Coach says Beaver wrestling team is poised for successful season

Pratt Community College wrestling coach Brook Medrano is excited about the upcoming season, his second at the helm of the Beavers’ program.
Medrano has two new assistant coaches, including a student assistant. The PCC staff now includes Medrano, assistant coaches Bryce Bahe and Josh Carroll and student assistant Eric Luedke.
The Beavers are returning four national qualifiers  — Dodge City native Chris Wright at 141 pounds, Rio Rancho, New Mexico, product Paul Cabbage at 174 pounds, Key West, Florida, native Ralph Major at 184 pounds, and Derby product Tyler Downs at 197 pounds.
Pratt is also returning All American Travis Budke. The Hays native wrestled at 165 pounds last season.
Medrano is also excited about a couple of guys that came at semester last year that should step into the lineup and contribute right off the bat.
He expects 125 pounder Jesse Barber of Dodge City to be one of those.
Kevin Callahan from Baldwin City will wrestle at either 125 or 133, and James Sparks from Emporia is expected to battle for the varsity spot at 285 pounds.
Scott Wise from Plainville broke his foot first match of last year and is back with a medical redshirt. Wise was wrestling 157 a year ago.
Medrano is very excited about some incoming freshman including Aaron Patton from Wellsville; Mookie Forbes from Tallahasee, Florida; Ramon Willis from Lawton, Okla.; Marcus Herrera from Emporia; Keegan Smith from Goodland; and Alex Feldkamp from Derby.
“All of these freshmen have had outstanding high school achievements and should carry over into the college level,” Medrano said.
“I feel that this is the year that Pratt Community College is really going to be a force to be reckoned with,” he added. “Not only are we going to be competitive at tournaments, but it is going to be a very competitive in our own wrestling room for the varsity spots.”
The PCC wrestling program has 54 wrestlers this year and Medrano feels that the Beavers are ready to do some serious damage in the Jayhawk Conference this year.
Watch the Tribune next week for profiles on both new coaches.