Caldwell County has four wrestlers ranked in the preseason top 25 by Kentuckywrestling.com, including two that placed at the state tournament last year.
Sophomore Riley Johnson, who finished third at region and eighth at state in the 106-pound class last year, is ranked fourth in the preseason at 106.
Sophomore Dylan Walls is ranked No. 6 in the 126-pound class. Walls was second at region and eighth at state in the 120-pound class last year.
Other Region I wrestlers ranked in the 126-pound class include Paducah Tilghman’s Eli Peyton (2nd) Christian County’s Ethan Wells (7th); and Union County’s Glenn Mayes is 20th.
Colin Walls is ranked No. 12 in the preseason in the 152-pound class. He finished fourth in the region in the 145-pound class last year and qualified for the state tournament.
Union County’s Payne Carr is second in the 52-pound class, while Hopkinsville’s Kevonni Young is 11th.
James Jones is 20th in the 132-pound class. Jones just missed qualifying for the state tournament last year after a fifth place finish at region in the 126-pound class.
Union County’s Gabe Adams is second in the 132-pound class, while Paducah Tilghman’s Malachi Rider is 7th and Calloway County’s Ethan Futrell, who transferred from Trigg County, is 14th.
Wrestlers may begin or finish the season in different weight classes than where they are in the preseason.
As a team, Caldwell County is ranked 22nd in the preseason poll. Defending state champion Union County is ranked No. 1, and Paducah Tilghman is ranked No. 2.
Caldwell County opens their wrestling season Dec. 5 at Calloway County.