The 2016-17 wrestling season is just a couple months away and the Brighton Varsity Schedule is finalized.  This year's schedule will feature the same top notch competition that Bulldog fans are accustomed to, with events all over the state.

 

The KLAA conference schedule will continue to be filled with tests as the KLAA stands as the elite wrestling conference in the state of Michigan.  Most notably on the conference schedule is a KLAA West showdown with returning state champs Hartland, at Hartland, on January 25th.  The conference season wraps with the loaded 24-team KLAA Conference Championships on February 4th in Howell.

 

"Our conference is by far the best wrestling conference in the state and this year will be no different with returning state champs Hartland, as well as a few other programs that are very strong and continue to get better," said Head Coach Tony Greathouse.  "However, we build the schedule with the goal to test our guys throughout the season with tough non-conference competition so that we can be exposed to the best teams and wrestlers from all over the state from different divisions so that we can be battle tested and ready to go when the post-season rolls around."

 

The Varsity team will open the season at home on a Friday night against a strong program from Ohio when Northmont High School travels to the Dog Pound on December 9th.

 

The home schedule will also include the annual Manning Vieau Invitational on Saturday, December 17th consisting of 10 teams in an extremely competitive dual meet format.  The Manning Vieaa Invite will include state ranked D2 teams DeWitt, Eaton Rapids, and Goodrich, along with returning D1 Quarterfinalists Grand Ledge, who beat the Dogs in the Regional Finals last season.  

 

Rounding out the Home schedule is an Alumni Night quad on Wednesday, December 21st where all Brighton Wrestling Alumni are invited back to the Dog Pound to be recognized, and then Senior Night on January 11th where we will honor the senior class.

 

"I am really excited to have 4 home events this year, our home tournament is tougher than ever and a Friday night home dual against a solid Ohio program is a great way to start the year," said Greathouse

 

The non-conference schedule is highlighted by a spotlight matchup at Jenison Fieldhouse on the campus of MIchigan State University where the Dogs will battle Division 3 Powerhouse Richmond before the Spartans take on Rutgers on Sunday, January 29th.

 

"As a MSU alum, it is exremely exciting to get to take our team to East Lansing and it is a great opportunity for them to compete on a Big Ten stage.  We have a lot of wrestlers with aspirations of wrestling at the college level someday so it will be cool for them to compete at that level," said Greathouse.  "We wrestled at MSU two years ago against Lowell and it was an amazing experience and I expect a simliiar atmosphere this year against one of our states most tradition rich programs in Richmond."

 

Another big non-conference test will come on December 14th when Brighton will travel to Lake Fenton to take on the returning D3 State Semifinalists.

 

A new event on the 16-17 schedule is the DCC Super Duals on January 14th in Novi which features top teams from Michigan including D1 #1 DCC and #3 Davison along with out-of-state powerhouse programs as well. 

 

The Dogs will also travel to the Grandville Challenge on December 10th and the Williamston Classic on January 21st for big time individual tournament tests.

 

The post-season march begins on February 8th with Team Districts and February 11th with Individual Districts.

 

VARSITY A SCHEDULE

(Note some times are tentative and may change)

12/9 - vs Northmont (OH), 6:30pm

12/10 - @ Grandville Challenge, 9:00am

12/14 - @ Lake Fenton, 5:30pm

12/17 - Manning Vieau Invitational, 9:00am

12/21 - vs South Lyon, Franklin, & Walled Lake Central, 5:30pm (ALUMNI NIGHT)

1/7 - @ Grand Haven Duals

1/11 - vs Pinckney & Milford, 5:30pm (Senior Night)

1/14 - @ CC Super Duals, 9:00am

1/18 - vs Howell & Grand Blanc @ Howell, 5:30pm

1/21 - @ Williamston Classic, 9:00am

1/25 - @ Hartland, 5:30pm

1/29 - vs Richmond @ Michigan State, 10:00am

2/1 - KLAA Cross-Over @ TBD, 5:30pm

2/4 - KLAA Championships @ Howell, 9:00am

2/8 - Team Districts @ TBD

2/11 - Individual Districts @ TBD

2/15 - Team Regionals @ TBD

2/18 - Individual Regionals @ TBD

2/24 - Team Quarterfinals @ Central MIchigan

2/25 - Team Semifinals & Finals @ Central Michigan

3/2-3/5 - Individual State Championships @ Auburn Hills