Photo by Patricia O’Blenes Junior Alex Binno lifts his brother, senior Chris Binno, Jan. 12 in practice.

By Christian Davis
C & G Sports Writer

MADISON HEIGHTS — Madison Heights Bishop Foley wrestling coach Berney Gonzales has been coaching for a long time and has had many different types of grapplers under his tutelage.

But now, nearly 25 years into his coaching career, the veteran has something new on his hands, as sophomores Mackenzie Kaiser of Clawson and Nicole Murley of Berkley have joined the Ventures.

Though girls have been part of the prep wrestling landscape for years, Gonzales said they have made history in his storied program.

“We’re having a lot of fun, and with the addition of the two girls in the program, they are (showing) positive results,” he said Jan. 12 during practice.

“They’re certainly training as hard as the guys and should be commended for their efforts just like everybody else.”

Gonzales said Kaiser approached him at the end of last season about joining the team, after watching her brother, Mason, wrestle for four years. Mason had just finished eighth in the Division 4 state final at heavyweight.

So Gonzales held a practice session with her to see how she liked it.

“She stood up and said, ‘I think I can do this,’” Gonzales remembered, adding that Kaiser’s friend, Murley, joined her at the first practice of the season. “Now, here we are two months into the season, and they’re both still with the program. We’ve had kids not make it two months in the program because it’s very tough.”

Senior Chris Binno is in his fourth year with the Ventures and said the girls are working as hard as anyone in the room.

“It’s tough,” he said of the sport. “They’re hanging in there.”

Kaiser said she plans on staying with the sport for the rest of her prep career.

“It’s tough and a challenge, but I enjoy it,” she said. “I love the atmosphere of it. Being out on the mat, it’s just you and (your opponent); you don’t have any other team members to rely on. It’s just you, your physical strength and what you can do.”

Gonzales said that he’s also excited about the gains and potential of the rest of the squad.

“They are very high-spirited. There’s not a member on the team that is down about anything,” he said. “These kids, everything  (assistant coach) Eric (Swanson) and I ask them to do, they do it and as hard as they can.”

Gonzales added that he believes seniors Binno (135 pounds), Andrew Trumbo (160) and Logan Nabozny (189), juniors Alex Binno (119) and Colton Gillies (215), and sophomore Bryan Durbrow (112) have a chance to qualify for the state finals.

Gonzales said the key ingredient in getting his grapplers through the district and regional levels — leaving them among only 15 other wrestlers in the state in their class — is the faith that they can do it.

“Do they have confidence? Maybe 90 percent,” he said. “The other 10 percent is my job and Eric’s job to say, ‘Hey, yes you can do this, but you have to believe you can do it.’”
           

Durbrow finished fourth at 112 pounds; Alex Binno won his class at 119; Chris Binno was second at 135; Trumbo was sixth at 160; Nabozny was second at 189; and Gillies third at 215.

You can reach Sports Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1062.