Then there were two: Oxford hammers previously unbeaten Brighton, earns date with No. 1 CC in state finals

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

BATTLE CREEK — Oxford’s Matt Anger missed virtually the whole wrestling season. In fact, a severe knee injury in Week 3 of the prep football season has caused the Oxford senior most of his senior year of athletics.

Anger, however, returned to the Wildcats’ wrestling lineup recently and has been along for the run to the state finals.

Anger recorded his first win of the season and was one of 11 Wildcats to win matches Saturday afternoon, as the defending Division 1 state champions hammered previously unbeaten Brighton, 52-13, in a Division 1 state semifinal at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.

Anger defeated Brighton’s Andy White, 7-4, for his first win of the season.

“He’s a senior and we’re glad he could come back and be part of the run,” said Oxford coach Brandon Rank. “He’s had a rough go with injuries. He got hurt the week before the individual state finals last season and couldn’t compete.”

Anger is one of five seniors on Oxford’s team that has defeated its third ranked team to get to the state finals for the third time in four years.

Oxford, making its fifth straight appearance in the Final Four, the past three in D-1, will face top-ranked and top-seeded Novi Detroit Catholic Central in the state finals.

CC rolled over Hartland 52-9 in the other state semifinals match.

“I was talking to my staff and we felt we could beat Brighton,” said Rank. “But if you told me we would win 52-13, than I thought you were a great optimist.”

Against Brighton (40-1), which suffered its first and only loss of the season, Oxford picked up wins by pin from Liam Logan (189), Prescott Line (215), Zach Wood (285) and Edwin Schlickenmeyer (112).

Brighton, which lost in the state semifinals for the second straight season, led only once, 4-3, after two matches and that was thanks to a decision plus penalty point. Oxford (20-5) won 10 of the next 11 matches to turn the meet into a rout.

The Wildcats defeated CC, 26-25, in last year’s state title match for its first state crown. CC defeated Oxford in the state semifinals two years ago.

In the regular season, CC has defeated Oxford each of the past two years, plus finished ahead of Oxford at the prestigious Oakland County Championships the past two seasons.

“We knew at the start that it would be CC and we thought we’d have a great chance to get back to try to defend our title,” said Rank. “The guys believed they could get back.”

DIVISION 1 STATE SEMIFINALS

OXFORD  52, BRIGHTON 13

(At Kellogg Arena, Battle Creek)

125: Kyle Hill (O) maj. dec. Jackson Pizzo 11-2; 130: CJ Brish (B) d. Mike Wilits 5-3 (plus penalty point); 135: Noah Cantera (O) d. Evan Hoshaw disqualification; 140: Rocco Borg (O) maj. dec. Ryan Foley 15-3; 145: Wes Maskill (O) d. Nick Brish 10-6; 152: Aaron Calderon (B) maj. dec. Jacob Peasley 12-4; 160: Marty Giannola (O) d. Jordan Maschke 6-1; 171: Matt Anger (O) d. Andy White 7-4; 189:  Liam Logan (O) p. Chris Raby 0:22; 215: Prescott Line (O) p. Tim Stanisz 1:15; 285: Zach Wood (O) p. Max Collins 0:51; 103: Daniel Curtis (O) tech. fall Kyle Bohnsack 18-3; 112: Edwin Schlickenmeyer (O) p. Matt Moody 1:36; 119: Jordan Amine (B) by void.

NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 52, HARTLAND 9

(At Kellogg Arena, Battle Creek)

125: Ken Bade (NDCC) p. Justin Rollins; 130: Malik Amine (NDCC) tech. fall Devon Chalut 4:20: 135: Andrew Thompson (NDCC) p. Marcus Lopez 1:33; 140: Riley Hanson (NDCC) d. Anthony Colainne 11-6; 145: Logan Marcicki (NDCC) p. Nate Smith 0:22; 152: Alec Mooradian (NDCC) d. Mithcel Thomas 7-2; 160: Nick Mason (NDCC) maj. dec. Chad Maks 12-4; 171: Drew Garcia (NDCC) d. Justin Charneski 7-2; 189: Kevin Beasley (NDCC) p. Ryan Hill 0:43; 215: Matt Ostermiller (H) d, Jay Peterson 6-0; 285: Bob Coe (NDCC) p. Brian Braun 0:58; 103: Trevor Zdebski (NDCC) maj. dec. Nate Hughes 15-3; 112: Jacob Gorial (H) d. Zack Colone 3-2; 119: Austin Eicher (H) d. TJ Fagan 3-0.

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* Have photos or video of this event that you wish to share? E-mail pertinent information to www.northoaklandsports.com Senior Editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or e-mail results@northoaklandsports.com.

Tags: Brighton Wrestling, Hartland Wrestling, high school wrestling, MHSAA Team Wrestling Division 1 State Semifinals, Novi Detroit Catholic Central Wrestling, Oxford Wrestling, prep wrestling, wrestling

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