High 5s - 3/6/12
March 6, 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 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.
Nathalie Kenny
Manistee senior
Skiing
Kenny finished her high school skiing career with her sixth and seventh top-10 MHSAA Finals finishes, including her second straight Division 2 championship in giant slalom in a two-run time of 59.79 seconds. She also finished runner-up in the slalom (1:13.31), her third runner-up finish over the last four seasons. Her Manistee/Traverse City St. Francis team finishined fourth, but won the meet when she was a freshman. Kenny also swam in the fall, and plays center midfielder for the soccer team.
Up next: Kenny hopes to earn her bachelor's and master's degrees and eventually a doctorate as well, and has applied to St. Olaf's (Minn.), Dartmouth, Harvard and Middlebury (Vt.), as well as to the U.S. Air Force Academy. She'd like to continue skiing competitively, but at what level -- NCAA, intramural or not at all -- will depend on where she attends college. She's planning on a career in science. "I am interested in a plethora of concentrations including, but not limited to, biology, environmental science, law and medicine."
Some day, I will be: "When I was younger I would have answered: the President. But now, I find myself leaning towards a lawyer, researcher, scientist, physician or world traveler. However, I will still just be me; my job won't define who I am."
I learned the most about skiing from: "Dan Janowiak. I have worked with Dan for about six or seven years now, and I don't know many others with the ski racing knowledge that he has. From technique to tactics, visualization to preparation, Dan has stuffed my brain. Without him, I would not be the skier I am today."
I look up to: "My coach's daughter, Lyndee Janowiak, has always been a role model for me in skiing. She has natural talent, and I admire her hard work and passion for the sport. She is very fast and has had a successful career that recently came to an end when she graduated college. When she isn't busy racing herself, she is always giving tips and helping me improve. She believes in me and has helped me become a better skier. That is something that I will always be grateful for."
I love skiing because: "... I love the speed, and the adrenaline rush that pumps through my body when I fly down the hill. I love the feeling of carving my edges into the snow and making angles so big that I feel as if my butt will touch the ground. And I love the challenge that it presents. Between the speed, gravitational forces, use of energy, and complexity of a seemingly simple turn, skiing is one of the most difficult and technical sports there is. The list never ends, and neither does my hunger to improve."
Paige Arrington
Gibraltar Carlson senior
Competitive Cheer
Arrington, a four-year member of the squad, helped the Marauders to their third MHSAA Division 2 championship of her high school career. Carlson posted the meet's highest scores in both Round 1 and Round 2, and then tied for the high score in Round 3 to finish with a total of 807.3944 points, 2.9 ahead of runner-up Dearborn Divine Child.
"It's absolutely mind-blowing. I'm so happy to leave my senior year with three state championships and two of them being back-to-back. It is absolutely an amazing feeling, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."
Up next: Arrington will attend Oakland University and study nursing. She also expects to join the Oakland cheer team.
I learned the most about cheer from: Shumate Middle School coach Marissa Mousouleas.
I look up to: "All my coaches. Danielle (Jokela), Christy (Wilson), everybody. They just do so much for us and help us so much. It's hard to pick one."
I'm motivated by: "Winning. I just love to win, so (I) work hard to do it."
My career highlight was: "Probably winning states my freshman year. Sending out our seniors with their back-to-back championships. I felt good because I helped do that. And then this year, my freshmen helped send me out with back-to-back state championships, and that's amazing."
To those who say cheer isn't a sport: "First off, I would laugh. And then I would say ... we even had one practice that was 10 hours long to everything perfect. We've been with each other six days a week since November. We put everything into this sport and we flip around, jump around, hit things tight. And it has to be perfect. It's a sport."
Jordan Thomas
Greenville wrestling
Senior
Thomas, who will wrestle next season at the University of Michigan, won his third-straight MHSAA championship Saturday, in Division 2 and 189 pounds. Thomas defeated reigning champion Gabe Dean of Lowell 5-1, giving him two wins over Dean this winter and a final record of 45-0 -- and 217-3 for his high school career. Thomas and St. Johns senior Taylor Massa led the opening wrestlers march onto The Palace of Auburn Hills floor. Massa is the only wrestler who has stopped Thomas in an MHSAA Final -- he beat Thomas 5-2 in the 145-pound Final when both were freshmen.
"I knew (Dean) was thinking overtime. I thought I had one more good shot in me. With 12 seconds (left), I go after it. I got a good shot off, strong finish. It felt good."
Up next: Thomas hopes to redshirt his first season at Michigan plans to study business. "I love math."
I learned the most about wrestling from: Thomas thanked Tom, Doug and Ben Bennett, Rodger and Taylor Massa, and his Greenville coaches.
I look up to: Ever since I was little, people asked me do you look up to Cael Sanderson, do you look up to Brent Metcalf? I think those guys are great. But I try not to look up to anybody. ... I want to make my own path, do something nobody else has done. Obviously, I can't have an undefeated career. Cael already had that undefeated college career. I want to do something else for the first time. It doesn't matter who you look up to. There's a lot of people I think are great. I just pick up little things from everybody."
Richmond Competitive Cheer
The Blue Devils improved from third place at the Division 3 Final in both 2009 and 2010, to second last season and finally finished first Saturday at the Grand Rapids Delta Plex.
Richmond won all of its events this winter, and scored the meet high in each round on the way to its first MHSAA championship.
1st Girls Finals Champions Make MHSAA History at Ford Field
By
Scott DeCamp
Special for MHSAA.com
March 6, 2022
DETROIT – Eliana Bommarito will typically have the advantage in strength anytime she steps on the wrestling mat against another female.
At Saturday’s Individual Wrestling Finals, the Hartland senior drew strength from the crowd at Ford Field as girls joined the boys on the big stage for the first time in history.
Bommarito earned a fall over Belding freshman Madasyn Frisbie in 3:53 in the 255-pound title match to become a four-time state champion.
“I’m so proud. It means, like, we’re being recognized,” said Bommarito, who was 8-0 in matches against girls this season. “There’s actually more girls joining, and this will only encourage more and more females to start wrestling and know that they have a chance to be recognized for it. It’s just great that I got to see that my last year.”
Bommarito said she picked up wrestling about six years ago. She’s been a state champion more than half that time.
The last three years, she won state titles through the Michigan Wrestling Association. This season, a girls wrestling tournament was sponsored by the Michigan High School Athletic Association, so Bommarito got the chance to perform in front of a much larger crowd that in previous years.
Frisbie (7-1) made Bommarito work a bit. None of the previous postseason matches in her career went beyond the first period, but this one lasted nearly two.
“I rely a lot on my upper-body strength. I always get discouraged when I get in a match and I don’t have that (advantage). But that’s definitely something that I have the majority of the time,” Bommarito said. “Going to that second period, I was like, ‘She’s pretty good. It’s going to work up my cardio a bit for this match, so I’ve got to start relying on cardio, too.’
“This is great. It’s like the first time in history for women (to wrestle alongside the boys at the Finals), in at least Michigan. I feel like I can encourage more females to want to join wrestling.”
100
Champion: Emme Hicks, Saline, Jr. (10-0)
Fall, 5:50, over Tricia Pyrzewski, Gladwin, Soph. (13-3)
Hicks earned her third state title in as many high school seasons with the hard-fought victory over Pyrzewski.
Hicks picked up wrestling as a second-grader nine years ago.
“I know that I’ve put in more work than anybody else. I live on the mat, I feel some days. I trust in my coaches and my hard work,” she said.
“This just felt amazing to be recognized by so many people as being equal as the guys who wrestle. Having this opportunity, it’s just amazing.”
105
Champion: Sky Langewicz, Algonac, Fr. (19-0)
Decision, 3-0, over Sunni LaFond, Gaylord, Fr. (32-9)
In the lone Finals match pitting two freshmen, Langewicz shook off some nerves and recorded a hard-earned victory.
Langewicz said she’d been preparing all season for this moment, and once she scored a takedown, the rest took care of itself.
“It was scary at first – I was pretty nervous, but as soon as the whistle blew, the nerves went away and I just felt in the moment,” she said. “The whole world disappeared, and I didn’t feel like there was any pressure. It felt amazing.”
110
Sophomore Sydney Thompson, Eaton Rapids, Soph. (20-6)
Decision, 7-1, over Gabby Motz, Laingsburg, Sr. (19-5)
Thompson noticed quite the difference in atmosphere between the girls Finals last year and this weekend’s event at Ford Field. Also, she didn’t even place last year and this time she took home the state title.
“I worked hard, I put in the work, I did what needed to be done,” she said. “I did what (most) people weren’t willing to do: Staying after practice, practicing on weekends, working one-on-one with coaches and my dad and stuff. Just working hard.
“I didn’t waver. I knew it was going to pay off. I knew that if I worked hard, it would beat anyone’s talent when they didn’t work hard, so I knew I would come out on top.”
115
Margaret Buurma, Fowlerville, Fr. (14-2)
Decision, 9-6, over Kendra Vickory, Goodrich, Soph. (6-2)
Buurma trailed later in the match against Vickory but said she kept fighting to pull out the victory on the big stage.
Buurma said she’s been wrestling since she was 3 or 4 years old, but this environment was different than anything she had ever experienced.
“The experience was definitely amazing – one of the greatest things I’ve ever done,” she said. “It was very nerve-racking going out there in front of all the people, but in the end it’s the same rules, same mat.”
120
Angelina Pena, Milan, Soph. (8-0)
Fall, 5:56, over Lola Barkby, Sturgis, Fr. (8-3)
Pena believes that wrestling against boys helps her when it’s time to take the mat against a girl. At the same time, she’s very proud of the fact that girls now have an equal platform as boys at the Finals.
“It really means a lot to me,” said Pena, who won a second-straight state title. “I know a lot of my girl wrestling friends say the same thing because you used to hear boys say, ‘Oh, girls wrestling is so easy. I could totally win that.’ We get the same chance as guys do.”
Pena’s brother, Milan junior Peter Pena, finished runner-up at 140 pounds in Division 3 moments after she captured the championship.
125
Hannah Palise, Warren Mott, Sr. (22-1)
Decision, 6-3, over Ryen Allen, Goodrich, Soph. (6-1)
Palise closed her high school wrestling career in grand fashion, rallying past Allen for her first title.
Palise knew she needed a takedown and nearfall to pull out the victory. Achieving her goal in front of a large crowd in the big venue made it all the more memorable, she said.
“It was awesome – like, the whole stands, everything,” she said. “It made it more meaningful that everybody could come, that I knew that were supporting me.”
130
Tyler Swanigan, South Lyon East, Soph. (9-0)
Decision, SV-1 8-6, over Faith Blackburn, Clinton, Soph. (23-2)
At several moments during her Finals match, it appeared Swanigan could have given up. Her shoulder joints were bending so much, it seemed as though they were made of rubber bands.
“I’m a varsity cheerleader,” the flexible Swanigan said in laughter after her dramatic, extra-time victory.
Swanigan bent but didn’t break. The moment she scored a takedown in the extra period, she realized that she’d realized a dream.
“Definitely the thoughts of winning my first state title. … I definitely wanted this really bad,” she said.
135
Danni Swihart, Hanover-Horton, Jr. (20-4)
Inj. Def., 5:01, over Kennedy Edson, Lawrence, Jr. (14-1)
Swihart said she picked up wrestling in second or third grade. All the hard work paid off.
In her first Finals appearance, Swihart captured the championship and did so on the biggest stage the girls have been on.
“Oh, it was just glorious,” she said. “I mean, coming out here, working so hard during the season, having the opportunity to be in the Finals, let alone first time in girls history and at Ford Field, it was just an outstanding feeling.
“And if I could, I would play it over and over again,” she added with a chuckle.
140
Emma Pendell, Montague, Soph. (19-6)
Decision, TB-1 2-1, over Isabel Worthing, East Jackson, Sr. (13-5)
Pendell is Montague’s first girls wrestling state champion, and she’s also her school’s first Finals champ in the sport since 1989.
She placed seventh in the state last year, when she dual-sported in wrestling and basketball during the winter.
“My main reason for (picking up wrestling) was college opportunities, but after like two years, I just fell in love with it. Now, I can’t imagine not doing it,” she said.
145
Mishell Rebisch, Romeo, Soph. (8-0)
Fall, 3:55, over Teairah Elsemann, Saline, Jr., (6-2)
Rebisch admitted to feeling a little pressure with so many eyes on her during her Finals match against Elsemann. She knew when it was time to turn the pressure up on her opponent, however, and she scored a pinfall late in the second period.
Rebisch captured her first title after finishing runner-up last season.
“Definitely, there was so much more mats here – probably like five times as many mats as there was last year. Big stadium – a lot bigger stadium,” she said. “It felt a lot louder. In some ways, it felt like more pressure, probably because so many people were watching. I was excited.”
155
Lydia Krauss, Boyne City, Sr., (24-0)
Major decision, 13-2, over Amarisa Manuel, Romeo, Soph. (6-1)
A lot was riding on the Finals match for Krauss – more than the title.
“Honestly, I just wanted 100 wins – I just wanted it,” she said.
Krauss got both. Previously, she had lost twice to Manuel, including in last year’s state finals tournament. This time, she left no doubt.
“It was just amazing. I’ve lost to her twice so far and just to know that I can beat her and I can be a girl that gets 100 wins, it’s just amazing,” the emotional Krauss said. “I’m just so grateful right now.”
170
Sabrina Nauss, Brighton, Soph. (9-0)
Fall, 1:59, over Khloe Williams, Clio, Jr. (7-2)
On Friday, Nauss became the first girl to win a match at the MHSAA’s first Finals tournament.
On Saturday, she finished the job in a big way, earning a victory over Williams to cap a memorable weekend and season.
“This weekend was so special. This will be a weekend I’ll never forget in my life,” Nauss said. “It was great – it was great to be out here and prove that girls can wrestle just as hard as guys can and that we’re just as equal as they are and we should be on the mat alongside of them. This was so special.”
190
Kailyn Garrett, South Lyon, Sr. (8-1)
Major decision, 19-9, over Gabriella Allen, Marcellus, Soph. (16-1)
Garrett could not have imagined finishing her high school wrestling career in a better way.
Sure, she won her second state title in three years, but this one felt so much bigger.
“Well, first, the crowd size. And then also being able to be seen next to the guys, seen as equals, is definitely a big difference,” Garrett said. “I had people when I won (two years ago) didn’t say anything and then now even qualifying, they feel obligated to congratulate me, so that’s a big difference.”
PHOTOS (Top) Hartland’s Eliana Bommarito holds up four fingers on each hand to signify winning her fourth championship Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Saline’s Emme Hicks, left, locks up with Gladwin’s Tricia Pyrzewski. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)