Saints Youth Wrestlers Earn Hardware at Newberry, Petoskey

Saturday, March 22, with many of them earning trophies. Pictured (front, from left) are Toby Ferguson, Logan DeKeyser, Ethan Taylor, Trevor Matson; (back row) Chase DeKeyser, Ben Schieding, Fred Smith, Jared Cece, and Luke Valletta. Missing from the photograph are Daniel Marsh, Kurtis Belonga, and Joel Dodds. (Photograph by John Schieding)

Several children from the St. Ignace Youth Wrestling Club competed in Michigan Youth Wrestling Association meets in Newberry and in Petoskey Saturday, March 22, with many of them earning trophies. Clubs throughout the state were invited to both meets.

Coaches Scott Marshall and John Schieding split the club into two groups, with 13 youth competing in Newberry, where up to 300 other wrestlers competed, and six competing in Petoskey, where 697 children participated.

The association is for young wrestlers from pre-kindergarten age to eighth grade.

Finishing in first place in Newberry were Jared Cece, with two pins, Daniel Marsh, with one pin, and Joel Dodds, also with one pin.

First place finishers in Petoskey were Austin Marshall, Richard Bentley, and Galloway Thurston.

Second place honors from Newberry went to Logan DeKeyser, with a technical fall, Chase DeKeyser, with two pins, Toby Ferguson, Fred Smith, with one pin, Ben Schieding, with one technical fall, and Toby Ferguson, with two wins.

Hunter Frazier was the club's lone second place finisher in Petoskey.

Third place finishers in Newberry included Ethan Taylor and Trevor Matson, while Dylan Marshall and Mitchell Peterson finished third in Petoskey.

Wrestlers who competed in Newberry included Luke Valletta and Kurtis Belonga.

All of the club's competing wrestlers attend St. Ignace and Mackinaw City schools.