Grandville Celebrates Champion in D1
March 5, 2016
By Nick Hankins
Special for Second Half
AUBURN HILLS – Kam Bush gave the Grandville High School wrestling program and his community something to cheer about Saturday at a time when cheers were fewer than usual at the end of a wrestling season.
Because of an unfortunate oversight, the Grandville wrestling team, and most of the individuals on the team, were unable to wrestle in the MHSAA Tournament because the team had too many competition dates during the regular season.
Bush, along with three teammates, were able to compete in the postseason because they missed some of the earlier events with injuries or illnesses. Bush made the most of the opportunity, winning a Division 1 title at The Palace of Auburn Hills with a 7-6 win over Ryan Morgan of Rochester at 152 pounds.
“This feels amazing knowing that all of the hard work paid off.” Bush said. “(I knew) that this state championship isn’t just for me, but for the whole program. Winning this state championship means a lot to me, but all of the guys that couldn’t wrestle feel like state champs, just like I do right now.
“(Grandville coach Bubba Gritter) told us four we were still eligible to wrestle, and he nailed it in our brains that he was sorry for everything that happened, it is now over and we are representing Grandville and we need to come out strong and show everyone we are the Bulldogs,” added Bush, who ended his season with a 44-2 record.
Gritter said it was a lesson learned for his program.
“We brought all 14 guys down so they could experience this tonight.” Gritter said. “This was a tough year, and it is bittersweet for me. It was a good finish to the season, the best way it could finish for our program.”
103
Champion: Benyamin Kamali, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (20-1)
Decision, 10-8 SV-1, over Ravon Foley, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Jr. (57-1)
Kamali was part of a special night for the Shamrocks, as he was one of five Detroit Catholic Central champions.
The Shamrocks were 5 for 5 on the night in title-deciding matches.
“I feel amazing, amazing,” Kamali said. “I just kept pushing the pace. I lost to him at Regionals, and I knew I could beat him. It’s just awesome knowing all the hard work you put in pays off. I knew he was tired, so I pushed the pace in overtime to get the takedown.”
112
Champion: Michael Mars, Westland John Glenn, Soph. (52-2)
Fall, 1:09, over Max Johnson, Davison, Sr. (30-1)
Mars may have been a little nervous before his championship match with Johnson, but it sure didn’t show.
Mars wasted little time in winning his second title, pinning Johnson in one minute, nine seconds.
“It feels really good,” Mars said. “I was a little worried at the beginning of the match, but I stayed calm and finished the match. It feels amazing finishing with a pin and hearing the crowd roar.”
119
Champion: Kevon Davenport, Detroit Catholic Central, Fr. (47-3)
Decision, 8-1, over AJ Facundo, Davison, Soph. (31-10)
Davenport proved he is one of the top freshmen in a strong freshmen class statewide this year.
He handled returning champion Facundo, 8-1, in their 119-pound match.
“I feel really ecstatic right now,” Davenport said. “All the hard work I am putting in has paid off. I want to thank my family, God, my coaches and all my siblings for supporting me all of these years. I knew that if I just kept working hard, it would pay off.”
125
Champion: Cameron Amine, Detroit Catholic Central, Fr. (39-9)
Decision, 6-0, Donte Rivera-Garcia, Southgate Anderson, Jr. (54-3)
Another Detroit Catholic Central contender, another championship. And another impressive win, as Amine beat past finalist Rivera-Garcia, 6-0.
“I feel great right now,” Amine said. “We were five for five as a team. It was a lot of motivation watching everyone win in front of me.
“I come from a great wrestling family that helps me and inspires me to be my best everyday.”
130
Champion: Noah Schoenherr, Bay City Western, Jr. (49-2)
Decision, 7-6, over Tyler Sanders, Macomb Dakota, Soph. (55-7)
A move up in divisions didn’t affect Noah Schoenherr. He came back off his loss in the Division 2 Finals a year ago with an exciting 7-6 win over Sanders.
“This is the best feeling in the world,” Schoenherr said. “It was the last match of the year. I had to give it everything, all I had to get it done.
“My goal was to beat my brother Chris (in MHSAA titles won; Chris won last season at 145). He helps me whenever he can, mainly on my feet. I learned a lot from last year being a runner-up. I was nervous, and being there helped me with my mindset this year.”
135
Champion: Ben Freeman, Walled Lake Central, Jr. (42-0)
Fall, 1:18, over John Siemasz, Westland John Glenn, Jr. (52-4)
He’s arguably the best wrestler in the state in all divisions, and Ben Freeman proved that this weekend, winning four matches on his way to his third MHSAA championship.
His last came with a pin in one minute, 18 seconds.
“That was pretty cool to finish a tournament like that,” Freeman said. “Yesterday I felt sluggish, but I felt really good in my warm up today – I was ready to go. I just need to stay focused. I set my goals high, so when I get nervous I just think of what I want to accomplish as an ultimate goal – it makes it seem really small.”
140
Champion: Reece Hughes, Hartland, Jr. (51-4)
Decision, 7-3, over Alex Hrisopoulos, Oxford, Sr. (51-6)
It’s been a great two weeks for Hartland junior Reece Hughes.
A week after helping his team win its first MHSAA championship, he won his own individual title with a 7-3 decision over rival Hrisopoulos.
“I feel amazing right now; this feels great,” Hughes said. “I knew he was not going to stop, so I knew I had to have him wrestle my pace and my way. So I slowed him down to set up shots better.”
About the team championship, he added: “We have two state championship titles in one week. I am proud of my team and how hard we worked all year. This is for all my practice partners: Sage Castillo, Noah Lopez and all of the captains, everyone who was working hard, who got me here to win this title. I am not taking any solo credit for this; it was our team.”
145
Champion: Nathan Atienza, Livonia Franklin, Jr. (57-0)
Fall 0:42 over Kajuan Caldwell, Bloomfield Hills, Sr. (26-1)
Atienza wasted little time in realizing his dream of an MHSAA championship.
He pinned Caldwell in 42 seconds, and just as quickly, jumped to his feet and acknowledged the roaring crowd.
“I feel amazing right now,” Atienza said. “I feel like I am on top of the world right now. I was feeling really confident in myself going out there, and I knew there was nothing he could do to stop me – it was mine this year.”
160
Champion: Blake Montrie, Temperance Bedford, Sr. (51-1)
Decision, 2-0 SV1, over Nate Vandermeer, Clarkston, Sr. (47-6)
History repeated itself for Temperance Bedford senior Blake Montrie.
Last year he won an MHSAA title in overtime, and this year he did the same.
“It was almost the exact same as last year,” Montrie said. “I finished them both in overtime. (Coach Kevin Vogel) pushes us so hard in the room. I honestly think we are in better condition than anyone in the state. I can go forever, and he has prepared me for that.”
171
Champion: Tyler Morland, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (45-1)
Decision, 6-2, over Devon Pingel, Lapeer, Sr. (50-4)
Morland wanted to avenge his only loss of the year, and went against his rival to do it.
Staying in the 171-pound weight class, Moreland beat Pingel to win his first championship.
“I purposely went 171 this year (for the postseason) because this was my only loss of the year,“ Morland said. “I came back and beat the kid I lost to; that was all I wanted. I could have gone 189, but that was all I wanted. I prepared for this match, and my coaches got me ready to win. I learned from the loss that I needed to be in better condition, and my coaches prepared me for that. It means everything to join the list of state champs at Catholic Central.”
189
Champion: Brenden McRill, Davison, Jr. (38-2)
Decision, 7-6 TB1, over Nicholas May, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, Sr. (50-1)
On a tough night for Davison finalists, McRill brought home a title for the Cardinals with a hard-fought 7-6 overtime win.
McRill was one of three Davison finalists, but the only one to earn a championship.
“I knew this was going to be a fight,” McRill said. “I studied his state finals match from last year. I wanted this match. It was a good feeling. I got a stall called on me to go into overtime, and it was my fault. I have to get on the attack more to get it done. It feels great to be a state champ for Davison. I feel we have the best wrestling program in the nation. Our coaches are the best around, and it is an honor to wrestle for them.”
215
Champion: Lucas Ready, Brighton, Sr. (41-1)
Fall, 1:57, over Sam Kinne, Lapeer, Soph. (48-9)
Ready was just as impressive winning his second title as he was winning his first.
“This feels pretty good; it feels just like last year,” Ready said. ”It was a lot of fun. I did not expect to pin him that quick. My gameplan was to finish the match as quick as I could, and I executed it tonight. I trained all summer to get back to the top of the podium this year.”
285
Champion: Nicholas Jenkins, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (39-10)
Decision, 5-1, over Ali Wahab, Dearborn Heights Crestwood, Sr. (60-1)
In one of the biggest upsets of the night, Jenkins beat undefeated and returning runner-up Wahab.
“It was crazy as time expired,” Jenkins said. “I feel amazing right now. I am on top of the world. A lot of preparation and a lot of hard work over the past year have led me to this point. Our coaches have prepared me to get to this point in my career, and we had a game plan going into this match, and I was able execute.”
The MHSAA Wrestling Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard.
PHOTO: Grandville's Kam Bush wrestles an opponent from Midland in his first-round match Thursday; on Saturday, he won the Division 1 title at 152 pounds. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Teammates' Successes Make 4-Time Moment More Special for Martinez
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2025
DETROIT – Sebastian Martinez got his four-timer moment Saturday at the Division 4 Individual Wrestling Finals at Ford Field.
The Riverview Gabriel Richard senior defeated CJ Copeland of Lakeview 15-0 in the 175-pound Final, becoming the 40th four-time champion in MHSAA history.
But making that moment even more special for Martinez was the fact he got to share a successful night with his best friend.
“It was incredible,” Martinez said. “My teammate who won, Jordan Zambon, he’s my best friend. I’m so happy that he got to come back after his Finals loss last year. My other teammate, Luke (Harrington), is the hardest worker I know. I’m super grateful that I get to spend this time with them. It’s amazing.”
Zambon won at 106 pounds for Gabriel Richard, while Harrington was runner-up at 138. Their accomplishments buoyed an already historic night for the Pioneers, as prior to Martinez in 2022, the program had never had a Finals champion.
He became the third wrestler to win a fourth straight title on the night, as Lowell’s Jackson Blum and Fowlerville’s Maggie Buurma had accomplished the feat earlier.
“Words can’t describe it,” Martinez said. “It’s amazing, you know. After all the hard work I’ve put in, it’s paid off. To join this exclusive club, it’s an unreal experience.”
Martinez (45-2) was dominant on his way to his fourth title, pinning his way through the first three rounds before finishing it off with a technical fall Saturday night.
Copeland (48-9) was wrestling in his second Final, as he was runner-up at 190 pounds a year ago.
106
Champion: Jordan Zambon, Riverview Gabriel Richard, Soph. (39-2)
Decision, 4-1, over Jaxton Kimling, Hudson, Soph. (41-16)
Zambon opened the night for Gabriel Richard by becoming the school’s second-ever champion.
A year ago, he had placed second at the weight, but was able to get over the hump in his return trip to Ford Field.
“It feels great,” he said. “I’ve worked all season. I’ve been trying to keep working, getting better. It was a close match and felt rough. It feels amazing.
“Last year, I took a hard loss. I really wanted that one. But this, being able to bounce back, it’s a much greater feeling.”
113
Champion: Owen Fogel, St. Louis, Jr. (46-2)
Major Decision, 14-3, over Kolton Burns, Decatur, Soph. (33-1)
A four-point nearfall near the end of the second period put Fogel up 10-0 and had him well on his way to claiming his first Finals title.
“I feel amazing,” Fogel said. “All the hard work just paid off right here. I couldn’t feel any better. I felt prepared, I knew that I had done everything, every single day to prepare myself for this match, knowing I didn’t leave a single ounce off the mat, and I put it all out there.”
120
Champion: Sammy Stewart, Manchester, Jr. (51-1)
Decision, 8-3, over Alex Rodriguez, St. Louis, Jr. (52-5)
In a rematch of the 2023 113-pound Final, Stewart again was able to come out victorious and claim his second championship in three years.
Both wrestlers were in their third-straight Final, as Stewart was runner-up at 126 a year ago, and Rodriguez was the champ at 113.
“It’s fun,” Stewart said. “I wouldn’t call it a rivalry, he’s a good dude, but it’s cool. You don’t get to see that very often. It’s a great experience. It’s a fun way to end off junior year – I love the crowd and the energy, and knowing that people know that (I) wrestled him before on this same stage, it’s fun to me.”
Stewart was able to take a 6-0 lead midway through the first period, and control the match from there.
126
Champion: Nicholas Sorrow, Hudson, Jr. (55-1)
Fall, 1:27, over Austin Garcia, Lawton, Sr. (52-5)
Sorrow claimed his third-straight Finals title, giving himself a chance to join the four-time club a year from now.
He’s also won three team titles with Hudson.
“It’s great getting to go to Kalamazoo a week before and get ready a little bit,” he said. “A lot of teams get that off week; I’d rather be out there competing, so that helps sharpen the tools before the last tournament.
“It’s a great program. (Coach) Scott Marry, he built it from the ground up and they’re not slowing down. Every year we’re trying to build off what we had.”
Sorrow had a dominant run throughout the tournament, winning by technical fall in his three bouts, only wrestling into the second period once, and then closing it with a first-period pin against Garcia, who was a runner-up at 113 a year ago.
132
Champion: Braylon Long, Clinton, Sr. (38-3)
Decision, 6-1 (OT), over Colt Perry, Hudson, Jr. (43-11)
Most wrestlers would have been happy to hang on after getting a go-ahead reversal in the second overtime of their Finals match. Not Long.
The Clinton senior went for back points to stretch out his lead and claim his first title.
“I was trying to open the gap,” Long said. “I wasn’t really proud of how I wrestled, so I tried to open it up a little bit. I felt like I was solid. I was confident in wrestling through positions I do with my teammates all day.”
138
Champion: Julien Kimling, Hudson, Sr. (27-2)
Decision, 4-1, over Luke Harrington, Riverview Gabriel Richard, Jr. (43-5)
For the second-straight year, Kimling walked out of Ford Field a champion, having accomplished the feat at 126 pounds a year ago.
And for the second-straight year, he’ll walk right into an operating room to have a major surgery.
Kimling, who wrestled a year ago with a torn labrum, won this title on a torn ACL, which he’ll have surgery to repair Monday.
“I tore my ACL in the second tournament of the year, and I just looked over at Coach Scott (Marry) and I said, ‘Scoot, it’s God’s plan, I don’t know what to tell you.’ I didn’t know if I was going to be back; nobody thought I’d be able to be back on the mat,” Kimling said. “I trusted my faith, and He got me here and got it done for me.”
144
Champion: Beckett Campbell, Hudson, Fr. (54-3)
Fall, 5:20, over Haylen Buell, Climax-Scotts/Martin, Jr. (55-5)
Campbell closed out a phenomenal freshman season in spectacular fashion, pinning Buell in the third period of what was a 1-1 match.
It puts him on track to accomplish his lifelong goal of winning four titles.
“It’s what I worked for my entire life,” Campbell said. “Ever since I started wrestling, it’s the goal I set, I wanted to win a state title as a freshman, (be a) four-timer.”
Buell was making his third appearance in the Finals in as many tries, as he was runner-up as a freshman and champion a year ago at 132.
150
Champion: Blake Sloan, Manchester, Jr. (51-3)
Decision, 4-2, over Dalton Birchmeier, New Lothrop, Sr. (50-3)
Sloan said he had to take the hard way to Saturday night’s Final, as a Regional DQ prevented him from getting the No. 1 seed.
That motivated him to claim his first title after coming in second both of the past two years.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “The road getting here was hard, but this made it even better winning in the Finals, taking the hard way there.”
A takedown nine seconds into the first period was all the scoring Sloan needed in the match, as neither wrestler was able to get more than an escape the rest of the way.
157
Champion: Eli Roe, Beaverton, Jr. (36-6)
Decision, 4-2, over Jacob Pickford, Hudson, Sr. (47-11)
Roe scored a takedown 32 seconds into the match and held Pickford off the rest of the way to claim his first Finals title.
“I just knew I have to be the first one, I have to be the aggressor,” Roe said. “I honestly would have liked to rack up a couple more points. I think I could have, but I got it done, so it feels good. I had a loss at Regionals because of some ignorance up on points, so I didn’t want to have that feeling again.”
165
Champion: Fred Hammond, Otisville-LakeVille, Jr. (54-1)
Technical Fall, 16-0, over Drew Challender, St. Louis, Jr. (51-8)
Hammond became the first LakeVille wrestler to win a title since Stan Marshall in 1997.
“I’m just excited for the community and everybody that believed in me and put time into me,” Hammond said. “My friends, my family, everybody, I just wanted to give it to them because they’re the ones that believed in me. One man can only go so far.”
Hammond was dominant in the tournament, winning by pinfall in his first three matches before closing it out with the technical fall in the Final.
190
Champion: Bryce Randolph, Clinton, Jr. (42-5)
Decision, 5-3, over Rowan Bradford, Decatur, Jr. (52-1)
Randolph made the most of his second trip to the Finals, claiming a title while handing Bradford his lone loss of the season.
“I’m just so grateful,” he said. “Being able to defend and win that match after taking second last year. Just the feeling of losing, coming back and taking care of the job this year was great.”
Randolph, who was runner-up at 175 pounds in Division 3 a year ago, had two falls and a technical fall in his run to the Finals.
215
Champion: Landen Johnson, Lakeview, Sr. (55-1)
Decision, 3-0, over Isaac Westfall, Reading, Soph. (48-5)
Johnson hadn’t had a bloody nose all season, but he suffered one early in his Finals match Saturday and had to deal with multiple stoppages before getting his hand raised.
Fortunately for him, a first-period takedown stood up throughout the match.
“It’s a dream come true, that’s for sure,” Johnson said. “(While dealing with the blood) I was just thinking of how much work had been put into this season.”
285
Champion: Tanner Kraft, Leslie, Sr. (51-2)
Decision, 3-1, over Chaz Underwood, White Pigeon, Sr. (52-4)
An emotional Kraft dedicated his win to a close friend who had passed away two years prior.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “My best friend died a couple years ago, and I made a promise to him that I’d do it. I didn’t fulfill my promise last year, so this just means that much more to me.”
A takedown in the opening minute of the match was enough for Kraft, who had pinned his previous three opponents on his way to the Finals.
It was the second-straight year Underwood finished as runner-up at the weight.
PHOTOS (Top) Riverview Gabriel Richard’s Sebastian Martinez, front, prepares for the referee to restart his match. (Middle) Manchester’s Blake Sloan, right, gets leverage during his match with New Lothrop’s Dalton Birchmeier. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)