Lamphere grapplers end season side by side at state finals By Brad D. Bates AUBURN HILLS — Despite losing his final match of the 2009-10 season, Madison Heights Lamphere junior 189-pounder Jackson Lewis has a fond final memory of the season. After losing to undefeated Allegan High senior John Rizqallah 12-2 in the Division 2 189-pound title match, Lewis was next to a familiar face on the All-State podium March 6 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, as senior teammate Nick Gattes placed third. “It made it a lot better having him there, because I knew someone,” Lewis said March 10 of sharing the All-State podium with Gattes. “It eased the tension.” Lewis said falling in the Division 2 finals has already helped him start planning for next season. “I’ve never been one that likes to lose — especially that bad,” Lewis said. “I ended my season on a loss, so I’m going to spend the summer lifting, wrestling, playing football and getting ready to win a state title next year.” They were the first pair of Lamphere teammates to share an All-State podium, ending a successful run at The Palace that saw the Rams place three of the four grapplers they sent to the finals. “It’s basically doing what you set out to do,” senior 125-pounder Shane Dutton said of what it takes to be successful at the finals after he collected the second All-State medal of his career with a fifth-place finish. “You can’t worry about what any one guy is going to do and wrestle defensively. If you go out there and wrestle your offense and do what you have to, then you’ll come up a winner.” Dutton became the Rams’ fourth grappler to win All-State honors more than once and ended his career with 117 victories. “Some people look at it as sad when kids move on, but that’s what high school is about,” coach Russ McKenzie said. “They come in as boys and move on as men, and I’m excited for Shane because he’s in that mold of the seniors we’ve had.” Lewis’ appearance in a state title match marked three consecutive seasons that a Lamphere wrestler has advanced to the final match. Dutton wrestled for the 2008-09 Division 3 title at 112 and Josh Swanson competed for the 2007-08 Division 3 152-pound championship. “It’s not any secret; it’s the tough competition we face in the MAC Red,” McKenzie said of why his grapplers are so successful at the finals. “Facing competition that is that strong has us ready to be competitive with the best in the state.” Lamphere almost had two grapplers in the title bout this year, as Gattes was one match from facing Lewis in the 189-pound final. “I was really hoping they would face each other, because I could have actually relaxed and enjoyed one of the finals.” McKenzie said. Gattes lost to Rizqallah in the semifinals before taking third with a 2-0 win against Chelsea High senior Travis Ostrowski. “I was a little nervous about wrestling him at states, because he beat me two times this year,” Lewis said of facing Gattes. “It would have been fun, but it would have been weird because we wouldn’t have been friends for six minutes.” You can reach Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1029. |
