By David Fleet
Editor
Kalamazoo — The Lowell Red Arrows won their 10th-consecutive Division 2 Sate Finals championship on Saturday with a 42-18 win over the Goodrich Martians at Wings Event Center, Kalamazoo.
Goodrich reached Saturday afternoon by defeating Monroe Jefferson 44-22 and Plainwell 38-18 on Friday.
In his 13th year as Head Coach,  Ken Sirignano  said  the undefeated season means nothing until the state finals. The team ended the year 32-1.
“We had a long road ahead on Saturday,” said Sirignano, in his 26th year of coaching and 13th as head coach.. “We were big underdogs going into the states. We had to keep it together and perform the best we ever have just to have a shot.”
Lowell High School, had won more state wrestling championships than any school ever. They now beat Goodrich four out of the past five years in the state finals.
“We gave a good effort,” he said. “But for myself and five seniors we are not going to be here next season. This will be my last year at Goodrich.”
“We did not do enough in the off-season,” he said. “I include myself in that too. During the regular season we work hard, it’s mandatory, if you’re not at practice you’re off the team. As a coach I’m not getting the job done. I hold myself accountable, four out of the past five years we did not make it as state champs.”
I realized last summer this was going to be last year, he said.
“I hold myself to a high standard,” he said. “I was fortunate to be a part of the community and to coach Goodrich all these years. It’s been some of the greatest memories I’ve ever had. I’m proud of the fact that despite all, we did it the right way, we did it with our own kids, I did not recruit to build the team and the success we had came from our community, our kids and hard work, it’s that simple. That’s what is missing in high school sports today.”
We did compete despite it all, he added.
“The parents, the kids and the community have been great,” he said. “I’ve super fortunate. Wrestling is the greatest sport you ever do, from discipline, toughness and dealing with adversity. Wrestling mimics life so much.”