Getting Up
Off the Mat
Wrestling program back
for 2015-16 campaign
By Ryan Israel
Chieftain Staff
Between 1984 and 2013, Brother Rice
Wrestling had eight state champion
wrestlers, 34 All-State wrestlers, and 40
district champions. In 2008-11, the team
was MHSAA District Champion. In 2015,
the program was almost shut down.
Brother Rice wrestling legends include
Todd and Chris Snooks, and Dean and
Derek Moscovic. Todd Snooks was a state
champion in 1984. He attended the Uni2B DJ LeMahieu, Rice Class of ‘07, is a Gold Glove winner for the Colorado Rockies
versity of Indiana on a wrestling scholarship and, unfortunately, passed away in
April 2015.
Derek Moscovic, also a state champion, was rated the 49th best wrestler in
Michigan High School Wrestling history. Moscovic also attended Indiana,
on just one sport now. Do you feel it is
By Jack Farrar
was an NCAA qualifier and returned to
important to play multiple sports?
Chieftain Staff
Michigan in 2002 to be the assistant coach
A: I definitely think guys should play as
Brother Rice is known as an athletically
of the Clarkston High School wrestling
many sports as they can. My Senior year, team, which produced five state champisuccessful school that produces studentI was debating whether to play basketball onships.
athletes of character and integrity. Coloor not; it turned out to be one of the best
rado Rockies’ 2B DJ LeMahieu is one of the
Snooks and Moscovic are two examples
decisions I ever made. You get done with of legendary Brother Rice wrestlers who
foremost examples of that. After winning
high school and a lot of times you’ll never made the program one of the best in its
the National League Gold Glove in 2014 and
be able to play a certain sport competistarting the 2015 All-Star Game, LeMahieu
district, but only average compared to the
tively ever again. For me, I could never
has proven to be an up-and-coming star. He
rest of the state. Head Coaches Majors,
play basketball competitively ever again; Cornell, and Kossakowski led the team
recently talked with the Chieftain.
Q: How did Brother Rice prepare you for I was just glad I took that opportunity. I
during these years.
didn’t play football nor do I regret it, but
your career?
As Coach Koss said “Our philosoI wish I would have because I know guys phy was to give everybody a chance to
A: Brother Rice was a tough school
academically and athletically. I had great that are lifelong friends because they
wrestle, give everybody a chance to earn
coaches; I had great teachers that set great played football together. It’s something I
a Varsity letter, and when necessary, to
missed out on, but it’s something I feel I
examples. When I was in college, I just
make sure to keep people on the team.”
felt way ahead of everyone else academi- got with other sports.
Since those days, the program entered a
Q: How do you think the increase in
cally and athletically.
steady decline and, eventually, a steep
travel
baseball
has
affected
players
at
drop off in 2015. Today, the Brother Rice
Q: You played multiple sports at Rice.
Shining in the Show
LeMahieu makes his mark with the Rockies
More and more, students are focusing
B ROTHE R R I C E H I G H S C HO O L C H I E F TA I N
Please see DJ on Page 7
PAGE 8
Please see WRESTLING on Page 7
D E C E M B E R 2015