Dundee's Swiderski Becomes 4th to Earn 4 Individual, 4 Team Finals Titles
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 5, 2022
DETROIT – Casey Swiderski took a moment Saturday for himself.
The Dundee senior and four-time Individual Wrestling Finals champion had already had his hand raised. He had already addressed the crowd and had a post-match celebration.
But as fans continued to rain applause down on him, Swiderski crouched off to the side of the mat and took it all in.
“It’s tough walking away from this,” Swiderski said following his pinfall victory against Kingsley’s Aiden Shier in the Division 3, 152-pound final. “That was it. That was my last high school match in the MHSAA season. It’s tough. It’s a lot of hard work and years. I’ve got college to go to, but that’s tough right there.”
Swiderski deserved the moment, as he finished off one of the most dominant and successful careers in MHSAA history.
With his victory, and Dundee’s team title win a week earlier, Swiderski became the fourth wrestler in state history to win four team titles and four individual titles. He joined Davison’s Brent Metcalf (who will be one of his coaches at Iowa State), Lowell’s Austin Boone and his former teammate, Stoney Buell.
“It’s amazing,” Swiderski said. “When you put in all the hard work and the belief, this is the bonus day right here. This comes with it. It’s an awesome thing.”
Swiderski (45-0) was leading comfortably in the second period of the final when Shier was able to get his first burst of offense on a deep shot. Rather than give up the takedown, however, Swiderski turned it into his own pinning combination.
He finished the tournament with three pins and one technical fall. None of his matches went beyond the second period.
103
Champion: Talan Parsons, Ovid-Elsie, Soph. (37-1)
Major Decision, 9-0, over Landon Sopha, Yale, Fr. (53-2)
A year after coming one match short of his ultimate goal, Parsons wasn’t going to be denied Saturday.
“This was my biggest goal,” Parsons said. “Last year I was so close, and it hurt a lot to make it all that way and not take first. So I put in all the work to make my way back and win it this year.”
Parsons jumped on Sopha early and controlled the match throughout, adding a takedown, nearfall and reversal as the match went on to win with a major decision.
112
Champion: Kade Kluce, Dundee, Soph. (41-6)
Decision, 5-4, over Easton Moran, Yale, Sr. (51-3)
Kluce was a returning Finals champion, having won at 103 a year ago. But he wasn’t happy with how things started this season, and the emotions were evident as he celebrated his second title.
“I just felt grateful I got the opportunity to come here and wrestle,” said Kluce, who suffered a knee injury in the summer that lingered into the beginning of the season. “I lost six matches this year, three times as much as I did last year. I don’t know, I just didn’t feel proud of myself until now.”
Kluce fell behind 2-0 as Moran picked up an early takedown, but he battled back and a takedown with 37 seconds remaining won him the match.
119
Champion: Braeden Davis, Dundee, Jr. (41-2)
Technical Fall, 3:32, over Connor Busz, Clinton, Jr. (48-3)
Davis has not wrestled into the third period at the Individual Finals.
He’s a three-time champion.
“I’ve just been able to bonus my way through states the past three years, and I’m really grateful,” Davis said. “I’m really happy that I’m able to do things like that.”
Davis, who has already committed to Penn State, won at 103 pounds in 2020 and 112 in 2021. Saturday’s match was his first final to make it out of the first period, but it came against an opponent in Busz who was a runner-up a year ago.
As a three-time individual and team champion, Davis has a chance to match Swiderski’s achievement next season.
125
Champion: Cameron Chinavare, Dundee, Soph. (39-2)
Fall, 3:14, over Fabian Facundo, Alma, Fr. (38-4)
After an early-season match between these two was airtight, Chinavare – who won that first match 4-3 – was expecting another battle.
“I know I had to go out there and keep my feet moving,” Chinavare said. “I knew he was going to come at me. I dragged him right there at the end and took him to his back. I wasn’t expecting a pin at all, but it fell right into place, I guess.”
Chinavare led the match 2-0 after the first period, and before he was able to get the takedown and pin.
130
Champion: Zachary Gibson, Lake Odessa Lakewood, Sr. (39-0)
Major decision, 11-0, over Caiden Pelc, Portland, Sr. (34-7)
Gibson and Pelc had met three times throughout the season, with Gibson winning each matchup.
He wasn’t worried about Pelc figuring him out, though.
“I had something new against him every time,” Gibson said.
The title was the second straight for Gibson, who won at 125 pounds a year ago. This was his first at Ford Field.
“It’s way different,” he said. “Way bigger, way more exciting.”
135
Champion: Aidan Bernard, Montrose, Sr. (46-1)
Decision, 8-1, over Logan Sander, Dundee, Sr. (35-7)
After winning his first Finals title, Bernard couldn’t contain his emotions.
“I’m so happy,” he said. “I’ve been wrestling since I was 9, and this is all I’ve wanted for the past nine years. I’ve been close – my sophomore year I took third. Last year I thought I was going to have it, but I was in really bad shape because of COVID. This year, I really (worked hard) and I had great coaching staff, great family, great friends who pushed me and supported me. I’m just really grateful for the moment.”
Twice during his Finals match, Bernard’s injured knee flared up. But he wasn’t going to let that stop him.
“I knew I was going to keep going,” he said. “I told my parents and my friends, even if I break something early in the match, I’m going to keep going.”
140
Champion: Ryker Johnecheck, Williamston, Sr. (38-2)
Decision, 5-1, over Peter Pena, Milan, Jr. (21-2)
Johnecheck never planned to be flashy in claiming his third-straight individual title. He just wanted to be efficient.
He was certainly that as he controlled his match with Pena throughout.
“I think it’s one of those matches where it’s the state finals, I’m not going to go take any unnecessary risks,” he said. “I just went out there, wrestled smart. He can catch people, so my big thing was be smart, get a comfortable score, and take what’s there, and I think that’s what I did.”
Johnecheck won at 125 in 2020 and 130 in 2021.
“It’s not what I expected coming in as a freshman,” Johnecheck said. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, that I’m going to be one of those guys in 10 years that they’re looking up (in the gymnasium) and say, ‘Oh, I knew him.’”
145
Champion: Aiden Davis, Dundee, Jr. (43-0)
Decision, 11-5, over Mason Cantu, Hart, Sr. (48-2)
Despite being a returning champion, Davis said he felt the pressure was on Cantu coming into their Finals match. So the Dundee junior picked his spots to finish off his unbeaten season and come away with another title.
“I’ve been here before. I sort of know the environment,” Davis said. “And I had to stay cool, calm and collected throughout the whole match.”
Davis won at 135 pounds a year ago, and was runner-up at 125 in 2020. Cantu was a Division 4 runner-up at 135 pounds in 2020.
160
Champion: Connor Owens, Flint Powers Catholic, Jr. (18-0)
Decision, 5-2, over Nick Marienfeld, Napoleon, Sr. (54-1)
Owens didn’t like the feeling of not winning a Finals title a year ago, when he finished runner-up at this weight. So he decided this season to simply not lose.
“This is dreams coming to reality right here, man; this is nuts,” he said. “This is my biggest wrestling dream ever, and I’m just in shock right now. That feeling of losing, whether in the state finals or not, when you’re a true competitor, you have to hate losing more than you love winning, and you just have to refuse to lose.”
The match was tied heading into the third period, but an escape and a takedown gave Owens the victory.
171
Champion: Kevin McKiernan, Richmond, Sr. (40-9)
Decision, 4-3, over Jake Nelson, Howard City, Sr. (38-8)
McKiernan is the youngest of five brothers, and all made a Final for Richmond. He’s now the third McKiernan to win a title.
“It means a ton,” he said. “You can’t be the only brother to not make it to the Finals. Then you’re the end of every joke. But it means a ton.”
McKiernan took third in his region, but battled through this bracket to get his first title. He scored a late first-period takedown to take his first lead, and never relinquished it.
“It’s the coaches standing in the corner, the practice partners in the room, all of that adds up to state titles,” McKiernan said. “I think this is just proof of that again.”
189
Champion: Jacob Munger, Alma, Sr. (43-2)
Decision, 11-5, over Logan Badge, Clinton, Sr. (36-6)
For the second time in as many weeks, Munger defeated Badge, this time claiming his first title, and denying Badge his fourth.
“All my coaches, they say to stay with the positive, remember what worked the last match and bring it to this match,” Munger said. “I stayed with the positive … I knew I had a great gas tank and brought that over. It’s just all positive.”
Munger led 6-3 heading into the third period, and added two more takedowns in the third to pad his lead.
Badge was a three-time champion in Division 4, winning at 189 in 2020 and 2021, and 215 in 2019.
215
Champion: Hunter Huguelet, Gladwin, Sr. (46-1)
Fall, 1:54, over Adam Garcia, Alma, Sr. (32-7)
Huguelet thought for a long time about what he could do to win his first individual title.
It didn’t take him that long to do it.
The Gladwin senior capped off his career with a first-period pin.
“That was great,” Huguelet said. “I just was focusing for the last two hours, all day today and last night, and I just came in ready to go. It feels amazing. It’s more than what I thought.”
285
Champion: Levi Harber, Montrose, (44-4)
Fall, 3:51, over Eli Marshall, Watervliet, Sr. (42-3)
Harber was dominant throughout the tournament, pinning each of his first three opponents in the opening minute.
His Finals match took a little longer, but ultimately had the same result.
Harber had Marshall on his back in the first period as well, but it didn’t result in a pin, and that wasn’t necessarily even the plan.
“I’m going to be honest, I threw that cradle to get some comfort points between me and him,” he said. “So, I wasn’t expecting a pin. He was getting pretty close, but I was not in the position that I felt I could pin him properly.”
PHOTOS (Top) Dundee’s Casey Swiderski is applauded after concluding his high school career with a fourth Division 3 individual championship. (Middle) Alma’s Jacob Munger, left, works toward a win at 189 pounds. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Three Rivers Emerges from Disappointment, Tragedies as Rising Contender
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
February 19, 2025
THREE RIVERS – Three Rivers is riding a wave of emotion as its wrestling team returns to the MHSAA Team Finals this weekend.
Fueled by a 31-30 Quarterfinals loss to Greenville last season, and then the tragic deaths of two assistant coaches, Jeff Smith's Wildcats hope the adversity helps them take the next step and reach the championship match this time.
No. 4 seeded Three Rivers (25-0) meets No. 5 Greenville (32-8) in a Quarterfinal rematch at 6:45 p.m. Friday at Wings Events Center in Kalamazoo. The winner will earn a berth in Saturday's Semifinals at 9:30 a.m., with all four Finals commencing at 3:45 p.m.
Smith, now in his ninth season as head varsity coach, started the MYWAY youth wrestling program in Three Rivers 15 years ago. A former standout prep wrestler himself, Smith is a native and graduate of Eaton Rapids and now has interest in Three Rivers' wrestling soaring to a new level.
"It's been a struggle and it's still a work in progress, but we're getting there. We have 102 kids participating in our MYWAY program, but not all of them wrestle every weekend or are ready for it,” he said. “We consistently wrestle over 50 kids though every Sunday. Our middle school squad has 40 kids on it, and we have 36 in our room at the high school level."
Three Rivers, ranked No. 2 a majority of this season by MichiganGrappler.com, will make its third appearance at the Team Finals. The Wildcats previously advanced in Division 3 in 2001 before returning to the season’s final weekend a year ago.
In addition to winning a second-straight Wolverine Conference title after a 23-year drought, Three Rivers also took first at the Hart Invitational, Freeland Invitational, Hastings Tournament, Stevensville Lakeshore Duals, Three Rivers Super Dual and Portage Central Invite.
"You have to start from the ground up to be successful at the high school level and retain those kids,” Smith said. “You need to make sure they're having fun. There's more to it than just coaching them. Individually, you need to know how they're doing in school. Academics is more important than athletics. You have to keep them involved because wrestling teaches many life lessons."
Three Rivers' upperclassmen are the core group Smith initially began working with when he started the youth program. Now it’s paying off at the varsity level.
"Our team has faced a lot of adversity in the offseason. We have a ton of leadership in our practice room and we've picked right up where we left off last season,” Smith said. “This group is pretty special. It's amazing the way they've trained and been able to stay together all season.”
Tragedy struck the Three Rivers' program twice last summer when coaches Brandon Morrill and Art Keller both died within a month of one other.
Morrill, one of Smith's youth and middle school coaches for several years, died from injuries sustained in an auto accident. Keller, a varsity assistant the past three years and a former youth and middle school coach as well, passed away a few days after suffering a brain aneurysm.
Both Morrill and Keller have sons, sophomore Brody Morrill and senior Ayden Keller, who are an integral part of Three Rivers' wrestling program and its success. The team, coaching staff, school and community have rallied around and supported those two as well as their teammates.
"Art and Brandon were both a big part of our program, and not having them here with us to celebrate after winning Regionals last week was very difficult. We all know they are still there in the corner cheering us on, and they are always on our minds in everything we do,” Smith said. “It's tough not having those guys right there because all these kids relate to each of their coaches differently
Three Rivers saw seven of its 12 individual qualifiers at Saturday's Gull Lake Regional advance to the Individual Finals set for Feb. 28 and March 1 at Ford Field.
The Wildcats' Finals qualifiers include Regional runners-up Braylon Faile at 165 pounds and Louie Smith (175), third-place finishers Jaxon Smith (215), Jak Monroe (126), Gaven Babcock (132) and Ayden Keller (144); and sophomore Ethan Moreland (138), who took fourth in his bracket.
Three Rivers' starting lineup includes senior tri-captains Sam Reynolds (285), Keller and Landon Moreland (150). All three have 100-plus career victories, and two of the three have won more than 150 matches. Reynolds, who plans to play college football and become a teacher and coach, is 38-11, while Smith, a junior, sports a 42-6 mark.
While No. 1-seeded Lowell will be favored to win its 12th-consecutive Finals title, Reynolds believes this is the year that streak could be broken.
"The sky is the limit for us. The word around the state is that we are the team to beat,” Reynolds said. “In the past Three Rivers hasn't been well-known at the state level, but a lot of our guys have wrestled around the state and some of us around the country. We still have a lot to accomplish. Our guys aren't going to go home after day one like we did last year. We went to the Grappler Golden Tournament the first weekend in Lowell, and that was a reality check. We faced some of the best wrestlers and dynasty programs in the state. We saw some things we needed to change and implemented it into our practices.
Joey Anglemyer played the unsung hero in Three Rivers' 42-21 Regional Finals win over Plainwell. Anglemyer, a varsity returner, trailed his Plainwell opponent 11-5 after two periods at 190 pounds. But with 57 seconds left in the third period, Anglemyer got a pin to give Three Rivers a 36-21 lead that clinched the match with one bout left.
Anglemyer, along with teammate Josiah Deare, have filled in for injured starter Jackson Palmer and done a phenomenal job, according to Three Rivers' head coach.
Louie Smith, another junior, is 41-6, and Faile is 42-7. Other standouts in the middle weights include Landon Moreland, a four-time Regional qualifier; Keller (46-6), Ethan Moreland (43-8) and Babcock (38-10).
"We fell a little short at state last year and it left a bitter taste in our mouth. It's exciting because we've been able to stay together as a group and do some special things against a few of the better teams in Michigan. We're taking it one match at a time, but our goal is to get to the Finals this time," said Landon Moreland, who plans to continue his wrestling career next year at Southwestern Michigan College, major in criminal justice and eventually become a Michigan State Police trooper. "I'm just interested in giving back to the community and being able to reach out and help people who are in need," he said.
Three Rivers' top entries in the lower weights include Monroe (44-6), Brody Morrill (113 and 120, 32-13), freshman Kyler Snellenbarger (113 and 120, 21-16) and freshman Mason Santos (106).
Jaxon Smith, Monroe and Louie Smith all have more than 100 career wins. Louie Smith has also recorded 100 career pins with one year remaining.
"We have the best team chemistry I've ever had since I've been here at Three Rivers. These guys hold one another accountable and have a lot in common outside of the practice room,” Jeff Smith said. “The heart and effort they show is at the highest level.”
Smith stated the keys to the Wildcats' goal of reaching Saturday’s Finals will be blocking out all distractions and worrying about only the factors the Wildcats can control.
Despite all of his team's accomplishments this season, Three Rivers' head coach is most proud of the Wildcats' dedication to its work in the classroom. The program has received several team and individual academic all-state awards the past few seasons.
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Three Rivers senior 144-pound wrestler Ayden Keller gets in position for a takedown of Plainwell's Marco Vegan during last week’s Division 2 Team Regional Final. (Middle) Wrestler Landon Moreland poses for a photo with Wildcats' head coach Jeff Smith, far left, and his parents Torri and J.J. Moreland following a regular-season match at Sturgis this season. (Below) The Three Rivers varsity wrestling team poses for a team photo before the start of the 2024-25 season. (Keller and Moreland photos by Brandon Watson/Sturgis Journal. Team photo by Wethington Photo.)