D2 Preview: Rematch Brewing Again
February 20, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
St. Johns and Lowell have met in the last two MHSAA Division 2 Team Wrestling Finals. St. Johns won both.
But the Red Arrows entered the postseason ranked No. 1 in the state poll and enter this weekend's Quarterfinals seeded number one – with St. Johns No. 2 and looking like the championship match opponent once again.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 2, listed by seed. Their Quarterfinal matches begin at 5:30 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. Rankings below are from MichiganGrappler.com.
#1 LOWELL
Record/rank: 21-1, No. 1
League finish: First in O-K White
Coach: Dave Dean, ninth season (232-38)
Championship history: Three MHSAA championships (most recent 2009), six runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Sam Russell (24-9) fr., 112 Lucas Hall (30-0) soph., 119 Zeth Dean (29-4) soph., 125 Derek Krajewski (23-8) sr., 130 Bailey Jack (28-4) sr., 135 Jordan Hall (27-3) jr., 160 Kanon Dean (26-6) sr., 171 Max Dean (28-1) soph.,189 Garett Stehley (25-1) sr., 215 Josh Colegrove (29-0) jr.
Outlook: Lowell's only loss was to Illinois power Chicago Marist, and the Red Arrows own wins over Detroit Catholic Central and Richmond among others. Eight individuals won Regional titles last weekend, and Jack is a reigning Finals champion with Zeth Dean and Stehley runners-up in 2013. This run shows no signs of slowing, as Lowell has only four senior starters.
#2 ST. JOHNS
Record/rank: 18-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Red
Coach: Derek Phillips, second season (37-6)
Championship history: Four MHSAA championships (most recent 2013)
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Emilio Sanchez (33-15) fr.,112 Ian Parker (43-0) soph., 119 Lucas McFarland (36-13) fr., 130 Bret Fedewa (28-17) fr., 140 Zac Hall (45-0) sr., 145 Mark Bozzo (33-6) sr., 152 Logan Massa (44-0) jr., 160 Drew Wixson (27-7) jr.,171 Angus Arthur (40-0) jr., 215 Ty Wildmo (32-5) jr., 285 Jacob Gnegy (11-7) soph.
Outlook: The Redwings’ only losses were to nationally-regarded teams from Ohio and Illinois, and Hall, Massa and Arthur all are reigning individual champions. Hall will compete next weekend to become the 18th in MHSAA history to win for individual titles. Parker hasn’t lost since falling in last season’s Division 2 individual championship match at 103. Hall and Bozzo are the only senior starters, so the trips to Battle Creek should continue.
#3 TECUMSEH
Record/rank: 31-2, No. 3
League finish: Tied for first in Southeastern Conference
Coach: Joshua Lindeman, first season (31-2)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Ricky Azelton (48-3) sr., 112 Drew Marten (45-9) fr., 119 Robert Comar (43-12) sr., 140 Kyle Humphries (33-18) soph., 189 Kody McCrate (35-9) jr.,215 Landon Pelham (51-3) soph., 285 Preston Pelham (50-1) sr., 285 Kolin Connors (16-5) sr.
Outlook: Tecumseh is back for its fourth straight Quarterfinal and first under Lindeman, who formerly coached Brooklyn Columbia Central and wrestled at Hudson. He inherited a lineup of half seniors with three more capable of subbing in. Azelton and both Pelhams were placers at last season’s Individual Finals.
#4 NILES
Record/rank: 21-4, No. 4
League finish: First in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Todd Hesson, seventh season (162-68)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Andrew Flick (31-9) fr., 112 Brandon Meek (29-10) jr., 119 Josh Dayhuff (33-9) jr., 130 Darek Bullock-Mills (34-6) sr., 135 Noah Hall (35-6) jr., 140 Warren Smith (33-6) jr., 145 Quintin Smith (18-14) soph.
Outlook: A year after winning its first Regional since 1960, Niles has won a second straight and three straight Districts for the first time despite graduating some big-time contributors in the spring. Two Individual Finals runners-up are gone, but five starters are back from last season’s team that fell in the Semifinals – and 10 junior starters should gain valuable seasoning for another run in 2015.
#5 BYRON CENTER
Record/rank: 25-7, unranked
League finish: First in O-K Green
Coach: Tom Barker, second season (54-14)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Austin Krantz (39-9) sr., 112 Taylor Rambin (16-2) jr., 140 Nolan Waddell (46-5) sr., 145 Jaxon Smith (38-12) jr., 171 Joshua Lee (46-5) sr., 189 Ryan Vasbinder (43-7) fr.
Outlook: Byron Center is back in the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2009 and seeking its first Semifinal berth. After winning big in the District, the Bulldogs edged a solid pair, Eaton Rapids and Hastings, in the Regional. Barker has won 307 matches as a coach while also leading teams at Grand Rapids Union, Forest Hills Northern and Wyoming Park. Waddell was a Finals placer last season.
#6 WARREN WOODS TOWER
Record/rank: 19-11, unranked
League finish: Second in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Greg Mayer, 14th season (259-211-1)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Joe Schindler (36-10) fr., 119 Al-Aminul Haque (31-17) sr., 125 Nick Pipes (43-5) sr., 135 Donald Janice (33-6) sr.
Outlook: Warren Woods Tower has had a solid run under Mayer and now assistant Russell Correll. The Titans won eight straight District titles from 2004-11 before missing the last two seasons and returning to the Regionals this month. This is their first trip to the Quarterfinals since 2007 and came in part via a three-point upset of No. 5 Ortonville-Brandon in the Regional Semifinal. Pipes also was an Individual Finals qualifier last season.
#7 BAY CITY WESTERN
Record/rank: 20-1, No.6
League finish: Second in Saginaw Valley Association
Coach: Steven Goss, sixth season (115-33)
Championship history: Three MHSAA runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Noah Schoenherr (35-9) fr., 119 Coby Moore (27-7) fr., 125 Blake Jackson (40-6) soph., 135 Thomas Schoenherr (40-4) soph., 140 Christian Schoenherr (13-4) jr., 189 Cody Okes (35-12) jr., 215 Jacob Alarie (40-5) sr.
Outlook: Bay City Western is back in the Quarterfinals for the first time since its Semifinal run in 2002 and defeated No. 8 Greenville along the way. Christian Schoenherr was an Individual Finals runner-up last season and is part of a lineup that includes seven 30-match winners. Bay City Western has won five straight District titles under Goss, a 1978 graduate, former national Greco-Roman champion and coach at the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette.
#8 WARREN LINCOLN
Record/rank: 22-9, unranked
League finish: Tied for first in Macomb Area Conference White
Coach: Bill Delia, 15th season (241-151-13)
Championship history: MHSAA Class A champion 1994.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 125 Garret Kaercher (43-8) soph., 135 Shawn Lindsey (31-12) soph., 145 Khannor Kaercher (44-6) jr., 160 Dierrien Perkins (37-10) soph., 285 Michael Abouya (38-7) sr.
Outlook: Lincoln’s rejuvenation continues this weekend with its second straight Quarterfinal appearance. The Abes have won or shared four straight league titles and won three straight District championships. Khannor Kaercher was an Individual Finals placer at 140 last season.
PHOTO: Lowell’s Lucas Hall (right) battles a New Lothrop opponent during their match earlier this season. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Latest Championship Chapter of DCC/Davison Goes Shamrocks' Way
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
February 22, 2025
KALAMAZOO – Connor Bercume’s Detroit Catholic Central wrestling career came full circle Saturday.
Three years ago, Bercume lost the opening match of the Division 1 Final against Davison in a dual meet the Shamrocks lost by eight.
In his final match at Wings Events Center, however, the senior closed his team wrestling career by winning the clinching match in Catholic Central’s 50-18 victory against Davison.
“That’s a pretty cool feeling,” Bercume said. “I kind of started my career here at the team state championships, it was the first match my freshman year. I lost and we ended up losing that dual. So, that was definitely tough on me. This year, it’s pretty awesome to clinch it up. It still hasn’t really sunk in that this was actually my last time representing CC as a team. But, yeah, it feels good.”
Bercume and the Shamrocks have now won three straight Division 1 Finals titles, seven of the past nine and 11 since 2010, all under coach Mitch Hancock. In three of the five years the Shamrocks didn’t win the title, they were a finalist.
“It doesn’t,” Hancock said when asked if the feeling of winning ever changes. “You’d think it would. You’re so in the process throughout the year of prepping and prepping and prepping, but when it finally comes to fruition, you look at their faces and get the chance to embrace the coaches who have spent so much time and energy with these guys – it doesn’t (change). It’s a special moment. We do the team state tournament right here in Michigan, it means something. Other states, not so much; it’s the individual tournament. But look around. So many communities that are invested in wrestling – it’s special.”
Saturday was the seventh time Davison and CC had met in the Final since 2013, and the first time the Shamrocks had come out on top in that scenario since 2020.
The rivalry added another layer this season, as Hancock’s former Central Michigan University teammate Jason Mester took over the Davison program.
“Jason’s one of my closest friends. I talk to him every day,” Hancock said. “It’s an honor (to compete against him in the Final). It’s his first year at the helm, you can see the progress they made throughout the year. There’s no bigger competitor than Jason Mester, so I know we’re going to see his butt next year. … The Davison/CC rivalry is the best one in the state of Michigan, and you felt that tonight. Kudos to that coaching staff, Coach Mester, they’re going to be around for a long time with him at the helm. I can’t say enough about that team. But our guys stepped up tonight, and that starts with our freshman Braxton Roche at (157). What a remarkable display of talent.”
Roche’s match was one of several between ranked wrestlers in the dual, as he defeated Davison’s Julius Pacheco, who is ranked No. 5 at 150 and bumped up to face the sixth-ranked Roche. The back-and-forth affair ended with an 8-4 decision in favor of Roche, giving the Shamrocks a 26-12 lead with the heart of their lineup still to go.
While Kyle Jelinek would get a pin for Davison in the following match at 165, Catholic Central closed out the dual with five straight wins.
“I thought our guys competed,” Mester said. “The score really doesn’t tell the tale of how well our guys competed today or yesterday or all year, really. Our guys went out there and fought hard. We got beat in a number of positions where the swing matches could have gone either way, and it went their way today. My hat’s off to them – they wrestled a great dual and wrestled a great season.”
Davison (19-4) did get some big pins, as Jelinek was joined by Steve Vaughn (113) and Calvin Martz (138). But those were their only victories on the night.
“We had two seniors who got pinned tonight, and that typically doesn’t happen in our lineup,” Hancock said. “But I looked at both those young men and I said, ‘This team will pick you up.’ And those guys did, so I’m really proud of the other guys who stepped up and found a way to pick those two seniors up.”
Ryan Totten (120), Wyatt Lees (126), Benny Eziuka (285) and Richard Mogle (106) all won by fall for Catholic Central (27-5), while Bercume won by technical fall at 215.
Mack Moskovic (132), Alexander Buskirk (150) and Caden Krueger (175) won major decisions, while Grayson Fuchs (144) and Lee Krueger (190) joined Roche with wins by decision.
“We took some tough Ls (earlier in the season) to Lowell, St. Ed’s (Ohio), all the nationally-ranked teams that we wrestled,” Eziuka said. “That just prepared us for this moment to come out and put on a performance like this.”
Click for this weekend’s Division 1 meet summaries.
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central's Connor Bercume (blue) wrestles Davison's Brandon Glisson at 215 pounds during Saturday's Division 1 Final. (Middle) The Shamrocks' Benny Eziuka has his hand raised in victory after his match at 285. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)