Rematch of Champs Brings Classic Conclusion to D1 Finals

By Drew Ellis
Special for MHSAA.com

March 5, 2022

DETROIT – It was fitting that Josh Barr versus Manuel Rojas was the last bout of the night at Saturday’s Division 1 Individual Wrestling Finals, because that’s the match everyone was most excited to see.

Two of the best in the country at 171 pounds, with a combined four state titles between them, Davison’s Barr emerged victorious with a 5-2 win over Detroit Catholic Central’s Rojas, with all eyes on them.

“This is what I’ve been talking about for a long time. I couldn’t wait to be part of something like this. Practically main eventing the state championships against one of the best wrestlers in the state, it’s amazing,” Barr said. “Having all these people around watching, it was awesome.”

Barr (28-1), a junior, set the tone right away with a takedown in the first period to lead 2-0.

Rojas (37-3) managed an escape in the first and another in the second to even the match at 2-2. Barr would answer with an escape to start the third and then drive home the win with a takedown in the final minute to earn his third title.

“It means a lot,” Barr said of his third championship. “It means what we’re doing is right, it’s working. Going to bed early, waking up early, eating clean. It all adds up.”

Rojas had just two losses in-state during his senior season, both coming to Barr over the last eight days. Barr edged Rojas 4-3 in last weekend’s Division 1 Team Final while leading Davison to a 29-21 victory.

“I think it just shows my character. I got right back to it last week. Winning that team state title was cool, but as soon as I got in my car, it was over,” Barr said. “I started training again right away. I knew (Rojas) was going to be sitting here waiting for me, so I got right back to it.”

103
Champion: Conor McAlary, Hudsonville, Fr. (45-1)
Decision, 4-2 (OT), over Ozia Wilson, Macomb Dakota, Fr. (47-1)

In a thrilling finish, McAlary scored a takedown in sudden victory to hand Wilson his only loss of the season.

“I knew going into this match that I had to take (Wilson) into deep waters to win this match,” McAlary said. “Heading into overtime, my coach told me this is right where we wanted to be. I knew I had it.”

The first two periods were scoreless, but McAlary got a takedown in the third to counter a pair of escapes from Wilson. It then came down to a quick takedown from McAlary in OT to earn the state title.

“I still can’t believe it,” he said. “The goal is always to win, but sometimes you can’t really wrap your head around it even after you win. I don’t really know what to feel. It’s wild.”

112
Champion: Caleb Weiand, Macomb Dakota, Jr. (48-0)
Decision, 3-1, over Mariano Lopez, Holt, Jr. (35-5)

After suffering his only loss of the 2021 season in a championship match, Weiand was determined not to suffer the same fate this year.

“Losing in the state finals was the worst feeling I ever had. I didn’t want to experience that again,” Weiand said.

His takedown in the first period proved to be the difference, as he held off a game Lopez over the final minutes.

“I just had to stay tough,” Weiand said. “I knew I could ride him out for most of the period. I feel very confident on top.”

119
Champion: Drew Heethuis, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (32-3)
Decision, 4-1, over Justin Gates, Davison, Soph. (30-4)

In a match that featured a pair of 2021 champions, Heethuis scored a takedown in the first period and a reversal in the second to secure his second title.

“It’s awesome. I had a couple of bumps in the road earlier in the year, and I wasn’t in the right mindset,” Heethuis said. “Over the past couple of months, because of my coaches, I was able to dial it in for the last half of the year. It feels great.”

The two met in last week’s Division 1 Team Final, with Heethuis grinding out a 2-1 victory over Gates.

“We wrestled last weekend and I knew it would be a tough match this time, too,” Heethuis said. “I knew that if I was able to get into a good attack in the first, it would be key.”

125
Champion: Cade Horwath, Davison, Jr. (30-0)
Decision, 10-5, over Fritz Mueller, Macomb Dakota, Sr. (40-7)

Horvath earned his 100th career win and locked up his third championship while also capping his second-consecutive undefeated season.

“This one means a little more,” Horwath said of his third title. “We had some team adversity this year, so it took a lot of hard work by the team to get everyone at their best.”

Horwath scored two takedowns early in the first period to set the tone and never trailed in the match.

“Honestly, I just wanted to have fun and score some points,” Horwath said. “It was a nice environment, being able to wrestle in front of my family and fans.” 

130
Champion: Clayton Jones, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (36-3)
Decision, 9-2, over Elijah Bunn, Rockford, Jr. (42-2)

Jones secured his first championship with a dominant effort at 130 pounds, earning a 9-2 win over the top-seeded Bunn.

“I’m just thinking that all the hard work that we’ve been putting in got (me) the state championship,” Jones said.

Jones came out aggressive with an early takedown in the first and added two more in the second to keep in control.

“I made sure to get the first takedown,” Jones said. “I came out the gates and just kept going at him, going at him.”

135
Champion: Aidan Smith, Brighton, Sr. (44-1)
Decision, 8-4, over Caleb Youngblood, Romeo, Sr. (26-4)

Smith added his name to Brighton’s championship history with a hard-fought win.

“I have waited for this for a very long time,” Smith said. “I had previous teammates ahead of me that won state titles, and that was a lot of pressure on me. I just feel like all of that pressure has been lifted.”

Smith never trailed, as he scored the opening takedown and sprinkled in a few more throughout the bout.

“I knew the match was going to be tough. I just had to wrestle all six minutes hard,” he said. “I felt like I was getting into my attacks really well, and I just kept chain wrestling. I was really happy with my performance.” 

140
Champion: Dylan Gilcher, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (39-0)
Decision, 7-1, over Evan Herriman, Davison, Jr. (20-4)

A quiet and composed Gilcher won his third championship at a third different weight class Saturday.

After winning at 112 pounds in 2020 and 135 pounds in 2021, Gilcher controlled his match from start-to-finish to earn the 140-pound crown.

This Finals matchup was a rematch from the 135-pound final in 2021. Gilcher won that 3-0. These two also met in last weekend’s D1 Team Final, a 7-5 victory for Gilcher.

“I had him last week and last year. I’ve been wrestling him since we were little, growing up. He was always kind of bigger than me, so he could beat me up a little bit,” Gilcher said. “It feels good.”

Woodhaven/Davison wrestling

145
Champion: Nathan Jerore, Brownstown Woodhaven, Sr. (38-1)
Decision, 8-4, over Owen Payne, Davison, Sr. (15-2)

After seeing previous title bids ended prematurely by injuries and the pandemic, Jerore now can call himself a Finals champion.

“I literally can’t believe it. I wanted it so bad. It’s been taken from me for so long,” Jerore said. “Injuries and COVID, it’s been crazy, but I just kept working toward this goal.”

Jerore scored four takedowns in the match and was relentless on his feet against Payne.

“I knew he was going to be tough, but I knew that if I was as tough as I can be, anyone that I wrestled I could break,” Jerore said. “That’s what happened.”

152
Champion: Darius Marines, Detroit Catholic Central, Soph. (35-4)
Decision, 1-0, over Tatum Bunn, Detroit Catholic Central, Jr. (25-12)

For the second consecutive season, Marines had to face a teammate in a championship match.

For the second consecutive season, Marines came out victorious.

“It’s unfortunate, but it had to happen,” Marines said of facing a teammate in the final again. “(Bunn) was one of my best friends on the team. It kind of hurt. But, I had to set all that stuff aside.”

The match didn’t have much action. Marines rode out Bunn in the second period and then earned an escape in the third for the lone point.

“I felt pretty good (after the second period),” Marines said. “I’ve worked my whole life for this, so it feels pretty good (to win).”

160
Champion: Rollie Denker, Temperance Bedford, Sr. (55-2)
Decision, 3-1, over Brayden Mirjavadi, Romeo, Jr. (41-4)

A takedown in the closing second of the third period broke a 1-1 tie and gave Denker his first championship.

Mirjavadi got an escape in the second to take a 1-0 lead, and Denker answered with an escape of his own to start the third. He then turned up the heat late in the match to earn his title.

“I knew late in matches, we all get tired, but I knew (Mirjavadi) would be the exception, so I had to keep going and eventually I just got him,” Denker said.

189
Champion: Remey Cotton, Davison, Jr. (27-3)
Decision, 7-4, over Aidan Wardell, Midland Dow, Sr. (44-4)

Cotton got a takedown early in the bout and built a 5-1 lead in the second period before hanging on for the victory.

“I’ve trained for this my whole life,” Cotton said of the win. “Being able to come out here and get it done just feels amazing.”

Along with his first championship, Cotton also avenged a prior loss to Wardell to cap off his season.

“I practice every day to win every match,” Cotton said. “If I lose one match, I just look forward to the next one to be able to move that to the past.”

215
Champion: Jimmy Colley, Davison, Sr. (32-2)
Decision, 14-7, over Avery Dickerson, Hartland, Sr. (45-2)

Colley collected his second consecutive championship at 215 pounds in a wild scramble of a match.

“It feels great to come back here and end your career as a state champ two times in a row, as well as a team champ two times in a row,” Colley said. “It shows you are one of the best.”

The two contenders traded position often, but it was Colley who found himself with the advantage more consistently. He led 8-5 after two periods and then handled his business in the third.

“We both had that same funky style, and we always put on an exciting match,” Colley said. “You never know what (Dickerson) is going to do. It looks like we are just rolling around sometimes.”

285
Champion: Joshua Terrill, Holt, Sr. (43-2)
Decision, 6-2, over Giulian Bodiu, Canton, Sr. (28-1)

After finishing runner-up in 2021, Terrill grinded his way to a championship.

“I just kept telling myself to not be content. I wasn’t content, and I just won a state title,” Terrill said.

After a scoreless opening period, Terrill turned up the aggression and scored a pair of takedowns in the second period to take control. He credited his coaches for his strong finish.

“This means a whole lot to me, but this really goes to my coaches,” Terrill said. “None of this is about me, it’s about the coaches that got me here.”

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Davison’s Josh Barr (right) and Detroit Catholic Central’s Manuel Rojas contend for the 171-pound title Saturday at Ford Field. (Middle) Woodhaven’s Nathan Jerore, left, works toward a win at 145 pounds. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)

'Bigger, Stronger, Faster' Greenville Climbing Among Wrestling's Elite

By Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com

January 19, 2023

GREENVILLE – Several factors have contributed to the current success of the Greenville wrestling team.

Mid-MichiganHowever, one aspect of the program has been quite noticeable.

“I’ve received compliments by referees and other coaches just about how much bigger, stronger and faster they look now,” Yellow Jackets wrestling coach Brett Peterman said. “Greenville athletics, and the culture with Rick Court and our strength program, has changed. He has done an amazing job of getting the kids into lifting, and we have a great coaching staff."

“A lot of the sports are getting better now because of it, and our strength programs are loaded with kids now lifting, including at the middle school level.”

The Yellow Jackets recently jumped into the top 10 of the Division 2 state rankings after winning their fifth invitational of the season last week at Hudsonville Unity Christian. 

An enhanced strength program, coupled with a diligent work ethic by a relatively young group, has signaled a turnaround for the better.

“We just have a great group of kids,” Peterman said. “The kids are coachable, they work hard and we are just seeing the results of that.”

Junior standout Nayte Dobson, who’s currently unbeaten at 24-0 wrestling at 157 and 165 pounds, said Court is a valuable piece to the winning puzzle that has been constructed.

“He always has good enthusiasm and good energy no matter what,” said Dobson, who placed seventh at last year’s Division 2 Individual Finals.

Yellow Jackets coach Brett Peterman guides one of his competitors. “He gives us time to work out, whether it’s zero hour, or after school. Whenever you want to work out, he’s there. He will come from his house to unlock the doors.”

Court’s workouts are specifically designed to help the wrestlers reach their full potential and give them an advantage.

“He puts us through good workouts that involve speed and acceleration training,” Dobson said. “You can definitely see the bursts we have out on the mat.”

The list of accomplishments so far this season has included wins at the Greenville Invitational, the Hudsonville Invitational, the Unity Christian Invitational, the Fruitport Invitational and the Pinckney Duals.

“There have been some good teams in those tournaments and good challenges for the kids,” Peterman said. “Winning is good, but the work never stops.”

Peterman anticipated success this season, despite the departure of key seniors.

The addition of a large incoming freshman class has boosted numbers and anticipation for the future.

“I thought we could have a good year,” Peterman said. “We had a lot of returners, including a few state qualifiers and some who fell just short.

“They worked hard in the offseason, and with the freshmen coming in, I figured we would be pretty good. I was amazed that we had 23 freshmen come in. That’s a big group.”

The Yellow Jackets possess talent up and down the weight classes, with several wrestlers posting impressive records.

Another Greenville grappler takes down an opponent.Sophomore Caleb Lewis, a backup last season, has emerged and is 26-0 at 106 pounds.

Other top performers include junior Liam Dailey (23-2) at 138/144 pounds, sophomore Case Johnson (24-2) at 215 pounds, sophomore Kamden Witte (23-3) at 113 pounds and freshman Alex Buskirk (26-1) at 126 pounds.

“We are a very young team, but they’ve come in with a chip on their shoulder and they are working hard every day,” Dobson said. “How they work in the wrestling loft is showing out on the mat right now, and we are just giving them guidance and helping them out when we can.

“I expected this, and I knew this was going to be a good year for us because of the guys coming back and the freshmen.”

The Yellow Jackets will wrestle at the Ottawa-Kent Conference White championships, against a field that includes eight-time reigning team champion Lowell.

“It’s tough when you have a powerhouse like Lowell in your conference,” Peterman said. “There’s a possibility that we will see them several times in the upcoming weeks, and it will be a big challenge. We are going to do what’s right for the team on Friday and see how the results come about.”

The Red Arrows provide Greenville with a measuring stick, and they are eager to see how they fare against the best in the state.

“Lowell is just stacked all around and it’s going to be tough, but we also have to get through Byron Center, which has gone both ways this season,” Dobson said. “If we can see improvement from last year’s Districts to now against Lowell, then it gives us a good checkpoint of where we are at.”

Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for five years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties. 

PHOTOS (Top) Greenville wrestler Isaac Daily celebrates a win during a match this season. (Middle) Yellow Jackets coach Brett Peterman guides one of his competitors. (Below) Greenville's Troy Courtney takes down an opponent. (Photos by Jamie McNinch Photography.)