One look around the wrestling room at Pocatello High School and one thing is very evident: the Indians are working hard to improve on a disappointing 2011-12 season.

    Last season’s Indians squad was young, and that inexperience at the high school level showed at times on the mat.

    Pocatello did win the 4A Fifth District wrestling tournament, but its results at state were less than stellar.

    Gone from last year’s team are Taylor Higbee, who finished second at 120 pounds in the state tournament and Cole Davis who was fourth at 126 pounds.

    But returning are seniors Andre Aguinaga, who was the runner up at 113 pounds, and Romen Barela, who finished fourth at 120 pounds, and five other wrestlers who qualified for the state tournament and won matches, but did not place in the top six.

    Combine the experience with a handful of up and coming freshman and Pocatello head coach Todd Praska has the makings of team that could make some noise this season.

    Of course things get a whole lot tougher for the Indians as they will now compete with Blackfoot, Bonneville and Rigby in the newly formed 4A Fifth/Sixth District.

    “I am excited and I think everybody is excited with the new district,” Praska said. “Last year you had to be in the top two to go to state and each of the last two years we had guys that finished third that could have placed at state. We are looking for this opportunity to qualify kids that deserve to be there.”

    Praska said that adding Blackfoot should increase the intensity of all the teams in the district and Bonneville is an up and coming program.

    Aguinaga and Borella were the only two state placers for Pocatello and both are looking to build off last seasons success, the problem for Praska is they both wrestle at the same weight.

    “We have to figure something out for these two guys,” Praska said. “Come district time they might both wrestle at 120, but then again they might not. We will see have things go as the season moves on.”

    Senior Braxton Jensen leads the group of returning state qualifiers.

    Jensen wrestled at 132 pounds last season and will be competing at 145 pounds this season.

    Jensen along with Aguinaga are the captains of this year’s squad.

    Anthony Baca at 106 pounds, Cordell Robbins at 152, AJ Elrod and Alex Izler at 220 also return this season and each is looking to improve on last season and make a return to the state tournament.

    Esteban Parra also had a good season for Pocatello last year, but missed qualifying for state after he finished third in the district tournament.

    “He was one of the guys in the group of three,” Praska said. “We thought he could beat the Century guy with both of our guys, instead both of our guys got beat by the Century guy and only one went to state. Both of my guys were freshmen.”

    One wrestler that had a solid first half of the season before suffering a season ending injury was Kolby Smith.

    As a freshman, Smith was ranked No. 1 in the state at 98 pounds before he broke his collarbone for the seventh time ended his season.

    “He underwent surgery to pin it and had a bone graft done and things are working out really good,” Praska said of Smith. “He looks great.”

    With all of the experienced returners, Praska also has a group of newcomers to the program that he is expecting to do some good things this season.

    Praska also has a few freshman newcomers he expects to do big things this season.

    “We have two freshmen that we are expecting big things from, one will wrestle at 98 and the other will go at 106,” Praska said. “Kade Smith is going to be at 98 and Luke Kirby will be at 106. Both are tough kids and have been wrestling all of their lives.”

    Joining Smith and Kirby will Porter Johnson, who will wrestle at 160 pounds.

    “All of these kids are grapplers and wrestle year round,” Praska said. “We have quality kids in the Pocatello Grapplers program that wrestled a long time, they might be sophomores but they have wrestled a long time.”

    Currently the Indians are battling some injures in the final days before the season opening Tri-match at American Falls High School next week.

    “If we can keep our team healthy we will have a chance to some good things,” Praska said. “But we will see. I can tell you one thing we are going to have fun this year. No matter what else happens were are going to have fun.”

    Pocatello opens its season Dec. 5 in a Tri-match with Highland at American Falls. The match begins at 5 p.m.