Yuma Catholic wrestling preview

Returning 2A state placer/qualifier: Alyosha Sandigo - state runner-up at 152 as junior; Nick Waterford - fifth at state as sophomore at 215.

Key newcomers:  Matt Lopez - senior at 130 or135; Taylor Brown at125; Ryan Gill -freshman at 160 or 171; Blake Hodges - sophomore at 160 or 171. Gill and Hodges come in with lots of junior wrestling experience(Chain Gang). Hodges missed last season due to ankle injury.

Wrestler to watch: Sandigo comes in as the top-ranked wrestler in the conference at 152. ... Waterford would be a given but he's out until January due to a knee injury.

Yuma Catholic coach Joseph Waterford comments: "Got a really good group of scrappers I got about 8 to 10 kids who have never wrestled before ... They are really falling in love with the sport ... We have high expectations ... I have every weight class filled except 112s ...  Last year, was about building tradition. I think we really turned the corner this year. We have over 70 kids out, mainly sophomores and freshmen."

The lowdown: The build continues at Yuma Catholic, which means they will take their lumps but it could pay dividends in two years when those sophomores are experience-laden seniors ... This is Sandigo's year to breakthrough and bring home a state title.