Buell Becomes 29th 4-Time Champ as Dundee Sets Finals Record
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 3, 2021
KALALAMZOO – Stoney Buell wasn’t exactly a secret as a freshman, already considered one of the state’s best as a top-seeded contender at his first Individual Wrestling Finals in 2018. He would go on to win his first championship on the same night as teammate Brandon Whitman would become the first in Dundee history to claim a fourth Finals title.
Three years later, Buell will be leaving high school wrestling with an even bigger stack of accomplishments, having more than justified those predictions of greatness.
Buell became the 29th wrestler in MHSAA history to claim a fourth Individual Finals championship Friday, earning the Division 3 title at 189 pounds at Wings Event Center. With Dundee’s fourth-straight team championship Tuesday, Buell also is now one of just three in state history to be part of four team and four individual Finals wins – joining 2020 Lowell grad Austin Boone and Davison legend Brent Metcalf, who accomplished the feat from 2002-05.
“I think it just kinda added a little bit to prove people wrong as a freshman – because people talk and it always adds a little bit of fuel,” Buell said. “Just to finally accomplish that goal that I’ve had for so long is unreal.”
Buell, who will continue at Purdue, capped his Dundee career with a 6-1 decision against Constantine senior Isaac Hall (33-2) after pins of 27 seconds, 37 seconds and 30 seconds to reach the finale.
He had won at 135 pounds as a freshman, 152 as a sophomore and 160 as a junior. He ended this shortened season 27-0 and with a career record of 160-15.
Buell also was joined by seven teammates winning titles Friday as Dundee set a Finals record with eight champions.
“I’m just beyond grateful that we got to be here right now,” Buell said. “A huge shout out to Wings Event Center, and just the sport of wrestling for allowing me to be able to wrestle right now, and be able to do it with a team that makes you better every day. I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else.”
103
Champion: Kade Kluce, Dundee, Fr. (18-2)
Decision, 7-3, over Talan Parsons, Ovid-Elsie, Fr. (24-1)
With three champions graduating, Kluce is part of the next generation of Dundee contenders – and he’s off to the best-possible start.
Kluce handed Parsons his only defeat of the season in a matchup of standout freshmen.
“It was really important for me, my team, my family. I worked a long time for this,” Kluce said. “And it’s paid off.
“I definitely want to do it three more times.”
112
Champion: Braeden Davis, Dundee, Soph. (27-0)
Fall, 1:26, over Gavyn Merchant, Kingsley, Fr. (28-1)
Davis is halfway to matching Buell. And he’s blazing a similarly dominant trail.
Davis never wrestled past the second period this season, winning all of his matches by pin or tech fall including this finale to hand Merchant his only loss.
The championship followed Davis’ title at 103 a year ago.
“This year I felt more prepared and used to it,” he said. “Less nerves, and I’m used to going to big-level tournaments, so I guess it helped.
“I’m going to take a week off and I’m going right into freestyle training and getting ready for Fargo (Nationals).”
119
Champion: Kaden Chinavare, Dundee, Soph. (24-0)
Major Decision, 16-5, over Dominic Anguiano, Alma, Sr. (29-4)
Chinavare had placed third at 112 as a freshman and was ready to take his turn among the many Dundee champions over the last two seasons.
He entered as the top seed at this weight and opened with a technical fall and pin on the way to claiming that first title.
“All these guys, they train with me every day. We scrap in the wrestling room 24/7, and it feels great to finally win the first title,” he said. “It’s kinda what we work for in the room all season.”
125
Champion: Zachary Gibson, Lake Odessa Lakewood, Jr. (33-1)
Decision, 2-1, over Caeleb Ishmael, Coloma, Jr. (30-5)
Gibson jumped from finishing fifth at 103 as a freshman and fifth again at 112 last season to claim his first title. He scored a reversal in the third period and held on.
“After I got the two, I figured, I couldn’t turn the kid the first two periods … so just stay smart. State champ match, you’ve gotta stay smart,” Gibson said.
He gave Lakewood a champion at the Finals for the second straight season, after entering as the second seed at this weight and getting pins in his first two matches of the day.
“It’s really awesome, really sets an example for the rest of the guys,” Cooper said. “My team, they see me as an upperclassmen. They want to fight to get up there with me, and it’s awesome. I work with all the guys, all the underclassmen.”
130
Champion: Ryker Johnecheck, Williamston, Jr. (27-0)
Decision, 6-2, over Brock Holek, Durand, Sr. (25-4)
Both were making repeat appearances in a championship match, Johnecheck after winning 125 last year and Holek after coming in second at 130.
Holek defeated Johnecheck’s brother Camden 5-3 in a semifinal, setting up this clash.
“I’ve wrestled him at Districts and Regionals, and I know what he likes to do,” Ryker Johnecheck said. “I was just waiting for the opportunity, and I got the takedowns when I needed to, and it turned out with me on top.”
Williamston has produced its share of champions in the past, including a pair of the best-known in MHSAA history. Johnecheck became the Hornets’ first repeat champion since Andy Simmons won his fourth title in 2002.
“We’ve had a lot of guys coming up around my age,” Johnecheck said. “We brought five guys to states today; we’ve got five placers. It’s all a team. We push each other at practice, and it shows.”
135
Champion: Aiden Davis, Dundee, Soph. (27-1)
Decision, 5-1, over Jack Sherman, Millington, Sr. (28-1)
Davis had come up just short as a freshman, losing the championship match at 125 to Johnecheck on a last-second ultimate tiebreaker takedown last winter.
After this win he talked about always getting better, by baby steps or leaps and bounds. And he finished the season by making that next move and handing Sherman his only defeat.
“This was one was pretty sweet, because last year I lost in literally the last second,” Davis said. “So I felt like this one meant something to really get it.
“I knew I deserved it last year. This year I just had to prove that.”
140
Champion: Max Brown, Whitehall, Jr. (35-1)
Decision, 7-1, over Austin Fietz, Dundee, Sr. (23-4)
Brown made some noise when he started Tuesday’s Team Final against Dundee with a win over the top-seeded Fietz, a 2020 champion.
Then it was back to preparing for a possible rematch, as Brown was the second seed in this bracket. He lined up a pair of pins Friday to earn the opportunity.
“After our match Tuesday at team states, we went back to the practice room, we worked hard, we got a strategy and went out and executed the strategy,” Brown said. “I knew what to block for, what to look for, how to keep working the whole time.”
Brown had finished third at 130 as a sophomore and fourth at 125 as a freshman.
145
Champion: Casey Swiderski, Dundee, Jr. (28-0)
Major Decision, 20-7, over Dametrius Castillo, Alma, Sr. (29-5)
It seemed appropriate that Swiderski earned not only Dundee’s last championship of the day, but also the last win of the Division 3 meet – because after this weekend, the spotlight is sure to turn his way even more.
Swiderski will have the opportunity next year to join the prestigious group of four-time champs, with Friday’s Finals win at 145 adding to his past titles at 135 as a sophomore and 103 as a freshman.
He won his first three matches this time by pin before the major decision against Castillo, who was a champion as a freshman and runner-up as a junior.
“State titles are state titles. If my goal is this high, this is just a stepping stone to my goals – Division I college, NCAAs, all that,” Swiderski said.
“Getting that fourth (would be) awesome for the history. And being one of those guys, not many people get to do that. Not many people alone get (one) state title.”
152
Champion: Nick Dodman, Sanford Meridian, Sr. (31-5)
Decision, 9-2, over Nicholas Blanchard, Whitehall, Jr. (30-7)
Dodman became his school’s third Individual Finals champion, and first since 2014 – and also Meridian’s first non-heavyweight title winner.
He made good on his top seed Friday after previous Finals finishes of sixth at 140 and eighth at 135 as a junior and sophomore, respectively.
“I knew I could beat anyone in this bracket, and that mindset helped me do it,” Dodman said. “I’d wrestled a lot of them before, and I know nobody here has put in as many hours as me. I knew they didn’t stand a chance.”
160
Champion: Tyler Swiderski, Dundee, Sr. (27-1)
Decision, 7-2, over Connor Owens, Flint Powers Catholic, Soph. (24-1)
Friday’s win over the previously-undefeated Owens came at the opening weight for this year’s Finals and kicked off the Vikings’ record run of champions while also giving Swiderski his second-straight title to go with last year’s at 145.
Swiderski had opened his high school career with Individual Finals runner-up finishes at 112 as a freshman and 135 as a sophomore. And then the key to taking the next step clicked.
“Just to wrestle my matches like I do in practice and not overthink the whole tournament,” he said.
“I think (this year) was a lot better, just because I think I was a lot more free this year,” Swiderski added, comparing his first and second championships. “And it was my last season, so I thought it was very important.”
171
Champion: Dominick Lomazzo, Dundee, Sr. (23-3)
Decision, 7-4, over Randy Pyrzewski, Gladwin, Jr. (28-2)
Lomazzo capped his career with a second-straight championship, adding to the title he won at 152 a year ago.
This run certainly was different though, even if the end result was the same. Lomazzo, who earned a pin and then a major decision to start off Friday, did it all with an ankle injury he suffered during last week’s Regional Final.
But he fought through it to finish a career that included multiple team championships as well and a third place in Division 1 at 125 as a freshman wrestling for Detroit Catholic Central.
“I’m just really happy to be part of this team. These are all my best friends,” Lomazzo said. “It just feels great to finish it out on a bang and know that I did everything I could to finish it, and I got it done.”
215
Champion: Ira Jenkins, Whitehall, Jr. (38-0)
Fall, 0:44, over Ryan Osterland, Algonac, Sr. (31-2)
Jenkins arguably had the most dominating day of any Division 3 competitor Friday, with pins in 1:28, 1:46, 19 seconds and then 44 seconds in the finale to lock down a perfect season and his first championship.
He’d previously finished third at 152 in Division 3 as a freshman and fifth at 171 in Division 2 as a sophomore.
“I wanted to come into this tournament and dominate as best I could,” Jenkins said. “I wanted to get four pins all the way through – that was just my goal, I guess. I know there’s some things I could’ve done better, but I got it done.
“Coming off last year, a fifth-place finish wasn’t where I wanted to end up. So I went back to working and learned from that, and just kept improving. All the offseason work is paying off.”
285
Champion: Dan McKiernan, Richmond, Sr. (16-0)
Decision, 3-1, over Levi Harber, Montrose, Jr. (18-3)
The McKiernans can wrestle. There’s no doubt about that.
Dan finished his high school career Friday by becoming the fourth McKiernan brother to compete in an MHSAA individual championship match – and the second from his family to win one.
McKiernan earned a last-second takedown for the go-ahead points.
“We were both tired, got barely anything left by the end,” Dan McKiernan said. “I knew it’s not worth resting toward the end of the period, so I just thought I had to get and go.”
Jake McKiernan had won the Division 3 title at 189 pounds in 2014, while Jordan McKiernan was runner-up at 152 for Richmond in 2006 and Colton McKiernan was runner-up at 189 in 2017 and 215 pounds in 2018.
“I’m so proud of it. I love my family,” said Dan, who had taken fifth at 285 as a junior. “I’m hoping they’re happy.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Dundee’s Stoney Buell raises four fingers on each hand to the crowd signifying his fourth championship won Friday at the Division 3 Individual Wrestling Finals. (Middle) The Vikings’ Braeden Davis, right, works toward a win at 112. (Below) Lakewood’s Zachary Gibson, right, maintains control during his title match win at 125. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Hudson's Hamdan Wins Clash of Champs
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 4, 2017
AUBURN HILLS – Hudson sophomore Jordan Hamdan didn’t just want to win a Division 4 title Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills – he also wanted to impress his older brother, Roddy.
Hamdan accomplished both, defeating Jackson Lumen Christi’s Spencer Good 3-2 in a matchup of returning MHSAA champions in the 119-pound Final.
“It means more, because he kind of helped me get this good,” said Hamdan, who had his brother – a Division 4 champion in 2013 – in his corner as an assistant coach during the match. “We’ve been always wrestling with each other since we were really young, and I’ve been looking up to him. So it was kind of a big deal to me – I wanted to impress him.”
Hamdan scored an early takedown in the match, then was forced to switch up his strategy as Good clamped down defensively on his feet.
“I knew I was ahead, and I knew he couldn’t hold me down,” Hamdan said. “So I had to keep it even and keep it close since I couldn’t score on my feet, and then I knew he wouldn’t be able to score if I was still being offensive in the third period.”
Hamdan and Good, a senior, were each looking for their second title, as they both won at 112 a year ago – Hamdan in Division 4 and Good in Division 3. With two titles in two years as a high schooler, Hamdan is now thinking big.
“It was kind of like a dream more than a goal,” Hamdan said. “And I guess my dream is becoming a reality, slowly. It’s a process. I’ve been working out all summer, in the season and offseason for this, and getting prepared as much as I possibly can for this tournament.”
103
Champion: Reese Fry, Manchester, Jr. (51-1)
Major decision, 10-0, over Jamison Ward, Carson City-Crystal, Fr. (52-3)
Fry learned some lessons in his first two trips to the Palace.
“(I learned) how to push myself,” Fry said. “How to develop and just grow as a wrestler – fundamentally and mentally.”
Fry turned those lessons into a Finals title, as he defeated Carson City-Crystal’s freshman sensation Jamison Ward.
The Manchester junior controlled the match throughout, scoring a takedown in each period, and taking Ward to his back in the second.
“I kept in control,” Fry said. “I just wrestled the match I wanted to wrestle.”
112
Champion: Noah Comar, Clinton, Soph. (51-0)
Decision, 3-1 (OT), over Tucker Sholl, Hudson, Soph. (33-3)
It was a Hudson wrestler that stopped Comar’s title bid a year ago. He wasn’t going to let a Tiger get in his way again.
Comar scored a takedown in overtime to defeat returning champion Tucker Sholl and finish off a perfect sophomore season. Comar lost in the 2016 112-pound Final against Sholl’s teammate, Jordan Hamdan.
“My strategy was just to push the pace and catch him off guard,” Comar said. “I guess it worked, because I got the ankle and got a takedown. I had to push the pace. My greatest defense was my offense. … It was sweet revenge.”
125
Champion: Skyler Crespo, Mendon, Fr. (52-1)
Decision, 3-1, over Robert LeFevre, Erie Mason, Sr. (48-5)
Crespo couldn’t stop moving after winning the 125-pound title. Despite just finishing a hard-fought match against returning champion Robert LeFevre, Crespo still found the energy to jog in place.
“I’m so excited,” he said. “There’s been a lot of time and work put into this.”
The Mendon freshman capped off a remarkable first high school season by taking LeFevre down in the first period, and holding him off the rest of the way. Now, the inevitable four-time champion discussions will begin, and Crespo is ready for them.
“Get back to work as soon as I can,” Crespo said. “Monday morning, I’ll be doing something. Running or whatever it is.”
130
Champion: Robert Rogers, Burton Bentley, Jr. (43-1)
Decision, 9-4, over Nick Felt, Shelby, Soph. (49-2)
Rogers claimed his second straight title, jumping out to a 7-2 lead before holding off big-move attempts from Shelby’s Felt.
“In those situations, most people are going to throw,” Rogers said. “I’ve been in those situations before, and I’ve been on the big stage, so I know what it takes to win. With 20 seconds left, I’m not going to let you do your moves; I’m going to do mine.”
While Rogers called upon his big-match experience in the waning moments, he didn’t let his status as a returning champion allow him to get overconfident.
“You have to come in here thinking that you could win or lose,” he said. “You can’t just come in here thinking, ‘Oh, I’m a returning state champion and I’m going to win.’ I came in thinking, ‘You know what, I’m just another guy on the chart, and anyone can beat me.’ So I had to go out there and show everyone that I can beat them.”
135
Champion: Ethan Woods, Manchester, Sr. (49-2)
Decision, 5-0, over Jayce Kuehnlein, St. Louis, Jr. (45-6)
After falling one win short of a title in each of the last two years, Ethan Woods climbed to the top of the podium as a senior.
“It feels great,” an emotional Woods said. “Everything that I’ve worked for my whole life finally paid off. I put so much time in training for this my whole life. I could have wrestled better and I should have, but I did what I needed to win, and I finally accomplished what I set out to do, and it feels great.”
Woods got an early takedown, and controlled the match throughout, even if the scoring may not have been there.
“Each year, my confidence and composure has built and developed, and I’m able to handle all the pressure and the nerves,” Woods said. “Obviously I still put a lot of pressure on myself, because I just won but I don’t feel like I wrestled as good as I could have. But I think (three previous trips to the MHSAA Finals) helped me prepare mentally.”
140
Champion: Sean O’Hearon, Springport, Sr. (42-0)
Technical fall, 26-11 (4:46), over Braxton Seida, Carson City-Crystal, Soph. (49-5)
O’Hearon put on a takedown clinic on his way to a dominant victory.
The Springport senior took Carson City-Crystal’s Seida down 12 times – and added a reversal – on his way to his second straight title.
“I came into the state meet basically making it my goal to tech every single person here,” O’Hearon said. “I guess I was able to do that, so that’s a win.”
Making the title more special was the fact O’Hearon was able to share it with his cousin, Austin, who won the 145-pound title in Division 2 for Eaton Rapids.
“It’s even more awesome because my cousin won, too,” Sean O’Hearon said. “In my senior year, we both win, that’s something not many people can have.”
145
Champion: Konnor Holton, St. Louis, Sr. (46-3)
Decision, 6-4 (OT), over Noah Niemen, Blissfield, Sr. (29-3)
For the first time since 1967, St. Louis has a Finals champion. Konnor Holton got a takedown in overtime to knock off Noah Niemen and become the Sharks’ second MHSAA title winner.
“I knew he was going to get deep, and I knew that if I got into a scramble position, it was my match,” Holton said. “I knew as soon as I got him uncomfortable, it was my match.”
Holton held a 4-3 lead late in the match, but was hit for fleeing the mat to tie things up and send it to overtime. He bounced back in the extra period, however, capitalizing on his second trip to the Finals after falling a win short a year ago.
“I can’t even describe it right now,” Holton said. “My heart is all over the place.”
152
Champion: Gerrit Yates, Hesperia, Jr. (37-1)
Pin, 2:22, over Zack Menck, Lawton, Jr. (54-4)
Yates decided to add basketball to his winter athletics load this year. While he thinks it may be hurting him a bit on the mat, you’d be hard-pressed to tell.
Yates came through in his third straight Finals appearance, winning by second-period pin.
“It’s great to win it, but I didn’t wrestle near my ability,” Yates said. “Probably right after this, I’m going to go work in the wrestling room some more, get in the weight room.”
Menck held a 6-5 lead in the match after one period, but Yates took him straight to his back from their feet early in the second to earn the pin.
“The whole match, he was wrestling kind of defensive, staying back and then jumping at me,” Yates said. “I kind of timed it, as soon as I saw him faking, I sat back and tossed him because I saw it coming. I knew I had to go for something big.”
160
Champion: Tanner Gonzales, Manistique, Sr. (46-0)
Decision, 5-4 (2 OT), over Johnathon Stid, Dansville, Sr. (38-7)
As Gonzales recognized the fans who had made the long trip to the Palace from the Upper Peninsula, one of them shouted to him, “Manistique in the house!”
“I’m the third U.P. champ, and they haven’t had one in a while,” Gonzales said. “So it’s exciting for the whole U.P. and Manistique. It’s a small town, and they’ve never had a state champ in anything.”
Now they do, as Gonzales scored a reversal late in the second period of the second overtime and held on for the win.
“Just hang on,” Gonzales said of his strategy for the final seven seconds. “I hadn’t had a stall call yet, so if I took a stall call, I wasn’t too worried about it.”
171
Champion: Dylan Smith, Bad Axe, Sr. (47-4)
Decision, 3-2, over David Erwin, Bronson, Sr. (53-3)
A third-period takedown lifted Smith to Bad Axe’s first championship since 1991.
“It’s amazing,” Smith said. “I came in and got sixth last year. This is a lot better feeling.”
Smith and Bronson’s Erwin were tied at 1 in the third period before Smith’s takedown gave him a 3-1 lead. Erwin was able to get away and pull within one, but Smith fought him off.
“I was ready for the shot,” Smith said. “Coach was expecting it. I was ready to sprawl off his quick shot.”
189
Champion: Tylor Grames, Hudson, Sr. (41-12)
Decision, 5-3 (OT), over Erik Birchmeier, New Lothrop, Sr. (31-3)
A week ago Grames knocked off Birchmeier to kick off Hudson’s march to a team title.
On Saturday, he needed extra time, but again came out on top against the returning champion from New Lothrop.
“I changed it up from wanting the team to do good, to inspiring everyone that was up there watching to want to do good,” Grames said. “Last week when we wrestled he would post a lot, and I capitalized by making my shots. This week, he barely posted, which made it five times harder.”
Grames had to fight off a near takedown from Birchmeier late in regulation to force overtime.
“Fear,” Grames said. “Fear. I really wanted to make my hometown proud, and I was scared that I wouldn’t, so that’s what drove me on.”
215
Champion: Devon Kozel, Bangor, Sr. (48-1)
Decision, 9-3, over Nick Cooper, Springport, Sr. (40-4)
Kozel was a runner-up a year ago, but he left little doubt Saturday night against returning champion Cooper of Springport.
“I had to redeem myself,” Kozel said.
Kozel had three takedowns and a reversal to control the match and earn a third straight win against Cooper.
“Just have to stay tough on our feet,” Kozel said. “I know where you have to win the match at.”
285
Champion: Logan Kennedy, Decatur, Sr. (58-2)
Decision, 6-4, over Zach Bailey, Hudson, Sr. (41-10)
Losing wasn’t an option for Kennedy.
After finishing as a runner-up a year ago, and falling behind late in his title match Saturday against Hudson’s Bailey, Kennedy turned up the pace to force overtime and eventually win his first MHSAA championship.
“I just knew I had to something,” Kennedy said. “He’d already been hit with a warning for stalling, so I thought if I went at him, I could get another stalling call and send it to overtime. I love wrestling in the third period because I feel so much better than the other wrestlers.”
He continued that aggression into overtime, where he finished off a dream season.
“It’s been my dream my whole entire life,” he said. “Ever since I started wrestling, I knew I wanted to be a state champion.”
PHOTO: Hudson’s Jordan Hamdan (left) and Jackson Lumen Christi’s Spencer Good face off in the Division 4 Final at 119 pounds Saturday. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)