D3 Preview: Rivals Seeded to Meet Again
February 22, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Dundee and Richmond have met in six of the last eight Division 3 Team Finals, but none carried as much anticipation as this weekend’s possible rematch is building.
Richmond claimed last season’s MHSAA title on a tie-breaker after the teams tied 28-28. They're expected to see each other again Saturday at Wings Events Center – although undefeated Remus Chippewa Hills is among six other quarterfinalists that will try to break through instead.
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 noon Saturday and the championship match that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. All matches this weekend will be viewable live on a subscription basis on MHSAA.tv. For Friday’s schedule and results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page.
#1 Dundee
Record/rank: 14-3, No. 1
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Tim Roberts, 19th season (494-69-1)
Championship history: Nine MHSAA championships (most recent 2016), seven runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Austin Fietz (30-12) fr., 112 Tyler Swiderski (27-10) fr., 119 Jonathon White (29-10) jr., 125 Daniel Jaworski (22-11) sr., 130 Christian Killion (28-8) soph., 135 Stoney Buell (36-4) fr., 140 Grant Ott (27-8) jr., 145 McCallister McAvoy (30-10) jr., 152 Zachary Bellaire (36-7) sr., 160 Tylor Orrison (38-3) sr., 171 Jaxon Guinn (29-8) soph., 189 Kyle Reinhart (33-13) sr., 189 Kyle Motylinski (33-8) sr., 215 Brandon Whitman (40-0) sr.
Outlook: As noted above, Dundee led by six senior starters should be as motivated as ever. The team qualified all 14 wrestlers for the Individual Finals – headlined by three-time champ Whitman. Bellaire and Orrison also won MHSAA individual titles last season, and White and Killion placed. The Vikings gave up 11 points to No. 9 Ida in the District Final but shut out their other three postseason opponents.
#2 Richmond
Record/rank: 19-5, No. 2
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Co-coaches: Brandon Day, 14th season (428-93); Preston Treend, second season (46-7)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 2017), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 JD Gross (22-8) soph., 112 Daniel McNichol (31-9) jr., 119 Josh Barton (24-13) soph., 135 Alec Ziza (24-9) sr., 140 Hayden Bastian (26-8) jr., 145 Ethan Wyatt (21-14) jr., 145 Alex Roberts (30-5) sr., 152 Eric Barr (16-4) jr., 160 David Kaltz (22-7) sr., 189 Luke Davis (35-8) soph., 215 Colton McKiernan (37-1) sr., 285 Tyler Marino (25-4) sr.
Outlook: This will make a decade of consecutive Quarterfinals appearances for the Blue Devils, who eliminated No. 6 Algonac in the District along the way. McKiernan and Marino were Individual Finals runners-up last season, and Roberts also placed. Those three are among five senior starters and nine upperclassmen total expected to take the mat.
#3 Remus Chippewa Hills
Record/rank: 23-0, No. 3
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Gold
Coach: Nate Ethridge, 18th season (515-93)
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2016.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Carson Hayes (40-7) fr., 125 Bray Haynes (36-7) jr., 145 Austin Young (43-5) sr., 152 Jaycob Sharp (9-2) sr., 171 Robert Granberry (40-5) sr., 189 Chayton Wiggins (37-7) soph. 215 Jared Bean (33-8) sr., 215 Billy Koepf (37-3) sr., 285 Andrew Vinton (35-7) sr., 285 Colby Roosa (37-5) fr.
Outlook: After breaking through to the championship match for the first time in 2016, Chippewa Hills fell to Dundee by just six points in last year’s Semifinal. The Warriors haven’t lost again. Sharp was an Individual Finals runner-up as a sophomore and a placer last winter, along with Granberry. The tough part is two of this year’s 10 qualifiers likely won’t compete in a given match – Chippewa Hills has multiple at both 215 and 285. But nine expected starters have at least 30 wins, as do four subs.
#4 Whitehall
Record/rank: 30-3, No. 4
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Coach: Cliff Sandee, 11th season (261-39)
Championship history: Lower Peninsula Class C runner-up 1984.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 135 Tom Balakovitz (40-8) sr., 145 Trenton Blanchard (40-9) jr., 160 Derek McCollom (36-8) sr., 171 Kayleb Venema (46-4) soph., 189 Allen Powers (45-4) jr.
Outlook: Whitehall nearly broke into the Semifinals for the second season in a row last year, and a team with six senior starters is forecast to advance this time after coming in seeded fifth the last two Quarterfinals. Powers and junior Sam Baustert (112, 37-9) were individual placers a year ago, and senior past qualifier Josh Thommen (145, 15-6) also reportedly will return to the lineup this weekend after missing earlier rounds with an injury.
#5 Birch Run
Record/rank: 32-2, No. 5
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference East
Coach: Mike Miller, third season (88-11)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Christian Miller (40-14) soph., 119 Mac Breece (53-3) soph., 130 Kyle Parlberg (34-18) jr., 140 Mason Breece (52-3) sr., 152 Trenton Naragon (46-6) jr., 189 Brockton Cook (52-4) jr.
Outlook: This will be Birch Run’s fifth trip to the Semifinals over the last seven seasons after the Panthers missed a year ago. They gave up an average of just 16 points over their four District and Regional matches. Mason Breece, Mac Breece and Miller all placed at the Individual Finals last season and bolster an expected lineup with just three seniors but five 40-match winners.
#6 Dowagiac
Record/rank: 25-9, unranked
League finish: Second in Wolverine Conference
Coach: Colin Burandt, third season (52-25)
Championship history: Two MHSAA runner-up finishes (most recent 1998).
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Kody Walker (45-6) sr., 189 Justin Lyle (41-11) sr.
Outlook: Dowagiac will return to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2004 after upsetting No. 7 Lake Odessa Lakewood in the Regional Final. The Chieftains have more than doubled their number of wins from last season under Burandt, previously a Finals individual placer and later assistant coach at Niles. Walker is one of four seniors in the expected lineup and was a Finals placer in 2017.
#7 Alma
Record/rank: 32-9, No. 8
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference Central
Co-coaches: Randy Miniard, seventh season (153-85)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Nolan Rodriguez (39-9) fr., 119 Dametrius Castillo (33-6) fr., 130 Jarrett Ferman (41-11) soph., 152 Justin VanBlaricum (40-15) soph., 285 Greg Simmons (35-6) sr.
Outlook: A year after leading Alma to its first league title since 1992, Miniard has the Panthers at the MHSAA Quarterfinals for the first time in program history. Five seniors are joined by nine underclassmen, including five freshmen, in the expected starting lineup. Alejandro Rosas (140, 32-5) didn’t make the Individual Finals this season but was a placer in 2017.
#8 Comstock Park
Record/rank: 22-10, unranked
League finish: Third in Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue
Coach: Jim Olson, 30th season (457-225)
Championship history: Class C champion 1974, runner-up 1980.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Bailey Borgeld (41-7) jr., 130 Zion Taylor (42-8) jr., 135 Austin Sanders (32-13) jr., 140 Christian Maldonado (39-11) jr., 160 Nick Brill (27-14) sr., 215 Joe Nagle (48-0) sr.
Outlook: Comstock Park last made the Quarterfinals in 2015, in Division 2, and also has won three District titles over the last four seasons. Nagle and Borgeld also were Individual Finals qualifiers last year and help pace a lineup with seven 30-win wrestlers.
PHOTO: Dundee’s Christian Killion (left) and Richmond’s Alec Ziza locked up for a 1-0 decision win for Killion at 125 pounds during last season’s Division 3 Final. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
D3 Preview: Buell, Dundee Eye More Historic Opportunities
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 1, 2021
Dundee tied the MHSAA Individual Finals record with seven champions a year ago. Earlier this week, the Vikings won their fourth-straight Division 3 team championship, tying a program record for consecutive titles.
For a few reasons, this weekend could be just as memorable – or more so – than both.
Dundee will come back Friday to Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo for the Individual Wrestling Finals with six returning champions and eight carrying the top seeds in their respective classes – led by senior Stony Buell, who will attempt to become the 29th four-time individual champion in MHSAA Finals history.
Below we look at Buell and nine more contenders to watch, plus list all of the top seeds heading into the tournament, champs and runners-up back from 2020 and every wrestler who will make the trip to Kalamazoo with an undefeated record.
Even then, we surely missed a few who will end up making headlines Saturday – but make sure to come back to Second Half late that evening as we’ll interview and report on all 14 Division 3 champions.
Wrestling begins Friday at 10 a.m., and this season it’s a one-day event. Spectators remain limited, but all matches will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv. See the MHSAA Wrestling Finals page for more information and to follow results this weekend.
112 Braeden Davis, Dundee sophomore (23-0) – He opened his Individual Finals career with last season’s championship at 103 and is the top seed this weekend at this weight.
130 Jake Elasivich, Montrose senior (11-3) – He’s the top seed at this weight and was the 119-pound champion as a sophomore and third-place finisher at 103 as a freshman.
130 Ryker Johnecheck, Williamston junior (23-0) – He enters as the second seed at this weight but hasn’t lost a match since claiming last season’s championship at 125.
140 Max Brown, Whitehall junior (32-1) – The second seed at this weight couldn’t be left off this list after earning a win at Team Finals over Dundee top-seed Austin Fietz (see below); Brown was third at 130 last season and fourth at 125 as a freshman.
140 Austin Fietz, Dundee senior (20-3) – He’s the top seed at this weight and seeking a second-straight championship after winning 130 a year ago and previously finishing fourth at 103 as a freshman and fifth at 112 as a sophomore.
145 Dametrius Castillo, Alma senior (10-3) – He’s the second seed at this weight but also a past champion having won 119 as a freshman before taking eighth at that weight as a sophomore and then coming in runner-up at 135 last year.
145 Casey Swiderski, Dundee junior (24-0) – He’s top-seeded at this weight and seeking his third Finals championships after winning 103 as a freshman and 135 as a sophomore; he enters the weekend with a combined 109-3 career record.
160 Tyler Swiderski, Dundee senior (23-1) – After finishing second at 112 and 135 his first two seasons, respectively, Swiderski broke through with the 145 title last winter and enters this weekend the top seed at this weight.
171 Dominick Lomazzo, Dundee senior (19-3) – Lomazzo is seeking to cap his high school career as a repeat champion as well after winning 152 as a junior and is seeded first at this weight; he also finished third in Division 1 at 125 as a freshman wrestling for Detroit Catholic Central.
189 Stoney Buell, Dundee senior (23-0) – The future Purdue wrestler also is a top seed and looking to add to his previous titles won at 135 as a freshman, 152 as a sophomore and 160 last winter.
Other 2020 runners-up: 112 Dallas Stanton, Almont junior (19-3, 103 in 2020); 119 Hunter Keller, Richmond senior (11-2, 112 in 2020); 130 Brock Holek, Durand senior (22-3, 130 in 2020); 135 Aiden Davis, Dundee sophomore (23-1, 125 in 2020); 171 Randy Pyrzewski Gladwin junior (24-1, 160 in 2020); 145 Mason Cantu, Hart junior (30-3, 135 in Division 4 in 2020).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 103 Emmet Kettel, Richmond senior (11-2); 119 Kaden Chinavare, Dundee sophomore (20-0); 125 Aidan Bernard, Montrose junior (15-1); 135 Aiden Davis, Dundee sophomore (23-1); 152 Nick Dodman, Sanford Meridian senior (27-5); 215 Ira Jenkins, Whitehall junior (34-0); 285 Wyatt Bailey, Dowagiac senior (24-0).
Also undefeated: 103 Drew Hansen, Gladstone freshman (29-0); 103 Talan Parsons, Ovid-Elsie freshman (21-0); 112 Lee Braun, Grand Rapids Catholic Central freshman (21-0); 112 Gavyn Merchant, Kingsley freshman (25-0); 125 Caleb Cline, Shepherd senior (25-0); 135 Jack Sherman, Millington senior (25-0); 140 Sampson Ross, Benzie Center senior (19-0); 145 Mathew Dwyer, Almont junior (21-0); 160 Connor Owens, Flint Powers Catholic sophomore (21-0); 171 Konner Roche, Frankenmuth senior (19-0); 285 Colby Roosa, Remus Chippewa Hills senior (27-0); 285 Dan McKiernan, Richmond senior (12-0).
PHOTO: Dundee's Stony Buell has his hand raised in victory after earning his third Individual Finals championship last year at Ford Field. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)