Mountain Crest's Lofthouse Top-Ranked Senior Wrestler In the Nation

Wrestling USA Magazine published a national ranking of high-school senior wrestlers. Top ranked of the four Utahns included in the list was Ethen Lofthouse, current king of Mountain Crest's dominating Lofthouse wrestling family, who was ranked no. 1 in the country at 171 lbs.

Some of Lofthouse's notable exploits include taking three high-school state titles, winning a second USA Wrestling national championship in Greco-Roman wrestling in Fargo, ND, last summer; winning a Utah High School Coaches Association national junior title in Virginia Beach; and winning a freestyle titles at the USA Wrestling Junior Western Regional Championships in Las Vegas.  Through his junior year, he has accumulated an outstanding interscholastic career record of 128-6.  In the 2008 season, he was selected by the Wrestling USA Magazine and IntermatWrestle.com Utah Editor as a Junior Wrestler of the Year; in 2007, a Sophomore Wrestler of the Year.

Bill Kilpack, Utah Editor for WrestlingUSA Magazine and IntermatWrestle.com, has chosen Lofthouse as the preseason pick for All-Divisions Wrestler of the Year. He said, "I've watched Ethen destroy opponents for years.  His brother and uncles, every one of them, are just monsters, but Ethen seems to be headed for even greater heights than Luke (now wrestling at Iowa).  Ethen's a three-time state champ, pinning his way through the state tournaments, pinning or teching everyone but one opponent last year.  He hits the toughest tournaments in the country and comes back a winner, without fail.  This kid's as tough as Luke, but a better technician."

The list was compiled by Dan Fickel, National Editor for the magazine, based on six criteria: 1) accomplishments at state high-school championships (folkstyle); 2) National Junior freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 3) Cadet National freestyle and Greco-Roman success; 4) performance at prestigious high-school tournaments; 5) information from coaches and parents; and 6) the state from which the nominee hails.

Nine Utah wrestlers appeared in the rankings.

Ranked no. 2 at 103 lbs. was Chasen Tolbert, Delta High School, who finished his junior year with a state title and a record of 45-4.  Other standouts included Dylan Stadel of Lehi High School, ranked no. 21 at 285 lbs.; and Creedon Merkley of Uintah High School, ranked no. 29 at 130 lbs.  Receiving special mentions were Trevor Sweat, Wasatch High School, 199 lbs.; Tucker Ray, Roy High School, 125 lbs.; Hayden Peterson, Springville High School, 140 lbs.; Dean Sullivan, Wasatch High School, 215 lbs.; and Tyson Hunt, Wayne High School, 285 lbs.

Wrestling USA Magazine has been the voice of national high school wrestling since 1965. For more information, see www.wrestlingusa.com.

Kilpack is editor of UtahWrestling.org, an AAU national champion and seven-time national silver medalist, a 15-time AAU/USA Wrestling All-American, and earned an alternate position on the U.S. Pan-Am Team in Greco-Roman. He coaches an independent freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling program through Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Mountain Top Wrestling Club and the junior-high program, Jordan Junior Wrestling.