MICHIGAN
Terrin Machart (Utica Ford) 119 lbs
Machart was a darkhorse coming in to the tournament, but not many would have predicted he would have the day he did. He rattled off four straight quality wins, three of which came over ranked opponents. In the Round of 16, Machart pinned 2x state placer Justin Tiburcio and then pinned nationally-ranked Ryan Chauvin (FL) in the quarters. Following a 9-7 semifinal win over Fargo All-American Vinny Zerban (IL), he knocked off his third top-15 opponent and top-seeded Matthew Cardello (OH) 11-8. He was named Outstanding Wrestler in the Elite Division and will certainly be on many college coaches radars.
Tony Williams (Lakeshore) 135 lbs
After finishing 3rd in the state twice and narrowly missing placing at Fargo, Williams has been a guy on the cusp of breaking through for a while. And even though he finished 5th at the GFC, he picked up some very nice wins. He knocked of Southfield's Isiah Berry in the championship bracket before losing a competitive match to Joey Silva (FL), ranked #1 in the country. In this wrestlebacks, he scored wins over two D2 state finalists from a year ago. Williams defeated Corbyn Munson 5-0 and Josh Edmond 3-2 TB to take 5th. He looks primed to make a run at a state title this season.
James Whitaker (St. Johns) 140 lbs
The Red Wing Junior stormed to a title at 140 this weekend and looked extremely tough in doing so. After knocking off Illinois state placer Max Kristoff, he defeated Holden Heller, also of Illinois and a Hofstra commit, 9-8. Whitaker then was able to hold on to a 4-3 victory in the semis over Alex Urquiza (FL), who had upset top-seeded Nick Freeman in the quarters. Perhaps his best showing came in the finals, where he cruised to a controlling 6-1 win over Indiana state placer and future Purdue Boilermaker Zach Melloh.
Layne Malczewski (Macomb Dakota) 160 lbs
Even though he's already committed to be a Michigan State Spartan, Malczewski still proved his value by taking 5th in a very tough weight class. First he handled state runner-up Donnell Washington (IL) in the quarters, 8-1. Then in the wrestlebacks he pinned D3 state champ Tylor Orrison and posted a pair of victories over state placer Jarit Shinhoster and the fourth seed, Alex Cramer, both of Illinois. Malczewski's only losses came to nationally ranked opponents- Erich Byelick (FL), 5-2, and Mason Reiniche (TN), 8-4.
Aidan Wagh (Detroit CC) 171 lbs
Up a couple weights from a year ago, Wagh made a Cinderella run to the finals before falling to Illinois commit, Zac Braunagel, who won his second GFC title. It started in the quarters where Wagh took down 2nd seeded and Florida state runner-up Max Cosmides 6-1. Then in the semifinals he pinned D3 state finalist Gavin Morgan of Mt. Morris to advance to the finals. Whether he stays at 171 or not, Wagh showed that he could be a top contender in D1 this year.
OUT OF STATE
Garett Lautzenheiser (Ohio) 105 lbs
A freshman this year in Ohio, Lautzenhesier was very impressive all day and nearly took home a title at 105. He started by posting a quality win over Sam Freeman in the quarterfinals, 6-4. Then he knocked off #1 seed Andrew Chambal, 15-13, in a great semis match. In the finals match, he found himself down late against Logan Brown and put Brown to his back twice before Brown came up with some magic of his own and took the match 13-12. That finals will go down as one of the most entertaining in GFC history.
Bretli Reyna (Florida) 119 lbs
Reyna had a stellar day that saw him march all the way back for 3rd place after falling in the quarters. He knocked off state champ Ryan Chauvin of Florida, 3-0, before taking down last year's GFC runner-up Jake Canitano in a tight match, 6-5. In the 3rd-place bout, he avenged his quarterfinal loss to Illinois' Vinny Zerban, 11-5. An undefeated state champ last year, Reyna looks like he's continuing his upward trajectory.
Malyke Hines (Florida) 125 lbs
Fellow Florida state champ Malyke Hines had an outstanding tournament as well. In the quarterfinals, Hines defeated Georgia state champ Vincent Mannella 8-0. He went on to beat EMU commit and Michigan state champ, Branson Proudlock, 4-2, in a great semifinals match. The Osceola sophomore capped off his brilliant tournament by defeating Illinois hammer and nationally ranked Travis Ford-Melton in the finals, again 4-2.
Gentry Deck (Kentucky) 130 lbs
Deck definitely flew under the radar but took on all challengers and cruised to the title at 130. In the first round, he bested 2nd-seeded Joey Bianchi of Wisconsin, 8-2. After a tight 6-5 match the next round, he took down Michigan state placer Stone Moscovic 5-3 in the quarters. Trailing 5-0 in the semis to Sincere Bailey of Illinois, he battled all the way back and pushed the match into OT, where he finished a high crotch and advanced to the finals. From there it was all Deck, where he took the title with a 7-1 win over Christian Morales of Florida.
Derrick Smallwood (Kentucky) 152 lbs
Another Kentucky wrestler who proved his value this weekend was Smallwood. Coming through the loaded field at 152, he finished 3rd, going 7-1 on the day. Smallwood took a loss in the second round to John Manning of Canada, 9-8. Then he rattled off six straight wins, including a 3-0 avenging of his prior loss. During his run he defeated 2x Ohio state runner-up Ben Pasiuk, 7-1, Florida state champ Kai Bele by fall, and 2x Florida state champ Brevin Balmaceda, 3-1.
