MUSKEGON — On the strength of seven individual champions, Whitehall’s wrestling team steamrolled to its 17th Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament title in 18 years Saturday at Muskegon High School’s Redmond Potter Gymnasium.
“I’m proud of every single guy that wrestled today. I thought we showed a lot of heart. I know this is a big thing every single year, so I was glad that we came and wrestled well,” said Whitehall head coach Justin Zeerip, whose Vikings are ranked No. 3 in Division 3 and have lost only one dual meet this season. That was a tight 34-29 defeat against Division 1-ranked Temperance Bedford in the Marge and Tate invite Dec. 28 at Grandville.
It was a long day in the GMAA tourney Saturday as the event began around 9 a.m. and did not conclude until after 7 p.m.
“I think the guys did a great job. It was definitely a long day. We just tried to have them relax, sit down, hang out … just wait until their match is up,” Zeerip said.
Whitehall placed wrestlers in the top four in 13 of the 14 weight classes.
Montague also had a solid day with five wrestlers placing in the top four, including a quartet of third-place finishers.
“The team showed tremendous grit today (coming) back to beat kids that beat us earlier in the day in several matches,” Montague head coach Kris Maddox said. “Proud of how we positively represented our school today.”
TEAM SCORES
Whitehall 250.0
Reeths-Puffer 142.0
Fruitport 109.5
Orchard View 102.5
Montague 91.0
Mona Shores 88.0
Muskegon 84.0
Muskegon Catholic Central 51.0
North Muskegon 46.0
Oakridge 43.5
Holton 29.0
Ravenna 19.5
***
TOP FOUR IN EACH WEIGHT CLASS
Below are results for the top-four finishers in each of the 14 weight classes from Saturday’s GMAA tournament:
106 pounds
First-place match: Cody Manzo (Whitehall) 23-3, So. over Brayden Chase (North Muskegon) 15-3, Jr. (Fall 1:50)
Third-place match: Arin Maynard (Reeths-Puffer) 27-5, Jr. over Aquilla Payne (Orchard View) 17-6, Sr. (Fall 2:06)
The following wrestlers placed in the 106-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Cody Manzo of Whitehall; 2nd Place – Brayden Chase of North Muskegon; 3rd Place – Arin Maynard of Reeths-Puffer; 4th Place – Aquilla Payne of Orchard View. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
113 pounds
First-place match: Mario Curiel (Mona Shores) 23-4, So. over Zachary Aardema (Fruitport) 14-4, Fr. (Dec 3-2)
The following wrestlers placed in the 113-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Mario Curiel of Mona Shores; 2nd Place – Zachary Aardema of Fruitport; 3rd Place – Kolten Weiler of Whitehall; 4th Place – Langston Payne of Holton. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
120 pounds
First-place match: Jake Rozycki (Reeths-Puffer) 30-1, So. over Max Krukowski (Whitehall) 18-7, So. (SV-1 10-8)
Third-place match: James Thommen (Montague) 19-5, Sr. over Melvion Carter (Oakridge) 8-5, So. (Fall 2:34)
The following wrestlers placed in the 120-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Jake Rozycki of Reeths-Puffer; 2nd Place – Max Krukowski of Whitehall; 3rd Place – James Thommen of Montague; 4th Place – Melvion Carter of Oakridge. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
The following wrestlers placed in the 126-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Nolan Taranko of Whitehall; 2nd Place – Kyle Holt of Fruitport; 3rd Place – Cory Judd of Reeths-Puffer; 4th Place – Neal Szymanski of Muskegon Catholic Central. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
132 pounds
First-place match: Ian Cook (Reeths-Puffer) 30-1, Jr. over Caden Varela (Whitehall) 22-5, Jr. (Fall 5:03)
Third-place match: Christopher Aebig (Montague) 25-4, Sr. over Anthony Cage (Mona Shores) 18-12, Sr. (SV-1 7-5)
The following wrestlers placed in the 132-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Ian Cook of Reeths-Puffer; 2nd Place – Caden Varela of Whitehall; 3rd Place – Christopher Aebig of Montague; 4th Place – Anthony Cage of Mona Shores. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
Third-place match: Ke’Yaun Bradford (Muskegon) 24-8, So. over Brennen Allen (North Muskegon) 12-7, So. (MD 19-5)
The following wrestlers placed in the 138-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Brayden Cunningham of Oakridge; 2nd Place – Liam Leeke of Whitehall; 3rd Place – Ke`Yaun Bradford of Muskegon; 4th Place – Brennen Allen of North Muskegon. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
Third-place match: Blair Zimmer (Fruitport) 18-11, So. over Erik Davidson (Mona Shores) 16-14, Sr. (Fall 1:58)
The following wrestlers placed in the 144-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Ryne Christensen of Whitehall; 2nd Place – Lamar Bradford of Muskegon; 3rd Place – Blair Zimmer of Fruitport; 4th Place – Erik Davidson of Mona Shores. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
150 pounds
First-place match: Darnell Mack (Whitehall) 29-0, Sr. over Cooper Lengkeek (Fruitport) 19-7, So. (Fall 1:55)
The following wrestlers placed in the 150-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Darnell Mack of Whitehall; 2nd Place – Cooper Lengkeek of Fruitport; 3rd Place – Fletcher Thommen of Montague; 4th Place – Xander Randall of Orchard View. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
157 pounds
First-place match: Nathan Reeves (Reeths-Puffer) 25-8, Sr. over Blake English (Whitehall) 22-8, Jr. (Dec 5-2)
Third-place match: Landen Arvey (Orchard View) 16-9, Jr. over Ja`Mier Jefferson (Muskegon) 13-9, Fr. (Dec 10-4)
The following wrestlers placed in the 157-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Nathan Reeves of Reeths-Puffer; 2nd Place – Blake English of Whitehall; 3rd Place – Landen Arvey of Orchard View; 4th Place – Ja`Mier Jefferson of Muskegon. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
165 pounds
First-place match: Ryan Goodrich (Whitehall) 25-3, Jr. over Easten Cook (Muskegon Catholic Central) 23-5, Sr. (Dec 18-12)
Third-place match: Darius Flowers (Orchard View) 18-4, So. over Preston Six (Oakridge) 12-6, So. (MD 11-2)
The following wrestlers placed in the 165-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Ryan Goodrich of Whitehall; 2nd Place – Easten Cook of Muskegon Catholic Central; 3rd Place – Darius Flowers of Orchard View; 4th Place – Preston Six of Oakridge. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
175 pounds
First-place match: Gavin Craner (Whitehall) 29-0, Jr. over Mason Tuttle (Orchard View) 20-4, So. (Fall 2:29)
Third-place match: Timmy Railling (Muskegon Catholic Central) 20-10, So. over Malachi Plunkett (Montague) 9-7, Jr. (MD 13-3)
The following wrestlers placed in the 175-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Gavin Craner of Whitehall; 2nd Place – Mason Tuttle of Orchard View; 3rd Place – Timmy Railling of Muskegon Catholic Central; 4th Place – Malachi Plunkett of Montague. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
190 pounds
First-place match: Sage Secrest (Reeths-Puffer) 27-4, Jr. over Jaxon Tuttle (Orchard View) 15-4, Jr. (Fall 2:52)
Third-place match: Issac French (Montague) 15-13, So. over Jansen Cook (Muskegon Catholic Central) 15-13, So. (Fall 3:26)
The following wrestlers placed in the 190-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Sage Secrest of Reeths-Puffer; 2nd Place – Jaxon Tuttle of Orchard View; 3rd Place – Issac French of Montague; 4th Place – Jansen Cook of Muskegon Catholic Central. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
Third-place match: Luke Westerlund (Fruitport) 10-3, So. over Frankie Williams (Muskegon) 11-7, Sr. (Fall 2:12)
The following wrestlers placed in the 215-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Peyton Peterson of Mona Shores; 2nd Place – Blake Morningstar of Whitehall; 3rd Place – Luke Westerlund of Fruitport; 4th Place – Frankie Williams of Muskegon. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
***
285 pounds
First-place match: Jason Smith (Whitehall) 12-4, Sr. over Jamario Dash (Orchard View) 18-3, Sr. (UTB 3-2)
Third-place match: Nathan Stafford (Reeths-Puffer) 22-7, Sr. over Malik Thompson (Muskegon) 19-12, Jr. (Fall 3:00)
The following wrestlers placed in the 285-pound weight class of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, at Redmond Potter Gymnasium in Muskegon, Mich.: 1st Place – Jason Smith of Whitehall; 2nd Place – Jamario Dash of Orchard View; 3rd Place – Nathan Stafford of Reeths-Puffer; 4th Place – Malik Thompson of Muskegon. (Scott DeCamp | CatchMark)
