Mexico boys wrestling wants to be better than its competition obviously but first needs to decide who is better amongst the team.

Head coach Gayle Adams said he has about 30 kids on the team this year and while there are several weight classes he figures to be locked down, there are a few that have multiple Bulldogs competing for them, especially in the heavier weight classes.

“I’ve got a lot of competition happening,” Adams said. “Anytime you can get the kids in the room to compete for spots and work hard, that’s what we want. At 150, I got some newcomers in there so that’s going to be a toss-up. I’ve got about four guys trying for that spot. At 165, it’s kind of the same thing as I’ve got a bunch of newcomers there. Then I got about nine kids for two slots at the varsity level.”

Sophomore Grant Van Horn is Mexico’s lone returning state qualifier as their other three graduated. Van Horn finished fourth in the 132-pound weight class as part of a four-medal state tournament for the Bulldogs a year ago as Keith Ransom was the runner-up at 145, Ricardo Juarez finished fifth in 120 and Dylan Mosley was sixth in the 138 class.

Adams said Van Horn believes he can move up on the podium as high as state champion, which Ransom did most recently for Mexico in 2021 at the 126-pound class.

“He’s got big shoes to fill,” Adams said. “His cousin, Keith Ransom, was a state champ. Grant wants to do as good as his cousin did, and Grant wants to wrestle at the next level so he wants to keep improving. He’s putting in the time in the weight room and on the mat so big things are going to happen for Grant.”

Ransom is projected to move up a class to 138 this season as he is one of several Bulldogs that are sure to fill in spots, Adams said. Others include Keegan Koons at 113, Evan Wilson at 120, Watson Azdell or Casey Minter at 126, Gavin Martin at 132, Kayle Martin at 144, Cameron Beasley at 157, Peyton Hoover at 175, and Emille Scanavino is a good candidate at the heavyweight position.

Among the returners, Adams said Scanavino is coming back from an injury that shortened his season last year, Azdell was one match shy of qualifying for state last year, Koons has grown and Beasley is someone who has wrestled in the program for a few years. Wilson and Grant Walker are looking good among the freshmen group as well as all the freshmen, who have been working hard so far, Adams said.

With the team as big as it is, Adams said it is important for his wrestlers to finish and they should be focused on working toward a positive result at the end of the season.

“You’ve started something, now let’s finish it,” Adams said. “Work through the end of the season and improve every day and every week. Don’t worry so much or focus on losing weight or wins or losses, rather focus on the end of the season at the end of the result. Keep our eyes on the prize for February.”

Mexico has three tournaments scheduled for December, so Adams said that is a place Mexico can see where it stacks up in the type of environment present at districts and state. Before that, the Bulldogs began their season Friday and today in a two-day tournament in Pleasant Hill and will have a dual at Marshall on Thursday.