D4 Preview: Veterans of the Medal Stand
February 27, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
If you're a Division 4 wrestling fan, you're going to recognize more than a few faces taking the mat this weekend.
Carson City-Crystal's Kenneth Dittenber will attempt to finish his high school career with a third-straight title. Five more 2012 champs also are back, plus six returning runners-up. A seventh second-place finisher from last season is wrestling in Division 3 instead.
See below for 10 contenders to watch this weekend, plus others who enter the tournament undefeated or coming off runner-up finishes in 2012. Follow all the matches beginning with Thursday's first round 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.
10 to watch
285: Ryan Prescott, Whittemore-Prescott sophomore – Fell in last season’s Final at 285 by a score of 4-3, but enters this weekend’s tournament 44-1.
112: Kenneth Dittenber, Carson City-Crystal senior – After claiming the last two championships at 103 pounds, has moved up to 119 and comes to the Palace with a 50-4 record.
112: Logan Griffin, Erie-Mason sophomore – Won’t make winning that next title easy for Dittenber; finished runner-up last season and is 23-0.
119: Zack Yates, Hesperia junior – Boasts a 49-1 record after helping his team to second at the Team Final and finished runner-up at this weight last season.
130: Cole Weaver, Hudson junior – Helped the Tigers to a record-tying fifth-straight team title last weekend, and now will go for a third-straight championship match berth and second straight title; enters Thursday with a 48-0 record.
140: Jacob Perrin, New Lothrop senior – Looking to finish his high school career with a second-straight title after winning 130 last season; enters the weekend 59-2 this winter.
140: Chanc Ravish, Niles-Brandywine senior – Carries a 46-2 record into this weekend and after finishing second to Perrin at 130 last season.
152: Jared Bruner, Addison senior – Like Perrin, hoping to finish with a second-straight championship after winning 145 last season; comes to the Palace with a 47-3 record this season.
171: Galloway Thurston, St. Ignace senior – Claimed the championship last season at this weight after finishing runner-up in 2011; will carry a 48-2 record into the repeat quest.
215: Joe Ostman, St. Ignace senior – Can finish his high school career with three championships after winning 189 in 2011 and 215 last season, and is 50-0 so far this winter.
Also undefeated: Bangor senior Stephon Willis (130, 39-0).
Other runners-up: Springport sophomore Jacob Cooper (160, 42-2, 145 in 2012), Sand Creek senior Nick Garza (160, 46-7, 152 in 2012).
PHOTO: Carson City-Crystal's Kenneth Dittenber (right), here in last season's Division 4 championship match at 103, will go for a third-straight title this weekend. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
MHSAA Announces Revised Wrestling Schedule, 2021 Finals Site
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 2, 2021
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has revised its 2021 Wrestling Tournaments, scheduled for the final three weeks of March and first weekend of April, in an effort to reduce the mixing of communities and spread of COVID-19. The MHSAA also has selected Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo as this year’s host site for the Teams Finals on March 30 and Individual Finals to be wrestled April 2-3.
As in non-COVID seasons, the wrestling postseason will be divided into separate tournament tracks for teams and individuals, with competition at the District, Regional and Finals levels. Competition at the District and Regional levels for both the team and individual tournaments will follow the MHSAA’s traditional formats, which is possible due to the COVID-19 rapid testing required of each participating wrestler. Districts will be wrestled during the week of March 15, with Regionals the following week.
However, a number of changes for this season’s Finals have been put in place to provide the same experience for qualifying athletes but with more precautions to limit possible exposure to the virus.
Team Wrestling: Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals will be wrestled Tuesday, March 30 at Wings Event Center, with all rounds over one day instead of the traditional two. Two areas within Wings Event Center – the “Valley” and “Arena” – will host matches for Quarterfinals and Semifinals, with all four championship matches wrestled simultaneously in the Arena to conclude the event. Divisions 2 and 4 will compete in the Arena, and Divisions 1 and 3 in the Valley prior to the title matches.
Individual Wrestling: All rounds of the Individual Finals will be wrestled at Wings Event Center over the course of one day – Divisions 2 and 3 will compete Friday, April 2, and Divisions 1 and 4 will wrestle April 3. Both arenas within Wings Event Center will be used each day – one for each division – with all rounds including championship matches wrestled in that specific area. Divisions 3 and 1 will compete in the Arena, and Divisions 2 and 4 will compete in the Valley.
Determinations of which divisions were assigned to wrestle in Wings’ Arena and Valley were made by a blind draw conducted by the MHSAA in partnership with the executive board of the Michigan Wrestling Association, the statewide coaches association for the sport. Teams scheduled to wrestle in the Valley during the Team Quarterfinals and Semifinals automatically were selected to wrestle in the Arena for all rounds of the Individual Finals.
Spectator limits at Regionals and Finals will be determined locally following Michigan Department of Health and Human Services orders and will not exceed one per participant.