D3 Preview: Past Champs Favored Again
February 24, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Only four teams have competed in MHSAA Division 3 team championship matches this decade.
And not surprisingly, those four programs have the top four seeds heading into this weekend's Quarterfinals at Central Michigan University.
Top-seeded Richmond and second-seeded Dundee both have won three of the last six titles in this division. Third-seeded Remus Chippewa Hills and fourth-seeded Lake Fenton each have advanced to the final round once during that time and are expected to make the push again.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 3, listed by seed. Quarterfinal matches begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday, with Semifinals at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and the championship match at 6 p.m. All matches this weekend will be streamed live on a subscription basis on MHSAA.tv. For Friday’s schedule and results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page.
The MHSAA Wrestling Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard.
NOTE: There are only seven quarterfinalists in Division 3, and Richmond received a bye for Friday after Mount Morris vacated its Regional title because it used a wrestler at a weight for which he was not eligible.
#1 Richmond
Record/rank: 27-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Co-coaches: Brandon Day, 13th season (409-87); Preston Treend, first season (27-2)
Championship history: Seven MHSAA championships (most recent 2015), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Austin Kilburn (32-6) fr., 112 Roy Costello (36-7) sr., 125 Alec Ziza (19-15) jr., 140 Gary Resk (24-12) sr., 145 Alex Roberts (28-11) jr., 160 David Kaltz (34-13) jr., 189 Colton McKiernan (42-4) jr., 215 Tyler Marino (42-5) jr.
Outlook: Richmond returns to the Quarterfinals for the ninth straight season and after getting past league rival and No. 10 Algonac along the way. The Blue Devils were slightly upset a year ago, falling as a four seed to fifth-seeded Whitehall in the weekend’s first match, but they return with a lineup boasting 10 upperclassmen. Costello, Roberts and McKiernan all were individual placers in 2016.
#2 Dundee
Record/rank: 18-4, No. 1
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Tim Roberts, 18th season (478-65-1)
Championship history: Nine MHSAA championships (most recent 2016), six runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Jonathon White (27-15) soph., 119 Christian Killion (24-9) fr., 119 Daniel Jaworski (28-14) jr., 140 Zachary Bellaire (32-4) jr., 145 Tylor Orrison (35-5) jr., 152 Alex Motylinski (31-4) sr., 160 Sean Sterling (22-0) sr., 171 Kyle Motylinski (32-12) jr., 189 Kyle Reinhart (35-11) jr., 189 Brandon Whitman (38-0) jr.
Outlook: Dundee climbed back to the top of Division 3 last winter with its third championship in four years and entered this postseason ranked No. 1. The Vikings shut out two opponents and gave up a combined nine points to the other two on the way back to CMU. Whitman has won two straight MHSAA individual titles, last season at 189, and Sterling is the reigning champion at 152. Orrison and Alex Motylinski also placed last year.
#3 Remus Chippewa Hills
Record/rank: 27-1, No. 3
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Gold
Coach: Nate Ethridge, 17th season (491-92)
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2016.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Bray Haynes (42-9) soph., 119 Kaden Ellis (40-7) sr., 125 Mason Hayes (38-9) soph., 130 Brandon Russell (37-15) jr., 135 Nolan Saxton (52-0) sr., 152 Jaycob Sharp (45-8) jr., 160 David Spedowski (45-4) jr., 171 Robert Granberry (43-10) jr., 189 Luke Henderson (42-7) sr., 215 Billy Koepf (47-2) jr., 285 Andrew Vinton (31-10) jr.
Outlook: Chippewa Hills advanced to its first MHSAA Final last season and hardly has slowed this winter, entering the final weekend with only one loss for the second straight season and third time during Ethridge’s successful tenure. Eleven upperclassmen anchor the line-up; Sharp was the individual runner-up at 145 in 2016, while Spedowski, Koepf, Vinton and Hayes also placed.
#4 Lake Fenton
Record/rank: 33-5, No. 5
League finish: First in Genesee Area Conference
Coach: Vance Corcoran, seventh season (221-58)
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2011.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 AJ Geyer (40-10) sr., 125 Hunter Corcoran (51-2) sr., 130 Jarrett Trombley (51-0) jr., 140 Sean Trombley (48-5) soph., 152 Jackson Nevadomski (52-1) jr., 171 Logan Julian (23-16) jr., 215 Ryan Franks (42-11) sr., 285 Trent Hillger (53-0) sr.
Outlook: This is Lake Fenton’s third trip to the Quarterfinals over the past four seasons, and after coming up just four points short of advancing in the Semifinals a year ago. The Blue Devils got past Chesaning by only six points to move on this time, an accomplishment since the team voids at 103 and 119. But Lake Fenton counters with serious star power; Hillger is the reigning champion at 285 and won 215 as a sophomore, while Jarrett Trombley is the reigning champion at 119 and Geyer was runner-up last season at 103. Corcoran, Sean Trombley and Nevadomski also placed individually in 2016.
#5 Whitehall
Record/rank: 20-3, No. 4
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Coach: Cliff Sandee, 10th season (231-36)
Championship history: Lower Peninsula Class C runner-up 1984.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Sam Baustert (28-15) soph., 112 Hunter Bower (24-12) jr., 119 Haddan Young (30-17) jr., 125 Mitchell White (31-13) jr., 130 Trenton Blanchard (38-11) soph., 140 Josh Thommen (35-10) jr. 145 Allen Powers (32-13) soph., 152 Jojo Dowdell (39-9) sr., 160 Kayleb Venema (36-10) fr.
Outlook: Whitehall returns as the fifth seed for the second straight season and after making the Semifinals a year ago. Eight wrestlers have won at least 30 matches for a young lineup with only three seniors expected to start – the Vikings graduated two individual champions last spring. Dowdell also placed individually in 2016.
#6 Lake Odessa Lakewood
Record/rank: 29-6, No. 6
League finish: First in Greater Lansing Activities Conference
Coach: Bob Veitch, 38th season (749-178)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Kanon Atwell (33-9) fr., 119 Cole Jackson (37-6) jr., 125 Jon Maag (32-6) jr., 152 Vern Fields (27-14) fr., 160 Jon Clack (37-10) fr., 171 Daniel Thompson (40-1) sr., 215 Jacob Kelley (35-10) sr., 285 Luke Tromp (38-6) sr.
Outlook: Lakewood is back at the Quarterfinals for the seventh time under Veitch but first since 2011. Along the way, the Vikings posted an impressive 52-17 District Final win over No. 9 Delton Kellogg. There are only four seniors on the team, but all four have won at least 35 matches; Thompson is the reigning champion at 171. Jackson also placed last season.
#7 Caro
Record/rank: 28-7, unranked
League finish: Second in Tri-Valley Conference East
Co-coaches: Joe Fulton and William Green, first seasons (28-7)
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2003, two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 125 John Botkins (53-6) soph., 125 Blain Wood (51-3) jr., 135 Patrick Ford (35-2) sr., 140 DJ Daniels (53-3) soph.
Outlook: Caro is back at the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2012 after surviving a run that included a three-point win over Freeland and a six-pointer over Beaverton. Fulton and Green are former Caro wrestlers who took over the program after previously coaching at lower levels. Wood was individual runner-up at 112 last season.
PHOTO: Caro, here against Millington, will return to the MHSAA Quarterfinals for the first time since 2012. (Click to see more from Varsity Monthly.)
D3 Preview: Familiar Foes May Lock Again
February 25, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Dundee and Richmond have become predictable opponents for the MHSAA Division 3 championship match over the last few seasons.
They’ve faced off for the last three Division 3 titles, plus in four of the last five Finals for that division and five of the last eight. And heading into this weekend, they own the top seeds again.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 3, 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. (Records below are based on those submitted for the Individual Finals.)
#1 Dundee
Record/rank: 23-5, No. 1
League finish: Tied for first in Lenawee County Athletic Association.
Coach: Tim Roberts, 16th season (437-60-1)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 2014), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Drew Scholl (27-14) soph., 125 Tylor Orrison (35-16) fr., 130 Kenny Reinhart (45-5) sr., 130 Drew Mandell (17-5) jr., 135 Zach Blevins (48-1) jr., 145 Sean Sterling (42-4) soph., 160 Donny Mandell (40-4) sr., 171 Brandon Whitman (50-2) fr., 189 Tye Thompson (41-6) sr., 215 Gabe Heiserman (36-10) jr.
Outlook: The impressive numbers just keep building – 13 straight appearances at Kellogg Arena, two straight MHSAA championships after a seventh title match appearance in eight seasons. Reinhart, Donny Mandell, Blevins and Sterling all were Individual Finals placers last season, and Thompson was runner-up at 171 pounds. Reinhart, Mandell and Thompson are the only seniors in the lineup, meaning a third straight title might not be the last one of the current streak.
#2 Richmond
Record/rank: 29-5, No. 2
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference.
Coach: Brandon Day, 11th season (358-74)
Championship history: Six MHSAA championships (most recent 2012), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Roy Costello (36-8) soph., 112 Connor Behem (38-10) sr., 119 Aaron Kilburn (38-6) jr., 119 Cody Keller (30-17) jr., 130 Graham Barton (9-11) jr., 145 Austin Vannatter (37-8) sr., 152 Colton McKiernan (26-14) fr., 160 Devin Skatzka (47-2) sr., 171 Jordan Adams (37-8) sr., 189 Brady LaFore (25-16) sr., 285 Adam Boyd (35-11) sr.
Outlook: Richmond gave up a combined 23 points to four opponents in returning to the Quarterfinals for the seventh consecutive season. A group of nine seniors dominates the lineup including every weight from 140-285. Skatzka can enter an elite group of champions next weekend when he competes for his fourth Individual Finals title, and Behem, Kilburn and Vannatter also were placers in 2014.
#3 Remus Chippewa Hills
Record/rank: 26-3, No. 3
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association.
Coach: Nate Ethridge, 15th season (432-88)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 125 Mike Felix (40-10) sr., 135 Slade Todd (41-13) jr., 140 Jaycob Sharp (49-4) fr., 145 Mason Dey (51-4) sr., 152 Kevin Briscoe (44-6) sr., 285 Kyle Vandenbrooks (35-14) sr.
Outlook: Chippewa Hills will compete in its eighth Quarterfinal over the last decade and for its second Semifinal berth (and first since 2007). The Warriors moved up from a sixth seed at last season’s Finals and defeated No. 5 Whitehall to advance this time. Briscoe and Dey placed fourth and sixth, respectively, at 145 pounds at last season’s Individual Finals and man a veteran half of the lineup that includes five seniors over the heaviest six weights. All but two starters have at least 32 wins.
#4 Saginaw Swan Valley
Record/rank: 39-1, No. 9
League finish: First in the Tri-Valley Conference Central.
Coach: Darrell Burchfield, 13th season (412-72)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Edwin Hernandez (48-8) jr., 119 Jose Hernandez (52-4) sr., 125 KJ Suitor (52-1) jr., 130 Matt Santos (52-1) jr., 140 Collin Dole (51-3) sr., 145 Gerad Bott (47-7) soph., 152 Sam McLean (47-5) sr.
Outlook: The Vikings are a combined 120-4 over the last three seasons and advanced to the Semifinals last season before falling to Dundee. Swan Valley edged No. 6 Caro 38-36 in the Regional Semifinal on the way to Battle Creek. Seven starters have at least 45 wins this season; four Individual Finals placers from last winter anchor the lineup, with Suitor returning after finishing runner-up at 112 in 2014.
#5 Grand Rapids Catholic Central
Record/rank: 19-3, No. 7
League finish: Second in Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold.
Coach: B.J. Schroder, fourth season (73-15)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Devin Schroder (40-1) jr., 130 Kole Krauss (36-3) jr., 140 Nate Limmex (37-0) sr., 145 Foster Karmon (25-0) jr., 145 Dominic Forbes (30-10) jr., 215 Grant Tennihill (34-3) sr.
Outlook: B.J. Schroeder has led the Cougars to two league, three District and two Regional titles over the last three seasons, and GRCC just missed making its first Semifinal in 2014 with a four-point Quarterfinal loss to Swan Valley. Devin Schroder and Limmex are two-time MHSAA champions, and Limmex hasn’t lost a match since his freshman season. Tennihill also was a placer at last season’s Individual Finals and joins those two and junior Kole Krauss – a 2013 individual placer – among Cougars with at least 33 wins this winter. Karmon was an individual champ last season for Allegan.
#6 Allegan
Record/rank: 29-6, No. 8
League finish: First in Wolverine Conference.
Coach: Murray Rose, 28th season (718-151-2)
Championship history: Two MHSAA championships (most recent 2007 in Division 2), two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Davynn Schneider (42-12) soph., 119 Richard Jefferson (30-16) soph., 125 Justin Wiseman (26-20) soph., 130 Joey Orr (32-13) jr., 171 Levin Sabin (47-7) jr., 189 Chase Beard (50-2) soph., 189 Austin Ferrell (39-12) jr.
Outlook: This is Allegan’s seventh straight trip to the Quarterfinals and second straight in Division 3 after a run in Division 2. Allegan also has made three straight Semifinals and is seeking its first championship match berth since 2010. Five juniors anchor the bottom of a lineup that could be on the verge of two special runs – the team doesn’t have a senior. Beard and Sabin were individual placers last winter.
#7 Birch Run
Record/rank: 22-9, No. 4
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference East.
Coach: Bart Bennett, eighth season (228-40)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Mason Breece (36-8) fr., 125 Jerry Fenner (47-3) sr., 130 Adam Grim (43-12) sr., 135 Joe Damm (35-18) jr., 140 Ean Taylor (33-9) sr., 145 Tyler Childs (32-10) jr., 160 Logan Bovee (33-8) jr., 215 George Lahar (46-3) sr., 285 Colin Slavik (39-9) sr.
Outlook: The Panthers missed Battle Creek last season but are making their third trip in four seasons to go with five straight league and six straight District titles. Fenner was an Individual Finals runner-up at 125 last season and Lahar also was a placer. They are two of only four seniors in a starting lineup that features 10 athletes with at least 30 wins this season.
#8 Mason County Central
Record/rank: 29-7, unranked
League finish: Third in West Michigan Conference.
Coach: Jim Allen, seventh season (128-78)
Championship history: Class C runner-up 1979.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 135 Jacob Shoop (48-5) soph., 145 Logan Merrick (44-7) jr., 160 Spencer Knizacky (47-3) jr., 160 Jordan Steiger (41-7) sr., 189 Josh Quinn (49-3) sr., 285 Matt Quinn (40-13) soph.
Outlook: For the second straight season, Mason County Central is the last team standing from the loaded West Michigan Conference, which also includes annual powers Whitehall (ranked No. 5 in Division 3 heading into the postseason) and Shelby. Josh Quinn and Knizacky are returning Individual Finals placers and among six 40-match winners in the lineup.
PHOTO: Dundee's Kenny Reinhart (left) and Richmond's Aaron Kilburn wrestled to a 5-4 decision (for Kilburn) in last season's Division 3 Final. Their teams could meet again this weekend. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)