Atonement satisfied: Catholic Central rebounds for third straight county title

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

OXFORD TWP. — Last March, Novi Detroit Catholic Central fell from grace by losing the Division 1 state championship on the final weight class to Oakland County rival Oxford.

When the Shamrocks returned to face Oxford and the rest of all of its county foes Friday-Saturday on the wrestling mats of Oxford Middle School, Catholic Central more than atoned for its sins, winning its third straight county championship since moving to inside the county’s borders in 2006.

The Shamrocks had the faith, good works and superior talent to topple the field of over 40 schools, winning the prestigious crown at the 52^nd Oakland County Championships in decisive fashion. Catholic Central sent an amazing 10 wrestlers into the finals, and recorded a record eight individual champions, most ever in the prestigious history of the tournament that dates back to 1960.

“I don’t think it’s surprising to me. I knew we had the talent to come in here and win as many titles as we did,” said Catholic Central coach Mitch Hancock. “We were (actually) disappointed in a few weight classes. We felt we could have earned a few more titles. To win eight county individual titles in the same year in unprecedented. It hasn’t been done before. The record was six prior and if you go back through the history of this tournament, this being the 52^nd annual, it’s pretty impressive to come in here and win eight titles.”

Catholic Central claimed 367.5 points, believed to be the highest ever recorded at the tournament, to win by 124.5 points. Oxford, which lost over half of its starters, finished second with 243 points, followed by Rochester, which finished third at 178.

Holly was fourth with 173 points and Clarkston followed in fifth (162.5), while Lake Orion (130), Rochester Stoney Creek (130), Rochester Adams (128.5), Ortonville Brandon (126) and Birmingham Brother Rice (128.5) rounded out the top 10 in a field where 41 schools reached the scoring column.

“We still did a great job. We scored over 200 points and still finished second, but we’re no where near Catholic Central,” said Oxford coach Brandon Rank. “I can’t complain about the way we wrestled.”

Trevor Zdebski captured the 103 crown for Catholic Central to start the parade of champions for the Shamrocks. Myles Amine (112), Evan Toth (119), Ken Bade (130), Malike Amine (135), Logan Marcicki (145), Alec Mooradian (152) and Drew Garcia (171) also won titles for the Shamrocks.

It was the fourth title for Mooradian, who became just the third wrestler in county-meet history to win four titles. Nick Mason was third at 160 for Catholic Central, giving his team 11 top-three finishers

Mason Cleaver of Holy was named the lower weights MVP after he upset Rochester’s Josh Wood, a two-time state runner-up, in the finals at 125. Holly’s Shawn Scott defeated Kevin Beazley of Catholic Central in the finals of 189.

Scott was the upper weights MVP of the meet, giving the Bronchos a sweep of the MVP awards.

“I am very pleased with how our guys wrestled. We had two county champs and both of these guys have beaten some very god wrestlers this season,” said Holly coach Don Pluta. “Mason has already defeated a state champion this season and he beat a kid that was the state runner-up last season. These two guys have worked hard to get to be county champs.”

Rochester’s Dean Vettese upset a pair of wrestlers at 140, including Riley Hanson of Catholic Central in the finals and defending champion Anthony Gonzales of Holly in the semifinals, for his team’s sole individual title.

“We were missing two guys, so I am pleased with taking third,” said Rochester coach Frank Lafferty. “We had a nice comeback to finish third overall.”

Brother Rice’s Shon Powell (160), Oxford’s Prescott Line (215) and Stoney Creek’s Nick Gajdzik (285) also won individual crowns.

Both Line and Gajdzik record pins in less than a minute, with Line defending his title by pinning Bloomfield Hills Andover’s Brody Wagerson in only 22 seconds.

Gajdzik is the first county champion in the 10-year history of Stoney Creek, which opened in August of 2002. Gajdzik lost in the finals at 215 last season, but this year pinned Matt Smith of Brandon in just 49 seconds to end the hex.

“It was definitely a tough loss last season, but I really used it as motivation to improve in the offseason,” said Gajdzik, who was also a state runner-up last season. “It was that driving force, that passion. It gave me the will to work as hard as I can.

“I’m extremely proud to be our first county champion,” continued Gajdzik. “I am extremely proud that I can represent my school this way.”

Tags: 52nd Annual Oakland County Wrestling Championships, featured, high school wrestling, Oakland County Wrestling Championships 2011, prep wrestling, wrestling

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