In a pair of exciting matches, the Sault High Blue Devils put up a great fight in the hopes of claiming the District 2 team title, but fell just short. The Blue Devils drew the Escanaba Eskymos, a familiar foe, in the semifinal round. Hazen Hudson (113) started the dual off right with a second period pin over Isiah Davis. The Sault then gave up 12 points with voids in the 120 and 126 lb weight classes. Max VanDoren (132) beat Connor Blahnik by points (9-0) closing the gap on the score, making it Sault 10; Escanaba 12. Wyatt Peabody (138) pinned Caden Smith (1:02), putting the Sault back in the lead, 16-12. Caleb Klier (144) had a tough match against Cade Krueger, losing by technical fall (20-3). Brett Siesel (150) pinned Cannon Arnt (3:40) and the Sault gave up another void in the 157 lb weight class, bringing the match score to Sault 22; Escanaba 23. The teams traded the lead over the next two matches when Sam Kiekhaefer (165) beat Dustin Skerbeck by points (9-1) and Marc DeWildt (175) was pinned by Kaleb Gagne (1:39). The score was now Blue Devils 26; Eskymos 29. Jonah Rishmawi (190) was pinned by Haidyn Denis (3:55), and that would be the last time Escanaba put points up on the board. Cody Russo (215) pinned Ronaldino Portillo (1:07), Sawyer Kuenzer (285) pinned Zach Anderson (0:47) and Isaac Peabody (106) pinned Miley Meshigaud (2:38), making the final score Sault 44; Escanaba 35. The Eskymos have stopped the Blue Devils in team districts for a number of years. The excitement from winning the first round gave the Blue Devils the momentum they needed to give Petoskey’s Northmen a run for their money in the finals round.
Starting with the 120 lb weight class, the Sault had to forfeit the first two bouts. VanDoren was pinned by Aiden Wright (1:54), making the score Sault 0; Petoskey 18. Wyatt Peabody beat Hunter Cole by points and Klier pinned Wyatt Weeber (0:43) putting 10 points on the board for the Blue Devils. The Sault then voided at 150 lbs and Siesel was pinned by Caleb Dunkel, making the score now Sault 10; Petoskey 30. The Blue Devils chipped away at Petoskey’s lead, winning the next three weight classes by decision. Kiekhaefer beat Filippo Coppola (3-1), DeWildt beat Konstantin Rush (7-3), and Rishmawi beat Mitchell Gregory (10-6), bringing the score up to 19-30. The Sault took the lead with a pair of pins. Russo pinned Gavin Garrison (1:01), Kuenzer pinned Dominic Patrick (0:23) and Petoskey lost a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct. Blue Devils 31; Petoskey 29. Isaac Peabody lost by points to Ella Giallombardo (10-6) and Hudson lost by technical fall to Jackson Jacobs (16-1). The final match score was Sault 31; Petoskey 37.
“Our team has nothing to hang our heads about, the way we competed I couldn’t have asked anything more out of them. Starting every match down 18 points is no easy task, how we responded is why I love this team. Taking it to our opponents both matches. Bouncing weight classes to give us the best matchups. We’re looking to carry that fire from last night into Saturday. We’ve worked all season for this moment and I’m excited to see us perform.”
Head Coach Jacinto Arreola and his wrestlers will now shift their focus to individual district competition which will start Saturday morning in Gaylord. The top four in each weight class will move on in their quest to qualify for the state championships.
- Blue Devils Wrestlers Battle for District Title - February 8, 2025
- Blue Devils Wrestlers Compete in Northern Michigan Championships - January 30, 2025
- Kuenzer Repeats; Russo and Klier Crowned Wrestling Champions - January 25, 2025
