The Huskies, who finished the 2014-15 season ranked No. 2 nationally, return four state placers as well as two other wrestlers who competed at the state tournament. Leading the way is state champion Isaiah White (152), who is ranked fourth overall in the Class of 2016.
Jason Renteria (113) finished as a state runner-up, Gabe Townsell (126) placed third, while Jamie Hernandez (132) placed fourth; additional state qualifiers were Roland Sturkey (182) and Allen Stallings (220). Also returning are potential impact lightweights Peter Ogunsanya and Anthony Madrigal, as well as upper-weight Christopher Middlebrooks, all of whom were Fargo All-Americans.
Two of the five teams are debutants at The Clash: Dakota, Ill., and Rio Rancho, N.M.
Dakota has won three consecutive small-school, Class 1A, state tournament championships in Illinois. They return three state champions, two additional placers, and a sixth state tournament participant from the 2014-15 season for the upcoming season. Returning state champions are Alec Henze (113), Nate Olsen (138), and Greg Krulas (152); Andrew Wenger (132) was a runner-up, Jared Packer (160) placed sixth, while Collin Baker (106) participated in the state tournament.
Rio Rancho has won or shared the big-school state title in New Mexico during ten of the last 13 seasons, including back-to-back championships. They return six state qualifiers for the upcoming season, led by their lone returning state champion, Ryan Rochford (132). Gabriel Gray (106) and Orion Gutierrez (113) were state runners-up this past season, Santiago Salazar (138) placed fourth, Grant Hermanns (220) earned fifth, while Joseph Glenn (160) was a state qualifier.
Prior Lake, Minn. won the second-day round-robin involving teams that placed fifth on the first day of the January 2014 edition of The Clash. The Lakers have advanced to the state (dual meet) tournament semifinals each of the last six seasons in Minnesota's big-school division, Class AAA. They return just three state qualifiers this upcoming season, led by fifth place finishers Zach Smith (113) and Kenny O'Neil (145), with Cadet Greco-Roman All-American Curtis Lemair (106) as that other state qualifier.
Rounding out the newly announced quintet of teams is Roseburg, Ore. In their previous Clash appearance, back in January of 2010, they placed sixth overall; finishing second in their day one bracket, then finishing second in their second day round-robin. They return seven state placers for this upcoming season, including a pair of state champions in Layne van Anrooy (152) and Haydn Maley (182). Additional podium finishers were third place medalists Austin Harris (132) and Will Reddekopp (195), fourth place finishers Bennett Mesa (120) and Shane Sabins (132), along with Hunter Sparks (106) who took sixth. Yet again, Roseburg won Oregon's big-school state title in Class 6A last season.
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