2011 MHSAA Team District/Regional Preview
---DIVISION 2---
Steve Widzinski
Michigan Grappler High School Analyst
steve@michigangrappler.com
2/9/2011
The road to Battle Creek will begin this Wednesday when
the MHSAA Team Districts get underway all across the
state and in just under three weeks from now the Division 1,
2, 3, and 4 Team State Champions will be crowned
Below you will find our breakdown of each Team Regional
in Division 2, as well as the notable District level matchups
to look for. In addition, we have predicted who to expect to
see in Battle Creek in a couple weeks.
Following the Team Regionals check back for our detailed
State Tournament preview!
Division 2 District/Regional Outlook:
This year’s assortment of Division 2 district assignments
has provided fans with a pretty good blend of match ups.
Most of the top Division 2 teams are well spread out as the
top 7 ranked teams avoid each other and no ranked
opponents are scheduled to meet until regionals. However,
there should be several pretty competitive district matchups
between tough squads. While most ranked teams will be
favored to win their district, Division 2 is filled with many
tough dual meet teams this year that will make for several
upset opportunities.
Among the most competitive districts should be the Spring Lake district. Tough teams from Coopersville and Grand Rapids Northview should be in the mix here looking to earn a district title. The Fowlerville district will also be one to watch where eighth-ranked Mason will be tested by Fowlerville. While marquis matchups are not plentiful, this round of Division 2 districts should provide a good warm up for several very competitive upcoming regional matchups.
Notable District Matchups:
No. 136-2 at Sparta
Teams - #9 Sparta, Fruitport, Cedar Springs, Muskegon RP
Sparta has put together a very nice season and should be favorites to win a district title this Wednesday. However Fruitport looked very solid at the Lansing Eastern Invite earlier this season, and if they are healthy they will be competitive here. Expect this to be a good early test for the Spartans who will be looking to earn a shot at Greenville for regionals.
No. 141-2 at Spring Lake
Teams - Coopersville, Spring Lake, Grand Rapids-Kenowa Hills, Grand Rapids-Northview
This should be a pretty competitive district with multiple teams very capable of advancing. Coopersville and Grand Rapids Northview have both spent time in the Division 2 rankings this year and will be likely to meet in the finals. If both squads are healthy, this should be a pretty good dual meet with several solid individuals. Whichever team can come out ahead here will advance to the Byron Center Region where they will try to knock off fifth ranked Allegan.
No. 153-2 Fowlerville
Teams - #8 Mason, Haslett, Fowlerville
Mason has looked very strong in the latter half of the season and comes into districts ranked eighth in Division 2. Hoping to challenge the Bulldogs for a title here will be Fowlerville. The Gladiators have looked impressive at several individual tournaments including the Lansing Eastern Invitational and the Jim Mooney Williamston Classic. Fowlerville has a few outstanding individuals and could have the potential to pull an upset. Mason has been steadily improving over the course of the year, and this district match up should be a good indicator to see if they are capable of hanging with Tecumseh at regionals.
Regional Breakdown
Here is a breakdown of what teams will be battling out at each regional for a shot at advancing to the D2 Team State Finals in Battle Creek.
109-2 at Ogemaw Heights
Top contenders: #3 Greenville, #9 Sparta
Outlook: Greenville has come on especially strong late in the season and appears poised for a deep run. The Yellow Jackets first real test will come at regionals where they will likely meet with #9 Sparta in the finals. Sparta has had a very solid season and has proven that they can hang with top competition. Greenville’s dangerous mix of firepower and depth makes them a heavy favorite here, but they will need to wrestle well in order to defeat Sparta and advance. As of know Sparta and Greenville appear to be the only major threats to advance here.
Our Pick: Greenville
110-2 at Owosso
Top Contenders: #1 St. Johns, #10 Linden, Lapeer West
Outlook: St Johns comes into the postseason ranked fourteenth in the nation by Intermat and as heavy favorites to earn their second consecutive title in Division 2. The Red Wings are absolutely loaded and feature several wrestlers ranked in the top two of their weight class in Division 2. Likely to meet St Johns in the finals of this region will be tenth ranked Linden. The Eagles have put together a nice season and should have a good chance to reach the regional finals, however Linden appears to be heavily outmatched against the powerhouse that is St Johns.
Our Pick: St Johns
111-2 at Byron Center
Top Contenders: #6 Allegan, Coopersville, Hamilton, Grand Rapids Northview
Outlook: In this region Allegan should be considerable favorites to advance to the state meet. While not quite as powerful as last year’s squad, Allegan is still a very solid team with enough weapons to make some noise in Battle Creek. The Tigers toughest test here well most likely come from Coopersville or Grand Rapids Northview who both have a shot to win the Spring Lake district. While there will be some competition, Allegan is a team that has had a lot of postseason success and should be a good bet to advance.
Our Pick: Allegan
112-2 at Lowell
Top Contenders: #4 Lowell, Lansing Estern, Hastings
Outlook: After a brief stint in Division 1 Lowell has returned to Division 2 and will be looking to return to Battle Creek as well. The Red Arrows have some serious firepower in the top half of their lineup and will likely be a top four seed at the state meet. After Lowell this is a relatively thin regional where several teams could have a chance to wind up in the finals. Expect Lowell to take care of business and win a regional title.
Our Pick: Lowell
113-2 at Edwardsburg
Top Contenders: #5 Stevensville Lakeshore, Portage Northern, Niles
Outlook: Fifth ranked Stevensville Lakeshore has consistently been a top tier program in Michigan for years and will be favored to advance here. However the Lancers have been a bit banged up this season and they have lost some dual meets down the stretch. Because this is a pretty weak region Lakeshore will still be very likely to advance, however a team such as Portage Northern could have an outside shot to pull an upset.
Our Pick: Stevensville Lakeshore
114-2 at Milan
Top Contenders: #2 Tecumseh, #8 Mason, Fowlerville, Adrian
Outlook: Tecumseh comes into the postseason ranked second in Division 2 and appears to be capable of having a lot of success in Battle Creek. However, before Tecumseh gets to the state meet they will have to get through a very good Mason team at regional. Mason has came on strong late in the season and should provide a tough test for the Indians. If the Bulldogs can find a way to get some advantageous matchups this has the potential to be a very close dual. Tecumseh’s depth should make the difference here and be key to a regional title.
Our Pick: Tecumseh
115-2 at Madison Hts Lamphere
Top contenders: #7 Holly, Warren Woods Tower
Outlook: After having some great individual accomplishments over the past few years Holly will look to take the next step and earn a trip to the state meet. The Bronchos are loaded down low and will be the top contender to win this region. While there is no denying Holly’s talent, the Broncho’s have not scored many big dual meet wins yet this year and will run into some pretty decent competition here. Teams such as Auburn Hills Avondale and Farmington Hills Harrison have had some success this year and should have a legitimate chance to pull an upset.
Our Pick - Holly
116-2 at Hazel Park
Top Contenders: Hazel Park, Highland Park, New Boston Huron, Riverview, Annapolis
Outlook: By far Division 2’s most wide-open region, several teams should have a very good chance of advancing here. Among the many Battle Creek hopefuls in this region are New Boston Huron, Dearborn Heights Crestwood and Allen Park. In December New Boston performed well against some elite competition at the Goodrich TOC and they traditionally have a strong dual meet lineup. Highland Park and Dearborn Heights Crestwood both had strong showings at the Wayne County Tournament and could also have a chance to advance here.
Our Pick: New Boston Huron
State Finals Outlook:
Once all of the regional action is wrapped up Division 2’s top teams will travel to Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek to compete for a state title. Going into the state tournament St Johns appears to be a lock for the top seed. The Red Wings have been Michigan’s best team all year long and will be heavy favorites to win their second consecutive state title. After St Johns there are several evenly matched teams who should make for some very good quarterfinal and semifinal action.
Likely to take the second seed and third seed will be Tecumseh and Greenville. Both of these teams are pretty similar and share a common win over fourth ranked Lowell. Regardless of who is the second seed, these squads will likely meet in the semifinals. Neither Tecumseh nor Greenville have any holes in their lineup so bonus points will be at a premium if they meet. However, there are several very tough teams in Division 2 this year such as Allegan and Lakeshore who will have a chance to pull a first round upset here.
On the other side of the bracket St Johns will likely cruise to the semi-finals where they should get their first test from Lowell. Lowell has been improving all year and they have the individual talent to put up some points on the defending champs. If Lowell can get the matchups they want this dual could be a lot closer than many people anticipate. Assuming they can get past Lowell, the Red Wings will advance to the finals where they will most likely encounter Greenville or Tecumseh. As good as both of those teams are, it is hard to imagine them being able to match the firepower of St Johns. If St Johns loses at any point this postseason it will be one of the biggest upsets in recent memory.
Check back the week of Team State's after the pairings are announced for a deeper, more in-depth breakdown of the Division 2 Team State Tournament.
District/Regional Pairings
Districts - Feb 9-10, 2011
Regionals - Feb 16, 2011
No. 133-2 Marquette
Escanaba
Marquette
Sault Ste Marie-Sault Area
No. 134-2 Petoskey
Gaylord
West Branch-Ogemaw Heights
Petoskey
No. 135-2 Greenville
Mt Pleasant
Bay City-John Glenn
Saginaw-Arthur Hill
#3 Greenville
No. 136-2 Sparta
Fruitport
Cedar Springs
#9 Sparta
Muskegon-Reeths-Puffer
No. 137-2 St Johns
Bath (Lansing-Catholic Central)
DeWitt
#1 St Johns
No. 138-2 Fenton
Fenton
Corunna
#10 Linden
Owosso
No. 139-2 Flint-Kearsley
Clio
Flint Northwestern
Flint-Kearsley
No. 140-2 Ortonville-Brandon
Lapeer West
Lapeer East
North Branch
Ortonville-Brandon
No. 141-2 Spring Lake
Coopersville
Spring Lake
Grand Rapids-Kenowa Hills
Grand Rapids-Northview
No. 142-2 Grand Rapids-Forest Hills Northern
Grand Rapids-Creston
Grand Rapids-Catholic Central
Wyoming-Rogers
Grand Rapids-Forest Hills Northern
No. 143-2 Zeeland East
Zeeland East
Hamilton
Holland
No. 144-2 Allegan
#6 Allegan
Plainwell
Byron Center
No. 145-2 Grand Rapids-Christian
East Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids-Christian
Grand Rapids-Ottawa Hills
No. 146-2 Hastings
Hastings
Wayland Union
Middleville-Thornapple Kellogg
Richland-Gull Lake
No. 147-2 Eaton Rapids
Charlotte
Lansing-Eastern
Eaton Rapids
Lansing-Waverly
No. 148-2 Ionia
Ada-Forest Hills Eastern
Ionia
#4 Lowell
No. 149-2 Stevensville-Lakeshore
St Joseph
#5 Stevensville-Lakeshore
Niles
Benton Harbor
No. 150-2 Sturgis
Edwardsburg
Sturgis
Three Rivers
No. 151-2 Portage Northern
Kalamazoo-Loy Norrix
Mattawan
Portage Northern
Vicksburg
No. 152-2 Coldwater
Coldwater
Marshall
Battle Creek-Harper Creek
No. 153-2 Fowlerville
Fowlerville
Haslett
#8 Mason
No. 154-2 Parma-Western
Parma-Western
Chelsea
Dexter
Jackson-Northwest
No. 155-2 Carleton-Airport
Ypsilanti
South Lyon
South Lyon East
Carleton-Airport
No. 156-2 Adrian
#2 Tecumseh
Milan
Monroe-Jefferson
Adrian
No. 157-2 St Clair Shores-Lakeview
St Clair Shores-Lake Shore
St Clair Shores-Lakeview
Marysville
St Clair
No. 158-2 Warren Woods-Tower
Center Line
Warren Woods-Tower
Madison Heights-Lamphere
Warren-Lincoln
No. 159-2 Bloomfield Hills-Andover
Berkley
Farmington Hills-Harrison
Bloomfield Hills-Andover
Birmingham-Seaholm
No. 160-2 Orchard Lake-St Mary's
Auburn Hills-Avondale
Orchard Lake-St Mary Preparatory
#7 Holly
Bloomfield Hills-Lahser
No. 161-2 Riverview Community
Trenton
New Boston-Huron
Riverview Community
Gibraltar-OA Carlson
No. 162-2 Dearborn Heights-Annapolis
Dearborn Heights-Annapolis
Melvindale
Romulus
Allen Park
No. 163-2 Dearborn Heights-Crestwood
Ferndale
Redford Union
Dearborn Heights-Crestwood
Dearborn-Divine Child
No. 164-2 Warren-Fitzgerald
Hazel Park
Hamtramck
Highland Park Community
Warren-Fitzgerald
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-------------------------OGEMAW HTS REGIONAL
------------------------OWOSSSO REGIONAL
-------------------------BYRON CENTER REGIONAL
---------------------------LOWELL REGIONAL
-------------------------EWARDSBURG REGIONAL
-------------------------MILAN REGIONAL
-------------------------MADISON HTS LAMPHERE REGIONAL
-------------------------HAZEL PARK REGIONAL
Josh Pennell (#1 at 125) is one of 7 Red Wings ranked #1 or #2 in their weight heading into Districts. Photo/Gary Williams
