loss and complete a 36-3 campaign. Grijalva’s other two losses came to new teammate Oscar Gauna, last year’s 5A runner-up. Grijalva finished third in 6A at 106 as a sophomore to help Derby win the team title. He was fifth at state as a freshman and begins his Goddard career with a 103-20 high school record.
 

PRESTON HAGEL, GODDARD
 
Preseason No. 1 at 190
 
Hagel, a senior, joins teammates Oscar Gauna and Jacob Goodwin atop their respective weight classes in the preseason after finishing second at state to Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s Omari Elias last season at 190 pounds. Hagel was one of five Goddard state finalists, shaking off some early-season struggles to post a 28-12 record. He finished second to the now-graduated Elias at the Arkansas City regional and repeated the feat at state, dropping the title match 3-1. Hagel qualified for state at 165 as a sophomore and finished 22-13, dropping a quarterfinal match to eventual champion Dylan Elmore of St. Thomas Aquinas.
 

LUCAS KAUFMAN, NEWTON
 
Preseason No. 2 at 126
 
Kaufman is undoubtedly determined to return to the top of the state medal stand after dropping a 7-6 decision last February to his former grade school classmate, Valley Center’s Aiden Shields, in the Class 5A 120-pound final. Kaufman captured the 113-pound title as a sophomore, but was unable to take last season’s rubber match against Shields, whom he defeated in the Ark City regional final after losing to Shields at the Newton Tournament of Champions. Still, Kaufman’s 39-4 record produced his third consecutive championship match appearance. He was second to Valley Center’s Jett Schwartz as a freshman, finishing 33-10, then capped a 36-6 sophomore season with his title-match victory over Salina Central’s Jase Adam.
 

JOSH KERR, MAIZE SOUTH
 
Preseason No. 1 at 138
 
Kerr cut his teeth against quality competition throughout his freshman season, which he finished with a 36-12 record and second to Andover’s now-graduated two-time champion Adam Maki in Class 5A’s 138-pound weight class. Seasoned by challenging tournaments like the Newton TOC, Garden City’s Rocky Welton Invitational and the Rose Hill Invitational, Kerr earned the No. 2 seed at regionals and lived up to it, finishing second to Maki. Kerr was equally impressive at state, pinning two of his first three opponents before falling 5-1 to Maki in the championship.
 

KADEN MARKLEY, BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST
 
Preseason No. 2 at 138
 
Markely took third place in 138 at last year’s 5A state tournament, finishing his junior season with a 41-13 record. Markley started state with a second-period pin over Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s Eli Koster, but a 2-1 decision loss to Treyton Marquez of Bonner Springs in the quarterfinals sent him to the backside of the bracket. Markley earned an 8-0 major decision and another pin before earning a 5-0 decision over Andrew Bonebrake of Shawnee Heights to reach the third-place match. Markley closed out the tournament with a 1-0 tiebreaker win over Newton’s Nate Barron. He’ll enter the season as ranked second in 5A at that same weight class, one spot behind last year’s 138-pound 5A state runner-up in Maize South’s Josh Kerr.
 

 
ELIJAH MATHIS, LANSING
 
Preseason No. 2 at 190

Something about having his brother, Noah, join him on the team last year brought out the best in Mathis. A state qualifier at 285 pounds as a sophomore in 2023 when he went 2-2 and came up a match shy of earning a state medal, Mathis was a dominant force last year as a junior. He moved down a weight class from 285 to 215 and put together a huge season, going 40-4. Mathis captured the United Kansas Conference despite suffering a leg injury midway through the match, helping the Lions capture the team title as one of four Lion champions along with Noah at 190. After adding a regional title, Mathis pinned his way to the Class 5A state finals where his bid for a state title ended with a 5-3 loss to Valley Center’s Dai’mont Mucker. Mathis will switch spots with Noah in Basehor’s lineup this year, moving down to 190 pounds.
 

NOAH MATHIS, LANSING
 
Preseason No. 1 at 215

A freshman a year ago, Mathis joined older brother Elijah to give Lansing a pair of hammers at the back end of their lineup with Noah holding down the 190 class and Elijah following at 215. The two combined for 82 victories with Noah just outdoing his older brother with a 42-5 mark (Elijah finishing 40-4). Both captured United Kansas Conference titles and then followed with Class 5A regional crowns as well. While Elijah was able to reach the Class 5A state finals, Noah fell short, knocked off in the semifinals by Goddard’s Preston Hagel with a 9-1 loss. He rebounded to finish third with a 5-2 win in the consolation finals. Noah and Elijah will switch weight classes this year with Noah moving up to 215 for his sophomore season.
 

 
KOLTON MCELWAIN, GODDARD

Preseason No. 3 at 132
 
McElwain may have been the most improbable of Goddard’s injury-challenged champions last season, tearing an already repaired ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during the opening week of practice. Given doctors’ blessings to delay surgery until season’s end, McElwain nursed the ailment throughout the winter while posting an 18-6 record. It culminated in a stirring 8-7 victory over Salina Central’s Jase Adam in the Class 5A 126-pound final. McElwain, who finished fourth the previous week at regionals, overcame a 6-0 deficit against Adam to get the victory and avenge a loss in the regional third-place match.
 

JET MILLISON, BASEHOR-LINWOOD
 
Preseason No. 5 at 126

Basehor-Linwood was loaded with outstanding freshmen in its lowest weight classes with Millison, Trevor Christenson, Cael Puderbaugh and AJ Ward all having an immediate impact a year ago. Christenson, Millison and Puderbaugh each captured United Kansas Conference titles with Millison winning his crown at 113 pounds. After a runner-up Class 5A regional finish, Millison opened his first state meet with two straight pins before knocking off Arkansas City’s Kolby Quint in the semifinals to earn a shot at a title. But Valley Center’s Braxton Moody caught Millison early in the first period and pinned him 42 seconds in to send Millison to a runner-up finish. He ended with a 30-9 overall record with 23 pins. Like Christenson, Millison will move up two weights this season to 126 pounds, which will feature three of the top-four finishers at 120 a year ago at state.
 

 
BRAXTON MOODY, VALLEY CENTER
 
Preseason No. 1 at 120
 
Moody, a senior, provided one of the electric moments of last year’s Class 5A championship round, pinning Basehor-Linwood’s Jet Millison 42 seconds into the first period of their 113-pound final. Moody’s victory capped a 32-8 season and set the stage for a fun finals for Valley Center, which also put Aiden Shields (120 pounds) and Dai’Mont Mucker (215) atop the state medal stand. Moody, who qualified but didn’t place at state as a sophomore, got his title after finishing second at regionals to Arkansas City’s Kolby Quint. The title run came on the heels of a 10-13 freshman season and 20-10 sophomore campaign.
 

DEMARUS PARTEE, PITTSBURG
 
Preseason No. 2 at 175
 
Partee went 40-5 as a sophomore last season on the way to a 5A state runner-up finish at 175. Partee began last year’s state tournament with a pair of second-period pins to reach the semifinals. In that round, Partee would advance with another pin, although this time he needed until early in the third period to take down Jonathan Rigler of Hays. But in the state championship match, Partee was unable to dominate in the same way. Salina Central’s Cooper Reves ended up controlling the match on the way to a 11-5 decision victory. Partee will stay in 175, where he ranks second in 5A behind only Blue Valley Southwest’s Tad Forsyth.
 

LUKE POTTER, ANDOVER
 
Preseason No. 1 at 132
 
Potter will be hard-pressed to top the drama that completed his junior season, when he scored three points in the final 26 seconds for a 3-1 victory over St. James Academy’s Will Burchard to win the Class 5A 132-pound title. Potter had the most perilous match of Andover’s three finalists, but joined teammates Adam Maki and Bradley Trimmell as champions with his 45^th victory. Potter preceded state with a 3-2 victory over Bishop Carroll’s Owen Newell to win the Arkansas City regional. His state title came on the heels of a sixth-place finish at 126 as a sophomore.
 

KOLBY QUINT, ARKANSAS CITY
 
Preseason No. 1 at 113
 
Quint is coming off a 34-11 sophomore season that included a regional title in his own gym and a third-place finish in Class 5A at 113. Quint pinned eventual champion Braxton Moody in the second period at regionals and reached the state semifinals before falling 6-5 to Basehor-Linwood’s Jet Millison. Quint’s second victory of the tournament over Hays’ Elijah McCullough gave him third place. As a freshman, Quint worked his way through the consolation bracket to finish fifth in 5A at 106, rebounding from a quarterfinal loss to runner-up Talon Verbeck of Maize.
 

 
COOPER REVES, SALINA CENTRAL
 
Preseason No. 3 at 190
 
Fresh off a junior football season in which he accounted for nearly 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing and receiving, Reves returns to the mat for the Mustangs as a reigning champion in Class 5A at 175 pounds. He’ll make a move up in weight class after posting a 43-3 record that included tournament titles at the Newton TOC and Rocky Welton Invitational among others. The last of the victories was an 11-5 decision over Pittsburg’s DeMarus Partee in the state finals. Reves wrestled as a freshman at McPherson, finishing fifth in 4A at 157 pounds with a 30-5 mark.
 

DAWSON RODD, ANDOVER CENTRAL
 
Preseason No. 2 at 285
 
With last year’s state champion Rykan Carver of Shawnee Heights graduated, Rodd joins 2024 runner-up Stephen Carroll of St. Thomas Aquinas as the top returnees in Class 5A’s 285-pound class. Rodd, a senior, finished 35-4 and won the Arkansas City regional last season. His state title hopes were derailed by a 3-2 quarterfinal loss to Emporia’s Josiah Bradley, but Rodd bounced back with four consolation-bracket victories to finish third. A fifth-place state finisher as a sophomore with a 29-16 record, Rodd recently anchored Andover Central’s offensive and defensive lines, and helped the Jaguars capture the Class 4A football title.
 

AIDEN SHIELDS, VALLEY CENTER
 
Preseason No. 1 at 126
 
Shields, the reigning Class 5A champion at 120 pounds, enters the season atop the all-class rankings at 126 for his senior year. Much of Shields’ high school wrestling history in big matches involves Newton wrestlers. Shields dropped state semifinal duels with four-time state champion Nick Treaster of the Railers his first two seasons, taking fourth as a freshman at 113 and third at 120 as a sophomore. But last year, Shields edged Newton’s Lucas Kaufman, the 2023 state champion, 7-6 for his first state championship. Shields, who split two matches with Kaufman prior to state, finished 28-7 to improve his high school career record to 83-29.
 

 KADE SMITH, HUTCHINSON
 
Preseason No. 1 at 165
 
After a big senior football season for the Salthawks in which he rushed for 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns, Smith turns his attention to trying to complete a run to a state wrestling title. Last season, Smith edged West regional champion Jace Schartz of Great Bend in a thrilling 5A 157-pound semifinal before falling to Andover’s Bradley Trimmell 14-3 in the championship. That completed a 31-6 season for Smith, who defeated Trimmell in the Newton Tournament of Champions semifinals. Smith won the Emporia Winter Classic last year, and finished second at Newton and the Rocky Welton Invitational. He was fourth in 5A at 150 pounds as a sophomore.
 

EMERSON TJADEN, DE SOTO
 
Preseason No. 1 at 150

The United Kansas Conference was loaded with talented freshman a year ago and Tjaden was as good as any of them. Wrestling at 144 pounds, Tjaden captured the UKC title and then was a regional runner-up. At state, Tjaden reached the quarterfinals before suffering a 4-1 loss to eventual undefeated state champion Harley Zimmerman of Hays. He bounced back nicely and finished third, pulling out a 5-3 ultimate tiebreaker win over Newton’s Bailey Steinmetz in the consolation finals. Tjaden finished the season with a 47-5 record with 22 pins and then had a big summer where he became a Fargo All-American with a fourth-place finish in Greco, also participating on the Team Kansas Cadet Dual team. Tjaden will move up to 150 pounds this year where he is ranked No. 1.