Roadrunners win first-ever MCCAA championship

Published 1:23 pm Monday, January 30, 2023

By Scott Novak

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PORT HURON — For the first time in school history, the Southwestern Michigan College wrestling team is the Michigan Community College Athletic Association champion.

The Roadrunners, who returned to the mat for the first time in three decades in 2022, backed up their MCCAA Dual Meet championship from December by winning the conference tournament in Port Huron on Saturday.

Southwestern Michigan cruised to the victory with 74 points to easily outdistance runner-up Muskegon Community College, which finished with 57 points. St. Clair County Community College finished third with 33 points.

The Roadrunners were led to the title by four individual champions — Gabe Livingson (Battle Creek) at 133-pounds, Zam Thompson (Eaton Rapids) at 149-pounds, Hunter Heath (Niles/Brandywine HS) at 165-pounds and Shane Edwards (Battle Creek) at 285-pounds.

In all, Southwestern Michigan had 10 wrestlers place in the top three.

Finishing second for the Roadrunners were Dowagiac’s Jordan Simpson (125), Vicksburg’s Brian Wheatley (141), Decatur’s Jared Checkley (174) and Pickney’s Vinny Patierno (197). Finishing third were Constantine’s Gage Ensign (157) and South Bend Braxton Garza (184).

Southwestern Michigan College alum and Head Coach Todd Hesson was named Coach of the Year.

Livingston went 3-0 on the day, winning the championship on a 9-2 decision over Muskegon’s Aydan Sturtevant. Thompson, who was also 3-0, pinned Muskegon’s Max Brown in 3:09 of the championship match. Heath (3-0) blanked St. Clair’s Ashton Light 5-0 for the title.

Edwards, 3-0, pinned Ancilla College’s Sergio Bueno in 1:14 for the crown.

The Roadrunners will now take some time off before traveling to Palatine, Illinois to compete in the Great Lakes District Meet, which is the national qualifying tournament, on Feb. 18.

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