Rainier High School wrestling identifies keys to successful season ahead of 2025-26 campaign

As Rainier High School’s wrestling season begins shifting into gear, the program, and head coach Chris Holterman, have identified several keys to having a successful year during the 2025-26 campaign.

According to Holterman, the team’s five keys to the current wrestling season include: filling all the weight classes; giving returning wrestlers “what they need” while bringing along the newcomers in a “delicate balancing act”; finding opportunities for wrestlers to get on the mat; working hard and giving their best; and having fun and improving each day at practice.

He described the program’s top returners for the 2025-26 season on the girl’s side as junior Chloe Willis, defending state champion, junior Ryleigh Cruse, fifth place recipient at Mat Classic last year, and senior Layla Hill, a former Mat Classic participant. Last season, the girls placed seventh overall at the Mat Classic and third overall at the state qualifier tournament. The RHS girls wrestling team will return five state participants this season.

On the boys side, Holterman said the team’s top returners are senior Dorian Cano, fourth place finisher at Mat Classic last year, senior Addison Poole, former Mat Classic participant and regional champion, and junior Blake Roberts, a two-time Mat Classic participant. Last year, the RHS boys wrestling team placed 16th overall at state and second in the state qualifier tournament. Additionally, the boys will return nine Mat Classic participants this season.

He also identified key losses within the program, including Zander Peck, a former two-time Mat Classic placer and holder of four all-time records on the boys side, and Keira Anderson, a former two-time Mat Classic placer and holder of 13 all-time records on the girls side.

Holterman has also identified several high-potential newcomers on the boys and girls side of the team. He named freshmen Tanner Dow, Wyatt Cughan and Wyatt Murchison as young athletes on the boys team to keep an eye on, and freshmen Janessa Dodson, Celia Rogers, Brooke Holum and Sophia McCarthy as young grapplers on the girls team to look out for.

“Rainier wrestling has seen tremendous growth this year with 37 boys on the mat, which is 12 more (boys) than last year, and 15 girls, which is about the same as last year,” Holterman said. “With 52 total wrestlers, it is one of the largest groups of wrestlers ever in Rainier wrestling history. It is a packed room and it is amazing. It is tough for the coaches to get to everyone, but it is a great problem to have.”

Next month, Rainier’s girl wrestlers will have the opportunity to make history, as they have been selected to participate in the first ever state dual meet tournament on Saturday, Jan, 31, in Othello. Holterman, in his 32nd year of coaching at Rainier, spoke highly about the girls’ big opportunity early next year.

“The girls will compete against 2A, 1A and B teams to crown a dual meet champion. It is exciting for the girls to get to compete as a team and not just individuals,” Holterman said. “Many times at the individual state, teams do well with only a few girls, but as a team they would not because they don’t fill the weights. Rainier currently will fill 12 of the 14 weight classes which makes them a strong contender.”