Wrestling 2023-24: Who are Bucks County's 30 best wrestlers

With plenty of talent returning in the Bucks County area, including the PIAA champions, PIAA runners-up, regional champs, the 2023-24 wrestling season should be another good one.

And what happens between now and the postseason tournaments in late February and March will offer plenty of intrigue as big dual meets, tough in-season tournaments, and the PIAA District One Team Duals are on the way.

And don't forget, girls wrestling begins this season, too, with many area wrestlers competing in the officially sanctioned PIAA sport that will also culminate with the PIAA championships in Hershey in March.

Here is a list of the top 30 returning wrestlers in the Courier Times/Intelligencer area of Bucks County and Eastern Montgomery County, done alphabetically by school, many of whom will play big roles for their teams in the regular season.

Take a look:

Central Bucks East

Joe Collins, senior

What to know: Last season, he won a PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regional title at 285 pounds to qualify for the PIAA championships. Finished with a 35-4 record.

Central Bucks West

Chris Dennis, sophomore

What to know: Last season, he won a PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regional title at 114 pounds and became the first West freshman to win a PIAA medal by placing sixth in Hershey. Finished with a 34-6 record.

Conwell-Egan

Kevin Bagnell, senior

What to know: Last season, he won a PIAA District 12 Class 2A title and placed fifth at Southeast Regionals to qualify for the PIAA tournament at 114 pounds. Finished with a 32-6 record.

Dante Burns, senior

What to know: Last season, he placed eighth at the PIAA Class 2A championships at 215 pounds after finishing third at the Southeast Regional tournament. Finished with a 40-8 record.

Steven Harris, senior

What to know: Last season, he qualified for the PIAA Class 2A championships after finishing fifth at the Southeast Regionals at 107 pounds. Finished with a 38-7 record.

Charlie Robson, senior

What to know: Last season, he won a PIAA Class 2A Southeast Regional title at 133 pounds and then placed fourth at the PIAA championships. Finished with a 41-5 record.

Jeff Spofford, junior

What to know: Last season, he qualified for the PIAA Class 2A championships after finishing second at the Southeast Regionals at 127 pounds. Finished with a 27-9 record.

Girls' wrestling a go with PIAA: PIAA gives green light to girls' wrestling beginning next season

Council Rock North

Eren Sement, junior

What to know: Last season, he won his second-straight PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regional title at 127 pounds and placed third at the PIAA championships for the second-straight year. Finished with a 42-4 record.

Council Rock South

Luke Reitter, senior

What to know: Last season, he placed fourth at the PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regional to qualify for the PIAA championships at 114 pounds. Finished with a 26-7 record.

Bek Sadriddinov, senior: Last season, he won his second-straight PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regional title at 160 pounds and placed fifth at the PIAA championships. Finished with a 44-9 record.

More: Wrestling 2023-34: 5 teams to watch in Bucks County

Faith Christian

Joey Bachmann, freshman:

What to know: He is the top-ranked 106-pound freshman in the country according to MatScouts after a summer that saw him win the Under 17 Pan American Games in Mexico gold medal in freestyle and place third at the Under 17 World Championships in Turkey.

Gauge Botero, junior

What to know: Last season, he became the school's first PIAA champion by winning the Class 2A title at 121 pounds. He finished the season with a 43-2 record and did not lose a match against a Pennsylvania wrestler.

Kole Davidheiser, sophomore

What to know: Last season, he placed fifth at the PIAA Class 2A championships at 107 pounds after a third-place finish at the Southeast Regionals. Finished with a 34-11 record.

Mark Effendian, sophomore

What to know: Last season, he placed second at the PIAA Class 2A Southeast Regionals and qualified for the PIAA championships at 215 pounds. Finished with a 40-13 record.

Chase Hontz, junior

What to know: Last season, he won his second-straight PIAA Class 2A Southeast Regional title at 139 pounds and placed third at the PIAA championships. Finished with a 39-10 record.

Jason Singer, sophomore

What to know: Last season, he placed seventh at the PIAA Class 2A championships at 189 pounds after placing fourth at Southeast Regionals. Finished with a 36-12 record.

Max Stein, junior

What to know: Last season, he qualified for the PIAA Class 2A championships after finishing second at the Southeast Regionals at 145 pounds. Finished with a 39-10 record.

Mason Wagner, sophomore

What to know: Last season, he placed fifth at the PIAA Class 2A championships at 133 pounds after placing third at the Southeast Regionals. Finished with a 40-10 record.

Adam Waters, sophomore

What to know: Last season, he became the school's second PIAA Class 2A champion, winning the title at 172 pounds by pin shortly after teammate Gauge Botero won at 121. Finished with a 44-1 record. Also won an Under 17 Pan American Games in Mexico gold medal this summer.

Cael Weidemoyer, sophomore

What to know: Last season, he won a PIAA Class 2A Southeast Regional title at 152 pounds and placed third at the PIAA championships. Finished with a 36-4 record.

New head coach at CR South: Former Council Rock South standout Balasco taking over wrestling program

Palisades

Dan Haubert, senior

What to know: Last season, he placed fifth at the PIAA Class 2A Southeast Regional to earn a second-straight trip to the PIAA championships at 172 pounds. Finished with a 38-9 record.

John Haubert, junior

What to know: Last season, he placed fourth at the PIAA Class 2A Southeast Regional to earn a trip to the PIAA championships at 133 pounds. Finished with a 30-12 record.

Pennridge

Cole Coffin, senior

What to know: Last season, he placed third at the PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regionals at 114 pounds to earn his second-straight trip to the PIAA championships. Finished with a 40-8 record.

Talan Hogan, junior

What to know: Last season, he placed sixth at the PIAA Class 3A championships after finishing second at the Southeast Regionals at 172 pounds. Finished with a 38-12 record.

Sam Kuhns, senior

What to know: Last season, he won the PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regional at 139 pounds title to earn his second trip to the PIAA championships. Finished with a 35-12 record.

Colby Martinelli, junior

What to know: Last season, he won the PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regional title at 107 pounds and placed third at the PIAA championships. Finished with a 38-6 record.

All-area wrestling team: Here's the 2022-23 Bucks/Montco all-star wrestling team

Quinn McBride, sophomore

What to know: Last season, he placed second at the PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regionals to earn a trip to the PIAA championships at 121 pounds. Finished with a 25-8 record.

Quakertown

Collin Gaj, junior

What to know: Last season, he became the fourth Quakertown wrestler to win a PIAA Class 3A title and the first non-senior to do so. He also won his second-straight Southeast Regional title at 145 pounds. Finished with a 49-0 record.

Calvin Lachman, senior

What to know: Last season, he placed second at the PIAA Class 3A Southeast Regionals at 215 pounds and earned his second-straight trip to the PIAA championships. Finished with a 41-7 record.

Mason Ziegler, senior

What to know: Last season, he placed second at the PIAA Class 3A championships at 121 pounds after winning his second Southeast Regional title. Finished with a 45-5 record and has 117 career wins.

Football, wrestling go hand in hand: For area athletes, football helps with wrestling and vice versa

Drew Markol: dmarkol@theintell.com; @dmarkol

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Who are the top 30 returning wrestlers in Bucks County? See our list