WRESTLING: Davison slams Livonia Franklin to reach state semifinals
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
Dan.Stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
BATTLE CREEK — Davison has found different ways to reach the state semifinals over the years. Now, the top-ranked Cardinals posted an eye-popping route to get back to the Final Four.
Behind an incredible, dominating effort, top-seeded Davison blanked Livonia Franklin, 68-0, Friday at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena in the Division 1 state quarterfinals.
It is believed to be the first shutout in Class A/Division 1 history in the Elite Eight rounds.
“We won a couple of close matches and gained a lot of momentum,” noted veteran Davison coach Roy Hall. “That’s how wrestling goes. But to be honest, on another day, (Franklin) might have won some of those matches. They are better than what the score indicated.”
The Cardinals, making their 10th trip to the Final Four in 15 years, will face seven-time semifinals member Oxford at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Two-time defending state champion Novi Detroit Catholic and Hartland, making its ninth trip to the semis in 10 years, will face off in the other semifinals match.
The state finals in each division will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday.
“We don’t really count the times we reach the semifinals, we don’t hang banners fro them,” noted Hall. “Our goal is to get here every year and then compete for the state championship.”
Davison, which lost in the state title match last season to Novi Detroit Catholic Central (30-29), continued its title quest by opening up against outmatched Livonia Franklin with two pins and a tech fall for a swift 17-0 lead. The floodgates continued from there, as Davison recorded seven pins over 14 weight classes.
In perhaps the marquee match of the quarterfinals, Davison’s Jordan Cooks outlasted Jordan Jordan Atienza, 7-6, at 189, Franklin’s best shot of halting the shutout.
“We came so close last season that the guys are wrestling with a purpose, a chip on their shoulders (this year),” said Hall. “They want to win it all this season. This was just the next step.”
DAVISON 68, LIVONA FRANKLIN 0
285: Dakota Powers(D) p. Jeremy Castillo 0:21; 103: Jacob Alvarez (D) p. Rocco Ciaramitaro 1:31; 112: Max Johnson (D) tech. fall Jeremy Nelson 16-0 3:06; 119: Devon Perez (D) p. Jared Bowers 0 :40; 125: Lincoln Olson (D) p. Nathan Atienza 3:22; 130: Derek Humphrey (D) maj. dec. Adam Ross 16-7; 135: Mathew Miller (D) p. Collin Smith 0:55; 140: Justin Oliver (D) p. Donny Terry 0:55; 145: Dominic Russ (D) p. Austin Steele (LF), :43; 152: Brenden McRill (D) d. Nick Frazier 7-3; 160: Thomas Garty (D) tech. fall Kenneth Steele 16-1, 2:44; 171: Mark Lange (D) d. Dan Huber 10-6; 189: Jordan Cooks (D) d. Jordan Atienza 7-6; 215: Jake Ellis (D) d. Joe Fortin 4-3.
RECORDS: Davison 23-4, Livonia Franklin 16-7.
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