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.)

Hudson Earns Way Back Onto Familiar Stage, with Familiar Result

By Jeff Chaney
Special for MHSAA.com

February 26, 2022

KALAMAZOO – The Hudson wrestling team is not used to not wrestling on the state’s biggest stage.

The Tigers, who made 12 straight MHSAA Division 4 Team Finals from 2009 through 2020, winning eight times along the way, did not advance to the championship match a year ago and had last won one in 2019.

But in dominating fashion, Hudson climbed back atop the Division 4 throne Saturday night at Wings Event Center with a 47-13 title match win over familiar championship rival New Lothrop.

The Tigers earned their trip back to the Final with impressive wins over LeRoy Pine River in the Quarterfinals and St. Louis in the Semifinals.

"These boys have been through some real trials, not just the wrestling season, but life in general," Hudson coach Scott Marry said. "And not just these kids, but all kids."

Things began to look up for Hudson in the fall, and have continued through the winter.

"We just won a football state championship, and most of them were on this wrestling team that just won this," Marry said. "They are just so excited about the competition, and it's almost like they are reborn." 

Hudson wrestlingReborn and driven, as the Tigers won the first two matches of the Final with Logan Sallows and Cameron Kimble decisions at 189 and 215 pounds, respectively.

But the Hornets, who are no strangers to wresting for state titles, showed some resolve in the next three matches as Isiah Pasik won by fall at 285 pounds, Blake Wendling won by major decision at 103 pounds and Daven Lockwood won by decision at 112.

From there it was all Hudson, which won the dual's final nine matches.

"Last year was the biggest struggle with COVID," said senior 152-pouinder Bronson Marry, a winner in his match by fall. "Two years ago wrestling had just got done before COVID hit, and last year we went through all the precautions with the masks and everything, and we weren't even sure we were going to be able to wrestle, let along compete for a state title. This year was just amazing. I have been waiting for this feeling for a long time."

New Lothrop coach Jeff Campbell was impressed.

"You just get so accustomed with Hudson winning state titles, it didn't kind of register," said Campbell, whose team ended its year with a 23-3 record. "I am happy for their community, and I am happy for them. I have a lot of respect for everything that they do. Coach Marry and their whole staff – my son is a youth wrestler, so I see what they are doing at a lot of youth meets. They put the work in."

And now the Tigers are back on top.

"We are all blessed," said Scott Marry, whose team ended with a 22-4 record. "In Hudson we believe in Hudson-trained. We believe in three-sport athletes, and these kids bought into that."

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Hudson’s Cameron Kimble, left, works toward a decision at 215 pounds Saturday at Wings Event Center. (Middle) The Tigers celebrate their first Finals title since 2019. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)