SATURDAY
9:10 p.m. ? Jake Varilek became the second wrestler in Lake Orion history to win an individual state championship Saturday at the Palace.
Varilek beat Nick Kaczanowski (of Rochester) 1-0 in the final Division 1 match at 152 pounds.
It was his sixth victory over Kaczanowski this season (accounting for all but two of his losses). It was also Varilek’s 60th win of the season and Dragon-record 203 career victory.
‘He’s gotten better every time we’ve wrestled,? Varilek said. ‘He knows now how I wrestle.?
But that didn’t stop the Lake Orion senior from scoring an escape point in the second period and holding Kaczanowski off the board in the third.
‘Words can’t describe how I feel right now,? Varilek said. ‘This has been a goal of mine since I started as a freshman.?
Look for a full recap tomorrow at www.lakeorionreview.com.
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5:40 p.m. — Evan Gros? revenge run came up just one point short Saturday at the Palace, as the Lake Orion junior lost 3-2 in a tightly contested decision against Raylen Davis of Royal Oak in the state final at 189 pounds.
Davis broke a 1-all tie with a take-down with just 15 seconds left to go up 3-1. Gros earned an escape point but ran out of time.
Gros had beaten Bryant Craft (Clarkston), Nick Whitenburg (Bedford) and George Andary (East Detroit ) to advance to the finals. All had beaten him earlier this season (Andary twice). Gros? only other loss, coming into the final, was against Davis at the Oakland County meet.
‘Every time we’ve wrestled it’s been like that,? Gros said of the tight, down-to-the-wire match.
Davis said he wanted to avoid an overtime session so he made his move in the closing seconds.
Gros ends his season with a record of 55-6, with his 145 career victories setting a Dragon record for a wrestler in his first three season.
‘I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished,? Gros said. ‘But I’ve still got a lot of work to do for next season.?
In action earlier in the day on Saturday, the Dragons saw Joe Graffeo place fifth at 160 pounds, finishing his senior season with 56 victories.
A.J. Pratt placed sixth at 135, Doug Mack took seventh at 119 and Justin Ruddy finished in eighth at 130.
Look for a full recap of all the action in next week’s Lake Orion Review.
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FRIDAY
9:30 p.m. — Jake Varilek and Evan Gros will both wrestle for individual state titles on Saturday afternoon, after both recorded victories in closely contested semifinal matches on Friday night.
Varilek beat C.J. Barton of Bay City Western 6-4 at 152 pounds, while Gros won a 6-5 decision at 189 pounds over George Andary of East Detroit.
Varilek will be a heavy favorite tomorrow against Rochester’s Nick Kaczanowski, who he has beaten several times in his career, the last being at the OAA I league meet in February.
Gros will battle 49-1 Raylen Davis of Royal Oak. The Grand March begins at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon, with finals action starting at 4:45.
Prior to that, several other Dragons will fight to finish as high as third. Six team members have at least clinched a place in the top eight, with Doug Mack (119) Justin Ruddy (130) and A.J. Pratt (135) all earning wins Friday afternoon to remain alive. Joe Graffeo fell 6-1 to Bedford’s Alex Ortman Friday night in a 160-pound semifinal and can finish no worse than sixth overall.
Jeremy Peshl ended his high school career with a senior-season mark of 38-24.
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3 p.m. — Three Lake Orion wrestlers remain alive for state titles, while four more are just another victory away from earning the title of ‘state placer? after morning sessions at the Palace on Friday.
At 152 pounds, Jake Varilek became the first Dragon wrestler to record 200 career wins, then added win #201 on Saturday afternoon to advance to the semis ? where he is joined by teammates Joe Graffeo (160) and Evan Gros (189).
Varilek’s 200-win accomplishment from late Thursday was acknowledged by the Palace public address announcer just seconds before he took to the mat against Zach Shaw of Holt in a quarterfinal. But he wasn’t fazed by the kudos, advancing courtesy of a 3-1 decision.
‘It was no big deal,? Varilek said of the pressure that came with the announcement.
‘It’s what I wanted to do when I started at Lake Orion,? he said of winning 200. ‘I just wanted to leave my mark as a wrestler.?
Now the goal becomes a state title (Lake Orion has just one individual title all-time).
‘I feel like I’m in really good shape,? Varilek said.
So too are Graffeo and Gros, who set a team record of his own while breaking one of Varilek’s on Friday morning.
Gros? 7-4 decision over Bedford’s Nick Whitenburg gave him 144 career wins, a record for a Dragon wrestler in his first three years. He tied Varilek’s mark of 143 with his win over Bryant Craft of Clarkston last night.
Gros will match-up with George Andary of East Detroit in Saturday night’s semifinal, while Graffeo will see Bedford’s Alex Ortman, a familiar foe of Varilek (Ortman is responsible for both of Varilek’s losses this season).
Jeremy Peshl (140) and Doug Mack (119) kept their seasons alive by winning in the early morning consolation session, while Justin Ruddy (130) and A.J. Pratt (135) join them in the loser’s bracket this afternoon.
Look for a full recap of all of Friday’s action later tonight at www.lakeorionreview.com.
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THURSDAY
Five of Lake Orion’s seven wrestlers won their opening round match Thursday during state finals action at the Palace.
Among the winners for the Dragons was Evan Gros at 189 pounds. Gros topped rival Bryant Craft, of Clarkston, 6-2. It was his first career victory against Craft, who had beaten him twice earlier this season.
‘He really wanted it,? said Coach Doug Kline of Gros? effort. Gros, a junior, is a two-time state placer.
Other winners for Lake Orion included Joe Graffeo (13-2 over Brian Householder of Romulus at 160), Justin Ruddy (8-0 over Chris Beal of Lansing Eastern at 130), A.J. Pratt (6-1 over Talon Hodgeson of Davison at 135) and Jake Varilek (pinned Davison’s Reyes Saldana at 4:55).
Varilek’s victory was his 57th of the season. More on him tomorrow.
Doug Mack (119) and Jeremy Peshl (140) will need a pair of victories in Friday’s action in order to place. Action gets underway at 8:30 a.m., with championship quarterfinal matches starting at 11 a.m.
Look for updates Friday at www.lakeorionreview.com.