Team Wrestling Finals Take Flight at Wings
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
February 22, 2019
KALAMAZOO — Thirty-two teams, more than 9,000 spectators and 60 to 75 volunteers will converge at Wings Event Center this weekend for the MHSAA Team Wrestling Finals.
Volunteers gathered at the venue Thursday, setting up two of the three arenas and making sure everything was in working order in preparation for Friday’s Quarterfinals and Saturday’s Semifinals and Finals.
And tournament director Mike Garvey – who before retiring last year served as an athletic director for more than two decades at four area high schools, plus led Lawton to the Class D wrestling title in 1990 – can rattle off the details like a tour guide.
“There are 10 warm-up mats in ‘The Valley,’” Garvey pointed out Thursday. “That’s where the teams also weigh in.
“We have four registered MHSAA referees who are going to inspect the kids for skin diseases, which they always do for wrestlers, and weigh them in.
“There’s a doctor who has volunteered because if a referee says no … we say ‘Go see the doc,’ which is nice.”
And that's just the start of the setup that comes with hosting one of the MHSAA’s most popular championship showcases.
The tournament is a collaboration of the MHSAA, Wings Event Center and Discover Kalamazoo, and the event is in its second year of a four-year contract with the facility. Saturday's 3:45 p.m. championship matches will close a three-week team tournament with champions celebrated in four divisions.
Last year’s Finals drew a championship-record attendance of 9,469.
"There’s no way you can miss Wings Event Center right off I-94,” said Dan Hutcheson, assistant director of the MHSAA. “Parking, the facilities. In general, this is a great place for us. Probably the most important thing for us is the people who work here. They’ve been so good to us, especially Rob (Underwood, Wings Event Center general manager) and Melissa (Janecke, special events coordinator).”
Garvey started planning this year’s event the day after last year’s championships finished. He started getting commitments from volunteers in the fall.
Providing memorable experiences for wrestlers, officials and fans are main priorities, and that means covering every detail from weigh-ins to concessions to where teams will stay and parents will park.
Garvey has volunteers who act as liaisons for each team, greeting them, distributing their packets and familiarizing them with the venue.
How does he get so many volunteers?
“I beg,” he said, laughing. “I say that in jest because people are thrilled to be part of this. I emailed all the ADs and wrestling coaches in the area, and they’ve just jumped in.
“Also the Kalamazoo wrestling officials association has jumped in as well, not as referees (but) as volunteers. Chris Furlong, the wrestling coach at Portage Northern, has been invaluable.”
The main action will take place in the stadium, where four mats are showcased on risers.
“It’s like the movie ‘Hoosiers’ when the guy opened the door at Butler and the kids walked in and were awestruck,” Garvey said. “That’s how these kids look, especially for the first time.”
There is more to the tournament than the wrestlers.
Portage Northern softball players are selling programs, and the concession stands in the arena are open.
“Teams can bring in their own food, and we have a place for them to eat (in the area above the third rink),” Garvey said.
Referees have their own space in the ECHL Kalamazoo Wings locker room, and “Portage Northern wrestling moms are setting up something for the refs in the locker room so they can just go back there for their food,” Garvey said.
Taco John’s will cater lunches for the volunteers, which Garvey calls “Garv’s Guys.”
Garvey also selects singers of the national anthem before each round.
South Haven’s Jim McCloughan, who received the Medal of Honor in 2017 for his service in Vietnam, will sing before the Division 2 and 3 Quarterfinals.
Martin junior Aleyca Morey and Loy Norrix sophomore Sierra Ward will perform before the other two divisions on Friday. Saturday’s anthem singers will be Portage Central junior Ciara Williams, Mattawan junior Thomas Lamb and St. Augustine fifth grader Marissa Toweson.
Discover Kalamazoo, a tourist information center, also is involved in the tournament playing a key role in many behind-the-scenes necessities.
“Our office is very engaged with helping place the participating teams and coaches into hotels,” said Greg Ayers, president/CEO of Discover Kalamazoo. “Of the 32 teams, most all of them will have at least one night (and some two nights) in our local hotels.
“While we don't have any specific number(s) regarding the economic impact of the event, we know 32 teams, their fans and others will have impact on area hotels, restaurants, retail, gas stations, etc.”
Ayers anticipates another large crowd this weekend.
“(With) three teams (Schoolcraft, Dowagiac and Niles) in our backyard, we anticipate big crowds to be in attendance supporting their teams,” he said.
Hutcheson, who wrestled at Ferris State University and spent three years at the Olympic training center, can look at the tournament from several vantage points
“When I look at an event like this, I look at it as a past wrestler, as a past coach, as an AD, and as a spectator,” he said.
“I try to think of all the different lenses you have to look through at an event, then we try to do the best we can.”
Wings Event Center has become a “Home of Wrestling,” Underwood said. “They like it, and we like it.
“The convenience off I-94, the great hotels we have around here with more opening, the seats in this venue, the concessions and bathrooms have made it a great location.”
Wings Event Center hosts five MYWAY youth wrestling events a year, and it was through Dave Dean, that organization’s president, that the MHSAA Finals began looking to Kalamazoo.
“My relationship with Dave Dean in MYWAY led me to Dan Hutcheson, and we started our conversations a couple years ago and here we are,” Underwood said. “It’s a great event, and we love having it here.”
Underwood has become a fan and spectator of the event.
“Once you start watching, it’s hard to walk away from it,” he said. “The team event is really neat because of the camaraderie with the wrestlers and the coaches and their following. When you look in the stands and just see color blocking for that team and the support, that’s cool to see.”
“(The MHSAA) does one (tournament) here and (individual championships) at Ford Field, so I guess we’re in good company.”
Garvey said he always wanted to run an MHSAA Finals tournament and jumped at the job when it went to Kalamazoo.
This year is especially special for Garvey.
“One of the neat things for me this year is that Schoolcraft has qualified,” he said “Their coach, Rob Ling, was a Lawton wrestler (with Garvey as coach), and he’s one of my boys.
“It makes me feel very proud. That’s a bonus for me.”
Ayers said more than half the teams are returning to Kalamazoo this year and “those teams and their fans are gaining familiarity with our community (hotels, restaurants, etc.)
“Having high school-aged students in our community provides excellent opportunities to introduce Kalamazoo. It can lead to prospective students for WMU, Kalamazoo College and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.”
Garvey said his team is always trying to improve.
“Last year everybody who came to this tournament as participants said it was the best Team Finals ever,” he said. “Being competitors, we want it to be better every year.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) By Thursday evening, Wings Event Center awaited this weekend's MHSAA Team Wrestling Finals. (Middle) Clockwise from left: Lowell's Curt Cummings sets up the clocks. Portage Northern junior Shane Lisk, left, and senior Cameron Migliaccio clean the mats. Wings Event Center special events coordinator Melissa Janecke tapes the mats. Portage Northern senior wrestler Quinten Baughman continues the process of mat cleaning. (Below) Mike Garvey, left, and Rob Underwood. (Photos by Pam Shebest.)
Ward, Schoff Striving to Become Brandywine's 1st Finals Champs Since 1992
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
January 30, 2024
NILES – Niles Brandywine wrestlers Maddison Ward and Gavin Schoff literally have gone the extra mile to set themselves up for success.
Ward and Schoff, along with their teammates, have traveled many miles this winter competing in some of the more elite weekend tournaments across the state.
The two Bobcats grapplers hope that exposure is enough to push them to the top of the podium at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals in early March at Ford Field.
Both Ward, a junior, and Schoff, a senior, could become the first Brandywine wrestler to win a Finals title since Dean Heath captured the 1992 Class C crown at 275 pounds.
Ward, ranked No. 2 in the state at 170 pounds by MichiganGrappler.com, is 23-1 this season. Her only loss came 5-4 at the Montague Tournament to Romeo’s top-ranked Amarisa Manuel, last season’s runner-up at 155 and the 145 champion in 2021.
Ward comes from a wrestling family. Her older brother Marty Ward, a 2015 Brandywine graduate, was a standout grappler and football player for the Bobcats. It was Marty who influenced Maddison most to give the sport a try.
"My brother wrestled, and I come from a family of wrestlers,” Maddison Ward said. “I'm the only female in my family that showed interest in the sport. My parents were skeptical about it at first, but I wanted to give it a try to see if I could do it as well beginning when I was in seventh grade."
Ward eventually joined Midwest Extreme Wrestling Club, a program affiliated with Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind.
"I really started to improve toward the end of my freshman year when I started hitting more freestyle tournaments. I learned how to be more aggressive, hone in on my skills and (I) started working harder," Ward said.
She is in her third year season competing on Brandywine's varsity team and is one of just two female wrestlers on the squad.
"It's very difficult to get girls to come out for wrestling,” Ward said. “Right now there are only a couple of us girls in the high school program, but there are several participating on the junior high team. But it's been a dream of mine to help grow the interest here and in Southwest Michigan and leave a message that this sport is as big here for females as it is in the bigger cities.”
Ward believes her technique and strength are big keys to her success.
"I feel like my biggest strengths are that I'm a pretty technical wrestler and for a female I have good strength that I'm able to use to my capability," Ward said.
Also a former cross country runner and track & field athlete, Ward does a lot of weight training to help build stamina and endurance. Her success already has generated interest among college coaches.
"Right now I have a lot of interest in Grand Valley State University for wrestling. I feel like their coach (Jake Short) is going to be able to help me a lot with my goals and where I want to eventually end up with wrestling. My end goal is to compete in the Olympics," Ward said.
Ward plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist and become a coach.
"I want to coach younger kids in wrestling working with the MYWAY Program or coaching at the middle school level," Ward said. "I wouldn't mind coaching anyone because I really love it."
The late David Schultz, an American Olympic and World Champion freestyle wrestler, has been a big inspiration to Ward.
"I've read a lot about him and have just always looked up to him because he was a phenomenal and technical wrestler. Looking back at his quotes, it just really helps build me up as a wrestler. I just look up to him for his accomplishments and who he was as a person," Ward said.
Ward looks to qualify for the Individual Finals for a third consecutive year. She finished seventh at 155 her freshman year and third her sophomore season at 145. Being in the higher weight class will make it tougher, but Ward is looking forward to the challenge.
"I was much more of a scrambler at 145. It's a lot different wrestling at 170 where you have to be a lot more physical. You have to know where you're at all the time on the mat and be careful," Ward said. "My experience, mat time and having a lot of confidence in myself are my biggest advantages. I've made a good adjustment this year with my mental preparation, not giving up and really believing in myself. I just have to continue that positive mentality, eating well, lifting and getting the most out of every practice."
Rex Pomranka, Niles Brandywine's head wrestling coach since the 2004-05 season, has been impressed with Ward's interest and work ethic since she joined the Brandywine wrestling program. He believes Ward is very capable of reaching her goal.
"Maddie is kind of young compared to some of the girls that have been wrestling since they were 5 or 6 years old. But she's always asking questions, watching videos, going to camps and competing in offseason freestyle tournaments, Pomranka said. “You've heard of basketball players who are gym rats, well Maddie is a mat rat in wrestling. She quite often comes in before and will stay after practice to work on moves or techniques to make herself better. She doesn't give up, is a hard worker and just goes and goes. A lot of girls Maddie wrestles can't match her strength."
Schoff is aspiring to become a three-time Finals qualifier and placer. He is 34-0, ranked No. 1 in Division 4 at 157 pounds and regarded among the top eight in his weight class across all four divisions. All the wrestlers above Schoff in the power rankings are from Division 1 and Division 2 schools.
In his two other previous Finals appearances, Schoff finished fifth at 152 his sophomore year and third at 157 as a junior. He is expected to reach the 150-career win mark within the next couple weeks.
"My stamina has really improved this season. I used to get gassed in matches. I've done a lot of running and tried to keep up a good pace in practice. I'm pretty strong, and I try to lift a lot," Schoff said.
He’s also played football at Brandywine and was a starter for two years on the offensive and defensive lines (at right guard and nose guard, respectively). He participates in track & field as well, and plans to finish his wrestling career on the high school mat this winter as he will enter the skill trades after high school with hopes of becoming a plumber.
"Playing football helps you with your balance, and it just teaches you a lot of how to be tough. Track helps me with my stamina and staying active," Schoff said.
Schoff hopes those factors help lead him to a Finals title. Pomranka believes the Bobcats' competitive schedule also will benefit his two standout grapplers.
In addition to its Lakeland Conference meets, Brandywine has wrestled in weekend tournaments this season at Montague, Quincy, Hillsdale, Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, East Jackson, Kalamazoo Central and Parchment.
"We want to see the best competition we can and get the best matchups possible that are going to help our kids the most later on this season," Pomranka said.
Schoff is only the third Brandywine wrestler during Pomranka's coaching tenure to record 100 career pins, including 27 victories by pinfall this season.
"Gavin is so flexible, strong and athletic. He can get himself out of all kinds of different positions, including some (ways) you just can't coach,” Pomranka said. “There have been matches where it looks like his opponent will take him down, and next thing you know Gavin has the guy turned over on his back.”
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Maddison Ward, top position, from Niles Brandywine has the upper hand in a dual match at home earlier this season. (2) Niles Brandywine senior Gavin Schoff works out with the heavy ball at a recent Bobcats' wrestling practice. (3) Niles Brandywine junior Maddison Ward, right, stands on the podium after winning the championship in the 170-pound weight class at the Adam H. Provencal Invitational this season at Grand Haven High School. (4) Gavin Schoff, far right, from Niles Brandywine, holds up his bracket after winning the 157-pound weight class at the Shawn Cockrell Invitational at Quincy High School earlier this month. (Top photo by Scott Novak/Leader Publications; workout photo by Scott Hassinger, and awards photos courtesy of the Brandywine wrestling program.)