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.)
Ward, Schoff Striving to Become Brandywine's 1st Finals Champs Since 1992
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
January 30, 2024
NILES – Niles Brandywine wrestlers Maddison Ward and Gavin Schoff literally have gone the extra mile to set themselves up for success.
Ward and Schoff, along with their teammates, have traveled many miles this winter competing in some of the more elite weekend tournaments across the state.
The two Bobcats grapplers hope that exposure is enough to push them to the top of the podium at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals in early March at Ford Field.
Both Ward, a junior, and Schoff, a senior, could become the first Brandywine wrestler to win a Finals title since Dean Heath captured the 1992 Class C crown at 275 pounds.
Ward, ranked No. 2 in the state at 170 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com, is 23-1 this season. Her only loss came 5-4 at the Montague Tournament to Romeo’s top-ranked Amarisa Manuel, last season’s runner-up at 155 and the 145 champion in 2021.
Ward comes from a wrestling family. Her older brother Marty Ward, a 2015 Brandywine graduate, was a standout grappler and football player for the Bobcats. It was Marty who influenced Maddison most to give the sport a try.
"My brother wrestled, and I come from a family of wrestlers,” Maddison Ward said. “I'm the only female in my family that showed interest in the sport. My parents were skeptical about it at first, but I wanted to give it a try to see if I could do it as well beginning when I was in seventh grade."
Ward eventually joined Midwest Extreme Wrestling Club, a program affiliated with Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind.
"I really started to improve toward the end of my freshman year when I started hitting more freestyle tournaments. I learned how to be more aggressive, hone in on my skills and (I) started working harder," Ward said.
She is in her third year season competing on Brandywine's varsity team and is one of just two female wrestlers on the squad.
"It's very difficult to get girls to come out for wrestling,” Ward said. “Right now there are only a couple of us girls in the high school program, but there are several participating on the junior high team. But it's been a dream of mine to help grow the interest here and in Southwest Michigan and leave a message that this sport is as big here for females as it is in the bigger cities.”
Ward believes her technique and strength are big keys to her success.
"I feel like my biggest strengths are that I'm a pretty technical wrestler and for a female I have good strength that I'm able to use to my capability," Ward said.
Also a former cross country runner and track & field athlete, Ward does a lot of weight training to help build stamina and endurance. Her success already has generated interest among college coaches.
"Right now I have a lot of interest in Grand Valley State University for wrestling. I feel like their coach (Jake Short) is going to be able to help me a lot with my goals and where I want to eventually end up with wrestling. My end goal is to compete in the Olympics," Ward said.
Ward plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist and become a coach.
"I want to coach younger kids in wrestling working with the MYWAY Program or coaching at the middle school level," Ward said. "I wouldn't mind coaching anyone because I really love it."
The late David Schultz, an American Olympic and World Champion freestyle wrestler, has been a big inspiration to Ward.
"I've read a lot about him and have just always looked up to him because he was a phenomenal and technical wrestler. Looking back at his quotes, it just really helps build me up as a wrestler. I just look up to him for his accomplishments and who he was as a person," Ward said.
Ward looks to qualify for the Individual Finals for a third consecutive year. She finished seventh at 155 her freshman year and third her sophomore season at 145. Being in the higher weight class will make it tougher, but Ward is looking forward to the challenge.
"I was much more of a scrambler at 145. It's a lot different wrestling at 170 where you have to be a lot more physical. You have to know where you're at all the time on the mat and be careful," Ward said. "My experience, mat time and having a lot of confidence in myself are my biggest advantages. I've made a good adjustment this year with my mental preparation, not giving up and really believing in myself. I just have to continue that positive mentality, eating well, lifting and getting the most out of every practice."
Rex Pomranka, Niles Brandywine's head wrestling coach since the 2004-05 season, has been impressed with Ward's interest and work ethic since she joined the Brandywine wrestling program. He believes Ward is very capable of reaching her goal.
"Maddie is kind of young compared to some of the girls that have been wrestling since they were 5 or 6 years old. But she's always asking questions, watching videos, going to camps and competing in offseason freestyle tournaments, Pomranka said. “You've heard of basketball players who are gym rats, well Maddie is a mat rat in wrestling. She quite often comes in before and will stay after practice to work on moves or techniques to make herself better. She doesn't give up, is a hard worker and just goes and goes. A lot of girls Maddie wrestles can't match her strength."
Schoff is aspiring to become a three-time Finals qualifier and placer. He is 34-0, ranked No. 1 in Division 4 at 157 pounds and regarded among the top eight in his weight class across all four divisions. All the wrestlers above Schoff in the power rankings are from Division 1 and Division 2 schools.
In his two other previous Finals appearances, Schoff finished fifth at 152 his sophomore year and third at 157 as a junior. He is expected to reach the 150-career win mark within the next couple weeks.
"My stamina has really improved this season. I used to get gassed in matches. I've done a lot of running and tried to keep up a good pace in practice. I'm pretty strong, and I try to lift a lot," Schoff said.
He’s also played football at Brandywine and was a starter for two years on the offensive and defensive lines (at right guard and nose guard, respectively). He participates in track & field as well, and plans to finish his wrestling career on the high school mat this winter as he will enter the skill trades after high school with hopes of becoming a plumber.
"Playing football helps you with your balance, and it just teaches you a lot of how to be tough. Track helps me with my stamina and staying active," Schoff said.
Schoff hopes those factors help lead him to a Finals title. Pomranka believes the Bobcats' competitive schedule also will benefit his two standout grapplers.
In addition to its Lakeland Conference meets, Brandywine has wrestled in weekend tournaments this season at Montague, Quincy, Hillsdale, Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, East Jackson, Kalamazoo Central and Parchment.
"We want to see the best competition we can and get the best matchups possible that are going to help our kids the most later on this season," Pomranka said.
Schoff is only the third Brandywine wrestler during Pomranka's coaching tenure to record 100 career pins, including 27 victories by pinfall this season.
"Gavin is so flexible, strong and athletic. He can get himself out of all kinds of different positions, including some (ways) you just can't coach,” Pomranka said. “There have been matches where it looks like his opponent will take him down, and next thing you know Gavin has the guy turned over on his back.”
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Maddison Ward, top position, from Niles Brandywine has the upper hand in a dual match at home earlier this season. (2) Niles Brandywine senior Gavin Schoff works out with the heavy ball at a recent Bobcats' wrestling practice. (3) Niles Brandywine junior Maddison Ward, right, stands on the podium after winning the championship in the 170-pound weight class at the Adam H. Provencal Invitational this season at Grand Haven High School. (4) Gavin Schoff, far right, from Niles Brandywine, holds up his bracket after winning the 157-pound weight class at the Shawn Cockrell Invitational at Quincy High School earlier this month. (Top photo by Scott Novak/Leader Publications; workout photo by Scott Hassinger, and awards photos courtesy of the Brandywine wrestling program.)