Hanover-Horton High School wrestler Chris Sorrow, right, lifts his opponent during the Michigan High School Athletic Association state individual wrestling finals Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit.
By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
For a school better known for titles in basketball, the Hanover-Horton High School wrestling team has made history this season.
Saturday three Comets earned all-state honors in wrestling – the first all-state wrestlers in school history.
Earlier in February Hanover-Horton won its first Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 4 team district wrestling title.
And there is more to come according to head Coach Doug Cure.
Randy Frailey, Chris Sorrow and Trent Hocter earned all-state honors by placing in the top eight in their respective weight classes at the Michigan High School Athletic Association state individual finals this past weekend at Ford Field in Detroit.
Frailey finished eighth at 119 pounds, Sorrow placed seventh at 135 pounds, and Hocter finished eighth at 189 pounds for the Comets.
Cure said the process of building a program began five years ago when Ron Sorrow and Josh Frailey started a youth wrestling program. The Comets had struggled putting 14 bodies on the mat after years of participating in a cooperative program with Vandercook Lake.
“We are seeing a big push of wrestlers coming into high school,” Cure said. “Twelve of the 18 wrestlers are sophomores.
“We are also walking the hallways trying to get athletes interested in the sport.”
Hocter was a state-qualifier for the Comets last year, but failed to place in the top eight.
“You learn this is just like any other tournament,” Hocter said. “It feels great to be making history.”
Hocter was part of the youth program and says it is cool having other wrestlers looking up to them.
“The younger wrestlers are now wanting to make it as far as we did,” Hocter said. “There are lots of good things to come.”
Cure agrees, as the Comets have been achieving a lot of “first time” goals this season. Their number one goal was to win a district team title.
“We looked at the teams in our district and knew we had a chance,” Cure said. “We had to recruit a junior varsity basketball player to help us.”
The Comets did not have a wrestler at 103 pounds, but “recruited” junior varsity basketball player Gavin Gumpert to wrestle at the district team tournament. He was part of the youth wrestling program in middle school, but chose basketball.
“I told him we could really use him,” Cure said. “It would have been a killer to give up 12 points (two weight classes).”
Cure said the Comets have decent numbers – 18 on the team – but could always use more. The more successful conference programs like Manchester have more than 30 on their team.
Assistant Coach Chris Sorrow said now would be a great time for wrestlers to jump on the band wagon.
“It is much easier to jump on board when the bus is moving,” Sorrow said.
Frailey and Hocter finished third at the regional tournament and Sorrow barely made the state finals with a fourth-place finish. But Cure knew the Comets were part of the toughest district and regional tournaments competing against teams like Hudson and Mendon.
“It was the toughest district and regional in the state,” Cure said. “Look at the 189-pound bracket … three of the four regional placers earned all-state honors.”
Cure said the Comets will continue to build for the future.
“We are not going away any time soon.”
A number of other local athletes finished in the top eight in their respective weight classes earning all-state honors at the MHSAA finals on Saturday.
State champions included Ethan Weatherspoon with a win at 189 pounds in Division 4, Josh Rankin of Michigan Center with a championship in Division 3 at 130 pounds, and teammate Corey Gamet with a Division 3 title at 125 pounds. It was the third state title for Gamet.
Brock Kuhn of Michigan Center finished second at 285 pounds in Division 3.
In Division 1, Jared Riggins of Jackson High School fought his way back to near the top to finish third at 135 pounds. Riggins was a state finalist a year ago. 
Lincoln Raczkowski took eighth place at 103 pounds for Western to earn all-state honors in Division 2. Teammate Landon Raczkowski finished sixth at 215 pounds.
Springport also had three placers in Division 4 as Gavin Caudill was sixth at 125 pounds, Thomas Potter finished fourth at 140 pounds, and his brother Zach was sixth at 145 pounds.
Thirty Jackson-area wrestlers competed in the MHSAA finals. The top eight in each weight class earned medals and all-state honors.
