High 5s - 2/14/12
February 13, 2012
Every Tuesday, Second Half honors 2-4 athletes and a team for its accomplishments during the current season.
Have a suggestion for a future High 5? Please offer your suggestions by e-mail to [email protected]. Candidates often will have accomplished great things on the field of play -- but also will be recognized for other less obvious contributions to their teams, schools or the mission of high school athletics as a whole.
Daisy Ference
Northville freshman
Gymnastics
Ference, only a 14-year-old freshman, came into the Feb. 4 Canton Invitational at least somewhat under the radar – and left as a favorite to win the MHSAA Division 1 individual championship next month. Ference won the Division 1 competition at Canton with an all-around score for 37.925. Earlier this season, according to a Birmingham Observer & Eccentric report, Ference set Northville’s school bars record with a 9.8.
The Mustangs finish the regular season with a meet tonight at Livonia Churchill and their league championship meet Saturday.
“I love my team, and I want to do well for them. I am motivated by positive encouragement and winning.”
Up next: Ference obviously has a few years to decide what she’ll pursue after high school. But she does hope to continue competing. “I am very determined and ambitious, but my final destination has yet to be determined,” she said. “Gymnastics will always be a part of my life, and hopefully a part of my career.”
I learned the most about gymnastics from: “My high school coach is Erin McWatt, and my main club coach, from Michigan Elite Gymnastics Academy, is Kim Tanskanen. I have been taught by the most talented and dedicated coaches, and I appreciate their love and dedication. They taught me to work hard, and success will follow. They taught me dedication and hard work pays off.”
Chris Hass
Pellston senior
Basketball
Hass, a 6-foot-5 point guard, is averaging 30.9 points per game this season and has scored 2,241 total during his four-year high school varsity career. His points total is 10th-best in MHSAA history and just 600 shy of the record set by Mio's Jay Smith from 1976-79. He's also averaging 8.5 rebounds and six assists per game. Pellston is 14-1 and ranked No. 3 in Class D, with a chance to avenge its only loss Wednesday in a rematch with No. 1 Bellaire. Hass has signed with Bucknell.
"I try to get as many assists as I can now. But for my team to be successful, I need to score. We have very talented ball players on this team. But that's one of my roles."
Up next: "One thing I was looking at college for wasn't just the next four years of life, but the rest of my life. If I don't go to the next (basketball) level after college, I'll have an education that will allow me to get an outstanding job anywhere. I'm going into either mechanical engineering or business management."
I learned the most about basketball from: "Definitely my father (Cliff, also his high school coach). He's always pushing me to be better than who I am. I think a lot of kids who are good when they're young, they're just told how good they are. My dad always kept pushing me to work on this, work on other things. ... He always keeps pushing me to be better than I am right now."
I look up to: "I've always wanted to be like Jesus Christ. He'd be my main one, then my dad and my sister (Stephanie, who formerly held the MHSAA girls basketball record for career points).
Shelby wrestling
Just because Shelby moved down into Division 4 for wrestling this season doesn’t meant its road to the MHSAA Finals got easier. Case in point: last week’s District matchup against Hesperia, which had reached the Quarterfinals 11 straight seasons.
But thanks to the Tigers 36-26 win, it won’t be 12. Shelby, ranked No. 4 entering the postseason, got past a major obstacle in downing the No. 3 Panthers, who also had reached the Division 4 championship match three of the last five seasons.
Shelby is seeking its first MHSAA team championship since 1972, but long has been considered a power in the southwestern corner of the state. The Tigers advanced to the Division 3 Quarterfinals in 2009 and lost in Regional Finals the last two seasons and in 2007 – twice by just two points during that time.
Shelby is the only ranked team at its Regional on Wednesday at Blanchard Montabella. The Tigers will face Traverse City St. Francis, and with a win either Sanford-Meridian or Leroy Pine River in the Regional Final.
The Tigers also advanced nine wrestlers from Saturday’ individual District at Hesperia: Junior Nick Bantien (119, fourth place), sophomore David Guerra (125, third), senior Jordan White (135, second), senior Trevor Dezwaan (140, second), senior Houston Jones (145, fourth), senior Dillon Sibley (152, fourth), senior Mason Courtright (171, first), junior Dillion Ankney (215, first) and junior Austin Felt (103, first).
D3 Preview: Great Stories to be Told
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 27, 2020
This weekend’s Division 3 story is familiar. But last year’s finish no doubt has added to the buildup.
Dundee or Richmond has won the last 10 Division 3 team wrestling championships, and they’ve faced each other in the deciding match eight of those 10 seasons. And for the third time in five seasons, last year’s title came down to the day’s final match – this time with Dundee earning the victory by the score of 26-25.
Those headliners are the top-two seeded teams again at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, but hardly the only story in Division 3. Among others, Fremont and Kingsley are in Quarterfinals for the first time, and Alma has made a big jump over the last two years to fall in alongside the favorites at the top.
The Division 3 Quarterfinals will be wrestled at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Top seed Dundee will wrestle Dowagiac, No. 2 Richmond will take on Kingsley, No. 3 Alma will face Fremont and No. 4 Montrose will match up with Remus Chippewa Hills. Semifinals are noon Saturday, with the championship match that afternoon at 3:45 p.m. All matches this weekend will be viewable live on a subscription basis on MHSAA.tv. For Friday’s schedule and results throughout, check the MHSAA Wrestling page.
Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 3, listed by seed.
#1 Dundee
Record/rank: 20-1, No. 1
League finish: First in Lenawee County Athletic Association
Coach: Tim Roberts, 21st season (535-75-1)
Championship history: Eleven MHSAA championships (most recent 2019), seven runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Braeden Davis (31-4) fr., 112 Kaden Chinavare (27-8) fr., 119 Jacob Fenbert (21-12) fr., 125 Aiden Davis (36-4) fr., 130 Austin Fietz (34-6) jr., 135 Casey Swiderski (32-1) soph., 135 Christian Killion (39-6) sr., 140 Kyle Yuhas (21-9) sr., 145 Tyler Swiderski (40-3) jr., 152 Dominick Lomazzo (17-4) jr., 160 Stoney Buell (38-3) jr., 181 Jaxon Guinn (31-8) sr., 215 Dennis Root (33-6) sr.
Outlook: Dundee has won two straight Division 3 titles and five of the last season, and this team remains built for now and the future with only four seniors among 13 Individual Finals qualifiers. After again winning an LCAA that included Division 4 top seed Hudson, Dundee gave up a combined 15 points over four District and Regional matches on the way back to Kalamazoo. Buell will be seeking his third individual championship next weekend, while Casey Swiderski will be seeking his second straight and Tyler Swiderski and Killion are both two-time Finals runners-up. Fietz and Guinn also are both repeat Finals placers.
#2 Richmond
Record/rank: 24-5, No. 2
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Co-coaches: Brandon Day, 16th season (476-98); Preston Treend, fourth season (94-14)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 2017), seven runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Emmet Kettle (26-8) jr., 103 Noah Harris (23-8) fr., 112 Hunter Keller (32-3) jr., 119 JD Gross (27-12) sr., 119 Josh Barton (24-8) sr., 130 Austin Kilburn (16-3) sr., 145 Kevin McKiernan (20-15) soph., 171 Wesley Peters (30-9) soph., 189 Noah Montanari (29-3) sr., 215 Luke Davis (35-2) sr., 285 Dan McKiernan (28-5) jr.
Outlook: Richmond is the two-time reigning runner-up and like Dundee always finds its way into the championship mix. After emerging with another BWAC title, the Blue Devils defeated three of league foes and also Madison Heights Bishop Foley soundly over the last two weeks, giving up a combined 48 points over four postseason matches. Keller and Davis were Finals runners-up last season, while Kilburn and Peters were placers too and Gross and Dan McKiernan also will be returning to Ford Field after competing there a year ago.
#3 Alma
Record/rank: 24-2, No. 3
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference East
Coach: Randy Miniard, ninth season (212-95)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 119 Gianni Tripp (33-13) fr., 130 Solomon Rosales (37-9) jr., 135 Dametrius Castillo (33-7) jr., 140 Jarrett Ferman (25-5) sr., 152 Jacob Munger (28-12) soph., 160 Justin VanBlaricum (30-5) sr.
Outlook: The Panthers have made another jump, from the sixth seed last season to third this weekend as they return to the Quarterfinals for the third straight year. Alma’s road again took it through Lake Odessa Lakewood, and the Panthers doubled up the No. 5 Vikings 47-21 to win the Regional title. Rosales, Castillo, Ferman and VanBlaricum all were Finals qualifiers last season, as was sophomore Josiah Baltierra (125/31-14). Castillo was an individual champion in 2018, and he, Ferman and VanBlaricum all placed a year ago. Senior Carlos Espinoza (171/30-11) gives Alma another 30-match winner.
#4 Montrose
Record/rank: 32-3, No. 4
League finish: Second in Mid-Michigan Activities Conference
Coach: Steve Barnette, eighth season (172-79)
Championship history: Nine MHSAA championships (most recent 2005), five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Seth Coffin (30-19) soph., 125 Aidan Bernard (45-4) soph., 152 Robert Skinner (28-6) jr., 171 Cody Smith (29-16) soph., 215 Levi Harber (44-4) soph.
Outlook: After last season ending a 13-year hiatus from the final weekend, Montrose is back for the second straight after wins over No. 8 Birch Run and No. 10 Otisville-LakeVille at the Regional. The lineup continues to be young and promising with only two senior starters but eight sophomores and a freshman in the expected lineup. Skinner was a Finals qualifier last season and senior Griffin Barnette (285/34-7) placed although he fell just shy of qualifying for Ford Field this season.
#5 Remus Chippewa Hills
Record/rank: 24-5, No. 6
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association
Coach: Kevin Edwards, second season (52-7)
Championship history: Division 3 runner-up 2016.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Robert VanVleet (30-16) soph., 119 Gavin Miller (27-7) jr., 119 Taylor Gibson (32-14) sr., 125 Ozaawa Manito (24-17) sr., 130 Carson Hayes (32-8) jr., 171 Gabe Petoskey (28-18) sr., 189 Chayton Wiggins (35-8) sr., 215 Colby Roosa (33-4) jr.
Outlook: Make it nine straight Regional titles for Chippewa Hills as they look to also make the Semifinals for the sixth-straight season. The Warriors edged No. 9 Shepherd 37-31 in the Regional Final to advance this time. Hayes and Roosa are returning Individual Finals placers, and bolstering those above is junior Carl Whipple (215/33-10), a Finals qualifier in 2019 and one of five 30-match winners this winter.
#6 Fremont
Record/rank: 24-4, No. 7
League finish: Second in Central State Activities Association
Co-coaches: Craig Zeerip, sixth season (129-60)
Championship history: Has not competed in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 RJ Thome (44-3) soph., 152 Trey Breuker (40-8) jr., 189 Michael Romero (33-15) fr., 215 Kyler Kolk (39-8) sr.
Outlook: The former Fremont and Ohio State wrestler and Hesperia head coach Zeerip will bring his alma mater to the Quarterfinals for the first time. After coming in second in the league to Chippewa Hills, Fremont edged Howard City Tri County 39-37 in its District Semifinal – but has doubled up all of its opponents since. Eight starters have won at least 30 matches, with seniors Matthew Halasinkski (140/38-10) and Chase Knudsen (160/36-9) among those joining Finals qualifiers listed above.
#7 Kingsley
Record/rank: 25-3, unranked
League finish: Second in Mid-Michigan Wrestling Conference
Coach: Corey Crew, first season (25-3)
Championship history: Has not appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Justin Grahn (40-7) fr., 135 Aidan Shier (36-5) soph., 145 Kyan Fessenden (31-20) fr.
Outlook: In his first season leading the program, Crew has guided Kingsley to its first Regional championship and Quarterfinals trip. Eleven of 13 starters (while giving up 152) have winning records, and eight have at least 30 wins – and the team is nearly all underclassmen, with one senior and one junior on the roster. Sophomore Kaden Patterson (160/40-12), while falling shy of making the Individual Finals, also has topped 40 wins.
#8 Dowagiac
Record/rank: 23-9, unranked
League finish: Second in Wolverine Conference
Coach: Colin Burandt, fifth season (99-45)
Championship history: Two runner-up finishes (most recent 1998).
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Jordan Simpson (41-7) soph., 160 Lamberto Parades (35-12) sr., 215 Chris Schultz (19-12) sr., 285 Wyatt Bailey (40-8) jr.
Outlook: Dowagiac will bring double the number of Individual Finals qualifiers to Kalamazoo this weekend as it did a year ago as the program continues to build under former Niles standout Burandt. This team has six senior starters, as opposed to just two a year ago, and Bailey was an Individual Finals placer coming in eighth at 285 in 2019.
PHOTO: Alma, here against Lakewood in the Regional Final, will attempt to reach its first MHSAA team championship match this weekend. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)