D3 Preview: Bracket Build-up

February 26, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

This weekend’s Division 3 Individual Finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills could include the tournament's best matchups, regardless of division.

The 119 and 140-pound brackets both include multiple champions from 2013, and the 125-pound bracket could end with a matchup of last season’s 119-pound championship match. And aside from those great potential tilts, Allegan’s Kyle Simaz could finish his career among the winningest wrestlers in MHSAA history.

See below for 10 contenders to watch this weekend, plus others who enter the tournament undefeated or coming off runner-up finishes in 2013. Follow all the matches beginning with Thursday's first round on a subscription basis live on MHSAA.TV, and click here for results at MHSAA.com. And check back with Second Half later Saturday night for full coverage from the Finals, including comments from all 14 champions.

119: Kanen Storr, Leslie sophomore (54-1) – Kicked off his high school career with a perfect 58-0 record and championship at 103 pounds, and has fallen only once this season after moving up two weights.

119: Devin Schroder, Grand Rapids Catholic Central sophomore (36-4) – Followed up a perfect freshman season including a 53-0 record and championship at 112 with a nearly-flawless sophomore campaign so far.

125: Jerry Fenner, Birch Run junior (45-5) – Already has 155 wins in his career and two top-three Finals places after claiming last season’s championship at 119 pounds and finishing with a 57-3 record.

125: Matt Santos, Saginaw Swan Valley sophomore (54-0) – Remains unbeaten this season after falling to Fenner 3-2 in overtime in last season’s championship match; beat Fenner 2-0 at the Tri-Valley Conference Championships earlier this month.

135: Nate Limmex, Grand Rapids Catholic Central junior (19-0) – Hasn’t lost in his last two seasons, including winning the title at 135 in 2013. Limmex began his high school career with a fourth place in Division 2 while wrestling for Lowell.

140: Zehlin Storr, Leslie senior (57-0) – Brings a career record of 216-12 into this weekend after also going undefeated in winning 135 pounds last season; has never finished lower than third at his weight in any of three Finals trips.

140: Doug Rojem, Dundee senior (43-5) – Hopes to follow up on helping his team to a second straight championship last weekend with his second straight individual title after winning this weight in 2013. Rojem never has finished below fifth at a Final.

145: Kyle Simaz, Allegan senior (57-1) – Claimed last season’s Division 2 championship at 140 after two runner-up finishes as a freshman and sophomore; now sits at 236-4 for his career and can finish fifth in MHSAA history for wins.  

152: Devin Skatzka, Richmond junior (34-3) – Two-time champion is seeking his third after winning 135 as a freshman and 145 last season; Skatzka also has helped his team to three straight Team Finals and two championships.

189: Teddy Warren, Dundee senior (22-3) – Like teammate Rojem, is defending the championship at the same weight after finishing with a 49-3 record in 2013. Warren also qualified for the Finals as a sophomore.

Other 2013 runners-up: Whitehall sophomore Reiley Brown (119, 38-3, 103 in 2013), Ida sophomore Alex Martinez (119, 48-3, 112 in 2013), Grand Rapids West Catholic senior Blake Russo (130, 34-2, 125 in 2013), Richmond senior Nick Burg (140, 35-4, 130 at 2013), Lake Odessa Lakewood junior Jordan Bennett (140, 44-1, 145 in 2013), Birch Run senior Jared Elliott (160, 45-5, 152 in 2013), Caro senior Skyler Ley (171, 48-4, 160 in 2013), Allendale senior Colin Beebe (215, 45-0, 189 in 2013).

Also undefeated: Manchester senior Eric Coval (152, 34-0), Allendale senior Glenn Geurink (285, 43-0).

More of note: Corunna sophomore Tristan Serbus (103, 42-1), Richmond senior Aaron Kilburn (112, 34-5), Dundee junior Tye Thompson (171, 40-6), Dundee senior Brendan O'Connor (130, 44-3)  Farwell senior Tristan Zienkiewicz (160, 45-2), 

PHOTO: Hudson’s Kyle Simaz (right), here wrestling against Richmond during last week’s Team Semifinals, can finish his career with 240 wins. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Performance of the Week: Iron Mountain's Shayna Hruska

January 27, 2023

Shayna HruskaShayna 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

Follow the MHSAA on TikTok.

MI Student Aid

MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

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.)