Henry Ford College wrestling hosted the Hawks Open on Sunday, Jan. 18, at Henry Ford College’s Athletic Memorial Building, welcoming eight teams and a handful of unattached wrestlers to campus. The Hawks Open is an annual wrestling tournament hosted by Coach Grant MacKenzie and the Henry Ford College wrestling team. This event gives the Hawks a chance to compete at home, test their skills and build momentum during the season. For Henry Ford College, which is part of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), the event is important because it provides the program with an opportunity to bring wrestling to campus, increase the team’s exposure, and continue building the program’s culture and growth.

The Hawks Open follows a bracket-style open tournament format, with wrestlers competing across multiple weight classes throughout the day. Teams and individuals from Michigan and Ohio compete throughout the tournament. With a total of 63 wrestlers competing, there was a wide variety of matchups.

HFC’s wrestling program has been growing and expanding over the past several seasons; hosting the Hawks Open continues to support that progress. Home events like this help build the program by giving the team confidence through competing in a familiar environment and increasing community support.

Hawks head coach Grant MacKenzie plays a key role in organizing the tournament, including scheduling and ensuring the day flows smoothly. MacKenzie said the Hawks Open has become efficient because the program has hosted tournaments for years and has “gotten it down to a science.” He takes pride in the event running smoothly and receiving multiple compliments from other coaches. “We started on time; that’s called efficiency, and we’ll finish early, and everybody will be happy,” MacKenzie said. He also emphasized that events like this help the team by creating a stronger atmosphere and giving wrestlers opportunities, especially those who may not be eligible to compete officially.

MacKenzie said having unattached wrestlers involved with competing for a spot on the Hawks wrestling team is a great opportunity for them, calling it a win for the program.

Several key Hawk vs. Hawk matchups stood out throughout the tournament, specifically in the 133-, 141- and 157-pound divisions. At 133 pounds, Zaid Alowdi and Vincent Navarro met in the finals, where Alowdi earned a 10-8 decision win to take first place. At 141 pounds, Luke Gittens had a standout performance, finishing first and defeating Ivan Mendez in the championship match by fall (0:52). Other notable performances included Michael Bowden, who won first place at 157 pounds with a 14-4 major decision over Elan Bekker. Henry Ford College also had several other podium finishes across the tournament, including Sean King placing second at 165, Robert Armstrong taking second at 184, and Jayden Charleston placing fourth at heavyweight.

Hawks’ expectations going into the day were to compete hard, get experience for as many wrestlers as possible and put them in a position to place high. By the end of the event, the Hawks Open once again showed the toughness and growth of Henry Ford College athletics. Hosting the tournament reflected the continued development of the wrestling program and all the effort being put into building a stronger foundation. With the Hawks Open completed, the team now turns its attention to the rest of the season as they continue working toward postseason goals.