Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Gant Adds Name to 4-Time Champions List
By
Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com
March 8, 2026
Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior Dale Gant became the latest member of the exclusive Individual Wrestling Finals four-time champion club Saturday.
Gant took home the 138-pound title in Division 3 at Ford Field with a 10-4 win over Constantine senior Bear Geibe.
Following the victory, Gant displayed a picturesque backflip in celebration.
“I can tell you that I’ve felt every emotion leading up to this point,” Gant said of the pressure of going for a fourth-straight title. “I was happy, sad, scared, nervous, angry – I was everything. Just to be able to get that over, it is like a weight I just lifted off my shoulders, and it’s just a great, great feeling.”
Gant (40-1) won titles at 113 pounds, 120 pounds, and 126 pounds before completing his run Saturday at 138. In the final he scored a takedown in the second period to get a 3-1 lead, then added two more in the third to hold off his opponent.
“I was just sticking to myself and remembering all the training that I’ve done and knowing that I’ve worked for this,” Gant said. “It was just about staying composed and just wrestling.”
106
Champion: Dylan Phillips, Laingsburg, Fr. (52-1)
Decision, 9-2, over Dom Sindone, Dundee, Fr. (34-9)
The Laingsburg freshman was in control throughout his 106-pound final, using a six-point second period to keep Sindone at bay and win his first championship.
“I’ve put in a lot of work for this and have trained hard every day with a lot of great partners,” Phillips said.
The freshman suffered just one loss on the year and finished with 52 wins to establish himself as a strong threat in the future.
“I just stayed focused and didn’t put any of my opponents on a pedestal,” Phillips said. “I was confident that I was the better wrestler and relied on my training.”
113
Champion: Braxton Shaffer, Ida, Soph. (53-4)
Fall (4:00), over Jude Rosas, Blissfield, Sr. (42-13)
Shaffer made the most of his opportunity, as a reversal in the second period led to him scoring a pinfall right as the frame concluded.
The two were tied 0-0 after one period and neither was gaining an advantage until Shaffer turned up the effort when he saw an opening, securing his first Finals title.
“I saw there were only 10 seconds left and I was getting my (chicken) wing early in the match, and I didn’t want it to get to a third period,” Shaffer said. “I wasn’t even sure the mat slap was for me when it happened. I looked around to make sure it wasn’t another mat. I was just really excited when I realized it was for me.”
120
Champion: Mason Haines, Dundee, Sr. (40-7)
Decision, 1-0, over Danny Vaneeckhoutte, Erie Mason, Jr. (42-9)
In a battle of 2025 champions, Haines repeated at this weight with a hard-fought win over the 2025 106-pound champion.
Haines would be the first of eight champions on the night for Dundee, matching an MHSAA record the program also set in 2021 and 2025.
“I knew it was going to be a tough match and I just knew I had to play it smart and not be too aggressive and put myself in a bad position,” Haines said. “It was about winning and making sure I did what I had to do.”
Haines got the lone point in the third period on an escape after he rode Vaneeckhoutte for the entire second period.
126
Champion: Bryan Sterling, Dundee, Sr. (40-6)
Technical Fall (2:30), 18-3, over Mackey McClelland, Yale, Soph. (55-7)
Sterling closed out his Dundee career with his first individual title, doing so in convincing fashion.
He scored five takedowns in the match to earn a technical fall early in the second period.
“I knew with this being my last year, I wanted to get it done, and that has been my mindset all season and all weekend,” Sterling said. “Last year I let myself get lazy and I knew that I could win (a state title), so I stayed focused and didn’t let myself slip up.”
132
Champion: Mason Katschor, Dundee, Jr. (42-7)
Decision, 4-2, over Logan Rhodes, Yale, Jr. (50-8)
Katschor earned his third championship, this time doing it at 132 pounds after winning at 113 pounds in 2025 and 106 in 2024.
The match was tied 1-1 in the third period before Katschor scored the lone takedown and then kept Rhodes from matching him the rest of the way.
“The first two titles were great, so every time I get another one, it feels even better,” Katschor said. “I knew this one was going to be a grind and I needed to do a better job of moving my feet, but it’s a tough environment to compete in.”
144
Champion: Braden Broderick, Dundee, Sr. (45-7)
Decision, 1-0, over Ryan Woods, Belding, Sr. (57-2)
Broderick won his second consecutive title Saturday after winning at 132 pounds a year ago.
He scored the lone point with an escape in the second period, then rode Woods for the entire third to hang on for the win.
“We do a lot of extra work at the end of practice so you can dig deep in those close moments,” Broderick said. “I told myself it was going to take a little something extra in that third and I dug deep, and it paid off. It feels great to be able to go out with another state title.”
150
Champion: Stone Redmon, Dundee, Soph. (23-4)
Decision, 18-6, over Van Wirtz, Olivet, Jr. (48-5)
After dealing with a hip injury during parts of the season, Redmon overcame adversity to earn his first Finals title after finishing runner-up at 144 pounds in 2025.
“It’s a true blessing, and I’m grateful to be in this position,” Redmon said. “I worked hard to come back strong after the hip injury, and it feels great to be able to keep adding to the success of the Dundee program.”
Redmon had four takedowns in the first period and controlled his match throughout.
157
Champion: Blake Cosby, Dundee, Sr. (44-2)
Technical Fall (5:46), 21-5, over Grason Weber, Leslie, Sr. (57-7)
Cosby closed his prep career with a third individual championship after winning at 144 pounds in 2024 and 150 pounds in 2025.
He had three takedowns in the first period to set the pace of the match and continued to add to his lead throughout until scoring the tech fall late.
“I’ve been here and I’ve done this, so I didn’t have many nerves for this one,” Cosby said. “I just went out and wrestled. It means a lot to be able to go out on a high note.”
165
Champion: Donny Beaufait, Dundee, Sr. (38-1)
Technical Fall (2:34), 16-1, over Carson Warner, Napoleon, Jr. (42-4)
Beaufait secured his second-consecutive title, repeating as the 165-pound champion.
He was relentless from the start, scoring 10 points in the first period and quickly wrapping up the match in the second.
“I knew what it takes to get to this point, and it was just about putting in the work all season,” Beaufait said. “There’s a standard that is set at Dundee, and it’s been fun to be part of that and have the success we’ve had.”
175
Champion: Fred Hammond, Otisville-LakeVille Memorial, Sr. (55-0)
Decision, 2-1 (2 OT), over Max Sundquist, Kingsford, Jr. (25-2)
After winning the 165-pound title in Division 4 last year, Hammond moved to Division 3 and still came home with a championship thanks to an escape during the second overtime.
“I wasn’t worried about moving up a division, I was focused on getting in the gym and getting better each day,” Hammond said. “I knew if I put in the work, things would work out like they did.”
The two were tied 1-1 after three periods with each earning an escape. The first overtime didn’t result in any points and then Hammond got the escape in the first of the two 30-second sessions of the second overtime. Hammond closed out the match by riding Sundquist for the final 30-second period.
“(Sundquist) is a great wrestler and very strong, so I was trying to keep the pace going in those gut-wrenching overtime periods,” Hammond said. “I just wanted to use my endurance.”
190
Champion: Layne Knisley, Bronson, Sr. (55-3)
Decision, 11-5, over Alex Schram, Saginaw Swan Valley, Sr. (51-3)
Knisley used a 7-0 start in the first period to ride his way to a championship.
“My mindset was to go out and do what I do best and get the job done,” Knisley said. “I was really excited early and made a few mistakes, but once I settled in, I felt confident in myself and it feels awesome to be a state champion.”
Schram managed to cut the lead to 7-5 entering the third period, but Knisley got near-fall points in the third to put some cushion on his lead.
215
Champion: Rocco Redmon, Dundee, Sr. (35-11)
Decision, 2-1, over Brady Warner, Napoleon, Sr. (37-5)
Redmon closed out the eight-championship night for Dundee by earning his first title after finishing runner-up at 190 pounds in 2025.
Redmon got a reversal in the second period while on bottom to take a 2-0 lead on Warner. The Napolean senior would get an escape in the third, but couldn’t answer with a takedown.
“(Warner) is a bigger guy, so I knew I had to move my feet and be quick,” Redmon said. “I knew this one would be a grinder, but we put in the work at Dundee, so we get what we deserve.”
285
Champion: Mitchell Swift, Delton Kellogg, Sr. (53-3)
Decision, 5-4, over Dylan Boone, Brooklyn Columbia Central, Sr. (46-6)
After finishing fourth at last week’s Regional, with a 9-8 loss to Boone, Swift rebounded this week with his first Finals championship thanks to a 1-point win in his favor this time around.
“I was just wrestling bad last week and didn’t feel good on the mat last week. This week, I got the nerves out and just stuck with what my coaches have told me,” Swift said of the turnaround. “I just came out with the mindset that I had to win, and it feels amazing to be a state champion.”
Swift got a takedown in the first period to lead 3-0, then added an escape in the second to go up 4-0. Boone got an escape and takedown in the third, but Swift answered with an escape late to earn the narrow victory.
PHOTOS (Top) Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Dale Gant, right, prepares for his next move against Constantine's Bear Geibe during their Division 3 championship match Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Delton Kellogg’s Mitchell Swift, top, works toward his first championship against Columbia Central’s Dylan Boone. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
DCC's Marines 'Finishes Business' of Perfect Season, 4th Title Pursuit
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 2, 2024
DETROIT – Even after he capped a remarkable wrestling career at Detroit Catholic Central on Saturday with a fourth-straight Division 1 Individual Finals title, Darius Marines was all business.
“It’s amazing,” Marines said. “My goal coming in here today was just to finish business. I’ve done this before, three times before, so this is nothing different. It’s just another business day. And I got it done.”
The Catholic Central senior was dominant in a 10-2 win against Roseville sophomore Jay’Den Williams at Ford Field, becoming the 36th Michigan wrestler to win four individual titles. Dundee’s Kade Kluce would become No. 37 later in the night.
Marines – who won at 145, 152, and 157 in his final two seasons and finished this one 50-0 – is the third Catholic Central wrestler to accomplish the feat. He also claimed title No. 6, as he and the Shamrocks had won their second-straight Team Finals title a week earlier.
He was one of five Shamrocks to win a title Saturday.
Williams entered the match unbeaten at 49-0 and was making his second-straight appearance in an Individual Final. He lost a year ago in the 144-pound final against Marines’ former CC teammate Clayton Jones.
“He’s a Greco guy, he did really good at Fargo (Nationals),” Marines said. “He got sixth at Fargo last year, so I knew he was going look for under-hooks and upper body things. My plan was just to stay out of his positions and get to my stuff, and that’s what I did.”
106
Champion: Steve Vaughn, Davison, Fr. (35-8)
Decision, 6-1, over Ethan Smith, Brighton, Soph. (47-7)
With a large contingent of his Davison teammates cheering him on matside, “Stevie” took control of the 106-pound Final with a first-period takedown, and never looked back.
He added a reversal and another takedown in the third to claim his first title in his first opportunity.
“It feels great man,” Vaughn said. “I’ve been working my whole life for this. I’ve been thinking this the whole year. Ever since I came in, I’ve been working, grinding.”
113
Champion: Wyatt Lees, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (49-5)
Fall, 1:42, over Matthew Quigley, Traverse City West, Fr. (46-4)
Lees made it two-for-two at Ford Field, quickly working for a pin to claim his second Finals title. He won his first a year ago at 106 pounds.
“It’s fun,” he said. “It felt really good.”
While he has two more to win, Lees now has his sights set on joining Marines as the next four-timer at Catholic Central.
“That’s always been my goal since setting foot at CC,” he said.
120
Champion: Archer Anderson, Clarkston, Jr. (32-5)
Decision, 10-8 OT, over Preston Lefevre, Clarkston, Jr. (33-6)
After finishing runner-up a year ago, Anderson wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way of coming out on top. Not even a 5-2 third-period deficit against his teammate.
Anderson rattled off three takedowns in the final period and added another in overtime to claim his first Finals title.
“I was just trying to score points,” he said. “I was just trying to score points and come back from the tilt he got me in.”
He said wrestling a teammate in the Final made things more nerve-racking.
“It makes it worse,” Anderson said. “We’ve wrestled each other so many times. The more you wrestle a kid, the tighter the match is going to get. It shows.”
126
Champion: Grayson Fuchs, Detroit Catholic Central, Fr. (42-6)
Decision, 8-5, over Bohdan Abbey, Hartland, Soph. (57-1)
The moment wasn’t too big for Fuchs, who wrestled his first Final at Ford Field against an unbeaten returning Finals champion in Abbey.
“I had a lot of confidence I was going to win a state title,” Fuchs said. “There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to be at the top of that podium. I was confident.”
Fuchs was able to build an early lead and hold Abbey at bay down the stretch.
“It was vital that I got a takedown at the beginning and got some points up,” he said. “I know that with my head and hands defense, he wouldn’t be able to score on me. It was important for me to get those first points, and that tilt was big.”
132
Champion: Dallas Korponic, Hartland, Soph. (53-5)
Decision, 6-4, over Josh Vasquez, Grandville, Jr. (36-3)
Korponic trailed 3-2 in the third period before seeing an opening and taking it.
With 51 seconds remaining in the match, Korponic was able to reverse Vasquez and put him to his back, taking the lead with a four-point move that wound up winning him his first Finals title.
“He’s a funky kid, and I knew I was going to have to wrestle the whole match, and one of those times he was going to roll and I was going to take advantage of it,” Korponic said. “He got too low on me, and basically all I had to do was step over him for a headlock.”
Korponic held Vasquez off at the end, shooting a single leg and holding on as the final seconds ticked off.
138
Champion: Wyatt Hepner, Grosse Pointe South, Jr. (48-0)
Decision, 1-0, over Sam Agnello, Utica Eisenhower, Sr. (38-3)
Hepner knew points would be at a premium in this Regional rematch, and a second-period escape wound up being the only point scored, proving him right and making him Grosse Pointe South’s first Finals champion.
“It feels pretty awesome to say,” Hepner said. “I’m making history, which is awesome, and just having an impact on the Grosse Pointe South wrestling community. Hopefully we’ll just enlarge it and keep it growing.”
Hepner came close a year ago, finishing runner-up at 126 pounds.
144
Champion: Justin Gates, Davison, Sr. (41-2)
Technical fall, 25-10 (4:21), over Tanner McDunnah, Davison, Jr. (33-8)
Gates finished his career as a three-time Finals champion and four-time finalist.
He won at 103 as a freshman and 138 as a junior, while taking second as a sophomore.
“It feels great,” he said. “The work I put in every day, the work my teammates put in and helped me with every day, all my coaches, my family – I just want to thank them, I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. It’s just bittersweet leaving it all out there, that’s my last high school match I’ll ever wrestle, and I just tried to enjoy the moment and be present in it.”
Gates had high praise for his teammate, McDunnah, who was his roommate for the weekend.
“There’s nothing like losing the state finals that will give you that sting that you need to put a little extra work in,” Gates said. “Tanner is the type of kid to just out-work everybody. I’m sure he’s going to use that as extra motivation. I’ll expect him to be on the top of the podium next year for sure.”
150
Champion: Mason Stewart, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (50-3)
Decision, 3-1, over Vinnie Abbey, Hartland, Sr. (50-5)
Stewart lost a heartbreaker at the 2023 Finals and had a bit of a flashback when Abbey – also a Finals runner-up a year ago – looked to have secured a takedown in the final seconds to force overtime.
After officials discussed the call, however, it was ruled that Stewart had successfully fought him off, and the match was over.
“It was the best feeling in the world, honestly,” Stewart said. “I was in the same exact position a year ago, lost in the Finals, the guy reversed with short-time left, and it was one of the worst pains I’ve felt in my life. I knew that was never going to happen again. I wasn’t going to let that happen to myself. I just had to win.”
165
Champion: Zak Knapp, Brighton, Sr. (50-4)
Major decision, 13-1, over Zachary Taylor, Gibraltar Carlson, Jr. (52-1)
Knapp wasted little time taking control of this match, putting up eight points in the first period en route to his first Finals title.
“Every day in the room, I was just putting in the work,” he said. “I was super excited to be out here. I took it all in, I put my mind to being a state champ. I was pacing back and forth saying, ‘I’m the champ. The champ is here.’ I was ready for everything, and I stepped onto the mat, I was just going to go out there and give it my all and do whatever I can.”
175
Champion: Dylan Scott, Waterford Kettering, Sr. (38-2)
Decision, 5-3 OT, over Micah Roper, Oxford, Sr. (40-4)
Scott considers himself more of a defensive wrestler, but when overtime came around, he knew he had to be on the offensive.
His aggressiveness paid off, as he was able to get the winning takedown to claim his first Finals title.
“Honestly, I’m a big defensive guy,” he said. “But throughout this year and other seasons, I’ve always lost by a takedown. My coach told me, ‘Takedowns win matches.’ So, right then and there, I had to make it count.”
Scott’s defense did come in handy late in regulation, however, as Roper was able to get in on his legs with the score tied at 3. But Scott was able to fight him off and force sudden victory.
190
Champion: Brock Trevino, Clarkston, Sr. (25-1)
Fall, 1:57, over Adam Bazzi, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Sr. (42-3)
Trevino said he wrestles by feel, so when he felt he had Bazzi in a compromising position, he went with it, even though it was a move with which he wasn’t really familiar.
“It was pure luck, I don’t really drill that move ever, but it worked,” Trevino said. “It was a feel thing, you know. I get comfortable in positions, and that’s usually how I win. I’m not very technical, I just wrestle for positioning.”
After the win, Trevino busted out an air guitar, leg-kick celebration that was fitting of his wrestling style.
“My coach was just like, ‘C’mon, it’ll be sick,’” Trevino said.
215
Champion: Connor Bercume, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (43-3)
Decision, 5-3, over Logan Tollison, Grand Ledge, Soph. (48-4)
Bercume successfully defended his title at 215 pounds to become a two-time Finals champion.
“It feels pretty good,” he said. “I’m really not happy with the way I performed in the Final, but happy to have won.”
Bercume got an early takedown in the match and looked to be on his way to cruising, but Tollison settled into the match and gave him a fight until the final whistle.
285
Champion: Ryan Ahern, Rockford, Sr. (49-1)
Major decision, 17-6, over Anton Barynas, Jenison, Jr. (46-6)
Ahern weighed in at 211 pounds for the weekend, but that didn’t stop him from dominating the division and claiming his fourth all-state finish and first Finals title.
“It feels really good to finally get a win in the state Finals,” he said. “I feel like I’ve always been super motivated, but just throughout the years I’ve gotten better and better with great practice partners. Every year, I’ve had a bunch of different guys to practice with, and different coaches.”
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central’s Darius Marines has his wrist raised in victory after clinching his fourth Individual Finals championship Saturday. (Middle) Davison’s Justin Gates, right, wrestles teammate Tanner McDunnah en route to claiming his third title. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)