By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
KALAMAZOO—The scoreboard told one story during the Division 3 boys wrestling state quarter between Allegan and Dundee Friday, Feb. 27, at Wings Event Center.
The Tigers told another.
Top-ranked Dundee—the No. 1 team in Division 3 and the top-ranked program across all MHSAA divisions—defeated No. 8 Allegan 70-3 in the Division 3 state quarterfinals.
But late in the dual, with the outcome long decided, Ryan Sparks gave the Tigers something to celebrate.
Sparks secured a hard-fought 12-10 decision at 165 pounds over Avery Lane, and the Allegan bench erupted as if a state title had just been clinched.
Coaches and teammates leapt to their feet, cheering and embracing—a moment that reflected pride in the performance rather than the team score.
Dundee’s dominance was no surprise. The Vikings went on to defeat Lakewood 63-6 in the semifinals and Yale 60-6 in the state finals, underscoring just how deep and powerful the program is.
Prior to the match, Allegan head coach Chase Beard acknowledged the challenge awaiting his team.
“Due to our lineup never seeing its full potential because of injuries, sicknesses and moves, we lost some duals early on that resulted in us getting seeded No. 8,” Beard said. “Our first duel will be against the No. 1 ranked all-division, Dundee. It is almost certain the Tigers will not be moving on to the state semifinal, but we will go out there and represent our school and town as best as we can.”
The Tigers did just that.
Allegan finished the season 31-5 despite navigating what Beard described as one of the most challenging years in recent memory.
“Making it to state is a big deal for us this year, not because it is our second year in a row as regional champions, but because of all the challenges we faced this season,” Beard said. “We have had a multitude of injuries, sicknesses, and two wrestlers move to another state in the middle of the season, which caused many changes to our varsity lineup.”
Despite the adversity, Allegan captured a second straight regional title to earn the trip to the quarterfinals.
“What has made the biggest impact on Allegan’s success is building relationships with the wrestlers, their families and the assistant coaches to help create a new culture for Allegan Wrestling,” Beard said.
Even against a powerhouse like Dundee, the Tigers competed through every weight class. Treydan VanderKooi pushed Stone Redmon to an 11-9 decision at 150 pounds before Sparks delivered the Tigers’ lone victory of the afternoon.
While the season ended short of the semifinals, Allegan’s back-to-back regional championships and return trips to the state quarterfinals signal that the Tigers are once again establishing themselves among Division 3’s consistent contenders.
And if the reaction to Sparks’ victory was any indication, the pride inside the Allegan program runs far deeper than a final score.
