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Hayward, who became just the second Red Raider grappler to win a state title when he won the Division 4 title at 119 in 2007; becomes the second area wrestler to sign with CMU this year. Davison's Justin McDermitt, who won the 140-pound Division 1 title this past winter, joins Hayward in the Chips' 2008 recruiting class. The current crop of incoming freshman for coach Borelli has been ranked as the No. 2 recruiting class in the country by W.I.N. Magazine.

Hayward is expected to wrestle at 125 for the Chippewas.

Bothered by knee and back problems during the entire 2007-08 high school wrestling season, Hayward came up a little short in his bid to repeat as state champion in Division 4. Ranked No. 1 all season long by the Michigan Wrestling Association, Hayward wrestled up a weight class in the 125-pound weight class throughout the 2007-08 season to allow for a teammate to compete at 119 for the purpose of earning more points in dual matches.

Hayward capped off his brilliant four-year by making the state finals at 119 before losing a 10-0 major decision to New Lothrop's Allen Krupp. The fact that Hayward even made the finals in a season where he battled knee, ankle, shoulder and rib problems just goes to show how tough the Red Raider really is. Hayward was bothered by knee problems all season long, then, he suffered a partial shoulder separation in an early match on his way to the finals.

"He was a little upset that he didn't win", said Coach Cal Hayward, also Jon's father. "But, I knew he gave everything he had left."

"On (Jon's) first shot he had at Krupp, (Krupp) grabbed his leg and you could hear him pop his ankle and knee, and he got reversed on that," Hayward said. "But, I didn't realize he was hurt at the time, at least not until he limped off the mat."

In his four-year career at Marlette, Hayward finished with a school-record 206 victories. He was 50-6 in his final season, but his best year of all was his junior year, when Hayward went 59-1 and dominated his way to a state title at 119 in Division 4.

"That was the goal all year long," Jon Hayward said. "It felt amazing.

"Going in, I really felt confident that I could win."

Hayward breezed into the finals in 2007, as he began his day with back-to-back pins to move to the semifinals. There, he earned a 14-0 major decision over Addison's Mykel Sumner to advance to the state finals.

In the finals, Hayward earned his title be defeating Springport's Jacob Eagen by a score of 6-0.

"He did exactly what I knew he could do," coach Hayward said. "I thought he could win anything if he put his mind to it. He wrestled the best I have ever seen him. He was unstoppable pretty much all weekend long.

"(Before the final match) I just looked at him and said 'We know you can win. Go prove it.'"

A four-year state qualifier, Hayward finished in seventh place at 119 in 2006 and ended the season with a 48-8 record. In his freshman year, Hayward went 49-5 and finished in third place in the states in Division 4 in the 112-pound weight class.

Andrew Selich is Sports Editor at The County Press. He can be reached at (810) 664-0811 ext. 8124 or andrew.selich@lapeergroup.com.