Cole Harrison rebounded from his second-round loss to Decatur’s Logan Kennedy to finish fourth at 285 pounds.
(Photo by Wes Morgan)
Five Mendon wrestlers went to Saturday’s Division 4 individual regional at Climax-Scotts but only one survived. Still, it was the most grapplers the Hornets sent to the regional tournament in over two decades.
Finishing fourth at 285 pounds, junior Cole Harrison pushed his season record 30-13 (mostly at 215 pounds) and earned his first trip to the state finals later this month at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The top four in each weigh class moved on. Click here for full local results.
Harrison pinned Lawton’s Austin Mayfield late in the third period in the opening round of the championship bracket, then Lawton freshman Logan Kennedy, ranked No. 6 in the state in D4 by MichiganGrappler.com, sent Harrison to the consolation side via major decision.
Win or go home, Harrison was matched up against with Constantine senior Alex Miller. The two squared off in the district finals a week earlier, with Harrison coming out on top. Miller held a 2-0 advantage when Harrison registered an unconventional pin in 3:46.
“I hit a Peterson roll on Alex, which I hit against him in the finals at districts,” Harrison said. “We were both laying back and I had ahold of him. Alex went to grab my head to try to turn me over, and when Alex went to pull me over he pulled himself straight onto his back. I ended up sticking him, which I didn’t realize that I did. I was a little surprised, so was coach; he didn’t even know what happened.”
Video interview with Harrison.
Constantine’s Alex Miller was pinned by Harrison.
Saturday marked the end of the road for four Hornets in a loaded field that featured 60 wrestlers either ranked in the top 10 in the state or tabbed honorable mentions.
Freshman 103-pounder Grady Garlinger finished the year with a 15-19 after losing in the blood round. Josh Rukas won by pin in 4:32 and went on to claim fourth place after a loss in the consolation finals.
Watching the entire regular season from the bench after a preseason injury, junior Caleb Henckel, who qualified for the state finals last winter, lost to fifth-ranked Savion Willis (Bangor) 4-2 in the first round at 125 pounds. Henckel faced sixth-ranked Jamie Summerville (Gobles) in the consolation bracket and was defeated 17-3.
Caleb Henckel
Sophomore Jonah Grimm (130) was pinned in his first match by No. 2-ranked Kyle Barkovich (Lawton), beat honorable mention Todd Myers (Climax-Scotts) and dropped an 11-6 decision in the blood round to Bronson’s Kahle Scheenks, ranked No. 6 in D4. Grimm closed the season with a 32-7 record.
Senior Danny Cleveland (160) ran into Hart’s Bert Saldana (No. 9) right off the bat and lost 11-4. Gobles honorable mention Mason Lawson edged Cleveland in consolation action with a 4-2 decision.