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The 2009-2010 wrestling season will be a rebuilding year for some of Washington’s top high school programs. At the 4A level, Lake Stevens has won the last three state championships. This year they return one champion (Josh Heinzer), and three placewinners, but will face tough competition coming from Tahoma, University (Spokane), Kelso, and Auburn. In 3A, returning champion Enumclaw brings back three placewinners from last year’s Mat Classic. They will be challenged by Yelm, who returns seven placewinners for this season, mostly in the lighter weights, Bonney Lake, East Valley (Spokane), and Auburn Mountainview. In 2A, Deer Park is projected to again take the top podium spot in the team competition. In the 1A division, Orting only lost 1 of its 11 state placewinners and should easily repeat as state champion.
Washington is also supplying some great wrestlers to the college recruiting pool. Ranked nationally as the No. 1 152-pound wrestler, Sedro-Woolley’s Derek Garcia may be as good a wrestler as the state has ever produced. Taylor Meeks of Orting is the No. 54-ranked wrestler in the country by InterMat. Efrain Aguilar is the No. 85-ranked grappler out of Graham-Kapowsin.
Although a few select teams travel outside of our region to seek out national competition, the biggest gauge of our area’s talent will be seen once again this year at the Tri-State Classic taking place in Coeur d’Alene the third weekend of December, and the Pac Coast Championship held in Vancouver, WA the first weekend of January.
Below is a look at the top 10 high school senior recruits from Washington’s Class of 2010.
1. Derek Garcia
School: Sedro-Woolley
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
Projected College Weight Class: 149/157
Derek Garcia won a Junior Nationals freestyle title in Fargo this past summer at 152 pounds(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
2. Taylor Meeks
Taylor Meeks is Washington's top upper weight senior recruit this year(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
Projected College Weight Class: 184/197
Scouting Report: Taylor is the best of the upper weight seniors coming out of Washington this year. He is a former Cadet All-American, finishing fourth at Cadet Nationals in freestyle. He was third in state as a freshman, and has won the championship the last two years. He finished third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, losing 4-3 to No. 1-ranked Tyler Beckwith of New York and beat No. 3-ranked Tyler Lehman of Minnesota. He was fifth at the Western Regionals in 2008. He is also Tri-State champion. He carries an overall record of 110-5, including 72-1 over the last two years. Meeks has already given a verbal commitment to Oregon State.
Efrain Aguilar has gone 83-1 over the past two seasons (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)School: Graham-Kapowsin
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125
Scouting Report: Aguilar is a two-time regional champ, two-time Pac Cost champ, and two-time 4A state champ. His combined record for his sophomore and junior years was 83-1. Aguilar wrestles for a high school that starts at the 10th grade level, so he was not eligible to wrestle during his freshman year. Aguilar has been a Cadet All-American four times, including a third, fifth, eighth and second ... losing to Alan Waters of Missouri in the finals in Greco-Roman in 2007. Nicknamed "El Gato," Aguilar is quick and has excellent technical skills in all styles. For college, he is considering Arizona State, Penn State, Oklahoma, and Iowa.
Nick Bayer has a career record of 99-14(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
School: Tahoma
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
Projected College Weight Class: 174
Scouting Report: Bayer carries a 3.367 grade point average and is a two-time state champion. He is also Pac Coast champion and two-time placewinner at Tri-State. His combined high school record is 99-14. He is looking at Boise State and Wyoming for college.
Josh Heinzer is a two-time state champion, winning titles at 103 pounds and 112 pounds(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
School: Lake Stevens
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
Projected College Weight Class: 125
Scouting Report: Heinzer is a two-time state champion, winning titles at 103 and 112. During his freshman year, two of his teammates finished first and second in the state at 103, keeping him out of the competition. He is a two-time Tri-State placewinner, including a first in 2008. He was second at the El Cajon Invitational in 2008.
6. Jacob Trotter
Jacob Trotter is a looking for a Division I program where he can utilize his academic standing(Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)
09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 215
Projected College Weight Class: 197
Scouting Report: Trotter, who carries a 4.0 grade point average, was the 2009 215-pound state champion in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman. Took third at Tri-State. Had a record of 41-4 as a junior. Was a freestyle state championship as a cadet. He went 10-2 at the Junior Duals. He is fulfilling Eagle Scout requirements and will have award in November. He is also captain of the varsity football team and was voted best defensive player as a junior. He is a looking for a Division I program where he can utilize his academic standing.
7. Garrett Mann
Garrett Mann is a two-time state champion (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135/140
Projected College Weight Class: 133/141
Scouting Report: Mann is a two-time state champion. As a freshman, Mann won the state title at 103. As a sophomore, he placed third at 119. He added his second state title last season at 130. He was also a cadet state freestyle champion in 2008. He is looking at South Dakota State, Great Falls, and Cal State Bakersfield, but is very interested in the U.S. Air Force Academy.
8. Tyler Lamb
Tyler Lamb is a three-time state placewinner (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140/145
Projected College Weight Class: 141/149
Scouting Report: Lamb, who carries a 3.369 grade point average, is a three-time state placewinner. He was second in state at 135 pounds last season. He won titles at Pac Coast, Spud Walley, Tahoma Mat Classic, and Matman. He was also a Tri-State finalist. He is looking at Cal State Bakersfield, Boise State, and Wyoming.
9. Ryan Zumwalt
Ryan Zumwalt finished second in the state last season at 145 pounds (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145/152
Projected College Weight Class: 149
Scouting Report: Zumwalt was sixth in state as freshman at 130, fifth in state as sophomore at 140, and second as a junior at 145. He won titles at the Pacific Open, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest. He is a three-time regional finalist and one-time time regional champ. He is a two-time Greco-Roman state runner-up and placed fourth at the Northwest Regionals. He is looking at Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield.
10. Drew Acorn
Drew Acorn is a two-time state champion (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 125
Projected College Weight Class: 125
Scouting Report: Acorn was a state champion at 119 in 2009, state champion at 103 in 2008, and placed third at 103 in 2007. He was second at the Rocky Mountain Rumble as a sophomore. He is also a Tri-State and Pac Coast placewinner.
Honorable Mention:
Jacob Mason (University)
Chris Tripplet (East Valley)
Konner Knudtsen (Tahoma)
Mitchell Steed (Emerald Ridge)
Ryn Rollins (Republic)
Tyler Metcalf (Graham-Kapowsin)
Micah Morrill (Snohomish)
Nathan Brown (North Central)
Branden Yeik (Olympic)
Alec Bird (Everett)
Blake Adams (Deer Park)
Quinn Gannon (West Valley)
Jeremy Holdaas (Blaine)
Sam Chapman (Vashon)
Tyler King (Auburn Mountainview)
Marques Ford (River Ridge)
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