WRESTLING: Top-ranked Catholic Central ends Rochester’s run in state semifinals
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
BATTLE CREEK — Throughout its four-year run of getting to the state finals, Novi Detroit Catholic Central has proven that most of its wrestlers simply don’t get pinned. The top-ranked Shamrocks proved that to first-time Final Four program Rochester Saturday morning.
Catholic Central, the top-ranked, top-seeded team who is also ranked 14th nationally by one poll, escorted Rochester from the postseason with a dominating 48-13 effort in the Division 1 state semifinals win at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
“We always take pride in the fact we don’t get pinned,” noted CC coach Mitch Hancock. “We preach brotherhood at CC and we feel if you get pinned, you are not only giving up points, but you are letting down your brothers. I think that is one of the reasons why this group has been so successful .Even if we don’t win a (particular) match, we don’t get pinned much. We didn’t get pinned at all against Rochester.”
Catholic Central, now 25-3, will face second-ranked and second-seeded Davison, at 4 p.m. in the state championship match Saturday afternoon at Kellogg Arena. It marks the fourth year in a row that CC has reached the title match.
For Rochester, making its first appearance in the Elite Eight in school history, the Falcons finished 24-12 and one match shy of the title bout.
“I think the seed has been planted,” said 10th-year Rochester coach Frank Lafferty. “Now the kids coming back, the parents, see what it takes just to get here. They’ll want to come back.”
Rochester lead only once when Shwan Shadaia (215) opened with a 7-3 decision over Jay Peterson. Catholic Central responded by winning 10 of the 14 overall matches including six by pin.
“That team is loaded. We knew it would take a miracle to beat them,” sighed Lafferty. “We needed some momentum and we couldn’t get it. If (135-pounder) Joey Gunther could have pinned and pulled the upset, that might have helped us gain some momentum. He came close, but (Ken) Bade got through it and won the match. We couldn’t catch the break we needed.”
Bob Coe (285, decision) and Tommy Hermann (103, pin) gave the Shamrocks, the defending state champions who also won nine state titles in Class A/Division 1, the lead for good at 9-3.
Rochester kept it close with Justin Kim (112, major decision) and Josh Wood (125, decision) bringing the Falcons to within 15-10. Catholic Central dominated after that point by winning seven of the final eight matches.
Trevor Zdebski (119, pin), Myles Amine (130, pin), Ken Bade (135, decision), Malik Amine (140, pin), Mike Babicz (152, pin), Logan Marcicki (160, pin), Drew Garcia (171, decision) and Nick Giese (189, decision) aiding the Shamrocks’ cause.
Garcia’s win moved him to 44-0 on the campaign and he defeated Dean Vettese, who bumped up a weight class and his only two losses this season are to Garcia.
Rochester, which has six state-ranked wrestlers, could only pick up one more win, that coming from Kaelen Richards at 144.
“We had a great run,” said Lafferty. “We lost to a great program. there’s no shame in that.”
DAVISON TOPPLES HARTLAND, REACHES FIRST FINAL SINCE 2006
For the first time since 2006, Davison is back in the state finals.
The Cardinals, who won six state titles last decade, including five straight from 2002-2006, upended third-ranked and third-seeded Hartland, 44-15, in the state smeifinals Saturday morning. Davison (14-4) will wrestle Detroit Catholic Central in the finals at 4p.m.Saturday.
For Hartland, making its ninth appearance in the state semifinals in 10 years, the Eagles are still searching for that first state title.
“We’ve been knocking on the door for so long. One of these years, we’ll find the key and get in the door and win it,” offered Hartland coach Todd Cheney. “We have been close so many times.”
Davison has defeated Hartland several times in Battle Creek in the past decade, including in the state finals from 2004-06.Rockford also defeated Hartland in 2007 state title match.
“It’s a little frustrating to me, but not the program,” said Cheney. “We learn a lot of life lessons through wrestling. I know the guys want to win,. But we accomplish a lot here at Hartland. Our team has a GPA over 3.6. That’s an incredible accomplishment.”
On the mats, Davison won 10 of 14 matches and all 10 were in consecutive fashion. Starting from Max Johnson’s pin at 103 through, Jordan Crooks’ pin at 160, the Cardinals rolled through the heart of the meet. Davison recorded three pins, one major decision, two technical falls and four decisions in the run.
MHSAA DIVISION 1 TEAM WRESTLING STATE SEMIFINALS
NOVI DETROIT CATHOLIC CENTRAL 48, ROCHESTER 13
215: Shwan Shadaia (R) d. Jay Peterson 7-3; 285: Bob Coe (NDCC) d. Cameron Daniels 5-0; 103: Tommy Hermann (NDCC) p. Andrew Sare 0:35; 112:Justin Kim (R) maj. dec. Parker O’Brien 15-5; 119: Trevor Zdebski (NDCC) p. Connor Gibbons 0:47; 125: Josh wood (R) d. Evan Toth 6-3; 130: Myles Amine (NDCC) p. Tyler Dukart 2:29; 135: Ken Bade (NDCC) d. Joseph Gunther 13-8; 140: Malik Amine (NDCC) p. Ryan Morgan 4:42; 145: Kaelan Richards (R) d. Chris Naubert 6-2; 152: Mike Babicz (NDCC) p. Dillon Maier 3:29; 160: Logan Marcicki (NDCC) p. Aaron Morgan 2:27; 171: Drew Garcia (NDCC) d. Dean Vettese 3-1; 189: Nick Giese (NDCC) d. Shane Shadaia 5-3.
RECORDS: Novi Detroit Catholic Central 25-3; Rochester 24-12.
DAVISON 44, HARTLAND 15
215: Chad Maks (H) d. Trevor Thomas 10-8 (OT); 285: Josh Charneski (H) d. Dakota Powers 6-0; 103: Max Johnson (D) p. Eric Lundwall 1:25; 112: Jacob Madrigal (D) d. Sage Castillo 4-2; 119: Lincoln Olson (D) tech. fall Nate Hughes 26-11 (5:16); 125: Derek Humphrey (D) d. Devon Chalut 9-2; 130: Justin Oliver (D) d. Austin Eicher 2-1; 135: Dominic Russ (D) p. Jacob Gorial 3:34; 140: Matthew Miller (D) tech. fall Justin Rollins 19-3 (5:16); 145: Thomas Garty (D) maj. dec. Anthony Colaianne 11-1; 152: Patrick Rooker (D) d. Logan Vish 6-3; 160: Jordan Cooks (D) p. Nate Smith 1:32; 171: Mitchell Thomas (H) d. Tyler Wildmo 7-5; 189: Ryan Hill (H) p. Tanner Thomas 5:00.
RECORDS: Davison 14-4; Hartland 33-2.
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