Blahas Building Lasting Owosso Legacy
February 5, 2020
By Tim Robinson
Special for Second Half
Owosso seniors Hunter and Colton Blaha, born 11 months apart, have been competing with each other nearly every day of their lives.
“We’ve been competing forever,” said Colton, the younger of the brothers, with a laugh. “Sprinting down the road so you can get to the house first.”
Hunter agreed.
“We’re always competing, no matter what it is,” he said. “Board games, chores. It doesn’t matter.”
The Blaha brothers have channeled that competitiveness into a work ethic and sense of community that has helped lift the Owosso High School sports programs in which they’ve competed.
Both played football (Hunter at quarterback, Colton at running back), while Hunter plays basketball and runs track and Colton is an all-state wrestler who plays baseball in the spring.
Most of the programs they have played for have not had recent success. The brothers endured part of a 43-game losing streak in football, Hunter’s basketball team recently snapped a 30-game losing streak, and the Owosso baseball team has struggled in recent years.
And, to the Blahas, that doesn’t matter.
Competing does.
“I honestly don’t care what our record is,” Colton Blaha said. “We always had a close bond with the kids in our grade, and that means more than anything. It means more than any record we could have had in wins or losses.”
Trojans athletic director Dallas Lintner, who also is an assistant football coach, said what sets the Blahas apart is that selflessness – a willingness to help build a program despite an outward lack of success.
“What’s refreshing to see at the high school level is that they’re competitive, but they’re classy,” Lintner said. “They mean a lot to us at Owosso High School. They mean a lot to our community particularly with the relationships they’ve built with middle-school kids, with elementary school kids. They really do it all for us.”
Both Blahas have worked, assisting the coaches in their sports, with younger athletes at all levels to help them feel a part of the program.
“When we got here, the senior leadership was horrible,” Hunter Blaha said. “We got treated horribly by the upperclassmen, and that plays a big part in a program, having a bond and a relationship with the younger kids. We set that as a goal in the eighth grade, because we knew how important it was to our program if we got the youth program going at a young level and got them going at the same pace.”
And so Owosso football players at lower levels have seen the Blahas at their games or matches the last four years. Both attend youth level games and interact with future Owosso athletes as much as their schedules allow.
“They’re like rock stars to those kids,” football coach Devin Pringle said. “We do things at elementary schools like reading to kids, and we take the Blahas. They’re like NFL stars to those kids. They wrestle with them, give them high-fives, talk about grades.”
At one point during the football season, Hunter became involved with a troubled elementary school student as part of a class in social tolerance.
“I was chosen to help this kid,” he said. “My idea was to bring him to a game, come see a coin toss, maybe get him a signed football.”
Which he did. The youngster got to do all three and went home with a lasting memory.
“It was an awesome experience,” Hunter said. “I could tell he was really happy that he got the chance to do that.”
Another thing that makes the Blahas stand out, their coaches said, is their commitment to their hometown.
“A lot of kids transferred out of here to play on better sports teams,” Colton Blaha said. “My mom has always taught us to make a name for ourselves, and I feel that Hunter and I have both done that here. We’ve done the best we can to try to change the sports programs around, and we hope the kids under us have picked up on that.”
Naturally, coaching and commitment by those younger players is critical, but there are signs of a turnaround in Owosso football. The Trojans varsity won two games last season and lost three more by a single point. The rest of the teams in the program all had winning records.
“We knew coming in it would take some time to get a new culture established,” Pringle said. “When it happens, it’s because these young men decided to stay.”
After his freshman year of football, Hunter Blaha was promoted to varsity. As a sophomore, he was a unanimous choice as a team captain and started at quarterback.
Colton finished third at 160 pounds at last year’s Division 2 Individual Wrestling Finals, a rise fueled by the competitive fires built during his youth.
“We used to have basement wrestling tournaments, and he used to kick my butt,” Colton said of Hunter. “I used to get so mad at him.”
The boys wrestled and sometimes fought at school, too.
“I always beat him,” Hunter said. “I remember one day I stopped and he came up to me and said, ‘I’m not going to let you whip my (butt) any more. It’s just not going to happen. That’s the day he started wrestling, and he’s been working his tail off ever since. It’s pushed me to work harder and get some goals in mind.”
As for the rivalry, “a year later, (Colton) started whipping my butt,” Hunter said, smiling. “It’s escalated from there.”
Both Blahas plan to compete in college, Hunter in football and Colton in wrestling. Both plan to become teachers, and Pringle has a not-so-subtle plan for Hunter.
“Colton is amazing in his own right,” Pringle said. “But Hunter, when he gets that degree, he’ll be head football coach at Owosso someday. We’re getting a new weight room, and I tell him, ‘I’ll have this ready for you when you take over.’ He’ll be a kid who impacts hundreds of kids before he’s done.”
But first, there’s a senior year to complete.
“It feels like it came up way too fast,” Hunter said. “It feels like yesterday I started at quarterback my sophomore year. I kind of get emotional about it. I don’t like talking about it. Most kids are ready to get out of here, to get their lives going. But I’ve been here since I was 6 years old, and it’s all I’ve ever known, playing with these kids.”
Colton Blaha is known as an athlete who’s the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave, almost to a fault.
“I have him in a fourth-hour class, and he always wants to get in a couple of extra sets,” Pringle said, chuckling. “He always leaves the room last, and sometimes I’m late for lunch because of it.”
A few lost minutes of lunch, though, has been a small price to pay.
“I know they’re going to do great things,” Lintner said. “They’re going to be great husbands. They’re going to be great fathers. They’re going to be great college athletes no matter what university they choose. We’re super proud of them, and as an educator, I’ve been fortunate to be with them the last four years of their journey.”
Asked what the most important thing is that they've gained through athletics, both brothers pause for several seconds before answering.
“Hard work can take you anywhere,” Colton said. “Always. Through hard work, you go through a lot of ups and downs, a lot of lefts and rights, but if you keep working hard, keep your head balanced, you can go anywhere.”
“Being a family, definitely,” Hunter said. “That’s what it’s all about. Life’s not always about football and athletics. You want to make your friendships and talk about these memories 20 years down the road.”
But the Blahas have done more than make memories. They’ve made an impact, one that will be felt ‘years down the road.’
PHOTOS: (Top) Colton, left, and brother Hunter Blaha. (Middle) Colton, left, begins his third-place match during last season’s Division 2 Individual Finals at Ford Field. (Middle photo by HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Davis Becomes Dundee's Latest Member of 4-4 Club with Individual Sweep
By
Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com
March 4, 2023
DETROIT – Winning four MHSAA Individual Finals wrestling titles is quite an accomplishment.
Winning eight total wrestling championships is even more impressive.
But, that’s becoming somewhat commonplace for the Dundee wrestling program.
On Saturday, Dundee senior Braeden Davis (41-0) became the fifth wrestler in MHSAA history to win a fourth individual wrestling state championship to go with four team state championships as he defeated Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Michael Wilson (32-4), 3-1, in the 132-pound Division 3 final.
Three of the five four-four winners have come from the Dundee program, as Davis joined Stoney Buell (2018-21) and Casey Swiderski (2019-22).
“It means a lot. I am glad and proud for myself. It’s a great privilege and great accomplishment,” Davis said of joining the four-time winner club. “It means a lot to (join the other two with eight titles). We trained a lot together. We all managed to succeed and get things done.”
Davis hadn’t seen a third round in his previous three Individual Finals weekends and still hadn’t until Saturday. The first two rounds of the championship match were scoreless before Davis got an escape to start the third and then finally scored a takedown later in the round to go up 3-0.
“I try not to think about (winning quickly) because that is something that can make me nervous. I just try to drown it out and not think about that,” Davis said. “I just had to wrestle smart and keep my hands down. I managed to hit a nice little go-behind.”
Davis was one of seven Dundee wrestlers to capture an individual championship Saturday.
106
Champion: Haydn Nutt, Dundee, Fr. (38-6)
Major Decision, 12-2, over Mason Haines, Dundee, Fr. (28-8)
A pair of Dundee freshmen collided in the 106-pound final, with Nutt scoring a decision over teammate Haines.
“It is kind of fun,” Nutt said of wrestling his teammate. “It was pretty exhausting, but it was fun. We’ve been wrestling since we were like 8, so we basically know everything about each other. I was just moving, scoring and shooting. That’s what was working.”
The two have had more competitive battles in the past, but Nutt was bringing an extra level of intensity in the championship bout.
“My blood was pumping the entire time,” Nutt said. “I felt like I had so much energy, and I couldn’t get rid of it.”
113
Champion: Dale Gant, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Fr. (39-6)
Decision, 2-1, over Talan Parsons, Ovid-Elsie, Jr. (50-1)
Gant knew he needed his best to get past the unbeaten Parsons. After a scoreless first period, Gant managed to secure a takedown in the second and then avoid getting put on his back in the third to hand Parsons his lone blemish of the season.
“I was just trying to stick to my stuff and not let him get comfortable,” Gant said. “I have lost to him in the past, so I knew what to expect from him.”
Following the victory, the GRCC freshman dove into his coaches’ arms, with his coaches perhaps even more excited than the new champion.
“This means a lot. I have been thinking about this day for years,” Gant said. “It’s been playing over and over in my mind. It’s just an amazing feeling.”
120
Champion: Kade Kluce, Dundee, Jr. (42-5)
Major Decision, 14-4, over Noah Harris, Richmond, Sr. (41-6)
Kluce has set himself up to possibly be the next in line for eight wrestling championships.
The Dundee junior claimed his third individual title Saturday to go along with three team titles.
“I feel I could have done better,” Kluce said. “I was hoping for a tech fall and I was close, but didn’t quite get it. But, I am still proud of myself.”
Kluce won the 103-pound title in 2021 and the 112-pound title a year ago.
“It feels easier as I go along,” Kluce said of the third title. “I have gotten used to the environment and just look to score as much as I can.”
126
Champion: Cameron Chinavare, Dundee, Jr. (37-2)
Decision, 3-0, over Gavyn Merchant, Kingsley, Jr. (44-2)
In a pretty defensive matchup, Chinavare rode out a first-round takedown to an eventual victory over a familiar opponent in Merchant.
“It was a dog fight out there. We just went out and scrapped. I had fun,” Chinavare said. “I knew his shot pretty well, and he just couldn’t get in on it.”
Chinavare was the 125-pound champion a year ago and used his big-match experience to keep Merchant from scoring.
“There is no better feeling than to win a state title,” Chinavare said. “It’s a great feeling.”
138
Champion: Kaden Chinavare, Dundee, Sr. (41-6)
Decision, 5-4, over Gianni Tripp, Alma, Sr. (51-6)
After scoring three first-round pins to reach the 138-pound final, Chinavare was pushed to the limit.
Tripp led 4-2 in the third period following a takedown, but Chinavare dug deep and got an escape before eventually getting the championship-winning takedown in the closing moments.
“I have been there a lot this whole season. My coach always just tells me to stay calm,” Chinavare said of the close match. “I just had to breath and get through those closing seconds. It was tough.”
Despite the lopsided wins earlier in the weekend, Chinavare knows that Saturday’s final is the kind of match that will make him a better wrestler.
“I just never stop the grind,” Chinavare said. “Even now, I will be wrestling again in a few days. The grind just doesn’t stop, and that’s what it takes.”
144
Champion: Camden Johnecheck, Williamston, Sr. (44-2)
Decision, 7-6, over Blake Cosby, Dundee, Fr. (42-7)
Johnecheck is all that kept Dundee’s wrestling program from crowning a record-tying eight individual champions Saturday.
The senior was down 5-0 early to Cosby, but rallied to even the match at 5-5. An escape from Cosby got him back in the lead, but Johnecheck managed to surge his way to a takedown in the closing seconds to win.
“I am known for my conditioning, and I felt like if I could make it to the third period, I could make up some ground,” Johnecheck said. “I had to go for something late, so I went for my single-leg and it just worked out.”
Knowing it was his final match, Johnecheck made sure he ended it on a high note.
“It’s always nice to be able to beat someone of his caliber,” Johnecheck said. “As a senior, it was my last match, and I didn’t want to have it be a loss to a freshman, so I had to lay it all out on the line.”
150
Champion: Kole Katschor, Dundee, Soph. (43-9)
Decision, 5-4 (OT), over Cole Karasinski, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Sr. (44-1)
Katschor held a 3-0 lead, but Karasinski managed to tie the match at the buzzer with a takedown to force OT with the score tied 4-4.
After a scoreless minute, Katschor managed to ride out Karasinski, and then earn an escape to score the 150-pound title.
“I just tried to ride him out and I knew if I could do that, I could get an escape on him,” Katschor said.
The title was the first of this Finals for Dundee, setting the tone for a big night for the program.
“It was a hard match, but I just really wanted that title,” Katschor said. “It is a sweet feeling to be able to get it.”
157
Champion: Aiden Davis, Dundee, Sr. (44-2)
Decision, 5-2, over Tyler Schofield, Olivet, Jr. (47-1)
After finishing runner-up in 2020, Davis completed a third-consecutive championship run. The two were tied at 1-1 during the third period, but Davis used his Finals experience to prevail.
“I felt pretty good during the match. (Schofield) wasn’t shooting much, so I felt like I was controlling the pace of the match and felt pretty comfortable,” Davis said.
Davis was the 135-pound champion in 2021 and the 145-pound champion last year. He credits his success to the support from the Dundee faithful.
“You see a sea of blue in the D3 section, and it’s amazing because they feed me energy,” Davis said. “The environment that Dundee provides is unlike any other.”
165
Champion: Kyan Fessenden, Kingsley, Sr. (41-1)
Decision, 4-3, over Connor Owens, Flint Powers Catholic, Sr. (26-2)
With his prep career winding down, Fessenden knew he had to pull out some magic.
Trailing 3-2 to Owens, the Kingsley senior fought his way to scoring a reversal in the closing seconds. That proved to be the difference.
“This was the last match of my high school career. You have to go big or go home, so that’s what I did,” Fessenden said.
The victory kept Owens from repeating as champion, while giving Fessenden his first title.
“It feels amazing. (Owens) is a great competitor, and being able to beat him makes it even more special,” Fessenden said. “He really pushed me to my limit.”
175
Champion: Noah Etnyre, Lutheran Westland, Sr. (46-3)
Fall, 2:35, over Gavin Craner, Belding, Soph. (53-5)
Only one pinfall victory occurred in the Division 3 Finals on Saturday, and that went to Etnyre.
He trailed Craner 2-0 early, but managed a quick escape and eventually secured a takedown early in the second period that led to a pin.
“I felt like I had better hips, and I felt like I would be able to win the scrambles with him. That’s what set up the win,” Etnyre said.
Etnyre was the Division 4 171-pound runner-up in 2022 and felt like Saturday’s victory was a nice redemption story to end his career.
“This feels great. It has been my goal since freshman year to win a state title,” Etnyre said. “I am just blessed to be here and be able to be a champion.”
190
Champion: Bryson Hughes, Reed City, Sr. (50-2)
Decision, 5-3 (OT), over Troy Demas, Constantine, Sr. (50-2)
A takedown in sudden victory was the difference as Hughes got past Demas.
“It was all about working. Just always work. Nothing is ever settled, you have to settle it yourself,” Hughes said. “That was a great challenge. (Demas) is a great athlete and an excellent wrestler. It was just about pushing myself to be the best.”
Each wrestler led during regulation, but were evenly matched. A fatigued Hughes could barely put into words how he felt about winning.
“It hasn’t quite hit me yet, but I know that in the days to come I am going to be very happy,” Hughes said.
215
Champion: Elizin Rouse, Kingsford, Jr. (35-4)
Decision, 5-3 (OT), over Bennett VandenBerg, Constantine, Jr. (54-2)
March is known for upsets, but the 11th-seeded Rouse provided one of the all-time upsets when he won the 215-pound championship this weekend.
“I knew the seeding wasn’t right. They haven’t watched me wrestle,” Rouse said of his seeding. “It’s no hate to them, they were just doing their job, but I had to prove them wrong.”
The junior from the Upper Peninsula needed overtime to get past VandenBerg. After trailing 2-0 in the second period, Rouse fought his way back and took a 3-2 lead in the third before VandenBerg forced OT with an escape.
In the extra period, Rouse powered his way to a takedown.
“We were both tired. I could hear him breathing heavy, and I know I was breathing heavy,” Rouse said. “I was just trying to push through to represent the boys from the U.P.”
285
Champion: Shane Cook, Whitehall, Sr. (62-0)
Decision, 9-5, over Landen Roe, Birch Run, Sr. (44-7)
The top seed and unbeaten Cook took control and never looked back. Going up 5-0 early in the second period, Cook was never in much danger of losing the 285-pound title match.
“The game plan was just to let it fly like I do any other match. Ultimately this match is just like any other. I had to score points like I would my other matches,” Cook said. “I was aggressive, and I was really happy with my performance.”
Saturday’s championship capped an impressive 62-0 record for the senior.
“It’s a pretty unreal feeling,” Cook said. “It hasn’t fully hit me yet. I’m trying to let it hit me, but it just hasn’t yet. I’m extremely happy right now, and I’m sure I’ll never forget this moment.”
PHOTOS (Top) Dundee’s Braeden Davis, top, works toward a win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Michael Wilson on Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Kingsley’s Kyan Fessenden, left, shows his chart after defeating a past champion in his Finals bout. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)