Lowell Begins Work to Extend Title Run
December 21, 2016
By Dean Holzwarth
Special for Second Half
LOWELL – Wrestling coach R.J. Boudro gets a chuckle every time he hears other people talk about Lowell High School athletes.
“Those kids are huge. What are they feeding those kids?”
It’s a comment based on little validity.
“It’s a myth that we feed our kids certain things, that they are big farm boys,” Boudro said. “What I think gets lost is people think Lowell is good every year, and I think that’s true in our football program, too.
“They think we’re good because of where we eat and what we’re feeding them, but we had seven of our 11 guys on the field for our football team at 170 pounds or below. They just work hard.”
Work ethic and toughness are staples among Lowell wrestlers. Those qualities have catapulted the Red Arrows into one of the premier programs in the state over the last two decades.
“They think Lowell is good because we’re Lowell, and we have to fight that,” Boudro said. “You can’t just walk in and be good because you put on a Lowell singlet. It takes a lot of work.”
The Red Arrows’ success is unprecedented.
They have captured six MHSAA Division 2 titles in program history, including the last three in a row. The Red Arrows have wrestled in 12 of the last 18 Division 2 championship matches, first finishing runner-up in 1999 and claiming their first title in 2002.
Lowell has made five straight Finals appearances, and after back-to-back losses to another perennial powerhouse, St. Johns, in 2012 and 2013, broke through in 2014 with a narrow 35-34 Finals win over the then four-time reigning MHSAA champion.
The Red Arrows defeated Eaton Rapids in the 2015 championship match, and St. Johns again last season. Lowell and St. Johns have met four times in the Finals over the last five years.
“It’s a huge challenge trying to defend a state title, and we’ve done that twice now,” Boudro said. “I don’t think it gets any easier, and it gets harder each year. There a lot of people that would like to see Lowell lose. I don’t think we’re a disliked program, but when you’re the guys at the top everyone is gunning for you.”
Lowell began this season as the top-ranked team in Division 2, but a new set of challenges await as it makes a bid for four consecutive championships.
The Red Arrows boast 51 on this year’s team; however, they graduated five all-state wrestlers and do not have any returning Individual Finals champions in the fold.
“This is new territory for us because that hasn’t happened since I’ve been here,” said Boudro, who is in his third season as head coach after previously serving as an assistant. “Usually we always have someone to look to who won a state title, and I could count on guys going out and getting six points almost every dual meet.
“We don’t necessarily have that this year, and we’re really young. We have a lot of freshmen we’re counting on and a lot of sophomores and juniors. The senior class isn’t big, but every junior and senior has been to the state finals three times and won.”
Lowell will rely on the strength of five returning all-state wrestlers to lead the way. They include seniors Sam Russell (145), Bryce Dempsey (152/160) and Eli Boulton (215), junior David Kruse (189) and sophomore Avry Mutschler (140).
Dempsey, who placed sixth at the Individual Finals a year ago, believes the Red Arrows can be just as good this year.
“I think we’re going to be better this year, actually,” he said. “We have a lot of new lightweights, and I’m not worried about them being freshmen because we have great leadership on the team and they’re all adjusting really well.
“We lost some hard-hitting seniors, but other guys have made progress in developing their abilities. I’m confident in our ability to get to the team state finals again this year.”
Kruse, the starting quarterback on the one-loss football team, also has high hopes.
“I think we have a good team, and we had some big losses, but I think (we) can fill those spots because we have a lot of guys coming up big,” he said. “I think we’ll be all right.”
The longstanding tradition of excellence at Lowell is something coaches and wrestlers take immense pride in.
Boudro said it begins with the support of the community.
“We have a community that gets it and stands behind us,” he said. “We have businesses in this town and people in this town who really come together to help put together an awesome program, athletics in general.
“We have a ton of support, and I think we have guys who realize they are wrestling for more than themselves. They are wrestling for the community, the people before them and the team now.”
Kruse began wrestling in Lowell’s youth program when he was 10, and has seen how the community has rallied around the program.
“I take a lot of pride in being a Lowell wrestler and being a part of a special team and community,” he said. “Our coaches teach us great things, and we have support from our community.”
Dempsey moved to Lowell last year. He was impressed by the values the coaches instilled.
“I love everything the team stands for,” Dempsey said. “It’s not wins and losses. It’s how we win or lose. We have a motto of ‘Never Yield’ and we follow that through practices and competitions.
“Everyone is there to support each other, and everyone is putting in the same amount of work you’re putting in and everyone is working for the same goal. We’re all equally passionate in achieving that goal.”
While the Red Arrows have enjoyed past successes, the future looks just as bright.
The youth program continues to see record growth with 170 wrestlers registered this year.
“It is insane, and it’s the most it’s ever been,” Boudro said. “I think of what we’ve done the last 20 years, and now I feel like it’s the strongest it has ever been. It’s pretty cool and exciting for our future.”
Dean Holzwarth covered primarily high school sports for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years, served as sports editor of the Ionia Sentinel-Standard and as a sports photojournalist for WZZM, and currently is a reporter for WOODTV. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Lowell’s Sam Russell celebrates his win during last season’s Division 2 Final. (Middle) Eli Boulton (left) wrestles to victory at 189 pounds last winter at Rose Arena. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Hudson's Hamdan Wins Clash of Champs
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 4, 2017
AUBURN HILLS – Hudson sophomore Jordan Hamdan didn’t just want to win a Division 4 title Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills – he also wanted to impress his older brother, Roddy.
Hamdan accomplished both, defeating Jackson Lumen Christi’s Spencer Good 3-2 in a matchup of returning MHSAA champions in the 119-pound Final.
“It means more, because he kind of helped me get this good,” said Hamdan, who had his brother – a Division 4 champion in 2013 – in his corner as an assistant coach during the match. “We’ve been always wrestling with each other since we were really young, and I’ve been looking up to him. So it was kind of a big deal to me – I wanted to impress him.”
Hamdan scored an early takedown in the match, then was forced to switch up his strategy as Good clamped down defensively on his feet.
“I knew I was ahead, and I knew he couldn’t hold me down,” Hamdan said. “So I had to keep it even and keep it close since I couldn’t score on my feet, and then I knew he wouldn’t be able to score if I was still being offensive in the third period.”
Hamdan and Good, a senior, were each looking for their second title, as they both won at 112 a year ago – Hamdan in Division 4 and Good in Division 3. With two titles in two years as a high schooler, Hamdan is now thinking big.
“It was kind of like a dream more than a goal,” Hamdan said. “And I guess my dream is becoming a reality, slowly. It’s a process. I’ve been working out all summer, in the season and offseason for this, and getting prepared as much as I possibly can for this tournament.”
103
Champion: Reese Fry, Manchester, Jr. (51-1)
Major decision, 10-0, over Jamison Ward, Carson City-Crystal, Fr. (52-3)
Fry learned some lessons in his first two trips to the Palace.
“(I learned) how to push myself,” Fry said. “How to develop and just grow as a wrestler – fundamentally and mentally.”
Fry turned those lessons into a Finals title, as he defeated Carson City-Crystal’s freshman sensation Jamison Ward.
The Manchester junior controlled the match throughout, scoring a takedown in each period, and taking Ward to his back in the second.
“I kept in control,” Fry said. “I just wrestled the match I wanted to wrestle.”
112
Champion: Noah Comar, Clinton, Soph. (51-0)
Decision, 3-1 (OT), over Tucker Sholl, Hudson, Soph. (33-3)
It was a Hudson wrestler that stopped Comar’s title bid a year ago. He wasn’t going to let a Tiger get in his way again.
Comar scored a takedown in overtime to defeat returning champion Tucker Sholl and finish off a perfect sophomore season. Comar lost in the 2016 112-pound Final against Sholl’s teammate, Jordan Hamdan.
“My strategy was just to push the pace and catch him off guard,” Comar said. “I guess it worked, because I got the ankle and got a takedown. I had to push the pace. My greatest defense was my offense. … It was sweet revenge.”
125
Champion: Skyler Crespo, Mendon, Fr. (52-1)
Decision, 3-1, over Robert LeFevre, Erie Mason, Sr. (48-5)
Crespo couldn’t stop moving after winning the 125-pound title. Despite just finishing a hard-fought match against returning champion Robert LeFevre, Crespo still found the energy to jog in place.
“I’m so excited,” he said. “There’s been a lot of time and work put into this.”
The Mendon freshman capped off a remarkable first high school season by taking LeFevre down in the first period, and holding him off the rest of the way. Now, the inevitable four-time champion discussions will begin, and Crespo is ready for them.
“Get back to work as soon as I can,” Crespo said. “Monday morning, I’ll be doing something. Running or whatever it is.”
130
Champion: Robert Rogers, Burton Bentley, Jr. (43-1)
Decision, 9-4, over Nick Felt, Shelby, Soph. (49-2)
Rogers claimed his second straight title, jumping out to a 7-2 lead before holding off big-move attempts from Shelby’s Felt.
“In those situations, most people are going to throw,” Rogers said. “I’ve been in those situations before, and I’ve been on the big stage, so I know what it takes to win. With 20 seconds left, I’m not going to let you do your moves; I’m going to do mine.”
While Rogers called upon his big-match experience in the waning moments, he didn’t let his status as a returning champion allow him to get overconfident.
“You have to come in here thinking that you could win or lose,” he said. “You can’t just come in here thinking, ‘Oh, I’m a returning state champion and I’m going to win.’ I came in thinking, ‘You know what, I’m just another guy on the chart, and anyone can beat me.’ So I had to go out there and show everyone that I can beat them.”
135
Champion: Ethan Woods, Manchester, Sr. (49-2)
Decision, 5-0, over Jayce Kuehnlein, St. Louis, Jr. (45-6)
After falling one win short of a title in each of the last two years, Ethan Woods climbed to the top of the podium as a senior.
“It feels great,” an emotional Woods said. “Everything that I’ve worked for my whole life finally paid off. I put so much time in training for this my whole life. I could have wrestled better and I should have, but I did what I needed to win, and I finally accomplished what I set out to do, and it feels great.”
Woods got an early takedown, and controlled the match throughout, even if the scoring may not have been there.
“Each year, my confidence and composure has built and developed, and I’m able to handle all the pressure and the nerves,” Woods said. “Obviously I still put a lot of pressure on myself, because I just won but I don’t feel like I wrestled as good as I could have. But I think (three previous trips to the MHSAA Finals) helped me prepare mentally.”
140
Champion: Sean O’Hearon, Springport, Sr. (42-0)
Technical fall, 26-11 (4:46), over Braxton Seida, Carson City-Crystal, Soph. (49-5)
O’Hearon put on a takedown clinic on his way to a dominant victory.
The Springport senior took Carson City-Crystal’s Seida down 12 times – and added a reversal – on his way to his second straight title.
“I came into the state meet basically making it my goal to tech every single person here,” O’Hearon said. “I guess I was able to do that, so that’s a win.”
Making the title more special was the fact O’Hearon was able to share it with his cousin, Austin, who won the 145-pound title in Division 2 for Eaton Rapids.
“It’s even more awesome because my cousin won, too,” Sean O’Hearon said. “In my senior year, we both win, that’s something not many people can have.”
145
Champion: Konnor Holton, St. Louis, Sr. (46-3)
Decision, 6-4 (OT), over Noah Niemen, Blissfield, Sr. (29-3)
For the first time since 1967, St. Louis has a Finals champion. Konnor Holton got a takedown in overtime to knock off Noah Niemen and become the Sharks’ second MHSAA title winner.
“I knew he was going to get deep, and I knew that if I got into a scramble position, it was my match,” Holton said. “I knew as soon as I got him uncomfortable, it was my match.”
Holton held a 4-3 lead late in the match, but was hit for fleeing the mat to tie things up and send it to overtime. He bounced back in the extra period, however, capitalizing on his second trip to the Finals after falling a win short a year ago.
“I can’t even describe it right now,” Holton said. “My heart is all over the place.”
152
Champion: Gerrit Yates, Hesperia, Jr. (37-1)
Pin, 2:22, over Zack Menck, Lawton, Jr. (54-4)
Yates decided to add basketball to his winter athletics load this year. While he thinks it may be hurting him a bit on the mat, you’d be hard-pressed to tell.
Yates came through in his third straight Finals appearance, winning by second-period pin.
“It’s great to win it, but I didn’t wrestle near my ability,” Yates said. “Probably right after this, I’m going to go work in the wrestling room some more, get in the weight room.”
Menck held a 6-5 lead in the match after one period, but Yates took him straight to his back from their feet early in the second to earn the pin.
“The whole match, he was wrestling kind of defensive, staying back and then jumping at me,” Yates said. “I kind of timed it, as soon as I saw him faking, I sat back and tossed him because I saw it coming. I knew I had to go for something big.”
160
Champion: Tanner Gonzales, Manistique, Sr. (46-0)
Decision, 5-4 (2 OT), over Johnathon Stid, Dansville, Sr. (38-7)
As Gonzales recognized the fans who had made the long trip to the Palace from the Upper Peninsula, one of them shouted to him, “Manistique in the house!”
“I’m the third U.P. champ, and they haven’t had one in a while,” Gonzales said. “So it’s exciting for the whole U.P. and Manistique. It’s a small town, and they’ve never had a state champ in anything.”
Now they do, as Gonzales scored a reversal late in the second period of the second overtime and held on for the win.
“Just hang on,” Gonzales said of his strategy for the final seven seconds. “I hadn’t had a stall call yet, so if I took a stall call, I wasn’t too worried about it.”
171
Champion: Dylan Smith, Bad Axe, Sr. (47-4)
Decision, 3-2, over David Erwin, Bronson, Sr. (53-3)
A third-period takedown lifted Smith to Bad Axe’s first championship since 1991.
“It’s amazing,” Smith said. “I came in and got sixth last year. This is a lot better feeling.”
Smith and Bronson’s Erwin were tied at 1 in the third period before Smith’s takedown gave him a 3-1 lead. Erwin was able to get away and pull within one, but Smith fought him off.
“I was ready for the shot,” Smith said. “Coach was expecting it. I was ready to sprawl off his quick shot.”
189
Champion: Tylor Grames, Hudson, Sr. (41-12)
Decision, 5-3 (OT), over Erik Birchmeier, New Lothrop, Sr. (31-3)
A week ago Grames knocked off Birchmeier to kick off Hudson’s march to a team title.
On Saturday, he needed extra time, but again came out on top against the returning champion from New Lothrop.
“I changed it up from wanting the team to do good, to inspiring everyone that was up there watching to want to do good,” Grames said. “Last week when we wrestled he would post a lot, and I capitalized by making my shots. This week, he barely posted, which made it five times harder.”
Grames had to fight off a near takedown from Birchmeier late in regulation to force overtime.
“Fear,” Grames said. “Fear. I really wanted to make my hometown proud, and I was scared that I wouldn’t, so that’s what drove me on.”
215
Champion: Devon Kozel, Bangor, Sr. (48-1)
Decision, 9-3, over Nick Cooper, Springport, Sr. (40-4)
Kozel was a runner-up a year ago, but he left little doubt Saturday night against returning champion Cooper of Springport.
“I had to redeem myself,” Kozel said.
Kozel had three takedowns and a reversal to control the match and earn a third straight win against Cooper.
“Just have to stay tough on our feet,” Kozel said. “I know where you have to win the match at.”
285
Champion: Logan Kennedy, Decatur, Sr. (58-2)
Decision, 6-4, over Zach Bailey, Hudson, Sr. (41-10)
Losing wasn’t an option for Kennedy.
After finishing as a runner-up a year ago, and falling behind late in his title match Saturday against Hudson’s Bailey, Kennedy turned up the pace to force overtime and eventually win his first MHSAA championship.
“I just knew I had to something,” Kennedy said. “He’d already been hit with a warning for stalling, so I thought if I went at him, I could get another stalling call and send it to overtime. I love wrestling in the third period because I feel so much better than the other wrestlers.”
He continued that aggression into overtime, where he finished off a dream season.
“It’s been my dream my whole entire life,” he said. “Ever since I started wrestling, I knew I wanted to be a state champion.”
PHOTO: Hudson’s Jordan Hamdan (left) and Jackson Lumen Christi’s Spencer Good face off in the Division 4 Final at 119 pounds Saturday. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)