With seven Minnesota State High School League championships, including the last three Class AA titles, Simley High School has a rich wrestling tradition.

This year, and the next, the top-ranked Class AA Spartans may be at their all-time best, thinks longtime Simley head coach Will Short.

“Right now. I think there are so many kids that are at Division I level caliber of wrestlers that if they choose to go wrestle at the Division I level that this is probably the best team we’re going to see. And I think next year, maybe, and there’s always things that can happen, I think next year’s team will be our best season ever.

“Depending on which lineup we wrestle, we’ll graduate either three seniors or four seniors,” Short added. “We’ve got 10 guys back and they’re very, very, very good.”

Then he laughed.

Short can afford to laugh. His lineup consists of five wrestlers who wrestled in the Class AA finals last season and seven wrestlers ranked either first or second in the Class AA rankings.

There are few holes in the Simley lineup. Kyle Gliva is ranked first in the 103-pound weight class in Class AA rankings by The Guillotine. The Guillotine also ranked Pedro DeLao third in 119-pound class; Juan Torres second in the 125-pound weight class; Cola Jensen second in the 130-pound class; Jake Short first in the 140-pound class; Nick Wanzek third in the 145-pound class; Dan Dick first in the 160-pound class; Micah Barnes first in the 171-pound class and Matt Kadrlik fourth in the 285-pound class.

Seniors Matt Kruse, Jensen and Dick, and juniors Barnes and DeLao are having standout seasons.

This sophomore class, however, is something special. Gliva, Torres, Short and Wanzek (145) are simply tearing up the mats. Short is a defending state champion at 140. Gliva and Wanzek were state runner-ups last season as freshmen. Torres was third. None have slacked off. Gliva and Torres are top-ranked in their weight divisions, according to Pioneer Press rankings. Short is ranked second.

Gliva is the No. 11 nationally ranked wrestler at 103 pounds, Short is No. 12 at 140 and Torres is No. 20 at 112.   

Third-place team finishes in the Cheesehead and Clash IX duals meets have cemented Simley’s prowess.

Gliva is a young, motivated wrestler at the 103-pound class.

“He is just absolutely motivated to be the best that he can be in the sport of wrestling,” said Short. “He is constantly working on his game and becoming the best wrestler he can be. He has very high goal. He wants to wrestle beyond high school, so he’s trying to build a resumé that will get him to the next level of wrestling.”

Gliva is 21-1 overall and went 6-0 in the Clash meet.

“I figured I could win all my matches if I wrestled well,” Gliva said. “It was about what I expected because pretty much every one was a good match in the Clash against nationally-ranked teams, so everyone should be good.”

Gliva set high goals this season: “It was to win the Christmas tournament, and I did that. It was to win the Cheesehead and I got third. And then, to win state as an individual and team.”

As a freshman, Wanzek is a state runner-up in the 145-pound weight class — a class normally dominated by upperclassmen.

“Nick Wanzek is, I believe, one of the more talented sophomores in the state of Minnesota,” said Short. “I think he’s one of the best in the nation, and I believe that about Kyle, too. I think Nick brings so many offensive weapons to a match that he’s impressed a lot of people with his technical ability on the mat.

“Being a sophomore wrestling at 145 and already have won 100 wins is really quite an accomplishment,” Short added. “To be wrestling in those middle weights dominated by seniors and juniors and to have 100 wins by your sophomore year is pretty impressive.”

Wanzek, 16, is 18-3 after going 5-1 in the Clash tourney.

“I found out that I could go with the best if I really want to and I got to keep working hard and doing everything we can to improve our team,” Wanzek said. “We’re a great team but we still can make even more improvements on the small things.

 “My goals are to keep working hard and to win the state championship at 145 pounds and a team championship,” Wanzek added. “Keep the streak going.”