Four Hurons off to the state finals
by Angie Asam, Staff Writer
After a 12 day layoff from meets four Huron wrestlers traveled south to the Palace of Auburn Hills Wednesday after school to prepare to compete in the individual state finals beginning today (Thursday). Beginning with inspections and weigh-ins this morning and assembling for the grand march which is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. the Hurons will prepare to wrestle for state titles. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 2:45 p.m. for round one, the other rounds will follow on Friday and Saturday. Junior defending state champion Devin Pommerenke (285), sophomore returning state qualifier Joey Sobeck (112), and freshmen Evan Lamb (125) and Caleb Pommerenke (189) will compete over the weekend.
?The one thing you always want to guard against with someone, regardless of if they are a freshman or a senior, on their first trip to the Palace, is not to get caught up in the whole aspect of being down there in front of 10,000 people and instead go in there with the thought in mind that you?re going to go there and wrestle your best and not settle for just being there. That?s the hardest thing to guard against with anybody their first time down there,? said head coach Pat Lamb.
Coach Lamb has been preparing his wrestlers to go down there and do their absolute best. Lamb expects all his wrestlers to win state titles, that is his mindset entering the tournament. ?I really think that Devin?s on par to take a second state championship in a row. I don?t see anything standing in his way as long as we don?t have any lapses in our concentration and our focus,? said coach Lamb. Sobeck (112) will be the first Huron to step on the mats as the starting weight is 112 pounds. Sobeck (43-13), ranked ninth in the state, will face off against Drew Richard of Webberville a sophomore with a record of 36-7.
?I am expecting Joey to win it. The same is true with Evan and Caleb. We?re not going down there just to compete, we?re going down there to win. That?s the mindset that we have to have as individuals and as coaches. If you shoot for the stars sometimes you have to settle for the moon; I don?t want these kids to settle for anything, I want them to go down there and give it their all every second they are on the mat,? said coach Lamb. Next up for the Hurons will be Lamb (125). With a record of 46-9 Lamb will face Lutheran Westland senior Laith Francis who enters the tournament with a 47-6 record. The Huron fans will then have a few weight classes off until freshman Caleb Pommerenke (189) steps on the mat to face Jordan Higgins, a senior from Mendon with a record of 56-0.
Defending state champion Devin Pommerenke, a junior with a record of 55-0 will be the final Huron to participate in the state finals. Ranked number one in the state at 285 pounds, as he has been all season, Devin will face Ithaca junior Dylan Snyder (33-17). ?Devin has proven that he can beat anybody down there. He?s already beaten the number two-ranked guy, of course rankings don?t mean a whole lot. I just look for Devin to continue to focus and prepare as he always has and good things are going to happen for him,? said coach Lamb.
All four Huron wrestlers enter the state tournament with experience wrestling in front of big crowds. Devin Pommerenke has competed in the Palace three years in a row, as well as countless big tournaments across the country during the offseason, the most notable being the Fargo junior and cadet national championships. Caleb Pommerenke and Evan Lamb have both participated in the Michigan Youth Wrestling Association (MYWAY) state finals and Sobeck has been to the Palace before
?It has been proven time and time again that it is the person who has the best tournament that is going to win it. Naturally there are favorites in every weight class but favorites fall all of the time. It?s like the Olympics Sunday, nobody expected the U.S.A men?s hockey team to take a silver medal, they were projected fifth. Its whoever is feeling the best and whoever has the best three days that is going to win the tournament,? said coach Lamb.
Following round one action today the wrestlers will compete in rounds two-five Friday before round six-eight on Saturday. Following the consolation finals, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Saturday, where the medals will be earned by all but the first and second place finishers the Palace will be cleared until the grand march for the medalists at 4:30 p.m. and the state finals matches scheduled for 4:45 p.m.