EATON RAPIDS – A trio of Niles wrestlers captured individual regional titles Saturday as the Vikings advanced six to the state finals.

Nicholas Zimmerman (119), Casey Burandt (145) and Fritzel Findeisen (152) all claimed championships at the Division 2 Individual Regional Tournament held in Eaton Rapids.

Also qualifying for the state finals, which will be held Feb. 28 through March 2 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, were Ryan Casey (189), Brenden Meek (112) and Darek Bullock-Mills (125).

Zimmerman, who lost to Lakeshore’s Aaron Ward in the district title match, defeated the Lancer 6-1 Saturday to improve to 46-4.

Burandt, who missed almost a month with a broken hand, improved to 28-1 as he beat Taylor Grenawalt of Haslett 8-4.

Findeisen (47-4) edged Three Rivers’ Shawn Brew 9-6 to win his championship.

In a battle of undefeated wrestlers, Casey (51-1) fell to Chelsea’s Mike Hovater 8-6 in overtime.

Edwardsburg’s Michael Higley, a freshman, won the 103-pound title with an 8-6 win over Brandon Arend of St. Joseph. Michael Kempton, who has been out much of the season due to injury, advanced to the state finals by finishing fourth at 135 pounds.

 

Division 2 Individual Regional

At Eaton Rapids

Championship finals

103: Michael Higley (Edwardsburg) d. Brandon Arend (St. Joseph) 8-6; 112: Zeke Breuninger (Dexter) d. Blain Dempsey (Mattawan) 6-1; 119: Nicholas Zimmerman (Niles) d. Aaron Ward (Lakeshore) 6-1; 125: Jaedin Sklapsky (Eaton Rapids) d. Kyle Abdellatif (Ypsilanti) 4-2; 130: Noah Hanau (Lakeshore) d. Lane McVicker (Eaton Rapids) 5-1; 135: Steve Bleise (Chelsea) d. Tanner Jewell (Jackson Parma Western) 7-4; 140: Austin Cottingim (Fowlerville) d. Jake Klingaman (Jackson Northwest) 6-4; 145: Casey Burandt (Niles) d. Taylor Grenawalt (Haslett) 8-4; 152: Fritzel Findeisen (Niles) d. hawn Brew (Three Rivers) 9-6; 160: Thomas Houston (Lansing Waverly) m.d. Rylen Droscha (Mason) 12-3; 171: Brett Dempsey (Mattawan) p. Trent Hullett (Jackson Parma Western) :52; 189: Mike Hovater (Chelsea) d. Ryan Casey (Niles) 8-6; 215: Brian Moran (Fowlerville) p. Chase Challender (Charlotte) 1:22; 285: Adam Coon (Fowlerville) p.Trent Hurd (Eaton Rapids) 1:31
Consolation finals
103: Shukurani Nyabenda (Lansing Eastern) d. Mitch Coon (Battle Creek Harper Creek) 10-6; 112: Brenden Meek (Niles) d. Austen Hutchison (Eaton Rapids) 5-2; 119: Zack Shaw (Linden) d. Mohamed Aljabaly (Coldwater) injury default; 125: Darek Bullock-Mills (Niles) d. Chase Veydt (Jackson Parma Western) 9-5; 130: Ricardo Soto (Sturgis) d. Kyle Kellogg (Gull Lake) 2-1; 135: Kemps Miller (Gull Lake) d. Michael Kempton (Edwardsburg) injury default; 140: James Starzec (Mason) d. Dustin Clapp (Lakeshore) 7-5; 145: Connor Myers (St. Joseph) p. Avery Osentoski (Chelsea) 3:40; 152: Sean Houghton (Mason) d. Gunner Harrison (Lakeshore) 9-3; 160: Austin Droscha (Mason) d. J.P. McDougall (Lakeshore) 9-3; 171: Elijah Dennis (Lansing Eastern) m.d. Mason Litz (Fowlerville) 15-5; 189: Joey Stid (Mason) p. Jordan Jabara (Fowlerville) 2:11; 215: Cameron Lee (Lansing Waverly) p. Leo Eggleston (Three Rivers) 4:12; 285: Wade Stacey (Vicksburg) d. Zaid Zbdellatif (Ypsilanti) 7-6