St. Johns' Hall Joins Champion Elite
March 1, 2014
By Jeff Chaney
Special to Second Half
AUBURN HILLS, MI – It's a moment Zac Hall said he will never forget.
Hall joined elite company by winning his fourth MHSAA individual wrestling championship, when he beat Greenville's Alec Ward 12-2 in the 140-pound title match in Division 2 at the Finals on Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
The St. Johns senior became just the 18th Michigan wrestler to win four MHSAA Finals titles, and when the referee raised his hand after his victory, the large crowd at The Palace rose to their feet and applauded loudly in appreciation.
“That is the most amazing feeling in the world. I'll remember that moment for the rest of my life,” Hall said. “I don't know how many people are here, thousands, and they were all clapping for me. That is the most awesome feeling.”
This marks the third straight year a wrestler has won his fourth title. Last year Fowlerville heavyweight Adam Coon accomplished it, and two years ago it was Hall's former St. Johns teammate Taylor Massa.
“All that hard work and time you put in in the (practice room), it pays off,” Hall said. “When your buddies want you to hang out, and instead you are in the room grinding, that all just paid off here.”
103
Champion: Dominic LaJoie, Gaylord, Fr. (50-1)
Decision, 11-7 over Dalton Roberts, Fowlerville, Sr. (46-6)
LaJoie is well on his way to becoming a four-time champion, as he built a large early lead over Roberts and held on for a 11-7 win.
LaJoie scored the match's first seven points, and then fought off a furious Roberts rally in the third period.
“I just came out and went as hard as I could,” LaJoie said. “This feels really awesome. I owe a lot to my dad (Jerry LaJoie), my coaches and my partners in the room. This is a great feeling.”
112
Champion: Lucas Hall, Lowell, Soph. (37-0)
Fall, 2:19 over Bryan LaVearn, Ortonville Brandon, Soph. (50-2)
Hall didn't listen to all the nay-sayers. He knew he had what it takes to win an MHSAA title and went out and proved that by pinning LaVearn in their 112-pound title match.
Hall used one of his signature moves, “the high flyer,” to pin LaVearn for the win.
“People have been trying to get into my head, posting stuff on Twitter and Facebook, but you can't let that get to you,” Hall said. “You just need to keep your head and keep looking forward. I know I had a bull’s eye on my back because I came in undefeated and ranked number one. You can't let all that get in your head; you just have to keep after it.”
119
Champion: Mason Smith, Clio, Jr. (55-0)
Decision, 3-1 over Jacob Chapman, Flint Kearsley, Jr. (35-6)
Returning champion Smith overcame a bit of familiarity to win his second straight title, as he beat Chapman for the title with a work-man-like 3-1 win.
“The hardest thing is we've wrestled six times, and we both know what both of us are going to do,” Smith said. “So you have to do what you can do.
“I started with a gameplan, and was not that comfortable with it, so I changed it. I said I would do whatever felt right – score more points.”
125
Champion: Nick Pipes, Warren Woods-Tower, Sr. (48-5)
Decision, 6-1 over Patrick Blommel, Stevensville Lakeshore, Sr. (38-6)
Pipes finally got his medal, and it was a big one.
The four-time Finals qualifier failed to place in the top eight in his first three trips to The Palace, but won a championship on his fourth try.
“I'll take not placing in my first three years to win it now,” Pipes said. “I knew coming in that I qualified three times before this and was always the underdog. But this year being ranked first, and everyone thought I was going to win it, that helped my confidence.”
130
Champion: Austin Thompson, Marysville, Jr. (52-1)
Decision, 8-7 UTB over Jaedin Sklapsky, Eaton Rapids, Jr. (49-2)
Thompson chose down in the ultimate tiebreaker and escaped Sklapsky for an 8-7 win.
“A year ago I wouldn't have chosen down,” said Thompson, who is in his first year at Marysville. “I wasn't very good on the mat, but I've made a lot of improvements on the mat since I've moved to Marysville.”
135
Champion: Austin Melton, DeWitt, Soph. (48-3)
Major Decision, 13-4 over Collin Lieber, Croswell-Lexington, Fr. (50-2)
The gameplan was simple Melton.
Score, and score early, and that is exactly what he did in winning the 135-pound championship.
A takedown and a near-fall in the first period turned a five-point early lead into a 13-3 win and a title.
“My coaches just told me to do what I've been doing every match, which is to take it to him,” Melton said. “To score as much points as possible, so that I can get up as much as you can.”
145
Champion: Steve Bleise, Chelsea, Sr. (49-0)
Decision, 12-5 over Mark Bozzo St. Johns, Sr. (38-8)
Last year Bleise was beaten in the Finals by a St. Johns wrestler, Logan Massa. But not this year.
Bleise had a phrase running through his head as he ran to the mat for the 145-pound title match against Bozzo.
“I told myself going out to the mat, I wasn't going to take second again,” Bleise said. “That really got my mindset going. I couldn't imagine coming off that mat not winning again.”
152
Champion: Logan Massa, St. Johns, Jr. (51-0)
Fall, 1:56 over Dillon Ellsworth, Lapeer East, Jr. (58-3)
Massa said it helps his psyche to have his brother on the side of the mat for his big matches.
And why not when your brother is a four-time undefeated champion, Taylor Massa.
It's helped two years in a row now, as Logan Massa won his second straight MHSAA championship with his brother in his corner.
“It's awesome to have him in my corner,” Logan Massa said. “It is really cool that (St. Johns coach Derek Phillips) lets me do it. It makes you feel more comfortable having him in my corner.”
160
Champion: Logan Ritchie, New Boston Huron, Jr. (57-2)
Decision, 2-1 over Tobias Barnes, Romulus Summit Academy, Sr. (56-2)
Ritchie kept the pressure on Barnes, and it paid off with a title.
Ritchie was awarded a penalty point late in the third period that allowed him to beat Barnes 2-1.
“I knew he liked to back up in space, and I just kept keeping the pressure on,” Ritchie said. “I know this time of the year they will call stalling. Maybe not in Districts, but they will down here.”
171
Champion: Max Dean, Lowell, Soph. (34-2)
Decision, 14-8 over Devon Pingel, North Branch, Soph. (55-2)
It was a battle of two super sophomores in the 171-pound title match, as Dean got the best of Pingel 14-8.
It was Dean's first MHSAA championship, while Pingel now has a runner-up finish to go with his title from 2013.
“I have a lot of respect for Devon Pingel,” Dean said. “He is always on the attack, and he is always coming. I got a little broken down last (period), but that is a credit to him. Fortunately, I built a little bit of a lead and was able to counter.”
Dean built a 8-2 lead and held on for the win.
189
Champion: Angus Arthur, St. Johns, Jr. (47-0)
Decision, 5-2 over Garett Stehley, Lowell, Sr. (31-2)
Two years ago, Arthur and Stehley were teammates on the Lowell wrestling team. Saturday they were opponents trying to win the 189-pound title.
And in a match that came down to the wire, Arthur hung on for a 3-2 win to win his second straight title.
Stehley was runner-up for the second straight year.
“It's the best feeling in the world,” Arthur said. “I know Garett is a hard wrestler, and this is his second year (he has taken second), so I knew he would come out strong. … I just kept on my attacks.”
215
Champion: Josh Colegrove, Lowell, Jr. (35-1)
Fall, 1:50 over Jacob Alarie, Bay City Western, Sr. (45-7)
Last year, Colegrove missed the Finals, recovering from surgery on an injured knee he suffered in football.
So when he won the title at 215 pounds with a pin over Alarie, he let out a huge yell and jumped into his coaches’ arms.
“This feels awesome; all my hard work to get back is paying off,” Colegrove said.
Colegrove also pointed to the sky in his celebration.
“My grandpa (Bill Colegrove) passed away a couple of years ago, after my freshman year,” Colegrove said. “I won this for him, because he was a big part of my life. He was always there for me.”
285
Champion: Chris Hendricks, Fruitport, Sr. (45-1)
Decision, 6-3 over Preston Pelham, Tecumseh, Sr. (55-2)
Fruitport has another heavyweight champion.
Hendricks accomplished that by beating Pelham 6-3 in a hard-fought battle of athletic 285-pounders.
From 1994-97, Matt Brink won three MHSAA titles for the school in the heavyweight division.
“All the work I put in, it's paying off now,” Hendricks said. “All the people that have come up to work with me, former champions, my coaches, my workout partners, I wouldn't have done this without all of them. I owe this all to them.”
PHOTO: (Top) St. Johns' Zac Hall was among flag bearers during the grand march before Saturday's MHSAA Individual Finals. (Middle) Hall's hand is raised as he finishes his fourth title. (Click to see more from High School Sports Scene.)
Mendon's Crespo Completes 4-Title Drive
March 7, 2020
By Dan Stickradt
Special for Second Half
DETROIT — Skyler Crespo reached Michigan wrestling immortality Saturday night.
The senior from Mendon became just the 28th wrestler in MHSAA history — and second on the day — to earn a fourth Individual Finals title.
Crespo posted an 11-0 major decision victory over Clinton sophomore Kent McCombs in the Division 4 145-pound championship match at Ford Field.
Crespo finished with a 53-1 record as a senior and more than 200 career wins. His only defeat this season came against an out-of-state opponent.
“This feels better than you can imagine,” smiled Crespo.
“One day in seventh grade my coach texted me and asked me, ‘What are your goals?’ I told him I wanted to go D-I,” added Crespo. “He said ‘that we have to have some other goals, too. He said why not go for it all?’ That’s what I did each year.”
McCombs finished his sophomore campaign with a 37-10 record and was part of Clinton’s team championship run. He also lost in the 2019 quarterfinals to Crespo, and wound up finishing fifth.
“I knew he was good on top, but I knew I could take him. I knew I was better. I don’t want to sound cocky, but I have confidence in myself and my training,” added Crespo. “There was no way I was going to lose today.”
103
Manus Bennett, Marlette, Fr. (45-2)
Decision, 6-4, over Isaiah Mullins, St. Charles, Soph. (36-5)
The top-seeded Bennett’s Finals debut ended in grand fashion.
“I came in as a freshman and just wanted to do well,” said Bennett. “I never really thought about winning a state title. I just wanted to do as best as I could. Once I got here, I went for it. I thought my opponent was great. It went all the way to the end, and I was able to pull it out.
“Now that I won a state championship as a freshman, I want to come back again next year and go for another (title),” added Bennett. “This is a great feeling. I can’t even explain it.”
112
Bronson Marry, Hudson, Soph. (38-6)
Fall, 1:46, over Shawn McGuire, Iron Mountain, Fr. (41-2)
After finishing as the runner-up at 103 last season, the top-seeded Marry picked up just one of a few pins in the finals Saturday.
“I came so close last year,” said Marry. “This was the goal since last season. It was disappointing last weekend (to lose in the Team Final to Clinton), so I really wanted to come back and win today.”
119
Ben Modert, Bronson, Sr. (54-2)
Decision, 9-4, over Zack Hall, Byron, Soph. (50-5)
Modert capped a fine career with his third Finals title, having previously won at 103 as a sophomore and 112 as a junior.
“It’s just crazy that it’s over,” said Modert . “I was nervous, not because of the kid but because it’s my last match ever. So I got too scared for it, I know I did. But I still went out there and got it done.”
125
Jaron Johnson, Carson City-Crystal, Jr. (42-0)
Decision, 6-2, over Andrew Krupp, New Lothrop, Jr. (39-10)
Johnson capped an unbeaten season after entering this weekend as the top seed at his weight. He was third at 125 a year ago.
“I never want to underestimate anyone. That’s when mistakes happen,” said Johnson. “It feels great right now. It’s been unreal the past couple of days, especially being a senior and No. 1 all year. I just wanted to go out there and do my stuff. If I worried about it, that’s when I won’t do my best.”
130
Caden Natale, Hudson, Jr. (40-5)
Decision, 2-1, over Jacob Shelby, Manchester, Sr. (51-2)
Natale had to stop three times due to a bloody nose. He eventually came back to the mat to down Shelby by wearing a taped-over mask that had a bit of a horror movie feel.
A year ago, Natale lost in double overtime in the 119-pound final.
“There was blood the whole time; it was crazy,” said Natale. “I just wanted to go back out there. It was really hard because I couldn’t breathe with that mask on. But I kept battling.”
Natale has had to overcome some adversity — even being sidelined for his entire seventh and eighth grade years from sports due to a serious health condition.
“I had a brain cyst that ruptured (before) my seventh grade year. I had to sit out the entire year, spent six months home in bed, and then my eighth grade year I had to sit out for precaution,” added Natale. “It feels so great to be out here, and that makes winning this so special knowing the adversity that I faced a couple of years ago.”
135
Jamison Ward, Carson City-Crystal, Sr. (53-0)
Decision, 5-1, over Mason Cantu, Hart, Soph. (53-3)
A perfect season was capped with a perfect feeling for Ward, who finished with a second-straight Finals championship.
“We’ve been talking about it all season that we had two (champions) last year and we could have two this year,” said Ward, who finished a combined 101-1 over the past two years. “We did it. (Teammate) Jaron Johnson is an awesome kid and a great practice partner. He did his part, and I did mine. This is a great feeling and even better having two of us win titles on the same day.”
140
Landyn VanWyk, Lawton, Sr. (52-4)
Decision, 8-5, over Reyden Rognow, Athens, Sr. (40-6)
VanWyk was not the No. 1 seed. But the Lawton senior still persevered and finished on top.
VanWyk posted an 8-5 decision to win his first title. He lost in the blood round at 135 last year.
“I wanted this more than anything,” smiled VanWyk. “I don’t think it settled in until the ref raised my hand. All of that hard work paid off. I still can’t believe it.”
152
Thomas Potter, Springport, Sr. (46-1)
Decision, 5-1, over Bryce Cheney, New Lothrop, Jr. (33-4)
Potter was not going down in his final match.
“This is what I was working for,” said Potter. “I wanted this more than you know. I knew that I had a chance this year, and I went out there and won the state championship.”
160
Trenton Holden, Grass Lake, Jr. (46-1)
Decision, 7-2, over Nick Phillips, Manchester, Sr. (35-10)
After not even qualifying for the Finals in 2019, Holden took a quantum leap toward the podium this year.
“I knew what he was going to do. I had (a feeling I) could get in one of my shots,” said Holden. “I never count anyone out. Don’t think, just go out and wrestle hard.
“This means everything,” continued Holden. “Last year I got knocked out at the Regional qualifiers in the blood rounds. This year I changed my whole mentality. I slimmed down a little bit, got in (better) shape and I was able to win it.”
171
Brock Nelson, LeRoy Pine River, Sr. (23-0)
Decision, 3-2, over Brayden Randolph, Clinton, Jr. (54-5)
Nelson and his teammates have faced plenty of adversity this school year — especially losing Nelson’s best friend Tim Rizor in a car crash four months ago. But Nelson battled through the devastating loss to post a perfect 23-0 season.
“I have been wrestling since I was a little kid, and since I was little I’ve dreamt of winning a state title,” said Nelson. “This year I’ve had some bad things happen to me in my life. What means the most to me is I won the state title for Tim Rizor. He was my buddy that died in a car accident last November. He took second at state two years in a row, and I know he would have taken it this year if he had the chance. This was for him.”
189
Logan Badge, Clinton, Soph. (37-0)
Decision, 6-4, over Justin Camahan, New Lothrop, Sr. (46-2)
One week after helping Clinton capture its first team title, Badge was back at it again winning an individual crown.
He won the Division 4 title at 215 last year, but dropped down a weight and still repeated.
“I just felt better about my performance (being down at 189),” said Badge of his weight loss. “I feel better. I am eating cleaner, not eating junk food and stuff like that. I cut everything out.
“This feels just as good as the first time,” continued Badge, who is 72-2 over the past two seasons. “Now I want to go after a couple of more.”
215
Camden Orr, New Lothrop, Jr. (44-3)
Fall, 4:40, over Shane Osantowski, Ubly, Sr. (35-7)
Seconds after winning, Orr nearly grabbed a few more takedown points by leaping onto his coaches in celebration and nearly forcing them onto the next mat.
Orr, the top seed, more than earned his celebratory rights.
“I did almost knock Coach over,” smiled Orr.
“There’s nothing quite like it, to be honest,” continued Orr, who was sixth at 189 last year. “I went for the reversal and I spun him around and got him on his back. I got in front and was able to take him down. It’s exciting. This is what I’ve been working for all year. When you get it — it’s awesome — and you don’t know what to do but celebrate. That’s why I ran over to my coaches.”
285
Simon Lato, Manchester, Sr. (53-2)
Decision, 5-4 (OT), over Emmett Bingaman, Mendon, Sr. (49-3)
Holding a slim 4-3 lead late in the third period, Lato was penalized for locking his hands.
That didn’t deter the senior and top seed.
Lato came back with an overtime point and captured his first championship.
“(The penalty) doesn’t matter. I got him (in overtime),” noted Lato, who was seventh at 285 last season. “That was my goal, and I was not going to let that bother me and take me away from winning.”
PHOTO: Mendon’s Skyler Crespo locks up Clinton’s Kent McCombs on the way to winning his fourth Individual Finals title. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)