My City January 2022

ASST. COACH MANDO GUITERREZ

LakeVille graduate Nate Young (141 pounds) was second at the Hawks Invitational. e two-time state quali- er was seventh in the Division 3 state tournament as a senior and nished with a 147-32 record. Others on the roster are Durand graduate Gabe Fielder (141/149), North Branch’s Gavin Cotterman (133) and Miguel Gutierrez (157),

quali ed for the national champion- ships again the next season. Winston Ru„n, a 1998 state champion and four-time state med- alist for Montrose High School, then asked Ward to remain with the program as his assistant. He helped Ru„n guide the Bears to third in

“I love wrestling and love giving back to the sport, so the oppor- tunity to become a head coach has been a blessing.” Aaron Ward

the Michigan Community College Athletic Association tournament and 22nd of 35 teams in the NJCAA Na- tional Championships last season. Kemper, who went 3-2 in the tour- ney, was one of ve national quali ers. A three-time state medalist with more than 150 career wins, Kemper was also third in the MCCAA tournament. He wrestled unattached in the Ben McMullen Open in November and placed third at 149 pounds.

who wrestled for Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville, IL. Fielder, a Division 3 state quali er, nished with a 103-43 high school mark. “We should be better next season with all weight classes being lled and our re- turning guys helping mentor the rst-year guys,” says Ward, now a father of two. “If we train like we can and peak at the right time, I truly believe we have three or four potential All-Americans and can make the top ten in the national tournament.” ®

a Flint native who wrestled for Kears- ley, were expecting a daughter. at, coupled with a desire to re- sume wrestling, brought Ward to Mott in the fall of 2018. As a club team, Mott was a member of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association and Ward nished eighth at NCWA National Championships that season, becoming an All-Ameri- can. He also won a conference title and

51