BATTLE CREEK – A handful of city and area wrestlers took one step closer to the ultimate prize of a state championship after qualifying out of regionals with top-four finishes over the weekend.
Lakeview’s Dayveon Rupert is making a return trip to the Michigan High School Athletic Association State Individual State Finals at Ford Field after a top finish on Saturday.
Rupert finished as regional champ at 150 pounds at the Division 1 regional at Holt. Now at 48-2, Rupert defeated Xander Courneya of Brighton by a 6-4 decision in the finals.
Three Harper Creek wrestlers made it to states in Division 2, competing in a regional at Mason. Devan Garcia finished as a regional champ, and is now 43-1, taking first at 113 with a 15-4 major decision over Diego Orozco of Adrian.
The Beavers’ Ricky Johnson is making a return trip to the state finals as a junior, taking second at 285 and Camren Brock is also qualifying once again after taking fourth at 106.
Also in Division 2, Marshall’s Harland Begg took second at 215 to punch his ticket to the finals as did Coldwater’s Tre Miller, taking third at 157.