Spidle Sets Up 2020 Run for 4-Title Glory
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 2, 2019
DETROIT – A change in divisions couldn’t slow Sean Spidle down.
The Flint Powers Catholic junior claimed his third straight MHSAA individual wrestling championship Saturday, defeating Tecumseh’s Joshua Hilton 9-6 in the Division 2 112-pound final. Spidle won titles in Division 3 the previous two years, at 103 in 2017 and 112 in 2018.
“It feels amazing,” Spidle said. “This is what I train for. I thought about this every single night. I have to give a lot of credit to my parents and coaches; they pushed me to be better every single day.”
Spidle took a 6-2 lead in the match and held off a late charge from Hilton, who scored a pair of takedowns in the final period. Spidle ran into the stands following his win, celebrating with family and friends as he has now given himself a chance to join the ranks of four-time champions.
“It’s time to train and get ready for it,” he said. “It’s awesome. It makes it even better that my friends and parents came to support. This is everything I wanted.”
285
Champion: Donovan King, Farmington, Sr. (51-2)
Fall, 4:39, over Jaren Johnson, Warren Lincoln, Sr. (37-2)
After missing his entire junior season with a torn knee ligament, King made up for lost time and rolled to his first Finals title.
He racked up three pins in his four matches, including in the final, to become Farmington’s first MHSAA champion since 1995.
“It feels great to come back to win this and be the third person to win states from Farmington High School,” King said. “It was very hard. I had to overcome a lot of pain during the season, my knee shifting out of place during a match. It’s just a mindset. I’m just glad I got through that this whole season.”
103
Champion: Jacob Brya, St. Johns, Fr. (42-2)
Decision, 9-2, over Jamison Zimmerman, Niles, Jr. (37-7)
In his first high school season, Brya showed that his youth success was no fluke.
The former MYWAY state champion’s run to an MHSAA championship included two pins and a four-takedown performance in the title match.
“I just kind of wanted to be conservative so I could win the match,” Brya said. “I didn’t want to do anything dumb so I could blow a lead, so I just kind of wrestled conservative and beat him off my feet.”
119
Champion: Vincent Perez, Tecumseh, Sr. (53-0)
Major Decision, 18-8, over Joe Haynes, Warren Woods-Tower, Soph. (34-8)
After finishing second his junior season, Perez wasn’t going to leave anything to chance Saturday night.
He scored nine points in the third period to turn a close match into a major decision and put an exclamation point on a perfect season.
“I didn’t come here just to win, I came here to dominate,” Perez said. “Third period, it was still a decision, and I wasn’t content with that. I wanted to dominate. I’ve been working all year to control, be aggressive and dominate. Last year, it didn’t work out so well, came up a little short. But this year, it’s a better taste leaving.”
125
Champion: Chaise Mayer, Warren Woods-Tower, Sr. (44-3)
Decision, 3-2, over Chayse Lajoie, Gaylord, Jr. (48-2)
After finishing as a Division 2 runner-up in 2016 and 2017, Mayer made it to the top of the podium, knocking off a two-time returning champion in Lajoie.
The two wrestlers traded a takedown and a reversal in the first period, and a Mayer escape in the second proved to be the difference as he rode Lajoie out for the entirety of the third period.
“It’s much deserved and well-earned,” Mayer said. “I’ve worked my whole life for this. To come so close so many times and not get it, I couldn’t let that happen again. It was just about being gritty and knowing I could do it. Knowing how to win.”
130
Champion: Kaleob Whitford, St. Johns, Sr. (42-2)
Decision, 6-0, over Nate Young, Holly, Jr. (51-7)
A dominant display in the top position capped a dominant overall tournament for Whitford, who had racked up a pair of pins and a major decision prior to the final.
He scored a takedown late in the first period of his match against Young, and rode him out through the end of the second.
“I feel accomplished,” Whitford said. “My dad was a state champion his senior year, my brother was a four-time state champ, so I had to keep the generation going. I didn’t really think about it. I tried to keep my mind clear. I don’t think about anything when I’m about to wrestle.”
135
Champion: Christopher Lilly, Croswell-Lexington, Jr. (52-7)
Decision, 6-3, over Matthew Tomsett, Madison Heights Lamphere, Sr. (52-3)
After watching his dad coach a pair of Finals champions in previous years, Lilly was determined to create a father-son moment at Ford Field.
Thanks to a three-takedown performance against Tomsett, he was able to do just that. Lilly was a Regional runner-up, and won each of his matches by three points or fewer, not making it easy on his dad, Cros-Lex coach Joe Lilly, and fans. But in the end, it was well worth it.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Christopher Lilly said. “I wanted to do that since I was little when I watched Donnie Corby win a state title and then I watched Collin Lieber win a state title. I wanted him to be in my corner, then (watch) me win a state title.”
140
Champion: Avry Mutschler, Lowell, Sr. (37-2)
Decision, 5-2, over Nick Matusko, Chelsea, Jr. (45-1)
Mutschler felt that at previous MHSAA Finals he hadn’t wrestled at his best through the end of matches. This time, he finished the job.
The Lowell senior capped off a career that already included four team Finals championships with his first individual title, securing a takedown with nine seconds left to seal the match.
“Those last 30 seconds, every year that I’m here I tend to quit wrestling and I start hanging on and that’s when bad things happen,” Mutschler said. “I kept trying to remind myself, ‘You have to keep going forward, you have to keep moving your feet, you have to keep hand fighting when you’re trying to score, 0-0 in the first.’ That’s what I did, I got a takedown and I iced it.”
145
Champion: Caleb Fish, Eaton Rapids, Jr. (44-1)
Major Decision, 17-5, over Nick Gates, Marysville, Sr. (40-4)
Fish closed out a dominant tournament performance, earning his third major decision of the weekend and first championship.
A year ago, Fish was the runner-up at 135 pounds, and this year he wasn’t going to let anything get in his way.
“I felt pretty great,” Fish said. “I felt that I had control in my hands. He was not shooting his shot and I shot mine.
“It feels pretty darn great. I’ve worked hard. I took second last year and that really hurt, so I went even a step further and worked harder and finally got my success that I was working for.”
152
Champion: Austin Boone, Lowell, Jr. (31-4)
Fall, 2:57, over Devin Spears, Melvindale, Sr. (47-6)
Nobody bothered to send out a wrestler against Boone a week ago at the Team Finals as Lowell picked up its sixth straight championship. This is why.
The Lowell junior earned his third individual title in three tries, putting an exclamation point on his season with a second-period pin against Spears.
“It was a fun season,” Boone said. “I definitely think we had more fun in the room than we have in the past. Obviously it’s still working. It’s a great feeling to know that the team can celebrate along with you.”
160
Champion: Omari Embree, Warren Woods-Tower, Fr. (37-5)
Decision, 5-2, over Nelson Poet, New Boston Huron, Jr. (35-10)
Embree was tired after winning his first championship. But he found one more burst of energy to pull off a flawless backflip.
“At the time I was really tired, so it was hard,” he said. “But it just played out well. Everybody was yelling.”
Embree took an early lead in the match, and led 3-2 late in the third before another takedown sealed it.
“I felt in control,” Embree said. “I knew it was going to be close because obviously it’s the state finals, and we wrestled before in the Regional Semifinal, so he knew what I was going to do. I just knew I had to manage the match, and I managed the match really well.”
171
Champion: Ryan Ringler, Cedar Springs, Sr. (48-0)
Decision, 4-2, over James Penfold, Goodrich, Sr. (46-4)
Penfold was one of the few wrestlers to push Ringler this season, as this was a rematch of Ringler’s 3-2 win at the Goodrich Tournament of Champions.
Ringler was again able to come out on top Saturday, getting a takedown with 11 seconds remaining to claim his second straight title.
“I had a plan coming into it,” Ringler said. “I knew he was going to be a little more defensive. ... I just had to push the pace and get to my stuff.
“I love wrestling the great guys. It only makes you better, too. It’s great to have that rivalry between two guys.”
189
Champion: Sage Serbenta, Cedar Springs, Jr. (46-1)
Decision, 3-2, over John Shelton, East Grand Rapids, Jr. (46-2)
Neither wrestler had to go a full six minutes to get to the final, but it took every second to decide this Regional Final rematch.
Like he did in that Regional, Serbenta came out on top, getting in on a leg late and holding on to keep Shelton off the board.
“I knew what he was going to do. I knew he was going to switch his style up on me,” Serbenta said. “Last time, he didn’t take a single shot, so I knew he was going to start coming in, and he did. I knew he liked those underhooks, so I was trying to avoid those. I feel like I deserve (the title) with how much I work. … You realize that those last 30 minutes of practice when you don’t feel like practicing, those are when you practice.”
215
Champion: Taye Ghadiali, Warren Fitzgerald, Sr. (45-0)
Decision, 11-4, over Honour Kline, Goodrich, Sr. (52-2)
A dominant weekend for Ghadiali ended with a championship and an unbeaten season.
Ghadiali won by first-period pin in each of his first three matches, and used a pair of first-period takedowns to take control of his match with Kline.
“All the work that I’ve been doing through MYWAY – I wasn’t always good in MYWAY – I just kept working and working, I always wanted to be a state champ, and now today I am,” Ghadiali said. “My mindset was, after that semifinal match (a year ago), I just felt like I wasn’t setting up my shots, I was just shooting to shoot. I was always wrestling just to win and now my wrestling style, I wanted to dominate. I wrestled to score the most points I can.”
PHOTO: Flint Powers Catholic’s Sean Spidle works to gain control during his Division 2 championship match at 112 pounds. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Teammates' Successes Make 4-Time Moment More Special for Martinez
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2025
DETROIT – Sebastian Martinez got his four-timer moment Saturday at the Division 4 Individual Wrestling Finals at Ford Field.
The Riverview Gabriel Richard senior defeated CJ Copeland of Lakeview 15-0 in the 175-pound Final, becoming the 40th four-time champion in MHSAA history.
But making that moment even more special for Martinez was the fact he got to share a successful night with his best friend.
“It was incredible,” Martinez said. “My teammate who won, Jordan Zambon, he’s my best friend. I’m so happy that he got to come back after his Finals loss last year. My other teammate, Luke (Harrington), is the hardest worker I know. I’m super grateful that I get to spend this time with them. It’s amazing.”
Zambon won at 106 pounds for Gabriel Richard, while Harrington was runner-up at 138. Their accomplishments buoyed an already historic night for the Pioneers, as prior to Martinez in 2022, the program had never had a Finals champion.
He became the third wrestler to win a fourth straight title on the night, as Lowell’s Jackson Blum and Fowlerville’s Maggie Buurma had accomplished the feat earlier.
“Words can’t describe it,” Martinez said. “It’s amazing, you know. After all the hard work I’ve put in, it’s paid off. To join this exclusive club, it’s an unreal experience.”
Martinez (45-2) was dominant on his way to his fourth title, pinning his way through the first three rounds before finishing it off with a technical fall Saturday night.
Copeland (48-9) was wrestling in his second Final, as he was runner-up at 190 pounds a year ago.
106
Champion: Jordan Zambon, Riverview Gabriel Richard, Soph. (39-2)
Decision, 4-1, over Jaxton Kimling, Hudson, Soph. (41-16)
Zambon opened the night for Gabriel Richard by becoming the school’s second-ever champion.
A year ago, he had placed second at the weight, but was able to get over the hump in his return trip to Ford Field.
“It feels great,” he said. “I’ve worked all season. I’ve been trying to keep working, getting better. It was a close match and felt rough. It feels amazing.
“Last year, I took a hard loss. I really wanted that one. But this, being able to bounce back, it’s a much greater feeling.”
113
Champion: Owen Fogel, St. Louis, Jr. (46-2)
Major Decision, 14-3, over Kolton Burns, Decatur, Soph. (33-1)
A four-point nearfall near the end of the second period put Fogel up 10-0 and had him well on his way to claiming his first Finals title.
“I feel amazing,” Fogel said. “All the hard work just paid off right here. I couldn’t feel any better. I felt prepared, I knew that I had done everything, every single day to prepare myself for this match, knowing I didn’t leave a single ounce off the mat, and I put it all out there.”
120
Champion: Sammy Stewart, Manchester, Jr. (51-1)
Decision, 8-3, over Alex Rodriguez, St. Louis, Jr. (52-5)
In a rematch of the 2023 113-pound Final, Stewart again was able to come out victorious and claim his second championship in three years.
Both wrestlers were in their third-straight Final, as Stewart was runner-up at 126 a year ago, and Rodriguez was the champ at 113.
“It’s fun,” Stewart said. “I wouldn’t call it a rivalry, he’s a good dude, but it’s cool. You don’t get to see that very often. It’s a great experience. It’s a fun way to end off junior year – I love the crowd and the energy, and knowing that people know that (I) wrestled him before on this same stage, it’s fun to me.”
Stewart was able to take a 6-0 lead midway through the first period, and control the match from there.
126
Champion: Nicholas Sorrow, Hudson, Jr. (55-1)
Fall, 1:27, over Austin Garcia, Lawton, Sr. (52-5)
Sorrow claimed his third-straight Finals title, giving himself a chance to join the four-time club a year from now.
He’s also won three team titles with Hudson.
“It’s great getting to go to Kalamazoo a week before and get ready a little bit,” he said. “A lot of teams get that off week; I’d rather be out there competing, so that helps sharpen the tools before the last tournament.
“It’s a great program. (Coach) Scott Marry, he built it from the ground up and they’re not slowing down. Every year we’re trying to build off what we had.”
Sorrow had a dominant run throughout the tournament, winning by technical fall in his three bouts, only wrestling into the second period once, and then closing it with a first-period pin against Garcia, who was a runner-up at 113 a year ago.
132
Champion: Braylon Long, Clinton, Sr. (38-3)
Decision, 6-1 (OT), over Colt Perry, Hudson, Jr. (43-11)
Most wrestlers would have been happy to hang on after getting a go-ahead reversal in the second overtime of their Finals match. Not Long.
The Clinton senior went for back points to stretch out his lead and claim his first title.
“I was trying to open the gap,” Long said. “I wasn’t really proud of how I wrestled, so I tried to open it up a little bit. I felt like I was solid. I was confident in wrestling through positions I do with my teammates all day.”
138
Champion: Julien Kimling, Hudson, Sr. (27-2)
Decision, 4-1, over Luke Harrington, Riverview Gabriel Richard, Jr. (43-5)
For the second-straight year, Kimling walked out of Ford Field a champion, having accomplished the feat at 126 pounds a year ago.
And for the second-straight year, he’ll walk right into an operating room to have a major surgery.
Kimling, who wrestled a year ago with a torn labrum, won this title on a torn ACL, which he’ll have surgery to repair Monday.
“I tore my ACL in the second tournament of the year, and I just looked over at Coach Scott (Marry) and I said, ‘Scoot, it’s God’s plan, I don’t know what to tell you.’ I didn’t know if I was going to be back; nobody thought I’d be able to be back on the mat,” Kimling said. “I trusted my faith, and He got me here and got it done for me.”
144
Champion: Beckett Campbell, Hudson, Fr. (54-3)
Fall, 5:20, over Haylen Buell, Climax-Scotts/Martin, Jr. (55-5)
Campbell closed out a phenomenal freshman season in spectacular fashion, pinning Buell in the third period of what was a 1-1 match.
It puts him on track to accomplish his lifelong goal of winning four titles.
“It’s what I worked for my entire life,” Campbell said. “Ever since I started wrestling, it’s the goal I set, I wanted to win a state title as a freshman, (be a) four-timer.”
Buell was making his third appearance in the Finals in as many tries, as he was runner-up as a freshman and champion a year ago at 132.
150
Champion: Blake Sloan, Manchester, Jr. (51-3)
Decision, 4-2, over Dalton Birchmeier, New Lothrop, Sr. (50-3)
Sloan said he had to take the hard way to Saturday night’s Final, as a Regional DQ prevented him from getting the No. 1 seed.
That motivated him to claim his first title after coming in second both of the past two years.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “The road getting here was hard, but this made it even better winning in the Finals, taking the hard way there.”
A takedown nine seconds into the first period was all the scoring Sloan needed in the match, as neither wrestler was able to get more than an escape the rest of the way.
157
Champion: Eli Roe, Beaverton, Jr. (36-6)
Decision, 4-2, over Jacob Pickford, Hudson, Sr. (47-11)
Roe scored a takedown 32 seconds into the match and held Pickford off the rest of the way to claim his first Finals title.
“I just knew I have to be the first one, I have to be the aggressor,” Roe said. “I honestly would have liked to rack up a couple more points. I think I could have, but I got it done, so it feels good. I had a loss at Regionals because of some ignorance up on points, so I didn’t want to have that feeling again.”
165
Champion: Fred Hammond, Otisville-LakeVille, Jr. (54-1)
Technical Fall, 16-0, over Drew Challender, St. Louis, Jr. (51-8)
Hammond became the first LakeVille wrestler to win a title since Stan Marshall in 1997.
“I’m just excited for the community and everybody that believed in me and put time into me,” Hammond said. “My friends, my family, everybody, I just wanted to give it to them because they’re the ones that believed in me. One man can only go so far.”
Hammond was dominant in the tournament, winning by pinfall in his first three matches before closing it out with the technical fall in the Final.
190
Champion: Bryce Randolph, Clinton, Jr. (42-5)
Decision, 5-3, over Rowan Bradford, Decatur, Jr. (52-1)
Randolph made the most of his second trip to the Finals, claiming a title while handing Bradford his lone loss of the season.
“I’m just so grateful,” he said. “Being able to defend and win that match after taking second last year. Just the feeling of losing, coming back and taking care of the job this year was great.”
Randolph, who was runner-up at 175 pounds in Division 3 a year ago, had two falls and a technical fall in his run to the Finals.
215
Champion: Landen Johnson, Lakeview, Sr. (55-1)
Decision, 3-0, over Isaac Westfall, Reading, Soph. (48-5)
Johnson hadn’t had a bloody nose all season, but he suffered one early in his Finals match Saturday and had to deal with multiple stoppages before getting his hand raised.
Fortunately for him, a first-period takedown stood up throughout the match.
“It’s a dream come true, that’s for sure,” Johnson said. “(While dealing with the blood) I was just thinking of how much work had been put into this season.”
285
Champion: Tanner Kraft, Leslie, Sr. (51-2)
Decision, 3-1, over Chaz Underwood, White Pigeon, Sr. (52-4)
An emotional Kraft dedicated his win to a close friend who had passed away two years prior.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “My best friend died a couple years ago, and I made a promise to him that I’d do it. I didn’t fulfill my promise last year, so this just means that much more to me.”
A takedown in the opening minute of the match was enough for Kraft, who had pinned his previous three opponents on his way to the Finals.
It was the second-straight year Underwood finished as runner-up at the weight.
PHOTOS (Top) Riverview Gabriel Richard’s Sebastian Martinez, front, prepares for the referee to restart his match. (Middle) Manchester’s Blake Sloan, right, gets leverage during his match with New Lothrop’s Dalton Birchmeier. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)