Big Rapids, Chippewa Hills wrestlers fall in districts

Teams eliminated in district tournament action on Wednesday

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Big Rapids and Chippewa Hills wrestling teams were both eliminated from the district tournament on Wednesday. Big Rapids lost 65-15 to Greenville in the semifinals, while Chippewa Hills fell 41-36 to Shepherd in the championship match after defeating Clare 57-18 in the semifinals.

Why it matters

Wrestling is a popular high school sport in Michigan, and the district tournament is an important step towards the state championships. The early exits of these two teams are disappointing for their schools and communities, who were hoping to see them advance further in the postseason.

The details

For Big Rapids, Brody Selzer, Austin Brandt, and Abel Sheldon were the only winners in their loss to Greenville. Chippewa Hills had several individual winners in their semifinal victory over Clare, including Bronzen Mehlhorn, Dallas Glaser, Jessie Snook, and others. In the championship match against Shepherd, Liam Franklin, Jesse Snook, Hunter Dalrymple, Jacob Edwards, Carson Humphrey, and Mehlhorn all won their matches, but it wasn't enough to overcome Shepherd.

  • The district tournament matches took place on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
  • The Big Rapids boys team competed at Gaylord in district action on Saturday, while the girls team wrestled on Sunday at Whitehall.

The players

Bruce Hoffman

The head coach of the Big Rapids wrestling team.

Brody Selzer

A wrestler for the Big Rapids Cardinals who won his match by pin.

Austin Brandt

A wrestler for the Big Rapids Cardinals who won his match by fall.

Abel Sheldon

A wrestler for the Big Rapids Cardinals who won his match by decision.

Bronzen Mehlhorn

A wrestler for the Chippewa Hills Warriors who won his match at 165 pounds.

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What they’re saying

“We had a few of our guys banged up and bumped up, or sick, and regular guys out of our lineup. I'm not trying to make excuses by any means. Greenville has high-quality guys all the way through the lineup. You don't get a break or any easy matchups in there.”

— Bruce Hoffman, Big Rapids wrestling coach (bigrapidsnews.com)

What’s next

The Chippewa Hills boys team will look to bounce back and compete at the state tournament, while the Big Rapids boys and girls teams will continue their seasons with upcoming district action.

The takeaway

Despite the early exits, these losses highlight the competitive nature of high school wrestling in Michigan, where even strong programs can struggle against tough opponents in the postseason. The wrestlers and coaches will look to learn from these experiences and come back stronger next season.