Season preview: Senior leadership will key Kimball wrestling in 2014-15

The return of four senior letter winners, including state qualifier Damien Rutledge, will be the key to success this season for the Kimball High Wrestling program. Coach Wade Brashear is back for his third season in charge of the Longhorn program and is still working hard to get the numbers up, but in this vein he has three promising freshmen checked out.

After finishing 6th in the Western Trails Conference last year, lack of numbers and being able to fill all of the weight classes will still be a problem, but there are some promising positives as well. Coach Brashear and assistant Bob Culek have 9 wrestlers checked out including 6 returning letter winners and the 3 freshmen.

Let's begin with senior Damien Rutledge who picked up the sport just last year as a junior and compiled a record of 19-7 scoring 95 team points and qualifying for the state tournament in the 220 pound weight class. With a year's experience behind him, Damien is expected to really shine this season.

Senior Rowdy Keller at 113 pounds wound up 22-10 last season and will be looking for a trip to the state tournament in this, his final year with the sport, after scoring 103.5 team points last year.

Senior Justin Mohr is listed at 138 pounds and fresh off a solid showing for the Longhorn football team, he appears to be ready for a solid campaign on the mats. He had a winning record of 16-7 last year scoring 65 team points.

Senior Garrett Ryan will wrestle at 126 pounds and also had a winning season as a junior going 19-12 and scoring 69.5 team points.

Sophomore Logan Stahla wound up 18-6 as a freshman and scored 66 team points and look for this young man to really come into his own this year. He is a competitor who hates to lose and strives to improve.

Sophomore Eric Escajeda is the big guy who will wrestle at 285 the same weight class he filled last year as a freshman. He had a tough weight as a freshman and it will be tough again as a sophomore, but he will be better prepared and knowing what to expect this season. He scored 40 team points last year.

Other wrestlers off last year's squad are not listed this year, and the Lewis brothers have moved, but the incoming freshmen are welcome additions according to coach Brashear. Look for Clay Keller, Garrett Pedersen, and Cody Kirby to hold their own.

Coach Brashear commenting on this season said, "We are led by a strong group of seniors who will provide good leadership. We have several upcoming wrestlers who look to add depth right away. Incoming freshman, Clay Keller, has had success in federated wrestling, including a schoolboy freestyle state championship. We expect to build cohesion as a team and bring a group of qualifiers to the state tournament."

Kimball will compete in the Western Trails Conference made up of Gordon-Rushville, Bayard, Mitchell, Morrill, Bridgeport, Hemingford, and Banner County, and will wrestle in the C-4 District.

The Horns open the season at Bayard on December 4 with mat time listed at 6 p.m.