TOP FRESHMAN CLASSES: #1-5
#1 Grandville
130 - Mason Preist (RQ)
140 - #8 Kam Bush (State 7th)
160 - #11 Sam Greco (SQ)
Anytime a program places a freshman at the state tournament, qualifies another, and has a third qualify for regionals it's a sign of good things to come. However, factor in that all 3 of the aforementioned wrestlers compete between 130-160lbs, and that success takes on a whole new level of significance. With Bush and Greco, Grandville has a pair that should contend for indi state titles in the near future, and Priest is a serious long-term assett as well.
#2 Clio
103 - Chase Beecher
103 - SM Drew Hutchinson (State 6th)
112 - Riley Robinson
145 - Dalton Ballantine
160 - #12 Kane Williams (SQ)
They can't match Grandville's upper-end guys, but this could be the deepest and most well rounded freshman class in Michigan. Williams turned heads at 160 all season, but what many may not realize is that Ballantine could very well have been an SQ as well if he had been entered into districts. Also, Beecher wasn't able to make a huge impact at 103 behind Hutchinson, but could stay at that weight and be a top-10 guy next season.
#3 Lake Fenton
112 - Hunter Corcoran (RQ)
119 - Zack Zoll
140 - Ryan Franks
171 - #7 Trent Hilger (State 4th)
This elite group ensures that Lake Fenton will be in the mix for the next 3 years. In Hilger they have an absolute gem who will be among the state's elite big guys in the near future. Zoll struggled after moving up to 119 late in the season, but had a phenomenal junior high career and should recapture that form by next season. Corcoran came within a match of qualifying for state and gives them another stud down low. They also got some serious production from Franks in the middle of the lineup, who totaled over 25 wins.
#4 Gaylord
103 - #3 Dom Lajoie (State Champ)
112 - HM Trent Lashuay (State 7th)
As of now there doesn't look to be much depth in this group, but Lajoie and Lashuay are studs that virtually ensure Gaylord's lightweights will be among the state's best for the forseeable future.
#5 St Johns
103 - Emilio Sanchez (SQ)
119 - HM Lucas McFarland (SQ)
130 - Bret Fedewa (SQ)
In the spring of 2013 St Johns lost one of the best senior classes in state history, but this group of freshmen did a lot to help ease the pain. Sanchez, McFarland, and Fedewa came in and immediately solidified the lower half of the Red Wing's lineup. Look for all 3 to move up 1-2 weights and contend for all-state honors next season.
HONORABLE MENTION (alphabetized)
HM Allegan
103 - Davynn Schneider (RQ)
112 - Ben Diaz (RQ)
160 - Chase Beard (State 5th)
HM Bay City Western
112 - SM Noah Schoenherr (SQ)
119 - HM Coby Moore (SQ)
152 - Liam Tobin
HM Corunna
140 - HM Dylan Briggs (SQ)
145 - HM Jerry Yelinek (SQ)
189 - Brandon Blair
285 - Luke Cortez
HM Decatur
119 - David Helmuth (SQ)
130 - Ethan May (SQ)
285 - #13 Logan Kennedy (State 7th)
HM Trenton
119 - Jackson Rickman (RQ)
130 - HM Connor Charping (SQ)
285 - Ean Purcell
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Blair and Cortez were both RQ's. Both Dumond and Jackson were also to strong freshman missing regionals by a combined 3 points and 135 and 152.
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