D2 Preview: Ready for Storied Finish
February 26, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Coaches R.J. Boudro and Joe Ray Barry will lead celebrated wrestling programs into Friday’s MHSAA Quarterfinals at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
But while Lowell and Eaton Rapids, respectively, have combined for 12 MHSAA titles and are the top seeds in Division 2 this weekend, both coaches are guiding their teams into these final rounds for the first time.
And that’s just another wrinkle of intrigue in a division featuring four teams that have never made an MHSAA championship match and two more that haven’t won a title in more than two decades.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 2, listed by seed. Their Quarterfinal matches begin at 7:45 p.m. Friday, with Semifinals at 11:45 Saturday morning and the championship match at 4 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. (Records below are based on those submitted for the Individual Finals.)
#1 Lowell
Record/rank: 26-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference White.
Coach: R.J. Boudro, first season (26-2)
Championship history: Four MHSAA championships (most recent 2014), six runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Sam Russell (24-10) soph., 119 Lucas Hall (32-1) jr., 125 Aaron Ward (25-9) sr., 130 Zeth Dean (31-3) jr., 135 Jordan Hall (32-4) sr., 145 David Kruse 25-10) fr., 152 Dan Kruse (26-11) jr., 189 Logan Blough (22-15) jr., 215 Josh Colegrove (33-0) sr., 285 Logan Wilcox (28-7) sr.
Outlook: Boudro was an assistant under previous Lowell coach Dave Dean and also an MHSAA individual finalist at Armada before competing at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. He inherited a loaded and veteran lineup, even with only four seniors starting. Lucas Hall, Colegrove and junior Max Dean won individual championships last season, and Zeth Dean and Jordan Hall were placers.
#2 Eaton Rapids
Record/rank: 39-2, No. 4
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference White.
Coach: Joe Ray Barry, third season (91-21)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 1999), six runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Austin O’Hearon (38-4) fr., 125 Austin Eldred (46-8) sr., 135 Jaedin Sklapsky (49-2) sr., 145 Lane McVicker (46-1) jr., 152 Blaine Milheim (45-5) sr., 160 Caleb Norris (42-6) sr., Clayton Higelmire (40-5) jr.
Outlook: Eaton Rapids has a long history of wrestling success, but got its signature win so far under Barry – a former three-time individual champ for Mason – by beating No. 1-ranked St. Johns in the Regional Final. The Greyhounds also eliminated No. 5 DeWitt and No. 9 Mason during their tournament run. Sklapsky was an Individual Finals runner-up at 135 last season, and McVicker was a placer.
#3 Niles
Record/rank: 23-3, No. 3
League finish: First in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference.
Coach: Todd Hesson, eighth season (186-72)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Andrew Flick (24-3) soph., 119 Josh Dayhuff (38-5) sr., 125 Brendan Hall (34-8) soph., 130 Mitchell Findeisen (32-9) soph., 130 Warren Smith (38-8) sr., 135 Noah Hall (37-4) sr.
Outlook: Niles has firmly established itself among Division 2 powers with three straight Regional titles and two consecutive Semifinal appearances, and looks like a possibility to take the next step into a championship bout this weekend. Flick, Dayhuff and Smith are returning Individual Finals placers and lead a line-up anchored by seven seniors.
#4 Gaylord
Record/rank: 39-1, No. 6
League finish: First in Big North Conference.
Coach: Jerry La Joie, 21st season (558-126-2)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Trevor Giallombardo (23-2) jr., 103 Derek Giallombardo (28-6) fr., 112 Dominic La Joie (31-2) soph., 125 Jon Martin (45-3) jr., 145 Jeff Heinz (50-4) sr., 189 Tristan Gregory (33-3) sr., 215 Shane Foster (49-1) jr., 285 Tim Roney (27-8) jr.
Outlook: Gaylord is back in the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2006 and has made four trips under Jerry La Joie, and also won eight straight league and seven straight District titles. The Blue Devils advanced by surviving a strong Regional with a four-point win over Clio and seven-point victory over No. 8 Bay City Western. Dominic La Joie was the champion at 103 pounds last winter to cap his first season, and Martin, Gregory and Foster all placed at their weights.
#5 Flint Kearsley
Record/rank: 35-5, No. 7
League finish: Third in Flint Metro League
Coach: Luther Brown, fourth season (113-45)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Andy Ruhstorfer (48-5) fr., 119 Jakob Chapman (43-3) sr., 135 Travis Wildfong (46-3) jr., 152 Dylan Tarrence (43-6) soph., 171 James Davis (47-3) sr., 189 Reese Harburn (39-14) soph.
Outlook: Kearsley will compete in its second Quarterfinal, having made the trip previously in 2004. But Brown supplies championship experience – he wrestled on the 1995 Class A championship team at Flint Northern – and has led the Hornets to two District titles over his four seasons. Chapman was the Division 2 runner-up at 119 pounds last season, and Davis also was an Individual Finals placer. They are the only two seniors on the roster.
#6 Tecumseh
Record/rank: 32-4, No. 10
League finish: First in Southeastern Conference White.
Coach: George Lesko, first season (32-4)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Andrew Marten (51-2) soph., 125 Wyatt Cadmus (45-9) sr., 135 Gabe Bechtol (39-9) fr., 152 Kyle Humphries (36-8) jr., 189 Kody McCrate (45-8) sr., 215 Landon Pelham (31-2) jr., 285 Nathan Brady (47-10) sr.
Outlook: Lesko has Tecumseh in the Quarterfinals for the fifth straight season and seeking its fourth Semifinal berth in that time. A former assistant with more than 30 years in coaching, he took over a squad that’s starting only three seniors but does have a 2014 Individual Finals placer in Pelham. Five others have at least 40 wins this season, with Marten among expected contenders next weekend.
#7 Warren Lincoln
Record/rank: 21-9, unranked
League finish: Fourth in Macomb Area Conference White
Coach: Vito Delia, 16th season (260-160-3)
Championship history: Class A champion 1994.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Demarco Dixon (40-13) jr., 130 Garret Kaercher (38-5) jr., 135 Shawn Lindsey (33-11) jr., 152 Khannor Kaercher (48-1) sr., 160 Deirrien Perkins (40-5) jr., 171 Jelani Embree (40-0) soph.
Outlook: Lincoln is back at the Quarterfinals for the third straight season and moved up a seed from 2014. Both Kaerchers and Perkins were Individual Finals placers last winter, and Embree is an emerging standout after missing his freshman season with an injury.
#8 Comstock Park
Record/rank: 19-9, unranked
League finish: Third in O-K Blue.
Coach: Jim Olson, 27th season (403-188)
Championship history: Class C champion 1974, runner-up 1980.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 135 Tyler Brewer (48-4) jr., 189 Aaron Martin (41-5) sr.
Outlook: Comstock Park is making its first appearance in a Quarterfinal, although it did finish Class C runner-up in the first season of Olson’s first tenure as coach, in 1980, when team scoring was based on individual placers. The Panthers did win seven District titles in eight seasons at one point, from 2005-12, but broke through this winter after bouncing back from two straight sub-.500 seasons.
PHOTO: Lowell's Lucas Hall and Niles' Andrew Flick wrestled during last season's Division 2 Semifinals; both return this weekend. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Bensinger Adds to Gaylord's Title Count with First of Stradling Coaching Era
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
March 7, 2025
New coach. Same great results.
Gaylord – officially under new leadership for the first time since 1995 – sent four wrestlers this year to the Division 2 Individual Finals at Ford Field in Detroit and came away with yet another champion.
The newest champion is junior Jaron Bensinger, who came out on top in the 144-pound weight class. His brother, Ty, was one of Gaylord’s three individual champs last year.
“It’s pretty cool that both (of us) could experience something like that and both be forever state champions here in Gaylord,” Jaron said. “I couldn’t do this without God. I know He has a plan for me next year, and I have to keep following Him.”
For now, Bensinger will move on to some summer wrestling before getting back on the football field for the Blue Devils.
“I’ll be back at it and hopefully just go out there and have fun,” said Bensinger, who posted a 47-0 record this season after finishing as a Finals runner-up as a sophomore. “I will just take one match at a time next year and whatever happens, happens.”
Casey Stradling officially became the head coach of the Blue Devils this year after serving three as the team’s assistant coach under Jerry LaJoie, who headed up Blue Devils program for 30 years and unofficially turned over the program to Stradling last year. This winter’s team season ended in the Regional Final with a loss to Freeland.
While Stradling, the captain of Petoskey’s 1996 Division 2 champion wrestling team, hopes to see Bensinger involved in summer wrestling, he is looking forward to football for Gaylord’s newest champion as well.
“Jaron does have a passion for football, and there’s where I want him to be,” Stradling said. “I want his weight to be up and for him to be healthy for football because if they worry about their weight, that’s where injuries happen and that’s not where we want him.”
Bensinger has 140 career wins and just 13 losses. He credits his team, faith, coaches and family for his success. He singles out one teammate in particular — training partner Kieran Beach, who also qualified for this year’s Finals.
“I was with that team every day of the week and we all make each other better people on and off the mat, and our coaches go a great job of making sure we’re having fun and still getting after what we need to get after.” Bensinger said. “I wrestled with Kieran every day. He came up short this year, but I think next year has a pretty good chance of doing something special.”
Current assistant coaches Dan Cornish, Dave Beyers and Cole Guilck also played big roles in Bensinger achieving an undefeated championship season.
“Coach Guilck has helped me with all his wrestling knowledge throughout to make sure I enjoy the opportunity to compete,” Bensinger pointed out. “Coach Beyers’ strength program has helped me so much, and Coach Cornish hops in and actually wrestles with us.”
Bensinger comes from an athletic family. There’s a slew of relatives who wrestled competitively on his mother’s said. His dad, reputed to previously favor basketball and baseball, is now one of the biggest fans of wrestling.
Ty and Jaron were first introduced to the sport at a young age by LaJoie.
“I couldn’t have done anything without my family and my teammates,” Jaron Bensinger said. “This sport has meant a lot to my family. My dad loves wrestling now, that’s for sure.”
Junior Zane Willobee followed up his individual championship with a runner-up finish at 165 points last weekend, and senior Caden Sides finished runner-up at 285.
Losing three starters and facing a host of illnesses and injuries were among obstacles Stradling is proud the Blue Devils were able to overcome this season. They also overcame an early-season loss to Cadillac to win their 16th-straight Big North Conference championship.
“The kids were resilient, and we have a great coaching staff,” Stradling said. “We got these guys focused and back in shape and peaking at the right time. I am really happy with the way this team bounded back – coaches and wrestlers.”
Not a whole lot has changed since LaJoie turned things over to Stradling, except a greater focus on pins.
“We’re more of a quick-striking, countering offense – not so much a sprawling defense,” Stradling said, while noting LaJoie coached similarly. “I really think pinning and getting turns is a big part of wrestling, and pins are the ultimate goal.”
Bensinger said LaJoie, who now heads of the Blue Devils middle school program that boasted 20 eighth-graders this season, made him the wrestler he is today.
“New coaches bring in new pieces to the puzzle, and for sure I fit both of them,” Bensinger said. “They both bring great things to the Gaylord program. Coach Stradling has already started off a pretty successful coaching career with a really bright future.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Gaylord’s Jaron Bensinger, left, has his arm raised in victory during Saturday’s Individual Wrestling Finals at Ford Field. (Middle) Bensinger listens in to Blue Devils head coach Casey Stradling, center, and assistant Dan Cornish during a break in his championship match. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)