DEFENDING 5A STATE CHAMPIONS, MAIZE, MOVES TO 6A! (Well, I learned something this year, either wait until the new classifications come out to talk about returning team points or release it all before the new classifications come out and write and talk about the changes afterwards.) With defending State Champion and top returning point team, Maize, moving to 6A, the 5A team race is now wide open. Great Bend, the only other team to return over a 100 points will be the pre-season #1 team. The next 2 teams, Newton and Goddard, are within a baker’s dozen (13 for you youngins’) and rounding out the top 5 will be Andover and Valley Center. I for one am extremely excited to see how this year’s 5A team race shapes up. This could be one of the closest and most exciting team races in 5A in a very long time and could, I hope, be won or lost in the finals on Saturday!
Rank
School
Returning Points
2023 State Finish
1
Maize (Now 6A)
111
1
2
Great Bend
106.5
4
3
Newton
95.5
2
4
Goddard
93.5
4
5
Andover
83.5
7
6
Valley Center
75.5
6
7
St Thomas Aquinas
69
3
8
Ark City
50.5
10
9
Bishop Carroll
48
8
10
Hays
45
16
#1 Maize Eagles – 111 returning state team points
The Maize Eagles return a fantastic group of state experience to lead this team into 6A. They have plenty of firepower to not only compete in 6A but immediately be contenders for a trophy and a title. I have them at 3rd to begin this year solely on the returning team points but with the understanding that they were in a completely different state tournament with completely different matchups. The Maize Eagles return a state qualifier, 2 wrestlers that were 1 match away from the finals, 3 state finalists and a state champion. 6A, watch out for this potent Maize Team!!!
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Talon Verbeck
10
106
State Runner-up
Daniel Gomez
12
132
3rd Place
Jaden Ford
12
165
State Runner-up
Ronan Wunsch
12
190
3rd Place
Ayden Flores
12
215
State Champion
Basilio Wilson
12
285
S.Q.
#2 Great Bend Panthers – 106.5 returning state team points
Great Bend finished 4th place a year ago just out of a trophy! With the exit of Maize, the Panthers will now move into the top spot, and very well deserved. Great Bend is in a tie with two other top 5 teams with 8 state returners. Of those returners they have 6 state medalists including a state finalist. With this kind of fire power and knowing that each and every one of those 8 state returners can add to the team points in 2024, Great Bend is not only in a position to gain a trophy, they are also in a great position to win a 5A State Title!
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Triston Tomlinson
10
106
3rd Place
Kaiden Hoffman
12
126
State Runner-up
Hayden Kelly
10
132
S.Q.
Jace Schwartz
11
144
5th Place
Cooper Liles
12
150
5th Place
Mathew Johnson
12
175
4th Place
Trenton Kern
10
190
5th Place
Keyven Schroeder
12
215
S.Q.
#3 Newton Railers – 95.5 returning state team points
The State Runner-ups from 2023, the Newton Railers, return the 3rd most team points and will move up to number 2 spot with 95.5 returning points. Newton is tied with Great Bend returning 8 wrestlers with state tournament experience including 5 state placers and a state champion. With this nucleus of leaders and the experience of hoisting a runner-up trophy in the air, the Railers will be poised to again take home a trophy and contend for that coveted 5A State Title!
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Taylor Rickard
11
106
4th Place
Lucas Kaufman
11
113
State Champion
Bailey Steinmetz
12
132
5th Place
Nate Barron
11
138
S.Q.
Kamden Wise
12
150
S.Q.
Keon Edwards
12
165
3rd Place
Logan Buchanan
12
190
6th Place
Marcel Gonzalez
12
215
S.Q.
#4 Goddard Lions – 93.5 returning state team points
After one of the longest state title runs in the history of Kansas, the Goddard Lions fell short last year and finished 5th place. The Lions return a solid 7 athletes with state tournament experience, including 4 state placers, 2 state finalists and a state champion. With this solid core of wrestlers Goddard will be thirsty to get their hands back on a trophy and contend for yet another state title in 2024!
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Gavin Lamkin
12
106
S.Q.
Harrison Glover
10
113
5th Place
Kolton McElwain
10
126
S.Q.
Jacob Goodwin
11
144
State Champion
David Sample
11
150
3rd Place
Zachary Wessley
12
157
State Runner-up
Preston Hagel
11
165
S.Q.
#5 Andover Trojans – 83.5 returning state team point
The Andover Trojans finished in 7th place last year. This year the Trojans return 83.5 points to start the season in 4th place. Andover is also in a tie for the most state returners with 8 and along with many other teams have plenty of room to add to their returning points. Their core leaders include 5 state placers and a state champion. With this type of fire power, Andover will most definitely be in the trophy hunt in 2024 and possibly make a run at the title.
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Coulter Rieschick
12
120
6th Place
Luke Potter
11
126
6th Place
Adam Maki
12
138
State Champion
Bradley Trimmell
12
144
4th Place
Aaron Kimball
10
157
S.Q.
Logan Warkentine
11
165
S.Q.
Tate Hutchinson
11
175
5th Place
Cole Compton
12
190
S.Q.
#6 Valley Center Hornets – 75.5 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Braxton Moody
11
113
S.Q.
Aiden Shields
11
120
3rd Place
Jett Schwartz
12
126
3rd Place
Cooper Boone
10
138
S.Q.
Derek Truman
12
165
S.Q.
Steel Schomaker
11
175
S.Q.
Mucker Dai’mont
12
160
4th Place
#7 St Thomas Aquinas – 69 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Caden Gallet
11
106
State Champion
Shane Gifford
11
113
S.Q.
Kaden Allen
11
132
State Runner-up
Gianni Rizzi
12
157
S.Q.
Luke Hancock
12
175
S.Q.
Pierce Cunningham
12
215
State Runner-up
Stephen Carroll
10
285
S.Q.
#8 Ark City Bulldogs – 50.5 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Kolby Quint
10
106
5th Place
Carlos Leyva
11
113
3rd Place
Cameron Bruce
11
120
S.Q.
Spencer Mosier
11
132
4th Place
#9 Bishop Carroll – 48 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
JP Morgan
10
106
S.Q.
Caden Denton
11
113
4th Place
Owen Newell
10
120
S.Q.
Campbell Denton
10
126
S.Q.
Brady Duling
11
138
3rd Place
Elijah Means
11
144
6th Place
#10 Hays Indians – 45 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Weight
Last Year’s State Finish
Grady Lind
10
106
S.Q.
Elijah McCullough
12
113
6th Place
Harley Zimmerman
12
132
State Champioin
Dalton Meyers
11
157
S.Q.
Boston Brungardt
11
215
S.Q.
1 thought on “5A is Now Wide Open!”
Jason Christenson
This will be a fun team race, for sure. I may be biased; however, look out for Basehor-Linwood. They will be loaded with underclassmen who should make an immediate impact. Lansing will be solid this year as well.
Maize (Now 6A)
Great Bend
Newton
Goddard
Andover
Valley Center
St Thomas Aquinas
Ark City
Bishop Carroll
Hays
This will be a fun team race, for sure. I may be biased; however, look out for Basehor-Linwood. They will be loaded with underclassmen who should make an immediate impact. Lansing will be solid this year as well.