2022-2023 looks to be another successful season for Ottawa Brave wrestling as they look to once again rule the roost of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) and compete hard within the NAIA.
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| 125 lbs Eddie Daniel |
After two seasons at Clackamas and one season at Midland, Eddie Daniel qualified for the NAIA championships for Ottawa last season after a 3rd place finish at the KCAC. This included placing ahead of Jake Stanton of Oklahoma Wesleyan who had defeated him in the quarterfinals. Daniel will once again compete for a high placing at KCAC, and another trip to the NAIA nationals.
Only a sophomore, Diago Hernandez won the KCAC championship last year as a freshman and finished just one win shy of being an All American at the NAIA championships. The two time Kansas High School 5th placer, looks to perhaps place more times at nationals than he did at state.
Another standout sophomore for the Braves this season will be Braden Ledford. Winning 23 matches last season, the Kansas state champion finished in 3rd place at the KCAC tournament after dropping a tight 3-1 decision in the semi-finals. I thought he might get selected as a wildcard entry, but he was not, but I do feel that he should make the NAIA tournament from here on out.
Parker Wright is another Brave that finished in 3rd place at the KCAC championships last season. Putting together a 22-7 record, he should once again wrestle well for Ottawa as he looks for a trip to the NAIA championships.
Going 30-7, Braden Anderson looked very sharp all season last year, including winning a title at the KCAC tournament. I was a little surprised that he went 0-2 at the NAIA championships, but a national tournament can often be a harsh environment. Look for another KCAC title & a better showing at nationals this season out of the Brave.
Dayton Hill who was a teammate of Braden Anderson's at Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma, also won a KCAC title last season for the Braves. Wouldn't it be something if both Anderson and Hill were to eventually win four KCAC titles apiece? I wonder how many times throughout the History of collegiate wrestling, college teammates who were also teammates in high school both won four conference titles? Easier said than done, but what a story that would make. Also like Anderson, Hill didn't quite fare as well at the NAIA's as I thought he might. Nevertheless he should do better this season.
A two time NJCAA qualifier for Cowley Community College, Biddle missed out on his first NAIA qualification when he finished 4th in the KCAC. He lost a squeaker 7-6 in the semi-finals, before being pinned in the consolation finals. It'll be a chore and it's not a given, but Biddle does has the tools to be another qualifier for the Braves this season.
J.D. Perez made history last season as he became the first Brave since Tyler Hinton who placed 8th in 2015 & 2nd in 2016, to become an NAIA All American when he took 5th place honors at the national tournament. Only junior this season, Perez has the potential to surpass Hinton and become the Braves first three time All American.
A NJCAA champion for Clackamas and a KCAC champion last season, one thing I know that Dylan Reel knows how to do is win. He'll make a second trip to the NAIA championships this season and he'll contend for All American honors.
Fellow HWT & teammate Benito Hernandez has thus graduated and I'm anxious to see what type of an effect that will have on Justin Darter. The two have been battling it out, making one another better for the past two seasons. At the KCAC championships in 2021, Hernandez beat Darter in the finals. Darter got his win in the KCAC finals last season in 2022. Yet at the NAIA championships, while Nick Jarvis of Reinhardt defeated Darter 3-1, he lost to Hernandez 5-3. No doubt about it, Ottawa will have others in the room with Darter, but a good workout partner often makes a world of difference. Very anxious to see how not having Hernandez in the room with him effects his overall performance.
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| 133 lbs Diago Hernandez |
Only a sophomore, Diago Hernandez won the KCAC championship last year as a freshman and finished just one win shy of being an All American at the NAIA championships. The two time Kansas High School 5th placer, looks to perhaps place more times at nationals than he did at state.
 |
| 133 lbs Braden Ledford |
Another standout sophomore for the Braves this season will be Braden Ledford. Winning 23 matches last season, the Kansas state champion finished in 3rd place at the KCAC tournament after dropping a tight 3-1 decision in the semi-finals. I thought he might get selected as a wildcard entry, but he was not, but I do feel that he should make the NAIA tournament from here on out.
 |
| 141 lbs Parker Wright |
Parker Wright is another Brave that finished in 3rd place at the KCAC championships last season. Putting together a 22-7 record, he should once again wrestle well for Ottawa as he looks for a trip to the NAIA championships.
 |
| 157 lbs Braden Anderson |
Going 30-7, Braden Anderson looked very sharp all season last year, including winning a title at the KCAC tournament. I was a little surprised that he went 0-2 at the NAIA championships, but a national tournament can often be a harsh environment. Look for another KCAC title & a better showing at nationals this season out of the Brave.
 |
| 165 lbs Dayton Hill |
Dayton Hill who was a teammate of Braden Anderson's at Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma, also won a KCAC title last season for the Braves. Wouldn't it be something if both Anderson and Hill were to eventually win four KCAC titles apiece? I wonder how many times throughout the History of collegiate wrestling, college teammates who were also teammates in high school both won four conference titles? Easier said than done, but what a story that would make. Also like Anderson, Hill didn't quite fare as well at the NAIA's as I thought he might. Nevertheless he should do better this season.
 |
| 174 lbs Kendall Biddle |
A two time NJCAA qualifier for Cowley Community College, Biddle missed out on his first NAIA qualification when he finished 4th in the KCAC. He lost a squeaker 7-6 in the semi-finals, before being pinned in the consolation finals. It'll be a chore and it's not a given, but Biddle does has the tools to be another qualifier for the Braves this season.
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| 184 lbs J.D. Perez |
J.D. Perez made history last season as he became the first Brave since Tyler Hinton who placed 8th in 2015 & 2nd in 2016, to become an NAIA All American when he took 5th place honors at the national tournament. Only junior this season, Perez has the potential to surpass Hinton and become the Braves first three time All American.
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| 197 lbs Dylan Reel |
A NJCAA champion for Clackamas and a KCAC champion last season, one thing I know that Dylan Reel knows how to do is win. He'll make a second trip to the NAIA championships this season and he'll contend for All American honors.
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| HWT Justin Darter |
Fellow HWT & teammate Benito Hernandez has thus graduated and I'm anxious to see what type of an effect that will have on Justin Darter. The two have been battling it out, making one another better for the past two seasons. At the KCAC championships in 2021, Hernandez beat Darter in the finals. Darter got his win in the KCAC finals last season in 2022. Yet at the NAIA championships, while Nick Jarvis of Reinhardt defeated Darter 3-1, he lost to Hernandez 5-3. No doubt about it, Ottawa will have others in the room with Darter, but a good workout partner often makes a world of difference. Very anxious to see how not having Hernandez in the room with him effects his overall performance.
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