No Slowing Embree On 2nd Title Run
March 4, 2017
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
AUBURN HILLS – Warren Lincoln senior Jelani Embree is an explosive and powerful force on the wrestling mat, showing off his superb athleticism.
He showed he is also very smart on the mat, too.
Wrestling an unorthodox style by his standards, Embree won his second straight MHSAA championship by beating Dexter's Will Feldkamp 7-2 in their 189-pound championship match at the Division 2 Individual Finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday.
Feldkamp did a solid job of slowing down the pace and explosiveness of Embree, and that was just fine with him.
"I knew going in that he would have a gameplan for me," said Embree, who completed his senior season with a 36-0 record. "I didn't know what it was, but when he decided to go 189, I knew he was training to beat me.
"I didn't take a lot of shots in that match where I usually do. But he was getting me in a front headlock situation. He was trying to slow me down."
It didn't work.
103
Champion: Chayse LaJoie, Gaylord, Fr. (52-3)
Decision, 3-2, over Riley Bettich, Stevensville-Lakeshore, Fr. (38-2)
LaJoie would have rather controlled his own destiny, but he did say he controlled the match.
LaJoie was awarded the 103-pound title when a stalling penalty point was awarded to him late.
"I felt like I brought the pressure most of the match," LaJoie said. "The stalling calls, that is a weird way to win, but I feel like it was definitely deserved. He was backing up and making sure I couldn't get into my offense. But I thought it was a good match."
112
Champion: Corey Gamet, Parma Western, Soph. (50-0)
Decision, 4-3, over Chaise Mayer, Warren Woods Tower, Soph. (51-2)
After winning an MHSAA title last season, it may have been a given that the bulls eye would have been on Gamet's back.
But he used reverse psychology in his match with Mayer.
"He was probably a little nervous, because he was the guy that beat me last year," Gamet said. "I'm positive he was saying to himself I can beat this guy, because I did it last year. It actually helped motivate me."
The psychology worked, as Gamet beat Mayer 4-3 in a tightly contested battle.
"I just kept following him and working his head, and eventually he got tired and gave up that late (two points)," Gamet said.
119
Champion: Branson Proudlock, Gibraltar Carlson, Jr. (53-0)
Decision, 6-3, over Austin Franco, Niles, Jr. (22-3)
An emotional Proudlock had a hard time catching his breath and calming his emotions after winning his first championship.
A lifetime of work and dedication was part of the emotion spilled out of him after his victory.
"There is no better feeling in the world than this," Proudlock said. "I have been training my whole life for this. Last year I took second, and I have been working the entire year to do this. This is the best feeling in life."
His runner-up finish in 2016 helped motivate him.
"This has been on my mind the last year," Proudlock said. "I worked hard for this."
125
Champion: Dominic LaJoie, Gaylord, Sr. (52-0)
Decision, 16-12, over Corbyn Munson, Chelsea, Jr. (52-3)
LaJoie won his third championship with an impressive offense that put up 16 points. But a less thrilled LaJoie reflected on the match that saw him give up 12 points to Munson.
"I felt like I dominated most of the match, but I kind of went for something at the end and then fell into a tilt and I was kind of mad," LaJoie said. "I have been really looking forward to this, and it was good to end my career with a state championship."
LaJoie said his loss in last year's Final helped get him ready for his senior season.
"That was disappointing at first; I shut down for two weeks," LaJoie said. "But then after that I used it as a motivating factor. I learned a lot about myself, and I used that to drive myself."
LaJoie won his third just three matches after his little brother won his first.
"I wasn't watching him because I was focusing on my match," LaJoie said. "But it's going to be pretty fun tonight with two brothers winning state championships."
130
Champion: Drew Marten, Tecumseh, Sr. (55-1)
Fall, 1:49, over Chris Fausen, Charlotte, Jr. (40-2)
Returning champion Marten found himself in an unfamiliar place at the start of his 130-pound match.
He was down 4-1.
But like any good champion, he gathered himself and went right after his opponent for a first-period pin and second title.
"I just got back on my offense after being down, got my shot in and turned him, which is what I do best," Marten said. "I threw in the chicken wing, that works in high school, but it won't work in college, so I have to fix that.”
135
Champion: Austin Boone, Lowell, Fr. (40-3)
Decision, 6-3, over Joshua Edmond, Orchard Lake St. Mary's, Fr. (53-1)
It was a battle of talented freshmen in the 135-pound Final, in a weight class that usually is dominated by upperclassmen.
But the two ninth graders put on a decent show, won by Boone over the previously undefeated Edmond.
Boone, who is used to wrestling on a big stage with a full offseason national schedule, said he was calm throughout his match.
"I think I have wrestled him before this, and it was a great match," Boone said. "I have great coaching. They told me what I had to do, and I went out and did that. Keep it close, because he likes to tie up and go for the outside double leg. And he almost got me with it a couple of times."
140
Champion: Luke Raczkowski, Parma Western, Sr. (56-3)
Major decision, 22-9, over Trent Lashuay, St. Johns, Sr. (32-7)
Raczkowski was expecting a little tighter match.
But he definitely will take what he earned.
Raczkowski put on an offensive display, winning his first Finals championship.
"That was crazy," Raczkowski said. "I did not expect to put 22 points on the board; I thought I would put about six. But my gameplan going into it, stop his little roll, which I did and he didn't have anything else for me so I kept going."
145
Champion: Austin O'Hearon, Eaton Rapids, Jr. (48-3)
Decision, 3-2 (2 OT), over Alec Rees, Sparta, Soph. (48-1)
O'Hearon proved that wrestling to the last second of every period is very important in his 145-pound championship match.
At the end of regulation, O'Hearon forced a penalty point on a stalling call, and then came back and reversed Rees in the second ride-out overtime for the win and championship.
"I have to thank my coaches for pushing me so hard in practice," O'Hearon said. "Without them, I wouldn't have been able to do that. And I have to thank my mom and my family; they are the reason I do this."
152
Champion: Bret Fedewa, St. Johns, Sr. (53-0)
Decision, 7-4, over Dustin Gross, Dearborn Heights Annapolis, Jr. (56-1)
Somebody had to lose.
A pair of undefeated wrestlers went at it for the 152-pound title Saturday night, and Fedewa came out on top.
That title kept a St. Johns streak alive, as now it has been nine straight years that the Redwings have had a champion.
"I wanted to continue the tradition at St. Johns," Fedewa said. "We have to have a state champ every year, at least one. And I wanted to continue that and keep it going."
160
Champion: Lucas McFarland, DeWitt, Sr. (54-2)
Decision 6-5, over Dylan Terrence, Flint Kearsley, Sr. (44-2)
McFarland had no idea he had just won a championship.
"I thought I only got the (two near-fall count) and we were going to go into overtime," McFarland said.
But he was awarded a three near-fall count, capping a comeback that saw him down 5-0 but walk off the mat victorious, 6-5.
"I had no idea I won," McFarland said. "I just kept pushing the pace, and I knew that he couldn't hang in there."
171
Champion: Nino Bastianelli, Marysville, Sr. (53-4)
Decision, 5-2, over Kane Williams, Clio, Sr. (20-5)
It's been a solid postseason for the Marysville wrestling team.
The Vikings made it through the regular season undefeated, advanced all the way to the Team Semifinals, and then on Saturday saw a champion crowned as Bastianelli beat Clio's Williams 5-2.
"This feels awesome, I just wrestled as hard as I could for all six minutes," Bastianelli said. "I was just trying to up the match, and see whatever happens, happens, and just have fun with it."
215
Champion: Nick Humphrey, Monroe Jefferson, Sr. (51-2)
Decision 3-2, over Elijah Boulton, Lowell, Sr. (40-4)
Humphrey rushed off the mat and jumped into his father Mike Humphrey's arms after winning the 215-pound championship with a tough 3-2 win.
"I have been waiting for that leap in my dad's arms for 14 years," Humphrey said.
And thanks to a late takedown, he earned the opportunity.
"I knew he wasn't going to do anything flashy," Humphrey said. "He is a solid wrestler, but he does a lot on defense and that made it hard to work my shot in that I was getting in my earlier matches. I got one, though, and that was enough."
285
Champion: Chase Beard, Allegan, Sr. (48-3)
Decision, 2-1, over Patrick DePiazza, Cedar Springs, Sr. (47-1)
Beard he knew he had to do something different.
Two weeks ago at Regionals, he lost a tight decision to DePiazza. And Saturday night, those two found themselves wresting for a heavyweight championship.
This time Beard got the best thanks to a stalling penalty point awarded to him late.
"I had to push the pace, because I didn't do it last time," Beard said. "At Regionals I stood up the whole match, didn't move. I knew I had to move this match, and I had to move him, because he wasn't doing anything on his feet. I knew he wasn't going to do anything, so I had to push him around."
PHOTO: Warren Lincoln’s Jelani Embree (right) takes on Dexter's Will Feldkamp in a Division 2 Final at 189 pounds. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
DCC's Marines 'Finishes Business' of Perfect Season, 4th Title Pursuit
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
March 2, 2024
DETROIT – Even after he capped a remarkable wrestling career at Detroit Catholic Central on Saturday with a fourth-straight Division 1 Individual Finals title, Darius Marines was all business.
“It’s amazing,” Marines said. “My goal coming in here today was just to finish business. I’ve done this before, three times before, so this is nothing different. It’s just another business day. And I got it done.”
The Catholic Central senior was dominant in a 10-2 win against Roseville sophomore Jay’Den Williams at Ford Field, becoming the 36th Michigan wrestler to win four individual titles. Dundee’s Kade Kluce would become No. 37 later in the night.
Marines – who won at 145, 152, and 157 in his final two seasons and finished this one 50-0 – is the third Catholic Central wrestler to accomplish the feat. He also claimed title No. 6, as he and the Shamrocks had won their second-straight Team Finals title a week earlier.
He was one of five Shamrocks to win a title Saturday.
Williams entered the match unbeaten at 49-0 and was making his second-straight appearance in an Individual Final. He lost a year ago in the 144-pound final against Marines’ former CC teammate Clayton Jones.
“He’s a Greco guy, he did really good at Fargo (Nationals),” Marines said. “He got sixth at Fargo last year, so I knew he was going look for under-hooks and upper body things. My plan was just to stay out of his positions and get to my stuff, and that’s what I did.”
106
Champion: Steve Vaughn, Davison, Fr. (35-8)
Decision, 6-1, over Ethan Smith, Brighton, Soph. (47-7)
With a large contingent of his Davison teammates cheering him on matside, “Stevie” took control of the 106-pound Final with a first-period takedown, and never looked back.
He added a reversal and another takedown in the third to claim his first title in his first opportunity.
“It feels great man,” Vaughn said. “I’ve been working my whole life for this. I’ve been thinking this the whole year. Ever since I came in, I’ve been working, grinding.”
113
Champion: Wyatt Lees, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (49-5)
Fall, 1:42, over Matthew Quigley, Traverse City West, Fr. (46-4)
Lees made it two-for-two at Ford Field, quickly working for a pin to claim his second Finals title. He won his first a year ago at 106 pounds.
“It’s fun,” he said. “It felt really good.”
While he has two more to win, Lees now has his sights set on joining Marines as the next four-timer at Catholic Central.
“That’s always been my goal since setting foot at CC,” he said.
120
Champion: Archer Anderson, Clarkston, Jr. (32-5)
Decision, 10-8 OT, over Preston Lefevre, Clarkston, Jr. (33-6)
After finishing runner-up a year ago, Anderson wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way of coming out on top. Not even a 5-2 third-period deficit against his teammate.
Anderson rattled off three takedowns in the final period and added another in overtime to claim his first Finals title.
“I was just trying to score points,” he said. “I was just trying to score points and come back from the tilt he got me in.”
He said wrestling a teammate in the Final made things more nerve-racking.
“It makes it worse,” Anderson said. “We’ve wrestled each other so many times. The more you wrestle a kid, the tighter the match is going to get. It shows.”
126
Champion: Grayson Fuchs, Detroit Catholic Central, Fr. (42-6)
Decision, 8-5, over Bohdan Abbey, Hartland, Soph. (57-1)
The moment wasn’t too big for Fuchs, who wrestled his first Final at Ford Field against an unbeaten returning Finals champion in Abbey.
“I had a lot of confidence I was going to win a state title,” Fuchs said. “There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to be at the top of that podium. I was confident.”
Fuchs was able to build an early lead and hold Abbey at bay down the stretch.
“It was vital that I got a takedown at the beginning and got some points up,” he said. “I know that with my head and hands defense, he wouldn’t be able to score on me. It was important for me to get those first points, and that tilt was big.”
132
Champion: Dallas Korponic, Hartland, Soph. (53-5)
Decision, 6-4, over Josh Vasquez, Grandville, Jr. (36-3)
Korponic trailed 3-2 in the third period before seeing an opening and taking it.
With 51 seconds remaining in the match, Korponic was able to reverse Vasquez and put him to his back, taking the lead with a four-point move that wound up winning him his first Finals title.
“He’s a funky kid, and I knew I was going to have to wrestle the whole match, and one of those times he was going to roll and I was going to take advantage of it,” Korponic said. “He got too low on me, and basically all I had to do was step over him for a headlock.”
Korponic held Vasquez off at the end, shooting a single leg and holding on as the final seconds ticked off.
138
Champion: Wyatt Hepner, Grosse Pointe South, Jr. (48-0)
Decision, 1-0, over Sam Agnello, Utica Eisenhower, Sr. (38-3)
Hepner knew points would be at a premium in this Regional rematch, and a second-period escape wound up being the only point scored, proving him right and making him Grosse Pointe South’s first Finals champion.
“It feels pretty awesome to say,” Hepner said. “I’m making history, which is awesome, and just having an impact on the Grosse Pointe South wrestling community. Hopefully we’ll just enlarge it and keep it growing.”
Hepner came close a year ago, finishing runner-up at 126 pounds.
144
Champion: Justin Gates, Davison, Sr. (41-2)
Technical fall, 25-10 (4:21), over Tanner McDunnah, Davison, Jr. (33-8)
Gates finished his career as a three-time Finals champion and four-time finalist.
He won at 103 as a freshman and 138 as a junior, while taking second as a sophomore.
“It feels great,” he said. “The work I put in every day, the work my teammates put in and helped me with every day, all my coaches, my family – I just want to thank them, I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. It’s just bittersweet leaving it all out there, that’s my last high school match I’ll ever wrestle, and I just tried to enjoy the moment and be present in it.”
Gates had high praise for his teammate, McDunnah, who was his roommate for the weekend.
“There’s nothing like losing the state finals that will give you that sting that you need to put a little extra work in,” Gates said. “Tanner is the type of kid to just out-work everybody. I’m sure he’s going to use that as extra motivation. I’ll expect him to be on the top of the podium next year for sure.”
150
Champion: Mason Stewart, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (50-3)
Decision, 3-1, over Vinnie Abbey, Hartland, Sr. (50-5)
Stewart lost a heartbreaker at the 2023 Finals and had a bit of a flashback when Abbey – also a Finals runner-up a year ago – looked to have secured a takedown in the final seconds to force overtime.
After officials discussed the call, however, it was ruled that Stewart had successfully fought him off, and the match was over.
“It was the best feeling in the world, honestly,” Stewart said. “I was in the same exact position a year ago, lost in the Finals, the guy reversed with short-time left, and it was one of the worst pains I’ve felt in my life. I knew that was never going to happen again. I wasn’t going to let that happen to myself. I just had to win.”
165
Champion: Zak Knapp, Brighton, Sr. (50-4)
Major decision, 13-1, over Zachary Taylor, Gibraltar Carlson, Jr. (52-1)
Knapp wasted little time taking control of this match, putting up eight points in the first period en route to his first Finals title.
“Every day in the room, I was just putting in the work,” he said. “I was super excited to be out here. I took it all in, I put my mind to being a state champ. I was pacing back and forth saying, ‘I’m the champ. The champ is here.’ I was ready for everything, and I stepped onto the mat, I was just going to go out there and give it my all and do whatever I can.”
175
Champion: Dylan Scott, Waterford Kettering, Sr. (38-2)
Decision, 5-3 OT, over Micah Roper, Oxford, Sr. (40-4)
Scott considers himself more of a defensive wrestler, but when overtime came around, he knew he had to be on the offensive.
His aggressiveness paid off, as he was able to get the winning takedown to claim his first Finals title.
“Honestly, I’m a big defensive guy,” he said. “But throughout this year and other seasons, I’ve always lost by a takedown. My coach told me, ‘Takedowns win matches.’ So, right then and there, I had to make it count.”
Scott’s defense did come in handy late in regulation, however, as Roper was able to get in on his legs with the score tied at 3. But Scott was able to fight him off and force sudden victory.
190
Champion: Brock Trevino, Clarkston, Sr. (25-1)
Fall, 1:57, over Adam Bazzi, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Sr. (42-3)
Trevino said he wrestles by feel, so when he felt he had Bazzi in a compromising position, he went with it, even though it was a move with which he wasn’t really familiar.
“It was pure luck, I don’t really drill that move ever, but it worked,” Trevino said. “It was a feel thing, you know. I get comfortable in positions, and that’s usually how I win. I’m not very technical, I just wrestle for positioning.”
After the win, Trevino busted out an air guitar, leg-kick celebration that was fitting of his wrestling style.
“My coach was just like, ‘C’mon, it’ll be sick,’” Trevino said.
215
Champion: Connor Bercume, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (43-3)
Decision, 5-3, over Logan Tollison, Grand Ledge, Soph. (48-4)
Bercume successfully defended his title at 215 pounds to become a two-time Finals champion.
“It feels pretty good,” he said. “I’m really not happy with the way I performed in the Final, but happy to have won.”
Bercume got an early takedown in the match and looked to be on his way to cruising, but Tollison settled into the match and gave him a fight until the final whistle.
285
Champion: Ryan Ahern, Rockford, Sr. (49-1)
Major decision, 17-6, over Anton Barynas, Jenison, Jr. (46-6)
Ahern weighed in at 211 pounds for the weekend, but that didn’t stop him from dominating the division and claiming his fourth all-state finish and first Finals title.
“It feels really good to finally get a win in the state Finals,” he said. “I feel like I’ve always been super motivated, but just throughout the years I’ve gotten better and better with great practice partners. Every year, I’ve had a bunch of different guys to practice with, and different coaches.”
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central’s Darius Marines has his wrist raised in victory after clinching his fourth Individual Finals championship Saturday. (Middle) Davison’s Justin Gates, right, wrestles teammate Tanner McDunnah en route to claiming his third title. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)