Lake Orion’s Alex Russell (green) grapples with his Clarkston opponent. Russell finished third in the D1 individual wrestling tournament and will move on to the individual regional wrestling meet. Photo by Wendi Reardon Price.

By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — Six Dragons qualified for the regional tournament after placing in the top four at the MHSAA Division 1 Wrestling Individual tournament last Saturday at Birmingham Groves.
Payton McIntyre (190) and Alex Russell (215) finished in third place as Landon Morris (285), Chad Parker (106), Chris Whitman (113) and Hunter Swatosh (126) finished in fourth place.
McIntyre (26-14) went 4-1 for the day with wins over North Farmington’s Garrett Johnson with a fall, 26 seconds; a 12-3 major decision over Seaholm’s Luca DeSanto; a 2-1 decision over Clarkston’s Tony Cach; another win over DeSanto in the third place match with a fall, 2:44.
Russell (28-9) went 3-1 with falls over Groves’ Aiden Whan, 3:15; Groves’ Collin Vincent, 1:59; and Whan, again in the third place match, 54 seconds.
Morris (18-4) went 2-2 with wins over Milford’s Owen Petrusha with a fall 3:28; and Walled Lake Northern’s Hunter Moldenhauer, 5-1.
Parker (18-11) went 2-2 with wins over West Bloomfield’s Carson Acree, 16-3; and Walled Lake Northern’s Landon Kane, 7-3.
Whitman (19-18) went 2-2 with a fall over West Bloomfield’s Bryan Valentin, 1:02; and Walled Lake Northern’s Nate Atwell, 7-2.
Swatosh (25-13) went 3-2 with wins over North Farmington’s Dominic Diego with a fall, 1:36; Farmington’s Vitaly Koponen, 5-2; and Clarkston’s Ayden Mutter, 5-1.
The Dragons opened last week with a loss to Clarkston in the MHSAA Division 1 District 107 semifinal, 55-15, Feb. 7.
Wins in the dual were from McIntyre over Cach, 12-9; Drake Assemany (120) over Mitchell Murray, 10-4; Raymond Lucero (157) over Chase Olsen, 7-5l and Donovan Scott (175) over Ethan Zak in a fall in the third period following a reversal.
Lake Orions heads to Lapeer for the MHSAA Division 1 Individual Regional 1 on Saturday. The Wolves also compete in the MHSAA Division 1 Girls Individual Regional on Sunday.