Hudson Finishes Drive for 5 in D4
February 23, 2013
By Jeremy Martin
Special to Second Half
BATTLE CREEK – Since 2009, Battle Creek has been like a second home to Hudson High School wrestling coach Scott Marry.
His Tigers know the city well, as Hudson had bused back north holding the MHSAA Division 4 championship trophy every season over the last four. But on Saturday, they did one better and made some additional history in the process.
Top-seeded Hudson defeated second-seeded Hesperia 32-24 at Kellogg Arena to claim a fifth-straight team title, tying Davison (2002-06) for the longest streak since the Team Finals began in 1988.
And it didn’t take long for Hudson to consider what it might take to become the first to make it six in a row.
“We’re not guaranteeing state title after state title; we know that that’s unheard of. But were coming back next year, and we’re going to be battling again next year,” Marry said. “We’ve got a young group, and I think we have a shot at coming back here and again being in the top four.”
Early on Saturday, it appeared Hudson (30-6) might make quick work of the Panthers, who were the last Division 4 champion in 2008 before the Tigers began this run.
Hudson jumped out to a fast 9-0 lead following two quick wins. But Hesperia was not to be run over, as the Panthers right away fired back and took their first lead following a 26-11 victory by senior Cash Bolles.
“It felt good to be back and to be rolling. It felt good because I’m a senior and I’m trying to lead the team and do as much as possible," Bolles said. "I just wanted to play my part."
From there, the Panthers (35-3) were able to jump to a 21-12 lead following a 54-second pin by freshman Scott Rosencrans at 189 pounds.
“I was just trying to get a win for my team, and I guess that drove me,” Rosencrans said. “We were just trying to keep the ball rolling, trying to win.”
His was the fifth victory in six matches for Hesperia. But instead of signaling the beginning of a Panthers victory march, it fired up a Tigers squad hungry for another title.
“You go back to the 171 (freshman Clayton Brockway 8-6 victory) and that 215 (junior Jake Morgan 11-9 victory), we’re sitting in the corner doing our numbers, and we had to win one of those to even stay in it,” Marry said. “And when you win both and in the fashion that we did, I think it was an incredible accomplishment for a freshman and a junior to do that on this stage.”
By the time 103 pound sophomore Roddy Hamdan took to the mat, the Tigers were poised to retake the lead. And they did, thanks to his 11-5 victory that earned the team a 25-21 advantage with three matches to wrestle.
“It feels like we’re done; we did what we came to do,” Hudson junior Cole Weaver said. “I didn’t expect anything less than this. We were in a slump for a minute there, but I knew once we got out of it we’d be fine.”
Though Weaver and the rest of his Tigers teammates exuded an air of confidence, even while trailing, the Panthers had no intention of going down without a fight and certainly felt they could be the ones to end Hudson’s championship streak.
“It would have meant a lot to us, to our school, to our community. It would have been very important to all of us,” Rosencrans said.
Despite the exhausting loss and a long weekend of wrestling, Hesperia coach Doug Baird too has high hopes for his squad heading into next season.
“Hats off to Hudson; they’re well coached and they have great wrestlers, and had a great match today. But it doesn't take anything away from our kids,” Baird said. “Our kids wrestled their butts off this weekend, and I’m really proud of them. We only wrestled two seniors on the weekend, so we’re going to bring a lot of experience back into the Finals (next year).”
Performance: Walled Lake Central's Ben Freeman
March 10, 2017
Ben Freeman
Walled Lake Central senior – Wrestling
Freeman joined one of the elite groups of individual champions in any MHSAA sport Saturday when he defeated Birmingham Groves’ Colin Takata by technical fall, 24-7, to win the Division 1 championship at 140 pounds – and become the 22nd wrestler in MHSAA history to finish his career with four Individual Finals titles. In doing so, Freeman also capped a 34-0 season and 167-0 career in earning the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
His previous three championships came at 103 pounds in 2014, followed by a 125-pound title and then the win at 135 last winter. He won every event he entered over four seasons but one; as a freshman he was injured in a semifinal victory at a tournament and was unable to take the mat for the championship match. As a senior he had 28 wins by either tech fall or fall despite getting a slow start to this season after a broken ankle kept him off the mat until January. Although he had only a few close calls at the high school level, he’s taken his losses in national competition – but had plenty of success there as well, earning multiple All-America honors while winning a USA Wrestling folkstyle national title, finishing USA Wrestling freestyle and FloNationals runner-up and third at USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Nationals.
Freeman was coached during high school by his father, Al Freeman (who wrestled collegiately at University of Nebraska), and also watched closely the match right before his at The Palace of Auburn Hills last weekend as his junior brother Nick won his first title, at 135 pounds. Ben carries a 3.6 grade-point average and will continue his academic and wrestling careers at University of Michigan.
Coach (and Dad) Al Freeman said: “He works hard at it of course, like all serious athletes do. He might get an edge because he’s always been a student of the sport. His matches are live practicing for him, where he attempts to execute techniques and strategies to score as many points as possible. He has won many matches where he came off the mat very disappointed in himself because this or that technique didn’t work well enough. I think that he is one of the best. But I think there are many others whose records aren’t as stellar who are also up there with the best. Mis-timed injuries, illness, etc. can derail any of us no matter how good we are. Ben’s experienced this at some national tournaments. In fact, at this year’s state tournament he got sick the day before. Luckily being the last weight class on Thursday gave him just enough time to recover enough to perform. You need both a lot of preparation and a little luck at the top level.”
Performance Point: "During the season, I couldn't really think about all of that (four-title talk)," Ben Freeman said. "If I started thinking about that stuff, I thought I might psych myself out. So I tried to take each tournament one at a time, not look too far ahead. I definitely thought about (missing out on a fourth title). Obviously that crosses your mind. It happens to a lot of people who are dominant for three years, and the fourth year they lose to someone no one thought they would. I tried to keep that in mind and not underestimate anyone so that wouldn't happen."
No. 22: "It doesn't even seem real. I look up to all of those guys; I can't picture myself being part of that group (of four-time winners). Right after ... there were just so many emotions. I didn't even know what to think. Now that it's a week later, it's setting in. I'm sure the more time that goes by, and just realizing it, it's going to set in more."
Brotherly love: "It was super cool. I'm really proud of him. I know he deserves it. I know he could've won as a freshman, could've won last year too, but things don't always work out. I'm happy he finally got over that hump. I'm sure it's a lot of relief off his chest, and it makes it easier for him to (win again) next year."
Coach Dad: "Sometimes it was tough, especially when I was little, and obviously it's really tough for him to change hats and go between being Coach and being Dad. Obviously it's two different roles, but we've worked it out pretty good. I know at practice I have to treat him like Coach, and at home he's my dad. It's tough, but there are a lot of positives to it too. He's just around all the time. If I ever have any questions, I can ask him ... and get a lot quicker responses."
State of wrestling: "My favorite part is everyone (in Michigan) kinda knows each other. I've met a lot of great people all over the state, just practicing and going to tournaments with them. All the wrestlers I've found are really great people. I'm not sure if it's because they're like me, or just great people in general, but I've made a lot of close friendships through it, all over Michigan."
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2016-17 school year, Second Half and the Michigan National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2016-17 honorees:
March 2: Joey Mangner, Chelsea swimming & diving – Read
Feb. 23: Isabelle Nguyen, Grosse Pointe North gymnastics – Read
Feb. 16: Dakota Hurbis, Saline swimming & diving – Read
Feb. 2: Foster Loyer, Clarkston basketball – Read
Jan. 26: Nick Jenkins, Detroit Catholic Central wrestling – Read
Jan. 19: Eileene Naniseni, Mancelona basketball – Read
Jan. 12: Rory Anderson, Calumet hockey – Read
Dec. 15: Demetri Martin, Big Rapids basketball – Read
Dec. 1: Rodney Hall, Detroit Cass Tech football – Read
Nov. 24: Ally Cummings, Novi volleyball – Read
Nov. 17: Chloe Idoni, Fenton volleyball – Read
Nov. 10: Adelyn Ackley, Hart cross country – Read
Nov. 3: Casey Kirkbride, Mattawan soccer – Read
Oct. 27: Colton Yesney, Negaunee cross country – Read
Oct. 20: Varun Shanker, Midland Dow tennis – Read
Oct. 13: Anne Forsyth, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country – Read
Oct. 6: Shuaib Aljabaly, Coldwater cross country – Read
Sept. 29: Taylor Seaman, Brighton swimming & diving – Read
Sept. 22: Maggie Farrell, Battle Creek Lakeview cross country – Read
Sept. 15: Franki Strefling, Buchanan volleyball – Read
Sept. 8: Noah Jacobs, Corunna cross country – Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Walled Lake Central's Ben Freeman on Saturday has his arm raised for the fourth time at an MHSAA Individual Finals. (Middle) Freeman attempts to pin Groves' Colin Takata during their championship match. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)