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D1 Preview: DCC Ready for Challengers
February 22, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
For nearly two seasons, no high school team in Michigan has been able to take down reigning Division 1 champion Detroit Catholic Central.
This weekend’s MHSAA Finals at Kalamazoo’s Wings Events Center would be the time and place for aspiring challengers to emerge.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 1, listed by seed. Quarterfinal matches begin at 2:15 p.m. Friday, with Semifinals at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and the championship match that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. All matches this weekend will be viewable live on a subscription basis on MHSAA.tv. For Friday’s schedule and results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page.
#1 Detroit Catholic Central
Record/rank: 26-1, No. 1
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League
Coach: Mitch Hancock, 11th season (244-44)
Championship history: Twelve MHSAA championships (most recent 2017), two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Benyamin Kamali (28-1) sr., 125 Stone Moscovic (31-7) sr., Dominick Lomazzo (31-9) fr., 130 Joshua Edmond (17-0) soph., 135 Derek Gilcher (32-5) soph., 140 Logan Sanom (37-7) soph., 145 Kevon Davenport (35-2) jr., 145 Joseph Urso (32-9) jr., 152 Cameron Amine (37-2) jr., 171 Aidan Wagh (33-8) sr., 189 Brendin Yatooma (31-9) soph., 189 Rory Cox (35-5) sr., 215 Easton Turner (32-1) jr., 285 Steven Kolcheff (31-7) soph.
Outlook: DCC is seeking its fifth team championship in seven seasons and second straight season with only one loss; those lone defeats have come against Ohio power Lakewood St. Edward. The Shamrocks pulled off the rare accomplishment of qualifying 14 for the Individual Finals, although only 12 will compete at once this weekend because of multiples at two weights. Kamali, Davenport and Amine all are going for their third individual titles next weekend, while Gilcher, senior Devon Johnson (112, 20-8) and junior Rhett Newton (135, 14-3) also placed in 2017.
#2 Brighton
Record/rank: 31-3, No. 2
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association Gold
Coach: Tony Greathouse, fifth season (120-27)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2015.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Mason Shrader (34-3) fr., 112 Ben Manly (34-9) fr., 125 Eddie Homrock (41-7) soph., 125 Zach Johnson (42-7) fr., 135 Aiden Brown (28-14) soph., 140 Dane Donabedian (35-5) soph., 145 Nick Bleise (40-9) sr., 145 Victor Grabowski (36-10) jr., 160 Harley Berne (35-12) soph., 189 Greyson Stevens (42-6) soph., 215 Luke Stanton (36-9) soph.
Outlook: Brighton’s young lineup is rising fast, as it’s moved up to the second seed from eighth a year ago and with nine underclassmen among 11 individual qualifiers. Total only two seniors start, and Bleise was one of the team’s two Individual Finals placers a year ago. Brighton also won the overall KLAA title this winter ahead of fourth seed Westland John Glenn and seventh seed Hartland.
#3 Macomb Dakota
Record/rank: 29-2, No. 3
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Ed Skowneski, sixth season (177-38)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Brendan Ferretti (47-4) fr., 103 Brock Prater (45-3) soph., 112 Nick Alayan (44-1) jr., 119 Justin Tiburcio (46-5) jr., 125 Connor Casey (35-9) sr., 125 Andrew Barrett (32-16) jr., 135 Brandon Alkazir (33-14) jr., 140 Tommy Gawlowski (25-5) sr., 160 Dustin Solomon (29-3) jr., 171 Layne Malczewski (50-0) sr., 171 Eli Andary (35-15) jr., 285 Rahmi Khalil (45-5) sr.
Outlook: Dakota enters the Quarterfinals for the fifth time under Skowneski and as the third seed for the second straight year. The Cougars gave up a total of 34 points over four matches in the District and Regional and have upped their total number of Individual Finals qualifiers for the second straight season. Alayan was an individual runner-up last year, while Tiburcio, Solomon, Malczewski and Khalil all placed as well.
#4 Westland John Glenn
Record/rank: 25-3, No. 4
League finish: First in KLAA Black
Coach: Bill Polk, 20th season (384-118)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Caleb Meekins (44-8) jr., 125 Michael Mars (48-0) sr., 130 Isaac Lefler (43-6) sr., 140 Anthony Gibson (46-3) sr., 145 Brenten Polk (37-13) jr.
Outlook: After repeating as a KLAA division champion, John Glenn will return to the Finals for the second straight season. Mars will compete for his third individual championship next weekend after finishing as a runner-up in 2017, and Gibson and junior Kyle Borthwell (125, 37-4) also placed last year. Although all of the Individual Finals qualifiers this time fill the lighter half of the lineup, the heavier half features seven upperclassmen including five seniors.
#5 Davison
Record/rank: 24-5, No. 5
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League.
Coach: Roy Hall, 20th season (519-94-1)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 2006), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Steven Garty (32-8) jr., 112 Andrew Chambal (29-1) soph., 125 James Johnston (24-11) fr., 130 Raymond Cole (15-11) jr., 135 Marc Shaeffer (33-6) soph., 152 Brian Case (38-7) jr., 152 Alex Facundo (25-0) fr., 160 Jay Nivison (29-4) soph. 171 Cal Stefanko (35-0) jr., 189 Trevor McGowan (32-10) jr., 285 Aaron Gilmore (33-6) jr.
Outlook: After two straight runner-up finishes (and four in five years), Davison is the fifth seed this weekend – but a dangerous one with 11 individual qualifiers. Case placed at the Individual Finals the last two years and was joined last season by Garty, Chambal, Stefanko, Gilmore and now-sophomore Jaron Wilson (119, 15-9). And this isn’t it for this group – there are no seniors in the starting lineup and only one who has competed this season.
#6 Oxford
Record/rank: 20-7, No. 7
League finish: First in Oakland Activities Association Red
Coach: Ron Wingert, first season (20-7)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2011, two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Matthew Oxford (33-12) jr., 112 Ashton Anderson (38-12) fr., 119 Liam Hillary (35-13) jr., 135 Sergio Borg (43-5) sr., 145 Ryan Miller (38-7) sr., 152 Trent Myre (30-6) jr., 160 Caleb Tabert (35-7) jr., 189 Austin Schlicht (42-11) jr.
Outlook: After building a championship-filled legacy under retired coach Paul McDevitt, Oxford has continued under Wingert with an 11th straight league title and 13th District championship over the last 14 seasons. Borg, Miller and junior Devin Trevino (171, 40-6) were individual placers last season, Borg for his second straight. He and Miller are two of only four seniors, which should make Oxford an intriguing contender next season as well.
#7 Hartland
Record/rank: 32-4, No. 6
League finish: Tied for second in KLAA Gold
Coach: Todd Cheney, 26th season (732-105-2)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2016, five MHSAA runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Wyatt Nault (39-6) soph., 119 Corey Cavanaugh (47-4) jr., 125 Kyle Kantola (51-1) jr., 130 Carter Hankins (44-7) sr., 135 Greg Pietila (36-16) sr., 152 Tanner Culver (33-2) jr., 160 Reece Potter (30-4) jr., 160 River Shettler (40-2) jr.
Outlook: Hartland is back at the Quarterfinals for the 17th straight season, an incredible feat – especially for a team with just three senior starters. The Eagles gave up only 12 points total over their first three postseason matches before edging Walled Lake Central by eight to advance last week. Culver, Shettler, Nault and Kantola were Individual Finals placers last season, Kantola for the second straight.
#8 Hudsonville
Record/rank: 29-7, No. 9
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Mike Rottier, 11th season (195-121)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Kameron Kempker (41-3) sr., 135 Jack Samuels (44-1) jr., 145 James Samuels (29-10) jr., 152 Chase Mol (22-16) jr., 285 Seth Hoonhorst (44-2) sr.
Outlook: After missing the Quarterfinals last year, Hudsonville is back for the second time in three seasons and third time this decade. The Eagles emerged from close Regional wins over Grand Haven and Rockford paced by a veteran lineup expected to include three seniors and eight juniors this weekend. Jack Samuels and James Samuels both were individual placers in 2017.
PHOTO: Detroit Catholic Central’s Kevon Davenport (top) works against Brighton’s Victor Grabowski during last year's Finals weekend; their teams have the top two seeds in Division 1. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
![Holly wrestling](/sites/default/files/2021-03/210331_D2_2H2.jpg)
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.)