LocalSportsJournal.com
Four area wrestlers advanced to the MHSAA state championship match on March 2 at Ford Field in Detroit.
Two of them came home after capturing a state championship.
In the boys' division, Whitehall's Gavin Craner and Tee Ward from Fremont were crowned state champions. Craner won the Division 3 title at 175 and Ward was the Division 2 champion at 138.
In the girls' division, Spring Lake's Braelyn Flemming (235) and Grand Haven's Gracey Barry (115) advanced to the title match in their respective weight classes before coming up short and finishing second.
A total of 24 wrestlers (17 boys and 7 girls) earned all-state accolades for finishing in the top 8 in their respective weight divisions.
Division 1
Two Reeths-Puffer wrestlers garnered all-state honors. Ian Cook finished third at 132 and Nathan Stafford was sixth at 285.
Division 2
Ward was the only wrestler from the area to qualify for state and he made it to the finals, and won.
Ward, who wrestles at 138, dispatched Robert Patrick, from Petoskey, in the opening round with a major decision (13-0). Ward followed that up with an 8-3 decision over Kaden Lapaugh from DeWitt. Ward pinned Brody Orcutt from Goodrich in 3:56 to earn his spot in the title match.
In the final match, Ward posted a tight 3-1 decision over previously undefeated Landon Thomas from St. Joseph.
Division 3
Craner moved into the finals with three solid victories.
In the opening round, Craner posted a major decision (12-2) over Gladstone's Trevor Thorbahn. Craner moved into the second round and pinned Cole McLaughlin, from Yale, in 2:26. Next up was Napoleon's Mason Roth. Craner made quick work of him with a pin in 57 seconds.
In the title match, Craner not only was crowned state champion, but finished his junior season undefeated. He posted a major decision of 10-2 over Clinton's Bryce Randolph.
Besides Craner, seven other area wrestlers earned all-state honors.
Whitehall's Darnell Mack came in third at 138. Teammates Nolan Taranko finished sixth at 126, Kolton Weiler came in eighth at 113 and Jason Smith was eighth at 285.
Hart had a trio of all-state wrestlers in Josue Salgado-Velazquez, who finished fifth at 157, JoseLuis Andaverde was eighth at 144 and Alex Hicks was seventh at 175.
James Thommen from Montague had a strong tournament and came in fourth place at 113. Kent City's Emmanuel Hernandez was seventh at 113. Mason County Central's Hunter Sanford finished fifth at 120.
Division 4
Three Hesperia wrestlers finished among the top 8 and earned their spot on the all-state list.
Skyler Stalbaum finished fourth at 144, Stephen Priese was fifth at 106 and Blake Sayer claimed seventh at 132.
Girls
Barry opened her journey to the finals with a pin over Abigayle Dahl of Traverse City West. That match took 11 seconds. In the next round, Barry pinned Payton Burmeister from Grand Ledge in 5:33. In the semifinals, Barry defeated AnnMarie Green, from Clare, with a decision of 6-3.
That moved Barry into the title match against Madasyn Frisbie from Belding. Frisbie took home the state title with a 4-2 decision over Barry.
Flemming cruised through three rounds of matches. She pinned Meadow Gomez, from Temperance Bedford, in 30 seconds. In the next round, Flemming earned a major decision of 13-4 over Shai Curtiss from Shepherd.
In the semifinals round, Flemming posted another major decision, this time 10-0 over Madalynn Corrigan from Powers North Central.
In the title match, Flemming faced Gaylord's Sunni LaFond, who captured a 13-9 victory over the Spring Lake wrestler.
Brynn Brower from Grand Haven came in third place at 130, Montague's Ava Pelton finished third at 155, Grand Haven's Isabelle Wisenbaugh earned fifth at 170, Montague's Emma Pendell was seventh at 145 and Ava Pike, from Manistee, came in eighth at 100 pounds.
Four area wrestlers advanced to the MHSAA state championship match on March 2 at Ford Field in Detroit.
Two of them came home after capturing a state championship.
In the boys' division, Whitehall's Gavin Craner and Tee Ward from Fremont were crowned state champions. Craner won the Division 3 title at 175 and Ward was the Division 2 champion at 138.
In the girls' division, Spring Lake's Braelyn Flemming (235) and Grand Haven's Gracey Barry (115) advanced to the title match in their respective weight classes before coming up short and finishing second.
A total of 24 wrestlers (17 boys and 7 girls) earned all-state accolades for finishing in the top 8 in their respective weight divisions.
Division 1
Two Reeths-Puffer wrestlers garnered all-state honors. Ian Cook finished third at 132 and Nathan Stafford was sixth at 285.
Division 2
Ward was the only wrestler from the area to qualify for state and he made it to the finals, and won.
Ward, who wrestles at 138, dispatched Robert Patrick, from Petoskey, in the opening round with a major decision (13-0). Ward followed that up with an 8-3 decision over Kaden Lapaugh from DeWitt. Ward pinned Brody Orcutt from Goodrich in 3:56 to earn his spot in the title match.
In the final match, Ward posted a tight 3-1 decision over previously undefeated Landon Thomas from St. Joseph.
Division 3
Craner moved into the finals with three solid victories.
In the opening round, Craner posted a major decision (12-2) over Gladstone's Trevor Thorbahn. Craner moved into the second round and pinned Cole McLaughlin, from Yale, in 2:26. Next up was Napoleon's Mason Roth. Craner made quick work of him with a pin in 57 seconds.
In the title match, Craner not only was crowned state champion, but finished his junior season undefeated. He posted a major decision of 10-2 over Clinton's Bryce Randolph.
Besides Craner, seven other area wrestlers earned all-state honors.
Whitehall's Darnell Mack came in third at 138. Teammates Nolan Taranko finished sixth at 126, Kolton Weiler came in eighth at 113 and Jason Smith was eighth at 285.
Hart had a trio of all-state wrestlers in Josue Salgado-Velazquez, who finished fifth at 157, JoseLuis Andaverde was eighth at 144 and Alex Hicks was seventh at 175.
James Thommen from Montague had a strong tournament and came in fourth place at 113. Kent City's Emmanuel Hernandez was seventh at 113. Mason County Central's Hunter Sanford finished fifth at 120.
Division 4
Three Hesperia wrestlers finished among the top 8 and earned their spot on the all-state list.
Skyler Stalbaum finished fourth at 144, Stephen Priese was fifth at 106 and Blake Sayer claimed seventh at 132.
Girls
Barry opened her journey to the finals with a pin over Abigayle Dahl of Traverse City West. That match took 11 seconds. In the next round, Barry pinned Payton Burmeister from Grand Ledge in 5:33. In the semifinals, Barry defeated AnnMarie Green, from Clare, with a decision of 6-3.
That moved Barry into the title match against Madasyn Frisbie from Belding. Frisbie took home the state title with a 4-2 decision over Barry.
Flemming cruised through three rounds of matches. She pinned Meadow Gomez, from Temperance Bedford, in 30 seconds. In the next round, Flemming earned a major decision of 13-4 over Shai Curtiss from Shepherd.
In the semifinals round, Flemming posted another major decision, this time 10-0 over Madalynn Corrigan from Powers North Central.
In the title match, Flemming faced Gaylord's Sunni LaFond, who captured a 13-9 victory over the Spring Lake wrestler.
Brynn Brower from Grand Haven came in third place at 130, Montague's Ava Pelton finished third at 155, Grand Haven's Isabelle Wisenbaugh earned fifth at 170, Montague's Emma Pendell was seventh at 145 and Ava Pike, from Manistee, came in eighth at 100 pounds.
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