HILLSDALE COUNTY — Hillsdale County grapplers got their first taste of dual action in Week 1 of the 2025-26 wrestling season.
The Hillsdale Hornets hosted a few local teams to compete in an opening season quad. In weekend action, grapplers from across the area competed in their first invitationals of the season, and several earned their first bracket trophies.
Hillsdale takes two at home quad
Hillsdale faced off against Homer (62-17 final) and Reading (50-19) in their home quad and won both duals.
Against Homer, Tate Ortiz (113), Meebun Sirplubpla (120), Jordon Calhoun (126), Oliver Hecket (132), Jude Slack (138), Brody Arnold (150), Colton Wolf (157), Talon Hugenall (175), Josh Herring (190), Ethan Ballard (215) and Ty Spratt (106) all earned wins.
Oliver Heckel had a pinfall over Krysten Stowe of Homer and Jordan Calhoun won a technical fall match of 16-0 over Caleb Fleming of Homer. Two big matches saw Brody Arnold beat Homer’s Collin Burkes via tech fall (17-2). Colton Wolf had a major decision win over Alexander DuBois (15-3).
Hillsdale then faced Reading, where Siriplubpla, Calhoun, Heckel, Arnold, Wolf, Hugenall, Herring, Spratt and Ortiz all recorded wins. Some of their highlight match wins included a 7-0 decision for Calhoun over Reading’s Carter Bell, a tech fall for Hugenall, 17-1, over Jaavaid McCarley of Reading and a pinfall win for Herring over Reading’s Brenner Mann.
Hillsdale wrestling completed its week with a trip to the annual Brandon Walker Memorial Invitational.
Tate Ortiz took second (113) to earn his first podium of the season. Ortiz Had a tech fall win and a 3-0 decision in the semifinal to make the finals match at 113.
Jude Slack earned fourth place at 132, winning two matches, one by pinfall, to make the semifinals.
Bringing home a podium victory at 144 was Brody Arnold. He earned two pinfall wins and then a tech fall of 18-2 to earn the first-place medal.
At 150, Colton Wolf took two fall wins on his way to the championship match, losing in a 3-1 decision but taking second overall.
Talon Hugenall took fourth in the 165-weight class. Hugenall won a major decision of 15-3 in the quarterfinals to earn his podium spot.
Josh Herring took fourth in 190 with an 18-1 fall in the quarterfinals.
Hillsdale heads to Jonesville and then the Sand Creek Holiday tournament in Week 2.
Jonesville athletes place on the podium in first invite
Jonesville started its 2025-26 season with two dual matches at the Hillsdale Quad.
Jonesville fell to Reading 40-27. Winning matches for Jonesville were Blake Ryan (126), Cole Graves (144), Max Young (165), George Managadze (175) and Briggs Baker (113). Highlights included Ryan’s tech fall win of 19-3 and Young’s pinfall win.
Jonesville concluded their first week of wrestling at the annual Concord Invitational.
Briggs Baker took second in his 113-weight class tournament, earning a total of three wins.
Senior Blake Ryan brought home the team’s first trophy of the season, a first-place finish at 120-pounds. Ryan took down four wrestlers on his way to the podium finish.
At 144, Rosiah Richardson and Cole graves took third and second, respectively. Along with Blayke Nichols, Jonesville had several contenders in this weight class, but Graves succeeded in making a finals appearance. Graves took runner-up after falling in the finals.
Max Young went through the consolation bracket to earn fourth place in the 165 weight class. This included a pinfall win and a tech fall win on his way to a podium finish.
At 190, Jeremy Stidham took fourth place. This included a pair of pinfall victories and a trip to the consolation finals.
Jonesville hosts Battle for M-99 in Week 2 against Hillsdale. The annual historic rivalry battle has been one of the top events of the wrestling season in Hillsdale County.
Reading earns podium finishes at Concord invitational
The Reading varsity wrestling team started its season with two duals at Hillsdale’s quad.
Reading faced Hillsdale in the second dual, losing 50-19 in points earned. Reid Westfall (132), Gavin Wright (157), Isaac Westfall (215) and Cayleb Wright (285) all earned wins for Reading. Westfall earned a 18-2 tech fall over Hillsdale’s Tucker Munsell, and Cayleb Wright earned a pinfall over Gage Rosenberry of Hillsdale.
Reading then faced former Big 8 rival Jonesville and won 40-27. Earning wins for the Rangers was Dakota Gray (132), Reid Westfall (138), Karter Poling (150), Gavin Wright (157), Brenner Mann (190), Isaac Westfall (215) and Cayleb Wright (285). Match highlights included pinfall wins for Reid Westfall, Poling, Mann and Wright.
Reading concluded its first week with a trip to the annual Concord Invitational.
Isaac Westfall took first place at 215. The returning state finalist from last season earned his first hardware of the season with three pinfall wins.
At 132, Reid Westfall took second place, losing a 6-2 decision in the championship duel. His victories including a 18-0 tech fall in the semifinals.
Gavin Wright went to the finals at 157, earning a sudden victory decision in the semifinals to make it there. Wright earned second place overall at the podium.
Cayleb Wright made an appearance in the 285 championship duel. Wright won via pinfall in the semifinals to advance to the finals, earning his first medal of the season with a second-place finish.
Reading heads to Coldwater on Saturday, Dec. 13 in Week 2 for their second invitational of the season.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale opens with two dual wins, grapplers win invitationals
Reporting by Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
