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.)
D1 Preview: Davison, Detroit Catholic Central Lead Returning Champs Charge
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 3, 2022
The MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals returns to Ford Field this weekend, and Davison and Detroit Catholic Central will lead the way in Division 1 with four returning champions apiece.
After meeting again in Saturday’s Division 1 Team Final, those rivals dominate the list of 10 contenders we look at below – along with a list of other top seeds heading into this weekend, returning Finals runners-up and a few more making the trip to Detroit with an undefeated record.
The Grand March on Friday begins at 10 a.m., with wrestling through semifinals that evening. Wrestling begins again at 9 a.m. Saturday with championship matches at 3:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at Ford Field. All matches will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv, and we’ll talk to all 14 champions in each division for our Second Half coverage published later that evening and overnight. See the MHSAA Wrestling Finals page for more information and to follow results this weekend.
112 Caleb Weiand, Macomb Dakota junior (44-0) – The top seed at his weight also entered last season’s Finals undefeated and suffered his only loss in the 103 championship match.
119 Drew Heethuis, Detroit Catholic Central junior (28-3) – Last season’s champion at 112 moves up a weight and is the top seed this weekend with only one loss this season to an in-state competitor (Dundee’s Braeden Davis).
119 Justin Gates, Davison sophomore (27-3) – Last season’s champion at 103 is up two weights, putting him on a course to meet Heethuis in the title match after losing to him 2-1 at last week’s Team Final.
125 Caden Horwath, Davison junior (26-0) – Last year’s champion at 119 is going for his third individual championship after also claiming the 103 title in 2020. He’s 96-2 for his career and hasn’t lost in two seasons.
140 Dylan Gilcher, Detroit Catholic Central junior (35-0) – He’s also wrestling for a third championship after winning 135 last year and 112 as a freshman. He’s 101-4 for his high school career.
152 Darius Marines, Detroit Catholic Central sophomore (31-4) – He debuted at the Finals last year by winning an all-DCC championship match at 145, and he’ll look to add another title as his weight’s top seed this weekend.
171 Manuel Rojas, Detroit Catholic Central senior (34-2) – The two-time reigning champ at 189 will attempt to close his career with a third-straight title, his only in-state loss this season at the Team Final to Davison’s Josh Barr 4-3. He also defeated Barr 3-2 at the beginning of January.
171 Josh Barr, Davison junior (24-1) – He’s also seeking a third title after winning last season at 160 and at 152 as a freshman. He’s on the other side of the bracket from Rojas this weekend, setting up a possible tie-breaker to their season series with the title on the line.
215 Jimmy Colley, Davison senior (28-2) – He’s wrestling his fourth Finals at this weight, entering as the top seed and reigning champion after also finishing fourth as a freshman and third as a sophomore.
285 Joshua Terrill, Holt senior (39-2) – He’s the top seed and will attempt to take the final step up the podium after finishing runner-up at this weight a year ago.
Other 2021 runners-up: 140 Evan Herriman, Davison junior (17-3, 135 last year); 189 Remy Cotton, Davison senior (23-3, 189 last year for Traverse City Central).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 103 Ozia Wilson, Macomb Dakota freshman (44-0); 130 Elijah Bunn, Rockford junior (39-1); 135 Aiden Smith, Brighton senior (40-1); 145 Nathan Jerore, Brownstown Woodhaven senior (34-1); 160 Jaylon Riggins, Jackson senior (24-0); 189 Aidan Wardell, Midland Dow senior (41-3).
Also undefeated: 152 Noah Tgiros, Utica Ford senior (40-0); 285 Giulian Bodiu, Canton senior (25-0).
PHOTO Detroit Catholic Central's Drew Heethuis, top, controls his match on the way to a major decision during Saturday's Team Semifinals. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)