By SCOTT NOVAK
Dowagiac Daily News

The individual portion of the Michigan High School Athletic Association state wrestling tournament gets under way on Thursday at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Several area grapplers will be looking forward to making a run at a state championship.

In Division 2, Niles’ Colin Burandt will be headed to the finals for the second straight year.

He will open up tournament action on Thursday afternoon in the 130-pound weight class against Victor Vettesse of Auburn Hills Avondale.

Burandt, a junior, is 42-15 on the season, while Vettesse, a senior, is 38-2.

Other top wrestlers in that weight class are Jeff Jenkins of Tecumseh and Tyler Keselring of Greenville, both of whom are 53-2; Chris Hebert of West Branch-Ogemaw Heights (51-4), Taylor Grenawalt of Haslett (49-4) and Justin Holm of Battle Creek Harper Creek (49-3).

In Division 3, Buchanan will have five wrestlers in the finals.

Junior Taylor Glavin will wrestle at 103, freshman Jeff Mucha at 130, senior Adam Byrdak at 152, freshman Gage Hutchison at 160 and junior Mack Green at 215.

Glavin (41-12) will open up against Goodrich’s Isaac Jewell (42-13).

Among the top wrestlers at 103 are Stephen Ireland of Richmond (26-0), Kody Hukill of Otsego (57-3) and Zach Cooper of Remus Chippewa Hills (52-2).

At 112, Edwardsburg freshman Michael Kempton (46-13) will face Richmond’s Dustin Pitcel (42-9) in the opening round.

Also be on the lookout for Brandt Welcher of Hamilton (52-2), Dominic Cattera of Richmond (40-3), Dustin Noreyko of Roscommon (43-3), Devane Dodgens of Chippewa Hills (52-4) and Bryan Reatini of Allendale (51-4).

Mucha (36-15) will face Darius Wass of Saginaw Swan Valley (56-1) in the first round.
Dowagiac junior Ben Luth (43-13) will take on Pat Baruth of Richmond (41-11) in his opening round match.

Other top grapplers include Luke Faltersack of Coloma (49-2), Zach Corcoran of Lake Fenton (57-1), Steven Ruppert of Reed City (56-1), Corey Alegria of Alma (51-3) and undefeated Joe Rendina of Dundee (60-0).

Edwardsburg’s Terry Brasfield will wrestle in the 140-pound division and will open up his tournament against undefeated Roger Wildmo of Durand (55-0).

Brasfield, a senior, is 42-16 on the year.

Other top wrestlers at 140 are Joey Leach of Kingsley (51-3), Jerry Flores of Saginaw Swan Valley (50-5) and Elvis Peacock of Chippewa Hills (49-2).

At 152-pounds, Byrdak (39-12) will take on Fremont’s Jaden Sella (41-14) in the first round.

Other top wrestlers are Kevin Sundberg of Paw Paw (54-8), Troy Lamson of Swan Valley (57-2) and Williamston’s Aaron Risch (41-1).

Hutchison (48-3) begins his tournament run against Justin Johnson of Williamston (35-6).
Top contenders at 160 are Chris Brown of Wyoming Kelloggsville (33-0), Eric Meyer of Roscommon (51-2), Jordan Graham of Big Rapids (52-4) and Matt Myers of Imlay City (50-9).

Edwardsburg senior Devin Bywaters will compete at 189-pounds.

Bywaters (35-9) will take on Chippewa Hills’ Clayton Strong (43-11) in the first round.
Top competitors at 189 include Justin Heiserman of Dundee (56-5), Joe Stark of Onsted (56-1) and Thomas Bolday of Capac (56-5).

Green is one of four wrestlers with just two losses on the season.

Green (48-2) will take on Nick Lowe (45-12) of Napoleon in the first round.

Among the top wrestlers are Andy Carpenter of Kingsford (42-2), Cody Perin of Otsego (57-2), Nicik Russler of Jackson Lumen Christi (49-2), Andy Otttenwess of Allendale (44-4) and Drake Renas of Big Rapids (46-3).

Brandywine will have freshman Chanc Ravish and senior Ralph Sater competing in Divison 4.

Ravish (45-10) will take on Olivet’s Kenry McKeown (37-7) in the first round.

Other top wrestlers at 125 include Dan Efting of Bangor (43-3), Zeb Hilyard of Hudson (54-5) and Justin Krupp of New Lothrop (49-6).

At 135-pounds, Sater (45-9) will face Chuck Edwards of Iron Mountain (35-15) in the first round.

Other top contenders in the weight class include Tyler Harless of Ithaca (38-1), Aaron Barker of Sand Creek (52-11), Collin Zeerip of Hesperia (56-2), Spencer Boyd of Athens (43-4) and John Evashevski of St. Ignace (53-2).

Wrestling will begin at The Palace on Thursday at 2:45.

The second round will begin Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. and continue through the championship semifinals, which begin at 7 p.m.

Saturday’s action will commence at 8:30 a.m., with the consolation finals slated for 11:30 and the championship finals at 4:45 p.m.