Latest Championship Chapter of DCC/Davison Goes Shamrocks' Way
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
February 22, 2025
KALAMAZOO – Connor Bercume’s Detroit Catholic Central wrestling career came full circle Saturday.
Three years ago, Bercume lost the opening match of the Division 1 Final against Davison in a dual meet the Shamrocks lost by eight.
In his final match at Wings Events Center, however, the senior closed his team wrestling career by winning the clinching match in Catholic Central’s 50-18 victory against Davison.
“That’s a pretty cool feeling,” Bercume said. “I kind of started my career here at the team state championships, it was the first match my freshman year. I lost and we ended up losing that dual. So, that was definitely tough on me. This year, it’s pretty awesome to clinch it up. It still hasn’t really sunk in that this was actually my last time representing CC as a team. But, yeah, it feels good.”
Bercume and the Shamrocks have now won three straight Division 1 Finals titles, seven of the past nine and 11 since 2010, all under coach Mitch Hancock. In three of the five years the Shamrocks didn’t win the title, they were a finalist.
“It doesn’t,” Hancock said when asked if the feeling of winning ever changes. “You’d think it would. You’re so in the process throughout the year of prepping and prepping and prepping, but when it finally comes to fruition, you look at their faces and get the chance to embrace the coaches who have spent so much time and energy with these guys – it doesn’t (change). It’s a special moment. We do the team state tournament right here in Michigan, it means something. Other states, not so much; it’s the individual tournament. But look around. So many communities that are invested in wrestling – it’s special.”
Saturday was the seventh time Davison and CC had met in the Final since 2013, and the first time the Shamrocks had come out on top in that scenario since 2020.
The rivalry added another layer this season, as Hancock’s former Central Michigan University teammate Jason Mester took over the Davison program.
“Jason’s one of my closest friends. I talk to him every day,” Hancock said. “It’s an honor (to compete against him in the Final). It’s his first year at the helm, you can see the progress they made throughout the year. There’s no bigger competitor than Jason Mester, so I know we’re going to see his butt next year. … The Davison/CC rivalry is the best one in the state of Michigan, and you felt that tonight. Kudos to that coaching staff, Coach Mester, they’re going to be around for a long time with him at the helm. I can’t say enough about that team. But our guys stepped up tonight, and that starts with our freshman Braxton Roche at (157). What a remarkable display of talent.”
Roche’s match was one of several between ranked wrestlers in the dual, as he defeated Davison’s Julius Pacheco, who is ranked No. 5 at 150 and bumped up to face the sixth-ranked Roche. The back-and-forth affair ended with an 8-4 decision in favor of Roche, giving the Shamrocks a 26-12 lead with the heart of their lineup still to go.
While Kyle Jelinek would get a pin for Davison in the following match at 165, Catholic Central closed out the dual with five straight wins.
“I thought our guys competed,” Mester said. “The score really doesn’t tell the tale of how well our guys competed today or yesterday or all year, really. Our guys went out there and fought hard. We got beat in a number of positions where the swing matches could have gone either way, and it went their way today. My hat’s off to them – they wrestled a great dual and wrestled a great season.”
Davison (19-4) did get some big pins, as Jelinek was joined by Steve Vaughn (113) and Calvin Martz (138). But those were their only victories on the night.
“We had two seniors who got pinned tonight, and that typically doesn’t happen in our lineup,” Hancock said. “But I looked at both those young men and I said, ‘This team will pick you up.’ And those guys did, so I’m really proud of the other guys who stepped up and found a way to pick those two seniors up.”
Ryan Totten (120), Wyatt Lees (126), Benny Eziuka (285) and Richard Mogle (106) all won by fall for Catholic Central (27-5), while Bercume won by technical fall at 215.
Mack Moskovic (132), Alexander Buskirk (150) and Caden Krueger (175) won major decisions, while Grayson Fuchs (144) and Lee Krueger (190) joined Roche with wins by decision.
“We took some tough Ls (earlier in the season) to Lowell, St. Ed’s (Ohio), all the nationally-ranked teams that we wrestled,” Eziuka said. “That just prepared us for this moment to come out and put on a performance like this.”
Click for this weekend’s Division 1 meet summaries.
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central's Connor Bercume (blue) wrestles Davison's Brandon Glisson at 215 pounds during Saturday's Division 1 Final. (Middle) The Shamrocks' Benny Eziuka has his hand raised in victory after his match at 285. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Amrhein's Pin Run Highlights Another Record-Setting Finals for Dundee
By
Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2025
DETROIT – The Dundee wrestling program had another statement night at the 2025 MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals.
The Vikings tied the MHSAA record for most individual champions in a single year with eight, matching their 2021 effort.
Of the eight champions, none was more impressive than junior Jeremy Amrhein, who won his first title at 157 pounds.
The junior ran through the competition all weekend, winning all of his four matches by pinfall during the first period.
The longest bout was Saturday’s championship, where Amrhein (45-6) defeated Constantine junior Brody Jones (55-2) in 1:17.
“I was just going out there and trying my best. It was my first time winning the state final, so I was nervous, but I just had to go out there and give it my all,” Amrhein said. “I think my cardio was where it needed to be this weekend. It has allowed me to become stronger and more dominant. I was expecting three periods for this final, but I will take the early night.”
Adding to the victory for Amrhein is that it also marked his 100th win of his high school career.
106
Champion: Danny Vaneeckhoutte, Erie-Mason, Soph. (46-2)
Decision, 5-3, over Branlun Simon, Portland, Soph. (45-5)
Vaneeckhoutte took a 5-0 lead midway through the final and held off a game Simon.
“I knew I had to dig deep,” Vaneeckhoutte said. “I knew the match was getting late and (Simon) got two, but I wasn’t going to give up. It felt great to hear that final whistle and be a champion.”
Vaneeckhoutte scored takedowns in each of the first two rounds. Simon threatened with a reversal in the third to make it 5-3, but couldn’t get any closer.
113
Champion: Mason Katschor, Dundee, Soph. (34-5)
Fall (3:45), over Mackey McClelland, Yale, Fr. (44-4)
Katschor won his second championship in as many years, as the sophomore pinned McClelland in the second period.
“It was on my mind all the time,” Katschor said of winning a second title. “I work hard all year for these moments.”
Katschor had an 8-1 lead after the first period and got a reversal to open the second, which eventually led to the pinfall.
120
Champion: Mason Haines, Dundee, Jr. (37-5)
Decision, 4-2, over Haydn Nutt, Dundee, Jr. (31-7)
After being forced to forfeit in the District Final and Regional Final, Haines finally got his match with Dundee teammate Nutt.
With things tied 1-1 in the third period after each scored an escape, it was Haines that managed a takedown that pushed him to the victory.
“After having to forfeit the last two tournaments, I was going to leave it all on the mat today,” Haines said. “I got what I wanted, a state title.”
126
Champion: Dale Gant, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Jr. (40-1)
Technical Fall (5:02), 21-6, over Logan Whidden, Comstock Park, Sr. (33-4)
Gant cleared his third hurdle toward becoming the next four-time individual champion.
After winning the 113-pound title as a freshman in 2023, Gant won the 120-pound title as a sophomore in 2024.
This year, Gant scored seven takedowns to earn the technical fall and put his focus toward his senior season.
“That is everyone’s goal, to be a four-time state champion. Now that I have three, that is where my focus is,” Gant said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s definitely a goal I have set for myself.”
132
Champion: Braden Broderick, Dundee, Jr. (35-10)
Decision, 1-0, over Lucky Gartin, Algonac, Sr. (53-6)
After finishing runner-up at 120 pounds last year, Broderick dug deep to win a low-scoring match in the 132-pound final Saturday.
After a scoreless first period, Broderick executed an escape to start the second, then rode Gartin for two minutes in the third to win, 1-0.
“We do these situations all the time in the practice room. I was tired, but I knew that was all that stood between me and a state title,” Broderick said of the third period. “I just wanted it more and got it done. Last year really stung, so it drove me each day and in that third period.”
138
Champion: Wyatt Burns, Dundee, Soph. (38-9)
Decision, 7-2, over Jacob Fink, Richmond, Sr. (39-9)
In a rematch from last week’s Regional Final that went to an ultimate tie-breaker, Burns made sure he left no doubt in Saturday’s championship match.
He scored a quick takedown in the opening period and then added another one late in the third to claim his first title.
“I just made sure to stay on my offense. I didn’t attack like I needed to last week. I think that was the difference this time,” Burns said. “I knew I had the speed and the takedowns to win. I just needed to believe in my abilities.”
144
Champion: Mikey Wilson, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Sr. (46-1)
Technical Fall (5:14), 15-0, over Stone Redmon, Dundee, Fr. (43-14)
Wilson won his second consecutive championship in dominant fashion, not giving up a point.
He had a pair of takedowns that were followed by numerous near-fall points to earn the tech fall in the third.
His 144-pound title came a year after he won the 138-pound championship.
“If you put this tournament on too much of a pedestal, it’s going to impact how you wrestle, so I tried not to let the focus be on this match or winning another title, just going out and wrestling to the best of my ability,” Wilson said.
150
Champion: Blake Cosby, Dundee, Jr. (37-0)
Technical Fall (1:56), 19-4, over Bryson Boucher, Lakewood, Soph. (46-7)
Cosby completed an unbeaten season and won his second-consecutive championship with an impressive tech fall in the first period.
Cosby had five takedowns in the first and used some near-fall points to secure the win. Last year, he was the champion at 144 pounds.
“I wanted to go out and dominate. I knew I could do it; the training has been there,” Cosby said. “I know nobody is working as hard as me, so if I just go out and wrestle, I will get positive results.”
165
Champion: Donny Beaufait, Dundee, Jr. (47-1)
Fall (4:42), over Julian Walker, Algonac, Jr. (53-6)
Losing in the 2024 150-pound Final in an ultimate tie-breaker stuck with Beaufait throughout this season.
In Saturday’s 165-pound Final, he was going to leave no doubt.
With the match trending toward a technical fall in the third period, Beaufait managed to get Walker’s shoulders on the mat to close out his junior year with his first championship.
“The match last year affected how I approached this season in every way. From the summer, to lifting, to practices, to each match of the season, it drove me,” Beaufait said. “This year, I was going to make sure nobody but me decided how things were going to go.”
175
Champion: Kole Katschor, Dundee, Sr. (44-4)
Major Decision, 10-2, over Alex Hicks, Hart, Sr. (53-3)
Katschor secured his third-consecutive championship thanks to a pair of early takedowns that gave him a sizable lead.
“There was a little bit of pressure coming into this, but I am just glad I could end my career with a third state title,” Katschor said.
After winning the 150-pound championship as a sophomore and the 157-pound title as a junior, Katschor was the eighth and final champion on the night for the Vikings.
“It’s a great program with a lot of great wrestlers that do things the right way,” Katschor said of Dundee. “I am very proud to be able to be part of the success that Dundee has had.”
190
Champion: Gavin Craner, Whitehall, Sr. (58-0)
Major Decision, 11-0, over Rocco Redmon, Dundee, Jr. (27-5)
Craner concluded a second-consecutive unbeaten season with a dominant 11-0 victory.
He won the 175-pound title as a junior and went 112-0 over the last two years.
“I just had the mindset that nobody could touch me this weekend,” Craner said. “It’s been a tough season, but it’s all about keeping that positive mindset. If I am scoring points, I don’t think anyone can beat me.”
Craner got points in all three periods, scoring takedowns in the first and third, along with near-fall points in the second.
215
Champion: Wyatt Jenkins, Whitehall, Sr. (53-3)
Decision, 4-3, over Josh Petersen, Hillsdale, Sr. (50-4)
Jenkins had scored three first-round pins this weekend coming into Saturday’s Final.
However, Petersen gave him a championship-worthy match.
After Jenkins established a 4-0 lead in the first period, Petersen fought back to cut the deficit to one point. But Jenkins managed to hold on, driven by the motivation of his ailing grandfather.
“My grandfather is at home and not sure how much time he has left, so that was what was on my mind today and what was pushing me in that third round,” Jenkins said. “I am proud to be a state champion, but I really just wanted to do it for him more than myself. It feels good to get this for him.”
285
Champion: Reid Hiltunen, Algonac, Sr. (55-1)
Major Decision, 11-1, over Joel Simon, Lake Odessa Lakewood, Sr. (49-5)
Hiltunen stormed out to an 11-0 lead after one period and then did his part to keep Simon from getting back in the match, securing his first championship.
“I felt like I could dominate on my feet and on top,” Hiltunen said. “The first period was great, being able to put up 11 points. My mindset all year had been to win this, and it feels amazing to have it all come together.
Hiltunen scored a takedown in the first period and then had two near-fall attempts score four points each. Simon wasn’t able to mount much offense from there, as Hiltunen proved to be elusive.
PHOTO Dundee’s Jeremy Amrhein, in blue, hoists his opponent into the air during their Division 3 championship match. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)