Gaylord wrestlers to watch headed into the 2023-24 season

GAYLORD ― The winter sports season is finally here in Northern Michigan. Just in time for the first snow storms and snow days.

A fall dominated by football coverage gives way to the most versatile season of sports for Gaylord-area teams, from basketball to skiing and everything in between. However, if there is one sport the Blue Devils have made themselves known for statewide, it's wrestling.

The team has brought in countless accolades under head coach Jerry LaJoie, including 16 consecutive Big North Conference titles, multiple individual and team regional championships as well as three individual state championships in the past two seasons.

Their top performers of the last two years, state champs Louden Stradling and Brayden Gautreau, are now gone, wrapping up their high school careers at the state championships at Ford Field last year before moving onto Central Michigan Universtiy's wrestling program.

Now, a new set of leaders will try to keep up that dominant reputation the Blue Devils' wrestling program has built.

Here are the wrestlers to look out for this season.

Ty Bensinger

Last season: 40-5 overall record, third place in Division 2, 190-pounds

The name Bensinger started to get a bit more traction on the football field this past fall after the senior running back/defensive back helped lead the Blue Devils to an undefeated regular season and their first district title in 21 years.

Now, Ty Bensinger looks to get back to where he originally made waves last year, on the mat. Wrestling in the 190-pound weight class, Bensinger fell just shy of reaching the state championship match as a junior, defeating Logan Lee of Waverly in the third-place match at Ford Field last season.

With Gautreau and Stradling gone, it seems like it will now be Bensinger's team to lead in 2023-24.

Gautreau: Gaylord wrestler Brayden Gautreau commits to Central Michigan

Stradling: Another Gaylord wrestler is headed to Central Michigan with Stradling's commitment

Sunni LaFond

Last season: 30-15 overall record, second place in Girls, 110-pounds

LaFond was one of three Gaylord wrestlers to make it to the final match for their respective division, just falling short of the eventual champion, Algonac's Sky Langewicz, in a closely contested state title match (Dec 5-3).

Now a junior, LaFond figures to be right in the mix for the state title again after two straight runner-up finishes as a freshman and sophomore.

Jaron Bensinger

Last season: 42-9 overall record, fourth place in Division 2, 106-pounds

The younger Bensginer brother showed out in his freshman season, joining seven of his Gaylrod teammates as state qualifiers before making it all the way to the third-place match in his first year of high school wrestling.

Bensinger figures to be one of the top in his weight class again, giving Gaylord yet another weapon on a deep roster of talented wrestlers.

Others to watch

Zane Willobee, sophomore; Caiden Sides, junior; Riley Hush, senior; Joey Cummings. sophomore

Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord wrestlers to watch headed into the 2023-24 season