When official Greene County High School wrestling practice begins today, the Rams will have two State Champions, another State qualifier, and other returning letter winners in the room for head coach Zach Beekman and his coaching staff. Seniors Kale Petersen and McKinley Robbins, plus junior Gavin Scheuermann have combined for eight State tournament appearances in as many high school seasons. That trio will be expected to lead Greene County into the 2022-23 campaign.

Robbins is the only wrestler in the more than 55 years of Jefferson-based high school wrestling to appear in three State Tournament finals and he did it in his first three years of high school, winning a title in Class 2A in 2021 and finishing second in 2020 and ’22. He’s 116-6 in varsity matches heading into this season and every one of his losses is to others who also have won one or more State titles.

Petersen transferred to Greene County at the start of the 2021-22 school year from West Fork (Sheffield) where he was sixth at the 2020 1A State tournament and first in 2021. He won a 2A title in ’22 for the Rams going 13-0 after gaining eligibility late in the regular season after the transfer. He knocked off a two time State Champion in the finals match at 120 lbs. last February.

Scheuermann will be attempting to make State for the third time in as many seasons and to be a top eight medal winner for the first time.

One of the questions for Coach Zach Beekman will be how close the Rams can come to fielding a full 14 weight class lineup. The vast majority of dual meet losses a season ago were due to forfeiting multiple weights. Qualifying for the 2A Dual Meet State Tournament is an annual goal for the Rams, one that hasn’t bee achieved since 1998. Greene County finished in tenth place in 2A at last February’s traditional State Tournament.