Individual State: D4 Preview
By Steve WidzinskiMI Grappler High School AnalystSteve@michigangrappler.com103
The Favorite: Roddy Hamdan (Hudson)
Top Contenders: Jacob Voss (Addison), Julian Torres (Lawton)
The Dark Horse: Cory Agens (Hesperia)
Top Early Matchups
Quarterfinals: #3 Torres (Lawton) vs #5 Agens (Hesperia)
The Bottom Line: There is plenty of talent within this weight class, but as long as Hamdan’s weight is not an issue I do not see him being beat.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Voss over Torres, Hamdan over Gowens
Finals: Hamdan over Voss
112
The Favorite: Logan Griffin (Erie Mason)
Top Contenders: Kyle Barkovich (Lawton), Ken Dittenber (Carson City), Dresden Simon (Dansville)
The Dark Horse: Joe Shuler (Sanford Meridian)
Top Early Matchups
Round 1: #7 Hersh (New Lothrop) vs #8 Spencer (Rudyard)
Quarterfinals: #4 Barkovich (Lawton) vs #3 Simon (Dansville)
The Bottom Line: Without a doubt in my mind 112lbs is the toughest weight in D4, and one of the deepest in any division. There are plenty of different scenarios at play, but I like Griffin and Dittenber’s chances to return to the finals for a battle between last year’s 112lbs runner-up and 103lbs champion.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Griffin over Barkovich, Dittenber over Shuler
Finals: Griffin over Dittenber
119
The Favorite: Zack Yates (Hesperia)
Top Contenders: Isaac Dusseau (Hudson), Darrin Crandall (Springport)
The Dark Horse: Jason Richardson (Addison)
Top Early Matchups
Round 1:#6 Bowman (Marlette) vs #4 Richardson (Addison)
The Bottom Line: For the most part I think this is a 2-horse race between Yates and Dusseau, but Crandall has had a great senior year and I think he has an outside chance to contend as well. Yates is huge at 119lbs, and I think his length will present a lot of problems for the rest of this bracket.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Yates over Crandall, Dusseau over O'Green
Finals: Yates over Dusseau
125
The Favorite: Hunter Bell (Decatur)
Top Contenders: Carter Ballinger (Jonesville), Hunter Machus (Bronson), Zack Mack (Mio)
The Dark Horse:Zack Francis (Lutheran Westland)
Top Early Matchups
Round 1: #9 Sobeck (Rogers City) vs #6 Francis (Lutheran Westland)
Quarterfinals: #3 Machus (Bronson) vs #4 Mack (Mio)
The Bottom Line: In his sophomore season Bell has elevated his wrestling to an entirely different level, and his only loss is to 2X D3 state champion Zack Cooper. Veterans Machus, Ballinger and Mack will present challenges, but Bell has been way too impressive to pick against.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Bell over Bennett, Machus over Ballinger
Finals: Bell over Machus
130
The Favorite: Cole Weaver (Hudson)
Top Contenders: Foster Bunce (Dansville), Steve Garza (Montrose)
The Dark Horse: Stephon Willis (Bangor)
Top Early Matchups
Quartefinals: #3 Garza (Montrose) vs #4 Willis (Bangor)
The Bottom Line: With a current #10 national ranking at 126lbs courtesy of Intermat Weaver is one of the country’s best, and the biggest lock to win a state title in D4.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Weaver over Garza, Bunce over Bentley
Finals: Weaver over Bunce
135
The Favorite: Chase Siersema (Hesperia)
Top Contenders: Evan Lamb (Rogers City), JD Waters (Hudson)
The Dark Horse: Ryan Hunt (Martin)
Top Early Matchups
Quarterfinals:#2 Lamb (Rogers City) vs #4 Glasco (Byron)
The Bottom Line: This weekend Siersema was extremely impressive at the team state finals, pushing Cole Weaver to the limit in a 5-4 loss. He won handily against Lamb at regionals, and seems to be peaking at the right time.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Siersema over Hunt, Lamb over Waters
Finals: Siersema over Lamb
140
The Favorite: Jacob Perrin (New Lothrop)
Top Contenders: Chanc Ravish (Niles Brandywine), Kyle Nixon (Pine River)
The Dark Horse: Chad Decker (Grass Lake)
Top Early Matchups
Quarterfinals: #3 Nixon (Pine River) vs #5 McNealy (Bangor)
The Bottom Line: As the defending champ Perrin the clear-favorite here, and while he will be tested mightily in the semis and finals I think New Lothrop’s schedule has prepared him well to repeat.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Perrin over Ravish, Nixon over Decker
Finals: Perrin over Nixon
145
The Favorite: Austin Hughes (Saginaw Nouvel)
Top Contenders: Jesse Ring (Bangor), Josh Wendling (New Lothrop), Dillen Decker (Carson City)
The Dark Horse: Cash Bolles (Hesperia)
Top Early Matchups
Quarterfinals:#4 Ring (Bangor) vs #2 Decker (Carson City)
The Bottom Line: For most of the year I saw Hughes as a lock here, but Decker really changed the landscape at this weight by pinning Hughes at districts. I am really high on Hughes and still like him to come out on top, but there are plenty of others who are legitimate contenders to win this weight.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Ring over Wendling, Hughes over Bolles
Finals: Hughes over RIng
152
The Favorite: Jared Bruner (Addison)
Top Contenders: Sawyer Smith (Montague), Aaron Bauman (New Lothrop)
The Dark Horse: Chance Wegner (Bentley)
Top Early Matchups
Quarterfinals: #4 Retterstoff (Hart) vs #6 Wegner (Bentley)
The Bottom Line: This is a pretty deep weight, but it would take a big upset to prevent Bruner from repeating as state champion to conclude his senior season.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Smith over Reterstoff, Bruner over Bauman
Finals: Bruner over Smith
160
The Favorite: Jacob Cooper (Springport)
Top Contenders: Taylor Krupp (New Lothrop), Lee Siersema (Hesperia), Jarret Wolford (Reading)
The Dark Horse: Kevin Curby (Hillsdale)
Top Early Matchups
Round 1: #5 Curby (Hillsddale) vs #7 Rosted (Manton)
Round 1: #2 Siersema (Hesperia) vs #6 Garza (Sand Creek)
Quarterfinals: #3 Krupp (New Lothrop) vs #4 Wolford (Reading)
The Bottom Line: After 112lbs, I would say that 160lbs is the next toughest weight in D4. There are contenders aplenty, but Cooper is an absolute stud and it’s hard to see anyone here beating him. With that being said, Krupp is a matchup nightmare who will present problems if he can reach the finals.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Krupp over Curby, Cooper over Siersema
Finals: Cooper over Krupp
171
The Favorite: Galloway Thurston (St. Ignace)
Top Contenders: Shane Rodenburg (Kent City)
The Dark Horse: Nathan Philburn (Byron)
Top Early Matchups
Quarterfinals: #5 Philburn (Byron) vs #2 Rodenberg (Kent City)
The Bottom Line: This is one of D4’s weakest weights, and it will be quite an upset if anyone can stop Thurston from repeating as state champion.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Teague over Mora, Thurston over Rodenberg
Finals: Thurston over Teague
189
The Favorite: Steven Malloy (Morley Stanwood)
Top Contenders: Cody Symons (New Lothrop), James Snider (East Jackson)
The Dark Horse: Brett Burtrum (Bronson)
Top Early Matchups
Round 1: #7 Southworth (Decatur) vs #6 Zarzoza (Hart)
Quarterfinals: #2 Symons (New Lothrop) vs #4 Pommerenke (Rogers City)
The Bottom Line: This bracket is loaded, and features plenty of talented underclassmen with bright futures. Malloy has taken a couple losses this year, but the returning state champ had a strong showing at regionals and is well positioned to defend his title.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Molloy over Zarzoza, Snider over Symons
Finals: Molloy over Snider
215
The Favorite: Joe Ostman (St. Ignace)
Top Contender: Eric Fader (Sanford Meridian), Kevin Koening (Laingsburg), Dan Lindsay (Brown City)
The Dark Horse: Jacob Morgan (Hudson)
Top Early Matchups
Quarterfinals:#2 Fader (Sanford Meridian) vs #5 Wolter (Kent City)
Quarterfinals: #4 Lindsay (Brown City) vs #6 Morgan (Hudson)
The Bottom Line: I said earlier that Cole Weaver was D4’s biggest lock, but Ostman is not far behind. While he often flies under the radar the senior has the skills to compete with the country’s top big guys, and should dominate his way to a 3rd consecutive state title.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Wolter over Koenig, Ostman over Morgan
Finals: Ostman over Wolter
285
The Favorite: Ryan Prescott (Whittemore-Prescott)
Top Contenders: Zach Rieger (Hudson)
The Dark Horse: Ely Dunn (Lawton)
The Bottom Line: This weight class is the definition of a 2-horse race. With all due respect to the other competitors, Prescott and Rieger are two of the state’s premier big men and I don’t see either being challenged prior to the finals, which I expect to be a classic heavyweight slugfest.
PROJECTIONS
Semis: Rieger over Dunn, Prescott over Lonergan
Finals: Prescott over Rieger
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