Hruska Earning Fame as Iron Mountain Continues Climb with District Title
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
February 10, 2023
IRON MOUNTAIN — Shayna Hruska accomplished what no other Upper Peninsula female wrestler had before, becoming the first girl to capture a title at the Upper Peninsula Wrestling Championships and being selected the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler in Marquette on Jan. 21.
The Iron Mountain junior has gone on to earn her second straight Mid-Peninsula Conference championship at Ishpeming on Feb. 4, gaining top honors at 106 pounds after winning at 103 a year ago.
The Mountaineers have since captured a Division 4 Team District title Wednesday night in a 49-27 defeat of Bark River-Harris. They host the Team Regional on Feb. 15.
They’re also entered in Saturday’s Individual District at Manistique. Hruska, however, elected to pass on the Individual District in favor of competing in the Girls Regional on Feb. 19 at Grayling or Cadillac.
Female wrestlers are allowed to wrestle the individual postseason beginning either with the District including boys competitors, or in the Girls Regional bracket that feeds into the Girls Individual Finals; both finish at Ford Field.
“Girls wrestling is growing, which makes for stronger competition,” she said. “I’m really grateful for my teammates and coaches because they push me to get better.
“Wrestling on a Sunday will be a little different, but I don’t think it will be too much of an adjustment. I just need to get plenty of rest and eat healthy.”
Hruska secured the U.P. title by taking an 8-2 decision from St. Ignace freshman Dalton Champion in the 106-pound final.
“I was really excited, but right now I’m working toward Regional and state tournaments” she said. “Wrestling against the boys prepares me a lot. They have a different technique. Every wrestler is different. Wrestling the boys is harder, but prepares you better.”
Iron Mountain is loaded with experienced standouts this season. Senior Shawn McGuire won last season’s Division 4 Finals championship at 119 pounds, and junior Tyler Winch was the runner-up at that weight. Senior Evan Haferkorn and juniors Fulton Stroud and Alex Wilson all placed at last season’s Finals as well.
Coach Cory McLaren said Hruska does plenty to bolster the lineup as well.
“We need her in our lineup,” he added. “People are recognizing her. We’re hoping she encourages other girls to try out. She has the fire and desire. She’s also growing and starting to get longer.”
Hruska became interested in wrestling when she was in third grade.
“I wanted to join wrestling and brought home a permission slip,” she said. “My parents tried to discourage me because they didn’t think I’d like it, then I brought home another permission slip and they signed it. They’ve learned to enjoy it and really loved wrestling since I went out. I’ve improved a lot. I used to be real nervous and would sometimes get sick, but I’ve learned to overcome that.”
A week before the M-PC meet, Hruska was runner-up by one point in a tournament at Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
“I was on top trying to score and ran out of time,” she said. “I’ve learned to take it one match at a time and never underestimate anybody.”
Iron Mountain placed fourth among 21 teams at Sturgeon Bay prior to retaining the league title a few days later.
“That was a tough tournament,” said McLaren. “There was very strong competition down there. We had some kids out with the flu, but it was still a real good experience for us.”
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTO Iron Mountain’s winners at the U.P. Championships at Marquette hold up their charts, from left: Evan Haferkorn, Fulton Stroud, Shawn McGuire, Alex Wilson and Shayna Hruska. (Photo courtesy of the Iron Mountain wrestling program.)
Davison's Facundo Earns Historic Opportunity
March 7, 2020
By Dan Stickradt
Special for Second Half
DETROIT — Alex Facundo suffered a blow when he was disqualified one week ago during a match at the Division 1 Team Finals against eventual champion Detroit Catholic Central.
But Facundo, the top-ranked wrestler in both the state and nation, did not let last weekend’s setback deter his goal this weekend of winning a third Individual Finals title.
Facundo, a junior who has committed to Penn State, posted a 13-5 major decision victory over Grandville’s Josh Kenny at 171 pounds at Ford Field.
“I wanted to win this really bad and prove that I was the best in the state — and nation,” smiled Facundo. “I did that today. (Last week’s opponent) didn’t beat me. I lost on a (technically). I had something to prove.”
Facundo, who finished 39-2 this winter, will try to join an elite crowd next season as he’ll pursue a fourth MHSAA individual title.
“I’m really happy with the third title. I knew I could do it,” he said. “Next year, I’ll come back and go after my fourth title.”
Kenny, a senior who was third at 152 last season, finished 38-2.
103
Caden Horwath, Davison, Fr. (43-2)
Decision, 7-2, over Louden Stradling, Battle Creek Lakeview, Fr. (51-2)
One of five finalists for Davison, Horwath wrapped up a stellar 44-2 freshman campaign.
“I got a couple of takedowns early, rode him pretty hard on top and I took control,” said Horwath. “It means a lot to me because all of my hard work paid off. It’s a little relief off my shoulders.
“There’s a lot of (history) at Davison and because we lost (in the Team Final) it feels good for all of us to do well here,” added Horwath. “Now I hope to be back next year.”
112
Dylan Gilcher, Detroit Catholic Central, Fr., (40-3)
Technical fall, 18-3 (4:29), over Aiden Smith, Brighton, Soph. (39-11)
One of the state’s premier freshmen, Gilcher joined Catholic Central’s long list of Finals champions.
“There’s so much history at CC, and it’s incredible to be able to win a title,” said Gilcher. “It’s an incredible feeling and such a blessing to wrestle here at (Catholic Central). There’s some really high expectations.”
119
Brendan Ferretti, Macomb Dakota, Jr. (34-1)
Decision, 7-2, over Andrew Hampton, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Jr. (52-2)
Ferretti has been nearly unstoppable the past two seasons, posting a 90-1 record during that span. The junior outlasted Hampton to capture his second straight title.
Ferretti won at 112 last season.
“I never wrestled (Hampton) in my life. I just know I’m the best in my (weight) class and I wanted this,” said Ferretti. “I was nervous coming in, but it’s always good to work out those nerves and just go out there and win. I love this. I thrive off of (the big crowds). It makes it so much better, I think."
125
Andrew Chambal, Davison, Sr., (42-5)
Decision, 5-1, over Mason Shrader, Brighton, Jr. (41-7)
Davison had five finalists, and top-seeded Andrew Chambal came through with the victory in his final high school match.
He finished second at 119 last season.
“I went to a really dark place last year after I lost,” said Chambal. “Things were different for a while. Coming out here and doing what I love and coming out on top means the world to me. This changes my life. I feel like I’m on top of the world again.”
130
Sam Freeman, Brighton, Sr. (41-5)
Decision, 3-2, over Dylan Phelps, Holt, Sr. (39-5)
Freeman put together four years of hard work to reach the summit as a senior. He ended his prep career with a narrow 3-2 decision over Phelps, an opponent he has wrestled several times.
“This is just four years of hard work,” said Freeman. “A lot of guys will peak freshman year, but I didn’t make it to states my freshman year. I kept working, and it means so much more to know that I kept working to get here. It’s a great feeling to be at the top of the mountain at the end of the day.
“It’s not confidence as much as it’s excitement,” added Freeman. “This was two guys on the same level going for it on the big stage with a great match like that.”
135
Eddie Homrock, Brighton, Sr. (43-3)
Major decision, 9-0, over Camden Trupp, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (35-6)
Homrock has gotten used to Finals championships.
He’s now won two of them, after also capturing the title at 125 in 2019. But this deciding match carried some extra significance.
“I was nervous (this time), not because of (my opponent), but because it was my last match,” Homrock said. “I wasn’t scared, just nervous. I went out there and got it done. I knew no matter what I was going to push through it all.”
140
Josh Edmond, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (43-0)
Technical fall, 23-7 (5:50), over Zach Johnson, Brighton, Jr. (41-9)
Detroit Catholic Central has produced legions of all-state wrestlers and champions. But Edmond reached an elite group at his school and statewide with his third Finals title.
“It means a lot. I really wanted to be a three-time state champ, and I worked really hard for this,” said Edmond. “I think it’s a blessing. I am just blessed to be a part of the CC wrestling family. I thank all of my coaches for helping me get here.
“The game plan was to just wrestle hard. Things opened up, and I was able to pull away,” added Edmond. “I felt pretty good that I could win my third.”
145
T.J. Daugherty, Waterford Kettering, Sr. (35-0)
Decision, 3-1 (OT), over Marc Shaeffer, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (32-13)
Daugherty posted bookend Finals championship wins, earring titles as both a freshman and again as a senior.
“(Shaeffer) took a shot and I doubled by and went behind and got the point, and I did it,” said Daugherty of his win. “I beat him at (Oakland) County and I beat him at the Clarkston Duals. But this is where it matters most.
“When I was a freshman, I didn’t really know what was going on,” added Daugherty, who won at 103 in 2017. “This year I wanted to win it more than anything. I was able to get the win this year.”
Shaeffer previously finished runner-up at 140 in 2019.
152
Josh Barr, Davison, Fr. (39-0)
Decision, 5-3, over Logan Sanom, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (42-10)
Davison’s future is bright, to say the least. There will be 11 returning starters next winter from a team that finished as the Division 1 runner-up, Barr among them.
The talented freshman was one of five finalists and three champions for the Cardinals, and a top seed at his first Individual Finals.
“I worked so hard all season to get here,” said Barr. “It’s a great feeling to win as a freshman. But this is just the beginning. I want to come back and go for it again. Plus we’re going to be really good again next year with almost everyone returning. We only had three seniors. So this is just a step (forward).”
160
Derek Gilcher, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (45-2)
Decision, 3-2, over Jay Nivison, Davison, Sr. (36-6)
Just a couple of hours after his freshman brother Dylan Gilcher claimed a title, Derek Gilcher followed suit with his third straight championship and fourth placing at the Finals.
“Right now I feel great. But before my match I was a little nervous, really before my brother’s match. He’s new, he’s a freshman and never been through states before like I have,” said Gilcher. “But he did his job, and I had to go do mine.”
Gilcher has been a four-year starter during Catholic Central’s four-year reign as the Division 1 team champion.
“I don’t think that’s been done before — the first time in CC history we’ve won four in a row,” smiled Gilcher. “We never won four in a row before, and now the three individual wins. It’s crazy. It adds to the legacy of the program, and the accomplishments show all of the hard work of the athletes and coaches.”
189
Manuel Rojas, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (46-1)
Decision, 7-3, over Colin Jagielski, Temperance Bedford, Sr. (47-3)
After getting the win with Facundo’s DQ at last weekend’s Team Final, Rojas heeded some advice from his coaches this week – and won his first individual championship.
“I went to school on Monday and sat down with (CC head coach Mitch Hancock). We decided to give up social media, stay off of it, and get away from all of the negativity. Just focus on all of the positive things,” said Rojas. “I just had to concentrate on getting prepared for this weekend and try to win here. Just be around my teammates and the people that care for me. That’s all that matters.”
Rojas was poked in the eye during the first period Saturday, which drew a little blood, and the scratch forced his eye to swell throughout the match.
“I hear it’s pretty nasty. I can’t see it yet,” added Rojas of his swollen eye. “It happens. That’s wrestling.”
215
Brendin Yatooma, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (45-1)
Decision, 4-2, over Luke Stanton, Brighton, Sr. (32-4)
One week after helping DCC to another team title, Yatooma aided his team’s run to nine individual state finalists and six individual champions. The reigning champ at 215 capped his prep career with a repeat.
“This is for our coach and our entire coaching staff. They work so hard for us to get to this point,” said Yatooma. “We wrestle as hard of a schedule as anyone, and we come here to win. It’s an incredible brotherhood at CC. Not just wrestling, but for everyone. There is nowhere else I’d rather be than here competing for CC.”
285
Steven Kolcheff, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (45-2)
Decision, 3-2 (OT), over Jake Swirple, Livonia Franklin, Sr. (58-2)
Kolcheff doesn’t mind a little overtime. He had to put some in Saturday night, and it resulted in a victory over top-seeded Swirple in the rubber match between the rivals.
Kolcheff won at the District level, while Swirple turned the tables during the Regional round.
“We’re the most conditioned team in the state,” said Kolcheff. “In overtime I felt good, felt confident. I didn’t want to win a state championship on a coin toss … so I went for it in overtime.
“It’s a great rivalry between us. For me, wrestling is my sport and it’s really dear to my heart. I want to win state titles, and that’s what I did today.”
PHOTO: Davison’s Alex Facundo (right) gets ahold of a leg of Grandville’s Josh Kenny on the way to winning his third Individual Finals championship. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)