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.)
St. Johns' Massa: Master of the Mat
February 29, 2012
Taylor Massa enters his final high school wrestling competition today at The Palace of Auburn Hills the same way he started it -- without a loss.
Massa is one of 896 wrestlers who will compete this weekend. But he can become just the 16th in MHSAA history to graduate with four individual championships. And his 217 consecutive wins rank fifth on the all-time MHSAA list. With three wins this weekend, he’d move up to fourth.
“Taylor has absolute dedication to the sport. During the season he is on the mat seven days a week training,” St. Johns head coach Zane Ballard said. “Off the mat, he’s a normal teenager who likes wake-boarding and hanging out with his friends. He also is a very good student.”
The MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals begin at 2 p.m. today. They continue through the Semifinals early Friday evening and into the championship matches Saturday afternoon. Click for a full schedule, plus brackets and results as they are filed.
After claiming titles at 145 pounds as a freshman, 152 as a sophomore and 160 a year ago, Massa has his sights set on the 171-pound crown. He also led the Redwings to three straight team titles, the most recent last weekend at Battle Creek.
Massa was on the mat all of 3 minutes and 8 seconds in pinning three opponents at the Team Finals. He spent most of the rest perched just behind his coaches, helping instruct his teammates with the knowledge that has made him nationally recognized and earned him a scholarship to Michigan.
His leadership has continued to grow in step with his elite mat skills over the last four seasons. Ballard said Massa mediates conflicts between teammates on top of passing on advice.
“We all help each other, show each other what’s happening,” Massa said. “You can’t get good without your partners. I look to my partners for advice. We’re all really good at different things.
“I think a lot of kids come to me if they have questions. (But) you know, if I’m not doing something right, I’ll ask someone that’s doing it better than I am what I’m doing wrong.”
If he's done something wrong on the high school mat, it's been tough to tell.
Ironically, Massa’s first individual championship at the Palace in 2009 came at the expense of Greenville’s Jordan Thomas, 5-2, in a battle of freshmen. Since that season, Thomas has stayed a weight heavier than Massa, winning the title at 160 in 2010 and at 171 a year ago. Thomas goes for his third consecutive championship, at 189, this weekend. He and Massa will lead the Finals Grand March together as flag bearers on Saturday.
After this spring, Massa will join the Wolverines and study pre-med. He’d also like to make a push for the Olympics, and already has competed internationally.
But for all the accolades, Massa prefers to let his actions do the talking.
“He is a quiet and unassuming person,” Ballard said. “You would never know he wrestles unless the topic is brought up.”
MHSAA four-time champions
Mike Mills, Mt. Pleasant—98-112-132-138 (1976-79)
Gregory Elie, Escanaba—98-105-112-119 (1980-83)
Robert Mariucci, Iron Mountain—112-126-145-155 (1981-84)
Michael Murdoch, Montrose—119-132-145-145 (1983-86)
Larry Raether, Iron Mountain — 112-119-132-132 (1984-87)
Brandon Chesher, Adrian 112-125-134-145 (1993-96)
Jeremiah Tobias, Manchester — 125-130-135-145 (1997-00)
Nick Simmons, Williamston — 103-103-119-119 (1998-01)
Andy Simmons, Williamston — 112-130-135-140 (1999-02)
Roger Kish, Lapeer West — 160-171-189-189 (2000-03)
Joe Mendez, Lowell —103-112-130-135 (2002-05)
Brent Metcalf, Davison —130-140-145-145 (2002-05)
Justin Zeerip, Hesperia —125-145-152-160 (2004-05-06-07)
Mark Weber, Goodrich - 103-112-125-135 (2005-08)
Kyle Waldo, Rockford – 103-103-112-119 (2006-07-08-09)
(NOTE: Detroit Catholic Central’s Alex Mooradian also is competing for a fourth MHSAA title this weekend. Click to read more about his accomplishments.)
PHOTOS: (Top) St. Johns Taylor Massa and (middle) Greenville's Jordan Thomas. See more photos at High School Sports Scene. Report was compiled by the MHSAA's Rob Kaminski.