D1 Preview: One Champion Will Emerge

Wrestling

February 26, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Hartland, Davison and Detroit Catholic Central have taken turns against each other and as the presumed favorite in Division 1 this season.

They make up the top three seeds among another strong class of teams from Michigan's largest wrestling schools, but should be wary of at least a few others that already have surprised during this tournament run.

Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 1, listed by seed. Quarterfinal matches begin at 2 p.m. Friday, with Semifinals at 10 a.m. Saturday and the championship match at 3:30 p.m. All matches this weekend will be streamed live on a subscription basis on MHSAA.TV. For results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page.

The MHSAA Wrestling Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard.

#1 Hartland

Record/rank: 32-1, No. 2
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West (also Lakes and overall)
Coach: Todd Cheney, 24^rd season (665-97-2)
Championship history: Five MHSAA runner-up finishes (most recent 2015).
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Corey Cavanaugh (41-10) fr.; 103 Kyle Kantola (50-4) fr.; 125 Noah Lopez (43-6) sr.; 130 Garnet Potter (33-11) jr.; 135 Nick DiNobile (35-16) jr.; 140 Reece Hughes (45-4) jr.; 152 Sage Castillo (52-0) sr.; 152 Logan Vish (45-9) sr.; 171 Lucas LaForge (45-6) sr.; 189 Andrew Spisz (35-15) jr.; 285 Brandon Krol (23-3) sr.
Outlook: Will this end with Hartland’s first team championship? The Eagles have made 15 straight trips to the Quarterfinals and fell to Brighton by only six points in last season’s championship match. Hartland gave up only 34 points total in four postseason matches to return this weekend, and its only loss this season was to Detroit Catholic Central during their dual at CMU in January. Hughes, Vish and Potter all were individual placers last season and Castillo is a favorite to also contend next weekend, and they together help make up a nucleus of 11 upperclassmen that fill every weight from 125-285.

#2 Davison

Record/rank: 22-4, No. 2
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League
Coach: Roy Hall, 19^th season (467-88-1)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 2006), three runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Steven Garty (28-8) fr.; 112 Max Johnson (27-0) sr.; 119 AJ Facundo (28-9) soph.; 125 Deven Perez (35-6) sr.; 130 Ryan Schlak (24-13) jr.; 135 Brian Case (33-5) fr.; 145 Kurt Schlak (25-13) sr.; 160 Gabe Ellis (26-11) soph.; 189 Brenden McRill (34-2) jr.; 189 Logan Mabbitt (20-7) sr.; 215 Tanner Thomas (24-11) sr.
Outlook: Davison followed two straight runner-up finishes in 2013 and 2014 by falling to eventual champion Brighton by only four points in a Semifinal last season, but looks capable of taking the final step again for the first time since 2006. Facundo is the reigning champion at 112, and Johnson, Perez, McRill and Thomas all also placed last season (McRill for the second straight). Davison hasn’t given up more than 17 points to an opponent during this run, and is built for now and the future with six seniors plus six underclassmen among starters.

#3 Detroit Catholic Central

Record/rank: 15-5, No. 1
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League.
Coach: Mitch Hancock, ninth season (186-41)
Championship history: Eleven MHSAA championships (most recent 2014), two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Benyamin Kamali (14-1) soph.; 112 Stone Moscovic (26-11) soph.; 119 Kevon Davenport (41-3) fr.; 125 Cameron Amine (34-8) fr.; 130 Aaron Rehfeldt (28-16) sr.; 140 Aidan Wagh (30-15) soph.; 171 Tyler Morland (39-1) jr.; 215 Jackson Ross (33-9) jr.; 285 Nicholas Jenkins (33-10) jr.
Outlook: The Shamrocks are seeking their fifth Division 1 championship in seven seasons and as mentioned above are the only team to beat Hartland this season. DCC has replaced a pair of strong graduating classes the last two years with a strong group of underclassmen to go with eight upperclassmen who hold down eight of the nine heaviest weights. Moreland and Jenkins were individual placers last season.

#4 Oxford

Record/rank: 24-8, No. 6
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red.
Coach: Paul McDevitt, 19^th season (386-155)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2011, two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Daltan Myers (15-1) soph.; 125 Sergio Borg (35-15) soph.; 140 Alex Hrisopoulos (44-5) sr.; 152 Devin Trevino (26-18) fr.; 215 Wyatt Harden (42-3) sr.
Outlook: The Wildcats are back at Finals weekend for the eighth time in nine seasons and as a fourth seed after competing as an eighth only a year ago. A young lineup last season is more veteran with eight upperclassmen but still five freshmen plus another four who have gained valuable experience this winter. Hrisopoulos is coming off his second-straight top-three individual finish, and Borg and Harden also were Finals qualifiers in 2015.

#5 Hudsonville

Record/rank: 27-5, unranked
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Mike Rottier, ninth season (147-108)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Kameron Kempker (28-7) soph.; 103 Jack Samuels (42-1) fr.; 130 Austin Fine (38-9) sr.; 140 Anthony Snead (24-17) sr.; 160 Brenden DeVries (34-9) sr.; 285 Lane Potter (26-19) jr.
Outlook: Hudsonville has built its best record under Rottier and is back at the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2011. The lineup is filled with veterans, with eight seniors, and upperclassmen at every weight from 119-285. Although the team doesn’t have any wrestlers who placed at last season’s Individual Finals, six have won at least 30 matches this winter, including both freshmen at the top of the lineup.

#6 Macomb Dakota

Record/rank: 26-12, No. 9
League finish: Second in Macomb Area Conference Red.
Coach: Ed Skowneski, fourth season (116-34)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Justin Tiburcio (48-10) fr.; 130 Tyler Sanders (52-5) soph.; 140 Layne Malczewski (50-7) soph.; 145 Dustin Solomon (34-16) fr.
Outlook: Dakota definitely is a team on the rise; the team has only one senior among 28 on the roster, starts eight sophomores and three freshmen, and beat rival and No. 8 New Baltimore Anchor Bay by a point on the way to its third Quarterfinal in four seasons. Malczewski and Sanders both placed at the Individual Finals as freshmen, and 12 wrestlers have at least 30 wins this season.

#7 Grand Ledge

Record/rank: 19-7, unranked
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Blue.
Coach: Steve Delaney, ninth season (185-71)
Championship history: Class B runner-up 1962.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Cole Janes (44-2) jr.; 125 Jack Snauko (43-4) jr.; 140 Dylan Steward (44-1) sr.; 285 Matt Lloyd (23-3) sr.
Outlook: Grand Ledge has been the surprise of the MHSAA Tournament after knocking off reigning champion Brighton, which was ranked No. 4 entering the postseason, in their Regional Semifinal. This is the Comets’ first trip to the Quarterfinals since 2005, but Steward has championship experience as the reigning winner at 140. Lloyd also placed in 2015, and they are two of a strong group of 10 upperclassmen leading the charge.

#8 Temperance Bedford

Record/rank: 11-0, No. 10
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference.
Coach: Kevin Vogel, fifth season (114-34)
Championship history: Eleven MHSAA titles (most recent 2001), seven runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 135 Austin Teague (34-11) sr.; 152 Brad Stewart (35-6) sr.; 160 Blake Montrie (46-1) sr.; 189 Gabriel Elarton (39-7) sr.; 285 Tim Stevens (38-5) sr.
Outlook: One of the most storied programs in MHSAA history is back at the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2013, with its last championship match appearance coming during a runner-up run in 2008. Montrie is one of six seniors in the lineup and the reigning champion at 152; Stewart at Stevens also were placers last season. The Kicking Mules eliminated No. 7 Westland John Glenn on the way to CMU.

PHOTO: Detroit Catholic Central and Hartland squared off during the CMU Duals last month, with the Shamrocks coming away victorious. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Wrestling

Hudson Wins D4 Rematch, 6th Team Title

By Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com

February 25, 2017

MOUNT PLEASANT – Scott Marry’s emotional celebrations had become a staple at the MHSAA Team Wrestling Finals.

The Hudson coach had nervously watched his team win a handful of Division 4 titles, each time exploding with energy after a clinching late victory. On Saturday, however, Marry was able to reflect a bit as his team locked up the championship a little more than halfway through its title match against rival New Lothrop.

“It is so fun to win them at the last second, but it’s also fun to watch these kids as they came off the mat one at a time to get to experience them experiencing a state title as a team,” said Marry, who was still plenty excited. “So I slowed it down, and I got to take in some really cool moments with some kids one on one. It was kind of neat.”

Hudson defeated New Lothrop 51-13 at McGuirk Arena on the campus of Central Michigan University, claiming the school’s sixth Division 4 wrestling title, and first since 2013. The Tigers had finished runners-up to New Lothrop in each of the previous three seasons after winning five straight titles from 2009-13.

“It’s great. It’s amazing. It’s breathtaking,” Hudson senior 215-pounder Zack Bailey said. “It’s hard to explain unless you do it. We wanted it to be (New Lothrop). We wanted a little bit of revenge.”

Bailey and Tylor Grames are the only two seniors on the Hudson roster. While they’re certainly key pieces, they know they’re leaving behind a team that’s capable of making a 10th straight appearance in an MHSAA Finals title match.

“It makes me feel like the next couple years are going to be very strong,” Grames said. “Very strong.”

It was Grames and Bailey who started out the dual with a bang for the Tigers, staking their team to a 9-0 lead.

Grames, who is ranked No. 2 at 189 pounds in Division 4 by Michigan Grappler, opened the match with a 5-1 win against the top-ranked wrestler at his weight, Erik Birchmeier. Takedowns in the second and third periods were enough to give him the mini upset and give his team momentum early on.

“I think the tone set us up for victory, I honestly do,” Grames said. “I was No. 2, he was No. 1; I had to stay focused. I came out on top and the team kept it up. It was positive.”

Bailey wasted little time in building on the momentum, getting a pin in 19 seconds at 215 pounds.

“I felt really good about (starting the dual at 189 pounds),” Marry said. “With my Grames kid being ranked second in the state wrestling their No. 1 kid, we knew it was going to be close enough for us to win. We had a really good matchup at 215 and heavy, and we were really solid from 112 to 135. I thought that could be almost too much for their lineup to come back from. I think that kind of did them in. I think we got the momentum, and I think you start losing doubt.”

It indeed was too much for New Lothrop to come back from, as Hudson won six of the next seven matches after their seniors set the tone, building a 36-4 lead and clinching the title with five matches remaining.

“I felt like I’m on top of the world,” Grames said. “For the last half hour, I’ve been sitting here happy.”

Isiah Krizek won a 7-0 decision at 285 for Hudson, and after Logan Wolford put New Lothrop on the board with a 9-1 major decision at 103 pounds, Hudson got three straight pins from Tucker Sholl (112), Tyler Curtis (119) and Jordan Hamdan (125). Scotty Torres won 4-0 at 130 pounds for the Tigers, and Carson Price clinched the team victory with an 8-6 decision over second-ranked Austin Wolford at 135.

Malik Ray won 7-2 at 152 for Hudson, while John Betz (160) and Spencer Blanco (171) closed out the dual with back-to-back pins.

Justin Carnahan won by pin at 140 pounds for New Lothrop, while Zack Riley won a 5-2 decision at 152.

“Part of coaching at New Lothrop is that’s our goal – to get here each year and give ourselves a chance to win it,” New Lothrop coach Jeff Campbell said. “I absolutely think we’ll have a shot in the future, we’ll be stronger and we’ll learn something from what happened today.”

Like Hudson, New Lothrop is remarkably young. Twelve wrestlers who took the mat Saturday for the Hornets could be back next season, meaning the Division 4 titans who have claimed the last nine titles (six for Hudson, three for New Lothrop) will likely be the teams to beat again in 2018.

Hudson entered the weekend as the top seed and top-ranked by Michigan Grappler. New Lothrop, unranked at the end of the regular season, was seeded sixth this weekend but downed third seed Carson City-Crystal and second seed Leroy Pine River to reach the Final.

“When you’re wrestling against Jeff Campbell’s group, it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose,” Marry said. “They’re going to bring it, we’re going to bring it; we’re not counting wins and losses against these guys. It’s really not that type of rivalry. It’s a classy rivalry; it’s a rivalry of respect. We just said to each other out there, we hope to see each other again next year out there.”