Led by 1st-Year Coaches, Dundee Adds to Longtime Tradition with Another D3 Win
By
Jeff Chaney
Special for MHSAA.com
February 25, 2023
KALAMAZOO – Nate Hall and Garrett Stevens knew what they were taking over when they were announced as co-coaches of the Dundee wrestling team before this season.
Longtime coach Tim Roberts did not leave the cupboard bare when he decided to retire.
His Vikings program had won five straight MHSAA Division 3 team titles and was littered with talented and powerful wrestlers.
Hall and Stevens proved to be the right picks to take over the legendary program, as they helped coach the Vikings to their sixth-straight title, and 14th overall.
And Dundee did it in its usual impressive fashion, with a 60-18 win over Whitehall in the Final on Saturday at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo.
"The well was not dry, and don't wreck it," said Hall, whose team finished duals at 19-2. "We didn't change much. We have all been around the program long enough, we had a great idea of what was taking place and how we are successful."
Which is?
"The commitment of the families, that is 100 percent why this program is so successful," Hall said. "I am not chasing kids down to have them wrestle in the summer. I'm chasing them trying to keep up with them."
And that is exactly what the Vikings' three opponents were doing all weekend in Kalamazoo – chasing down Dundee's talent.
In the Final, the Vikings were down 12-0 after two pins by Whitehall. But after that, Dundee went on to win 11 matches in a row, seven straight by pin.
Freshman Haydn Nutt began with a pin in 3 minutes, 9 seconds. Nutt was one of six freshmen who took to the mat this weekend for the Vikings. And all six are ranked among the top 10 in their respective weight classes by Michigan Grappler, including Nutt, who is the state's top-ranked 106-pounder in Division 3.
"We started the year and we had 13 freshmen, and I can't say enough the way our program has developed those kids," Hall said. "They were ready from day one this year, and they stepped up and progressed properly. They were ready to go."
It helps when you have a senior class of state champions leading the way like Braeden Davis at 132 pounds, Kaden Chinavare at 138 and Aiden Davis at 157.
"Dundee is the best place to be when you want to pursue wrestling," said Braeden Davis, who will look to win a fourth-straight individual title next weekend at Ford Field and couple that with his now four team titles. "We have a great staff, a great community. It's all about wrestling at Dundee."
Braeden Davis went 3-0 for the weekend and helped Dundee defeat Hart in the Quarterfinals 64-15 and Constantine in the Semifinals 59-16.
Braeden Davis was most impressive in the Final, when he won by fall in 15 seconds.
Whitehall co-coach Justin Zeerip knows good wrestling when he sees it. A four-time Individual Finals champion himself, Zeerip was impressed with the Vikings.
"Dundee is so tough, " said Zeerip, whose team ended with a 32-4 record. "From 106 to 175, they have seven top-ranked guys. And a couple other guys are ranked really high, so hats off to them, they are a great program. Our kids wrestled hard, they are just a super team."
Whitehall did wrestle hard during the two-day event as well, downing Gladstone in the Quarterfinals 48-24 on Friday, and then Algonac in the Semifinals 40-27 earlier Saturday. Whitehall wrestled over its seed in that match, as the No. 3-seeded Vikings got past the second seed.
"I was proud how my guys wrestled this weekend," Zeerip said.
PHOTOS (Top) Dundee’s Kaden Chinavare, right, goes for a takedown during his 126-pound match with Whitehall’s Caden Varela. (Middle) Whitehall’s Jackson Cook wrestles to a 7-3 decision win at 190 in the Semifinal against Algonac. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
With Final Takedown, Goodrich's Phipps Arrives at Championship Destination
By
Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com
March 4, 2023
DETROIT – A journey that had been 13 years in the making finally ended with a dream come true for Goodrich junior Easton Phipps.
Since he began wrestling at age 4, Phipps had been focused only on winning a state title.
At Saturday’s Division 2 Individual Finals, Phipps (41-4) had to tap into everything he had worked for to win the 190-pound championship.
After a 1-1 tie through three periods with Clio’s Jacob Marrs (37-5), the two remained tied after the sudden victory stage.
Things came down to the ultimate tiebreaker, which saw Phipps score a takedown to win.
“That state title is what was pushing me,” Phipps said. “I wanted to avenge all my teammates that didn’t get the shot to get a state title. I worked for them and the whole town. I get my picture on the wrestling room wall now.”
The junior said his championship match just came down to will power, as the two cancelled each other out in skill.
“I don’t really know what to say; the skill wasn’t there, it was just about toughness when it got into overtime,” Phipps said.
106
Champion: Brady Baker, Stevensville Lakeshore, Soph. (48-2)
Major Decision, 9-1, over Cristian Haslem, St. Clair, Fr. (46-2)
Baker had control throughout the whole match as the sophomore took home his first Finals championship.
He hit multiple takedowns and a reversal to keep Haslem from getting into the match.
“Things played out well,” Baker said. “I was getting into my attacks, scoring early and often. That’s what you have to do if you want to win.”
Baker failed to place at last year’s Finals and was motivated all season because of that. That motivation pushed him to a championship.
“It means a lot to not place last year and come in this year and win a state title,” Baker said. “It had been on my mind a lot, but there’s still bigger things to come.”
113
Champion: Malachi Kapenga, Hamilton, Soph. (48-4)
Decision 6-4 (OT) over Carter Cichocki, Lowell, Soph. (31-9)
The longest seconds of Kapenga’s life occurred as he awaited a referee’s decision at the end of the third period.
Trailing Cichocki 4-3, Kapenga managed to score an escape as the round ended, but also looked as if he may have had a takedown. Referees conferenced on whether he escaped in time, or even potentially won.
After ruling Kapenga got the escape point, he then went on to score a takedown in sudden victory to win his first Finals championship.
“I just was waiting and praying that they would at least give me one point,” Kapenga said. “I knew if I got the one point, I was at least still in the match. I was expecting a win or a loss, so getting the point, I was happy to at least be going into overtime.”
The match with Cichocki was back-and-forth, with both wrestlers holding leads during the first three rounds.
“It was a hard-fought match, and I had to be smart with my shots,” Kapenga said. “To win feels amazing. I have been working very hard toward it.”
120
Champion: Jackson Blum, Lowell, Soph. (39-3)
23-8 Technical Fall (4:52) over Tayden Miller, Mason, Sr. (37-2)
Blum was very workmanlike in winning a second championship.
The Lowell sophomore scored takedown after takedown to pick up the tech fall victory in the third period.
“There can be some built-up anxiety as you approach the match, but it’s just about getting into what you know you can do and the pressure goes away,” Blum said.
The pressure of a second consecutive title never seemed to get to Blum during the season, as he kept his focus on getting better each day.
“You feel that pressure, but you just have to block it out and do what you do in practice each day,” Blum said. “If you put in the work, the rest takes care of itself.”
126
Champion: Marcello Milani, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Sr. (50-0)
Decision, 3-0, over Bryce Shingelton, Linden, Sr. (45-3)
Milani had to wrestle a flawless match to get past Shingelton.
A first-round takedown got him off to a good start, and an escape in the third was the insurance point he needed to grind out the victory.
“I was just trusting in my wrestling, trusting in what I could do,” Milani said of what carried him through the match. “I have trained for this and had to trust that I did the work.”
The Orchard Lake St. Mary’s senior was able to cap off his career with a perfect 50-0 record on top of the title.
“This is something I really wanted since I was a freshman,” Milani said. “I am really glad I got to close it out this year.”
132
Champion: Grant Stahl, Mount Pleasant, Sr. (41-0)
Decision, 12-9, over Aaron Lucio, Stevensville Lakeshore, Sr. (49-2)
The long road to a Finals championship brought a lot of tough moments for Stahl, but it paid off Saturday.
The Oilers senior finished his career with a perfect season record capped by a 12-9 thriller against Lucio.
“This means everything. I had finished second and third and missed a year because of COVID,” Stahl said. “I have given everything to get this, and it feels incredible to finally get it. I wanted it so bad.”
Stahl was able to go up 8-1 thanks to a set of near-fall points early in the third period. He then had to fend off an aggressive Lucio to hang on for the championship.
“(Lucio) just shot in deep and he was sitting there, so I just reached back and hooked his arm, tilted him up and that was the difference,” Stahl said.
138
Champion: Jayden Schwartz, Charlotte, Sr. (52-2)
Decision, 11-5, over Owen Segorski, Lowell, Soph. (29-7)
Trailing 4-2 going into the third period, Jayden Schwartz knew it was time to go into overdrive.
Trusting in his stamina, Schwartz came out aggressive in the third and scored nine points to get past Segorski, a 2022 champion.
“All the work I have put in over the last few weeks, it was all for that third period,” Schwartz said. “I knew I had the stamina for the third to really push the pace.”
The top-seeded Schwartz finished with 52 wins while ending his prep career as a champion.
“This feels amazing,” Schwartz said of the title. “It hasn’t really hit me yet, but all the hard work really paid off.”
144
Champion: CJ Poole, Lowell, Sr. (31-8)
Injury Stoppage (5:00) over Louden Stradling, Gaylord, Sr. (50-1)
The final match of the night ended with unfortunate circumstances.
Tied 1-1 in the third, Poole shot in for a takedown on Stradling. The two collided heads and the impact from the shot, which finished out of the circle, left Stradling unable to continue.
Stradling suffered a head injury, and the match was ruled over and awarded to Poole.
“He’s a back-up-and-shoot kind of wrestler and I saw he was backing up and getting ready to shoot, so I shot for a double. He lowered his level and we hit heads and I was just trying to drive through on my shot,” Poole said.
The way the match ended wasn’t likely how Poole envisioned it, but he’s still grateful to be a champion.
“It still feels amazing,” Poole said of the title. “It’s been a lot of work.”
150
Champion: Trevor Swiss, Petoskey, Sr. (47-0)
Decision, 10-4, over Jack Conley, Lake Fenton, Sr. (31-3)
Swiss completed an unbeaten season, and the Petoskey senior never trailed in this match.
Going into the third period tied 4-4, Swiss picked up the pace and outscored Conley 6-0 to secure the championship.
“I knew I had to work, so I just came out knowing I needed to make something happen,” Swiss said. “I was able to capitalize when he got off-balanced, so I managed to put him on his back.”
Despite the unbeaten season, it was the Finals title that Swiss had been craving all year, fulfilling a childhood dream.
“This is what I have been dreaming of since I was in first grade,” Swiss said. “It feels amazing, and I really can’t put it into words.”
157
Champion: Cory Thomas Jr., Pontiac, Jr. (26-0)
Decision, 5-1, over Zach Jacobs, Jackson Northwest, Sr. (39-3)
After a scoreless first period, Thomas Jr. managed to ride out Jacobs in the second period to keep the match at 0-0.
In the third, Thomas Jr. knew he had put himself in position to win, which he did with an early escape and two takedowns during the closing two minutes.
“I work really hard at home, and I think that showed in being able to get those late takedowns,” Thomas Jr. said. “I was able to just keep pushing through.”
Thomas Jr. placed third at the 2021 D1 Finals at 125 pounds wrestling for Detroit Catholic Central, but being able to come back this year to win a title for Pontiac was even more rewarding.
“It’s been a crazy journey. I’m just so happy to be able to experience this,” Thomas Jr. said.
165
Champion: Philip Lamka, Fenton, Jr. (44-2)
Decision, 6-5, over Max Macklem, Goodrich, Soph. (33-5)
After placing third at last year’s Finals, Lamka wouldn’t let himself experience disappointment again.
He trailed Macklem 5-4 in the third period, but scored a late takedown to edge his opponent by one point.
“I’ve worked so hard for this all year,” Lamka said. “After last year, this is all I wanted. Coming up short in the semifinals in overtime to the eventual champ (in 2022) was hard. Coming in, I had one job to do and that was to win. I got it done.”
Following the victory, Lamka dropped to his knees and took in the moment.
“This is everything I have worked for my whole life,” Lamka said. “After coming up short before, (the emotions) just flood you.”
175
Champion: Brayden Gautreau, Gaylord, Sr. (52-1)
Decision, 3-1 (OT), over Carson Crace, Lowell, Sr. (33-6)
For Gautreau to come up with a second-consecutive championship, he needed a little more time. The senior was tied 1-1 with Crace through three periods after each scored an escape.
In OT, the past champ showed his mettle and came through with a takedown to earn the victory.
“I was on my stuff,” Gautreau said of the OT period. “(Crace) did a good job of keeping me off during most of the match. I just kept attacking, and it eventually paid off.”
Gautreau won the D2 171-pound title last year but said he never felt a lot of pressure to repeat.
“I didn’t feel a lot of the pressure. I just love wrestling, so I just love being able to compete,” Gautreau said. “You put in a lot of work for these moments, and this is where champions shine.”
215
Champion: Adam Haselius, Jackson Northwest, Sr. (50-0)
Decision, 5-1, over Joey Scaramuzzino, Croswell-Lexington, Jr. (51-4)
Haselius likes to be consistent, and he was very consistent Saturday night.
The Jackson Northwest senior claimed a second-consecutive Division 2 title after winning at 189 pounds in 2022.
“It feels great to repeat,” Haselius said. “Obviously that has been the goal since last year. It just comes down to consistency for me. Nobody that wins a state championship believes that they can’t win it again.”
Haselius never trailed, as he set the tone early with a takedown and added another in the second period before grinding out the victory in the third.
“I just wanted to keep myself in good positions,” Haselius said of the match. “Once I got the lead, I knew it was on him to bring the pressure, so I just had to wrestle smart.”
285
Champion: James Mahon, Goodrich, Soph. (14-0)
Decision, 5-4, over Aaron Holstege, Allendale, Sr. (49-1)
Battling through a labrum injury, Mahon managed to ride out Holstege for the final minute to secure a one-point victory.
“In a lot of my matches this year and last year, I’ve had to find ways to win 1-0 or win by one point,” Mahon said. “I’ve always found ways to get it done.”
Mahon trailed 4-3 in the third period, but scored a takedown with a minute left to go ahead and then worked on his top game to earn his first Finals title as a sophomore.
“I really expected this the whole year,” Mahon said. “It was never in doubt for me. Now I have to go and get two more.”
PHOTOS (Top) Goodrich’s Easton Phipps takes a champion’s photo at Ford Field. (Middle) Jackson Northwest’s Zach Jacobs, front, works to break the hold of Pontiac’s Cory Thomas Jr. on Saturday. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)