D1 and D4 Semifinals: On Paper

Division 1

#1 Detroit Catholic Central vs #4 Clarkston

Outlook: DCC is wrestling in their 10th straight semifinal, while Clarkston is making their first appearance since 2007. The Wolves are going to have the ability to put up some points in this one, as they are heavily favored down low, and they'll have their Senior leaders Anderson and LeFevre expected to pick up bonus points. From there, they'll need to find some tough wins though. It will be important for Clarkston to win the flip, as Buskirk weighed in at 144 with Fuchs. Clarkston would like to get Carter on Buskirk, if possible. However, DCC is just a loaded team with four #1s and 10 other guys either ranked in the top-10 or a returning state placer. Our prediction is based on Clarkston winning the flip, with DCC potentially building on their margin of victory if they win the flip.

Prediction: Detroit CC +14

#2 Brighton vs #3 Davison

Outlook: Brighton rolled to a 65-9 win over Dakota in the quarterfinals, while Davison had a battle with Rockford, where they ultimately won 42-27. Davison is without a few key pieces, including Keeney (106), Brown (113), and Dunaway (285). State champ Vaughn made the drop to 113, and Davison is loaded in the back half of their lineup, so they do have the flexibility to bump everyone from 144 on up. Brighton's lineup is pretty set, with the potential to make a few small changes. The match of the dual will be 113, where we will see how state champ Vaughn handles being down to 113 for the first time this year against a phenom Freshman. If Davison bumps the second half of their lineup and wins a few swing matches, this dual could get very close, but we still like the Bulldogs to advance to the finals.

Prediction: Brighton +6

Division 4

#1 Hudson vs #5 Clinton

Outlook: It's hard to pick against this Clinton team, as they've won the last two duals we have called the other way. They're wrestling as well as anyone right now, and they believe they can compete with any team. That said, it does still look like the Hudson Tigers are the best team in D4. They've got someone in the top-10 at almost every weight, and they have the flexibility to move some guys around. Clinton will need some big bonus points from their guys like Long, Jones, and Randolph to stay in this one, and they will need to flip one or two swing matches their way.

Prediction: Hudson +15

#2 St. Louis vs #3 Climax-Scotts/Martin

Outlook: CSM looked really solid in their 47-28 win over #6 Union City last night, while St. Louis was dominant in a 65-9 win over Charlevoix in the quarters. This dual could feature a good number of top-10 matchups, as both teams have over half of their lineup going to Ford Field next weekend. CSM will need to rely on their homerun hitters like Gilbert and Buell to go out and get bonus points against some really solid opponents. Climax-Scotts/Martin will also need to win the battle up top. Ultimately, while this should be a very competitive dual, we like St. Louis to win a few of the swing matches that matter most.

Prediction: St. Louis +12