From staff reports

THREE RIVERS – Battle Creek bound.

For the first time in school history, the Edwardsburg wrestling team will compete in the state team quarterfinals on Friday in Battle Creek.

The Eddies captured their first Division 3 regional title with wins over South Haven in the semifinals (41-36) and then rolled past Hamilton in the title match 36-27.

For Edwardsburg it was also the first regional wrestling title of any kind in 19 years.

“It means a lot,” Edwardsburg coach John Rinehart said. “What’s neat about it is now, this Friday, the kids get to go and see what it’s like.”

The Eddies (37-8) will face Allendale (29-2) in the quarterfinals at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. Allendale is the No. 4 seed in the tournament.

In the championship match, it was most definitely a battle of position.

Hamilton dominated the lower weights, while the Eddies were in command in the middle and upper weights.

Edwardsburg had to get pins by Stephen Coble and Devin Bywaters at 189- and 215-pounds respectively to rally for the victory.

“When we lost at 103 I was concerned,” Rinehart said. “We had just seen them three weeks earlier, so I knew what they had.”

Rinehart noted that if the match had started at a different weight class the Eddies may not even had been able to bump up Bywaters to 215-pounds. He may have wrestled at his normal weight of 189 providing a much different outcome.

But the cards fell just right for the Eddies and they were able to come from behind to win the title.

The Hawkeyes won every bout from 103 to 135-pounds.
Edwardsburg captured all but one of the weight classes from 140 to 285-pounds.

Over that stretch, the Eddies were able to pick up five pins.

On the other hand, Hamilton only earned one pin and one technical fall during its run.
The Eddies are now 37-8 on the year.

So it’s on to Battle Creek to take on Allendale, a team the Eddies saw way back on the first weekend of wrestling season.

“We kind of know what they have,” Rinehart said. “I was happy to see that was who we got instead of a Dundee or a Richmond. I thought it would be either Allendale or Remus Chippewa Hills.”

Rinehart said that he doesn’t expect his team to get too caught up in the bright lights of the Kellogg Arena.

“We have been so team oriented all year long, I think we’re good,” he responded. “I think they are going to be excited, but I also feel that they (the kids) feel that we can wrestle with anyone.”

Top seeded Dundee (36-1) will take on Chippewa Hills (32-2), No. 3 Saginaw Swan Valley (30-3) will take on Portland (37-10) and No. 2 Richmond (45-4) will take on Roscommon (29-7) in the other quarterfinal matches.

The winners advance to the semifinals on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The finals are scheduled for 4 p.m.

“It’s going to be a big day,” Rinehart said. “Our dual is going to be big. But win, lose or draw, I am going to be happy to have 30 kids sitting there taking it all in. It’s a huge stepping stone for us.”

Division 3 Team Regional
At Three Rivers
Championship
Edwardsburg…36
Hamilton…27
103: Cam Perkins (H) d. Ivan Shaw 4-3
112: Brandt Welcher (H) m.d. Mike Kempton 12-0
119: Michael Schoeppe (H) t.f. Caleb Watson 16-0
125: Courtney Johnson (H) d. Cameron Warren 12-5
130: Brad Dykstra (H) d. Lane Smous 8-4
135: Harley Compagner (H) p. Josh Armstrong 2:56
140: Terry Brasfield (E) d. Ron VandeBerg 6-1
145: Ryan Loupee (E) p. Aric Spotts 5:57
152: Wade Smous (E) p. Joey Cullen 1:22
160: Cole VanHarn (H) d. Brad Brasfield 6-4 overtime
171: Justin Steinke (E) d. Jon Norris 12-10
189: Stephen Coble (E) p. Robert Field 3:16
215: Devin Bywaters (E) p. Dylan Raymond 1:34
285: Josh Williams (E) p. Will Brashler 3:13

Semifinals
Edwardsburg…41
South Haven…36
103: Ivan Shaw (E) p. Brian Taylor :44
112: Mike Kempton (E) p. Issac Tate :22
119: Jose Zuniga (S) p. Caleb Watson 3:46
125: Zach Tate (S) d. Cameron Warren 5-1
130: Lane Smous (E) p. Willis Dotson 3:06
135: Christian Bastow (S) p. Josh Armstrong 1:59
140: Terry Brasfield (E) t.f. Alex Gildea 21-5
145: David Ward (S) d. Ryan Loupee 7-5
152: Wade Smous (E) p. Shaquille Bell :24
160: Andrew Biederman (S) p. Austin Payne 3:34
171: Brent Duncan (S) p. Col Hunsberger 1:38
189: Allen Antonson (S) p. Joe Carter 1:23
215: Troy Duck (E) p. Billy Townes 5:46
285: Josh Williams (E) p. Trenton Schoolcraft 5:48
Record: South Haven 27-6