Preview: D1 Features Historic Opportunity, Daunting Obstacle
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 30, 2021
Detroit Catholic Central will encounter a historic opportunity Tuesday at the MHSAA Division 1 Team Wrestling Finals.
But standing in the Shamrocks’ way might be its toughest opponent during this recent four-championship run.
DCC will wrestle for its fifth-straight team title. Davison is the only other Division 1 program to accomplish that feat – and carries the top seed this time after finishing runner-up to the Shamrocks both last season and in 2017.
The Quarterfinal pairings Tuesday at Wings Event Center are as follows:
Division 1 - 10 am - The Valley
#1 Davison - BYE - Mat 1
#4 Holt vs. #5 Rockford - Mat 2
#3 Hartland vs. #6 Clarkston - Mat 3
#2 Detroit Catholic Central vs. #7 Wyandotte Roosevelt - Mat 4
(Macomb Dakota opted out.)
Spectator limits remain in effect, but all matches will be broadcast live and viewable with subscription on MHSAA.tv. Below is a look at all eight teams competing in Division 1, listed by seed.
#1 DAVISON
Record/rank: 17-0, No. 1
League finish: No league title awarded this season.
Coach: Zac Hall, first season (17-0)
Championship history: Eight MHSAA championships (most recent 2006), six runner-up finishes. Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Justin Gates (17-0) fr., 112 Aden Williams (19-2) jr., 119 Caden Horwath (21-0) soph., 125 Cameron Freeman (20-3) jr., 125 Brendan Maybee (17-6) jr., 135 Evan Herriman (18-1) soph., 140 Owen Payne (22-1) jr., 145 Kyle White (17-5) jr., 152 James Johnston (21-1) sr., 160 Josh Barr (20-0) soph., 171 Alex Facundo (20-0) sr., 189 Landon Kish (16-5) sr., 215 Jimmy Colley (14-0) jr., 285 Tyler Jelinek (19-1) sr.
Outlook: This will be Davison’s 10th-straight Quarterfinal, and the Cardinals come in favorites this time in part thanks to a 36-9 win over Detroit Catholic Central earlier this month. Facundo won 171 last season and this weekend will attempt to become the 29th four-time Individual Finals champion in MHSAA history. Horwath and Barr started possible four-time quests with their first titles as freshmen last season at 103 and 152, respectively. Other returning individual placers from last season including Herriman (fourth at 135), Johnston (third at 145), Colley (third at 215) and Jelinek (sixth at 285).
#2 DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 19-1, No. 2
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Coach: Mitch Hancock, 14th season (312-49)
Championship history: Fifteen MHSAA championships (most recent 2020), two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Drew Heethuis (23-0) soph., 119 Anthony Walker (18-2) jr., 119 Clayton Jones (20-3) soph., 125 Cory Thomas (18-5) fr., 125 Mason Stewart (15-6) fr., 135 Steven Shellenberger (14-3) soph., 135 Dylan Gilcher (19-1) soph., 140 Philip Burney (18-3) sr., 140 Tatum Bunn, (17-3) soph., 145 Darius Marines (11-1) fr., 145 Camden Trupp (17-2) sr., 160 Cameron Adams (19-4) soph., 171 John Browning (7-2) sr., 189 Manuel Rojas (22-2) jr.
Outlook: A fifth-straight Division 1 championship Tuesday would make DCC just the fourth program to win five in a row since 1988 when for the first time team championships were awarded based on dual competition. The only loss, as noted above, was to top-ranked Davison. A number of standouts have graduated the last four seasons, and the projected lineup features only four seniors. But there’s still plenty of championship-pressure experience – Gilcher (112) and Rojas (189) won individual championships last season, while Heethuis was third at 103, Bunn was fifth at 125, Trupp was runner-up at 135 and Burney was sixth at that weight.
#3 HARTLAND
Record/rank: 22-0, No. 3
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association West
Coach: Todd Cheney, 29th season (809-112-2)
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2016, five runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 103 Jake Gillespie (24-3) fr., 112 Patrick Wlodyga (18-3) jr., 125 Ethan Kinch (24-2) jr., 135 Luke Thornton (28-0) sr., 135 Vinnie Abbey (25-3) fr., 140 Nick Dimitroff (18-2) soph., 145 Owen Edgar (13-6) sr., 160 Brayden Bobo (22-2) soph., 171 Avery Dickerson (26-0) jr., 189 Chase Kern (26-1) soph., 215 Paul Corder (20-2) sr.
Outlook: This will be Hartland’s 20th-straight trip to the Quarterfinals, and the Eagles will be seeking their first Semifinal berth since 2017. Wlodyga was fourth last season at 103, Dickerson was fourth at 171, and sophomore Nick Rochowiak was fifth at 140 and will wrestle 152 this week. Hartland allowed only a combined 15 points over its first four postseason wins.
#4 HOLT
Record/rank: 25-1, No. 6
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Blue
Coach: Rocky Shaft, 41st season (624-107)
Championship history: Four MHSAA championships (most recent 2008), two runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Ryan Mosher (25-3) soph., 125 Zach Platte (21-5) sr., 130 Jason Jones (19-6) jr., 140 Ralph Thompson (28-2) jr., 152 Alex Russell (23-4) jr., 160 Adam Russell (23-5) sr., 171 Nathan Bremer (22-3) jr., 285 Joshua Terrill, 21-3) jr.
Outlook: The Rams eliminated Finals regular Brighton 43-29 in the Regional Final to advance to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2013. A Semifinal berth would be Holt’s first since its runner-up run in 2009. Only two seniors start, with seven juniors who could help the Rams continue to rise next winter. Platte, Bremer and Terrill were Finals qualifiers last season.
#5 ROCKFORD
Record/rank: 19-3, No. 9
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Brian Richardson, 12th season (255-114)
Championship history: Two MHSAA championships (most recent 2009), three runner-up finishes.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 112 Jak Keller (24-1) soph., 119 Elijah Bunn (24-2) soph., 130 Logan Schwartz (13-7) soph., 140 Brysonn Aulbach (18-8) jr., 152 Trenton Wachter (19-1) sr., 152 Colin Harju (10-4) sr., 160 Ryan Ahern (21-1) fr., 171 Moses Bosscher (22-5) sr., 189 Luke Watkins (21-4) sr.,
Outlook: Rockford is making its third-straight trip to the Quarterfinals and seeking to take the next step into the Semifinals for first time since its runner-up season of 2010. The Rams defeated another regular, Grandville, 37-16 in the Regional Final to advance. Wachter was third at 140 last season.
#6 CLARKSTON
Record/rank: 16-7, No. 10
League finish: Third in Oakland Activities Association Red
Coach: Brian Gibbs, first season (16-7)
Championship history: Class A champion 1991, runner-up 1995.
Individual Finals qualifiers: 125 Ashton Anderson (21-4) sr., 130 Auggie Anderson (10-3) soph., 152 Grady Castle (21-3) sr., 160 John Lord (14-11) sr.
Outlook: Gibbs moved up to take over the program after three seasons as an assistant, and the Wolves continued to roll with their third-straight Regional title. They defeated No. 7 Romeo 36-28 in the Regional Semifinal on the way to Kalamazoo this time. Ashton Anderson finished third at 125 last season.
#7 WYANDOTTE ROOSEVELT
Record/rank: 17-4, unranked
League finish: First in Downriver League
Coach: Brett Greene, 18th season (334-161)
Championship history: Has never appeared in an MHSAA Final.
Individual Finals qualifier: Lu Peterson (22-0) jr.
Outlook: Roosevelt is headed to the Quarterfinals for the first time after edging Westland John Glenn 33-32 in the Regional Final. The Bears also won their third-straight District title and fifth in six seasons. This could be just the start; Roosevelt has only two seniors among its projected starters for Tuesday, but six freshmen.
PHOTO: Davison’s Aden Williams, left, and Detroit Catholic Central’s Drew Heethuis wrestle during last season’s Division 1 Final at Wings Event Center. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Preview: More than 1,100 Contenders Converge at Individual Finals at Ford Field
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 3, 2023
More than 1,100 wrestlers begin their pursuit today of championships at the MHSAA’s Individual Finals.
By Saturday evening, 70 will climb to the top of the podium as title winners across five divisions, including a girls division for the second season.
Four wrestlers – Davison's Josh Barr and Caden Horwath, Dundee's Braeden Davis and Detroit Catholic Central's Dylan Gilcher – will attempt to join 31 others who have won four Finals championships.
The Grand March on Friday begins at 10 a.m., with wrestling through semifinals this evening. Wrestling begins again at 9 a.m. Saturday with championship matches at 3:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at Ford Field. All matches will be broadcast live on MHSAA.tv, and we’ll talk to all 14 champions in each division for our coverage published later that evening and overnight. See the MHSAA.com Wrestling page for more information and to follow results this weekend.
Following are glances at just some of the many likely contenders who will compete this weekend:
Division 1
113 Conor McAlary, Hudsonville sophomore (24-3) – Last season’s champion at 103 pounds is a combined 69-4 over the last two.
120 Caleb Weiand, Macomb Dakota senior (43-0) – Last season’s champion at 112 and the 2021 runner-up at 103 has only one loss combined over the last three seasons and is a top seed this weekend. He has committed to Michigan State.
132 Drew Heethuis, Detroit Catholic Central senior (49-1) – The top seed at this weight will wrestle for a third individual championship after winning 112 as a sophomore and 119 as a junior. He has committed to Princeton.
126 Caden Horwath, Davison senior (18-1) – Another top seed, he’ll be wrestling for his fourth championship with previous titles at 103, 119 and 125. He’s signed with Michigan.
144 Clayton Jones, Detroit Catholic Central senior (45-3) – He’s seeking a second-straight title after winning his first at 130 pounds last season.
147 Darius Marines, Detroit Catholic Central junior (32-3) – The top seed at this weight is seeking his third championship to go with his previous at 145 and 152 the last two seasons.
150 Dylan Gilcher, Detroit Catholic Central senior (28-0) – He’s top-seeded and also wrestling for a fourth championship after winning 112 as a freshman, 135 as a sophomore and 140 as a junior. He has signed with Michigan.
175 Josh Barr, Davison senior (29-0) – One more four-championship hopeful in Division 1, he won 152 as a freshman, 160 as a sophomore and 171 last year and is top-seeded this weekend. He has signed with Penn State.
2022 runners-up: 120 Ozia Wilson, Macomb Dakota sophomore (31-6, 103 last year); 120 Mariano Lopez, Holt senior (36-4, 112 last year); 132 Elijah Bunn, Rockford senior (47-2, 130 last year); 138 Justin Gates, Davison junior (30-2, 119 last year); 144 Evan Herriman, Davison senior (28-4, 140 last year); 165 Tatum Bunn, Detroit Catholic Central senior (36-12, 152 last year); 190 Brayden Mirjavadi, Romeo senior (48-4, 160 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 106 Wyatt Lees, Detroit Catholic Central (38-10); 113 Bohdan Abbey, Hartland freshman (40-3); 138 Justin Gates, Davison junior (30-2); 144 Evan Herriman, Davison senior (28-4); 165 Cameron Adams, Detroit Catholic Central senior (31-4), 190 Ryan Ahern, Rockford junior (46-2); 215 Connor Bercume, Detroit Catholic Central sophomore (45-4); 285 Owen Hawley, Livonia Franklin senior (51-0).
Also undefeated: 150 Cole Schelb, Midland senior (45-0); 157 Justin Gorman, Grandville senior (41-0).
Division 2
120 Jackson Blum, Lowell sophomore (35-3) – The top seed at his weight is pursuing his second championship after debuting last year with a title at 112.
126 Bryce Shingleton, Linden senior (42-2) – Last season’s runner-up at 125 will attempt to close his career with his first championship and Linden’s first since 1994.
132 Aaron Lucio, Stevensville Lakeshore senior (46-1) – The top seed at his weight won 135 last winter and was runner-up at 125 as a sophomore, and he’s a combined 100-1 over the last two seasons.
138 Owen Segorski, Lowell sophomore (26-6) – He also debuted with a championship last season, at 125, and will look to add his second in one of the strongest brackets in this division.
144 Louden Stradling, Gaylord senior (47-0) – A two-time Finals runner-up at Battle Creek Lakeview earned his first championship last season at 130 and is the top seed this weekend at his weight. He has signed with Central Michigan.
157 Timothy Simons, Gibraltar Carlson senior (43-4) – In finishing runner-up at 145 last season, he became the third wrestler from Carlson to reach a Finals championship match.
175 Brayden Gatreau, Gaylord senior (48-1) – Last season’s champion at 171 pounds is a combined 90-2 over the last two. He also has signed with CMU.
215 Adam Haselius, Jackson Northwest senior (46-0) – He’s a combined 91-1 over the last two seasons and the reigning champion at 189 as he enters this weekend the top seed at his weight. He has committed to Columbia.
Other 2022 runners-up: 113 Carter Cichocki, Lowell sophomore (28-8, 103 last year); 138 Tee Ward, Fremont junior (52-2, 119 last year); 175 Derek Badgley, Mason junior (45-2, 171 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 106 Brady Baker, Stevensville Lakeshore sophomore (44-2); 113 Santana Ramon, Allen Park junior (48-0); 126 Marcello Milani, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s senior (46-0); 138 Jayden Schwartz, Charlotte senior (48-2); 144 Peter Pena, Milan senior (32-1, 140 last year in Division 3); 150 Trevor Swiss, Petoskey senior (43-0), 157 Cory Thomas Jr., Pontiac junior (22-0), 165 Philip Lamka, Fenton junior (40-2); 175 Carson Crace, Lowell senior (30-5); 190 Easton Phipps, Goodrich junior (37-4); 285 James Mahon, Goodrich sophomore (10-0).
Also undefeated: 285 Ben Przytula, Gibraltar Carlson senior (40-0), 285 Aaron Holstege, Allendale senior (46-0).
Division 3
106 Landon Sopha, Yale sophomore (42-7) – Last season’s runner-up at 103 is a combined 95-9 over his first two seasons.
113 Talan Parsons, Ovid-Elsie junior (47-0) – Last season’s champion at 103 is the top seed at his weight this weekend with a combined 84-1 record over the last two years.
120 Kade Kluce Dundee junior (38-5) – The reigning champion at 112 is the top seed at 120 as he seeks a third Finals title after also winning 103 as a freshman. He has committed to Navy.
120 Connor Busz Clinton senior (40-2) – Last season’s runner-up at 119 is seeking end with his first championship after also finishing Division 4 runner-up at 112 as a sophomore and third at 103 in Division 4 as a freshman.
126 Cameron Chinavare, Dundee junior (33-2) – The reigning champion at 125 is the top seed at 126 this time and a combined 62-4 over the last two seasons.
132 Braeden Davis, Dundee senior (37-0) – The top seed at 132 is the next Dundee wrestler seeking to finish with four championships after winning 119 last winter, and he’s never wrestled into the third period at the Individual Finals. He has signed with Penn State.
157 Aiden Davis, Dundee senior (40-2) – The top seed at 157 won 145 last year and 135 as a sophomore, and also finished runner-up at 125 as a freshman.
165 Connor Owens, Flint Powers Catholic senior (23-1) – Another top seed, he’s pursuing his third title match after finishing as the 160 runner-up in 2021 and the champion at that weight a year ago.
2022 runner-up: 175 Noah Etnyre, Lutheran Westland senior (42-3, 171 last year in Division 4).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 106 Haydn Nutt, Dundee freshman (34-6); 138 Kaden Chinavare, Dundee senior (37-6); 144 Blake Cosby, Dundee freshman (40-6); 150 Cole Karasinski, Grand Rapids West Catholic senior (41-0); 175 Josh Kasner, Algonac junior (47-0); 190 Troy Demas, Constantine senior (45-1); 215 Joel Simon, Lake Odessa Lakewood sophomore (47-0); 285 Shane Cook, Whitehall senior (58-0).
Also undefeated: 157 Tyler Schofield, Olivet junior (44-0); 165 Darrin Alward, Dundee senior (41-0).
Division 4
106 Logan Gilbert, Martin/Climax-Scotts sophomore (43-5) – Last season’s champion at 103 is up to a combined 84-11 over his first two seasons.
126 Shawn McGuire, Iron Mountain senior (36-1) – The top seed at 126 is a combined 149-7 over his high school career after winning last year’s 119 title and finishing top-three both of his first two seasons.
132 Landyn Crance, Union City junior (40-3) – Last season’s 125 champion is a combined 85-6 over his last two years.
150 Manus Bennett, Marlette senior (45-1) – The reigning champion at 140 and top seed this time at 150 is seeking his third title after also winning 103 as a freshman.
157 Sebastian Martinez, Riverview Gabriel Richard sophomore (35-3) – He’s the top seed at 157 coming off last year’s title at 145 and with a combined 68-7 high school record.
157 Dillon Raab, Bark River-Harris senior (45-4) – Last season’s runner-up at 145 is seeking to finish with his first title after also finishing runner-up at 135 as a sophomore.
175 Cole Hopkins, Evart senior (44-0) – Another top seed, he’s a combined 94-0 over the last two seasons after winning 171 a year ago, and his only loss as a sophomore was in the title match.
190 Drew Allgeyer, Bark River-Harris senior (32-4) – The reigning champion at 189 is a top seed this weekend as well and a three-time Finals placer overall.
Other 2022 runners-up: 113 Logan Mears, Union City sophomore (33-7, 103 last year); 126 Tyler Winch, Iron Mountain junior (27-9, 119 last year); 138 Austin Marry, Hudson junior (42-9, 125 last year); 132 Dalton Birchmeier, New Lothrop sophomore (29-13, 130 last year); 285 Grayson Orr, New Lothrop senior (35-2, 215 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 106 Nicholas Sorrow, Hudson freshman (46-1); 113 Austin Garcia, Lawton sophomore (48-2); 120 Wesley Edie, Grass Lake senior (34-6); 132 Cole Marry, Hudson junior (44-7); 138 Blake Sloan, Manchester freshman (49-3); 144 Coy Perry, Hudson junior (36-8); 165 Fulton Stroud, Iron Mountain junior (33-6); 215 Grady Iobe, Union City senior (35-1), 285 Eathan Westfall, Reading senior (41-0).
Girls Division
100 Emme Hicks, Saline senior (25-10) – The top seed and reigning champion at this weight will be seeking her fourth state championship after also winning Michigan Wrestling Association titles as a freshman and sophomore.
110 Sky Langewicz, Algonac sophomore (42-5) – She’s the top seed after opening her career with last season’s championship at 105.
115 Sydney Thompson, Eaton Rapids junior (15-4) – Last season’s champion at 110 is a combined 35-10 over her first two seasons.
125 Margaret Buurma, Fowlerville sophomore (27-7) – The reigning champion at 115 is the top seed at 125 and a combined 41-9 over the last two years.
130 Angelina Pena, Milan junior (17-5) – She won last year’s championship at 120 and is top-seeded this weekend with twice as many wins this season.
130 Tyler Swanigan, South Lyon East junior (35-14) – The reigning champion at 130 has nearly quadrupled her win total this winter from a year ago.
140 Danni Swihart, Hanover-Horton senior (32-6) – The reigning champion at 135 is top-seeded at 140 and a combined 52-10 over the last two seasons.
140 Emma Pendell, Montague junior (17-8) – Last season’s champion at 140 was Montague’s first in any division of the sport since 1989.
190 Sabrina Nauss, Brighton junior (9-0) – The reigning champion at 170 is a combined 18-0 over the last two seasons and another top seed.
2022 runners-up: 100 Tricia Pyrzewski, Gladwin junior (31-4, 100 last year); 110 Sunni LaFond, Gaylord sophomore (27-14, 105 last year); 125 Lola Barkby, Sturgis sophomore (20-19, 120 last year); 140 Ryen Allen, Goodrich junior (3-2, 125 last year); 130 Faith Blackburn, Clinton junior (7-3, 130 last year); 145 Teairah Elsemann, Saline senior (10-2, 145 last year); 170 Khloe Williams, Clio senior (28-0, 170 last year); 190 Gabriella Allen, Marcellus junior (27-4, 190 last year); 235 Mady Frisbie, Belding sophomore (17-12, 255 last year).
Additional No. 1 seeds: 105 Nakayla Dawson, Westland John Glenn freshman (37-2); 115 Morgan Irwin, Westland John Glenn senior (27-6); 120 Cecilia Williams, Mason freshman (19-5); 135 Caylynn Chandler, Birch Run senior (10-2), 145 Lydia Roope, St. Charles senior (21-7); 155 Maddie Hayden, Caledonia freshman (21-4); 170 Khloe Williams, Clio senior (28-0); 235 Mady Frisbie, Belding sophomore (17-12).
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central’s Dylan Gilcher wrestlers during his team’s Division 1 championship match last weekend at Wings Event Center. (Middle) Dundee’s Braeden Davis finishes a pin in his team’s Division 3 Final last Saturday. (Below) Algonac’s Sky Langewicz has her arm raised in victory after winning a match during her team’s Division 3 Semifinal. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)