HOLLAND – After winning its first district title last season, the Zeeland East wrestling team had everything stacked against it in a bid for a repeat title.
But the Chix overcame every obstacle to claim a second consecutive Division 2 district championship on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Dutch Dome.
Zeeland East got two late pins to hold off host Holland 38-32 in the district finals – despite competing with out three of its best wrestlers.
“This means the world. Injuries have been a huge factor for us this year, but we have overcome a lot and I am super proud of these kids,” Zeeland East coach Jason Hofman said. “To end like that – with two pins – is phenomenal. We had only two seniors and two juniors in the lineup today, so the future is looking bright at Zeeland East.”
Tied 26-26, heavyweight Maximus Gomez worked his way to a pin, then East’s 106-pound wrestler Easton Sizemore followed suit to seal the victory.
Zeeland East will wrestle against Lowell in the Division 2 regional semifinals on Feb. 18.
“To win two in a row feels really good,” Gomez said. “I felt like I was there for the team when they needed me. We push each other to greater heights, and this is a good building block for the future.”
Gomez, Sizemore, Chase Shults, Xavier Pheuk and Tyler Clark each won both of their matches on Wednesday, while all-state wrestler JJ Ledford, Tyler Block and Tanner Hofman were out with injuries.
Even without the talented trio, the Chix reversed the tables on Hamilton in the semifinals with a 41-33 win after the Hawkeyes outscored them last week at the OK Black Conference tournament.
“We had kids that lost last week, like Jacob VanSweden. He lost to Hamilton twice this season and beat him tonight,” Jason Hofman said. “That was a huge match that sealed if for us.”
The Dutch defeated Zeeland West 50-30 in the other semifinal then had a couple of pins change the tide in the final after rallying to tie the match 26-26 with three matches to go.
“The district is the most even it has been in a while. Everyone had guys out and the team that could find a way to make it happen was going to advance, and that was Zeeland East tonight,” Holland coach Nick Lewin said. “The difference was they didn’t get pinned against our better wrestlers and we did against their better wrestlers. It came down to bonus points.”
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Zeeland East wresting stuns Hamilton, Holland to win second straight district title
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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