Hudson's Sorrow Enjoys Every Second of Dominant Run to 4th Individual Title
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 8, 2026
DETROIT – Nicholas Sorrow said he takes every chance he can get to be on the floor at Ford Field during the Individual Wrestling Finals.
Ironic, as he spends so little time on the mat.
The Hudson senior wrapped up his career Saturday by winning his fourth-straight Division 4 individual title with a 55-second pinfall victory against Andrew Frazier of Riverview Gabriel Richard at 132 pounds.
“I got here this morning and watched all our teammates wrestle in the early placement rounds,” Sorrow said. “Anytime I’m here, I like to get my feet on this floor. I just love wrestling, it’s a passion of mine. If I had anything to be remembered by, it’s just how much passion can take you, and dedication and love for the game.”
Sorrow was one of five wrestlers to win a fourth title Saturday, something just 46 wrestlers have now done in state history. He also became the eighth to win four individual titles and four team titles, as Hudson claimed its fifth-consecutive Division 4 Team Finals championship a week ago. He beat Detroit Catholic Central’s Wyatt Lees to the accomplishment by just minutes.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Sorrow said. “Me and Wyatt were talking before this and I said, ‘You know, if I finish before you I get to be before you with No. 8.’ All those guys on those lists, I grew up watching and admiring and wanting to be like those guys someday. It’s a great honor to get my name up there.”
He is now Hudson’s second four-time champ, joining Jordan Hamdan (2016-19), and the first wrestler from the school to win four individual titles and four team titles. The Michigan State signee won his previous three at 106, 120 and 126.
Sorrow didn’t wrestle a match into the second period on his way to finale, with two first-period pins and a first-period tech fall.
“It’s just something that happened, but that’s the goal every match,” Sorrow said. “Just go in, be aggressive, score points when I can. Sometimes, other tournaments you want to play with them a little bit, let them off their back and try to go neutral. But when I got a guy, you gotta end the match. You’re at state.”
106
Champion: Jaxton Kimling, Hudson, Jr. (42-1)
Decision., 4-1, over Bryce Cartwright, Coloma, Fr. (47-6)
After finishing as a runner-up a year ago, Kimling wasted little time taking control of the match in his second Finals appearance. His first-period takedown stood up.
“Just wrestle smart,” Kimling said of his strategy. “If I could score, obviously work to my scores, don’t get called for stalling, stay active, but don’t force anything.”
The experience of being in the Final a year ago was big for Kimling the second time around.
“All the work finally paid off,” Kimling said. “It feels amazing going out there, wrestling in front of everyone and showing what I’ve done, and going out there and competing. The first time you get there, you always put way more pressure on yourself. All the fans, all the pressure, you feel it. This year, I knew, I’ve already been there once and I put the work in, and it’s not any different than any other tournament.”
113
Champion: Royce Beal, Hudson, Fr. (50-5)
Fall (1:34) over Brody Ashley, Coloma, Soph. (52-3)
Beal came out aggressive in his first Finals appearance, ending things quickly against Ashley, who had taken him to the Ultimate Tiebreaker in their first meeting this season.
“I knew coming in that I was in much better shape than I was in at Super 16,” Beal said of that first meeting. “I was coming off being really sick at Super 16, not making any excuses, but I was pretty sick coming in. I knew I was going to be in good shape (Saturday). I had been working hard, working out with my dad every morning. But I knew I wanted to get some offense early and get him on his heels.”
While there’s still a long way to go for Beal to join Sorrow, having him in the room has been great motivation for the freshman.
“He’s real nice and just helps me every day,” Beal said. “Knowing what I want to work for, Division I commit, I hang out with him a lot on the weekends. The stuff that he goes through is really cool, and it’s just really inspiring to be like that.”
120
Champion: Alex Rodriguez, St. Louis, Sr. (45-0)
Fall (1:24) over Liam McClain, Hudson, Fr. (43-8)
Rodriguez capped off a spectacular career at St. Louis with his second Finals title in his fourth Finals appearance.
He was the champion at 113 as a sophomore, and runner-up at 113 as a freshman and 120 as a junior.
“It’s surreal,” he said. “I finished the season undefeated, haven’t taken a loss all year. I mean, it’s better than the last time I felt this. It just feels good to be back on top my senior year.”
Rodriguez locked in a cradle early in his match for the pinfall victory.
“That’s the move I look for every time,” he said. “That’s the only move I go to.”
126
Champion: Owen Fogel, St. Louis, Sr. (54-3)
Major Decision, 11-0, over Sammy Stewart, Manchester, Sr. (45-4)
Fogel showed his dominance in a matchup of returning Finals champions, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back.
“It was really about just getting the first takedown, no matter how long it took,” Fogel said. “I just knew if I stayed in good position, I was going to score.”
Taking on a fellow returning champion didn’t faze Fogel, who instead relished the opportunity to be part of a marquee match.
“Just have more fun,” Fogel said. “No matter who you are, you breathe the same air, bleed the same color as me, we’re all human. Nobody’s unbeatable.”
138
Champion: Colt Perry, Hudson, Sr. (48-7)
Decision, 2-1, over Luke Harrington, Riverview Gabriel Richard, Sr. (46-7)
After finishing runner-up both of the past two seasons, Perry found his way to the top of the podium for the first time with his win Saturday.
“Being here three times is an accomplishment in itself,” Perry said. “But I wanted to get it done ever since the first time, even when I wrestled (Sorrow in 2024). It was a dream. It feels amazing.”
Perry’s previous two Finals appearances helped prepare him to get over the hump this season against Harrington, himself a runner-up a year ago.
“Managing matches is important here,” Perry said. “At the higher levels, being able to manage a contest, get on your attacks early, score early and often, and then working at the end, making sure you’re still on the attack and leaving it all out there.”
144
Champion: Wyatt Burns, Springport, Jr. (43-1)
Decision, 8-2, over AJ Barnabei, Riverview Gabriel Richard, Soph. (46-15)
Burns may have broken his ankle on his way to a second-straight Finals title. The junior won at 138 in Division 3 a year ago while wrestling for Dundee, and after taking a big early lead Saturday, he felt something pop with plenty of match still to go.
“I got a takedown, got to my tilt and it was just from there I was going to score again and my ankle got caught somewhere, I don’t know exactly what happened, but I heard a loud pop,” Burns said, while sitting on the trainer’s table getting his ankle wrapped. “I knew I either broke it or something bad, but I couldn’t put any pressure on it the rest of the match. You have to fight through it, it’s state.”
Burns managed to wrestle Barnabei even the rest of the way, despite being clearly hobbled.
“The last one was special for me because it was my first one,” Burns said. “But yeah, this is going to be something to remember, for sure.”
150
Champion: Beckett Campbell, Hudson, Soph. (56-0)
Decision, 4-2, over Blake Sloan, Manchester, Sr. (54-3)
Campbell capped off a perfect sophomore season with his second Individual Finals title. He won at 144 a year ago, and has also been part of two team titles with the Tigers, meaning he’s still in position to join Sorrow in the eight-title club.
“It’s a lot of motivation,” Campbell said. “I think he’s the eighth ever eight-timer. It’s great to have that in my room and know what I have to push for.”
This was another matchup of returning champs, as Sloan had won at 150 a year ago. The difference was a Campbell takedown midway through the third period.
“I’ve always dreamed of (wrestling in a match that big),” Campbell said. “Especially against a kid that I’ve known for so long. I love getting a good match in. It’s just great.”
157
Champion: Tyler Morales, Decatur, Soph. (57-2)
Decision, 9-5, over Wyatt Kimble, Hudson, Fr. (50-6)
Injuries derailed Morales’ freshman year at Decatur, but he made the most of his sophomore campaign, closing it out with a Finals victory.
“I was injured all year last year,” Morales said. “It was always like a dream.”
Kimble, who had pinned his first three opponents in the first period during the tournament, jumped out to a 4-2 lead after the first period this time, but Morales was able to get takedowns in the second and third to pull out the victory.
“I just knew I had to score points,” he said. “I just went for my takedowns.”
165
Champion: Haylen Buell, Martin, Sr. (55-1)
Decision, 14-9, over Cael Tyler, Roscommon, Fr. (57-1)
Buell got back to the top of the podium after finishing as a runner-up his junior year. The four-time finalist completed his career with two titles and two runner-up finishes.
“After losing twice by pin, that was my first full Finals match of my career, it’s either pin or get pinned,” Buell said. “It feels amazing. My gas tank’s a little weak, I had the flu during Team Regionals, so I’m just trying to build it. I just had to keep control of the match. It didn’t look like it, but I was getting to my shots and my ties when I needed to, and that’s how I won that match.”
Buell had four takedowns, including two in the first period to take a 6-2 lead and eventually hand Tyler his first high school defeat.
“We watched a lot of film on him all week,” Buell said. “We even had a four-hour film session on Wednesday before we left. We knew almost everything that was coming. But we got it done, that’s all that matters.”
175
Champion: Jeremy Amrhein, Manchester, Sr. (53-0)
Decision, 12-8, over Eli Roe, Beaverton, Jr. (48-2)
Amrhein capped off an unbeaten season in yet another matchup of returning champions in Division 4.
Amrhein won at 157 in Division 3 a year ago while wrestling for Dundee, while Roe was the Division 4 champ at 157.
“It is very nice,” Amrhein said of getting back to the top of the podium.
He wasn’t all that thrilled with his performance, despite never trailing and recording a takedown in each period.
“I knew he knew my drag was coming because we wrestled before, so I had to switch it up,” Amrhein said. “So I switched to blast doubles, and that seemed to work. Just try your best, control what you can control, stay in position, shoot good shots and don’t do anything stupid.”
190
Champion: Bryce Randolph, Clinton, Sr. (53-2)
Decision, 5-3, over Rowan Bradford, Decatur, Sr. (41-2)
It was like deja vu for Randolph and Bradford, as for the second-straight year the Clinton senior defeated his Decatur opponent 5-3 in the 190-pound Final.
“I wrestled him earlier in the year,” Randolph said. “I knew I’d get the job done. I just had to wrestle my match and get to my attacks.”
This year, Randolph had to overcome not just Bradford but a knee injury he suffered early in the season – which came six months after he had broken his leg.
“It feels amazing,” Randolph said. “It’s definitely a much better feeling than last year with all the adversity I had to go through, breaking my leg, tearing ligaments in my knee. Having to overcome that mentally and physically, it was a journey, and I was all for it.”
215
Champion: Austyn Hocter, Hanover-Horton, Soph. (49-2)
Fall (1:10) over Gradyn Whelan, Clinton, Soph. (45-4)
Hocter came in with a plan and executed it precisely and quickly to claim his first Finals title.
“I knew he wanted the underhook,” Hocter said. “Went for the fireman’s, set up my over (hook), got a little hip bump, over, got him to his base. I knew I could work my top moves and finish the match from there. I had to work on being low; he has a nasty blast double.”
Hocter didn’t have a match get out of the first period, as he finished the tournament with four falls. But he was ready to go as long as needed.
“I wanted to push the pace because I knew I could go all three periods at that pace,” he said. “I knew if I pushed the pace, he was going to make a mistake before I did.”
285
Champion: Sawyer Blaszczyk, Charlevoix, Sr. (50-2)
Decision, 5-2 (2 OT), over Noah Walker, Hesperia, Sr. (48-4)
With the entirety of the Ford Field crowd focused on their match, Blaszczyk put on a show, not only in winning the title in double overtime, but by hitting a split immediately afterward.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” he said. “I wasn’t really focused on the fact that we were in overtime, although I knew I needed to get it done. The fans helped a little bit, but I was just so locked into that match and trying to win it.”
Blaszczyk received a penalty point in each of the 30-second periods of the second overtime, and closed the match out with a reversal.
“I knew he was going to try something big,” he said. “So I’m staying back, just making sure I’m in my positions and wrestling my match.”
PHOTOS (Top) Hudson's Nicholas Sorrow stands with his hand raised in victory Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Wyatt Burns' arms is raised in victory after his title triumph. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
MHSAA Girls Wrestling Celebrates Pair of 1st-Time Achievements
By
Brad Emons
Special for MHSAA.com
March 2, 2025
DETROIT – Ford Field was buzzing again this weekend, and 24,000 fans saw history made multiple ways during the MHSAA Girls Wrestling Finals on Saturday.
Individually, Fowlerville senior Margaret Buurma became the first girl to win four Individual Finals titles.
Also for the first time, the MHSAA recognized a girls team champion based on the individual points and places scored by each school. Grand Haven, scoring 69.5 points, emerged as the winner followed by runner-up Lowell (59) and Fowlerville (57).
Buurma’s historic fourth title didn’t come easily as she held off Romeo junior Belicia Manuel in a battle of past Finals champions by 1-0 decision in the 145-pound title match.
“The way it went down – 1-0 – was a win just as well as 10-0,” said Buurma, who plans to continue her career collegiately. “It means so much to me. Just to be able to be a role model for younger girls in Michigan and have something for them to look forward to when they get older. It’s just amazing, and I couldn’t do it without my support system.”
Meanwhile, Plainwell’s Madison Nieuwenhuis (100), Westland John Glenn’s Nakayla Dawson (110) and Caledonia’s Maddie Hayden (170) earned three-peats. All are juniors and will try and match Buurma’s four-peat next season.
100
Champion: Madison Nieuwenhuis, Plainwell, Jr. (26-0)
Technical Fall (2:34) 17-1, over Veronica Tapia, Lowell, Jr. (31-2)
Nieuwenhuis quickly went on the offensive to record the pin and garner her third-consecutive MHSAA individual title to go along with an unbeaten season.
She suffered a bloody lip and needed an injury timeout, but nothing could stop her.
“I just tried getting better attacks than last time,” Nieuwenhuis said. “I’m pretty excited about it, and hopefully I can get one more next year. I think the season went really well, and I think I grew a lot.”
105
Champion: Tatianna Castillo, Lowell, Fr. (28-0)
Fall, 5:05, over Lillee Denson, St. Clair Shores Lakeview, Jr. (19-3)
Castillo made quite a debut, going undefeated. And for every pin this season, she received a Mamba candy from the Lowell coaching staff signifying that she has that “Mamba Mentality.”
Lowell is known for its boys champion powerhouse teams in Division 2, and Castillo has the distinction of becoming the school’s first girls individual champ.
“It was so emotional. I really didn’t know how to feel,” Castillo said. “I definitely had some tears after the matches. It’s so amazing.”
Castillo was not familiar with Denson as an opponent, so she didn’t alter her strategy.
“I just went in there and wrestled my way,” Castillo said.
110
Champion: Nakayla Dawson, Westland John Glenn, Jr. (12-0)
Fall, 1:55, over Shai Curtiss, Shepherd, Sr. (38-2)
Dawson, who has already wrestled nearly 100 male opponents during her prep career, also joined the three Individual Finals title club with a decisive victory via pin over Curtiss.
“I don’t worry about who I wrestled because if I look at rankings and look what they did and it might get into my head and I might not wrestle as good as I could,” Dawson said. “I really don’t worry about who I wrestle, and I just go out and wrestle.”
Dawson placed third in her weight class at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Tournament, against a bracket filled with boys. Her overall record this season was 38-6, and she won all 12 matches versus females.
“I think it benefits me because of the strength. It just prepares me for all this and makes me better,” Dawson said.
115
Champion: Gracey Barry, Grand Haven, Sr. (33-1)
Decision, 4-3, over Kassie Sapp, Whitehall, Fr. (15-3)
In one of the most competitive matches of the day, the senior Barry was able to edge the freshman Sapp by a mere point.
Barry was a runner-up a year ago and also a Finals qualifier as a sophomore.
“I’ve seen that girl (Sapp) at Districts, I’ve seen her at Regionals,” Barry said. “Each time it’s gotten closer and closer. It was a tough match, and I’m just completely in shock right now. This has been my dream probably since I was 5 years old. My dad (Joe) has been my wrestling coach my whole life. He won three titles at Mason. My goal was just to get to the top of that podium, and I’m very proud.”
120
Champion: Cheyenne Frank, Oxford, Jr. (26-0)
Decision, 9-4, over Sky Langewicz, Sr., Algonac (15-4)
Frank jumped out to a 6-0 lead and went on to post a five-point decision for her first title and to cap an undefeated season.
Langewicz, the taller competitor, tried to use her leverage against Frank.
“I’ve wrestled two other times – well three times – one last year and then at Districts and Regionals this year,” Frank said. “I guess my game plan was to go in, like working all my stuff and hand fighting, and just stick to my stuff, perfect my stuff and find different ways to tie up. She is such a talented wrestler. It was definitely harder to use some of my stuff.”
As a sophomore, Frank finished as a runner-up, and she placed fifth as a freshman. On Saturday, she also recorded her 100th career win.
“It’s crazy, all my growth in wrestling … it’s really an incredible thing,” Frank said. “It makes me happy.”
125
Champion: Cecilia Williams, Mason, Jr. (10-0)
Fall, 1:55, over Lola Barkby, Sturgis, Sr. (22-2)
After finishing runner-up as a freshman, Williams missed the Finals during her sophomore season with both a knee problem and hip injury, but bounced back Saturday to record her first state crown.
Barkby came in as the reigning champion at 120.
“I feel a lot better, my body … no injuries at all, I’m all healed up,” Williams said. “I never wrestled her (Barkby). My biggest problem was the crowd and all these people, so I was just trying to wrestle myself. I was just trying to get to her legs … the Peterson (roll).”
130
Champion: Angellaya Burden, Mio, Soph. (25-2)
Fall, 3:04, over Brynn Bower, Grand Haven, Sr. (18-3)
Burden overcame an early 5-2 deficit to record the pin and earn her first championship. She also had pinned Bower in the first period at the Regional.
Burden, who was fourth a year ago at 125, became Mio’s first girls Finals champion.
“I just had to get off the bottom and score,” said Burden, who has been wrestling since the third grade.
135
Champion: Isabella Cepak, South Lyon East, Sr. (18-0)
Fall, 0:19, over Kennedi Wahmhoff, Mason, Sr. (31-2)
After finishing as a runner-up two times, Cepak got to the mountaintop with the fastest pin (19 seconds) in the girls Finals.
“That was the plan all along, to go for it right off the whistle,” Cepak said. “I had never faced her before.”
Going into her senior season, Cepak brought a new attitude and a new confidence.
“Just finally feeling like I wrestle to my full ability and didn’t hold myself back,” she said. “That’s how it feels to finally win, I guess, for this year.”
140
Champion: Nanda Kibi, Plymouth, Jr. (31-1)
Fall, 2:35, over Mackenna Webster, Bronson, Jr. (33-1)
After not qualifying last year as a sophomore following an eighth-place finish as a ninth-grader, Kibi was on a mission this season and proved it with a pin over Webster, who suffered her only setback this winter.
During the season, Kibi impressed with 27 pins among her 31 victories.
“I didn’t make it out last year, and it was just all year what I’ve been working through,” she said. “And, I went to Nationals and I said I can win a state championship, so I just had to put the work in all year.”
Webster had a solid resumè coming into the Finals.
“I’ve never wrestled her,” Kibi said. “At Fargo (N.D.) she placed one place ahead of me, and that’s all I knew about her. I just wrestled the way I normally do.”
145
Champion: Margaret Buurma, Fowlerville, Sr. (38-3)
Decision, 1-0, over Belicia Manuel, Romeo, Jr. (30-3)
The two finalists have had somewhat of a history. They trained a little bit together over the summer in a battle of reigning champions.
Buurma was able to get an early point Saturday and hold on for the victory.
“We wrestled a lot on the Team Michigan teams together,” Manuel said. “The first time I’ve really wrestled her was this year. I’ve always been a little bit smaller, but I’m really glad I had the opportunity to face amazing wrestlers throughout the entire weekend and to be able to push myself to my best extent.”
155
Champion: Kaili Manuel, Romeo, Soph. (41-0)
Fall, 4:29, over Maddison Ward, Niles, Sr. (30-1)
Waiting in the staging area while her sister Belicia was wrestling a close match for the 145 title, Kaili tried to stay focused and in the moment.
Kaili captured her second-straight title with a pin versus Ward, who suffered her only defeat of the year and was the reigning champion with a 64-1 record over the past two seasons.
“It fun along the process and watching my sister wrestle before me. … It’s kind of like a little bit of stress, but it’s fun overall,” said Kaili, who won at 145 last year. “Today, I was just looking to work moves and stuff. I was aiming for the pin, but it kind of like came to me. I’m happy, it’s exciting and it’s nice, too. I want another one, and I’m going for four. I was hoping to win with her (Belicia), but things happen. We’ll come back next year for it.”
170
Champion: Maddie Hayden, Caledonia, Jr. (22-1)
Decision, 5-0, over Raven Aldridge, Clinton, Sr. (33-5)
After winning the 155 titles both as a freshman and sophomore, Hayden put in a business-like effort to earn her third-straight crown.
It was the first meeting between the two.
“I had never seen her, but I knew of her just based (on) we wrestle a lot of the same (opponents),” Hayden said. “To be honest, my game plan was to get in, get out.”
Hayden got a late start to the season and bumped up a weight class. She didn’t wrestle until November after suffering a concussion in a tourney prior to the preseason.
“When you can’t work out, you can’t wrestle, but I’d like to be back at 155,” she said.
190
Champion: Kanata Richardson, Bloomfield Hills, Jr. (28-2)
Decision, 4-2, over Halle Spears, Midland, Jr. (27-3)
As a freshman, Richardson missed the MHSAA Tournament with both an MCL and ACL tear before finishing fourth as a sophomore a year ago.
Against Spears, she was able to stay on her feet and avoid any major takedowns.
“Last year at states and I beat her by one point in the quarterfinals,” Richardson said. “Then this year, in the Brighton tournament I lost to her. And I lost to her again at Regionals in triple overtime by one point. Today, I just had to prove it to myself and prove to everybody else that I’m the best, and that’s what I was going to do. I stuck with what I had. I trusted God’s plan and He just told me to keep that arm on that fireman’s (carry), and I did.”
235
Champion: Isabel Anaya, Holland West Ottawa, Sr. (33-0)
Decision, 8-2, over Annmarie Green, Clare, Jr. (16-1)
After placing fifth last year, third as a sophomore and seventh as a ninth-grader, Anaya made it to the top of the podium with a victory over Green, who suffered her only loss of the season.
“I wrestled her three or four other times, and I’ve only ever beaten her once,” Anaya said. “The other times she would get me into positions and I wouldn’t know what to do, and she’d just stick me. But this time she didn’t stick me.”
Anaya, who plans to wrestle in college but hasn’t decided where, said she changed her strategy against the top-seeded Green.
“I didn’t try things before that didn’t work,” Anaya said. “I practiced millions of different moves to figure out what would be the best to do today.”
PHOTOS (Top) Fowlerville’s Margaret Buurma, left, holds up four fingers after clinching her fourth Individual Finals championship Saturday. (Middle) Westland John Glenn’s Nakayla Dawson, top, works toward winning her third title. (Below) Grand Haven holds up its team championship trophy, the first awarded in MHSAA girls wrestling history. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)