Wyatt Jenkins, flanked by his coaches, has earned state and regional champ titles and a Greater Muskegon Athletic Association city title.
Fighting for a wrestling state championship is one of the more difficult tasks in high school sports. Add in 50 wins in a single season, and it’s a dream come true.
Whitehall’s Wyatt Jenkins completed both of these feats on March 1 at the individual wrestling state finals in Detroit’s Ford Field.
The incredible accomplishment came in the 215-pound weight class for Jenkins. What makes the day even sweeter is he completed a full recovery after suffering a broken neck less than 2 years ago on the football field in July of 2023.
The 215 pounder secured his state champion status after defeating Hillsdale’s John Petersen in a 4-3 decision.
Jenkins entered the day with a 49-3 record on the season and completed win No. 50 in his first-round match against Gladstone’s Ben Wilson. The milestone came quickly with a pin in 40 seconds.
The wins continued to steamroll after the first round.
Jenkins pinned Dowagiac’s Hayden Groth in 1:07 to reach the semifinals. While one might think a state semifinal match is going to be tough, Jenkins continued in his unstoppable path. He pinned Sanford Meridian’s Johnathon Durfee in 53 seconds, securing his berth in the state championship match.
With his senior season completed, Jenkins walks off the mat as the state champ of the 215-pound weight class. He also carries a regional championship with him, and a Greater Muskegon Athletic Association city title to boot.
