Ferris Wins More Than Bracket with 1st Finals Title

By Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com

April 3, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS – Caden Ferris wanted family bragging rights. 

His brother, Tyden Ferris, was a two-time runner-up at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals, so with a win Saturday at the Division 4 championship meet, Caden would have one up on big brother. 

The Delton Kellogg junior won those bragging rights and his first title with a thrilling 13-11 overtime victory against 2020 champion Camden Orr of New Lothrop in the 215-pound Final at Van Andel Arena.  

“I was obviously very tired, but I was counting on that he was more tired than me,” Ferris said. “I just guess I had more will to win.” 

Ferris (33-2) trailed Orr 7-1 at one point, and 10-7 late in the third period before getting a pair of takedowns to send the match to overtime, where he secured the winning takedown. As he was trailing early, Ferris said his thoughts floated to the sibling rivalry. 

“I gotta beat my brother in something,” Ferris said of his thoughts. “He never got first.” 

Ferris, who has committed to Central Michigan, came into the meet as the top seed, as he technically already defeated Orr in the Regional Final. Orr (24-2) injury defaulted that match, however. Despite missing the opportunity to wrestle Orr in the Regional, Ferris knew what he was up against. 

“I knew he liked to shoot, and my favorite move the underhook, and I know he likes the fireman that counters that,” said Ferris, who placed eighth at 215 pounds as a freshman but didn’t wrestle in the Finals as a sophomore. “I practiced a lot of defense, mostly offense.” 

103 

Champion: Connor Younts, Clinton, Fr. (28-2) 
Decision, 5-0, over Loreto Frangedakis, Capac, Sr. (19-4) 

Younts already had quite a start to his high school career, helping to lead Clinton to a Team Finals trophy this past Tuesday. Now he can add an Individual Finals title after a dominant performance. 

He pinned his first two opponents on the day, before shutting out the final two, 10-0 in the semifinals and 5-0 in the Final. 

“I’m just excited,” Younts said. “I had to work hard all season. I thought I was going to make it here, and I knew I was going to do good. I thought I was going to win, and I did.” 

Younts was one of an MHSAA-record 11 Clinton wrestlers in the Finals. 

112 

Champion: Coy Perry, Clinton, Fr. (31-1) 
Decision, 3-2, over Connor Busz, Clinton, Soph. (26-5) 

Perry battled a leg injury and his own teammate to claim an individual title in his first season.  

The two wrestled each other four times this winter, with Perry coming out victorious in each matchup. A third-period takedown was the difference in the latest bout. 

“It’s been close every time,” Perry said. “It’s tough. When it gets down to this point, it’s very emotional. It’s on your own, too, because obviously (Clinton coaches) can’t coach, so it’s on pretty much both of us to determine what we do.” 

119 

Champion: Aydan Sturtevant-Roesly, Hesperia, Sr. (25-4)  
Decision, 2-1, over Zak Shadley, Clinton, Soph. (28-5) 

Sturtevant-Roesly wasn’t sure how his season would go after dislocating his kneecap and tearing a ligament in his knee. 

It went pretty well. 

After finishing seventh at 103 as a sophomore and sixth at 112 as a junior, he reached the top of the podium with a hard-fought victory. 

“I’ve been through a lot this season,” Sturtevant-Roesly said. “I wasn’t sure how this season was going to play out for me, but I came out and we did it. It’s everything. I’ve been working for this for a long time, and I really wanted it today.” 

125 

Champion: Randy Frailey, Hanover-Horton, Sr. (29-0)  
Decision, 3-2, over Nik Shadley, Clinton, Fr. (28-2) 

Frailey has been on the podium before, finishing eighth at 119 in 2019, but he always envisioned himself at the top of it. Thanks to a late second-period takedown, it’s now more than a vision. 

“It’s like nothing else,” Frailey said. “I’ve always imagined this moment in my head a billion times. It really lived up to it, and it’s just amazing.” 

After Frailey’s victory, he was able to stand matside and watch his teammate, Chris Sorrow, claim his own title at 135. 

“It’s just amazing,” Frailey said. “We really fuel each other – he helps me, I help him. We’ve come up together, so it’s indescribable.” 

130 

Champion: Jesse Brumm, Vermontville Maple Valley, Sr. (32-2)  
Injury default, 3:45, over Bronson Marry, Hudson, Jr. (25-1) 

Brumm had a 5-0 lead in the match before Marry was injured and unable to continue.  

It was the fourth all-state finish for Brumm, who was third at 130 in 2020, sixth at 119 in 2019 and runner-up at 112 in 2018. 

“It’s always been a dream of mine,” Brumm said. “I’ve worked hard, and I think I deserve it. It’s a miracle to me. I’ve done everything I could for it.” 

Marry was making his third-straight Finals appearance, as he was the champion at 112 in 2020, and runner-up at 103 in 2019.  

135 

Champion: Christopher Sorrow, Hanover-Horton, Sr. (25-1) 
Decision, 9-3, over Dillon Raab, Bark River-Harris, Soph. (33-2) 

After placing sixth as a junior and seventh as a sophomore – both times at 135 – Sorrow decided to go big this year.

A seven-point third period, including five points from nearfalls, gave him his first Individual Finals title. 

“I wasn’t necessarily going for that, but if I saw an opening where his weight shifted, I just took it as far as I could,” Sorrow said. “I’m ecstatic.

“Like (Frailey) said earlier, we’ve been training since sixth grade for this. To come here and accomplish this in our senior year together, back to back, is just a great feeling.” 

140 

Champion: Cole Stone, Carson City-Crystal, Jr. (32-2)  
Major Decision, 9-1, over George Ames, Clinton, Jr. (27-1) 

After finishing sixth at 140 pounds as a sophomore, Stone committed himself even more to wrestling this past offseason, and it paid off with a dominant performance in the Finals.

He earned a takedown in each period and added nearfall points in the third to claim his first title against previously unbeaten Ames. 

“I’ve been working hard all year,” Stone said. “I wanted to leave it all out there. I had nothing to lose. It was a great match. I just went in and tried to attack as much as possible. To come from sixth last year as a sophomore to a state champion, it’s surreal. I couldn’t have even imagined this. I’ve visualized this moment multiple times, and the feeling is still there.” 

145 

Champion: Caden Natale, Hudson, Sr. (27-1) 
Decision, 4-3, over Kent McCombs, Clinton, Jr. (29-3) 

Natale was making his third appearance in the Finals, coming off a championship performance at 130 in 2020 and a runner-up finish at 119 in 2019.  

While he was wrestling with torn ligaments in his right knee, he took inspiration from a friend who had passed away to fuel him in a hard-fought battle against McCombs, who was a runner-up at 145 a year ago. 

“I lost a good friend not too long ago,” said Natale, who also had a third-place finish as a freshman. “I wore a shirt last year, wore a shirt this year. I got blood time and I was like, ‘I need to do this. It’s not just for me right now, it’s for him.’ It was an old club team of ours, Inflict Wrestling, and that’s what I do. I just keep going and I inflict damage, and I just pulled it out because I was just better on my feet.” 

152 

Champion: Gavin Wilmoth, Traverse City St. Francis, Jr. (34-1)  
Major Decision, 14-2, over AJ Baxter, Clinton, Sr. (28-3) 

Wilmoth took a giant leap forward this season, going from not making the podium as a sophomore, to Finals champion as a junior.  

“He was someone standing in the way of my goal, and I had to beat him,” Wilmoth said. “I was coached up well for this match, and I just went out and hammered.

“It’s a relief. I’ve been looking forward to this since like seventh grade. It’s a weight off my shoulders, and it feels great.”  

Baxter was also a runner-up at 103 as a freshman and fifth at 119 as a sophomore. 

Division 4 Wrestling Finals 2

160 

Champion: Spencer Konz, Clinton, Sr. (26-3) 
Decision, 3-1 OT, over Shenard Foster, Detroit Loyola, Jr. (15-2) 

In the third postseason matchup between the two, it was Konz who came away with the most important victory. 

The match was tied at 1-1 deep into overtime, and the Clinton senior fought off a leg attack from Foster to come up with a takedown on the edge of the mat and get the victory. 

“I just pulled his arm out and I felt the Merkel,” said Konz, who added his title to a pair of third-place finishes and an eighth-place finish in his career. “I grabbed it, and they gave me two for it.” 

Foster is the only wrestler at Loyola, and finished seventh at 140 a year ago while wrestling for Harper Woods. 

171 

Champion: Brayden Randolph, Clinton, Sr. (31-1) 
Decision, 8-3, over Cole Hopkins, Evart, Soph. (22-1) 

After years of coming close, Randolph was able to add an individual title to his two team trophies. He finished as runner-up at 171 and 160 the past two seasons, and was third at 160 as a freshman. 

He was dominant on his way to securing his title, pinning his first three opponents in 37 seconds, 1:19 and 2:33.  

“This year I’ve been through so much, especially family-wise – I lost my grandpa in November,” Randolph said. “This one was for him. Just getting over adversity through COVID and all that, it means a lot to come out here and do what I love to do, and that’s wrestle.” 

189 

Champion: Logan Badge, Clinton, Jr. (32-1) 
Decision, 3-1, over Hunter Belew, Delton Kellogg, Sr. (33-4) 

Badge moved one step closer to becoming a four-time champion, as he wrapped up a dominant day with his third individual title.  

He won at 189 as a sophomore and 215 as a freshman. On Saturday, he cruised to first-period pins in his first three matches, winning in 43 seconds, 1:22 and 1:12. Belew, who placed fifth at 171 as a junior, presented a different challenge, but one that Badge was able to overcome.  

“Right now, just one more state title to go,” Badge said. “The team is going to be going good for the next couple years; we have a great program. It’s pretty sweet because the guys that are coming are going to help our lineup even more, and we have 11 in the Finals.” 

285 

Champion: Isiah Pasik, New Lothrop, Jr. (25-0) 
Fall, 1:16, over Jake Fischer, Beaverton, Sr. (33-7) 

Pasik moved up the podium with a dominant day. He cruised into the Finals with pins in 54 seconds, 3:35 and 1:41 before pinning Fischer in a rematch of the Regional Final. 

In the championship match, Pasik was able to get an early takedown and take Fischer to his back in the opening minute before turning him again to earn the fall. 

“I felt pretty good,” Pasik said. “I thought I wrestled pretty strong.” 

Pasik was coming off a third-place finish at 285 as a sophomore. 

Click for the full bracket.

PHOTOS: (Top) Delton’s Kellogg’s Caden Ferris, right, faces off with New Lothrop’s Cam Orr at the Division 4 Finals on Saturday at Van Andel Arena. (Middle) Detroit Loyola’s Shenard Foster, in blue, and Clinton’s Spencer Konz battle at 160 pounds. (Below) Clinton’s Logan Badge, right, gains control on the way to his third Finals championship. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Bragging Rights for Both as Multi-Sport Sage Twins Shine at Ford Field

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

March 10, 2023

SOUTHGATE – The question of “Which child is your favorite?” is impossible for any parent to answer, but Shawn Sage has an additional question that’s impossible to answer regarding his son Jackson and daughter Brooklyn.

Greater DetroitThat question is, “Who would win a wrestling match between the two?”

“They are both raising their hands right now smiling about it,” Shawn Sage said with a laugh during a phone conversation.

It’s a good-natured question anybody can pose to Shawn Sage, given his son and daughter are not only twins by birth, but in wrestling achievements as sophomores at Southgate Anderson.

Last weekend at Ford Field, Jackson Sage competed in his second Individual Finals, where he finished fourth in Division 2 in the 157-pound weight class.

It was an improvement from last year’s event, when he qualified as a freshman but didn’t place.

“I was more used to it,” Jackson Sage said. “Last year was a different experience being at Ford Field the first time.”

Brooklyn Sage qualified for the Individual Finals this season as well, where she finished sixth in the Girls Division 155-pound weight class.

The winter was busy for both, but especially for Brooklyn. In addition to competing in wrestling, she was also a member of the school’s competitive cheer team.

“I knew that it would be a commitment,” she said. “But I was up for it. I was at the school for about 14 hours a day, but it was worth it at the end.”

Jackson and Brooklyn are each three-sport athletes. Jackson is the quarterback on the football team in the fall and a member of the track team (he competes in 300 hurdles and two relays) in the spring, while Brooklyn plays softball.

But it’s wrestling where the two share their greatest bond athletically.

Jackson started getting involved in the sport when was around elementary school age, and Brooklyn would tag along to practices.

Along the way, she became intrigued enough to try wrestling herself.

“I liked being able to know that I could defend myself and take care of myself in different ways,” she said. “To be able to stand up for myself.”

Brooklyn said she stopped wrestling competitively around sixth grade because there weren’t opportunities for girls to compete only against each other, but that changed when a girls-only division was added to the MHSAA Tournament with the 2021-22 season.

With both able to compete in high school, at-home workouts intensified. The two regularly train against each other on a mat in their basement, where technique is honed and toughness is sharpened.

“She pushes me a lot,” Jackson said.

Both also learn from each other’s experiences.

“I feel like watching him made me more motivated to do it,” Brooklyn said. “He’s taught me a lot of technique that I wouldn’t have known from his past experiences and coach.”

Added Jackson: “I’ve learned from her matches.”

This week has actually presented a rarity for both in that they’ve had time off.

With wrestling ending and spring sports not officially opening practice until Monday, the two haven’t had practices and competitions.

That’ll change next week when they go their separate ways with Jackson to track practice and Brooklyn joining the softball squad, and they’ll focus on those sports for the rest of the school year.

But with two more years of eligibility left and all-state finishes in wrestling already, the sky is the limit for the next two years in that sport for both.

With that in mind, the questions to Dad about who would win a match are likely only getting started.

Keith DunlapKeith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties

PHOTO Southgate Anderson twins Brooklyn, left, and Jackson Sage both placed at this season’s Wrestling Individual Finals. (Photo courtesy of the Sage family.)