Webb City wrestling coach Larron Hurst expects senior Brantley Carter, junior Dominic Boles and sophomore Colt Taylor to lead the way for the Cardinals this winter.
Boles (132 pounds) and Taylor (120) were sectional qualifiers last season, while Carter was a key performer at 152 pounds last season.
Of course, the Webb City football team is still alive in the state tournament, so the wrestling squad is currently missing some athletes who will be key performers.
Other seniors listed on the current roster are Silas Sanita and Javon White. Juniors on the roster are Aidan Rose, Aidan Moore, Hunter England and Zach Cantrell.
Hurst listed freshman Jake Cottingham as a top newcomer for the boys team and freshman Laney Taylor as a promising newcomer for the girls squad.
Hurst noted the team’s goals are simple.
“We want to compete in every match that we wrestle in,” he said. “If we are doing that then we are improving each week. I believe that our leadership will dictate what kind of season we have. Our work ethic has increased, as has our positive mindset. These are two attributes that are our foundation. Those have been two keys for this year that we wanted to emphasize with the team.”
Hurst said there’s a lot to like about the group.
“Right now, our middleweights to upper weights have more depth than we have had in the past,” Hurst said. “That’s a bonus for our wrestlers to have various workout partners.”
As far as areas of concerns, Hurst said the team will be young in the lower weights.
“Our lower weights from the last couple of years have graduated and our experience now has shifted into our upper weights,” he said.
Webb City is scheduled to host Joplin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 30.
