Ho-hum.

Santa Fe Trail High had another strong year on the wrestling mat.

Anymore, it’s to be expected, and that puts added pressure on SFT coach Regan Erickson. To keep the wrestling factory going can’t be easy — even if Erickson makes it look that way.

Once again, the Chargers were one of the area’s top squads. They qualified six wrestlers for the state tournament — five of whom are on the Journal-World All-Area team — and this year finished ninth at the Class 4A state meet in Wichita with 68 points.

Last year, Santa Fe Trail had nine qualifiers but finished 14th place with 42 points.

This year, Erickson had his troops ready — a fine selling point in making Erickson the Journal-World’s area wrestling coach of the year.a

“We could’ve definitely been higher,” Erickson said. “I feel we could’ve won a couple of close matches here and there.

“That’s how it is in the state tournament, though. You lose those, and it could really hurt you.”

Regardless, Santa Fe Trail wrestlers won 14 matches in Wichita, and had four wrestlers place in the top four. Among the Chargers’ standouts were junior Justin Wiscombe and sophomore Lorenzo Mundy, both runner-up finishers at state. Mundy finished the year at 112 pounds with a 31-6 record. Wiscombe, at 152, went 38-2.

Heavyweights named to the Journal-World All-Area wrestling team are, back row from left: Derek Lang, Baldwin; Kyle Flory, Baldwin; and Michael Espinosa, Ottawa; and, front row from left, Josh Barr, Eudora; Daniel Shively, Santa Fe Trail; and Justin Wiscombe, Santa Fe Trail.

In addition, Daniel Shively (275) and Travis Eden (145) placed fourth for the Chargers.

Of those four, only Shively will graduate. That means, of course, that it’s safe to expect another year of success at the Santa Fe Trail wrestling factory.

“I’m feeling real good,” Erickson said. “We’re going to get a couple of kids back that weren’t able to finish the year. I feel we have a lot of possible state points competing for us next year.”

All-area capsules

Justin Broadbent, Mill Valley

At 103 pounds, Broadbent was the Class 5A state runner-up in Wichita after placing first at the Kaw Valley League and regional meets. Broadbent, a sophomore, finished the season 40-4.

Lorenzo Mundy, Santa Fe Trail

A repeat J-W All-Area selection, Mundy moved up to 112 pounds this season and saw similar success, finishing his sophomore season with a 31-6 record, a regional title and a second-place finish at the 4A state meet.

Jeff Peterson, Oskaloosa

Journal-World all-area wrestling team lighter weights are, back row from left: Travis Eden, Santa Fe Trail; Ross Starcher Tonganoxie; Lorenzo Mundy, Santa Fe Trail; and Dustin Crotinger, Santa Fe Trail; and, front row from left, Jeff Peterson, Oskaloosa; Justin Broadbent, Mill Valley; and Matt Turner, Mill Valley.

Peterson, a junior, rose as one of Oskaloosa’s top wrestlers, finishing this year 24-9 in the 119-pound class. He advanced to the 3-2-1A state meet in Hays and finished 2-2 in a loaded field.

Matt Turner, Mill Valley

Turner finished his senior year with a 26-16 record at 125 pounds. He finished second at the Class 5A regionals, then went 1-2 at the Class 5A state meet.

Dustin Crotinger, Santa Fe Trail

Crotinger was one of several aces on Santa Fe Trail’s loaded squad. A senior, Crotinger finished the season 28-8, placing third at regionals and qualifying for state at 130 pounds. He was chosen to represent Kansas at the Kansas City Metro Classic wrestling dual.

Travis Eden, Santa Fe Trail

A repeat All-Area selection, Eden had another strong showing in the postseason. At 145 pounds, Eden placed second at the Abilene regionals, then placed fourth at the state meet. He finished his junior year 32-9.

Ross Starcher, Tonganoxie

Starcher, a junior, was one of four area wrestlers to record 40 victories, finishing 41-4 on the season. A 145-pounder, Starcher rolled through the field at the Hiawatha regional, going 4-0 — all on pins — and qualifying for the state meet in Wichita.

Justin Wiscombe, Santa Fe Trail

Wiscombe, a 152-pound junior, avenged his only loss of the season in the state semifinals, beating De Soto’s Neil Erisman by a 2-1 decision. He eventually placed second at the 4A meet and finished the season with a 38-2 record. He is a repeat All-Area selection.

Neil Erisman, De Soto

Erisman’s astounding success as a freshman was equaled his sophomore year. A 152-pounder, Erisman bounced back from a midseason injury to finish 28-2 and place third at the 4A state meet. In his first two years of high school wrestling, Erisman is 61-3.

Derek Lang, Baldwin

Nobody in the area recorded more victories than Lang, who went 46-4 and finished third at the 4A state meet. Wrestling at 160 pounds, Lang won the Frontier League crown and placed second at the Hiawatha regionals. He was chosen to represent Kansas at the Kansas City Metro Classic wrestling dual.

Kyle Flory, Baldwin

Flory leaves Baldwin as the school’s all-time winningest wrestler. He was the 4A state runner-up at 171 pounds, finishing the season with a 42-4 record. He claimed both the Frontier League and Hiawatha regional crowns in the process. Alongside Derek Lang, Flory represented the Sunflower State at the Kansas City Metro Classic wrestling dual.

Josh Barr, Eudora

Barr was Eudora’s lone state qualifier and finished 34-11 wrestling at 189 pounds. A junior, Barr won the Hiawatha regional crown before placing sixth at the Class 4A state meet in Wichita.

Michael Espinosa, Ottawa

Espinosa showed impressive success at 215 pounds despite being only a sophomore. He finished the year with a 28-8 record, a mark that included a second-place finish at regionals and a sixth-place finish at the Class 5A state meet.

Daniel Shively, Santa Fe Trail

At 275 pounds, Shively turned it up a notch in the postseason. He placed third at the Abilene regionals, then won three matches at the 4A state meet to finish fourth. Shively finished the year 28-10.