5A STATE MEET

Highland

Number of state qualifiers: 18

Returning state placers: Three

Breakdown: Highland matched its state qualifiers from last season (18) after Feb. 14’s second-place finish at the 5A District 5-6 meet. The Rams finished fourth at state a season ago, with Andrew Sagendorf (106 pounds) and Konnor Cordingley (138) notching second-place finishes. Both wrestlers are back at state after district-title wins. Teammates Dekker Anderson (132) and Kael Cordingley (113) also notched first-place medals at districts. Konnor Cordingley, Sagendorf and Anderson were three of the six Rams to place at state in 2017. Konnor Cordingley enters state on a hot streak and with a 48-2 record. The senior’s two losses were to out-of-state competitors. Another top wrestler in the 138-pound class is Columbia’s Kade Grigsby, the defending state champion. If Konnor Cordingley finishes first in his weight class, it will be his second state wrestling title. He has top-three finishes in his previous three appearances.

4A STATE MEET

Century

Number of state qualifiers: 10

Returning state placers: Zero

Breakdown: Century built off last season’s momentum and qualified double-digit wrestlers for this weekend’s tournament, four more than a season ago. The D-backs’ Ben Ditton (170 pounds), Ben Rosenhoover (195), Alex Apel (220) and Maurico Gonzalez are back at state after qualifying in 2017. The other five D-backs at state this season are freshmen. The team’s first-year wrestlers have combined for 135 wins, including a squad-high 36 from Easton Millward (145). “They believe in themselves,” Century coach Michael Millward said. “They listen, they bought it. When the season first started, we told them to buy in, and they have done that. We’ve seen improvement.” The Diamondbacks finished third at the 4A District 5-6 meet Feb. 14, two spots better than last season’s fifth-place mark. The team had no district champions, but Ditton, Canyon Mansfield (106) and Easton Millward finished second in their divisions. The Diamondbacks look to continue the team’s recent success and have a wrestler place at state for the first time since 2016, when Jeremiah Ditton came in sixth in the 182-pound class.

“If we can have a couple kids place, that would be great for where our program is at,” coach Millward said. “I just want them to compete.”

Pocatello

Number of state qualifiers: 16

Returning state placers: Five

Breakdown: Pocatello enters the 4A state tournament with momentum, coming off its first district title since 2012. The Indians bring 16 wrestlers to Holt Arena, led by six individual district champions in Jorsh Ronquillo (98 pounds), Kobe Felde (132), Jaxon Chapman (138), Lorenzo Brower (145), Jayden Paul (170) and No. 1-seeded Talon Haskett (285). Chapman and Ronquillo are returning state tournament placers, finishing fourth and fifth last season, respectively. The other returning state placers are Colton Evans (126), Brian Jackson (182), and Wyett Olson (195). The Indians featured one state champion last season, but Hunter Roubidoux has graduated. The Indians have won eight team state titles, with their last coming in 1992. “We have been really, really peaking,” Pocatello coach JB Plato said. “It’s a perfect time to be wrestling at our best, and I think our kids are wrestling at our best. Their preparation has been focused. I think were going to go in the state tournament and turn some heads.”

Blackfoot, Preston

Returning state champions: Ben Seamons (Preston)

Breakdown: Blackfoot brings three wrestlers to the state tournament with prior success at the event. Nathan Sargent (220), Braxton Robison (138) and Boeden Bassett (152) placed second, fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 2017 state tournament. Ben Seamons (182) leads Preston as the lone Indians wrestler who placed last year, winning the 170-pound weight division.

3A STATE MEET

American Falls, Marsh Valley, Shelley, Snake River

Returning state champions: Destin Summers (Snake River), Sway Cook (Snake River), Caleb Call (Shelley), Darrick Stacey (Shelley)

Breakdown: Snake River has won two of the last three 3A state titles and is led by two returning individual state champions in Destin Summers (126) and Sway Cook (132), who lead a group of 15 Panthers competing in Pocatello. One of the Panthers’ biggest challengers will be fellow Southeast Idaho school Shelley, which placed one spot higher than Snake at state last season with a second-place finish. The Russets, who have 12 wrestlers coming to state, are led by reigning 132-pound state champion Caleb Call (132) and 113-pound state champion Darrick Stacey (120). Accomplished American Falls wrestler Boone Giulio (152)completes his final state tournament after winning two state titles and placing second in 2017. While Marsh Valley has no state title winners, the Eagles feature two returning state placers in Caden May (220) and Colt Pavlis (138), who placed fifth and sixth, respectively.

2A STATE MEET

Aberdeen, Bear Lake, Firth, Malad, North Gem, Soda Springs, West Side

Returning state champions: Dawson Barfuss (North Gem), Bracken Anderson (Grace)

Breakdown: North Gem returns to the 2A state tournament, where the Cowboys mounted a surprising gallop to fourth place a year ago The Cowboys are led by defending 113-pound state champion Dawson Barfuss, who is wrestling at 120 pounds this season. Bear Lake has momentum on its side, coming off a 2A District 5 championship. The Bears are led by Colton Beasley (170) and Tyler Lusk (195), who both placed first in districts. Grace’s Bracken Anderson is the only other 2A District 5 wrestler who returns to the state tournament following a 2017 state title, at 132 pounds. Anderson won the 145-pound weight division in districts. Malad’s Riggin Smith (113) and Aberdeen’s Carson Beck (138) both have a chance to get over the hump after finishing second at state last year.