Lutheran Westland fares well
at its own tournament

BY CHARLES ROTHWELL
Jan. 18, 2010, 11:50 p.m.

  Lutheran Westland fell a couple matches shy of winning its team tournament on Saturday. The Warriors had their most complete line-up to date and started 4-0 before falling to tournament champions Birmingham Seaholm.

  Having perfect 5-0 records for the Warriors were Laith Francis (125 pounds), and Craig Kowalsky (189). Justin Palka (130) bumped up to 135 to challenge Livonia Churchill's regional qualifier, Jonny Bannoura, but Bannoura scored a takedown with six seconds left to hand Justin his only loss on the day. Sean Rowe (140) also went 4-1 for Lutheran Westland.

  Freshman Martin Kemp (171) made his wrestling debut and went 3-2 on the day. Martin is the younger brother of former all-state wrestlers Neil and Stephen Kemp, and had originally planned to play basketball for the Warriors. Martin's losses were to Churchill's returning state qualifier, Curtis Castleberry, and to Seaholm's Tyler Kerstetter.

  Warriors assistant coach Danny Haller was pleased with his team's performance and remarked that they had improved tremendously since the beginning of the season.

  Churchill was a last-minute substitution and only sent seven wrestlers because the rest of their wrestlers were committed to the Garden City novice tournament.

  Coach Mike Gaffke commented that it was nice to help out another local team in need, and also to get some matches for his upper classmen.

  Four Chargers had perfect 5-0 records: Jacob Meadows (112 pounds), Jonny Bannoura (135), Curtis Castleberry (171), and John Shekell (285). Castleberry was particularly impressive in recording five pins.

ROUND 1
Gabriel Richard 42, Livonia Churchill 22
Lutheran Westland 48, Inkster 30
Birmingham Seaholm 60, Willow Run 22

ROUND 2
Livonia Churchill 42, Inkster 18
Birmingham Seaholm 60, Gabriel Richard 18
Lutheran Westland 66, Willow Run 12

ROUND 3
Birmingham Seaholm 60, Inkster 18
Lutheran Westland 53, Livonia Churchill 21
Gabriel Richard 42, Willow Run 33

ROUND 4
Birmingham Seaholm 40, Livonia Churchill 36
Willow Run 36, Inkster 30
Lutheran Westland 46, Gabriel Richard 36

ROUND 5
Livonia Churchill 25, Willow Run 18
Birmingham Seaholm 48, Lutheran Westland 30
Gabriel Richard 48, Inkster 33