There was not a shortage of people who weighed in on how teams should be seeded at this weekend’s team state wrestling tournament in Battle Creek.However, there may have been a shortage on consensus. How much weight should be given to wins in December? Schedule? Wins and losses? Common Opponents? End of season performance?The division which created the most discussion was Division 2.The number one seed was clear, it was undefeated and top ranked St.Johns.Afer that, seeding 2-3-4 got a little interesting. You had Tecumseh who beat Lowell in early December, however lost to Temperance Bedford who was beaten by Greenville. The Yellowjackets beat Lowell head-to-head, but lost to the Red Arrows in the O-K White Conference tournament.In the end, though, Tecumseh beat Lowell, Greenville enjoyed the upper hand against Tecumseh when it came to common opponents.Thus the final tally identified Greenville as the number two seed, Tecumseh three and Lowell four.The difference between being two or three was negligible. What the trio was trying to avoid was being the fourth seed and having to face St. Johns before the finals.That is what Lowell will face. If the Red Arrows defeat Lakeshore and the Redwings win their quarterfinal match, the two would meet in the semi final on Saturday.On Friday night the Division 2 quarterfinal matches start at 7:45.They are as follows: St.John’s vs Dearborn Hills-Crestwood; Lowell vs Lakeshore;  Tecumseh vs Allegan; and Greenville vs Holly.In the Division 2 Individual regional at Hamilton on Saturday, Lowell pushed 10 wrestlers through to the finals. Six earned regional championships. The Red Arrows also earned a second, third and two fourths.Coming off the mat as regional champs were Gabe Morse (140); Andrew Morse (145); Dan Fleet (152); Wade Schlosser (171) and Gabe Dean (189).Lowell”s Garret Stehley was runner-up to Dean at 189. Bailey Jack won the consolation match at 103. Kanon Dean lost his match at  135 and Luke Stephens lost at 285.Moving On to State:140 – Gabe Morse defeats Kenny Cross (Hastings) injury default.145 – Andrew Morse defeats Nate Zick (Byron Center) 6-2.152 – Dan Fleet defeats Andrew Kelley 3-2.171 – Wade Schlosser defeats Cole VanHam 4-3.189 – Gabe Dean defeats Garret Stehley 12-4.Consolation:103 – Bailey Jack defeats Nolan Waddell (Byron Center) 7-6.135: Kanon Dean loses to Derek Fifelski (Wayland) 5-0.285 – Luke Stephens loses to Anthony Andreson (Holland) p. 2:15.

Category: Lowell, Wrestling | Comments Off on Lowell seeded fourth; 10 Arrows qualify for state

Lowell’s wrestling team moved easily through its Division 2 regional Wednesday night with a 49-24 verdict in the regional semi final against Hastings and a 66-12 win the final against Eaton Rapids.

“We started  good in the first match and by the second match of the night, the boys were wrestling really well,” said Lowell wrestling coach, Dave Dean. “The Eaton Rapids match went quickly. Every time I turned around someone was being pinned.

Lowell won its third regional title in six years. The Red Arrows return to Battle Creek in 2011 following a heartbreaking Division 1 regional final loss to Rockford last year.

Twelve of the 14 matches between the Greyhounds and the Red Arrows were finished by way of pin. The two matches that were decided by decisions both went the way of Lowell.

Wade Schlosser, 171, defeated Blake Marsh 3-1 and Luke Stephens (HWT) won 4-2 against Jason Kibiloski. “Wade is wrestling with some confidence. Marsh was a district champion on Saturday,” Dean said.

Eaton Rapids reached the regional final with a 49-21 win over East Grand Rapids. Lowell grappled its way past a gritty Hastings club, 49-24.

From 103 to 140, the Red Arrows posted five pins.

Bailey Jack (103) pinned Randy Rowley in 1:17 of the first period.

Zack Jeffries (119) pinned Jacob Stewart in 1:25 of the first period.

Kalvin Meyer (125) pinned Dom Yenden in 4:46 of the third period.

Kanon Dean (135) pinned Zeke Thompson at :39 of the first period.

Gabe Morse (140) put Nick Yerden on his back in 5:44 of the third period.

Red Arrow Garrett White (112) lost in a first-period pin. Jake Stevens (130) was pinned at 2:11 of the second period.

Stevens, getting approval to return from a shoulder injury, won his match against Hastings and then got caught in a cradle before losing to his Eaton Rapids opponent. “Jake looked good and we’re happy to have him back,” Dean said.

From 145 through heavyweight Lowell was supreme, recording seven straight wins, five via the pin.

Andrew Morse (145) recorded his in 49 seconds.

Ben Fleet (152) bested that time by 21 seconds as he pinned Thomas Griffeth in 28 seconds.

Jake Stehley (160) ended his match in 2:42 with a pin.

Garret Stehley (189) and Gabe Dean (215) recorded pins in nearly identical times. Stehley came off the mat in 57 seconds and Dean finished up in 59 seconds.

While nothing was definite following Wednesday’s regional team title, Dean feels his Red Arrows will face either Stevensville-Lakeshore or Allegan in the Division 2 quarterfinals at Battle Creek on Friday (Feb. 25)  in Battle Creek at 7:45 p.m.. The Elite Eight pairings will be announced on www.mhsaa.com at 6 p.m. Sunday.

“It’s going to be a pretty tough first-round match-up. We’ve seen Lakeshore, and we’ll see Allegan individually Saturday at Hamilton in the individual regional,” Dean said. “Generally, I was pleased with the way we wrestled tonight. The boys have worked hard and are moving in the right direction.”

Category: Lowell, Wrestling | Comments Off on Red Arrows pin down reservation at Battle Creek

Category: Lowell, Wrestling | Comments Off on 12 Lowell wrestlers advance to regional

Andrew Morse recorded a pin in 1:56 of first period in a 34-27 loss to Greenville.

by Thad Kraus

The implications from Lowell wrestling team’s 34-27 loss to Greenville Thursday night at Lowell High School will reach beyond an O-K White Conference championship.

In fact, the ramifications may be felt in Battle Creek come March. Both Greenville’s Paul Johnson and Lowell’s Dave Dean believe the Yellowjacket’s victory will earn them a second seed if they make it to the state tournament. It will be a BIG story if either of the two clubs fail to reach Kellogg Arena.

Why is it important? The team seeded second will not run into St. John’s (ranked #1 in Division 2) until the finals.

Yes! That means Lowell, likely a third seed, following the loss, could very well see St. John’s in the semi final.

“This match is exciting every year,” Johnson said following the win. “Along with beating a very good Lowell team, this absolutely gives us a good shot at a second seed. However, I’m not involved in making that decision.”

In stating Greenville’s case, Johnson notes that his Yellowjackets beat Temperance Bedford, who beat Tecumseh, who beat Lowell.

A Red Arrow wrestling enthusiast would add that Lowell, fresh from a long football post season, did not wrestle with a full squad in its loss to Tecumseh. Don’t look for any symphathy. It is what it is, a loss.

“Oh yeah, this loss hurts. The boys, however, don’t have time to hang on to it, they have a conference tournament on Friday. Dealing with the loss will have to wait until Sunday,” Dean said.

Greenville won four of the first five matches, grabbing a 15-4 advantage. The Yellowjackets won at 112, 125, 130 and 135. One of a few swing matches, in a pairing of clubs equally matched, came at 125 where Greenville’s Mike DeLaFuente bested Lowell’s Kalvin Meyer 8-4.

“I think that was the biggest match of the night. It changed the way Lowell’s Bailey Jack had to approach his match at 103,” Johnson said. “It forced him to have to score big.”

Jack with Lowell trailing 31-27 tried to connect with a big move. “It just wasn’t there,’ Dean explained.

Trailing by 11, Lowell’s Gabe Morse, 140, won 13-3; Andrew Morse 145,  recorded a pin at  1:56; and Dan Fleet, 152, won 10-4. The string of  three consecutive wins gave the Red Arrows their first lead of the night at 17-15. Andrew Morse recorded Lowell’s first of two pins.

Greenville’s big two,  Adam Bonner (160) and Jordan Thomas (171) answered  with a 17-7 win and a pin at 2:38 of the second period, respectively.

Trailing 25-17, the Red Arrows fought back as Garett Stehley posted a 16-7 win at 189 pounds and Gabe Dean (215) followed that up with a pin at 3:46 of the second period to propel Lowell back into the lead at 27-25.

Greenville, however, had the big finish. Justin Zimmer (HWT) powered his way out of a near pin and then rolled Jake Lynema on his back in recording a first-period pin (55 seconds), giving the Jackets a 31-27 advantage.

Michael Schmidt (103) secured the lead as he held off Jack 3-2 in the final match of the night.

“We lost a number of bonus points and I thought we had some break downs out there,” Dean said. “Maybe wrestling in a tough tournament in Ohio the weekend before this match wasn’t a good idea?”

“I think we’re about .500 with Lowell. Dave runs a class program. Matches like this are great for the sport,” Johnson concluded.

Category: Lowell, Wrestling | Comments Off on Lowell wrestlers lose to conference rival Greenville