Seniors Shoulder Decatur Title Hopes
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
December 20, 2016
DECATUR — When he was young, Coy Helmuth broke both sides of his collarbone and almost gave up wrestling.
Logan Kennedy is looking to add more MHSAA Finals honors to the family tree.
Fritz Williamson’s brothers told him he’d never make it as a wrestler.
That trio provides three key ingredients to Decatur’s hopes for securing an elusive MHSAA Division 4 team title.
Helmuth and Kennedy were Division 4 Individual Finals runners-up last year and hope to build on their successes this year as seniors.
In fact, Jack Richardson, who has coached the Raiders the last four years, has seniors slated for 10 of the 14 weight classes.
Decatur’s team was seeded second last year but lost to Leroy Pine River in the Quarterfinals in a 35-34 nail-biter.
“That’s still fresh in my mind, and I think it’s fresh in the kids’ minds, especially the seniors,” Richardson said. “They were all extremely disappointed, but Pine River wrestled extremely well. They came out and they wrestled to beat us.
“We will use that as a teaching tool. Yes, we were sour about it. We wanted to win. We had high aspirations. Now we have to use it not as something that will hold us back but something that will push us forward. OK, this happened and what can we do to fix it.”
Richardson has a bit more breathing room this year, choosing from among 21 wrestlers to compete.
Last year, he had just 15 on the team.
“We were relying on everybody,” he said.
One of those was Williamson, a senior this year, who surprised his coach with his versatility.
“He’d been a JV wrestler for two years, and I had him at 189,” Richardson said.
Although Williamson posted a 22-34 record, “He came within a match of being a state qualifier, and he hadn’t seen a varsity match in two years,” the coach said.
“He really, really came on at the end of the year and wrestled very well.”
Williamson said the fact his older brothers told him he’d never make it was the best motivation of all.
“I practiced really hard and worked really hard to get better,” he said. “Now I’m a pretty decent wrestler. People say I’m pretty good and they like to watch me wrestle.”
The senior, who was adopted from Haiti when he was 5 years old, has 10 brothers and sisters, all adopted, he said.
“I like the fact that I feel like I can accomplish things myself,” he said. “No one is really yelling much at you, telling you what to do. It’s a team sport, but it’s basically you. I like the fact that I can wrestle people and win. I like to win.”
Helmuth, who had a 50-7 record at 119 last year, followed his dad, David, who wrestled for Dowagiac, then helped coach the team for a few years. David started his son out wrestling at a young age.
After finishing runner-up to Erie-Mason’s Robert LeFevre last year, Helmuth said he knows better what to expect this year.
The MHSAA tournament “is a different environment,” Helmuth said. “You’ve got thousands of people looking down at you, watching your match, other than the 16 who are usually involved.
“You walk out and see the one person you’re wrestling. You guys came out of the same region, and it’s just a completely different environment (than the regular season).
“This year, I feel like I could get myself ready for that Finals match better. I’m not expecting anything less. That’s one of my goals. Second isn’t good enough this year.”
A four-year varsity wrestler, Helmuth “lost in the blood rounds freshman and sophomore years,” Richardson said. “He made a big jump going into his junior year, more mentally than anything.
“He’s very analytical. Ninety-five percent of the people I’ve seen him wrestle that he’s gotten beat by, he has the ability to come back and adjust how he wrestles to have success.”
Kennedy said he is inspired by father, Jim, who was an MHSAA champ at Decatur in 1986 and started his son in the sport when Logan was 5 years old.
Logan’s three older brothers, Mitch, Zach and Austin, all placed at the Individual Finals. That’s an even bigger motivator for the senior, who posted a 51-6 record at 285 last year, losing to Laingsburg’s Kory Koenig in the Final.
“After (my brothers) graduated, they all focused on building me up,” Kennedy said. “Mitch wrestled at 125, Zach and Austin were heavyweights.
“Every time I step on the mat, it’s like a natural high to me. I feel like I’m floating on air when I wrestle.”
Durability is one of Kennedy’s key assets.
“Most of my matches I end up winning in the third period,” he said. “This year I am working harder than anybody else is working.
“My biggest fear is that someone else is out there working harder than me. My goal is every day to work the hardest I can work, to push my body to the limit.”
Richardson said Kennedy, who wrestled varsity all four years, “is extremely athletic for a guy his size. For a guy his size, he’s got good feet.
“He actually tore his ACL the summer before his sophomore year, and we didn’t know if we were going to get him back. He came back and helped our team get to the Semifinals that year.”
Richardson said there are reasons Decatur has had strong wrestling programs through the years.
One is that younger wrestlers learn from accomplished older ones.
Most recently, Luke Bell was an MHSAA champ in 2010, 2011 and 1012.
His brother, Hunter won a Division 4 crown at 152 pounds in 2015.
“Hunter was a junior and senior when these seniors were freshmen, sophomores,” Richardson said. “You see the way he worked, which goes back to his brother Luke.
“I think with any successful program, those are the kinds of threads that bind. People who have success inspire the next generation through.”
Another reason is the makeup of the community.
“You have blue collar, hard-working people,” he said. “I think that’s what the sport’s built on.
“In a sense, when you have high expectations and that kind of background with kids, they’re not afraid to come in and work hard. If anything, with our sport, regardless of talent, regardless of ability, hard work is the foundation for success.”
Others on the team are Dylan Elmore (103), Ronnie Bell (103), Sterling Smith (112), Romeo Lopez (112/119), Emile Laporte (125), Owen Flowers (119), Kohl Matlock (135), Sebastion Rached (140), Alex Mendoza (140), Ethan May (145), AJ Gerhold (152), Everett Blonde (152), Jared Checkley (160), Michael Nuyen (160), Zack Checkley (171), Jack O’Brian (171), TJ Conklin (215) and Colby Olgrin (215).
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Logan Kennedy lines up against Leroy Pine River's Andrew Frisbie during last season's Division 4 Quarterfinals. (Middle) Clockwise, from top left: Decatur coach Jack Richardson, Coy Helmuth, Fritz Williamson, Kennedy. (Below) The Decatur bench cheers on a teammate while Richardson offers support. (Click to see more action photos from HighSchoolSportsScene.com; head shots by Pam Shebest.)
Allegan's Simaz Adds to Family Title Run
March 2, 2014
By Chris Phifer
Special to Second Half
AUBURN HILLS, MI – For the past decade, the name Simaz has rung through the walls of The Palace of Auburn Hills in early March.
And it's had a championship ring.
Four Simaz brothers – Eric, Cam, Taylor and Kyle – have won eight individual titles at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals, starting with Eric and Cam in 2005, and ending with Kyle on Saturday in the 145-pound match in Division 3.
He beat Chad Decker of Grass Lake 27-12 for his second title.
Total family titles: one by Eric, three by Cam, two by Taylor and two by Kyle.
“I think that's awesome,” Simaz said. “Our family is very competitive. A jog around the Simaz house is a race. We have a very competitive family.”
Simaz says this title did not come without trepidation.
“This weekend is a very stressful weekend,” Simaz said. “I'm glad it's over, and I'm glad I came out on top.”
103
Champion: Tristan Serbus, Corunna, Soph. (46-1)
Decision, 10-6 over Brendan Abrigo, Manchester, Jr. (52-3)
Serbus had something to prove.
He lost to Abrigo earlier this season, but that would not stop him from achieving what he had been working for his whole season – beating Abrigo in the 103-pound championship match.
And he stayed on the offensive to do that, beating him 10-6 for the title.
“It feels awesome,” Serbus said. “I worked hard and attacked, attacked, attacked. I am so glad I have my coaches and teammates.”
112
Champion: Aaron Kilburn, Richmond, Soph. (40-5)
Decision, 4-1 over K.J. Suitor, Saginaw Swan Valley, Soph. (54-3)
Kilburn improved on last year's third-place finish by controlling Suitor for a 4-1 victory.
Kilburn cruised through his first match with a fall in the second period. He continued with a 9-2 victory over Nolan Saxton from Lakeview. In the Semifinal, he outlasted Arthur Paine from Montrose 3-0, setting up his final match with Suitor.
“I thought that I wrestled well the whole tournament,” Kilburn said. “It feels better taking first than third, I can tell you that.”
119
Champion: Devin Schroder, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Soph. (40-4)
Decision, 5-2 over Kanen Storr, Leslie, Soph. (57-2)
Schroder won his second straight MHSAA title in what proved to be one of the most competitive weights in the Finals tournament, regardless of division.
His Semifinal match was a repeat of last year’s championship matchup, as Schroder worked his way to a 10-3 decision over Alex Martinez of Ida.
He continued to roll in the Final, defeating Leslie’s Storr, a champion himself in 2013.
It was sweet accomplishment for Schroder, who focused on this weekend to fuel his work ethic and dedication the last few weeks.
“You have down points during the season,” said Schroder, who lost four matches this year after going undefeated last year. “However, you look forward to the state tournament, because it pushes you to get better.”
125
Champion: Foster Karmon, Allegan, Soph. (58-2)
Decision, 2-1 over Jerry Fenner, Birch Run, Jr. (48-6)
Karmon had to endure two close matches to claim his first title. He used strategy and savvy wrestling to overcome Fenner in the Final.
This coming after he beat Matt Santos of Saginaw Swan Valley in the Semifinal 2-1.
“I had to keep my offense going (during the third period up 2-0),” Karmon said. “I knew if I backed up I would get called for stalling, so I had to stay on him like I did earlier in the match.”
130
Champion: Grant Turnmire, Almont, Jr. (47-4)
Fall, 0:38 over Zane Corey, Allegan, Sr. (45-4)
All it took was one big headlock, and support from his dad, to propel Turnmire to his first MHSAA title. Turnmire used an impressive headlock to pin Corey in 38 seconds.
After that he rushed to hug his father and coach, Bill Turnmire.
“It is special to win a state title,” Grant Turnmire said. “My dad has supported me throughout. This is very special.”
135
Champion: Nate Limmex, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Jr. (23-0)
Technical Fall, 17-2 in 3:42 over Alex Young, Portland, Jr. (34-9)
Being injured in January did not stop Limmex from capturing his second MHSAA title in two years. Limmex had some tight matches on his path to the Final, but came away unscathed.
He dominated talented Young from Portland from the start, completing his 17-2 technical fall in the second period.
“I have been working on transitioning from leg attacks to turks because it will lead to more opportunities for back points,” Limmex said. “It is not boring winning two state titles. It feels good knowing that the hard work pays off.”
140
Champion: Zehlin Storr, Leslie, Sr. (61-0)
Decision, 3-1 over Doug Rojem, Dundee, Sr. (47-6)
Wrestling a returning champ at the same weight might seem intimidating to the average person.
However, when you are a person like Storr, it is not intimidating; it is motivating.
He used wrestling knowledge and craftiness on his way to a second MHSAA championship, beating a very talented Rojem, who also was attempting to win his second title.
“I wanted to beat his defense with my offense,” Storr said. “This year, I can say I had a blast. ”
152
Champion: Devin Skatzka, Richmond, Jr. (40-3)
Fall, 1:01 over Eric Coval, Manchester, Sr. (37-1)
“Pin to win” is a motto that many wrestlers and coaches use to motivate.
However, Skatzka takes this to heart.
He went through the entire Finals pinning every opponent in the first period, one in just 15 seconds.
That led to his third MHSAA title.
“I really did not expect it, especially against Coval (when talking about pinning every opponent in the first period),” Skatzka said. “I was really looking for that pin. I am very proud of myself.”
160
Champion: Tristen Zienkiewicz, Farwell, Sr. (49-2)
Decision, 4-3 over Jared Elliott, Birch Run, Sr. (48-6)
Many wrestlers have moves they try to execute during every match. The trick is to be able to utilize them in different positions.
Zienkiewicz did just that.
With only eight seconds left in is final match against Elliott, he executed a fantastic inside trip, dragging his feet in bounds for the two-point takedown to secure a 4-3 victory.
“(Hitting an inside trip with eight seconds to go), I thought my God, my God, my dream came true,” Zienkiewicz said. “Whatever is there, I take it.”
171
Champion: Andy Donoho, Lake Fenton, Sr. (52-7)
Decision, 4-2 over Tye Thompson, Dundee, Jr. (43-7)
Last weekend, Donoho did what was best for his team, bumping up a weight to wrestle Dundee's MHSAA runner-up Teddy Warren at 189 pounds.
This weekend he was able to avenge a loss his teammate Trent Hilger suffered last week at Team Finals, as he beat Thompson in the championship match at 171.
“Gratification, I got it here from great coaches and great workout partners,” Donoho said. “Everyday, we get after it. It was worth it.”
189
Champion: Jake McKiernan, Richmond, Sr. (37-5)
Decision, 5-0 over Teddy Warren, Dundee, Sr. (25-4)
Wrestling has three positions – neutral, top, and bottom.
McKiernan utilized strategy in the neutral position to come away with a 5-0 victory over Warren.
He knew Warren was good on his feet, so he had to be better than him there, because he knew he could take him on the mat.
“This feels incredible,” McKiernan said. “My coaches helped me mentally. I never really pictured myself in this situation. Getting better in the neutral position was the key, especially in this match.”
215
Champion: Danny Drummond, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Sr. (33-9)
Decision, 7-4 TB3 over Colin Beebe, Allendale, Sr. (48-1)
Wrestling is a very physical sport. Sometimes matches last a very long time.
Drummond figured his final match with favored Beebe would go into overtime. In fact, it took three overtimes for Drummond to outlast Beebe.
Drummond was able to score an escape with time still remaining. He then was able to secure a late takedown to secure his first title.
“I wrestled him four or five times in two years, and he's beat me every time,” Drummond said. “He is one of the best wrestlers I have ever wrestled. I wanted to pound it on for three periods physically. This feels amazing.”
285
Champion: Eric Fader, Sandord-Meridian, Sr. (48-5)
Decision, 7-6 TB1 Glenn Geurink, Allendale, Sr. (46-1)
When you think of heavyweight wrestling, you think of a slow-paced chess match, especially when you are talking about title deciders.
Fader and Geurink would disagree.
That's because this match had non-stop action to the end. And in the end, it was Fader that came away with a 7-6 tie-breaker victory.
“I just went out there and did my best,” Fader said. “I had to grind it out, do some set ups, and hit my blast double.”
PHOTO: Allegan's Kyle Simaz has his hand raised in victory during the Division 3 Individual Finals. (Click to see more fromHigh School Sports Scene.)