Demeuse, Bruce Finish 2nd At Marquette Challenge

MARQUETTE---Two dozen high school wrestling teams from across Michigan competed in the Marquette Challenge on Saturday.

While two western Michigan teams were at the top of the team standings, the Gladstone Braves made a strong showing with two wrestlers reaching the finals.

Gladstone junior Austin Demeuse (160 pounds) and freshman Adam Bruce (130 pounds) were the only Upper Peninsula wrestlers to make it to the finals. And while both lost under the spotlight inside the darkened Marquette High School Gym, their performances gave them confidence that they can make some noise this season.

Demeuse's trip to the finals was remarkable because he was seeded sixth in his weight class and needed to upset the second and third seeded wrestlers to make it to the finals.

Demeuse pinned Iron Mountain's Joe Comstock in 34 seconds, and then beat John Robinson of New Lothrop (pictured above), 15-6. In the semifinals, Demeuse pulled out a 7-6 win over Donald Jernigan of Roscommon. That put him in the finals against the state's top-ranked 160-pounder, Kameron Bush, of Grandville. Bush won, 13-2.

Bruce made his first varsity appearance a memorable one, as he made it to the finals of the 130-pound weight class. He opened with a pin of Grandville's Aiden Herrema in 3:01, and then pinned Escanaba's Ean Bevins (pictured below) in 3:04. In the semifinals, Bruce beat Tucker Fansler of Pine River, 4-0. That put Bruce into the finals in the evening.

Bruce went up against John Martin of Gaylord, and Martin won the championship match, 16-8, with Bruce finishing second. Escanaba's Bevins finished fifth.

Gladstone's Bobby Beauchamp also placed, finishing third at 145 pounds.

As a team, Gladstone finished eighth, with 80 points. The Braves had the highest score for an Upper Peninsula team. Sparta won with 200 points while Grandville took second with 199. Escanaba was eleventh overall with 64.5 points. Iron Mountain was 12th.

Other Upper Peninsula boys to place in their weight classes include:

119----Dylan Moffart, Iron Mountain, 4th Place.
135----Ian Brown, Menominee, 3rd Place.
145----Bobby Beauchamp, Gladstone, 3rd Place.
145----Scout Wunder, Escanaba, 5th Place.
152----Beau Caster, Marquette, 3rd Place.
171----Aaron Bolo, Iron Mountain, 4th Place.
171----Breyden Papineau, Escanaba, 6th Place.
189----Hunter Sadler, Munising, 3rd Place.
189----Brayden Fitzpatrick, Iron Mountain, 6th Place.
285----Chase Bouschor, Sault Ste. Marie, 3rd Place.
285----Mohammed Hocque, Escanaba, 5th Place.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Sheila Olsen.