Not to sound like an old blue hair but I have to say that in doing research for this series, it was refreshing for once to come across a state whose information was current, up to date, and easily accessible. For some states trying to find their four timers was pulling teeth. For Michigan however, it was a simple google & there you were. I appreciate that.
 |
| Mike Mills |
Representing Mt. Pleasant, Mike Mills was the first four time Michigan State High School Champion winning titles from 76'-79'. He wrestled collegiately for Notre Dame.
 |
| Gregory Elie |
Gregory Elie won four Michigan State High School Championships for Escanaba from 80'-83'. From what I have found, he did not wrestle in college.
 |
| Bob Mariucci |
Representing Iron Mountain, Bob Mariucci won four Michigan High School State titles from 81'-84'. He wrestled (and played football) at Northern Michigan.
 |
| Michael Murdoch |
Michael Murdoch won four Michigan High School State titles from 83'-86' for Montrose. He wrestled collegiately for Michigan & might have also wrestled for Michigan State.
|
| Larry Raether |
Representing Iron Mountain, Larry Raether won four Michigan High School titles from 84'-87'. Collegiately he wrestled for Wisconsin-Superior.
|
| Brandon Chesher |
Representing Adrian, Brandon Chesher won four Michigan High School State titles from 93'-96'. Collegiately he wrestled two years at Lassen, then transferred to Central Michigan.
 |
| Jeremiah Tobias |
Jeremiah Tobias won four Michigan High School State titles for Manchester from 97'-00'. Collegiately he competed for Michigan.
* - I have to make a little side note on this one. I started keeping my own college wrestling records during the 09'-10' season & I've been keeping them ever since. A part of the reason is because of guys like Tobias. Even though he never wrestled in a BIG 10 or a NCAA tournament, I would have to conclude Tobias one of the best backups in the history of Division I wrestling. I know he had some big wins during his time as a Wolverine & if memory serves me correct I want to say he had some good placements at some major tournaments like CKLV. Yet this information is not well kept, nor is it accessible anywhere on the internet. At least not from what I've been able to gather. I wish I could provide you some of the names Tobias defeated & what his placements were in those tournaments, but I didn't start keeping official records of mine own until years after he had graduated.*
|
| Dan Maloney |
Dan Maloney won four Michigan High School State titles for Escanaba from 98'-01'. From what I have found he did not wrestle in college.
 |
| Michigan State |
211 victories, 178 of them by fall, Nick Simmons won four Michigan High School state championships for Williamston from 99'-02'. Competing for Michigan State, Simmons had an outstanding collegiate career. A four time All American for the Spartans, Simmons placed 7th-4th-4th-3rd at the NCAA tournament. He was also a three time BIG 10 champion and a three time Midlands champion.
 |
| Andy Simmons |
As did brother Nick, Andy Simmons won his four Michigan High School State titles for Williamston (99'-02'). He too wrestled collegiately for Michigan State. A two time All American for the Spartans, Simmons was 6th in 2005 as a sophomore & 5th in 2006 as a junior. Unfortunately injury would keep him from further accolades as a senior. He was also a two time BIG 10 finalist, winning a title as a junior as well as a two time Midlands finalist.
 |
| Roger Kish |
Representing Lapeer West, Roger Kish won four Michigan State High School Titles from 00'-03'. In College he wrestled for Minnesota. Taking NCAA runner-up honors in 2006 as a sophomore, he was 3rd in the nation his junior season of 2007. He was also a two time BIG 10 finalist winning a title his sophomore season.
|
| Joe Mendez |
Joe Mendez won four Michigan High School State titles for Lowell from 02'-05'. Collegiately he competed in the NCWA for Grand Valley State (which by the way will be varsity status this upcoming season!). There he was a two time (maybe more) NCWA finalist & one time champion.
 |
| Brent Metcalf |
A four time Michigan High School State champion from 02'-05' for Davison, Brent Metcalf had an outstanding career at the University of Iowa after redshirting at Virginia Tech. While a Hawkeye he won two NCAA titles in his sophomore & senior seasons, finishing as the NCAA Runner-up his junior year. Also a three time BIG 10 finalist, he won titles his sophomore and junior seasons. Among these outstanding accomplishments he won three Midlands titles & in between his junior & senior seasons he was a PAN-AMERICAN bronze medalist.
 |
| Justin Zeerip |
A four time Michigan State High School Champion for Hesperia from 04'-07', Justin Zeerip competed for the Wolverines of Michigan in college. A four time NCAA qualifier, Zeerip was also a CKLV finalist his senior season of 2012, also placing 6th as a sophomore in 2010. He was 5th at the Southern Scuffle during his junior season of 2011.
 |
| Mark Weber |
A four time Michigan High School State champion for Goodrich from 05'-08', Mark Weber wrestled collegiately for Michigan.
Representing Rockford, Kyle Waldo won four Michigan High School State titles from 06'-09'. Collegiately he started off at Nebraska and then transferred to Central Michigan.
Taylor Massa won his four Michigan High School State titles for St. John's from 09'-12'. Collegiately he wrestled for a couple of years at Michigan. An NCAA qualifier his sophomore season of 2015.
A four time Michigan High School State champion for Fowlerville from 10'-13', I believe it is safe to call Adam Coon who competed for the Michigan Wolverines one of the best of all time to never win a NCAA title. Making the NCAA finals twice in 2015 & 2018, he was also 3rd in the nation in 2016. Might as well call him one of the best to never win a BIG 10 title too as he was 3rd his sophomore season, a two time runner-up his junior and senior years. 116-15 in four years of varsity wrestling, Coon also won a Midlands title as well as two CKLV titles. Not to mention he was also a Southern Scuffle runner-up.
Representing St John's, Zac Hall won four Michigan State High School titles from 11'-14'. He competed for Michigan in college where he was 4th at the BIG 10 championships in 2017.
12'-15' were the years that Lincoln Olson won four Michigan High School State titles for Davison. Collegiately he started of for Oklahoma State, transferring to Central Michigan & finishing up at Lourdes.
Representing Richmond, Devin Skatzka won four Michigan High School State titles from 12'-15'. Collegiately he started off for Indiana where in his freshman & sophomore seasons of 2017 & 2018 he was a two time NCAA qualifier. He also placed 5th & 8th at the Midlands during this time. Transferring to Minnesota, he would qualify for the NCAA Championships twice more, this time earning an All American honor of 8th place his junior season of 2019. During this time he also placed twice at CKLV with finishes of 7th & 4th.
====
The Michigan four timers continue to represent at the collegiate level today
Ben Freeman of Walled Lake Central was at Michigan & will be finishing up his career at Buffalo.
Kevon Davenport of Detroit Central Catholic was at Nebraska and has recently transferred to Illinois
Jordan Hamdan of Hudson is at Michigan State, a NCAA qualifier
Austin Boone of Lowell was at Penn State and is now at Oklahoma State
Skyler Crespo of Mendon is at Michigan State
Stoney (cool name) Buell of Dundee is at Purdue
Alex Fucundo of Davison is at Penn State
====
I think the state of Michigan helps to illustrate one of the points I wanted to make in doing this series. These kids want to wrestle in college & furthermore they have a place to wrestle. Not all of them competed at Michigan schools & I'm not trying to act like they did. However 13 of them did. I think it makes a difference that both Michigan & Michigan State offer wrestling. I was a little surprised to not see some Western Michigan & some Eastern Michigan representation here. I'm sure if I did 3, 2 & 1 time state champs, I would have.
 |
| Kyle Waldo |
Representing Rockford, Kyle Waldo won four Michigan High School State titles from 06'-09'. Collegiately he started off at Nebraska and then transferred to Central Michigan.
 |
| Taylor Massa |
Taylor Massa won his four Michigan High School State titles for St. John's from 09'-12'. Collegiately he wrestled for a couple of years at Michigan. An NCAA qualifier his sophomore season of 2015.
 |
| Adam Coon |
A four time Michigan High School State champion for Fowlerville from 10'-13', I believe it is safe to call Adam Coon who competed for the Michigan Wolverines one of the best of all time to never win a NCAA title. Making the NCAA finals twice in 2015 & 2018, he was also 3rd in the nation in 2016. Might as well call him one of the best to never win a BIG 10 title too as he was 3rd his sophomore season, a two time runner-up his junior and senior years. 116-15 in four years of varsity wrestling, Coon also won a Midlands title as well as two CKLV titles. Not to mention he was also a Southern Scuffle runner-up.
 |
| Zac Hall |
Representing St John's, Zac Hall won four Michigan State High School titles from 11'-14'. He competed for Michigan in college where he was 4th at the BIG 10 championships in 2017.
 |
| Lincoln Olson |
12'-15' were the years that Lincoln Olson won four Michigan High School State titles for Davison. Collegiately he started of for Oklahoma State, transferring to Central Michigan & finishing up at Lourdes.
 |
| Devin Skatzka |
Representing Richmond, Devin Skatzka won four Michigan High School State titles from 12'-15'. Collegiately he started off for Indiana where in his freshman & sophomore seasons of 2017 & 2018 he was a two time NCAA qualifier. He also placed 5th & 8th at the Midlands during this time. Transferring to Minnesota, he would qualify for the NCAA Championships twice more, this time earning an All American honor of 8th place his junior season of 2019. During this time he also placed twice at CKLV with finishes of 7th & 4th.
====
The Michigan four timers continue to represent at the collegiate level today
Ben Freeman of Walled Lake Central was at Michigan & will be finishing up his career at Buffalo.
Kevon Davenport of Detroit Central Catholic was at Nebraska and has recently transferred to Illinois
Jordan Hamdan of Hudson is at Michigan State, a NCAA qualifier
Austin Boone of Lowell was at Penn State and is now at Oklahoma State
Skyler Crespo of Mendon is at Michigan State
Stoney (cool name) Buell of Dundee is at Purdue
Alex Fucundo of Davison is at Penn State
====
I think the state of Michigan helps to illustrate one of the points I wanted to make in doing this series. These kids want to wrestle in college & furthermore they have a place to wrestle. Not all of them competed at Michigan schools & I'm not trying to act like they did. However 13 of them did. I think it makes a difference that both Michigan & Michigan State offer wrestling. I was a little surprised to not see some Western Michigan & some Eastern Michigan representation here. I'm sure if I did 3, 2 & 1 time state champs, I would have.
No comments:
Post a Comment