Prep wrestling: Local wrestlers and teams to watch this season

With the high school wrestling season in full swing, here’s a look at some of the area’s top wrestlers and teams to watch this winter.

All state rankings refer to Washington Wrestling Report’s latest classification-specific rankings, which were released earlier this week.

It’s a landmark season across the state for girls wrestling, which will be split into multiple classifications this postseason for the first time ever. The postseason will feature a 4A/3A girls classification and a 2A/1A/2B/1B girls classification.

4A BOYS WRESTLERS TO WATCH

Connor Aney, soph., Glacier Peak

WWR ranking: No. 1 at 285 pounds

Aney nearly claimed a 4A state title as a freshman last year, earning a second-place state medal after a 3-1 overtime loss to a since-graduated senior in the 285-pound championship match. He finished his freshman campaign with a 24-1 record, including Wesco 4A and regional titles. He’s opened this season with an Edmonds Invite title, a second-place finish at the Pac Coast Wrestling Championships in Vancouver, Washington, and a third-place finish at the Tri-State Wrestling Tournament in Idaho.

Gil Mossburg, jr., Glacier Peak

WWR ranking: No. 2 at 145 pounds

Mossburg took third place in the 4A 138-pound bracket at last year’s Mat Classic. He also claimed a Wesco 4A title last season. Last month, he earned second-place tournament finishes at Tri-State, Pac Coast and the Edmonds Invite.

Koen Mattern, jr., Lake Stevens

WWR ranking: No. 2 at 220 pounds

Mattern placed sixth in the 4A 220-pound bracket at last year’s Mat Classic. He also took second place in the Wesco 4A and regional tournaments, finishing behind eventual state champion and then-Glacier Peak senior Jacob Erickson both times. This season, Mattern has placed second at Tri-State and third at the Pat Lovell Holiday Wrestling Classic in Aptos, California.

Lucas Overland, sr., Lake Stevens

WWR ranking: No. 2 at 195 pounds

Overland took eighth place in the 4A 195-pound bracket at last year’s Mat Classic. He also claimed a Wesco 4A title last season. Last month, he earned a third-place finish at the Battle of the Border in Blaine.

Jacob Christianson, jr., Lake Stevens

WWR ranking: No. 3 at 113 pounds

Christianson placed fourth in the 4A 106-pound bracket at last year’s Mat Classic. He also earned a Wesco 4A title and a second-place regional finish last season. Over winter break, he collected a third-place finish at the Pat Lovell Classic in California.

4A BOYS TEAMS TO WATCH

Lake Stevens

WWR team ranking: No. 6 in 4A

The Vikings are in their first season of the post-Brent Barnes era, after the legendary head coach retired at the end of last season following a decorated 35-year career at Lake Stevens. New head coach Derek Lopez, who was a Vikings assistant under Barnes from 2012 to 2016, took the helm after leading a major turnaround at Rainier Beach in recent years. Lopez inherited a powerhouse Lake Stevens program that’s earned 23 top-eight state team finishes in the past 24 Mat Classics, including a 4A sixth-place state finish last year. The Vikings returned six of their 12 state wrestlers — led by a trio of returning state placers in Christianson, Mattern and Overland — and have eight wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of 4A in their respective weight classes. During winter break, Lake Stevens placed seventh out of 57 teams at the Pat Lovell Classic in California.

Glacier Peak

WWR team ranking: No. 9 in 4A

The Grizzlies are coming off a program-best 4A eighth-place state team finish in last year’s Mat Classic. They graduated state champion Jacob Erickson but returned four of their seven state wrestlers, including a pair of top-three state medalists in Aney and Mossburg. Led by that standout duo of state title contenders, Glacier Peak has four wrestlers ranked in the top seven of 4A in their respective weight classes.

3A BOYS WRESTLERS TO WATCH

Hunter Tibodeau, sr., Shorewood

WWR ranking: No. 1 at 220 pounds

Tibodeau has claimed a pair of 3A top-five state medals, placing second at 195 pounds last season and fifth at 182 pounds as a freshman in 2020. He also won a Wesco 3A South title and a regional title last year en route to a 25-2 record. He’s opened this season with titles at the Edmonds Invite, the Gator Invite in Federal Way and the Lindbergh Invitational in Renton.

Keaton Mayernik, sr., Stanwood

WWR ranking: No. 1 at 132 pounds

Mayernik has earned a pair of 3A top-five state medals, placing third at 132 pounds last season and fifth at 120 pounds as a freshman in 2020. He also won a Wesco 3A North title and a regional title last year. He’s opened this season with an Edmonds Invite title, a Graham Morin Memorial Invitational title in Bellingham and a second-place finish at Pac Coast.

Tyler Rhue, sr., Stanwood

WWR ranking: No. 2 at 138 pounds

Rhue has claimed a pair of 3A top-three state medals, placing second at 126 pounds last year and third at 106 pounds as a freshman in 2020. He finished 25-1 last season and has won back-to-back Wesco 3A North titles and back-to-back regional championships. He’s opened this season with an Edmonds Invite title, a Graham Morin Memorial title and a third-place finish at Pac Coast.

Dustin Baxter, jr., Arlington

WWR ranking: No. 3 at 152 pounds

Baxter placed third in the 3A 138-pound bracket at last year’s Mat Classic. He finished with a 37-2 record last season, including Wesco 3A North and regional titles. He won a pair of tournaments last month, claiming titles at the Edmonds Invite and the A-Town Throwdown in Arlington. He also earned a second-place finish at the Graham Morin Memorial and a third-place finish at Pac Coast.

Bryan Roodzant, sr., Stanwood

WWR ranking: No. 4 at 120 pounds

Roodzant earned a 3A eighth-place state medal at 120 pounds last season. He also claimed a Wesco 3A North title last year. He’s opened this season with a Graham Morin Memorial championship, a second-place finish in the Edmonds Invite and a third-place finish at Pac Coast.

Eric Vogel, sr., Arlington

WWR ranking: No. 5 at 145 pounds

Vogel has made two Mat Classic appearances, including a 3A fifth-place state finish at 138 pounds last year. He also earned a pair of second-place Wesco 3A North and regional finishes last season. Last month, he claimed a Graham Morin Memorial title.

3A BOYS TEAMS TO WATCH

Stanwood

WWR team ranking: No. 5 in 3A

The Spartans are loaded with returning talent from last year’s team, which took seventh place in 3A at the Mat Classic. Stanwood brought back nine of its 10 state wrestlers, including a trio of state placers in Rhue, Mayernik and Roodzant. Led by that trio, the Spartans have eight wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of 3A in their respective weight classes. Stanwood has captured a pair of tournament team titles this season, taking first place out of 57 teams at Pac Coast and first place out of 18 teams at the Graham Morin Memorial.

Arlington

WWR team ranking: No. 8 in 3A

The Eagles returned three of their four state wrestlers from last year’s 16th-place state team, including a pair of top-five state placers in Baxter and Vogel. And with the addition of talented freshman Tre Haines, Arlington has four wrestlers ranked in the top five of 3A in their respective weight classes. The Eagles took first place out of 10 teams in their A-Town Throwdown tournament, second out of 18 teams at the Graham Morin Memorial, fourth out of 29 teams at the Edmonds Invite and eighth out of 57 teams at Pac Coast.

4A/3A GIRLS WRESTLERS TO WATCH

Alivia White, sr., Marysville Pilchuck

WWR ranking: No. 1 at 235 pounds

White is a two-time state champion and an elite wrestler on the national stage, ranked by USA Wrestling as the No. 2 high school girls wrestler in the nation at 180 pounds. She captured the 190-pound state title as a freshman in 2020 and claimed a repeat state crown in the same weight class last season, which capped a perfect 36-0 junior campaign. She also took second place at 180 pounds in the Junior Nationals women’s freestyle tournament this past summer. Last month, she added to her title collection with a first-place finish at the Yelm Girls Jump On In tournament. White, one of three Snohomish County girls wrestlers to win multiple state titles, is aiming to become the county’s first three-time girls state champion.

Karianne Baldwin, jr., Glacier Peak

WWR ranking: No. 1 at 125 pounds

Baldwin claimed the 125-pound state title last year, capping a 31-1 sophomore campaign. She’s ranked by USA Wrestling as the No. 28 high school girls wrestler in the nation at 122 pounds. Last month, she won an Everett Girls Invite title.

Juju Kilroy, sr., Marysville Pilchuck

WWR ranking: No. 1 at 135 pounds

Kilroy claimed a second-place state medal at 130 pounds in last year’s Mat Classic. Last month, she won an Everett Girls Invite title and placed second at the Yelm Girls Jump On In tournament.

Finley Houck, fr., Shorewood

WWR ranking: No. 1 at 110 pounds

Houck has already captured a pair of tournament titles as a freshman, earning first-place finishes at the Return of the Seahawk in Seattle and the Everett Girls Invite. She also collected an eighth-place finish at the Sierra Nevada Classic in Reno, Nevada, over winter break.

Araxi Crew, fr., Arlington

WWR ranking: No. 3 at 100 pounds

Crew is another talented freshman who’s already claimed a pair of tournament titles. She earned first-place finishes at the Yelm Girls Jump On In tournament and the Everett Girls Invite.

4A/3A GIRLS TEAMS TO WATCH

Marysville Pilchuck

WWR ranking: No. 6 in 4A/3A

The Tomahawks feature a one-two punch of state title contenders in White and Kilroy, who are both the top-ranked state wrestlers in their respective weight classes. Last year, White’s state title and Kilroy’s second-place state medal combined to give Marysville Pilchuck a seventh-place state finish.

Arlington

WWR ranking: No. 8 in 4A/3A

The defending regional champion Eagles have six wrestlers ranked in the top 12 of 4A/3A in their respective weight classes, led by a pair of top-five-ranked wrestlers in Crew and returning state placer Raina Allen. Last month, Arlington took third place out of 51 teams in the Everett Girls Invite and third out of 39 teams at the Yelm Girls Jump On In tournament.

2A BOYS WRESTLERS TO WATCH

Francisco Contreras, sr., Cedarcrest

WWR ranking: No. 4 at 138 pounds

Contreras placed eighth in the 2A 132-pound bracket at last year’s Mat Classic. He also won a sub-regional title last season.

2B/1B BOYS WRESTLERS TO WATCH

Aksel Espeland, sr., Darrington

WWR ranking: No. 2 at 126 pounds

Espeland has reached the Mat Classic twice, including a 2B/1B third-place state finish at 113 pounds last season. He also claimed a regional title last year. He’s opened this season with titles at the Ocosta Invitational and the Mt. Baker Invite.