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    Wrestling 49: Minnesota

    As the wrestling season's start is fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. Between now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce you to the top senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and from Maine to California, you will gain exposure to the potential stars of future NCAA Championships.

    Did you miss a Wrestling 49 article? Check out the archives.

    The 2009-2010 Minnesota high school wrestling season begins in a little less than two months. This season's crop of seniors may lack the total number of blue-chip Division I wrestlers of the last two senior classes, but it does have very good depth. Dylan Ness may be the only clear blue-chip wrestler in the class. However, there are several wrestlers in this class that will make meaningful impacts on college teams in the next few years. The Top 10 wrestlers in the Class of 2010 all have great upside, but I feel that Zak Coates, Blaine Miller, and Jake Long are the most likely wrestlers to have their stock skyrocket this season. During the time between now and the end of the next Greco-Roman and freestyle season, I expect that we will see a couple of other wrestlers on the list make a bid for blue-chip status.

    1. Dylan Ness

    School: Bloomington Kennedy
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
    Projected College Weight Class: 149/157

    Dylan Ness (Photo/The Guillotine)
    Scouting Report: Ness is a three-time high school state medalist, 2008 USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner, and brings a 148-19 high school record into the 2009-2010 season. Ness finished the 2009 Greco-Roman and freestyle season earning All-American honors in both styles at Junior Nationals in Fargo. During the past two seasons, Ness has been pitted against other nationally-ranked wrestlers at the state tournament and could not capture a championship. Ness has committed to the University of Minnesota, where his older brother, Jayson, is a three-time All-American.

    2. Drew Fleming

    School: Watertown-Mayer
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 119
    Projected College Weight Class: 125

    Drew Fleming (Photo/The Guillotine)
    Scouting Report: Fleming is a two-time Minnesota Class AA state champion and 2008 freestyle and folkstyle All-American. He has amassed a 112-15 record in three seasons as a starter. Eight of Fleming's 15 losses came during his freshman season while wrestling in the 112-pound weight class when he didn't need to cut to make 103. He is favored to win his third state championship in 2009-2010 and has not decided yet where he will wrestle in college.

    3. Joel Bauman

    School: Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 189
    Projected College Weight Class: 197

    Scouting Report: Bauman is the most athletically-gifted wrestler in this year's senior class. He possesses quickness and strength not often seen in the higher weights in high school. Bauman is the 2009 Class A state champion, placed third in 2008, and battled injuries in 2007 when he did not place. Bauman has proven to be one of the premier Greco-Roman wrestlers in his class being a former national champ (2007) and All-American in 2008 and 2009. In 2008-2009, Bauman played a key role in Kerhoven-Murdock-Sundberg's state champion football and wrestling teams. He is attracting the interest of many Division I wrestling and football programs, but it's not clear if he will wrestle in college.

    4. Drew Lexvold

    Drew Lexvold (Photo/The Guillotine)
    School: Kenyon-Wanamingo
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 135
    Projected College Weight Class: 141/149

    Scouting Report: Lexvold's freshman and sophomore seasons ended in disappointment when he did not place at state, but he redeemed himself last season, winning a Class A state championship at 125 pounds. He also earned All-American honors at the 2009 Folkstyle Nationals and 2008 NHSCA Sophomore Nationals ... in addition to folkstyle and Greco-Roman national titles in 2008. While competing at The Clash National Duals, Lexvold tallied a 4-2 record.

    5. Zak Coates

    School: Henry Sibley
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
    Projected College Weight Class: 174/184

    Scouting Report: Coates won his first high school state title last season with his victory over highly-rated senior Brendan Eichmann, who was considered the clear favorite at the beginning of the season. He also beat Eichmann in the section finals. Coates was a 2008 All-American in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, but did not have the same level of success in 2009. Two of his four losses in 2009 were to highly-rated senior Carter Adams (who he beat once during the season) and another loss was to Joe Latham of Bismarck, North Dakota.

    6. Jordan Campa

    School: St. Michael-Albertville
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
    Projected College Weight Class: 165

    Scouting Report: Campa was the 2009 state champion in Class AA and 2009 folkstyle All-American. Campa has made three state tournament appearances, placing twice (third in 2008). His other appearance was at 152 pounds as a freshman. St. Michael-Albertville competed at The Clash National Duals in Minnesota, where Campa went 5-1 with a win over Devin Peterson of Wisconsin, a 2009 USA Wrestling Cadet Triple Crown winner.

    7. Blaine Miller

    School: Plainview-Elgin-Millville
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 160
    Projected College Weight Class: 165/174

    Blaine Miller (Photo/The Guillotine)
    Scouting Report: Miller has racked up 155 career wins going into his senior season ... with 200 for his career possible. In 2009, Miller captured his first state championship, defeating the previous year's state champion, Kevin O'Brien, who now wrestles at West Point. His two previous seasons ended at state without reaching the medal rounds. However, due to Minnesota's policy of not seeding the tournament, he may have done better if not matched up against two state champions in the early rounds. Miller went 5-0 at the Clash National Duals, recording wins over Tyler Miles (seventh in Virginia), Chris Kipp (No. 5 in Wisconsin), and Eric Vanevenhoven (Wisconsin state champion).

    8. Tony Vaske

    School: River Valley
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 140
    Projected College Weight Class: 149

    Scouting Report: Vaske is a three-time medal winner at the state tournament with a career record of 147-19. He placed second at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, losing a close match to Arizona State recruit Louis Trujillo, who is currently ranked as the No. 15 senior in the country by InterMat. Vaske has shown that he can wrestle with best in Minnesota and some of the best in the country. Over the last three seasons, Vaske has been considered one of the favorites to take home the state championship. This could be the year it happens.

    9. Jake Long

    School: West Central Area
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 145
    Projected College Weight Class: 157

    Jake Long (Photo/The Guillotine)
    Scouting Report: Long spent his freshmen and sophomore years just trying to break into the state bracket. In 2006, Long faced off with the eventual third and fourth-place winners at state just to try to qualify for state. In 2007, Long faced off against two wrestlers who eventually became the state champion and third-place winners. Finally, in 2008, he was able to qualify for state ... and in 2009, Long took home a state championship. While Long may not have the total number of achievements that some of the others on this list do, he has made large and steady improvements each year. He has taken advantage of the summer wrestling season and it should show on the mat when the high school wrestling season begins.

    10. Tucker Freeman

    School: Jackson County Central
    09-10 Projected High School Weight Class: 171
    Projected College Weight Class: 174

    Scouting Report: Freeman is a three-time state medal winner who should make his fourth appearance at the state tournament in 2010. He placed second last year, losing to Mr. Minnesota and University of Minnesota recruit Kevin Steinhaus in the finals. He has been a familiar face at the state tournament ... with his first appearance coming in 2005 as a seventh-grader. Though Freeman has an impressive number of career wins (he could pass 200 this year), he has been considered an underdog to win the state championship. 2009-2010 will be different.

    Honorable Mention:
    Dalton Henderson (Owatonna)
    Tommy Glenn (Simley)
    Kyle Leduc (Thief River Falls)
    Ryan Thompson (Benson)
    Jordan Bendson (Staples-Motley)
    Jordan Linn (Foley)
    Andrew Youngblom (Mora)
    Kevin Nelson (Forest Lake)
    Tyler Rohr (Hastings)
    Kraig Schumm (St. Michael-Albertville)
    Mitch Hrovat (Centennial)
    Brandon Haluptzok (Centennial)
    Michael Hirsch (Austin)
    Mason Young (Henry Sibley)
    Jeff Nielsen (Zimmerman)
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