Midland's Spears Catches Up Quickly to Become Nationally-Recognized Finals Contender
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
January 22, 2026
Halle Spears may have had a later start when it comes to wrestling, but she’s starting to lap the field.
The Midland senior is a three-time placer at the MHSAA Individual Finals and ranked No. 3 in the country at her weight class, all despite not starting until her freshman year.
“It was good to start off with a good, athletic, foundational base,” said Midland wrestling coach Mike Donovan, who oversees the school’s program as a whole and coaches the boys in competition. “She had done other sports before, and that helped her a great deal. When she really kind of committed to finding high results in wrestling, it really took off. She kind of made eight seasons of work into her four here with all of her offseason work, lifting and practices. She caught up on the experience very fast.”
Spears was the Finals Girls Division runner-up at 190 pounds in 2025, and has packed in multiple seasons’ worth of experience at major tournaments since then.
During the offseason, she placed fourth at Fargo Nationals, won the Super 32 Challenge in Greensboro, N.C., and placed fifth at the Midlands Championships, an open tournament in Evanston, Ill., that features some of the best collegiate competition in the country.
“I was just kind of looking for college tournaments and to go where I thought I could get good competition,” Spears said. “I could still get better wrestling here, but it would be so much more fun to wrestle somewhere with really, really good competition.”
It’s an incredibly quick rise from the volleyball player and former gymnast who took up wrestling after some convincing from her older brother Hunter, who also happens to be the Midland girls wrestling coach.
“At first, I did not want to do wrestling at all,” she said. “My main sport was volleyball, but my parents have this rule that you have to have two sports every year, so I was like, ‘I guess I’ll do wrestling since my brother is the coach.’ Then I ended up loving it so much.”
A big part of that love is getting to work with her brother. Hunter wrestled at Midland and graduated in 2019, and said his style was a very different one from how his sister wrestles. But as she’s grown in the sport, he’s adapted his own style to better prepare Halle.
“I think that the first year it was kind of frustrating because we were always siblings, and now he had a little more authority over me and he had to figure out how to coach me,” Halle said. “After that first year, it was so fun because we just got to hang out every day. It means so much to me, I love him so much and I’m grateful he has spent this time to figure out how I want to wrestle, and put in the time to learn it and adapt to it with me. I’m so grateful.”
Now, Spears is ranked No. 3 nationally at 190 pounds by FloWrestling. She’s 12-0 this high school season with nine pins, one technical fall and two major decisions. She’s ranked No. 2 at 235 pounds by Michigan Grappler, a ranking that should flip in the next update, as she recently defeated the No. 1 wrestler, AnnMarie Green of Clare, 12-3 at the Girls Wolfpack Challenge in Bay City.
“She’s constantly comparing herself to the people that are above her,” Hunter Spears said. “She’s chasing an image of Sabrina Nauss (three-time MHSAA champion from Brighton) that led Team Michigan to such great things. She’s super confident when she’s wrestling her peers right now, but she hasn’t let (the national success) get to her head in a way. She’s still fighting for something.”
That something, partially, is a title at the MHSAA Finals.
Spears placed fourth at 190 pounds as a freshman and sixth as a sophomore.
Her junior year ended in the Finals with a 4-2 loss against Kanata Richardson of Bloomfield Hills, who is currently ranked fifth nationally at 190.
“I don’t really think about it that much anymore,” Spears said. “At first, it didn’t really motivate me, it just made me really sad. After, I sort of just started to let it go. I don’t really think about it anymore. I just want to get better for myself.”
Winning it all at Ford Field on March 7 to become Midland’s first female Finals champion, and first in general since 1994, would mean a lot to Spears. But she also now sees it as another step on her bigger journey, which includes wrestling collegiately at Grand Valley State University.
“It would be really nice to have my name on the banner and have my name in the trivia that Donovan does every year,” she said. “But I think somewhere last year after I lost my state finals match, it started to matter a little less to me. Not because I didn’t want it, but because I realized there are so much bigger things to strive for. It would be great, and I would be so thankful to get a state title. But sometimes, I think there are bigger things, and I’d rather strive for a national championship.”
As she continues working toward that, she continues to set an example for those who come behind her, no matter when they start.
“Just to kind of show that opportunity does exist here to do the biggest things in the sport and be on top of that,” Donovan said. “It’s not a sport where, if you didn’t do it as a youth you’re completely lost in terms of any kind of top goals. If you put the time in and the dedication in, while it can be a bit delayed and growth isn’t always linear in our sport, but given that example, that roadmap, if you invest in yourself, that will do a lot for future Chemics wrestlers.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Midland’s Halle Spears, in blue, wrestles during the Girls Wolfpack Challenge. (Middle) Halle takes a quick photo with her older brother and coach Hunter Spears. (Photos courtesy of the Spears family.)
Freeman Caps Career with 4th Title
March 4, 2017
By Nick Hankins
Special for Second Half
AUBURN HILLS – Ben Freeman stamped his name in Michigan high school wrestling history Saturday with an impressive and technical display of skills that fans across the state have become accustomed to from the talented Walled Lake Central senior.
Freeman became just the 22nd wrestler in state history to win four MHSAA individual championships when he beat Colin Takata of Birmingham Groves by technical fall, 24-7, in the second period of the 140-pound championship match at the Individual Finals on Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Freeman ended his senior season with a 34-0 record and a career mark of 163-1.
“I feel great, and I don’t think it has sunk in yet,” Freeman said. “This is crazy. There is really nothing like it. I wrestle all across the country and this (The Palace) is my favorite arena to wrestle in.”
This was a special year for the Freeman family.
Not only did he win his fourth title, but he got to watch his younger brother Nick win an MHSAA title at 135 pounds. And all in front of their father, Al Freeman, who is their coach.
But this night belonged to Ben Freeman.
“This is so much relief winning my fourth state title,” Freeman said. “I never thought I could do it. I pictured it a lot, but never thought I could do it.”
103
Champion: T.J. Daugherty, Walled Lake Central, Fr. (42-5)
Decision, 4-3, over Nick Alayan, Macomb Dakota, Soph. (51-6)
It was sweet revenge for Daugherty, who beat old nemesis Nick Alayan of Macomb Dakota to win the 103-pound championship.
Daugherty beat Alayan 4-3 this time after falling to him two weeks ago.
“My game plan coming in was to wrestle on my feet,” Daugherty said. “He beat me at Regionals 6-0 with a cradle so I had to wrestle on my feet. It feels really good to be a state champion.”
112
Champion: Benyamin Kamali, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (41-3)
Fall 3:31, over Bryce Brust, Battle Creek Lakeview, Soph. (44-7)
Kamali left little doubt he would be walking off The Palace floor with another championship.
He earned his second straight by pinning Brust in 3 minutes, 31 seconds.
“I came into the tournament with the mindset of dominating, and I dominated this match; it feels good,” Kamali said.
And like he did in his match, so did the Shamrocks, as for the second year Kamali was one of five individual champions for Detroit Catholic Central.
“Catholic Central’s program is based around domination: go out there and break your opponent,” Kamali said. “We are a family, I would do anything for anyone on our team. It feels great to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself.”
119
Champion: Rayvon Foley, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Sr. (54-3)
Decision, 8-3, over Mikey Mars, Westland John Glenn, Jr. (56-4)
Sometimes underdogs get their due at The Palace, and that is exactly what Ann Arbor Pioneer senior Foley accomplished at 119 pounds.
He beat two-time reigning champion Mikey Mars of Westland John Glenn, 8-3, in their 119-pound final.
“I feel good; I just beat a two-time state champion,” Foley said. “I have lost to that kid so many times in my life, it felt good to beat him. He is a tough kid. My game plan coming into this match was to wrestle on my feet and score points. I had to win this match on my feet, and I did that.”
125
Champion: A.J. Facundo, Davison, Jr. (39-5)
Decision, SV-1 2-1, over Donte Rivera-Garcia, Southgate Anderson, Sr. (49-2)
Facundo learned how it felt to win a Finals match two years ago when he won the Division 1 112-pound title.
Last year he took second at 119.
On Saturday, he capped off another impressive season with another championship, beating Southgate Anderson’s Rivera-Garcia 2-1 in sudden victory.
“I have worked my tail off all year,” Facundo said. “I have been doing two practices a day to prepare for this moment. I came in with the mindset of I am a fierce competitor. My focus coming in was to attack, attack, attack. I pushed the pace to win this match. (Davison coach Roy Hall) does a great job preparing us to be champions.”
130
Champion: Kevon Davenport, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (43-3)
Decision, 4-3, over Xavier Graham, Brownstown Woodhaven, Sr. (55-2)
Davenport has a reputation of being solid on his feet, and that came in handy when winning his second straight championship with a 4-3 win over Brownstown Woodhaven’s Graham.
The win avenged Davenport’s loss to Graham two weeks ago at Regionals.
“I would like to thank God, my father and my coaches for preparing me for this tournament,” Davenport said. “I felt if I attacked on my feet and got to my low level single legs that I could win this match.”
135
Champion: Nick Freeman, Walled Lake Central, Jr. (35-1)
Decision, 5-2, over Anthony Gibson, Westland John Glenn, Jr. (53-5)
“All the hard work and hours I have put it, they are starting to pay off,” Freeman said.
Wrestling in older brother Ben Freeman’s footsteps may be daunting, but Nick Freeman wants to make a name for himself and got a great start Saturday night.
“That’s what I’m working towards,” Nick Freeman said. “Every time I have come here I have fallen short. But I kept working on the little things, and now they have paid off.”
145
Champion: Cameron Amine, Detroit Catholic Central Soph. (45-3)
Decision, 9-3, over Danny Pfeffer, Fraser, Sr. (57-1)
There are a lot of motivated wrestlers in the practice room at Detroit Catholic Central. None may be more motivated than Amine, who won his second title with an impressive 9-3 win over previously-undefeated Pfeffer.
With the starting weight set at 145 pounds, Amine was the first of the five individual champions for the Shamrocks on Saturday.
“It feels great to get that second state championship in,” Amine said. “People say you always have a target on your back once you won one, but I use that as motivation to keep going and keep pushing myself everyday in the practice room to be the best. This caps off a great season and offseason. I was a double All-American this summer; this shows all my hard work has paid off.”
152
Champion: Nathan Atienza, Livonia Franklin, Sr. (58-1)
Decision, 4-3, over Kameron Bush, Grandville, Sr. (39-2)
In a battle of returning champions, Franklin’s Atienza beat Grandville’s Bush in an exciting match that drew a lot of the eyes at The Palace to their mat.
“This is my second state title; it is very exciting,” Atienza said. “I was anxious coming into this match as he was a state champ last year. I pushed myself hard all year; I was motivated.
“Kam is a tough opponent. I knew deep down inside my head I had it. I have worked for this my entire life, and nobody was going to take this away from me.”
160
Champion: Kolin Leyrer, Holt, Sr. (41-2)
Decision, 6-4, over William Marano, Dearborn Edsel Ford, Jr. (50-4)
Leyrer ran off the mat and jumped into Holt coach Rocky Shaft’s arms.
It was a great time to experience a huge accomplishment with your uncle.
“This is the most amazing thing I have ever felt in my life,” Leyrer said. “With Rocky being my uncle, this championship just means that much more. He knows how much I wanted this for me and him.”
171
Champion: Tyler Morland, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (37-0)
Technical Fall, 17-2 (4:40), over Matthew Heaps, Portage Northern, Sr. (51-1)
Morland left little doubt he would leave his high school wrestling career in impressive fashion.
He ended his senior season with a perfect 37-0 record and second straight championship at this weight.
“I came into the tournament wanting to dominate,” Morland said. “I could have wrestled better in my Quarterfinals match, but this was just the way I wanted to end my career by dominating in the Finals.”
“It is a lot of fun competing at this tournament. This is the biggest stage; it doesn’t get any better than this. There is nothing better than to compete in front of your friends and family.”
189
Champion: Brenden McRill, Davison, Sr. (41-2)
Decision, SV-1 3-1, over Ryan Vasbinder, Grandville, Sr. (21-3)
It may not have been as impressive as his win at the Team Finals a week ago, but McRill’s 3-1 sudden victory win over Vasbinder may have been a little sweeter.
Last week, McRill beat Vasbinder 14-6 with seven takedowns.
“This feels great to come away with a second state championship,” McRill said. “Ryan is a tough kid, and I knew he was going to have a game plan after last week. My mindset was the same as last weekend – to come out and score a lot of points. I wanted to score more than I did today, but I am going to keep working to be the best. I am very happy with the way I performed this weekend.”
215
Champion: Ben Cushman, Flushing, Jr. (56-0)
Decision, 11-6, over Drake Morley, Grand Haven, Sr. (29-5)
Cushman became his school's first individual champion since 2000, beating Morley to finish his junior season with a 56-0 record.
“I came out with the game plan to wrestle on my feet and I did that; I took him down five times,” Cushman said. “I just feel so great for Flushing and our county."
285
Champion: Nicholas Jenkins, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (46-1)
Decision, 3-2, over Austin Emerson, Temperance Bedford, Jr. (49-2)
Jenkins makes very few mistakes.
The Detroit Catholic Central senior heavyweight makes his matches a strategic battle every time, and he usually comes out on top, just like he did Saturday night when he won his second straight title.
“This feels great to be able to come in here and have the confidence and work on my offense and work on my shots and hit a peak out in the Finals,” Jenkins said. “It feels great to be able to be at that level. “
It’s been a good two weeks for Jenkins. His team also won a title last week at Central Michigan University.
“The team state championship was great, probably the best because you get to enjoy it with all of your friends and family and the rest of the community,” Jenkins said. “But there are not a lot of things that top winning two individual state championships.”
PHOTO: Walled Lake Central’s Ben Freeman wrestles Colin Takata of Birmingham Groves on the way to a fourth MHSAA individual title Saturday. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)