Prep wrestling: Lakewood's Eddie wins sibling rivalry
Senior beats his twin brother for a state title
By Tim Kirby For the Lansing State Journal
AUBURN HILLS - Hollywood could not have written a better script.
Twin brothers Eddie Phillips of Lakewood and Alex Phillips of Grand Rapids Northview met in the final match of the day at Saturday's individual state wrestling finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Eddie won, 8-3.
The two brothers, who live with separate parents after a divorce, both attended Lakewood until 2004 when Alex chose to move with his father.
No brothers ever had faced each other in the finals of the individual state tournament in Michigan High School Athletic Association history.
"It's always nerve-wracking here," said Eddie Phillips, a senior. "But to be in the last match of the day made it even more so."
The brothers have not spoken since their parents separated.
"We actually walked in together in the Grand March," Phillips said. "It was like 'Oh, we gotta wrestle today.' "
Lakewood coach Bob Veitch was impressed at how Phillips dealt with the complex situation.
"He stayed very composed but that's just part of being a champion," Veitch said. "But with that being the last match of the day, my gosh, 99.9 percent of kids couldn't handle that."
Veitch said he also respected how Alex handled the situation.
"He's still part of our program; he'll always be a Viking," Veitch said. "(It was) a no-win situation but they're both winners. Eddie just happened to win today."
With the win, Phillips (45-0) completed the area's lone perfect season.
Phillips' teammate, senior heavyweight Cody DuPont (38-4), also claimed a state title with a 2-1 overtime win over Joe Rizgallah of Allegan. DuPont almost did not even qualify for the state tournament; he finished fourth at districts.
"I was very upset and angry with myself," DuPont said of his district performance. "I told myself, 'I need to finish first or second at regionals' and I did that. Then I told myself, 'I need to win a state title now,' and I did that, too."
It was the first time in Lakewood history that two wrestlers won a state title in the same year.
In a Division 3 match, senior Brad Simmons (40-1) of Williamston won his first state title with a 1-0 victory over Mike Leonard of Richmond in a 135-pound match. Simmons was awarded the only point of the match with a stalling penalty with 10 seconds remaining. After Simmons won, the crowd began to boo.
"Whatever, I don't care. I'm not here for them," Simmons said. "Just because my brothers were good, people don't like me. I'm just so relieved right now. I would have liked to win under different circumstances, but I felt like I was the one creating more action."
Simmons' brothers, Andy and Nick, each won four state titles at Williamston.
"It doesn't matter," Williamston coach Jim Mooney said of the crowd. "People don't even know how hard his road has been."
Mason freshman Craig Eifert (53-3) won the 103-pound title with a victory over Dexter's Bret Marsh.
"It's great," Eifert said. "This is the best I've ever felt in my whole life."
Freshman Dan Osterman (55-4) of Carson City-Crystal won a state crown at 103 pounds with a 12-8 win over Devin Hayward of Marlette in a Division 4 match.
Eaton Rapids sophomore Josh Dormer (40-3) lost out on his bid to repeat as state champion when he lost by pin at 4:43 to Blair Mellish of North Branch at 119 pounds in a Division 2 match.
"I missed two weeks at the beginning of the year because of my grades and missed some practice time," said Dormer, who won the title last year at 103 pounds. "(The season) could have been better. I just need to work as hard as I can and come back next year."
Senior Todd Barton (53-2) of St. Louis lost 10-9 to Springport's Nathan Gonzalez in a 135-pound match at Division 4.
Sophomore Nathan Beyer of Haslett also finished second when he was pinned by Matt Armock of Sparta at 3:27 in a 140-pound, Division 2 match. Beyer, a transfer from Fowlerville, defeated former teammate Jimmy Lee 10-6 in the semifinals.
"It was kinda weird. You want to win but at the same time, you don't want to go against your friend," Beyer said of the semifinal match. "I'm hoping next year I can win it all."
Senior Jeremiah Craft (44-10) of Mason lost 22-7 in his rematch with Allegan's Cameron Simaz at 160 pounds. Simaz pinned Craft at last week's team state finals.
"I tried going into the match differently," Craft said. "I studied film and had a different plan, but it didn't go as planned."
Mason coach Brian Martel was named Division 2 Coach of the Year. The Bulldogs won the Division 2 team state title last weekend for the third time in four years.
Division 1
Area placers
103--4. Schafer (Grand Ledge) 112--7. Ankey (Holt) 135--8. Maynard (Hl) 140--5. Shaw (Hl) 160--5. Wright (GL).
Division 2
Area placers
103--1. Eifert (Mason) 119--2. Dormer (Eaton Rapids) 3. Rozeboom (M) 125--8. Mead (Fowlerville) 135--8. Herrera (M) 140--2. Beyer (Haslett), 4. Lee (F), 6. Bell (ER) 160--2. Craft (M), 3. Burge (M) 171--3. Dickenson (St. Johns), 8. Tyle (F) 189--1. Phillips (Lakewood), 7. Geldhof (Ionia) Hwt--1. DuPont (L), 4. Pettigrew (SJ), 6. Bedes (M), 8. Shattuck (I)
Division 3
Area placers
125--7. Peterman (Alma) 135--1. Simmons (Williamston), 3. Booth (Perry) 140--5. Sandborn (Portland) 171--7. Temple (Pe) 189--4. Fedewa (Ovid-Elsie)
Division 4
Area placers
103--1. Osterman (Carson City-Crystal) 112--3. Ewalt (Carson City) 119--5. Hofmann (Ithaca) 125--4. Greening (SL) 130--5. Huntoon (I) 135--2. Barton (St. Louis), 8. Dunn (Leslie) 140--5. Goulette (SL) 152--6. Graham (I) 160--4. Eyer (SL) 171--3. Wetoskey (L), 4. Bloom (Webberville) 189--8. Bovee (I) Hwt--8. Castillo (I)
By Tim Kirby For the Lansing State Journal
AUBURN HILLS - Hollywood could not have written a better script.
Twin brothers Eddie Phillips of Lakewood and Alex Phillips of Grand Rapids Northview met in the final match of the day at Saturday's individual state wrestling finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Eddie won, 8-3.
The two brothers, who live with separate parents after a divorce, both attended Lakewood until 2004 when Alex chose to move with his father.
No brothers ever had faced each other in the finals of the individual state tournament in Michigan High School Athletic Association history.
"It's always nerve-wracking here," said Eddie Phillips, a senior. "But to be in the last match of the day made it even more so."
The brothers have not spoken since their parents separated.
"We actually walked in together in the Grand March," Phillips said. "It was like 'Oh, we gotta wrestle today.' "
Lakewood coach Bob Veitch was impressed at how Phillips dealt with the complex situation.
"He stayed very composed but that's just part of being a champion," Veitch said. "But with that being the last match of the day, my gosh, 99.9 percent of kids couldn't handle that."
Veitch said he also respected how Alex handled the situation.
"He's still part of our program; he'll always be a Viking," Veitch said. "(It was) a no-win situation but they're both winners. Eddie just happened to win today."
With the win, Phillips (45-0) completed the area's lone perfect season.
Phillips' teammate, senior heavyweight Cody DuPont (38-4), also claimed a state title with a 2-1 overtime win over Joe Rizgallah of Allegan. DuPont almost did not even qualify for the state tournament; he finished fourth at districts.
"I was very upset and angry with myself," DuPont said of his district performance. "I told myself, 'I need to finish first or second at regionals' and I did that. Then I told myself, 'I need to win a state title now,' and I did that, too."
It was the first time in Lakewood history that two wrestlers won a state title in the same year.
In a Division 3 match, senior Brad Simmons (40-1) of Williamston won his first state title with a 1-0 victory over Mike Leonard of Richmond in a 135-pound match. Simmons was awarded the only point of the match with a stalling penalty with 10 seconds remaining. After Simmons won, the crowd began to boo.
"Whatever, I don't care. I'm not here for them," Simmons said. "Just because my brothers were good, people don't like me. I'm just so relieved right now. I would have liked to win under different circumstances, but I felt like I was the one creating more action."
Simmons' brothers, Andy and Nick, each won four state titles at Williamston.
"It doesn't matter," Williamston coach Jim Mooney said of the crowd. "People don't even know how hard his road has been."
Mason freshman Craig Eifert (53-3) won the 103-pound title with a victory over Dexter's Bret Marsh.
"It's great," Eifert said. "This is the best I've ever felt in my whole life."
Freshman Dan Osterman (55-4) of Carson City-Crystal won a state crown at 103 pounds with a 12-8 win over Devin Hayward of Marlette in a Division 4 match.
Eaton Rapids sophomore Josh Dormer (40-3) lost out on his bid to repeat as state champion when he lost by pin at 4:43 to Blair Mellish of North Branch at 119 pounds in a Division 2 match.
"I missed two weeks at the beginning of the year because of my grades and missed some practice time," said Dormer, who won the title last year at 103 pounds. "(The season) could have been better. I just need to work as hard as I can and come back next year."
Senior Todd Barton (53-2) of St. Louis lost 10-9 to Springport's Nathan Gonzalez in a 135-pound match at Division 4.
Sophomore Nathan Beyer of Haslett also finished second when he was pinned by Matt Armock of Sparta at 3:27 in a 140-pound, Division 2 match. Beyer, a transfer from Fowlerville, defeated former teammate Jimmy Lee 10-6 in the semifinals.
"It was kinda weird. You want to win but at the same time, you don't want to go against your friend," Beyer said of the semifinal match. "I'm hoping next year I can win it all."
Senior Jeremiah Craft (44-10) of Mason lost 22-7 in his rematch with Allegan's Cameron Simaz at 160 pounds. Simaz pinned Craft at last week's team state finals.
"I tried going into the match differently," Craft said. "I studied film and had a different plan, but it didn't go as planned."
Mason coach Brian Martel was named Division 2 Coach of the Year. The Bulldogs won the Division 2 team state title last weekend for the third time in four years.
Division 1
Area placers
103--4. Schafer (Grand Ledge) 112--7. Ankey (Holt) 135--8. Maynard (Hl) 140--5. Shaw (Hl) 160--5. Wright (GL).
Division 2
Area placers
103--1. Eifert (Mason) 119--2. Dormer (Eaton Rapids) 3. Rozeboom (M) 125--8. Mead (Fowlerville) 135--8. Herrera (M) 140--2. Beyer (Haslett), 4. Lee (F), 6. Bell (ER) 160--2. Craft (M), 3. Burge (M) 171--3. Dickenson (St. Johns), 8. Tyle (F) 189--1. Phillips (Lakewood), 7. Geldhof (Ionia) Hwt--1. DuPont (L), 4. Pettigrew (SJ), 6. Bedes (M), 8. Shattuck (I)
Division 3
Area placers
125--7. Peterman (Alma) 135--1. Simmons (Williamston), 3. Booth (Perry) 140--5. Sandborn (Portland) 171--7. Temple (Pe) 189--4. Fedewa (Ovid-Elsie)
Division 4
Area placers
103--1. Osterman (Carson City-Crystal) 112--3. Ewalt (Carson City) 119--5. Hofmann (Ithaca) 125--4. Greening (SL) 130--5. Huntoon (I) 135--2. Barton (St. Louis), 8. Dunn (Leslie) 140--5. Goulette (SL) 152--6. Graham (I) 160--4. Eyer (SL) 171--3. Wetoskey (L), 4. Bloom (Webberville) 189--8. Bovee (I) Hwt--8. Castillo (I)
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