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November 17, 2022 — 6 a.m.
Timber Creek is the lone area team that we cover in District 6. Last year, the Lady Wolfpack were runners-up only to eventual state champion Freedom, and went on to finish third at Region 2 and 6th at state.
Duplicating those feats might be a taller order in 2022-23, what with the loss of the Waltz twins — Bailey (3rd at 130) and Madison (4th at 135) — to May graduations.
But those are the only graduation losses that Timber Creek sustained, and most of the Lady Wolfpack’s starting lineup otherwise will return, meaning that they could have a chance to figure heavily into the Region 2 picture.
Leading that charge will be junior Chloe Shull, who ran the table en route to an undefeated regular season, plus district and region titles on the way to a Saturday night appearance at Silver Spurs Arena, where she fell just short in the final.
Fellow TCHS junior Taylor Thomas (120 last year) also returns as a state qualifier, finishing one match off the state podium. In all, the Lady Wolfpack can call upon as many as six projected key returners.
Freedom will likely be the favorite to repeat in the district and the region, but the Lady Patriots took quite a lot of hits from graduation as well, with six post-season starters to replace. 2022 state champion Cameron Galvin (115 last year) returns, along with medalists Keyla DeLeon (3rd-135) and Maite Coutinho (7th-100).
Gateway, last year’s District 7 champion, comes over to District 6 this year, and will have two returning state placers as well in Lilly Yambor (170-4th) and Emiliana Martinez (190-6th). Osceola, last year’s 3rd-place team in District 7, also has a decent-sized group and some star power, with returning state medalist Kelliana Mack (125-5th).
Tohopekaliga, Cypress Creek and East River have some sizable groups returning, and could challenge for top-5 district positions. Celebration might not be there in team positioning, but has a powerhouse individually returning in 2022 state runnerup Hayeni Costa.
We aren’t projecting picks for the girls’ side yet, as very few programs have full teams.
Capsules for all teams in District 6, where there are returning or graduated wrestlers that competed in the post-season, can be found HERE: GIRLS DISTRICT 6 CAPSULES
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