By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

A first glance at Marion wrestling’s roster might indicate the team’s success will depend on super-senior Todd Palic, but there are multiple up-and-comers who are carrying over promising results from last season.

The Warriors have limited numbers this year, but Forest Slater and Chance Shults both are wrestlers who can help Palic forge a path for Marion. Each has experience on the big stage, having joined Palic at state in 2019.

Slater is a senior who wrestled at 113-pounds last year and made state in 2018 as a 106-pounder.

If they can again make an impact, it will be the Warriors’ third-straight year sending three wrestlers to state.

It also could indicate a promising future for the Warriors, with Shults and Nathan Hoffner both only sophomores, and an increase to 10 wrestlers this season.

Hoffner could be a dark horse candidate to be the team’s next wrestler to reach the state competition. Despite the success of his teammates, was Hoffner the one who led Marion in pins last year, with 18.

That said, Palic likely will still lead the Warriors. He not only led the team with 29 victories, he also placed fifth as a 182-pounder at state last year, and went undefeated at last year’s Marion County Duals.

That proved to be the case in the team’s opening tournament Friday at Burlington.

Marion placed eighth out of eight teams, but Palic and Shults accounted for 9 of 12 matchups the Warriors won. Palic, this time wrestling in the 220-pound division, defeated all five of his opponents, while Shults was 4-1 as a 132-pounder, including two victories by forfeit.

Brayden Hulett was 2-3 in the 152-pound class, and Hoffner went 1-4 as a 145-pounder.