Division 4: Chasing Hudson
February 21, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
With a fifth-straight MHSAA Division 4 championship Saturday, Hudson would join Davison as the only two schools to accomplish that feat since the Team Finals began in 1988.
But seven other teams at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena will do their best to make their own history instead this weekend.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 4, 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 MHSAA.tv. For results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page. Rankings below are from MichiganGrappler.com.
#1 HUDSON
Record/rank: 27-6, No. 1
League finish: Second in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Scott Marry, 25th season (654-141)
Championship history: Four MHSAA championships (most recently 2012).
Individual Finals qualifiers: 285 Zach Rieger (48-1) sr., 103 Roddy Hamdan (42-5) soph., 112 Tyler Roberts (36-16) soph., Isaac Dusseau (44-6) jr., 125 Mason Lopinski (33-19) fr., 130 Cole Weaver (46-0) jr., 130 Carlos Randall (26-4) jr., 135 JD Waters (35-5) jr., 135 Wyatt Spangler (27-22) sr., 152 Kyle Johnson (41-15) fr., 215 Jake Morgan (37-12) jr.
Outlook: Only Hudson, Davison and Dundee have won at least four straight Team Finals championships. Last year’s run was led by a pair of seniors who went on to individual championships, but Hudson merely has reloaded led in part by Weaver, who claimed last season’s Division 4 title at 119. And only three of this weekend’s expected starters are seniors.
#2 HESPERIA
Record/rank: 33-2, No. 2
League finish: Tied for first in Central State Activities Association
Coach: Doug Baird, 12th season (399-41)
Championship history: MHSAA champion 2008, four runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 285 Wyatt Conkle (39-13) soph., 103 Corey Agens (38-15) jr., 103 Davian Gowens (36-11) fr., 119 Zack Yates (46-1) jr., 130 David Jacobs (49-7) jr., 135 Chase Siersema (52-3) jr., 140 Mark Workman (37-13) fr., 145 Cash Bolles (37-7) sr., 160 Lee Siersema (49-7) sr., 189 Eldon Graham (42-8) jr., 215 Scott Rosencrans (25-13) fr.
Outlook: Last season was the only one over the last nine in which in the Panthers didn't make it to Battle Creek, and they've made the Semifinals six times during that span. Two of Hesperia’s runner-up finishes came against Hudson in 2011 and 2009 by a combined 14 points. Yates was an individual runner-up last season, to Hudson’s Weaver at 119, and Chase Siersema was an individual runner-up in 2011. Like Hudson again, only two of Hesperia’s expected starters this weekend are seniors.
#3 NEW LOTHROP
Record/rank: 31-4, No. 3
League finish: First in Genesee Area Conference
Coach: Jeff Campbell, 12th season (307-62)
Championship history: 12 MHSAA championships (most recently 2004), four runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Cole Hersch (43-11) fr., 119 Johnny Robinson (33-14) fr., 125 Gabe Bennett (40-11) soph., 130 Dalton Birchmeier (28-22) soph., 140 Jacob Perrin (55-2) sr., 145 Josh Wendling (41-5) jr., 152 Aaron Bauman (45-6) jr., 160 Taylor Krupp (46-3) jr., 171 Dakota Clark (26-23) jr., 189 Cody Symons (53-2) jr., 215 Owen Wilson (35-10) jr.
Outlook: New Lothrop has reached the Quarterfinals all 12 seasons under Campbell and eclipsed 30 wins two of the last three. His line-up has only one senior, but that senior – Jacob Perrin – is coming off an MHSAA individual championship at 130. Four others are ranked among the top four in their individual weight classes this winter.
#4 BRONSON
Record/rank: 21-0, No. 7
League finish: First in St. Joseph Valley Conference
Coach: Al Sosinski, 30th season (474-234)
Championship history: MHSAA runners-up in 2002 and 2003.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Jake Littlefield (36-10) sr., 125 Hunter Machus (42-5) sr., 130 Kahle Scheenks (33-15) soph., 145 Brandon Losinski (42-9) sr., 160 Dan Erwin (25-7) sr., 171 Leo Mora (33-6) sr., 189 Brett Burtrum (25-7) soph.
Outlook: Bronson has won its District the last 12 seasons and is making its first trip to the Quarterfinals since 2009. The line-up features eight seniors including five who will also compete at the Individual Finals. Machus and Mora are ranked among the top four in their respective weight classes. Sosinski’s record qualifies for listing among the top 20 winningest wrestling coaches in MHSAA history.
#5 SAND CREEK
Record/rank: 25-9, unranked
League finish: First in Tri-County Conference
Coach: Marc Spicer, fifth season (106-64)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 285 Gabe Beaubien (40-17) sr., 103 Terry Burns (31-12) fr., 112 Michael Petee (37-19) soph., 145 Roger Fox (35-8) jr., 160 Nick Garza (45-7) sr., 189 Charlie Robertson (38-11) soph., 215 Garrett Miller (51-5) sr.
Outlook: Sand Creek has continued to build under Spicer with three straight District Titles and its first Regional championship under him this season. Garza finished individual Finals runner-up last season at 152 and leads a line-up with eight 30-match winners. All seven wrestlers between 145-285 have won at least 31 matches this season.
#6 CARSON CITY-CRYSTAL
Record/rank: 26-6, No. 9
League finish: First in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Kacy Datema, third season (57-28)
Championship history: MHSAA runners-up in 2000 and 2001.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Taylor Barkley (29-15) fr., 112 Kenneth Dittenber (49-4) sr., 119 Dallas O’Green (46-6) fr., 140 Garner Cusack (46-7) jr., 145 Dillan Decker (47-5) soph., 152 Darren Decker (50-2) soph., 160 Lincoln Burnham (14-9) soph.
Outlook: Datema, a former Carson City-Crystal wrestler himself, has guided the Eagles back to Battle Creek after steady improvement during his first two seasons as coach. They could be back for a few more with nine underclassmen expected to start this weekend. Dittenber is a two-time Individual Finals champion, and Dillan Decker also is considered a top contender next weekend.
#7 KENT CITY
Record/rank: 25-4, unranked
League finish: First in O-K Silver
Coach: Chad Kik, 13th season (255-138)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 285 Tom Devos (35-12) jr., 135 Brendon Rodenburg (44-9) fr., 140 Jayson Ellicott (44-12) jr., 152 KJ Herremans (39-12) jr., 171 Shane Rodenburg (52-2) soph., 215 Konner Wolter (53-1) sr.
Outlook: Kent City has increased its win total four straight seasons, won its District the last three years and will make its first Quarterfinal appearance under Kik – who won an individual championship for Sparta in 1992. Wolter is one of only two seniors, but with Rodenburg is expected to contend for an individual championship next weekend. Kent City beat No. 10 Bangor in a tie-breaker at the Regional.
#8 NORWAY
Record/rank: 21-2, unranked
League finish: First in Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference
Coach: Nick Burklund, fourth season (43-26)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 125 Cayleb Winkler (29-13) sr., 152 Taylor Bonetti (37-16) soph., 171 Jacob Rehn (30-13) soph.
Outlook: Norway too has increased its win total each of the last four seasons and despite posting sub-.500 marks in Burklund’s first two. The Knights could continue to surge with only two seniors on the roster this winter. Norway won its District matches by a combined score of 129-15, and then got past tough competitors Rogers City and St. Ignace at the Regional.
PHOTO: Hudson's Cole Weaver (top) battles to an 18-6 major decision in his match at 125 pounds during last seaon's Division 4 Final at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena. Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Girls Preview: Contenders Compete for 1st MHSAA Finals Titles
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 3, 2022
The first MHSAA champions in any sport are always recalled with special recognition. This weekend, the first champions of the Individual Wrestling Finals girls division will become part of that history.
This season’s event at Ford Field will be following up state tournaments conducted by the Michigan Wrestling Association the last three years, and those championship meets are referenced frequently below as we preview some of the first MHSAA Finals’ title contenders.
The Grand March on Friday begins at 10 a.m., with wrestling through semifinals that evening. Wrestling begins again at 9 a.m. Saturday with championship matches at 3:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at Ford Field. All matches will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv, and we’ll talk to all 14 champions in each division for our Second Half coverage published later that evening and overnight. See the MHSAA Wrestling Finals page for more information and to follow results this weekend.
100 Emme Hicks, Saline junior (24-10) – She’s become one of the early stars in this division entering this weekend after winning MWA championships at 97 pounds both of her first two high school seasons.
120 Angelina Pena, Milan sophomore (10-2) – She won the MWA title at 122 pounds in 2021 and claimed this season’s Regional with two pins and two major decisions.
125 Ryen Allen, Goodrich sophomore (3-0) – She was the 132-pound MWA champ in 2021 and won by pin all three of her Regional matches two weekends ago.
155 Amarisa Manuel, Romeo sophomore (6-0) – Last year’s 145-pound MWA champion also won all three of her Regional matches by pin this season.
170 Khloe Williams, Clio junior (5-1) – She has plenty of high school championship match experience after winning the MWA title at 168 as a freshman and finishing runner-up last season.
170 Sabrina Nauss, Brighton sophomore (14-5) – She claimed last year’s MWA title at 168 and advanced to this weekend with two pins at Regionals.
170 Bo Geibe, Constantine senior (22-3) – She was Regional runner-up to Williams and has championship match experience as well with an MWA title at 189 as a freshman and runner-up finish at 168 as a sophomore.
190 Kailyn Garrett, South Lyon senior (12-17) – She won the 184-pound MWA title as a sophomore and was the 189 runner-up as a freshman. She also won her Regional two weekends ago with a pair of falls.
190 Gabriella Allen, Marcellus sophomore (20-12) – The MWA runner-up at 184 as a freshman, she won her Regional this season with three pins in a combined 4:28.
255 Eliana Bommarito, Hartland senior (17-6) – She’s aiming for her fourth high school championship after winning MWA titles at 235 as a freshman and 270 the last two seasons.
Other Regional champions: 100 Tricia Pyrzewski, Gladwin sophomore (31-12); 105 Sky Langewicz, Algonac freshman (29-3); 105 Sunni LaFond, Gaylord freshman (29-8); 110 Savannah Winkleblack, Montague sophomore (20-14); 110 Elena Gassner, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley junior (20-14); 115 Margaret Buurma, Fowlerville freshman (28-15); 115 Faith Burgess, Grand Blanc freshman (22-6); 120 Arden Eschtruth, Midland junior (19-4); 125 Kennedy Tiitola, Saginaw Swan Valley sophomore (21-4); 130 Tyler Swanigan, South Lyon East sophomore (24-17); 130 Faith Blackburn, Clinton sophomore (20-1); 135 Morgan Bailey, Gladwin senior (20-18); 135 Kennedy Edson, Lawrence junior (13-4); 140 Erin McArdle, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker senior (3-0); 140 Emma Pendell, Montague sophomore (18-8); 145 Libia Hernandez, Wyoming Lee senior (15-9); 145 Mishell Rebisch, Romeo sophomore (7-0); 155 Lydia Krauss, Boyne City senior (36-8); 255 Madasyn Frisbee, Belding freshman (14-9).
PHOTO Gaylord’s Sunni LaFond wrestles during Friday’s Division 2 Team Quarterfinals at Wings Event Center. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)