MATTAWAN — The Niles wrestling team seems to be peaking at just the right time.

The Vikings backed up their SMAC West Division championship with a dominating win at the SMAC Wresting Championships held at Mattawan High School Saturday.

Niles, led by four individual champions, rolled up 217 points to earn its third consecutive league title.

Lakeshore was a distant second with 188 points, while Battle Creek Central was third with 160.

Winning individual crowns for Niles were Andrew Flick (112) Brenden Hall (130), Mitchell Findeisen and Quintin Smith (145).

How dominating was the Niles victory?

The Vikings placed in the top six in 12 of the 14 weight classes.

Finishing second for Niles were Dayton Smith (171) and Jason Echevarria (285). Taking third were Cade Stephenson (119), Courtland Lamberton (140), Devonte Gaskill (152) and Braulio Sosa (215).

The Vikings will now start preparation for Wednesday’s Division 2 Team Districts at Edwardsburg.

Wrestling will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the Vikings taking on the host Eddies. The other semifinal will pit Lakeshore against St. Joseph. The championship match will begin 10 minutes following the completion of the last semifinal.

 

SMAC WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Mattawan

Team scores — 1. Niles 217, 2. Lakeshore 188, 3. Battle Creek Lakeview 160, 4. Mattawan 130, 5. Portage Northern 124.5, 6. Portage Central 91, 7. Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 90, 8. Battle Creek Central 86, 9. Kalamazoo Central 82.5, 10. St. Joseph 39, 11. Gull Lake 38, 12. Benton Harbor 0.

 

Championship Finals

103: Bryce Brust (Lakeview) p. Francisco Lemus (BC Central) 3:14; 112: Andrew Flick (Niles) d. Daniel New (Lakeview) 17-2; 119: Austin Franco (Lakeshore) p. Peter Deaton (Mattawan) 4:28; 125: Nolan Smith (Portage Northern) d. Tony Williams (Lakeshore) 5-1; 130: Brenden Hall (Niles) m. d. Brendan Stevens (Lakeview) 15-6; 135: Mitchell Findeisen (Niles) p. Antonio Postell (BC Central) 5:34; 140: Dante Latora (Portage Central) d. Mason Evans (Lakeview) 6-0; 145: Quintin Smith (Niles) p. Matthew Heaps (Portage Northern) 1:04; 152: Nick Prowse (Portage Northern) p. Carter Hall (St. Joseph) 5:18; 160: Sean Kalisiak (K. Central) d. Cameron Pietrzykowski (Portage Northern) 11-9; 171: Stephen Moody (Lakeview) d. Dayton Smith (Niles) 5-3; 189: Nicholas May (Loy Norrix) m.d. Carlos Parks (BC Central) 14-3; 215: Jalen McFerrin-Pace (Loy Norrix) d. Isaac Weir (Lakeshore) 6-4; 285: Bryce Robinson (Lakeshore) d. Jason Echevarria (Niles) 4-2.

 

Consolation Finals

103: Dawen McClish (Mattawan) won by injury Jeffrey DeYoung (K. Central); 112: Cody Smith (K. Central) d. Gabe Mohney (Mattawan) 3-1; 119: Cade Stephenson (Niles) d. Chase Seeley (Lakeview) 6-5; 125: Garrett Stace (Portage Central) d. Sawn Thang (Lakeview) 6-3; 130: Hunter Buck (Lakeshore) d. Alex Silva (Kal. Central) 8-6; 135: Lloyd Brooks (Mattawan) p. Daniel Rodriguez (Gull Lake) 0:37; 140: Courtland Lamberton (Niles) d. Jack Walter (Mattawan) 7-2; 145: Aaron Holmes (Loy Norrix) d. Cody Carlisle (Lakeshore) 3-2; 152: Devonte Gaskill (Niles) d. Ryan Rush (Lakeshore) 4-0; 160: Corey Hampton (Lakeshore) d. Ray Atkins (Mattawan) 7-3; 171: Brandon Crum (BC Central) d. Aaron Spear (Lakeshore) 4-3; 189: Tyler Hill (Lakeshore) d. Zacharty Norstrom (Lakeview) 10-5; 215: Dominick Wilson (Portage Central) d. Braulio Sosa (Niles) 1-0; 285: Evan Andrews (Portage Northern) d. Levi Finley (Mattawan) 3-1.