The Saline wrestling team saw nearly half the wrestlers it sent to individual districts qualify for last Saturday's regionals in Novi.
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At regionals, the Hornets got rid of the "nearly."
Three of the six Hornets competing are on their way to the state individual tournament, led by senior Bryce Rajabian, who improved his record to 32-1 by winning the 215-pound regional championship.
"No one really knew about Bryce at the beginning of the season," said coach Scott Marvin, noting that Rajabian missed most of the 2005-2006 season because of injury. "The kids at state are going to be tough. But anybody can win it."
Rajabian got a measure of revenge by winning the 215 final in a 5-2 decision over Shamir Garcia of Westland John Glenn. Garcia had dealt Rajabian his only loss of the season Dec. 16, but this time, Marvin said, the senior "controlled the match" and won going away.
Rajabian's opponent in the 215 semifinals was even more familiar than Garcia. It was his teammate, junior Nick Barnett. Just as they had at districts, the two met in the semifinals after Barnett won an opening-round 2-0 decision over Osama Ayad of Dearborn Fordson.
Just as at districts, Rajabian prevailed –– this time by 9-4 decision –– to advance to the final. But, as at districts, Barnett rebounded, punching his ticket to state by eliminating Justin Yates of Woodhaven 3-2 in a double overtime thriller.
"I hope they meet in the semis again," Marvin said of his pair of 215-pounders. "I'm happy for Nick. He's only gotten a few matches here and there (while Rajabian wrestled at 215), so he's had to keep up his intensity and it has paid off. It's going to be great to have a state qualifier coming back next year."
The Hornets' other state qualifier, as expected, was senior heavyweight Joey Everett. Everett qualified for the state meet in 2006 as well, but had to take the long road to advance after losing his first-round match to Sean Lathrup of Lincoln Park.
Everett would take third place anyway, pinning wrestlers from Southgate-Anderson and Dearborn-Fordson to clinch a state berth before facing Mike Martin of Detroit Catholic Central. Martin had edged Everett in districts just a week earlier, but this time the Saline senior won 5-2, a victory that Marvin believes will "give him some confidence going into state."
"There's not a person in the weight class Joey hasn't beaten," he said.
Also competing for Saline at Novi were seniors Aaron Nagy (135), Brent Greene (160), and Ean Pokryfky (171). Greene's 11-3 defeat of John Glenn's Scott Brown put him within one match of state, but he was unable to defeat Darin Tims of Woodhaven.
Nagy and Pokryfky went winless, but Marvin said that had more to do with the quality of their opponents than any mistakes on their part.
"All our guys wrestled their butts off," Marvin said. "Those are just some tough, tough classes to win in."
The difficulty will be high at state as well, but Marvin said if his wrestlers take it one match at a time, the sky would be the limit.
"We just want to focus on that first match," he said. "You know that everyone there is going to be a good wrestler. Anybody can beat anybody. Anybody can win it."
The individual state meet will be at the Palace at Auburn Hills March 8-10.
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