Voters in the Kelloggsville Public Schools district approved a $11.3 million bond proposal Nov. 2 which will allow the district to build a S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) building at the high school as well as other building projects.
With 100 percent of school district precincts counted, in both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, the bond measure was passed 634-524, according to final unofficial results supplied by the Kent County Elections Office. The vote total of 1,256 was 13.4 percent of the 9,366 registered voters in the district.
The Kelloggsville Christian Reformed Church on 52nd Street was one of the polling places Nov. 2 as voters passed a Kelloggsville Public School bond measure. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“On behalf of the Kelloggsville Board of Education, staff and students, we want to thank our community for passing the bond,” Eric Alcorn, Kelloggsville Public Schools director of human resources,” said to WKTV. “Once completed, both areas will provide space and opportunity for our students to explore their interests and to enhance learning. We cannot thank our community enough for the support.”
The goal of the funding is to “provide opportunities for S.T.E.M., robotics, and business classes,” according to a statement on the district website. The additions “would expand opportunities for our students to explore technology through an updated media center, S.T.E.M. building, and (to) participate in our robotics program.”
Passage of the bond measure would not increase residential take above the current tax rate, also according to district supplied material, “it would simply continue with the existing debt levy.”
The funds from the bond measure will allow for the construction and addition of a S.T.E.M. building at the high school complex, a new media center at Southeast elementary, continue efforts to “provide and update safe and secure entrances” throughout the district, and well as technology upgrades to “enhance instruction.”
In addition to Kelloggsville High School, the district includes Kelloggsville Middle School, Southeast Kelloggsville Elementary, Central Kelloggsville Elementary, West Kelloggsville Elementary, Kelloggsville Virtual School and the Kelloggsville Early Childhood Learning Center.
When it comes to getting young students engaged with robotics as part of their STEM technology education — including Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics program — it can’t wait for high school.
So Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program will send its teams, five of them, against others schools when it hosts the FIRST Tech Challenge Kentwood qualifier, hosted by Red Storm Robotics, on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The challenge will take place at the East Kentwood Freshman Campus, 6170 Valley Lane Dr. SE, and the public is invited to the free event. (There was no in-person challenge in 2020 due to the pandemic. There was a virtual challenge.)
“I’ve been impressed with the FIRST robotics programs,” Wendy Ljungren, Chief Operating Officer for Anzen Unmanned and one of the adult leader of Red Storm Robotics, said to WKTV. “The students that go through FIRST have the STEM and teamwork skills needed for our country to continue to advance.”
The FIRST Tech Challenge is a national program of FIRST Inspires where “students learn to think like engineers,” according to program material. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.
This year’s tech challenge, Freight Frenzy, is presented by Raytheon Technologies and will have students race against time to transport “essential goods and explore the future of transportation,” according to supplied material.
With Halloween now past, many see the holiday season upon us, and local vendors and crafters are gearing up to help holiday shoppers with their early shopping needs.
After widespread and disappointing cancellations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, West Michigan crafters and vendors are excited to announce that they are bringing back their holiday craft shows this fall. And the month of November is filled with must-shop events that not only deliver handcrafted items, tasty treats, and unique gift ideas for local communities, but provide funds and support for many area school programs.
The Byron Center Fine Arts Boosters (BCFAB) are especially thankful to be able to host their annual craft show on Nov. 13 at Byron Center High School, as it is the largest fundraiser for their school’s fine arts programs. (For a extensive list of local craft and vendor fairs, see bottom of story.)
“All funds raised will go directly to support our students in the school district,” Kim Kohlhoff, president of Byron Center Fine Arts Boosters, said to WKTV.
All Byron Center public school fine arts programs, grades K-12, are impacted by the success of this fundraiser, Kohlhoff said, and the craft show fundraiser supplements the general budget given to each school to fund the main requirements of the fine arts programs.
The Byron Center Fine Arts Boosters’ annual craft show at Byron Center High School supports the schools fine arts programs including the jazz band. (Supplied)
“Funds raised through the annual craft show help support guest artists who come in from all over the nation to teach and perform with our students, as well as help with financial support for those students who take private lessons and attend fine arts camps,” Kohlhoff said.
The ability to provide financial support to students and give them the opportunity to perform with experienced musicians are only a small part in maintaining the Byron Center Fine Arts programs.
Life skills are also a central theme in the Byron Center Fine Arts objective — “Students learn to become a better person and grow as an individual,” said Kohlhoff.
Handcrafted items are always holiday gift worthy, as these from the Byron Center Fine Arts Boosters’ annual craft show at Byron Center High School. (Supplied, from previous year)
This year’s craft show boasts over 200 vendors and something new — food trucks. Instead of the usual concessions, several food trucks will offer a variety of food for shoppers. Stationed outside next to a protected sidewalk, food truck vendors will fill food orders that shoppers can then take into the school cafeteria to eat if desired.
“We have great community support,” Kohlhoff said of the craft show. “Vendor places are highly sought after and we have several veteran (returning) vendors who come every year, often calling the day after the show has ended to apply for a spot in the show for the following year.”
The Byron Center Fine Arts Boosters Craft Show will be held on Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Byron Center High School, 8500 Burlingame SW, and offers free parking. Admission fee is $3 at the door, with children 12 and under admitted for free.
Additional November craft and vendor events include:
The Byron Center Fine Arts Boosters’ annual craft show at Byron Center High School supports the schools fine arts programs including the jazz band. (Supplied)
It was a good night for local high school prep football teams Friday, Oct. 15, as Wyoming High School gained its first win of the season on an emotional night at home, playoff-bound South Christian gained its sixth win, Wyoming Godwin Heights kept its playoff hopes alive, and East Kentwood has now won two of it last four.
WKTV’s Featured Game coverage crew was at Wyoming, and will be at South Christian this week to close out the regular season. WKTV’s Featured Game of the week provides Wyoming and Kentwood cable television and on-demand replays.
Wyoming’s game against Grand Rapids Union was senior night as well as a special celebration for the school’s new stadium being named in honor of Jack VerDuin, who rolled up a 243-118-6 record with the Wyoming Park Vikings before the school merged with Wyoming Rogers to become Wyoming high in 2012.
And the Wolves (1-7) were able to block out a rough 2021 campaign and come out with “plenty of fight” — the result was a 33-17 win over Union (3-7).
“Friday night was in a special night for our community … Our kids had a ton of positive energy that night, and it showed on the field,” Wolves head coach Carlton Brewster II said to WKTV. “I was glad that I could witness the fight in our kids to win our first ball game.”
Brewster specifically pointed out the outstanding performance of senior Mateo Ledesma on both sides of the ball — he had 10 tackles, two sacks, and 65 yards rushing.
WKTV’s South Christian game a playoff preview
South Christian (6-2, 5-1 in OK Conference Gold) scored a 49-7 road win at Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (2-6, 1-5) on Oct. 15. This week, in the final week of the regular season, on Friday, Oct. 22, WKTV will be at East Kentwood for the Sailors’ season-ending clash with Cedar Springs (also 6-2, 5-1).
While both teams are playoff bound — as is OK Gold champion Grand Rapids Catholic Central (8-0, 6-0), which defeated both the Sailors and the Red Hawks earlier — both South Christian and Cedar Springs will be looking for better playoff seating when the playoffs are announced this weekend.
Past WKTV Featured Games from this season available on-demand include the Aug. 26 Forest HIlls Northern at Wyoming High game, the Sept. 1 NorthPointe at Lee 8-man game, the Sept. 10 Middleville T-K at South Christian game (played at East Kentwood), and East Kentwood’s home win over West Otttawa on Sept. 24, South Christian’s win over Kenowa Hills on Oct. 1, the annual Godwin vs. Kelloggsville rivalry game on Oct. 8, and the Wyoming vs. Union game on Oct. 15.
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
Team-by-team update
East Kentwood
The East Kentwood Falcons (2-6, 2-4 in OK Conference Red) continued their late season resurgence with at 27-7 home win against Grand Haven (3-5, 2-4) on Oct. 15, and will close out the regular season at Jension (currently 2-6, 1-5) on Oct. 22.
After last week’s action, Rockford (8-0) sits alone in OK Red standings at 6-0 with Caledonia second (7-1, 5-1).
Wyoming high
The Wyoming Wolves (1-5 in OK Conference Green) will close out the season on the road at Mona Shores (currently 6-2, 5-1 in conference) on Oct. 22. After last week’s action, Muskegon (7-1) is 6-0 and alone atop the OK Green, with Muskegon Mona Shores second.
Godwin Heights
Wyoming Godwin Heights (4-3, 2-3 in OK Conference Silver action) is still alive in the playoff hunt after last week’s 42-34 road win at Belding (5-3, 2-3) on Oct. 15. The Wolverines can get to their fifth win of the season (giving them a chance at the playoffs) with a win at home to close out the season against Grandville Calvin Christian (1-7, 0-5) on Oct. 22.
After last week’s action, OK Silver standings have Comstock Park (9-0) undefeated in OK Silver action at 6-0, with Sparta (6-2) at 4-1 in conference.
Kelloggsville
The Kelloggsville Rockets (2-6, 1-4 in OK Conference Silver action) scored 34 points in a their game at OK Silver leader Comstock Park (9-0, 6-0) on Oct. 15, but ended up losing 69-34. The Rockets will be at home to face Sparta (6-2, 4-1) on Oct. 22.
Lee (8-man football)
The Lee Legends are playing a non-conference 8-man schedule which includes both 8-man varsity and junior varsity games.
Even people in the know about the state of the State of Michigan high school girls golf might have overlooked East Kentwood High School sophomore Elise Fennell last year — until she finished her freshman season a solid fourth in the Division 1 individual finals.
And following her consistent, quality play this season, and with her dominating the field at a very tough Division 1 Regional 1 last week — shooting a 73 at Thompsonville’s Betsie Valley course, six stokes ahead of the second place individual finisher — she may well be the golfer to beat this week at the 2-day state Division 1 finals at Grand Valley State University.
East Kentwood High School sophomore Elise Fennell will be seeking a state title Oct. 15-16. (Supplied)
While the 15-year old speaks softly and humbly when asked about her approach to the state finals, to be held Oct. 15-16 at The Meadows, she sounds quietly confident in her game. And her Falcon coach, Mike Ketelaar, says the same thing, a little more loudly.
“Just trying to get ready, mentally, more than anything,” Fennell said to WKTV this week, as she prepared for a practice round at Stonewater Country Club in Caledonia. “Physically is not as important as your mental game. I’m just trying to prepare for what I am going to do. Course management decisions. Everything like that.”
Ketelaar, too, says his prize young player is “hungry” to prove herself to be among the best in the state while she is already establishing herself on the national stage in youth golf by playing in “a lot of serious tournaments in the summertime with some of the best players in the country.”
“Playing in the state finals last year … I got to watch every shot and she was very composed. She enjoyed herself,” Ketelaar said to WKTV. “At the state tournament last year, there was a little bit of nerves but there was nothing she wasn’t used to. I think this year she is very excited for this state tournament coming up, because it is 36 holes, its at Grand Valley, where we’ve had a lot of events.
“I think she is hungry. Fourth place (last year) was really good for her but I think she has higher aspirations this year.”
Growing into her game, individual and team
Fennell has been playing since age six, and competing since she was about 10. And like a lot of young players, when she started there as a parent and a Tiger involved.
East Kentwood High School sophomore Elise Fennell is all smiles … until there is a club in her hands. (Supplied)
“I was like six, and my dad and I would watch Tiger (Woods) on TV, all those guys on TV, and he introduced me to the game,” Fennell said. Her first lesson, however, was later — “I was nine and it was here, (at Stonewater) from Jimmy (Wisinski).”
It was right about that time that she knew she could — and should — compete with the best in her age group, and higher.
“When I was 10, I was winning a lot of stuff in my age group, just because it was small, there was not a lot of girls in my age group,” Fennell said. “My scores were similar to the older girls, so I started moving up. And every time I moved up, all my scores were right there with them. … When I was like 12, I ended up playing with high schoolers and I said ‘Okay, this is where I am meant to be.’”
And that is about the time Falcon coach Ketelaar started hearing about the talent that would he would have the “privilege” and “responsibility” to be working with.
“I’ve had the privilege to work with Elise for the last two years, as her coach at East Kentwood High School,” he said. “But, prior to that, I knew about her pedigree and her ability. … Hearing about her name around the country club here and seeing her scores in different newspapers and stuff, I knew I had a huge responsibility as a coach to make sure I took care of that talent and help develop it to the best of my abilities.”
And despite her growth, physically, it is her mental game where she and her coach continue working to improve.
Her game changed, physically, she said as she grew from 10 to her current 15 years old “because I kept growing, so I needed new clubs, and my yardages changed, and but the same mentality stayed where I just wanted to focus on each shot, stay in the moment and not get too far ahead of myself. Otherwise it would be downhill from there.”
She has also grown both in her individual game and her team game, her coach said.
“I’ve noticed a huge growth in (her), she wants to do well individually still, she’s very hungry and competitive. But I think she is seeing the larger picture of the importance of helping team members,” Ketelaar said. “She obviously has more golf experience than a lot of girls on the team. She has really taken it upon herself to pass on that knowledge and teach them about course management. How to remain calm. Just to enjoy the moment.
“I know she knows high school golf is four years. I think the first year she was really concerned about learning about it and having success herself. It is very apparent now that it is not so much about her as it is about the whole team.”
Falcon team making improvements
While the East Kentwood girls golf team did not advance past the regionals, Fennell’s coach said her impact on the team this year and in the future is certain. Not only on the courses but at practice.
East Kentwood High School head girls golf coach Mike Ketelaar. (WKTV)
“I text and call Elise a lot to get a vibe on what’s the team thinking,” Ketelaar said. “Obviously I’m not a high school girl and I try my best to figure out the climate of the team is. But a lot of time I bank on her relationships, her friendships, with them all to say ‘Hey, are they enjoying themselves? Is there a practice we are doing, is it worthwhile?’ She comes back with really good advice of how she thinks we can improve our program.”
Looking at this year’s team, outride of Fennell, coach starts with his senior leader, Chandler Baillie — “She was a really a consistent player for us,” and then goes from there.
“Morgan Lee is a sophomore, she played our Number 2 this year — I know she is really excited to work in the off season, to improve. So, I’m looking forward to seeing what Morgan can bring to the table next year.
“And Aish (Aishwarya Kasaju) is a junior this year, she had huge improvements, she’ll be a senior leader. And Cam (Camryn) Kolzow came out as a freshman and never played school golf before and now has a real itch. So I think we have a great squad coming in for next year.”
East Kentwood High School sophomore Elise Fennell at practice. (Supplied)
The football stadium at Wyoming High School, which will be filled with fans Friday as the school and the community honors Jack VerDuin, who coached football at Wyoming Park High School. (WKTV)
If you ask someone in the Wyoming-area high school football community to name a few people whom long-time Wyoming Park coach Jack VerDuin impacted as a coach, teacher, friend and mentor be prepared for a long list.
And, as Wyoming High School is set to honor the late VerDuin by naming its new field in his honor this week, it is probably no coincidence that the first two people who talked to WKTV were more than happy to do so and are also now respected educators.
A photo of Jack VerDuin when he coached football at Wyoming Park High School. (Supplied/Wyoming High School)
“For me, it was a lot of things outside of football … as a teacher and an athletic director,” said Oogie LaMar, who was on VerDuin’s state title football team and is currently Director of Adult Education and Community Relations at the Kent ISD. “Many of my memories of him were the times off the field. Back in the day, in study hall. He was my study hall teacher, and so a lot of the discussions we had were just about life and team-ship — being a good person, being a good teammate. Being committed to principals … about the team, but (also) families and how to treat other people.”
VerDuin, who rolled up a 243-118-6 record with the Wyoming Park Vikings before the school merged with Wyoming Rogers into Wyoming high in 2012, was given many honors in his lifetime and after he died in 2007.
He coached the Vikings for 38 seasons beginning in 1962. During the years, Wyoming Park won 19 conference championships and the Class B state championship in 1984, a 33-20 victory over Monroe Catholic Central. The Vikings were then the state runner-up in 1985.
VerDuin is a member of the Wyoming Hall of Fame, Grand Rapids Hall of Fame, Michigan High School Hall of Fame and the Michigan Football Hall of Fame.
But maybe the honor he would appreciate the most would be the special place he occupies in so many of the young people he influenced, on and off the football field.
“Jack influenced me as a person by helping me grow up. He had high expectations and a belief that if we all follow the process, we will all be champions,” said Thom Vander Klay, who played for VerDuin as well and is now a coach and teacher at Wyoming high. “He rarely let his kids believe they were anything but unbeatable … and he was right.”
Teaching how to coach, how to succeed off the field
Vander Klay, to a large extend, also learned how to coach and how to lead an athletic program, from VerDuin.
“He was way ahead of his time regarding finding the right fit for positions for the football team seven years down the road,” Vander Klay said. “For example, he would watch the 7th grade sporting events (not just football) and find who he wanted for each position on his football teams. We generally all played the same position in the same system on both sides of the ball for 6 years. After that long people get pretty good at what they are trying to do.
“He was not concerned with younger teams’ records as it was all about getting better within the system,” he said. “I have worked as a coach to use Jack’s work ethic, attention to detail, and ways to work with each student athlete from where they come from in order to create synergy and teach them they can achieve when they believe in the process. Not just in athletics but when they are adults and are carrying out their plans.”
That idea, often-used these days, of “planning your work and working your plan” was just part of VerDuin caring more about his students as people than simply as athletes.
“Jack was a consistent professional and had great passion for kids and working hard,” Vander Klay said. “He was a big picture guy that would not accept excuses for falling short of his best.”
LaMar told much the same story — “He really just wanted us to do our best … he always expected that.”
Intentional or not, VerDuin was unique
Of course, Coach VerDuin was not without his (occasional) mistakes, with his teams and with his style of dress, as both LaMar and Vander Klay reluctantly talked about.
“I do remember when I was coaching with Jack and he came back from Florida (he coached in Naples, Fla., for two seasons) and he thought he could have the same type of pregame speech to a team we had that was just outmatched that year,” Vander Klay said. “He told them how bad our opponent wanted to beat us and how hard they had prepared and how they were so ready for us. The problem was our kids, who were not that experienced and (were) young that year, believed him and we got drilled.
“We said ‘Maybe you can’t use that same speech for a bit coach’ and he smiled and said ‘I get it.’ Two years later he led Park to another championship.”
And that style of 1980s’ coaching attire?
“He did have those white shoes that he wore, the turf shoes,” LaMar said. “As I look back, and see he and all our coaches in their tight shorts, back in the day, but I guess that was just maybe the style.”
WKTV’s Feature Game crew will be at Wyoming high this week as the Wolves host Grand Rapids Union and also a special celebration for the school’s new stadium being named in honor of Jack VerDuin. The celebration — which will also be 1971-72 Team Reunion Night, Community Night and Senior Night — includes free admission. There will be a Wyoming High School open House at 6 p.m., then the Jack VerDuin Stadium Dedication at 6:45 p.m., followed by game kickoff at 7 p.m.
With only two more weeks of the regular season remaining in the 2021 high school football season, results of Week 7 involving local teams found Grand Rapids South Christian High School (5-2 overall) all but assured a state playoff berth at the end of the month, and Wyoming Godwin Heights (3-3) kept their playoff hopes alive by defeating Kelloggsville.
The Sailors’ scored a 37-13 home win (at East Kentwood) over Ada Forest Hills Eastern. The Wolverines scored a 53-13 win in its annual rivalry game against the Rockets on a rainy night that was WKTV’s Featured Game of the week, with Wyoming and Kentwood cable television and on-demand replays available.
And talking about featured games, WKTV will be at Wyoming high this week as the Wolves host Grand Rapids Union and also a special celebration for the school’s new stadium being named in honor of Jack VerDuin, who rolled up a 243-118-6 record with the Wyoming Park Vikings before the school merged with Wyoming Rogers to become Wyoming high in 2012.
Then, in the final week of the regular season, on Friday, Oct. 22, WKTV will be at East Kentwood for South Christian’s season ending OK Conference Gold clash with current conference co-leader Cedar Springs.
Past WKTV Featured Games from this season available on-demand include the Aug. 26 Forest HIlls Northern at Wyoming High game, the Sept. 1 NorthPointe at Lee 8-man game, the Sept. 10 Middleville T-K at South Christian game (played at East Kentwood), and East Kentwood’s home win over West Otttawa on Sept. 24, South Christian’s win over Kenowa Hills on Oct. 1, and the annual Godwin vs. Kelloggsville rivalry game on Oct. 8.
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
Team-by-team update
East Kentwood
The East Kentwood Falcons (1-6, 1-4 in OK Conference Red) lost 6-44 on the road at Grandville (4-3, 3-2) on Oct. 8. Remaining on the Falcon’s schedule are a home game against Grand Haven (3-4, 2-3) on Oct. 15, then closing out the regular season at Jension (currently 2-5, 1-4) on Oct. 22.
After last week’s action, Rockford (7-0) sits alone in OK Red standings at 5-0 after defeating Caledonia (6-1, 4-1) with Hudsonville (4-3) also at 4-1 in conference.
Wyoming high
The Wyoming Wolves (0-7, 0-5 in OK Conference Green) were on the road again last week and lost 34-65 at Zeeland East (5-2, 4-1) on Oct. 8. This week’s game, on Oct. 15, is a home game against Grand Rapids Union (3-4, 1-4), and then the Wolves close out the season on the road at Mona Shores (currently 5-2, 4-1) on Oct. 22.
After last week’s action, Muskegon (6-1) is 5-0 and alone atop the OK Green after defeating Muskegon Mona Shores.
Grand Rapids South Christian
The South Christian Sailors (5-2, 4-1 in OK Conference Gold) will be the road for Week 8 with an OK Gold game against Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (2-5, 1-4) on Oct. 15.
After last week’s action, Grand Rapids Central Catholic (7-0) and Cedar Springs (6-1) are both 5-0 in OK Gold action, with the Sailors one game behind. South Christian played and lost to Catholic Central on Sept. 17, but still have a home game against Cedar Springs to be played to close the regular season Oct. 22.
Godwin Heights
The Godwin Heights Wolverines (3-3, 1-2 in OK Conference Silver action), after last week’s win over Kelloggsville (2-5, 1-3), could still make the playoffs by winning out in their road game at Belding (5-2, 2-2) on Oct. 15, and then winning at home to close out the season against Grandville Calvin Christian (currently 1-6, 0-4) on Oct. 22.
After last week’s action, OK Silver standings have Comstock Park (7-0) undefeated in OK Silver action at 5-0, with Sparta (5-2) at 3-1 in conference.
Kelloggsville
The Kelloggsville Rockets (2-5, 1-3 in OK Conference Silver action) saw their 2-game winning streak come to an end on a rainy night at Godwin Heights last week, and now have two tough games to end the season: at OK Silver leader Comstock Park (7-0, 5-0) on Oct. 15, and then at home to face Sparta (5-2, 3-1) on Oct. 22.
Lee (8-man football)
The Lee Legends are playing a non-conference 8-man schedule which includes both 8-man varsity and junior varsity games.
As the Wolverines prepare for the annual Kelloggsville rivalry game, 1st-year Godwin Heights football head coach Sydeon Harvey talks with WKTV about his young team’ s progress this year — what has worked (his senior captains) and what do they need to get better at (penalties, penalties, penalties). (WKTV)
Godwin Heights High School’s 1st-year head football coach Sydeon Harvey is pretty sure his senior-led but still young team will continue to improve this week when the Wolverines host Kelloggsville. He is absolutely sure his team will be pumped-up for the cross-town rival Rockets.
While records don’t really matter in a game like this one — Godwin Heights is 2-3, 0-3 in OK Conference Silver action while Kelloggsville Rockets is 2-4 and 1-2 — bragging rights do, now and in the future.
Godwin Heights High School head football coach Sydeon Harvey. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“The records mean nothing. That’s really true,” Harvey said to WKTV this week at a team practice. “This is my first here here but I’m not an idiot. When you have a rivalry, that’s what it is all about. That’s the one game that, when you look back 20 years, you’ll say ‘We won that game!’ A lot of these kids are just like a stone’s throw away” from Kelloggsville.
“This will be a big game this week. I expect both teams to play really hard, but I’m confident we’ll do well. … We are on the cusp. I feel really confident about this week against Kelloggsville. They are not going to lay down for us, but it’s homecoming, it’s a rivalry. I think our guys are going to be up for that.”
The “big game” between Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights — which is also the Wolverines’ Homecoming game — is this week’s WKTV Feature Game, on Friday, Oct. 8, with cable television and on-demand replays available.
Godwin Heights, after a week off from action, returned to the field and OK Conference Silver acton last week but lost a tight road game at Sparta (4-2, 2-1 in conference). Kelloggsville has seen their offense in high gear for three straight weeks, the last two being wins, as they followed up a win at Calvin Christian in conference action with a non-conference road win at Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard.
After last week’s action, OK Silver standings have Comstock Park (6-0) as the only undefeated in OK Silver action at 4-0, with Hopkins (3-3) at 3-1 and Sparta (4-2) at 2-1 in conference. While a conference crown is not likely for either Godwin or Kelloggsville, either could finish with five wins and a possible playoff birth.
Young, improving team is senior led
“The thing we are doing really well is that the kids are getting better every week,” Harvey said, looking at his team’s up and down season so far. “We are getting better doing some of the little things — better with our discipline, penalties are going down. But we are not penalty free yet.
The Godwin Heights High School football team will be out to protect their house against Kelloggsville. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“You talk about stuff we can be better at, we have to be better at those little things. We can’t have penalties at critical times. But that is part of being a young team. We got 31, 32 guys on varsity and 10 of them are seniors. We are pretty much a young team. But I have been really pleased that we are getting better at all the little things, running the ball, throwing the ball, getting everybody involved.”
Another thing coach is pleased with is his senior captains.
“All our captains are playing really, really well,” he said. “Kaleil (Harris) is a two-way player, he plays rover (on defense) and plays wide out (on offense) — he’s made a lot of real good plays for us. Jeremiah (Drake), our starting quarterback — he was missing for three games and that hurt us a little bit, it was just a change. He’s a great leader, and been doing really well for us.
“Javeon (Lyons), who is our defensive captain, has played really well for us. And then there is Jabari Crump(-Moore), he’s great leader for us and been playing extremely well for us. We have four captains and they have played great as captains, they’ve been great leaders and they’ve been great on the field.”
The Godwin Heights High School football team at practice this week preparing for a game against Kelloggsville. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Where and when to see WKTV game replays
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
Kelloggsville head football coach Brandon Branch talked to WKTV this week about his team’s impressive offensive production and what the keys have been … hint, hint … getting his two best athletes the ball. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Two things are just about locks when it comes to this week’s OK Conference Silver football contest when Kelloggsville High School visits Godwin Heights in their annual cross-town clash.
The first is the two team’s records don’t really matter in rivalries like this one, and the second is the Rockets’ dynamic duo of senior Jabari Campbell and junior Camron Townsend will get their touches.
Both teams come into the contest with up and down seasons: The Rockets are 2-4 overall and 1-2 in conference, the Wolverines are 2-3 and 0-3. But Kelloggsville has won two in a row after last week’s 34-24 non-conference road win at Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, while Godwin has played tough teams really tough, including last week’s 29-14 loss at Sparta, in a game what was tight until the fourth quarter.
Both could also still could get to five wins and have a shot at the playoffs.
The Kelloggsville High School football team in practice this week as the Rockets prepare for Godwin Heights. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
So, of course, the Friday, Oct. 8, contest — which will also be Godwin’s Homecoming Game — will be this week’s WKTV Feature Game. With local cable television and later on-demand replays available.
“Records don’t matter,” Kelloggsville head football coach Brandon Branch said to WKTV at a practice this week. “It’s like playing your brother in pick-up basketball. You always want to win, regardless of the score, regardless of the age difference, regardless of everything that has happened before. This game is the most important one. It’s doesn’t matter what the records are coming into this one.”
For Branch, who has brought stability and now emerging success to the Rockets program in, this, his second season leading the program, the key factor this week as it has been all season — keeping his high-scoring offense in high gear to keep them in games.
Led by Campbell and Townsend, who each have 500+ yards and at least 8 touchdowns receiving, and junior quarterback Zachary Zerfas, who has thrown for 1,500+ yards, Kelloggsville’s offense has scored 26+ points in five of six games.
“Jabari and Cam are our best athletes, by far,” Branch said. “Those are the guys we are trying to get the ball to. We try to find as many unique ways to get the ball to them as we can. Zach does a great job finding them, but he’s not just staring those guys down. He’s spreading the ball round pretty good. … but I’d be lying if I said we were not trying to get Jabari and Cam the ball.”
And sometimes Townsend just takes the ball himself — he has three touchdowns on interceptions while playing defense this season.
A combined effort of players, coaches
There is a lot more happening on the Rockets offense than simply pitch-and-catch between the three leaders, however.
The scoring success is “really just taking advantages of the strengths that we have. We use our strengths to expose the other team’s weaknesses as well,” Branch said. “I’m the offensive coordinator, but really it is coaching by committee,” pointing out assistants James Gentile, quarterback coach, and Justice Wright, receivers coach. “They get those players in the right place to make plays.”
Assistant coach Will Gooch, center, works a drill with the Kelloggsville High School football team in practice this week as the Rockets prepare for Godwin Heights. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
And the offensive line coaches, including Rob Fron and Will Gooch, are seeing their work paying off as the season has progressed — “Our offensive line has really grown in the last couple weeks.”
Branch pointed out junior tailback Brendon Tuinstra and junior center William Howard II as also being key to the offense.
And other players are playing well but don’t have the stats to show it, Branch said, including sophomore Jeremie Tsoumou and junior DeMarreon Rodriguez.
“Those guys play positions on offense that because they are running their routes tough, the safeties have to make a decision. So if the safeties have to make a decision that makes it an easier decision for Zach,” Branch said. “Because those guys, the nine other guys besides Jabari and Cam, are working their butts off each week, those two have the opportunity to do what they do.”
The Kelloggsville High School football team in practice this week as the Rockets prepare for Godwin Heights. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The Kelloggsville High School football team in practice this week as the Rockets prepare for Godwin Heights. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The Kelloggsville High School football team in practice this week as the Rockets prepare for Godwin Heights. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Team is young but not too young
As the Rockets have started to see success, so has the entire program started to see success.
The current varsity has nine seniors, 13 juniors suited up, a sign that the program is growing but young players are not being rushed to play varsity too soon.
“I definitely think we are headed in the right direction,” Branch said. “ Our numbers are growing. We have the biggest JV team we’ve had in a long time this year. 26-27 kids coming out every week. And our kids are doing the job in the classroom, making sure they are staying eligible and able to play.
“Having those nine senior and 13 juniors just make it easier (for the coaches) because we can just pick the one or two sophomores that are ready. … We are able to let those (other underclassman) continue maturing.”
Can’t be there live? Catch it on WKTV
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
As the 2021 high school football season winds down, results of Week 6 had Grand Rapids South Christian High School (4-2 overall) still in-line for a state playoff berth at the end of the month — and the Sailors’ 49-12 win over Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills was WKTV’s Featured Game of the week with Wyoming and Kentwood cable television and on-demand replays available.
But the does not mean there are not games of importance coming up for local teams down the stretch.
First, Kelloggsville has won two in a row after last week’s 34-24 non-conference road win at Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, and records won’t really matter as Kelloggsville and Godwin Heights play their traditional crosstown rivalry this week — and WKTV will be there. (And both still could get to five wins and have a shot at the playoffs.)
Then, Wyoming high will be at home next week as the school hosts Grand Rapids Union and also a special celebration for the school’s new stadium being named in honor of Jack VerDuin, who rolled up a 243-118-6 record with the Wyoming Park Vikings before the school merged with Wyoming Rogers to become Wyoming high in 2012.
This week’s WKTV Feature Game will be the Friday, Oct. 8, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights clash, and on Friday, Oct. 15, WKTV will be at Wyoming high for the game and the ceremony.
The final week of the regular season, on Friday, Oct. 22, WKTV will select a game of most importance to local fans and local team in pursuit of the playoffs the week after.
Past WKTV Featured Games from this season available on-demand include the Aug. 26 Forest HIlls Northern at Wyoming High game, the Sept. 1 NorthPointe at Lee 8-man game, the Sept. 10 Middleville T-K at South Christian game (played at East Kentwood), and East Kentwood’s home win over West Otttawa on Sept. 24 — and now last week’s South Christian win over Kenowa Hills.
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
Team-by-team update
East Kentwood
The East Kentwood Falcons —1-5, 1-3 in OK Conference Red action after last week’s 6-42 road loss at Hudsonville (3-3, 3-1) — will again be on the road this week, playing at Grandville (3-3, 2-2).
After last week’s action, Caledonia (6-0 overall) and Rockford (6-0) are both 4-0 in OK Red standings.
Remaining on the Falcon’s schedule after Grandville on Oct. 8, East Kentwood will be at home hosting Grand Haven (currently 3-3, 2-2) on Oct. 15, then closing out the regular season at Jension (currently 0-4, 1-5) on Oct. 22.
Wyoming high
The Wyoming Wolves (0-6) last week traveled to OK Conference Green foe Zeeland West (3-2, 2-2 in conference) and lost 6-72. Wyoming will be on the road again this week at Zeeland East (4-2, 3-1) on Oct. 8.
After last week’s action, Muskegon (5-1) and Muskegon Mona Shores (5-1) are each 4-0 in OK Green action. The Wolves are 0-4 in conference.
After this week’s game, The Wolves will be at home for the final time this season facing Grand Rapids Union (currently 3-3, 1-3) on Oct. 15, and then close out the season at Mona Shores on Oct. 22.
Grand Rapids South Christian
The South Christian Sailors (4-2, 3-1 in OK Conference Gold) will be at home (at East Kentwood) in Week 7 hosting Ada Forest Hills Eastern (3-2, 2-2) in OK Gold action.
After last week’s action, Grand Rapids Central Catholic (6-0) and Cedar Springs (5-1) are both 4-0 in OK Gold action, with the Sailors one game behind. South Christian played and lost to Catholic Central on Sept. 17, but still have a home game against Cedar Springs to be played to close the regular season Oct. 22.
After this week’s game against Ada Forest Hills Eastern on Oct. 8, the Sailors travel to Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (2-3, 1-2) on Oct. 15, then finish the regular season against Cedar Springs.
Godwin Heights
The Godwin Heights Wolverines (2-3), after a week off from action, returned to the field and OK Conference Silver acton last week but lost a road game at Sparta (4-2, 2-1 in conference), 14-29, on Oct. 1.
After last week’s action, OK Silver standings have Comstock Park (6-0) as the only undefeated in OK Silver action at 4-0, with Hopkins (3-3) at 3-1 in conference. Godwin is 0-3 in conference.
The week, the Wolverines will host cross-town and conference rival Kelloggsville, then travel to Belding (currently 4-2, 2-2 in conference) on Oct.15, before finishing the season at home against Grandville Calvin Christian (1-5, 0-3) on Oct. 22.
Kelloggsville
The Kelloggsville Rockets (2-4) have now seen their offense in high gear for three straight weeks, the last two being wins, as they followed up a 70-22 road win at Calvin Christian in OK Conference Silver action with the road win at Father Gabriel Richard.
After last week’s action, OK Silver standings have Comstock Park (6-0) as the only undefeated in OK Silver action at 4-0, with Hopkins (3-3) at 3-1 in conference. Kelloggsville is 1-2 in conference.
Kelloggsville after this week’s game at Godwin Heights (2-3, 0-3), will be at Comstock Park on Oct. 15, and then at home to face Sparta (3-2, 1-1) on Oct. 22.
Lee (8-man football)
The Lee Legends are playing a non-conference 8-man schedule which includes both 8-man varsity and junior varsity games.
Jess Hart, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s director of education, discusses planned and possible educational programing available in the new Peter M. Wege Library and the unique public area outside its doors. (WKTV)
There is a work of art on the grounds of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Bill Woodrow’s “Listening to History”, that speaks to many people about the importance of knowledge as much as it does the imagination of the artist. And the importance of knowledge is not lost on the visionaries at “The Gardens” as well.
As Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park laid out its ambitious expansion plans in 2017 much of the talk was about the new education center and the rooftop garden, the upgraded outdoor amphitheater and the crown jewel of the new “Welcome Center” entrance. All rightly so.
Bill Woodrow’s “Listening to History”, on display at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. (Supplied)
Tucked away in the design plans for the entrance, which opened early this year with a few pieces yet to be place — most notably the placement of Spanish artist Jaume Plensa’s Utopia — was the relocated and expanded Peter M. Wege Library.
But then again, education in general and art history resources in specific was important to Fred Meijer and continues to be important to the mission of the sculpture park named for him.
Located on the lower “Courtyard” level of the Welcome Center, along with “Mimi’s Garden”, a unique garden area seemingly located inside a glass terrarium, the library is intended to not only be a “go to” educational resource center but also a focal point for the Meijer Garden’s community and educational programming.
A scene from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s relocated and expanded Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
While the old library was nice — tucked into a corner just as you entered the old entrance building — both Jess Hart, director of education, and Shelly Kilroy, librarian and archivist, could barely contain their joy at the new space when WKTV visited recently.
“The thing I really enjoy most about it is that it is a space not only for information and learning but for curiosity,” Hart said to WKTV. “We have a really professional staff here at Meijer Gardens and wonderful volunteers, and guests are constantly asking those volunteers and staff questions about our collections and our gardens.
“But occasionally there is a question that a staff member or volunteer cannot answer. And in those instances we often encourage guests to come down to the library to find that information. It is wonderful to have that resource.”
And what a resource it is.
“We are used by the general public, researchers — particularly researchers of a particular artist — or someone who just wants to come in and browse,” Kilroy said to WKTV. “Also for our staff, for inspiration and research for their programs, especially the education staff and our sculpture staff. And, of course, volunteers as well, to learn more about all the Gardens has to offer.”
Library a key element in the expansion
Built using funds from the $115 million Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love capital campaign, the 69,000 square-foot Welcome Center of which the library is only a small but important part, was designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects/Partners.
And the importance of the library and adjacent space to the overall mission of Meijer Gardens was not lost on the internationally known building designers — nor was it to David Hooker, president of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
“Fred Meijer grew to truly enjoy contemporary art through education and the understanding of the principles behind much of the artwork he gave to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park,” Hooker said to WKTV. “The Peter M. Wege Library is a fantastic resource for information about our artwork and gardens. Making use of the Wege Library promotes understanding and appreciation.”
And how extensive is that resource?
Shelly Kilroy, librarian and archivist at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, in the Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The collection is approximately 4,500 books and magazines, Kilroy said. And they cover the spectrum of all of what makes Meijer Gardens famous in several ways.
“Some art history, primarily sculptures and sculptors, and then we also have a small poetry collection, actually. … But also plant and insect and bird identification books, and then plant care in general,” Kilroy said. “Also general (garden) design, if you want to design a Japanese garden or an English perennial garden, we have the books here.”
There are also books on using plants in cooking and crafts, she said, as well as a children’s collection — “so the kiddos can learn more.”
The focus, though, is the art and the artists, and the horticulture, represented at the gardens.
“Any of the artists, the sculptures we have here, there are resources in our collection about that artist and about the art we have here. If you want to learn more about sculpture, broadly, or about a specific sculpture we have here, you can come in and we are more than happy to help.”
An community area at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s relocated and expanded Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
A scene from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s relocated and expanded Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
A scene from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s relocated and expanded Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
A scene from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s relocated and expanded Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
A scene from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s relocated and expanded Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
A scene from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s relocated and expanded Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Present and (hopefully) future educational plans
Hart, the director of education, leads a department which oversees Meijer Gardens’ archives as well as library space. And she considers the library’s learning space to be both inside the Wege library and the community area adjacent.
Jess Hart, director of education at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, outside the Peter M. Wege Library. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“With that new space, we are able to support new programs as well,” she said. “We are really looking forward, in the future, to hosting our quarterly book groups here. Also some Sunday drop-in programs, and potentially our very popular Cozy Tales for Chilly Days for preschoolers and families. Which we can now hold in the library and in this beautiful seating area outside or the library as well.”
And while the current pandemic has led to some pauses in programming and restrictions on programming planned, Hard is hopeful.
“We are hoping to hold all our regular programing upcoming, but I think that remains to be seen with what happens with COVID this winter and any restrictions that may go into place,” she said. “A lot of our programs that are library centered are fairly small, so we do hope to be able to hold some of our story-time groups and some of our drop-in programming.”
Last week, in Week 5 of the 2021 high school football season, East Kentwood High School broke into the win column in a big way with a 37-20 home win over Holland West Ottawa. And WKTV’s Feature Game coverage team was there, with Wyoming and Kentwood cable television and on-demand replays available.
In other local action, South Christian stayed in the OK Gold title hunt with a 62-20 conference win at Wayland, and Kelloggsville also broke in the win column with a 70-22 win at Granville Calvin Christian.
The Week 6 schedule of local teams will find WKTV at East Kentwood this week for a WKTV Featured Game, but this time for a “home” game for South Christian as they host Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills on Oct. 1.
Jack VerDuin. (Supplied)
Upcoming games on the WKTV Featured Game schedule include the Friday, Oct. 8, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights traditional cross-town rivalry game; and the Friday, Oct. 15, Union at Wyoming high game — which is scheduled to be a special celebration as the high school’s new stadium is named in honor of Jack VerDuin, who rolled up a 243-118-6 record with the Wyoming Park Vikings before the school merged with Wyoming Rogers to become Wyoming high in 2012.
The final week of the regular season, on Friday, Oct. 22, WKTV will select a game of more importance to local fans.
Other WKTV Featured Games available on-demand include the Aug. 26 Forest HIlls Northern at Wyoming High game, the Sept. 1 NorthPointe at Lee 8-man game, and the Sept. 10 Middleville T-K at South Christian game (played at East Kentwood).
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
Team-by-team update
East Kentwood
The East Kentwood Falcons —1-4, 1-2 in OK Conference Red action after the win over West Ottawa (0-5, 0-3) — will be on the road this week, playing at Hudsonville (2-3, 2-1).
After last week’s action, Caledonia (5-0 overall) and Rockford (5-0) are both 3-0 in OK Red standings, with Hudsonville and Grand Haven (3-2) at 2-1.
Remaining on the Eagle’s schedule after Hudsonville is Grandville (2-3, 1-2) away on Oct. 8, at home hosting Grand Haven on Oct. 15, then closing out the regular season at Jension (0-3, 1-4) on Oct. 22.
Wyoming high
The Wyoming Wolves (0-5) last week hosted OK Conference Green co-leader, and always tough, Muskegon (4-1) and lost 0-62.
After last week’s action, Muskegon (4-1) and Muskegon Mona Shores (4-1) are each 3-0 in OK Green action. The Wolves are 0-3 in conference, with a road game this week at Zeeland West (2-2, 1-2) on Oct. 1.
After this week’s game, Wyoming will be on the road at Zeeland East (3-2, 2-1) on Oct. 8, at home for the final time this season facing Grand Rapids Union (3-2, 1-2) on Oct. 15, and then close out the season at Mona Shores on Oct. 22.
Grand Rapids South Christian
The South Christian Sailors (3-2, 2-1 in OK Conference Gold) will be at home (at East Kentwood) in Week 6 hosting Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (2-3, 1-2) in OK Gold action.
After last week’s action, Grand Rapids Central Catholic (5-0) and Cedar Springs (4-1) are both 3-0 in OK Gold action, with the Sailors one game behind. South Christian played and lost to Catholic Central on Sept. 17, but still have a home game against Cedar Springs to be played.
After this week’s game against Kenowa Hills, South Christian will host Ada Forest Hills Eastern (2-3, 1-2) on Oct. 8, travel to Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (2-3, 1-2) on Oct. 15, then finish the regular season against Cedar Springs on Oct. 22.
Godwin Heights
The Godwin Heights Wolverines (2-2) had a week off from action last week but will return to the field and OK Conference Silver acton this week with a road game at Sparta (3-2) on Oct. 1.
After last week’s action, Comstock Park (5-0) is the only undefeated in OK Silver action at 3-0, while Belding (4-1) and Hopkins (2-3) are each 2-1 in conference. Godwin remained at 0-2 in conference while Sparta is 1-1.
After this week’s game at Sparta, the Wolverines will host cross-town and conference rival Kelloggsville (1-4, 1-2) on Oct. 8, then travel to Belding on Oct.15, before finishing the season at home against Grandville Calvin Christian (1-4, 0-2) on Oct. 22.
Kelloggsville
The Kelloggsville Rockets (1-4) saw their offense in high gear two weeks in a row last week as they followed up a 38-point effort Sept. 17 in a 38-42 loss to Hopkins with the 70-22 road win at Calvin Christian in OK Conference Silver action.
After last week’s action, Comstock Park (5-0) is the only undefeated in OK Silver action at 3-0, while Belding (4-1) and Hopkins (2-3) are all 2-1 in conference. Kelloggsville is 1-2 in conference.
Kelloggsville will be at Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (2-3, 2-0 in Catholic High School League Intersectional #1) in a non-conference game this week, Oct. 1, before finishing the season with conference games at Godwin Heights (2-2, 0-2) on Oct. 8, at Comstock Park on Oct. 15, and then at home to face Sparta (3-2, 1-1) on Oct. 22.
Lee (8-man football)
The Lee Legends are playing a non-conference 8-man schedule which includes both 8-man varsity and junior varsity games.
East Kentwood High School head coach Anthony Kimbrough, shown at practice with his Falcons team, talks about the good and bad of a tough early-season schedule. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The 2021 high school football season did not start the way East Kentwood High School head coach Anthony Kimbrough and his Falcons team expected — going 0-4 as the team prepared this week to host Holland West Ottawa in a OK Conference Red game.
The Falcons did have a brutal early season schedule, by choice and by chance, with a home loss to state power Muskegon followed by road losses at another state power in Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice and then at Rockford (4-0), before falling to Caledonia (4-0) on Sept. 17, the last two in OK Conference Red action.
Rockford is No. 1 in Division 1 the first AP state football rankings. Caledonia is #3 in Division 2, Brother Rice No. 1 in Division 3, and Muskegon (3-1) is— everyone knows — always ranked by year’s end.
“We are just trying to improve every day: basic fundamentals, little things,” Coach Kimbrough said to WKTV this week. “We went into the season knowing our first three opponents were big-time programs … but we are tying to stay positive … just getting the kids to believe in themselves. We are working hard and hopefully it will pay off this Friday.”
And about that brutal season-opening schedule?
East Kentwood football senior Jakeilon Heard (33) awaits his turn at a Falcons practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“It is a combination of some people just don’t want to play us, so you are stuck playing the Muskegons and the Brother Rices of the world,” Kimbrough said. “But I do want our kids to understand that if you are going to win a state championship, you are going to have to beat those types of programs.
“It was a challenge going in. … (But) I never imagined us going 0-4. It’s been tough. But I have to give credit to our players and our coaches, they’ve stayed positive. We have a long season ahead and we have five games to get better.”
This week’s game, starting at 7 p.m., is not only this week’s WKTV Featured Game of the Week, with cable television and on-demand replays available, but will also be East Kentwood’s Homecoming Game.
Leaning on senior leaders
Coach Kimbrough said despite the rough beginning to the season, parts of the Falcon machine and several players are performing well on the field.
East Kentwood head football coach Anthony Kimbrough likes the positive attitude of his seniors, despite an 0-4 start to the season, including senior Bobby Durr (68) pumping up teammates as they start a practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“I got to start with (senior) Jeffery Perry, our running back. He probably had his best game of the year against Caledonia. He rushed for 93 yards. He ran hard,” Kimbrough said. “And we have offensive linemen that have really played well. Bobby Durr, he’s a senior. He’s stayed positive and he’s a captain on the team.”
“My quarterback (Casey Joppie). He’s a sophomore. He’s taken some licks and got back up. He’s very coachable … very proud of him. And there has been guys on the defensive side who have played well — I could name a bunch.”
And coach also credits many of his seniors, playing or not, as helping to keep the team focused on the past and future winning ways of East Kentwood.
“Jalon Fuller, one of our safeties, he’s played well. Brian Dinh, possibly an all-conference kid, cornerback. He’s played well,” he said. “Those guys just lead by example. Play hard in practice. Staying positive. … I think our underclassman are appreciative of what out seniors bring.”
Along the other seniors are Joe Stille, Reginald Brown, Carlo Russel-Dumani, Dakota Stephens, Felice Messina, Devontae Savage, Shawn White, Jakeilon Heard, Jack Izenbart, Mehki Baker, Anthony Nelson, Alonte’ Brandon, Shawn Dumani, Levi Robinson, Bryson Woods, Patrick MacDonald, Jake Tate and Zachary Vanoverloop.
Where, when to catch WKTV’s feature games
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
The 2021 high school football season, and WKTV’s Feature Game coverage of local teams, are about at the halfway point of the season — and, after a week off for the WKTV crew, we will be catching up with the East Kentwood High School Falcons this week.
With most Kentwood and Wyoming area high school football team having played their fourth game of the season last week and prepping this week for the halfway point in their schedule, WKTV brings you a look at where the teams are standing.
And speaking of Week 5 schedules, WKTV will be at East Kentwood this week for a WKTV Featured Game with the Falcons hosting Holland West Ottawa.
WKTV Featured Games available on-demand include the Aug. 26 Forest HIlls Northern at Wyoming High game, the Sept. 1 NorthPointe at Lee 8-man game, and the Sept. 10 Middleville T-K at South Christian game (played at East Kentwood).
Upcoming games on the WKTV Featured Game schedule include the Friday, Oct. 1, Kenowa Hills at South Christian game (also at East Kentwood); the Friday, Oct. 8, Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights game; and the Friday, Oct. 15, Union at Wyoming High game.
The final week of the regular season, on Friday, Oct. 22, WKTV will select a game of more importance to local fans.
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
East Kentwood
The East Kentwood Falcons (0-4) lost at home last week, 9-35, to Caledonia (4-0) on Sept. 17 in OK Conference Red action.
After starting off a brutal early season schedule with a home loss to state power Muskegon (7-47) on Aug. 27, followed by two road losses: at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (0-33) — another state power — on Sept. 3, and then falling to open OK Red play at Rockford (0-48) on Sept. 10.
After last week’s action, Caledonia and Rockford are both 2-0 in OK Red standings, with East Kentwood at 0-2. The Falcons (0-2) host Holland West Ottawa (0-2 OK Red; 0-4 overall) this week.
Wyoming high
The Wyoming Wolves (0-4) saw their offense kick into high gear but could not break into the win column at home last week during a 49-52 loss to Holland (1-3) on Sept. 17 in OK Conference Green action.
The Wolves started the season with a 13-37 loss at home to Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern on Aug. 27, then lost a road game at Grand Rapids Northview, 0-24, on Sept. 3. Last week, on Sept. 10, Wyoming was also on the road to open OK Green action with a 12-48 loss at Muskegon Reeths-Puffer.
After last week’s action, Muskegon, Muskegon Mona Shores, and Zeeland East are all 2-0 in OK Green action (and all 3-1 on the season). The Wolves are 0-2, with a home game this week against Muskegon.
Grand Rapids South Christian
The South Christian Sailors (2-2) saw their up-and-down season continue last week with a 6-28 road loss at OK Conference Gold leader Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4-0) on Sept. 17 in OK Gold action.
The Sailors started the season, in non-conference action, with a 27-7 win on the road at Grand Rapids Christian Aug. 27, then lost 21-30 at home to East Grand Rapids on Sept. 3. South Christian then got back into the win column Sept. 10 with a 35-14 home win over Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg.
After last week’s action, Central Catholic and Cedar Springs (3-1) are both 2-0 in OK Gold action. The Sailors are 1-1 in conference with a road game at Wayland (0-2; 0-4) coming this week.
Godwin Heights
The Godwin Heights Wolverines (2-2) saw their season record fall to .500 last week with a 18-59 road loss at OK Conference Silver leader Comstock Park (4-0) on Sept. 17 in OK Silver action.
The Wolverines started the season, in non-conference action, with a 34-7 win at home over Manistee on Aug. 27, then followed that up with a 27-21 overtime win on the road at Fowler on Sept. 2. Godwin opened its OK Silver slate with a 28-40 loss at home to Hopkins on Sept. 10.
After last week’s action, Belding (4-0), Comstock Park, and Hopkins (2-2) are all 2-0 in OK Silver action. Due to an open week in the Wolverines schedule, Godwin will next play on Oct. 1 at Sparta (0-1; 2-2).
Kelloggsville
The Kelloggsville Rockets (0-4) also saw their offense crank it up last week but lost at home 38-42 to Hopkins (2-2) on Sept. 17 in OK Conference Silver action.
The Rockets started the season, in non-conference action, with a 28-49 home loss to Owosso on Aug. 26, a 8-55 road loss at Ionia on on Sept. 2, and then opened its OK Silver schedule with a 26-67 loss at conference co-leader Belding on Sept. 10.
After last week’s action, Belding (4-0), Comstock Park, and Hopkins (2-2) are all 2-0 in OK Silver action. Kelloggsville, this week, will be at Calvin Christian (0-1; 1-3).
Lee (8-man football)
The Lee Legends are playing a non-conference 8-man schedule which includes both 8-man varsity and junior varsity games.
The Grand Rapids Ballet School, the educational branch of Grand Rapids Ballet, recently announced an expansion of its Explorer Dance Program, a 45-minute beginning-level ballet class that emphasizes balance, coordination, and creative expression for children with disabilities.
The ballet school’s Explorer Dance Program continues at the Meijer Royce Center for Dance in downtown Grand Rapids, but will now return to Holland community with classes held at Hope College’s DeVos Fieldhouse after a 16-month hiatus due to the pandemic.
“I feel fortunate that we can once again offer the Explorer Dance classes,” school director Attila Mosolygo said in supplied material. “There’s a need for this type of class and we take great pride in being able to fill that need because these kids benefit from it.”
A scene from the Grand Rapids Ballet School Explorer Dance Program’s adaptive dance class. (Supplied/GRBS)
The Explorer Dance is part of the Grand Rapids Ballet School (GRBS) Adaptive Dance Program, which is focused on “the therapeutic power of dance for participants of all abilities to experience the joy of dance,” according to the announcement.
Among the many benefits of participation in Explorer Dance, students will interact with other children in their class, and build a sense of community and belonging. Mosolygo added that in addition to the camaraderie students feel, ballet also offers many therapeutic qualities.
“It’s great for people to recognize that dance can be part of everyday life. It’s very calming,” he said. “Our students feel great coming out of the class.”
The Explorer Dance program in Grand Rapids is returning to in-person classes for the fall semester following a year of virtual learning the previous school year. The Holland Explorer Dance classes are re-launching after more than a one-year break.
“There has always been overwhelming positivity in the Explorer Dance class,” Taryn Streasick, GRBS faculty member, said in supplied material. “All they wanted was to be back in person and see each other again.”
The Explorer Dance classes at both locations offer students the chance to interact one-on-one with the teacher in a hands-on environment that provides an opportunity to focus on learning. Students are able to discover their abilities and strengths while working to improve balance and hand-eye coordination.
“The students love being able to move and dance together,” Streasick said. “They build each other up and they help each other by encouraging one another.”
The fall semester runs through Jan. 22, 2022. Classes take place Monday evenings in Grand Rapids and Tuesday evenings in Holland.
For more information about the Grand Rapids Ballet School visit grballet.com.
For more information and to enroll in a Grand Rapids Ballet Schools’ Adaptive Dance program, visit grballet.com.
The first national coaches poll came out early this month and the Grand Rapids Community College men’s cross country team was ranked #3 in the country for National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division 2 schools.
And as the team prepares to host its annual GRCC Raider Invitational Saturday, Sept. 18, at Calvin University’s course, three runners with local ties will be on the course for the Raiders.
GRCC cross country runner Coleman Clark. (GRCC)
While the most watched of a large and talented squad of first-year GRCC runners, according to head mens coach Garrett Lacy, is Coleman Clark — the 2020 MHSAA Division 4 cross-country state champion from Carson City-Crystal High School — two freshman from Kentwood, Christian Martinez-Ramos and Lucas Schneider, are expected to also be top runners.
And sophomore returner Lance Jourdan, of Wyoming, can challenge for a top spot “on any give day,” Lacy said to WKTV.
GRCC cross country runner Joshua Kipkoech. (GRCC)
The top GRCC returner — and the team’s No. 1 runner — is Joshua Kipkoech (Kenya/Kipsoen Secondary). Kipkoech was the Michigan Community College Athletic Association and NJCAA Region XII champion last year, and went on to finish 5th at NJCAA D2 cross-country national championships. He also holds the school record at GRCC in an 8k time of 25:22.
Martinez-Ramos, who attended Wyoming Kelloggsville High School, and Schneider, who attended East Kentwood High School, both finished within the top 7 runners in the Raiders first action at Calvin University Sept. 4. Martinez-Ramos finished as the 5th GRCC runner in a time of 28:16 over the 8-kilometer distance, and Schneider was the 7th man in 29:17. Jourdan attended Calvin Christian.
Raider men’s team deep and fast
“This year’s squad is probably the deepest it has ever been with 15 guys on the roster,” Lacy said. “When I came to GRCC just two years ago we had just three men on the roster, so to grow the program over the last two years into a team of 15 is really quite rewarding.
“Beyond that, we are coming off a season in 2020 that was one of the best in school history where the team captured it’s first MCCAA and Region XII championships for the first time since the reboot of the program took place in 2014.”
The team then went on to finish in 9th place at the NJCAA D2 National Championships last year in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
“For this season’s outlook we look to build upon the success that we had least season and defend our conference and regional championships and attempt to go back-to-back. We also are aiming for a top three podium finish at our national competition this year and to bring home some hardware for the college and the Grand Rapids community.”
This year’s squad is highlighted by 10 newcomers to the team, Lacy said, including Clark as well as transfers Brian Frazee (Kellogg Community College) who was NJCAA D3 All-American last season, and Jaydon Moleski (Rochester University, and a graduate of Cedar Springs High School.
And Lacy also sees good things coming from both Martinez-Ramos and Schneider.
GRCC cross country runner Lucas Schneider. (GRCC)
GRCC cross country runner Christian Martinez-Ramos. (GRCC)
“I think both runners have a ton of potential for growth, and will continue to improve throughout the season,” Lacy said. “Lucas is a very hard worker who put in a ton of summer miles to get ready for this season, but had a two week setback with an ankle injury that sidelined him for two weeks right before the start of the season or he would likely be even further up on the squad than he is now.”
“Christian has a desire to be great matched by few that I have ever coached before, he just needs to work on being patient and trust the process and I have no doubt he will achieve the goals he has set for himself.”
GRCC cross country runner Lance Jourdan. (GRCC)
Jourdan, coach Lacy said, is “not inside our top 7 right now, but could be on any given day. He is also a great sophomore leader on the team and brings a ton of value in practices and on meet days that goes beyond just being in the top 7 runners.”
Another “key” returner is Andrew Periard of East Grand Rapids.
For a full schedule of the GRCC cross country team, visit grccraiders.com.
The Wyoming Lee High School football team will be embarking a new era with its Wednesday, Sept. 1, season-opening game hosting NorthPointe Christian — the era of playing 8-man football.
The late change to 8-man, made just before the season started, has head coach Mark Smoes, and his staff and team, doing a bit of audible game planning and play calling however.
Lee Legends head football coach Mark Smoes. (WKTV)
“We’ve had to adjust quite a bit,” coach Smoes said to WKTV this week. “It is the same game but we are adjusting our time because, as coaches, we are learning to adjust to this game.
“It is a faster pasted game. It allows you the opportunity to get skilled players on the field. That kinds of plays to our strength. We are adjusting a little every day, for the players and for ourselves.”
The Lee vs. NorthPointe game, which will be a junior varsity game for the visitors, will be this week’s WKTV Featured Game with coverage on cable television replay and on-demand. The game kick off will be at 5:30 p.m.
The change to 8-man was one of the first decisions made by new Lee Legends athletic director Tray Crusciel, after he took a look at a football program which has struggled in recent years, including going 0-4 and being outscored 193-41 in games played in its 2020 independent schedule season.
“After seeing the numbers we had out for the program, seeing the low numbers currently at 7/8th grade level, and the strength of the program over the last 10 years, we felt this was best for our kids right now,” Crusciel said to WKTV. “Our move to the Alliance (8-man) conference will definitely help across the board, give us more level competition and, I think, with the conference move and the move to 8-man, this community and school will benefit from it greatly.”
The program which Crusciel looked at, and which Smoes coaches, has its fair share of senior leadership, but with less than 20 players total in the high school program and on the school’s only team, almost half are sophomores and freshman.
But, Smoes said, the change to 8-man not only works with the numbers on his team but also on the talent on his team.
The 8-man game “is a little more offensive (and) we like to run the ball, we like to throw the ball. And we just have more area to work in,” he said. “We enjoy that and our players enjoy that. And we have players who are multi-talented on the field play, players who can catch, players who can run, players who can block. It just makes for a faster game. … It plays to our strengths.”
Among the Legends strengths, Smoes said, is a group to seniors and juniors who will likely play both ways in the 8-man system.
Smoes said senior quarterback Kemijion Reed, who did not play last season due to his family’s pandemic concerns, will be back and is expected to trigger the offense. Fellow seniors Rogelio Martinez, Shamaari Hill and Juan De La O are also expected to be key players.
Junior running back Elijah Beckwith, who rushed for 1,000 yards as a freshman two years ago, and slot back Ke’Ontae will also be key offensive players.
“Those players are going to handle a lot of the work for us this season offensively,” Smoes said. “We (also) have a very strong freshman class, and sophomores as well. And the nice thing about 8-man is that before, when your playing 11-man and you are short on players, you played players in positions which were tough for them to play in.”
But this season, with the 8-man format, many of those young players will be eased into the high school game.
This week’s game is one of four currently scheduled for Lee, with two being varsity 8-man and another JV game. (The Legends will be at Martin Sept. 20, hosting Gobles on Oct. 1, and at Dansville Oct. 21. But Crusciel said more games are likely to be added.)
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
New Godfrey-Lee Public Schools athletic director Tray Crusciel, on his first day on the job, had to help make a hard decision about the Legends football program — a program which has struggled mightily in recent years including going 0-4 and being outscored 193-41 in games played in its 2020 independent schedule season.
The decision made was to move the high school program to the 8-man football game, and to scramble to find games — any games — for head coach Mark Smoes’ players.
“My first day in the office, I was tasked with helping make this decision for the district,” AD Crusciel said to WKTV this week. “After seeing the numbers we had out for the program, seeing the low numbers currently at 7/8th grade level, and the strength of the program over the last 10 years, we felt this was best for our kids right now.
“Our move to the Alliance conference will definitely help across the board, give us more level competition and, I think, with the conference move and the move to 8-man, this community and school will benefit from it greatly.”
After forfeiting a perviously scheduled 11-man game last week, the Legends will open their season by hosting an 8-man game against NorthPointe Christian’s junior varsity squad on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 5:30 p.m.
The game will be covered by the WKTV Featured Game crew, and broadcast on cable television and made available on-demand.
Lee Legends Dragon and Crest. (Supplied)
This week’s game is one of four currently scheduled for Lee, with two being varsity 8-man and another JV game. (The Legends will be at Martin Sept. 20, hosting Gobles on Oct. 1, and at Dansville Oct. 21. But Crusciel said more games are likely to be added.)
“We felt comfortable (scheduling both JV and varsity games) because half our team is freshman/sophomore, but the teams we are playing are all facing the same issues,” Crusciel said. “We are keeping our eyes open for more games but we might have to get lucky.
“For the future, my plan is to seek our 8-man leagues/scheduling agreements to give us full schedules or build numbers back up to transition back to 11-man. Our enrollment sits at 505, so that tells me we have a decent number to tap into. But, this is a huge soccer community and we have kids with various interests and obstacles to overcome.”
He also said a “bright side” is that the district has 30 or so kids playing football in 5/6th grade. “Our goal needs to be getting engaged with those kids at the lower levels more and keeping them interested and engaged in football.”
Prior to last season’s 0-4 record in a season also impacted by the pandemic, coach Smoes first season leading the team, Lee was 3-6 under then coach Tom Degennaro while also playing an independent schedule.
AD Crusciel’s journey to Lee
New Godfrey-Lee Public Schools athletic director Tray Crusciel, with his wife and new baby. (Supplied)
Prior to coming to Lee, Crusciel had been an athletic director for eight years, including three at Covert, where he helped build the athletic department from 1 team to 13 teams, and to get the school back into an athletic conference. He then worked at Benton Harbor for one year. His resume includes stops at Jackson Lumen Christi and Battle Creek Lakeview.
“The reason I’m up here now (is) wife got a new job at Mercy Health (and) we have tons of family in the surrounding areas and we wanted to move closer to our family,” he said.
Crusciel holds degrees from Western Michigan and Wayne State universities, in for my physical education and sports administration. He played football growing up, he said, and has coached multiple sports.
Wyoming high head football coach Carlton Brewster, left, watches over practice Aug. 24, as the Wolves prepare for their season opener Aug. 26. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The Wyoming High School football team will open its 2021 season Thursday, Aug. 26, hosting Forest Hills Northern in a game which not only marks the debut of head coach Carlton Brewster II leading the program but marks a return to near normal after a 2020 season radically altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
And WKTV will be there to begin its 2021-22 Featured Game coverage season and a season-long run of cable television and on-demand coverage of local high school football. This week’s game at Wyoming will kick off at 7 p.m.
For Wolves coach Brewster, who took over the Wyoming program in March after Irv Sigler Jr. resigned after four years leading the program, the opening night game against the Northern Huskies will be first and foremost chance to begin a normal season after a nearly lost year in 2020.
Wyoming played only five games, posting a 1-4 record in the team’s first season playing the likes of the Muskegon and Zeeland schools in the OK Green, and had several spring and summer restrictions on the program’s off-season activities. (Northern — out of the OK White — posted a 4-3 record leas year, and the two teams did not play as usual in early season action.)
Wyoming high football head coach Carlton Brewster II. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“Our first four games will still be challenging … You have to be ready every week,” Coach Brewster said to WKTV this week. “But it is good for our kids (to have the early season games). We can find out where our kids are at, early on, and as a staff we can come together and decide we need to build on these areas to prepare to go into the OK (Green).”
Not that Brewster and his staff do not already have an idea of the team’s strengths and weaknesses, particularly on offense — the side of the ball where Brewster has excelled playing and coaching in his career. (See a WKTV Journal story about coach Brewster when he took over the program, and see a video interview with him.)
“We got some good skill guys,” Brewster said. “And we are going to utilize the spread (offense) and we are going to utilize the guys we have and get the ball to those guys.”
Wyoming high assistant coach Aaron Berlin working with the team at a practice. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Brewster is also pleased with how the players have ‘bought into” the program since he took over — “Spring and summer has been great (for the program). We came in right away and lifted weights pretty much every single day. A lot of kids bought in.”
And he also pointed out senior leadership as being another strength of his new program.
Isaiah Clark “can play very position on the line, fullback, tight end,” Brewster said. “He’s a great kid. He’s 100 miles an hour and a 3.0 (grade) kid.”
Amani Hobson plays offensive and defensive line, and “does a great job where ever he plays. And Mateo Ledesma plays running back and safety, and will be one of those “skill guys” who will get the ball in his hands — a lot.
WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports, and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners is seeking “qualified and interested” residents to serve the community through appointment to various boards, commissions, and committees.
Some positions require certain experience in select fields, while other simply require people to be interested in serving their community. Some, but not all appointments, require an individual to be a resident or a registered voter of Kent County.
All applications for appointment must be filed with the Board of Commissioner’s office by close of business, Friday, Sept. 30.
One open position which requires a citizen of Wyoming is on the Kent District Library Board, with an opening for a Region 8 resident member from the City of Wyoming. (Also available is the Region 4 resident member from either Bowne, Lowell,Vergennes Township or City of Lowell).
Other boards, commissions, and committees that have openings for terms effective Jan. 1, 2022 (unless otherwise noted) include:
Agricultural Preservation Board (openings for agricultural interest representative and conservation representative).
Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, Board of Directors (must be 60 years or older).
Community Health Advisory Committee (openings for at-large member, community-based organization representative, health care provider representative, and Kent ISD representative).
Community Mental Health Authority Board (Network 180) Board (Term begins April 1,2022).
County Building Authority.
Friend of the Court Citizens’ Advisory Committee (attorney who engages primarily in Family Law and one representative of the public).
Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRFIA) Authority Board.
Housing Commission.
Jury Commission.
Kent County Community Action Advisory Governing Board (openings for one consumer sector member and one public sector member).
Kent County Family & Children’s Coordinating Council (private agency representatives, private funding representatives).
Kent Hospital Finance Authority (two openings for County Representative members).
Officers’ Compensation Commission (four member openings).
Remonumentation Peer Review Group (openings for four professional surveyor members).
Veterans Services Committee (openings for four U.S. armed forces veteran members).
Qualified residents may apply by completing an online application on the County’s website at accessKent.com/boardappointments. Resumes and cover letters are encouraged. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2021.
For additional information on the boards and commissions visit the Kent County website here or contact the Board of Commissioner’s office at 616-632-7580.
On this latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, we talk with new Grand Rapids Community College head mens basketball coach Joe Fox — a coach with experience assisting on local college teams, a family where coaching basketball runs deep, and a passion for helping student athletes succeed on and off the court.
This summer, Fox was appointed GRCC head coach after serving as an assistant coach — twice — at the downtown Grand Rapids school, as well as at Calvin University and Lansing Community College. He also has been involved with the popular Gus Macker basketball tournament.
And, while it might be cliche, but coaching runs in Fox’s family as his father, Gary Fox, and grandfather, George Fox, both coached high school basketball in Michigan for 25 years. George Fox, in fact, won a state championship with Magic Johnson at Lansing’s Everett high in 1977.
It is Joe Fox’s goals for student-athlete success — in the classroom, on the court, and in life — where Fox says will be a focus of his Raiders program.
Success “on and off the field is a huge thing, not just at the community college level but all colleges,” Fox said to WKTV. “Student athletes, in general, tend to think of themselves through an athletic lens, first and foremost. It’s a big part of their identity, as students. It’s big part of their time. So we are really intentional about making sure they have the academic support they need as well.”
In the WKTV Sports Connection interview, Coach Fox also talked in detail about his experience, his coaching family, and not only what his 2021-22 team will look like but where his program recruiting focus will be.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is a WKTV produced program dedicated to bringing you interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports. You can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting WKTVJournal.org/sports. But we also have a volunteer sports crew, both in studio and with our coverage truck. For more information email ken@WKTV.org.
This WKTV Journal sports coverage of high school athletic events and other sports is available at WKTVlive.org. It also airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule). Individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal Sports Connection are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Grand Rapids Community College athletic director Lauren Ferullo, the first female AD in these schools history, visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on her history and the school’s athletic programs. (WKTV)
On this latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, we talk junior college sports conferences, preparing students for success both in athletics and in life, and the impact on female athletics of Title lX. With us is Grand Rapids Community College athletic director Lauren Ferullo, the first female AD in these schools history.
As part of a wide ranging discussion on GRCC sports with WKTV sports volunteer Greg Yoder, AD Ferullo points out that female athletic directors are more and more common these days — if still a small minority — but she still take great pride in being a role modern for young women on the playing field in the field of athletic leadership.
“It definitely matters to me because I am one of few. I actually looked up the statistics today and about 15 percent of (of college athletic directors) … are female. And then it is about 13 percent at the community college level,” Ferullo said to WKTV. “So I am one of very few and I take that very seriously.
“I think I can be a role model for female athletes, I am a product of Title lX. I had those opportunities. I was able to play sports growing up. I was afforded those opportunities and now I am an athletic director.”
The federal act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, in brief, prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. One result was a vast expansion of college athletic scholarships being given to females.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is a WKTV produced program dedicated to bringing you interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports. You can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting WKTVJournal.org/sports. But we also have a volunteer sports crew, both in studio and with our coverage truck. For more information email ken@WKTV.org.
This WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of high school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.org. It also airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule). Individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal Sports Connection are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Continuing WKTV Journal’s series “WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later”, a modern American family working hard to attain the American Dream — who just happen to be Muslim.
Aamir and Halima Ismail are residents of Kentwood and members of Islamic Center of West Michigan. Aamir works as manager of financial systems for Amway and Halima works as a school improvement administrator for Grand Rapids Public Schools. The couple have two children, teenage boys Ibrahim and Da’ud , both of whom attend Kentwood Public Schools.
This special WKTV Voices project presents video interviews, and online/print stories, covering a range of personal stories of the 9/11 attacks and their impact over the following two decades. Following previous background interviews dealing with American Islamic history, global politics, and the current Islamic world, we present the voices of Muslim community leaders and, most importantly, local Muslim American citizens, especially young people who grew up in the age of 9/11. (If you have a story to tell us, contact Ken@wktv.org.)
The Ismails — she was born in the United States while he emigrated from Pakistan — have worked hard and prospered in West Michigan. They love the diversity of students in Kentwood Public Schools and live here partially due to that diversity.
But it does not mean they haven’t had to have “that talk” with their sons, a talk to prepare them in case they face any discrimination or other forms of bias.
“I think we have had to explain to them that there are matters of the faith and what they do represents the faith, and so I think we have used that to our benefit to help them see what they do is a representation of the faith, ” Halima Ismail said in the interview. “They haven’t necessarily come to us with instances of hostility but they have been encouraged to explain their faith, have been interested in sharing that information with their school and in their classes.
“But we do feel that, as parents, we have had to sit down (with them) and say ‘If you feel bullied, if this happens, if you are in the hostile environment, to walk away and speak to an adult.’ That is something, we have had those conversations.”
WKTV Journal’s “Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos. Online/print stories are available by searching “9/11 at 20” on WKTVJournal.org. You can also search Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the Hashtag #voices9/11at20.
Aamir and Halima Ismail on the set of WKTV Journal In Focus June 2021. (WKTV)
YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, which operates seven branch locations in the Grand Rapids area including the SpartanNash YMCA in Wyoming, announced this week that it has been awarded $189,000 from the Michigan Department of Education to provide summer learning opportunities for children in summer programs.
The grant is part of a larger $2.3 million given to Michigan YMCAs to “deliver a coordinated program which supports children, families, and schools while they recover from the pandemic and prepare for a successful return to the school year,” according to the announcement.
“The YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids is excited to expand and enhance our existing day camp program,” Nicole Hansen, district executive director of community engagement and youth development, said in supplied material. “Through intentional math, science, literacy, and social-emotional curriculum, we will ensure the youth in our community have an engaging summer full of education and connection.”
YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids is still accepting registrations for day camp programs. To sign up visit grymca.org/summer-day-camps. (Camp leaders are also still needed to staff the day camps. Applicants can visit grymca.org/careers for more information.)
The YMCA’s summer programs will “focus on fun, keeping kids safe, active, fed, and engaged with other children and adults.” The funding from the Michigan Department of Education allows YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids to offer traditional camp programs that are “enhanced to address the unique academic needs created by the pandemic,” according to the statement.
“The Y is prepared to work with schools to overcome the challenges facing students, families and communities,” Fran Talsma, executive director for the Michigan Alliance of YMCAs, said in supplied material. “To effectively combat COVID learning loss, in- and out-of-school learning needs to be connected and seamless.
“We have the capacity and expertise to support schools and help achieve positive outcomes for students. The Y is ready to meet the academic, social-emotional, physical, and nutritional needs of children and is committed to strong collaborations to improve the academic success and overall well-being of children.”
In addition to the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids’ branch locations, it also operates YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin, community outreach programs, and childcare sites. For more information visit grymca.org.
At the testing planned HIV testing site, certified test counselors will be onsite to answer questions and connect residents with additional services. (CDC)
In honor of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) and the Grand Rapids Red Project will hold a free HIV testing and education event on Thursday, June 24, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The event will take place in the parking lot across the street from the Kent County Sheldon Complex, 121 Franklin St. SE, Grand Rapids.
Certified test counselors will be onsite to provide testing, answer questions, and connect residents with additional services, according to a KCHDS announcement. There will also be music, food and free gifts.
HIV self-testing is also an option. Persons interested in self testing for HIV at home, visit here to find out how to order a free HIV testing kit.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the KCHD recommend everyone know their HIV status,” April Hight, KCHD public health program supervisor, said in supplied material. “This knowledge is essential for getting helpful therapy and for protecting others from the virus.”
More than 1 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and one in eight people are infected with HIV without realizing it, according to the CDC. Nearly 40 people are diagnosed with HIV in Kent County every year, according to the KCHD announcement, and “the only way for a person to know their status is to get tested.”
HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, attacks the cells that make up the body’s immune system. HIV can make it difficult for an infected individual to fight off diseases and, left untreated, it can develop into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome — AIDS — which can be fatal.
Individuals who are at risk for HIV infection can take PrEP, a daily pill that is 99% effective at reducing the risk for HIV infection. PrEP is available at the KCHD Personal Health Services Clinic. For more information about PrEP or if you would like to be tested, call 616-632-7171.
Loie Ghannam, Mohamed Abdirahamn and Hamza Khan (from right with series writer/producer Ken Norris at far right) discuss growing up as Muslim Americans in the age of 9/11. (WKTV)
Loie Ghannam, Hamza Khan, Mohamed Abdirahamn and Mohamed Dahir — “there are a lot of Mohameds” in Muslim American society, you might be humorously told — are similar in many ways.
They are all currently college kids, they all have that certain style and vocabulary of American Gen Zers, and they are all not afraid to tell you what they think.
But the four are also “Brothers in Islam”, Muslim Americans who balance their deeply historic religion with their rightful place in modern American society, brothers who have grown up in the two decades since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on their country …
… brothers who have experienced the same misconceptions about their culture and their religion … experienced the same subtle if not blatant discrimination, as children and now as young men … brothers who, none-the-less, are working to thrive in today’s high tech economy and West Michigan community.
And while from different cultural backgrounds, their common experiences as youth brought them tougher.
“All our parents are of the same group, you know, we all kind of just got here, we’re trying to learn the language, trying to start a family here. So we quickly bonded,” Abdirahaman said during an early, informal discussion at the WKTV studios in May as part if the WKTV Voices 9/11 at 20 project. “Why we are good, close friends is that we grew up in America, but also shared our religion, our culture. We go to school together but we also go to prayer five times a day. We get together.”
Abdirahaman is a Grand Valley State University student, majoring in engineering. His family is of Somali heritage, and he came to America at age 2 when parents immigrated nearly 20 years ago.
Khan is a Michigan State University student, studying neuroscience. His family is of Pakistani heritage, but he was born in America after his parents immigrated more than 20 years ago.
Dahir is a Grand Rapids Community College student, studying information technology. His family is of Somali heritage, but he was born in Nairobi, Kenya, where his parents fled as they worked to immigrate to America, which occurred in 2004.
Ghannam is also Grand Valley State University student, studying supply chain management. While his family is of Palestinian heritage, he too was born in Grand Rapids after his parents immigrated to American 25 years ago.
Despite their common religious beliefs, their working for the American Dream like any other young person, the four had different and highly personal stories to tell when it came to how they first learned what happened on 9/11, how they react to people who out of ignorance or malice grouped the terrorists and every other Muslim together, and how they deal with that Islamophobia.
Biased representation and its consequences
“9/11 has impacted all of us in some way,” Dahir said. “What’s big for us, as Muslims, is (lack of) representation. There is not as many Muslims, here in the United States, as other parts of the world. For us, representation is key. Especially in the media, you know.
“9/11 has really impacted the media. If you ever go on and see a TV show … and you see any representation of Islam, it always has to do with something about terrorists. You know. … So many people watch that thing and have that exact representation of what the religion is like. … Some people are not around Muslims and they use that media to represent us.”
And that uninformed stereotyping has real world consequences — “I like to travel, I love traveling,” Dahir said. “But it is like at the TSA (airport security) at Grand Rapids, in the TSA lines. It’s like — ‘Oh, snap!’ — here comes another major check for us. Everybody else gets to go through but the guy named Mohamed has to stay back and answer some more questions.”
Islam is more than one country, region
“Other races, other ethnicities, face bias as well — but for us, there is an ‘X, Y, Z people all look the same’ (bias), but our countries could be thousands of miles apart,” Khan said.
“What bothers me, specifically in my case, is that if you take a look at our faith, at the countries where our faith is the religious majority. … You have African countries where Islam is the majority. You have Arab countries where Islam is the majority. You have Asian countries where Islam is the majority. Yet for some reason people lump us together.”
And that lumping together of people impacts Muslims of widely diverse background who share a religion but little more, yet also share being somehow tied to 9/11.
“Our religion is something within our hearts, something that we practice in private,” he said. “Yet being a Muslim, for some, puts a bull’s eye on our back. … It is something that we deal with.”
Similar lessons, different reactions to 9/11 questions
Learning how to answer questions about the September 2001 attacks, how to react to the sometimes uninformed opinions, is something that each of the four brothers had to deal with — each in their own way.
“That is something we all have to kind of grow up with, figure out how to overcome,” Abdirahaman said. “I started hearing about (the 9/11 attacks), I didn’t know anything about it until I was like seven or eight years old. I started hearing about it and the jokes were coming, and all that stuff. And people were like … ‘What do you think about it?’
“For a long time I did not know the right answer. All I could say was ‘Of course it’s wrong, it’s bad. You can’t kill people.’ To this day, that is still the right answer. But at the same time it is like … Why is it my responsibility to say ‘That is bad’? It is those people (the terrorists) who should be accountable.
“What happened (on that day) was it put Muslims in a box. It put Islam in a box. It put the Arabic culture, language, all that stuff, in the box too. It was all the stereotypes, you put that into the box …. but Islam is more than just that. The whole meaning of Islam is peace.”
For Ghannam — whose Palestinian heritage includes struggles for a homeland that both predates 2001 and continues in current news — dealing with being a Muslim in the age of 9/11 was a lesson learned young.
“For me personally it started at a really young age, I remember going all the way back to kindergarten,” Ghannam said. “My parents would sit me down and say ‘You know, when somebody brings this up to you you always say “No. This is a religion of peace.”.’ That is the key catch phrase.
“It even got to a point where, you know, without me even knowing, I was speaking against my own religion just for the approval of the person in front of me. … But as I grew older, it wasn’t until recently, that I, like, think back to that situation and … think if they choose not to accept me, that’s on them.”
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools recently announced that it was one of 15 districts across the State of Michigan selected to participate in the continuation of a state STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program, the MiSTEM Place, Project and Problem (3-P) Based Learning Playbook for the State of Michigan.
In return for participation in this program, the district will be awarded $10,000 for the enhancement of the districts current STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) programs.
“Innovating the student experience has been a focus of our district and this award is an affirmation to the hard work of our staff and students,” Kevin Polston, superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, said in supplied material. “We believe each child is brilliant and it is our mission to create conditions for student success. STEAM is one of many ways we accomplish this goal.”
The playbooks will be published for Michigan schools to utilize as examples of programs who exemplify outstanding implementation of 3-P Learning. Godfrey-Lee was recognized for K-12 STEAM, Senior Capstone Experience and recent project “Bilingualism is our Superpower!”
The MiSTEM award will go to support the further development of the K-12 STEAM program including vertical curriculum development, according to supplied material. It will also fund opportunities for student teams to share their STEAM experiences with surrounding communities such as representing Godfrey-Lee by speaking at the MACUL Student Showcase.
The MiSTEM organization is locally run through Grand Valley State University and is a longstanding partner with Godfrey-Lee schools.
Anybody who knows Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, who has been inside the walls of the middle/high school complex and its other schools, knows that the last four years have been extraordinarily good years under the leadership of outgoing Superintendent Kevin Polston.
But life, and the ‘legendary’ educational and facility advancement of the district, will continue its movement forward as Polston leaves later this month to take over leadership of the Kentwood Public Schools system.
Dirk Weeldreyer (Supplied)
And the first step in that continuing path is the June 11 announcement that the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Board of Education has appointed Dirk Weeldreyer to become interim superintendent effective July 1.
While Board of Education President Eric Mockerman had nothing but praise for the departing superintendent, he and the board see the district continuing to move forward, both in the interim and longterm.
“We have been blessed to have Kevin with us for the last four years and with his leadership we have gotten through some very tough times. Kevin has helped to build a very strong team and prepare us for a bright future,” Mockerman said to WKTV. “I am excited to have Dirk come on board with us and help us through this process. His experience and knowledge of our district as well as his other interim experiences will help to make this transition easier.”
Weeldreyer is expected to serve for six months to allow time for the district to complete a search process and appoint a full-time superintendent.
“We will take this time to establish a profile for who we want for our next leader and go through the process of searching for the right candidate,” Mockerman said.
Weeldreyer comes to Godfrey-Lee with nearly 20 years of educational leadership experience including nine years as the superintendent of Fennville Public Schools where he retired in 2017, according to supplied material. His more recent school district service includes serving as interim superintendent at both Caledonia Community Schools and Muskegon Public Schools.
He currently serves as the Executive Director of the School Equity Caucus, a statewide organization of approximately 200 school districts that seeks adequate and equitable school funding in Michigan.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to serve the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools during this time of transition,” Weeldreyer said in supplied material. “The district has a well-deserved reputation for providing an outstanding educational experience for its students, and the many similarities between my previous district, Fennville, and Godfrey-Lee make me feel right at home.
“I look forward to building relationships with the staff, students, families, and community as we continue to provide an excellent education for our children.”
While there will still be plenty of work to do for a superintendent, in the short and long term, at Godfrey-Lee, the district has in the past four years accomplished much. It has cemented its reputation as a making its “minority majority” student population a strong and proud reputation, transitioned is sports image and district outlook moniker to become “The Legends”, and survived a partial collapse of the middle/high school building by, in part, getting passed a local bond measure to not only repair the damage but to fund massive facility and infrastructure improvements.
All of which were led by Superintendent Polston.
“I have been fortunate to serve the Godfrey-Lee community over the past four years,” Polston said to WKTV. “It is a truly special place because of the amazing people that call this district home. It will always have a special place in my heart and I will take the Legend spirit with me long into the future.”
WKTV Journal In Focus recently welcomed Kentwood Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff in to talk about his years of service to the school system and its students. (WKTV)
Michael Zoerhoff has held many titles in the Kentwood Public Schools community over the last three decades, the latest of which has been Superintendent of Schools since 2013. He started as a teacher and, people will tell you, never quite got that out of this system. At the end of this unusually trying school year, he will be retiring.
Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)
WKTV Journal In Focus recently welcomed Superintendent Zoerhoff in to talk about his years of service to the school system and its students, about ending his tenure during an unprecedented, unpredictable time for education, and — of course — we’ll find out what’s next on his journey.
Recently, when the KPS Board of Education announced its selection to become the district’s next superintendent, board president Mimi Madden said about about Zoerhoff that he “has nurtured and developed strong leaders on his administrative team.” Talking to WKTV, we go in-depth about his accomplishments, including always being teacher to students and a mentor to younger educators.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
WKTV Journal recently welcomed into our studio Grand Valley State University professor Dr. Abdullah F. Alrebh for the premier episode of “WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later”.
This special WKTV Voices project will present video interviews, and online/print stories, covering a range of personal stories of the 9/11 attacks and their impact over the following two decades. After initial background interviews dealing with American Islamic history, global politics, and the current Islamic world, we will present the voices of local Muslim community leaders and, finally, Muslim American citizens, especially young people who grew up in the age of 9/11.
Dr. Alrebh’s field of study is in Sociology of Religion and Sociological Theory, and he has published a number of academic articles and essays focusing on religion, the Middle East and its social movements, and education.
He is also very knowledgeable about the Arabian Peninsula region and specifically Saudi Arabia — a country forever linked to the 9/11 terrorist attacks as the plan’s leader, Osama bin Laden, who was the initial leader of the pan-Islamic militant organization al-Qaeda, was a Saudi.
WKTV Journal’s “Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos. Online/print stories are available by searching “9/11 at 20” on WKTVJournal.org.
The official scoring line from the local high school girls soccer game May 19 when Lee High School hosted Kelloggsville was a 9-1 win for the Legends in a match ended early in the second half, by MHSAA rule, when the hosts scored to make it an 8-goal lead.
But both teams advanced their program development in the late season clash: Longtime Lee coach Gabriel Snyder’s team continued to get better and better as they prepare to move into the Alliance League next season, and new Kelloggsville coach Randy Tate’s team continued to gut out a season of almost total rebuild.
Both teams lost all of their 2020 season due to the pandemic — Tate actually took over the Rockets program last season but was unable to work much with his team and new program.
Kelloggsville High school girls soccer coach Randy Tate talking to his young, mostly inexperienced team at halftime of game at Lee. (WKTV)
Kelloggsville (0-7, with several games cancelled due to lack of players) fields a team filled with freshmen and sophomores, may of which have never played soccer before. But they scored their first goal of the year against Lee after sophomore midfielder Kalyna Flores out-hustled her defenders to feed speedy sophomore forward Anna Nguyen, who advanced the ball to an open area in front of her opponent’s goal and then outran the defense to the ball in the first half.
The Legends (6-11 after the win), on the other hand, had the advantage of not only having a deep bench but also 2021 seniors who learned leadership from last year’s seniors as Coach Snyder’s program continues to make strides, including with team chemistry.
“It was hard to begin the year, because we were not with them (much of the team) in the prior year,” senior Nayzeth Fernandez said to WKTV. “After I got to know them a little bit, my goal, actually was to go to them and tell them ‘Enjoy this year’ … because they (last year’s seniors) did not have one last year.”
In addition to Fernandez, other Legends seniors include Geidi Perez, Rosalinda Jacinto, Arely Fernandez, Emily Sanchez and Aracely Ortiz-Vieyra.
And all the seniors, all the players on the Lee bench, saw action in the win over Kelloggsville as the Legends jumped out to a 2-goal lead early on two scores by sophomore Lytsy Reyes within the first seven minutes of the game.
Then, after Nguyen’s goal for the Rockets, Lee build a 7-1 first-half lead on goals by Perez, freshman Janelly Sanchez (two of them), Nayzeth Fernandez, and sophomore Karla Cervantes. The Legends scored twice in the early part of the second half, the first by freshman Emily Campos and the second by sophomore Stephanie Mendez, to end the match.
Lee squad continues improvement as program grows
While this will be the Legends last season in the OK Conference, where they are likely the smallest school, coach Snyder says the Alliance League still will have tough teams but his team will continue to develop as well.
Lee High School girls soccer coach Gabriel Snyder talks to his team after a win against Kelloggsville May 19. (WKTV)
And just getting back on the field this season, after a year lost to the pandemic, is part of the reason for development.
“This has been an opportunity to do what we wanted to do — that has been absolutely thrilling to have the opportunity for our seniors to play,” coach Snyder, who has coached Lee for 13 years, said to WKTV.
Snyder said his program, as a whole, is in developing well with not only a junior varsity (JV) squad but also a freshman team.
“I am seeing our teams build that soccer knowledge,” he said. “We will compete no matter where (what conference) we are in.”
Kelloggsville squad will improve as coach builds program
“We have four players that have a little bit of experience, that we can build around,” Rockets coach Tate, who previously served two years as head coach of Grandville’s JV girls and was varsity assistant coach in 2019, said to WKTV.
“As a coach, you end up in this situation from time to time. This is not the first time I have build a program from the ground up. … As a coach, you just move the trend towards improvement. And as long as you keep that trend going, you don’t know what the upper limits are.”
Tate pointed out that he has several players having success at the middle school level who will be in high school next year. “And that should solve our numbers problem,” he added.
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the background, at a press conference when the formation of the Student Recovery Advisory Council of Michigan was announced early this year. (State of Michigan)
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office, today, released the MI Blueprint for Comprehensive Student Recovery plan, which offers “guidance to help districts and schools create recovery plans that provide every Michigan student with the resources they need to thrive post-pandemic.”
The recovery plan is the work of the Student Recovery Advisory Council of Michigan, formed early this year and chaired by Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston, which was tasked to “provide guidance and recommendations to ensure Michigan students have the tools and resources they need to get back on track.”
The council included dozens of school leaders, educators, public health practitioners, pediatricians, school board members, community and philanthropic leaders, legislators, parents, and students.
The Blueprint, according to the May 19 statement from the Governor’s office, “provides evidence-based recommendations to address challenges across wellness, academics, school culture and climate, family and community engagement and postsecondary education” across the state.
“Every recommendation is supported by leading research and designed to support Michigan students by those that know them best, leaders in education, health care, and child services from right here in Michigan,” Superintendent Polston said in the statement.
The plan also, according to Superintendent Polston, provides not just a return to normal but the path forward to a new normal for the state’s students.
“We believe recovery does not mean return, we believe recovery means let’s rebuild and redesign toward the reality that we want our children to experience in our schools,’ Polston said about the advisory council in a recent WKTV Journal In Focus interview. “The tremendous infusion of federal funds to support recovery efforts gives us the opportunity to make sure that each and every child has the resources necessary to thrive in our schools.
“We know the some students were not engaged with schools in the past year — some estimates were that 63,000 students were not coming to school or participating in remote learning. … So the guidance that we are providing for school leaders is how to provide this compressive recovery plan, in an equitable way, that the community can trust.”
Gov. Whitmer and state legislative leaders — several of which were on the council — will now work to push the recommendations forward.
“The most pressing challenges schools face aren’t new, but they have been exacerbated by the pandemic, resulting economic hardship, and social divisions,” Gov. Whitmer said in supplied material. “That is why I am so proud of the MI Blueprint for Comprehensive Student Recovery that the Advisory Council has created. It will not only help local education leaders comprehensively address immediate challenges, but it will also move us towards an education system that works better for all of our children.”
The Kentwood Place Department’s Traffic Services Bureau launched a safety campaign during the 2019-20 school year partially focused on Kentwood, Kelloggsville, and Forest Hills school buses when students were boarding and departing. (City of Kentwood)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood announced last week that the Kentwood Police Department has received the 2020 Outstanding Traffic Achievement Award from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission in recognition of its school safety campaign.
The GTSAC honors organizations, programs and individuals for outstanding contributions to traffic safety, according to supplied material. The virtual awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 27.
“We are grateful to the state for this high honor, which is a reflection of our department’s ongoing commitment to increasing traffic safety and our Traffic Services Bureau’s hard work to help make school zones safer for students and drivers,” Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts said in supplied material.
The Traffic Services Bureau includes one sergeant, three traffic specialists and one police cadet. The team’s primary responsibility is to enforce traffic laws. Other services include abandoned vehicle follow-ups, salvaged vehicle inspections, traffic engineering studies, speed monitoring and accident investigations.
The police department’s Traffic Services Bureau launched a safety campaign during the 2019-20 school year that provided dedicated personnel to monitor and enforce residential speed limits near schools on 60th Street SE and whether drivers stopped for Kentwood, Kelloggsville, and Forest Hills school buses when students were boarding and departing.
The police department had received complaints about drivers speeding in properly posted school zones and not stopping for buses when their red flashers were on, according to supplied material.
The initiative started in October 2019 and ended early in March 2020 due to school closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 184 personnel hours were dedicated to the five-month campaign, which yielded 428 school speed zone violations and 31 school bus violations.
This enforcement resulted in an 800 percent increase for school speed zone violations and a 300 percent jump in school bus violations from the previous school year. Fifty-one school speed zone violations and 10 school bus violations were issued in 2018-19.
During the first month of the campaign, 93 school speed zone violations were issued. That number peaked at 104 in February 2020 before dropping to 31 in the final month.
“This was a successful effort that changed behaviors and garnered positive feedback from our community, with many parents stopping to thank our officers,” Chief Roberts said.
The safety campaign encompassed Kentwood, Kelloggsville and Forest Hills schools. It resumed in October 2020 and went through December, resulting in four school speed violations and eight school bus violations.
More information about the Kentwood Police Department is available at kentwood.us/police.
The Kent County Health Department announced Thursday, May 13, that in the light of this week’s announcement that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the use of Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for 12-15 year olds, the county is moving to supply appointments.
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) will start vaccinating this age group this Saturday, with appointment availability at the KCHD facility at 700 Fuller Ave NE, Grand Rapids, on Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and on Saturday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
According to the KCHD statement, currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for anyone 12 years and older. Anyone under 18 will need a parent/guardian present or a permission note from parent/guardian and a driver who is at least 18 years of age.
Registration is required, no walk-ins will be accepted. Those interested in attending these clinics can register online here or call 616-326-6992. Residents can also call 2-1-1 for assistance.
Additional vaccine clinic locations, times and dates can be found at vaccinatewestmi.com.
The Wyoming Wolves used four straight bunt singles, bracketed by swing-away singles, to score four 4th-inning runs in what ended as a 4-3 win over Mona Shores on May 11. (WKTV)
Wyoming High School head baseball coach Travis Stricklin, in a pre-season interview on WKTV Journal Sports Connection, said his team would likely need to “play small ball” in many games this season to be successful.
In a WKTV Sports Featured Game Tuesday, May 11, when the Wolves baseball team hosted Muskegon Mona Shores for the first game of double-header, Coach Stricklin’s team played small ball to perfection as they overcame a 2-0 Sailors lead by stringing together four straight bunt singles, bracketed by swing-away singles, to score four runs in what ended as a 4-3 win in seven innings.
WKTV is always looking for community volunteers to help coverage of local high school sports — in print on WKTVjournal.org, as part of our in-studio crew for our twice-a-month WKTV Journal Sports Connection program, and as part of our Featured Game truck game coverage crew. Training is provided and for more information email ken@wktv.org.
Where and when to see featured games
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
Sophomore Wolves pitcher Bryce Bosovich went seven innings for the win against Mona Shores May 11. (WKTV)
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
