By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

WARREN — Michigan’s high school wrestlers may not have an All-Star game like their counterparts who play baseball and football, but that doesn’t mean they’re missing out.

While grapplers may not get the thrill of playing at Comerica Park or Spartan Stadium for postseason exhibitions, they just might have something more memorable.

After the dual-meet and team portion of the season is over, grapplers who were rivals throughout the season gather together and become practice partners at elite workout sessions as they prepare for the individual state finals, which will be held March 6-8 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

And that’s something no other sport can boast.

“Individual practices are a little better because there’s a higher concentration of Macomb (County) and Warren studs,” said Warren Woods Tower senior 140-pounder and two-time state runner-up Brennan Brumley prior to a Feb. 26 practice featuring individuals from six different teams.

“You have higher-intensity practices. Everyone that goes to these practices has a mission that they’re trying to accomplish for themselves.”

These practice sessions are not only a who’s who of the mat, they also bring together the state’s top coaches, making these meetings the best collection of talent one can find outside of The Palace.

“Practicing against other regional qualifiers is very intense,” Madison Heights Lamphere coach Russ McKenzie said. “The speed and intensity of the practice goes up, and it carries over into the matches, because the matches at The Palace are the fastest of the year.

“There’s also the mental part of being around other champions. Going through it together, they make a bond and hang out together at The Palace, which is important because they don’t have all their teammates there.”

It’s in these practices that the elite work on all the little things — the things that can make the difference between a spot on the All-State podium and a seat in the stands on the final day of the wrestling season.

“You can come a long way in a week if you’re just focusing on one or two things,” Woods Tower wrestling coach Greg Mayer said.

“Certainly it’s hard to make drastic changes in the way they’re wrestling, but you can work on a lot of little things you didn’t have time to focus on during the season when you’re working with 35 guys.”

The only thing at a higher level than the talent at these practices may be the actual competition at the individual state finals at The Palace, and coaches have to reaffirm to their grapplers that they should remind themselves to have some fun while they’re at it.

After all, even if it isn’t an All-Star game, the wrestlers competing are all stars.

“They have earned the right to be there, and nobody can take that away from them,” Rochester Adams coach Mike Holtz said.

“If they can soak up as much of the experience as possible, then I think it’s special, regardless of how you wrestle.  You can say you are in the top 16 kids in your weight for the entire state. Not too many kids can say that.”

You can reach Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1029.