Preview: Individual Finals Headlined by Fantastic 5 Seeking to Win No. 4
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 5, 2026
For nearly 50 years, winning four championships at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals has stood as an unbeatable standard of excellence, and an aspiration only 40 of Michigan’s best have accomplished during that time.
This weekend’s Finals at Ford Field could see the largest group inducted into the elite club.
As more than 1,100 competitors take to the mat Friday and Saturday, that historic accomplishment will be in the sights of five contenders – Westland John Glenn’s Nakayla Dawson, Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Dale Gant, Detroit Catholic Central’s Wyatt Lees, Plainwell’s Madison Neiuwenhuis and Hudson’s Nicholas Sorrow.
The Grand March begins at 10 a.m. Friday, with wrestling through semifinals that evening. Wrestling begins again at 9 a.m. Saturday, with championship matches at 3:30 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased from Ford Field. All matches will be broadcast live on the NFHS Network, and we’ll talk to all 14 champions in each division for our coverage published later that evening and overnight. See the Wrestling page for more information and to follow results this weekend.
Following are glances at just some of the many contenders who will compete:
Division 1
113 Cyrus Woodberry, Detroit Cass Tech sophomore (37-4) – After winning Cass Tech’s first individual championship last season, at 106, he returns as the top seed at this weight.
120 Layne Martin, Rockford junior (43-0) – The reigning champion at 113 pounds is top-seeded at this weight as he seeks a second-straight title.
132 Wyatt Lees, Detroit Catholic Central senior (37-3) – As noted above, he’s wrestling for his fourth individual title and seeded first in this bracket after previously clinching at 106, 113 and 120.
138 Bohdan Abbey, Hartland senior (43-1) – Another top seed in his bracket, he’s looking to finish his career as a three-time champ after winning last year at 132, as a freshman at 113 and finishing runner-up at 126 as a sophomore.
144 Liam Fitzpatrick, Rockford (44-0) – He’s the top seed at his weight after finishing seventh at 130 last year and fourth at 132 as a sophomore.
150 Grayson Fuchs, Detroit Catholic Central junior (22-1) – He’s also top-seeded and seeking a third individual title to go with wins at 144 last year and 126 as a freshman.
157 Dallas Korponic, Hartland senior (45-2) – He’s a returning top seed and also a three-time hopeful after winning 150 last season and 132 as a sophomore.
165 Jay’Den Williams, Roseville senior (37-1) – The reigning champion at 165 and top seed in this bracket again has advanced to championship matches every year of high school having also finished Finals runner-up as a freshman and sophomore.
215 Eamon Murray, Midland senior (55-1) – The top seed at this weight is making his first trip to the Finals, but as a favorite with his only loss coming at the beginning of December.
285 Logan Tollison, Grand Ledge senior (51-0) – The reigning champion at this weight, and 215 runner-up in 2024, has won 96 straight matches and is the top seed in his bracket.
Other 2025 runners-up: 120 Brice LaFleur, Saline senior (43-2, 113 last year); 126 Ryan Totten, Detroit Catholic Central junior (38-9, 120 last year); 144 Deacon Morgan, Rochester Adams junior (24-2, 126 last year); 157 Julius Pacheco, Davison junior (31-3, 150 last year); 175 Zach Miracle, Temperance Bedford senior (44-2, 165 last year); 190 Thomas Jaynes, Romeo senior (49-1, 190 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 106 Brody Compau, Rockford freshman (43-0); 126 Gavin Lewis, Oxford senior (47-4); Logan Hammingh, Rockford senior (42-1); 190 Caden Krueger, Detroit Catholic Central junior (36-4).
Also undefeated: 113 Landon Learn, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer freshman (48-0); 120 Matthew Quigley, Traverse City West junior (48-0).
Division 2
120 Jarrett Smith, Lowell senior (42-2) – A top seed at the Finals for the third time, he’s looking to add a third title to those won last year at 113 and as a sophomore at 106.
120 Pilot Swab, Stevensville Lakeshore junior (12-2) – He’s a two-time Finals placer and the reigning champion at 106, and wrestling on the opposite side of the bracket from Smith.
126 Christian Haslem, St. Clair senior (49-1) – He’s reached championship matches all of his first three seasons and is top-seeded at this weight after winning 120 as a junior and finishing runner-up previously at 106 and 113.
132 Devan Garcia, Battle Creek Harper Creek junior (46-2) – He’s the favorite at this weight after winning 113 as a freshman and finishing runner-up at 120 a year ago.
138 Quinten Cassiday, Cedar Springs junior (52-0) – He finished runner-up at 126 last season but hasn’t lost since and is the top seed in his bracket.
144 Luke Egan, Cedar Springs senior (42-0) – His story is similar to his teammate’s above, as Egan was the runner-up at 138 last year and is an undefeated top seed this weekend.
150 Bryce Morrison, Hamilton senior (49-0) – He finished fifth at 132 as a sophomore and third at 144 a year ago, and enters this weekend as favored to win his first title.
157 Johnathan Ford, Bay City John Glenn junior (33-0) – He’s top-seeded and seeking a second-straight title after winning last year at 157.
165 Zane Willobee, Gaylord senior (40-1) – He emerged from outside the top four seeds to win 157 as a sophomore and finished runner-up at this weight a year ago.
190 Martin Knight, North Branch senior (43-0) – Last season’s runner-up at this weight is returning as the top seed.
Other 2025 runners-up: 113 Tyler Cooper, Plainwell sophomore (30-8, 106 last season); 120 Branlun Simon, Portland junior (48-0, 106 in Division 3 last year); 126 Carson Blum, Lowell sophomore (41-9, 113 last year); 132 Rasler Warner, Richland Gull Lake senior (15-0, 132 last year); 165 Julian Walker, Algonac senior (48-2, 165 in Division 3 last year); 215 Holden Otter, Carleton Airport junior (34-1, 215 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 106 Thomas Leahy, St. Clair Shores Lakeshore junior (50-1); 113 Dylan Nieuwenhuis, Plainwell sophomore (37-1); 175 Louis Smith, Three Rivers senior (53-0); 215 Jonathan Golec, Goodrich senior (40-1); 285 Layne O’Neil, Fowlerville senior (46-2).
Also undefeated: 144 Jeffrey Miller, Jackson Northwest senior (47-0); 190 Brad Meyers, Portland senior (48-0); 190 Don Spillers, Detroit Martin Luther King junior (44-0); 285 Ryder Balkema, Otsego junior (35-0).
Division 3
120 Mason Haines, Dundee senior (33-7) – The reigning champion at 120 is the top seed in that bracket and also finished second at 106 as a freshman and third at 113 as a sophomore.
120 Danny Vaneeckhoutte, Erie Mason junior (39-8) – He’s seeking to add a second-straight championship after winning 106 last year.
132 Mason Katschor, Dundee junior (35-7) – The top seed at this weight won 113 a year ago and 106 as a freshman.
138 Dale Gant, Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior (36-1) – A top seed again, he’s looking to add to championships at 113, 120 and 126 over his first three seasons, respectively.
144 Braden Broderick, Dundee senior (38-7) – He’s the top seed in his bracket, the reigning champion at 132, and also finished runner-up at 120 as a sophomore.
150 Stone Redmon, Dundee sophomore (16-4) – He debuted last season with a runner-up finish at 144 and returns as a top seed in this bracket.
157 Blake Cosby, Dundee senior (37-2) – He’s a top seed one more time and wrestling for championship number three after winning at 150 last year, 144 as a sophomore and finishing runner-up at 144 as a freshman.
165 Donny Beaufait, Dundee senior (33-1) – He’s seeded first in this bracket as he seeks to repeat as champion at this weight and also finished runner-up at 150 as a sophomore.
175 Fred Hammond, Otisville-LakeVille Memorial senior (51-0) – He won 165 in Division 4 last season and is seeded first at this weight in his return to Division 3, where he finished sixth at 150 as a freshman and third at 165 as a sophomore.
215 Rocco Redmon, Dundee senior (28-11) – He’s top-seeded this weekend after finishing runner-up at 190 a year ago; he also finished fifth at 130 as a freshman.
Other 2025 runners-up: 126 Mackey McClelland, Yale sophomore (52-6, 113 last year); 157 Bryson Boucher, Lake Odessa Lakewood junior (40-3, 150 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 106 Dylan Phillips, Laingsburg freshman (48-1); 113 Braxton Shaffer, Ida sophomore (48-4); 126 Bryan Sterling, Dundee senior (33-6); 190 Logan Knisely, Bronson senior (51-3); 285 Sam Tappenden, Bronson senior (48-8).
Also undefeated: 138 Aiden Durham, Grass Lake sophomore (43-0).
Division 4
113 Jordan Zambon, Riverview Gabriel Richard junior (42-8) – He won 106 last year and finished runner-up at that weight as a freshman.
126 Owen Fogel, St. Louis senior (48-3) – He’s a repeat top seed and hoping to become a repeat champion after winning 113 in 2025; he also finished sixth at 106 as a freshman and third at that weight as a sophomore.
126 Sammy Stewart, Manchester senior (42-3) – The reigning champion at 120 is the third seed in this bracket as he hopes to finish with a third title to go with his 113 championship as a freshman and runner-up finish at 126 as a sophomore.
132 Nicholas Sorrow, Hudson senior (47-2) – He’s top-seeded in his pursuit to add to championships at 106, 120 and 126 over her first three seasons, respectively.
144 Wyatt Burns, Springport junior (39-1) – After winning 138 in Division 3 last year at Dundee and finishing fourth at 126 as a freshman, he’s top-seeded at this weight as he pursues a second-straight title.
150 Beckett Campbell, Hudson sophomore (49-0) – He debuted by winning the 144 title a year ago and returns as a top seed with a combined record of 103-3 over his first two seasons.
150 Blake Sloan, Manchester senior (51-2) – The reigning champ at this weight has reached title matches every year of high school having also finished runner-up at 138 as a freshman and 144 as a sophomore.
157 Jeremy Amrhein, Manchester senior (49-0) – A top seed and returning champ, he won the Division 3 title at 157 last year for Dundee and finished third at 138 as a sophomore.
157 Eli Roe, Beaverton senior (45-1) – He’s the reigning champion at this weight and seeded second this time, and also finished sixth at 150 as a freshman.
190 Bryce Randolph, Clinton senior (46-2) – He’s the reigning champ at this weight and top seed this weekend and also finished Division 3 runner-up at 175 as a sophomore and fifth at 165 as a freshman.
2025 runners-up: 106 Jaxton Kimling, Hudson junior (38-10, 106 last year); 120 Kolton Burns, Decatur junior (47-3, 113 last year); 120 Alex Rodriguez, St. Louis senior (41-0, 120 last year); 138 Colt Perry, Hudson senior (43-7, 132 last year); 138 Luke Harrington, Riverview Gabriel Richard senior (43-6, 138 last year); 165 Haylen Buell, Martin senior (50-0, 144 last year); 190 Drew Challender, St. Louis senior (46-6, 165 last year); 190 Rowan Bradford, Decatur senior (38-1, 190 last year); 215 Isaac Westfall, Reading junior (45-1, 215 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 106 Jaxton Kimling, Hudson junior (38-10); 113 Royce Beal, Hudson freshman (43-5); 120 Alex Rodriguez, St. Louis senior (41-0); 138 Luke Harrington, Riverview Gabriel Richard senior (43-6); 157 Wyatt Kimble, Hudson freshman (45-4); 165 Haylen Buell, Martin senior (50-0); 215 Isaac Westfall, Reading junior (45-1); 285 Noah Walker, Hesperia senior (45-3).
Also undefeated: 165 Cael Tyler, Roscommon freshman (53-0).
Girls Division
105 Madison Nieuwenhuis, Plainwell senior (24-0) – She’s the top seed and hoping to win this bracket for the first time after claiming her first three titles at 100.
110 Tatianna Castillo, Lowell sophomore (30-1) – She debuted by going undefeated and winning 105 last season, and is the top seed this time at 110.
115 Nakayla Dawson, Westland John Glenn senior (11-0) – She’s top-seeded in this bracket as she looks to add to titles won at 110 the last two seasons and 105 as a freshman.
120 Cheyenne Frank, Oxford senior (35-0) – She’s top-seeded as well as she seeks to repeat at this weight and finish a second-straight undefeated season.
130 Cecilia Williams, Mason senior (18-0) – She’ll attempt to finish her career with three Finals titles and is top-seeded after winning 125 last year and 120 in 2023.
135 – Angellaya Burden, Mio junior (24-0) – The reigning champion at 130 is seeded third at this weight and also finished fourth at 125 as a freshman.
145 Nanda Kibi, Plymouth senior (24-3) – She’s seeking to finish her career as a repeat champ after winning 140 last year and finishing eighth at 135 as a freshman.
155 Belicia Manuel, Romeo senior (46-0) – After finishing runner-up at 145 last year to four-time champ Margaret Buurma of Fowlerville, Manuel is top-seeded in this bracket and aiming to add to her title at 140 won as a sophomore.
170 Kaili Manuel, Romeo junior (44-1) – She’s seeking a third-straight championship after winning 155 a year ago and 145 as a freshman.
190 Kanata Richardson, Bloomfield Hills senior (27-2) – The reigning champion in this bracket is seeded first as she seeks to finish with a repeat.
Other 2025 runners-up: 100 Lillee Denson, St. Clair Shores Lakeview senior (18-1, 105 last year); 100 Veronica Tapia, Lowell senior (26-3, 100 last year); 130 Kassie Sapp, Whitehall sophomore (35-1, 115 last year); 145 MacKenna Webster, Three Rivers senior (38-1, 140 last year); 235 AnnMarie Green, Clare senior (24-1, 235 last year); 235 Halle Spears, Midland senior (29-0, 190 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 100 Lillee Denson, St. Clair Shores Lakeview senior (18-1); 125 Adriana Murray, Yale sophomore (35-3), 135 Paisley DeNault, Clarkston senior (19-0), 140 Alexis Lazar, Brighton senior (23-0), 170 Adelaide Holderman, Middleville Thornapple Kellogg junior (22-2), 235 Halle Spears, Midland senior (29-0).
Also undefeated: 115 Emma Baker, Stevensville Lakeshore sophomore (28-0); 130 Elyse Morales, Decatur senior (24-0); 140 Kaycie Moldenhauer, Atlanta sophomore (22-0); 235 Sydney Smith, Portage Central senior (19-0).
Team Final: The second team championship in MHSAA girls wrestling history will be awarded based on points accrued by individual qualifiers. Grand Haven won the inaugural team title a year ago.
PHOTOS (Top) Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Dale Gant, left, wrestles Comstock Park's Logan Whidden last season at Ford Field on the way to winning his third Individual Finals championship. (2) Detroit Catholic Central's Wyatt Lees, left, wrestles teammate Ryan Totten for the title at 120 pounds. (3) Westland John Glenn's Nakayla Dawson, right, locks up with Shepherd's Shai Curtiss during a 2025 Finals bout. (4) Hudson's Nicholas Sorrow, right, works toward a pin at 126 pounds against Lawton's Austin Garcia. (5) Plainwell's Madison Nieuwenhuis, left, puts a hold on Lowell's Veronica Tapia during their championship match. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
D3 Preview: Powering Up for 4-Time Fame
March 5, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Sean Spidle is back where he started this run, and with an opportunity to finish it among the all-time greats in MHSAA wrestling history.
The Flint Powers Catholic senior, along with two others this weekend, will wrestle at Ford Field to become the 27th to win four MHSAA Individual Finals titles.
His first two were won in Division 3, at 103 pounds as a freshman and 112 as a sophomore. But Powers was Division 2 a year ago, and so Spidle claimed his second 112 championship against a different group of contenders. But he’ll be back in Division 3 this weekend, sharing the 119 bracket with the opponent he defeated to win his first title.
Below, we look at Spidle and nine more contenders to watch in Division 3, plus list all of the top seeds heading into this weekend. Of course, we likely missed a few who will end up among the biggest headliners Saturday – but come back to Second Half early Sunday as we’ll interview and report on all 56 champions.
The “Grand March” on Friday begins at 11 a.m., with five rounds wrestled throughout the day including the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Wrestling picks back up with consolation rounds at 9 a.m. Saturday, and concludes with the championship matches that afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
Follow all matches on a subscription basis live on MHSAA.tv, and click here for results at MHSAA.com.
112 Jordan Rodriguez, Chesaning senior (37-1) – After finishing third and then seventh at 103 his first two seasons, Rodriguez powered into the championship at 112 in 2019 before falling 6-2 to Hunter Assenmacher (see below). He’s the top seed at this weight, with his only loss this season to 125 qualifier Aidan Bernard of Montrose.
119 Hunter Assenmacher, Ida senior (44-1) – After falling to Spidle in the 103 championship match when both were freshman, Assenmacher may see him one more time – but now after winning titles at 103 in 2018 and 112 a year ago. His only loss this winter was to Macomb Dakota’s Brendan Ferretti, the Division 1 top seed at this weight, by 5-3 decision.
119 Sean Spidle, Flint Powers Catholic senior (33-0) – Last season’s Division 2 champion at 112 pounds also won 112 in Division 3 as a sophomore and 103 as a freshman. He will continue at Central Michigan.
135 Casey Swiderski, Dundee sophomore (35-1) – Last season’s champion at 103 made a big jump in weight and hasn’t missed a beat. His only loss came to an out-of-state opponent in December, and four of his wins came against Division 1 contenders including 125 top seed Andrew Chambal of Davison.
140 Christian Killion, Dundee senior (42-6) – The three-time placer and two-time runner-up is hoping to end his high school career with his first title win. Killion was fourth at 119 as a freshman, second at 130 (to four-time champ Jarrett Trombley of Lake Fenton) as a sophomore and just missed claiming the championship last year with a double-overtime loss in the title match at this weight.
145 Tyler Swiderski, Dundee junior (43-3) – Few of late have been able to claim a tougher-luck pair of past runner-up finishes. As a sophomore he fell to Spidle at 112, and last season Swiderski had to take on senior teammate Jonathon White in the final at 135 and lost 1-0. This season, his only in-state defeat came to Division 2 contender James Fotis of Lowell, and in sudden victory.
160 Stoney Buell, Dundee junior (41-3) – Buell is potentially on a four-title track, having won at 135 as a freshman and 152 last season and earning the top seed in this weekend’s bracket. Only one of his defeats this winter was in state, to Division 1 Manuel Rojas of Detroit Catholic Central by a point.
171 Dillon Kroening, Gladwin senior (48-1) – He’s back as the top seed at this weight after falling in last season’s championship match, and is a combined 98-3 over the past two seasons. Kroening’s only defeat this winter came in sudden victory in December against Division 4 contender Jacob Cassiday of Beaverton, whom Kroening had defeated a week earlier.
215 Luke Davis, Richmond senior (38-2) – Last season’s 215 runner-up fell just short a year ago losing in a 3-0 decision, but he’s back as the top seed. His only in-state loss this winter was a 3-1 decision to reigning Division 1 champion Brendin Yatooma of Detroit Catholic Central. Since that defeat, Davis has pins in 17 of 19 matches.
285 Grant Clarkson, Lake Odessa Lakewood senior (36-0) – He’s back as the top seed in this bracket after finishing third at this weight in 2019, his first as a Finals placer. He’s pinned all of his opponents but one this season (and not counting a handful of matches won by forfeit).
Other 2019 runners-up: 112 Hunter Keller, Richmond junior (34-4, 103 in 2019); 125 Brendan Connelly, Yale senior (45-5, 119 in 2019); 135 Mac Breece, Birch Run senior (40-2, 125 in 2019); 135 Luke Mahaney, Williamston junior (27-4, 130 in 2019); 152 Max Halstead, Grayling senior (22-1, 145 in 2019).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 103 Braeden Davis, Dundee freshman (34-4); 125 Aidan Davis, Dundee freshman (39-4); 130 Brock Holek, Durand junior (42-0); 152 Dominick Lomazzo, Dundee junior (20-4); 189 Jonathan Clack, Lake Odessa Lakewood senior (48-0).
PHOTO: Flint Powers Catholic’s Sean Spidle (far left) stands atop the championship podium for the third-straight season in 2019 after winning a Division 2 title at 112 pounds. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)