By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Additional head shot pictures of the 15 wrestlers to watch will be added as they are received by TopSports.news. Pictures can be emailed to Rick Peterson at
EASTON BROXTERMAN, Washburn Rural
A freshman 106-pounder, Broxterman is a state junior wrestling champion and a national medalist. Broxterman is ranked second in Class 6A at 106 pounds and is top-ranked in the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association All-Class 106-pound rankings.
Austin Fager
AUSTIN FAGER, Washburn Rural
Fager, a senior, is ranked No. 2 in the Class 6A state rankings and the KWCA All-Class rankings at 170 pounds after finishing second in the state and posting a 30-4 record for the state-champion Junior Blues a year ago. Fager earned first-team TSN All-Shawnee County honors last season.
Brock Ferguson
BROCK FERGUSON, Shawnee Heights
Ferguson, a senior, is fourth-ranked in Class 5A at 126 pounds and 10th in the KWCA All-Class rankings. Ferguson posted a 39-5 record last season and earned a fourth-place medal in Class 5A at 120 pounds for Shawnee Heights.
Preston Hartman
PRESTON HARTMAN, Shawnee Heights
A senior, Hartman is ranked fourth in Class 5A at 182 pounds and seventh in the KWCA All-Class rankings after posting a 37-8 record and posting a fourth-place finish in the Class 5A state tournament last season. Hartman was a first-team selection on TSN's All-Shawnee County team.
Daigan Kruger
DAIGAN KRUGER, Silver Lake
Kruger, a senior, finished third in Class 3A-1A at 170 pounds last season while posting a 50-2 record and earning first-team TSN All-Shawnee County honors. Kruger is currently ranked second in 3A-1A and seventh in the KWCA All-Class rankings.
Justin Kruse
JUSTIN KRUSE, Seaman
Kruse, a senior, got hot at the end of the 2020-2021 season to qualify for the Class 5A state tournament for a second time. Kruse will take a 43-40 career record into the upcoming season after earning second-team TSN All-Shawnee County recognition a year ago.
Tyler Lincoln
TYLER LINCOLN, Shawnee Heights
A junior, Lincoln is currently ranked fifth in the KWCA Class 5A state rankings at 132 pounds. Lincoln posted a 37-5 record as a sophomore and finished fourth at 106 pounds in the Class 5A state tournament, earning a spot on TSN's All-Shawnee County first team.
JONATHAN MORRISON, Washburn Rural
Morrison, a sophomore, won the Class 6A state 106-pound championship in his first state meet, posting a 29-3 record for the team-champion Junior Blues. Morrson was named the TSN Shawnee County Newcomer of the Year and earned first-team All-County honors. Morrison is currently top-ranked in 6A and fourth in the KWCA All-Class rankings at 113 pounds.
Garrett Peery
GARRETT PEERY, Shawnee Heights
Peery, a senior, posted a 36-8 record and placed fifth in Class 5A at 220 pounds last season, earning first-team TSN All-Shawnee County recognition. Peery is currently ranked third in Class 5A and fourth in the KWCA All-Class rankings at 220 pounds.
JUSTIN RAKESTRAW, Silver Lake
Silver Lake senior Justin Rakestraw posted an 18-7 record last season en route to a fourth-place finish in Class 3A-1A (18-7 record), earnng TSN first-team All-Shawnee County honors. Rakestraw is currently ranked No. 4 in Class 3A-1A at 132 pounds.
Jacob Tangpricha
JACOB TANGPRICHA, Washburn Rural
Tangpricha, a senior, is a two-time Class 6A state champion, winning the 106-pound title as a sophomore and the 113-pound crown last season as Rural won the 6A team title. A first-team TSN All-Shawnee County pick, Tangpricha, 33-2 last season, is currently ranked No. 2 in 6A at 126 pounds and third in the All-Class rankings.
Jaxson Thomas
JAXSON THOMAS, Seaman
A junior 195-pounder, Thomas posted a 23-4 record last season and is 45-22 in his career for the Vikings. A former state qualifier, Thomas earned first-team TSN All-Shawnee County honors last season.
Sam Twombly
SAM TWOMBLY, Rossville
A Rossville senior, Twombly placed fourth in Class 3A-1A at 152 pounds last season while posting a 19-5 record. Twombly earned first-team TSN All-Shawnee County honors as a junior. Twombly is currently ranked third in 3A-1A at 152 pounds by the KWCA.
NICK VINCENT, Washburn Rural
A senior, Vincent placed fourth in Class 6A at 152 pounds last season and posted a 27-9 record, earning first-team TSN All-Shawnee County recognition. Vincent is currently ranked fourth in 6A and ninth in the KWCA All-Class rankings at 152.
Caden Walker
CADEN WALKER, Shawnee Heights
A senior, Walker is ranked No. 4 in Class 5A and eighth in the All-Class rankings at 160 pounds by the KWCA. Walker posted a 37-2 record last season and placed fourth in the 5A state meet after finishing sixth as a sophomore. Walker was a first-team pick on the TSN All-Shawnee County team.
Other wrestlers to watch (Based on 2020-2021 season):
Hayden: Dale Cready, JC Cummings, Ben Holmes, Jameson Kennedy, Braden Rose. Highland Park: Morgan Dean. Rossville: Mason Boce, Corey Catron, Colby Hurla, Kew Lacock, Barrett Leitz. Seaman: Zach Jowers, Hunter Reno. Shawnee Heights: Andrew Bonebrake, Dawson Campbell, Joey Hilton, Ty Lewis, Cole Manrose, Sean Wunder. Silver Lake: Devin Dultmeier, jr.; Preston Gillen, Triston VandeVelde, Kaden Walker. Washburn Rural: Aiden Boline, Zach Franco, Trace Lawler, Henri McGivern
