Division 3: Familiar Foes Face Off
February 21, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This Division 3 Finals weekend already looks familiar with five of last season's eight Quarterfinalists making the trip back to Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena.
And top seeds Dundee and Richmond are slated to meet again for the championship – like they did last season, two of the last three years and three of the last six.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 3, listed by seed. Their Quarterfinal matches begin at 1 p.m. Friday, with Semifinals at 9:30 Saturday morning and the championship match at 4 p.m. All matches this weekend will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv. For results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page. Rankings below are from MichiganGrappler.com.
#1 DUNDEE
Record/rank: 20-2, No. 1
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Tim Roberts, 14th season (386-54-1)
Championship history: Six MHSAA championships (most recently 2007), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 285 John Marogen (37-7) sr., 103 Kenny Reinhart (31-14) soph., 112 Zach Blevins (33-12) fr., 125 Brendan O’Connor (39-7) jr., 135 Brad Scholl (22-5) jr., 140 Doug Rojem (47-1) jr., 140 Sean Marogen (28-16) jr., 152 Liam Grantham (31-3) sr., 160 Todd Olson (43-3) sr., 171 Tye Thompson (23-7) soph., 189 Teddy Warren (43-2) jr., 215 Jay Sroufe (28-7) sr.
Outlook: Dundee is making its 11th straight trip to Battle Creek and coming off its fourth-runner-up finish in five seasons. Nine wrestlers are back from last season’s championship match lineup, and Olson and John Marogen were individual runners-up last season. The Vikings beat No. 10 Manchester in the Regional on the way back to the Quarterfinals.
#2 RICHMOND
Record/rank: 24-4, No. 2
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Coach: Brandon Day, ninth season (304-63)
Championship history: Six MHSAA championships (most recently 2012), three runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Aaron Kilburn (36-7) fr., 119 Graham Barton (21-20) fr., 125 Austin Vannatter (33-14) soph., 130 Nick Burg (36-10) jr., 130 Alex Muzlajakovich (27-7) jr., 135 Austin Cattera (23-7) sr., 140 Nate Henke (37-6) sr., 145 Devin Skatzka (45-2) soph., 152 Dalton Yore (28-14) sr., 160 Jordan Adams (28-15) soph., 171 Austin Peltier (31-16) jr., 189 Jake McKiernan (45-5) jr., 215 Adam Boyd (31-14) soph.
Outlook: Aside from the retirement of coach George Hamblin – who led the team to all six of its MHSAA titles, the last four as co-coach with Day – this Richmond team looks a lot like the one that won its third-straight championship last winter. Again, the Blue Devils have 13 individual qualifiers, and all 14 starters have winnings records – with six more reserves who have won at least 20 matches apiece. Skatzka is the reigning individual champion at 135 pounds.
#3 WHITEHALL
Record/rank: 25-0, No. 3
League finish: First in West Michigan Conference
Coach: Cliff Sandee, sixth season (148-25)
Championship history: MHSAA runner-up in 1984.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 285 Logan Morningstar (42-4) sr., 103 Reiley Brown (44-4) fr., 112 Logan Irey (42-9) sr., 125 Zach Cooper (50-0) sr., 145 Dakota Hoffman (32-16) jr., 160 Steven Sika (47-3) sr., 171 Joe Sika (45-2) sr., 215 Hunter Shaw (22-7) jr.
Outlook: After entering as the number six seed last season, Whitehall has moved into the top half for this weekend. The Vikings beat both No. 4 Grand Rapids Catholic Central and No. 8 Allendale at the Regional after defeating No. 5 Shelby in the District Final. Zack Cooper and Joe Sika are ranked number one in their respective weight classes and are two of eight senior starters.
#4 BIRCH RUN
Record/rank: 27-3, No. 7
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference East
Coach: Bart Bennett, fifth season (137-20)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Kyle Kelsey (32-12) sr., 119 Jerry Fenner (51-3) soph., 125 Adam Bishop (37-7) sr., 130 Damian Johnson (50-4) sr., 140 Ean Taylor (24-10) fr., 140 Lake Bennett (50-6) sr., 145 Mitch Franklin (43-11) jr., 152 Jared Elliott (44-7) jr.
Outlook: Make that three league, four District and two Regional championships over the last four seasons for Birch Run, which beat No. 9 Saginaw Swan Valley at the Regional last week. Fenner, Johnson, Bennett and Elliott all are ranked among the top four in their respective weight classes. Bennett and Johnson are two of nine senior starters total.
#5 REMUS CHIPPEWA HILLS
Record/rank: 26-4, No. 6
League finish: Tied for first in Central State Activities Association
Coach: Nate Ethridge, 13th season (381-79)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Richie Ostrander (50-6) jr., 112 Zach King (48-5) jr., 119 Johnny Lynch (43-5) sr., 130 Joe Coleman (38-14) sr., 135 Kevin Briscoe (41-13) soph., 152 Jason Peacock (51-1) sr., 215 Cole Thielen (45-11) sr.
Outlook: The Warriors are back in the Quarterfinals for the sixth time in eight seasons, and this time the lineup features six wrestlers with at least 40 wins. Chippewa Hills tied for first in its league with Hesperia, the second-seeded team in Division 4. Peacock is ranked fifth at his weight and should contend for a championship next weekend as well.
#6 PARCHMENT
Record/rank: 34-1, unranked
League finish: Second in Kalamazoo Valley Association
Coach: Tom DeRyder, fifth season (91-62)
Championship history: Has never finished among the top two teams in Finals competition.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Andy Caffrey (49-0) sr., 145 Steven Rantz (48-7) jr.
Outlook: After finishing 5-24 in DeRyder’s first season, Parchment has increased its win total every winter over the last four and become a contender in the same league as Division 4 power Constantine. Caffrey is the top-ranked wrestler at his weight in this division, and six others have won at least 40 matches this season.
#7 GLADSTONE
Record/rank: 12-0, unranked
League finish: Second in Great Northern UP Conference
Coach: Jesse DeBacker, third season (32-9)
Championship history: MHSAA Upper Peninsula champion 1987, two UP runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 285 Tom Bailey (32-7) jr., 112 James Bruce (31-10) fr., 125 Jared Syverson (20-11) jr., 130 Bobby Beauchamp (21-12) fr., 145 Josh Kadish (24-5) sr., 171 Jake Cronick (28-10) soph., 189 Jack Cronick (31-8) jr.
Outlook: Gladstone owns District championships from all three seasons under DeBacker, and also claimed the final championship of the Upper Peninsula-only tournament that ended after the 1986-87 season. Kadish and Jake Cronick both are ranked among the top 10 in their respective weight classes.
#8 BELDING
Record/rank: 17-8, unranked
League finish: Third in O-K Blue
Coach: Travis Meyer, fifth season (89-52)
Championship history: MHSAA runner-up 1988.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Nate Cooley (29-15) soph., 125 Jesse Scheidel (36-7) soph., 152 Michael Walker (34-12) soph., 189 Neil McCully (38-10) jr., 215 Todd Haller (35-6) sr.
Outlook: After beating both of its District opponents by at least 28 points apiece, Belding edged its Regional opponents by two and one point, respectively, for its first trip to Battle Creek under Meyer. Haller and McCully both are ranked among the top 10 in their respective weight classes.
PHOTO: Dundee's Teddy Warren (right) wrestles with Richmond's Eric Boyd during last season's Division 3 Final at Kellogg Arena. Warren is back this winter. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Highlight Reel: Friday's Quarterfinal Video
February 28, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The first day of MHSAA Team Finals weekend is one of the busiest days of each wrestling season, with 16 matches over four divisions deciding those that will move on to meet in Saturday’s Semifinals.
And we’ve got highlights for every team that competed Friday, split up by division below.
Click to keep up with the tournament on the MHSAA Wrestling page, and come back to Second Half tonight for more highlights and coverage from all four championship matches.
Division 1
DAVISON GOES ON TOP: Lincoln Olson of Davison pins Joe McGrath of Detroit Catholic Central in 130-pound action. The Cardinals prevailed in this one, 35-28. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
MORELAND PICKS UP SIX: Detroit Catholic Central tightened things up at the end against Davison. Tyler Morland records a pin in 36 seconds against Tanner Thomas. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
VANHOEF FINISHES WITH A GRAND HAVEN PIN: Chase Vanhoef of Grand Haven pinned Jacob Renard of Anchor Bay in the 285-pound weight class of their Division 1 Quarterfinal match. It was all Anchor Bay in this one, 49-12. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
MICELI PINS FOR ANCHOR BAY: Anchor Bay had five pins in its Quarterfinal win over Grand Haven. Here's a second-period pin by Vince Miceli over Cole Miles. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
POTTER PINS FINLEY: Garnet Potter of Hartland pinned Justn Finley of Monroe in 45 seconds. The Eagles went on to a 44-19 win. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
MATHEWS CLOSES IT WITH A WIN: Keith Mathews was one of the bright spots for Monroe against Hartland, ending the match with a pin late in the second period in the 285-pound weight class. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
BRIGHTON OPENS UP ITS LEAD: Brighton won the last seven weight classes against Oxford. Here's a pin by Nicholas Brish at 171 pounds over Campbell Coker. Brighton advanced to the Division 1 Semifinals, 39-19. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
EXCITING FINAL MINUTE: The finish of the 135-pound bout in the Division 1 Quarterfinal between Oxford's Vinny Vackaro and Brighton's Jose Ramos saw Vackaro come from behind for a 13-10 win. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 2
TECUMSEH COMES BACK FOR THE LEAD: The Tecumseh-Niles match in came down to the wire. Wyatt Cadmus gives Tecumseh the lead with one weight class to go with a third-period pin of Brandel Hall at 125 pounds. But Niles won the final weight class and the match, 29-26. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
MITCHELL'S MONSTER THIRD PERIOD: Mitchell Findeisen wins the last weight class and the match for Niles with a 20-4 techinal fall over Adam Shelby of Tecumseh. Findeisen nearly gets the pin in the third period. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
PRIDE OF THE PANTHERS: Tyler Brewer ties things up early for Comstock Park against Lowell with a third-period pin of Garret Taylor. Then the Red Arrows won 11 of the last 12 weight classes to cruise to a 63-12 Division 2 Quarterfinal victory. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
MCKECHNIE KEEPS THE PIN STRING GOING: There were pins in the last nine weight classes in the Lowell-Comstock Park Quarterfinal - eight by the Red Arrows. Here Austin McKechnie does his share with a second period pin over Tristan Gore. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
ABES GET A WIN IN OT: Warren Lincoln gets a 10-8 overtime win at 119 pounds by Desmond Prazuch over Isaac Coolidge. This Division 2 Quarterfinal, however, belonged to Eaton Rapids, which won, 42-18. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here
EATON RAPIDS' ELDRED EXECUTES: Eaton Rapids' Austin Eldred gets a first period pin for the Greyhounds against Tommy Hang. Final - Eaton Rapids 42, Warren Lincoln 18. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
DAVIS DOES IT: Malik Davis gives Flint Kearsley an 11-4 lead after three weight classes against Gaylord. Davis pinned Seth Gregory late in the first period. Gaylord would prevail, 36-32. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
FOSTER WITH THE QUICK PIN: An 11-second pin was recorded by Gaylord's Shane Foster over Marcus Moss of Flint Kearsley in the 215-pound bout of this Division 2 Quarterfinal. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 3
RAZOR SHARP: One of the quickest pins of the Division 3 Quarterfinals was this 28-second fall by Jaycob Sharp of Remus Chippewa Hills over Ben Diaz of Allegan to start the match. Chip Hills advanced with a 46-24 win. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
CUT TO THE CHASE: Chase Beard got a pin late in the second period for Allegan to win at 215 pounds over Billy Koepf. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
BACK-TO-BACK TENNIHILL PINS: Jared and Grant Tennihill scored back-to-back pins for Grand Rapids Catholic Central against Saginaw Swan Valley. Here's Grant's fall in13 seconds against Joshua Shaner. Swan Valley held on to advance, 38-35. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
SUITOR SECURES THE WIN: K.J. Suitor of Saginaw Swan Valley clinched the Division 2 Quarterfinal win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central with a first-period pin at 125 pounds against Emable Irankunda. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
MIGHTY QUINN: Matt Quinn gets on the highlight reel for Mason County Central with a quick third-period pin over Gabe Heiserman of Dundee. Dundee won this Division 3 Quarterfinal, 60-9. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
PIN IT IN A MINUTE: Brandon Whitman scores a quick pin for Dundee over Jarod Alvestteffer of Mason County Central. You can watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
BIRCH RUN REVERSAL: Mason Breece of Birch Run scored a 4-0 win over Cody Keller of Richmond at 119 pounds in this Division 3 Quarterfinal. Here he picks up two points on a third-period reversal. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
SKATZKA STARTS A STREAK: Richmond broke away from Birch Run by winning three straight matches by pin. Here's one by Devin Skatzka against Justin Elliott at 160 pounds. Final: Richmond, 37, Birch Run 19. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 4
GARZA PINS FOR NEW LOTHROP: Steve Garza of New Lothrop scored a first-period pin against Eric Peters of Cass City in a 64-9 Division 4 Quarterfinal victory. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
ALL SMILES: Daymon Tabavo of Cass City is all smiles after his pin of Caleb Stankiewicz of New Lothrop in the 215-pound weight class. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
SIMMONS PINS FOR CLIMAX-SCOTTS/MARTIN: Ethan Simmons keeps Climax-Scotts/Martin in the match against Decatur with this second-period pin of Thomas Conklin. The Raiders, however, went on to win this Division 4 Quarterfinal, 47-22. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
REVERSAL OF FORTUNE FOR HELMUTH: In the opening match of the Decatur v. Climax-Scotts/Martin match, David Helmuth of Decatur turned a reversal into a pin with 35 seconds left in the first period against Tristan Smith. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
LO-PIN-SKI!!!!!!!!: Hudson started its match with Norway by scoring four straight pins. Mason Lopinski got the fourth in 23 seconds over Michael Tomczak. The Tigers won the meet, 59-15. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
TAYLOR MADE: Taylor Bonetti gets Norway on the board against Hudson with a 45-second pin of Jarrett Waters. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
BUCKS BATTLE BACK: Leroy Pine River posted five straight wins late against Manchester. Here's a quick pin by Andrew Park of the Bucks at 103 pounds over Reese Fry, which tied the score with two weights to go. The meet ended in a 33-33 tie, with Manchester advancing on criteria. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
LOTS OF TAKEDOWNS: Late in the final weight class, Manchester's Brendan Abrigo rips off a series of takedowns against Jordan Stone of Pine River. Abrigo's 11-4 win at 119 tied the team score at 33-33. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.