The Rose Hill Rockets seem poised to take over the top spot in 4A Wrestling in 2024. They return the most team points by more than 35 to the next team and many of their wrestlers competed all summer to get better for this season. But, as I am sure Coach Saferite and the rest of the coaching staff are probably preaching, now is not the time to try and coast into a State Title. If you look behind them, there is a whole slew of great wrestling programs that are used to winning and they will have something to say about that State Title. They will all have a pretty big uphill battle to catch Rose Hills’ returning points, but these teams know how to win. Teams like Andale, the defending State Champions, take a look back in the record books and you will see they know how to win State Titles. Paola and Tonganoxie both have great winning traditions and will be looking to improve from a year ago. With these teams and many others, the 4A State Championships should be a barn burner as it usually is.
If you have not yet seen my broadcast on the teams returning the most team points in the boys 4A classification, here is another look at the top 10.
Rank
School
Returning Pts
2023 State Finish
1
Rose Hill
118.5
2nd
2
Andale
83
1st
3
Paola
79
4th
4
Tonganoxie
77
6th
5
Independence
58
9th
6
Colby
50
12th
7
Pratt
48
10th
8
Scott City
40
14th
9
Clay Center
39
5th
10
Wamego
38
15th
#1 Rose Hill Rockets – 118.5 returning state team points
Since Coach Saferite’s move to Rose Hill, they have steadily moved up in the 4A rankings each year. Coach Saferite and company have done a great job of building this program into not only a 4A powerhouse but an All-State powerhouse as well. The Rose Hill Rockets finished as runner-ups at last year’s state tournament and are looking to improve on that in the upcoming season. Many of the returners have been busy in the offseason training and competing state wide as well as on the national scene to help their team to a state title in 2024! See below the list of returners;
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Johnny Leck
11
106
State Runner-up
Adam Bilby
11
113
3rd Place
Julio Aguirre
10
120
State Champion
Damon Ingram
11
126
State Runner-up
Rhett Briggs
12
150
5th Place
Tyren Emberson
11
157
S.Q.
Milan Colvin
11
285
3rd Place
#2 Andale Indians – 83 returning state team points
Coach Eck and the Andale Indians are coming off of another State Championship season. The Indians have been a powerhouse in 4A and the state for years. Their strong kids club have been feeding them with great wrestling for a number of years. With this great feeder program and the returners they have, Andale will be looking to compete well with Rose Hill for another state championship. See below their list of returners;
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Triston Cox
10
106
5th Place
Ethan Eck
10
126
S.Q.
Owen Eck
12
144
State Champion
Ian Aouad
12
165
3rd Place
Isaiah Wilson
11
175
State Runner-up
#3 Paola Panthers – 79 returning state team points
Paola has been contending for state titles and trophies for a long time. They also have a great youth feeder program building a good wrestling foundation for the high school. Coach Willard and the Panthers finished 4th last year, just out of a trophy and will be looking to get into the top 3 in the upcoming season. See below for their returners;
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Brook Johnson
10
106
State Champion
Bryson Rockers
10
113
State Runner-up
Kaiden Powell
11
120
3rd Place
Brody Latto
10
126
S.Q.
Hagen Blanck
11
132
S.Q.
#4 Tonganoxie – 77 returning state team points
Tonganoxie is another program that has traditionally been towards the top in the team race in 4A as of late. Coach Delich and staff are doing a great job with the Chieftains Wrestling Program. Tonganoxie finished with a solid 6th place finish at last year’s state tournament but with the most returning 4A state qualifiers, they will look to make a big jump in the coming year and compete for a team trophy. See their state returners below;
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Brodie Starcher
10
106
S.Q.
Dax Duffett
10
126
S.Q.
Braeden Moore
12
132
State Champion
Emmett Crookham
11
138
S.Q.
Brady Martin
10
144
State Runner-up
Noah Bailey
12
150
3rd Place
Gannon Sonntag
12
157
S.Q.
Colton Brusven
12
165
5th Place
#5 Independence – 58 returning state team points
With a top 10 finish (9th) a year and returning the 5th post points in 4A, Coach Camacho has the Indy Bulldog Wrestling program moving in a very positive direction. They have a solid bunch of upperclassman state returners that all placed but have room to gain valuable team points and move up on the podium. See below the state returners;
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Mason Gibbons
12
106
4th Place
Keith Sanders
11
113
5th Place
Kohen Wright
12
132
State Runner-up
Josh Lawrie
12
138
5th Place
#6 Colby – 50 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Ryder Dempewolf
10
106
3rd Place
Kaeden McCarty
12
126
4th Place
Tucker Wark
12
138
4th Place
#7 Pratt – 48 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Maddox Riffey
12
113
S.Q.
Blake Winsor
11
144
4th Place
Taye Wilson
11
150
State Champion
Wyatt Lovell
11
157
S.Q.
Raul Perez
11
165
S.Q.
#8 Scott City – 40 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Ayden Presson
12
132
S.Q.
Alex Rodriguez
11
138
S.Q.
Collin McDaniel
12
150
6th Place
Houston Frank
12
165
State Runner-up
Tanner Gooden
12
215
S.Q.
#9 Clay Center – 39 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Hayden Kalivoda
11
120
S.Q.
Talyn Pfizenmaier
12
157
S.Q.
Tucker Jackson
12
175
3rd Place
Ethan Tiers
11
190
S.Q.
Braylon Berry
12
215
S.Q.
#10 Wamego – 38 returning state team points
Name
This Year’s Grade
Last Year’s Wt
Last Year’s State Finish
Harry Costa
10
106
S.Q.
Knox Karnowski
11
126
5th Place
Thomas McIntyre
12
150
4th Place
Brody Oviatt
12
157
S.Q.
Jake Meyer
12
190
S.Q.
1 thought on “Could this be the year of the rockets in 4A?”
James Bilby
This team race will be close…Tonganoxie might be the favorite returning a returning state finalist that was injured and adding 1-2 talented freshman that should make an impact.
Andale brings back a tough squad and adds Trent Eck (state finalist 2022) and Ethan Eck (state Qualifier yet would placed in 2023 but injured).
Paola losses quite a few seniors yet core contingent returns and better after getting after a lot of high end matches in the season. Carson Martin So. 215 will make some noise as he missed most of last season. And adding a senior at 106 which will add points in Salina.
Rose Hill losses defending state champion Agguire and Wood. Yet military family moves back to Kansas from Wisconsin adds depth and firepower in the upper weights. Freshman class is as talented and deep as Class of 2025 core contingent. Look for a few of them to make noise this season.
Yet Tonganoxie is probably the top team and under the radar. Should be a shoot out to the trophy.
Dark horses: Pratt and Independence are two teams way below the radar that will surprise many this season.
Rose Hill
Andale
Paola
Tonganoxie
Independence
Colby
Pratt
Scott City
Clay Center
Wamego
This team race will be close…Tonganoxie might be the favorite returning a returning state finalist that was injured and adding 1-2 talented freshman that should make an impact.
Andale brings back a tough squad and adds Trent Eck (state finalist 2022) and Ethan Eck (state Qualifier yet would placed in 2023 but injured).
Paola losses quite a few seniors yet core contingent returns and better after getting after a lot of high end matches in the season. Carson Martin So. 215 will make some noise as he missed most of last season. And adding a senior at 106 which will add points in Salina.
Rose Hill losses defending state champion Agguire and Wood. Yet military family moves back to Kansas from Wisconsin adds depth and firepower in the upper weights. Freshman class is as talented and deep as Class of 2025 core contingent. Look for a few of them to make noise this season.
Yet Tonganoxie is probably the top team and under the radar. Should be a shoot out to the trophy.
Dark horses: Pratt and Independence are two teams way below the radar that will surprise many this season.