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Sadler gets to finals, making wrestling history in Munising

By STEVE BROWNLEE

Journal Sports Editor

AUBURN HILLS – Hunter Sadler came within a few minutes of winning Munising High School’s first-ever wrestling championship on Saturday.

But the Mustangs senior was pinned 1 minute, 49 seconds into his state championship match against Nick Cooper of Springport in the 189-pound weight class in the MHSAA Division 4 Individual Finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Nevertheless, the runner-up finish was easily the best ever by a Munising wrestler at this elite showcase of wrestling in Michigan.

“We had two previous placers at the state finals and they came in fifth and sixth,” MHS coach Bob Miles said. “We were hoping we could keep the match scoreless after the first period, then Hunter could work on him and outscore him.

“But he got caught in a move and (Cooper) was able to pin him just before the first period was over.”

Two other wrestlers from the area – juniors Beau Caster of Marquette and Tanner Gonzalez of Manistique – each finished in sixth place in their respective weight classes after finishing their tournament runs on Saturday.

Sadler, who said he faced Cooper at last year’s finals, finished the winter season with a 54-3 record while Cooper ended up at 41-1.

Sadler said his second go-round at the state finals was a lot easier than last year’s initial appearance.

“It was a whole different experience this year,” he said. “I never get nervous before a match, but last year I was very nervous before my first match.”

Miles agreed that most wrestlers need time to adjust to the The Palace, with nearly 900 wrestlers participating in the tournament on its main floor and thousands of spectators in the stands.

Sadler reached this year’s finals by winning a match on Thursday, one on Friday and another earlier in the day Saturday.

The last one came in the championship bracket semifinals, where the Munising wrestler prevailed over TJ Moore of Cass City 3-0. Moore was a No. 1 seed and finished the year at 41-6.

Maybe only half jokingly, Sadler refers to himself as a “point hog” on the wrestling mat.

“I try to come into every match confident I’m going to win,” he said. “I’m always looking for a way to score points.”

Miles agreed.

“He doesn’t ever lay back and try to protect a lead like some guys do,” the coach said.

Miles added that Sadler was dealing with the flu during the individual regionals two weeks ago, which led to him not winning the regional title and getting the most favorable seeding at the finals.

“Hunter ended up beating the guys that finished fourth, fifth or sixth in his bracket,” Miles said of the 16-wrestler division.

Moore finished in sixth after two more losses on Saturday, while Friday opponent Tylor Grames of Hudson won three consecutive matches after losing to Sadler to come in fourth.

Meanwhile, Caster wrestled at 152 pounds in Division 2, the only one of 13 area wrestlers at the finals not competing in Division 4.

Caster opened Saturday by being pinned at 1:07 of the championship semifinals to Brandon Garcia of Riverview. Garcia was a No. 1 seed in the tourney with a 53-0 record entering the match.

In the consolation semifinals, Caster lost 6-4 to Lane McVicker of Eaton Rapids, another No. 1 seed with a 44-4 record.

Finally, Caster lost 7-5 in the fifth-place match to Bret Fedewa of St. Johns, a wrestler he defeated 8-4 in the second round on Friday, to finish the year with a 43-5 record.

Gonzalez, who was 2-1 for Manistique on Thursday and Friday, won his first match Saturday 5-3 over Zac Sharp of Schoolcraft in the consolation quarterfinals, then lost 5-3 to Garrett McQuiston of Farwell in the consolation semifinals to fall into the fifth-place match.

Gonzalez then lost 6-1 to Jonathan Stid of Dansville to finish sixth and complete his season with a 40-6 record.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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