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    Y2CJ41

    Top 10 Seniors for the Class of 2011

    The Class of 2011 in Indiana is not deep with superstars, but is deep on solid wrestlers.  Four of the wrestlers, Eric Roach, Josh and Justin Kieffer and Jon Sims, are all looking for their fourth state medal this year.  The class of 2011 in Indiana is also very unique with three sets of twins and a set of triplets that will all be in the running for state placements.  The most highly regarded of the twins, Josh and Justin Kieffer already have six state medals between them.  Chad and Doug Welch have both recently verbally committed to Purdue University have placed three times while qualifying for state five times total.  The last set of twins, Reece and Conner Lefever of Fort Wayne Carroll, qualified for state last year with Conner placing 8th after upsetting the previous year’s state runner-up in the first round.  The Rieker triplets from Columbus East will also try to have multiples at the state finals in 2011 after the middle twin, Baron, qualified for state last year.

     

    1.       Eric Roach- Crown Point

    Projected 2011 Weight: 152lbs

    Projected College Weight: 149lbs

    Freshman- 41-4, 2nd Place 130lbs

    Sophomore- 43-2 4th Place 135lbs

    Junior- 42-0, 1st Place 140lbs

     

    Career- 126-6

    2X USAW Preseason Nationals Champion

    FloNationals Champion

    4th NHSCA Sophomore Nationals

    1st NHSCA Freshman Nationals

    Verbally Committed to Indiana University

     

    Eric Roach has the best pedigree of the wrestlers in the class of 2011.  He has three top 4 finishes and captured the state title at 145lbs this past season.  Roach is extremely aggressive and smooth on his feet.  Using a wide range of takedowns he captured the inaugural FloNationals championship this past spring.

     

    2.       Drake Stein- Princeton

    Projected 2011 Weight: 171lbs

    Projected College Weight: 184lbs

    Freshman-31-8, 140lbs

    Sophomore-46-3, 8th Place 152lbs

    Junior- 44-2, 1st Place 171lbs

    Career- 121-13

    2nd USAW Junior Greco-Roman Nationals

    8th USAW Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals

     

    Drake Stein has had a tremendous amount of success while wrestling higher weights his entire career.  After qualifying for semi-state as a freshman he burst onto the scene as a sophomore going undefeated until the state finals when an injury in the quarterfinals dropped him to 8th place.  In the 2010 season he captured the state championship over perennial favorite Michael Duckworth, then went on to finish 2nd at Fargo in Greco-roman.

     

    3.       Ethan Raley- Indian Creek

    Projected 2011 Weight: 135lbs

    Projected College Weight: 141lbs

    Freshman- 33-0, 1st Place 103lbs

    Sophomore- 31-2, State Qualifier 119lbs

    Junior- 37-2, 2nd Place 125lbs

    Career- 101-4

    7th NHSCA Junior Nationals

     

    Ethan Raley is the third and last state champion in the class of 2011.  As a freshman, Raley went undefeated en route to a title at 103lbs.  As a sophomore he did not match the same success, but rebounded as a junior to finish runner-up to nationally ranked Brandon Wright.  He followed up his state finish with a 7th place finish at the NHSCA Junior Nationals.

     

    4.       Josh Kieffer- Roncalli

    Projected 2011 Weight: 125lbs

    Projected College Weight: 133lbs

    Freshman- 38-5, 5th Place 103lbs

    Sophomore-44-5, 2nd Place 112lbs

    Junior- 40-4, 4th Place 119lbs

    Career- 122-14

     

    The Kieffers are the first set of twins we will talk about.  Josh Kieffer has had just a tad more success than his brother in finishing in the top 5 three times.  In 2009, he lost in overtime in the state finals.  Both Kieffers have had success at the Brute Scholastic Duals the past couple seasons, defeating some top notch competitors.

     

    5.       Justin Kieffer- Roncalli

    Projected 2011 Weight: 135lbs

    Projected College Weight: 141lbs

    Freshman-36-9, 7th Place 112lbs

    Sophomore-46-4, 7th Place 119lbs

    Junior- 38-4, 4th Place 125lbs

    Career- 120-17

     

    Justin Kieffer has three state medals to his credit with his highest finish of 4th place this past season.   This past season he had one win over state champion Brandon Wright at regionals.

     

    6.       Doug Welch- Castle

    Projected 2011 Weight: 152lbs

    Projected College Weight: 149lbs

    Freshman-37-5, 125lbs

    Sophomore- 45-4, 5th Place 135lbs

    Junior- 50-1, 2nd Place 145lbs

    Career- 132-11

    Verbally Committed to Purdue University

     

    The Welch twins, ranked 6th and 8th are the second set of twins that are ranked in the top 10.  Doug has steadily improved during his career with two state placements including a runner-up finish this past season.

     

    7.       Jackson Bratcher- Eastbrook

    Projected 2011 Weight: 171lbs

    Projected College Weight: 174lbs

    Freshman-37-1, 152lbs

    Sophomore-32-3, State Qualifier 160lbs

    Junior- 38-1, 3rd Place 171lbs

    Career- 107-7

     

    4th FloNationals

     

    Sandwiched in between the Welch twins is Jackson Bratcher of Eastbrook.  Like Drake Stein, Bratcher has had a lot of success early in an upper weight class.  As a freshman he was undefeated going into semi-state, but lost in the ticket round to state.  As a sophomore he broke through and qualified for state, but this past season was his coming out party with a 3rd place finish in the state finals.  After his state finals finish he placed 4th at FloNationals.

     

    8.       Chad Welch- Castle

    Projected 2011 Weight: 160lbs

    Projected College Weight: 157lbs

    Freshman- 37-7, State Qualifier 135lbs

    Sophomore- 40-6, State Qualifier 140lbs

    Junior- 50-1, 34d Place 152lbs

    Career- 127-15

    Verbally Committed to Purdue University

     

    Chad Welch has qualified for the state tournament three times, but only has one state medal to show for it.  He had a banner year this past season, only losing to state champion Sammy Bennett in the ultimate tie-breaker in the semi-finals.  Both Welches have recently verbally committed to continue their education and wrestling career at Purdue University.

     

    9.       Jon Sims- Evansville Mater Dei

    Projected 2011 Weight: 152lbs

    Projected College Weight: 149lbs

    Freshman-36-11, 6th Place 125lbs

    Sophomore-38-3, 4th Place 140lbs

    Junior-  33-8, 5th Place 145lbs

    Career- 112-19

     

    5th NHSCA Sophomore Nationals

     

    Jon Sims is the picture of consistency at the state finals.  He has three medals to show for his trips to state, but his highest finish is 4th place in 2009.  Sims probably would have finished higher this past season if he did not run into Eric Roach in the quarterfinals, thus limiting him to only finishing as high as 5th place.

     

    10.   Aaron Stevenson- Indian Creek

    Projected 2011 Weight: 189lbs

    Projected College Weight: 197lbs

    Freshman- 10-1

    Sophomore- 45-1, 3rd Place 189lbs

    Junior- 14-0

    Career- 69-2

     

    Aaron Stevenson is one of the most unknown, but good wrestlers in the state of Indiana.  In his only full year of wrestling he finished in third place with only one loss.  This past season he was undefeated until he was sidelined late in the season with an injury that kept him out of the state tournament series.

     

    Honorable Mention

    Luke Schroeder- Southwestern(Hanover)

    Projected 2011 Weight: 112lbs

    Projected College Weight: 125lbs

     

    Daniel Meyer- Bellmont

    Projected 2011 Weight: 285lbs

    Projected College Weight: 197lbs

     

    Josh Boots- Evansville Mater Dei

    Projected 2011 Weight: 171lbs

    Projected College Weight: 174lbs

     

    PJ Montgomery- Terre Haute South

    Projected 2011 Weight: 152lbs

    Projected College Weight: 149lbs

     

    Cody Kendle- Pike Central

    Projected 2011 Weight: 112lbs

    Projected College Weight: 125lbs

     

    Steven Gonzales- Delta

    Projected 2011 Weight: 119lbs

    Projected College Weight: 125lbs

     

    Travis Barroquillo- Prairie Heights

    Projected 2011 Weight: 130lbs

    Projected College Weight: 133lbs

     

    Conner Lefever- Carroll(Fort Wayne)

    Projected 2011 Weight: 160lbs

    Projected College Weight: 165lbs

     

    Reece Lefever- Carroll(Fort Wayne)

    Projected 2011 Weight: 152lbs

    Projected College Weight: 157lbs

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