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Our latest wrestler to be named junior hammer is Adalynn Anthony of the unique wrestling club known as The Clique.  She is a 70 pound rock star that has been wrestling for years but joined the Clique about a year ago for their unique style.  She attends Adrian Madison Middle School.  Adalynn recently won Christmas Sparty in 2 age groups, won the Cosmic Clash in Colorado, and has competed in 21 different states!  On top of that, she is a Nuway National Champion.  She excels in neutral with the low level sweeping and swooping system that is a trademark of the Clique and is a specialty of coach Connor Kiernan.  She is also mastering a spladle system that has been developed by and is taught by Coach Morigan Kiernan.  According to her club coach Neil Kiernan of The Clique, she is also outstanding at another Clique speciality which is scrambling.  Coach Kiernan calls Adalynn a “dangerous pinner, ridiculously hard working, and a wrestler that fully embraces the unorthodox strategies of The Clique system.  

 

The Clique began in 2018 as a handful of dedicated kids coached by Neil Kiernan. Many kids from the Clique have been to Ford Field over the years including notable names such as Zachary Taylor, Gabe Gibbons, Jason Downs, Simon Dominguez and Carter Simota. 

 

According to Coach Kiernan, "What sets the Clique apart is we travel to clinics abroad to study under unorthodox coaches like Ben Askren, Mitch Clark, and Cliff Fretwell and rather than just dabbling in "Funky" Technique we make it part of our fundamentals."

 

In the current generation of the Clique, several of its members are currently ranked in the State. Including Gavin Holcombe of Salem, Meyer Murray of Detroit Catholic Central, Jason Downs of New Boston Huron and State Champion Danny Vaneeckhoutte of Erie Mason High School, where coach Kiernan is the head coach alongside his son Connor Kiernan, and daughter Morigan Kiernan. 

 

Connor was an undefeated high school Freshman with notable victories over state placers before health conditions ended his career.  Morigan was a Women's Folkstyle National Champion. The Kiernan family now applies what they learned over the years to help kids who may not fit in with other clubs. 

 

Kiernan states:   "The reason it's "Clique Trained" or "Clique Chicks" is because it's not just about any one coach or one family. It's about the partners in the room, their parents, and the funky system we developed together. We make kids better fast. And we never stop. It's 365 days a year. You don't have to be elite when you start in the Clique, you just have to have elite work ethic, Adalynn Anthony we call "The Sprite" due to her fairy-like personality personifies that work ethic."

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"Adalynn is incredibly coachable. Consistent in practice and conditioning and overall a joy to have in our club. If coaching is an art, she is one of my magnum opuses."   –Neil Kiernan

 

Great job Adalynn on being named Michigan Prep’s latest Junior Hammer!  You will be certainly one to watch in the future!  And great job to Neil Kiernan and the Clique where they are developing outstanding wrestlers!

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