Undefeated Luke Egan Chases State Title

By the time the Red Hawks roll out their mats, most folks already know what to expect from Luke Egan: a solid handshake, a quiet nod, and once the whistle blows, a calm confidence that is hard to teach.

Cedar Springs has seen plenty of tough athletes come through the Red Hawks locker room, but every once in a while a season takes on a life of its own. Luke's senior year has been that kind of season. Back in the fall, Egan helped make history on the football field, setting the Cedar Springs varsity record for the longest interception return, a 98-yard sprint that scored the game's first touchdown and set the tone for a decisive victory over Sparta, and solidifying his place as perhaps the best defensive back Cedar Springs High School has ever seen.

Egan’s presence on the mat complements the narrative built on the gridiron. He remains undefeated so far this winter, and is sitting at around 165 career wins heading into the final stretch. That momentum has carried over to the team results, too. In the opening duals, Cedar Springs made a statement, beating Coopersville 66 - 15 in match number one and defeating Kenowa Hills 66 - 12 in match two.

As for Luke, he has had to earn each one of his victories. His freshman year started with a broken hand that kept him out of matches and away from the normal rhythm of a young wrestler trying to build momentum. This year, he dealt with mono during what was supposed to be the clean runway into the postseason. Neither one has changed the way he talks about his career.

“It didn’t set me back really,” Egan said, when I caught up with him mat-side Friday night. “I lost some wins. I was really looking forward to getting 200 wins for my high school career. It set my wins back, but not my progress.” A mature answer from a seasoned veteran who knows how tempting it is to chase numbers.

Successful wrestlers are shaped over time, and Egan is quick to point out who helped shape him: “I really look up to my coach, Dave,” Egan said. “He’s been with me for the last 14 years. I started with him. I look up to him a lot." And a far as inspiration goes, Luke shared "I always looked up to the older wrestlers when I was in elementary school, like Ryan Ringler.”

Those names will mean something to the kids who have future wrestling aspirations. They are listening to today's varsity athletes the same way Egan listened back then, watching the older wrestlers and picturing themselves in that spot someday.

After this season, Egan plans to keep wrestling and keep studying. He is headed to Grand Valley State University, committing to the Lakers back in November.

“My plans are attending GVSU, I got offered to wrestle there,” he said. “And I’ll be pursuing my engineering degree there as well.”

Cedar Springs will get a little more time with Luke first. The Red Hawks head to Lowell for their next matchup, and Egan will be right in the middle of it, stretching, locking in, and taking it one move at a time, with a state championship still clearly in his sights.