Niles wrestlers draw Byron Center

Published 8:55 am Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Submitted photo The Niles wrestling team will face Byron Center in the Division 2 Quarterfinals Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek.

Submitted photo
The Niles wrestling team will face Byron Center in the Division 2 Quarterfinals Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek.

The Niles wrestling team will be the No. 4 seed in this weekend’s Division 2 MHSAA Team Finals at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek.

The Vikings (21-4) will face the fifth seed Byron Center (27-7) in the quarterfinals at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

The winner advances to the semifinals on Saturday against the winner of Lowell and Warren Lincoln. Lowell (21-1) is the top seed and Warren Lincoln (22-9) is the No. 8 seed.

In the other half of the bracket, No. 2 seed and defending state champion St. Johns (18-2) will face No. 7 Bay City Western (18-1), while No. 3 seed Tecumseh (31-2) will face No. 6 seed Warren Woods-Tower (19-11).

All quarterfinals matches are scheduled for 5:30 and all semifinals matches are Saturday at 11:45 a.m.

The championship match is at 4 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $6 for the quarterfinals and semifinals and $7 for the finals. An all-session ticket may be purchased for $15.

Byron Center advanced to Battle Creek by defeating Eaton Rapids (38-25) and Hastings (49-26) in the regional round after beating Wayland (66-10) and Thornapple-Kellogg (63-7) to win the district title.

The Vikings rolled through Lakeshore (41-21) and St. Joseph (64-9) at districts and through Three Rivers (46-27) and Edwardsburg (46-13) to claim its second straight regional championship.