Wegner, Bradford wins MYWA state championships

Published 10:12 am Tuesday, April 2, 2019

DOWAGIAC — The Dowagiac Wrestling Club wrapped up its season this past weekend at the state MYWA final at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo.

A total of 280 teams and 3,269 individual wrestlers competed in the state tournament. An additional 318 girls signed up for the state finals.

Dowagiac sent 18 wrestlers to Kalamazoo to compete.

Jenna Bradford won the 65-pound state championship with a 4-0 record. (Submitted photo)

Winning state titles for Dowagiac were Jenna Bradford, who captured the 65-pound title, as she was 4-0 with three pins.

Alan Wegner won a boys state title in the 100-pound weight division as he finished the competition with three consecutive pins.

“The coaches were proud of all the kids,” said Dowagiac coach Jarred Bradford. “They were pleased to see a couple of state champions along with so many wrestlers fighting back from tough losses.”

Wyatt Bailey was the runner-up at 288 pounds, while Malaki Haines and Rooney Olmedo were both third at 170 and 58 pounds respectively.

Rowan Bradford and Jonathon Phillips were both fifth-place finishers in their respective weight classes, while Cinthia Villegas was also a fifth-place finisher in the girls tournament.

Roman Parade finished seventh and Taven Livingston eighth.

“Wyatt Bailey added some fast leg attacks starting back in the regional tournament,” Bradford said. “Rooney Olmeda and Rowan Bradford really showed up, beating some tough wrestlers they had previously lost to. Jonathon Phillips won his medal match in overtime. Taven Livingston earned his way into the medal rounds, but after an injury, the decision was made to default the last two matches.”

The Dowagiac Wrestling Club competed in 1,162 matches this season.

The program is supported by the Army National Guard’s Charley Company, based in Dowagiac.

“Numerous fans, parents and local businesses donated to support Dowagiac Wrestling Club’s home tournament,” Bradford said. “The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians donated to the Dowagiac Wrestling Club so coaches could purchase a new digital scale this season.”