Photos by Scott DeCamp | CatchMark
MONTAGUE — Natalie Bassett missed most of her wrestling season last year because of an injury.
The Montague senior is grateful to be back on the mat, especially for an event such as the second annual West Michigan Girls Showcase all-female tournament hosted Thursday at Montague High School.
The showcase has grown from around 100 individuals and around 30 teams in last year’s event to almost 150 competitors representing 46 high schools on Thursday.
This tournament featured 17 returning all-staters, including two defending state champions and two runners-up. The 135-pound weight class included six returning all-staters and two reigning state champs. Sixty-one of the wrestlers signed up for this year’s event are state-ranked.
Here are the placers in each weight class at the event:
100-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Madison Nieuwenhuis of Plainwell
2nd Place – Jasmine Sayan of Birch Run
3rd Place – Elayna Johns of Olivet
4th Place – Ava Pike of Manistee
5th Place – Alyssa Miller of Grand Haven
6th Place – Savannah Gerrans of Oakridge
1st Place Match
Madison Nieuwenhuis (Plainwell) won by tech fall over Jasmine Sayan (Birch Run) (TF 23-8)
3rd Place Match
Elayna Johns (Olivet) won by fall over Ava Pike (Manistee) (Fall 2:19)
5th Place Match
Alyssa Miller (Grand Haven) won by fall over Savannah Gerrans (Oakridge) (Fall 2:38)
105-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Dannielle Christian of Standish Sterling Central
2nd Place – Brisa Sandoval of West Ottawa
3rd Place – Summer Cook of Manton
4th Place – Genevieve Hansen of Manistee
5th Place – Justice Hill of Holton
6th Place – Halle Stout of Caledonia
1st Place Match
Dannielle Christian (Standish Sterling Central) won by fall over Brisa Sandoval (West Ottawa) (Fall 0:31)
3rd Place Match
Summer Cook (Manton) won by fall over Genevieve Hansen (Manistee) (Fall 3:29)
5th Place Match
Justice Hill (Holton) won by fall over Halle Stout (Caledonia) (Fall 0:39)
110-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Savannah Winkleblack of Montague
2nd Place – Nyvaeh Wendt of Mason County Central
3rd Place – Avery Lynch of Plainwell
4th Place – Anna Pontzious of Utica Eisenhower
5th Place – Gracie Murphy of Whittemore Prescott
6th Place – Chloe Colton of Manton
1st Place Match
Savannah Winkleblack (Montague) won by decision over Nyvaeh Wendt (Mason County Central) (Dec 9-3)
3rd Place Match
Avery Lynch (Plainwell) won by decision over Anna Pontzious (Utica Eisenhower) (Dec 3-2)
5th Place Match
Gracie Murphy (Whittemore Prescott) won by decision over Chloe Colton (Manton) (Dec 5-3)
115-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Isabella Crompton of Frankfort
2nd Place – Grace Pontzious of Utica Eisenhower
3rd Place – Gabrielle Murphy of Whittemore Prescott
4th Place – Kaydence Vesper of Holland
5th Place – Gracey Barry of Grand Haven
6th Place – Moira Martz of Kingsley
1st Place Match
Isabella Crompton (Frankfort) won by fall over Grace Pontzious (Utica Eisenhower) (Fall 0:54)
3rd Place Match
Gabrielle Murphy (Whittemore Prescott) won by decision over Kaydence Vesper (Holland) (Dec 14-8)
5th Place Match
Gracey Barry (Grand Haven) won by decision over Moira Martz (Kingsley) (Dec 7-0)
120-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Drew Swihart of Hanover-Horton
2nd Place – Kristyn Nelson of Pine River
3rd Place – Maritza Rodriguez of West Ottawa
4th Place – Tess Saldivar of East Kentwood
5th Place – Elia Ruiz of Fennville
6th Place – Madelynne Sterly of Pine River
1st Place Match
Drew Swihart (Hanover-Horton) won by fall over Kristyn Nelson (Pine River) (Fall 0:38)
3rd Place Match
Maritza Rodriguez (West Ottawa) won by fall over Tess Saldivar (East Kentwood) (Fall 2:14)
5th Place Match
Elia Ruiz (Fennville) won by decision over Madelynne Sterly (Pine River) (Dec 16-13)
125-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Drew Swihart of Hanover-Horton
2nd Place – Kristyn Nelson of Pine River
3rd Place – Maritza Rodriguez of West Ottawa
4th Place – Tess Saldivar of East Kentwood
5th Place – Elia Ruiz of Fennville
6th Place – Madelynne Sterly of Pine River
1st Place Match
Drew Swihart (Hanover-Horton) won by fall over Kristyn Nelson (Pine River) (Fall 0:38)
3rd Place Match
Maritza Rodriguez (West Ottawa) won by fall over Tess Saldivar (East Kentwood) (Fall 2:14)
5th Place Match
Elia Ruiz (Fennville) won by decision over Madelynne Sterly (Pine River) (Dec 16-13)
130-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Emma Donovan of Forest Hills Eastern
2nd Place – Chelsea Roach of Cass City
3rd Place – Carly Cowles of Whittemore Prescott
4th Place – Kaitlynn Heck of West Ottawa
5th Place – Amelia Diaz of East Kentwood
6th Place – Ashley Silva of Holland
1st Place Match
Emma Donovan (Forest Hills Eastern) won by decision over Chelsea Roach (Cass City) (Dec 7-3)
3rd Place Match
Carly Cowles (Whittemore Prescott) won by fall over Kaitlynn Heck (West Ottawa) (Fall 1:14)
5th Place Match
Amelia Diaz (East Kentwood) won by fall over Ashley Silva (Holland) (Fall 1:10)
135-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Caylynn Chandler of Birch Run
2nd Place – Danni Swihart of Hanover-Horton
3rd Place – Jacey Barnabei of Gabriel Richard Catholic
4th Place – Emma Pendell of Montague
5th Place – Serenity Hayes of Whittemore Prescott
6th Place – Raven Aldridge of Clinton
1st Place Match
Caylynn Chandler (Birch Run) won by fall over Danni Swihart (Hanover-Horton) (Fall 4:31)
3rd Place Match
Jacey Barnabei (Gabriel Richard Catholic) won by decision over Emma Pendell (Montague) (Dec 4-0)
5th Place Match
Serenity Hayes (Whittemore Prescott) won in sudden victory – 1 over Raven Aldridge (Clinton) (SV-1 4-2)
140-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Mackenna Webster of Bronson
2nd Place – Jessica Martinez of West Catholic
3rd Place – Sienna Tovar of Jackson
4th Place – MacKenzie Maka of Allendale
5th Place – Ava Pelton of Montague
6th Place – Sophia Vargas of West Ottawa
1st Place Match
Mackenna Webster (Bronson) won by fall over Jessica Martinez (West Catholic) (Fall 1:09)
3rd Place Match
Sienna Tovar (Jackson) won by major decision over MacKenzie Maka (Allendale) (Maj 16-4)
5th Place Match
Ava Pelton (Montague) won by decision over Sophia Vargas (West Ottawa) (Dec 7-1)
145-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Maddison Ward of Brandywine
2nd Place – Abby Vanderzwaag of West Ottawa
3rd Place – Aeronna Walther of Standish Sterling Central
4th Place – Maya Hambrock of Fremont
5th Place – Kayleigh Brown of Thornapple Kellogg
6th Place – Shaelyn Vyner of Whittemore Prescott
1st Place Match
Maddison Ward (Brandywine) won by fall over Abby Vanderzwaag (West Ottawa) (Fall 0:45)
3rd Place Match
Aeronna Walther (Standish Sterling Central) won by medical forfeit over Maya Hambrock (Fremont) (MFF)
5th Place Match
Kayleigh Brown (Thornapple Kellogg) won by fall over Shaelyn Vyner (Whittemore Prescott) (Fall 4:12)
155-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Maddie Hayden of Caledonia
2nd Place – Carlee Osborn of Marcellus
3rd Place – Lillian Pylman of Pine River
4th Place – Aliyah Schalk of Standish Sterling Central
5th Place – Paige Willman of Frankfort
6th Place – Kendra Agar of Pine River
1st Place Match
Maddie Hayden (Caledonia) won by fall over Carlee Osborn (Marcellus) (Fall 3:23)
3rd Place Match
Lillian Pylman (Pine River) won in sudden victory – 1 over Aliyah Schalk (Standish Sterling Central) (SV-1 4-2)
5th Place Match
Paige Willman (Frankfort) won by fall over Kendra Agar (Pine River) (Fall 1:17)
170-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Isabelle Wiesnbaugh of Grand Haven
2nd Place – Makayla Gowell of Manton
3rd Place – LeAnna Zavala of West Ottawa 4th Place - London Crossley of Whittemore Prescott 5th Place - Mikayla Hartline of Hartford 6th Place - Memory Sylvester of Marcellus 1st Place Match Isabelle Wiesnbaugh (Grand Haven) won by decision over Makayla Gowell (Manton) (Dec 5-4) 3rd Place Match LeAnna Zavala (West Ottawa) won by fall over London Crossley (Whittemore Prescott) (Fall 4:49)
5th Place Match
Mikayla Hartline (Hartford) won by fall over Memory Sylvester (Marcellus) (Fall 2:07)
190-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Gabriella Allen of Marcellus
2nd Place – Kiersten DeHaan of Caledonia
3rd Place – Paige Reynolds of East Kentwood
4th Place – Abbie McMurray of Wayland
5th Place – Violet Potter of Lake City
6th Place – Kylie Williams of Olivet
1st Place Match
Gabriella Allen (Marcellus) won by fall over Kiersten DeHaan (Caledonia) (Fall 2:58)
3rd Place Match
Paige Reynolds (East Kentwood) won by fall over Abbie McMurray (Wayland) (Fall 3:27)
5th Place Match
Violet Potter (Lake City) won by fall over Kylie Williams (Olivet) (Fall 2:52)
235-POUND WEIGHT CLASS
1st Place – Isabel Anaya of West Ottawa
2nd Place – Braelyn Flemming of Spring Lake
3rd Place – Brianna Preston of Olivet
4th Place – Mackenzie Wilt of Brandywine
Round 1
Isabel Anaya (West Ottawa) won by fall over Mackenzie Wilt (Brandywine) (Fall 0:30)
Braelyn Flemming (Spring Lake) won by fall over Brianna Preston (Olivet) (Fall 1:18)
Round 2
Isabel Anaya (West Ottawa) won by fall over Brianna Preston (Olivet) (Fall 1:17)
Braelyn Flemming (Spring Lake) won by fall over Mackenzie Wilt (Brandywine) (Fall 0:13)
Round 3
Isabel Anaya (West Ottawa) won by major decision over Braelyn Flemming (Spring Lake) (Maj 16-8)
Brianna Preston (Olivet) won by fall over Mackenzie Wilt (Brandywine) (Fall 1:32)
Here is a video with a few highlights and a lot of reaction from Bassett as well as Montague teammate Ava Pelton, plus Wildcats coach Kris Maddox:
Here are comments from Montague coach Kris Maddox on the event:
“Today was so much bigger that just wrestling. Today was a great opportunity for the ladies of Michigan to display how far they have come in the sport. These women are the fearless, the hard-working, dedicated women who are building this sport from the roots. As one of, if not the fastest growing, sports in the country, Montague High School brought the largest all-girls tournament (only second to the MHSAA state finals) to our community.
“It really didn’t hit me until you asked about that and I realized what small-town West Michigan Montague is doing. I love every second of it. It was great to see these girls on their own stage being able to display their efforts. As we started running the numbers of state placers and ranked wrestlers, it was really something special. What was even more impressive was these young, talented freshmen coming up and really battling these upperclassmen. Some of these weights featured soon-to-be state champions.
“I extremely proud of all who help make this possible: Our athletic director Jay Mulder, our coaches from the youth to the high school, our parent volunteers, our boys for working the tables and our community for representing so well.
“Our girls competed strong; however, we have room to grow and today we were able to see some of those areas that we need to improve on. Our effort was there, but we need to learn to make better adjustments and not fall into our old habits. Those old habits are beginning to not work as the girls in general get better. That’s a testament to these coaches throughout the state. I don’t think half these girls in our area realize how awesome this sport can be or is going to be.”
