A new season of high school wrestling in southeast Iowa is getting closer, and there will be plenty of top local athletes representing Columbus/Winfield-Mount Union this season. Head coach Andy Milder’s team will have 12 wrestlers back who won at least 20 bouts last year.

Among that group is senior Russell Coil, who had a huge season last year by going 43-8 in the heavyweight class of 285 pounds and finished sixth in the state in Class 2A in his weight class.

Also back after getting to the boys’ state championships are senior Cole Storm, who went 39-14 in the 160-lbs weight class last season, and junior Riley Kaalberg, who was 35-19 at 170. Senior Ty Scorpil, who was 37-9 at 120, is back for the Wildcats, as are 27-win junior Jacob Nelson and 20-win sophomores Jaxton Jones and Bowen Thomson.

Senior Dakota Storm is among those back for the Columbus/WMU girls after winning 11 bouts at 140 lbs last season. The Wildcat girls will begin their new season Monday with a tournament at Wilton, while the boys will wrestle for the first time this season November 28th by hosting duals with Mount Pleasant and Cedar Rapids Prairie.