St. Clair Shores, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Farmington, Farmington Hills

Wrestlers battle for state title at The Palace

By Christian Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Patricia O'Blenes Rochester High's Shwan Shadaia, right, prepares to take on Clarkston High's Chris Calvano in a Division 1 state championship match. Shadaia won 4-3. Photo by Patricia O'Blenes Rochester High's Shwan Shadaia, right, prepares to take on Clarkston High's Chris Calvano in a Division 1 state championship match. Shadaia won 4-3.

AUBURN HILLS — The top wrestlers in the state battled for the ultimate title March 2 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

In Division 1, Rochester High's Shwan Shadaia beat Clarkston High's Chris Calvano 4-3 to become the school's second state champion in history.

"It's awesome, just the title itself makes me happy. I'm a state champion," the 189-pounder said.

Shadaia's escape with 11 seconds remaining in the match proved to be the difference.

"I had the ability to just circle and circle (around the mat), so I used that to my advantage," he said.

At 103 pounds, Farmington Hills Harrison's Michael Volyanyuk fell to Holt High's Benny Gomez by pin with 35 seconds left in the first round.

"He caught me in the cradle early in the match, but I had a good run," Volyanyuk said.

At 145, Birmingham Brother Rice's Andrew Napieraj lost to Westland John Glenn's Travis Mann in a 10-4 decision.

After a scoreless first period, Napieraj took a 1-0 lead with an escape early in the second, but two takedowns and two nearfalls cost him.

"It was a misstep here, a misstep there," Napieraj said. "It was a great experience and another steppingstone."

In D-2, St. Clair Shores Lake Shore 125-pounder JacQuan Moore fell one match short of becoming a state champion.

Moore was pinned with 52 seconds left in his match with St. John's Zack Hall, who captured his third straight title.

"I knew he was no joke. He's a three-time champ for a reason," said Moore, who became the first two-time state placer in program history. "But just by getting this far shows me how much hard work pays off."

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1062. Follow Christian on Twitter.