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.)
Hudson's Weaver Ends With Perfection
March 1, 2014
By Greg Chrapek
Special to Second Half
AUBURN HILLS – After seeing his team’s string of five straight MHSAA team championships come to an end the week before in the Division 4 Final at Kellogg Arena, Hudson senior Cole Weaver was not about to let his high school career end with a loss at the Individual Finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
A two-time champion with a perfect record this winter, Weaver was determined to not have a letdown in his title match at 140 pounds against Chase Siersema, a returning finalist from Hesperia.
Weaver capped his career in style as he defeated Siersema 9-4 to win his third straight individual title and finish this season with a 57-0 record.
“I wanted to end my career with a bang,” Weaver said. “I did not want to get beat. I turned it up.”
Weaver, who will continue his wrestling career at Indiana University next season, was solid on his feet as he steadily built a lead against Siersema, who finished the season with a 44-4 mark.
“Takedowns were the key,” Weaver said. “I didn’t think he could beat me on my feet.”
While three individual titles in a row meant a lot to Weaver, the sting of seeing Hudson’s string of team titles snapped was still a painful subject for him.
“That is still a touchy subject,” Weaver said. “It hurts knowing that the string was snapped. It meant a lot to Hudson and to us.”
103
Champion: Davian Gowens, Hesperia, Soph. (24-3)
Decision, 14-6, over Corey Agens, Hesperia, Sr. (43-9)
Teammates and training partners squared off when Gowens wrestled Agens at 103 pounds. Gowens, who beat his teammate by a single point in both the District and Regional tournaments, steadily built a lead against his teammate in the Final.
“I’m a lot stronger this year,” Gowens said. “I weighed 95 pounds last year.”
Going up against his training partner was not something to which he looked forward.
“We wrestle each other every day,” Gowens said. “It’s very difficult wrestling against your partner. You really don’t want to beat him, but you are in the state finals.”
112
Champion: Joe Traynham, Onaway, Jr. (43-4)
Major decision, 16-4, over Roddy Hamdan, Hudson, Jr. (45-12)
Coming from Onaway, Traynham showed the crowd at The Palace that there are some serious wrestlers in Northern Michigan as he defeated a returning MHSAA champion with a major decision.
Traynham grabbed the lead early and steadily built it to double figures.
“Anybody can be beat,” Traynham said. “I feel like I put more time into training then anybody here.”
Traynham was making his first trip to the Finals as he was defeated in the second round of consolations at Regionals last year to miss the cut.
“I just worked so hard during the summer,” Traynham said. “I went all over the country wrestling and spent so much time in the weight room.”
All the work paid off in a big way.
“I can’t explain how it feels,” Traynham said. “It’s too good a feeling. This is something that I’ve been working for since the eighth grade.”
119
Champion: Logan Griffin, Erie-Mason, Jr. (34-4)
Decision, 6-2, over Dresden Simon, Dansville, Soph. (49-4)
Last year, Griffin battled through a shoulder injury at the Finals to win his first title. This season, a healthy Griffin was in command throughout his match with Simon.
“Last year I didn’t have much practice because of my injury,” Griffin said. “This year I was on my A game. I thought I peaked at the right time.”
Griffin also sported a new look at the Finals as his newly-dyed bright blue hair stood out.
“I lost a bet with my teammate,” Simon said. “If I pinned my first kid at Regional he would dye his hair, and if he beat his first kid at Regional I would dye my hair. We ended up both pinning, so we both dyed our hair.
125
Champion: Zack Yates, Hesperia, Sr. (47-0)
Technical fall, 15-0, over Logan Eaves, Hesperia, Soph. (38-15)
Not only did Yates defeat a teammate when he stopped Eaves, but he also defeated a family member to earn the title as the two are also first cousins.
“You can’t go out there thinking you are wrestling a family member,” Yates said. “You have to go out there and give it your all. You can’t go out there and take it easy.”
For Yates, it was his third straight appearance in the Finals and second straight individual title. Yates also wrapped up the season with a perfect record.
“I was proud that my cousin made it to the Finals,” Yates said. “He had a couple of ranked kids ahead of him, but he pulled it off. I just had to go out there and go as hard as I can.”
130
Champion: Carter Ballinger, Jonesville, Sr. (47-1)
Decision, 5-3 (OT), over Kyle Barkovich, Lawton, Jr. (50-3)
On the trip up to Auburn Hills from Jonesville on Thursday, Ballinger was not sure he would even be able to wrestle this weekend. Early in the week, Ballinger suffered an allergic reaction to some medicine used to treat a spot staph infection, which left him with a bright red rash on his neck and shoulders.
“I only got an hour and a half of sleep worrying about if I would be able to wrestle or not,” Ballinger said. “I was not sure I would be able to wrestle.”
Ballinger got the green light and took full advantage as he brought home the first title for Jonesville in 40 years.
“My coach was planning to retire after my freshman year, but I sent him a text saying that I was going to win a state title some day, and he decided to stick around,” Ballinger said. “This is just crazy. It’s amazing.”
135
Champion: Brock Thumm, Watervliet, Sr. (40-0)
Decision, 10-5, over Trenton Roesly, Hesperia, Jr. (50-4)
If not for a shoulder injury suffered last year, Thumm could well have been wrestling for a third consecutive title Saturday.
An MHSAA champion as a sophomore, Thumm suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder early last season. He needed to have three bones shaved and three titanium pins placed in his shoulder and missed the remainder of his junior season.
“I put in a lot of work over the summer and it feels great to come back,” Thumm said. “I worked on my conditioning and to get my shoulder strong.”
The hard work paid off for Thumm, who started strong and never looked back.
“This is very special for me,” Thumm said. “I worked pretty hard for this. I just wanted to end my senior season at state.”
145
Champion: JD Waters, Hudson, Sr. (49-10)
Fall, 0:51 over Zachary Francis, Lutheran Westland, Sr. (20-4)
The signature move for Hudson wrestlers is the far-side cradle, and Waters wasted little time in executing the move to perfection as he won his second consecutive title.
“The far-side cradle, it’s what Hudson is known for,” Waters said. “All Hudson wrestlers know how to use it, and it came in handy today.”
Waters’ victory at 145 pounds came on the heels of his teammate Weaver’s title at 140, and the wins were a perfect end to the high school careers of the Hudson wrestling standouts who started out as teammates at a young age.
“I love Hudson; there is nowhere else I would want to wrestle,” Waters said. “Cole is my partner, and we have been wrestling together since kindergarten. When we were in junior high school, we would go to the high school meets and see all the bigger guys and say that we wanted to be like that some day.”
152
Champion: Kyle Johnson, Hudson, Soph. (46-10)
Decision, 5-4 over Ali Rashad, Highland Park Renaissance Academy, Sr. (29-2)
Working in the Hudson wrestling room with champions like Weaver and Waters has proven to be very beneficial for Johnson, a sophomore. After finishing third at the MHSAA Finals at 152 pounds last year, Johnson is starting to work on his own Hudson wrestling legacy as he avenged a loss suffered against Rashad in the Individual Regional.
“He (Rashad) beat me 2-1 at Regionals,” Johnson said. “I knew what I had to do this time. I had to make sure that he didn’t throw me.”
Johnson took an early lead against Rashad and wrestled a solid technical match to earn the win.
“I train for the big moments,” Johnson said. “Wrestling against Cole and JD, you gain so much and learn so much. You know, at a little school like Hudson, when you wrestle against Cole you are going up against someone that is going to Indiana and that makes you so much better. I’m so glad I’m able to train with guys like that.”
160
Champion: Josh Wendling, New Lothrop, Sr. (56-4)
Decision, 13-7, over Mark Workman, Hesperia, Soph. (27-3)
Wendling added a second straight title and finished his career at New Lothrop with a 202-24 overall record.
After helping New Lothrop win the team title a week ago, Wendling had to guard against a letdown this week.
“I had to keep my mind right,” Wendling said. “Everyone was talking about the team state all week, and it was tough keeping my mind at the task at hand. I thought I was able to do that and keep myself at the top of my game.”
Wendling also had to guard against the high expectations of a returning champion.
“Just because I won it last year, everyone thought I had it locked up this year,” Wendling said. “They thought I would win automatically. Winning this one was awesome. It feels great.”
171
Champion: Taylor Krupp, New Lothrop, Sr. (56-0)
Decision, 6-5, over Shane Rodenburg, Kent City, Jr. (52-2)
Saturday’s title was vindication for the entire Krupp family.
Last year Taylor lost in overtime in the 160-pound championship match. Taylor’s older brother Justin reached the Finals twice during his career but also came up short both times.
This time Taylor won the title and did it in a big way as he scored a takedown in the final 10 seconds to secure the win. Making the moment even more special was having Justin, a New Lothrop assistant, right there on the mat.
“Justin is my coach, and he was the first one who hugged me after the match,” Taylor said. “It was sweet having Justin there when I finally won it. It was a great brother-bonding moment. It was great to share it with him. He was there to see me lose last year, and now he was here to see me win this year. ”
Making the day even sweeter for the Krupp family was young brother Connor, a freshman, placing fifth at 103 pounds.
189
Champion: Jacob Cooper, Springport, Jr. (45-2)
Decision, 7-2, over Nathan Philburn, Byron, Sr. (35-5)
After winning the 160-pound title last year, Cooper went up two weight classes this winter. The move up in weight did little to slow him down as he added a second straight title.
“At first it was hard getting used to the new weight class,” Cooper said. “I eventually got used to it and adapted to it.”
Cooper used his quickness and ability to score on his feet to his advantage during the match.
“I knew he was all upper-body,” Cooper said. “I knew I would have some shots. I just had to keep going in.”
With a second MHSAA title under his belt, Cooper already is setting his sights on a three-peat.
“I just have to keep getting better and stronger,” Cooper said. “I have to keep working hard.”
215
Champion: Kevin Koenig, Laingsburg, Soph. (48-3)
Decision, 14-3, over Patrick Harbin Jr., Detroit Loyola, Jr. (20-1)
After losing in the Final by technical fall last year, Koenig was on a mission this season and he didn’t let up until he captured the first MHSAA title in school history.
“I knew I had him after the first takedown,” Koenig said. “He couldn’t stop it.”
Koenig began wrestling in the third grade.
“I wanted to be the first state champion in school history,” Koenig said. “Ever since the eighth grade I have been working for this.”
285
Champion: Ryan Prescott, Whittemore-Prescott, Jr. (34-0)
Fall, 2:41, over Nate Boardman, Hillsdale, Sr. (40-2)
It was a second straight title for Prescott, who turned in a dominant season. Prescott took command of his match early and then finished the job with a pin in the second period.
“It feels like I’m on top of the world,” Prescott said.
A three-time MHSAA finalist, Prescott lost by one point in the title match as a freshman and then won the by decision last year. This time around Prescott won the title in a big way, and he credits his improvement to hard work and experience.
“Maturity,” Prescott said. “My maturity really helped me. I feel I am such a better wrestler and much stronger. I have improved a lot since last year. I worked so hard during the summer. Training and going to camps.”
PHOTO: Hudson's Cole Weaver (left) works to control Hesperia's Chase Siersema during their Division 4 Final at 140 pounds. (Click to see more fromHigh School Sports Scene.)