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.”

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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.)

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.

Manchester’s Blake Sloan, right, gets leverage during his match with New Lothrop’s Dalton Birchmeier.

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, Soph. (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 1999.

“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.

Click for full results.

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.)