Wrestling preview: The top 20 elite wrestlers in Southwest Idaho this season
The high school wrestling season kicks into high gear this week with yet another bounty of talent in Southwest Idaho.
That includes a national triple crown winner, a potential four-time state champ at the 5A level and a host of Division I prospects.
We surveyed the District Three coaches to see who has them the most excited about the upcoming season. These were the names that continually came up.
TOP BOYS WRESTLERS TO WATCH
Dedrick Navarro, Nampa (120 pounds)
Oregon State, Arizona State and Northwestern have extended offers to the senior, who won a 4A state title as a freshman then finished second the past two years. But with Nampa’s move to 5A, he’ll avoid Blackfoot’s Mack Mauger, a national triple crown winner who handed him those two losses, and become the instant favorite.
Caleb Shaw, New Plymouth (126)
The senior gutted through a broken ankle to make the 2A state quarterfinals last season before losing and injury defaulting out of the tournament. Now healthy, the two-time state finalist and 2021 champ returns as the heavy favorite to capture another championship.
Simon Luna, Nampa (126)
A three-time state finalist and 2021 state champ, the senior returns for one more shot at the top of the medal stand. His explosive moves make him a threat to score a pin at any moment. And he adds to a deep Nampa lineup, which will contend immediately in the 5A classification.
Matthew Martino, Bishop Kelly (126/132)
Older brother Christopher Martino established Bishop Kelly as a wrestling power, winning four state titles. Now Matthew, a sophomore, stands ready to break all his records after capturing state and Rollie Lane titles last year. He also added folkstyle All-American honors in the offseason.
Carson Exferd, Nampa (132)
The junior has only lost one match in his high school career at a California tournament. He’s found no match inside Idaho, going 64-1 with a pair of state titles as well as two USA Wrestling All-American honors to his name. Nampa has never had a three- or four-time state champ. He could become its first.
Ezra Clemens, Fruitland (132)
The senior didn’t wrestle last year. But the two-time state finalist and 2020 state champ returns this winter looking to reassert himself as one of the state’s best. His mix of raw power and technical skill make him a threat to score a pin in the blink of an eye.
Tanner Frothinger, Eagle (138)
The Nebraska signee chases an elusive fourth straight state title this winter. The last 5A wrestler to do that? Post Falls’ Ridge Lovett, an NCAA national runner-up with Nebraska last season. A former Greco national finalist, Frothinger also finished fifth in freestyle at the 2022 UWW U-17 World Team Trials.
Jason Mara, Meridian (145/152)
The Stanford commit is already racing toward 100 victories, going a combined 85-4 his first two seasons to win back-to-back state titles and put him on pace to become the school’s first four-time state champ. The junior regularly proves his mettle at the national level, winning multiple All-American honors and a national folkstyle title in 2021.
Hunter Bidelman, Caldwell (152)
The senior has made the state finals every year, capturing titles as a freshman (113) and junior (138). Now he jumps up two more weight classes for one final run. He could become just the second three-time champ in program history.
Cade White, Meridian (160)
The Oregon State signee saw his bid for four state titles end with a surprise loss in last year’s championship round. But that will only add fuel to his fire as he returns for his senior season looking for revenge. Another title would make him Meridian’s first three-time champ since 2011.
Jadon Skellenger, Bishop Kelly (160)
A first-time high school wrestler, the junior joins the Knights with a mile-long list of accomplishments. He was a national runner-up at the Fargo Junior Greco tournament in July, and he won national and world Greco championships in 2019 at the U-15 level.
Hudson Rogers, Meridian (170)
A former 3A 132-pound state champ at Gooding, an injury sidelined Rogers for his sophomore season. But the junior returns fresh off a pair of Fargo All-American honors over the summer to chase another ring for the powerhouse Warriors.
Carson Gooley, Meridian (195)
The junior continues the murderer’s row of a lineup for the two-time defending 5A state champ. He went 44-5 as a sophomore and captured a Rollie Lane title. Only a Michigan commit kept him off the top of the state podium. But with Rylan Rogers gone, Gooley adds another title favorite to the Warriors’ roster.
Aden Attao, Borah (285)
The heavyweight and Oregon State signee lit the wrestling scene on fire last summer, capturing a national triple crown with U.S. junior championships in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco before winning a Greco bronze medal at the U-20 World Championships. Greco remains his specialty, but the No. 8 heavyweight in the country ought to run roughshod over Idaho competition.
TOP GIRLS WRESTLERS TO WATCH
Talea Nichols, Rocky Mountain (106/113)
The two-time folkstyle national champ enters her freshman season already as one of Idaho’s most decorated female wrestlers. Rocky Mountain coach Guy Bullock said he’s waited for years to get her on the team. Alongside Mia Furman, the Grizzlies now have the firepower to contend as a team.
Clare Waite, Boise (138)
A star rugby player at Boise, the junior returns with a 145-pound state championship already on her mantle. She spent the summer traveling the country in search of competition. Those performances boosted her to the No. 22 national ranking in her weight class from FloWrestling.
Mia Furman, Rocky Mountain (145)
An upset in the state semifinals last year forced the decorated senior to settle for third place. But the 2021 state champ returns motivated to climb back on top. FloWrestling ranks her as the No. 9 female in the country at 144 pounds.
Ornella Kero, Boise (152)
The senior and defending state runner-up remains willing to take on anyone at any time. She moved all the way up to 182 last year looking for a challenge, and she finished third against college opponents at the Mountaineer Women’s Open in November.
Reece Woods, Eagle (185)
The senior pinned her way to a state title last season, topping teammate Jordynn LeBeau in the finals. The Mustangs’ power and depth remain in their upper weights. And it might be the only thing that can stop the country’s No. 23-ranked female from repeating.
Olivia Woods, Eagle (235)
Reece’s twin sister, Olivia will chase her third straight state championship this winter after pinning her way to the crown last year. She starts the season ranked No. 14 nationally and remains an opponent no one wants to face.
GIRLS WRESTLING EXPANDS
The Idaho High School Activities Association sponsored its first official girls wrestling state tournament last February. (The state previously had unofficial champions.) And the state governing body is already expanding the tournament in response to growth.
A record 613 girls completed their weight certification this year, a 38% increase from last season and a 175% increase from four years ago.
That growth has Idaho expanding its girls state tournament from eight-person brackets to 16, matching the boys tournaments. It will also grow from 10 weight classes to 12.
The boys have 15 weight classes in four classifications. The girls tournament remains a single classification open to wrestlers from all classifications.
KEY DATES
- Jan. 6-7: Rollie Lane Invitational, Ford Idaho Center, Nampa
- Jan. 13-14: Jaybird Memorial Girls Tournament, Columbia High, Nampa
- Feb. 14-15: 5A/4A/Girls district tournament, Expo Idaho Center, Garden City
- Feb. 23-25: 5A-2A state tournaments, Ford Idaho Center, Nampa
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, fifth season
Last year: 7th at state, 5th at district
Boys to watch: Matthew Martino, so., 126/132; Jadon Skellenger, jr., 160; Jake Castagneto, jr., 126/132; Seiya Thompson, jr., 152; Manuel Valdez, jr., 138
BOISE
Class: 5A
Coach: Chuck Bousquet, second season
Last year: 20th at state, 10th at district
Boys to watch: Ben Miller, sr., 170; Ehler Htoo, sr., 160; Ehler Say, sr., 152
Girls to watch: Clare Waite, jr., 138; Ornella Kero, sr., 152
BORAH
Class: 5A
Coach: Nick Beuter, second season
Last year: 16th at state, 8th at district
Boys to watch: Aden Attao, sr., 285
CALDWELL
Class: 4A
Coach: Jeff Kloetzer, 16th season
Last year: 5th at state, 4th at district
Boys to watch: Hunter Bidelman, sr., 152; Draven Johns, so., 120
CAPITAL
Class: 5A
Coach: Trent Rushton, first season
Last year: 18th at state, 7th at district
Boys to watch: Tucker French, sr., 220/285; Ashton Ramos, sr., 113; Ben Orem, sr., 145/152; Trever Clemans, jr., 132
Girls to watch: Lizzy Hodges, so., 138
CENTENNIAL
Class: 5A
Coach: Jason Blue, fifth season
Last year: 10th at state, 6th at district
Boys to watch: Junior Flores, sr., 106; Michael Jensen, jr., 152
EAGLE
Class: 5A
Coach: Michael Stone, 15th season
Last year: 11th at state, 5th at district (Girls were state, district champs)
Boys to watch: Tanner Frothinger, sr., 138
Girls to watch: Oliva Woods, sr., 235; Reece Woods, sr., 185
FRUITLAND
Class: 3A
Coach: Isaac MacKenzie, 20th season
Last year: 7th at state, 2nd at district
Boys to watch: Ezra Clemens, sr., 132; Kaden MacKenzie, so., 145; Kolton Farrow, sr., 120; Coye Coffman, so., 138; Max Wescott, jr., 126
MARSING
Class: 2A
Coach: Juan Garcia, third season
Last year: 31st at state, 5th at district
Boys to watch: Braeden Davis, sr., 138
Girls to watch: Erika Fraizer, so., 107
MCCALL-DONNELLY
Class: 3A
Coach: Joel Sherer, first season
Last year: 13th at state, 3rd at district
Boys to watch: Andrew Alvarez, sr., 220; Jake Carr, sr., 285; Adam Rushton, jr., 170/182; Matthew Daniels, jr., 145/152
MELBA
Class: 2A
Coach: Lonnie Svedin, seventh season
Last year: 14th at state, 2nd at district
Boys to watch: Grant Svedin, sr., 145/152; McKoy Richardson, sr., 145/152; Brenton Overall, sr., 195
MERIDIAN
Class: 5A
Coach: Brad Muri, 11th season
Last year: 1st at state, 1st at district
Boys to watch: Cade White, sr., 160; Isaiah Twait, sr., 182; Jason Mara, jr., 145/152; Hudson Rogers, jr., 170; Carson Gooley, jr., 195
MIDDLETON
Class: 5A
Coach: Casey Eager, third season
Last year: 11th at state (4A), 3rd at district (4A)
Boys to watch: Jacob Blandford, jr., 152; Cash Weeks, jr., 220; Jabyn Kemble, so., 120; Treven Hokland, jr., 170
MOUNTAIN VIEW
Class: 5A
Coach: Jacob McGinnis, first season
Last year: 8th at state, 3rd at district
Boys to watch: Adrian Wess, sr., 138; Jean-Luc Guerra, so., 152; Guiseppe Guerra, sr., 145; Ethan Schmidt, so., 113
Girls to watch: Sophie Sarver, sr., 122
NAMPA
Class: 5A
Coach: Roy Perales, fourth season
Last year: 2nd at state (4A), 1st at district (4A)
Boys to watch: Dedrick Navarro, sr., 120; Carson Exferd, jr., 132; Simon Luna, sr., 126; Nikko Gonzalez, sr., 138; Payton Gunter, sr., 285
NAMPA CHRISTIAN
Class: 2A
Coach: Mark Boothby, fourth season
Last year: 26th at state, 3rd at district
Boys to watch: Peyton Riggs, sr., 220; Ethan Pearson, sr., 160/170; Sean Barton, sr., 182; Christian Langdon, sr., 170/182; Finnley Olson, so., 106
NEW PLYMOUTH
Class: 2A
Coach: Dakota Stallions, first season
Last year: 2nd at state, 1st at district
Boys to watch: Caleb Shaw, sr., 126; Hunter Williams, sr., 220; Riley Lundy, sr., 132; Jake Shaw, so., 145; Gabe Cox, so., 170
OWYHEE
Class: 5A
Coach: Derek Mestrovich, second season
Last year: 21st at state, 11th at district
Boys to watch: Mason Rasmussen, sr., 182; Jack Young, jr., 220
PARMA
Class: 3A
Coach: Randy Riley, first season
Last year: 20th at state, 6th at district
Boys to watch: Evan Weber, sr., 152/160; Lincoln Rudkin, so., 160/170; Nate Murdock, fr., 98; Will Murdock, fr., 113
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Class: 5A
Coach: Guy Bullock, 15th season
Last year: 7th at state, 4th at district
Boys to watch: Titus Nichols, sr., 138; Cael Bullock, jr., 126; Zac Henderson, sr., 145
Girls to watch: Mia Furman, sr., 145; Talea Nichols, sr., 106/113
TIMBERLINE
Class: 5A
Coach: Andrew DeLoney, 12th season
Last year: 15th at state, 9th at district
Boys to watch: Parker Romero, sr., 132; Wyatt Romero, sr., 170/182
Girls to watch: Sammy Del Fierro, sr., 106
VALLIVUE
Class: 4A
Coach: Nash Johnson, first season
Last year: 22nd at state, 8th at district
Boys to watch: Keven Martinez, sr., 132; Isaac Duarte, sr., 120; Jacob Andrae, jr., 182
Girls to watch: Rihanna Mora, so., 114
