If Catholic Central is going to successfully defend its Division 1 state championship, it will need a lot of newcomers to replace all the wrestlers lost to graduation and transfer.  I had the pleasure to meet with five wrestlers hoping to make an impact in their first year as varsity “A” wrestlers.

   “I was born to be a wrestler” laughed Malik Amine.  His grandfather was a wrestler.  His father and two uncles were wrestlers, and his cousin and younger brother are wrestlers.  So, at age 6, Malik began to fulfill his destiny.  He has been very successful to date, placing at several national tournaments including 8^th at the Ohio Tournament of Champions, and 6^th at the Grappler Fall Classic.

  When choosing which high school to attend, Malik had more to consider than the typical freshman.  Although his father and uncles wrestled for Catholic Central, one of his uncles is head coach for Brighton’s wrestling team.  In the end, it was the excellent academics and success his relatives had at DCC that convinced him.

   Malik has set his goals high.  He wants to be a four-time state champion and help his team win four more state titles.  He plans to wrestle in college and wants to attend either Cornell or a Big Ten school, and earn an MBA.

  Zack Colone had no interest in wrestling, but in eighth grade a friend convinced him to give it a try.  Zack quickly fell in love with the sport and joined the DCC team.  He made the varsity “B” team last season and posted an impressive 27-6 record.  Now in his junior year he wants to play a key role in leading the Shamrocks to a state title.  Individually, he is hoping to place at the state tournament this year and win a state championship next year.

  Zack definitely plans to attend college and earn an MBA, but he has no preference as to which university to attend at this time.  He would also love to continue wrestling in college.

  Riley Hanson is the son of a wrestler, and began his training in fourth grade.  He has been a member of Team Michigan and has placed at state and national tournaments.  He was thinking he would attend public high school in Howell, but the economic difficulties for that school district forced his mother to find a job elsewhere.  She now works at Catholic Central so that made the high school decision easy.

  As a freshman, Riley was a member of the varsity “B” team, where he went 33-11 and won the Catholic League championship.  He hopes to be a three-time individual and four-time team state champion.  Hanson wants to wrestle for a Division 1 program after high school and plans to pursue a degree in Industrial Design.

  Freshmen Logan Marcicki and Drew Garcia are close friends and have parallel goals and aspirations.  Logan was inspired to wrestle at a very early age because that’s what his older brother did.  Drew saw how much fun and success his friend was having, so at 6 years old he decided to wrestle as well.  The two have been inseparable since.  At first, Drew’s parents were not supportive of his wrestling, but they soon changed their stance.

  Logan and Drew competed throughout their childhood, winning multiple state titles in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco.  Both have been successful at the national level.  Their parents had always planned to send them to private school and were considering both Flint Powers and Catholic Central.  They chose DCC because of the school’s excellence in academics and wrestling.

  Their goals are virtually identical.   Four-time individual and team state champs, and Fargo National Champions.  They want to wrestle for a top Division 1 University, preferably a Big Ten school.  Logan wants to attain his MBA and Drew is still undecided about his career path.