For winter sports, practices just began on Nov. 16, but the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association (KWCA) has already released the preseason rankings for all divisions in Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) wrestling. In 5A rankings, Hays High has three wrestlers in the top of their weight classes.

Junior Gavin Meyers third in 220 lbs., junior Gavin Nutting fourth in 195 lbs., and sophomore Sarah Zimmerman ranked fifth in the girls 109 weight division.

“It is great to see our wrestlers being recognized for their accomplishments, but with them being a part of the preseason standings, they will now have targets on their backs for the rest of the season,” wrestling head coach Heath Meder said.

Despite that, with the wrestling season competitions coming soon, wrestlers like Zimmerman are ready to compete.

“With the new season and only being the second year of girls wrestling, it’s going to be that much harder to contend for state with more girls to compete against,” Zimmerman said. “I love seeing my name at the top of the rankings. It just shows that all the hard work I have put in in the off-season and years ago when I started club wrestling.”

Meder said that he hopes that, by the end of the season, more Indian wrestlers, in addition to Meyers, Nutting and Zimmerman, are ranked.

“I don’t think that those wrestlers will be the only ones on the rankings at the end of the season,” Meder said. “We have a lot of freshman talent with the mix of the upperclassman; it will be fun to watch how this season plays out.”
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