Left to right: Isaac Westfall, Cameron Doody, Nathan Fletcher, and Maverick Stergakos placed in the 215-pound weight class. Courtesy | Facebook

Two Hillsdale Hornets and four Reading Rangers qualified for the wrestling state championship at Ford Field March 1-3.

Hornet brothers senior Stephen (190 pounds) and junior John Petersen (215 pounds) took first in their respective weight classes at Division 3 Region 12 championships.

Stephen Petersen earned his state ticket with a pinfall, a 9-1 major decision, and a 5-0 decision in the finals. John Petersen, undefeated at 35-0, secured his spot with a bye, a 1-0 decision, and a finals win via pinfall.

Stephen Petersen said he has competed at states twice before, with younger brother John Petersen joining him there last year.

Stephen Petersen said the brothers practice daily, sometimes with other teams. Their goal is to maintain their conditioning and be mentally prepared.

“We won’t get any more in shape by Friday,” he said. “We’ve put in the work, and now it’s time to perform.”

Wrestling is both physically and mentally challenging, but according to Stephen Petersen, it’s also the most character-building sport.

“It’s just you against your opponent,” he said. “There’s no blaming the team or someone else, it’s all on you. Whether you put in the work or didn’t, it shows.” 

He also said wrestling alongside his brother has brought them closer.

“It’s awesome wrestling with John,” he said. “There are definitely times when we want to kill each other, but having to come home with each other after every tough practice forces us to reconcile and get over anything we go through.”

The four Rangers earned podium finishes at the Division 4 Region 15 wrestling championships hosted by the Hudson Tigers Feb. 17.

Freshman Isaac Westfall (215 pounds) claimed second place, senior Connar Rudy (165 pounds) took third, and freshman Reid Westfall (106 pounds) secured fourth. Junior Lukas Strine (175 pounds), who competed in the state championship last year, earned his return to Ford Field with a fourth-place finish. 

Following a quarterfinals loss, Strine faced difficulty in the consolation quarterfinals, trailing 3-1 entering the third period. However, he earned a critical point due to a stalling penalty and made a last-second takedown, rebounding with a 54-second blood-round pinfall. Strine advanced to the consolation semifinals where he fell in a 9-0 major decision.

After earning a pinfall during the quarterfinals, Westfall clinched a 4-3 decision in the semifinals, the only Reading grappler to make it to his championship match despite a tough 5-3 decision loss in the finals.

Reading Head Coach Mark Draper said both Westfall and Strine’s matches were standout moments from the day. 

“Isaac Westfall beating that kid at 215 in the semi-finals –– that was really good,” Draper said. “Then Lukas Strine scored a takedown with a second left to win the match against that Addison kid. They all were exciting.”

Rudy lost by pinfall in the semifinals after claiming a 6-3 decision during the quarterfinals. In the consolation semifinals, he earned his ticket to Ford Field with a 15-7 major decision and clinched a podium finish with a 5-0 decision during the consolation finals.

Reid Westfall secured a narrow 12-11 decision in the quarterfinals but lost in the semifinals via tech fall. Westfall dominated the consolation semifinals with a 15-0 major decision but fell in the consolation finals with a 7-0 decision.

Draper highlighted the intense competition at regionals.

“Every district has up to 16 teams in it. So you’re looking at possibly 32 teams bringing someone to their knee at regionals,” Draper said. 

Tomorrow, the four Rangers will travel to Detroit to battle for state titles at Ford Field March 1-3.

“Four is a good number for us,” Draper said. “We took seven, and over half of them made it to the state meet. It was a really good day for us.”

To prepare for the state championship, Draper said they’ve invited state qualifiers from other divisions to spar at practice, including the Petersens. 

Draper said the Hornets compete in a separate division, but their weights are close enough to the Rangers that practicing together is beneficial.

“Steel sharpens steel,” Draper said. “Those guys help us get better and we help them too. I think it’s better for everyone. Jonesville or Hanover could show up to our practice this time of the year too. It’s good to have other guys come in and give you a different look.”

Reading High School Athletic Director Mitch Hubbard said Draper, who is the only wrestling coach in program history, has done a terrific job with the team. 

“Mark Draper is the reason for our success,” Hubbard said. 

Draper has been coaching for 36 years, the last 29 as Reading’s head coach. He said his favorite part of his job is seeing kids grow into developed adults.

“That’s the best part for me. To see a kid that has his back against the wall, not for anything he had to do with, dig himself out and become a heck of a man,” Draper said. “In the end, it’s just a wrestling match. I want them to go out, find that dream job, marry that dream girl, have that dream life. The biggest thing is that they’re working, functioning parts of society. And if they’re happy on top of that, that’s a huge bonus.”