Baranoski Continues Pioneering as Official
February 28, 2019
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
It took two decades, but Casey Baranoski is on the brink once again of reaching wrestling's highest stage in the state of Michigan.
As a wrestler for Comstock Park High School during the late 1990s, Baranoski was a pioneer in the sport, becoming the first female in the state to record more than 100 wins while wrestling in the 103 and 112-pound weight classes.
She finished with a highly respectable 123-38 record for the Panthers, and was a two-time Regional qualifier.
But she could never take that final step to make it to the MHSAA Individual Finals.
"I got to Regionals, and I kind of choked," said Baranoski, a 1998 graduate.
Now Baranoski is a pioneer in the sport once more, as two weeks ago she officiated the Division 1 Individual Regional at Grand Haven High School, one step away from state.
"This is a fun sport to be part of, and it never quite gets out of your blood," Baranoski said. "(Me getting into officiating) is my brother Tom's fault. He got me to ref for the first time. And I work for a credit union, so I have banker's hours, so it was perfect for my schedule. It just worked out."
That start was five years ago, and slowly Baranoski has been working on her craft in stripes, earning the much needed experience it takes to earn an MHSAA Tournament assignment.
Unlike as a competitor, an official’s quest to make the Finals is not entirely in her or his hands. Officials are graded each match and tournament they work during the season by the coaches, and grades are tabulated. With high enough scores, an official might just get an invitation to ref the sport's best athletes.
Steve Shutich, who has been officiating high school wrestling in Michigan for 29 years, was the head official at the Grand Haven Regional two weeks ago, and he believes Baranoski is close to getting her ticket stamped for the trip to the Finals at Ford Field.
And he should know – he has officiated 16 individual and four team Finals.
"She did well," said Shutich, who is on the board of the West Michigan Wrestling Officials Association. "It proved that she is for better matches. She held her own that day."
Baranoski believes she is up to the task as well.
"I thought I did pretty well that day. It was nice to be accepted by the coaches," Baranoski said. "Wrestling and effort go hand in hand, and you have to rely on effort, not only as a wrestler, but also as a ref. I didn't get booed out of the gym, so I think I did pretty well."
Baranoski did get some experience officiating state finals matches this year. She was an official at the first girls state finals hosted Feb. 3 by the Michigan Wrestling Association.
"That was pretty cool," Baranoski said. "There were 165 girls at Adrian College, and it was a good experience."
Experience that Shutich says Baranoski needs to take one more step for the MHSAA Finals.
"She just needs a little more seasoning," Shutich said. "She'll be ready. She has what it takes to be the best. She knows the sport."
But Baranoski wants no favors.
"I want to earn it down there. I don't want it gifted," Baranoski said. "If my ratings are there, great. If it happens that way, outstanding."
PHOTOS: (Top) Casey Baranoski raises the arm of a winner during the Girls Wrestling Finals on Feb. 3 at Adrian College. (Middle) Baranoski watches for a pin. (Photos by GRW Action Photography.)
D2 Preview: Next Group of Stars Ready to Rise
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 31, 2021
Boiled down, this wrestling season has included a lot of new and a lot of different – but also a lot of opportunity for teams and athletes in all four divisions.
The new opportunities Friday for Division 2 Individual Wrestling Finals qualifiers might be considered the most bountiful of the weekend.
Only four returning champions are back in the field – meaning at least 10 new champs will be awarded. Only six of last season’s runners-up are back – so the championship matches at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena will be filled with wrestlers earning that experience for the first time.
Even among those returning champs, three are only juniors – and their senior seasons would take on some added historic context if they can enter next winter coming off a repeat.
Below we look at 10 title contenders to watch Friday in Division 2, plus list all of the top seeds heading into the tournament, champs and runners-up back from 2020 and every wrestler who will make the trip to Grand Rapids with an undefeated record.
Even then, we surely missed a few who will end up making headlines Friday – but make sure to come back to Second Half late that evening as we’ll interview and report on all 14 Division 2 champions.
Wrestling begins that day at 10 a.m., and this season it’s a one-day event. Spectators remain limited, but all matches will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv. See the MHSAA Wrestling Finals page for more information and to follow results this weekend.
112 Nolan Wertanen, St. Joseph junior (32-0) – The reigning champion at 103 is the top seed at this weight and brings in a combined 78-2 record over the last two seasons.
119 Jack Parker, Spring Lake senior (25-1) – He’s the top seed at this weight after finishing runner-up at 112 a year ago and seventh at 103 as a sophomore.
119 Grant Stahl, Mount Pleasant sophomore (27-1) – After coming in second and finishing 39-3 at 103 last season, Stahl enters this weekend as the second seed at this weight.
125 Joe Haynes, Warren Woods Tower senior (20-1) – Last season’s champion at 119 also was second at 119 as a sophomore and third at 103 as a freshman, and is 149-17 over his varsity career.
130 Trevor Marsman, Cedar Springs senior (28-0) – Last year’s runner-up at 119 is a combined 80-2 over the last two seasons and enters his last Finals as a top seed; he also finished seventh at 112 pounds as a sophomore.
135 Zeth Strejc, Lowell senior (19-3) – The top seed at this weight is wrestling for his first championship after finishing runner-up at 130 last year and eighth at 125 as a freshman.
140 Micah Hanau, Stevensville Lakeshore junior (22-0) – He’s another reigning champion coming off the 2020 title at 130 to go with his fifth place at 125 as a freshman.
152 Jacob Gonzales, Holly junior (17-0) – The reigning champion at this weight also hasn’t lost a match since freshman year and is a combined 123-3 over his first three seasons; he also took seventh at 135 in 2019.
189 Cody Brenner, New Boston Huron senior (23-2) – After finishing runner-up last season at 171, Brenner is the second seed at his weight this weekend; he also placed third at 171 as a sophomore and eighth at 160 as a freshman.
285 Keegan Nugent, Lowell senior (27-0) – Last season’s runner-up at 215 finished 35-8 in placing for the first time and has taken another jump with an undefeated record and top seed heading into his last Finals.
Additional No. 1 seeds: 103 RJ Thome, Fremont junior (31-0); 145 Logan Slominski, Sparta senior (34-0); 160 Doak Dean, Lowell senior (24-2); 171 Jacob Lee, Lowell senior (18-1); 189 Vincent Scaramuzzino, Croswell-Lexington senior (23-0); 215 CJ Krum, St. Johns senior (33-0).
Also undefeated: 103 Cody Richards, Monroe Jefferson junior (18-0); 112 Max Montgomery, Spring Lake senior (27-0); 112 Adrian Rosas, Southgate Anderson senior (18-0); 125 Aaron Lucio, Stevensville Lakeshore sophomore (20-0); 130 Zack Hall, Lake Fenton junior (25-0); 140 Carter Hinson, Zeeland East senior (21-0); 152 Jacob Halsey, St. Joseph junior (31-0); 189 Adam Haselius, Jackson Northwest sophomore (24-0); 215 Ian Norscia, Southgate Anderson senior (15-0).
PHOTO: Holly's Jacob Gonzales, left, wrestles for the 152-pound championship during last season’s Division 2 Individual Finals.(Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)