Raptor wrestlers return experience, look to improve finish in Cloverbelt
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After finishing 4-5 in duals a year ago, third-year head coach Brayden Johnson is looking for his Bloomer-Colfax wrestling team to finish in the top half of the Cloverbelt Conference in the 2024-25 season.
Although the Raptors lost a pair of dynamic wrestlers – Colfax’s Ayden Anderson and Kendra Hamman – to graduation last spring, the team welcomes back three letter winners – Drew Ryder, James McElroy and Zeke Anderson. Ryder finished his sophomore season at the state tournament last February and looks to make a second consecutive trip to Madison.
“I look for Drew to do some damage at the state tournament,” wrote Johnson in his pre-season questionnaire that he completed for the Colfax Messenger.
Johnson also provided a tentative varsity line-up that includes Skylar Rediger (106), Lowvin Hladilek (113), Drew Ryder (120), Zeke Anderson (126), Jacob LaGesse (132), Aiden Poirie (144), James McElroy (150), Ricardo Prado, Dyllon Zwiefelhofer (157), Brock Hanson (165), and Kolten Burgess (190).
In addition, this year’s Raptors’ team includes six members from Colfax High School, most of which are underclassmen. They are freshmen Cole Parzyck, Jacob Wahl, Veronika Leavens and Mason Smith, sophomore Jayden Morgan and junior Blake Sparrgrove.
Johnson sees the unity his squad has built in the wrestling room as a true strength this season, but recognizes that lower participation numbers might hinder the team’s ability to compete in some dual matches.
Once again this season, Johnson has established finishing in the top half of the conference standings as a team goal along with placing three wrestlers on the team’s “Guts Club” which entails making every practice and every competition.
Bloomer-Colfax will open the mat season this Friday, December 6th at the annual John Timm Memorial Duals in Glenwood City. Wrestling will begin at 4 p.m.
COLFAX has six athletes competing on the 2024-25 Bloomer-Colfax Raptors wrestling team. They are, from left to right, Cole Parzyck, Veronika Leavens, Blake Sparrgrove, Jayden Morgan, Mason Smith and Jacob Wahl. —photo submitted