After Clarkston junior wrestler Tony LaJoie captured the Division 1 state wrestling championship at 125 lbs., one thing ran through his mind.
“Everything I’ve always worked for and set my goals for, I finally achieved,” he said.
LaJoie became the second Clarkston wrestler in as many years to win a state championship, defeating Livonia Churchill senior Brian Clement by a 20-4 technical fall in the 125-lb. finals March 8 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
LaJoie (43-3) reached the finals with a 16-4 major decision against Grandville senior Cody Nicholson in the semifinals of their division.
“It was awesome,” Clarkston coach Mike DeGain said of LaJoie’s performance. “He major decisioned the guy that everyone thought would win, then earned a technical fall win in the finals. Those were the two best matches of his career, no doubt.”
Last year, Clint DeGain, then a junior, won the state title in the 160-lb. class. DeGain’s hopes for a repeat state championship fell short in the 171 lb. finals, as he lost a 7-5 overtime decision to Grandville senior Buddy Rivera.
DeGain, who will be attending The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina next year on a wrestling scholarship, finished his senior year with a record of 41-1.
LaJoie and DeGain were two of five Clarkston wrestlers to place at the state individual wrestling finals March 6-8 at The Palace. Senior John Langdon (39-6) capped his CHS wrestling career with a runner-up finish in the 140-lb. class, losing a 26-12 major decision to Davison sophomore Brent Metcalf in the finals of that division.
The other two Clarkston placers were senior Joe Wood (fifth, 275) and junior Matt Herron (eighth, 103).
Clarkston sent their largest group of wrestlers in school history to the individual finals, with ten grapplers representing the Wolves at The Palace. Five of those wrestlers won their first-round matches March 6 to advance to the championship quarterfinals March 7.
Herron defeated Hudsonville junior Casey Schaner by a 7-4 decision; LaJoie defeated Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern senior Abdul Mustafa by a 13-0 major decision; Langdon defeated Holt junior Troy Albert by a 13-2 major decision; DeGain pinned Detroit Catholic Central junior Scott Schwarzlose in 1:59; and Wood pinned Josh Haron of South Lyon in 4:30. Wood struggled to win his match, though, as he was trailing 4-0 at the time of the pin.
DeGain, LaJoie and Langdon won their quarterfinal matches to earn spots in the semifinals of their weight classes. DeGain pinned Port Huron senior James Farver in 1:40, while Langdon defeated New Baltimore Anchor Bay junior Jacob Tazzi by a 12-6 decision and LaJoie defeated South Lyon sophomore Shawn LaChance by a 9-5 decision.
However, Herron and Wood were defeated in their quarterfinal matches. Herron was pinned by Clinton Township Chippewa Valley freshman Anthony Biondo in 35 seconds, while Wood, who will be attending Michigan State University on a wrestling scholarship next year, lost a 3-1 decision to Holt senior Adam Barr.
DeGain earned a spot in the 171-lb. finals with a 7-2 win against Howell’s Adam Baldwin, while Langdon pinned Jake Williamson of South Lyon in 4:25 to advance to the finals in his bracket.
In the consolation round, Wood pinned East Detroit senior Charles Cannon in 59 seconds and Jenison senior James Tanis in 4:15. Wood then lost a 3-2 decision to Temperance Bedford senior Rick Nieman before avenging his earlier loss against Barr with a 34 second pinfall win against the Holt senior, thus earning him the fifth-place finish. Wood finishes his senior year with a 46-5 record.
Herron earned a 10-5 win against Hartland junior Greg Salinas in the consolation round of his division. He then forfeited his matches against Ann Arbor Pioneer senior Jon Adgate and Temperance Bedford sophomore Craig Gin, which left Herron finishing in eighth place. His final record this season is 43-7.
The other Clarkston grapplers competing in the tournament, along with how they fared in the consolation brackets, are as follows:
·Junior Elliot May (112) lost to Detroit Catholic Central junior Matthew Steintrager by forfeit. He also forfeited his first-round consolation match against Lansing Eastern senior Linh Nguyen. May finishes his season with a 30-11 record.
·Sophomore Bryan Webb (119) lost to Clinton Township Chippewa Valley junior Mike Peraino by a 12-5 decision. He also lost his first-round consolation match against Dearborn Fordson junior Ghassau Hamka by a 9-8 decision. Webb finishes his season with a 33-17 record.
·Sophomore Braden L’Amoreaux (130) lost to Wayne Memorial junior Tim Hammer by a 5-0 decision. He then defeated West Bloomfield sophomore Chris Kinaya by an 11-6 decision in his first-round consolation match before losing a 5-3 decision to Davison junior Cory Rogers. L’Amoreaux wraps up the season with a 36-10 record.
·Senior Brenton Place (160) was pinned by Jenison senior Bruce Bolhuis in 5:08. He then defeated Roseville junior Tom Gizowski by a 12-5 decision in his first-round consolation match before losing a 9-4 decision to Utica’s Ido Sattarelli. Place finishes the year with a 30-12 record.
·Senior Kyle Hester (189) lost to Walled Lake Central junior Casey White by a 10-0 major decision. He also lost his first-round consolation match against Grand Haven junior Kurtis Abraham by a 6-4 decision. Hester finishes his season with a 33-9 record.
With the season officially concluded, Coach DeGain reflected on the many accomplishments of the team this year, including a 23-4 season record and a trip to the regional semifinals.
“It was a good struggle to try and win the state title,” he said. “We didn’t get there, but as long as the kids understand it was worth the effort, then that’s what counts.”