Massa Finishes with Final Flourish

March 7, 2015

By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half

AUBURN HILLS – Logan Massa threw three fingers in the air, and then did a backflip to near perfection on the floor of The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The three fingers were a symbol of the third championship he just won at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals on Saturday. 

The flip was to show the crowd just how athletic this University of Michigan-bound wrestler is, and why he is considered by many as the best wrestler in the state at any weight in any division.

Massa pinned Manuel Roldan of Melvindale in four minutes, 41 seconds in their 171-pound championship match in Division 2. That now makes seven MHSAA Finals titles in the Massa family, as older brother Taylor Massa was a four-time champion and now wrestles at Michigan. 

Logan said Taylor played a big part in his success.

“It is awesome to have a big brother like Taylor,” Massa said. “He is the best to have. He was a four-time undefeated state champ, and he knows what it’s like to be here. Whenever I was down on myself in the practice room, he would always help me get through it.”

What also helped Logan Massa get through the past three title runs was a tough loss in the Finals to Ada Forest Hills Eastern’s Tim Lambert when Massa was a freshman. 

“I came here my freshman year and fell a little short, so I had to pick it up in the practice room,” Massa said. “That helped me get three more. (Lambert) was the best wrestler you could wrestle in the state that year, and I was only a freshman, so that could only help me get better.”

103

Champion: Cameron Mahlich, Ionia, Soph. (39-2)
Decision, 4-3, over Trevor Giallombardo, Gaylord, Jr. (27-3)

Mahlich jumped into his coach’s arms, then sprinted to the stands after winning the 103-pound title with a tight 4-3 win.

Mahlich wanted to pay respect to his father, Greg Mahlich, who has played a big part in his career to this point. 

“He knew whatever happened, he would be happy with me because I was in a state championship match,” Mahlich said. “All throughout MYWAY (Michigan's Youth Wrestling Association), it's been a goal to see me win it here, so he was extremely happy.”

And Mahlich's growth not only happened with his wrestling, but also his stature. 

“Last year I was a small 103-pounder, and I ended up taking eighth,” Mahlich said. “Last year I Alpha (weighed in) at 96 pounds, so I was pretty small.”

112

Champion: Dominic LaJoie, Gaylord, Soph. (37-2)
Decision, 14-10, over Austin Franco, Stevensville-Lakeshore, Fr. (49-1)

LaJoie knew his opponent in their 112-pound final – highly-touted freshman Franco, who came into the Finals with a perfect 49-0 record. 

But LaJoie had something Franco wanted, an MHSAA title won last year at 103 pounds. And that experience helped him beat the talented freshman 14-10 in the title match at 112.

“I knew I had more experience, and he's a freshman now knowing what to expect,” Lajoie said. “I just took it to him. 

“Winning this second one was definitely harder, because there is more pressure on you. But you have to overcome that.”

119

Champion: Lucas Hall, Lowell, Jr. (39-1)
Major decision, 14-0, over Noah Schoenherr Bay City Western, Soph. (51-6)

Lowell junior Lucas Hall was another wrestler with a bull's eye on his back, after winning a title at 112 pounds last year.

But Hall didn't let that get in the way.

“Last year's (championship) panned out with a pin,” Hall said. “I went into this match giving him a lot of credit. I just wrestled my match. I don't try and think about (being a returning champion), I just try and keep a clear mind and wrestle. I wrestle each match as its own, and move on to the next one.”

125

Champion: Ian Parker, St. Johns, Jr. (39-2)
Decision, 7-1, over Jacob Busing, Byron Center, Sr. (41-5)

Parker knows how to work hard. He also knows what winning is about.

As a wrestler for St. Johns, Parker has seen many teammates win MHSAA Finals titles, and has been on teams that have won as well.

Now he has an individual championship of his own, beating Byron Center's Jacob Busing 7-1 in the 125-pound title match.

“This feels amazing, there is nothing like it,” Parker said. “It feels great because you work so hard, and when it all comes through, it feels great.

“Working with guys on my team, learning what they know and working hard with them, that helped me today. Many have experienced this, and know what to do, and that helped me.”

130

Champion: Zeth Dean, Lowell, Jr. (38-3)
Decision, 8-3, over Luke Raczkowski, Parma Western, Soph. (52-2)

Zeth Dean watched his cousins Gabe and Max Dean win MHSAA championships for Lowell, and now adds his own to the Dean family legacy.

“This is exciting,” Zeth Dean said. “Being at a place like Lowell, you are born and raised watching kids win state titles, and that's all you want to do. That's your only goal. That's why you go to practice when you are in second and third grade, is to win a state championship.”

Dean came close as a freshman, taking second at 112. Last year he wrestled with an injured knee and took fifth.

135

Champion: Jaedin Sklapsky, Eaton Rapids, Sr. (56-2)
Decision, 7-4, over Chase Veydt, Parma Western, Jr. (46-8)

Sklapsky knows how it is to be close to a title but to just miss out.

Last year he was a runner-up at the Individual Finals, and last week his Eaton Rapids teammates took second to Lowell in the Division 2 Team Final.

He finally has a championship.

“Down in Battle Creek we all went for bonus points, but at individual coach tells us to just get your hand raised,” Sklapsky said. “Do whatever you can to get your hand raised.”

Sklapsky had to be a little worried, as Veydt came into their match off of one of the biggest upsets in the tournament, beating Clio's Mason Smith, a two-time reigning champ, in the Quarterfinals on Friday.

“I had confidence I could beat everybody,” Sklapsky said.

140

Champion: Austin Thompson, Marysville, Sr. (50-1)
Decision, 7-5, over Austin Melton, Dewitt, Jr. (41-5)

It was a battle of returning champions at 140 pounds. Thompson was superior technically on this day, beating Melton 7-5 in a hard-fought contest.

“I knew it was going to be a battle,” Thompson said. “He is a tough wrestler. I wrestled him at the Grappler Fall Classic and beat him 10-8. So I knew it was going to be a battle, two good kids going at it. I knew what I had to do to get the job done.”

145

Champion: Chris Schoenherr, Bay City Western, Sr. (58-2)
Decision, 3-1, over Brandon Garcia, Riverview, Jr. (55-4).

After watching his younger brother lose in the Finals earlier Saturday evening, Chris Schoenherr went out and won the family a championship.

“We knew my brother was going in wrestling a really tough kid, and I know Noah always does his best,” Chris Schoenherr said. “But I knew I couldn't dwell too much on his match. As soon as I was done watching his match, I made sure I was ready mentally for mine.”

152

Champion: Connor Myers, St. Joseph, Sr. (30-0)
Decision, 7-4, over Khannor Kaercher, Warren Lincoln, Sr. (52-2)

At the start of the year, Myers wasn't in wrestling shape.

That's because he got a late start to his season after suffering a broken right hand during football in the fall.

But Myers got in wrestling shape during the dog days of the wrestling season in January and capped of his senior campaign with an undefeated record and MHSAA title.

“It was hard coming back into the season. I was out of shape,” Myers said. “I started out at 160, but those guys were just too big, then I finally made 152 and got in shape to do this.”

160

Champion: Logan Ritchie, New Boston Huron, Sr. (58-1)
Technical fall, 5:54, over Jaxon Smith, Byron Center, Sr. (43-6)

Ritchie made his second MHSAA title run look easy.

In his four matches at The Palace this weekend, he won two by major decision and two by technical fall.

“Last year I came into this tournament with a goal to win it, and this year I came in with a goal to dominate,” Ritchie said. “I definitely felt more pressure this year, but I knew I could do it.”

189

Champion: Ty Wildmo, St. Johns, Sr. (40-3)
Decision, 1-0, over Tristan Gregory, Gaylord, Sr. (38-4)

Wildmo had the clock and a bad right ankle working against him in his 189-championship match.

But he dug down deep enough to beat Gregory with an escape with one second left.

“That's exactly what I was thinking heading into this match; wrestle six minutes,” Wildmo said. “I heard my ankle pop with about 30 seconds left, but I kept wrestling and working. Three two-minute goes.”

215

Champion: Josh Colegrove, Lowell, Sr. (40-0)
Fall, 1:35, over Clayton Higelmire, Eaton Rapids, Jr. (45-7)

Colegrove was just as impressive winning his second title as he was winning his first last year.

And the Lowell senior also was just as humble and grateful.

“This feels great, to come back my senior year and win,” Colegrove said. “Being at Lowell has been really good to me. If I wasn't at Lowell I wouldn't have all the great workout partners I do that helped me get here. This has been a really great place for me, and I love it.”

285

Champion: Dallas Recker, Three Rivers, Sr. (50-2)
Fall, 2:45, over Isaiah Espinoza, Adrian, Jr. (18-7)

Last year Dallas Recker fell just minutes short of qualifying for the Finals, losing in the 'Blood Round' at Regionals.

He made the most of his first trip to The Palace this year, pinning his way to a title.

“This feels pretty good,” Recker said. “I never expected to pin my way through the tournament. But I am quite happy that I did.” 

Click for full results.

PHOTO: St. Johns’ Logan Massa works toward a pin in his Division 2 championship match at 171 pounds. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

Whitehall Pair Making Memorable Marks

March 2, 2016

By Tom Kendra
Special for Second Half
 

Reiley Brown has three brothers of his own.

But the returning MHSAA champion wrestler at Whitehall High School said it might be more accurate for this article to include his fellow senior teammate Jwan Britton as a fourth sibling.

“We are the closest thing to brothers,” said Brown of his good friend and daily training partner – referring both to their time together on the Whitehall High mats and also the makeshift mat which Brown has set up in the pole barn behind his house.

“We really go at it and push each other to get better every day. I owe a lot of my success to him.”

Brown, 47-1, is seeking a second straight Division 3 individual championship, this time at 135 pounds, at this weekend’s MHSAA Individual Finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The only thing that would make such a repeat sweeter is if Britton, who is 47-2 and a Regional champion at 140 pounds, could follow right behind him with a Finals championship of his own.

“At this point, it’s really hard to mention Reiley and his accomplishments without talking about Jwan,” said Whitehall coach Cliff Sandee, who is in his 10th year and has guided the Vikings to the Team Semifinals three of the past six.

Rare back-to-back championships for teammates would be a fitting end for Brown and Britton, who have been the backbone of a tremendous four-year run for the Whitehall wrestling program.

As a team, the Vikings achieved all of their goals this winter, including their 10th consecutive Greater Muskegon Athletic Association City Wrestling title. Whitehall, which finished 26-2 in duals, won its fourth straight West Michigan Conference and District titles, and then added a Regional championship.

The culmination of this season’s work led last weekend to Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, which hosted the MHSAA Team Wrestling Finals and also happens to be the school where Brown will wrestle next year when he becomes the first Whitehall wrestler to go on to a Division I college program.

It was almost “one and done” at CMU, as things looked mighty bleak against Richmond in Friday’s Quarterfinal match.

Richmond built a seemingly insurmountable 29-9 lead before the Vikings came roaring back to score the final 28 points, winning the final six bouts for an emotional 37-29 win. Whitehall’s victory was significant as Richmond and Dundee have dominated Division 3 team wrestling over the past decade, combining to win eight of the past 10 Team Finals titles.

“That was a huge win for us on a state level, because Richmond is such a great program,” said Sandee. “We want to be at team state every year; that’s the kind of program we want. I have six seniors this year, but we also have our most talented middle school group coming in, so we’re excited.”

Fittingly, unheralded junior Dominick Haynes started the comeback, pinning state-ranked Graham Barton at 130 pounds. That stunning six points led right into the strength of the Vikings’ lineup, with a pin from Brown and a major decision for Britton.

The Vikings dug another big hole in Saturday morning’s Semifinal. But a second miracle comeback was not in the cards against powerful Dundee, which raced out front 27-3 and held on for a 39-18 victory. Dundee then dispatched Remus Chippewa Hills 40-16 in the Final for its ninth team wrestling title and third in the past four years.

However, buddies Brown and Britton certainly got the attention of the Dundee faithful and many other wrestling gurus with big wins near the end of that dual. Brown rallied for a last-minute, 3-2 win over Tylor Orrison at 135, and then Britton used a takedown in the waning seconds to beat Zach Blevins, 4-3, in what could end up a preview of this weekend’s individual title match at 140 pounds.

Whitehall has two other Regional champions in JoJo Dowdell (145) and Hunter Bower (103).

Brown is the best known of the Vikings on the state level, taking second at 103 in his freshman year and third at 119 as a sophomore before breaking through for the 125-pound Division 3 championship as a junior. He comes into this weekend with the pressure of great expectations to go with a 181-12 career record.

“I try to use that pressure as a positive and feed off of it, to prove myself,” said Brown, who plans to study human resources at CMU. “I actually felt way more pressure going into team state, because my match there affects a lot more than just me.” 

Besides, he has always felt right at home on a wrestling mat.

While many kids have basketball hoops in their driveways, how many can say they have their very own wrestling mat – along with an exercise bike and a heater – in a pole barn out back?

“My dad set it up out there when I was going into high school,” said Brown. “I’ve had some great battles out there with Jwan and my brothers over the years. Hopefully that extra work I’ve put in at home will pay off this weekend.”

Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Whitehall's Reiley Brown works to gain control in his match Saturday against Dundee's Tylor Orrison. (Middle) Jwan Britton (right) lines up to start his match against Zach Blevins during the Division 3 Team Semifinal. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)