D3 Preview: Past Champs Favored Again
February 24, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Only four teams have competed in MHSAA Division 3 team championship matches this decade.
And not surprisingly, those four programs have the top four seeds heading into this weekend's Quarterfinals at Central Michigan University.
Top-seeded Richmond and second-seeded Dundee both have won three of the last six titles in this division. Third-seeded Remus Chippewa Hills and fourth-seeded Lake Fenton each have advanced to the final round once during that time and are expected to make the push again.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 3, listed by seed. Quarterfinal matches begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday, with Semifinals at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and the championship match at 6 p.m. All matches this weekend will be streamed live on a subscription basis on MHSAA.tv. For Friday’s schedule and results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page.
The MHSAA Wrestling Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard.
NOTE: There are only seven quarterfinalists in Division 3, and Richmond received a bye for Friday after Mount Morris vacated its Regional title because it used a wrestler at a weight for which he was not eligible.
#1 Richmond
Record/rank: 27-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Co-coaches: Brandon Day, 13th season (409-87); Preston Treend, first season (27-2)
Championship history: Seven MHSAA championships (most recent 2015), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Austin Kilburn (32-6) fr., 112 Roy Costello (36-7) sr., 125 Alec Ziza (19-15) jr., 140 Gary Resk (24-12) sr., 145 Alex Roberts (28-11) jr., 160 David Kaltz (34-13) jr., 189 Colton McKiernan (42-4) jr., 215 Tyler Marino (42-5) jr.
Outlook: Richmond returns to the Quarterfinals for the ninth straight season and after getting past league rival and No. 10 Algonac along the way. The Blue Devils were slightly upset a year ago, falling as a four seed to fifth-seeded Whitehall in the weekend’s first match, but they return with a lineup boasting 10 upperclassmen. Costello, Roberts and McKiernan all were individual placers in 2016.
#2 Dundee
Record/rank: 18-4, No. 1
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Tim Roberts, 18th season (478-65-1)
Championship history: Nine MHSAA championships (most recent 2016), six runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Jonathon White (27-15) soph., 119 Christian Killion (24-9) fr., 119 Daniel Jaworski (28-14) jr., 140 Zachary Bellaire (32-4) jr., 145 Tylor Orrison (35-5) jr., 152 Alex Motylinski (31-4) sr., 160 Sean Sterling (22-0) sr., 171 Kyle Motylinski (32-12) jr., 189 Kyle Reinhart (35-11) jr., 189 Brandon Whitman (38-0) jr.
Outlook: Dundee climbed back to the top of Division 3 last winter with its third championship in four years and entered this postseason ranked No. 1. The Vikings shut out two opponents and gave up a combined nine points to the other two on the way back to CMU. Whitman has won two straight MHSAA individual titles, last season at 189, and Sterling is the reigning champion at 152. Orrison and Alex Motylinski also placed last year.
#3 Remus Chippewa Hills
Record/rank: 27-1, No. 3
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Gold
Coach: Nate Ethridge, 17th season (491-92)
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2016.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Bray Haynes (42-9) soph., 119 Kaden Ellis (40-7) sr., 125 Mason Hayes (38-9) soph., 130 Brandon Russell (37-15) jr., 135 Nolan Saxton (52-0) sr., 152 Jaycob Sharp (45-8) jr., 160 David Spedowski (45-4) jr., 171 Robert Granberry (43-10) jr., 189 Luke Henderson (42-7) sr., 215 Billy Koepf (47-2) jr., 285 Andrew Vinton (31-10) jr.
Outlook: Chippewa Hills advanced to its first MHSAA Final last season and hardly has slowed this winter, entering the final weekend with only one loss for the second straight season and third time during Ethridge’s successful tenure. Eleven upperclassmen anchor the line-up; Sharp was the individual runner-up at 145 in 2016, while Spedowski, Koepf, Vinton and Hayes also placed.
#4 Lake Fenton
Record/rank: 33-5, No. 5
League finish: First in Genesee Area Conference
Coach: Vance Corcoran, seventh season (221-58)
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2011.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 AJ Geyer (40-10) sr., 125 Hunter Corcoran (51-2) sr., 130 Jarrett Trombley (51-0) jr., 140 Sean Trombley (48-5) soph., 152 Jackson Nevadomski (52-1) jr., 171 Logan Julian (23-16) jr., 215 Ryan Franks (42-11) sr., 285 Trent Hillger (53-0) sr.
Outlook: This is Lake Fenton’s third trip to the Quarterfinals over the past four seasons, and after coming up just four points short of advancing in the Semifinals a year ago. The Blue Devils got past Chesaning by only six points to move on this time, an accomplishment since the team voids at 103 and 119. But Lake Fenton counters with serious star power; Hillger is the reigning champion at 285 and won 215 as a sophomore, while Jarrett Trombley is the reigning champion at 119 and Geyer was runner-up last season at 103. Corcoran, Sean Trombley and Nevadomski also placed individually in 2016.
#5 Whitehall
Record/rank: 20-3, No. 4
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Coach: Cliff Sandee, 10th season (231-36)
Championship history: Lower Peninsula Class C runner-up 1984.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Sam Baustert (28-15) soph., 112 Hunter Bower (24-12) jr., 119 Haddan Young (30-17) jr., 125 Mitchell White (31-13) jr., 130 Trenton Blanchard (38-11) soph., 140 Josh Thommen (35-10) jr. 145 Allen Powers (32-13) soph., 152 Jojo Dowdell (39-9) sr., 160 Kayleb Venema (36-10) fr.
Outlook: Whitehall returns as the fifth seed for the second straight season and after making the Semifinals a year ago. Eight wrestlers have won at least 30 matches for a young lineup with only three seniors expected to start – the Vikings graduated two individual champions last spring. Dowdell also placed individually in 2016.
#6 Lake Odessa Lakewood
Record/rank: 29-6, No. 6
League finish: First in Greater Lansing Activities Conference
Coach: Bob Veitch, 38th season (749-178)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Kanon Atwell (33-9) fr., 119 Cole Jackson (37-6) jr., 125 Jon Maag (32-6) jr., 152 Vern Fields (27-14) fr., 160 Jon Clack (37-10) fr., 171 Daniel Thompson (40-1) sr., 215 Jacob Kelley (35-10) sr., 285 Luke Tromp (38-6) sr.
Outlook: Lakewood is back at the Quarterfinals for the seventh time under Veitch but first since 2011. Along the way, the Vikings posted an impressive 52-17 District Final win over No. 9 Delton Kellogg. There are only four seniors on the team, but all four have won at least 35 matches; Thompson is the reigning champion at 171. Jackson also placed last season.
#7 Caro
Record/rank: 28-7, unranked
League finish: Second in Tri-Valley Conference East
Co-coaches: Joe Fulton and William Green, first seasons (28-7)
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2003, two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 125 John Botkins (53-6) soph., 125 Blain Wood (51-3) jr., 135 Patrick Ford (35-2) sr., 140 DJ Daniels (53-3) soph.
Outlook: Caro is back at the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2012 after surviving a run that included a three-point win over Freeland and a six-pointer over Beaverton. Fulton and Green are former Caro wrestlers who took over the program after previously coaching at lower levels. Wood was individual runner-up at 112 last season.
PHOTO: Caro, here against Millington, will return to the MHSAA Quarterfinals for the first time since 2012. (Click to see more from Varsity Monthly.)
Preview: Dundee Again Paces Powerful D3 Contenders
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 29, 2021
Forget for a minute that Dundee on Tuesday will attempt to win a fourth-straight MHSAA Finals championship for the second time in the program’s illustrious history.
Consider first the relative strength of the Division 3 field as this season comes to a close.
Four of seven competing teams are undefeated or have lost only once during this abbreviated season. Combined those seven have 67 qualifiers for the Individual Finals – or nearly 10 per team.
Back to Dundee. The Vikings will travel to Kalamazoo looking to match the 1995-98 teams’ string of four Finals titles, the first of that of that run coming in Class C-D followed by three in Division 4.
Division 3 Quarterfinals – matchups below – begin at 12:30 p.m. at Wings Event Center’s Valley, with Semifinals at 3 p.m. and the championship match at 6.
Division 3 - 12:30 pm - The Valley
#1 Dundee - BYE - Mat 3
#4 Richmond vs. #5 Montrose - Mat 4
#3 Alma vs. #6 Freeland - Mat 1
#2 Whitehall vs. #7 Hart - Mat 2
(Constantine opted out.)
Spectator limits remain in effect, but all matches will be broadcast live and viewable with subscription on MHSAA.tv. Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 3, listed by seed.
#1 DUNDEE
Record/rank: 17-1, No. 1
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Tim Roberts, 22nd season (555-76-1)
Championship history: Twelve MHSAA championships (most recent 2020), seven runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Kade Kluce (12-2) fr., 112 Braeden Davis (21-0) soph., 119 Kaden Chinavare (18-0) soph., 119 Kyle Smith (12-2) jr., 125 Logan Sander (13-1) jr., 130 Trey Parker (14-3) fr., 135 Aiden Davis (21-1) soph., 140 Austin Fietz (20-2) sr., 145 Casey Swiderski (22-0) jr., 160 Tyler Swiderski (21-1) sr., 171 Nic Bellaire (7-4) sr., 171 Dominick Lomazzo (17-3) sr., 189 Stoney Buell (21-0) sr.
Outlook: Dundee is favored to extend its Division 3 championship streak to four, and returns with nine starters from last season’s lineup leading the way. Buell this weekend will attempt to become the 29th four-time Individual Finals champion in MHSAA history after winning at 160 a year ago. He’s one of six returning individual champions, along with Braeden Davis (103), Fietz (130), Casey Swiderski (135), Tyler Swiderski (145) and Lomazzo (152), while Chinavare (112) earned a third place and Aiden Davis (125) was a runner-up. Among Dundee’s dual wins this season were bouts over Division 4 top seed Clinton and Division 2 top seed Lowell.
#2 WHITEHALL
Record/rank: 25-1, No. 3
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Co-coaches: Justin Zeerip, third season; Collin Zeerip, third season (72-6)
Championship history: Class C runner-up 1984.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Ty Whalen (20-3) sr., 119 Matthew Goodrich (23-6) sr., 140 Max Brown (29-1) jr., 145 Marco Moore (28-3) sr., 152 Nicholas Blanchard (25-5) jr., 152 Alec Pruett (11-4) jr., 160 Jacob Haynes (25-4) sr., 171 Connor Young (25-5) sr., 189 Kris Dowdell (190-8) sr., 215 Ira Jenkins (31-0) jr., 285 Shane Cook (27-2) soph.
Outlook: After missing the Quarterfinals last season in Division 2, Whitehall is back in Division 3 and headed to the Quarterfinals for the fifth time in six years and seeking at least a fourth Semifinal berth during this run. The Vikings will bring an experienced lineup, with 12 of 14 expected starters upperclassmen. Brown finished third in Division 2 at 130 last season, and Jenkins was fifth at 171.
#3 ALMA
Record/rank: 21-3, No. 2
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference
Coach: Randy Miniard, 10th season (233-98)
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Dominic Anguiano (24-3) sr., 125 Gianni Tripp (24-6) soph., 140 Solomon Rosales (23-5) sr., Dametrius Castillo (24-4) sr., 160 Jacob Munger (22-4) jr., 171 Cole O’Boyle (22-4) fr.
Outlook: The Panthers earned the third seed of the second-straight season, and eliminated No. 7 Portland in the Regional Final to advance. Alma is graduating only three after this season and could another valuable building block with a nice run Tuesday. Castillo, the Division 3 champion at 119 as a freshman, also was runner-up last season at 135, while Rosales was fourth at 130 in 2020.
#4 RICHMOND
Record/rank: 9-0, No. 4
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Co-coaches: Brandon Day, 17th season (487-99), Preston Treend, fifth season (105-15)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 2017), eight runner-up finishes
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Emmet Kettel (10-1) sr., 112 Noah Harris (11-1) soph., 119 Hunter Keller (10-1) sr., 140 Austin Bergeon (7-3) jr., 160 Gavin Resk (5-1) sr., 171 Kevin McKiernan (8-1) jr., 189 Regan Rewalt (5-2) sr., 189 Wesley Peters (11-1) jr., 215 Eddie Olson (22-2) soph., 285 Dan McKiernan (10-0) sr.
Outlook: Richmond has wrestled in 10 of the last 11 Division 3 Finals and finished runner-up the last three seasons. The Blue Devils have more freshman (five) than seniors (four) in Tuesday’s expected starting lineup, but have continued to roll including downing No. 8 Algonac during this postseason run. Keller is a two-time individual runner-up, including at 112 last season. Also placing last season were Harris (eighth at 103), Peters (third at 171) and McKiernan (fifth at 285).
#5 MONTROSE
Record/rank: 12-1, No. 5
League finish: No league title awarded this season.
Coach: Jason Perrin, fourth season (62-35)
Championship history: Nine MHSAA championships (most recent 2005), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Thor Robbins (11-3) jr., 112 Hunter Coxon (14-4) soph., 119 Seth Coffin (13-3) jr., 125 Aidan Bernard (14-1) jr., 130 Jake Elasivich (15-1) sr., 145 Blake Greenman (14-4) jr., 152 Ty Emmendorfer (15-4) jr., 189 Cody Smith (14-3) jr., 285 Levi Harber (15-1) jr., 285 Aden Viar (7-2) jr.
Outlook: After what had been more than a decade away from the Quarterfinals, Montrose these days is making a third-straight trip and reached the Semifinals a year ago. A young lineup last season now boasts 11 upperclassmen among the expected 14 starters. Harber was third at 215 last season, while Bernard was third at 125 and senior Bobby Skinner (135, 14-2) was seventh at 152.
#6 FREELAND
Record/rank: 19-3, unranked
League finish: Second in Tri-Valley Conference
Coach: Ryan Fournier, first season (19-3)
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Noah Graham (19-2) fr., 112 Gibby Shepard (16-6) fr., 130 Tyler Tomasek (21-4) sr., 135 Wilson Longnecker (15-5) jr., 135 Cayden Remainder (15-6) soph., 140 Cole Fourier (21-3) jr., 160 Nolan VanLoo (22-4) sr.
Outlook: Freeland is making its second appearance at the Quarterfinals – the first was in 2004 – and possibly setting itself up for a quicker return next time with seven freshmen and only two seniors among Tuesday’s projected starters. Another noticeable stride for the program will be noticed more this weekend; VanLoo was Freeland’s only Individual Finals qualifier in 2020 but will be joined by six teammates this time. The Falcons downed No. 10 Remus Chippewa Hills in the Regional Final.
#7 HART
Record/rank: 26-4, No. 6
League finish: Second in West Michigan Conference
Coach: Brad Altland, ninth season (247-90)
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Bryce Jorissen (22-12) soph., 112 Trenton Swihart (29-7) soph., 119 Trayce Tate (23-4) soph., 125 Austin Martinez (18-11) fr., 130 Spencer Vanderzwaaag (29-3) sr., 135 Chance Alvesteffer (30-4) jr., 145 Mason Cantu (30-2) jr., 160 Thomas Tanner (29-5) sr., 189 Leo Guadarrama (32-2) jr., 285 Braeden Carskadon (26-10) sr.
Outlook: After making the Quarterfinals last season for just the second time, in Division 4, Hart has equaled the feat despite facing larger opponents in Division 3. The Pirates defeated No. 9 Kingsley in the Regional Semifinal to highlight this trip. Cantu finished individual runner-up at 135 in Division 4 last season, while Tate was fourth at 112, Alvesteffer was fifth at 130 and Tanner was eighth at 152.
PHOTO: Dundee’s Aiden Davis (right) and Montrose’s Aidan Bernard face off during last season’s Division 3 Semifinals. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)