Michigan Grappler - Everything wrestling in Michigan

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

Dominick Lomazzo

145

Chandler Murton

133

Jordan Hamdan

133

Riley Bettich

129

Brandon Whitman

124

Austin Fietz

124

Braeden Davis

120

Brian Case

116

Joshua Barr

113

Corey Gamet

112

Stoney Buell

109

Jesse Brumm

107

Hunter Dickson

107

Dylan Gilcher

105

Tyler Moore

104

Hunter Assenmacher

102

Kane Williams

Jarrett Trombley

Caden Horwath

Luke Stephens

Aden Williams

Kameron Bush

Kevon Davenport

Gerad Bott

Michael Mars

Devon Kozel

Trevor Piggott

Jimmy Colley

Talan Parsons

Kyle Kantola

Ben Freeman

Jacob Shoop

Jackson Blum

Evan Herriman

Brock Prater

Dominic LaJoie

Sam Greco

Alexander Facundo

Hogan McCleary

Easton Turner

Owen Payne

Bailey Miller

John Siemasz

Brady Benson

Brayden Kessler

Austin Halvin

Brady Quick

Zachary Zoll

Austin Garcia

Kamron Roberts

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