D3 Preview: Spoilers Look to Advance
February 21, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Dundee and Richmond have met in seven of the last nine Division 3 Wrestling Finals, and it’s hardly a shock they are the top-seeded teams heading into this weekend at Kalamazoo’s Wings Event Center.
But there are potential spoilers waiting. Remus Chippewa Hills is only three seasons removed from a title match appearance, and Whitehall brings 10 Individual Finals qualifiers and a pair of coaches with championship experience as it looks to make a move toward the top.
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 noon Saturday and the championship match that afternoon at 3:45 p.m. All matches this weekend will be viewable live on a subscription basis on MHSAA.tv. For Friday’s schedule and results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page.
#1 Richmond
Record/rank: 24-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Co-coaches: Brandon Day, 15th season (452-95); Preston Treend, third season (70-9)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 2017), six runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Hunter Keller (22-4) soph., 112 Daniel McNichol (27-8) sr., 112 JD Gross (24-10) jr., 125 Austin Kilburn (22-6) jr., 130 Hunter Seguin (23-14) sr., 140 Hayden Bastian (26-5) sr., 145 Ethan Wyatt (16-11) sr., 171 Wesley Peters (30-11) fr., 215 Luke Davis (37-5) jr., 285 Dan McKiernan (29-14) soph.
Outlook: After winning the Division 3 Final in 2017 by tie-breaker criteria over Dundee, Richmond fell in the 2018 Final to Dundee 40-15. Among those back for possibly more are returning Finals placers McNichol, Bastian and junior Josh Barton. McNichol and Bastian are two of just four senior starters, but 13 starters and 14 Blue Devils total have at least 20 wins this winter. They once again eliminated No. 5 Algonac on the way to Kalamazoo.
#2 Dundee
Record/rank: 15-5, No. 1
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Tim Roberts, 20th season (512-74-1)
Championship history: Ten MHSAA championships (most recent 2018), seven runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Casey Swiderski (39-2) fr., 112. Austin Fietz (32-9) soph., 135 Jonathon White (32-9) sr., 135 Tyler Swiderski (22-10) soph., 140 Christian Killion (38-5) jr., 145. Grant Ott (32-11) sr., 154. Stoney Buell (38-8) soph., 171 Jaxon Guinn (16-6) jr.
Outlook: Dundee is wrestling for its fifth Division 3 championship over the last seven seasons, with a roster that impressively has just three seniors and five juniors – and five upperclassmen expected to start. But Buell is a reigning individual champion and Killion and Tyler Swiderski were Finals runners-up a year ago, while Fietz, White, Guinn and senior Cal McAvoy also were placers.
#3 Whitehall
Record/rank: 28-2, No. 3
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Co-coaches: Justin and Collin Zeerip, first seasons (28-2)
Championship history: Class C runner-up 1984.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Aidan Weiler (33-9) fr., 125 Max Brown (38-4) fr., 135 Jacob Haynes (14-12) soph., 140 Marco Moore (21-18) soph., 145 Kyler Honore (30-12) jr., 152 Ira Jenkins (34-6) fr., 160 Trenton Blanchard (34-6) sr., 189 Kayleb Venema (40-2) jr., 215 Allen Powers (37-4) sr., 215 Jarrean Sargeant (34-10) jr.
Outlook: Under the Hesperia champion Zeerip brothers, Whitehall is making its fourth straight Quarterfinal appearance and move up a seed this season after reaching the Semifinals a year ago. With just two seniors on the roster, and five freshman starters, this is another team with an exciting future to go with the present. Blanchard, Venema and Powers were Finals placers a year ago.
#4 Remus Chippewa Hills
Record/rank: 27-1, No. 4
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Gold
Coach: Kevin Edwards, first season (27-1)
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2016.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Taylor Gibson (35-11) jr., 112 Daylin Wittig (30-6) soph., 119 Gavin Miller (22-15) soph., 125 Carson Hayes (35-9) soph., 135 Bray Haynes (36-9) sr., 140 Mason Hayes (40-0) sr., 160 Trenten Wiggins (31-7) soph., 171 Gabriel Petoskey (36-11) jr., 189 Chayton Wiggins (45-1) jr., 215 Carl Whipple (27-7) soph., 285 Colby Roosa (35-1) soph.
Outlook: Chippewa Hills will wrestle in its eighth straight Quarterfinal hoping to advance to a fifth straight Semifinal. Edwards took over this season for longtime coach Nate Ethridge after serving as an assistant during Ethridge’s 18 running the program. Haynes was a Finals placer last season and is one of four repeat qualifiers. There are only three senior starters, but 12 of 14 in the expected lineup have won at least 25 matches this winter.
#5 Montrose
Record/rank: 27-5, No. 6
League finish: Second in Mid-Michigan Activities Conference
Coach: Steve Barnette, seventh season (140-76)
Championship history: Nine MHSAA championships (most recent 2005), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Jake Elasivich (42-7) soph., 145 Robert Skinner (26-11) soph., 171 Jack Kalakay (34-7) jr., 285 Griffin Barnette (45-4) jr.
Outlook: Montrose is returning to the Quarterfinals for the first time since the last championship season of 2005, and defeated No. 7 Birch Run to help get here. The Rams finished second in their league to another contender, Division 4 power New Lothrop. Watch for them moving forward – they have one senior starter but 10 underclassmen in this weekend’s lineup. Elasivich and Griffin Barnette were Finals placers last season.
#6 Alma
Record/rank: 33-6, No. 8
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference Central
Coach: Randy Miniard, eighth season (188-92)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Dametrius Castillo (32-4) soph., 125 Solomon Rosales (25-11) soph., 130 Josiah Baltierra (27-18) fr., 135 Jarrett Ferman (32-3) jr., 152 Justin VanBlaricum (28-9) jr.
Outlook: The Panthers are making their second straight Quarterfinal trip coming off a third consecutive league title, and also moved up a seed from a year ago. Alma got past No. 10 Lake Odessa Lakewood to clinch what was also its second Regional title ever. Castillo also achieved some individual history for the program with its first Finals championship last season since 1993. There is only one senior on the roster and 10 underclassmen in the lineup for this weekend.
#7 Dowagiac
Record/rank: 24-9, unranked
League finish: Third in Wolverine Conference
Coach: Colin Burandt, fourth season (76-35)
Championship history: Two runner-up finishes (most recent 1998).
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Dylan Elmore (45-5) sr.; 285 Wyatt Bailey (33-11) soph.
Outlook: Dowagiac returned to the Quarterfinals last season for the first time since 2004 and now has made two straight. The experience should continue to pay off as the team will graduate only three seniors with only two expected to start this weekend. Six wrestlers have at least 30 wins this winter.
#8 Shepherd
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 9
League finish: Second in Tri-Valley Conference Central
Coach: BJ Cline, fourth season (57-19)
Championship history: Four runner-up finishes (most recent 2001).
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Kye Andrews (37-8) jr., 119 Lance Clark (26-6) soph., 145 Trevor Robinson (40-2) sr., 285 Kevin Smith (36-8) sr.
Outlook: Shepherd is returning to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2002, with three senior starters who all have at least 30 wins and also nine underclassmen among expected starters. Robinson was the Finals runner-up at 135 last season, and he also was a runner-up in 2016.
PHOTO: Remus Chippewa Hills, here at its league tournament, is one of the few to break into a Division 3 Final over the last decade. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Performance: Tri-County's Dakota Greer
March 9, 2018
Dakota Greer
Howard City Tri-County wrestling - Senior
Greer capped his high school wrestling career Saturday at Ford Field with a third Division 3 championship, winning a 9-2 decision over Montrose’s Reese Wallis in the title match to finish this season 43-2 and earn the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
The champion at 119 as a junior and 103 as a freshman, Greer finished 174-6 for his career with 86 pins, and despite missing the end of his sophomore season. He injured his thumb late that winter, and despite making the attempt at his Individual District tournament, was unable to continue competing. That ended up taking him out of the running for four individual titles, but still left him among the elite who have wrestled in this state.
Greer followed the influence of cousins Dillen and Darren Decker into the sport – the 2015 Carson City-Crystal graduates both were MHSAA finalists for the Eagles, and Dillen was a champion as a senior before both went on to wrestle at Heidelberg University in Ohio. Greer also plays baseball – pitcher and centerfield – and is considering a variety of college options and opportunities to continue wrestling at that level. If he doesn’t wrestle, he’s leaning toward Ferris State University; regardless of where he’s headed next, Greer would like to study forestry, criminal justice to become a conservation officer, or heating and cooling.
Coach Corey Renner said: “Dakota told me about when he was a youth wrestler, getting beat by the same kids all the time, until one year he ‘decided not to lose anymore.’ So he started working harder, trying to learn more, etc., and his ability took off from there. Dakota has practiced so much that his moves just seem to happen without a lot of conscious thought, more like a reflex. He is also very good at reading his opponent and finding weaknesses in a short amount of time. … Dakota seems to be able to see things from a coach’s point of view, and he is good at helping get other kids to buy into what we are trying to do. Dakota doesn't ever expect anything; he knows that success is earned every day and that past success doesn't guarantee anything or allow you any "slack.” I think that when Dakota had the injury his sophomore year, he approached it with the same attitude as when he was a little kid – just work hard and do all the things that helped lead to success before to try to get back to where he was.”
Performance Point: “It was more of a relief than anything to finally get it done,” Greer said of winning the third title. “All the things leading up to it, all the work. Getting the two before, you’re kinda expected to win it, so it’s nice to get out there and get it done. … Coming into my freshman year, I wasn’t sure how good I would be or what I could become. What I’ve done is what I’ve dreamed of doing, but I didn’t know if I could or not. After I got the first one, I knew I was capable of it. It was just a matter of making it happen.”
On the attack: “I started to see a lot of cases where kids were coming at me with a bunch of weird, different techniques defending my offense. This year I was focusing on how to still attack and find out ways to get around that. If they’re going to block one thing, find another way to attack.”
No regret: “(Missing the 2016 Finals) doesn’t bother me too much. I can’t worry about things like that. I’m not going to sit here and say I would’ve done something; you never know unless you do it. It was a very tough bracket that year – any of those kids could’ve beaten me. … (But) I think it was a huge part of me coming back as strong as I did. It drove me.”
Cousin connection: “The reason I started wrestling was because of my cousins. I always looked up to them and wanted to wrestle because of them. They used to live here right by us, and they wrestled when they were younger and I always looked up to them and wanted to do what they were doing. I started when I was 3, and from then on is history. They were down (at Ford Field) watching me wrestle; they’ve been huge support.”
Gotta get outside: “I just love everything about it. I love nature, being outside, all the great things and activities. (This fall) I got a couple deer. This whole winter, I run hunting dogs, beagles, so I raise and train them and hunt rabbits with those. I have my own fishing boat, and I do bow fishing and bass fishing and all that stuff during the summer. It’s basically my whole life besides wrestling and school.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2017-18 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2017-18 honorees:
March 1: Camree' Clegg, Wayne Memorial basketball - Read
February 23: Aliah Robertson, Sault Ste. Marie swimming - Read
February 16: Austin O'Hearon, Eaton Rapids wrestling - Read
February 9: Sophia Wiard, Muskegon Oakridge basketball - Read
February 2: Brenden Tulpa, Hartland hockey - Read
January 25: Brandon Whitman, Dundee wrestling - Read
January 18: Derek Maas, Holland West Ottawa swimming - Read
January 11: Lexi Niepoth, Bellaire basketball - Read
November 30: La'Darius Jefferson, Muskegon football - Read
November 23: Ashley Turak, Farmington Hills Harrison swimming - Read
November 16: Bryce Veasley, West Bloomfield football - Read
November 9: Jose Penaloza, Holland soccer - Read
November 2: Karenna Duffey, Macomb L'Anse Creuse North cross country - Read
October 26: Anika Dy, Traverse City Central golf - Read
October 19: Andrew Zhang, Bloomfield Hills tennis - Read
October 12: Nolan Fugate, Grand Rapids Catholic Central football - Read
October 5: Marissa Ackerman, Munising tennis - Read
September 28: Minh Le, Portage Central soccer - Read
September 21: Olivia Theis, Lansing Catholic cross country - Read
September 14: Maddy Chinn, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Howard City Tri-County's Dakota Greer (left) works to gain control during his championship match Saturday. (Middle) Greer celebrates with the Ford Field crowd after clinching his third MHSAA individual wrestling title. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)