Lees Becomes 1st from Detroit Catholic Central to Win 4 Team, 4 Individual Titles

By Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com

March 8, 2026

DETROIT – There aren’t many opportunities for wrestlers to become the first to accomplish something at Detroit Catholic Central anymore, but Wyatt Lees found a way.

He defeated Eden Abdo of Grand Ledge 7-1 on Saturday in the 132-pound title match of the Division 1 Individual Wrestling Finals, becoming the first Catholic Central wrestler to win eight Finals titles – four team and four individual – and fourth to win four individual titles, joining Darius Marines (2021-24), Dylan Gilcher (2020-23) and Kevon Davenport (2016-19).

“It’s pretty awesome,” Lees said. “I got to follow Darius, Dylan and Kevon, and now I get to start a new trend of four and four, which hopefully Grayson Fuchs can get next year.”

Lees was one of five wrestlers to win a fourth title Saturday, joining a list of 46 in Michigan history. He is just the ninth wrestler to ever reach eight total titles, as Hudson’s Nicholas Sorrow accomplished the feat just minutes before him. 

“Before the match, he was messing with me saying, ‘Hey, whoever finishes their match first gets on the board first – did he finish before me?’” Lees said, before feigning disappointment and laughing when the answer was yes.

Lees previously had won titles at 106, 113 and 120, and this year he pinned his way into the finale. He was able to get an early takedown against Abdo and controlled the match from there.

Lees said he entered the Finals match with a bit of nerves, as he felt the weight of what he was about to accomplish.

“At first, I was doing a pretty good job blocking it out,” Lees said. “But I was kind of warming up and I felt it, it hit me. I said a prayer, ‘God help me. Help me channel my nervousness to good energy.’ Once I was out there, I was fine.”

106

Champion: Brody Compau, Rockford, Fr. (51-0)
Technical Fall (18-2, 3:03) over Grayson Van Valken, Grandville, Fr. (42-6)

Compau finished off a remarkable freshman season with another dominant victory.

“It feels great man,” he said. “Just knowing my work’s been paying off. I wrestled him at District and Regionals, so the plan was the same thing – keep pushing the pace, keep scoring. Just make sure I get the tech.”

Compau had a fall and two technical falls on his way to the championship match, and said he felt no added pressure as an unbeaten freshman.

“I know all the work that I’ve done to get here. I just had to show up and show people,” he said. “I think I can get four. Second one in Rockford after Kyle Waldo, just gotta do that again.”

113

Champion: Cyrus Woodberry, Detroit Cass Tech, Soph. (41-4)
Decision, 4-0, over Jase Sensor, Hartland, Soph. (49-9)

With the city of Detroit on his back – the skyline is literally printed on his singlet – Woodberry again came up big, claiming his second Finals title in as many tries.

“I feel like I’m representing all of Cass Tech, all of Detroit,” he said. “Showing people that Detroit wrestling is on the come-up, and I’m here to lead it.”

Woodberry entered the third period and rode Sensor out to complete the victory.

“Just to keep pressure on him,” Woodberry said. “It took everything out of me to keep him down, and when I finally got up, it felt great.”

Woodberry was the champ at 106 last year.

120

Champion: Layne Martin, Rockford, Jr. (51-0)
Technical Fall (19-4, 5:04) Matthew Quigley, Traverse City West, Jr. (51-1)

Martin dominated this matchup of unbeatens to claim his second-straight title.

“I felt pretty confident,” he said. “I was able to get to my attacks. Those high-Cs and those fireman’s, they were there the whole match.”

Martin claimed the 113-pound title a year ago, and after leading just 3-1 early Saturday, scored 16 points in the second and third periods to close out title No. 2.

“Coming in a little more used to the crowd and everything,” he said. “It’s just a little easier the second time.”

126

Champion: Jamison Gregory, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (34-7)
Major Decision, 8-0, over Steve Vaughn, Davison, Jr. (28-12)

Gregory was the first of six Catholic Central wrestlers to hit the mat on the night and set quite a tone by winning his first individual title.

“It felt pretty good,” he said. “I’ve been chasing it for a while. My coaches have been telling me all year that I’m a tone setter, and I just feel so glad that I’m able to set that tone here in this tournament.”

He scored a takedown and escape in both the second and third periods to win by major decision.

“The strategy was just kind of let him come toward me and find my offense,” Gregory said. “Then go out and win the state title.”

138

Champion: Bohdan Abbey, Hartland, Sr. (51-1)
Technical Fall (19-4, 3:18) over Carl Nihranz, Macomb Dakota, Sr. (52-4)

In his fourth Finals appearance, Abbey claimed title No. 3 with a dominant performance. 

“It’s fun getting the third state title,” Abbey said. “It’s just another day to give the glory to God for what he’s gifted you with out there on the mat.”

He teched his way through the tournament, closing out an illustrious career. He was champion at 113 as a freshman, second at 126 as a sophomore, and champion at 132 a year ago.

“First one, I had to work for it really hard,” Abbey said. “Then obviously came up short my sophomore year, but the next two you have to find the Lord, and if you’re not wrestling for the Lord, you’re wrestling for yourself, and you can’t do anything by yourself.”

Hartland’s Bohdan Abbey, right, wraps up the legs of his opponent.

144

Champion: Nate Carter, Clarkston, Sr. (44-3)
Decision, 7-5, over Deacon Morgan, Rochester Adams, Jr. (27-3)

Carter and Morgan battled every second of the six minutes in their title bout, but after claiming his first Finals title, Carter still had plenty of energy.

“I’m feeling great, pumped up, excited,” Carter said. “Went full six minutes, me and my coaches we had a gameplan. We didn’t really strategize too much coming into the state tournament, because it goes match by match, one by one, but we came back right before Finals started and had a gameplan. Just stay basic and fire when it’s open, and that’s what I did.”

Carter hit a big move in the second period to take the lead over Morgan, who was runner-up at 126 a year ago.

“He was just pressuring, and I know I got some of the best hips in the country,” Carter said. “I know if someone is pressure too much, and I got that chance and opportunity – it was on the edge of the mat, so I was like, ‘Why not?’ Worse comes to worse, we go out of bounds.”

150

Champion: Grayson Fuchs, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (29-1)
Decision, 8-6, over Deacon MacNeill, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, Sr. (48-2)

Fuchs claimed his third individual title and sixth overall while battling through a laundry list of injuries.

“I’m wrestling through a sprained MCL, meniscus, my hand is like a little bit out of place, I’m going to get it fixed up after the season,” Fuchs said. “It’s another stepping stone, battling through adversity. This sport, it teaches you a lot of stuff, and it’s definitely bringing me closer to God, too.”

Fuchs won his first title at 126 pounds as a freshman and his second at 144 a year ago. If he can repeat the feat a year from now, and the Shamrocks can win their fifth-straight Team Finals title, he’ll join Lees and become the state’s 10th eight-time champ.

“That’s the goal next season,” Fuchs said. “Just stick to the process, do what I’ve been doing, get another team title, be a leader again. Just show the younger freshmen and stuff what it takes to be the best. I’m excited for the four and four.”

157

Champion: Dallas Korponic, Hartland, Sr. (54-2)
Decision, 8-4, over Alexander Buskirk, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (37-8)

Korponic won title No. 3 and claimed his 200th career victory at the same time. Fittingly, it ended with a takedown in the final seconds, keeping him on top.

“I know it was a close match in the state championship. He’s a great wrestler,” Korponic said. “It just feels good to kind of seal the deal there at the end for the crowd.”

Korponic won at 132 pounds as a sophomore and 150 as a junior, and now joins his teammate Abbey as the only three-time champions in Hartland history.

“Growing up with him, he’s my best friend, we do everything in life together,” Korponic said. “Just being able to complete that with each other is just unreal.”

165

Champion: Jay’Den Williams, Roseville, Sr. (41-1)
Technical Fall (20-3, 2:56) over Anthony Madafferi, Novi, Sr. (49-3)

The king of the technical fall got another one to close out his illustrious career and become a two-time champion. Williams, who holds the state record for most techs in a season (48 in 2024-25), won that way at the Finals for the second-straight year.

“I just know one thing, I worked hard for this,” Williams said. “Throughout this whole week, I’ve been practicing three to four times a day, pushing my stamina to where I get tired, so when I get tired out here I’m used to it. I’ve been here before. I’ve been in this same place multiple times. I just know I gotta push my guy to my standard.”

Williams started relatively slow for his standards, but scored 17 points in 95 seconds to finish off the victory. As his hand was raised, the crowd acknowledged the four-time finalist with an ovation typically reserved for four-time champs.

“I’m thankful for everyone here that’s watching me,” Williams said. “It feels exciting and builds momentum. I know I’m getting in my opponent’s head, too, with them, and it makes it easier for me.”

175

Champion: Braxten Roche, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (28-7)
Major Decision, 23-11, over Zach Miracle, Temperance Bedford, Sr. (47-3)

Roche was emotional following his match after sharing a long hug with his grandfather near the edge of the mat.

“It’s been a grind,” he said. “I came from a wrestling family, and all of our goals were to be a state champion and a DI wrestler. Unfortunately we had never became a state champ in my family; I was the first to be a state champ in my family. We’ve had lots of DI wrestlers, but never a state champ. So, it means a lot to me and my family.”

Miracle, who was runner-up at 165 a year ago, took an early 7-0 lead in the match, but Roche hit some big moves himself to get back in it. He also was dealing with a bloody nose that required tape to be wrapped around his face.

“That was very annoying, it definitely was not comfortable,” Roche said. “It’s OK, you have to persevere through, and I had to go through a couple times of adversity in the match. You just have to keep pushing through, and you’ll love the outcome.”

190

Champion: Caden Krueger, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (42-4)
Decision, 7-5, over Dominic Nauss, Brighton, Soph. (38-5)

Krueger built a big lead and held off Nauss to claim his first Finals title.

“It feels great,” Krueger said. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. I’ve always been stuck at second my whole life at all these tournaments, and to finally get that victory, that was well-deserved.”

Krueger led 7-2 after the second period and played defense in the third, not allowing Nauss to hit any of the big throws for which he’s known.

“I knew he was going to go big – he’s a great thrower, great Greco guy,” Krueger said. “I just had to stay on my defense, stay in good position, with a good base, and I knew he wouldn’t get to me.”

215

Champion: Tyler Meeuwsen, East Kentwood, Jr. (31-1)
Decision, 14-8 (SV), over Hadi Mazraani, Dearborn, Sr. (49-2)

Meeuwsen rallied to force overtime and finished off his first Finals title with a cradle, giving the fans in attendance one last thrill in the final match of the night.

“I just knew that I had to use my hips,” Meeuwsen said. “I saw the cradle opportunity and I wasn’t going to let go. It was a blessing. I’ve worked so hard for this the past few years, and I’m just so happy I was able to get my goal.”

Mazraani built a 7-1 lead during the first period, but Meeuwsen pushed the pace the rest of the way, forcing two stalling calls and two separate grabs of the singlet by his opponent to tie the match.

“We go hard in the room every day,” Meeuwsen said. “I know in matches like this when you go down early and make a mistake, you gotta battle back. I just had to keep fighting through it and battle through adversity, and this time I came out on top.”

285

Champion: Logan Tollison, Grand Ledge, Sr. (55-0)
Major Decision, 8-0, over Jase Fuller, Lapeer, Jr. (49-4)

Tollison capped off an unbeaten senior season, claiming his second-straight Finals title.

“It means a lot,” Tollison said. “I worked hard to get here. It definitely does mean a lot to me.”

Tollison also won at 285 a year ago after finishing as runner-up at 215 the year before. On Saturday, he opened up a scoreless match by getting an escape and a takedown in the second period, adding another takedown in the third for the major decision.

“He wasn’t doing anything on bottom, and got me a little upset,” Tollison said. “But, I just kept wrestling.”

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central's Wyatt Lees, top, locks up Grand Ledge's Eden Abdo during their Division 1 championship match Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Hartland’s Bohdan Abbey, right, wraps up the legs of his opponent. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)

MHSA(Q&)A: Stevensville-Lakeshore wrestling coach Bruce Bittenbender

February 9, 2012

Bruce Bittenbender grew up in Bethlehem, Pa., in the heart of steel country, and worked part-time in a mill as a young adult. That helped land him in Michigan City, Ind., not long after graduating from Milligan College in Tennessee in 1969.

But Bittenbender wanted to teach and coach.

Bittenbender took a teaching job at South Haven that fall, and as an assistant coach helped that school's wrestling team to the MHSAA Class B championship. A year later the wrestling coaching job opened at Stevensville Lakeshore. He says now that he was too young for the job, but Bittenbender applied and was hired. The program was struggling at that point -- but not for much longer.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations' record book, Bittenbender trailed only Rex Peckinpaugh of New Castle, Ind., in career dual coaching wins heading into this season (796-780). Bittenbender won his 800th match on Jan. 14 -- and has his team just two more victories from MHSAA Finals weekend Feb. 24-25 in Battle Creek.

Bittenbender retired from teaching two years ago after 35 teaching biology and seven more physical education. At 64, he still gets on the mat with his wrestlers from time to time, although perhaps not as much as he once did. But countless wrestlers -- including those who won a combined 20 individual championships -- have benefited from his instruction.

His coaching tree includes current Rockford coach Brian Richardson and former Lowell coach Dave Strejc, who led teams to MHSAA Division 2 championships in 2002 and 2004. Bittenbender was named National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations in 2002 and again by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 2010. He is a member of the Michigan Wrestling Association Hall of Fame, and he will be inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame this spring.

Stevensville Lakeshore is ranked No. 7 in Division 2. His team won its District on Tuesday, downing St. Joseph 35-34 with a decision win in the final match.

What keeps you coming back for another season?

Every year, when you think you've seen it all, something else comes up. When I was in middle school, it was junior high school back then, I was on the edge. The coach (Jim McIntyre, who went on to coach at Kutztown University) grabbed me on the back of the neck and said, "What are you doing?" I was hanging out with kids of questionable character, and he said, "You need to come out for wrestling." I still go back and play golf with that guy once in a while. ... I came from a big family. We didn't have much. I have empathy for the kids that were kicked around, misdirected. Somebody took time out for me. I felt maybe I could kick some of that back.

After so many wins, do you still enjoy all of them the same?

I tell ya, last night I certainly enjoyed the win. It was just like I was 23 again. Yeah, I enjoy it. It's addictive. That's what you're out there for.

The NFHS changed its wrestling weight classes this season, but Michigan chose to stay with its current lineup. What is your thought on that switch?

I think it's going to switch back. It makes no sense to me. The average kid graduating from high school is 5-(foot-)9, 155 pounds. Why add a weight class at the top where you have to compete for kids with football and basketball. … Our sport has prided itself on giving the little guy a chance. ... He can be a state champ in wrestling.

Your teams have finished MHSAA Finals runner-up twice. How much would you like to win that first championship?

I would love to. That's the ultimate goal. We've been so close. We were up three points in '94, and got pinned at heavyweight (to lose 28-25 to Fowlerville). In '86 we broke the record for individual number of points scored, but Eaton Rapids broke it too. We were that close.

I'm assuming you're not going to stop coaching any time soon.

Being around people and the community, and working with kids, it keeps you young. Keeps you in shape, keeps you motivated. I think that's one of the reasons. Now that I'm not teaching, my wife and I are able to travel quite a bit in the fall and summer. I think that's basically a motivator, just being around people.

What do you tell, or would you tell, young coaches who are just getting started in high school wrestling?

I tell them to be careful the first few years. It's different today. … I tell coaches you need to set up standards, discipline, goals and objectives, and go by those. You try to accommodate some of these kids, and this and that, but you can go only so far. You’ve gotta stick to the rules and let the cards fall where they are. If you don't, you'll have problems down the line.

And I think communicating with people, making friends, getting out there and strumming up support for the program is important too. I've had the opportunity to speak to the Lions Club, various civic organizations, at hospitals. You have to try to make yourself available. People have to learn to put their trust in you."