As Upsets Abound, Parker Repeats in D2
March 5, 2016
By Jeff Chaney
Special for Second Half
AUBURN HILLS – St. Johns senior Ian Parker could not help but notice what was going on around him Saturday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
The MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals had turned into a tournament of upsets, as many returning champions, and a few multiple champions like Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Devin Schroder, Gaylord's Dom LaJoie and Lowell's Lucas Hall, all went down to defeat.
For Schroder, he lost a chance at making history, failing to win his fourth straight title and becoming just the 22nd wrestler to accomplish that feat.
So Parker, also a returning champion, walked onto the mat for his 140-pond championship match with Ortonville-Brandon's Bryan LaVearn a little nervous. And why not? LaVearn pinned former champ Zeth Dean of Lowell on Friday night in their Semifinal.
But Parker buckled down, wrestled his match, and beat the game LaVearn 6-2 to win his second title.
"I was a lot more nervous going into this match, because it was my final match, and there had been a lot of upsets in this tournament," Parker said. "It kind of gets in your head a little bit, but I felt like I calmed it down and did what I had to do to get it done."
103
Champion: Corey Gamet, Parma Western, Fr. (15-1)
Decision, 3-2, over Chaise Mayer, Warren Woods Tower, Fr. (50-7)
Gamet had a difficult first year of high school wrestling, dealing with an injured knee that limited his season to just 16 matches.
But the final four of those matches were great, as he won an MHSAA title at 103 with a 3-2 win over fellow freshman Mayer.
"I had to keep my confidence because I missed a lot of practices," Gamet said. "I knew I just had to win the match."
112
Champion: Elijuh Weaver, Warren Woods Tower, Jr. (58-1)
Decision, 5-4, over Branson Proudlock, Gibraltar Carlson, Soph. (51-2)
There would be no second place for Weaver again.
A runner-up last year, Weaver won his title this year with a hard-fought 5-4 win over talented sophomore Proudlock.
"I was thinking I can't lose again, I can't repeat what happened last year," Weaver said. "My friends motivated me by telling me I can't be a runner-up again."
119
Champion: Julian Saldana, Melvindale, Sr. (58-1)
Decision, 4-3, over Dom LaJoie, Gaylord, Jr. (61-1)
Saldana may have been as shocked as everyone else in The Palace on Saturday. After all, he had just upset a two-time reigning champion.
The win caused the large crowd at The Palace to gasp, as LaJoie went down to defeat for the first time at the MHSAA Finals.
"I had to do something; I'm not really sure what exactly I did," Saldana said. "All I know is it worked, and I beat a two-time state champion."
125
Champion: Drew Marten, Tecumseh, Jr. (53-1)
Decision, 10-4, over Lucas Hall, Lowell, Sr. (31-1)
Just as the crowd was settling down at the Division 2 end of The Palace, Marten put fans back on their feet as he beat two-time champion Hall, 10-4.
It was a tough win for Marten, as he explained that he and Hall are close friends. But was glad to do it for his school and wrestling program.
"He is my best friend, so that was tough," Marten said. "But I hope this will motivate our program and create a chain reaction for Tecumseh."
130
Champion: Mike Bergmooser, Carleton Airport, Sr. (50-3)
Fall, 3:58, over Jon Marten, Gaylord, Sr., (58-4)
Better late than never for Bergmooser.
He had struggled at the Finals before, but this past weekend won four matches to win his first title.
"I never won a match down here before. I was 0-6," Bergmooser said. "But it felt so good to finally get a win and go out with a bang."
135
Champion: Nathan Ellis, Goodrich, Sr. (52-3)
Decision, 5-2, over Trent Lashuay, St. Johns, Jr. (44-11)
When two wrestlers are evenly matched, it's usually the one who pushes himself to the limit who picks up the victory.
Ellis wrestled a full six minutes and came away with a tight 5-2 win.
"Going into the third period, I knew I just had to push the pace," Ellis said. "If I did that, I knew that it would be in my favor, and I would come out on top."
145
Champion: Austin Melton, DeWitt, Sr. (55-1)
Major decision, 14-6, over Dustin Gross, Dearborn Heights Annapolis, Soph. (55-4)
Sometimes a heart-breaking loss in a championship match can be just the motivation to help achieve a title the next year.
That's what happened Melton, as he lost a tough match in the Finals to Marysville's Austin Thompson a year ago, only to come back and win this year by major decision.
"It felt great to go out on top," Melton said. "I have been working hard all year long. It feels awesome because last year it slipped away, but now that I finally got it … it feels awesome."
152
Champion: Ameer Munassar, Melvindale, Sr. (52-1)
Decision, 7-5 OT, over Brandon Garcia, Riverview, Sr. (54-1)
Losing in Regional competition can be tough. It affects your seed and placement when it comes to the Finals.
But coming back and avenging that loss in the Finals can be even sweeter, as Munassar felt Saturday night avenging his only defeat by beating Garcia.
“I lost to him in overtime at Regionals, and it motivated me so much more coming into the State Finals," Munassar said. "To win here is so great."
160
Champion: Deirrien Perkins, Warren Lincoln, Sr. (41-1)
Decision, 3-1, over Connor Charping, Trenton, Jr. (55-2)
Wrestling coaches always preach wrestle to the final whistle. They always say you never know what can happen, and that a match is never done until that final whistle.
Perkins did just that, and scored a takedown with 10 seconds to go in the 160-pound championship match to beat Charping 3-1.
“He wasn't ready for it (the takedown). I knew I had to go, and I just went for it," Perkins said. "I capitalized on that moment, got (the takedown) and held on for dear life."
171
Champion: Jelani Embree, Warren Lincoln, Jr. (47-0)
Decision, 4-1, over Danny Kruse, Lowell, Sr. (36-3)
An injured Embree is no easy opponent to wrestle. A healthy one can be downright impossible to face.
The Warren Lincoln junior proved that this year, completing an undefeated season with a hard-fought 4-1 win over Kruse.
"This year it was a little bit different, because both my knees were actually healthy," Embree said. "I was able to train a lot harder, and it helped me finally come out on top."
189
Champion: Max Dean, Lowell, Sr. (37-0)
Decision, 9-2, over Brad Wilton, Mason, Jr. (45-3)
Dean won an MHSAA championship as a sophomore, but was unable to defend that title last year thanks to an injured wrist suffered during his junior football season.
So it was that much sweeter for him to come back as a senior and finish the task, winning his second championship with a workmanlike 9-2 decision.
"To me, this means a lot," said Dean, who will be wrestling at Cornell next year. "I was heart-broken last year not being able to compete, having that privilege to walk on to the mat and go to war. I really missed that, and it was definitely tough. But it is really satisfying to come back and win this year."
215
Champion: Landon Pelham, Tecumseh, Sr. (53-0)
Decision, 9-2, over Eli Boulton, Lowell, Jr. (29-14)
There is an MHSAA championship in the Pelham household now.
Two years after watching his older brother Preston Pelham lose in the heavyweight Finals, Landon Pelham won the family's first title.
"I got some redemption for my bother. It has all been our goal to be state champs," Landon Pelham said. "He wanted more for me than I could have ever wanted it for myself."
285
Champion: Isaiah Espinoza, Adrian, Sr. (47-1)
Decision, 1-0, over Sam Benson, Mason, Sr. (36-6)
Espinoza takes nothing for granted in wrestling. He knows how brutal the sport can be, both physically and mentally.
The grind of a season can take it out of your body. And a loss in a championship match can wear on the mind for a long time.
That happened last year when Espinoza fell in the Finals at heavyweight and had to wait a full year for redemption, which he got Saturday night.
"I knew I had to make it back, and my coaches gave me a process to get better" Espinoza said. "They expected me to push myself harder and harder. It was a grind, I loved it and it paid off."
The MHSAA Wrestling Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard.
PHOTO: St. Johns’ Ian Parker wins his Semifinal match Friday to earn a berth in Saturday’s Final, which he also won to repeat as a Division 2 champ. (Photo by Michelle Campbell.)
Davison's Olson Joins Mat Legends
March 7, 2015
By Nick Hankins
Special for Second Half
AUBURN HILLS – It takes many people and a lot of time to build a legend.
That’s why Lincoln Olson was so quick to hand out credit for the incredible feat he accomplished Saturday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Olson became the 20th wrestler in MHSAA history win four Individual Finals championships when he beat Walled Lake Central’s Daniel Shear by technical fall, 24-9, at 135 pounds.
“I feel ecstatic right now,” Olson said. “This is something I have been working for my whole life. I am so grateful for all the people who have helped me get here. My coaches (Roy Hall and Paul Donahoe) and my father, I wouldn’t be the wrestler I am without them. They mean the world to me, they gave me everything I needed to achieve this goal. All my coaches have been by my side this whole journey.”
Olson also finished his high school career with eight straight technical fall wins at MHSAA Finals.
“That has been my philosophy my whole life. I know I have a gas tank and a motor, and my conditioning I have been working on my whole life,” Olson said. “That really separates me from other guys; that third period when they are tired, I just keep going.”
103
Champion: Mike Mars, Westland John Glenn, Fr. (51-2)
Decision, 8-4, over Elijuh Weaver, Roseville, Soph. (29-4)
Mars got a little revenge, and won an MHSAA title along the way.
He beat Weaver 8-4 to win his first Finals championship.
“This feels unbelievable,” Mars said “I knew he was going to be tough to beat. He beat me the last time we wrestled at the beginning of the season. I worked hard all year to win a championship.”
112
Champion: Augustine Facundo, Davison, Fr. (38-8)
Decision, 9-4, over Donte Rivera-Garcia, Southgate Anderson, Soph. (54-3)
All year long, Facundo wrestled behind returning MHSAA champ and teammate Max Johnson in the 112-pound weight class.
But both wrestled in the MHSAA tournament and qualified for the Finals.
And when Johnson was upset in the Semifinal round by Rivera-Garcia, Facundo came back and avenged Johnson’s loss with a 9-4 win.
“It is awesome,” Facundo said. “It is such a rush to be a state champion. My dad and coaches put in a lot of hard work to get me to this point. I just stayed aggressive and rough to push the pace and win.”
119
Champion: Noah Gonser, Grand Blanc, Sr. (56-3)
Decision, 9-2, over Brendan Hazelton, Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse, Sr. (57-2)
It’s always great to end your career a winner. That’s what Gonser did by beating Hazelton for his 56th win of the year and first MHSAA title.
“I feel great about that match,” Gonser said. “This is a great end to my high school career. It has not hit me yet, but I am very excited to be a state champ.
“Last night I was in bed looking at the ceiling and said ‘God, I’m in the Finals.’ I don’t think this has all hit me yet. ”
125
Champion: Ben Freeman, Walled Lake Central, Soph. (44-0)
Decision, 10-7, over Romeo Riley, Kalamazoo Central, Sr. (44-2)
Sometime winning your second MHSAA title can be harder than earning your first.
Walled Lake Central sophomore Ben Freeman felt that this year, but came through with a hard-fought win over Riley.
Freeman won at 103 pounds last year.
“This is an awesome feeling,” Freeman said “It feels like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I have been working all year to win this title. I deserve to win this title because of all the sacrifices I have made.”
130
Champion: Trevor Zdebski, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (46-5)
Fall, 4:53, over Abe Ajami, Dearborn Fordson, Jr. (45-5)
Trevor Zdebski seconded Freeman’s sentiments on nerves the second time around.
Zdebski won his second title Saturday, but admitted afterward that it wasn’t easy, on the mat, or in his stomach.
“It is extremely nerve-wracking wrestling in the Finals,” Zdebski said. ”I was able to turn that pressure and nervousness and turn it into fuel to get it done. What more could I ask for, to cap off my senior season with a state championship!”
140
Champion: Dylan Steward, Grand Ledge, Jr. (44-2)
Decision, 9-4, over Nathan Atienza, Livonia Franklin, Soph. (49-4)
Sometime a loss earlier in the MHSAA tournament can act as motivation as the tournament moves on.
That was the case for Grand Ledge junior Dylan Steward.
“Nobody was going to stop me from winning a state title,” Steward said. “I lost at Regionals and worked hard to get that title.”
Steward won two of his matches at the Finals by major decision.
145
Champion: Dillon Ellsworth, Lapeer, Sr. (53-2)
Decision, 5-4 UTB, over Logan Parks, Southgate Anderson, Sr. (56-1)
Many coaches say to their wrestlers that they need to wrestle a full six minutes.
For Lapeer senior Dillon Ellsworth, he needed to wrestle a full nine minutes to beat Parks in the ultimate tiebreaker.
“I feel pretty good,” Ellsworth said. “I tried to push the pace of that match. It is pretty cool I got to win it my senior year and go out with a win at The Palace.”
152
Champion: Blake Montrie, Temperance Bedford, Jr. (46-1)
Decision, 7-5 SV-1, over Tyler Grimsley, New Baltimore Anchor Bay, Sr. (57-1)
Montrie went for it all in overtime, and it paid off as he threw Grimsley in a head-and-arm for the sudden victory.
“This is the greatest moment of my life,” Montrie said. “It’s a privilege to have my father in the corner and share this moment with him.
“I beat Grimsley at Grappler Fall Classic this year and I stuck with the same game plan to win a state championship.”
160
Champion: Myles Amine, Detroit Catholic Central, Sr. (47-0)
Decision, 7-6 SV-1 over Milik Dawkins, Flint Carman-Ainsworth, Sr. (53-2)
Amine was a little surprised by his opponent.
Dawkins came after the returning MHSAA champion and pushed him – until Amine held off the challenge and claimed the sudden victory on a technical violation.
“It is very exciting to win two state championship,” Amine said. “When I came to Catholic Central, I never dreamed of having this much success as a team or individual. It is really special to have my family share this with me.”
171
Champion: Nicholas Brish, Brighton, Sr. (48-2)
Decision, 5-2, over Andrew Price, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, Sr. (51-3)
There is a lot of hard work and pressure that goes in every MHSAA championship, but Brighton’s Nicholas Brish said he had some fun. He won his first title with a 5-2
“I have had a fun year going after it this year,” Brish said. “Coach (Tony) Greathouse always tells us to push the pace in our matches, so that is what I did for six minutes.
“It has been the greatest season ever for me, and this weekend ended on a great note.”
189
Champion: Alex Sovel, Walled Lake Central, Sr. (47-4)
Decision, 2-1, over Nick May, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, Jr. (48-4)
Sovel made his first MHSAA Finals only last season, earning a seventh place in his debut.
But Saturday, he closed his high school career with a memorable finish.
“I finally got it,” Sovel said. “I have told myself do whatever it takes this season, and it paid off today. It was special to have my brother Charles in the corner to share this moment.”
Charles Sovel was an MHSAA Finals placer as a senior in 2012.
215
Champion: Luke Ready, Brighton, Jr. (52-2)
Decision, 3-0, over Antonio Balabani, Macomb Dakota, Sr. (52-5)
Strength was on display when these two took to the mat and as they battled the full six minutes.
“It is an awesome feeling to accomplish our team goals and my personal goals in the same year,” said Ready, whose team won the Division 1 title last weekend in Battle Creek.
“Our coaching staff has been excellent this year. We have young coaches in (wrestling) with the team, and that is the reason we were able to accomplish our goals this year.”
285
Champion: Dan Perry, Lapeer, Jr. (61-0)
Decision, 3-2, over Ali Wahab, Dearborn Heights Crestwood, Jr. (59-1)
It was the battle of the unbeatens at heavyweight. And they are both juniors.
Perry edged Wahab by a mere point in a battle of wrestlers who had a combined 119-0 record coming into the final match.
“This is an amazing feeling,” Perry said. “I have been working for this for years and I finally did it. I went out with the mindset to be physical, and I knew I was going to win.”
He wasn’t the only Perry to place this weekend; senior brother Jacob finished fifth at 189.
“It is great to have my brother wrestle with me,” Dan Perry said. “I have someone there that can push me day in and day out mentally and physically to make me a better person and wrestler.”
PHOTO: Davison's Lincoln Olson is awarded his final high school win Saturday, and with it a fourth MHSAA title. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)