Strong Finish Seals DCC as 3-Peat Champ
February 22, 2014
By Dan Stickradt
Special to Second Half
BATTLE CREEK — Payback is never tougher than in a championship setting. Ask those around Davison’s wrestling program.
After losing to fellow state powerhouse Detroit Catholic Central in last season’s MHSAA Division 1 title match, 29-26, in a meet that went down to the final weight class, top-ranked Davison sought its revenge on the Shamrocks on Saturday at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
Catholic Central still proved too much to overcome.
Davison, top-ranked all season and top-seeded for the MHSAA Finals weekend, couldn’t hang on to a 19-13 lead through eight matches, as Catholic Central closed out with a 21-0 run by winning the last six to prevail.
CC’s Drew Garcia outlasted Davison’s Jordan Cooks in overtime, 3-1, at 189 pounds to clinch the title -- Catholic Central's third straight and fourth in five years. Both are reigning two-time Individual Finals champions.
"All season long our coach told us not to talk about a three-peat," said Garcia, who also finished as an MHSAA individual runner-up as a freshman. "He told us that we had to go out and try to win a state championship and not try to defend it. Our goal all along was to win the state title, and we (rose) up and did it.
The win marked Catholic Central’s 11th team title, which ties the MHSAA record for most in Class A/Division 1 lore.
“This ties Temperance-Bedford for the most in Division 1 history. That’s shows how hard the kids work in this wrestling program,” said Catholic Central coach Mitch Hancock, who has guided the Shamrocks to a 149-32 record over seven seasons as head coach. "That's something we take a lot of pride in. But I told the entire team, coaches and parents at the beginning of the season that we were not to mention the (phrase) three-peat. Every year is different and our goal was to go out and try to win a state championship."
Davison defeated Catholic Central, 31-28, in a match in December. But the Cardinals couldn't match up with the Shamrocks this time around.
"They had a couple of guys out the last time, so they had everyone back this time and those guys made a huge difference for them," noted Davison coach Roy Hall, whose program slipped to 8-3 all-time in MHSAA championship matches. "This played out similar to what I thought. We needed a couple of close matches to go our way, and they didn't. That's wrestling. We wanted to get them back (for last year) but came up short."
His team down 19-13 through 140 pounds, Catholic Central's Myles Amine started the comeback at 145 with a 6-4 decision win. Brother Malik Amine (152) continued the momentum swing with a 5-3 decision win that tied the match at 19-19.
"Those guys are amazing. They were in the wrestling room three days after football season ended (with another MHSAA Division 1 championship game) and ready to go at it," said Hancock. "What else can you say about those guys? They are champions on and off the mat. That's the type of dedication that we have here at Catholic Central. These kids never stop working."
Nick Bennett (160) got a pin in 1:40 to put Catholic Central up for good at 25-19. Freshman Tyler Morland (171) gutted out a 9-5 victory for a 28-19 advantage and set the stage for Garcia.
CC's Nick Geise (215) ended the match with a 4-1 triumph.
"This is all about Catholic Central High school, representing Catholic Central, the administration, the parents, and giving glory to God," added Hancock. "We would not be able to do this without any of them."
Catholic Central entered the weekend the third seed and finished 18-4, taking down second-seeded Hartland in the Semifinal and sixth-seeded Plymouth in the Quarterfinal on Friday. Davison ended 25-4 and beat Livonia Franklin then Oxford to advance.
PHOTOS: (Top) Detroit Catholic Central's Drew Garcia raises his hands in victory after claiming a 3-1 decision during Saturday's Division 1 Team Final. (Middle) Davison and DCC wrestlers work for position during the championship match. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Performance: Caro's Tyler Deming
January 5, 2016
Tyler Deming
Caro senior – Wrestling
Only six wrestlers have finished as four-time champions during the 52 years of the Freeland Wrestling Invitational – and on Dec. 30, Deming became the latest. It was a day of opportunities for the Caro senior, and he made good on them all in earning this week’s Michigan National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
Deming also earned the 150th win of his career at the event in helping the Tigers claim the team championship ahead of Bay City Western after two straight seasons finishing runners-up to the Warriors. He’s 15-0 this season with 13 pins and 150-33 with 101 pins over his four seasons – he wrestled at 171 pounds as a freshman and 189 as a sophomore and junior before moving to 215 this winter. Deming made the MHSAA Individual Finals last season for the first time and finished third in Division 3 at 189. He’s hoping to become Caro’s first individual champion since 2005 and lead the No. 8-ranked Tigers to their first MHSAA team title since 2003.
Deming also played football and throws shot put and discus during the spring, and he missed the MHSAA Finals in track and field last season in discus by only five feet. Deming ranks among the top of his class academically with a 3.8 grade-point average and currently plans to attend Saginaw Valley State University and study business with an eye on possibly becoming an accountant.
Co-coach Bob Suranye said: “Tyler is a very self-motivated young man. Along with (seeking) an individual state championship, he is a great leader, with a goal to help this team to the team state finals and possibly the team state championship.”
Performance Point: “I was really happy I was able to accomplish everything I wanted that day,” Deming said of the Freeland meet. “With so many milestones possible that day, I felt relieved I did (accomplish them). I was really happy with my performance and really happy for the team too.”
Climbing every season: “I’ve cut my losses every year since freshman year, from 18 to 11 to four. I think it’s because of our practice room and how hard we work, and my practice partners pushing me. We keep the pace up all the time; our practices are really intense. It’s impossible not to get better at our practices.”
Finishing move: “Cross-face cradle. It’s just seems like once I start with the move, they can’t stop it. It’s a powerful move, and I can force them into it, and it works. I’ve probably gotten 70 percent of my pins with that move.”
Switching sports with the seasons: “I do wrestling in the summer, when track is over. But football, I just love being able to hit people. It’s fun, and I love being part of it. Track is more for fun, but I’m still really competitive at it. I still work really hard, like with everything else I do.”
Let’s make history: “That is my dream. I dream about it all the time. I want to be the guy to bring a championship back to Caro. I think about it every day at practice. Coach (Steve) Ley always encourages us to dream big. … Most people’s goals are to get the team state championship. My goal is a team state championship and an individual state championship.”
– Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2015-16 school year, Second Half and the Michigan National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, respond as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our Nation's freedom, or protecting lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2015-16 honorees
Dec. 15: Jordan Weber, East Jordan boys basketball – Read
Dec. 8: Kaitlyn Geers, Kent City girls basketball – Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Tyler Deming, left, is a four-year varsity wrestler for Caro. (Middle) Deming right, locks up for the start of a takedown; he's won 150 matches over his career. (Photos by Mary Filkins Photography.)