D1 Preview: Ready to Repeat
February 27, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Detroit Catholic Central and Davison dominated MHSAA Division 1 wrestling all season before meeting in Saturday's team championship match, which the Shamrocks won to claim their second straight MHSAA title.
So it's little surprise that they combine to bring back five individual champions plus another runner-up from last season's Finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
See below for 10 contenders to watch this weekend, plus others who enter the tournament undefeated or coming off runner-up finishes in 2012. Follow all the matches beginning with Thursday's first round live on MHSAA.tv, and click here for results at MHSAA.com. And check back with Second Half later Saturday night for full coverage from the Finals, including comments from all 14 champions.
10 to watch
112: Kyle Gillies, Westland John Glenn senior – Seven wrestlers in this bracket have four or fewer losses, but Gillies is the only undefeated contender, entering 52-0.
112: Lincoln Olson, Davison sophomore – May be an underdog with an undefeated wrestler in the way, but won 103 last season.
119: Shayne Wireman, Holt senior – Driving for his second MHSAA title in three seasons (he won 103 in 2011) and at 43-0 is the only undefeated wrestler in his bracket.
119: Mitch Rogaliner, Temperance-Bedford senior – Boasts a 45-2 record this winter after winning 112 with a 9-5 decision in 2012.
135: Justin Oliver, Davison junior – Won 112 as a freshman and 119 as a sophomore, and enters this weekend 12-1 after helping Davison to last week’s Team Final.
135: Ken Bade, Detroit Catholic Central senior: Looking to win his third championship after taking 130 last season and 125 in 2011, and enters with a 36-7 record against one of the state’s toughest schedules.
152: Aaron Calderon, Brighton senior – Made one of the biggest headlines of 2012 by beating a three-time champion to claim the title at 152, and looks to repeat entering 45-4.
160: Dakota Juarez, Grand Haven junior – Seeking Grand Haven’s first championship since 2008 while entering 41-0 and after finishing third at 152 in 2012.
160: Jordan Cooks, Davison junior – Moved to 39-1 during last weekend’s Division 1 Team Finals and looking to add a repeat individual title after winning this weight in 2012.
171: Drew Garcia, Detroit Catholic Central junior – Won 171 pounds last year after finishing runner-up at 152 in 2011, and could make it two in a row entering this weekend 48-0.
Also undefeated: Holt sophomore Benny Gomez (103, 43-0), Holt junior Martin Rodriguez (125, 12-0), Rochester senior Josh Wood (125, 15-0), Livonia Franklin junior Jordan Atienza (152, 55-0)
Returning MHSAA runners-up: Canton junior Ben Griffin (125, 49-4, 112 in 2012), Grand Haven sophomore Camden Bertucci (112, 40-1, 103 in 2012), Hartland junior Austin Eicher (130, 48-1, 119 in 2012), Detroit Catholic Central junior Malik Amine (140, 36-6, 135 in 2012), Portage Central junior Dominic Latora (152, 44-2, 145 in 2012), Temperance Bedford senior Brandon Sunday (215, 47-1, 285 in 2012).
PHOTO: Detroit Catholic Central's Drew Garcia gets his arm raised high after winning his match during Friday's Team Quarterfinal against Grandville. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
MHSA(Q&)A: St. Johns wrestling coach Zane Ballard
March 4, 2012
This weekend had to resemble, at least slightly, a typical dual match for St. Johns coach Zane Ballard – except he was at The Palace of Auburn Hills for the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals.
But with 13 qualifiers, Ballard guided all but one of his regular line-up at some point over the tournament’s three days. Seven Redwings won championships and two more finished runners-up, just more reminders of how his program has evolved over the last four seasons from solid to arguably the state’s strongest.
St. Johns was 59-51 in the four seasons before these seniors entered high school. The Redwings finished 121-7 during their four-year run and won a third-straight MHSAA Division 2 team title Feb. 25. They haven’t lost to an in-state opponent since 2010. And four of those champions -- plus three more Finals placers -- should be back next season.
Second Half caught up with Ballard on Saturday after one final podium appearance – and the placing of one last medal around the neck of four-time undefeated champion Taylor Massa.
Did you ever imagine you’d have almost your entire line-up at the Individual Finals?
I never envisioned it in the past. But this year, I knew it was possible to do it. This is one of those tournaments, it’s so tough. It’s grueling. … To pull that all together to get nine guys to the Finals, that’s unimaginable. Everything has to go right.
How has coaching changed for you in the last four years, as opposed to first four of five at St. Johns?
It’s like an almost entirely different job. I’ve grown as much or more as any of the wrestlers have. Before four years ago, we had a middle school program but they came in pretty fresh wrestlers. The last four years, kids have been coming in with the capabilities to win a state championship right off the bat.
Is it more fun to coach now, or just different?
Winning’s fun. But it’s different. You’ve got to train them. You’ve got to keep them focused. You have to create workouts for them to keep their attention. They might think they have an easy weekend, and you have to keep them focused. And there’s a lot that plays into it behind the scenes than just the training part.
How do you guys improve on this? How do you keep them coming back for more?
It’s cliché, but we’ll take it one year at a time. We’ll come back next year and have a great showing and do whatever we can to get back. It’s not going to be for lack of training, because if I know these guys, probably most of them will work out tomorrow. They’re ready to go.