Sigourney-Keota wrestling proved to be a gold standard of excellence last season, finishing top three in team scoring in their district and sending six wrestlers to state. Head coach Cory VanDenHeuvel believes he has a team primed to live up to that standard, with four state qualifiers back and five returning grapplers who won at least 24 or more matches.

Among those returners is junior Reanah Utterback, who will be chasing a state championship in girls’ wrestling after finishing eighth in the state among Class 1A boys and second place in her district last season with a record of 36-8 at 106 pounds.

Senior Jake Moore returns after going 28-10 at 160 lbs and taking runner-up at districts, as does junior Brady Clark after winning the title in Class 1A District 9 at 126 and going 29-14. Senior Reid Molyneux is back after winning 28 of 32 matches last season at 152 and bringing home a district championship, but he will be sidelined to start the season due to injury.

Wrestlers like sophomore Owen Menke, who won 24 bouts at 182 lbs, will be trying to make bigger strides this season for SK, which will compete as a full team for the first time Thursday in a dual quadrangular with Montezuma, Cardinal and Baxter.