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Ross Hopes To Be
A Spartan Wrestler

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

J

ackson Ross made a huge deci-
earning All-State honors, and playing
sion four years ago.
in the Division 1 state championship
He decided to attend Novi
game at Ford Field as a senior.
Detroit Catholic Central High School
“I’ve lost my will to play football,”
to challenge himself academically and he said. “Plus, I know my potential in
athletically while he stepped out of his football. I don’t know my potential in
comfort zone.
wrestling. I need to find out
ABOVE: Jackson
It turned out be a wise
how good I can be in wres-
Ross celebrates
decision.
tling.”
after pinning an
opponent from
Ross was a football and
Ross called Hope football
Davison and helping coach Peter Stuursma the
wrestling star for Catholic
Catholic Central win day before Hope began its
Central and aside from
the 2017 Division 1 pre-season camp to tell
sports, the Jewish guy from
wrestling team state Stuursma about his deci-
Brighton became a student
championship.
leader at the predominantly
sion to go to MSU — where
Catholic school.
Ross had been accepted as
Ross did just fine academically,
a student — and the two met in East
too. He was a Michigan High School
Lansing, of all places.
Athletic Association Scholar- Athlete
It was an emotional conversation.
of the Year finalist as a senior and he
“He told me whatever I decided to
graduated this past spring with a 3.8
do, he’d be proud of me and my family
grade-point average.
would be proud of me. He didn’t try
That impressive resume led to
to pressure me into staying at Hope,”
Ross being named the 2017 Jewish
Ross said.
News Male High School Athlete of the
Ross knows he has an uphill battle
Year by the Michigan Jewish Sports
to make the MSU wrestling team as a
Foundation.
walk-on.
He was honored last month at
“I’ve only wrestled for 12 months in
the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall
my life,” he said. “It’s a relatively new
of Fame induction dinner at the
sport for me.”
Jewish Community Center in West
Ross wrestled at Catholic Central
Bloomfield.
for four years. The high school wres-
Ross made another momentous
tling season is about three months
decision in August.
long. His prep wrestling resume is
On the day before he was sup-
impressive.
posed to report to the Hope College
He was a member of two MHSAA
pre-season football camp, he decided
Division 1 state champion teams, and
he wanted to attend Michigan State
he finished sixth as a junior and third
University and try to join the Spartans’ as a senior in the 215-pound weight
wrestling team as a walk-on. Hope
division in the MHSAA Division 1 indi-
doesn’t have a wrestling program.
vidual state tournament.
It wasn’t a snap decision. It was
Ross is in the heavyweight division
something Ross thought about and
at MSU. The division is for wrestlers
mulled all summer.
who weigh at least 198 pounds.
“I love football and Hope is an
At the 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, the
amazing place, but I want to see
18-year-old Ross is the lightest of the
what I can accomplish in wrestling,”
Spartans’ heavyweights.
Ross said. “I don’t think I could have
“And they’re good,” he said. “They’re
forgiven myself if I didn’t give college
definitely Big Ten heavyweights.”
wrestling a try.”
Ross will find out in November if
Ross decided during the summer
he’s made the MSU team, which has a
that he’d had enough of football after
32-wrestler roster limit. •
being a three-year starter at tight end
and defensive end at Catholic Central, Send tips to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

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October 19 • 2017

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