D2 Preview: Parade of Possibilities

February 27, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

If seeds hold up this weekend, 11 schools will have representation atop the podium at the Division 2 Individual Wrestling Finals at Ford Field.

That wouldn’t be unprecedented; in fact, last season’s Division 2 championship matches produced winners from 13 schools. Gaylord celebrated two champions in 2018; St. Johns, Lowell and Holly are seeded to do the same Saturday.

Below, we look at 10 contenders to watch in Division 2, plus list everyone who finished at least as a runner-up in 2018 and all of the top seeds heading into this weekend. Surely we still missed a few who will end up rising to the top of the podium Saturday – but come back to Second Half early Sunday as we’ll interview and report on all 56 champions.

The “Grand March” on Friday begins at 11 a.m., with five rounds wrestled throughout the day including the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Wrestling picks back up with consolation rounds at 9 a.m. Saturday, and concludes with the championship matches that afternoon at 3 p.m.

Follow all matches on a subscription basis live on MHSAA.tv, and click here for results at MHSAA.com.

112 Sean Spidle, Flint Powers Catholic junior (33-0) – Last season’s Division 3 champion at 112 pounds also won 103 as a freshman. He’s the top seed at 112 in his new division as he goes for a third championship.

119: Vincent Perez, Tecumseh senior (49-0) – The top seed at 119 hasn’t lost since falling in last year’s 112 championship match to Gaylord’s Chayse LaJoie (see below), avenging that defeat at last weekend’s Team Quarterfinals with a 5-4 win. Perez also took third at 103 as a sophomore.

125: Chayse LaJoie, Gaylord junior (45-1) – The top seed at 125 is wrestling for his third Finals championship after winning 103 as a freshman and 112 last season. His only defeat this winter came last weekend to Tecumseh’s Perez in a rematch of last year’s title bout.

125: Chaise Mayer, Warren Woods Tower senior (40-3) – After finishing runner-up at 103 as a freshman and 112 as a sophomore, Mayer took third last year after entering as the top seed at 125. He’s back at that weight and on the opposite side of the bracket from LaJoie. Mayer’s losses this winter all came to wrestlers holding top seeds this weekend. 

140: Avry Mutschler, Lowell senior (33-2) – After finishing runner-up at 135 last season, Mutschler enters as the favorite at 140 with his only in-state loss to reigning Division 1 champ Derek Gilcher from Detroit Catholic Central. Mutschler also finished fourth at 130 as a freshman and third at 140 as a sophomore.

145: Caleb Fish, Eaton Rapids junior (40-1) – Fish missed a first championship last season falling 6-4 to St. Johns’ James Whitaker (below) in the final at 140. Fish is the top seed at 145 this time, and his only loss was to Whitaker after also beating him this winter. Fish also took fifth at 135 as a freshman.

152: Austin Boone, Lowell junior (27-4) – The two-time champ is looking to add to titles won at 135 two years ago and 145 last winter. He’s the top seed at this weight with his two in-state losses to reigning Division 1 champs Kevon Davenport of Detroit Catholic Central (3-2) and Alex Facundo of Davison (3-1, sudden victory).

152: James Whitaker, St. Johns senior (31-2) – Although Boone is on top of this bracket, Whitaker has a path to meet him in the championship match. He won 140 last season and finished fourth at 135 as a sophomore, and his only in-state loss this season was to Eaton Rapids’ Fish.

160: Alec Rees, Sparta senior (37-1) – The top seed at 160 won 152 last season, finished runner-up at 145 as a sophomore and fifth at 140 as a freshman. He has just two losses over the last three seasons.

171: Ryan Ringler, Cedar Springs senior (44-0) – The top seed at 171 is the reigning champion at this weight and a combined 97-1 over the last two seasons. He’s 199-8 for his career and also finished third at this weight as both a freshman and sophomore.

Other 2018 runners-up: 112 Nicholas Korhorn, Lowell (23-9, 103 in 2018); 125 Caleb Teague, Goodrich senior (42-7, 119 in 2018); 135 Matthew Tomsett, Madison Heights Lamphere senior (49-2, 130 in 2018); 189 Cade Dallwitz, Holly senior (51-1, 171 in 2018); 285 Joel Radvansky, Warren Woods-Tower senior (40-4, 215 in 2018).

Additional No. 1 seeds: 103 Jacob Brya, St. Johns freshman (38-2); 130 Kaleob Whitford, St. Johns senior (38-2), 135 Jacob Gonzales, Holly freshman (48-1); 189 Cade Dallwitz, Holly senior (51-1); 215 Taye Ghadiali, Warren Fitzgerald senior (41-0); 285 Donovan King, Farmington senior (47-2).

Also undefeated: 140 Nick Matusko, Chelsea junior (42-0); 140 Owen Zablocki, New Boston Huron senior (32-0); 145 Jacob Lanzini, Trenton senior (51-0).

PHOTO: Gaylord’s Chayse LaJoie, left, and Tecumseh’s Vincent Perez locked up during last weekend’s Team Quarterfinals; both are top seeds heading into this weekend’s Individual Finals. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

DCC's Marines 'Finishes Business' of Perfect Season, 4th Title Pursuit

By Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com

March 2, 2024

DETROIT – Even after he capped a remarkable wrestling career at Detroit Catholic Central on Saturday with a fourth-straight Division 1 Individual Finals title, Darius Marines was all business.

“It’s amazing,” Marines said. “My goal coming in here today was just to finish business. I’ve done this before, three times before, so this is nothing different. It’s just another business day. And I got it done.”

The Catholic Central senior was dominant in a 10-2 win against Roseville sophomore Jay’Den Williams at Ford Field, becoming the 36th Michigan wrestler to win four individual titles. Dundee’s Kade Kluce would become No. 37 later in the night.

Marines – who won at 145, 152, and 157 in his final two seasons and finished this one 50-0 – is the third Catholic Central wrestler to accomplish the feat. He also claimed title No. 6, as he and the Shamrocks had won their second-straight Team Finals title a week earlier. 

He was one of five Shamrocks to win a title Saturday.

Williams entered the match unbeaten at 49-0 and was making his second-straight appearance in an Individual Final. He lost a year ago in the 144-pound final against Marines’ former CC teammate Clayton Jones.

“He’s a Greco guy, he did really good at Fargo (Nationals),” Marines said. “He got sixth at Fargo last year, so I knew he was going look for under-hooks and upper body things. My plan was just to stay out of his positions and get to my stuff, and that’s what I did.”

106
Champion: Steve Vaughn, Davison, Fr. (35-8)
Decision, 6-1, over Ethan Smith, Brighton, Soph. (47-7)

With a large contingent of his Davison teammates cheering him on matside, “Stevie” took control of the 106-pound Final with a first-period takedown, and never looked back.

He added a reversal and another takedown in the third to claim his first title in his first opportunity.

“It feels great man,” Vaughn said. “I’ve been working my whole life for this. I’ve been thinking this the whole year. Ever since I came in, I’ve been working, grinding.”

113
Champion: Wyatt Lees, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (49-5)
Fall, 1:42, over Matthew Quigley, Traverse City West, Fr. (46-4)

Lees made it two-for-two at Ford Field, quickly working for a pin to claim his second Finals title. He won his first a year ago at 106 pounds.

“It’s fun,” he said. “It felt really good.”

While he has two more to win, Lees now has his sights set on joining Marines as the next four-timer at Catholic Central.

“That’s always been my goal since setting foot at CC,” he said.

120
Champion: Archer Anderson, Clarkston, Jr. (32-5)
Decision, 10-8 OT, over Preston Lefevre, Clarkston, Jr. (33-6)

After finishing runner-up a year ago, Anderson wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way of coming out on top. Not even a 5-2 third-period deficit against his teammate.

Anderson rattled off three takedowns in the final period and added another in overtime to claim his first Finals title.

“I was just trying to score points,” he said. “I was just trying to score points and come back from the tilt he got me in.”

He said wrestling a teammate in the Final made things more nerve-racking.

“It makes it worse,” Anderson said. “We’ve wrestled each other so many times. The more you wrestle a kid, the tighter the match is going to get. It shows.”

126
Champion: Grayson Fuchs, Detroit Catholic Central, Fr. (42-6)
Decision, 8-5, over Bohdan Abbey, Hartland, Soph. (57-1)

The moment wasn’t too big for Fuchs, who wrestled his first Final at Ford Field against an unbeaten returning Finals champion in Abbey.

“I had a lot of confidence I was going to win a state title,” Fuchs said. “There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to be at the top of that podium. I was confident.”

Fuchs was able to build an early lead and hold Abbey at bay down the stretch.

“It was vital that I got a takedown at the beginning and got some points up,” he said. “I know that with my head and hands defense, he wouldn’t be able to score on me. It was important for me to get those first points, and that tilt was big.”

132
Champion: Dallas Korponic, Hartland, Soph. (53-5)
Decision, 6-4, over Josh Vasquez, Grandville, Jr. (36-3)

Korponic trailed 3-2 in the third period before seeing an opening and taking it.

With 51 seconds remaining in the match, Korponic was able to reverse Vasquez and put him to his back, taking the lead with a four-point move that wound up winning him his first Finals title.

“He’s a funky kid, and I knew I was going to have to wrestle the whole match, and one of those times he was going to roll and I was going to take advantage of it,” Korponic said. “He got too low on me, and basically all I had to do was step over him for a headlock.”

Korponic held Vasquez off at the end, shooting a single leg and holding on as the final seconds ticked off.

138
Champion: Wyatt Hepner, Grosse Pointe South, Jr. (48-0)
Decision, 1-0, over Sam Agnello, Utica Eisenhower, Sr. (38-3)

Hepner knew points would be at a premium in this Regional rematch, and a second-period escape wound up being the only point scored, proving him right and making him Grosse Pointe South’s first Finals champion.

“It feels pretty awesome to say,” Hepner said. “I’m making history, which is awesome, and just having an impact on the Grosse Pointe South wrestling community. Hopefully we’ll just enlarge it and keep it growing.”

Hepner came close a year ago, finishing runner-up at 126 pounds. 

Davison’s Justin Gates, right, wrestles teammate Tanner McDunnah en route to claiming his third title. 

144
Champion: Justin Gates, Davison, Sr. (41-2)
Technical fall, 25-10 (4:21), over Tanner McDunnah, Davison, Jr. (33-8)

Gates finished his career as a three-time Finals champion and four-time finalist. 

He won at 103 as a freshman and 138 as a junior, while taking second as a sophomore.

“It feels great,” he said. “The work I put in every day, the work my teammates put in and helped me with every day, all my coaches, my family – I just want to thank them, I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. It’s just bittersweet leaving it all out there, that’s my last high school match I’ll ever wrestle, and I just tried to enjoy the moment and be present in it.”

Gates had high praise for his teammate, McDunnah, who was his roommate for the weekend.

“There’s nothing like losing the state finals that will give you that sting that you need to put a little extra work in,” Gates said. “Tanner is the type of kid to just out-work everybody. I’m sure he’s going to use that as extra motivation. I’ll expect him to be on the top of the podium next year for sure.”

150
Champion: Mason Stewart, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (50-3)
Decision, 3-1, over Vinnie Abbey, Hartland, Sr. (50-5)

Stewart lost a heartbreaker at the 2023 Finals and had a bit of a flashback when Abbey – also a Finals runner-up a year ago – looked to have secured a takedown in the final seconds to force overtime.

After officials discussed the call, however, it was ruled that Stewart had successfully fought him off, and the match was over.

“It was the best feeling in the world, honestly,” Stewart said. “I was in the same exact position a year ago, lost in the Finals, the guy reversed with short-time left, and it was one of the worst pains I’ve felt in my life. I knew that was never going to happen again. I wasn’t going to let that happen to myself. I just had to win.”

165
Champion: Zak Knapp, Brighton, Sr. (50-4)
Major decision, 13-1, over Zachary Taylor, Gibraltar Carlson, Jr. (52-1)

Knapp wasted little time taking control of this match, putting up eight points in the first period en route to his first Finals title.

“Every day in the room, I was just putting in the work,” he said. “I was super excited to be out here. I took it all in, I put my mind to being a state champ. I was pacing back and forth saying, ‘I’m the champ. The champ is here.’ I was ready for everything, and I stepped onto the mat, I was just going to go out there and give it my all and do whatever I can.”

175
Champion: Dylan Scott, Waterford Kettering, Sr. (38-2)
Decision, 5-3 OT, over Micah Roper, Oxford, Sr. (40-4)

Scott considers himself more of a defensive wrestler, but when overtime came around, he knew he had to be on the offensive. 

His aggressiveness paid off, as he was able to get the winning takedown to claim his first Finals title.

“Honestly, I’m a big defensive guy,” he said. “But throughout this year and other seasons, I’ve always lost by a takedown. My coach told me, ‘Takedowns win matches.’ So, right then and there, I had to make it count.”

Scott’s defense did come in handy late in regulation, however, as Roper was able to get in on his legs with the score tied at 3. But Scott was able to fight him off and force sudden victory.

190
Champion: Brock Trevino, Clarkston, Sr. (25-1)
Fall, 1:57, over Adam Bazzi, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Sr. (42-3)

Trevino said he wrestles by feel, so when he felt he had Bazzi in a compromising position, he went with it, even though it was a move with which he wasn’t really familiar.

“It was pure luck, I don’t really drill that move ever, but it worked,” Trevino said. “It was a feel thing, you know. I get comfortable in positions, and that’s usually how I win. I’m not very technical, I just wrestle for positioning.”

After the win, Trevino busted out an air guitar, leg-kick celebration that was fitting of his wrestling style.

“My coach was just like, ‘C’mon, it’ll be sick,’” Trevino said.

215
Champion: Connor Bercume, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (43-3)
Decision, 5-3, over Logan Tollison, Grand Ledge, Soph. (48-4)

Bercume successfully defended his title at 215 pounds to become a two-time Finals champion.

“It feels pretty good,” he said. “I’m really not happy with the way I performed in the Final, but happy to have won.”

Bercume got an early takedown in the match and looked to be on his way to cruising, but Tollison settled into the match and gave him a fight until the final whistle.

285
Champion: Ryan Ahern, Rockford, Sr. (49-1)
Major decision, 17-6, over Anton Barynas, Jenison, Jr. (46-6)

Ahern weighed in at 211 pounds for the weekend, but that didn’t stop him from dominating the division and claiming his fourth all-state finish and first Finals title.

“It feels really good to finally get a win in the state Finals,” he said. “I feel like I’ve always been super motivated, but just throughout the years I’ve gotten better and better with great practice partners. Every year, I’ve had a bunch of different guys to practice with, and different coaches.”

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central’s Darius Marines has his wrist raised in victory after clinching his fourth Individual Finals championship Saturday. (Middle) Davison’s Justin Gates, right, wrestles teammate Tanner McDunnah en route to claiming his third title. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)