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.”

Wyatt Burns' arms is raised in victory after his title triumph.

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.”

Click for full results.

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.)

D1 Preview: Champions March Again

March 1, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This weekend’s Division 1 Individual Finals field is arguably the deepest in championship experience in a number of years.

A total of 12 reigning title winners will be back on the mat starting Thursday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Five more 2016 runners-up also return, including one who won it all in 2015. Walled Lake Central senior Ben Freeman is seeking to become the 22nd in MHSAA history to win Finals titles all four years of high school.

Below is a brief look at all of those returning champions, plus a number of others to watch over the three-day event. Follow all the matches beginning with Thursday's first round on a subscription basis live on MHSAA.tv, and click here for results at MHSAA.com. And come back to Second Half this weekend as we’ll interview all 14 title winners.

The MHSAA Wrestling Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard. College choices below are based on reporting by Michigan Grappler.

112: Benyamin Kamali, Detroit Catholic Central junior (37-3) – Last season’s champion at 103 needed overtime to claim his first title, but he enters this time coming off his team’s championship last weekend and as the top seed with the fewest losses in Division 1 at this weight.

119: Mikey Mars, Westland John Glenn junior (53-3) – Mars is the second seed at this weight coming off championships at 103 as a freshman and 112 last winter; he’s 156-7 during his high school career but coming off a sudden-victory loss at the Team Quarterfinals.

130: Kevon Davenport, Detroit Catholic Central sophomore (33-3) – One of the most highly-regarded freshman last season is now a top sophomore, looking to add a second title after winning last season at 119.

135: Noah Schoenherr, Bay City Western senior (45-3) – He’s made two straight championship matches, winning at 130 pounds last season, and enters as the top seed at a weight he’ll share with his sophomore brother Victor.

140: Ben Freeman, Walled Lake Central senior (30-0) – As noted above, Freeman is seeking his fourth straight championship with previous wins at 103, 125 and 130, and to finish a third straight perfect season after suffering his only loss as a freshman. He’s signed with Michigan.

145: Cameron Amine, Detroit Catholic Central sophomore (41-3) – Last season’s champion at 125 joins Davenport as another strong sophomore, and enters as the second seed at this weight.

145: Reese Hughes, Hartland senior (37-2) – The reigning champion at 140 is seeded fourth at this weight after leaving his Regional Final against this weekend’s top seed Danny Pfeffer with an injury; Hughes didn’t wrestle in last weekend’s Team Quarterfinal and Semifinal. He will continue next season at Michigan.  

152: Nathan Atienza, Livonia Franklin senior (54-1) – The champion at 145 in 2016 is seeking to reach his third straight Final and has lost only one match over the last two seasons; he’s seeded second to Grandville’s Kameron Bush (below) and has signed with Michigan State.

152: Kameron Bush, Grandville senior (36-1) – After claiming last season’s title at 152 with a 7-6 decision, Bush enters as the top seed at this weight and with an 80-3 record over the last two seasons.

171: Tyler Morland, Detroit Catholic Central senior (33-0) – Morland has only one loss over the last two seasons and avenged it in last season’s Final at this weight; he can cap his career with a second straight individual title to go with last weekend’s team win on the way to continuing at Northwestern.

189: Brendan McRill, Davison senior (37-2) – Last season’s champion at this weight enters as only the second seed this time, but seeking a second title and fourth top-five finish before heading to West Virginia.

285: Nicholas Jenkins, Detroit Catholic Central senior (42-1) – If Jenkins was a bit of a surprise last season, he hasn’t been able to hide this winter coming off the 2016 title at this weight and heading to Central Michigan to continue his career.

2016 runners-up: Ann Arbor Pioneer senior Rayvon Foley (119, 50-3, 103 in 2016), Davison junior A.J. Facundo (125, 32-5, 119 in 2016, 112 champ in 2015), Southgate Anderson senior Donte Rivera-Garcia (125, 46-1), Macomb Dakota junior Tyler Sanders (130, 38-3), Westland John Glenn senior John Siemasz (145, 48-6, 135 in 2016).

Also undefeated: Fraser senior Danny Pfeffer (145, 54-0), Portage Northern senior Matthew Heaps (171, 47-0), Flushing junior Ben Cushman (215, 52-0).

No. 1 seeds: Detroit Catholic Central freshman Devon Johnsen (103, 32-10), DCC’s Kamali (112), New Baltimore Anchor Bay’s Jack Medley (119, 51-2), Southgate Anderson’s Rivera-Garcia (125), Brownstown Woodhaven senior Xavier Graham (130, 52-1), Bay City Western’s Noah Schoenherr (135), Walled Lake Central’s Freeman (140), Fraser’s Pfeffer (145), Grandville’s Bush (152), Holt senior Kolin Leyrer (160, 37-2), DCC’s Morland (171), Grandville senior Ryan Vasbinder (189, 18-2), Flushing’s Cushman (215), DCC’s Jenkins (285).  

PHOTO: Detroit Catholic Central's Benyamin Kamali (right) prepares to face Hartland's Corey Cavanaugh during a Team Semifinal on Saturday. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)