BELLEVILLE — Junior Mason Mau led the Sugar River wrestling team to a 7-5 overall record and third-place finish in the Capitol Conference tournament in 2021-22 and looks to keep pace in 2022-23. 

For the second straight year, Mau (126) qualified for state with a second-place finish in sectionals. He also set the new school record in takedowns. This year, Mau is on pace to reach the 100-career win milestone.

Sophomores Blake Endres (106) and Ryker Swenson (152) also wrestled in sectionals last season. Endres made the podium at fourth, but Swenson did not.

Alex Zielinski (160) and Isaac Erb (220) are the remaining two upper classmen that return for the Raiders. The remainder are freshman and sophomores. Aiden Keyes (182) is the lone senior, but he played basketball last season and has no varsity wrestling experience.

“Being a young team, we are bound to have some growing and learning challenges throughout the season,” head coach Peter Swenson said. 

Despite its youth, the team has experienced wrestlers that Swenson aims to “reach their maximum potential.”

Swenson anticipates Lodi being the conference favorite as they are a “great traditional team with many solid wrestlers in their lineup.”