Michigan Grappler's 2009-10 High School Previews
Division 3 Team Preview
11/21 - The Division 3 state championship is probably the most up for grabs of all the divisions as there is no team that stands out over the rest of the upper echelon teams. Reigning D3 kings Goodrich, who has won the last two state championhips in this division, graduated a once-in-a lifetime group of seniors which included XX all-staters, therefore, their tenure at the top may be coming to an end this year. Swan Valley, Dundee, and Richmond look like the three top contenders to take over the crown as they all feature at least half their lineup of ranked wrestlers.
SV has been on the brink of winning the last few years and they will look to break through and win their first state title this year. Swan Valley and Dundee are the epitome of star-studded teams, with 3 or 4 state champion contenders each. Richmond, along with Chippewa Hills, meanwhile, are programs that tend to have strong dual meet squads every year because of their ability to fill every weight with a quality guy and do the little things it takes to win duals - stay off your back, get the right matchups, etc.
After the top 4, there a couple new faces high in the rankings. Bullock Creek, behind 2x state champ Ryan Nieman, could be a contender this year with six ranked wrestlers, however, they meet Swan Valley in their regional so they will need to seriously step it up if they want to make a trip to Battle Creek. Durand could finally make it to the State Tournament this year after area rivals Corunna and Goodrich have kept them out the past few years. Corunna is now D2 while Goodrich, as previously mentioned, appears to be way down this year, so Durand's road may be finally clear.
Read below for more information on the top 13 teams in this division.
Heaviest Hitters:
1. SWAN VALLEY
Returning State Qualifiers: 7
Individuals ranked Preseason: 8 - Jared Flores (112), BJ Suitor
(119), Chris Thiele (125), Darius Wass (130), Jerry Flores (140),
Matt Beebe (145), Troy Lamson (160), Jake Schirmer (189)
Key losses: Jared Germaine (125), Jake Jeske (145)
Outlook: This might finally be the year that Swan Valley emerges
as the top team in Division 3. They have fell just short the last two
years despite having arguably the best individual talent of all the
D3 teams. This year will be similiar as they feature 7 returning
state qualifiers, including 3x state champ BJ Suitor, 2x state
finalist Darius Wass, and state placers Jared Flores, Chris Thiele,
Jerry Flores, Matt Beebe, and Troy Lamson. Last year they lost by
4 points in the semifinals to eventual champion Goodrich and in
2008 they lost to Dundee in the semifinals. They return the most
firepower of all the top D3 teams, however, they will need others to
fill in the holes around them if they want to finally make the finals
and possibly win. While Dundee is the only other team that can
come close to SV's big gun power in D3, solid teams like Richmond and Chip Hills will challenge their ability to be strong throughout. With all that being said, there is no doubt heading into the season that Swan Valley is the team to beat.
2. DUNDEE
Returning state qualifiers: 6
Individuals ranked preseason: 7 - Travis Sproles (103), Joey White (119),
Chris Rau (125), Joe Rendina (130), Brandon Treharne (130), Brandon
Desbrough (145), Justin Heiserman (189)
Key Losses: Nate Jaworski (103), Josh White (130), Pete Rendina (135)
Impact Newcomers: Sproles (103-Freshman)
Outlook: This should be another solid year for Dundee, who has made three
straight appearances in the Division 3 state finals, finishing runner-up the past
two seasons since winning in 2007. They return 6 state qualifiers, including
state champion contenders Chris Rau, Joe Rendina, and Justin Heiserman,
who are all ranked #1 heading into the season. They are probably the only
team in D3 that can come close to matching up with SV's potent lightweights
as Joey White and Brandon Treharne, along with Rau and Rendina, make
them difficult to match up with from 119 through 135. The addition of Travis
Sproles, who should be one of the best 103lbers in the state as a freshman
this year, gives them big point ability at the top of the lineup and if they can
patch up the holes in the upperweights, they will tough to beat.
3. RICHMOND
Returning State Qualifiers: 6
Individuals ranked Preseason: 7 - Nathan Henke (103), Casey Martin (112),
Josh Rivard (119), Justin Russo (125), Preston Treend (135), Brian Henke (145),
Roger Crump (171)
Key losses: Brett Burg, Emery Pitcel, Mike Mack
Impact Newcomers: N. Henke (Freshman)
Outlook: Richmond looks like they should be back in the state title picture this
year, after falling back a bit the past few seasons. A few years ago this team was
the powerhouse of Division 3 as they won two state titles in four trips to the Finals
during the 2000's. They have one of the strongest programs and traditions of
winning in the state and they are usually the epitome of a dual-meet team. Coach
Hamblin and Day have made a career out of developing youngsters, filling holes,
and building depth throughout their lineup. They have some big guns like
returning state runners-up Brian Henke and Roger Crump, however, for them to
be able to knock off SV and Dundee they will need to be able to outwrestle them
across all 14 weights.
4. REMUS CHIPPEWA HILLS
Returning state qualifiers: 1
Individuals ranked preseason: 4 - Zack Cooper (103), Devane Dodgens (112), Elvis
Peacock (140), Clayton Strong (215)
Key Losses: Brandon Lange (160), Billy Fate (171), Colt Miller (189)
Impact Newcomers: Cooper (Freshman), Jason Peacock (Freshman-145), Cole
Theilen (Freshman-189)
Outlook: Chippewa Hills has been a Top 5 caliber team the past few seasons and
they should stay in that middle of Top 10 range this year. They lost a strong group of
seniors that was the anchor of their upperweights last year, however, they bring in a
strong freshman class that coach Nate Ethridge is calling the best incoming class
Chipp Hills has ever had. The big gun in that class is 2009 MI Grappler Youth
Wrestler of the Year Zack Cooper, who should be a contender right away at 103 this
year. Jason Peacock and Cole Theilen are two other freshman coming in with past
MYWAY success on the youth scene, however, they are both in bigger, upper-
classmen dominated weight classes so it may take a couple years for the rest of this
freshman class to start paying major dividends. Devane Dodgens is one of the best
112lbers in the state, however, it may take another year or two of seasoning before
this Chipp Hills team is ready to contend for a state title.
Top Challengers:
5. BULLOCK CREEK
Individuals ranked preseason: 6 - Zack Roethlisberger (103), Derek Camillieri (112), Andy Brown (119), Ryan Nieman (135), Derek Woodcock (140), Lance Juhas (160),
Impact Newcomers - Jordan Munro (Transfer-140)
Outlook: A new face to the Division 3 picture this year will be Bullock Creek. They are obviously led by super-stud 2x state champ and All-American Ryan Nieman, however, Andy Brown and Derek Woodcock are also returning state placewinners and Camillieri and Juhas were state qualifiers last year. Throw in sophomore Zack Roethlisberger who is back at 103 as well as state qualifier Jordan Munro who transferred from Shepherd and this Bullock Creek team is looking pretty dangerous. Unfortunately for them, a trip to Battle Creek would require them to knock off #1 Swan Valley, so the chips are stacked against them.
6. DURAND
Individuals ranked preseason: Phil Telford (125), Wesley Hawkins (135), Roger Wildmo (140), Chris Wellman (160), Logan Dean (189)
Key Losses: Eric Telford (135)
Outlook: Durand has been relatively strong the past few years and they should remain an above average squad this year, led by nationally ranked junior Roger Wildmo in the middle of the lineup. Telford and Wellman are both state qualifiers while Dean and Hawkins are state-caliber. They probably don't have the depth and firepower to challenge the top 3 in this division, however, they should be right in the mix with most anyone else.
7. ALLENDALE
Individuals ranked preseason: 4 - Bryan Reatini (112), Will Jensen (125), David Cheatham (135), Jared Groenveld (171)
Key Losses: Paul Heilman (171), Ryan Lajoie (189, Jeff Beebe (215), Dan Lajoie (285)
Outlook: After graduating 4 of their 8 state qualifiers from last year, their entire upperweight fleet, Allendale will have to find some big guys to fill in for them. Their lightweights should remain pretty strong with state finalist Reatini and state placer Jensen. Groenveld was 6th last year as a sophomore at 160lbs, so he may be ready to step up as a premiere upperweight in Division 3 this year.
8. GOODRICH
Individuals ranked preseason: Parker Lovell (152), Jared Labelle (160)
Key Losses: CC Weber (103), David Garr (125), Kirk Britton (135), Joe Hopkins (140), Kyle March (171), Kyler Elsworth (189), Mike Lasinski (215), Nick Lovell (215)
Outlook: On paper things don't look promising for Goodrich as they pursue a three-peat this year. If not for their status as back-to-back returning champs, they probably would not rank as high as they do. They graduated probably the best group of seniors in the state last year with 1 state champ (Elsworth) and 7 state placers. They do not return a single state qualifier to this year's team, therefore, it is hard to see Goodrich remaining in the upper echelon of Division 3.
Don't Forget About:
SHELBY
Shelby is a team to keep in mind as they boast two returning state qualifiers as well as sophomore Mason Courtright who should be slated for a big season this year after falling just of qualifying as a freshman at 160 last year. Courtright beat Lowell sophomore Dave Dean at the MYWAY states last year and could end up being a contender this year at 171.
COLOMA
Coloma has a good nucleous of talented wrestlers coming back with three state qualifiers including state placers John Tanner and Luke Faultersack, however, they have lacked the depth and stablitiy to win big duals and that will likely keep them out of the top 6 or 7 in the state this year as well.
HAMILTON
Hamilton is another westside team to keep an eye on this year. They probably lack the ability to hang with the top 5 or 6 teams in this division, however, they have three state qualifiers back from last year and they are starting to grow into a pretty solid team that you cannot overlook.
CARO
Caro remains a strong program with 5 wrestlers currently ranked in the preseason poll they are capable of conteding this year. Tyler Millerov and Sterling Hermann are both returning state placers and Travis Jaster placed 5th in the state two years ago. Throw in Richard Hayes who was busy wrestling in Fargo over the summer and you have a pretty solid core to build on.
MONTROSE
In their first year back up in Division 3, Montrose is a team to keep an eye on. They a have a new young coach in Eric Moon, which may give them a new sense of life and Moon has a lot to work with in his first season with returning state champ Cody Wray as well as three other state qualifiers. They could be a sleeper in Division 3 this year if Moon can fill in the gaps around his studs.
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Suitor
Rendina
Brian Henke
Cooper
