"He weighed about 85 pounds and I knew he was a great wrestler who could win a couple state titles for us, but I never thought those state titles would come anywhere besides 103," said Stern, "I thought he would be a four-year 103-pounder."
Fast forward to the fall of his senior year, and the former 85-pound fireplug is now one of the top recruits in the state, gunning for his second straight state title, and is now the most recent big-time senior to make his college commitment.
Fifield, who is currently rated as the No. 7 senior recruit in Michigan, informed Michigan Grappler over the phone that he has verbally committed to wrestle for Michigan State next fall following his prep career.
"I went on a visit and really liked the campus, the academics, and the coaches," said Fifield. "Plus I am really excited to work with Chris (coach Chris Williams)."
The Leslie senior is the latest in a string of mid-Michigan prospects to announce plans of staying close to home and wrestle for the Spartans.
"They are bringing in alot of really good recruits and I think being able to work out with Freddie(Rodriguez), Danny (Osterman), Brenan (Lyon), and the coaches will be a good situation," said Fifield. "I really like the a lot of the guys on the team."
Fifield, who was projected by most to wrestle four years at 103, is now projected to compete at 133 pounds in college. He won the Division 4 state title at 112 pounds last year, and had strong showings at major national events last spring, last summer, and this fall. Not bad for someone who failed to qualify for states as a freshman 103-pounder.
Fifield credits much of his success to Jeff Therrian, the man who has worked one-on-one with him over the past three years.
"The summer before my freshman year I walked into his (Therrian's) basement and he weighed me in at under 80 pounds," said Fifield. "Training with him, putting in all the extra time, working out twice a day, lifting, running, drilling ... it's all paid off."
The addition of Fifield makes the future Spartan lower weights look increasingly bright as Freddie Rodriguez verbally committed to the Green and White earlier this fall and is slated to join the Spartans in the fall of 2012, a year after Fifield. Rodriguez projects as a lifetime 125-pounder while Fifield, who wrestled 119 at the Grappler Fall Classic and Super 32 this fall, projects at 133 pounds for now, but with the amount of weight he has put on over the last three years - who knows?
Stern says the best thing about Fifield is that no matter what weight he ends up or what happens with him, you always know what you're going to get -- everything he has.
"Brandon still has some things to work on before he gets to MSU, but I am not worried about him. His work ethic has gotten him here and will get him to the next level. He is like the energizer bunny and you will have a hard time finding someone in better shape than him," said Stern.
This article was published on MichiganGrappler.com.
Original: http://www.michigangrappler.com/files/High_School/HS1011/fifield_MSU.html
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