Ames wrestling program has high expectations for 2022-2023 season
The Ames wrestling program wants to break ground during the 2022-2023 season.
The Little Cyclones will have inexperience at key spots, but head coach Andy Fecht feels they can do some serious damage this winter.
“We definitely have some big goals,” Fecht said. “We want to get as many guys to state as possible, get a bunch of guys on the awards stand and win as many dual meets as possible. We’re pushing for state duals. It’s something Ames has never done and I’d like to think we can start climbing that ladder.”
Ames will be led by two outstanding veteran talents in senior Kyler Hall and sophomore Jabari Hinson.
Hall qualified for state last season and finished 26-11 at 285 pounds. He lost both of his matches at state a year ago, but with a strong offseason he has the potential to get on the stand at the 2023 tournament.
More:Ames wrestler Kyler Hall has eyes set on state title after shift to 285 pounds
“I wrestled with him last night and he’s never felt like he does now,” Fecht said. “I’m excited. People are going to have a really hard time wrestling Kyler.”
Fecht said Hall will actually need to trim down to make weight. Prior to the start of the season's first practice Hall was listed at 6-4, 300.
“He’s so big and so strong,” Fecht said. “I think with his style of wrestling, the bigger and stronger he is the better he’ll be.”
Hinson won 40 matches at 113 last season. But he wasn't able to push through to state.
"He just was in a really tough district and was behind a couple kids at state,” Fecht said. “You look at him and physically he has developed and matured a lot more. He’s been wrestling really well.”
Hinson defeated state placewinners Max Bishop of Fort Dodge and J.J. Maihan of Ankeny during the season. Bishop placed fourth in 3A at 113 and Maihan seventh.
“It is a lot of motivation,” Hinson said. “Not getting there last year and seeing guys I beat get on the podium, that really was a driving factor in how hard I worked this summer. I’d say I was in the room four to five days a week, which is higher than usual. I’ve also gotten in the weight room and gained probably 20 pounds.”
Hinson will be starting off at 126 this season and he plans on being at Wells Fargo Arena in February. But he doesn't want to settle on just making it down there.
“Obviously you want to win state,” Hinson said. “If I can’t get that I’d be content with top five.”
Two other veterans Ames will be counting on are sophomores Cole Martin and Jackson Winkey. Martin will likely open the season at 130 and Winkey will wrestle at 160 or 170.
Other varsity participants for Ames this season could include 19 freshmen and 15 other sophomores along with Hinson, Martin and Winkey. The Little Cyclones will also have five juniors on the roster and Hall will be joined by six other seniors on the mat.
The Little Cyclones will have a more manageable dual meet season with its move from the CIML to the Iowa Alliance Conference.
Ames will continue to compete in top-notch weekend tournaments including the Ed Winger Invitational at Urbandale in late January and its own Jack Mendenhall Invite Jan. 7 at Ames High. Fecht said those tournaments will help his top wrestlers maintain a high level of competition.
“We’re in a new conference and the nice thing is our team will be pretty competitive in dual meets,” Fecht said. “Our tournament schedule really hasn’t changed."
Ames opens the season Dec. 1 with a dual at Marshalltown. Its first home meet is a double-dual against Des Moines Roosevelt and North Polk Dec. 8.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ames wrestling program has high expectations for 2022-2023 season
