Hamdan Brings More History to Hudson
March 2, 2019
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
DETROIT – A humble Jordan Hamdan pinned his place in wrestling history Saturday evening at Ford Field.
The Hudson senior became the 25th four-time MHSAA Finals champion when he pinned New Lothrop's Logan Zell in 54 seconds in their Division 4 135-pound title match.
He also became his storied program's first four-timer.
"This is pretty cool; it's a big honor," Hamdan said. "To see all these greats do this before me, I have looked up to them since I was really, really small."
Hamdan, who will wrestle at Michigan State next season, made easy work of the competition this weekend, pinning two of his opponents and beating the other two by technical fall.
"This is a bit overwhelming, a lot to take in," said Hamdan, who also has three team Finals titles on his impressive resume. "I did feel a little bit of pressure, but I would treat this just like I would in the practice room."
103
Champion: Brayton Mears, Union City, Fr. (36-4)
Decision, 4-2 (OT), over Bronson Marry, Hudson, Fr. (33-9)
Mears had come close to winning state titles in his youth wrestling days, but was never able to get to the top of the podium.
It took a trip to the high school sport's biggest stage to finally break through.
"I've taken second, third, fourth and fifth, and now I finally got to win one," Mears said. "I came out here to wrestle my best match, and I think I did and I got the win."
112
Champion: Ben Modert, Bronson, Jr. (52-2)
Decision, 7-0, over Nolan Datema, Carson City Crystal, Sr. (45-2)
It is hard to lose when you don't give up a point.
That is what Modert accomplished this weekend on his way to winning his second straight title.
He did not surrender a point to his four opponents, capping it off by beating Datema in the final, 7-0.
"I made sure I stayed in control and wrestled as smart as I could," Modert said. "My goal this whole weekend was to not give up any points, and I accomplished that. I just tried to dominate as much as I could."
119
Champion: Robbie Altland, Hart, Sr. (49-1)
Decision, 4-2 (2OT), over Caden Natale, Hudson, Soph. (26-5)
It is never one person who is responsible for molding a state champion.
It is a process, and Altland made sure he thanked all who helped him win Saturday.
"Hard work, dedication, my teammates and my coaches got me here," Altland said. "And I have great supporters who all helped me get here. It has been a long run, but worth it."
125
Champion: Noah Comar, Clinton, Sr. (51-1)
Decision, 8-2, over Noah Cantu, Hart, Sr. (48-2)
Comar has a hard time looking back, but reflection helped get him back on top of the podium.
Two years ago the Clinton senior won a title, but he fell in a final last year.
"I think (last year's loss) pretty much drove me," Comar said. "I came here this year to have fun and score points. I had a good tournament this year."
Comar finished his weekend with two pins, a technical fall and Saturday's decision.
130
Champion: Jamison Ward, Carson City Crystal, Jr. (48-1)
Decision, 2-0, over Jacob Shelby, Manchester, Jr. (47-6)
A couple of heart-breaking trips to the Finals helped pave the way for Ward to win his first title.
Two years ago he was a finalist, but was handily beaten 10-0. Last year he fell in the semifinals, so this year he was not going to take anything for granted.
"I have been dreaming of this since I was a little kid," Ward said. "Losing two years ago in the finals 10-0, it never gets out of your head. Just being there and being so close. And then last year I thought I would make my way back to the finals again, and I got upset in the semis, so this year I would not let that happen."
140
Champion: Skyler Crespo, Mendon, Jr. (50-1)
Major Decision, 13-0, over Ryan Wehner, Bad Axe, Sr. (40-6)
Crespo looks very comfortable wrestling on his sport's biggest stage in the state.
The Mendon junior cruised to his third straight Finals championship. And now Crespo is on the brink of history, as he will try to become a four-time champion next year.
"I felt great this weekend," Crespo said. "I felt like no one could even touch me. I only gave up two points all weekend off of cuts – no one even came close to me."
And it is that confidence that has Crespo thinking about history next year.
"I'm looking forward to getting back and getting better," Crespo said. "I want to get better now, because that four is so close and I have been waiting for that so long."
145
Champion: Austin Wolford, New Lothrop, Sr. (36-3)
Injury default over Kyle Black, White Pigeon, Sr. (45-3)
This is not how Wolford wanted to end his high school wrestling career, even though it meant winning his second straight championship.
Wolford was visibly shaken as his opponent, White Pigeon's Black, had to be taken off the mat on a stretcher after suffering what appeared to be a knee injury.
"I have no words. I just feel bad for what happened," Wolford said. "That is not the outcome that I wanted. I won, but that is not what I wanted. That was not a state championship match."
152
Champion: Andy Simaz, Traverse City St. Francis, Jr. (42-2)
Decision, 6-4 (OT), over Jorge Sereno, Hudson, Sr. (35-12)
A spent Simaz laid sprawled on the turf at Ford Field after what he had just accomplished.
The Traverse City St. Francis junior had battled his way to an overtime win over Sereno, and he had a hard time finding the words to describe his thrill.
But he knew in his head the thrill was coming.
"I feel really good," Simaz said. "In overtime I tried that high crotch (takedown) and got sprawled out and I reached for a double leg and I told myself there that I was going to be a state champ. In my head I told myself that I would be a state champion there."
160
Champion: Braxton Seida, Carson City-Crystal, Sr. (43-2)
Decision, 4-2, over Brayden Randolph, Clinton, Soph. (43-2)
Seida knew he had two very excited fans when he walked off the mat with a title in hand.
He could almost hear the cheers from the Ford Field stands.
"I have been working for this my whole life, and this is the best thing that has ever happened to me," Seida said. "My dad (Phil Seida) was going crazy up there, and he is definitely appreciative. And my grandpa (Eric Seida), he kept telling me that this was the best part of his life. I did this for him because he wanted me to for the last four years."
171
Champion: Carson Scroggie, Sand Creek, Sr. (41-2)
Decision, 4-3, over Brock Nelson, Leroy Pine River, Jr. (47-3)
Scroggie did what he does best, and that is wrestle on his feet. It was a takedown that was the difference in his one-point win over Nelson.
Scroggie became Sand Creek's second Finals champion.
"This feels amazing," Scroggie said. "My coaches kept me in the neutral position because they know I am good on my feet. So I did what I do best and got the takedown, and I knew there was short time after that so all I had to do was just lay on him."
189
Champion: Ethan Weatherspoon, Napoleon, Sr. (53-0)
Decision, 3-2, over Kyle Cassiday, Beaverton, Sr. (51-2)
In one of the most anticipated matches of the Division 4 Finals, a pair of returning champions took to the mat at 189 pounds
Reigning D4 189-pound champion Cassiday was taking on last year's Division 3 champion in the weight class, Weatherspoon. Napoleon moved into Division 4 this year, setting up this epic battle.
And just like when these two met earlier in the year, a 1-0 win by Weatherspoon, it came down to one point.
"That was good, it was tough, but I got the W," Weatherspoon said. "My grind, my work ethic, being aggressive in the match, that helped me win today."
215
Champion: Logan Badge, Clinton, Fr. (35-2)
Decision, 6-3, over Tim Rizor, Leroy Pine River, Jr. (45-3)
Not often do you see a freshman excel at a heavier weight class. Size, strength and experience, those usually come out on top when the larger wrestlers hit the mat.
That makes what Badge has done all year, and again Saturday, so special.
"I feel good," Badge said. "I got a good warmup with my warmup partner, and I wrestled well."
And what is nice for Badge, he gets to celebrate this week after his team fell short to Hudson in the Team Final a week ago.
"I thought we could have performed better a team states," Badge said. "But a lot of us redeemed ourselves here with 11 placing."
285
Champion: River Fox, Schoolcraft, Sr. (53-2)
Decision, 7-1, over Jake Renfer, Manton, Sr. (49-4)
Fox made Schoolcraft history Saturday night.
He became the school's first Finals champion.
"I feel pretty good about this," Fox said. "I just felt comfortable with my moves. I just kept trying to score points and move the match."
PHOTO: Hudson’s Jordan Hamdan was selected as one of the flag-bearers for the Finals’ opening march Saturday at Ford Field, before going on to win his fourth MHSAA individual title. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Trombley Aims to Make More Mat History
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
February 28, 2018
Typically, distractions in sports are seen as a bad thing.
For Lake Fenton senior wrestler Jarrett Trombley, however, setting the goal of breaking the state’s single-season takedown record was the perfect distraction to keep his mind off chasing a fourth straight MHSAA individual title.
“It’s something else to think about other than state,” he said. “It was just a goal I had, and I just went out there and wrestled every single match the best I could, tried to get as many takedowns as I could, and tried to be as dominant as I can be. I was just taking it match by match, and that has taken a little bit away from the whole four-time state title thing.”
The “four-time state title thing” is now next on Trombley’s to-do list, as the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals begin Friday at Ford Field in Detroit. Trombley, who wrestles at 130 pounds, will look to become the 23rd wrestler in state history to accomplish the feat. He and Dundee’s Brandon Whitman, also in Division 3, both will attempt to finish the achievement.
“The message this week, and we’re going over it now, is to work hard and do your job,” Lake Fenton coach Vance Corcoran said. “Everyone has trained their whole lives for this. It’s been a long season, and you’ve done your job in this room; now it’s time to do your job on the mat. Dominate and attack, and do what he’s done all season.”
Trombley has certainly been dominant while attacking all season, averaging more than 10 takedowns per match on his way to a 55-0 record through the Regional tournament. His 565 takedowns is well beyond the previous MHSAA record of 526 set by Jake Bohn of East Kentwood in 2007-08, which has stood as the National Federation record as well. He has also surpassed the 559 set by Karson Hill of Trenton High School in Missouri in 2007-08, the previous high according to another national record book maintained by wrestlingusa.com.
It may have served as a distraction, but it’s also helped make Trombley a better wrestler and a better conditioned athlete, as it’s forced him to work on things within a match and stay on the mat longer than he would with a quick pin. He does, he said, work for the pin eventually to get as many team points as possible.
“All of the takedowns helped me get in better shape and have better conditioning,” said Trombley, who is ranked 10th in the country at 132 pounds by FloWrestling. “It’s helped me in my matches.”
Now, though, Corcoran said it’s time to focus solely on winning, and doing so as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
“Coming up to the state meet, if he gets the chance to put a guy on his back, he isn’t going to let him up,” Corcoran said.
Trombley – who has won Division 3 titles at 112, 119 and 130 pounds – doesn’t need reminders that even three-time champions can be vulnerable when going for their fourth. To win his second title in 2016, Trombley defeated Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Devin Schroder – denying the three-time champ Schroder a fourth title.
“It keeps my mind in focus every day in the practice room,” Trombley said. “It can just as easily happen to me. There’s a state champ on my bracket this year, and a few others that are really good.”
The win against Schroder, who is now wrestling at Purdue University, was big for Trombley beyond simply winning his second MHSAA Finals title.
“Before that I hadn’t really wrestled any stellar competition in high school, per se,” Trombley said. “He was the talk of the state for two or three years, so I had to be confident going into that match, and I was confident. After I did win, it kind of changed things. I didn’t know he was nationally ranked until I had beat him. I was nationally ranked after that, so I just kind of worked even harder. I kind of proved to myself that I can beat anyone if I work hard.”
As colleges began courting Trombley, one started to stick out -- North Carolina State. He signed with the Wolfpack this past November.
“The coaching staff just made me feel welcome, and I felt like I could live there,” said Trombley, who has an older brother who lives in North Carolina. “They were just a really friendly coaching staff and they have some really nice credentials. It’s a program on the up rise, and I felt like I could succeed there.”
Trombley believes his wrestling style will translate well to the college level. For now, though, he’s focused on finishing up his high school career the right way, and so is everyone around him.
“Jarrett is just one of those kids that he never quits,” Corcoran said. “His work ethic is through the roof; he’s focused and he’s determined. He’s from a great wrestling family, he’s super grounded, and if you hear anyone say anything about Jarrett as a four-timer, his mom is right there to say, ‘You have to win one more.’
“He understands that nothing is given to you, that you have to earn it.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS: Lake Fenton's Jarrett Trombley works toward his third MHSAA championship during last season's title match at 130 pounds. (Middle) Trombley's arm is raised after his second Finals title, in 2016. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)