- Michigan
D3 WRESTLING: Dundee rallies past rival Richmond for 10th state title, repeating as D3 champions
KALAMAZOO — This chapter belongs to Dundee.
Facing off with rival Richmond in the Division 3 state finals for the eighth time in the past 10 seasons, second-seeded Dundee captured the D3 state crown with a 26-25 victory at Wings Arena.
It marked the second straight title for Dundee and eighth straight season that the Vikings (18-5) have reached the state finals.
“I have been on both sides, so I know how much it hurts to lose at the end. I would much rather be on this side,” said Dundee coach Tim Roberts. “We have had a great rivalry with them and I expected it to be close. You never know for certain, but when I saw that we were starting at 140, I thought that it might come down to the last couple of matches.”
Dundee now won five state titles in the past seven years, has captured 10 state crowns overall, has seven state runner-up finishes, been to the Final Four 20 times and has made 23 appearances in the elite Eight of the team tournament.
Five of Dundee’s state crowns have come with wins over Richmond: 2019, 2018, 2014, 2013, and 2007.
“What a run. But I remember losing to (Richmond) two years ago on criteria,” said Roberts. “I know the disappointment. We always have great battles with them. I wouldn’t expect anything else. I have tremendous respect for their program and everything that (Richmond) has accomplished over the years. They are a great program.”
Jonathon White walked out onto the mat with his team trailing 25-23 and he posted a 6-0 decision over Richmond’s Hunter Seguin at 135 pounds to put the finishing touches on the victory.
“I didn’t look at it as pressure. I looked at it as an opportunity,” smiled White, a senior. “I knew it was an opportunity to win this for my team and my school. It was something that I have dreamed about my whole life. I went out there and did what I had to do."
Previously, Richmond’s Austin Kilburn posted an 11-5 decision over Dundee’s Austin Jaworski at 125, which gave the Blue Devils a 25-20 cushion.
Dundee’s Tyler Swiderski shut out Richmond’s Josh Barton 7-0 at 130 and White pulled out his victory to end the meet.
“I think it was huge because Austin Jaworski stayed off his back at 125. If he gets pinned or they get a technical foul there, they win,” noted Roberts. “Then we had Swiderski and White come through and win their matches. We knew it would likely come down to the end and fortunately we came through — this time.”
Like Dundee, Richmond owns a stacked resume as well. The Blue Devils (26-3) own seven state titles of their own, finished as the state runner-up seven more times, advanced to the Final Four 16 times and have 18 appearances on the final weekend of team tournament.
“We’re proud of everything that we’ve done. We just came up a little short today,” said Richmond coach Brandon Day. “This was just another (battle in the war between us. They got us this time. We’ve had some great battles with them over the years. We are a little bit different and our philosophies are different. But it works for both of us and we seem to face them almost every year. We beat them (in 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017) and they got us the last two years.”
STATE FINALS BOX SCORE
DUNDEE 26, RICHMOND 25
140: Hayden Bastian (Richmond) maj. dec. Caleb Fairchild 17-4; 145: Christian Killion (Dundee) maj. dec. Ethan Wyatt 15-5; 152: Grant Ott (Dundee) maj. dec. Regan Rewalt 10-0; 160: Stoney Buell (Dundee) maj. dec. Gavin Resk 26-12; 171: Wesley Peters (Richmond) d. McCallister McAvoy 2-0; 189: Noah Montanari (Richmond) d. Jaxon Guinn 3-2; 215: Dan McKiernan (Richmond) d. Dennis Root 4-1; 285: Luke Davis (Richmond) by void; 103: Casey Swiderski (Dundee) tech. fall Hunter Keller 25-10; 112: Austin Fietz (Dundee) d. Daniel McNichol 3-2; 119: JD Gross (Richmond) d. Logan Sander 8-4; 125: Austin Kilburn (Richmond) d. Austin Jaworski (Dundee) 11-5; 130: Tyler Swiderski (Dundee) d. Josh Barton 7-0; 135: Jonathon White (Dundee) d. Hunter Seguin 6-0
RECORDS — Dundee 18-5; Richmond 26-3.
———
STATE SEMIFINALS BOX SCORES
RICHMOND 42, REMUS CHIPPEWA HILLS 21
125: Carson Hayes (Remus Chippewa Hills) d. Josh Barton 3-1; 130: Austin Kilburn (Richmond) p. Keigan Storey 0:11; 135: Bray Haynes (Remus Chippewa Hills) d. Hunter Seguin 4-0; 140: Hayden Bastian (Richmond) d. Mason Hayes 12-5; 145: Ethan Wyatt (Richmond) d. Justin Bonner 7-3; 152: Regan Rewalt (Richmond) d. Trenten Wiggins injury 0:18; 160: Gavin Resk (Richmond) p. Trevor Swix ll 0:20; 171: Wesley Peters (Richmond) p. Grabriel Petoskey 4:26; 189: Noah Montanari (Richmond) d. Chayton Wiggins 10-4; 215: Luke Davis (Richmond) d. Carl Whipple 8-1; 285: Colby Roosa (Remus Chippewa Hills) by void; 103: Hunter Keller (Richmond) p. Robert VanVleet 0:18; 112: Gavin Miller (Remus Chippewa Hills) p. Emmet Kettle 3:03; 119: Daylin Wittig (Remus Chippewa Hills) d. Scott Kettle 9-6.
RECORDS — Richmond 26-2; Remus Chippewa Hills 28-2
DUNDEE 35, WHITEHALL 27
125: Max Brown (Whitehall) d. Austin Jaworski 3-2 (UTB penalty); 130: Tyler Swiderski (Dundee) tech. fall Nicholas Blanchard 22-6; 135: Jonathon White (Dundee) maj. dec. Jacob Haynes 16-5; 140: Christian Killion (Dundee) p. Marco Moore 5:50; 145: Kyler Honore (Whitehall) d. Caleb Fairchild 7-4; 152: Ira Jenkins (Whitehall) p. Grant Ott 3:23; 160: Stoney Buell (Dundee) p. Connor Young 2:38; 171: Trenton Blanchard (Whitehall) maj. dec. McCallister McAvoy 13-2; 189: Kayleb Venema (Whitehall) d. Jaxon Guinn 14-7; 215: Allen Powers (Whitehall) tech. fall Kaiden Hubbell 17-0; 285: Jarrean Sergeant (Whitehall) d. Dennis Root 9-4; 103: Casey Swiderski (Dundee) p. Aidan Weiler 1:44; 112: Austin Fietz (Dundee) tech. fall Matthew Goodrich 22-7; 119: Logan Sander (Dundee) d. Sam Baustert 4-2
RECORDS — Dundee 17-5; Whitehall 29-3
