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ALGONAC — This won't be the first time coach Brian Ranger has taken the Algonac High School wrestling team to the MHSAA state finals.
The Muskrats were there in 2023, when they reached the Division 3 state semifinals. But what Algonac didn't foresee was a three-year wait to return.
"I don't think we quite realized what we had accomplished and how hard it is to get there," Ranger said. "The last two years ended in heartbreak. We lost to Yale by one point last year (in the regional finals) ... we lost to them by three the year before (in the same round).
"So, we still feel like we've been one of the better teams the last couple of years, we've just nearly missed out on getting back."
Now, Ranger has one message for his team — don't take it for granted.
The Muskrats will meet Eaton Rapids in a Division 2 state quarterfinal at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27, at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. The winner advances to Saturday's state semifinal against Three Rivers or Freeland.
"It's exciting — a relief, I guess — to get back (to the state finals)," Ranger said. "We're just really grateful that we get to showcase this community to the whole state."
They'll showcase a starting lineup that looks vastly different from 2025.
"We actually graduated seven seniors — six of them that were at (the individual state finals) — last year," Ranger said. "So, a lot of guys are new to the starting lineup and have sort of exceeded expectations. "We replaced (those seniors) with a tough kid in every weight (class). I feel like this year's (group) is a little bit more balanced from top to bottom."
MORE: Yale wrestling subdues Richmond, clinches MHSAA regional championship
Leading the way are Julian Walker (165 pounds) and Vince Finn (132 pounds), both which won their respective individual regional championships last week.
Five other boys also qualified for the individual state finals — Trevor Jarvi (215 pounds), Andrew Brown (175 pounds), Nate Clemons (150 pounds), Christian Brown (126 pounds) and Jack Reyes (113 pounds) — while Jasmine Walker (140 pounds) earned a girls regional title.
"We tried to wrestle a tough schedule to prepare for this moment," Ranger said.
One of the more arduous matchups came in the district semifinal round, where Algonac held off St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 60-40.
"That was a team I was really worried about," Ranger said. "(Lake Shore) had six state qualifiers. So, it was probably the best team they've ever had. We got them pretty good at districts, just because we wrestled well, but we weren't looking past anyone."
The Muskrats won't look past anything, frankly, once they arrive in Kalamazoo. Ranger doesn't want a repeat of 2023.
"Even last time, myself, I was more concerned about the matchups, the coin toss, winning the dual meet and not really enjoying it as much," Ranger said. "I didn't take a lot pictures with my family. I didn't march around the arena with my kids — I was just too focused on the winning part.
"So, we're not even really talking about winning or losing right now — just effort, enthusiasm, gratitude and soaking that up with their teammates, families and coaches. It's a great reward for the hard work they've put in."
The longtime coach was once in their shoes, having wrestled for Richmond's Division 3 state championship team in 2002. Come Friday, he'll join them in one of the event's hallmark traditions.
"The grand march," Ranger said. "It was always something, as an athlete, that's very special. (You get) goosebumps … you hear the music, walk around with your whole team, (see) the banners — that's probably the coolest thing to me."
Contact Brenden Welper at [email protected]. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @BrendenWelper.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Algonac wrestling cherishing first state finals berth since '23
Continue reading...
The Muskrats were there in 2023, when they reached the Division 3 state semifinals. But what Algonac didn't foresee was a three-year wait to return.
"I don't think we quite realized what we had accomplished and how hard it is to get there," Ranger said. "The last two years ended in heartbreak. We lost to Yale by one point last year (in the regional finals) ... we lost to them by three the year before (in the same round).
"So, we still feel like we've been one of the better teams the last couple of years, we've just nearly missed out on getting back."
Now, Ranger has one message for his team — don't take it for granted.
The Muskrats will meet Eaton Rapids in a Division 2 state quarterfinal at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27, at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. The winner advances to Saturday's state semifinal against Three Rivers or Freeland.
"It's exciting — a relief, I guess — to get back (to the state finals)," Ranger said. "We're just really grateful that we get to showcase this community to the whole state."
They'll showcase a starting lineup that looks vastly different from 2025.
"We actually graduated seven seniors — six of them that were at (the individual state finals) — last year," Ranger said. "So, a lot of guys are new to the starting lineup and have sort of exceeded expectations. "We replaced (those seniors) with a tough kid in every weight (class). I feel like this year's (group) is a little bit more balanced from top to bottom."
MORE: Yale wrestling subdues Richmond, clinches MHSAA regional championship
Leading the way are Julian Walker (165 pounds) and Vince Finn (132 pounds), both which won their respective individual regional championships last week.
Five other boys also qualified for the individual state finals — Trevor Jarvi (215 pounds), Andrew Brown (175 pounds), Nate Clemons (150 pounds), Christian Brown (126 pounds) and Jack Reyes (113 pounds) — while Jasmine Walker (140 pounds) earned a girls regional title.
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"We tried to wrestle a tough schedule to prepare for this moment," Ranger said.
One of the more arduous matchups came in the district semifinal round, where Algonac held off St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 60-40.
"That was a team I was really worried about," Ranger said. "(Lake Shore) had six state qualifiers. So, it was probably the best team they've ever had. We got them pretty good at districts, just because we wrestled well, but we weren't looking past anyone."
The Muskrats won't look past anything, frankly, once they arrive in Kalamazoo. Ranger doesn't want a repeat of 2023.
"Even last time, myself, I was more concerned about the matchups, the coin toss, winning the dual meet and not really enjoying it as much," Ranger said. "I didn't take a lot pictures with my family. I didn't march around the arena with my kids — I was just too focused on the winning part.
"So, we're not even really talking about winning or losing right now — just effort, enthusiasm, gratitude and soaking that up with their teammates, families and coaches. It's a great reward for the hard work they've put in."
The longtime coach was once in their shoes, having wrestled for Richmond's Division 3 state championship team in 2002. Come Friday, he'll join them in one of the event's hallmark traditions.
"The grand march," Ranger said. "It was always something, as an athlete, that's very special. (You get) goosebumps … you hear the music, walk around with your whole team, (see) the banners — that's probably the coolest thing to me."
Contact Brenden Welper at [email protected]. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @BrendenWelper.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Algonac wrestling cherishing first state finals berth since '23
Continue reading...
