Center Grove seniors (left to right) Wyatt Krejsa, Nate Johnson and Charlie LaRocca share Daily Journal Wrestler of the Year honors after winning state championships last month.
Daily Journal file photo
At some point relatively soon, three Center Grove seniors will approach the three-pronged fork in the road commonly referred to as life.
However, no matter how many area codes apart their academic and athletic careers place them, Charlie LaRocca, Wyatt Krejsa and Nate Johnson will forever share a state championship pedigree.
The trio secured first-place medals in their respective weight classes in February inside the Ford Center in Evansville — LaRocca at 120 pounds, Krejsa at 150 and Johnson at 285 — and now they’re sharing the Daily Journal’s Wrestler of the Year honors.
Center Grove, which finished runner-up at state for a second consecutive season, dominated All-County recognition with 10 individuals making it. Six are seniors, members of what is likely the most accomplished class of wrestlers in Trojan history.
“I don’t think it’s really hit me that high school wrestling is over,” said the Purdue-bound Krejsa, who finished his prep career with a 121-16 record. That mark includes a freshman season at Delta that saw him advance to the second round of the New Haven Semistate as a 126-pounder.
“I’ve been doing this sport since kindergarten, and I haven’t been good for long. Me going into my freshman year, I began coaching my sister (Anna), and that gives you a different perspective. I got addicted to hard work, and wanting to know how good I can be.”
Pretty darned good, as it turned out.
Kresja made three walks to the state finals podium in a Center Grove singlet, starting with a fifth-place medal at 132 pounds as a sophomore. Last season, he wrestled under the spotlight inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse as a 145-pounder, finishing second, and won it all at 150 this season.
The state’s 113-pound champion as a junior, LaRocca bumped up a weight class this winter and duplicated the feat, becoming only the second Trojan wrestler to be a two-time state champion (Ron Gaskins won in 1976 and 1977 at 105 and 112 pounds, respectively).
LaRocca, ranked third in his class academically with a 4.776 grade-point average, will wrestle for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He’ll reunite with former CG state champ Drake Buchanan, who is currently a sophomore on the Falcons’ roster.
“It’s kind of surreal. I guess it really hasn’t set in yet,” LaRocca said. “I’m looking forward to the next chapter. I’m really looking forward to going out to Colorado, getting my butt beat in basic (training), but getting a world-class education and serving my country. That means so much.”
Unlike Krejsa and LaRocca, the Trojans’ 285-pounder has wrestled his last match. Johnson, a defensive lineman for Center Grove football during its stretch of three straight Class 6A state titles, will continue his career on the gridiron at the University of St. Francis, an NAIA school in Fort Wayne.
Different aspirations. Different directions.
But after an incalculable amount of hours shared inside their school’s wrestling room, bus rides to weekend tournaments and the like, these three seniors are forever linked.
ALL-COUNTY TEAM
The 2024 All-County team for wrestling:
Noah Clouser, Center Grove senior: First team Academic All-Atate … Finished 30-5 at 175 pounds and placed fifth at state finals … Posted a 111-29 career record … Will wrestle at the University of Indianapolis.
Reese Courtney, Center Grove senior: First team Academic All-State … Finished 38-3 and placed third in the state at 144 pounds … Career record of 134-24 … Will wrestle at Campbell University.
Eddie Goss, Center Grove junior: Put together a 36-6 season at 132 pounds and placed fifth at state … Three-time state finals medalist … Will enter his senior season with 108-27 career record.
Oliver Hallett, Indian Creek sophomore: State finalist who finished with a 36-4 record at 165 pounds … Sectional and regional champion … Western Indiana Conference and Johnson County champion.
Joseph Hamilton, Center Grove sophomore: State finalist at 106 pounds who ended debut season with a 20-15 record … Placed second at sectional and fourth at both regional and semistate.
Nate Johnson, Center Grove senior: State champion at 285 pounds … Finished with a 27-1 record … Sectional, regional and semistate champion … Will play football at St. Francis.
Wyatt Krejsa, Center Grove senior: Finished with a 40-2 record and won a state title at 150 pounds … First team Academic All-State … Johnson County, sectional, regional and semistate champion … Will wrestle at Purdue.
Charlie LaRocca, Center Grove senior: Won state title at 120 pounds after doing the same at 113 as a junior … Finished 37-5 this season and 137-18 overall … Academic All-State pick who will wrestle at Air Force.
Kaden McConnell, Center Grove senior: Academic All-State … Johnson County and sectional champion who posted a 31-5 record at 190 pounds … Regional and semistate runner-up … Finished fifth at state finals.
Silas Stits, Center Grove junior: First team Academic All-State … Finished 36-9 at 157 pounds and placed seventh at state meet … Owns a career mark of 95-28 with senior season remaining.
William Vander Luitgaren, Center Grove sophomore: Finished with a record of 34-11 at 138 pounds and was a state finalist … Placed first at sectional, third at regional and fourth at semistate.
Honorable mention
Dominic Brown, Center Grove; Kellen Fellure, Franklin; Cory Fuller, Franklin; Elijah Guyer, Indian Creek; Jordan Jewell, Greenwood; Kegan Jochim, Franklin; Lance Jones, Franklin; Ryan Million, Franklin; Keagan Murray, Greenwood; Cameron Sommers, Franklin; Brody Stephens, Franklin; Owen Trimpe, Franklin; Aiden Woods, Franklin
