HART – Shelby sent three individual athletes to the regional tournament in Hart over the weekend, advancing two to the state finals.
Brody Fessenden and Jaylin Henderson escaped the district tournament, despite both competing in the 157-pound weight class. Unfortunately, the same didn’t happen on Saturday, Feb. 15 at regionals.
Henderson dominated his first match of the day with an opponent from Ogemaw Heights, earning a pin after just 30 seconds. Fessenden didn’t pin his first opponent from Grayling, but he did win by 10-2 major decision.
1-0 records to start advanced both to the champions bracket, where they needed just one more win to qualify for the state finals. However, Fessenden and Henderson found themselves on the same side of the bracket, meaning only one would qualify, sending the other to the blood round.
That didn’t stop Henderson and Fessenden from having a bit of fun.
In perhaps one of the highest scoring wrestling matches of the year, both Shelby wrestlers donned smiles as they took turns exchanging points. It wasn’t until the score reached 27-27 that Fessenden took a fall, allowing Henderson to take the win by pin and earn a state finals appearance.
Fessenden headed to the consolation bracket, faced with a blood round that would either see him a state qualifier or eliminated entirely. Fessenden had control of his consolation match from the jump, taking his time and ultimately holding on to a win by 7-1 decision.
Both Fessenden and Henderson moved on to the finals with Henderson competing for first, and Fessenden for third.
Henderson fell in the first place match, leaving him in second place and with a 47-7 record heading into the state finals. Fessenden (45-11) won his third place match, winning by medical forfeit.
Juan Brito (120-lbs.) was the final Shelby wrestler who made it to regionals. Brito didn’t have his best day, losing by technical fall in his first match before getting pinned to finish his day. Brito – who finished his season at 32-20 – looked to have his second match under control, leading 12-6 in the third and final round. Brito saw momentum shift with just 17 seconds left as his opponent from Cheboygan got on top and earned a pin in the final seconds.
Henderson and Fessenden will compete at Ford Field in Detroit for the D3 individual state finals Friday, Feb. 28.
