With the Indianola wrestling team returning their state tournament qualifiers from last season, expectations are high going into this season. Head coach Clint Manny tells KNIA Sports one of the ways this team will prepare for the upcoming season will be taking advantage of a schedule that has a lot of diversity in it, not necessarily facing one team or style.

“We go down to the Kansas City area for a tournament, late January leading up to our postseason run. Last year they came back with a whole new hunger for competition after that. It was a dang tough tournament with a lot of good teams out of the Missouri area, but they wrestled free because they knew they weren’t gonna see the kids they might wrestle at districts or the state tournament. So they wrestled free and open, and I think it propelled us forward because you have to wrestle like it could be your last match. Wrestle not to lose, but to take points and win.”

The Indians start their season this Thursday on the road at Newton.