LocalSportsJournal.com

The Reeths-Puffer wrestling team’s dream season came to a tough end on Saturday in a 58-9 loss to Lowell in the Division 2 team state semifinals at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo.

Colby Stephenson battles during his match at 189 for Reeths-Puffer. Photo/Leo Valdez

The result was not a shock to anyone, considering Lowell had won the last six Division 2 state championships, and went on to win its seventh straight later on Saturday afternoon.

But for Reeths-Puffer, just being in the final four of the state tournament was a huge accomplishment, and capped the best season in the history of the school’s wrestling program.

R-P’s postseason run got off to a great start with a tight victory over powerful Whitehall in the first round of districts. The Rockets went on to beat Muskegon in the championship match and captured its sixth straight district title.

Reeths-Puffer’s Jacob Blawat tries to find the pin during his match at 119. Photo/Leo Valdez

A week later Reeths-Puffer won its first team regional championship in history, beating Greenville in the semifinals and Allendale in the finals.

On Friday the Rockets advanced to the state final four with a tight 36-30 victory over Warren Woods Tower in the quarterfinals.

But their luck ran out against Lowell. The Rockets only won three of the 14 matches, and lost seven matches by pin.

Winners for R-P in the semifinals were Colby Stephenson(189), who beat Lowell Jacob Hough 4-2; Hunter McCall (215), who beat Keigan Nugent 2-1; and Jacob Blawat (119), who edged Nick Korhorn 4-3.