Team State Day 1 Quarterfinals Recap, Who's Advancing into Saturday Action
- Travis Long
- Feb 28
- 6 min read
Division 1
Detroit Catholic Central did exactly what everyone expected in the quarterfinals, rolling to a comfortable win. We projected a 50-point margin, and they finished just shy of that, winning by 46. DCC mixed in some lineup flexibility, giving a few seniors valuable mat time while still dominating the dual. The highlight came in the final bout, where three-time state champion Wyatt Lees capped the night with a technical fall over state placer Nihranz at 138 pounds. DCC also claimed key wins at 106 and 113, while Dakota delivered bonus points at 144, 157, and 190. Up next, the Shamrocks will face Rockford in the semifinals.
Rockford’s performance may have been the most surprising of the round. While we expected the Rams to get revenge, the level of dominance was unexpected. Rockford hit peak form at the perfect time, winning the swing matches and controlling the matchups throughout the dual. A thrilling overtime win by Martin over Duvendack at 120 set the tone, and Welmerink followed with a big win over T. King in a matchup of top-10 wrestlers at 132. The Rams now advance to a semifinal showdown with top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central.
Hartland came out firing and never slowed down, overwhelming a strong Rochester Adams squad by 49 points. The marquee bout featured top-ranked Bodie Abbey edging second-ranked Deacon Morgan 6–3 in a highly active, scramble-heavy match. While not a high-scoring bout, it was packed with action. Abbey bumped up to 144 specifically to chase that matchup. Adams’ lone wins came from Jackson Harris and John David Quinlan, with Harris earning a tech fall. Hartland now turns its attention to rival Brighton in a rematch of their KLAA regular-season dual.
The final Division 1 quarterfinal was one of the most anticipated duals of the day, with lineup uncertainty surrounding several key wrestlers. Both teams ultimately competed close to full strength, though Brighton’s absence at 113 proved costly. While L. Wood and Bergmooser did well to limit bonus points, the pivotal match came at 126. State champion Steve Vaughn trailed 6–1 late before storming back with six straight points to defeat all-stater Pollins 7–6. That comeback kept Davison alive, but Ethan Smith sealed the dual with a first-period fall in the final contested bout. The stage is now set for Hartland versus Brighton in the semifinals.
Division 2
Lowell showed exactly why it’s the defending powerhouse, cruising past Fruitport with depth and firepower at every weight. Fruitport deserves plenty of credit for reaching its first-ever quarterfinals with a young lineup, and that experience should pay dividends down the road. Their biggest moment came at 132, where Murphy Lengkeep edged Carson Blum 5–4 in tiebreakers. Lowell moves on to face New Boston Huron in the semifinals.
Linden faced a tough task without Tyler Sage in the lineup, but the season should still be considered a success, advancing further than last year. New Boston Huron got exactly what it needed from its core group, with Gemmel, Downs, Banko, Hall, and Matsos delivering across a brutally difficult stretch of the lineup. That consistency pushed Huron into a semifinal matchup with Lowell.
Freeland put up more resistance than expected, even building a 29–12 lead midway through the dual. However, the starting weight order favored Three Rivers, and the Wildcats closed exactly where they are strongest. Three Rivers rattled off six straight wins to end the dual, scoring 30 unanswered points to advance yet again to the semifinals. They’ll meet sixth-seeded Eaton Rapids next.
Eaton Rapids executed its game plan to perfection in a notable upset. Creative lineup decisions paid off, and the Cardinals won the toss-up matches they needed at 106, 120, and 138. Huge wins from Pickott and Chapates at 150 and 157 essentially sealed the dual. Eaton Rapids now heads to the semifinals for the first time in years, where Three Rivers awaits.
Division 3
Dundee left no doubt in its quarterfinal, dominating from the opening whistle. The Vikings won the first 12 matches, 11 by bonus, before Allegan finally broke through at 165. One of the best bouts came at that weight, where Ryan Sparks edged Avery Lane 12–10 in a back-and-forth battle between state qualifiers. Stone Redmon also impressed with an 11–9 win over T. Vanderkooi. Dundee now advances to face Lakewood.
Lakewood and Montrose delivered one of the best duals of the tournament. Montrose carried a 27–20 lead into the final three matches, needing just one win to close it out. Instead, Lakewood rose to the moment. In the dual’s biggest match, second-ranked Boucher shut out fourth-ranked Cummings 1–0 to keep the Vikings alive. A pin at 175 followed, and Prowdley closed the door with a 9–6 decision in the final bout. Lakewood moves on to face Whitehall.
Hart struck first, jumping out to a 15–0 lead, but Whitehall quickly answered with three straight pins. Hart regained control briefly, taking a 25–22 lead late, but Whitehall’s depth in the middle weights proved decisive. Three pins and a tech fall down the stretch turned the dual into a convincing 45–25 win. Whitehall advances to meet Yale.
Yale’s quarterfinal played out largely as expected. Ogemaw Heights battled hard and managed to score points, but Yale’s top-end talent made the difference. Moran, Soucy, M. McClelland, A. Rhodes, and K. McClelland all delivered crucial bonus points. Ogemaw finished strong with three straight wins to make the final score more respectable, but Yale secured a 39–27 victory and a semifinal date with Whitehall.
Division 4
While Powers North Central didn’t get the result it hoped for, their story is one of major progress. The Jets reached the state quarterfinals for the first time in program history, and did so in just their third season. That achievement alone deserves recognition. Hudson proved too deep and too powerful, as expected. The highlight came at 138, where three-time state champion Nick Sorrow pinned state placer Cooper Raab. Hudson advances to face Decatur in the semifinals.
Union City came out strong, grabbing an early 10–0 lead, and the dual stayed competitive through the middle. A flurry of pins from both teams kept things tight, with Decatur holding just an 18–16 edge nearly halfway through. From there, Decatur took control, scoring 28 straight points to pull away. Kolton Burns’ pin at 120 officially ended any comeback hopes. Union City wraps up a strong season, while Decatur moves on to face Hudson.
St. Louis exceeded even high expectations, cruising to a dominant 60–14 win. The Sharks controlled both ends of the dual, winning six of the first seven matches and five of the final six. New Lothrop had a few bright spots, including Knox Severn’s win over a state qualifier at heavyweight, along with bonus points from Kyler Campbell and Conner Eickholt. Still, it was all St. Louis, setting up a highly anticipated semifinal with Clinton.
Clinton never found itself in real danger, even if the dual stayed closer early than predicted. The difference came in the swing matches, where Clinton consistently delivered bonus points. Roscommon freshman Cael Tyler earned a tech fall that briefly offered momentum, but Clinton answered immediately with bonus-point wins from Crew Tyler and Toby Bigford to put the dual out of reach. Clinton now advances to a semifinal matchup with Decatur.
Saturday Semi Final Schedule
9:30am D1, D4
Division 1 – 9:30 am #1 Detroit Catholic Central (18-5) vs #5 Rockford (27-4) #2 Hartland (25-1) vs #3 Brighton (25-2)
Division 2 – Noon #1 Lowell (33-3) vs #5 New Boston Huron (26-3) #2 Three Rivers (36-4) vs #6 Eaton Rapids (38-5)
Division 3 – Noon #1 Dundee (24-3) vs #4 Lake Odessa Lakewood (23-7) #2 Whitehall (31-0) vs #3 Yale (27-6)
Comments