Two Claim State Wrestling Individual Titles From Jackson County

Northwest High School wrestler Adam Haselius following his victory Saturday at Ford Field.  Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(March 5, 2022 9:01 PM) Northwest High School wrestler Adam Haselius came into the arena during the Michigan High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships with a simple message.

“We Are Northwest.”

The junior showed what a Mountie can do, winning a state title at 189 pounds in Division 2 at Ford Field on Saturday.

He was one of two area wrestlers who won state titles on Saturday. 

Danni Swihart of Hanover-Horton won the first MHSAA girls’ state title for Jackson County with a victory at 135 pounds.

Isabel Worthing of East Jackson finished second at 140 pounds in the girls’ tournament and Nick Marienfeld of Napoleon was runner up at 160 pounds in Division 3

Haselius earned a 7-2 win over Kael Wisler of New Boston Huron in the 189-pound final in Division 2. The two had split a pair of matches during the season.

He becomes the first wrestler from NWHS to win an individual state title since Mike Leholm in 2008. Haselius finished the season with a 45-1 record. 

Swihart defeated Kennedy Edson of Lawrence High School by injury default in the 135-pound final. Swihart led 15-2 with less than one minute remaining in the match.

She finishes the season with 20 wins. 

Worthing lost 2-1 in overtime against Emma Pendell of Montague in the 140-pound final in the girls’ tournament final. It is the second time the East Jackson senior lost in overtime to Pendell.

Marienfeld was tied at 2-all in the Division 3 160-pound final against Connor Owens of Flint Powers Catholic heading into the final round. But Owens scored three points to earn the win. 

Marienfeld finishes his senior season with a 54-1 record. 

Sixteen other wrestlers finished in the top eight to earn all-state medals. 

In Division 1, Jaylon Riggins of Jackson finished third at 160 pounds. Riggins earned his 100th high school win with a victory in the semifinal round. 

Dominic Honsinger of Western finished seventh at 285 pounds and teammate Lincoln Raczkowski placed fourth at 130 pounds in Division 2.

Gage Race of Northwest placed third at 135 pounds and teammate Zach Jacobs finished fourth at 152 pounds in Division 2.  

Brady Brooks of Napoleon finished fourth at 285 pounds and Antonio Bocanegra of Napoleon was eighth at 103 pounds. 

In Division 4, Sam Edie of Grass Lake placed fourth at 112 pounds; David Fielder of Hanover-Horton was fourth at 119 pounds; Travis Frederick of Lumen Christi defeated David Becker of Springport for third place at 125 pounds; Joe Sunkle of Springport finished fourth at 135 pounds and Reid Garcia of Lumen Christi was sixth in the same weight; Josh Frailey of Hanover-Horton placed seventh at 152 pounds; and Matt Riehle of Springport finished fifth at 160 pounds. 

In the girls’ competition, Bella Huston of Columbia Central finished seventh at 190 pounds.