Nine advance to individual wrestling regionals

The Rogers City High School wrestlers found a special way to kick off the Michigan High School Athletic Association post-season. A dominating performance at team districts, where the Hurons crushed Charlevoix (61-13) and Onaway (72-6) for their 18th consecutive team district title, was followed by nine athletes qualifying for individual regionals in Hart. And according to Rogers City wrestling coach Pat Lamb, it probably would have been 10 qualifying for regionals, but one wrestler was ill and couldn?t compete.

Adding to the accomplishments of the week, there were three individual district title holders, including two repeat champs, and a first-timer who put on one of his finest performances of the season. It was a great week for the program, but will it be tough to duplicate?

NOT IF THE Hurons are able to capture a team regional title Wednesday, the equivalent of a one-way ticket to Battle Creek, and qualify a half dozen or more for the individual state finals in Auburn Hills. Wrestling for team regionals Wednesday (pass press time) was to begin at 6 p.m. on two mats in the RCHS gym with St. Ignace and Gwinn on one mat, and the much-anticipated matchup against Munising and Rogers City on the other. The winners will meet in the regional finals for a chance to wrestle in Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. ?I can?t wait to get going,? said Lamb. ?I know the kids are pumped up — I?m pumped up — hopefully the town?s pumped up. We are having a pep rally Wednesday to get the students pumped up and we just need a big crowd there to help us out and I totally believe we can do it.?

ROGERS CITY AND Pine River had the most individual qualifiers (nine each) at the district tournament in Manton. Straits Area Conference champ Mio had eight, while Whittemore-Prescott will take seven. Advancing to regionals required a fourth place or higher finish, and the same will be needed to move on to Auburn Hills, March 11. First place medals went to sophomore Dylan Centala (125 pounds, 46-3), junior Chris Rhode (189 pounds, 42-12), and junior Josh Christ (275 pounds, 42-1). ?Chris Rhode was just phenomenal on Saturday,? Lamb said. ?He came in with 12 losses and nobody down there gave him much credit. He just wrestled extremely well to take first place down there.? Rhode defeated Owen Russell of Pine River 10-7, earned a 13-5 major decision over Devin Dumont of Manton in the semifinals, and edged Jared McGeathy of Whittemore-Prescott, 5-3, in the finals.

Rhode ?just wrestled the best he had wrestled all year,? Lamb said. ?I couldn?t be more proud of Chris than what I am right now.?

CHRIST WASTED little time with his three opponents. His first match was a warmup against Tom Skiver of Manton, which lasted 1:08 before Christ pinned him. Christ had Gary Briggs of W-P on his back and done within 18 seconds. Then for the championship, he blitzed Donovan Smith of Kingsley with a pin in 31 seconds. It was Josh?s second consecutive district title. Centala also breezed to his second consecutive district crown with a pin, technical fall, and a major decision. The savy sophomore took down Nick Gotshall of Charlevoix in 1:23 and defeated Carl Webb of Kingsley in the semifinals 20-5. The match lasted 3:49. In the finals, Centala was in control all the way as he took a 16-2 win over Dan Martin of Mio.

Earning third place medals were senior Justin Kelley (135 pounds, 28-6), sophomore Brian Krueger (103 pounds, 30-17), and sophomore Scott Keller (160 pounds, 15-7). Kelley dropped his match in the semifinals, 8-4, but went on to win his next two. In the match for third place, Kelley pinned Eric Gonzalez of Manton in 2:45.

KELLER ALSO lost in the semi-finals, 8-4, but came back with a vengeance. He pinned Brad Bunner of Hall (3:19) and Dillon Hudson of Mancelona (4:05) to take third. Krueger slipped down to the consolation brackett with a 16-0 loss in the semifinals, but pinned Brandy Shagena of Manton (2:06) in his next match. In the match for third, Krueger defeated Steve Bassett of Onaway, 13-4. Junior Tyler Gorlewski (215 pounds, 30-22), freshman Brent Freel (112 pounds, 31-17), and sophomore Cody Wenzel (140 pounds, 35-20) all earned fourth place medals.

?I?

m very pleased with the way we wrestled on Saturday,? said Lamb. ?I got the information from the Kent City district today and we stack up very well in Hart. If we don?t get five or six that qualify for state I would be very surprised.? Every wrestler won a match at Manton, including Mark Grulke (17-21) and Matt Tomas (10-9). ?They were right on the verge of qualifying. They both were in tough weight groups,? said Lamb. In a strange circumstance, freshman Mike Mierzwinski (19-25) was paired with two seniors who both won their 100th matches against Mike. ?You are not going to see this happen very often,? said Lamb.

HURON WRESTLING notes: ? Eleven Hurons won both of their matches at team districts. Double winners included Charlie Wickersham (103/112), Krueger, Freel, Centala, Kelley, Wenzel, Keller, Grulke, Rhode, Gorlewski, and Christ. ? Setting the record straight: Kelley, with a Straits Area Conference championship February 14, earned his fourth conference title, and not his second, as was reported last week. ? Three eighth graders wrestled in MYWA competition in Ionia Sunday. Chase McLennan took first (170 pounds), T.J. Sobek (75 pounds) placed second, while Tharin Wilk (107 pounds) finished in fourth.