Del Norte’s Chulhs Bates and Fortuna’s Cayden Spiers in action at last year’s H-DNL championships.

By Ray Hamill — With the H-DNL dual meet season getting under way this week, some of the league’s wrestlers are making some noise at the state level.

A total of six H-DNL grapplers are now ranked in the top 50 in the state in their weight divisions, according to calwrestling.com.

Fortuna’s Mason Evanow leads the way for the H-DNL and is ranked No. 10 at 126 pounds in the most recent state rankings.

The standout senior placed first at the season-opening Battle at the Border tournament at Del Norte High School.

Three other H-DNL schools also have wrestlers ranked in the top 50, including two in the 175 pound division.

Hoopa senior Kae-wett Nelson is ranked No. 22 at 175, which is the second highest ranking by any H-DNL boy after Evanow.

The Warriors standout placed first at Battle at the Border and also placed third at the Castro Valley Bay Area 60 tournament.

Del Norte’s Colton Schaad is also ranked No. 38 in the same weight division.

The junior standout placed first at a couple of tournaments — the Battle at the Border and the North Bend Coast Classic — as well as placing second at the Grants Pass Winter tournament.

Two of Schaad’s teammates are also ranked in the top 50 in their weight classes.

At 106, Chulhs Bates is ranked No. 23.

The sophomore won his bracket at the Battle at the Border at 113 pounds and also placed second at the North Bend tournament at 106.

His teammate Curtis Bartley, who placed first at last weekend’s Lou Bronson tournament at Liberty High, is ranked No. 28 in the state at 138 pounds.

The tournament win was the third of the season for the outstanding junior.

And rounding out the local contingent of ranked wrestlers is McKinleyville’s Jace Thomson, who is No. 44 at 150 pounds.

The Panthers senior had two tournament wins in December, placing first at both the Del Norte and McKinleyville tourneys.