DCC, Hudson Standouts Next to Chase #4
March 9, 2018
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
There is no offseason for a championship wrestler.
And if he’s on the verge of making MHSAA history, he may get only a week off before getting back to work.
Hudson's Jordan Hamdan and Detroit Catholic Central's Kevon Davenport are ready to hit the mat again and train for next year in an attempt to become the state's 25th and 26th four-time individual champions.
Both won their third straight Individual Finals titles last weekend at Ford Field, as Hamdan took the 130-pound weight class in Division 4 with a 10-0 major decision victory over Robert Rogers of Burton Bendle and Davenport won the 145-pound Division 1 title with a 7-1 decision over Vic Schoenherr of Bay City Western.
"This Sunday and Monday I will get in some practice time and then go from there," said Hamdan, who finished this season with a 52-0 record. "It never ends. If you stop training then someone can catch up, so you have to keep improving."
Davenport is ready as well.
"(Being a four-time champ) is always in the back of everyone's mind when you get here," Davenport said. "I got my three in; now the next step is number four."
Davenport said he is open to advice from the 24 wrestlers who have already forged the path of four straight titles.
That historic club increased by two members this year as Dundee's Brandon Whitman and Lake Fenton's Jarrett Trombley became four-timers Saturday evening.
"Wisdom is everything; experience is everything," Davenport said. "Even if there is a little bit that they can teach me, I will take whatever I can get."
If Hamdan and Davenport can become Nos. 25 and 26, they will be the first four-time champions from their highly successful programs.
Hudson and Detroit Catholic Central have each had multiple three-time champions – for Hudson, Devan Marry (2009-10, 2012) and Cole Weaver (2012-14) were three-timers, and for the Shamrocks Trevor Stewart (2003-05), Alec Mooradian (2009-11), Ken Bade (2011-13) and Drew Garcia (2012-14) claimed three titles.
"There is a lot that can go wrong trying to win four," Hudson coach Scott Marry said. "Injuries, sickness, being in the right weight class and keeping your weight under control. I think Jordan will be a good recipient of it because of what he does. He believes in the process and all the training that goes into avoiding those pitfalls."
Added Detroit Catholic Central coach Mitch Hancock about Davenport: "Kevon could be the first for us. We have created such an environment at Catholic Central so that these guys flourish in it. We have very committed parents and very committed wrestlers."
Commitment is what all great wrestlers can agree is the key to making it to the top of the podium.
"I will put in the work," Hamdan said. "If I do what is necessary, I will still be comfortable no matter what the pressure becomes to be a four-timer. I will be focused on the goal. It all boils down to putting in the work."
Hopefully that will be enough.
"There is an element of luck involved to win four," Scott Marry said. "But you make your own luck. Keep you weight in control, study your opponents and train and that will help you seize that opportunity.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Kevon Davenport’s arm is raised in victory after the Detroit Catholic Central junior earned his third MHSAA championship Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Hudson’s Jordan Hamdan also won his third individual title and receives a salute from the crowd. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
D2 Preview: Chasing Lowell's Record Reign
February 27, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Significant change will spark this season’s Division 2 Wrestling Quarterfinals at Wings Event Center, as five teams will be competing in Friday’s round that did not a year ago – including two programs wrestling for the first time at this level of the tournament.
Yet amid the buzz, a constant in Michigan high school wrestling will be standing tall.
Lowell is back and the top seed in Division 2 after winning its record sixth-straight MHSAA Finals championship in Kalamazoo a year ago. In fact, the Red Arrows are the only team among the top five seeds in this division that has won a Finals title.
But extending the streak won’t come easily – especially considering the second and third-seeded teams are led by two of the most successful and longest-serving coaches in MHSAA wrestling history.
The Division 2 Quarterfinals will be wrestled at 6:45 p.m. Friday. Top seed Lowell will wrestle Croswell-Lexington, No. 2 Gaylord will take on New Boston Huron, No. 3 Stevensville Lakeshore will face Mason and No. 4 Warren Woods-Tower will match up with Muskegon Reeths-Puffer. Semifinals are noon Saturday, with the championship match that afternoon at 3:45 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.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 2, listed by seed.
#1 Lowell
Record/rank: 12-4, No. 1
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference White
Coach: R.J. Boudro, sixth season (117-18)
Championship history: Nine MHSAA championships (most recent 2019), six runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Nick Kohorn (24-11) sr., 112 Ramsy Mutchler (26-17) soph., 125 James Link (27-14) jr., 130 Zeth Strejc (22-12) jr., 135 Dawson Jankowski (26-10) sr., 140 William Link (25-10) jr., 145 Austin Boone (34-0) sr., 152 James Fotis (23-5) sr., 160 Doak Dean (27-8) jr., 171 Jacob Lee (30-9) jr., 215 Jacob Hough (27-9) sr., 215 Keegan Nugent (32-6) jr., 285 Tyler Deloof (18-5) sr., 285 Grant Pratt (26-11) sr.
Outlook: Add to the Red Arrows’ record run that they qualified a full 14 for next week’s Individual Finals, and that alone tells a pretty good story of the team’s continued dominance this winter. Some lineup maneuvering allows Lowell to get 13 of its 14 individual qualifiers into a team match, with freshman Landon Miller (103/19-8) joining the star-loaded group. Boone will wrestle for his fourth individual championship next weekend, and Korhorn was a Finals runner-up in 2018. Deloof, Mutschler, Fotis, Dean and Lee were individual placers last season.
#2 Gaylord
Record/rank: 30-0, No. 2
League finish: First in Big North Conference
Coach: Jerry LaJoie, 26th season (729-135-2)
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2018.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Brendan Smith (34-9) fr., 112 Gabe Thompson (30-8) soph., 125 John Sosa (35-2) sr., 125 Will Sides (38-5) sr., 130 Rico Brown (30-1) sr., 145 Chayse LaJoie (33-0) sr., 160 Jacob McKnight (38-2) sr.
Outlook: Gaylord fell by only 10 to Lowell in last season’s Semifinal match and hasn’t lost since, reaching this weekend with a 33-30 Regional Final win over No. 3 DeWitt. Chayse LaJoie just missed on a third individual title in 2019, falling in a 3-2 decision in the 125 championship match, and he too hasn’t lost again. Sosa and McKnight also were Finals placers last season, and junior Quinn Schultz (189/40-8) was a qualifier a year ago although he did not make the final weekend this season. Two freshmen also have broken 40 wins – Gus James (119/40-7) and Brayden Gautreau (152/43-6).
#3 Stevensville Lakeshore
Record/rank: 19-1, No. 6
League finish: First in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Bruce Bittenbender, 50th season (939-264-2)
Championship history: Class B runner-up in 1986 and 1994.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Cameron Litaker (26-6) soph., 119 Aaron Lucio (34-5) fr., 130 Micah Hanau (36-3) soph., 135 Shane Williams (38-2) sr., 160 Case Rohl (18-6) sr., 215 Zeke Rohl (34-5) sr.
Outlook: Bittenbender – the state’s winningest coach by more than 100 matches – will lead Lakeshore to the Quarterfinals for the 11th time in the 32-year history of the team format and after the Lancers missed a year ago. They advanced this time with Regional wins over No. 9 Niles and Battle Creek Harper Creek. Litaker, Hanau, Williams and Zeke Rohl all were Finals placers last season, and junior James Harris (145/35-7) has been another big winner this winter.
#4 Warren Woods-Tower
Record/rank: 17-6, No. 5
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Co-coaches: Greg Mayer and Russell Correll, 20th seasons (389-249)
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2017.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Tyler Daniel (33-11) soph., 119 Joe Haynes (44-3) jr., 119 Gavin Shoobridge (24-12) jr., 125 Josh Howey (34-7) soph., 130 Dru Wilson (39-7) jr., 135 Mathew Booth (31-14) jr., 152 Tim Lewis (30-14) sr., 160 Ryan Radvansky (35-12) fr., 171 Omari Embree (24-2) soph.
Outlook: Tower has become a regular at the Quarterfinals with this its fifth-straight trip and sixth in seven seasons. The Titans again made the Semifinals last season and are seeded to do the same with a lineup including five seniors but eight Finals qualifiers who are juniors or younger. Embree was last season’s champion at 160 as a freshman, while Haynes was runner-up at 119 and Howey also placed at the Individual Finals. Wilson joined Haynes as a placer in 2018.
#5 Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
Record/rank: 25-1, No. 7
League finish: First in O-K Black
Coach: Matt Brink, 14th season (269-117)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Jacob Blawat (40-7) jr., 152 James Rozycki (42-4) jr., 189 Colby Stephenson (45-2) sr., 215 Hunter McCall (41-1) sr.
Outlook: Brink, a three-time individual champion at Fruitport, has led Reeths-Puffer to its first Regional championship to go with six straight District and league titles. The Rockets opened the postseason with a four-point District win over No. 8 Whitehall and also got past Allendale by nine in the Regional Final to earn this first-time opportunity. McCall brings experience on the big stage; he finished third at 215 last season. Nine starters total have at least 30 wins – junior Thade Radosa (145/42-3) just missed qualifying for the Individual Finals but is another top contributor.
#6 Mason
Record/rank: 23-2, unranked
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Red
Coach: Brian Martel, 17th season (486-110)
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2006), one runner-up finish.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Tayden Miller (39-5) fr., 130 Tanner Miller (41-1) sr., 285 Jack Gilchrist (40-2) sr.
Outlook: A three-time Division 2 champion during the first decade of the 2000s, Mason is back at the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2013. The Bulldogs have won 11 straight District titles but frequently have run into state-ranked competition at the Regional level – and this time they advanced with a 33-27 upset of No. 4 Eaton Rapids in the Regional Final. Tanner Miller finished fifth at 130 last season and is one of seven senior starters finishing their careers memorably.
#7 New Boston Huron
Record/rank: 21-4, No.10
League finish: First in Huron League
Coach: Jack Shulaw, 17th season (371-117)
Championship history: Class B champion 1978 and 1981.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 135 Dylan Carr (36-11) sr., 160 Nelson Poet (37-4) sr., 171 Cody Brenner (44-2) jr., 171 Kael Wisler (32-5) soph., 189 Braden Damiani (37-5) sr., 215 Brendan Damiani (37-6) sr., 285 Tyler Short (35-9) jr.
Outlook: New Boston Huron won its first Regional title since 2003, with a 38-37 win over Gibraltar Carlson sending the Chiefs to Kalamazoo. Like Mason, Huron has had plenty of success in earlier rounds, following up nine league titles over the last decade with their eighth District championship during that time two weeks ago. Poet was the individual runner-up last season at 160, and Brenner, Braden Damiani, Carr and senior Kaleb Rosen (145/36-4) also were Finals placers.
#8 Croswell-Lexington
Record/rank: 31-9, unranked
League finish: Third in Blue Water Area Conference
Coach: Joe Lilly, 22nd season (449-183)
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 130 Christopher Lilly (49-1) sr., 135 Xzavier Suess (43-3) jr., 171 Vincent Scaramuzzino (46-4) jr.
Outlook: Croswell-Lexington also celebrated its first Regional title last week after winning its sixth District title over the last seven seasons and emerging from a BWAC that includes Division 3 second seed Richmond. Christopher Lilly is the reigning individual champion at 135 and Scaramuzzino was fourth at 152 last season.
PHOTO: A Mason wrestler works toward a pin during Individual District competition Feb. 15. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)