Whitehall is on its way to Kalamazoo again.
The Vikings, ranked No. 2 in the state in Division 3 by Michigan Grappler, claimed their sixth consecutive regional championship Wednesday night, defeating No. 5 Kent City in the finals 38-30. Whitehall also dispatched Tri-County, 49-27, in the semifinal match.
The match against the Eagles was a tough one, and Whitehall "had to fight for every point on the board," according to a team post on Facebook.
Key to Whitehall's win were pins by the three heaviest wrestlers to take the mat. Tanner Woodworth, Noah Peterson and Billy Darke all came up big for the Vikings to score six points each for the team.
Cody Manzo and Liam Leeke also scored pin victories. Dom Zygmuntowski picked up a win by technical fall, and Colten Kyser fought out an 8-5 victory over Victor Vazquez-Reyes as well.
Against Tri-County, Leeke, Kyser, Darke, Woodworth and Manzo each won by pin on their way to 2-0 nights. Blake Wallace, Isaac O'Boyle and Kolten Weiler each earned victories too.
Whitehall will wrestle in the state quarterfinals Friday, Feb. 27 at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, with the semifinals and finals slated for Saturday. The MHSAA will announce quarterfinal pairings Sunday on its website.
