Michigan's best ready to battle for America's Cup in California
BY JEFF CHANEY
MI Grappler Staff Writer
5/25 - Last year the state of Michigan was well represented at the
America's Cup wrestling tournament in California.
Coach Dave Beazley had a squad that finished second to the
California Dream Team in a tournament loaded with talent.
This year Beazley may have a better team.
“This is one of the best teams we put together,” Beazley said. “We
had some other strong candidates that won't make it, but they are
training for freestyle and Greco-Roman and didn't want to transfer
back to folkstyle. But I would say this team is comparable to the
team we took out last year, and we took second last year.”
Using the national weight system, the team consists of:
106-pounds – Grand Haven freshman Cambden Bertucci, who
was second in the state this year at 103 pounds.
113-pounds – Detroit Catholic Central freshman Trevor Zdebski,
who was third in the state this past March
120-pounds – DCC junior Ken Bade, a two-time state champion
126-pounds – Lowell freshman Nate Limmex, fourth in the state
132-pounds – Allegan sophomore Kyle Simaz, second in the state
this past March
138-pounds – Sparta senior Nick Trimble, a state champion in
2011, fourth place this past season
145-pounds – St. Johns junior Ben Whitford, a two-time Illinois state champion, who moved to Michigan this year and
won the Division 2 140-pound state champion
152-pounds – Allegan Taylor Simaz, a two-time state champion, who will wrestle at Cornell University next year
160-pounds – St. Johns senior Jordan Wohlfert, a two-time state champion, who will be an MSU Spartan next year
170-pounds – Ferndale senior Chevis Ferris, a state state runner-up this year
182-pounds – DCC senior Kevin Beazley,a runner-up last year and state champ this year
195-pounds – Lowell senior Gabe Dean, a two-time runner-up and one-time state champion, who will wresle at Cornell next year
220-pounds – Fowlerville junior Brian Moran, a runner-up last year and fourth this year
285-pounds – Whittemore-Prescott freshman Ryan Prescott, a runner-up this year.
The team will weigh in today (Friday) at 2 p.m., and wrestling begins at 4 p.m. at Clovis High School, which is just north of Fresno.
Wrestling continues through Saturday with the finals.
“They have beefed up the tournament,” Dave Beazley said. “Ohio is bringing nine or 10 state champions, and Oregon is bringing nine champions and two runner-ups.
“We will win our pool, and then they bring eight teams out,” he added. “There I think we will be the third seed, and will run in to either Oregon of Ohio in the semifinals.”
Copyright 2007-2011, Michigan Grappler, LLC
May not be republished or reproduced without expressed, written permission
Contact Michigan Grappler via E-Mail: admin@michigangrappler.com
Whitford, the #1 ranked Junior in the country by InterMat is lined up for a big-time matchup with Isaiah Martinez of CA, the #6 rated Junior in the land, this weekend.
