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.)

Dundee's Kluce Finishes Undefeated Ford Field Run as 4-Time Champ

By Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com

March 2, 2024

DETROIT – It’s not often a previous three-time champion finds himself as an underdog going into a state final.

However, Dundee’s Kade Kluce was up against top-seeded Drew Hansen of Gladstone in the Division 3 126-pound title match Saturday at Ford Field.

Kluce just reminded himself that he has never lost at the venue, and ended up grinding out a 2-1 tiebreaker victory over Hansen to claim his fourth title.

“I like to tell myself in my head that I am a three-time state champ and I can do this. I can do anything, nobody is beating me (at Ford Field),” Kluce said after the match.

Both scored an escape point in the second and third periods, respectively. The final came down to the tiebreaker rounds after neither scored in overtime.

Kluce (30-9) managed to wiggle out an escape in the closing seconds of the first tiebreaker round. He then just needed to stay on top of Hansen (46-2) for 30 seconds, which he did.

“Mentally I was starting to break, but I really put it through my head that I needed these 30 seconds. I needed to keep him down. I’d have been disappointed the rest of my life if I had given that up; that’s what kept me going,” Kluce said.

With the victory, Kluce became the 37th wrestler in MHSAA history to win four Individual Finals titles. He did so winning in four weight classes – 103 in 2021, 112 in 2022, 120 in 2023 and this time at 126.

On top of that, Kluce became the sixth wrestler in MHSAA history to win four individual titles and four team wrestling titles. He is one of four Dundee wrestlers on that exclusive list.

“It feels great. You really can’t explain it,” Kluce said of making history. “I feel like I’m on top of the world right now. There’s no feeling like it.”

Kluce won one of six champions for Dundee on the night.

106
Champion: Mason Katschor, Dundee, Fr. (46-6)
Major Decision, 11-2, over Kaleb Reece, Frankenmuth, Jr. (47-2)

Katschor has watched plenty of Finals from the stands at Ford Field. On Saturday, he finally got the chance to compete under the spotlight, and he didn’t disappoint.

Katschor scored four takedowns to pick up an 11-1 victory.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Katschor said of competing for a Finals title. “It felt really good out there. I felt like I could go out and do anything. I definitely want to do this again.”

113
Champion: Talan Parsons, Ovid-Elsie, Sr. (45-1)
Decision, 8-4, over Haydn Nutt, Dundee, Soph. (37-8)

Parsons has plenty of experience at Ford Field. As a two-time runner-up and a 2022 champion at 103 pounds, the senior wanted to go out on top once again.

Standing in his way was the 2023 106-pound champion.

Nutt opened the match with a 3-0 lead in the second period, but Parsons managed to capitalize on a scramble and secure near fall points to go up 5-3. Parsons wouldn’t trail again.

“He’s a tough kid, but I have worked on scrambling my entire life,” Parsons said of the turning point. “I went out there, sat the corner, got a leg in. I’ve practiced that for years, it seems like. I’ve practiced that exact scenario in practice, and it paid off. To be able to execute, and go out with a state title, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

120
Champion: Dale Gant, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Soph. (44-2)
Decision, 6-3, over Braden Broderick, Dundee, Soph. (16-2)

Gant is two-for-two.

The Catholic Central sophomore earned his second championship Saturday, adding to his 113-pound title won in 2023.

“A lot of people look up to you (as a state champion), and there’s pressure with that, but I just tried to work hard and make the people that have supported me proud,” Gant said.

Saturday’s match saw Gant win thanks to three takedowns and staying off his back.

“It was about letting the match come to me and not force anything,” Gant added. “I just had to stay calm and stay composed and be ready for anything that came my way.”

132
Champion: Cameron Chinavare, Dundee, Sr. (39-2)
Decision, 3-2, over Connor Younts, Clinton, Sr. (55-3)

Chinavare recorded his third championship, but had to grind out this final. He scored a takedown in the first period and then a quick escape in the second to go up 3-0.

However, Younts earned an escape in the third and got another point on a hands-to-the-face violation by Chinavare.

Still, the Dundee senior made sure he closed out his prep career on top, avoiding any late takedown attempts.

“There’s always a lot of pressure when you come here as a defending state champion, but I just managed to overcome it and wrestle my match,” Chinavare said. “I’ve got some of the best teammates to train with that push me every day, so I am prepared for a tough match. 

138
Champion: Michael Wilson, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Jr. (18-0)
Decision, 5-4, over Buddy Leonard, Alma, Jr. (43-2)

Wilson wasn’t even sure if he’d make it to Ford Field at times this season.

The Grand Rapids Catholic Central junior dealt with some serious injuries, keeping him from getting to wrestle for a large part of the year. But his persistence and resilience showed Saturday.

“I’ve worked my butt off to get to this moment, and I’ve had to go through a lot of adversity to get here,” Wilson said. “I lost part of my finger at the beginning of this year, I’ve got a sprained LCL, but to me it was all about mindset. I kept my head up and kept working hard, and it feels great to get that championship. I really feel like I have earned it.”

Wilson scored a pair of takedowns in the first period that proved to be the difference.

144
Champion: Blake Cosby, Dundee, Soph. (44-1)
Decision, 7-0, over Jonathan Krebs, Lakewood, Sr. (39-3)

A runner-up as a freshman, Cosby wasn’t going to let that happen again Saturday.

“That loss last year drove me crazy, so I made sure I put the work in this year,” Cosby said. “It feels really good to win this year. I really challenged myself this season, and I think I knew what to expect this time around.”

Cosby scored takedowns in each period and added an escape in the second. From there he was able to keep Krebs on the ground and prevent a comeback.

150
Champion: Trey Parker, Dundee, Sr. (34-13)
Ultimate Tie-Breaker, 3-2, over Donny Beaufait, Dundee, Soph. (40-9)

Parker suffered a tiebreaker loss to teammate Beaufait in the Regional when he wasn’t able to escape him in the extra frame. The two found themselves in the same position with the Finals title on the line.

Parker needed an escape with 13 seconds remaining, and he managed to get it. Then, in the ultimate tie-breaker, Parker won the toss and elected to start on the bottom, where he managed another escape to win.

“We were in the same position (at Regionals) and I made sure that if I ever got caught in that same position again, I would fix it,” Parker said. “It feels great. It feels amazing. I can’t really describe it.”

Parker’s late escape shifted the momentum.

“I just had to get out. I couldn’t look at the time. It was one move at a time and just get out,” Parker said. “It was more mental than anything. I believed I could get out, and I did it.”

157
Champion: Kole Katschor, Dundee, Jr. (45-6)
Decision, 5-1, over Jeremy Griffith, Yale, Sr. (46-4)

As a previous Finals champion, Katschor was mentally prepared for what he had to do to win a second title.

The junior turned up the pressure after a scoreless first period, scoring takedowns in both of the final two to secure a 5-1 victory.

Katschor won the 150-pound title as a sophomore.

“My nerves weren’t too high, because I have been in this position before. I thought I wrestled all right. I thought I could have opened it up more and got more offense in, but overall it feels great to win the title again,” Katschor said. “My hard work has been paying off.”

165
Champion: Tyler Schofield, Olivet, Sr. (57-0)
Decision, 8-3, over Lee Braun, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Sr. (42-5)

Schofield was heavily motivated after finishing runner-up at 157 pounds last winter.

The senior did everything he could to be prepared for Saturday, and it showed as he capped off an unbeaten season.

“I didn’t like the outcome last year, so I knew coming into this year that I had something to prove,” Schofield said. “I worked my butt off this summer and this winter, and it paid off. I was extremely confident coming into the match. I know that if I wrestle my match, there’s nobody that can beat me.”

Schofield led throughout the match and had a takedown in each period.

175
Champion: Gavin Craner, Whitehall, Jr. (54-0)
Major Decision, 10-2, over Bryce Randolph, Clinton, Soph. (54-3)

It was a new year and a new look for Craner.

After finishing runner-up at 175 pounds in 2023 for Belding, Craner returned to Ford Field on Saturday looking to capture that same title, this time for Whitehall.

Craner put on a strong performance, scoring five takedowns on his way to a 10-2 win.

“I’ve been (at Ford Field) and it can be scary, but you just have to keep your composure,” Craner said. “I’ve worked really hard to be strong on my feet. That’s where most of the match takes place. If you get takedowns, you win matches.”

Alma’s Cole O’Boyle, right, works for an opening against Hillsdale’s Stephen Petersen.

190
Champion: Cole O’Boyle, Alma, Sr. (48-0)
Decision, 3-1, over Stephen Petersen, Hillsdale, Sr. (41-5)

O’Boyle kept his strategy for the 190-pound final pretty simple.

“All I needed was a takedown, and I knew I’d win that match,” he said. 

That proved to be true.

O’Boyle scored a takedown in the second period after trailing 1-0, giving him a 2-1 advantage that he wouldn’t relinquish. O’Boyle added an escape point in the third for insurance to cap off an unbeaten season.

“I’ve been working hard all year, grinding. I owe this all to my coaches. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to do this,” O’Boyle said. “It means so much to me (to go undefeated). To have this all come together in my senior year, it means the world.”

215
Champion: Jack Ward, Belding, Sr. (54-2)
Decision, 2-1, over Elizin Rouse, Kingsford, Sr. (35-2)

After seeing a one-point lead slip away in the closing seconds of a 2023 semifinal, Ward was determined to not let that happen again.

Up 2-1 going into the third period, Ward rode out Rouse for two minutes to secure his first championship, defeating the reigning 215-pound champ in the process.

“Last year I was up one in the semifinals, and I lost it. I thought that was my chance to win a state title. It was heartbreaking, but that heartbreak really made me better,” Ward said. “It’s come full circle. Last year I was in so much pain. This year, it’s just a dream.”

Ward got a takedown in the second period, but Rouse was able to escape. That’s when Ward knew he’d have to dig deep in the third and stay on top.

“Our team really stresses your lungs and being in shape. I knew going into this match, nobody can go six minutes with me. I knew it was going to be a grind. I knew what the task was ahead of me. I just grinded it out and won,” Ward said. 

285
Champion: Bennett VandenBerg, Constantine, Sr. (54-0)
Decision, 3-0, over Wyatt Spalo, Reed City, Jr. (46-4)

The disappointment of a runner-up finish in 2023 stuck with VandenBerg for a full year.

But he was finally able to let go of that moment Saturday as he grinded out a 3-0 win.

“I worked my butt off all year. Throughout the summer, throughout the fall, all the winter, just to get to this point. It’s the best feeling in the entire world. I can’t describe it,” VandenBerg said. “It’s like going from -100 to 100. There’s no way to explain it.”

One of the biggest hurdles for VandenBerg on Saturday was his head gear. Early in the match, he couldn’t keep it on his head, even attempting to go to a second set. However, he shook it off and managed a third-period takedown to secure the win.

“My one focus was just win the match. I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way. It was a minor issue, but I made sure I pulled through,” VandenBerg said.

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Kade Kluce’s arm is raised in victory after clinching his fourth Individual Finals championship Saturday. (Middle) Alma’s Cole O’Boyle, right, works for an opening against Hillsdale’s Stephen Petersen. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)