Idaho wrestling preview: Ranking the top 25 wrestlers in the Treasure Valley this season
Idaho kicked off a historic high school wrestling season last week.
Multiple Treasure Valley seniors are gunning for their fourth state titles this winter. But a transformation is also underway, with Idaho sponsoring its first official girls state tournament in February.
Previously, girls had to compete against boys for an IHSAA state title or contend in an unofficial state meet put on by coaches. But Idaho became the 29th state to add a girls-only state tournament, leading to a boon for the sport.
The state saw 388 girls finish their weight certification earlier this month, up from approximately 250 each of the past two seasons, the IHSAA announced Dec. 1.
The Idaho Statesman surveyed Treasure Valley coaches to get a handle on the top individuals and teams to watch this winter. Below are the results, grouped by weight class.
BOYS TO WATCH
Dedrick Navarro, Nampa (106 pounds)
A state champion as a freshman, the junior took second last year after a 9-4 loss to Blackfoot’s Mack Mauger in the 4A 98-pound finals. The Fargo All-American and two-time Rollie Lane champ is a heavy favorite to make it back to the finals again.
Matthew Martino, Bishop Kelly (113)
The freshman could soon rewrite all the records his older brother, Christopher, is setting. Before wrestling a single high school match, he’d already secured a national folkstyle title, a runner-up finish at Fargo and the most outstanding wrestler award at the U-15 Pan-American Games.
Simon Luna, Nampa (113)
The junior has twice finished fourth at district. But he always shows up at state, making the finals twice and winning a 4A state title by pinning everyone he faced in the first round last year on the way to the 113-pound crown.
Carson Exferd, Nampa (120)
He put together one of the best freshman seasons in state history, going 36-0 to win the 4A 106-pound title and a Rollie Lane crown. He even recorded bonus points in every state tournament match, helping the Bulldogs to a second-place finish.
Treygen Morin, Ridgevue (120)
The sophomore already has two Greco All-American honors under his belt. Now he turns his focus to the high school season. He took fourth in 4A’s 113-pound division a year ago.
Josh Mendoza, Timberline (120)
The Wolves aren’t known as a wrestling power, but Mendoza is quickly changing that perception. The three-time state placer became the first undefeated state champ (15-0) in program history — and just the second state champ overall — with his 5A 113-pound crown last year.
Simon Graeber, Columbia (126)
A state championship has eluded the senior so far. He has a pair of second-place medals on his mantle. But with his battle-tested resume and ability to scramble, this could finally be his year to bring home a title.
Caleb Shaw, New Plymouth (126)
One of four returning state champs making the Pilgrims a favorite for another team title, the junior has twice reached the finals. He finished second at 98 pounds as a freshman then went 37-7 and won the 2A 113-pound title last year.
Christopher Martino, Bishop Kelly (132)
The Princeton commit already owns all the wrestling records at BK as a three-time state champ. (The school never had a two-time champ before him.) The senior and 4.0 student brings a 114-4 record into the season as he chases a fourth title.
Tanner Frothinger, Eagle (132)
The Mustangs haven’t had a three-time state champ in more than a decade. The junior will chase that history after going 31-4 for the 5A 120-pound title. He added a national runner-up finish at the U-16 Greco tournament in Fargo in the offseason.
Kyle Rice, New Plymouth (132)
The younger brother of a four-time state champ, Rice has a chance to etch his name into history with a fourth title this winter. The Grand View (NAIA) commit, defending Rollie Lane champ and two-time Fargo All-American went undefeated (37-0) last year.
Jason Mara, Meridian (138)
He put together a monster freshman season, going 40-2 and bringing home a 120-pound state title. He kept it up in the offseason, winning a folkstyle national championship and freestyle All-American honors.
Hunter Bidelman, Caldwell (145)
He won the 4A 113-pound state title as a freshman, then took Christopher Martino to overtime in the 126-pound finals last year. The reigning Rollie Lane champ jumped three weight classes to start the season at 145, a loaded division in the Treasure Valley.
Cade White, Meridian (145)
The Oregon State commit could become the Warriors’ first four-time state champ. The junior already has 120- and 138-pound titles under his belt. And he won a Western regional title and Greco All-American honors last summer.
Tyler Jones, Rocky Mountain (145)
The senior finished second at state to Meridian’s Cade White last year. But he’s already avenged that loss with a 3-1 decision at the season-opening Donnelly Duals. And he took down another former state champ (Caldwell’s Hunter Bidelman) at the duals as well.
Joel Campbell, New Plymouth (152)
No school has ever had two four-time state champs in the same year. Combined with Rice, the coach’s son could end that streak. He went a staggering 50-0 last year, with a Rollie Lane championship.
Trent Myers, New Plymouth (160)
A two-time state champ, the senior gives the Pilgrims another weapon as they seek to defend their team trophy. He excels on his feet, delivers a punishing arm bar and went 36-3 a year ago.
Isaiah Twait, Meridian (170)
The junior has yet to claim a district or state title, finishing second at district twice and third at state twice. He stands poised for a breakthrough year thanks to his intelligence and physical gifts.
Cael Palmer, Kuna (182)
Only a single loss prevented the senior from an undefeated season (45-1) last year. He more than made up for it with the Rollie Lane and 5A state titles at 160 pounds. Now he jumps up two weight classes.
Nico Rodriguez, Columbia (285)
The senior has won the 4A 220-pound state title each of the past two seasons, going 36-1 last winter. The reigning Rollie Lane champ moves up to the heavyweight division, where his explosiveness and athleticism will pose a major threat.
GIRLS TO WATCH
Sammy Del Fierro, Timberline (106)
The junior has more than held her own with the boys, finishing seventh at the 5A SIC district tournament last year and qualifying for the state meet. She placed at every meet she attended last year, a streak that’s sure to grow this season.
Marissa Jimenez, Caldwell (138)
The No. 5 girl in the nation in her weight class, she already owns a pair of unofficial state titles. The senior finally gets a chance to gun for an IHSAA championship this season. She’s a two-time Fargo All-American, two-time Rollie Lane champ and won a gold medal at the Cadet Pan American championship last spring.
Mia Furman, Rocky Mountain (138)
Ranked No. 16 nationally, she brought home a title from last year’s unofficial state tournament. The junior followed that with a sixth-place finish at the Fargo freestyle nationals. She’s one of the state’s toughest pound-for-pound wrestlers.
Kyra Richards, Columbia (170)
She broke out as a freshman last year, winning a Rollie Lane crown, the unofficial 170-pound state title and earning All-American folkstyle honors. The sophomore will headline one of the top girls programs in Idaho.
Olivia Woods, Eagle (220)
The Mustangs brought home an unofficial girls state title a year ago thanks to the dominance of juniors Olivia and Reece Woods in the upper weights. Olivia, a reigning individual champ, already has a tournament title under her belt after pinning her way to the top of the podium at the Ardis E. Nash Memorial last week.
KEY DATES
Jan. 7-8: Rollie Lane Invitational, Ford Idaho Center, Nampa
Feb. 18-19: 5A District Three Tournament, Borah High
Feb. 18-19: 4A District Three Tournament, Caldwell High
Feb. 25-26: State wrestling tournament, Holt Arena, Pocatello
TEAM CAPSULES
Teams are listed in alphabetical order. Schools omitted did not respond to the Idaho Statesman’s preseason survey.
BISHOP KELLY
Class: 4A
Coach: Manny Ybarra, fourth season
Last year: 12th at state, 7th at district
Wrestlers to watch: Christopher Martino, sr., 132; Matthew Martino, fr., 113; Manuel Valdez, so., 138
BOISE
Class: 5A
Coach: Chuck Bousquet, first season
Last year: 18th at state, 11th at district
Wrestlers to watch: Cantril Nielsen, jr., 113; Ben Miller, jr., 170; Ornella Kero, jr., 152 (girls);
CALDWELL
Class: 4A
Coach: Jeff Kloetzer, 16th season
Last year: 8th at state, 3rd at district
Wrestlers to watch: Miguel Perez, jr., 285; Marissa Jimenez, sr., 138 (girls); Aidan Go, sr., 126; Draven Johns, fr., 106
CAPITAL
Class: 5A
Coach: Elliot Zander, fifth season
Last year: 10th at state, 4th at district
Wrestlers to watch: Jamison Hunt, sr., 138; Kevin Sparks, sr., 145; Collin Ferguson, sr., 182; Lee Wangsgard, sr., 195
CENTENNIAL
Class: 5A
Coach: Jason Blue, fourth season
Last year: 15th at state, 7th at district
Wrestlers to watch: Logan Taylor, sr., 160; Joe Watson, sr., 160; Kobe Bui, sr., 126; Junior Flores, jr., 106
COLUMBIA
Class: 4A
Coach: Todd Cady, 16th season
Last year: 5th at state, 2nd at district
Wrestlers to watch: Nico Rodriguez, sr., 285 pounds; Simon Graeber, sr., 126; Kyra Richards, so., 170 (girls); Angie Rios, sr., 145 (girls)
EAGLE
Class: 5A
Coach: Michael Stone, 14th season
Last year: 9th at state, 5th at district
Wrestlers to watch: Tanner Frothinger, jr., 132
MCCALL-DONNELLY
Class: 3A
Coach: Daniel Erekson, fourth season
Last year: 14th at state, 3rd at district
Wrestlers to watch: Andrew Alvarez, jr., 220/285; Matthew Daniels, so., 138/145; Seth Rushton, sr., 182
MELBA
Class: 2A
Coach: Lonnie Svedin, fifth season
Last year: 14th at state, 2nd at district
Wrestlers to watch: McCoy Richardson, jr., 138; Grant Svedin, jr., 145
MERIDIAN
Class: 5A
Coach: Brad Muri, 10th season
Last year: 1st at state, 1st at district
Wrestlers to watch: Cade White, jr., 145 pounds; Jason Mara, so., 138; Isaiah Twait, jr., 170; Brodyn Sunada, sr., 152
MIDDLETON
Class: 4A
Coach: Casey Eager, second season
Last year: 9th at state, 4th at district
Wrestlers to watch: Brody Kemble, sr., 126; Jacob Blandford, so., 145
NAMPA
Class: 4A
Coach: Roy Perales, third season
Last year: 2nd at state, 1st at district
Wrestlers to watch: Carson Exferd, so., 120 pounds; Dedrick Navarro, jr., 106; Simon Luna, jr., 113; Nikko Gonzalez, jr., 132
NAMPA CHRISTIAN
Class: 2A
Coach: Mark Boothby, third season
Last year: 35th at state, fifth at district
Wrestlers to watch: Gabriel Bowlin, sr., 285; Sean Barton, jr., 182; Ethan Pearson, jr., 170; Peyton Riggs, jr., 220
NEW PLYMOUTH
Class: 2A
Coach: Caleb Campbell, 9th season
Last year: 1st at state, 1st at district
Wrestlers to watch: Kyle Rice, sr., 132 pounds; Joel Campbell, sr., 152; Trent Myers, sr., 160; Caleb Shaw, jr., 126
RIDGEVUE
Class: 4A
Coach: Dustin Forrest, second season
Last year: 14th at state, 6th at district
Wrestlers to watch: Treygen Morin, so., 120; Brady Armstrong, sr., 126; Porter Gurney, sr., 120; Salvador Garcia, sr., 285
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Class: 5A
Coach: Guy Bullock, 12th season
Last year: 7th at state, 3rd at district
Wrestlers to watch: Tyler Jones, sr., 145; Mia Furman, jr., 138 (girls); Luke Jensen, sr., 138; Mason Jacobsen, sr., 285
TIMBERLINE
Class: 5A
Coach: Andrew DeLoney, 11th season
Last year: 17th at state, 10th at district
Wrestlers to watch: Josh Mendoza, sr., 120; Zeffery McMahan, sr., 170; Sammy Del Fierro, jr., 106 (girls)
This story was originally published December 8, 2021 at 6:12 PM.
