Macomb County

Roseville wrestling team's road ends in loss in state quarters

By Jason Carmel Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Erin Sanchez The Roseville High wrestling squad had its season come to an end Feb. 24 in a 73-3 quarterfinal loss to Detroit Catholic Central at the team state finals.Pictured earlier this season is Roseville's Jeff Fresch. Photo by Erin Sanchez The Roseville High wrestling squad had its season come to an end Feb. 24 in a 73-3 quarterfinal loss to Detroit Catholic Central at the team state finals.Pictured earlier this season is Roseville's Jeff Fresch.

BATTLE CREEK —  After the Panthers won a second straight regional title Feb. 15, Roseville High wrestling coach Davon Gray joked his squad needed to avoid Novi Detroit Catholic Central in the state finals if they wanted to have a shot at winning.

That proved true when Catholic Central  downed Roseville 73-3 in a Division 1 state quarterfinal Feb. 24 to move on to the state semifinals of the team dual tournament held at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena.

Roseville, the eighth seed in the Division 1 quarterfinals, finishes the season with a 13-16 record.

Catholic Central, the top seed in D-1, improved its record to 23-3.

Roseville 119-pound senior Doug Zundel scored the Panthers' only points in a three-round, 9-4 decision. The win gave Zundel a 39-5 record on the season.

Panthers 140-pound senior Kirk Wawrzyniak (45-4) lost a heartbreaker, 3-2, in double overtime.

Catholic Central recorded 10 pins in the 14-match bout for 60 of its 73 points.

The two teams met in last year's state quarters, with the Shamrocks besting Roseville 67-7. Catholic Central went on to finish second in the 2011 tournament. The Shamrocks won it all in 2010.

The loss ends the team portion of the Panthers' season. Roseville grapplers Zundel, Wawrzyniak and 189-pounder John Potestato (28-20) all qualified for the individual finals, set for March 1-3 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Zundel opens the individual finals opens against Grand Blanc's Jacob Carley (17-9).

Wawrzyniak meets Temperance Bedford's Al Regnier 38-11, while Potestato looks to improve his record when he opens with Battle Creek Lakeview's Rodney Harvey (52-2).

Check back for updates and coverage of the individual finals.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jason Carmel Davis at jdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1107. Follow Jason Carmel on Twitter.