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Highlight Reel: Saturday Semifinals Video
February 28, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The MHSAA Team Wrestling Finals field was whittled to eight this morning over two sessions at Kellogg Arena.
Below are highlights from the morning matches for all four divisions.
Division 1
Duffy Scores A Late Win: Patrick Duffy keeps Anchor Bay in the meet against Hartland with a 5-4 win over Brandon Sturtevant at 152 pounds - getting back points in the final minute. Hartland advanced in Division 1 with a 29-28 win. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Hughes Second-Period Pin: After a scoreless first period, Reece Hughes of Hartland quickly pins Adam Wiscombe of Anchor Bay at 130 pounds to give his team the lead in this Division 1 Semifinal. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Brighton's Brish Bumps Bulldogs To Lead: A key decision down the stretch of the Brighton-Davison Division 1 Semifinal was Nicholas Brish's first period pin of Mike Kennedy. It gave Brighton a 25-22 lead at the time, and the Bulldogs advanced to the final with a 29-25 decision. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Fifield on the Hunt: Hunter Fifield of Davison scored all of his points on this sequence in the first period against Jose Ramos of Brighton. Fifield won the match at 140, 5-1, but Brighton advanced. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 2
Hall of Pins: Lucas Hall gets the Division 2 Semifinal for Lowell against Gaylord started with a quick pin over Trent Hibner. Lowell cruised to a 50-19 win over the Blue Devils. You can watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Trevor Scores Third-Period Win: In the final minute of the 103-pound match, Trevor Giallombardo picks up two points to claim a 7-5 win over Lowell's Sam Russell. You can watch the whole game and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Eaton Rapids Moving On: Austin O'Hearon of Eaton Rapids scored a 9-2 win over Cade Stephenson of Niles in the final bout, at 112 pounds, to give the Greyhounds a 30-27 win. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Noah Nails It For Niles: Niles jumped out to an 18-9 lead in its Division 2 Semifinal with Eaton Rapids. Noah Hall gets a first-period pin here at 140 over Hunter George. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 3
Reinhart Gets Dundee's First Points: After Saginaw Swan Valley won the first three bouts, Dundee got a triple of it own, started by Kenny Reinhart's second-period pin of Luke Hart. Dundee would eventually prevail, 38-32, and move into the Division 3 Final. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Bott Puts Vikings On Top: After Dundee tied the match at 14-14, Gerad Bott of Swan Valley came up with a first-period pin of Kyle Motylinski at 152 pounds to put the Vikings on top. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Todd Wins for Chippewa Hills: Here's the scoring sequence in the third period that gave Slade Todd of Chippewa Hills a 5-3 win over Alex Roberts of Richmond at 130 pounds in this Division 3 Semifnal. Richmond went on to win, 32-19. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Kilburn Gets a Restart Pin: Richmond's Aaron Kilburn recorded the only pin of his team's Division 3 Semifinal with Chippewa Hills ... a first-period fall after a restart. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Division 4
Manchester Gets On The Board: Brandan Abrigo scores a pin at 112 pounds over Aubrey Stone of New Lothrop in this Division 4 Semifinal. New Lothrop went on to a 38-22 win. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
New Lothrop Extends Lead: New Lothrop extended its lead against Manchester with Cole Hersch pinning Matt Smith in the first period of the 130-pound match. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
The Ax Man Wins For Decatur: Early in the third period of this Division 4 Semifinal, Decatur's Axton Gerhold turns things around against Hudson's Christopher Wollet and into a pin. Hudson went on to win the match, 39-33. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
Pivotal Pin by Brockway: With the score tied at 30, Hudson's Clayton Brockway scores a huge pin of Decatur's Kyle Nye in the 171-pound match of this Division 4 Semifinal. You can watch the whole match and order DVDs by Clicking Here.
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Modert Driving Toward 3rd Title, Wins Record
By
Wes Morgan
Special for MHSAA.com
January 10, 2020
By Wes Morgan
Special for Second Half
Ben Modert’s road to three all-state wrestling seasons and two individual Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 4 Finals championships played out to a soundtrack of his own stomach rumblings and the clanging of silverware by those around him consuming everyday meals.
The Bronson standout blocked all that out to remain trim as a 103-pound freshman and sophomore, followed by a junior campaign at 112 pounds. It was just one of the many sacrifices Modert made to climb to the summit.
A sixth-place finish in the championships held at The Palace of Auburn Hills in 2017 propelled Modert into a sophomore season that netted 55 victories and a Finals crown at Ford Field. Last spring as a junior, he rattled off 52 victories en route to a championship at 112 pounds.
The hunger for a third title is certainly there, even though Modert made a decision to quell the physical cravings for more sustenance by bumping up to higher weight classes this year.
That’s not to say Modert believes the path will be any easier.
Wednesday’s Big 8 Conference dual match against Union City is a prime example. Though Bronson ended the night with a 36-30 victory, Modert experienced his first loss of the season. Fellow reigning Finals champion Brayton Mears, who won last year’s Division 4 title at 103 pounds as a freshman, edged Modert 2-1 in the 119-pound bout in one of the season’s early marquee matchups. Both grapplers entered the day undefeated.
“I decided since it’s my senior year to not cut much weight,” Modert, whose original plan for this season was to compete at 125 pounds, said before the year began and prior to settling on 119 pounds. “I just like to wrestle whoever and get the best competition. It’s more fun to me. I get more from losing than winning. It’s just better experience. It’s obviously upsetting to lose, but I’ll watch videos and want to see what I did wrong and still improve.
“I honestly like the target (on me) and people gunning for me. I like the competition like that. I know I have to keep my head in it still. Cutting weight makes it 10 times longer than what (the season) already is. Hopefully not cutting weight will help keep my motivation up.”
Bronson head coach Chad Butters has witnessed first-hand how Modert’s mindset has paid dividends.
“He has definitely matured on and off the mat,” Bronson head coach Chad Butters said of Modert. “One of the things I admire about Ben is he really does a good job of seeking out the best competition. There were times he could have ducked some competition.”
Based on the few losses he’s experienced over the past two seasons, Modert’s recent defeat might be the cool breeze across the embers that will ignite another historic run. A loss last season to Clinton’s A.J. Baxter, who Modert beat at the 2018 Finals, led to Modert finishing out the year undefeated.
“Ben approached me and said he wanted that match (against Baxter),” Butters said. “He’s driven, and he wants to challenge himself. He’s constantly pushing himself. That was a good thing for him. I think he learned just because he won a state championship in the past, nothing is guaranteed. You have to work for it, and it has to be earned.”
Modert is ahead of pace to break former Bronson great Hunter Machus’s career school wins record of 207 (2013). Entering the year with 160 victories and having accrued more than 20 so far this winter, that feat might be accomplished by February.
With no plans to compete in college, Modert’s soaking in all he can as his decorated career winds down.
“This will be my 12th year wrestling, and it can’t go on forever,” he said. “I think it’s a cool thing to be in the record books to begin with. We have banners up for state championships. I don’t like to be glorified, but I like the recognition.
“(Butters) is a great coach and Tony (Turner) is great, too. They’re working with you constantly and doing everything they can. They are very supportive. It’s a huge wrestling family we have behind us. It’s so supportive, and they’re awesome and always there. We always have a huge crowd there cheering, and that’s a big part of (our success).”
Wes Morgan has reported for the Kalamazoo Gazette, ESPN and ESPNChicago.com, 247Sports and Blue & Gold Illustrated over the last 12 years and is the publisher of JoeInsider.com. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Bronson's Ben Modert locks up the Division 4 championship at 112 pounds at Ford Field last season. (Middle) Modert shows his chart after claiming the title. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)