LAGRANGE – It’s that time again.

A new wrestling season is about to begin, and the LaGrange Grangers have been hard at work getting ready.

LaGrange, along with Callaway and Troup, kicked off preseason practice on Oct. 24, and a new season will begin this weekend.

Troup will participate in a tournament at East Coweta on Saturday, and Callaway and LaGrange will begin their seasons the following weekend at Central-Carroll.

LaGrange, for the third consecutive year, is practicing at Unity Elementary School.

LaGrange head coach Scooter Weathers said the wrestlers take advantage of the facility, as well as the surrounding streets.

“We’ve been running every day,” Weathers said.

Weathers has been pleased with the turnout for practice, and he figures there will be close to 40 team members by the time the season rolls around.

“We’ll have 35 to 40 when it’s all said and done,” he said. “The football guys, there are still four or five. I told them take the time. I get it.”

While there are plenty of veteran wrestlers, Weathers will have to find replacements for some key seniors from last year’s team, including Guy Wegienka, Emmanuel Mann and Matt Watford, who each enjoyed exceptional prep careers.

“Those seniors we lost were big,” Weathers said.

There are plenty of talented wrestlers returning, though, including Chase Sams John Todd Bohn, Colt Creed, Dijon Hart, Quindon Dunson, De’Erious Sands and Jordan Ragan.

Hart, Bohn, Dunson, Creed, Sams and Ragan all qualified for the state sectional last year.

LaGrange will continue to practice this week and next, and then it’ll be time to kick off the season at the Central-Carroll tournament.

“They’ve been working hard,” Weathers said. “They’ve been here every day. We’ve been doing a lot of drilling, a lot of teaching. They’re getting ready.”

BASKETBALL NOTE: While the regular season won’t begin until next week, LaGrange High’s teams will be on the court on Thursday for preseason action against visiting Heard County.

The girls’ game will tip off at 6 p.m., with the boys’ game to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports