Chips join Mid-Michigan Wrestling

MANISTEE — Not long ago, the Manistee High School wrestling team had a reputation for being tough, but real short on numbers. However, that all changed when a new co-op was formed last year with Onekama, Bear Lake and Manistee Catholic Central.

In his first year as Manistee coach last season, Chris Codden walked into meets and heard, “You got six kids again?”  His response was: “No, we’ve got a full team. We’ve got everybody.”

The co-op breathed new life and additional wrestlers into the Manistee program, which filled out a lot more weight classes last season than in recent years.  “It surprised a lot of people,” Codden said. “I think last year was just the beginning. We have many years to go, and each year it’s going to get better.”

Codden said he had about 60 people sign up this season between the four schools.  “The numbers look good,” he said.

As the Manistee wrestling program expands in numbers, it’s also growing in scope. This season, the Division 2 Chippewas will be part of the Mid-Michigan Wrestling Conference, along with Division 1 Traverse City Central, Division 3 schools Benzie Central and Kingsley and Division 4 schools Fife Lake Forest Area, Frankfort, Pine River, Mancelona and Manton.

“The more individual teams we can get into a conference, the better,” said MHS athletic director Steve Ward. “So, we jumped at the chance.”
Codden said he’s thankful that a deal was reached to get his team into the conference.

“It means a lot to not only me, but it means a lot to the kids, because now we have some identity,” he said. “It means we have a little bit more to look forward to. We have something we can go after, as far as a conference championship.”