Hesperia stops Huron title drive at state semifinals
(BATTLE CREEK)-Rogers City’s great wrestling season ended for the team at the Division 4 state semifinals in a loss to Hesperia. After defeating Lutheran Westland in the quarterfinals Friday, the Hurons looked to make a return trip to the championship match, and a rematch with Addison, a 37-21 winner over Martin.
The rematch was not in the cards, as a veteran Hesperia team matched up well with the Hurons.
Mark Grulke (45-12) started the match off in fine fashion, pinning his man with 8 seconds left in the match at 189. After 215-pounder Derek Schleben was pinned, the Hurons voided at the heavyweight spot to trail 12-6.
Tj Sobeck (45-12) pinned Kyle Walch (26-15) and senior Brian Krueger (46-10) earned an 8-7 win over Jon Hren (40-14).
At 15-12, that would be the last time Rogers City led in the match. Freshman Brandon Zeerip (56-1) stood between Huron junior Brent Freel (48-4) and a win. The two quick matmen went back and forth before Zeerip took a 3-2 lead near the end of the first period. Then, in the closing seconds of the second frame, Zeerip worked a move on Freel, sending the Huron to the mat and regaining the lead for his team, after a pin with two seconds left in the second period.
Now leading 18-15, Hesperia added to its lead when freshman Dan Yates (55-3) pinned Huron sophomore Tharin Wilk (46-10) at the 5:09 mark of the match.
Alex Matthews (18-23), wrestling at 130, was pinned by Mark Ackerberg (52-6) as the Hesperia lead grew to 30-15.
Senior captain Dylan Centala (54-2), did what a captain needed to do when he pinned his opponent in 44 seconds. Centala, the all-time win leader at RCHS, kept his team alive with his work. Fellow senior Cody Wenzel (47-8) then did the heroic, grinding his way to a 7-5 win over defending state champion Phil Khozein (53-5). With the score tied at 4-4, Khozein gave up an intentional escape to Wenzel and the Huron senior followed it with a takedown for two more points. Wenzel started on the bottom in round three and held off advances by Khozein the rest of the way.
At that point, the Hurons trailed 30-24, heading into the final four matches. But that was as close as the Hurons would come, as they lost three of the next four matches.
Tyler Schuiteman (42-16) lost a hard-fought 8-6 match to Derek Shineldecker (42-16) and Donald Dehring was pinned by two-time defending state champion Justin Zeerip (59-0) who remained undefeated in his high school career.
With the score 38-24, Chase McLennan closed out the team portion of the season with second-round pin.
More details, including comments from coach Pat Lamb, will appear in this week’s print edition of the Presque Isle County Advance.
For photos from the event, see the last page of the photo gallery on this site.
Hesperia 45, Rogers City 30
WT RC H MATCH RESULT
189 6 0 Mark Grulke (RC) fall Ryan Dubie (D), 5:52
215 6 6 Bill Noirot (H) fall Derek Schleben (RC), :56
275 6 12 Rudy Spaulding (H) void
103 12 12 Thomas Sobeck (RC) fall Kyle Walch (H), 1:11
119 15 18 Brandon Zeerip (H) fall Brent Freel (RC), 3:58
125 15 24 Dan Yates (H) fall Tharin Wilk (RC), 5:09
130 15 30 Mark Ackerberg (H) fall Alex Matthews (RC), 4:27
135 21 30 Dylan Centala (RC) fall Mike Hamilton (H), :44
140 24 30 Cody Wenzel (RC) dec Phil Khozein (H), 7-5
145 24 33 Derek Shineldecker (H) dec Tyler Schuiteman (RC), 8-6
152 24 39 Justin Zeerip (H) fall Donald Dehring (RC), :47
160 24 45 John Yates (H) fall Jerome Gapczynski (RC), 1:24
171 30 45 Chase McLennan (RC) fall Lee Maynard (H), 2:59
Records: Rogers City (27-2) vs. Hesperia (39-2)