Coaching Cousins Build on Macomb Roots
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
January 18, 2018
MACOMB – Success must begin somewhere.
And for the Macomb Dakota wrestling program, its beginnings can be traced to a church in Mount Clemens nearly 25 years ago.
Ed Skowneski, a longtime educator in Macomb County who was a football star at Wayne State University during the 1970s, got with a few buddies and formed a youth wrestling program named the Bad Boys Wrestling Club.
This program would eventually produce six MHSAA champions and approximately 20 others who reached the Individual Finals. It also helped inspire two of those wrestlers to become coaches at the high school level.
Eddie Skowneski, Ed's son, leads the Macomb Dakota program ranked No. 3 in Division 1 this week by Michigan Grappler. Nephew Anthony Biondo assists top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central.
Before the Bad Boys – which would eventually evolve into Team All Sport – there were pockets in the county where the sport thrived, such as Fraser High where Al Kastl had built a strong program. But for the most part, Macomb County was a step or two behind nearby counties such as Genesee, Lapeer, Oakland and Wayne, where the sport had well-established programs like Clarkston, Davison, Detroit Catholic Central, Hazel Park, Lake Orion, Montrose, New Lothrop and others.
Skowneski teamed with people like Bob Palazzolo, Rick Julien – an assistant under Kastl at Fraser who later became Fraser’s head coach – and later, Vince Biondo, Skowneski’s roommate in college, to organize a competitive youth program.
“We had some good kids back then,” Skowneski said. “We had six state champions come out of there. We practiced twice a week at the church, but it was more like a hall or reception room. After one year we moved to Fraser, Mark Twain Elementary (School), where I was a principal. That made it easier, for travel and everything. We had our own mats in the school, and it started to grow.”
A team from Macomb County has yet to reach an MHSAA Division 1 Final, but they’re getting close. Last season Dakota reached a Division 1 Semifinal for the first time, and it was just the third time a Macomb County team had advanced that far in the top division/classification.
Two other county schools fared well last season, too, in other divisions. Warren Woods Tower lost in the Division 2 Final to Lowell, and Richmond won the Division 3 title.
Skowneski’s motivation to become a coach came from his son, Eddie, and, later, his nephew Anthony Biondo, Vince Biondo’s son. Eddie Skowneski got his start with the Bad Boys at age 9 with his cousin who is two years younger. The two became best friends and would become two of the county’s top wrestlers during the early to mid-2000s at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley.
Each would reach the Individual Finals three times. In 2003, Skowneski won the 140-pound title over fellow county wrestler Justin Petrone of Roseville, 1-0. Biondo was a three-time champion placing first at 103 in 2003, first at 112 the next season and first at 145 in 2006.
Skowneski would earn a scholarship to Michigan State University, where he was a three-year starter. Biondo went to University of Michigan and was a three-time NCAA Tournament qualifier. His best season came as a senior when he went 2-2 at the NCAAs and earned his 100th career win.
“Those Bad Boys days, those were some great times,” Anthony Biondo said. “It was a great group of kids. I just remember being in that church with Uncle Ed. I really wasn’t into wrestling when I started. I was into hockey and football. I started going there one day a week, and it just grew. My first year wrestling (at Chippewa Valley), I won the state title. It was just that one-on-one thing that I liked. My dad was a huge goal-setting type of guy, and I just kept at it.”
Their wrestling careers didn’t stop after graduation. Skowneski became an assistant coach at Fraser for one season then went to Warren DeLaSalle for two as an assistant before becoming the head coach at Dakota in 2012. Biondo is in his seventh season as an assistant coach at Detroit Catholic Central, the top-ranked team and reigning champion in Division 1.
Eddie Skowneski, 31, said he’s had a number of mentors throughout his wrestling career who have contributed to him becoming the coach he is today. His father is one, but he also said his high school coach John Jeffire at Chippewa Valley, St. Clair Shores Lakeview football coach Pat Threet and his college coaches all have had their influence.
When Ed Skowneski retired as school principal at Mark Twain in 2015, his son quickly found him a part-time job as his assistant at Dakota to keep him active.
“He’s always been a great coach,” Eddie said. “Coaching with my dad, it never really stopped. With him, it’s the little things. He always said, if you have good technique, you can beat someone who is more physical than you are. With my dad, he goes to each person and shows them the proper technique. With me, sure I want them to work and train hard. But I want my wrestlers to do it the right way.”
Ed Skowneski got out of coaching when his son went to high school. He said he had taken his son as far as he could and that it was better to have Eddie continue his progression with someone else as his coach.
Now that Ed’s back in it, coaching with his son no less, he couldn’t be happier.
“When he first got the job at Dakota, I thought of helping him but I just didn’t have the time,” Ed Skowneski said. “I’m enjoying it now. I’m not the head coach. He has the issues. I just work with the kids. It’s fantastic. It’s rewarding. We have a great group of kids and good parents.
“I look forward to the tournaments, which sometimes keeps me up at night. It’s nice that my son and I can do this together.”
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: Longtime coach Ed Skowneski stands with son Eddie (left) and nephew Anthony Biondo after a youth event when they were children. (Middle) Father and son hold up Eddie’s bracket sheet after he won the Division 1 championship at 145 pounds in 2006; to the right, they pose together during Biondo’s wedding. (Below) Ed Skowneski and Biondo, also before the latter’s wedding. (Photos provided by the Skowneski family.)
Ward, Schoff Striving to Become Brandywine's 1st Finals Champs Since 1992
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
January 30, 2024
NILES – Niles Brandywine wrestlers Maddison Ward and Gavin Schoff literally have gone the extra mile to set themselves up for success.
Ward and Schoff, along with their teammates, have traveled many miles this winter competing in some of the more elite weekend tournaments across the state.
The two Bobcats grapplers hope that exposure is enough to push them to the top of the podium at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals in early March at Ford Field.
Both Ward, a junior, and Schoff, a senior, could become the first Brandywine wrestler to win a Finals title since Dean Heath captured the 1992 Class C crown at 275 pounds.
Ward, ranked No. 2 in the state at 170 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com, is 23-1 this season. Her only loss came 5-4 at the Montague Tournament to Romeo’s top-ranked Amarisa Manuel, last season’s runner-up at 155 and the 145 champion in 2021.
Ward comes from a wrestling family. Her older brother Marty Ward, a 2015 Brandywine graduate, was a standout grappler and football player for the Bobcats. It was Marty who influenced Maddison most to give the sport a try.
"My brother wrestled, and I come from a family of wrestlers,” Maddison Ward said. “I'm the only female in my family that showed interest in the sport. My parents were skeptical about it at first, but I wanted to give it a try to see if I could do it as well beginning when I was in seventh grade."
Ward eventually joined Midwest Extreme Wrestling Club, a program affiliated with Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind.
"I really started to improve toward the end of my freshman year when I started hitting more freestyle tournaments. I learned how to be more aggressive, hone in on my skills and (I) started working harder," Ward said.
She is in her third year season competing on Brandywine's varsity team and is one of just two female wrestlers on the squad.
"It's very difficult to get girls to come out for wrestling,” Ward said. “Right now there are only a couple of us girls in the high school program, but there are several participating on the junior high team. But it's been a dream of mine to help grow the interest here and in Southwest Michigan and leave a message that this sport is as big here for females as it is in the bigger cities.”
Ward believes her technique and strength are big keys to her success.
"I feel like my biggest strengths are that I'm a pretty technical wrestler and for a female I have good strength that I'm able to use to my capability," Ward said.
Also a former cross country runner and track & field athlete, Ward does a lot of weight training to help build stamina and endurance. Her success already has generated interest among college coaches.
"Right now I have a lot of interest in Grand Valley State University for wrestling. I feel like their coach (Jake Short) is going to be able to help me a lot with my goals and where I want to eventually end up with wrestling. My end goal is to compete in the Olympics," Ward said.
Ward plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist and become a coach.
"I want to coach younger kids in wrestling working with the MYWAY Program or coaching at the middle school level," Ward said. "I wouldn't mind coaching anyone because I really love it."
The late David Schultz, an American Olympic and World Champion freestyle wrestler, has been a big inspiration to Ward.
"I've read a lot about him and have just always looked up to him because he was a phenomenal and technical wrestler. Looking back at his quotes, it just really helps build me up as a wrestler. I just look up to him for his accomplishments and who he was as a person," Ward said.
Ward looks to qualify for the Individual Finals for a third consecutive year. She finished seventh at 155 her freshman year and third her sophomore season at 145. Being in the higher weight class will make it tougher, but Ward is looking forward to the challenge.
"I was much more of a scrambler at 145. It's a lot different wrestling at 170 where you have to be a lot more physical. You have to know where you're at all the time on the mat and be careful," Ward said. "My experience, mat time and having a lot of confidence in myself are my biggest advantages. I've made a good adjustment this year with my mental preparation, not giving up and really believing in myself. I just have to continue that positive mentality, eating well, lifting and getting the most out of every practice."
Rex Pomranka, Niles Brandywine's head wrestling coach since the 2004-05 season, has been impressed with Ward's interest and work ethic since she joined the Brandywine wrestling program. He believes Ward is very capable of reaching her goal.
"Maddie is kind of young compared to some of the girls that have been wrestling since they were 5 or 6 years old. But she's always asking questions, watching videos, going to camps and competing in offseason freestyle tournaments, Pomranka said. “You've heard of basketball players who are gym rats, well Maddie is a mat rat in wrestling. She quite often comes in before and will stay after practice to work on moves or techniques to make herself better. She doesn't give up, is a hard worker and just goes and goes. A lot of girls Maddie wrestles can't match her strength."
Schoff is aspiring to become a three-time Finals qualifier and placer. He is 34-0, ranked No. 1 in Division 4 at 157 pounds and regarded among the top eight in his weight class across all four divisions. All the wrestlers above Schoff in the power rankings are from Division 1 and Division 2 schools.
In his two other previous Finals appearances, Schoff finished fifth at 152 his sophomore year and third at 157 as a junior. He is expected to reach the 150-career win mark within the next couple weeks.
"My stamina has really improved this season. I used to get gassed in matches. I've done a lot of running and tried to keep up a good pace in practice. I'm pretty strong, and I try to lift a lot," Schoff said.
He’s also played football at Brandywine and was a starter for two years on the offensive and defensive lines (at right guard and nose guard, respectively). He participates in track & field as well, and plans to finish his wrestling career on the high school mat this winter as he will enter the skill trades after high school with hopes of becoming a plumber.
"Playing football helps you with your balance, and it just teaches you a lot of how to be tough. Track helps me with my stamina and staying active," Schoff said.
Schoff hopes those factors help lead him to a Finals title. Pomranka believes the Bobcats' competitive schedule also will benefit his two standout grapplers.
In addition to its Lakeland Conference meets, Brandywine has wrestled in weekend tournaments this season at Montague, Quincy, Hillsdale, Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, East Jackson, Kalamazoo Central and Parchment.
"We want to see the best competition we can and get the best matchups possible that are going to help our kids the most later on this season," Pomranka said.
Schoff is only the third Brandywine wrestler during Pomranka's coaching tenure to record 100 career pins, including 27 victories by pinfall this season.
"Gavin is so flexible, strong and athletic. He can get himself out of all kinds of different positions, including some (ways) you just can't coach,” Pomranka said. “There have been matches where it looks like his opponent will take him down, and next thing you know Gavin has the guy turned over on his back.”
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Maddison Ward, top position, from Niles Brandywine has the upper hand in a dual match at home earlier this season. (2) Niles Brandywine senior Gavin Schoff works out with the heavy ball at a recent Bobcats' wrestling practice. (3) Niles Brandywine junior Maddison Ward, right, stands on the podium after winning the championship in the 170-pound weight class at the Adam H. Provencal Invitational this season at Grand Haven High School. (4) Gavin Schoff, far right, from Niles Brandywine, holds up his bracket after winning the 157-pound weight class at the Shawn Cockrell Invitational at Quincy High School earlier this month. (Top photo by Scott Novak/Leader Publications; workout photo by Scott Hassinger, and awards photos courtesy of the Brandywine wrestling program.)