Kent County Preview

D3 #3 GRCC HEADLINES INAUGURAL EVENT

103
D1 #2 Austin Wieczorek, East Kentwood (10) – Regional Qualifier
D2 #7 Jordan Ringler, Cedar Springs (10) – Regional Qualifier

Expect some new names to emerge on Saturday, but for now the focus is on what should be a good finals matchup between a pair of sophomores who both came within a match of qualifying for the state tournament as a freshman. However, there’s no guarantee either is down at 103 yet.

Prediction: Wieczorek over Ringler


112
Jose Davila, Kent City (11) – 2X Regional Qualifier
Michael Ferel, East Kentwood (12) – Regional Qualifier
Xavier Cudia, GR Kenowa Hills (12)
Connor Merren, Caledonia (10)

This is a really wide open weight class that could go a number of different ways. Plus, there’s a decent chance that Wieczorek and/or Ringler end up here. As things currently stand, I’ll give the edge to the senior Ferel in a tight match with Davila, but definitely don’t be surprised if someone relatively unknown comes in and wins it all.

Prediction: Ferel over Davila


119
D1 #3 Jared Bennett, Rockford (12) – 2X State Placer
D3 #1 Devin Schroder, Grand Rapids CC (11) – 2X State Champ
Taylor Rambin, Byron Center (12) – State Qualifier
Devin Bisard, GR Kenowa Hills (12) – State Qualifier
Devon McAllister, Wyoming Kellogsville (12)
Gustavo Moreno, Wyoming (11)
Aaron Ortiz, Kent City (10)

Here we have a weight with more established talent. Bennett is a stud, but he’ll be a big time underdog against Schroder. Currently ranked #8 in the country at his weight class, Schroder is arguably one of the top 5 pound-for-pound wrestlers in the state and is especially proficient from the top position. I don’t see anyone else crashing the finals, but Rambin and Bisard are both tough kids that will likely battle for 3rd.

Prediction: Schroder over Bennett


125
D2 #2 Chris Poland, Middleville TK (12) – 3X State Placer
Daniel Tomko, Grand Rapids FHC (10) – Regional Qualifier
Colten Allen, Grandville CC (12) – Regional Qualifier
Mike Nguyen, Byron Center (12)
Alex Reil, Wyoming (12)
Denny Carr, Kent City (10)

There’s some solid depth here, but expect Poland to dominate. He’s one of the state’s elite lowerweights and was a Junior National Greco AA this summer. Perhaps, #9 Austin Tomko will flip weights with his younger brother and compete here. That will make things more interesting, but I still don’t see anyone beating Poland.

Prediction: Poland over Tomko


130
D1 #9 (125) Austin Tomko, Grand Rapids FHC (12) – State Qualifier
D2 #5 Jake Busing, Byron Center (12) – 2X State Placer
D3 #5 Kole Krauss, Grand Rapids CC (11) – State Placer
Trevor Gingrich, GR Kenowa Hills (12) – 2X Regional Qualifier
Ryan Bockheim, Kent City (11) – 2X Regional Qualifier
Skylar Gingrich, Grandville CC (12) – Regional Qualifier
Jared Smith, Caledonia (12)

This weight features plenty of talent with no heavy favorite. With 3 state placers and 3 regional qualifiers there should be some good matchups from the quarters on. Krauss really impressed me at the GFC this fall and I like him to narrowly edge Busing in what should be one of the day’s best finals bouts.

Predictions: Krauss over Busing


135
Gianni Baez, Byron Center (11) – Regional Qualifier
Max Postlewait, Grand Rapids FHC (11) – 2X Regional Qualifier
Jeremy Groen, Grandville CC (12) – 2X Regional Qualifier
Matthew Dolleman, GR Northview (11) – Regional Qualifier

This might be the most wide open weight of the tournament. All 4 of the listed RQ’s are title threats and I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of them end up on top of the podium, or if someone unknown broke out to win the tournament.

Prediction: Baez over Groen


140
D1 #6 Uberto Bernal, East Kentwood (11) – Regional Qualifier
D2 #7 Austin Beardsley, Middleville TK (12) – State Qualifier
D3 #1 Nate Limmex, Grand Rapids CC (12) – 2X State Champ
Jimmy Smith, GR Kenowa Hills (11) – Regional Qualifier
Brandon Idema, GR Northview (12) – Regional Qualifier
Jake Riekena, Byron Center (12)
Michael Truong, Wyoming Kellogsville (11)

There will be plenty of talent on display here, but no one is going to stop Limmex. He’s ranked #4 in the nation at his weight class and is one of the most solid and consistent wrestlers you’ll ever see. Bernal and Beardsley will likely battle on the opposite side of the bracket, but it wouldn’t shock me if someone else pulled an upset to reach the finals.

Prediction: Limmex over Beardsley


145
D3 #9 (152) Dom Forbes, Grand Rapids CC (11) – State Placer
Nick Hughes, Grand Rapids FHC (12) – 2X Regional Qualifier
Zsigmond Squires, East Kentwood (9)
David Kruse, Lowell (9)

Forbes is ranked at 152, but with teammate Foster Karmon up at 152 this is likely where he’ll end up. It’s not an incredibly deep weight, but Hughes is a tough kid that has been solid for a couple of years, and freshmen Squires and Kruse were both very successful at the MYWA level and have bright futures ahead of them.

Prediction: Forbes over Kruse


152
D3 #1 (145) Foster Karmon, Grand Rapids CC (12) – State Champ
Nate Iveson, Middleville TK (12) – Regional Qualifier
Ryan VanderLaan, Grandville CC (12) – Regional Qualifier
Keigan Yuhas, Lowell (9)
Here we have another weight that features an extremely heavy favorite. Karmon is ranked as one the state’s top 25 wrestlers regardless of weight and looks like the guy to beat in D3 this March. Iveson and VanderLaan will likely be seeded #2/#3, but Yuhas is extremely talented and could make the finals if he ends up on the opposite side of the bracket as Karmon.

Prediction: Karmon over Yuhas


160
D1 #10 Matt Mills, Grand Rapids FHC (11) – State Qualifier
D2 #6 Jaxon Smith, Byron Center (12) – 2X State Qualifier
Preston Widener, Kent City (12) – Regional Qualifier
Logan McGahan, Cedar Springs (12) – Regional Qualifier
Austin Engle, Lowell (9)

This bracket will likely feature a highly competitive finals match between Smith and Mills. Smith received a big boost in the rankings this week after beating D4 state champ Kyle Johnson of Hudson to win the Southwest Classic last weekend. I’m a big fan of Mills, but look for Smith to carry his momentum and win a title. Also, keep an eye on Engle. He’s another impressive freshman middleweight of Lowell’s.

Prediction: Smith over Mills


171
D2 #6 Brody Neeson, GR Kenowa Hills (12) – State Qualifier
D3 #10 Jared Tennihill, Grand Rapids CC (12) – State Qualifier
D4 #1 Shane Rodenburg, Kent City (12) – State Runner-Up
Ike Kinney, Grand Rapids FHC (11) – Regional Qualifier
Caleb Childers, Rockford (12) – Regional Qualifier
Joey Alcala, Caledonia (10)
Eli Boulton, Lowell (10)

We’ll have to wait and see if Rodenburg’s down to this weight yet, but if he is I think he’ll dominate here despite some pretty strong competition. If not, this becomes a pretty wide open weight. SQ’s Neeson and Tennihill would be the favorites to reach the finals, but Kinney and Childers aren’t too far behind.

Prediction: Rodenburg over Neeson


189
D1 #3 Zane Gorby, Caledonia (11) – 2X State Qualifier
D2 #9 Ryan Vasbinder, Byron Center (10) – State Qualifier
Zach Wamser, Cedar Springs (12) – State Qualifier

While there may not be a ton of depth at the moment, this should be a very good bracket regardless of how it fills out around the 3 guys listed. Gorby has been one of the state’s most impressive young upperweights over the past couple seasons, and Vasbinder was a rare freshman SQ at 189 last season. Throw another returning SQ into the mix with Wamser, and there should be at least a couple very good matchups here. Plus, there’s a good chance top-ranked Rodenburg winds up here as well.

Prediction: Gorby over Vasbinder


215
D3 #2 Grant Tennihill, Grand Rapids CC (12) – State 3rd
Mason Bolt, Kent City (12) – Regional Qualifier

GRCC is definitely the team to beat on Saturday, and this is another weight where they are heavily favored. Some lesser known guys will probably make a name for themselves with solid performances, but even so Tennihill should dominate his way to a title.

Prediction: Tennihill over Bolt


285
Andrew Bowen, Caledonia (11) – 2X Regional Qualifier
Kasey Osterink, Grandville

Right now this weight looks very empty, but that’s often the case at this point in the season. There’s huge turnover at heavyweight every year, and I’m sure there will be some tough kids who break out on Saturday.

Prediction: Bowen over Osterink

COMMENTS

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Steven Buschemi

OVER 8 YEARS

119 Rambin from Byron Center moved back to Wyoming.

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Xavier Cudia

OVER 8 YEARS

Thanks for throwing me In there at 112! I've bested Davila before and he's beaten me so if I went 12 there would be some good matches! I do plan on going down to 103 though and maybe take on some ranked kids and see where I stand with them

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