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Adams matmen top Lake Orion to end 10-year district drought

Dan Stickradt | February 11, 2011 | Comments (2)

BY DAN STICKRADT

TITLE TIME: Rochester Adams' Justin Schofield has Lake Orion's David Moore in his grasp during Thursday Division 1 district finals. Staff Photo

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

LAKE ORION — The last time Rochester Adams won a district title in wrestling, Mike Holtz was a freshman in college.

The current Highlanders head coach was part of some of Adams’ all-star teams in the late 90s and graduated from Adams in 2000. The Highlanders won a district championship in 2001, the last year for Hall of Fame coach Pat Milkovich at the school

The Highlanders went through some lean years throughout much of the 2000s, but have seen new life under the coaching of Holtz and staff. Those four years of hard work culminated with a 34-22 win over host Lake Orion Thursday, which gave the Highlanders their first district in 10 years.

The Highlanders, 24-4 on the year, will advance to the Division 1 regional semifinals next Wednesday at Hartland against the state powerhouse Eagles. Two wins separate Adams from making a trip west to Battle Creek for the state quarterfinals.

“It’s been a long time,” smiled Holtz, who was a member of Adams’ state championship team in 1999. “It’s nice to see all of the work put in by the staff and the wrestlers, the parents, it takes the whole community. It was a total team ewffort.”

Six seniors have toughed out four grueling years for Adams, and four started Thursday.

“This is my first class to go through all the way,” said Holtz, who is in his fourth season. “To have everyone on the same page is so nice. I’m proud of the boys. They earned it.”

Adams won eight of the 14 matches and never trailed. The Highlanders picked up three pins and stayed off its back.

Justin Schofield (103, major decision), John Ko (112, decision) and Alex Potoniec (119, pin) gave Adams a quick 13-0 lead and the Highlanders never allowed Lake Orion to make a serious threat.

“I told the first three guys, you get us rocking and it’s going to be tough to stop,” said Holtz of Schofield, Ko and Poteniec. “That’s big. That’s hard for teams to overcome.”

The Dragons, who reached the state semifinals in both 2008 and 2009 and the Sweet 16 in 2007, cut the deficit to 13-6 when Cam Masters recorded a 4-1 decision at 125 and John Atwater (130, decision).

Kevin Jock (135, pin) and Andrew Sabuda (140, decision) helped push the lead up to 22-6. Mac Fisher (160, decision) and Paul Mikhjian (215, pin) also recorded wins for Adams, with Mikhjian clinching the title.

Dom Arnold (152, Adam Gros (171), Mitch Ladd (189) and Matt Boyer (285) had the other wins for Lake Orion.

Lake Orion finished 22-13, a year that featured several injuries and the absence of three seniors who missed the season for various reasons.

“They were just better than we were,” conceded Cory Kuzinski, Lake Orion’s second-year head coach.

Lake Orion defeated Pontiac 53-15 in the semifinals, while Adams breezed past Troy 69-11.

ROCHESTER ADAMS 34, LAKE ORION 22

(District finals at Lake Orion)

103: Justin Schofield (RA) maj. dec. David Moore 14-5; 112: John Ko (RA) d. Charlie Highlen 4-2; 119: Alex Potoniec (RA) p. Anton Letica 5:28; 125: Cam Masters (LO) d. Jack Addy 4-1; 130: Ryan Howcraft (RA) d. John Atwater 8-4; 135: Kevin Jock (RA) p. Devin Ellis 4:50; 140: Andrew Sabuda (RA) d. Anthony Grupido 8-4; 145: Dan McKay (LO) d. Dan Deachin 9-5; 152: Dom Arnold (LO) d. Ben Hart 4-3; 160: Mac Fisher (RA) d. Ethan Gros 7-5; 171: Adam Gros (LO) d. Jordan Gowman 10-3; 189: Mitch Ladd (LO) maj. dec. Jack Sichender 0:28; 215: Paul Mikhjian (RA) p. John Yeslinski 0:28; 285: Matt Boyer (LO) by void.

LAKE ORION 53, PONTIAC 15

(District semifinals at Lake Orion)

285: Devin Fears (P) d. Mac Boyer 1:38; 103: David Moore (LO) by void; 112: Charlie Highlen (LO) Javier Rivera 0:57; 119: Anton Letica (LO) p. Davion Logan 5:49; 125: Jance Alexander (P) d. Cam Masters 10-5; 130: John Atwater (LO) d. Quaston Logan 6-2; 135: Deven Ellis (LO) p. Cory Cogdell 2:39; 140: Deishawn Stewart (P) d. Anthony Grupido 8-3; 145: Andre Young (P) d. Neil Mehl 4-1; 152: Dom Arnold (LO) tech. fall Jordan Moses 16-0; 160: Ethan Gros (LO) p. Jamell Humphrey 3:38; 171: Adam Gros (LO) Devon Lere 7-2; 189: Mitch Ladd (LO) p. Patrick Johnson 3:23; 215: Kendrick Young (P) John Yeglinski 0:22.

ROCHESTER ADAMS 69, TROY 11

(District semifinals at Lake Orion)

285: Josh Yingling (T) by void; 103: Justin Schofield (RA) tech. fall Eddie Xia 17-2; 112: John KO (RA) p. Jeff Jackson 0:40; 119: Alex Potoniec (RA) o. Austin Carlilse 0:38; 125: Dan Lillie (RA) p. Carson Berger 2:32; 130: Ryan Howcroft (RA) maj. dec. Gabe Prizer 9-2; 135: Kevin Jock (RA) p. Caleb Ward 1:14; 140: Eric Confer (T) tech. fall Chris Mikhjian 26-10; 145: Dan McKay (RA) by void; 152: Ben Hart (RA) p. Jeff Morton 0:22; 160: Mac Fisher (RA) p. Calvin Hewies 0:26; 171: Jordan Gowman (RA) Jaleen Parker 1:25; 189: Jack Sichender (RA) d. Corey Myer 5-4 (OT); 215: Chris Mikhjian (RA) by void.