Jeff Chaney
Sports Scene
BATTLE CREEK — Last year the Detroit Catholic Central wrestling team lost out at repeating as Division 1 state champions by one point.
The Shamrocks showed everyone in Battle Creeks Kellogg Arena Saturday that they are now ready to to take back the championship trophy.
Detroit Catholic Central crushed Roseville 73-3 in their quarterfinal match, and now will wrestle Hartland Saturday in one semifinal Saturday.
“I’m proud of my team,” Detroit Catholic Central coach Mitch Hanock said. The kids stayed focused all the way through even though the (win) was evident early. I felt starting at 171 was a good start because we are tough up top and they set the tone. But I have high expectations for every one in the lineup, and this is one match down.
For Roseville, the Panthers were the only team in Battle Creek this weekend with a losing record, and know what they have to work on if they are to wrestle past the first round in the future.
“This is two years in a row we came down and drew the top seed,” said Roseville coach Davon Gray, whose team ends its year with a 13-16 record. “Only way to respnd to that is to work harder during the regular season to earn a higher seed. I was proud of the way my team wrestled, we were prepared, but they don’t have a hole in their lineup.”
The other quarterfinals in Division 1 were much closer, as defending champion Oxford beat Davison 28-27, undefeated Brighton beat Grand Haven 39-15 and Hartland and Temperance-Bedford tied after the match 27-27, but was declared the winner on the eighth criteria (first match points scored 13-12).
“Whoooo!” responded Hartland Todd Cheney when asked about the 160-pound match that sent officials to the scorecard in search of which team to declare a winner.
Chad Marks sent the match to 27-27 tie with hard-fought 4-3 double overtime win over David Lijewski.
“He’s a kid who has just come on very strong here at the end,” Cheney said. “He had a struggle to get out of districts, then qualified for the individual state meet next week, and just had one of the most memorable experiences of his life.”