“Love is the most important thing in the world. But baseball is pretty good, too!”
Yogi Berra
WKTV’s Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. (WKTV)
A little Kentwood game action on-demand
WKTV high school sports Featured Game coverage crew started the spring season this week at East Kentwood High School, and will be out twice next week — as long as the nice spring weather holds. Our Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. Go here for the story.
Wyoming high head baseball coach Travis Stricklin. (WKTV)
Wyoming high baseball … what you need to know
Just before the start of the 2021 spring sports season, WKTV sports volunteer Paul Kabelman sat down with Wyoming high head baseball coach Travis Stricklin to talk about the lost season for the Wolves last year, and how it is just another obstacle for his team to overcome. Go here for the story.
Wyoming high head softball Coach Kaitlin Failing’s WKTV Journal Sports Connection interview with WKTV’s Mike Moll. (WKTV)
Wyoming high softball … what you need to know
Just before the start of the season, Wyoming head softball coach Kaitlin Failing sat down with WKTV’s Mike Moll to talk about her program, the new normal for high school sports still impacted by the pandemic, but also her optimistic outlook about her team and what it might look like this season. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
120 balls in play
According to an MLB equipment manager, up to 120 baseballs can be used per game. This is due to the number used up between home runs, fouls, scuffs and from players tossing them to the stands.
WKTV’s Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. (WKTV)
WKTV high school sports Featured Game coverage crew started the spring season this week at East Kentwood High School, and will be out twice next week — as long as the nice spring weather holds.
Our Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. The game is available on-demand here and on WKTVlive.org.
Next week’s tentative schedule includes Wyoming softball vs. Covenant Christian on Wednesday, April 21; and then Kelloggsville baseball vs. Zion Christian on Friday, April 23.
The WKTV featured game crew plans to schedule two games a week for the rest of the spring high school sport season.
And 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.
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/.
Golfers looking to hit the greens, the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf outing is set for June 11.
The event, which is co-sponsored by the Grandville-Jenison chamber of Commerce and the Hudsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, will feature dining stations on the course. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy sliced prime rib, beet and chicken kabobs, and Coney Island as they play. Each station also features side dishes, chips, and desserts.
The golf outing, which is $110 per golfer or $400 for a foursome, will include 18 holes of golf with card, driving range, and putting green games such as closet to the pin contest, longest drive contest, and longest putt contest. Tee times begin at 8 a.m. with the event taking place at Gleneagle Golf Clbu, 6150 14th Ave., Hudsonville.
The annual even helps to raise for high school student scholarships in the three chamber areas. Those scholarships are the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber Foundation for Scholarships, Hudsonvlle Are Business Scholarship, Grandville Community Leader Scholarship, and Ted TerHaar Memorial Community Leader Scholarship.
To maintain social distancing, each group will be assigned a tee time. For more information or to register, visit the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, www.southkent.org.
New Wyoming High School head football coach Carlton Brewster II visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on his return to the Wolves sidelines. (WKTV)
On this latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, a changing of the guard — and program leader — on the Wyoming High School football field.
Wyoming High School head football coach Carlton Brewster II. (WKTV)
When Irv Sigler Jr. resigned his position of head football coach at Wyoming high after this season, Wolves athletic director Ted Hollern said he needed to find a replacement quickly. But more importantly, he needed to find the right guy, quickly. In early March, Wyoming found “the right guy” — Carlton Brewster II, who most recently was head football coach at Kalamazoo Central High School but is no stranger to the Wyoming Wolves football sidelines.
With WKTV sports volunteer Mark Bergsma, Coach Brewster visits WKTV Journal Sports Connection to talk about his journey back to Wyoming, his work as a student mentor as well as a coach — Brewster will also work as Dean of Students at the high school — and what he envisions as the football program he wants to build.
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.
Matt Diener, State Director of the Michigan Fellowship of Christian Athletes, believes that if 2020 and the pandemic have “taught nothing else, it’s that the human spirit is more capable and enduring than we ever imagined.” And he has many stories to prove his point.
And one of the stories that has and continues to encourage and grow hope in others is that of Major League Baseball legend — and one of life’s ‘overcomers’ — Darryl Strawberry.
So it is fitting that the Kent County Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ annual FCA Pro Athlete Event (formerly known as the Pro Athlete Breakfast), scheduled for Saturday, April 10, at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, will include a talk by Strawberry.
This event, free and open to all members of the community, will be used to create awareness of ministry outreach and to raise funds to support programs and activities associated with the Kent County FCA, according to a FCA statement.
“We are excited for attendees to hear the powerful story of how God has worked in Darryl’s life, and to highlight the ministry of FCA that has been serving the local sports community for over 65 years,” Diener said in supplied material.
Strawberry is a former 8-time MLB National League All-Star status, with four World Series Titles, a National League home run leader, and was 1983 National League Rookie of the Year.
While incredibly successful in his career, Strawberry’s personal life was plagued with addictions, abuse, divorces, cancer, jail-time, and other issues. Strawberry, however, is widely known to have found redemption and restoration in Jesus Christ, and “lives to share the wisdom and grace of his experience with others,” according to the statement.
This event will also feature several local leaders within the Michigan FCA organization to share their experience with the ministry, as well as their vision and hope for future growth.
FCA is the largest Christian sports organization in America and focuses on serving local communities by engaging, equipping, and empowering coaches and athletes to know and grow in Christ.
Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ.
The Rev. Billy Graham once said, “A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in an entire lifetime.”
The FCA and Calvary Church “have worked hard to ensure proper distancing and a safe environment” under current COVID protocols. Since seating is limited, online registration is highly encouraged. To register online visit michiganfca.org/proathlete.
Wyoming High School head softball coach Kaitlin Failing visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on her team and the Wolves program. (WKTV)
On this latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, as part of our coverage of local high school athletics, we talk spring sports — specifically Wyoming Wolves softball.
When the MHSAA announced a week’s delay in the beginning of practice and the scheduling of games for the state’s softball teams, Wyoming high head softball coach Kaitlin Failing wasn’t too concerned about the delay. It was last year’s lost season that was of more concern … a year lost not only to her players but to the Wolves program.
In late March, just before the start of the season, Coach Failing sat down with WKTV’s Mike Moll to talk about her program, the new normal for high school sports still impacted by the pandemic, but also her optimistic outlook about her team and what it might look like this season.
Wyoming high head softball Coach Kaitlin Failing’s WKTV Journal Sports Connection interview with WKTV’s Mike Moll is just one part of our video, online/print and game coverage of local high school athletics. And we are always looking for community volunteers to join the team. (WKTV)
WKTV Journal Sports Connection brings its audience interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports, on-line, on cable television, and on our on-demand and YouTube channels. Readers can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting wktvjournal.com/sports.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of high school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.com. 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.
Wyoming High School head baseball coach Travis Stricklin visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on his team and the Wolves program. (WKTV)
On this latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, as part of our coverage of local high school athletics, we talk spring sports — yes, the weather may delay prep baseball and softball this season, as usual, but at least there is likely to be some action on Wyoming and Kentwood diamonds this year.
Last year, high school spring sports was washed away by the pandemic.
Wyoming high head baseball coach Travis Stricklin. (WKTV)
In late March, just before the start of the 2021 spring sports season, WKTV sports volunteer Paul Kabelman sat down with Wyoming high head baseball coach Travis Stricklin to talk about the lost season for the Wolves last year, and how it is just another obstacle for his team to overcome.
Coach Stricklin also talks about the new normal for high school sports still impacted by the pandemic, and — of course — what his team might look like this season. (Hint: they like “small ball”!)
WKTV Journal Sports Connection brings its audience interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports, on-line, on cable television, and on our on-demand and YouTube channels. Readers can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting wktvjournal.com/sports.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of high school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.com. 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 South Christian High School hosted a boys basketball district final on March 27 between the host Sailors and the Grand Rapids Christian Eagles. (WKTV/Ellington Smith)
Despite an unfilled gymnasium at Grand Rapids South Christian High School, due to pandemic restrictions, the atmosphere and energy was high with fans on both sides in a district final March 27 between two consensus top 30 teams in the state, the host Sailors and the Grand Rapids Christian Eagles.
In the end, the Sailors weathered a hectic fourth quarter and sent their fans home happy with a 62-54 win and a Division 2, District 44 championship. Christian ends the year at 9-3.
South Christian head Coach Jeff Meengs was proud of the team’s composure in the tight game, especially in the fourth quarter, and was specifically proud of his seniors.
“They weathered a lot, (against an athletic Eagles team), and dealt with the pressure,” Meengs said to WKTV. They “kept their composure, and kept making plays.”
The Sailors (17-2) now have a tall task ahead of them as they advance to the Division 2 Region 11 tournament — also on South Christian’s home floor — starting on Tuesday, March 30, at 5 p.m., against rival Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
South Christian only two losses on the year were to Catholic Central by a combined margin of five points.
The fans on both sides were limited (due to COVID-19 restrictions) but loud as Grand Rapids South Christian hosted a boys basketball district final on March 27 between the Sailors and the Grand Rapids Christian Eagles. (WKTV/Ellington Smith)
District final was back and forth game
In the District final game, both teams set out to be evenly matched, with both only having two losses going into this contest, but the Eagles were without their star, University of Michigan commit Kobe Bufkin, which completely changed the outlook of their team.
Despite Bufkin’s absence, early on both teams were consistently trading baskets back and forth with offensive rebounds and getting out in transition being two early keys to success that saw South Chrisitan jump out to an early lead due to the height advantage they possessed with senior forwards Elliot Grashiuis and Connor Dykema.
As a result, the first quarter ended with South Christian leading 18-13 in a very high action game with the refs letting them play. It was not all positive for the Sailors as their lead guard Isaac Northouse picked up an early knee injury, and was out for the remainder of the game.
In the second quarter, South Christian was able to gain separation jumping out to a double-digit lead due to stifling defense that left Christian’s offense stagnant.
Much of the Eagles’ offense has been singularly isolation focused as they are used to McDonald’s All American Bufkin leading them. Due to Bufkin’s absence, senior Donovan Brown Boyd carried much of the load of the offense, scoring and making plays for his teammates. The half ended with South Christian up 34-23, dominating on both ends of the floor creating turnovers and generating good looks with Dykema leading all scorers with nine points.
The third quarter began with much of the same as the Sailors are able to jump out to an 18-point lead, their biggest of the game. However, the game was clearly not over as Christian was able to cut the lead to nine later in the quarter due to timely buckets from Brown Boyd leading his team with 21 points. Brown Boyd picked it up defensively as well with 2 blocks in one possession.
But the Sailors were still comfortably in the lead with a score of 47-36 at the conclusion of the third quarter.
For much of the fourth quarter the score stayed at about a 10-point spread in a sequence dominated by fouls and turnovers on both sides.
The game’s momentum then picked up when the Eagles came out in a press that generated turnovers in consecutive possessions and were able to cut the lead to five.
However, Sailors were able to regain their composure and take command of the game as with about 40 seconds to go South Christian went to the line repeatedly to keep its separation and successfully closing out the game with free throws and offensive rebounds resulting in a final score of 62-54.
For the game, the Sailors had a very balanced attack with three players in double figures, as guard Jacob Dehaan led the team in scoring with 18 points, followed by Dykema and Sam Meengs, each with 12 points.
After the game coach Meengs spoke on the fluidity of the Sailors’ offense.
“We had an inside presence with Connor, especially in the first half, that forces (the defense) to worry about that, and that set up some nice outside shooting,” he said. “And we hit them.”
The shortened 2020-21 boys high school basketball season came to an end this week for several local teams in state district tournaments, but the Grand Rapids South Christian Sailors are in the finals of their Division 2 tournament, and the Wyoming Tri-unity Christian Defenders are in the finals of their Division 4 tournament.
Both teams will be on their home floors for games Saturday, March 27.
South Christian (16-2, with two wins in the district tournament) will take on Grand Rapids Christian (9-2) at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Division 2 Region 11 tournament — also on the Sailors’ home floor — starting on March 30.
Tri-unity Christian (9-2, with one win in the district tournament) will take on Martin (6-6-1) at 7 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Division 4 Region 29 tournament at Niles starting on March 30.
South Christian, in early district play, defeated Kelloggsville (2-8 to end the season), by a score of 66-20, in opening round action March 23. The Sailors then handed Godwin Heights (10-1) its only loss of the season, by the score of 79-49, in the semifinals March 25.
Tri-unity, in early district play, defeated West Michigan Lutheran, 83-22, in semifinals play on March 25.
Other local district results
In the Division 1 tournament at East Grand Rapids, Wyoming high won an opening round game March 23 against Byron Center, 54-53, but then lost in the semifinals March 25 to host East Grand Rapids, 54-52. The Wolves finished the season at 7-9 overall.
In other Division 1 tournament action, East Kentwood lost to Caledonia, 53-49, on March 23, to end the season at 3-12. (WKTV was there and a report is available here.)
In other Division 2 action at South Christian, West Michigan Aviation Academy lost to Grand Rapids Christian, 74-48, on March 25, to end their season at 12-6.
In Division 3 action at Fennville, Wyoming Potters House Christian lost to Calvin Christian, 38-37, on March 23, and ended their season at 5-5.
After a hectic week of local teams battling in state girls basketball district tournaments, the East Kentwood Falcons are in the finals of the Division 1 tournament at Middleville Thornapple Kellogg High School, while the South Christian Sailors are in the finals of the Division 2 tournament in Wayland. Both finals will be Friday, March 26.
East Kentwood (13-3, with two wins in the tournament) will face off against East Grand Rapids (12-2) at 7 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Division 1 Region 3 tournament at Holland West Ottawa starting on Monday, March 29.
South Christian (11-4, with one win in the tournament) will take on host Wayland (9-2) at 7 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Division 2 Region 12 tournament at Edwardsburg, also starting on March 29.
In this week’s early district play, East Kentwood defeated host Middleville, 69-44, on Monday, March 22, and then defeated Byron Center, 41-34, in semifinal action Wednesday, March 24.
South Christian, also in early district play, had a bye and then defeated Kentwood Grand River Preparatory Academy, 71-15, in the semifinals March 24.
Other local district results
In the Division 1 tournament at Middleville, Wyoming high lost an opening round game to Byron Center, 63-41, as the Wolves ended their season at 10-7.
In the Division 2 tournament at Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville defeated the host Wolverines (5-6 overall) in opening round action by the score of 41-39. The Rockets then lost in the semifinals to Grand Rapids Catholic, 44-36, to finish their season with a 5-8 record.
In the Division 2 tournament at Wayland, West Michigan Aviation Academy defeated Hopkins, 53-42, before falling to Wayland, 57-22, in the semifinals to finish their season at 12-6.
In the Division 3 tournament at Covenant Christian High School, Wyoming Potter’s House lost to Grandville Calvin Christian, 49-39, in semifinal action and ended the season at 9-5 overall.
In the Division 4 tournament at Martin, Tri-unity Christian lost to host Martin, 49-41 in semifinal action and ended their season at 5-10.
The East Kentwood Falcons boys basketball team opened post-season play March 23 against host and fellow OK Conference Red member Caledonia, in what was their third matchup in the shortened 2020-21 boys basketball season.
Caledonia won the first two games by margins of two and 15, and while it proved difficult to defeat a team three times in the same season, the Fighting Scots accomplished just that with a hard-fought, 53-49, victory to open district play.
Caledonia (9-6) moves on to face Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (7-10) Thursday, March 25, in district semifinal play.
Falcons head coach Jeff Anama’s young team — which started a freshman, two sophomores, and two seniors in the game — finish the year with a 3-12 record that included a 3-11 conference mark.
In contrast, Caledonia head coach Phil Visser’s Scots team is loaded with height as three starters are 6-foot-5 or taller, and experience, with four seniors and a junior starting.
Caledonia got off to the early lead because of several offensive rebounds to set the stage for second- and third-chance points to take a 17-9 lead after the first quarter. That contrasted with East Kentwood, as the Scots zone defense limited them to few second opportunities.
East Kentwood super sophomore Marshaun Flakes scores two of his team high 17 points. (WKTV/Mike Moll)
Sophomore Marshaun Flakes led the scoring for the Falcons in the quarter with five points, including a 3-pointer to open the game’s scoring, while Caledonia senior Koby VanderWoude had 9 points, including a pair of 3-pointers of his own.
The second stanza had the Falcons connecting from the outside after Caledonia changed defenses to start the quarter, as sophomore Jy’Air Harris hit a pair of threes and a free throw to finish with 7 points in the quarter, which matched Flakes as the leading scorers for East Kentwood.
VanderWoude had another five points in the quarter, including his third triple of the half, to lead all scorers with 14. Nick Henry chimed in with 7 points at the half for Caledonia as the 8-point deficit was cut to five at the half, 27-22, after the Falcons scored the last three points in the quarter.
The third quarter started with Caledonia’s VanderWoude shooting a pair of free throws after the referees assessed a technical foul on the Falcons for dunking during halftime warm-ups. He made one to give the Scots a 28-22 lead, but the Falcons offense really came to life after that with a 12-0 run to secure a 34-28 lead.
That run was led by senior Chris Brown with six points, including a 3-point make that, after a foul by Caledonia’s Henry, turned into a 4-point play. Caledonia’s Liam Mulnix stopped the run with an old fashioned 3-point play on a basket and made free throw, but the Falcons immediately went on another 5-0 run including another triple from Brown, before Caledonia finished the quarter by scoring the last four to cut the deficit in half, 39-35.
Flakes had 11 points. and Harris and Brown each had nine after three quarters while VanderWoude led all scorers with 19.
After an opening basket by East Kentwood to again increase the lead to six, 41-35, it was Caledonia’s turn to make a run as they scored the next seven including VanderWoude’s fourth triple of the night, to go ahead 42-41.
The fouls quickly mounted for East Kentwood after that as the Scots were in the bonus with just over six minutes remaining in the game and in the double bonus at the 3:43 mark. While the Falcons were scoring from the floor and attempting to use time, the Scots made 14 trips to the charity stripe in the quarter, where they converted nine to win the quarter, 18-10.
The game looked like it was possibly heading to overtime before a key turnover by East Kentwood with the score 51-49 in favor of Caledonia, which forced the Falcons into committing another foul in hopes of getting a late shot. But Mulnix calmly dropped a pair of free throws with just over six seconds remaining to put the game out of reach.
On the night, East Kentwood made 2-of-6 free throw attempts, while Caledonia was plus 11 from the line, sinking 13-of-22 attempts.
East Kentwood freshman Christian Humphrey scores two of his eight points. (WKTV/Mike Moll)
East Kentwood was led by Flakes with 17 points, Brown had 11, Harris nine, freshman Christian Humphrey eight and senior Joshua Mayhue added four.
The victorious Fighting Scots were paced by Vanderwoude with a game high 27, Henry nine, Mulnix five, and four each from Paul Vogeler, Andrew Larson, and Brooks Day.
Caledonia will now face O-K Gold Ottawa Hills on Thursday after they defeated Middleville 60-55 in their district opener. The winner of that game will play the winner between Wyoming (7-8) and East Grand Rapids (5-5) for a district championship on Saturday.
Grand River Prep faces off against Zion Christian in tonights featured game. (Supplied)
By Ellington Smith WKTV Intern
This week WKTV Sports will record both a boys and girls varsity basketball, an Alliance league showdown between the Zion Christian Mountaineers and the Grand River Preparatory Titans.
The first game this upcoming Tuesday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. will be the battle between the girls varsity basketball teams. The Mountaineers have a 10-1 record this season, coming off a 47-22 victory over league opponents, West Michigan Aviation Academy. The Lady Titans have gotten off to a rough start with a record of 0-6, coming off a tough 25-70 loss to Northpointe Christian.
Later that evening at 7 p.m. the boys varsity basketball teams face off. Contrary to their female counterparts, the boys Zion Christian basketball team have struggled with a record of 3-9 coming off a 36-63 loss to West Michigan Aviation Academy. Their opponents, the Titans, have had a decent season so far with a 5-4 record coming off of a 43-56 loss to Muskegon Western Michigan Christian.
The Tuesday contests will tip off at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively, and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Tuesday night at 11 p.m.; with more replays to be scheduled, and it will be available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.)
To see both featured games on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
Additionally, the remainder of the WKTV featured game tentative schedule has the WKTV truck and team covering the Thursday, March 18, girls basketball game when Zeeland East visits Wyoming high (at 7 p.m.).
We are also tentatively scheduled to cover the girls district Division 2 tournament at Godwin Heights, with Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville and Lee all set to participate.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
Godfrey-Lee School District athletic director Jason Faasse visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on his Lee High School Legends news. (WKTV)
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, as part of our coverage of local high school athletics, Godfrey-Lee School District athletic director Jason Faasse visited our studios to catch us up on Lee High School sports.
And what’s new with the Legends includes a planned athletic conference change coming in 2021-22, some long-awaited continuity in their coaching staff, and — oh, ya — there is that infrastructure bond measure that was passed last year and what it will mean for the Lee teams and programs.
And, like all schools across Michigan, there have been impacts of COVID-19.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection brings its audience interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports, both on cable television and on our on-demand and YouTube channels. Readers can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting wktvjournal.com/sports.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of highs school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.com. 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.
Carlton Brewster II, shown in the colors of Kalamazoo Central High School, will be wearing a different color when he takes the field as Wyoming High School football head coach. (Coach Brewster’s Twitter Page)
Wyoming Pubic Schools announced this week that Carlton Brewster II, who most recently was head football coach at Kalamazoo Central High School but is no stranger to the Wyoming Wolves football sidelines, has been named Wyoming high head football coach as well as the school’s Dean of Students.
Brewster takes over the Wyoming program from Irv Sigler Jr., who resigned his coaching position in January after four years leading the Wolves.
Brewster, at Kalamazoo Central, also served as “Character Development Coach” and WPS superintendent Craig Hoekstra stressed that the new coach brings knowledge and skills both on and off the playing field.
“After a thorough interview process, we are confident his knowledge and experience makes him the right person to lead our team,” Hoekstra said in supplied material. “Brewster knows what it takes to be a successful student-athlete both on and off the field and he brings to Wyoming an impressive plan to grow and develop our football program.”
After graduating from and playing football at Grand Rapids’ Creston High School, Brewster played football at the college and professional levels, and coached at three Wyoming-area highs schools — Wyoming high, Lee and Godwin Heights — before his stint at Kalamazoo Central. Coach Brewster and his wife, Cassondra, live in Wyoming with their five children: Aniyah, Kevin, Teonna, Zara and Carlton III.
And being back in the community where he lives and where much of his coaching history was made is important to “Coach Brewster”.
“I have been living in Wyoming for the past 10 years and coaching at Wyoming High School has been a dream of mine,” Brewster said in supplied material. “I look forward to serving our community and students.”
Wyoming Public Schools Athletic Director Ted Hollern not only knows Coach Brewster well but has high expectations for the football program under its new coach.
“Coach Brewster is a great addition to the Wyoming High School staff and athletic department,” Hollern said in supplied material. “He brings excitement, experience, and a tremendous work ethic. I know our student athletes will be prepared and have fun while competing against teams in the O.K. Conference.”
A wealth of experience and success
After playing at Creston high, Brewster was a standout wide receiver at Ferris State University, ranking high in the Bulldogs record book for wide receivers with 234 receptions for a total of 3,184 yards. Also at Ferris State, he earned his Bachelor of Integrative Studies of Arts and Science in 2010, and then his Masters in Educational Leadership from Grand Valley State University in 2013.
Following his tenure playing for the Bulldogs, Brewster spent two years in the NFL as a wide receiver and punt returner for the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos. Later he also played semi-pro ball for the Grand Rapids Rampage, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz and Chicago Rush.
Once his playing career had finished, Brewster moved to the sidelines to coach.
His first stops were as wide receiver coach at Creston High School, Ottawa Hills High School, Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Forest Hills Eastern.
In 2014, Brewster served as the Wyoming high offensive coordinator. That season, Wolves quarterback Brendan Berg threw for 2,001 yards and wide receiver Michael Williams was named 1st Team All Conference.
Brewster was then named head coach at Godfrey Lee Public School’s Wyoming Lee High School in 2015. He then spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as the head coach at Godwin Heights, where his teams went 5-5 and then 7-3. In 2018, Brewster was named head coach at Kalamazoo Central, and in three years his team complied an 11-15 overall record, including the COVID-19 disrupted 2020 season.
This week WKTV Sports will record two featured games, a girls basketball game at Kelloggsville High School and a hockey match from Kentwood’s Ice Arena.
Starting off, Sparta will visit Kelloggsville for an OK Conference Silver girls basketball contest on Tuesday, March 9. The Spartans enter the game with a 6-3 overall record (4-2 in conference) and coming off a home win against Godwin Heights. The Rockets enter at 3-6 (3-5 in conference) but coming off a tight, 27-26, loss to conference leader and undefeated Comstock Park (8-0, 5-0).
WKTV will cover high school hockey this week. (WKTV)
Later in the week, on Friday, March 12, the WKTV crew will be at the hockey game between Kenowa Hills and East Kentwood. The Falcons enter the week with a 1-10 overall record (0-6 in OK Red), but coming off their first win of the season, at home (8-5, over Northview) followed by a tough, 3-2, loss to Jenison on the road. Kenowa Hills is 8-2, and 1-0 in a 3-team OK Conference Gold.
The Tuesday contest will tip off at 6 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Tuesday night, at 11 p.m.; then Wednesday, March 10, at 11 a.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.)
The Thursday hockey match will have the puck drop at 4:40 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Friday night, at 11 p.m., then Saturday, March 13, at 11 a.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later.
To see both featured games on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
Additionally, the remainder of the WKTV featured game tentative schedule has the WKTV truck and team covering the Tuesday, March 16, girls and boys basketball games when Zion Christian visits Grand River Preparatory (at 5:30 and 7 p.m.), and then the Thursday, March 18, girls basketball game when Zeeland East visits Wyoming high (at 7 p.m.).
We are also tentatively scheduled to cover the girls district Division 2 tournament at Godwin Heights, with Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville and Lee all set to participate.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
To end this week’s Featured Game schedule, WKTV is covering an OK Gold Conference matchup between Ada Forest Hills Eastern and Grand Rapids South Christian girls varsity basketball teams, scheduled for Thursday, March 4, at South Christian High School.
The contest will tip off at 7 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it Friday night, at 11 p.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and make it available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.) The WKTV sports crew was also at East Kentwood for a March 2 game this week, and it is available on-demand.
The South Christian Sailors come into the game with a record of 7-2 (6-2 in OK Gold), but coming off a 43-49 loss to Middleville Thornapple Kellogg. With the exception of their two losses, they have dominated the game on the defensive side of the floor causing almost 20 turnovers each game.
The leading scorers for the Sailors are junior Sydney Vis, followed by senior Josie Vink.
The Forest Hills Eastern Hawks currently sit at 4-6 (4-5 in OK Gold) coming off a 38-33 victory against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. After an 0-4 start the Hawks have started to pick up a rhythm.
Both of these teams have shown improvements from the previous 2019-20 season.
The Lady Sailors were 10-10 last year, and will likely surpass their win total in this pandemic-delayed year. Last season they did win their district and eventually lose in the regional semifinal, so they are hoping to transform their district title into a regional one this year.
The Hawks struggled last season with a 2-18 record, and they were defeated in the district opener by Grand Rapids Christian. So, they have already improved on this record this year.
South Christian has already defeated FH Eastern once this year by a score of 50-23. However, the Sailors were one of two victories the Hawks claimed last season.
To see the Forest Hills Eastern vs South Christian girls basketball on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, 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 winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
The words echo down the hall of the Wyoming Intermediate School “Push the doubt away.”
From the sounds, there is no doubt that the Wyoming Competitive Cheer team is back. Like many of the winter high school sports team, the group has had to weather delays as the state and Michigan High School Sports Association (MHSSA) grabbled with the COVID pandemic and the guidelines for social distancing. While floor routines, seen in Rounds 1 and 2, do not require cheerleaders to touch, stunting, often in Round 3, does, which had competitive cheer fall into contact sports.
In a typical year, tryouts for competitive cheer would happen in November, which they did for the Wyoming’s team, and competitions would have started right after the first of the year. Competitive cheer, along with other contact sports such as basketball and wrestling, were given the go ahead to resumed practice on Jan. 16 but it pushed the season back. Now post season will start on March 19 with the final competitions on March 26 and 27.
This was on top of the fact that there was a switch up in divisions for competitive cheer which started this year. The team was placed in the same league as powerhouse Muskegon Heights, which has consecutively headed to state finals. Rounding out the league is Zeeland East, Zeeland West, Muskegon, and Reeths Puffer.
“We have already had one meet this year and our scores where fairly close,” said Coach Ashley Kron, who took over the program last year. With a growing program and a young team, Kron said it will be tough for the group to bring home a district championship this year, but for many of the girls on the team, that’s OK. They are on the mats and have a season and that is all that maters.
Senior Maddie Dewey has been looking forward to cheering in her senior year. (WKTV)
The stress of waiting to know the future of this competitive season was hard and just when she had thought it would not happen is when senior Maddie Dewey learned that MHSSA had given the go ahead.
“This is something that I have been looking forward to since forever,” said Dewey, who has been cheering since sixth grade. “Even though it is going to be different, I am happy that I am here and that we do have a season.”
There are challenges such as the requirement of wearing masks while competing, which can make it difficult to breathe, but the chance to complete her senior year as cheerleader is worth it, she said.
Tenth grader Amya Brown also has had a passion for cheer since the seventh grade.
Sophomore Amya Brown said she enjoys the connection to her teammates and the coaches. (WKTV)
“I am really glad for this opportunity,” Brown said. “It makes it fun and you have this family, a connection to the girls and the coaches.”
There are still COVID concerns, Brown said, but the fact that the team is having a season demonstrates how much people have followed the guidelines.
The team has four total meets this season. Except for the masks, most of the rounds will not look that different. There are some guidelines on stunting for Round 3. The rules also only allow for each participant to have up to two spectators at each meet. Anyone who has been to a competitive cheer meet knows that the spectators shouting back is part of the fun.
“It may not be as loud,” Dewey said, “but it will still be fun.”
For the Wyoming Competitive Cheer Team, being back on the mats and having a season are the most important things. (WKTV)
St. Patrick’s Day runs were a common-place thing in March before 2020 … and COVID-19. Hopefully things will change in 2021, including having a local Shamrock run. (Creative Commons/from a Baltimore run in 2019)
The local running club RunGR has had to cancel many events over the last year, but they are planning to keep their St. Patrick’s Day tradition “running” with a 5K run this year as part of the RunGR Shamrock Shenanigans 5K on March 20.
With the safety of participants in mind, the RunGR Shamrock Shenanigans 5K will be using both Millennium and Meadows Parks in Grand Rapids to spread the course and participants out. They also have created registration by 5-minute time blocks, with each block having a registration cap to limit the number of people gather before and after the race, as well on the course itself.
There is also created a virtual participation option for those who may not able to join be present at the starting line.
According to the group’s website, RunGR’s mission is to “bring running to the Grand Rapids community in a way that enables our members to live healthier and happier lives by providing the structure, organization, support, training, guidance, and friendships necessary to push themselves to new limits and achieve their running goals.”
This year’s run will also be a benefit for Riding for Ryan, a program which promotes the safety of young bike riders through visibility and awareness.
“Riding for Ryan’s goal is to provide free bicycle safety flags to kids to help keep them safe as they enjoy one of the most cherished and memorable activities,” according to the RunGR promotional material. “As the temperatures warm-up, it is a good time to make sure kids are visible to cars and other cyclists while enjoying their bikes.”
RunGR’s goal is to raise more than $1,000, and A+ Family Medicine has committed to matching the first $350 of donations.
This week WKTV Sports features two high school girls basketball match-ups beginning Tuesday, March 2, with an OK Conference Red match-up as Grandville visits East Kentwood, the state’s No. 4 ranked team in Division 1.
Later in the week, on Thursday, March 4, the WKTV crew will be at South Christian as Forest Hills Eastern visits for an OK Gold contest. The Sailors enter the week 6-1 in conference and 7-1 overall; FH Eastern is 3-5 and 3-6 overall.
The WKTV Featured Game sports crew includes volunteer announcers including, from a 2020 game at East Kentwood, Ron Schultz and Mark Bergsma. (WKTV)
The Tuesday contest will tip off at 7 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Tuesday night, at 11 p.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later. (See details at end of story.)
The Grandville Bulldogs come into the game with 2-7 record (1-6 in OK Red) and coming off a 73-38 loss at Holland West Ottawa on Feb. 27.
The Falcons come into the game with a 6-1 record, all in conference, after a 54-43 road win at Grand Haven Feb. 27, and riding a 2-game winning streak following their only loss of the season, a 56-52 nail-biter at OK Red leader Hudsonville (7-0, 8-1 overall). The Falcons and the Eagles will have their rematch, at East Kentwood, on March 13.
According to information provided to WKTV by Eric Large, East Kentwood head girls basketball coach, the Falcons are a deep, experienced team with four seniors nominated for McDonald’s All American: Alexis McCully, Kaybriana Hallman, Madisyn Tillman and Keliese Christopher.
Christopher is averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds a game; McCully is averaging 17 points and 8 assists; junior guard Deyonce Thompson is averaging 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists; and Tilman is averaging 10 points and 9 rebounds.
Hallman is currently out due to an injury but, coach Large reports, she is ranked nationally (ESPN #46 in the country) and has signed to play at Xavier University next season. Tilmann will be playing at Eastern Michigan next season, and both Christopher and McCully have Division 1 offers.
To see the Grandville at East Kentwood basketball game on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
WKTV’s featured game crew was at this 2019 baseball game between Wyoming and South Christian high schools — the last season the Wolves were able to take the field due to the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 restrictions. (WKTV)
High school baseball and softball games in March routinely get rained, or snowed, out in West Michigan. But this year, even if delayed, they stand a chance to played — unlike last season, which was canceled as COVID-19 hit the scene.
So even before the announcement last week from the Michigan High School Athletic Association that spring sports practices and competitions would be delayed by a week, which is expected to have little impact on the Wyoming High School’s ball teams, the Wolves are mostly simply eager for their first live action in more than a year.
“With the delayed start being only one week, as well as the MHSAA allowing us to continue both four man workouts and conditioning workouts, I see no real impact,” Travis Stricklin, Wyoming head baseball coach, said to WKTV. Stricklin is entering his first year leading the Wolves onto the field. “If anything, it gives us an extra week with the kids to prepare and get ready for the start of our season.”
Kaitlin Failing, Wyoming head softball coach, agrees — but includes an additional reason the delay isn’t so bad.
“I think that the later start date is good considering basketball got pushed back,” Failing said to WKTV. “We share a lot of athletes with basketball and it would become pretty difficult to field teams if they are overlapping. We never really get games in the first couple of weeks anyways, so it doesn’t really matter to us that we are starting later.”
Both coaches, however, see last year’s hiatus from high school competition as being the real obstacle to be overcome by their 2021 teams and their entire programs.
“I think (losing) the entire season really affected our program and other programs in similar economic situations,” Failing said. “We tend to run a lot of opportunities for the girls within Wyoming to participate in softball through the school system, for 5th grade up. With the season being cancelled, our girls lost out on their only opportunity to participate in softball. … (Also) without being allowed to run clubs and clinics for all of our younger students, we are not able to get new students interested in playing or give our younger girls the opportunity to get better.”
Failing also pointed out that some high school programs had a high level of travel participation, with their athletes able to play throughout the summer and fall despite Michigan restrictions, “while a lot of our athletes haven’t played in over a year now … our athletes missed out on their only opportunities to play if they do not play travel” ball.
And, she pointed out, with the missing season, many student-athletes are choosing not to play this season “for a number of other reasons because of COVID.”
Much the same is true for the Wolves baseball program.
“Not having a season last year took a toll on our program for sure,” Stricklin said. “We feel that we are beginning to progress as a program, so losing a year due to the pandemic was definitely not easy.
“That being said, I am beyond proud of the way our kids handled it. Rather than getting upset and letting it keep them down, they simply asked when we could begin working out together again to try and get better for whenever we do actually get to play.”
Delay aside, a 2021 season is expected
The MHSAA announced Feb. 22 that its Representative Council had approved an “adjustment to the Spring 2021 schedule delaying the start of practices in those sports one week to March 22 and competition to March 26 “to accommodate a later end to Winter sports this season,” according to the statement.
“The calendar change should alleviate pressures on indoor facility usage and athletes changing seasons with Winter sports concluding up to two weeks later this school year after a delayed start due to COVID-19,” according to the MHSAA statement.
The MHSAA said it based its decision in part on feedback from a survey of MHSAA member high schools, which saw 74 percent favoring a delay in spring sports activity of at least one week. State coaches associations for spring sports also were consulted, and, according to the MHSAA statement “the great majority of Michigan schools are unable to begin consistent spring sports outdoor activity and competition until early April.”
All spring sports tournament dates remain as originally scheduled, however, with MHSAA finals in baseball, softball and girls soccer concluding the 2020-21 postseason June 19.
Previously, the MHSAA council approved an allowance for spring teams to meet for voluntary practices over 16 contact days in September and October, 2020. General conditioning with an unlimited number of students was allowed, with other out-of-season training (four-player workouts, open gyms/facilities) allowed to continue through March 21, with council having eliminated the preseason downtime restriction for Spring sports this year.
But those allowances did not necessarily benefit all schools, or programs, equally.
“We couldn’t really do much with the 16 days because we do not have enough athletes to scrimmage ourselves or run practices because our athletes all play other sports in the fall,” Failing said. “We held open fields but we knew we wouldn’t have a ton of participation because they were not available. I know other schools were able to get their teams together and scrimmage themselves.”
This week WKTV Sports features a OK Green Conference showdown between the Zeeland East Chix and the Wyoming Wolves boys basketball varsity teams, Thursday, Feb. 25, at Wyoming High School.
The contest will tip off at 7 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Friday night, at 11 p.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and make it available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.)
The Zeeland East Chix come into the game with a perfect 6-0 (5-0 on OK Green) record coming off of a Feb. 23 victory against rivals Zeeland West in which they outscored them 44-39.
The Chix are led by seniors Trip Riemersma and brothers Brandon and Nate Claerbaut.
Wyoming has not fared quite as well this year, as they have gotten off to a 3-4 start (3-2 in OK Green), but the Wolves are coming off of a 63-54 victory this week against Grand Rapids Union which snapped a 3-game slide.
Both of these teams are looking to continue the success they experienced during the 2019-20 season where the Chix finished with a 14-6 record, and the Wolves finished with an 18-2 record. In the state tournament last season, both teams were victorious in their first two playoff games and made it to the district championship, which was eventually cancelled due to COVID-19.
To see the Zeeland East vs Wyoming boys basketball on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, 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 winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Michael Jordan, who was once cut from his high school basketball team
Bowling for school pride — Wyoming, East Kentwood, Kelloggsville
As the winter sports season started off slowly, with no basketball, WKTV had the opportunity to give some airtime to local high school bowling teams. We loved it, and you might too. Go here for all WKTV on-demand high school sports replays.
Prep basketball season begins — and WKTV was there
The WKTV sporty crew opened its delayed 2021 prep basketball schedule with a game at East Kentwood as the Falcons hosted the Caledonia Fighting Scots on Feb. 12. If you don’t know the result, we won’t tell you — but it was a great game. Go here for the on-demand game replay.
And for more basketball — this week, its up, up and away
WKTV’s prep basketball featured-game coverage truck will be at West Michigan Aviation Academy this week for a rival game against The Potter’s House, and we’ll bring both the girls and boys games to cable and, later, to on-demand. (And the tentative schedule from there has us at Wyoming Lee on Feb. 26, at South Christian on March 4, at Wyoming high o n March 11 … with the district playoffs in late March also being eyed for coverage. Go here for the story of this week’s games.
Fun fact:
281,992 prep athletes
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, Michigan high school sports participation statistics for the 2018–19 school year had a total student athlete count of 281,992, with 120,378 girls and 161,614 boys taking part. (MHSAA)
Legend if not history has it that following his victory over the British, Gen. George Washington — soon to be the nation’s first president — was celebrated by the masses as the “King of America” but he famously responded by stating that he was “Not a King.”
To celebrate Washington and his also legendary distillery prowess, and almost all presidents, in the month of the President’s Day holiday, Journeyman Distillery again offers a patriotic tribute to our nation’s first distiller-in-chief with its Not a King Rye Whiskey release.
Batch #6 of Journeyman’s Not a King Rye was officially released at the Three Oaks distillery on Feb. 12, but to find where you can get it locally check out journeymandistillery.com/find-your-spirit.
Handcrafted from grain to barrel to bottle, with a mash of 60 percent rye, 35 percent corn and 5 percent malted barley, the limited release is, according to supplied material, “an interpretation of Washington’s original rye whiskey recipe” that “takes drinkers back to the late 1700s with nuanced flavors reminiscent of the spirit America’s original settlers would enjoy.”
“The Crossing” has Jeff Daniels as Gen. Washington. (crop of publicity poster)
Aged 3 years in 30 gallon barrels, it’s the makings for a perfect Old Fashioned or Manhattan, with a twist of history, we are told. The offered-up mixology is a drink called “The Founding Father (2 oz. Not a King Rye Whiskey and 1 oz. Amaretto, shaken over ice and strained into a clean or ice-filled rocks glass, then finished with an orange peel.)
Me, on a cold February night, I say find the movie “The Crossing” — a fine period piece starring the great Jeff Daniels as the General — on your television, pour a clean shot, and drink with the president.
The Michigan Brewers Guild usually holds big beer festivals each year, including one in Kent Country, and may still yet later in 2021. But this year, as last, things are different. Still the guild is looking forward to sunny summer days on the golf course, with a beer or two at the 19th hole, by announcing plans for three “Great Beer State Golf Outings” coming up this year, the first being local, on Wednesday, June 9, at North Kent Golf Course in Rockford.
The other outings will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 11, at Forest Akers Golf Course in Lansing, and Saturday, Oct. 9, at Treetops Resort in Gaylord.
“The golf outings we have planned are not intended to replace our larger events and we are hopeful that we will be hosting beer festivals again this year,” Scott Graham, executive director of the guild, said in supplied material. “We are looking for additional ways to raise operating funds for our non-profit trade association, while also getting together with some of our brewery members, allied businesses and beer enthusiasts in a fun and safe way.”
Registration for teams and sponsors the first outing will open in March. Details for all events will be posted soon on MiBeer.com under the EVENTS tab.
Formed in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild represents nearly 300 member breweries.
To heck with Punxsutawney Phil, summer is coming
New Holland Brewing is ignoring Punxsutawney Phil’s disheartening winter prediction for 2021 and has released a new style of craft beverage, a Watermelon Spritz — one part seltzer, one part sparkling ale, and a healthy splash of natural watermelon.
New Holland Watermelon Spritz can (Supplied)
If that doesn’t say summer nothing does.
The hybrid beverage, according to supplied material, is the result of brewing a wheat beer that is high in fruity esters, combined with natural watermelon and fizzy seltzer for a “bubbly, crisp and slightly tart” beverage with bold fruit flavor. Watermelon Spritz comes in at a “respectable” 4.3 percent ABV.
Watermelon Spritz hit the market this month in 6 packs of 12-oz. cans — their Summer Ale — a tart IPA — will become available in May in the same way. For more information visit NewHollandBrew.com.
It is still early in a very strange prep basketball season, but after WKTV sports’ featured-game crew visited East Kentwood last week to open the delayed basketball season, a Friday, Feb. 19, boys and girls doubleheader at West Michigan Aviation Academy will feel like the season is in full swing.
In the Friday, Feb. 19, contests, WM Aviation will host The Potter’s House High School for a girls’ contest at 5:30 p.m., followed by a boys’ matchup at 7 p.m. WKTV will record both games and replay them Friday night at 11 p.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and make it available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.)
The WM Aviation boys will enter the contest with 3-1 record following a 39-31 win over Wellspring Preparatory on Feb. 17. Potter’s House (2-1) defeated Holland Calvary, 59-22. on Feb. 16.
In the two teams’ previous matchup, last season, Potter’s House defeated WM Aviation, 67-53. In the 2019-20 season, WM Aviation posted a 12-8 record and lost in the district opener to Ada Forest Hills Eastern. Potter’s House (13-7) made it to the district semifinals, falling there to Grandville Calvin Christian.
The WM Aviation girls will enter the contest with a 2-2 record, coming off a 50-44 win over Wellspring Prep this week. Potter’s House comes in 2-0, with wins over Muskegon Catholic Central and Muskegon Orchard View.
In the two teams’ last match up, last season, Potter’s House defeated WM Aviation, 40-22, to complete a 2-0 season sweep between the two teams. WM Aviation was 8-12 overall last season, falling in the district semifinals to Grand Rapids South Christian. Potters House was also 8-12, also ending their season in the district semifinals.
To see the East Kentwood vs. Caledonia boys basketball on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com. WKTV also has recent local prep bowling coverage on-demand.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, 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 winter 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.
Wyoming and Kentwood high school athletic directors wasted no time when the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced last week that high school winter contact sports could begin full activities this week, and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) announced that member schools had the green light to being practice and competitions.
And while there is competitive basketball and hockey being scheduled and played this week, some on the first allowed day of Feb. 8, there are some almost COVID-19 Catch-22 restrictions and state health requirements — including many basketball teams required to wear masks on the court and wrestling teams being required to find rapid test options or not take to the mats.
David Kool, South Christian athletic director, on the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection. (2020/WKTV)
“There are still some unknowns with the testing requirements and the mask requirements,” David Kool, athletic director at Grand Rapids South Christian High School, said this week to WKTV. “The MHSAA is hoping to give us more clear guidelines … (this) week before the first games. As of now, we know that the kids have to wear masks while competing and that is what we will stick to until we are told differently.”
Wyoming high will also begin the basketball season with masks on their basketball players.
“Wyoming is planning on masks at this point,” Ted Hollern, Wolves athletic director, said to WKTV. “That is what we have agreed on.”
And Hollern pointed out that even if testing were to be available, there would be the issue of what is the opponent is doing — “Both teams would need to do the same thing,” he said.
South Christian’s Kool echoed his Wyoming counterpart.
“If there ends up being a rapid testing option and it is a level playing field for all, that is something we will consider and look into,” Kool said. “Our main concern is that if there is a testing program, it needs to be equitable for every school.”
Girls and boys basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling could begin contact practice on Feb. 8 — “with some precautions to continue limiting the spread of COVID-19,” according to an MHSAA statement late last week. And while basketball and hockey were able to begin competition this week, competitive cheer and wrestling will not be able to compete until Feb. 12 a the earliest.
Those four winter contact sports have been able to practice since Jan. 16, but only with non-contact activities. So local athletic directors are excited about the start, if still piecing together how they will meet requirements — and responding to other consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on high school sports.
Lee High School athletic director Jason Faasse. (Supplied)
We are “glad that our winter athletes, especially our seniors have an opportunity to compete,” Jason Faasse, Lee high school athletic director said to WKTV. “We are thankful that the research has been done by both the MDHHS and MHSAA to know what precautions are needed to help protect our athletes and their families.”
But Faasse’s optimism is balanced by the knowledge that this 2020-21 high school sports season is unlike any other.
“Many of our athletes have opted not to play this season for one reason or another,” Faasse said. “Some have concerns about playing contact sports during a pandemic, others have been working more hours with the uncertainties surrounding the season. The quick turn around (to allow winter contact sports) doesn’t help us promote the restart to help get more athletes on our teams.”
Ultimately, however, most schools including South Christian are just glad to have a chance to play, starting this week.
“The coaches and athletes have been doing everything they can to ensure they get a chance to compete this season and all they wanted was an opportunity,” Kool said. “The quick turnaround definitely adds to the craziness of this season. The biggest thing we looked at with our coaches was the simple fact that the kids want to play games and they are as ready as they ever will be.”
State and MHSAA testing requirements, and warnings
“All four Winter contact sports also must participate with some level of masking and/or rapid testing,” the MHSAA announced last week. “All testing will be coordinated between schools and MDHHS or their local health departments. … Participants are defined as athletes, coaches and other team personnel active in practice and competition.”
For competitive cheer, teams may compete without testing or face coverings, but must wear masks at all times outside of active competition or stunting/tumbling practice.
For ice hockey, all participants must wear face coverings at all times – during all practices and non-game activities, and during games. The same testing and mask removal option exists for hockey as for basketball.
For wrestling, testing will be required but competitors will not be required to wear face coverings.
The same masking and testing requirements will be in place for all junior high/middle school teams wishing to participate in the four winter contact sports.
However, the state department of health is allowing school athletics to go ahead with some reservations — with or without testing.
“We are pleased at our continued progress in Michigan that has allowed us to take this step forward in a phased approach,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, said last week. “As a parent and former student-athlete myself, I get how important athletics are to our children’s physical and mental health.
“However, parents and athletes need to understand the risk involved with contact sports if they choose to participate. Sports that require frequent closeness between players make it more difficult to prevent disease transmission even when mitigation measures are in place, including masks. Even when not required, we urge teams to implement a testing program to protect athletes, coaches and their families.”
Within hours of Gov. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announcing that high school winter contact sports could begin full activities next week, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) announced that member schools had the green light to being practice and competitions.
But there will be restrictions.
Girls and boys basketball, competitive cheer, ice hockey and wrestling can begin contact practice on Monday, Feb. 8 — “with some precautions to continue limiting the spread of COVID-19,” according to a MHSAA statement. Competition in those four sports can also begin, with basketball and hockey able to also start play Feb. 8, and cheer and wrestling able to compete starting Feb. 12.
Those four winter contact sports have been able to practice since Jan. 16, but only with non-contact activities.
“All four Winter contact sports also must participate with some level of masking and/or rapid testing,” according to the MHSAA statement. “All testing will be coordinated between schools and MDHHS or their local health departments. … Participants are defined as athletes, coaches and other team personnel active in practice and competition.”
For the Governor and the state health department, the action continues a gradual expansion of allowed activities driven by increasingly lower numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, at a large January news conference. (State of Michigan)
“We are pleased at our continued progress in Michigan that has allowed us to take this step forward in a phased approach,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, said in supplied material. “As a parent and former student-athlete myself, I get how important athletics are to our children’s physical and mental health.
“However, parents and athletes need to understand the risk involved with contact sports if they choose to participate. Sports that require frequent closeness between players make it more difficult to prevent disease transmission even when mitigation measures are in place, including masks. Even when not required, we urge teams to implement a testing program to protect athletes, coaches and their families.”
Sport by sport details
The MHSAA statement gives some detail on the masking and testing requirements, as well as competition limits, for the various winter contact sports.
WKTV’s coverage of high school basketball could be returning soon as local teams can begin play as early as Feb. 8. (WKTV)
For girls and boys basketball, all participants must wear face coverings at all times – during all practices and non-game activities, and during games. There will initially be a competition limit of up to three games per week. However, a testing requirement “may allow participants to remove masks while in active participation on the floor if they test negative that game day.”
More details of the testing option “will be provided to schools when confirmed,” according to the MHSAA.
For competitive cheer, teams may compete without testing or face coverings, but must wear masks at all times outside of active competition or stunting/tumbling practice. And teams may participate in 12 days of competition, not counting MHSAA tournament events.
For ice hockey, all participants must wear face coverings at all times – during all practices and non-game activities, and during games. The competition limit will allow teams play up to three games per week, but “teams also may play two games on one non-school day twice; during those two weeks, teams are allowed up to four games Monday through Sunday.” The same testing and mask removal option exists for hockey as for basketball.
For wrestling, testing will be required but competitors will not be required to wear face coverings.Teams may compete two days per week, with no more than four teams at a site, “with each individual (wrestler) competing in up to three matches per day,” according to the MHSAA.
The same masking and testing requirements will be in place for all junior high/middle school teams wishing to participate in the four winter contact sports.
The updated MDHHS epidemic order allowing for the resumption of winter contact sports remains in effect through March 29. at this point in time.
Positive results led to change
“We continue to make progress in reducing cases and hospitalizations, helping protect our families and frontline workers and saving lives,” Gov. Whitmer said in supplied material. “Michigan continues to be a national leader in fighting this virus, and we must continue using a fact-based approach so we can return to a strong economy and normal day-to-day activities.”
According to the MDHHS statement, the state “has been closely monitoring three metrics for stabilization or declines over the past several weeks, and Michigan continues to see improvements” in the following areas:
Hospital capacity dedicated to COVID-19 patients has been in 10-week decline, with current capacity at 6.6 percent for beds with COVID-19 patients. The number peaked at 19.6 percent on Dec. 4, 2020.
Overall case rates are currently at 159 cases per million after peaking at 740 cases per million on Nov. 14. The rate has been in solid decline for 24 days.
The positivity rate is currently at 4.9 percent and declining — the last time positivity was as low was mid-October.
The City of Kentwood and Great Lakes Disc will again partner to host the 6th annual Freeze Fest doubles disc golf tournament — a best-shot doubles competition open to all levels of golfers — on Saturday, Feb. 20. The event is also a food drive with all proceeds supporting Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry.
The tournament will be at Jaycee Park, 1088 Gentian Drive SE, with on-site registration beginning at 9 a.m. and the first round of the tournament at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is encouraged online at kentwood.us/freezefest. The cost is $40 and one canned food donation per team.
Whatever the weather, disc golf is in season; and donating to the Kentwood food bank is also always in season. (Wikimedia Commons)
“It’s always incredible to watch community members come together in support of Kentwood initiatives,” Lori Gresnick, Kentwood recreation program coordinator, said in supplied material. “The disc golf community is no exception. We are grateful so many disc golfers join us at our annual tournaments for some friendly competition and to generously restock the Little Free Pantry.”
The Freeze fest has become an annual winter tradition in Kentwood but for all West Michigan disc golfers.
“Great Lakes Disc is happy to host the Freeze Fest with the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department for our sixth consecutive year,” Shea Abbgy, owner of Great Lakes Disc, said in supplied material. “We’re excited about this event’s continued growth, which allows us to give back to the community in a very tangible way.”
A City of Kentwood Little Free Pantry, now one of two, is in the Kentwood Activities Center. (City of Kentwood)
The Kentwood Little Free Pantry initiative began in 2017 as a community service project in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The small food pantry is open to all community members year-round and is designed to fill an immediate and local need. It offers non-perishable food and personal care items. Anyone can utilize or donate to the pantry. No application is required and no questions are asked.
The demand for Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, has steadily increased since it opened, and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement from the City of Kentwood.
To help meet the growing need, the City of Kentwood recently launched another Little Free Pantry at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. More information is available at kentwood.us/littlefreepantry.
A winter run for a good cause with costumes — sounds like another fun day in Kentwood.
The City of Kentwood will host its 4th annual Valentine’s Dash 5K — with Valentine’s-themed costumes encouraged — on Saturday, Feb. 13, to benefit Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, which provides food and personal care items to community members in need.
“We’re excited to roll out a new route for this year’s Valentine’s Dash 5K that features a great combination of trails and paved pathways in two Kentwood parks,” Spencer McKellar, race organizer, said in supplied material. “Whether you plan to run with your sweetheart or run solo, this 5K is a great way to kick off the holiday weekend and foster a love for running.”
The 5K route will include a combination of trails and paved pathways starting and ending at East Paris Nature Park, 5995 East Paris Ave. SE. The course will take participants from East Paris Nature Park to Paris Park via the Paul Henry-Thornapple Trail and back to the finish line.
COVID-19 precautionary measures will be in place, including staggered start times beginning at 11 a.m., required face coverings at packet pickup and physical distancing.
While intended to be a fun run, the race will be chip timed. Awards for the fastest men and women in six age categories and overall will be available for pickup at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, the week after the event or can be mailed upon request.
Online registration is $25 until Feb. 12 and includes a long-sleeve shirt while supplies last. Day-of registration is $35. Runners who sign up as a couple save $5 each. If participants bring a non-perishable item or monetary donation for Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, they will be entered to win a special door prize.
The Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department is seeking volunteers to assist with the event. Those interested can sign up online.
Kentwood’s first Little Free Pantry opened to the community in 2017 at the Kentwood Activities Center, where it remains available year-round during business hours. The City recently launched a second pantry at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch. More information, including a list of suggested donations, is available at kentwood.us/littlefreepantry.
The Tri-unity Christian boys basketball (shown here in a 2019 practice) is one of the many local sports teams currently unable to hold full-contact practices or compete. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Anybody hoping for the rapid resumption of high school winter contact sports such as basketball and wrestling — athletes, coaches, parents and fans — after the successful state-approved fall sports rapid testing pilot program, are going to be disappointed.
Despite the touted success of the recent testing of football and volleyball players engaged in contact sports, in a dual effort of both the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), the testing protocol will not be used for winter sports. And, so, current plans are that it will be at least Feb. 21 before prep basketball, hockey, wrestling and competitive cheer can begin competition.
“The purpose of the pilot (program) was always to ease the pathway to expanded use of antigen testing to support school reopening, which is the state’s priority given limited testing resources,” Bob Wheaton, MDHHS public information officer, said to WKTV this week.
The MHSAA “also have said all along that MDHHS told us testing would never be an option for winter sports,” Geoff Kimmerly, MHSAA assistant director for communications, said to WKTV. But the state governing body for high school sports still touts the success of the program and advocates for the beginning of winter contact sports, even without rapid testing.
The South Christian High School football team returns to practice Wednesday, Dec. 30, after mandated COVOD-19 testing was completed. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“This past weekend the MHSAA concluded its remaining Fall tournaments with 11-Player Football Finals,” a Jan. 27 statement from the MHSAA reads. “Earlier this month, Girls Volleyball, Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving and 8-Player Football Finals were competed to conclude those seasons.
“All four were allowed to complete their seasons because those teams took part in the MDHHS rapid testing pilot program. Results of that program were overwhelmingly positive. A total of 5,376 individuals (athletes, coaches, team personnel, cheerleaders, etc.) were tested, and 57 — or 1 percent — tested positive at some point in the pilot. Nearly 30,000 rapid antigen tests were administered — and 99.8 percent were negative.”
(According to the statement, the statistics were through Jan. 19, and were provided to the MHSAA by the MDHHS.)
And MHSAA leadership clearly believes not allowing Michigan athletes to return to the basketball courts and wrestling mats is unfair and could be putting the athletes at a greater risk of COVID-19 infection.
“Each week, we see hundreds of examples of children and families competing in non-school competition, both in-state and out-of-state,” Mark Uyl, MHSAA executive director , said in the Jan. 27 statement. “This not only is in violation of current MDHHS orders, but sending all of these families into different states will only become an impediment to getting students back in school full time.
“But we can contribute to students returning to in-person learning by allowing MHSAA member schools to begin full activities, participating locally and against more local competition, and under the guidance of trained, professional educators,” Uyl said.
State’s goal is safe communities and schools, first
“Counties around the country have faced outbreaks of COVID-19 associated with sports teams,” MDHHS’s Wheaton said to WKTV. “In Michigan, there were 42 outbreaks associated with athletics (K-12 schools, professional, collegiate, and commercial venues) in August and September 2020 before restrictions on contact sports were implemented … Outbreaks of this magnitude have the potential to affect not just a sports team, but the community in which the players and coaches reside as well.”
Competitive cheerleading is just one of several high school winter sports on hold at this time. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Sports that require “frequent closeness between players” — including basketball and wrestling — make it more difficult to prevent disease transmission, according to the MDHHS. And the risk of COVID-19 transmission is increased by the number of individuals a player physically interacts with, as well as the intensity and duration of that interaction.
“The arrival of the new B.1.1.1.7 variant also means even more caution must be taken so we avoid the rapid rise in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths that other countries that have seen this variant have experienced,” Wheaton said.
“Even with mitigation measures in place, such as wearing of masks, disease transmission cannot be completely prevented when players are in prolonged or intense contact,” Wheaton continued. “These risks are even greater for indoor contact sports where there is not natural ventilation to mitigate the close proximity of participants. Teams that can implement robust public health measures may be able to decrease risk, but risk remains elevated.”
And when asked about when contact sports might be able to begin in 2021, Wheaton said that is at unknown at this time — for several reasons, including the lack of resources to implement a more widespread rapid testing program.
“Contact sports can be more safely played at this time when teams undertake significant infection control steps that include testing participants at least three times a week on alternating days, ensuring no social contact outside of school and the team, and supervision by medical staff,” Wheaton said. “It is not easy to meet these standards, and typically requires institutional support from a college or university, or professional sports organization, to have sufficient resources and infrastructure to comply.
In the fall sports pilot program, about 200 schools that allowed several thousand high school athletes to safely complete their fall volleyball, football, and swimming and diving championships under these protocols, according to the MDHHS. But the enhanced testing during this pilot uncovered dozens of positive cases that could have otherwise spread to the rest of the team and their communities.
“We will continue to carefully watch the data to assess what other activities can be permitted,” Wheaton said in conclusion.
And the MHSAA will be ready when — and if — the state allows winter contact sports to begin.
“We have said from the start of the 2020-21 school year that we would do everything possible to have three seasons, and play all three to completion,” Uyl has previously said. “Our strong advocacy for all sports and seasons — and especially winter sports —continues every day.”
Wyoming Public Schools Athletic Director Ted Hollern could not give a specific timeframe for replacing Wolves head varsity football coach Irv Sigler Jr. — who resigned his coaching position last week after four seasons — but there is a sense of urgency.
The Wolves need a head coach “as soon as possible,” Hollern said this week to WKTV. “We need him now.”
Sigler, who will continue as Dean of Students at Wyoming High School, spent four seasons coaching the Wolves as part of a 30-year coaching career including work at Cadillac (1993-1997), Grandville (1998-2004), Kell High School in Marietta, Ga., (2005-2007) and Jenison (2008-2012). Prior to coming to Wyoming, he served as the offensive coordinator at Hope College.
“I just decided this is a good time after 30 years of coaching,” Sigler said this week to WKTV. “There are some other things I’d like to do. I’m not completely done coaching but this is more of a pause. I love working at (Wyoming high) and look forward to it every day.”
And his work at Wyoming high is certainly appreciated by the Wolves community.
Wyoming High School AD Ted Hollern. (WKTV)
“Just want to say how grateful Wyoming Public Schools is for everything (Sigler) has done for our kids … and I know people out in the community do also,” Hollern said. “He has done a tremendous job, there is no question about it.”
As far as the process of hiring a new head football coach, Hollern said “right now, we are reaching out to our stakeholders, to get as much input as we possibly can. The kids, the parents, the coaches … to find out what they want in the leadership of our football program.”
Then they will post the job and start the interview and hiring process.
As Sigler steps away for the sidelines, for however long, he does so with appreciation for his four seasons leading the Wolves.
“I want to thank everyone in the Wyoming community, school district, teachers administration and especially the young men who’ve played in our program,” Sigler said in a reported statement last week. “Our coaching staff has served with honor and dignity — our assistant coaches are the finest people.
“It has been my honor to be a Wolf. I spent a lot of time in thought and prayer, and this is a good time to turn the page.”
Wyoming was 1-4 this 2020-21 season, and lost two weeks of games in the middle of the season due to pandemic issues. Earlier in 2020, Sigler was honored as the West Michigan Officials Association Coach of the Year in 2019.
“I feel very honored, but it is truly a reflection of our program, players and assistant coaches,” Sigler said to WKTV about the Coach of the Year honor. “It is more significant than any award I’ve received in coaching. … It means so much to me, because officials have the chance to see coaches at our best and our worst. To know that I’ve earned the respect of this group of men tells me that we are doing things right as a team and program.”
Sigler’s other coaching accomplishments include MHSAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2003 while at Grandville, the MHSFCA Community Service Award in 2009. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Adrian College in 1990 and his Master of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan in 1992.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, we go bowling.
One of the first winter sports given permission to resume competition following pauses by the state health department and the MHSAA is bowling, with many local teams beginning as early as this week. WKTV not only plans to bring you some prep bowling coverage but, before that, WKTV sports volunteer Bill Rinderknecht spent some time with the head coaches of East Kentwood High School’s boys and girls bowling teams, talking about their sport and their teams.
WKTV volunteer host Bill Rinderknecht on WKTV Sports Sports Connection. (WKTV)
Falcons head boys coach Ed Colburn and girls head coach Todd Sellon talk about how their athletes dealt with the pause in high school athletics due to the pandemic, then being allowed to resume practice but with restrictions, and now the quick turnaround to the beginning of competition. We also got a breakdown of some of the unique rules and format for the high school game, and also a look ahead to their upcoming season.
Coach Colburn and Sellon also discuss how it is not just football and basketball players getting college scholarships.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection brings its audience interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports, both on cable television and on our on-demand and YouTube channels. Readers can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting wktvjournal.org/sport.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of highs school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.com. 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.
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, at a Jan. 22 news conference. (State of Michigan)
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan High School Athletic Association, the governing body for high school sports in the state, has been dutifully working with the state health department and the governor’s office as rules and restrictions have repeatedly changed during the last 10 months.
And they will again work with the latest changes, announced Friday, Jan. 22, but they are expressing their “disappointment” both from their own scheduling and logistical standpoint, and from the expected impact on student-athletes across the state.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), in its latest directive, altered the allowed number of spectators at events such as this weekend’s prep football finals as well as delayed until at least Feb. 21 all contact sport’s full-contact practices and any possible beginning of those sports’ competitions.
Winter contact sports such as basketball, hockey, wrestling and competitive cheer currently are only allowed non-contract practice but they had been expecting to begin full-contact practice on Feb. 1 and completion later that week.
Mark Uyl, MHSAA executive director, from a previous Zoom meeting. (MHSAA)
“We found out about this decision at 9:30 a.m. (Jan. 22) like everyone else, and we will address it as quickly as possible after taking the weekend to collect more information,” Mark Uyl, MHSAA executive director, said in supplied material. “We did not anticipate this delay in winter contact practices and competition, and today’s announcement has created many new questions.
“Obviously, this is disappointing to thousands of athletes who have been training with their teams over the last week and watching teams in other states around Michigan play for the last two months.”
The latest state pandemic-related changes in rules and regulations also could have allowed more people to attend this weekend’s football finals — but news came too late for the MHSAA to alter established plans to meet now-altered MDHHS rules and regulations.
Also on Jan. 22, Gov. Whitmer and MDHHS announced that sports arenas with capacities of at least 10,000 spectators may allow up to 500 to attend events. But, the MHSAA later announced, “no additional tickets will be sold for today and Saturday’s 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field” due to the lack of sufficient notice.
“We have been planning these Finals for weeks to include immediate family, and unfortunately this isn’t a process we can adjust midstream,” Uyl said. “Distributing more tickets would put stress on those plans and Ford Field staffing, and force schools to make more hard decisions on who will be able to attend, but at the last second instead of with prior planning.”
Local high school basketball is a huge step closer to hitting the floor. (Photo from previous year game televised by WKTV with East Kentwood High School’s boys basketball team at Wyoming.)
When high school sports teams including football and volleyball were allowed to begin competition early this month after following extensive COVID-19 rapid testing protocols, not only were those sports given a chance to finish their season but winter sports including basketball could see a path ahead for their restart of practice and competition.
The antigen rapid test results — which showed more than a 99 percent non-infection rate among the student athletes as of last week — were seen as a success by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).
And last week, both state officials and the MHSAA moved forward with plans to lift all restrictions on non-contact winter sports such as bowling and gymnastics, and began easing of restrictions even on contact sports, many local high school basketball teams began “non-contact” practices this last weekend and they are shooting for a beginning of February start to their seasons.
“We have shown with our remaining fall sports this month that our schools can participate safely, and we’re confident teams will continue to take all the appropriate precautions as we jump back into indoor winter activities,” MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl said last week in supplied material.
And the success of the rapid testing pilot program with the fall sports was a key factor in the continuing opening of high school athletics.
Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 rapid test. (Abbott)
According to numbers supplied by the MDHHS on Friday, and of Jan. 15, the antigen test results (which included multiple tests of same individuals) there were 25,601 total tests with 25,533 negative (99.73 percent) and only 69 positive (0.27 percent).
“Overall, schools have deemed this testing pilot a success that has allowed close to 7,000 student-athletes and staff to safely compete in high school athletics,” Bob Wheaton, spokesperson for the MDHHS, said to WKTV Jan. 15. “More than 99 percent of the tests were negative, however, testing allowed the department to find dozens of positive COVID-19 cases among student-athletes.”
One local school which participated in the testing pilot program was the Grand Rapids South Christian High School football team, which was able to finish their season on the field on Jan. 9 after beginning testing beginning just after New Years Day.
“The MHSAA and the MDHHS have clearly outlined their expectations and have given very sound guidance on the process so we are ready to begin the testing,” South Christian athletic director David Kool said to WKTV at the time testing began.
And that success was good news to local basketball coaches, including Wyoming High School’s head boys basketball coach Thom Vander Klay.
“We are so excited to get back in the gym go to work,” Vander Klay said to WKTV. “We could only see them via remote media using zoom meetings. The kids could not use school facilities either so we are a bit behind. … (But) even with masks and non-contact we will make up a lot of time, being to install our fundamentals and schemes.”
Vander Klay also said that at this point he is not sure if his team will need to work within the same rapid testing protocol or not, but “regardless of what the mandates are as long as we can practice and work on our game we will have plenty to do” in preparation for a scheduled Feb. 4 opening against South Christian.
MHSAA acts as state health department eases restrictions
The MDHHS updated its epidemic order last week to allow re-opening of additional activities including indoor group exercise and non-contact sports — with non-contact practice for contact sports such as basketball also allowed. The new order will last until Jan. 31, according to the MDHHS statement.
Currently, basketball, hockey and wrestling are allowed to practice but not allowed to have competition, while other winter sport include girls gymnastics, girls and boys bowling, and girls and boys swimming and diving are allowed to begin competition.
Masks will be required of all participants of the three sports now allowed competition “except when they are actively participating in gymnastics and swimming & diving,” according to the MHSAA statement. Spectators will be limited to 100 persons in school gyms or 250 in stadiums and arenas, “per MDHHS orders” in place.
“We are glad to have three more sports join skiing in returning to full activity, but we understand the disappointment and frustration on the part of our athletes and coaches whose sports are not yet able to restart completely,” MHSAA’s Uyl said. “We will continue to adjust schedules to provide all of our winter teams as substantial an experience this season as possible, as part of our greater plan this school year to play all three seasons to conclusion.”
Additionally, spring sports teams and fall teams not participating in the MDHHS rapid testing pilot program may begin four-player workouts and resume conditioning but only with non-contact activities.
“We are reopening cautiously because caution is working to save lives,” MDHHS director Robert Gordon said in supplied material. “The new order allows group exercise and non-contact sports, always with masks and social distancing, because in the winter it’s not as easy to get out and exercise and physical activity is important for physical and mental health.”
Clearly the Grand Rapids South Christian High School football team hoped and practiced for a better result than the 47-7 road loss at state-power Edwardsburg, Saturday, Jan. 9, after the state playoffs resumed following a six-week, state-mandated pause due to COVID-19 restrictions.
But Sailors head coach Danny Brown had nothing but praise for his team, which finished the season 8-2, their best season since 2014, and never backed down from the challenge of a night road game in freezing January temperatures against the Division 4 powerhouse Eddies (now 9-0).
Sailors head coach Danny Brown talks to his team during the Jan. 9 game. (Eric Walstra)
“Our team as a whole deserves a lot of praise,” Brown said to WKTV this week. “This has been a tough journey for these kids and they never wavered. They were always ready no matter what was thrown their way.”
And a lot was thrown their way, including the nearly two-month layoff, less than a week in pads to prepare for the game, and a rigid COVID-19 rapid testing protocol the team and staff had to pass. And that was before they took the field.
In the game, South Christian took the opening kickoff and drove to Edwardsburg 28, keyed by a 22-yard pass from senior Ty Rynbrandt to Trevor Hansen that got the ball to the Eddies’ 28. But the drive stalled, Edwardsburg took over, and the Eddies scored first. The Sailors answered later in the first quarter with a 7-play, 60-yard scoring drive finishing with Hanson’s 28 yard run and Nate Brinks’ PAT to make the score 8-7.
But Edwardsburg, and its prolific offense, proved just too much from there on out. For the game, the Eddies out-gained the Sailors in total yards 306-138, and the host team marched to their fourth Regional title in five seasons while continuing a streak of scoring at least 43 points in every game this season.
For the game, Sailors’ quarterback Rynbrandt was 11-of-26 for 96 yards while returning to the field after recovering from an injury in the November.
But finishing the season on the field was important to Rynbrandt, and to the rest of the South Christian team.
“I think it was important to get closure on the season,” Brown said. “There would of always been this thought of ‘what if’ if we weren’t allowed to continue. We always just wanted a chance to complete the season. The game didn’t goes as we hoped but at least we know we got to play in our last game of the season.”
Try as they might, South Christian could not stop the high-scoring Edwardsburg offense in the Jan. 9 game. (Eric Walstra)
Registration is now open for the IRONMAN 70.3 Michigan Triathlon scheduled for Sept. 21 in Frankfort, Michigan. In December 2020, it was announced that the Traverse City area location will serve as a multi-year host venue for the 70.3-mile swim, bike and run event.
Traverse City hosted the 70.3 triathlon in 2019 and, according to the announcement, relocating the race to nearby Frankfort — on the coast of Lake Michigan — offered “the perfect setting” for 2021.
“Following in the success of the event in Traverse City a couple years ago, we’ve seen an incredible interest from athletes to visit and race in northern Michigan,” Keats McGonigal, of The IRONMAN Group., said in supplied material. “We are excited to continue to host an event in this beautiful region and … we feel that Frankfort and the surrounding areas will deliver an unparalleled race week experience while being the perfect destination for both athletes and their families alike.”
The inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Michigan triathlon will consist of a 1.2-mile swim in the protected water of the Frankfort Harbor. Once out of the water, athletes will transition to the bike for a 56-mile ride on sections of the M-22 scenic highway. Concluding their IRONMAN 70.3 journey, athletes will run 13.1 miles in Frankfort and surrounding areas. (Additional course details will be shared as soon as they are available at ironman.com/im703-michigan.)
General registration for IRONMAN 70.3 Michigan opened in December 2020. And athletes and spectators can find lodging opportunities at traversecity.com/ironman. For more information on Traverse City area attractions, visit traversecity.com, as well as ironman.com for details on the global event series.
“We can’t wait to welcome IRONMAN 70.3 back to northern Michigan,” Trevor Tkach, of Traverse City Tourism, which also represents Frankfort, said is supplied material. “Our organization is honored to continue to support the race and the athletes who train for this incredible feat. The new course will be an exciting change for athletes, and spectators will be able to enjoy exploring the beautiful town of Frankfort in addition to the surrounding Traverse City region.”
