D3 Final: Richmond Gets Richer
February 25, 2012
BATTLE CREEK – Nick Burg stepped on the mat for the biggest match of his life Saturday. He was shaking.
The state’s biggest wrestling stage wasn’t lost on the Richmond sophomore. Nor the fact his team was losing by a point and only two matches from seeing its two-year MHSAA championship streak broken.
“That’s what I’ve been training for my whole life. … I was a little nervous. I’m not going to lie,” Burg said. “I just knew I had to go out there and win. That’s what they said. We need you to win. Bonus points are extra.
"But first, get the win.”
He accomplished both – and in doing so set in motion the final touches of a 34-23 win over Dundee that continued Richmond’s dominance of Division 3 with a third straight title.
In what ended up the last to be decided of Saturday’s Finals at Kellogg Arena, No. 2-seeded Dundee won six of seven bouts through the middle of the match to take a 23-18 lead with three weights remaining.
Top-seeded Richmond’s chances still looked good. The Blue Devils (29-5) finished with three Individual Finals qualifiers against three Dundee wrestlers who will not compete next week at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
But freshman Austin Vannatter, Burg and senior Stephen Ireland still had to come through.
Vannatter pulled the Blue Devils within a point with a major decision in 112. And Burg then got back the lead with a pin in 1 minute, 28 seconds. Ireland merely needed to avoid a pin or technical fall, but finished with a pin himself.
“These kids have all been together since sixth grade, and they’re just gritty and tough,” Richmond co-coach Brandon Day said. “A lot of our state titles have been like this, 11 points or less, because the kids just fight for each other.
“Dundee’s a great program. They’re awesome, and Tim Roberts is a great coach. That’s why this isn’t the last time this is going to happen. They’ll be back, and we’ll be back.”
Dundee finished 17-8. Since winning its most recent MHSAA championship in 2007, the Vikings have finished runners-up four of the last five seasons.
Click for match-by-match results from the Final, Semifinals and Quarterfinals. See more photos at High School Sports Scene.
Performance of the Week: Iron Mountain's Shayna Hruska
January 27, 2023
Shayna Hruska ♦ Iron Mountain
Junior ♦ Wrestling
With an 8-2 decision win in the 106-pound final Saturday, Hruska became the first female champion at the annual Upper Peninsula Championships, and she then was selected the event’s “Outstanding Wrestler” for going 3-0 also with pins in her first two matches of the tournament. Those victories improved her record to 18-6 this season.
Hruska began wrestling in third grade and finished fourth at 97 pounds as a freshman at the 2021 Michigan Wrestling Association Girls Championships. She then finished second at her District to reach Regionals competing in the bracket with the boys last season. She entered last week’s U.P. Championships title coming off a runner-up finish at the Escanaba Elks Invitational on Jan. 7 and the championship at 106 at Kingsford’s Ray Mariucci Wrestling Invitational on Jan. 14.
@mhsaasports 🤼♀️POW: Shayna Hruska #performanceoftheweek #wrestling #upchampionship #outstandingwrestler #congrats #meetchamp #uppower #mountaineers #ironmountain #MHSAA #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #TikTok #mistudentaid #fyp @shaynahruska ♬ Beat Automotivo Tan Tan Tan Viral - WZ Beat
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2022-23 Honorees
Jan. 19: Kayla Tafanelli, Warren Woods-Tower bowling - Report
Dec. 20: Brenden Paden, Riverview Gabriel Richard hockey - Report
Dec. 16: Tuff Scott, Holton bowling - Report
Dec. 9: Macey Fegan, Standish-Sterling basketball - Report
Dec. 2: Treyton Siegert, Gladwin football - Report
Nov. 24: Lily Witte, Dexter diving - Report
Nov. 17: Navea Gauthier, Shelby volleyball - Report
Nov. 10: Derek Huisman, Holland Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3: Thomas Westphal, New Baltimore Anchor Bay cross country - Report
Oct. 27: Justin Wickey, Colon football - Report
Oct. 20: Owen DeMuth, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood tennis - Report
Oct. 13: Mia Melendez, Ann Arbor Greenhills golf - Report
Oct. 6: Shawn Foster, Grand Ledge football - Report
Sept. 30: Hannah Smith, Temperance Bedford swimming - Report
Sept. 22: Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Sept. 15: Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8: Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1: Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Iron Mountain High School athletic department.)