WRESTLING: Phillips brothers set to square off in final
March 11, 2006
BY TOM LANG
FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER
A little more than 24 hours earlier, 896 wrestlers entered The Palace of Auburn Hills with the dream of winning a high school state title.
But after Friday night's semifinals, just 112 of those wrestlers are still alive in one of 14 weight classes in each of four divisions. The finals are today at 4:45.
A main attraction will be the last scheduled weight class of today's championships, when twin brothers Alex and Ed Phillips face each other in the ultimate sibling rivalry -- the 189-pound class of Division 2.
Living separately, each with one birth parent and attending different schools, Alex (Grand Rapids Northview) and Ed (Lake Odessa Lakewood) are a combined 88-1 this season after scoring semifinal wins over Scott Kimball of Ogemaw Heights and Alex Fleet of Lowell, respectively.
"We all saw this coming because they are both good kids," Lakewood coach Bob Veitch said. "But I'm not looking forward to this at all. I think it's sad when two brothers have to go against each other. Nobody's a winner, the whole family loses. But you have to be proud of both of them for reaching this point; they are both champions."
The Kensington Valley Conference is guaranteed a heavyweight title in Division 1, as Hartland's Nick Anurak (53-1) faces Alex Strachan (40-5) of Brighton.
"Now I'm facing my buddy," Anurak said. "We're going to bring home a title for the KVC, no matter who wins, and bring pride to our entire community. We haven't had a state champ in a long time, and the KVC has been dying for one, especially at heavyweight."
In Div. 1 at 125 pounds, Joel Trombly (59-1) of New Baltimore Anchor Bay defeated Jeff Shutich of Rockford, a title holder from 2004, winning on a two-point take down with three seconds left. In the final, Trombly faces defending 119-pound champ Chad Vallone (46-2) of Utica Eisenhower, who defeated Jon Thomas of Troy, 6-2. Vallone's two losses have come against Trombly.
Two undefeated state champs faced off in the Div. 1 152-pound semi -- Ben Bennett of Rockford (140 last year) and Sean Dong of Novi Catholic Central (135). The match was scoreless until the closing seconds of the final period when Dong got Bennett in a cradle and scored two points.
Dong (51-0) faces Anthony Mistretta (59-0) of Warren Cousino in today's final.
And Davison's Jon Reader goes for his third consecutive state championship, wrestling in Division 1 at 160 pounds after winning at 135 as a sophomore and at 152 last year.
BY TOM LANG
FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER
A little more than 24 hours earlier, 896 wrestlers entered The Palace of Auburn Hills with the dream of winning a high school state title.
But after Friday night's semifinals, just 112 of those wrestlers are still alive in one of 14 weight classes in each of four divisions. The finals are today at 4:45.
A main attraction will be the last scheduled weight class of today's championships, when twin brothers Alex and Ed Phillips face each other in the ultimate sibling rivalry -- the 189-pound class of Division 2.
Living separately, each with one birth parent and attending different schools, Alex (Grand Rapids Northview) and Ed (Lake Odessa Lakewood) are a combined 88-1 this season after scoring semifinal wins over Scott Kimball of Ogemaw Heights and Alex Fleet of Lowell, respectively.
"We all saw this coming because they are both good kids," Lakewood coach Bob Veitch said. "But I'm not looking forward to this at all. I think it's sad when two brothers have to go against each other. Nobody's a winner, the whole family loses. But you have to be proud of both of them for reaching this point; they are both champions."
The Kensington Valley Conference is guaranteed a heavyweight title in Division 1, as Hartland's Nick Anurak (53-1) faces Alex Strachan (40-5) of Brighton.
"Now I'm facing my buddy," Anurak said. "We're going to bring home a title for the KVC, no matter who wins, and bring pride to our entire community. We haven't had a state champ in a long time, and the KVC has been dying for one, especially at heavyweight."
In Div. 1 at 125 pounds, Joel Trombly (59-1) of New Baltimore Anchor Bay defeated Jeff Shutich of Rockford, a title holder from 2004, winning on a two-point take down with three seconds left. In the final, Trombly faces defending 119-pound champ Chad Vallone (46-2) of Utica Eisenhower, who defeated Jon Thomas of Troy, 6-2. Vallone's two losses have come against Trombly.
Two undefeated state champs faced off in the Div. 1 152-pound semi -- Ben Bennett of Rockford (140 last year) and Sean Dong of Novi Catholic Central (135). The match was scoreless until the closing seconds of the final period when Dong got Bennett in a cradle and scored two points.
Dong (51-0) faces Anthony Mistretta (59-0) of Warren Cousino in today's final.
And Davison's Jon Reader goes for his third consecutive state championship, wrestling in Division 1 at 160 pounds after winning at 135 as a sophomore and at 152 last year.
posted by Alesheia @ 3:30 AM
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