Rockford takes down top ranked Lowell for Regional Title
By Sean Garner
for Michigan Grappler.com
2/18 - It was the night wrestling fans across the state had been anticipating since the new high school divisions were announced last spring with a few eyebrow-raising changes.
On a night when most of the state's premier teams were going through glorified coronation ceremonies in regional championships, that was not the case at East Kentwood High School as two defending state champions butted heads for the right to defend their title two weeks from now in Battle Creek.
Lowell, new to Division I, has become accustomed to demanding regionals, facing Greenville for the ticket to Battle Creek last year. Meanwhile, Rockford, the defending big school champs, have rarely been threatened before Team States in their five consecutive trips. While it would be a mistake to call it a de facto state championship match -- as the Greenville-Lowell matches of the past couple years have been described -- the implications were very big nonetheless, as the winner would almost certainly carry the No. 1 seed into the state tournament.
The Rams and Red Arrows flexed their muscle in the semifinal by smashing solid foes Jenison and West Ottawa respectively before facing each other in the finals. There had been much intrigue the past several weeks as to how the lineup strategies of first-year Rockford coach Brian Richardson and Lowell coach Dave Dean would play out, and as we would see, it might have made all the difference.
Here is a match-by-match recap of the meet:
189 - Ryan Olep (Lowell) vs. Zack Banaszak (Rockford)
The starting weight couldn't have been more interesting as both teams be forced to make a tough decision right off the bat. Lowell weighed in both of their true 171 pounders, Ryan Olep and Gabe Dean at 189. Rockford only weighed Zack Banaszak, an on-and-off member of the varsity lineup, but also had the option of bumping State champion stud Jake Dorulla up from 171.In the end, Rockford, who lost the toss and had to present first, sent out Banaszak, and Lowell sent out Olep. Olep dominated the first period with two takedwons and two near fall points to go ahead 6-1. Olep then chose bottom going into the second and scored a reversal on a Granby roll. Late in the match, a controversial penalty point cut Olep's lead from eight to seven, leaving Olep in need of scoring a takedown in order to give the Arrows the major decision. Olep secured the final points with seconds remaining to win 14-5.Team Score - Lowell 4, Rockford 0
215 - Gabe Dean (Lowell) vs. Joe Stefanski (Rockford)
No size difference was more pronounced than the one between Rockford's defending state champion and Dean, a small 189 pounder at his biggest. Stefanski was the understandable heavy favorite, but the crowd was treated to much more of a match than a standing comparison would lead one to believe.Dean started out the match as the aggressor and would stay so the whole way through the match, using his quickness and superb handfighting skills to create shooting angles. Stefanski scored early on by countering one of Dean's shots, but would have to play defense most of the rest of the match as Dean kept attacking.Dean lit a fire under the crowd in the second period when he lifted Stefanski straight up in the air on a double leg. Stefanski, as he would throughout, countered with a wonderful scramble to prevent a score for Dean.Up 3-2 with under a minute to go, Stefanski finally relented enough for Dean to score his first takedown and lead of the match. Stefanski escaped about 20 seconds left and hung on to send the match into overtime.In overtime, Dean continued to be a shooting machine, and it might have cost him the match as Stefanski stuffed his last shot and got around for the score with three seconds remaining to win 6-4.Team Score: Lowell 4, Rockford 3
285 - Connor Kruse (Lowell) vs. Jake Banaszak (Rockford)
The matchup of the big boys wasn't quite as exciting, but in its own way, it played just as big a role in determining the final outcome.Kruse, ranked third in the state and coming off a barnstorming District title was the obvious favorite over Banaszak but had trouble scoring and could never get feisty Banaszak, who was probably giving up at least as much weight as Gabe Dean. A third period takedown secured the victory for Kruse, 4-2, in a match that many thought would end in a fall.Lowell 7, Rockford 3
103 - Martin Brubaker (Lowell) vs. Tyler Van Rooyen (Rockford)
Van Rooyen succeeded where Kruse could not by earning an early first period pin over Brubaker. It was obvious from the get-go that Van Rooyen was trying to end the match as soon as possible with a hard double leg that almost ended in a pin itself.Rockford 9, Lowell 7
112 - Zach Jeffries (Lowell) vs. Jared Johnson (Rockford)
The younger brother of J.J. and Jake made his return to action in what no doubt turned a perceived Rams weakness into a strength. Jared made up for lost time by racking up an 11-2 lead early on the strength of two double leg takedowns right to Jeffries back.The much-improved Jeffries however did not go away. Trailing 15-4 in the third, Jeffries used his incredible length to turn Johnson with a spladle that nearly pinned the freshman. Johnson fought off the pin however and later got an escape to secure the 16-7 major decision.Rockford 13, Lowell 7
119 - Calvin Meyer (Lowell) vs. Chris Barrentine (Rockford)
Going in, this did not look like one of the highlight matches of the night, but it sure ended up that way.Barrentine dominated the first two periods 4-1 with only giving up a point for stalling. Meyer started down in the third and created a scramble situation eventually up in a five-point reversal and near fall. Barrentine got a reversal after avoiding the pin to tie the match. Then it got bizzarre.
Meyer stood up, and Barrentinehad him in a belly-to-back situation. Barrentine was then dinged for two stalling calls and three points within the span of ten seconds. He let Meyer go to make the score 10-6. Meyer then shot a double and took a 12-6 lead and ran a wing with no hesitation to put Barrentine to his back again. Barrentine fought for around 30 seconds before the primary mat official went to slap the mat indicating a pin. However, the secondary official, who was keeping a mindful eye on the clock. indicated to the primary ref that time had run out just before he began to call the pin. Meyer brought the Arrows faithful to its feet with 14 third period points and a 15-6 major decision.Rockford 13, Lowell 11
125 - Matt Griffeon (Lowell) vs. Jake Scholten (Rockford)
Ever since he became eligible at the beginning of the second semester, Grandville transfer Jake Scholten has played a big role in the Rams lineup. The former state runner-up wasted no time socring a quick takedown on a high crotch.Griffeon spent much of the match trying to work a front headlock, but in the end, his sole point of the match came on a second period escape. Scholten left with a hard-fought 5-1 victory.Rockford 16, Lowell 11
130- Jake Fillingham (Lowell) vs. Jake Byers (Rockford)
Fillingham has been quite a revelation this season, climbing the rankings all season long and heading into regionals ranked sixth, but he was not quite up to the challenge of the returning runner-up Byers.Byers played the takdown game the whole match, and while he didn't exactly score at will, he did make it look relatively easy. Byers racked up six takedowns and gave Fillingham all his points in a standard issue 12-4 major decision.
Rockford 20, Lowell 11
135 - Gabe Morse (Lowell) vs. Drew Scogg (Rockford)
Things were certainly setting up for an exciting stretch run with the Arrows down 9 heading straight into the heart of their lineup. The littlest Morse brother got this run going the right way with three first period takedowns.Gabe, who wrestle with much more of a bulldog mentality than his brothers, kept the pressure on Scogg, giving him escapes in exchange for hard, aggressive takedowns. Scogg did save the team points however by fighting off a spladle from Morse. In the end Morse was just too tough and walked away with a 15-6 major decision.
Rockford 20, Lowell 15
140 - Jake Gould (Lowell) vs. Austin Scogg (Rockford)
This matchup had long been rumored as one of the most even of the whole dual, so it undobtedly was one of the most crucial. Scogg scored on early double. A Gould escape set the score at 2-1 heading into the second.Rockford has always been known for their abilities from top position, and Scogg demonstrated those skills, riding Gould out the entire second period.
In the third Scogg escaped and the two exchanged penalty points as Scogg fended off some tough takedown challenges from Gould to win the crucial 4-2 decision.Rockford 23, Lowell 15
145 - Dan Fleet (Lowell) vs. Peter Nugent (Rockford)
Fleet has wrestled primarily at 152 all year long but weighed in at 145 to offer the Arrows more flexibility in the lineup. He headed into this match needing to pin the overmatched Nugent, given that the Rams still had state champion Jake Dorulla in the hole.Nugent's goal seemed to simply not get pinned, and although he did end up on his back and yielded four points to stalling calls, he accomplished his goal. Fleet, who thoroughly dominated the match, left the mat after his 18-4 major decision noticeably dis appointed.Rockford 23, Lowell 19
152- Andrew Morse (Lowell) vs. Bruce Carlstrom (Rockford)
Lowell would normally relish this position, down only four with their two best wrestlers coming in the final three matches, but they had to figure bonus points would be hard to come by, given Rockford's strength in the final the weights.Morse certainly displayed that sense of urgency, appearing to be wrestling strictly for the pin. He scored a first period takedown, a second period reversal and rode Carlstorm the whole third period. He may have won 4-0, but this sure looked like another situation where a win was a loss.Rockford 23, Lowell 22
160 - Jackson Morse (Lowell) vs. Jake Johnson (Rockford)
Well, if Lowell desperately needs a pin, Jackson Morse is a good guy to deliver. However, state runner-up Jake Johnson was there to make the job all the more difficult.Morse jumped out to a a quick 2-0 lead, but it became quickly apparent that Morse, like his brother, was going for the pin, and his job might be even more difficult. Johnson agitated the Lowell fatihful by apparently using the edge of the mat to bail out of trouble, but he was never penalized for stalling and only yielded three points. Morse won 3-0 and the Arrows took their first lead since early in the match. Yet it was the Rams and their fans who were celebrating, realizing that all that separated them from Battle Creek was a win from one of their best wrestlers ever.Lowell 25, Rockford 23
171 - Keith Williams (Lowell) vs. Jake Dorulla (Rockford)
Senior Keith Williams has been an underappreciated member of the Lowell squad for years, honing his skills against the likes of Jackson Morse, Ryan Olep and Tim Gingerich the past few years. He is a very good, solid wrestler. He is not Jake Dorulla.
He has not been in the state finals the past three years, and his phone has not been blown up by college wrestling coaches at any point. There was really no doubt who was going to win and Dorulla, after a realtively slow start, ran up the score to 12-1 by the time the final whistle blew. By doing so, the senior made his class the third straight to make it to Battle Creek all four years.
Rockford 27, Lowell 25
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