Lowell's Boone Ends as 2nd 8-Time Champion

By Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com

March 7, 2020

DETROIT – Brent Metcalf. Austin Boone. 

That’s it. That’s the list. 

Boone, a senior at Lowell, became the second wrestler in MHSAA history Saturday to win four individual titles while being part of four team titles, as he defeated Gaylord’s Chase LaJoie 4-3 at 145 pounds during the Division 2 Individual Finals at Ford Field.

Metcalf, who eventually became an NCAA champion and competed on the international stage, was the first to accomplish the feat, achieving his at Davison from 2002-05. 

“It’s cool,” Boone said. “Like I’ve been telling everybody else, I’m not really thinking about it too much. It’s kind of cool, but I don’t pay attention to stuff like that.” 

He and Mendon’s Skyler Crespo became the 27th and 28th four-time individual champions in MHSAA history, nearly simultaneously. 

Boone (41-0), who had defeated LaJoie by major decision a week earlier in the Team Finals, had to stave off a late reversal attempt Saturday.  

It was a matchup of multiple-time champions, as LaJoie (38-2) had won as a freshman and sophomore. It was also a matchup of Division I talents, as Boone has signed with Penn State, and LaJoie will continue his career at Cornell. 

“It’s a great match; it’s my closest finals match I’ve had,” Boone said. “He’s a great wrestler. He’s going to do great things in college. Today I got him.” 

103 

Champion: Nolan Wertanen, St. Joseph, Soph. (46-2) 
Decision, 4-3, over Grant Stahl, Mount Pleasant, Fr. (39-3) 

Wertanen couldn’t compete a year ago in the Finals, as he fractured his wrist shortly before the postseason started. He made up for lost time Saturday. 

“I’ve been waiting my entire life to do something like this, ever since I started wrestling when I was 4,” Wertanen said. “To go out there and do something my dad could never do – I've just always wanted to win a state championship, and last year it sucked because I couldn’t, because I was hurt. Coming out here and winning it like this, especially after having a few losses that I shouldn’t have earlier in the year, it just feels great.” 

112 

Champion: Jacob Brya, St. Johns, Soph. (41-0) 
Major decision, 19-7, over Jack Parker, Spring Lake, Jr. (44-3) 

For the second straight year, Brya put on a dominant display at the Individual Finals. After winning the title at 103 a year ago, Brya had a pair of first-period falls and a technical fall on his way to Saturday’s final, which he dominated from the beginning. 

“I wasn’t as nervous this year,” Brya said. “It wasn’t that much different, but I still wasn’t as nervous this year.” 

Brya is already thinking of the possibility of joining the growing list of four-time champs. 

“I want to be a four-timer,” he said. “That’s why I train two-a-days four days a week.” 

119 

Champion: Joe Haynes, Warren Woods Tower, Jr. (49-3) 
Major decision, 11-2, over Trevor Marsman, Cedar Springs, Jr. (52-2) 

Haynes came up one match short of a Finals title a year ago, but he wasn’t about to be denied again.  

He wasn’t scored on in his first three matches of the tournament, and dominated the final, allowing only two escapes. 

“I just needed to stay in good position and score when the opportunities came,” Haynes said. “I felt like I didn’t want to repeat last year, that was more of the pressure. I didn’t feel like I was the No. 1 kid – rankings don’t matter. I just go in every match thinking everyone’s the same.” 

125 

Champion: Andrew Hughes, Charlotte, Sr. (50-1) 
Decision, 9-5, over John Henry Sosa, Gaylord, Sr. (41-3) 

Hughes became Charlotte’s first Finals champion since 1997, knocking off the weight’s top-ranked wrestler. 

He was dominant on his feet, setting the tone with a first-period takedown, and adding three more throughout the match. 

“I’ve worked my whole season, my whole life for this,” Hughes said. “It just feels huge. I tried to get as early of a lead as I could and keep building on it, really break him. … I feel like I did it for my city, so this is big.” 

130 

Champion: Micah Hanau, Stevensville Lakeshore, Soph. (41-4) 
Decision, 4-1 (OT), over Zeth Strejc, Lowell, Jr. (27-14) 

Hanau was very nearly rolled early in overtime, but he was able to not only counter the move and stay alive but fight for the winning takedown. 

“I just couldn’t control his hand-fighting – it was hard to keep him off my legs,” Hanau said. “I was able to keep him down and score. It’s fun. There's a lot of pressure, but it’s great to win.” 

135 

Champion: Shane Williams, Stevensville Lakeshore, Sr. (44-2) 
Decision, 6-3, over Nick Matusko, Chelsea, Sr. (48-1) 

Two weeks ago, Matusko knocked off Williams in the Regional final.  

This time, the Lakeshore senior had a plan to turn things around. 

“I think I needed to escape on bottom, because he rode me out for two periods,” said Williams, who picked up his 150th career win. “He would just stop my leg when I stood up, so I worked on that the past two weeks. It helped me out a bit that I got out right away.”  

140 

Champion: Nate Young, Holly, Sr. (49-1) 
Decision, 4-2, over Chris Haynes, Eaton Rapids, Sr. (45-2) 

After coming up one match shy of winning a Finals title a year ago, Young was thrilled to get to the top of the podium this year. 

Even if the match didn’t feature the amount of points he is accustomed to racking up. 

“Last year I came up a little bit short, and it always hurt knowing I was right there but didn’t quite get it done,” Young said. “So, it feels great to come back and finish what I started. I come into every match thinking that I just want to have fun and score points. Obviously, I didn’t score many points, but I still had fun.” 

152 

Champion: Jacob Gonzales, Holly, Soph. (55-0) 
Fall, 5:52, over James Fotis, Lowell, Sr. (29-6) 

Gonzales’ unbeaten season and Finals championship dreams were on the ropes in the third period, but the Holly sophomore came up big when it counted most. 

Trailing 6-2 late in the match, Gonzales took Fotis to his back and was able to get the pin to claim his title. 

“It was pretty amazing,” Gonzales said. “Throughout the whole match, I was thinking about how I was going to score points. I knew I needed a big move, so I went for it. I saw his legs were too close together and he wasn’t moving as he should have, and I capitalized.” 

160 

Champion: Caleb Fish, Eaton Rapids, Sr. (46-0) 
Decision, 2-1 (UTB), over Colton Blaha, Owosso, Sr. (54-2) 

After cruising through his first three matches with pins, Fish found himself in a battle against Blaha. 

Fish exploded for an escape from the bottom position in the first period of ultimate tie-breaker, and held on in the second to claim his second straight title. 

“In my head I was thinking, ‘I ain’t letting him up,’” Fish said. “Holding him down was my train of thought. I knew he wasn’t going to be ready for me to blow off the bottom as fast as I did. It just comes from the heart. Eaton Rapids has only had a few two-timers, so that was my dream.” 

171 

Champion: Omari Embree, Warren Woods-Tower, Soph. (29-2) 
Decision, 3-2, over Cody Brenner, New Boston Huron, Jr. (48-3) 

Embree didn’t think he wrestled his best in the Regional final when he lost to Brenner.  

He made sure that wouldn’t be the case Saturday as he claimed his second Finals title in as many tries.  

“I knew he wasn’t a better athlete than me – a better wrestler than me,” Embree said. “I didn’t wrestle my match when I wrestled him in Regionals. I wrestled my match, now I’m the champ when it mattered. I wanted to just stay low and focus on me.”  

189 

Champion: Tristan Vance, Clio, Sr. (19-3) 
Decision, 8-6, over John Shelton, East Grand Rapids, Sr. (50-1) 

Vance held off a late headlock attempt from Shelton, but it was close.  

The Clio senior, who missed most of the season with a back injury, was able to stay off his back and not give up a takedown as the final seconds ticked off the clock.  

“I gotta get my hips down; I gotta stay flat,” Vance said of what was going through his head. “I wasn’t giving up any back points, no way. I knew I had to get to my offense and not play his game. Do what I do best, and that’s how it goes.” 

215 

Champion: Hunter McCall, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, Sr. (47-1) 
Major decision, 9-1, over Keegan Nugent, Lowell, Jr. (35-8) 

McCall put an exclamation point on a year-long quest to getting to the top of the podium with a dominant Finals performance. 

He was third a year ago, which motivated him to take the next step this season. 

“This is something I’ve been working for ever since I started,” McCall said. “I always wanted to be the best, always wanted to be on top. I fell short – I fell real short the last few years. I had five coaches telling me, ‘Hunter, you can be the best. You can go out there and win it.’ I just bought into what they said day in and day out. I haven’t stopped wrestling. I’ve been wrestling for 365 days straight since I lost last year.” 

285 

Champion: Jack Gilchrist, Mason, Sr. (45-2) 
Decision, 8-2, over Joe Harper, Imlay City, Sr. (46-2) 

Gilchrist said the beatings he took early in his career in the Mason wrestling room paved the way for Saturday’s triumph.  

He spent time in practices with 2018 Finals champion Riley Smith, who helped shape his career. 

“It’s amazing to follow my best friend Riley who was a state champ two years ago,” Gilchrist said. “He worked with me every day. He was way better than me, he would pin me in 30 seconds, but he would work with me every day. I get to work with all these guys, I’m just fortunate. (Harper) is a Greco guy, so he was trying to throw me or toss me, but it did not work.” 

Click for the full bracket.

PHOTO: Austin Boone’s arm is raised Saturday after he became the second wrestler in MHSAA history to win four individual and four team Finals championships. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Joy Outweighs Pain for Erie-Mason's Griffin

March 3, 2013

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

AUBURN HILLS – At least for a couple of minutes Saturday evening, Logan Griffin’s left shoulder stopped hurting. Or, hopefully, hurt a little less.

He had separated it midway through this season, and didn’t return to the mat until the District tournament three weeks ago.

But amid sizable pain at the end, Griffin beat a two-time MHSAA champion Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills to win his first title

The Erie-Mason sophomore edged Carson City-Crystal senior Kenneth Dittenber 5-4 in overtime in the last match at 112 pounds. Dittenber had won the previous two Division 4 championships at 103, while Griffin was runner-up at 112 last season.

“It was my toughest match all season. … I didn’t think I’d make it this far,” Griffin said. "It was killing me. I didn’t think I was going to be able to make it through (OT).”

Griffin, who ended the season 27-0, had worn a shoulder brace throughout the weekend but decided it was best to shed it for the championship match.

He had never wrestled Dittenber, but certainly knew of him. “I just knew I had to be aggressive and keep attacking,” Griffin said.

Dittenber finished 53-5 this season. Click for full results and read below for recaps of every championship match and comments from all the winners.

285

Champion: Ryan Prescott, Whittemore-Prescott, Soph. (48-1)
Decision, 9-5, over Zach Rieger, Hudson, Sr. (53-2)

Prescott got a taste of an MHSAA championship match as a freshman. He fell one point shy of opening his high school career with a title, losing 4-3 in the Final.

He’s considered that every day since, and adopted a more aggressive style to help him achieve his goal this time.

“Every single day, I think about being a state champion. I think about the pleasure. I think about the exposure. I think about the greatness,” Prescott said.

“I’m a state champ. All the pressure’s off. Let’s go get two more.”

103

Champion: Roddy Hamdan, Hudson, Soph. (48-5)
Fall, 3:06, over Arthur Payne, Montrose, Soph. (46-6)

Hamdan got to play a significant part last weekend in Hudson becoming just the second school to win five straight MHSAA team championships.

This weekend, he earned the opportunity to finish with one more win. But it took a 10-8 triple-overtime victory over Dansville’s Clay Ragon two rounds earlier to keep that aspiration alive.

“After ... I knew I had to work harder. I was just saying I’ve got to get better and better as I go,” Hamdan said. “I’m very excited. I work hard every day, train hard. I just dream about this every day. It’s been in my mind since day one.”

119

Champion: Zack Yates, Hesperia, Jr. (53-1)
Fall, 0:59, over Isaac Dusseau, Hudson, Jr. (49-7)

A year ago, Yates also faced a Hudson wrestler in a championship match. Cole Weaver beat Yates 6-0 to win the title at 112 pounds.

But Yates learned plenty to bring back to Auburn Hills this weekend.

“I just needed to keep on my attacks,” he said. “I can’t take a break. I can’t stop wrestling the whole match.”

And it no doubt helped that he had some championship support in his corner – older brother Dan Yates, who won three titles from 2007-09.

“I love having him here. I’m glad he was here, cheering me on,” Zack Yates said.

125

Champion: Zach Mack, Mio, Sr. (45-1)
Fall, 3:42, Matthew Elliott, Fife Lake Forest Area, Jr. (47-6)

Mack had faced Elliott twice this season – pinning him during the final minute in their first match and then beating him 7-0 in the District final.

But that didn’t mean Mack was overly confident Saturday – just pleased when it was done and that he had a title on his last day as a high school wrestler.

There’s good and bad about seeing a familiar opponent in the final match of the season.

“There’s a lot of pressure on you. You’ve beaten him before, but you don’t know if you’re going to win,” Mack said. “(I was) a little nervous. But you can’t let that get to you.”

130

Champion: Cole Weaver, Hudson, Jr. (52-0)
Decision, 7-0, Richard Bentley, St. Ignace, Sr. (42-4)

It’s this simple. “I just don’t want to get beat,” Weaver said after winning his second-straight MHSAA title Saturday, in his third-straight Finals appearance.

It also finished his second-straight perfect season, making him 103-0 over the last two.

But what makes them perfect is the fact that he’s been part of three MHSAA team titles as well.

“Team is a lot better. Individual, it’s just  something that goes along with it,” Weaver said. “We’re usually just team, team, team … is what we really care about.”

135

Champion: J.D. Waters, Hudson, Jr. (41-5)
Decision, 2-1, over Chase Siersema, Hesperia, Jr. (57-5)

Waters and Siersema didn’t face each other during last weekend’s Team Final. 

But Waters knew what his Saturday opponent would bring, and he was ready for the attack from the moment he stepped on the mat.

Waters scored his points right before the end of the second period. And as the seconds ticked away in the third, he knew he had to do everything to withstand Siersema’s final shots – which he did to claim his first individual championship.

“I knew what he had coming,” Waters said. “So I just had to stop that, and work myself.”

140

Champion: Jacob Perrin, New Lothrop, Sr. (63-2)
Decision, 7-6, over Chad Decker, Grass Lake, Jr. (51-3)

Perrin joined brothers Zach and Russell this season with 200 career wins, and finished  his high school career Saturday ahead of both with 222.

But if he’d fallen in his final match? He doesn’t even want to consider that – although it came close to fruition before Perrin scored his go-ahead  points during the final seconds.

“That’s why you practice hard. To go out there and do it at the state finals,” he said. “It came down to 14 seconds left, and I was just thinking I gotta get it if I want to win it. We’ve drilled that 100 times in practice, and it worked for me.”

Perrin’s 63 wins this season tied for 20th most in the MHSAA record book. He won the 130-pound championship as a junior.

145

Champion: Josh Wendling, New Lothrop, Jr. (49-5)
Decision, 4-2, over Austin Hughes, Saginaw Nouvel, Jr. (46-2)

Hughes was going for the first individual championship in Nouvel history and had pinned Wendling in their only other meeting this winter.

But this time, Wendling was able to get away for the win despite the dogged pursuit of his opponent – and notch the highlight of his wrestling career.

“I placed as a freshman and sophomore, but it wasn’t like this,” Wendling said. “I’ve been wrestling a long time, but I feel like this year I just stuck it out.”

152

Champion: Jared Bruner, Addison, Sr. (51-3)
Decision, 9-4, over Spencer Reterstoff, Hart, Jr. (53-5)

Winning an MHSAA championship was “the best thing ever,” and Bruner did that last season at 145 pounds.

Winning two? Even better.

“I just look at this one as just another blessing. I went out and wrestled my match, and did as much as I could to win,” Bruner said. “It’s just what you have to do to be on top of the podium.”

Bruner said he's still considering either wrestling or playing football at the collegiate level.

160

Champion: Jacob Cooper, Springport, Soph. (46-2)
Decision, 7-5 OT, over Taylor Krupp, New Lothrop, Jr. (53-4)

Cooper finished  runner-up last season at 145, falling in a 4-2 decision.

And after making it all the way back to the championship match, he was in danger of falling in another close one to end Saturday.

But he’d thought a lot about last season’s Finals defeat, and hit another gear when he needed it most.

“I really wanted this, so I pushed it hard,” Cooper said. “I needed to redeem myself, I thought.”

171

Champion: Galloway Thurston, St. Ignace, Sr. (52-2)
Decision, 5-0, over Pat Brown, Sandusky, Jr. (40-4)

Wrestling in MHSAA Finals became a habit for Thurston. He was a runner-up in 2011 and won a championship a year ago.

And all season long, he looked forward to adding one more title to finish his high school career. 

For the second season in a row, he joined teammate Joe Ostman to give the Saints two MHSAA champions and the entire Upper Peninsula a dose of wrestling pride.

“I just tried to follow Joe’s footsteps. We just push each other to get better,” Galloway said.

“People were saying the U.P. is never going to have placers, never going to have champions. So it’s an honor to represent the U.P. well.”

189

Champion: Steven Malloy, Morley-Stanwood, Sr. (45-2)
Decision, 7-5, over James Snider, East Jackson, Sr. (36-2)

The last minute of Malloy’s high school career was certainly one of the best.

It's then that he scored the points that earned him a second-straight MHSAA title.

“I was just waiting for him to make a mistake,” Malloy said, still catching his breath. “And capitalize.”

Malloy was the 189 champion in Division 3 last season, winning by a similarly-close 7-6. But this win meant a little bit more. This one added the finishing touch to his senior year.

215

Champion: Joe Ostman, St. Ignace, Sr. (54-0)
Technical Fall, 17-1, over Kevin Koenig, Laingsburg, Fr. (59-4)

Ostman held up three fingers, as it often done when someone wins three MHSAA championships.

He added this to the one he claimed at 215 last season and his first at 189 in 2011.

“I won it a little earlier than I thought, and I came back and won a couple more,” Ostman said. “Being from the U.P., I think it just sets a goal for other wrestlers to reach in the future.”

Ostman will not wrestle collegiately, but instead will play football at Central Michigan next season.

“Obviously, I don’t want it to end,” he said. “But if it’s going to end, it’s a great way to end it.”

PHOTO: Erie-Mason's Logan Griffin (right) wrestles Carson City-Crystal's Kenneth Dittenber during Saturday's Division 4 Final at The Palace of Auburn Hills. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)