MUSKEGON TWP. - Local superiority is impressive, and for the Reeths-Puffer wrestling team, that’s a perfectly acceptable landing spot – at least for now.
But the Rockets have been building their program a little bit more every year, and within a couple more seasons they would like to break through and get back to where they’ve been before, among the top teams in the state.
R-P head coach Brad Cowles discussed that possibility a few minutes after his team fell 45-36 to Rockford in the semifinal round of a Division 1 team regional tournament on Wednesday at R-P’s Dan Beckeman Arena.
Reeths-Puffer finished the team portion of its season with a lot to brag about – a 25-8 record, a share of the O-K Green conference championship and a Division 1 district title.
R-P's Devin Welch, left. Photo/Nick Fuller
Everybody knew that powerful Rockford, ranked eighth in the state, would probably be a bit too much for the Rockets in regionals, but Cowles doesn’t believe it has to be that way forever.
“I think two years,” the coach said. “Our sophomore class this year, if they stick with it and put in the work, might have a chance to be the best team we’ve had since 2020. That team made it to the final four in the state.”
The final score did not really indicate how the match went, because the Rams started forfeiting a few weight classes after clinching the victory, to save energy for the upcoming regional championship match.
To understand what a tough night it was for the Rockets, and just how good Rockford is, consider this:
R-P's Troy Swingley. Photo/Nick Fuller
Landon Learn, R-P’s outstanding freshman who came into the match with a perfect 45-0 record, lost by technical fall to Rockford’s Lane Martin, a defending individual state champion.
Coach Cowles noted that Learn moved up from his regular weight class of 113 to challenge Martin at 120, and said the experience will be good for the talented freshman.
Learn, along with teammates Devin Welch and Micah Mills, will compete in individual regionals on Saturday, with a chance to qualify for the individual state finals at Detroit’s Ford Field.
“I think it’s a good thing, because it takes a lot of pressure off him,” Cowles said about Learn’s first loss. “And to lose to a kid like Lane Martin, who is a returning state champion and national champion, that’s the type of kid you want to lose to.
R-P's Landon Learn. Photo/Nick Fuller
“Landon is not the type to shy away from good competition, and he didn’t tonight. We’re going to see a lot of good things from Landon, still this year and in the next few years.”
The match actually started out pretty close, with R-P’s Lyric Stewart getting a pin at 190 pounds to tie the score at 6-6, then Devin Welch doing the same at 215 pounds to put R-P up 12-6.
The score was tied 12-12 when Reeths-Puffer’s Braxton VanHohenstein put up a tough fight at 106 pounds, getting two late points to tie his match at 5-5 and send it to overtime.
But the Rockford wrestler got a quick pin in OT, the Rams took an 18-12 lead and pulled away from there.
R-P's Cory Judd, right. Photo/Nick Fuller
R-P had a few more victories after that, but one was for a medical forfeit and the others were regular forfeits after the outcome was determined.
“We knew they were a little weaker toward the heavier weights, and we managed to tie it up, then we had a chance to win at 106,” Coach Cowles said.
“But to be honest, we probably would have had to get lucky to win, and that’s hard to do against a solid team like that. They've made it to state just about every year.
“We can hang our hats on being conference champs and district champs. We’re proud of them for that.”