D3 Preview: Ready to Make More History
February 28, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The 2018 Division 3 Individual Wrestling Finals gave fans arguably the highlights of the day at Ford Field, with a pair of four-time champions joining a legendary group.
Those are pretty tough acts to follow, of course. But this season’s contenders have opportunities to stack up impressive accomplishments as well.
Below, we look at 10 contenders to watch in Division 3, 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: Hunter Assenmacher, Ida junior (46-3) – Last season’s champion at 103 and runner-up at that weight in 2017 owns the top seed at this weight this weekend. After going undefeated last season, his three losses this winter were all to Dundee – twice to 103 top seed Casey Swiderski and then to teammate Austin Fietz.
119: Dametrius Castillo, Alma sophomore (33-4) – After last year becoming Alma’s first individual champion since 1993, Castillo is back not as a top seed but with an opportunity to avenge one his losses on the way to the final. His defeats this winter all were to Finals qualifiers, with Montrose’s Jake Elasivich a possible semifinal opponent.
125 Corey Gamet, Michigan Center senior (43-0) – He’s the top seed at this weight, previously winning championships in Division 2 at 103 as a freshman and 112 as a sophomore while attending Parma Western. This also would be his second perfect high school season if he takes the title.
140: Christian Killion, Dundee junior (41-5) – The top seed at 140 was the runner-up last season at 130 and also finished fourth at 119 as a freshman. His in-state defeats this season were to reigning Finals champions from other divisions, Detroit Catholic Central’s Derek Gilcher (D1) and Mendon’s Skyler Crespo (D4).
145: Trevor Robinson, Shepherd senior (41-2) – The runner-up last season at 135 is the top seed this weekend at 145, with losses only to Finals qualifiers from Divisions 1 and 2. He also was the runner-up at 125 as a freshman before taking third at 130 as a sophomore.
152: Stoney Buell, Dundee sophomore (41-8) – Buell is another on a possible four-title track after winning 135 a year ago. He has more losses than some others, but they are quality. In-state he fell to Lowell’s Avery Mutschler and Austin Boone, St. Johns’ James Whitaker and Detroit Catholic Central’s Cameron Amine – all returning champions or top seeds this weekend.
152: Sean Trombley, Lake Fenton senior (47-1) – Last season’s runner-up at 145 is not the top seed at this weight but is opposite Dundee’s Buell, potentially setting up a high-powered final. Trombley also was runner-up at 140 as a sophomore and took fifth at 135 as a freshman. His loss this winter came to Byron’s Jerry Hall in the District, and Trombley avenged it by beating Hall at the Regional.
160: DJ Daniels, Caro senior (52-0) – Last year’s champion at 152 is the top seed at 160, and he’s won a combined 110 matches over the last two seasons. He also took third at 140 as a sophomore.
171: Owen Guilford, Portland senior (44-0) – The reigning champion at this weight has been even better, what little he could improve statistically, with a perfect record after losing just one match last season. The top seed at this weight, he’s looking to add to a run that also included a fourth at 160 in 2017.
189 Gavin Morgan, Mount Morris junior (50-0) – Morgan enters the Finals as an undefeated top seed for the second season in a row after doing the same last year at 160. He went on to finish sixth in part by taking an injury default in his consolation match, but is back seeking his first title after also finishing runner-up at 152 as a freshman.
Other 2018 runners-up: 119 Khalil Moten, Mount Morris senior (10-5, 119 in Division 3 in 2018 competing for Flint Beecher); 135 Tyler Swiderski, Dundee sophomore (25-10, 112 in 2018); 125 Kyle Schaaf, Clare senior (42-4, 119 in 2018); 140 Nick Felt, Shelby senior (41-3, 140 in 2018), 215 Brockton Cook, Birch Run senior (50-3, 189 in 2018).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 103 Casey Swiderski, Dundee freshman (42-2); 119 Josh Sunnerville, Otsego junior (47-2); 130 Josh Rankin, Michigan Center senior (36-4); 135 Jonathon White, Dundee senior (35-9); 215 Brockton Cook, Birch Run senior (50-3); 285 Mike Nykoriak, Algonac senior (44-1).
Also undefeated: 130 Damian Flores-Luevano, Wyoming Kelloggsville senior (21-0); Seth Konynenbelt, Hudsonville Unity Christian senior (45-0).
PHOTO: Alma’s Dametrius Castillo, here last week against Richmond during the Team Quarterfinals, will attempt to win his second individual title after last year claiming the school’s first in more than two decades. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
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.)