Bark River-Harris Honing In on Historic Opportunity
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
March 16, 2021
HARRIS — The Bark River-Harris wrestlers are gearing up for what they hope will be a historic postseason run.
BR-H will try to take the first step toward its goal when it travels to Manistique for the Division 4 Team District on Thursday.
Reigning District champ BR-H (21-2) faces the host Emeralds, and Iron Mountain meets Newberry at 6 p.m. The winners advance to the championship match at 7:30.
"This is definitely the best season we've had as a varsity program," said fourth-year coach Joe Racicot. "At the beginning of the season with the number of kids we had coming back, we thought we could be up near the top. Although, I wasn't sure we'd be 21-2. Many of the teams are shorthanded, although we're winning more matches than we're losing. We're heading in the right direction."
If the Broncos win the District, they would host the Team Regional for the first time March 24.
"It's going to be a challenge," said Racicot. "I have the utmost respect for the other coaches in our District. I've learned a lot from them. All of them are good friends and mentors to me. I'm one of the few coaches who didn't wrestle in high school because we didn't have a program here at that time. Although, it didn't take me long to fall in love with the sport."
Last year, the Broncos were crowned District champs for the first time in their 10-year history before falling to Onaway in a Regional opener.
Powers North Central sophomore Drew Allgeyer, who wrestles at BR-H through a co-op venture, is 23-0.
"We've been working hard," said Allgeyer, who will be wrestling at 160 pounds in the District and finished seventh at last season’s Finals at 145. "We have good practice partners and push each other every day. We're all helping each other to be the best we can be, which definitely pays off in competition.
"I have the strength for 171. I've been wrestling at 171 most of the year which helps me a lot,” he added. “All I want to do is have good matches. I always say I don't lose, I learn. There's always somebody better than you. That's big motivation right there."
Both of BR-H's losses this winter were to Division 2 Escanaba.
"We lost to them by six and 12 points," said Allgeyer. "They're the best team in the U.P., and they're well-coached. It's good for us to put up as much of a fight as we did, although none of this will mean anything once we get into the postseason when it really counts. Iron Mountain has a solid team. They and all the other teams will put their best lineup out there."
North Central junior Wyatt Raab (215) is 18-0 going into the postseason.
"This is the first time Bark River-Harris has had a chance to go to the state tournament as a team," he said. "We could also have the most individual qualifiers in school history. We're looking to make a lot of special trips this year.”
BR-H freshman Noah Gagne is pleasantly surprised by the Broncos' record.
"We have a lot of young guys this year," he added. "I thought we'd be pretty good, but not this good. Esky was definitely our toughest competition, and I think Iron Mountain is closer to us. “This has definitely been a learning experience for me. The older guys have been teaching me a lot of things. I've learned to be more confident. They told me to 'know what you're doing and try to listen to your coaches and teammates during a match.'"
Junior Avry Corrigan joined Allgeyer at last season’s Individual Finals. The Broncos this winter also have four girls, including junior captain Katie Viau and Melody Racicot who will be wrestling in Sunday's Michigan Wrestling Association girls state tournament at Highland.
"It's nice to see that growing," said coach Racicot. "We hope to eventually get a girls tournament in the U.P."
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTO: Drew Allgeyer’s arm is raised in victory after one of his wins last season during the Individual Finals at Ford Field. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Dundee Writes Near-Perfect Ending to Near-Perfect Weekend with 9th-Straight Title
By
Jeff Chaney
Special for MHSAA.com
February 28, 2026
KALAMAZOO – The Dundee wrestling team has become so good that winning is almost expected in late February.
The Vikings flexed their muscles once again at the MHSAA Team Wrestling Finals on Saturday at Wings Event Center, winning their ninth-straight Division 3 title with a dominant 60-6 win over Yale in the championship match.
In fact, Dundee lost only three matches all weekend, beating Allegan in the Quarterfinals 70-3 and Lake Odessa Lakewood in the Semifinals 63-6 before their dismantling of Yale in the Final.
But that kind of dominance has not become boring.
"No, not at all," senior 157-pounder Blake Cosby said. "We put the work in the room, and it shows out here. We do so much more than other people, and it shows."
That work starts right after the current season ends – a kind of work ethic that has built a team this year with eight top-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes, two more ranked second and one third.
That's 11 wrestlers out of their 14-wrestler lineup ranked top-three.
"Every year, every group of kids writes their own story," Dundee coach Garrett Stevens said. "People don't see the amount of work that goes into the offseason. These are teenagers, they have highs as they have lows. We have to pick them up when they are down – you have to build them up when they are down. You have to ride the waves when they are high. They put the work in."
To help Stevens with all of that has been a senior group that includes Cosby, 120-pounder Mason Haines, 126-pounder Bryan Sterling, 144-pounder Braden Broderick, 165-pounder Donny Beaufait, 190-pounder Owen Motylinski and 215-pounder Rocco Redmon.
Combined they have seven individual titles to now go with the four team titles they have contributed to during their four seasons at Dundee.
And they still have next weekend's Individual Finals to add to the haul.
It's great to go in a (practice) room and have great workout partners," said Cosby, who is a two-time individual champion going for his third next weekend at Ford Field. "They are awesome to scrap with. This has been awesome. I don't have much to say, but I love the program. I love everything that I have done here."
Yale co-coach Rob Majcher is impressed. His team lost to Dundee in the Finals last year as well.
"Going from last year to this year, I think our kids competed much better this year," said Majcher, whose team ended with a 28-7 record. "I think they wrestled hard and more aggressive. They truly battled. Yes the score may look a little lopsided, but when I break it down to matches, our kids were wrestling in the matches. And that's the big thing, take those incremental steps each year and continue to battle and gain confidence that we can compete."
Last year Yale fell to Dundee in the Final by the score of 74-0.
"This is a special program," said Stevens, whose team ended with a 26-3 record. "I'm sure one day when I get to sit down and look back on all of this, I will probably reflect on (how special) this has been. To me, I will enjoy this for a day, then come Monday we will reset for individuals. Then I will reflect on that for a day, then it is on to the next team."
PHOTOS (Top) Dundee’s Stone Redmon, right, gets control of Austin Rhodes’ leg during their match at 150 pounds Saturday. (Middle) Ryan Williams, left, wrestles Yale’s William Lawson at 113 pounds. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)