Wrestling USA Magazine, Preseason Picks Utah Wrestlers of the Year

Outstanding Sophomore Wrestlers for 2006–2007
 

Ethen Lofthouse
Mountain Crest High School, 145 lbs.

School Classification: 4A

I've watched Ethen destroy opponents for years.  His brothers, every one of them, as just monsters, but Ethen seems to be headed for even greater heights than Luke (now wrestling at Iowa).  He finished out his freshman year with a State Championship at 140 lbs. and a record of 37-4, after pinning his way through the state tournament.   He hits the toughest tournaments in the country and comes back a winner.  He's taken state in freestyle and Greco-Roman each of the last three years. He took third in freestyle (seventh in Greco-Roman) in Fargo this past summer at the USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, took the title in Greco-Roman (second in freestyle) at the USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Regionals in freestyle (in the Junior division), took both titles at the USA Wrestling Western Regional Championships in 2005.  This kid's as tough as Luke, but a better technician.

2006 State Champion as a freshman (140 lbs.).  Career Interscholastic Record: 37-4.

Following is a summary of Ethen's wrestling career so far:

• 2006 High School State Champion (as a freshman)

• Three-Time State Champion, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, freestyle (2004–2006)

• Three-Time State Champion, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, Greco-Roman (2004–2006)

• 2006 Champion, Region V

• 2006 3rd Place, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, freestyle

• 2006 7th Place, USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals, Greco-Roman

• 2006 Champion, USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Regional Championships, Greco-Roman

• 2006 2nd Place, USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Regional Championships, freestyle

• 2006 3rd Place, Layton Invitational

• 2006 3rd Place, Viewmont Invitational

• 2005 Champion, USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Regional Championships, Greco-Roman

• 2005 Champion, USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Regional Championships, freestyle

Wrestling USA Magazine Picks

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National Sophomore/Freshman Rankings (145 lbs.): No. 2

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National All Divisions Rankings (145 lbs.): No. 15

UtahWrestling.org 2005 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 8th Schoolboy Division

UtahWrestling.org 2004 Freestyle/Greco-Roman Ranking

• 18th Schoolboy Division

Derek Herrera
Duchesne High School, 112 lbs.
GPA: 3.9

School Classification: 1A (200 enrolled)

Derek Herrera is a finisher.  As a freshman, he finished the season with a 23-6 record with 19 pins, until he met Jeffrey Stephenson of Wayne, who stopped him, holding him down to a silver medal after winning his first region championship.  He was also the champ at the Carbon Duals, the Rich Duals, and the Provo tournament.  He took bronze medals at 1A/2A/3A Junior High State Championships in 2004 and 2005, and is very consistent on the mat.  His sophomore year promises to be even more stellar than his first in the high-school ranks.

2006 2nd in State as a freshman (103 lbs.).  Career Interscholastic Record: 23-6 with 19 pins.

Following is a summary of Derek's wrestling career so far:

• 2006 High School State Silver Medalist (as a freshman)

• 2006 Champion, Region

• 2006 Champion, Carbon Duals

• 2006 Champion, Rich Duals

• 2006 Champion, Provo Tournament

• 2005 Bronze Medalist, 1A/2A/3A Junior High State Championships

• 2004 Bronze Medalist, 1A/2A/3A Junior High State Championships

• 2003 5th Place, 1A/2A/3A Junior High State Championships

Derek is also the Class President, a member of the National Honor Society, the Seminary Council, and was the 2005 Junior Varsity Football MVP.

Zak Baker
Davis High School, 112 lbs.

School Classification: 5A (2,600 enrolled)

Zak is a tough kid who knows how to keep his head in tough spots, and never quits.  At state last year, he dropped his first match to Bingham's Ryker Vandertoolen 6-2, the powered his way through the consolation bracket beating a variety of tough kids, including Brighton's Connor Meadows (12-4), Fremont's Trae Bennett (a national champion) in a 4-1 decision, Alta's Zac Eddington (5-2), then a rematch with Vandertoolen, where he turned the tables to win a 4-2 decision, and finally beat Chase Gardner of Weber 4-3 in the bronze-medal match.  He rounded out his freshman year with a record of 35-5 with 12 pins.  He's also a state champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and took second at the Gladiator World Championships in 2005.

2006 3rd in State as a freshman (103 lbs.).  Career Interscholastic Record: 35-5 with 12 pins.

Following is a summary of Zak's wrestling career so far:

• 2006 High School State Bronze Medalist (as a freshman)

• 2005 2nd Place, Gladiator World Championships

• 2005 State Champion, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, freestyle

• 2005 State Champion, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, Greco-Roman

• 2005 3rd Place, 4A/5A Junior High State Championships

Jace Harmon
Payson High School, 130 lbs.
GPA: 3.6

School Classification: 4A

Jace is a good wrestler who might have shown better than a bronze in state as a freshman had he been in a different weight.  At 125 pounds, he was in the same weight as the brilliant Jason Chamberlain of Springville (who beat him for the Region VII championship).  He lost in the semis to Cody Tolman of Box Elder, who was then teched in the finals by Chamberlain.  Harmon came back from that loss to beat Matt Gavin of East 9-8, then beat the Region Champ from West, Marcus Mayeda for the bronze.  He finished out his freshman year with a very respectable record of 26-10 with 18 pins.

2006 3rd in State as a freshman (125 lbs.).  Career Interscholastic Record: 26-10 with 18 pins.

Following is a summary of Jace's wrestling career so far:

• 2006 High School State Bronze Medalist (as a freshman)

• 2006 2nd Place, Region VII

• 2006 Champion, 4A Duals

• 2005 State Champion, 4A/5A Junior High School State Championships

• 2004 State Champion, 4A/5A Junior High School State Championships

Wrestling USA Magazine Picks

• Nationally Ranked Utahn in National Sophomore/Freshman Rankings (125 lbs.): Special Mention

Creedon Merkley
Uintah High School, 125 lbs.
GPA: 3.5

School Classification: 3A (1,000 enrolled)

Creedon is a very tough competitor.  He never gives and inch, and it has served him well as a freshman, where he finished out a great freshman year third in state after losing a tight decision to Casey Pettus of Hurricane (another tough freshman), who went on to win it all.  Creedon came back from that loss to win two matches and sew up the bronze.  He finished the season with a 26-7 record with eight pins.  He took second in Region X behind Ryan Young (also of Uintah), who went on to place second behind Pettus.  Creedon was a two-time state champion at the 1A/2A/3A Junior High State Championships, and promises to better that number of titles in high school.  He finished out the third in state in freestyle in 2006, behind Blake Mangum of Lone Peak and Collin Grant of West Jordan.

2006 3rd in State as a freshman (119 lbs.).  Career Interscholastic Record: 26-7 with 8 pins.

Following is a summary of Creedon's wrestling career so far:

• 2006 High School State Bronze Medalist (as a freshman)

• 2006 2nd Place, Region X

• 2006 3rd Place, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, freestyle

• 2005 5th Place, USA Wrestling-Utah State Championships, freestyle

• 2004 State Champion, 1A/2A/3A Junior High State Championships

• 2003 State Champion, 1A/2A/3A Junior High State Championships

Creedon is also an Eagle Scout.