EMERALD SHINES AT PALACE: Gonzalez Wins 2!

AUBURN HILLS, Mich.---Manistique High School wrestler Tanner Gonzalez will wrestle for an MHSAA Division Four state championship on Saturday after he won quarterfinal and semifinal matches Friday at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Iron Mountain's Aaron Bolo (pictured below) lost his semifinal match.

Gonzalez will be the only Yooper to wrestle for a state championship, while Bolo will be in a third place match in his weight class.

Four other U.P. wrestlers will also be in consolation matches on Saturday.

There were 21 U.P. wrestlers who qualified for the state finals, but 15 of them had lost twice by the end of Friday afternoon's consolation rounds.

Once the dust settled Friday evening, the U.P. was down to two wrestlers in the spotlight.

Both Bolo and Gonzalez entered their semifinal matches with undefeated records, not only at the Palace, but for the entire season.

Bolo, at 189 pounds, was hurt twice during his Division Three match.

Once, it was a routine "blood" time out. The other time, he was flat on his back for a few moments before getting up. Bolo ended up losing to Colton McKiernan of Richmond High School, 13-3. It snapped his 41-match winning streak. McKiernan is now 47-4 for Richmond. Bolo will wrestle for third place Saturday afternoon at the Palace.

Gonzalez, at 160 pounds in Division Four, nearly had a pin at the end of the first period, but Carlos Garza of Hart High School was saved by the buzzer. Gonzalez avoided mistakes and cruised to his 45th straight victory, 9-3.

"I feel very grateful for my faith and my family," Gonzalez said. "They have helped me keep on this path. I've worked hard every day and it just feels great to be one match away from reaching a dream goal I have had for so many years."

"I always leave everything on the mat," he continued, "so I feel ready, and I am going to enjoy wrestling my final high school match."

And by the way, Friday was Gonzalez's birthday. He gave himself, and the Manistique High School, a huge present with his 8-5 win over Michael Buyen (Decatur HS) in the quarterfinals, and with his 9-3 victory over Garza in the semifinals.

So now, just like Munising's Hunter Sadler did a year ago at the Palace, Gonzalez will wrestle in prime time on Saturday. Gonzalez will face Jonathon Stid of Dansville (38-6) for the D-4 160-pound state championship at just before 5:00 p.m.

You can watch all of Saturday's matches on-line at www.mhsaa.tv.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos from the Gonzalez and Bolo semifinal matches, taken by Anne Truitt.

CLICK HERE to see all of the other results for the Upper Peninsula's wrestlers, plus another 84 pictures, taken by Anne Truitt.