Live Reporting from the MHSAA Wrestling Finals

DETROIT - The MHSAA Wrestling finals at Ford Field are underway.

Powe Set Back in Opening Round

Jericoh Powe in the D1 heavyweight class was pinned in the second period of his opening match to Brighton's Alexander Salmon. Powe was taken down in the first period. He escaped to get his first point. Then he took the lead, 4-3, with a take-down. He started on the bottom in the second looking for an escape and looked like he was on his way to a 5-3 lead. But his opponent found away to turn it into a pin. Powe will have a harder road to the podium, but he can do it.

LaFleur Wins By Pin

Brice LaFleur won by a pin in his opening match against Port Huron Northern's Austin Helwig. La Fleur earned a pin in the first period. He escaped to start the second period. Then he slammed Helwig for a 7-0 advantage. He started the third with a take-down and pinned him. On to the final 8. 

James Falls in Round 1

Anthony James lost to Hartland's Ashland Jewell in the first round at 144, 20-4. It was pretty clear early that James was going to need a pin to win. He was down 7-0 after a period and 14-1 after two. To James' credit he landed a late takedown to stave off the Tech Fall. But Jewell finished the match shortly afterward.

Clauser Loses Opening Round Match

Clauser was the third Ford Field first timer from Saline to lose in round one. Wrestling at 150, the Saline senior fell to Grandville's Tristan Todd, 16-0. Clauser was down 5-0 after 1, 10-0 after two and Todd finished it in the third period.

Next Up

Clauser will face Davison's Wyatt Cross in Round 2. The winner stays alive. Powe faces the same situation. He faces Warren Cousino's Haris Lipovic in the next round. James is wrestling to stay alive, too. He'll wrestle Jeremiah Denson from St. Clair Shores Lakeview. LaFleur will wrestle Brighton's Bronson Shikonis to go to the semifinals.

Powe Stays Alive With Pin

Jericoh Powe won with a second-period pin of Warren Cousino's Haris Lipovic. Powe scored a first period take-down and gave up an escape for a 3-1 lead after one period. He scored a takedown at 42 seconds of the third for a 6-1 lead and turned that into a pin.

Powe moves into the blood round. Win and you make the podium. Lose and your season is over.

James's Season Comes to An End

Tony James's wrestling season came to an end at Ford Field Friday. He was defeated, 13-10, by Lakeview's Jeremiah Denson. James was down 3-0 after a takedown in the first period. Denson made it 6-0 with a take down in the second period. James escaped and then landed a takedown of his own, and was down 6-4. James started the third period and escaped to make it 6-5. Denson scored a takedown and James escaped. James was down 9-6. James needed points and tried a takedown that Denson turned back on him with three more points. But Jenson escaped with 44 seconds left and took down Denson 14 seconds later. He was down 12-10. James could cut Denson in time to mount a serious attack. Denson scored an escape and won 13-10.

James' season ends after strong outings in the SECs, districts and regionals. He'll be known as a wrestler who demonstrates that with hard work, you can improve enough to make it to Ford Field.

Clauser Still Fighting After Victory

Jacob Clauser bounced back from a first-round loss by pinning Davison's Wyatt Cross in the next round, keeping his hopes alive. Clauser had built a 7-0 lead with two pins and a nearfall before pinning Cross. His first take down was classic Clauser. Cross was trying a take down, but Clauser rolled out of it and toppled Cross. 

Clauser now advances to the blood round, like Powe, where if you win, you can win a spot on the podium, but if you lose, your season is over.

Brice LaFleur survived a scare, coming from behind twice to defeat Brighton's Bronson Shinkosis and advance to tonight's semifinal, where he could qualify for the championship bout for the second straight year.

It wasn't easy. LaFleur scored the match's first point with an escape early in the second period. 30 seconds later, Shinkosis went up 3-1 with a takedown. In the third period, Shinkosis started on bottom. LaFleur decided to cut him loose. Shinkosis led 4-1.

With 1:24 remaining, barely in bounds, LaFleur scored the takedown on the edge of the circle, but Shinkosis escaped and he led 5-4. With 22 seconds remaining, LaFleur scored the winning takedown.

Next Up

LaFleur will wrestle Matthew Quigley of Traverse City West at 120. Before that, at 285, Powe will wrestle Mehdi Beydon.  Clauser will wrestle Hudsonville's Jaxon Workman at 160.

Update

I've left Ford Field and returned to Saline to get ready for the girls' basketball district final between Saline and Dexter at Saline tonight.

First, the good news. Powe came all the way back from his opening round loss and defeated Fordson's Mehdi Beydoun, 15-3.  Powe scored on a takedown in the second period and led 3-1. Beydoun escaped again to make it a one-point match. With 35 seconds left in the second, Powe scored another takedown and added four points for a nearfall 10 seconds later. Powe led 10-2 after two periods. In the third, Powe completed another takedown and a two-point nearfall.

Powe advances to the next round against Dick Demar of Lapeer. LaFleur will wrestle Matthew Quigley of Traverse City West at 120 in the semifinal.

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  Ann Arbor Booth 105