4-Time Champ Hopes Legacy Is Opportunity
March 2, 2019
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
DETROIT – Kevon Davenport hopes what he accomplished Saturday night at Ford Field will stretch far and wide in the Michigan wrestling community.
The Detroit Catholic Central senior became the 26th wrestler to win four Individual Finals titles when he defeated Bay City Western senior Vic Schoenherr 7-3 to claim the 145-pound Division 1 championship.
But more importantly to Davenport is that he is the first Africa-American wrestler from the state to win four championships.
"In my opinion, the sport of wrestling is not a super diverse sport," said Davenport, who improved to 35-1 with the win. "There is not that many African-American wrestlers out there, and I wanted to come along and inspire people. Hopefully them seeing me be the first four-time African-American state champ, they can try and bring wrestling to the Detroit Public School system. I want to grow wrestling through my own community."
Like he has throughout his career, Davenport was on top of his game Saturday afternoon, staying in control against Schoenherr (49-1) and giving him his only loss of the season.
"I would have liked to perform a little bit better, but I won and I am grateful for that," Davenport said. "I felt like the only pressure that was on me was the pressure I was putting on myself.”
103
Champion: Kavan Troy, Rochester, Soph. (50-0)
Fall, 5:04, over Aden Williams, Davison, Fr. (24-5)
Last year Troy failed to qualify for the MHSAA Finals, but he didn't look at that as a negative. Instead, he used it as a positive for this season.
He worked hard in the offseason to add muscle on his frame, and he came back on a mission. That mission was complete when he pinned Williams to claim the 103-pound title.
"I never gave up," Troy said. "I kept working and lifting in the offseason. And football really made me stronger. I thought my technique was pretty good last year, but I was 100 pounds so I needed to put on muscle. This year I grew and got stronger."
112
Champion: Brenden Ferretti, Macomb Dakota, Soph. (53-0)
Major Decision, 10-2, over Zein Bazzi, Dearborn Heights Crestwood, Soph. (45-4)
Sometimes giving up the first points in a huge match can cause panic.
But not for Ferretti, who gave up the first takedown to Bazzi and then went on to earn a workmanlike 10-2 major decision victory and the 112-pound championship.
Ferretti gave a lot of credit to his workout partners in his team's practice room, and it was easy to see why.
"I have been working very hard this year, and I know that I have really good stamina," Ferretti said. "I believe I am never out of it, no matter what happens."
119
Champion: Nick Alayan, Macomb Dakota, Sr. (49-3)
Decision, 6-4, over Andrew Chambal, Davison, Jr. (38-3)
Most wrestlers remember the losses more than the wins.
And when they get the opportunity to avenge a past Finals championship loss against the same opponent the next year, it's hard to temper the drive for revenge.
That is what took place when Alayan and Chambal locked up for the 119-pound title. This year was Alayan's time, as he beat Chambal 6-4. Last year Chambal took the 112-pound title with a 7-1 win over Alayan.
"I had nothing to lose this year," Alayan said. "I was the underdog this year, and that felt great not having much pressure. This year me and my team worked a little bit harder to train for this."
125
Champion: Eddie Homrock, Brighton, Jr. (53-2)
Decision, 3-2, over Justin Triburcio, Macomb Dakota, Sr. (40-4)
When most wrestlers end their seasons, they start preparing for a little down time and some good food.
When Homrock walked off the mat Saturday evening after winning the 125-pound title with a hard-fought 3-2 win, he did a set of four sprints back and forth on the Ford Field turf.
"I always do sprints at the end of my matches, because it keeps me in better shape," Homrock said. "I have been wrestling forever, and doing those sprints right there is going to get me in better shape for tournaments that come up later."
130
Champion: Kyle Kantola, Hartland, Sr. (49-0)
Decision, 3-0, over T.J. Daugherty, Waterford Kettering, Jr. (40-1)
Kantola has had to wrestle a full six-minute match three times this season, and two of those came this weekend at Ford Field.
Kantola beat Detroit Catholic Central's Camden Trupp 6-0 in the semifinals, and then beat 2017 103-pound champion Daugherty in the final 3-0.
"I practiced hard knowing that I might have to go six minutes this weekend, and it happened twice," Kantola said.
And now he is a champion, after being a runner-up a year ago.
"I knew I didn't want to be second again, so I just kept pushing every day to be on top," Kantola said. "Now it feels good."
135
Champion: Josh Edmond, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (37-2)
Decision, 7-3, over Brody Kemper, Grand Blanc, Jr. (41-5)
Even though he had just secured his second straight championship, Edmond walked off the mat a bit upset at himself.
He was happy to be a champion again, but not thrilled about the way he wrestled.
"I didn't score enough points," Edmond said. "I wanted to dominate, and I didn't even get a major decision so I think I underachieved."
And that is how the best become the best.
"I wanted to dominate this tournament, and every other match I got bonus points," Edmond said. "I'm happy, though."
140
Champion: Derek Gilcher, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (32-2)
Decision, 7-2, over Marc Shaeffer, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (21-5)
All season and offseason you drill with your teammates, so it is never easy to take on a teammate in a match.
Make it an MHSAA Finals match with a title on the line, and that makes the task even harder.
In what can be described as the ultimate challenge match, Gilcher defeated Shaeffer 7-2 to earn his second straight title.
"It is always hard to see someone on your team, especially at the state finals," Gilcher said. "It's different, because he knows everything that I do and I know what he likes."
152
Champion: Cam Amine, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (37-0)
Major Decision, 11-3, over Jaden Fisher, Lake Orion, Sr. (49-2)
In what was one of the top matches at last year's Finals, Amine lost a heart-breaker to Davison's Alex Facundo, erasing his chance to become a four-time champion.
Amine used that loss to hone his already elite skills and push his endurance to the limit. And that paid off this year, as Amine capped a perfect season with a major decision victory over Fisher for his third title.
"It was the whole motivation coming into this year," Amine said. "That drove me every day to get better. (Last year) he got me in that match, and I had to get better so that would never happen again.
"Being a three-time champion is a great accomplishment. When I first came in as a freshman I wanted to be a four-time champion, and that didn't happen so I used that as motivation."
160
Champion: Alex Facundo, Davison, Soph. (37-2)
Decision, 9-3, over Devin Trevino, Clarkston, Sr. (45-5)
Facundo's path to greatness is still intact, but it wasn't easy Saturday evening.
After cruising through his bracket with two technical falls and a pin, Facundo met a game Trevino and grinded out a 9-3 win.
"It feels good to be a two-time champion, but I wanted to win by at least a (technical fall in the final); that was my goal," Facundo said. "I like to set goals, so I was a little frustrated with myself. I am not really satisfied with my win, but that will just make me work harder."
171
Champion: River Shettler, Brighton, Sr. (50-2)
Decision, 2-1 (2OT), over Dylan Wellbaum, Lake Orion, Sr. (47-2)
Shettler said he will take it.
He won his first Finals title when he was awarded a stalling point in double overtime, after finishing runner-up last year.
Wellbaum made it to the championship match after failing to qualify for the Finals last year.
"That kid came out of nowhere this year," Shettler said. "He was unranked, and he comes out there and wrestles (well). We both wanted the same thing. We both wrestled awesome, and I have mad respect for him."
189
Champion: Easton Turner, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (38-3)
Decision, 4-0, over Cal Stefanko, Davison, Sr. (31-3)
Turner's left shoulder was wrapped tightly in a brace, protecting what he thought to be a torn labrum that kept causing his shoulder to pop out.
But Turner fought through the injury and won his second straight title.
"I was constantly getting yelled at by Coach to toughen up, toughen up," Turner said. "And I just fought through it."
215
Champion: Brendin Yatooma, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (39-3)
Fall, 3:16, over Kyle Scott, Hudsonville, Sr. (47-4)
With this weekend's tournament starting at the 285-pound weight class, Yatooma put an exclamation point on an impressive Finals by the Detroit Catholic Central wrestlers.
Yatooma was crowned the seventh champion for the Shamrocks, and he did it in impressive fashion.
"I just went out there and did what I had to do," Yatooma said. "I have to thank my coaches for pushing me so hard. All the timed miles that we ran, all the in-the-holes we did. And in practice, I want to thank my partners, Steven Kolcheff and Easton Turner."
285
Champion: Steven Kolcheff, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (36-3)
Decision, 4-0, over Mahdi Hazime, Dearborn Fordson, Sr. (47-5)
Kolcheff said he may have left something on the mat when he wrestled for a Finals title last year. The Detroit Catholic Central junior lost a tight decision and knew he could do better.
He showed Saturday he was right, winning his first championship.
"I wasn't working as hard as I could," Kolcheff said. "This year I came back and coaches pushed me as hard as I could (go). They broke me a couple times in the practice room, but that paid off a lot."
PHOTO: Kevon Davenport’s arm is raised after the Detroit Catholic Central senior earned his fourth MHSAA Finals championship Saturday. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Dundee's Kluce Finishes Undefeated Ford Field Run as 4-Time Champ
By
Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com
March 2, 2024
DETROIT – It’s not often a previous three-time champion finds himself as an underdog going into a state final.
However, Dundee’s Kade Kluce was up against top-seeded Drew Hansen of Gladstone in the Division 3 126-pound title match Saturday at Ford Field.
Kluce just reminded himself that he has never lost at the venue, and ended up grinding out a 2-1 tiebreaker victory over Hansen to claim his fourth title.
“I like to tell myself in my head that I am a three-time state champ and I can do this. I can do anything, nobody is beating me (at Ford Field),” Kluce said after the match.
Both scored an escape point in the second and third periods, respectively. The final came down to the tiebreaker rounds after neither scored in overtime.
Kluce (30-9) managed to wiggle out an escape in the closing seconds of the first tiebreaker round. He then just needed to stay on top of Hansen (46-2) for 30 seconds, which he did.
“Mentally I was starting to break, but I really put it through my head that I needed these 30 seconds. I needed to keep him down. I’d have been disappointed the rest of my life if I had given that up; that’s what kept me going,” Kluce said.
With the victory, Kluce became the 37th wrestler in MHSAA history to win four Individual Finals titles. He did so winning in four weight classes – 103 in 2021, 112 in 2022, 120 in 2023 and this time at 126.
On top of that, Kluce became the sixth wrestler in MHSAA history to win four individual titles and four team wrestling titles. He is one of four Dundee wrestlers on that exclusive list.
“It feels great. You really can’t explain it,” Kluce said of making history. “I feel like I’m on top of the world right now. There’s no feeling like it.”
Kluce won one of six champions for Dundee on the night.
106
Champion: Mason Katschor, Dundee, Fr. (46-6)
Major Decision, 11-2, over Kaleb Reece, Frankenmuth, Jr. (47-2)
Katschor has watched plenty of Finals from the stands at Ford Field. On Saturday, he finally got the chance to compete under the spotlight, and he didn’t disappoint.
Katschor scored four takedowns to pick up an 11-1 victory.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Katschor said of competing for a Finals title. “It felt really good out there. I felt like I could go out and do anything. I definitely want to do this again.”
113
Champion: Talan Parsons, Ovid-Elsie, Sr. (45-1)
Decision, 8-4, over Haydn Nutt, Dundee, Soph. (37-8)
Parsons has plenty of experience at Ford Field. As a two-time runner-up and a 2022 champion at 103 pounds, the senior wanted to go out on top once again.
Standing in his way was the 2023 106-pound champion.
Nutt opened the match with a 3-0 lead in the second period, but Parsons managed to capitalize on a scramble and secure near fall points to go up 5-3. Parsons wouldn’t trail again.
“He’s a tough kid, but I have worked on scrambling my entire life,” Parsons said of the turning point. “I went out there, sat the corner, got a leg in. I’ve practiced that for years, it seems like. I’ve practiced that exact scenario in practice, and it paid off. To be able to execute, and go out with a state title, it’s the best feeling in the world.”
120
Champion: Dale Gant, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Soph. (44-2)
Decision, 6-3, over Braden Broderick, Dundee, Soph. (16-2)
Gant is two-for-two.
The Catholic Central sophomore earned his second championship Saturday, adding to his 113-pound title won in 2023.
“A lot of people look up to you (as a state champion), and there’s pressure with that, but I just tried to work hard and make the people that have supported me proud,” Gant said.
Saturday’s match saw Gant win thanks to three takedowns and staying off his back.
“It was about letting the match come to me and not force anything,” Gant added. “I just had to stay calm and stay composed and be ready for anything that came my way.”
132
Champion: Cameron Chinavare, Dundee, Sr. (39-2)
Decision, 3-2, over Connor Younts, Clinton, Sr. (55-3)
Chinavare recorded his third championship, but had to grind out this final. He scored a takedown in the first period and then a quick escape in the second to go up 3-0.
However, Younts earned an escape in the third and got another point on a hands-to-the-face violation by Chinavare.
Still, the Dundee senior made sure he closed out his prep career on top, avoiding any late takedown attempts.
“There’s always a lot of pressure when you come here as a defending state champion, but I just managed to overcome it and wrestle my match,” Chinavare said. “I’ve got some of the best teammates to train with that push me every day, so I am prepared for a tough match.
138
Champion: Michael Wilson, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Jr. (18-0)
Decision, 5-4, over Buddy Leonard, Alma, Jr. (43-2)
Wilson wasn’t even sure if he’d make it to Ford Field at times this season.
The Grand Rapids Catholic Central junior dealt with some serious injuries, keeping him from getting to wrestle for a large part of the year. But his persistence and resilience showed Saturday.
“I’ve worked my butt off to get to this moment, and I’ve had to go through a lot of adversity to get here,” Wilson said. “I lost part of my finger at the beginning of this year, I’ve got a sprained LCL, but to me it was all about mindset. I kept my head up and kept working hard, and it feels great to get that championship. I really feel like I have earned it.”
Wilson scored a pair of takedowns in the first period that proved to be the difference.
144
Champion: Blake Cosby, Dundee, Soph. (44-1)
Decision, 7-0, over Jonathan Krebs, Lakewood, Sr. (39-3)
A runner-up as a freshman, Cosby wasn’t going to let that happen again Saturday.
“That loss last year drove me crazy, so I made sure I put the work in this year,” Cosby said. “It feels really good to win this year. I really challenged myself this season, and I think I knew what to expect this time around.”
Cosby scored takedowns in each period and added an escape in the second. From there he was able to keep Krebs on the ground and prevent a comeback.
150
Champion: Trey Parker, Dundee, Sr. (34-13)
Ultimate Tie-Breaker, 3-2, over Donny Beaufait, Dundee, Soph. (40-9)
Parker suffered a tiebreaker loss to teammate Beaufait in the Regional when he wasn’t able to escape him in the extra frame. The two found themselves in the same position with the Finals title on the line.
Parker needed an escape with 13 seconds remaining, and he managed to get it. Then, in the ultimate tie-breaker, Parker won the toss and elected to start on the bottom, where he managed another escape to win.
“We were in the same position (at Regionals) and I made sure that if I ever got caught in that same position again, I would fix it,” Parker said. “It feels great. It feels amazing. I can’t really describe it.”
Parker’s late escape shifted the momentum.
“I just had to get out. I couldn’t look at the time. It was one move at a time and just get out,” Parker said. “It was more mental than anything. I believed I could get out, and I did it.”
157
Champion: Kole Katschor, Dundee, Jr. (45-6)
Decision, 5-1, over Jeremy Griffith, Yale, Sr. (46-4)
As a previous Finals champion, Katschor was mentally prepared for what he had to do to win a second title.
The junior turned up the pressure after a scoreless first period, scoring takedowns in both of the final two to secure a 5-1 victory.
Katschor won the 150-pound title as a sophomore.
“My nerves weren’t too high, because I have been in this position before. I thought I wrestled all right. I thought I could have opened it up more and got more offense in, but overall it feels great to win the title again,” Katschor said. “My hard work has been paying off.”
165
Champion: Tyler Schofield, Olivet, Sr. (57-0)
Decision, 8-3, over Lee Braun, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Sr. (42-5)
Schofield was heavily motivated after finishing runner-up at 157 pounds last winter.
The senior did everything he could to be prepared for Saturday, and it showed as he capped off an unbeaten season.
“I didn’t like the outcome last year, so I knew coming into this year that I had something to prove,” Schofield said. “I worked my butt off this summer and this winter, and it paid off. I was extremely confident coming into the match. I know that if I wrestle my match, there’s nobody that can beat me.”
Schofield led throughout the match and had a takedown in each period.
175
Champion: Gavin Craner, Whitehall, Jr. (54-0)
Major Decision, 10-2, over Bryce Randolph, Clinton, Soph. (54-3)
It was a new year and a new look for Craner.
After finishing runner-up at 175 pounds in 2023 for Belding, Craner returned to Ford Field on Saturday looking to capture that same title, this time for Whitehall.
Craner put on a strong performance, scoring five takedowns on his way to a 10-2 win.
“I’ve been (at Ford Field) and it can be scary, but you just have to keep your composure,” Craner said. “I’ve worked really hard to be strong on my feet. That’s where most of the match takes place. If you get takedowns, you win matches.”
190
Champion: Cole O’Boyle, Alma, Sr. (48-0)
Decision, 3-1, over Stephen Petersen, Hillsdale, Sr. (41-5)
O’Boyle kept his strategy for the 190-pound final pretty simple.
“All I needed was a takedown, and I knew I’d win that match,” he said.
That proved to be true.
O’Boyle scored a takedown in the second period after trailing 1-0, giving him a 2-1 advantage that he wouldn’t relinquish. O’Boyle added an escape point in the third for insurance to cap off an unbeaten season.
“I’ve been working hard all year, grinding. I owe this all to my coaches. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to do this,” O’Boyle said. “It means so much to me (to go undefeated). To have this all come together in my senior year, it means the world.”
215
Champion: Jack Ward, Belding, Sr. (54-2)
Decision, 2-1, over Elizin Rouse, Kingsford, Sr. (35-2)
After seeing a one-point lead slip away in the closing seconds of a 2023 semifinal, Ward was determined to not let that happen again.
Up 2-1 going into the third period, Ward rode out Rouse for two minutes to secure his first championship, defeating the reigning 215-pound champ in the process.
“Last year I was up one in the semifinals, and I lost it. I thought that was my chance to win a state title. It was heartbreaking, but that heartbreak really made me better,” Ward said. “It’s come full circle. Last year I was in so much pain. This year, it’s just a dream.”
Ward got a takedown in the second period, but Rouse was able to escape. That’s when Ward knew he’d have to dig deep in the third and stay on top.
“Our team really stresses your lungs and being in shape. I knew going into this match, nobody can go six minutes with me. I knew it was going to be a grind. I knew what the task was ahead of me. I just grinded it out and won,” Ward said.
285
Champion: Bennett VandenBerg, Constantine, Sr. (54-0)
Decision, 3-0, over Wyatt Spalo, Reed City, Jr. (46-4)
The disappointment of a runner-up finish in 2023 stuck with VandenBerg for a full year.
But he was finally able to let go of that moment Saturday as he grinded out a 3-0 win.
“I worked my butt off all year. Throughout the summer, throughout the fall, all the winter, just to get to this point. It’s the best feeling in the entire world. I can’t describe it,” VandenBerg said. “It’s like going from -100 to 100. There’s no way to explain it.”
One of the biggest hurdles for VandenBerg on Saturday was his head gear. Early in the match, he couldn’t keep it on his head, even attempting to go to a second set. However, he shook it off and managed a third-period takedown to secure the win.
“My one focus was just win the match. I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way. It was a minor issue, but I made sure I pulled through,” VandenBerg said.
PHOTOS (Top) Kade Kluce’s arm is raised in victory after clinching his fourth Individual Finals championship Saturday. (Middle) Alma’s Cole O’Boyle, right, works for an opening against Hillsdale’s Stephen Petersen. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)