D3 Preview: Back For a Final Shot
February 27, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A total of 11 wrestlers – or nearly half of last season's finalists – will return to The Palace of Auburn Hills this weekend for another run at Division 3 championships.
Consider that a total of 11 wrestlers in this division also enter undefeated, and there should be plenty of stories to tell by the time the final round finishes up Saturday night.
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
285: Josh Capen, Ithaca senior – Hoping to add an individual title to the football championship he helped win this fall; comes into this weekend 40-0.
119: Dakota Ball, Ida sophomore – Enters the weekend 47-4 and going for his second MHSAA championship after winning 103 last season.
119: Andy Caffrey, Parchment senior – Finished fourth at this weight last season, but enters this time 50-0 and arguably the favorite to finish first.
125: Zack Cooper, Whitehall senior – Won championships at 112 and 103 the last two years, respectively, for Remus Chippewa Hills; enters this weekend 50-0 in his first Finals for Whitehall.
135: Zehlin Storr, Leslie junior – Fell to Devin Skatzka (see below) 5-4 in last season’s 135 Final, and should be the favorite this time entering at 55-0.
145: Devin Skatzka, Richmond sophomore – A week after his team finished runner-up in Battle Creek, Skatzka brings a 48-2 record to Auburn Hills and will try to add to his 2012 title at 135.
152: Todd Olson, Dundee senior – Helped Dundee to the team championship last weekend and enters Thursday 46-3 and hoping to finish with another title after ending runner-up at this weight in 2012.
189: Dalton Bailey, Houghton Lake senior -- Last season at 171 became his school’s first finalist dating back to at least 1967, and can become the first champion Saturday after entering 37-0.
189: Donovan Fouchey, Oscoda senior – Bailey might be the favorite, but Fouchey is 46-2 and looking to finish first this time after ending second at this weight in 2012.
215: Gage Hutchison, Buchanan senior – Looking to close an outstanding career with a third straight championship match berth and second-straight title after winning 215 last season; he enters this weekend 52-0.
Also undefeated: Leslie freshman Kanen Storr (103, 54-0), Grand Rapids Catholic Central freshman Devin Schroder (112, 49-0), Grand Rapids Catholic Central sophomore Nate Limmex (130, 18-0), Allendale junior Colin Beebe (189, 35-0), Comstock Park senior John Weldon (140, 34-0).
Others runners-up: Caro senior Shane Herrmann (119, 43-9, 103 in 2012), Allendale senior Luke Jensen (119, 33-4, 112 in 2012), Dundee senior John Marogen (285, 40-7, 285 in 2012), Shelby senior Austin Felt (112, 38-10, D4 103 in 2012).
PHOTO: Buchanan's Gage Hutchison (right), here in last season's Division 3 championship match at 215, will go for a second-straight title this weekend. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Wrestling Finals Ticket Sales Underway
February 14, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Fans wishing to purchase advance tickets for the 2017 Michigan High School Athletic Association Team and Individual Wrestling Finals may now do so through the host sites' box offices, from Central Michigan University for Team Wrestling Finals and The Palace of Auburn Hills for Individual Finals.
CMU will host the Team Quarterfinals on Feb. 24 and Semifinals and Finals on Feb. 25, and tickets are available through CMU Ticket Central. Quarterfinal tickets cost $8 and one ticket is good for all 16 matches, starting with the Division 4 session at noon. Semifinal tickets cost $10 and are good for both sessions of that round beginning at 9 a.m.
Team Finals tickets also cost $10 and are good for both sessions – new this season, the four Finals will be split with Divisions 1 and 4 competing at 3:30 and Divisions 2 and 3 wrestling at 6 p.m. All-session tickets good for all matches both days cost $20.
Tickets for this season’s Individual Finals from March 2-4 at the Palace of Auburn Hills are available exclusively through The Palace Ticket Store. Only all-session reserved seat tickets will be sold, at a cost of $55 each plus applicable handling charges.
Remaining single-session reserved and general admission tickets will go on sale Feb. 27 through The Palace Ticket Store. Single-session reserved seat tickets are priced at $12 each, and general admission seats in the upper bowl of the arena are priced at $11 per session and include in and out parking privileges.
Spectators ordering reserved seat tickets for the Individual Finals must designate the wrestling division they prefer to watch, which will result in their ticket assignment being in full view of the mats being used for that competition. For Divisions 3 and 4, the seats will be on the side of the arena opposite the mat placement, providing an unobstructed view of those mats.
Links to both box offices can be found on the Wrestling page of the MHSAA Website. Individual Finals tickets also may be charged by phone to American Express, Discover, Visa and MasterCard by calling (248) 377-0100.