A new wrestling season will soon be getting underway for the WACO Warriors. The WACO boys’ team will feature two of the best individual grapplers in the state in seniors Louden Huisenga and Gage Samo.

Huisenga was the overall runner-up in Class 1A at 190 pounds and had a record of 37-0 before falling in the state championship bout. Samo will look to build on sixth-place finishes at state in each of the last two seasons, including going 34-10 at 113 lbs last year.

Head coach Seth Pugh tells KCII Sports that the Warriors have a good pool of veteran talent behind their stars as well.

“We’re going to have a couple returning seniors,” Pugh says. “Deacon Bird and Lane Bachman, they’ve been on the team the last four years, and they do a really good job of leading and really going out there and competing.”

The WACO girls also return a state qualifier in Rylee Rice, who went 25-12 at 110, while fellow senior Elyssa Graber looks to add a trip to state to her 21 wins last season at 105. Head coach Eric Davis tells KCII Sports that his senior studs have reached their success by committing to working hard.

“I’m pretty confident in my group that I’ve got this year,” Davis says. “They’re willing to go out and put the grind in.”

The Warriors will have their first girls’ wrestling meet of the season this coming Thursday at Columbus/Winfield-Mount Union, while the WACO boys will first compete December 3rd at Washington.