The high school wrestling season is approaching, but before the first athletes hit the mat, the state’s coaches’ association revealed its projected top teams. 

South Carolina’s wrestling coaches sent in their preseason top-20 teams for each classification and girls. Overall, 11 Lexington County teams earned a spot somewhere in the rankings.

Leading all local schools is River Bluff’s girls team. The Gators are the third-ranked girls team in the state, despite only entering their second season as a program. 

River Bluff had an impressive debut season, sending multiple wrestlers to the state tournament. 

Many of those athletes are coming back this year and a big reason for the Gators’ ranking. These wrestlers include last season’s 135-pound runner-up Sophia Voudouris. Amy Robinson finished third in the 145-pound division and is also returning. 

Gracie Beaulieu and Kyrra Shipman-Lutz are also returning state qualifiers for the Gators. 

Gilbert is the highest-ranking boys team, sitting fifth in the 4A rankings. The team is returning five state qualifiers from last season. 

Chapin is sixth in the 5A Division II rankings with six returning state qualifiers. 

Swansea has the most returning state qualifiers, bringing back nine wrestlers from last season. 

Below are the full team rankings and a list of returning state qualifiers. 

Preseason team rankings 

5A Division I

1. Carolina Forest

2. James Island

3. Ashley Ridge

4. Clover

5. Stratford

6. Summerville

7. Boiling Springs

8. Byrnes

9. Blythewood

10. Fort Dorchester

11. Lexington

12. Rock Hill

13. Dorman

14. Mauldin

15. Wando

16. River Bluff

17. Cane Bay

18. Wade Hampton

19. Dutch Fork

20. Spartanburg

5A Division II

1. Fort Mill

2. Eastside

3. Indian Land

4. Lugoff-Elgin

5. Greenwood

6. Chapin

7. Hillcrest

8. TL Hanna

9. Catawba Ridge

10. St. James

11. Gaffney

12. White Knoll

13. Woodmont

14. Nation Ford

15. Lucy Beckham

16. Northwestern

17. Goose Creek

18. Berkeley

19. Socastee

20. Myrtle Beach

4A

1. May River

2. South Pointe

3. Travelers Rest

4. Fountain Inn

5. Gilbert

6. Westside

7. Daniel

8. Laurens

9. Aiken

10. Hartsville

11. North Augusta

12. AC Flora

13. Beaufort

14. Greer

15. York

16. Bluffton

17. Dreher

18. South Aiken

19. South Florence

20. Hilton Head

3A

1. West-Oak

2. Palmetto

3. Belton-Honea Path

4. Aynor

5. Union County

6. Powdersville

7. Crescent

8. Battery Creek

9. Waccamaw

10. Hanahan

11. Swansea

12. Broome

13. Woodruff

14. Loris

15. Walhalla

16. Marlboro County

17. Chapman

18. Christ Church

19. Keenan

20. Pendleton

2A/A

1. Chester

2. Chesnee

3. Liberty

4. Ninety-Six

5. Buford

6. Clinton

7. Dixie

8. Edisto

9. Cheraw

10. Philip Simmons

11. High Point Academy

12. Bamberg-Ehrhardt

13. Pelion

14. Marion

15. Timberland

16. Lake City

17. Bridges Prep

18. Academic Magnet

19. Fairfield Central

20. Mid-Carolina

Girls

1. Rock Hill

2. Greenwood

3. River Bluff

4. Boiling Springs

5. Blythewood

6. White Knoll

7. Marlboro County

8. South Florence

9. Chester

10. Northwestern

11. South Pointe

12. Gilbert

13. Goose Creek

14. Wando

15. Hilton Head

16. Stratford

17. Clover

18. Union County

19. Lancaster

20. Gaffney 

Returning state qualifiers 

5A Division I

Bryson Hipps - Dutch Fork 

Jackson Stocker - Dutch Fork 

Wesley Heimbach - Lexington

Peter Vaporis - River Bluff 

Will Edwards - River Bluff 

Gavin Boozer - River Bluff 

5A Division II

Matthew Boland - Chapin 

Brandon Rogers - Chapin 

Ben Bonnett - Chapin

Nathaniel Nabors - Chapin 

Jacob Keisler - Chapin

Jace Randolph - Chapin

DeMirion Smith - Irmo

Mason Amaker - White Knoll 

Adrian Galo - White Knoll

4A

Jay Tyler Dufries - Airport 

Devonte Carter - Airport 

Mike Slocum - Airport 

Johnathon Brown - Airport

Collin Comer - Gilbert 

Noah Hays - Gilbert

Anthony Culick - Gilbert 

Jake Stroud - Gilbert 

Inman Burkett - Gilbert

Wade Campbell - Gray Collegiate

3A

Jackson Jeffcoat - Swansea

Michel Rosales - Swansea

Austin Crocker - Swansea

Landon Cunningham - Swansea 

Daniel Aguilar - Swansea

Gabe Kirsch - Swansea 

Patrick Larry - Swansea 

Jerel Wine - Swansea

Luis Vigueras - Swansea

2A/A

Blake Hino - American Leadership

Hayden Hutto - American Leadership

Dayton Daniel - American Leadership

Asher Wright - American Leadership

Shiloh Tindal - Pelion

Isaiah Dover - Pelion 

Hunter Rawl - Pelion 

Richard Havens - Pelion 

John Hannon - Pelion 

Girls

Skyler Simmons - Airport 

Givyn Dyer - Airport 

Grace Jumper - Chapin

Rory Travis - Gilbert 

Ashley Kelly - Gilbert

Grace Beeson - Lexington

Gracie Beaulieu - River Bluff 

Sophia Voudouris - River Bluff 

Amy Robinson - River Bluff 

Kyrra Shipman-Lutz - River Bluff 

Aniya Ruiz - Swansea 

Hayden Moore - Swansea

Chandler Branham - White Knoll 

Naomi Priester - White Knoll