LAST YEAR: A big focus was on senior standout Ian Cook, who became R-P’s all-time win leader, eclipsed the amazing 200 career victory mark, became a four-time All-Stater, and finished third in the 144-pound weight class at the Division 1 state finals. But R-P also had another great season from a team perspective, finishing with an overall 22-5 duel record and winning its third consecutive O-K Green conference championship. The Rockets were eliminated by Grand Haven in the first round of districts.
RETURNING STARTERS: Cook has moved on, but the Rockets should again be in great shape, with 10 starters who collectively won a lot of matches last season back in the lineup. They are 120-pound senior Max Knowlton (33-8 last season, conference champion, state qualifier), 132-pound senior Cory Judd (16-13), 157-pound senior Jake Rozycki (6-2 before a season-ending injury), 175-pound senior Andrew Corradin (15-8 while battling injuries), 215-pound senior Devin Welch (23-13), 126-pound sophomore Travis Henderson (33-8, conference champion, regional qualifier), 144-pound junior Hunter Eek (29-14), 150-pound sophomore Tanner Cowles (33-13, GMAA champion, regional qualifier), 165-pound sophomore Aiden Neal (23-17), and 285-pound sophomore Troy Swingley (11-11).
R-P's Max Knowlton (top)
OTHER PROJECTED STARTERS: A big addition to the lineup is freshman Landon Learn (113 pounds), a very skilled, experienced wrestler who has competed nationally and is already state-ranked in his weight class in high school. Other new starters this year are freshman Braxton VanHohenstein (106 pounds), junior Mason Goodno (138 pounds) and senior Da’Honi Welsh (190 pounds).
OTHER RETURNERS: The Rockets will have a great deal of depth, with numerous wrestlers who got a lot of varsity mat time last season also returning to the team. They include senior Blake Miller, juniors Micah Millis and Lyric Stewart (19 wins last year) and sophomores Sidney Shakelford (regional qualifier in girls state tournament), Clay Rozycki, Zayden Zlotnicki and Jace Lee.
R-P's Hunter Eek (top)
STRONG PARTICIPATION: The Rockets have 48 wrestlers in the program who will comprise the varsity and JV squads. There are 9 seniors, 8 juniors, 15 sophomores and 16 freshmen. Those numbers bode well for both the present and future.
SEASON OPENER: The Rockets will compete in a four-team event on Wednesday at Zeeland East.
COACH COMMENT: “Our team strength is our willingness to put in the work for the program to be successful, along with the amount of experience we have.” – Brad Cowles