FAB 50 Flashback - 2008 big names went on to big stage












8/20 - Back in 2007-2008 Michigan Grappler started the Youth Fab 50,
which selects a series of in-state and out-of-state tournaments
throughout the season where Youth wrestlers can score points.  The
object of the Fab 50 was, and still is, to try to pinpoint the 50 best youth
wrestlers in the state and honor those who put in the best season on the
youth circuit. 

With youth wrestling being such a year-round sport now-a-days, and
with all the different youth organizations, dual meet tournaments,
national tournaments, and varying seasons of the year, it is sometimes
hard to pinpoint the “BEST” kid in the state.  It’s not like the good ole
days when everyone wrestle Freestyle (and that was really the only show
in town) and then pretty much every good youth kid in the state was at
the Freestyle State Tournament. 

In today’s Michigan youth wrestling world, you have MYWAY, MMWA,
NEMWA, USA, etc., etc., and then to add more to the mix, you have all
the National Dual events that sometimes conflict with certain
organizations state tournaments.  Morale of the story – we needed and
still need a way to highlight the best youth grapplers in the state, hence,
the MI Grappler Fab 50.

Then: The First Fab 50 (2008)
It has been 5 years since that first Fab 50 season, so it is interesting to
reflect as most of those kids are either in high school, approaching high
school, or out of high school.  It is fascinating to look at the level of
success that comes from our first season’s Fab 50. 

The best 50 youth wrestlers in Michigan in 2008 was a heck of a list! 
Mark Hall of Davison, who is now the #1 ranked prep wrestler in the
country for Apple Valley HS (Minnesota), won the 2008 Fab 50 winning
every single Fab 50 tournament as the 10 year old Mark Hall was every
bit as dominant as the 16 year old Mark Hall.  Hall’s CMS teammate
Dominic Sutermeister was neck in neck with him, and  close behind
was Zack Cooper who just graduated from Whitehall HS as a 3x Division
3 State Champion! 

As you continue to scan the Top 10 in 2008 you will find Freddie
Rodriguez falling in at #6.  Freddie had one of the best prep careers in
Michigan history, winning 3 State Titles, 2 Fargo Titles,  Super 32 Title,
GFC title, FILA Cadet Title, and everything in between! 

Other recent high school graduates of note in the 2008 Fab 50 include
4x State Champ Ben Whitford of St Johns, who finished his senior year ranked #1 in the country, but finished 18th on the Fab 50 as a 7th grader.  3x State Champ Jacob Schmitt, who starts his college career at Northwestern this month, was a mere #29 on the Fab 50 list as a 7th grader (and only weighed about 75lbs!). 

Some of the current top prep wrestlers in Michigan were on the Fab 50 as well, among them, DCC State champs Drew Garcia and Logan Marcicki.  2x D1 State Champs Lincoln Olson and Justin Oliver of Davison, Holt State Champ Martin Rodriguez, State Champ Jerry Fenner of Birch Run, and State Champ Angus Arthur of St Johns.

Scanning through the 2008 Youth Fab 50 is a virtual dictionary of the biggest prep wrestling names over the last few years, but what’s even more entertaining is looking at some of the names that landed outside the Fab 50 in 2008.  4x undefeated State champ Taylor Massa of St Johns High School (Univ of Michigan now) finished 52nd, just outside the Fab 50.  3x State Champ Zac Hall of St Johns, ranked #2 in the nation going into his senior season, finished 62nd.  State Champ Brant Schafer (headed to Indiana this fall) was further down the list at 72nd. 
Ian Parker, who was a 9 year old 59lber in 2008, finished 69th, five years later and he is one of the best lightweights in the country.  Division 3 State Champs Devin Schroeder and Dakota Ball, 84th and 87th in the standings.  Jordan Wohlfert, a 2x State Champ who now starts at 174lbs for the MSU Spartans, finished in 97th.  State Champs now wrestling for EMU Gage Hutchison, Alex Calandrino, and Shayne Wireman were #108 ,#120, and #126on the 2008 Fab 50. 

What is also intriguing to look at is the Clubs or Teams that these kids wrestled for in 2008 in comparison to the High School that they attended in high school.  There is not as much similarity among the two as one would expect, but that is a whole other topic in itself that we can save for a later discussion.

NOW: The 2013 Fab 50
So, with the history lesson over, you now have to wonder what this year’s group will look like 5 years from now?  Are there 4x State Champions among this year’s Fab 50?  Are there future Big Ten athletes and nationally ranked stars?  If history tells us anything, then the answer is yes.

Dominic Lomazzo, a 5th grader on a mission, won this year's Fab 50 over Chandler Murton of Maple Valley and Jordan Hamdan of Hudson who tied in 2nd just 12 points behind Lomazzo.  We will be releasing the All-Future Team next week, which consists of the Top 10 from the Fab 50 and 10 other selections based on nominations, and when we do you will get a run-down of these guys' accomplishments from this year, it is a long list and too much stuff to delve into today. 

The top of the Fab 50 rankings is peppered with Dundee grapplers, which is scary for all Division 3 programs as the returning D3 State Champs have been a powerhouse program for a long time and just from glancing at our Fab 50 it appears they are not going anywhere anytime soon! 

Your 2013 MI Grappler Youth Fab 50
1Dominick Lomazzo145
2Chandler Murton133
3Jordan Hamdan133
4Riley Bettich129
5Brandon Whitman124
6Austin Fietz124
7Braeden Davis120
8Brian Case116
9Joshua Barr113
10Corey Gamet112
11Stoney Buell109
12Jesse Brumm107
13Hunter Dickson107
14Dylan Gilcher105
15Tyler Moore104
16Hunter Assenmacher102
17Kane Williams98
18Jarrett Trombley96
19Caden Horwath94
20Luke Stephens92
21Aden Williams91
22Kameron Bush91
23Kevon Davenport91
24Gerad Bott90
25Michael Mars87
26Devon Kozel86
27Trevor Piggott84
28Jimmy Colley84
29Talan Parsons84
30Kyle Kantola83
31Ben Freeman81
32Jacob Shoop80
33Jackson Blum80
34Evan Herriman80
35Brock Prater79
36Dominic LaJoie79
37Sam Greco78
38Alexander Facundo78
39Hogan McCleary78
40Easton Turner77
41Owen Payne76
42Bailey Miller76
43John Siemasz75
44Brady Benson74
45Brayden Kessler72
46Austin Halvin72
47Brady Quick72
48Zachary Zoll71
49Austin Garcia70
50Kamron Roberts69



NEXT: 13-14 Season begins in October with GFC
The quest for the next Fab 50 begins in October with the Grappler Fall Classic (Registration is Now Open!), a Super-Platinum event where mucho points can be earned.  Details on the remainder of the schedule will be posted very, very soon!



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2008 MI Grappler Youth Fab 50
1 Mark Hall II, Davison (CMS), 9-10
2 Dominic Sutemeister, CMS, 9-10 80lbs
3 Zack Cooper, Big Rapids (MiXtreme), 13
4 Nathan Ellis, CMS, 9-0, 67lbs
5 Jacob Madrigal, Davison, 9-10, 65lbs
6 Freddie Rodriguez, Holt, 13-14 90lbs
7 Brendan Mcrill, CMS, 7-8, 77lbs
8 Martin Rodriguez, Holt, 13-14 75lbs
9 Eric Rogers III, Highland Park, 9-10, 120lbs
10 Justin Oliver, Goodrich (CMS), 11-12
11 ShaboGorial, Hartland, 11-12 75lbs
12 CarleighCzerneski, TNT, 5-6
13 Shon Powell, Berkley, 11-12 105lbs
14 Patrick Eldred, Charlotte, 13-14, 170lbs
15 Dalton Ballontine, Clio, 7-8 52lbs
16 Jesus Jimenez, CCWC, 7-8 40lbs
17 Anthony Gonzales, 11-12, 90lbs
18 Ben Whitford, Holt (Massa), 13-14, 85lbs
19 Gerald Mahar III, Chesaning, 13-14 138
20 Ty Wildmo, 11-12, 95lbs
21 Josiah Thomas, Berkley, 11-12 119lbs
22 Lantz Miller, Dansville, 13-14 175lbs
23 Gage Gillam, East Detroit 9-10 63lbs
24 Lincoln Olson, Bay City (CMS), 11-12
25 Chris Fauson, Eaton Rapids, 78 55lbs
26 Andrew Hughes, Holt, 5-6 43lbs
27 Andrew Garcia, Powerhouse, 11-12 112lbs
28 Jerry Fenner III, Clio, 9-10 59lbs
29 Jacob Schmitt, St Johns, 11-12 73lbs
30 Lucas Hall, Byron Center 9-10, 63lbs
31 Mason Courtright, Xtreme/Shelby, 13-15 155
32 KarsonKost, Grand Ledge, 7-8 70lbs
33 Jake Hardaker, Clio, 9-10 105lbs
34 Jonathan Greathouse, Mason, 7-8, 72lbs
35 Taylor Grenawalt, Spartan Lightning
36 Ryan Karam, Hartland , 13-15, 70lbs
37 Danny Poupore, Canton, 7-8 49lbs
38 Tyler Morland, Brighton, 11-12, 80lbs
39 Logan Marcicki, Powerhouse, 11-12 95lbs
40 Cody Stenberg, MI Xtreme, 13-14 130lbs
41 TraeVanshaick, CCWC, 9-10 HWT
42 Jahron Coulson, 5-6 60lbs
43 Jarrett Trombley, Owosso, 7-8 55
44 DavianGowens, Hesperia, 9-10 52
45 Chad Czerneski, TNT 13-14
46 Tanner Culver, Powerhouse
47 Tyler Daniel, Lakeshore, 13-14 95lbs
48 Nicolas Gillam, East Detroit 9-10 59lbs
49 Joshua Wendling, New Lothrop, 11-12 80lbs
50 Angus Arthur, Laingsburg, 11-12 90lbs

A few notables from the 2008 Fab 50 (left to right): #1 Mark Hall, #3 Zack Cooper, #9 Justin Oliver, #18 Ben Whitford, #29 Jacob Schmitt, #39 Logan Marcicki, #50 Angus Arthur