High School Notebook: Wrestling postseason heats up
With league meets this past weekend and team districts and individual districts coming up this week, the high school wrestling season is ramping up.
Area wrestlers are trying to keep their season going and the only way to do that is to keep winning.
City teams will get that chance at Michigan High School Athletic Association Team Districts on Wednesday-Thursday this week at various locations.
Both Battle Creek Central and Lakeview will be at a Division 1 team district at Loy Norrix on Wednesday. In first round action at 6 p.m., BCC will take on Portage Central and host Loy Norrix will face Lakeview. The two winning teams will compete in the finals at 7:30 p.m. with the district champ advancing to a Division 1 regional at a site to be determined.
In Division 2 action, Harper Creek will host a district on Wednesday that includes city rival Pennfield, along with Gull Lake and Vicksburg. In the first round at 5 p.m., Harper Creek will face Vicksburg with Gull Lake facing Pennfield. The winners are set to meet in the final at 6:30 p.m.
Marshall is also hosting a Division 2 district on Wednesday and will see Parma Western in the first round with Coldwater and Charlotte meeting in the other side of the bracket.
Elsewhere in the area, Quincy and Olivet will be at a Division 3 district at Hillsdale on Thursday. State-ranked Bronson will host a Division 4 district on Wednesday, including Colon and Union City. Bellevue and Galesburg-Augusta will be at a Division 4 district at Mendon and Homer will be at a Division 4 district at Jonesville, both on Wednesday.
Individual Districts
MHSAA Individual Districts will all be on Saturday as wrestlers try to advance in an effort for the ultimate prize, a ticket to the State Meet at Ford Field.
Battle Creek Central and Lakeview will compete at Portage Northern in a 14-team Division 1 district. Harper Creek will host a 14-team Division 2 district, that will also include Pennfield, Marshall, Gull Lake and Coldwater.
Olivet and Quincy will be at a Division 3 district at Williamston and Bronson will host a Division 4 district, including Athens, Bellevue, Bronson, Colon, Delton Kellogg, Galesburg-Augusta, Homer and Union City.
SMAC Tournament
Battle Creek Central, Lakeview and Gull Lake competed in the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference Tournament Championship Saturday at Portage Northern High School.
Coming home with hardware from BCC were four wrestlers. The Bearcats’ Kaijehl Williams took the top prize, finishing first at 215 pounds, defeating Garrie Mann of Gull Lake in the finals, 7-4. Angelo Williams was second at 175 with Noah Nichols third at 157 and Juan Romero fourth at 285.
Lakeview’s Dayveon Rupert (150) took second and Trevor White (132) took third.
Gull Lake took second overall as a team with 157 points, finishing as runner-up to Stevensville-Lakeshore. Gull Lake’s Jesse Crawford took first at 144 pounds. Hayden Oman (120), Taylan Diehl (132), Camden Miller (138), Daniel VanderMeer (165), Carter Skinner (190), Brody Grimes (285) as well as Mann took second.
Interstate 8 Conference
Harper Creek, Marshall, Pennfield and Coldwater competed in the Interstate 8 Conference Championships at Lumen Christi. Hastings took first with Harper Creek fourth and Marshall fifth.
Harper Creek’s Nick Martinez took first at 165 with the Beavers' Ricky Johnson taking the title at 285. Camren Brock (106), Israel Waite (132) were second. Josh Roe was third at 138 and Dallas Rudd (126) was fourth
Everett Smith (157) and Kooper Lewis (190) were second for Marshall with Nick Ryan fourth at 285. Caleb Smith was fourth at 175 for Pennfield. Tre’a Miller was first at 138 for Coldwater.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: High School Notebook: Wrestling postseason heats up
