GRAYLING — Two Negaunee wrestlers will continue their seasons after top-four finishes at the MHSAA Division 3 wrestling individual district tournament held in Grayling on Saturday.

Senior Leo Helppi won the 189-pound division and freshman Joseph McCollum placed fourth at 125 to qualify for the regional tournament to be held at Boyne City on Saturday, also featuring wrestlers from the Shepherd district. Top-four finishers at regionals advance to the individual state finals to be held at Ford Field in Detroit March 6-7.

Helppi reeled off three victories without a loss after an opening bye. He pinned Ludington’s Dylan Buck at 5:38, then defeated Keith Barke of Manistee 13-5 before squeaking past Eli Marshall of Lake City 3-2 in the title tilt.

McCollum had a more circuitous route, going 1-2 with two byes.

In his first contested match, he was pinned at 3:21 by Tyler Iverson of Benzonia Benzie Central. He earned a consolation-round bye before edging Thomas Carylon of Kingsley 6-5 to win a berth in the third-place match. That’s when he was pinned by Jesse Vandecasteele of Grayling at 0:44.

The Miners’ closest miss for regional qualifying was by junior Bryce Dunstan, who placed sixth at 285 with a 2-2 record.

He pinned Gavin Depuydt of Gladstone at 1:27, then was pinned by Gavin Hernandez of Kalkaska at 2:45. Dropping into the consolation bracket, he pinned Johnathan Shampine of Cheboygan at 1:45 before he was pinned by Brett Boudreau of Gladstone at 1:29.

Brody Prusi was also 2-2 at 135, pinning Keegan Mosher of Cheboygan at 1:17, being pinned by Zachary Stockman of Lake City at 1:02, defeating Tyler McInnis of Kingsley 7-2 and then pinned by Devon Beck of Kalkaska at 1:35.

Also winning for Negaunee was sophomore Tyler Sicotte at 103, freshman Landen Hillier at 112, junior John Schouten at 130, junior Finn Helppi at 160 and freshman Nathan Keough at 171.

Also participating for the Miners was senior Caleb Clark at 140, freshman Hazen Holmes at 145, freshman Ryan Reno at 152, freshman Tom McCollum at 160 and freshman Brayden Dunstan at 189.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.