Clinton associate head wrestling coach Casey Randolph traveled to different venues on different days to watch his children capture state championships this season.

On March 21, Clinton junior Taylor Randolph won the 138-pound crown at the Michigan Wrestling Association girls state tournament by pinning East Jackson's Isabel Worthing in 3:46 at the Michigan Revolution Training Complex in Highland. 

On April 3, Redskins' senior Brayden Randolph knocked off previously unbeaten Cole Hopkins of Evart with an 8-3 decision in the Division 4, 171-pound state final at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena. 

With that, the Randolph family celebrated becoming a three-state-champion household. Casey Randolph won a Division 3 state title as a Hudson senior in 1993.

Next season, parents in his position will be able to experience the thrill of seeing brothers and sisters compete for state championships on the same day in the same setting as will coaches with both male and female state qualifiers on their teams. 

On Thursday, The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced the addition of a fifth division at the 2022 individual wrestling state finals that will determine girls state champions at 14 different weight classes.

The girls state tournament, which began in 2019, will remain a one division event.

Girls will still have the option of competing for a berth in the four-division boys state tournament, but can no longer compete in both. Girls will continue wrestling against boys during the regular season and team state tournament.

Casey Randolph, a tireless advocate for increasing girls wrestling opportunities, was ecstatic about the MHSAA representative council’s decision which was made its spring meeting on May 3.

"Thank you to everyone who helped support, develop, grow, and provide opportunities for our young ladies," tweeted Randolph, also a past MWA president, on the day of the decision. "I am beyond excited about the growth of wrestling in our state & across the Nation. Thank you."

To qualify for the girls state finals, wrestlers will need to place in the top eight of their weight class at one of two sectional tournaments, scheduled for the Sunday after the boys individual regional tournaments.

The 14 different weight classes based on recommendations from the National Federation of State High School Associations and are these: 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 155, 170, 190 and 235 pounds. They differ slightly from this season's girls state tourney in which the 14 weights ranged from 97-270 pounds.

The MHSAA's decision is something Frankfort's Jaime Smith, Michigan's only female boys varsity wrestling head coach, was hoping to see someday. She was pleasantly surprised to see someday arrive sooner rather than later.

"I am so excited for every future female wrestler!," Smith tweeted. "I cannot wait to see so many more little girls transform into strong women through wrestling!"

Smith, who has guided Frankfort for a decade, also serves as the female Michigan representative for the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

The number of girls competing at the high school level in Michigan has steadily risen from 159 in 2016-17 to 401 in 2019-20 before this year's coronavirus-shortened season caused the numbers to dip slightly. 

The first girls state tournament, operated by the MWA with sponsorship assistance from the MHSAA, drew 167 wrestlers and participation grew to 254 the next season before dropping to 210 this year. 

This year's individual state tournament was held at two different sites in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids on different days due to the pandemic, but the MHSAA is hoping to return the event to Detroit's Ford Field next season.  

Sandusky's Logan Ryan and Hartland's Eliana Bommarito, currently ranked No. 1 in the nation at 225 pounds, will be seeking their fourth state titles next year and Saline's Emaline Hicks her third. Ryan is ranked 13th at 144 pounds while Hicks is 19th at 100.

Other Michigan female wrestlers ranked in the top 20 nationally who return next season include Brighton's Sabrina Nauss, who is No. 1 at 180 pounds. South Lyon's Kailyn Garrett is 11th at 200 and Boyne City's Lydia Krauss is 16th at 144.

Michigan has seen its share of girls qualify for the boys state tournament, including three who reached the podium with a top-eight finish. 

Goodrich's CC Weber was fourth in 2009 while Martin's Amy Berridge took seventh in 2004 and Clawson's Katlyn Pizzo was eighth in 2017. 

No girls qualified for this year's state tournament, but six qualified for and competed in individual regionals. 

Mount Pleasant's Felicia Saunders and Goodrich's Kendra Vickory even wrestled against each other in a second-round regional match with Saunders taking a 7-5 decision.