D3 Preview: Seeking 4 on Familiar Floor
March 4, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Few if any Michigan high school wrestlers have more MHSAA championship match experience than Richmond senior Devin Skatzka.
He helped his team to the Division 3 championship last weekend in Battle Creek and also to the title in 2012 – plus runner-up finished in 2013 and 2014. And this weekend, he’ll compete to join only 19 others who won four individual titles during their high school careers.
Skatzka enters the favorite at 160 pounds, having won 152 as a junior, 145 as a sophomore and 135 as a freshman.
See below for 10 contenders to watch this weekend, plus others who enter the tournament undefeated or coming off runner-up finishes in 2014. Follow all the matches beginning with Thursday's first round on a subscription basis live on MHSAA.TV, and click here for results at MHSAA.com.
Those listed below are only a handful of the numerous contenders for this weekend’s Division 3 championships. Come back to Second Half at the end of this weekend, when we’ll have post-match thoughts from all 14 title winners.
112: Tristan Serbus, Corunna junior (37-7) – Corunna actually might have the two best wrestlers at this weight, with Serbus getting a lot of matches at heavier weights after winning the title at 103 as a freshman.
119: Aaron Kilburn, Richmond junior (40-6) – Last season’s champion at 112 also earned a third place at 103 as a freshman and is coming off helping Skatzka and their team with the Division 3 team title.
119: Devin Schroeder, Grand Rapids Catholic Central junior (43-1) – The reigning champion at this weight is the only wrestler to have beaten Division 2 favorite Lucas Hall of Lowell this season, and Schroeder’s only loss was to reigning Division 4 champ Logan Griffin of Erie-Mason.
125: Jerry Fenner, Birch Run senior (48-3) – The 2013 champion at 119 earned that title with an overtime win and then fell to Foster Karmon (see below) by a 2-1 decision in the 125-pound championship match last season; Fenner earned a third place at 103 as a freshman.
135: Kanen Storr, Leslie junior (50-1) – Storr finished second to GRCC’s Schroder at 119 last season, losing 5-2 in the Final, but won the title at 103 in 2013.
135: Grant Turnmire, Almont senior (46-1) – The reigning champion at 130 has jumped up a class and been even better; he’s 93-5 over the last two seasons and 135-11 over his last three after finishing seventh at 125 as a sophomore.
140: Nate Limmex, Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior (40-0) – The champion last season at 135 and at 130 in 2013, Limmex hasn’t lost since his freshman year when he took fourth in Division 2 at 125 pounds wrestling for Lowell.
145: Foster Karmon, Allegan junior (26-0) – The reigning champion at 125 moved up four weight classes in his third high school season and has yet to lose after finishing 58-2 as a sophomore title winner.
160: Devin Skatzka, Richmond senior (50-2) – As mentioned above, he’s looking to graduate with four titles and carries a 189-15 career record into this weekend.
215: Trent Hillger, Lake Fenton sophomore (54-0) – Hillger finished fourth at 171 pounds his freshman season after entering the tournament with eight losses; he’s raised his performance to a championship level going undefeated after moving up two weights.
Other 2014 runners-up: Saginaw Swan Valley junior K.J. Suitor (125, 49-1, 112 in 2014), Dundee senior Tye Thompson (189, 44-6, 171 in 2014), Croswell-Lexington sophomore Collin Lieber (152, 53-3, 135 in Division 2 in 2014).
Also undefeated: Caro senior Marshall Conley (47-0, 140), Chesaning senior Justin Sloan (47-0, 171), Millington sophomore Jared Roehl (45-0, 189).
More of note: Howard City Tri-County freshman Dakota Greer (36-1, 103), Corunna freshman Jarrett Trombley (42-1, 103), Farwell sophomore Glenn Beardsley (45-2, 130), Saginaw Swan Valley junior Matt Santos (50-1, 130), Allendale senior Brandon Dyke (40-3, 152), Dundee freshman Brandon Whitman (53-2, 171), Allegan sophomore Chase Beard (51-2, 189), Williamston junior Maddox Maki (48-6, 285).
PHOTO: Richmond's Devin Skatzka celebrates his win as part of his team's Division 3 title match victory Saturday against Dundee. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Performance of the Week: Dundee's Blake Cosby
December 12, 2024
Blake Cosby ♦ Dundee
Junior ♦ Wrestling
Cosby finished 3-0 and was named outstanding wrestler for the upper weights at the Grappler Gold Invitational after claiming the championship at 150 pounds and leading Dundee to the team title. The 150-pound bracket included the top-ranked wrestlers at that weight by Michigan Grappler in all four divisions, and the Division 3 top-ranked Vikings finished ahead of Division 2 No. 1 Lowell and Division 4 No. 1 Hudson among others in a field that included multiple Division 1 contenders as well.
Last season’s Division 3 individual champion at 144 pounds, Cosby clinched last weekend’s bracket title with an 8-3 decision against Hartland junior Dallas Korponic, the reigning Division 1 champion at 132 pounds. Cosby also finished Division 3 runner-up at 144 as a freshman and brought a combined 81-2 career record into this season. Dundee as a team will be pursuing an eighth-straight Division 3 team championship. Just a junior, Cosby already has committed to sign with Michigan.
@mhsaasports 🤼POW: Blake Cosby #wrestling #Dundee #invitational #champion #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🤼POW: Blake Cosby #tiktalk #questiontime #outerbanks #payday #timetravel #pepperoni #steak #chocolatemilk #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
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Previous 2024-25 honorees
Dec. 4: Keaton Hendricks, Zeeland West football - Report
Nov. 29: Kate Simon, East Grand Rapids swimming - Report
Nov. 22: Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber volleyball - Report
Nov. 15: Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8: Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25: Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18: Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26: Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19: TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Cosby family.)