Bronson wrestling nets 26th straight district wrestling crown with epic win over Union City
BRONSON — For the 26th straight season the Bronson Vikings are Michigan High School Athletic Association Wrestling (MHSAA) District champions.
Bronson defended its home gym in a battle of two state-ranked teams on Wednesday, defeating the third-ranked Union City Chargers by the score of 40-20 to win the team’s twenty-sixth straight crown.
“We have been working so hard ever since Union City beat us back in conference play, we have just been giving it our all,” Bronson coach Chad Butters said. “Every day we would go through different scenarios on paper, trying to map out how this would end up, hoping this would just work out. I have to credit my coaches too, they do an excellent job getting everyone ready every single day, it really is a joint effort.”
When the two teams met in their Big 8 dual earlier in the season, it was Union City coming away with the slim 37-34 win, so both teams knew Wednesday night was going to be a battle.
The district final started off at a great weight for Bronson, as the night would begin at 165 pounds, one of Bronson’s strongest weights.
Bronson did not disappoint to kick off the night, winning the first five matches to build an early 22-0 lead. At 165 it was Layne Knisely bumping up a weight class to defeat John Olmstead via pin fall in 1:22 followed by Bronson’s Carson Norton taking a hard fought 3-0 decision over Union City’s Maddox Miller at 175, an outcome that seemed to be in the Chargers’ favor as Bronson was hoping for a pin.
Bronson took wins in the next three matches as well as Conner Harvey defeated Carson Danke via a 14-2 major decision at 190; Kestin Goodman took down Union City’s William Thompson at 215 by a 7-3 decision; and Jacob Britten pinned Union City’s Gavin Kelly in 3:19 at 285, giving the Vikings the big lead early.
Union City secured their first points at 106 pounds as freshman Blayne Crance turned his opponent Brayton Cosby for a big pin fall win in 1:55, closing the score to 22-6.
The biggest curve ball of the night from the Bronson coaching staff came at 113 pounds where the Vikings sent out former state qualifier Aiden Fill to toe the line. Fill has missed a good portion of the season returning from injury, so his appearance at 113 served as a bit of a surprise for the Union City faithful.
“We have been waiting on him to get healthy for a long time,” Butters said. “That was a really big one for us.”
Fill showed little rust, quickly taking control of Union City’s Mitchell Graham, the newly crowned 113 pound Big 8 champion. Fill turned Graham and earned the pin fall win in 1:08, pushing the Viking lead to 28-6.
Union City came back with a much-needed pin fall win at 120 as Riley Smith caught Bronson’s Brier Green and earned the win in 2:50, closing the score to 28-12 and giving Union City a bit of momentum heading into the heart of the Charger order.
At 126 pounds it was two-time all-state wrestler and the undefeated Logan Mears facing off with Bronson’s Owen Kimmons, the defending Big 8 conference champion at that weight. Mears controlled things from the start though he found it difficult to turn Kimmons who made things tough for the all-state grappler. In the end, Mears took the 7-0 decision victory, bringing the score to 28-15 in favor of the Vikings.
That was when a little bit of controversy struck in regard to the 126-pound match. The official of the match immediately called a flagrant misconduct on the Charger wrestler, a penalty that video replay seen by The Daily Reporter shows may have been called in error. Nevertheless, the penalty stood as there are no onsite replay systems in place across the MHSAA. Initially the penalty only took a point from Union City, bringing the score to 28-14.
As the action continued on the mat the next match saw Union City’s Alex Boyer work against Bronson’s Logan Long at 132, a match that Boyer claimed via a 5-1 decision, closing the score ever so slightly to 28-18.
Union City continued its winning ways at 138, taking a hard fought and exciting 5-4 decision as Kelub Miller eked out the win over Bronson’s Caleb Harvey, bringing the score to 28-21.
Toeing the line at 144 pounds for Union City was two-time defending Division 4 state champion Landyn Crance who faced off with Bronson's Collin York. Crance had little trouble in the match, although he did struggle to turn York as the Viking grappler kept himself away from the pin. Crance went on to claim the hard fought 6-1 decision win, his 150th career victory. With the win Union City still had a chance at completing the comeback, as they now trailed Bronson 28-24.
That would be when the other shoe regarding the earlier flagrant misconduct would drop.
After a good deal of research and cross checking by Bronson’s administration and coaching staff, it was determined that the penalty was not only a one-point penalty, but a complete disqualification, taking four points away from the Chargers based on MHSAA rules, bringing the score to 28-20 with two matches left. Needless to say, this incensed the Charger faithful, as not only does the flagrant misconduct give Bronson those points, but it also disqualifies Mears from chasing after his third straight all-state honor. Representatives for Union City wrestling have assured The Daily Reporter that information is being presented to the MHSAA as part of the appeal process. Efforts on this appeal will be reported on as they become available.
On the mat the Chargers still had a chance to chase down the Vikings despite all that had occurred, although Bronson had a couple aces up their sleeve as their two remaining wrestlers were two returning state qualifiers.
At 150 it was Bronson’s Gabe Erwin facing off with Union City’s 100 match winner Aidan Taylor with a chance for Erwin to call game. Erwin took that chance and ran with it, pinning Taylor in 1:09 to wrap up the district championship crown with the score at 34-20.
“I was just focused on that win, I had been on my toes the entire match waiting for my turn and I knew I had to get that win for my team,” Erwin said. “For the seniors I just wanted to give them that chance to go back to state, I understood the importance of that match and I just wanted to seal off the win quick, so I put him down right away. Having to wait that long was just so stressful, having to wait that long knowing that it was going to come down to my match, I would rather just get out there and get it done and over with. But there is also the other part of it, not everyone gets to experience being able to wrap up that championship for your team, it was a good feeling, and I was looking forward to it. All night I had faith in my teammates, I knew everyone would do their jobs and we would get to where we needed to be. I am just so happy right now, I just want to give all the glory to God, He gave me the strength and the talents to be able to do this.”
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Union City voided the final match at 157, taken by Bronson’s Mason Lindsey, finding the final score of 40-20.
“That’s a good team, very well coached,” Union City coach Jason Counterman said. “We knew it was going to be a battle. We did not do everything we needed to do. We needed bonus points from the studs, and we did not get them. The focus now is on to this weekend and getting the suspension (Mears) overturned.”
Bronson now moves on to the regional semifinals where they will face the winner of the Galesburg Augusta district which houses Athens, Galesburg and Mendon.
“I have just so much gratitude for so many and I am just so thankful for all the people who work so hard for this program,” Butters said. “It has never been about one person; it has been about family, and it has been about a total joint effort. I have just a great coaching staff, I cannot say enough about them and what they do to get us here. Going forward there really is no rest, it is do or die from here on out. We knew Union City was incredibly good but ultimately we got the match ups we wanted, and our guys took care of business, just so much credit to these kids and my staff.”
Bronson awaits the winner of the Galesburg Augusta District which will take place Thursday beginning at 6 p.m. Regional tournament dates, times and places will be announced then.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Bronson takes down Union City to win D4 District Wrestling title
