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DeKalb
Coach: Sam Hiatt (sixth season)
Last year: 14-0, DVC champions, second at IWCOA state meet
Top returners: Bradley Gillum, sr.; Danny Currran, sr.; Tommy Curran, sr.
Key newcomers: Kaden Klapprodt, fr.; Luke Schmerbach, sr.
Worth noting: The Barbs are stacked again with eight returning state qualifiers, including a state champ, three finalists, five-place winners and eight first-team all-conference wrestlers. The Barbs should contend again for a conference title and make some noise in the state tournament.
”We are excited and ready to go,” Hiatt said. “We can’t wait to get started and we want to improve on last year’s finish.”
Genoa-Kingston
Coach: Ashton Brown (first season)
Last year: 9-12
Top returners: Julian Torres, jr.; Michael Sauber, sr.; Aiden Vasak, sr.
Key newcomers: Brady Brewick, so.; Ben Younker, sr.
Worth noting: The Cogs are a young team with only three seniors on the roster, but their young wrestlers have shown promise in the lower levels. The Cogs also have a new coach this season, so it may take some time to adjust to the new techniques.
”Our wrestlers have had a great willingness to push themselves and learn about the sport,” Brown said. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to lead these young men and help them reach there goals.”
Sycamore
Coach: Alex Nelson (15th season)
Last year: 21-4, I-8 champions
Top returners: Brayden Peet, sr.; Gus Cambier, Zack Crawford, jr.
Key newcomers: Jackson Funderburg, sr.
Worth noting: The Spartans won the I-8 conference last season and return a majority of their wrestlers, so they should contend for the conference title again this season. The Spartans got contributions from their upperclassmen and the young wrestlers on their roster last season and that should continue again this season.
“We have a lot of potential for individual accolades along with team success if we work hard and stay motivated,” Nelson said. “We have a great set of leaders that if they continue to get better throughout the year and help bring some of our young athletes along will set us up for a very successful season for themselves and as a team.”