1 month ago
Leader Publications
Published 10:42 am Monday, February 20, 2023
NILES — The Brandywine wrestling program continues to lead the way when it comes to state qualifiers.
The Bobcats advanced five boys and one girl to the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 Individual Finals at Ford Field in Detroit March 3-4.
Edwardsburg advances five wrestlers to the Division 2 state finals, while Niles advanced three to Detroit.
Dowagiac has a pair of wrestlers moving on to the state finals, while Cassopolis had one state qualifier.
Edwardsburg’s Nathan Andrina and Brandywine’s Maddison Ward brought home regional championships. Dowagiac’s Andrew Hartman and Brandywine’s Josmar Perez were both runner-ups, while Edwardsburg’s Austin Mark, Dowagiac’s Israel Villegas and Brandywine’s Kaiden Rieth all were third-place finishers.
The remaining 10 wrestlers finished fourth.
Division 2
Andrina (43-4) defeated Battle Creek Harper Creek’s 3-1 to capture the 165-pound regional championship at Jackson Northwest Saturday.
Austin Mark (33-12) edged Fowlerville’s Richard Davis in the 190-pound consolation final.
Caden Manfred (32-10) was pinned by Jackson’s Trevor Morehouse in the 113-pound consolation final. Colten Strawderman (26-5) was defeated by Braxton Tindall, of Adrian, at 144 pounds.
Andrew Harris (32-9) was pinned by Lansing Waverly’s Cayden Bell at 285 pounds.
Niles had a trio of four-place finishers as Sam Rucker (38-6) lost in overtime to Jackson Northwest’s Braden Gariety in the 165-pound consolation finals. Julian Means-Flewellen (41-10) was defeated by Fowlerville’s Layne O’Neil at 175 pounds, while Brett Barrett (19-9) was pinned by Harper Creek’s Ricky Johnson at 285.
Division 3
At the girls Regional Red 2 in Grayling Sunday, Brandywine’s Maddison Ward pinned her way to the 145-pound regional championship.
Ward, who was the top seed at 145, received an opening round bye.
In the quarterfinals, Ward pinned Holton’s Monica Mullins 3:30. Maya Hambrock, of Fremont, was the next victim as Ward stuck her in 3:24 to advance to the championship match.
West Ottawa’s Abrielle VanderZwaag gave Ward (36-4) quite the battle before falling at the 4:41 mark of the title bout.
Brandywine’s Mackenzie Will finished fourth at 235. Halle Borders also competed for the Bobcats.
Buchanan’s Sadie Holloway and Avery Scanlon both won a match Sunday, but did not advance.
Marcellus’ Gabriella Allen was 3-0 in capturing the 190-pound championship.
At the Division 3 Regional hosted by Adrian Madison High School, Perez (39-7) was pinned by South Haven’s Ronaldo Vergara in the 106-pound championship match.
Dowagiac’s Andrew Hartman (31-13) was pinned by Darrin Alward, of Durand, in the 165-pound title match.
Rieth (42-7) defeated Napoleon’s Brenden Yob in overtime at 120, while Villegas (25-5) won by major decision over Hopkins’ Owen Jackson at 138.
Heath (37-11) lost by decision to Adrian Madison’s Lukas Leonard at 132. Brandywine’s Gavin Schoff (40-6) was defeated by Three Rivers’ Jeremiah Detwilder at 157, while the Bobcats’ Phillip McLauin (40-8) was pinned by Williamston’s Luke Chambers at 215.
Division 4
Cassopolis’ Brandon Hemminger (22-10) placed fourth at 106 pounds to advance.
Hemminger was pinned by Saranac’ Nathan Prins in the consolation finals.
