Belleville Twins March to Finals Together

By Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half

March 2, 2016

BELLEVILLE – Caleb Brown continues to be haunted by what he considers a grim disappointment in his Belleville wrestling career.

Last season, Brown lost during what those in the wrestling fraternity call the “blood round.” This is the consolation round, a match for fourth place, at the Individual Wrestling Regionals. Brown lost by one point in the 152-pound weight class to an opponent he had defeated earlier in the season and, thus, missed qualifying for the MHSAA Finals.

He was devastated but not consumed by it. For one, that was his junior season. Brown rededicated himself during the offseason. He continued to run cross country to keep his weight down and also increase his endurance.

This season Brown broke through barriers, claiming the Wayne County and Division 1 Regional championships at 152.

As proud as he is of reaching this point, it’s made even more special by the fact that he’ll enter The Palace of Auburn Hills on Thursday with his twin brother Chris. Chris Brown competes at 130. Last season he qualified for the MHSAA Finals at 119 and won a first-round match before losing his next.

“It’s really cool,” Caleb said. “I missed out last year. Being a senior, it’s cool.

“(Winning the regional) didn’t hit me right away. I was just talking about it with my teammates, and that’s when it hit me. I was really focused on winning the match.”

Caleb is 44-4 this season and will face Kyle Minor of Roseville in Thursday’s first round.

Chris is 47-2 and will go against Lee Grabowski of Brighton.

The Browns say having a twin who competes in the same sports is an advantage, if for no other reason than it enhances one’s competitive nature.

They both started wrestling in middle school by chance.

“We played football in the beginning,” Chris said. “The coach told us to wrestle to keep in shape. I was terrible in the beginning. But we’ve never been known as quitters. I like the individualism. You can’t use the excuse your team lost it for you.”

Once they entered high school, the Browns gravitated even more toward the sport. But it wasn’t until their sophomore season that they became proficient at it.

For Chris, there was one match that showed he could compete against the best.

“My sophomore year was my first on varsity,” he said. “I went against a ranked opponent, and I won by a point. That was huge for my confidence.”

Coinciding with the Browns’ rise was the return of Derek Phillips as coach. Phillips started coaching in 1994 and stayed 11 seasons before taking time off to help raise two children. He remained within the school district as a teacher, but the time commitment of teaching and coaching together was not conducive to spending quality time with his sons.

In 2013, Phillips returned. He has been a mentor for the Browns and a third senior MHSAA Finals qualifier, David Tooley (215).

Phillips was the one who encouraged the Browns to compete in cross country.

“It goes hand in hand,” Phillips said of the two sports. “I love it. They come into the wrestling season in shape. All three have over 100 wins and all three are good students. They’re a coach’s dream.”

Tooley is a little different. It’s not because he plays football instead of competing in cross country. And it’s not because he’s a three-sport athlete (also plays baseball). It’s his warm-up routine that causes many to take a second look, scratch their heads or both.

It’s more than a routine. It’s a dance. Sort of. He got the idea from watching a wrestler from Southgate Anderson who competed against his brother, Mark Tooley, when the elder Tooley wrestled for Belleville in 2011.

“It’s like no other,” David Tooley said. “It’s an active movement. It’s like a dance, and it’s a little embarrassing.”

Whatever works.

The Browns’ warmup routines are a little less flamboyant, but they do get a kick out of watching their teammate go through his routine. Chris likes to listen to music just before his matches. Caleb prefers listening to his coach, receiving last-minute instructions.

Away from the mat, the Browns are constantly challenging each other. Take running, for example.

“We try to one-up each other,” Chris said. “We’ve always been competitive. I’m faster than he is, when we run cross country. We’re not too far apart though.”

Caleb judges a person’s speed all together differently.

“He might beat me in cross country,” he said. “But if it’s a true test of speed, I’m faster.”

Tom Markowski is a columnist and directs website coverage for the State Champs! Sports Network. He previously covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Chris Brown works to gain control during one of his Division 1 Regional matches Feb. 20. (Middle) Caleb Brown, Chris Brown, David Tooley.(Below) Caleb Brown works an opponent toward a potential pin during one of his Regional matches. (Top and below photos by Douglas Chapman.)

Facundo Finishes Unforgettable Run as 30th 4-Time Champ

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 4, 2021

KALAMAZOO – Alex Facundo’s wrestling career has taken him around the country and across the Atlantic Ocean, and long ago into consideration as one of the top high school wrestlers in the nation regardless of weight class.

But there’s no way this week doesn’t remain a cherished memory even after Facundo leaves for Penn State and encounters more higher-level opportunities that surely lie ahead.

On Tuesday, he led Davison to its first Division 1 team championship since 2006. On Saturday, returning to Wings Event Center, he capped his Cardinals career by becoming the 30th four-time individual champion in MHSAA Finals history.

“I just treat it like another match. But then I realized the specialness of it. Before I even looked over, I heard all the cheers and stuff,” Facundo said. “I mean, I’m going to miss this a little bit.”

Facundo (25-0) stacked a pin and two technical falls at 171 pounds Saturday, including 26-11 over Kalamazoo Central senior Leonardo Gallasso (30-2) in the championship match. He ended with a 132-2 career record and championships at 152, 160 and twice at 171.

“This week has been the best moment, the best week of my high school career,” Facundo said. “Not only winning the fourth (individual title), but winning the team state title that we haven’t won in 15 years. That’s just special. That’s never going to leave us. That’s never going to leave my name – they’re going to hear four-timer, but they’re also going to hear the 2021 Davison wrestling team.”

103

Champion: Justin Gates, Davison, Fr. (23-0)
Decision, 8-4, over Caleb Weiand, Macomb Dakota, Soph. (31-1)

Not long after Facundo finished his fourth championship run Saturday, Gates capped his first.

He reached this title match with a pair of pins and a technical fall before handing Weiand his only defeat of this season.

“Nothing really compares – it’s been honestly one of the best weeks of my life,” Gates said. “I’m just hoping I can follow in (Facundo’s) footsteps. Obviously, Josh Barr just won his second next to him, and after that Jimmy Colley got his first. So, it’s a special team we’ve got here.”

112

Champion: Drew Heethuis, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (30-0)
Decision, 9-5, over Zach Phifer, Howell, Sr. (32-5)

DCC junior Anthony Walker and sophomore Clayton Jones finished fourth and sixth, respectively, at 119 on Saturday. They also received assists for training Heethuis up on the way to his first Finals championship.

“It’s pretty much all the difference – being able to have good partners and good people to work with and go against, it’s a main factor in being able to be good and get to the next level,” Heethuis said.

After finishing third at 103 last season, Heethuis did take those next steps with a perfect run.

“It’s kind of expected. I just want to get where I can be at the best I can,” he said. “This is what I’ve been working for my whole life.”

119

Champion: Caden Horwath, Davison, Soph. (27-0)
Decision, 6-2, over Louden Stradling, Battle Creek Lakeview, Soph. (29-1)

These two also met in the 103-pound championship match last season. The result was nearly identical this time after Horwath had won the 2020 bout with a 7-2 decision.

He reached Saturday’s finale with two pins and a major decision.

“(I was) just working hard, pushing my pace, making sure I get to all of my attacks,” Horwath said. “Not worrying about what they were doing, just try to wrestle my match and how I want to.

“Not too much (was different this season) – just getting better and better, critiquing little things.”

Division 1 Wrestling Finals 2

125

Champion: Ashton Anderson, Clarkston, Sr. (26-4)
Decision, 9-2, over Andrew Hampton, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Sr. (34-4)

The last conversation Anderson had with his late grandfather Pete Vandermeer was about making weight. That was only a couple of years ago, and Anderson knew he was watching Saturday – “I wanted to do it for him,” Anderson said. “He’s smiling down at me.”

It surely was a proud family moment, as Anderson not only avenged a 5-1 Regional loss to Hampton to defeat the top seed this time, but in the process became the sixth member of his family to wrestle in an MHSAA Final and third to win a title for Clarkston – joining uncles Jerry Anderson (1993), Matt Vandermeer (2011) and Nick Vandermeer (2013).

Ashton also was thinking Saturday of last season’s Finals, when he fell in his first match at 125 by a 13-11 decision, then fought all the way back to finish third.

“I was supposed to be in the Finals last year, and I lost early and didn’t get to make it, and it’s my last chance,” Anderson said. “I wasn’t letting it slide by.”

130

Champion: Brendan Ferretti, Macomb Dakota, Sr. (33-0)
Decision, 6-3, over Tyler Herrema, Grandville, Sr. (30-1)

The joy was all over Ferretti’s face as he finished his high school career by joining the short list of three-time Finals champions.

After placing third at 103 as a freshman, Ferretti won titles at 112, 119 and now 130, with a combined 121-1 record over those championship seasons.

“It was honestly about having fun, because it’s my last year … and honestly just trying to get through the year with all of this COVID stuff,” Ferretti said. “We only got half a season to train for this, so it does feel pretty good, knowing that I’m winning because I worked hard in the room and stuff like that. It all pays off. Now it’s time to take it to the next level.”

Ferretti will be wrestling next season at the U.S. Naval Academy.

135

Champion: Dylan Gilcher, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (26-1)
Decision, 3-0, over Evan Herriman, Davison, Soph. (22-3)

These two met to close Davison’s Team Finals win on Tuesday, with Gilcher winning 5-2, and the rematch was even more low-scoring.

But Gilcher scored enough and also his second championship, adding to the title won a year ago at 112.

“I wrestling him twice earlier, so I knew I could get a takedown. I wasn’t as busy as I like, but I was in control. I felt safe,” Gilcher said. “I rode this time – last time I didn’t ride – so I got less points. But like I said, it was safe.”

Gilcher’s first three matches Saturday were far more high-scoring – he put up 18, 21 and 22 points in three tech falls.

140

Champion: Mason Shrader, Brighton, Sr. (31-0)
Decision, 7-1, over Philip Burney, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (22-4)

Shrader had been all around a championship his first three seasons, finishing sixth at 103 as a freshman, eighth at 119 as a sophomore and second last season at 125.

In his final high school match, Shrader arrived and earned a spot at the top of the podium.

After falling in that 2020 championship match, Shrader made a deal with himself that he wouldn’t lose this time. He hardly slept Friday night thinking about the opportunity.

“I’ve been working so hard since last year, since I lost in the Finals,” Shrader said. “The past three years, my mindset was nowhere near where it is right now. I wanted it so bad, and I just put my mind to it and got it done.”

Division 1 Wrestling Finals 3

145

Champion: Darius Marines, Detroit Catholic Central, Fr. (17-2)
Decision, 5-3, over Camden Trupp, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (23-3)

Very rarely, the Individual Finals pits teammates against each other. Marines and Trupp met in the championship matches at every level of this tournament, with Trupp winning 3-1 at the District and Marines taking the Regional 5-2.

“First one I was a little nervous, you know, (facing the) senior captain,” Marines said. “Second time, I knew what I was expecting.”

This time? “Nerves, everything. I was just thinking about standing on that podium and getting that trophy. That’s all I had in mind.”

During Tuesday’s Team Finals, Marines bumped up to 152 while Trupp wrestled at 145. Combined they finished 5-1 that day winning with three pins, a tech fall and a decision.

152

Champion: Trenton Wachter, Rockford, Sr. (24-1)
Fall, 5:17, over James Johnston, Davison, Sr. (25-3)

The final minute was ticking down and Wachter was a few points behind, a runner-up finish shaping up as the likely result.

In an instant, everything changed.

“I just felt his head, way too high, took it over, pinned him,” Wachter said. “I get in that position a lot in practice, so I’m used to it.”

They’d wrestled a similar match Tuesday, which Wachter won 7-5 in sudden victory after trailing 5-1.

The title finished a nice climb for Wachter, a fifth-place finisher at 130 as a sophomore and third-place finisher at 140 last season.

160

Champion: Josh Barr, Davison, Soph. (26-0)
Major Decision, 9-1, over Gary Nilson, Utica Ford, Sr. (21-2)

Moments after Facundo won his fourth championship, Barr reached the halfway point in pursuit of the same – and with a second-straight undefeated season.

“I love this man right here; he’s my training partner every single day,” Barr said as Facundo offered a quick congratulations. “That’s the person who trains me for every single situation to help me out on any mat I ever step foot onto.”

Barr will be among those who will be looked toward next, especially as Davison returns next season as the reigning team champion.

“Just keeping the momentum going,” he said. “On Tuesday we just won a team state title, and it was a great thing to do with my brothers. Keep winning team state titles, keep winning individual titles. Break some records here. … Keep pushing the pace.”

189

Champion: Manuel Rojas, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (29-2)
Decision, 11-5, over Remy Cotton, Traverse City Central, Soph. (28-1)

Cotton was the top seed and Rojas the second, and they reached the championship match with a combined five pins and a tech fall.

Rojas also was the reigning champion at this weight, and now he’ll head into his final season with a chance to join that three-timer list.

“Nothing’s different. Just getting to come out here and do the same job,” Rojas said comparing this season’s run to last. “Same job every year.

“Maybe getting to train a little bit harder every year. Get a little better. That’s it. Just getting better.”

215

Champion: Jimmy Colley, Davison, Jr. (19-1)
Fall, 1:00, over Ethan Green, Howell, Sr. (28-3)

Colley was one of six Davison top seeds entering Saturday, after finishing fourth as a freshman and third last season both at this weight.

“Nothing better than as a team having that bond, winning together, everybody excited, coming here excited, ready to wrestle. Everybody came here to win,” Colley said. “We all grew up together. Everybody knows each other, practice partners. It’s just great to know you’re practicing with the best guys in the state.”

He added a first place to his list with a quick pin, becoming Davison’s third champ of the day.

“I went out there pretty quick, took him down, got to my underhook, where I know I’m good there, got my takedown,” Colley said. “My goal was to go out there and dominate the match.”

285

Champion: Jayson Roy, Jackson, Sr. (31-0)
Decision, 4-0, over Joshua Terrill, Holt, Jr. (25-4)

Roy will not be soon forgotten by Jackson wrestling. And he’s hopeful what he accomplished Saturday helps the program for years to come.

Roy became the Vikings’ first Finals champion since 1975.

“I’ve always known I could do it. I’m glad I finally did,” Roy said. “I thought it was going to be last year. I lost to Nick (West of Lincoln Park) in the second round, came back (and defeated him), took third. I knew I was winning it this year. I wasn’t going to let anybody stop me.”

He’s also hopeful his championship run will spark the sport at his school.

“It will encourage people to come out and try it,” he said, “get some better wrestlers in there next year.”

Click for the full bracket.

PHOTOS: (Top) Davison’s Alex Facundo raises the traditional four fingers signifying his fourth Finals title Saturday at Wings Event Center. (Middle) Clarkston’s Ashton Anderson works to get control of his opponent’s legs at 125 pounds. (Below) Brighton’s Mason Shrader applies some leverage during his championship match win at 140. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)