The Dexter Leader
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Champions!
Dexter grapplers capture Division II district title
By Don Richter, Sports Editor
PUBLISHED: February 22, 2007
At last week's Division II state district meet at Adrian, Dexter wrestling qualified five grapplers for Saturday's upcoming regional match in Milan.
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At 103 pounds, Dreadnaught Dan Flowers placed fourth with a 3-2 overall record qualifying for the regional meet. Flowers lost 6-0 to Melvindale's Bryan Boulware in the third-fourth-place match. The top four in each weight class advance to the regional meet.
"Dan wrestled well on Saturday," said Dexter coach Craig McCalla. "His other loss was to the eventual champion."
In one of the meet's marquee match-ups, Dexter junior Bret Marsh (45-2) defeated Chelsea freshman Dakota Cooley 13-2 in overtime for the district title. Cooley (34-1) entered the match unbeaten. The match ended in regulation 2-2.
In the first sudden death overtime, both grapplers stayed on their feet with neither scoring points. The next stage of overtime is two 30-second periods where wrestlers are either on the bottom or top position.
"Bret was in the bottom position in the first 30 second period and ended up scoring a reversal and two two-point near falls," McCalla said.
In the second 30-second period, Cooley chose the top position.
"Bret ended up scoring another reversal and three-point near fall," McCalla said. "Even though the match ended 13-2, it was a lot closer than the final score. The match could have gone either way. Both Dakota and Bret are excellent wrestlers with lots of experience and talent."
At 125, Dreadnaught Zeb Klapperich finished fourth going 3-2 overall on the day. In the third-fourth-place match, Klapperich lost by pin in 2:43 to Mike Butler from Tecumseh.
"Zeb wrestled some good matches today," McCalla said. "Zeb knows he has some things to work on this next week."
Dexter's Michael Campbell placed third at 152 going 4-1 overall. Campbell pinned Ypsilanti's Alonzo Richardson in 3:25 in the third-fourth-place bout.
"Michael is looking really good right now," McCalla said. "He is wrestling aggressive with a lot of confidence."
At heavyweight, Dreadnaught Corey Chamberlain finished second ending up 2-1 overall. Chamberlain lost by pin in 1:22 to Milan's David Box in the final.
"Corey got caught in a move and couldn't work his way out," McCalla said. "Corey beat both of the wrestlers that took third and fourth. Corey is working hard in practice."
Saturday's Milan regional match is at 9 a.m. The top four grapplers at the regional meet advance to the state final at The Palace of Auburn Hills March 8 through 10
On Feb. 14, host Dexter captured a Division II team district championship. The Dreadnaughts defeated Ypsilanti 41-29 in the final. In the semifinals, Dexter beat rival Chelsea 45-27.
"The wrestlers were really excited to be district champs," McCalla said. "It was one of their goals at the beginning of the year. I am proud of them for wrestling so well."
Again the Braves in the championship match, Dreadnaught Mike Swager lost to Ben Hand 10-5 at 189 to start the meet.
At 215, Ypsilanti won by void.
Chamberlain pinned Malcolm Bibbins in 1:00 at heavyweight.
Flowers won by void at 103.
Marsh pinned Patrick Hopps in 2:26 at 112.
Dexter's Mitch Crawford lost a 10-0 major decision to Greg Egbert at 119.
Klapperich pinned Marcus Beard in 2:58 at 125.
Dreadnaught Brandon Saunders lost 5-0 to Tim Nestorak at 130.
Dexter's Tommy Owens lost by pin in 1:44 to Chris Harris at 135.
At 140, Dreadnaught Mark Bertsos lost 7-0 to Chris Prevost.
Dexter's Larry Gunderson won by void at 145.
At 152, Dreadnaught Joe Spurr lost a 17-5 major decision to Alonzo Richardson.
"Joe is a good wrestler and I knew he would hang in against a tough Ypsilanti wrestler," McCalla said. "He had a pin against Chelsea and wrestled up a weight class against Ypsilanti. I needed to juggle the line-up and Joe was part of the plan."
Campbell won by void at 160.
Dexter's Scott Santoro defeated David Jones by an 18-3 technical fall at 171.
In the district semifinal against Chelsea, Santoro started the meet defeating Nick Hill by a 13-5 major decision at 171.
"Scott avenged a loss from earlier in the year," McCalla said. "He came out and dominated the match from start to finish."
Swager pinned Tim Shoemaker in 3:14 at 189.
K.J. LeBeau won by void at 215 for the Bulldogs.
Chamberlain beat Tim Rosentreter 8-6 at heavyweight.
"Corey and Tim wrestled a great six-minute match," McCalla said. "Both wrestlers were aggressive, but Corey ended up scoring the last takedown."
At 103, Flowers pinned Steve Buss in 1:37.
At 112, Marsh pinned Zakk Sexton in 46 seconds.
Crawford lost 8-3 to Jamin Breslin at 119.
Klapperich beat Glen Cobb 5-3 at 125.
Saunders lost by pin in 2:22 to Danny Ngo at 130.
Owens lost by pin in 2:31 to Evan Helvey at 135.
Bertsos pinned Matt Schultz in 3:48 at 140.
"Mark did an excellent job," McCalla said. "He helped seal up the win by pinning his opponent. Mark has come on strong at the end of the year for us."
Spurr pinned Evan Grau in 1:03 at 145.
Campbell defeated Kyle Coburn by a 15-0 technical fall at 152.
Dexter's Hunter Briggs lost by pin in 1:29 to Kevin Rosentreter at 160.
"This was a great win for us over an SEC (Southeastern Conference) team that we lost to earlier in the year," McCalla said.
The Dreadnaughts faced Tecumseh, ranked No. 5 in the state in Division II, in the team regional semifinals at Carleton Airport after press deadline.
If successful against the Indians, Dexter would face the winner of Melvindale-Carleton Airport in the regional final.
The victor of the Airport regional would advance to the Division II state quarterfinals at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena against the winner of the Allegan regional 7:45 p.m. March 2.
The state semifinals and finals are March 3 at Kellogg Arena.
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