A look at the La Salle-Peru, St. Bede, Putnam County-Hall, Mendota and Princeton wrestling teams for the 2025-26 season.

La Salle-Peru boys

Coach: Matt Rebholz (5th season)

Top returning wrestlers: Eric Matelka, sr., 285; Endrew Sell, jr., 215/285; Caleb Plutt, jr., 157/165; Jentz Watson, sr., 157/165; Gianii Verucchi, jr., 113/120; Caeden Small, sr., 190/215; Logan Miller, sr., 190/215

Top newcomers: Rylynd Rynkewicz, sr., 150/157; Beau Lawrence, sr., 175/190; Jake Mueller, so., 120/126

Worth noting: The Cavaliers will rely on a strong group of upperclassmen. “(Our strengths are) upperclassmen leadership in the upper weights,” said Rebholz, who’s entering his fifth season as head coach and 13th with the program. Verucchi was a sectional qualifier last season. Rebholz said he feels Verucchi, Plutt, Small, Rynkewicz, Sell and Matelka are capable of advancing in the postseason.

La Salle-Peru girls

Coach: Nolan Keeney (1st season)

Top returning wrestlers: Kalista Frost, Amelia Buckley, Sarah Lowery, Emily Lowery, Kiely Domyancich, Clare Domyancich, Emma Tomlinson, Avalyn Edwall, Marisa Eggersdorfer

Top newcomers: Audri Plut

Worth noting: With strong numbers, L-P formed a girls-only team this season. Keeney, an L-P wrestling alumnus and former assistant for the boys program, is the first head coach for the girls team. “Girls wrestling is growing faster than we realize, and being the first official head coach for the girls at L-P for inaugural season is special to me,” said Keeney, who has more than 20 wrestlers on the roster. “I’ve learned more than I can remember during my nine years as an assistant coach - three at Putnam County-Hall and six at L-P - from former and current coaches in every aspect. This is an amazing opportunity for the girls and myself.” Kiely Domyancich is a two-time state qualifier who placed fifth at state last season and is the reigning NewsTribune Girls Wrestler of the Year. Frost and Sarah Lowery also are returning sectional qualifiers. “We’re going to be a young and tough team,” Keeney said. “Most of the girls returning are sophomores who never wrestled before their freshman year. Having seniors like Kiely Domyancich, Marisa Eggersdorfer and junior Sarah Lowery to lead the way will benefit all of them, including the rest of their first-year teammates.” Keeney said the Cavaliers hope to win or place higher in team tournaments, win the Interstate 8 Conference and have multiple sectional and state qualifiers.

St. Bede

Coach: Sam Allen (9th season)

Top returning wrestlers: Max Moreno, so., 132; Mike Benge, so., 126; Jameson Daley, so., 106; William Sramek, sr., 215; Weston Heersink, sr.

Worth noting: The Bruins have a young roster of 20 wrestlers with just six upperclassmen. Benge and Moreno both won 30 or more matches last season and were sectional qualifiers. Benge was a regional champion as a freshman. “I have a few future studs in Moreno and Benge,” Allen said. “I’m hoping to see a few sophomores from last season step up and have a good go this year as well.” Allen also is looking for good things from Sramek (19-1 in 2024-25) and Heersink. “I have two seniors who have a good chance at turning some heads with Sramek and Heersink,” Allen said. “Vast improvements were made in the offseason with weight training and wrestling like we’ve never seen before at St. Bede.” Allen said the future is bright for a group with six freshmen, eight sophomores and three juniors. “No matter how it turns out record-wise, I think these young Bruins have a lot to look forward to in the coming years,” Allen said.

Putnam County-Hall

Coach: Jerry Kriewald (13th season)

Top returning wrestlers: Boys - Keaton Finley, 144; Shane Scribner, 175; Alex Tucker, 190; Justyn Doden, 215. Girls - Annamae Smith, 110; Abigail Lindus, 115; Ella Irwin, 170.

Top newcomers: Alex Cooper, 132; Austin Dolder, 138; Chase Mecagni, 150; Dylan Conlin, 157; Jonathyn Jervis, 165; Hunter Buettener, 285. Girls - Zandra Lindus, 105; Bailey Terzick, 190.

Worth noting: Kriewald, who helped start the wrestling program at Putnam County, returns for his second stint leading the Panthers. He’s spent the last four years as an assistant coach at the University of Dubuque, his alma mater. The co-op coach for Hall is Brandon Dijong, who returns for his second season, while PC also has volunteer assistant Jesus Sanchez, who is an All-American from the University of Dubuque. For the PC boys, Tucker is a returning sectional qualifier and team captain. Irwin leads the girls as a two-time sectional qualifier and team captain. Lindus also is a returning sectional qualifier. “I’m just getting to know everyone and it’s very enjoyable,” Kriewald said. “There are a lot of different skill levels, but they’re all coming together as a team. I’m excited to see how everyone progresses.”

Mendota

Coach: Brent Montavon (1st season)

Top returning wrestlers: Komen Denault, so. 150; Gavin Stevenson, jr., 132; Gavin Evans, sr., 157; Trayvon Rucker, jr., 138; Corbin Furar, sr., 175; Reese Lane, sr., 215; Aaron Tores, jr., 190; Zach Schmit, jr., 215; Oliver Turner, so., 285

Worth noting: Montavon takes over for long-time coach Dale Meyers, who retired after last season. Montavon was an assistant for the Trojans last year. He previously was the head coach at Amboy for three years and helped start the Amboy IKWF Club. “I’m hoping to bring home state qualifiers and hopefully a state champion here to Mendota,” Montavon said. The Trojans have 20 male wrestlers and three female wrestlers on the roster, including nine first-year wrestlers. “We have the numbers to do well this season,” Montavon said. “Having a young team takes some time to progress. We have some great potential in the new wrestlers, so it’s going to be fun to watch them grow throughout the season.” Denault Stevenson and Evans were sectional qualifiers last season. Montavon expects those three plus Rucker and Furar - if he recovers from an ankle injury - to contend for a state berth.

Princeton

Coach: Steve Amy (18th season)

Top returning wrestlers: Boys - Eli Berlin, sr., 190; Kane Dauber, so., 138; Casey Etheridge, sr., 165; Augustus Swanson, sr., 120. Girls - Izzy Gibson, sr.

Top newcomers: Chase Castner, jr., 144; Eli Ozburn, fr., 132

Worth noting: Etheridge (48-6), the reigning NewsTribune Wrestler of the Year, and Dauber (50-5) are both returning state medalists, placing fourth and fifth, respectively. Swanson is a three-time state qualifier and medalist in 2024. They all have their sights set on a return trip to Champaign with Berlin (9-11), a 2024 sectional qualifier who was hurt for much of last season, primed to join them. “Any time you return three state placers, it is going to be very exciting,” Amy said. Also returning for the Tigers are sophomores Brady Peach (106), Jacob Paull (113, 16-18), a sectional qualifier, Isaac Hufnagel (113), Allister Swanson (120), Brayden Bickett (132, 24-20), Corbin Brown (132, 19-19), juniors Daelen Brzezinski (175), Jaydon Cooke (126, 15-7) and Landon Kendall (175) and senior Rhett Pearson (215). Castner joins the program for the first time. “Like every year, our goal is to win the regional and give ourselves a shot at getting to team state. We have quite a few individuals that either have the expectations of competing at the state tournament as well as being on the top of the state podium at the end of the season,” Amy said. “We just have to keep getting better every day. We have a very young and talented group with a lot of experience. We have a young group that have all been wrestling for quite awhile so it will be interesting to see how they progress throughout the season.” On the girls side, Gibson (15-6) is a returning sectional qualifier, having been injured until the end of December. She qualified for state as a sophomore. Other returning wrestlers are juniors Rylee Backes (105/6-8), Abby Harris (115/6-6) and Jadeyn Klingenberg (130/12-6) with freshman Avalena Wunderlich (190) joining the program.