people watching. Ryan was chosen to com- pete by the show’ s producers from about 10,000 appli- cants, who each sent in audi- tion videos and answered questions. There also are 9-10 and 11-12 age divisions. The show is a spinoff of the popular competition show American Ninja Warrior. “I enjoy the American Ninja television shows,” Ryan said. “I think they’ re cool. “I thought I had a chance to be picked for American Ninja Warrior Junior, but I didn’ t expect it. I think they were looking for a ‘ back story’ from applicants. For me, it was being so happy that my grandfather is recov- ering from lung cancer.” Ryan’ s grandfather, David Benigsohn of Farmington Hills, was among several of Ryan’ s family members who made the trip to Los Angeles to watch him compete. Also in Ryan’ s corner on his application was his background in Ninja ath- letics. He’ s been involved in the sport, which features obstacle courses challenging strength and agility, since he was 9. He trains and competes out of the Edge Training Center in Commerce Township and Gripz Gym in Southfield, and he teaches younger Ninja athletes at Gripz. He’ s competed at state and world Ninja competi- tions in New Mexico and Connecticut and will com- pete this month in North Carolina. “I wouldn’ t say the TV show obstacle course was more difficult than my other Ninja competitions, but it was different,” Ryan said. “The TV show course was faster with less obstacles. My other competitions are more about endurance.” The obstacles in American Ninja Warrior Junior are modified versions of those used on the other American Ninja show to make them age-appropriate. Carrie Krauthamer, Ryan’ s mother, hopes her son’ s appearance on American Ninja Warrior Junior will be an inspiration to other area children. “Not a lot of people know about the Ninja sport,” Carrie said. “Hopefully, kids around here will see Ryan on the TV show and be inspired to give the sport a try. It’ s a great sport for active, ener- getic kids.” Ryan said his friends understand he can’ t say any- thing about the show, so they don’ t ask him about it. He’ s been going about his business since returning from Los Angeles, patiently waiting for the show to air. In addition to training and competing in Ninja athlet- ics, he played on the West Bloomfield freshman boys soccer team this past fall and he’ s playing club soccer for Liverpool Football Club. He’ s a goalie in soccer. Ryan’ s father is Roy Krauthamer. Ashley, 17, is Ryan’ s sister. The family attends Temple Israel. Michael Hartman has a perfect record in weight- lifting at the Michigan Senior Olympics. The West Bloomfield resident won a gold medal Feb. 9 at the Senior Olympics Winter Games in Plymouth, bench-pressing 265 pounds to win the age 60-64 275-pound division. It was the first time Hartman com- peted in weightlifting at the Senior Olympics. The podiatrist won a silver medal in the shot put at the Senior Olympics a few years ago. “I was very nervous (at the Winter Games) because everything in the weightlifting competition was new to me. I lifted a lot more a few days earlier,” Hartman said. “But I enjoyed competing, mainly because the weightlifters there were like a band of brothers. I’ m surprised I won.” Hartman, 60, said he’ s been weightlifting for many years but doing it seriously for only about four months, often with longtime friend and 18-time Senior Olympics weightlifting gold medal-winner Jeff Ellis, “and that’ s made a difference.” Jackson Ross is doing well against the “big boys” in collegiate wrestling. The Michigan State University redshirt soph- omore from Brighton was 12-5 with 11 straight wins through last week, competing in the 285-pound weight class in tournaments. He finished in first place in the Alma Open and he was fifth in the Storm Open. “I weigh 245 pounds, so I’ m on the lighter side in this weight class,” Ross said. The 6-foot-3 Ross hasn’ t compet- ed in any dual meets for MSU, but he is traveling with the team. Ross was 5-11 in his first two sea- sons with the Spartans, again com- peting in tournaments. Off the mats, the 3.5 grade-point average student majoring in finance was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree last season. “I didn’ t have a lot of confidence wrestling when I first came to Michigan State, mainly because I only started in wrestling in high school, but I’ m wrestling with confidence now,” Ross said. A football and wrestling standout at Novi Detroit Catholic Central High School, Ross was a 2017 Jewish News Male High School Athlete of the Year. Stats H ere’ s how Michigan State University wrestler Jackson Ross and Tulane University tennis player Benji Jacobson, each a former Jewish News High School Athlete of the Year, has fared this season. JACKSON ROSS MSU Open • Lost 3-2 to Connor Webb (Oklahoma) • Beat Michael Leyland (Oklahoma) 3-2 • Lost 8-2 to Max Ihry (Northern Illinois) Storm Open • Pinned by Gary Traub (Ohio State) 1:01 • Beat Ryan Weitz (Alderson-Broaddus) 15-5 • Beat Jared Burgoyne (Alderson- Broaddus) 6-1 • Beat Gehrig Hutchison (Gannon) 11-8 • Beat Travis Schmeling (Gannon) 5-0 Cleveland State Open • Beat Gaige Willis (unattached) 3-2 • Beat Will Leonard (Buffalo) 8-2 Alma Open • Pinned Peter Nicaj (Alma) 32 seconds • Beat Marcus Deren (Lourdes) 19-3 • Beat Alex Trimm (Muskegon Community College) by forfeit • Beat Jackson Schenk (St. Clair Community College) 6-2 • Beat Nicholas Cooper (Michigan State) 2-1 BENJI JACOBSON (Jackson State match with doubles partner Luis Erlenbusch; other matches with doubles partner Ewan Moore) • Led Fritz Jacobs/Agustin Leguizamom (Jackson State) 5-2 (unfinished) • Lost 6-0 to Boris Kozlov/Nick Watson (Louisiana State) • Lost 7-6 (7-5) to Ryan Kros/Matthis Ross (Virginia Tech) • Led Alberto Colas/Gregor Ramskogler (Mississippi State) 6-6 (3-1) unfinished • Beat Bjorn Thomson/Ilgiz Valiev (Texas Tech) 6-4. 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