Kansas Wrestling (all images via cowleytigers.com)
With only a handful of returning athletes, new Cowley College head wrestling coach Justice Circle has worked hard to add talent to his young roster.
“We brought in a bunch of kids from Oklahoma and some transfers that will be eligible at the start of the second semester,” said Circle, who begins his first year as official head coach after serving last season in the interim role. “We have a young group but a lot of tough kids.”
Led by freshman Melton Powe, placing third and garnering All-American honors in the 174-pound weight class, the Cowley College wrestling team placed 20th at the 2023 NJCAA Division I National Wrestling Championships in Council Bluffs, IA.
Unfortunately, Powe suffered an injury that will cause him to be a medical redshirt this season.
Sophomore Aidan O’Dell (133 pounds) returns to lead the team after advancing to the NJCAA Division I National Wrestling Championships quarterfinals as a freshman.
“Aidan has done a very good job and is ranked in the top five in the country,” Circle said.
Chase Koehler (149 pounds) and Stefann Fearro (285 pounds) also return to the team, while Aiden Godbehere returns after redshirting last season. Godbehere was a multiple-state placer at Edmond North High School.
Cowley added transfers Alexzander Barajas (149 pounds) from Northwest Kansas Tech, Chance Davis (157 pounds) from NCAA Division I University of Little Rock Arkansas, Kamond Manning (285 pounds) from North Iowa Area Community College, and Lewis Caples (197 pounds) from Missouri Valley University.
“Alexzander is a top-three wrestler and has put the conference and nation on notice that he is back, while Chance Davis will be chasing a national title at 157 pounds,” Circle said.
Freshman Bryce Goucher from Yukon, OK, highlights the list of freshmen on the squad. As a senior, he placed fourth at the Oklahoma High School Wrestling State Championships.
“Bryce is a really tough kid,” Circle said. “Jacen Jackson at 165 pounds, as well as Ryker Agee at 141 and Caleb O’Dell at 125 are some other key freshmen.”
Other freshmen are Preston Lee (141 pounds), Daniel Stephens (174 pounds), and Arkansas City High School products Aiden Whetstone (157 pounds) and Terrell Morris (285 pounds).
Cowley is one of five Jayhawk Conference schools that are expected to be ranked in the top 20.
“We compete in a very tough conference, but we expect to be one of the top teams in the conference,” Circle said.
Cowley will open the season at the Labette Dual on November 2 and host a dual against Carl Albert Community College on December 7 before hosting a tri-dual versus Neosho and Colby on January 17.
“We are about to jump into a gauntlet, so we need to see what we are made of,” Circle said. “We need to stay focused on the task at hand and take it one match at a time.”
