![Hudson’s Nicholas Sorrow works toward a pin in his 113-pound match during the Division 4 Final.](/sites/default/files/2023-02/230225_D4_2H.jpg)
Hudson Makes Big Stage Home Again in Division 4 Championship Repeat
By
Jeff Chaney
Special for MHSAA.com
February 25, 2023
KALAMAZOO – The Hudson wrestling team is never afraid of the big stage.
In fact, the Tigers thrive on it.
Hudson claimed its second-straight Division 4 team championship Saturday at Wings Event Center with an impressive 58-12 win over Bronson in the Final.
The Tigers have won 10 team titles in head coach Scott Marry's 35 years of leading the program.
Marry said aside from a lot of hard work, it's a simple formula for the small school and community in southern Michigan.
"We love each other – I love my kids, and they love me," Marry said. "I love my coaching staff, and when you wrestle out of the environment like that, it settles in and it's really powerful. Everyone calls it momentum, but it's really love."
The love and momentum were on full display Saturday in Kalamazoo, especially in the championship match against Bronson.
After falling behind 6-0 from a pin at 215 pounds, the Tigers ran off a string of nine straight wins. And among those nine straight wins, Hudson had seven pins.
Starting the streak was senior heavyweight Aidan Rackowski with a pin in 2 minutes, 44 seconds.
Pinning their opponents is a consistent theme for Hudson at the Finals.
During the Tigers’ 62-18 win over Iron Mountain in the Quarterfinal, 51-12 win over Martin/Climax-Scotts in the Semifinal and the championship victory over Bronson, Hudson had a total of 17 pins.
"We just work on a lot of subconscious brain work in the room," Marry said, "And visualization and creativity. And that manifests itself; it's powerful. Believe it or not, kids nowadays really do want to learn. They want to be loved, and they want to be taken care of."
The 17th and final pin of the weekend for Hudson came from senior Logan Sallows at 190 pounds.
Sallows a returning Individual Finals placer.
"We push hard at practice," said Sallows, who is the second-ranked 190-pounder in Division 4 by Michigan Grappler. "We always want to get better as a team, always. Everyone is family, and we continue to push ourselves until we hit our limits."
And those limits are high.
Although it ran up against one of, if not the best team in Division 4 year in and year out, Bronson coach Chad Butters was proud of his team's run this year.
The third-seeded Vikings defeated Manchester in the Quarterfinals 39-19, then second-seeded St. Louis in the Semifinals 38-29.
"We felt really good coming in here," said Butters, whose team ended with a 39-2 record. "I thought we wrestled really well against Manchester. Then against St. Louis, we showed a lot of toughness and grit.
"Against Hudson, we knew we would have to pull off some upsets; that just didn't happen," he added. "They overwhelmed us. They wrestled their match. They did what they do best."
Bronson got its wins in the Final from Matthew Blankenship at 215, Carson Norton at 157 and Jacob Britten at 175.
"I am so proud of my young men," Butters said. "I am proud of their heart. We just fell short."
PHOTOS (Top) Hudson’s Nicholas Sorrow works toward a pin in his 113-pound match during the Division 4 Final. (Middle) Bronson’s Matthew Blankenship, right, and St. Louis’ Ramon Anguiano lock up at 285 in a Semifinal. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
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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.)