The initial set of team rankings for the upcoming 2009 10 wrestling season has been released by IndianaMat.com’s decbell1. Two-time state champion Mishawaka, a 31-30 state quarterfinals loser a year ago as the top-ranked team, again leads the way this season, with defending state champion Crown Point second and defending state runner-up (and Mishawaka conqueror) Perry Meridian third.

Castle, a 24-23 state semifinals loser to Perry Meridian last season, and 12-time state champ Evansville Mater Dei round out the first five.

Here is your preseason Top 20 plus from Nov. 2 (thank you, Joe Caprino!):

1. Mishawaka
2. Crown Point
3. Perry Meridian
4. Castle
5. Evansville Mater Dei
6. Merrillville
7. Yorktown
8. Indianapolis Cathedral
9. Bellmont
10. Lawrence North
11. Roncalli
12. Bloomington South
13. New Castle
14. Evansville Reitz
15. Portage
16. Elkhart Memorial
17. Warren Central
18. Penn
19. Columbus North
20. Avon

Teams to watch (listed alphabetically): Carmel, Center Grove, Delphi, East Central, Elkhart Central, Franklin, Hamilton Heights, Martinsville, New Palestine, Peru, South Bend Riley

Finally, a closer look at the Top 20 …

#1 Mishawaka
State titles: 2 (1991, 2008)
Sectional titles (23), recent/streak: 2000-present
Semistate titles (12), recent/streak: 2000-present
Last year: Lost to Cathedral 31-30 in state quarterfinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 Lymon Stoneburner
112 #4 Paul Beck
119 #14 Matt Guerra
125 #10 Nick Schroeder
140 #1 Ryan Stahl
145 #4 Alex White
160 #4 Richard Morin
215 #1 Christian Lentz
285 #2 Travis Thomas

#2 Crown Point
State titles: 1 (2009)
Sectional titles (21), recent/streak: 2003-present
Semistate titles (2), recent/streak: 2009
Last year: Defeated Perry Meridian 33-25 in state championship

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 #7 Cameron Halsted
112 #1 Anthony Hawkins
119 #8 Dallas Schurg
125 #1 Jason Tsirtsis
135 #1 Eric Roach
140 #10 Josh Flamme
145 #12 Tom Renn

#3 Perry Meridian
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (14), recent/streak: 2000-present
Semistate titles (8), recent/streak: 2006-present
Last year: Lost to Crown Point 33-25 in state championship

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 #10 Jared McKinley
112 Michael Clem
125 #16 Kirk Johnson
140 #4 Jacob Tonte
171 #10 Jordan Robinson
189 #6 Andre Richards

#4 Castle
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (28), recent/streak: 2003-present
Semistate titles (2), recent/streak: 2009
Last year: Lost to Perry Meridian 24-23 in state semifinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
112 Michael Brown
135 #2 Doug Welch
140 #5 Chad Welch
160 #5 Cory Weikel
189 #16 Alex Rosebrock
285 #12 Tyler Dougherty

#5 Evansville Mater Dei
State titles: 12 (1986, 1995-2003, 2006, 2007)
Sectional titles (39), recent/streak: 1977-present
Semistate titles (23), recent/streak: 2008
Last year: Lost to Castle 29-16 in regional semifinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 Trevor Appell
119 Quinn Schroeder
125 #12 Zach Henderson
130 #16 Evan Weinzapfel
135 #9 Adam Weinzapfel
140 #2 John Sims
171 Josh Boots

#6 Merrillville
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (19), recent/streak: 2005-present
Semistate titles (6), recent/streak: 2008
Last year: Lost to Crown Point 34-20 in regional semifinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 #5 Zach Stevens
112 Al Padilla
125 #3 Anthony Napules
130 Frankie Valdivia
135 Eddie Deluna
152 Victor Nzeata
171 #7 Kortney Berry
189 #10 Jeremy Wengel
285 #1 James Travis

#7 Yorktown
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (21), recent/streak: 2006-present
Semistate titles (2), recent/streak: 2001
Last year: Lost to Bellmont 31-27 in regional semifinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
112 #9 Devon Jackson
119 #2 Derek Bevans
125 #5 Andrew Hiestand
130 Caleb Smith
135 Josh Rench
160 #10 Trent Castner
189 Grant Brown
285 #3 Ross Janney

#8 Indianapolis Cathedral
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (29), recent/streak: 2006-present
Semistate titles (7), recent/streak: 2009
Last year: Lost to Crown Point 28-23 in state semifinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 #8 Brian Harvey
130 John Stringfield
160 #1 Tyler Willis
215 #6 Jake Buchanan

#9 Bellmont
State titles: 3 (1987, 1988, 1994)
Sectional titles (35), recent/streak: 1991-present
Semistate titles (19), recent/streak: 1998-present
Last year: Lost to Perry Meridian 31-27 in state quarterfinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
119 Brooks Faurote
145 #10 Ryley Hankenson
189 #15 Travis Thatcher
285 #7 Daniel Meyer

#10 Lawrence North
State titles: 4 (1992, 1993, 2004, 2005)
Sectional titles (23), recent/streak: 2005
Semistate titles (10), recent/streak: 2008
Last year: Lost Lawrence Central Sectional to Indianapolis Cathedral 324-255.5

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 Robert Boston
112 #2 Brandon Nelsen
119 Jordan Johnson
130 Greg Bell
135 Matt Rattay
160 Quinten Brooks
215 Jeremy Haskett

#11 Roncalli
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (6), recent/streak: 2009
Semistate titles (1), recent/streak: 2009
Last year: Lost to Crown Point 48-9 state quarterfinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 Aaron Davis
112 #3 Josh Kieffer
119 #3 Justin Kieffer
125 #15 Joe Kieffer
145 Jake Bartley

#12 Bloomington South
State titles: 24 (1924, 1925, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1939, 1941-1943, 1945-1950, 1953, 1957, 1969-1973, 1978)
Sectional titles (32), recent/streak: 2009
Semistate titles (4), recent/streak: 2006
Last year: Lost to Perry Meridian 45-6 in regional finals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 #14 Jacob Boomsma
119 Ethan Farmer
125 #2 Brannigan Barlow
140 Ben Farmer
145 Spencer Boyd
160 #6 Terry Terrell
171 Joey Todd
189 #5 Darren Eads
215 Tito Valentin

#13 New Castle
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (35), recent/streak: 2006-present
Semistate titles (6), recent/streak: 2002
Last year: Lost to Roncalli 36-29 in regional semifinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 #2 Brendan Campbell
112 #6 Conner Mullins
119 #15 Alex Catron
125 R.J. Fellers
130 #9 Cody Fellers
145 Dusty Bennett
160 #11 Van Wasson

#14 Evansville Reitz
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (3), recent/streak: 1975
Semistate titles (1), recent/streak: 1982
Last year: Third at Evansville Central Sectional (Mater Dei 286, Mount Vernon (Posey) 220.5, Reitz 216.5)

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 #6 Bryan Kuhn
112 #13 Trevor Moody
125 #9 Blake Rueger
145 Tyler Boyle
189 #13 Jeff Fentress
215 #16 Zach Wimpelbert
285 Tyler Daugherty

#15 Portage
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (22), recent/streak: 2009
Semistate titles (10), recent/streak: 2005
Last year: Lost to Crown Point 42-13 in regional finals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
112 Brandon Coppinger
119 Damien Torres
125 #13 Luis Acuna
152 #1 Sean McMurray
160 Justin Rhein
171 #15 Aaron King

#16 Elkhart Memorial
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (19), recent/streak: 2002-present
Semistate titles (2), recent/streak: 2008
Last year: Lost to Mishawaka 36-22 in regional finals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
112 Dantrell Goodman
145 #2 Zach Corpe
152 Carmel Salinas
215 Shane Hendrickson

#17 Warren Central
State titles: 1 (1980)
Sectional titles (27), recent/streak: 2007
Semistate titles (6), recent/streak: 2005
Last year: Lost Warren Central Sectional to Roncalli 239.5-222.5

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
119 #1 Brandon Wright
140 #16 Jonathon Decker
189 #2 Michael Johnson Jones

#18 Penn
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (13), recent/streak: 1999
Semistate titles (4), recent/streak: 1998
Last year: Lost Mishawaka Sectional to Mishawaka 327.5-252

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
112 #5 Alex Gregory
130 Grant Anglemeyer
135 #5 Ben Sokol
145 #11 Pat Davenport
152 Austin Kunze

#19 Columbus North
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (22), recent/streak: 2005-present
Semistate titles (1), recent/streak: 2008
Last year: Lost to Roncalli 35-31 in regional finals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
103 Devon Orben
119 Caleb Albertson
145 #7 Marcus Waddell
189 #14 Jarrett Brownfield

#20 Avon
State titles: 0
Sectional titles (24), recent/streak: 2008-present
Semistate titles (2), recent/streak: 2007
Last year: Lost to Perry Meridian 44-13 in regional semifinals

Top returning wrestlers (last year’s weight):
112 Blaine Hall
135 #10 Matt Rassbach
171 #5 Cole Brandt