Lakeview wrestling season ends in hardware-winning fashion

ST. CLAIR SHORES — St. Clair Shores Lakeview wrestling may not have qualified as a team for the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division I state finals, but their progress this season was nothing short of successful.

Lakeview, under first-year head coach Eric Julien, lost to Warren De La Salle Collegiate in the regional finals match on Feb. 15 at De La Salle High School to end their step-forward season.

While Lakeview missed an opportunity for a state finals berth for the team, they were able to walk away with one special win against Julien’s father, Rick Julien, who is the head coach of Fraser.

“The kids were definitely aware when we talked about it,” Julien said. “They knew the situation, and they knew that I had never beaten them before.”

Lakeview senior Joseph Trupiano secured the win for Lakeview, earning the victory in the final match to advance past Fraser.

After a struggle-filled season in 2022 as part of the Macomb Area Conference-Blue division, Lakeview’s descent to the MAC-Gold gave them time to bring things back to the basics.

Senior captain Matt Horak said Lakeview’s return to the top was inspired by the memories of last season.

“The team coming into the season knew we had to put in a lot of hard work,” Horak said. “We were all disappointed from how we performed the prior season, and (we) didn’t want to repeat that.”

Horak, the lone state qualifier on Lakeview’s squad this year, placed second at the MHSAA Region 4 Championships on Feb. 18 at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley High School.

Horak picked up two upset victories to reach the first-place match and, as a result, will wrestle in the MHSAA Division I state finals at Ford Field on March 3-4.

While Horak’s chapter on his senior season is still unwritten, Lakeview seniors Dylan Castle, Sean Bias and Trupiano made unmeasurable contributions to Lakeview’s young and incoming core.

Trupiano, a senior captain, earned MAC-Gold most valuable player honors this season, leading Lakeview to a 16-6 overall record, a district championship and an undefeated season in league play, winning the MAC-Gold division.

Julien said the seniors’ work with the younger wrestlers in the offseason was a viable part to Lakeview’s success this season.

“It was a very big impact. I know this summer, Dylan (Castle) took a lot of this summer getting those guys into the wrestling room and having them work.”

As a result, Lakeview saw contributions across the board from various wrestlers, including junior Brady Pope, junior Hayden Grainger, sophomore Logan Craft, sophomore Oliver Koepp and sophomore Ryan Doebler.

Lakeview’s rise to the top included a win of St. Clair Shores Lake Shore to secure the city championship.

The Lakeview coaching staff presented the boys with a blue Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment championship belt in honor of their city championship win, but more importantly, they earned revenge for last season’s loss to Lake Shore.

“I kind of knew last year they had beat us, and I knew it left a bit of a sour taste in coach (Dan) Carr’s mouth,” Julien said.

Carr previously served as the interim head coach for Lakeview wrestling last season and is an assistant coach on the Lakeview staff this season.

Lakeview’s season may be over, but there’s no question that the 2024 squad will have a solid foundation to build off of.

Behind a core of incoming seniors and strong junior class, Lakeview will look to be a continuous threat in the MAC-Gold.

Julien said he’ll continue to focus on one aspect entering the 2024 season.

“The biggest thing is a family-like culture,” Julien said. “I want all the guys, whether it’s the coaches hanging outside or the kids hanging outside doing something — I want the kids to have fun.”