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D4 Preview: Crespo Aims for 4-Time Glory
March 4, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
For the second straight season, Division 4 has a chance to contribute to MHSAA wrestling history with a candidate to join the elite list of four-time champions.
Mendon senior Skyler Crespo is one of three contenders this weekend hoping to become the 27th in state history for win four MHSAA Individual Finals titles, and after Hudson’s Jordan Hamdan represented Division 4 in doing so a year ago. Bronson senior Ben Modert will be wrestling for his third title, while Carson City-Crystal senior Jamison Ward and Clinton sophomore Logan Badge are reigning champs as well.
But after those four, only a few more in Division 4 have reached the final matches of the season in the past – making for a lot of opportunities for new faces to make themselves known in front of a Ford Field audience.
Below, we look at 10 contenders to watch in Division 4, plus list all of the top seeds heading into this weekend. Surely we missed a few who will end up among the biggest headliners 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 3:30 p.m.
Follow all matches on a subscription basis live on MHSAA.tv, and click here for results at MHSAA.com.
112 Bronson Marry, Hudson sophomore (34-6) – Last season’s runner-up at 103 is the top seed at 112 and has won 21 of his last 22 matches including both last weekend in helping the Tigers to the team runner-up finish in Division 4. He’s 67-15 over his first two seasons.
119 Ben Modert, Bronson senior (50-2) – Modert won at 103 two seasons ago and 112 last year, when he didn’t give up a point over four Individual Finals matches, and he also finished fifth at 103 as a freshman. His two losses this winter both were one-point decisions.
130 Caden Natale, Hudson junior (36-5) – After just missing a first championship last season with a double-overtime loss in the final at 119, Natale is seeded first at this weight. He has 24 wins by pin and four by technical fall. He also finished third at 103 as a freshman.
130 Jacob Shelby, Manchester (48-1) – The two-time Finals placer is looking to leave with a championship after finishing eighth at 119 as a sophomore and runner-up last season at this weight with a 2-0 loss to Jamison Ward (see below) in the championship match. Shelby defeated Natale at Team Finals last weekend, and his lone loss was a one-point decision.
135 Jamison Ward, Carson City-Crystal senior (49-0) – After winning the championship last year at 130, Ward now stands 97-1 over the last two seasons and went over 200 career victories earlier this winter. He’s the top seed at this weight and also took fourth at 119 as a sophomore and second at 103 as a freshman.
140 Matthew Grant, Onaway senior (24-1) – The 2018 runner-up at 135 fell back to sixth at that weight last season. But Grant is back up as the top seed at 140 this weekend, and his only loss this season came to an out-of-state opponent.
145 Skyler Crespo, Mendon senior (49-1) – As noted, Crespo will be one of three this weekend aspiring to a fourth individual championship after winning 125 as a freshman, 135 as a sophomore and 140 last year. He also went over 200 career wins this winter, with his lone loss to an out-of-state opponent. He will wrestle next for Michigan State.
171 Brock Nelson, LeRoy Pine River (19-0) senior – Last season’s runner-up at this weight will look to end his high school career with a first title as well. He was fifth at 135 as a freshman and third at 145 as a sophomore.
171 Brayden Randolph, Clinton junior (51-4) – After falling by just two points in last season’s 160 final, Randolph has stormed back to earn the first seed at this weight. He’s 144-11 over his first three seasons and took third at 160 as a freshman. He and Logan Badge (below) are among representatives from the first-time team champion Redskins.
189 Logan Badge, Clinton sophomore (33-0) – Last season’s champion at 215 is lighter by a weight and the top seed at 189. He is up to 68-2 individually over his first two high school seasons, and this winter he has 19 wins by pin and two more by tech fall.
Additional No. 1 seeds: 103 Manus Bennett, Marlette freshman (41-2); 125 Jaron Johnson, Carson City-Crystal junior (38-0); 152 Thomas Potter, Springport senior (42-1); 160 Trenton Holden, Grass Lake junior (42-1); 215 Camden Orr, New Lothrop junior (40-3); 285 Emmett Bingaman, Mendon senior (46-2).
PHOTO: Mendon’s Skyler Crespo (left) works for control during last season’s Division 4 championship match at 140 pounds. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
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1st Girls Finals Champions Make MHSAA History at Ford Field
By
Scott DeCamp
Special for MHSAA.com
March 6, 2022
DETROIT – Eliana Bommarito will typically have the advantage in strength anytime she steps on the wrestling mat against another female.
At Saturday’s Individual Wrestling Finals, the Hartland senior drew strength from the crowd at Ford Field as girls joined the boys on the big stage for the first time in history.
Bommarito earned a fall over Belding freshman Madasyn Frisbie in 3:53 in the 255-pound title match to become a four-time state champion.
“I’m so proud. It means, like, we’re being recognized,” said Bommarito, who was 8-0 in matches against girls this season. “There’s actually more girls joining, and this will only encourage more and more females to start wrestling and know that they have a chance to be recognized for it. It’s just great that I got to see that my last year.”
Bommarito said she picked up wrestling about six years ago. She’s been a state champion more than half that time.
The last three years, she won state titles through the Michigan Wrestling Association. This season, a girls wrestling tournament was sponsored by the Michigan High School Athletic Association, so Bommarito got the chance to perform in front of a much larger crowd that in previous years.
Frisbie (7-1) made Bommarito work a bit. None of the previous postseason matches in her career went beyond the first period, but this one lasted nearly two.
“I rely a lot on my upper-body strength. I always get discouraged when I get in a match and I don’t have that (advantage). But that’s definitely something that I have the majority of the time,” Bommarito said. “Going to that second period, I was like, ‘She’s pretty good. It’s going to work up my cardio a bit for this match, so I’ve got to start relying on cardio, too.’
“This is great. It’s like the first time in history for women (to wrestle alongside the boys at the Finals), in at least Michigan. I feel like I can encourage more females to want to join wrestling.”
100
Champion: Emme Hicks, Saline, Jr. (10-0)
Fall, 5:50, over Tricia Pyrzewski, Gladwin, Soph. (13-3)
Hicks earned her third state title in as many high school seasons with the hard-fought victory over Pyrzewski.
Hicks picked up wrestling as a second-grader nine years ago.
“I know that I’ve put in more work than anybody else. I live on the mat, I feel some days. I trust in my coaches and my hard work,” she said.
“This just felt amazing to be recognized by so many people as being equal as the guys who wrestle. Having this opportunity, it’s just amazing.”
105
Champion: Sky Langewicz, Algonac, Fr. (19-0)
Decision, 3-0, over Sunni LaFond, Gaylord, Fr. (32-9)
In the lone Finals match pitting two freshmen, Langewicz shook off some nerves and recorded a hard-earned victory.
Langewicz said she’d been preparing all season for this moment, and once she scored a takedown, the rest took care of itself.
“It was scary at first – I was pretty nervous, but as soon as the whistle blew, the nerves went away and I just felt in the moment,” she said. “The whole world disappeared, and I didn’t feel like there was any pressure. It felt amazing.”
110
Sophomore Sydney Thompson, Eaton Rapids, Soph. (20-6)
Decision, 7-1, over Gabby Motz, Laingsburg, Sr. (19-5)
Thompson noticed quite the difference in atmosphere between the girls Finals last year and this weekend’s event at Ford Field. Also, she didn’t even place last year and this time she took home the state title.
“I worked hard, I put in the work, I did what needed to be done,” she said. “I did what (most) people weren’t willing to do: Staying after practice, practicing on weekends, working one-on-one with coaches and my dad and stuff. Just working hard.
“I didn’t waver. I knew it was going to pay off. I knew that if I worked hard, it would beat anyone’s talent when they didn’t work hard, so I knew I would come out on top.”
115
Margaret Buurma, Fowlerville, Fr. (14-2)
Decision, 9-6, over Kendra Vickory, Goodrich, Soph. (6-2)
Buurma trailed later in the match against Vickory but said she kept fighting to pull out the victory on the big stage.
Buurma said she’s been wrestling since she was 3 or 4 years old, but this environment was different than anything she had ever experienced.
“The experience was definitely amazing – one of the greatest things I’ve ever done,” she said. “It was very nerve-racking going out there in front of all the people, but in the end it’s the same rules, same mat.”
120
Angelina Pena, Milan, Soph. (8-0)
Fall, 5:56, over Lola Barkby, Sturgis, Fr. (8-3)
Pena believes that wrestling against boys helps her when it’s time to take the mat against a girl. At the same time, she’s very proud of the fact that girls now have an equal platform as boys at the Finals.
“It really means a lot to me,” said Pena, who won a second-straight state title. “I know a lot of my girl wrestling friends say the same thing because you used to hear boys say, ‘Oh, girls wrestling is so easy. I could totally win that.’ We get the same chance as guys do.”
Pena’s brother, Milan junior Peter Pena, finished runner-up at 140 pounds in Division 3 moments after she captured the championship.
125
Hannah Palise, Warren Mott, Sr. (22-1)
Decision, 6-3, over Ryen Allen, Goodrich, Soph. (6-1)
Palise closed her high school wrestling career in grand fashion, rallying past Allen for her first title.
Palise knew she needed a takedown and nearfall to pull out the victory. Achieving her goal in front of a large crowd in the big venue made it all the more memorable, she said.
“It was awesome – like, the whole stands, everything,” she said. “It made it more meaningful that everybody could come, that I knew that were supporting me.”
130
Tyler Swanigan, South Lyon East, Soph. (9-0)
Decision, SV-1 8-6, over Faith Blackburn, Clinton, Soph. (23-2)
At several moments during her Finals match, it appeared Swanigan could have given up. Her shoulder joints were bending so much, it seemed as though they were made of rubber bands.
“I’m a varsity cheerleader,” the flexible Swanigan said in laughter after her dramatic, extra-time victory.
Swanigan bent but didn’t break. The moment she scored a takedown in the extra period, she realized that she’d realized a dream.
“Definitely the thoughts of winning my first state title. … I definitely wanted this really bad,” she said.
135
Danni Swihart, Hanover-Horton, Jr. (20-4)
Inj. Def., 5:01, over Kennedy Edson, Lawrence, Jr. (14-1)
Swihart said she picked up wrestling in second or third grade. All the hard work paid off.
In her first Finals appearance, Swihart captured the championship and did so on the biggest stage the girls have been on.
“Oh, it was just glorious,” she said. “I mean, coming out here, working so hard during the season, having the opportunity to be in the Finals, let alone first time in girls history and at Ford Field, it was just an outstanding feeling.
“And if I could, I would play it over and over again,” she added with a chuckle.
140
Emma Pendell, Montague, Soph. (19-6)
Decision, TB-1 2-1, over Isabel Worthing, East Jackson, Sr. (13-5)
Pendell is Montague’s first girls wrestling state champion, and she’s also her school’s first Finals champ in the sport since 1989.
She placed seventh in the state last year, when she dual-sported in wrestling and basketball during the winter.
“My main reason for (picking up wrestling) was college opportunities, but after like two years, I just fell in love with it. Now, I can’t imagine not doing it,” she said.
145
Mishell Rebisch, Romeo, Soph. (8-0)
Fall, 3:55, over Teairah Elsemann, Saline, Jr., (6-2)
Rebisch admitted to feeling a little pressure with so many eyes on her during her Finals match against Elsemann. She knew when it was time to turn the pressure up on her opponent, however, and she scored a pinfall late in the second period.
Rebisch captured her first title after finishing runner-up last season.
“Definitely, there was so much more mats here – probably like five times as many mats as there was last year. Big stadium – a lot bigger stadium,” she said. “It felt a lot louder. In some ways, it felt like more pressure, probably because so many people were watching. I was excited.”
155
Lydia Krauss, Boyne City, Sr., (24-0)
Major decision, 13-2, over Amarisa Manuel, Romeo, Soph. (6-1)
A lot was riding on the Finals match for Krauss – more than the title.
“Honestly, I just wanted 100 wins – I just wanted it,” she said.
Krauss got both. Previously, she had lost twice to Manuel, including in last year’s state finals tournament. This time, she left no doubt.
“It was just amazing. I’ve lost to her twice so far and just to know that I can beat her and I can be a girl that gets 100 wins, it’s just amazing,” the emotional Krauss said. “I’m just so grateful right now.”
170
Sabrina Nauss, Brighton, Soph. (9-0)
Fall, 1:59, over Khloe Williams, Clio, Jr. (7-2)
On Friday, Nauss became the first girl to win a match at the MHSAA’s first Finals tournament.
On Saturday, she finished the job in a big way, earning a victory over Williams to cap a memorable weekend and season.
“This weekend was so special. This will be a weekend I’ll never forget in my life,” Nauss said. “It was great – it was great to be out here and prove that girls can wrestle just as hard as guys can and that we’re just as equal as they are and we should be on the mat alongside of them. This was so special.”
190
Kailyn Garrett, South Lyon, Sr. (8-1)
Major decision, 19-9, over Gabriella Allen, Marcellus, Soph. (16-1)
Garrett could not have imagined finishing her high school wrestling career in a better way.
Sure, she won her second state title in three years, but this one felt so much bigger.
“Well, first, the crowd size. And then also being able to be seen next to the guys, seen as equals, is definitely a big difference,” Garrett said. “I had people when I won (two years ago) didn’t say anything and then now even qualifying, they feel obligated to congratulate me, so that’s a big difference.”
PHOTOS (Top) Hartland’s Eliana Bommarito holds up four fingers on each hand to signify winning her fourth championship Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Saline’s Emme Hicks, left, locks up with Gladwin’s Tricia Pyrzewski. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)