Reeths-Puffer’s Landon Learn has already had an amazing freshman season, regardless of what happens over the next few weeks.
Learn won three more matches on Saturday and took first place in the 113-pound division at a Division 1 individual district wrestling tournament at Grand Haven High School.
He now has a perfect 45-0 record.
Learn started his day by pinning East Kentwood’s Davion Pearson in 1:29.
Landon Learn, who is 45-0 on the season.
That took him to the semifinal round, where he pinned Grandville’s Elijah Punches in 2:39.
He had a unique experience in the championship round, facing off against his Reeths-Puffer teammate, Micah Mills, and winning by technical fall, 22-7.
Learn was one of only three Rockets to finish at least fourth in districts and qualify for individual regionals - the last step on the road to the state finals - next weekend.
The others were Mills, a junior, at 113 pounds and Devin Welch, a senior, at 215 pounds.
Micah Mills
Overall it was a disappointing day for R-P, a very strong team that hoped to advance at least several more wrestlers to individual regionals.
“It was a rough day for us, for sure,” said R-P head coach Brad Cowles. “We did not look like conference or district champions.”
On the bright side, Mills had a real breakthrough day.
He is a strong wrestler, but has not been a regular in the R-P lineup because he was stuck behind several standouts in his possible weight classes. He entered Saturday with a 7-5 record.
But he was at his best in districts, posting three wins before losing to Learn and finishing second in his weight class.
Devin Welch
Mills defeated Grand Haven’s Drake Green by technical fall, 18-3, in the first round. He pinned Forest Hills Northern’s Dylan Furto in 2:28 in the quarterfinals, then downed Hudsonville’s Landon Evans 8-1 in the semifinals to guarantee at east a second-place finish.
Welch also had a good day, posting a 3-2 record and finishing fourth in the 215-pound division.
His victories came over Hudsonville’s Gabriel Hernandez (a pin in 54 seconds), Caledonia’s Xavier Stewart (a 9-4 decision) and East Kentwood’s Alijah Bondon (a pin in 2:26).
Welch is now 30-17 on the season.