The Lee Legends wrapped up last season with their first conference championship in 43 years, but were knocked out of the MHSAA playoffs in the first round by crosstown rival Godwin Heights 83-80 in overtime.
“It was a hostile environment at Godwin,” said Coach Dominic Shannon, in his third year at Lee.
That hostile road environment led Shannon to beef up the Legends’ non-conference schedule for the 2023-2024 season.
“Being in the Alliance League gives us some flexibility with our non-conference schedule,” said Shannon, whose Legends won the league last year with an 8-0 record and finished 19-2 overall. “We only play conference teams once, so that allows us to schedule more non-conference games. I talked with our athletic director, and he supported the effort.”
The Legends have already faced off against Marshall and Forest Hills Eastern before their 80-48 loss Friday to host East Kentwood.
Marshall won the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference championship and their district championship before losing in the regional finals.
Forest Hills Eastern ended last year with a 17-7 record and finished 8-6 in an OK Gold conference bullied by state powerhouses South Christian and Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
East Kentwood OK Red champs last year
East Kentwood won the OK Red with an 11-3 record, one of the premier conferences in Michigan, and finished 18-7 overall last year.
“I’m an EK guy,” Shannon said. “So it was nice to step into that gym again.”
The Falcons scored early and kept the pressure on for an 80-48 victory over Lee.
“They made some buckets early, and our guys started to get discouraged,” Shannon said. “I stand by the decision to schedule these non-conference games in hostile environments; it will help us grow.”
The Legends missed the presence of their only senior last year, Joe Russau, who’s now playing at Muskegon Community College.
“Russau was a force for us in the middle getting rebounds,” Shannon explained.
The Legends were outrebounded 32-20 against East Kentwood.
Reigning Alliance League Player of the Year Marc Whitfield paced Lee with 16 points.
Lee’s Marc Whitfield last season.
Ny’Zhem Marshall led the team with 11 boards and three blocks, while senior Clarence Lewis added 11 points.
The 0-3 Legends welcome Kalamazoo Phoenix for their home opener on Thursday, Dec. 14, while East Kentwood travels to Saginaw on Saturday, Dec. 16 for its next game.
It’s not an easy task replacing a 28-year veteran coach who has experienced great success.
That’s what Erika Brown is tasked to do as the new coach of the South Christian girls basketball team, replacing Kim Legge.
“I am excited to continue building off the success Coach Legge established over her many years of coaching,” said Brown, who was the varsity assistant for the Sailors for three years and coach at Grandville and Davision for four years. ” I am honored to take the lead here at South. Coaching at South gives me the opportunity to share my faith and help encourage young ladies to be the best versions of themselves.
“Teaching them the game of basketball is the icing on the cake.”
Brown kicked off her new role with a 56-40 win over Grand Rapids Christian last Tuesday.
“I am proud of our hard work on Tuesday night,” said Brown, whose husband Danny is South Christian’s football coach. “Grand Rapids Christian has been a tough opener over the years. I felt we played well and I was happy with our energy and effort. We talk a lot about our effort, attitude and our connection with each other. These are things we can control and we put lots of emphasis on them.
“Our leading scorers for the night were Sophia Prins (19 points) and Lizzie Wolthuis (15 points). Sophia is our floor general, and as our point guard she is the extension of the coach on the floor. She embraces this role with everything she has. Lizzie is our shooting guard. When she finds her rhythm we roll with it and great things happen.”
“It’s pretty special to have two players who began their high school career together on varsity, continuing to be great teammates and leaders in their own unique ways.”
The team captains are senior Ashley Thomasma and junior Lily Nitz.
South Christian captain Lily Nitz (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
Brown takes over a Sailor team that finished second in the Gold at 10-4, 16-8 overall.
“Our goal this year is to get better each week, to compete at our best each game and to embrace the process and journey we are on together.”
South Christian captain Ashey Thomasma (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
South Christian Athletic Director David Kool had much to say about Coach Brown and former Coach Legge.
“We are so excited to have someone the caliber of Coach Brown taking over our program,” Kool said. “She has been involved with the program over the last couple of years as an assistant so her familiarity with the girls and our community is top-notch. She brings past experience as a varsity head coach at different programs and a vast array of knowledge in the basketball realm. Coach Brown is a relational coach who’s life mission is to love kids and show them the hands and feet of Jesus every day. She is going to make our girls better as players and human beings and that is very exciting for us.
“Coach Legge is and will continue to be missed. We are very grateful and appreciative of her leadership of our program over the years. She not only won a lot of games, but more importantly, made an impact on so many girls over her 28 years at South Christian. She was a relationship person and a Jesus follower first who did things the right way and her time will always be remembered fondly here. We wish her and her family nothing but success in the next phase of her life.”
Last year’s team with their regional championship trophy. (Courtesy, Tri-Unity Christian)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The Tri-unity Christian boys basketball team has a goal of making it back to the Division 4 state championship in March, and a tried-and-true formula is what the Defenders are using to accomplish the task.
Playing strong defense, sharing the ball on offense and playing for each other has proven to be a winning formula for the Defenders. Tri-unity has used that recipe to make it to the Division 4 state title game the past three years including a state championship in 2022.
Tri-unity is off to a strong start this season winning its first three games including a 71-41 win against Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart on Tuesday. The Defenders were up by 12 at the half against Sacred Heart before using a big third quarter to break the game open.
“We have a great group of boys, said veteran Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler. “They play well together and are unselfish. They are all solid players and amazing young men.”
A team of veterans
Making things even better this season is that Tri-unity also is a veteran team. Nearly the entire team returns from last season and the roster is loaded with senior veterans. Two of the seniors, Owen Rosendall and Jordan VanKlompenberg, are four-year starters who are looking to accomplish a unique milestone this season. Rosendall and VanKlompenberg have been to the last three Division 4 state championship games and are looking to end their career with four trips to the state finals.
Jordan VanKlompenberg. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Rosendall and VanKlompenberg also are team captains this season. Rosendall, a 5-foot-10 guard, is a lock-down defender, while VanKlompenberg is a 6-foot-1 guard who possesses an excellent outside shot and also is a solid defender.
Owen Rosendall knocking down a layup. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Up front, Tri-unity returns 6-4 forward Akais Giplaye who provides strong rebounding and defense. Senior Wesley Kamen (6-1) also is an outstanding outside shooter and defender, while junior point guard Keaton Blanker (5-10) orchestrates the offense.
Akais Giplaye reaches for the ball. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
The Defenders also have plenty of depth. Trey Rillema is a 6-foot-5 forward who brings strong rebounding skills and defense to the court. Junior Joey Mellon brings even more size off the bench and at 6-foot-7 is the tallest player on the team. Senior Chris Boileau (5-8) is the backup at point guard while senior Lincoln Eerdmans (5-11) provides more backcourt depth. Rounding out the roster for the Defenders are senior Trusten Bowman (6-2) and juniors Marcus Lokiden (6-1) and Hudson Ghent (5-8) who provide the team with outstanding depth.
Trey Rillema (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Wesley Kaman (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Jordan VanKlompenberg (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Keaton Blanker (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Chris Boileau (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Owen Rosendall (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Jordan VanKlompenberg. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Lincoln Eerdmans (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Joey Mellon (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Wesley Kaman (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Keaton Blanker (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Akais Giplaye (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Owen Rosendall (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Akais Giplaye (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
With plenty of depth and a willingness to pass the basketball, the Defenders are a matchup-problem for opponents. In the win against Sacred Heart, the Tri-unity offense generated 17 assists.
“I was really excited about that,” Keeler said. “These guys do a great job of sharing the basketball. We don’t have one big scorer. We have a lot of kids who can score and we’ve had a different player lead us in scoring each game this season.”
Rosendall and VanKlompenberg led the Defenders with five assists apiece in the win against Sacred Heart. Kaman led the offense with 17 points, while Blanker added 10 points and Giplaye and VanKlompenberg added eight points apiece. Rillema led the team in rebounding with six, while Giplaye added five rebounds.
Wesley Kaman led with 17 points against Sacred Heart. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)
Tri-unity improved to 3-0 for the season with the win. The Defenders opened the season with a 62-22 win against Muskegon Orchard View and then turned back Calvin Christian 64-44.
Another element of the success at Tri-unity is the non-league scheduling. The Defenders annually schedule non-league games against larger schools and the best competition they can find. Last season, Tri-unity ended with a 22-7 record, but that also led the Defenders to the state title game for a third straight year.
“Our regular season is a very tough schedule,” Keeler said. “We tried to play the toughest competition we can to prepare for the state tournament.”
The Defenders are slated to host Godwin Heights Friday and travel to Kelloggsville next Friday before playing Division 1 team Forest Hills Central in the first game of the Cornerstone Tournament on December 21.
Tri-unity also plays in the rugged Alliance League where Lee, Potter’s House and Grand Rapids Aviation are all loading up for title runs.
Carson Vis tosses a 12-yard TD pass to Noah Funk to close the Harper Woods lead to 33-27 with under five minutes left in the game. (Courtesy, David Kool)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The South Christian football team may not have returned home with the state championship trophy, but its fans will never forget the effort the Sailors gave in the Division 4 state championship.
Despite falling behind early and trailing the entire way, the Sailors never looked to tap out, and in the end came just three yards from winning a second consecutive state championship before falling short 33-27 to Harper Woods in the Division 4 Final at Ford Field in Detroit.
Harper Woods jumped out to a 14-0 lead and led 27-7 midway through the third quarter, but couldn’t put the Sailors away until the final play when they stopped South Christian on fourth down at the Harper Woods three with three seconds remaining in the game.
“It was a heck of a high school football game,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “It was one of those games between two great teams that came down to the final play. They (Harper Woods) took control of the game early and we could’ve folded, but the kids just kept fighting. Ultimately, we found a way to get back in the game and had a chance at the end, but it just didn’t come through.”
Carson Vis with a memorable, state-finals record performance
While the Sailors were stopped short on the final play of the game, the comeback was one South Christian fans will never forget. Junior quarterback Carson Vis was a big part of that comeback as he turned in a memorable performance. Vis completed 30-of-44 passes for a new state-finals record of 441 yards passing along with two touchdowns.
“Carson set finals records for completions and passing yards,” Brown said. “He came through the same way he has all year. The bigger the game the better he played. We ended up putting a lot on him. He threw 44 passes. Even when things were breaking down, he made plays and tried to will us to the win.”
Not only did Vis make plays with his arm, but he used his legs when they needed them. Vis finished the game rushing the ball 17 times for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Memorable game for Jake Vermaas as well; 10 passes for 196 yards
South Christian needed all the offense that Vis could generate as the Sailors were in a 14-0 hole at the end of the first quarter. The Sailors closed the gap to 14-7 early in the second quarter when Vis capped a 90-yard scoring drive by hooking up with Jake Vermaas on a 39-yard touchdown pass. Vermaas, like Vis, turned in a memorable day as he caught 10 passes for 196 yards. Drew Bruinsma added the extra point cutting the deficit to 14-7.
The Sailor receiving crew also had big efforts from Austin Tiesma and Noah Funk. Tiesma caught eight passes for 120 yards, while Funk caught five passes for 61 yards. Sailor running back Charlie Schreur caught five passes for 41 yards.
Harper Woods grabs 27-7 lead in third quarter
Harper Woods, however, upped its lead to 20-7 late in the second quarter and then expanded the lead to 27-7 with a touchdown midway through the third quarter.
South Christian quarterback hands off to Charlie Schreur who scampers into the end zone for a 1-yd touchdown to cut the Harper Woods lead to 27-14 in the third quarter. (Courtesy, David Kool)
The 20-point deficit, however, did nothing to curtail the Sailors’ resolve as South Christian continued to battle back. South Christian answered that score with a seven-play, 67-yard scoring drive of its own. Running back Charlie Schreur capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run and the extra point from Bruinsma cut the deficit to 27-14.
South cuts Harper Woods lead to 27-20 in the fourth
The South Christian defense then came up with a big stop and the Sailor offense mounted another scoring drive. This time Vis capped a seven-play, 80-yard march with a 22-yard touchdown run closing the gap to 27-20 early in the fourth quarter.
“We found some things offensively that worked,” Brown said. “Our motion created some plays for us and we were able to sustain some drives. Early in the game we wanted to run to set up the pass but after they went up 14-0, we had to make some adjustments. We had to turn to our passing game and try to extend the game to make it a longer game. We tried to create some things with our passing game.
“Our defense also stepped up and made some stops. I can’t say enough about our kids. They never quit and kept fighting the entire game.”
Harper Woods added a touchdown midway through the final quarter to make the score 33-20.
Sailors keep roaring back
South, however, continued to battle. The Sailors answered that score with a seven-play, 64-yard scoring drive of their own. Vis capped the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Noah Funk and the extra point from Bruinsma cut the margin to 33-27 with 4:52 remaining in the game.
In a similar situation that South Christian faced earlier in the season, in the Week 2 game against East Grand Rapids, the Sailor defense again came up big with another defensive stand to get the ball back for the offense with 2:45 remaining in the game.
Starting on their own 15-yard line, the Sailors marched the ball down the field to the Harper Woods three-yard line with three seconds remaining in the game. In the end, the Harper Woods defense made the final stand as a heavy pass rush forced Vis into making a hurried throw while being tackled that fell just short of the goal line.
“This game was a reflection of our season,” Brown said. “At the beginning of the year there was the hype of us being the returning state champions, but a lot of people didn’t think we would get that far again. We had an up and down season with three losses and two at the end. No one thought our kids would do it, but every Monday they would show up at practice rip roaring and ready to go.
“They were always ready to go at practice and kept improving throughout the year. They kept believing in each other and loving each other like brothers and when you are able to do that you can accomplish anything.”
South finished the season with a 10-4 overall record after winning district and regional championships along the way.
Defensively, Tanner Raak led the Sailors with 11 tackles including one tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Tiesma finished with nine tackles, while Vermaas and Tyler Brinks added seven apiece. Vermaas and Brinks each also had one tackle for loss. Luke DeJager and Colin Vugteveen both recorded a sack with DeJager totaling four tackles and Vugteveen, three. Daniel Niewiek and Rowan DeKam both added five tackles while Ben Mulder had four tackles and a pass breakup.
“I’m super proud of our kids and our coaching staff,” Brown said. “Our coaching staff had to do a lot of things in that game to keep us in it. Being down 14-0 and 27-7, everyone had to make adjustments on the fly. At the end of the day the kids executed and we were in a position to win.
“We fell just short, but that happens sometimes. It’s a lesson I hope they can take with them through life. To keep believing and leave it all on the field.”
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis connects with Jake Vermaas on a 19-yard touchdown. (Video Courtesy, David Kool)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The South Christian football team has turned in some solid defense during this year’s state playoffs, but their effort in the state semifinal game against Portland Saturday was arguably the best of the entire season.
The Sailors defense picked an opportune time to turn in the big effort as the 21-6 win against Portland sends them to Ford Field and a berth in the Division 4 state finals at 1 p.m. Saturday against Harper Woods.
“I’m excited for the kids,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “It’s a credit to their perseverance. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs this season and we seem to be clicking at the right time. I’m excited for the coaches who have put in a lot of time game-planning this season.
“I’m also excited for our community. It’s great to see our community come together for such a memorable community event.”
The South Christian defense played its part right from the beginning of the game. After the Sailors fumbled the opening kickoff, their defense stepped to the plate and kept Portland out of the end zone.
“Our defense stepped up right from the start,” Brown said. “Fumbling the opening kickoff is not the best way to start, but our defense came out and stopped them. That set the tone for the rest of the game. We were very disciplined on defense and had a ton of guys flying to the football.
“Their (Portland’s) lone touchdown came on a long touchdown run off a reverse. Outside of the one long run I thought we limited them pretty good.”
Carson Vis puts the Sailors on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a 5-yard run. (Video Courtesy, David Kool)
Carson Vis gets the first score
South Christian took the initial lead of the game in the first quarter. That was when quarterback Carson Vis capped a scoring drive with a five-yard touchdown run. Drew Bruinsma tacked on the extra point giving South a 7-0 lead.
Portland’s only score comes in the first quarter
Portland scored its lone touchdown on a 66-yard reverse later in the quarter cutting the South lead to 7-6.
South Christian added a touchdown in the second quarter. The Sailors cashed in on the scoring drive when Vis hooked up with Jake Vermaas on a 19-yard touchdown pass. Bruinsma added the point after increasing the Sailor lead to 14-6.
Final TD in the third comes on a 54-yard run by Vis
South Christian padded the lead in the third quarter. Vis provided the points as he reeled off a 54-yard touchdown run. Bruinsma tacked on the final point of the game giving South a 21-6 lead and leaving the game in the hands of the Sailor defense.
Noah Funk “unbelievable” on defense
Noah Funk led the Sailor defense as he totaled six tackles, eight assisted tackles and an interception.
“Noah had an unbelievable game on defense,” Brown said. “He was coming down hill from his safety position and making a ton of tackles. His impact was felt on the field. He was hitting hard and making plays against the run and making plays against the pass.”
Vermaas with three tackles, two assists and an interception
The Sailor defense also received solid efforts from Vermaas, who totaled three tackles, two assists and an interception, Daniel Niewiek, two tackles, six assists, including a quarterback sack, Tanner Raak, two tackles and two assists, and Andrew Baartman, two tackles, two assists, including two sacks.
Vermaas (photo from earlier this season) caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, and had three tackles, two assists and an interception against Portland. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
Portland had 232 total yards; 162 rushing and 70 yards passing.
South Christian totaled 248 yards; 132 through the air and 116 rushing.
Vis completed 7-of-13 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. Vermaas caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Vis and Charles Schreur both rushed for 60 yards.
“Offensively, we did enough to win the game,” Brown said. “Our offense did enough to win the game and at the end of that day that is all that matters in the playoffs. You just want to win and move on to the next game.”
Brown credited the Portland defense with a big effort of its own.
“It was not our best offensive effort, but part of that is the defense we faced,” Brown said. “They are very physical on defense. They played tough defense throughout the season. They were very tuned in to what we do and they did a good job of slowing our offense down.”
Portland wrapped up the season with a 12-1 record.
South improved to 10-3 for the season. The Sailors face a Harper Woods team in the championship game that also sports a 10-3 record. Like South, the record is deceiving as Harper Woods played a schedule that was loaded with Division 1 and Division 2 schools.
One of Harper Woods’ losses was a 34-28 defeat to a Southfield A & T team that is playing in the Division 1 championship game. Harper Woods also dropped a 28-6 decision to Division 1 Lake Orion who finished the season with a 10-1 record. Harper Woods defeated a Division 1 Clarkston team 34-7, who reached the regional finals after defeating Lake Orion 38-37 for the district title.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis connected with Jake Vermaas on the first touchdown of a 55-35 regional championship win over Big Rapids Friday. (Video Courtesy, David Kool)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
While there was some rain in the area Friday night, there was definitely some lightning in the Byron Center area. That lightning was provided by the South Christian football team as the Sailors put on a dazzling outburst of points in the first quarter of the regional title game against Big Rapids.
South Christian scored an amazing 41 points in the first quarter en route to a 55-35 win over Big Rapids. The Sailors advanced to the Division 4 regional semifinal next Saturday where they face undefeated Portland at 1 p.m. at Forest Hills Eastern High School.
South Christian chalks up another regional crown. (Photo Courtesy, David Kool)
Familiar fashion; Vis to Vermaas
The points in the regional title game came fast and furious with the Sailors striking with big plays on both sides of the line. South scored their first two touchdowns of the games in familiar fashion. Sailor quarterback Carson Vis hooked up with wide receiver Jake Vermaas on touchdown passes of seven and 13 yards. Drew Bruinsma added both extra points giving the Sailors an early 14-0 advantage.
Jake Vermaas earlier this season. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
“We came out with guns a blazing,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “It was a good one. It was probably our best half of football that we’ve played all year. Offensively and defensively, we were just clicking. Defensively we were flying to the football and offensively, we were making big plays. It was a game that was a lot of fun to be a part of.”
South takes early 21-0 lead
South used a big play via the ground game to up the lead to 21-0 as Charles Schreur broke loose for a 25-yard touchdown run.
Big Rapids answered with a big play of its own as Cardinal quarterback Riley Vennix tossed a 65-yard touchdown pass cutting the deficit to 21-7.
Sailors up 41-7 to end the first quarter
South closed out the first quarter with three consecutive touchdowns to go up 41-7.
Vis tossed a 20-yard touchdown to Noah Funk for the fourth touchdown of the quarter and Schreur added a two-yard TD run. The Sailor defense provided the final points of the opening quarter when Vermaas intercepted a Cardinal pass and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown.
South Christian QB Carson Vis in an earlier game this season. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
While the Sailors seemed to do everything right in the opening half, it was the preparation in practices the past few weeks that produced the results on the field.
“Our practices have been so good the past few weeks,” Brown said. “Everyone is so dialed in. We’ve changed some things in practice and the energy at practice is absolutely great. Once you get in the playoffs there is more of a do or die mentality. We won a couple of games and the confidence is really high.”
While the first quarter produced a total of 48 points, the second quarter was a total offensive lull as neither team was able to light up the scoreboard.
The two teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter. South scored on a nine-yard touchdown run by Schreur while Big Rapids countered with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Vennix.
Vennix, who passed for 222 yards in the Big Rapids’ district title win against Whitehall, turned in an even more productive game against South Christian. Vennix finished the game completing 22-of-35 passes for 358 yards and five touchdowns. Vennix tossed three of those touchdowns in the fourth quarter when the Cardinals outscored South 21-7 to make the final score 55-35.
“They (Big Rapids) are a real good football team,” Brown said. “We were fortunate in the first half that we were able to get up on them. They have a lot of firepower and they are able to put up points.”
South played everyone on the roster for most of the second half with everyone on the team getting extended minutes.
“That was the fun thing about it,” Brown said. “We were able to play everyone in the second half. Anytime you are able to do that and give everyone playing time in a regional game is pretty special. We were able to play everyone and it was a total team effort.”
South Christian sophomore Kayd Coffman closed out the scoring for South with a 53-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Balance was the key for the South Christian offense. The Sailors finished with 241 passing yards and 237 yards rushing. Vis led the way in the air as he completed 12-of-19 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Schreur led the Sailor ground game as he carried the ball 17 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns. Coffman added 68 yards rushing on six carries.
On defense, the Sailors received a big game from senior Tanner Raak. Raak totaled five tackles and one assist along with a pass interception. Ben Mulder added three tackles and an assist, while junior outside linebacker Tyler Brinks added three tackles including two tackles for loss. Funk also had one tackle, three assists and a tackle for loss.
An 18-year-old Lee baseball fundraiser that has netted nearly $200,000 all began with what Coach Ty Emelander thought was a prank call.
While coming up through the Detroit Tigers farm system, two-time Cy Young winner and 1968 World Series pitcher Denny McLain was coached by former Lee High School graduate Frank “Stubby” Overmire.
Emelander started the annual fundraiser with a couple calls to former players of Overmire and then came The Call.
“Denny McLain called me up and wanted to come and I didn’t even know it was him,” Emelander said. “I thought it was one of my friends just joking around with me on the phone.”
Lee baseball Coach Ty Emelander with Detroit Tigers legend Denny McLain. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)
McLain has donated his time and autographs through 18 years
“Denny was a huge part of getting this event going and keeping it rolling,” Emelander explained. “One day alone in the past he signed over 400 autographs, and has often signed over 200 at our events. And he does it all for free.”
That connection between Overmire and McLain has proven key to starting the great tradition of holding what is now the 18th annual “Stubby Overmire” Sports Card Show and Silent Auction which was held recently at Lee High School.
“Denny has gotten to know our families a little bit,” Emelander explained. “My daughter Amanda wore Denny’s Number 17 from the time she met him at age 10 in Little League through playing softball at Lee.”
Amanda still sits atop the MHSAA record books with five consecutive home runs in a 2014 double header against Hastings. The last homer was a grand slam as Lee claimed a share of the O-K Silver championship.
The event has raised nearly $200,000 over the 18 years
“Denny has gotten many players to come here, including Jose Canseco, Darrell Evans, Mickey Stanley and Dean Chance,” Emelander said. “It’s been a really great experience. Between all the vendors and everybody that helps with this, it’s always been a pretty successful fundraiser.
“The year Dean Chance was here we made $20,000 in one day. We built the building (concession stand/press box/storage area) right behind our baseball field with the funds that have been raised. We named the building after Denny and his wife Sharon. We’ve done very well from this fundraiser.”
Fundraiser honors Stubby Overmire
The annual fundraiser features a vast array of sports cards, memorabilia, collectibles and autograph signing session by superstar McLain, and also honors Overmire, who graduated from Lee in 1936, the same year it won the Grand Valley Conference championship with him pitching. He finished 6-0 that season.
Overmire played for the Detroit Tigers from 1943 to 1949, including the 1945 World Series winning season. He earned two World Series rings; Detroit (1945) and New York (1951). Overmire died in 1977 at the age of 57.
Coach Emelander shared Overmire’s love for youth baseball.
“His daughter Jane said that Stubby was a big supporter of youth baseball, and he would love what we are doing,” Emelander said.
McLain, who earned league MVP honors in 1968 along with a World Series ring, had much to say about Overmire as well.
“Stubby was a gentleman and a half,” McLain said. “He is one of the two people that brought me up to the big leagues. Charlie Dressen was the manager, and Stubby was the pitching coach. When I first came up, nobody could teach me much because all I had was a fastball, so it took a while for that to start to mature, but Stubby was always there to work with you and always gave good advice.”
A photo of Tigers pitcher Denny McLain for sale at the Lee event. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)
The event attracts vendors from across the West Michigan area.
Keith DeBoer has been in the trading card business for over 30 years and has had a table at the Lee show for the past three years. He said he enjoys contributing to the school.
“They draw a good crowd, I do pretty well here, and I like to support the school,” DeBoer said.
Keith DeBoer (left), who’s been in the baseball card business for 30 years, helps a customer at the Lee Sports Card Show. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)
Emelander detailed how this event helps support the growth of youth baseball in the Lee community.
“It’s multifaceted what we do; we help kids with sign-up fees for Little League, we buy gloves,” Emelander said. “One time, I found a sale at Meijer and was able to buy 38 gloves. We constantly supply equipment to the kids to get them to play baseball. We use the funds to keep the high school spring trip affordable for the kids.”
Emelander also stressed how much alums have helped raise money for the baseball program.
“We’ve had dedicated alumni that have brought me to tears with their donations; it’s gone down in recent years, but I hope it can pick back up.”
South Christian wide receiver Jake Vermaas has 79 catches for 1,395 yards and 17 touchdowns. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
After playing a pair of familiar conference rivals to open the playoffs, the South Christian football team is busy focusing on an unfamiliar opponent it will face in Friday’s regional title game that will be played at Byron Center High School.
South Christian, which improved to 8-3 for the season after defeating Forest Hills Eastern 22-14 in the district title game, takes on a 10-1 Big Rapids Cardinals team in Friday’s regional title match slated for 7 p.m. at Byron Center.
Champions of the Central State Activities Conference Gold Division, Big Rapids has been on a roll since opening the season with a 34-13 loss to Paw Paw. The Cardinals flew through the conference season with an unbeaten record. Big Rapids is continuing the winning streak in the playoffs where it defeated Spring Lake 27-20 in the first round before stopping undefeated Whitehall 28-27 in last week’s regional final.
The 10 wins by Big Rapids are the most since the 2003 squad that turned in a 10-3 record before falling in the state semifinals. Big Rapids has an offense that is averaging 34.7 points per game, while the defense is allowing 14.5 points per game.
Big Rapids is similar to South Christian in that the Cardinals are led by a talented dual-threat quarterback. Senior QB Riley Vennix is coming off a big game against Whitehall where he completed 24-of-35 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns. Vennix also ran the ball 11 times for 27 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown. Vennix also is a mainstay on defense and provided a game-saving play on special teams at the end of the district title game when he blocked a 32-yard Whitehall field goal attempt on the final play of the game.
“Their quarterback is really good,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “He is very elusive and is a dual-threat type of player. They know who they are as a team and their kids play hard. They have a group of good athletes and it should be a fun game.”
Big Rapids has a pair of talented receivers in the passing game in senior Kaleb Dubowski and junior Garret Foster. Foster hauled in nine passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns while Dubowski added seven catches for 56 yards and a touchdown against Whitehall.
“They have the ability to run the ball and they also have the ability to throw it,” Brown said. “Defensively, they bring a lot of pressure. They put opposing offenses on edge. We definitely have our work cut out for us.”
Leaning on V Squared: Vis and Vermaas
South counters with an outstanding offense of its own led by junior quarterback Carson Vis, who has completed 127-of-199 passes for 2,244 yards and 28 touchdowns this season. Wide receiver Jake Vermaas is putting up big receiving totals with 79 catches for 1,395 yards and 17 touchdowns.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis. (Courtesy, Louis Murray)
After closing out the regular season with losses to Catholic Central and Wayland, the Sailors have regained their footing with the two playoff wins. A big part of that success has been the improvement of the defense.
“I think our biggest growth has been our defense,” Brown said. “Our focus has been on defense the last three weeks and they have shown improvement. To keep advancing in the playoffs we have to continue to improve on defense. The key for us is to slow down their offense.”
Athletic Director David Kool says they’re excited and grateful
With a district title in hand, the Sailors are excited about the opportunity to add a regional title and keep the tournament run going. That excitement is spilling over into the school, according to Athletic Director David Kool.
“We are very excited as a school and a community to be playing on Friday nights still,” Kool said. “We are very proud of our athletes and coaches for all of the work they have put in to be in this position again this year. We are also very grateful for another opportunity to make a deep run in football. We know this does not happen all the time so we are enjoying the moment and celebrating with this group of kids, but we also are striving for more.
“This is a group of kids and coaches who have put in tons of work and believe in what we are doing at South Christian so we could not be more proud of them. Everyone believes in each other and special things can happen when you put the other things aside and play for your brother and that is what we do.”
While making a return trip to Ford Field to defend their state title is the ultimate goal, the Sailors are solely focused on the next obstacle in their way.
“Our philosophy is to focus on that week’s opponent,” Brown said. “We bury the outside noise. Obviously, we had a great season last season, but that is no indication on how you will do this season. We put the focus on what we can do now. We have to focus on working hard today to improve.”
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis delivered the game-winning touchdown to Noah Funk, a 23-yard play that gave the Sailors a fourth-straight District Title. (Video Courtesy, David Kool)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships. That old adage was certainly the case for the South Christian football team Friday as the Sailors used a big defensive effort to turn back Forest Hills Eastern 22-14 to win a Division 4 district title.
It was the fourth consecutive district title the Sailors have won and sends South to the regional title game where it hosts Big Rapids next Friday at 7 p.m. at Byron Center High School.
“It was one of those games that went back-and-forth the whole way,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “Luckily, we had the ball one last time and put together a good drive to win it. They (Forest Hills Eastern) are a really good team and we knew it was going to be a close game. Our kids stepped up to the plate when they needed to.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game. Forest Hills Eastern knows their identity and does a good job. They have big, strong lines and can run the ball. We knew we had to work hard to contain them.”
South Christian Sailors are District champs again. (Courtesy, David Kool)
The Sailors had first-hand experience knowing what they were in for as South held off Eastern 32-29 in a tight game in week four of the regular season. While the two teams put a few less points on the scoreboard this time, the game was equally as tight and again came down to the end.
“I think this game was a little more cleaner brand of football,” Brown said. “Both defenses have improved since that game and it showed. This game was played a little more defensive minded and there were fewer big plays. It came down to whichever team made the big play at the end.”
Sailors grab 7-0 lead in first quarter
The game was a defensive grind for the first three quarters. The lone touchdown of the first half came in the opening quarter when South’s Charlie Schreur ran in for a touchdown from five-yards out. Drew Bruinsma kicked the point after giving the Sailors a 7-0 lead.
7-apiece in the third quarter
The next time a team reached the end zone was in the third quarter. That was when Eastern running back Will Morgan ran in for a touchdown from three-yards out. The Hawks then tied the game up with the point after.
South regained the lead early in the fourth quarter. The Sailors struck through the air when quarterback Carson Vis connected with wide receiver Jake Vermaas on a two-yard fade pattern. Bruinsma added the extra point putting South up 14-7.
Eastern knots it up at 14 in the fourth
Eastern tied the game back up later in the quarter. The Hawks used the passing game to tie the contest as quarterback Mark Fuehrer connected with Jake Heemstra for a 10-yard scoring strike and they added the point after to tie the game.
With two minutes remaining in the game, the Sailor offense again stepped up to the plate. With Vis spreading the ball around to his talented group of receivers, the Sailors marched the ball down the field. The Sailor passing game capped off the drive with Vis connecting with Noah Funk on a 23-yard passing play that provided the winning points.
“We made the most of our opportunities on offense,” Brown said. “Obviously, it was not our cleanest game on offense, but credit the guys for sticking with it. They found a way to win and advance.”
Carson Vis to Jake Vermaas never gets old
Offensively, the Sailors finished with 270 total yards. Vis completed 14-of-19 passes for 161 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Vermaas caught seven passes for 83 yards, while Funk caught two balls for 33, Sam Weiss caught two passes for 27 yards and Austin Tiesma caught two balls for 18 yards.
Vis led the ground game with 50 yards rushing, while Schreur added 46 yards.
The South Christian defense limited Eastern to 251 yards of total offense. Eastern rushed for 172 yards and passed for 79 yards.
Ben Mulder led with five solo tackles and seven assists
South Christian senior linebacker Ben Mulder was one of the defensive leaders as he totaled `five solo tackles and seven assists.
“Ben is our middle linebacker and he had a nice game,” Brown said. “When your middle linebacker is making a lot of tackles it means that your defensive linemen are doing a real good job of occupying blockers and keeping blockers off your linebackers. We turned in an all-around great job defensively. Our defense has stepped up and played well the last two games. They are playing well together as a unit and doing a good job of chasing the football.
“Like I told the guys after the game, if you’re going to make a deep run in the playoffs you have to play good defensively. Our defense stepped up and did a really nice job.”
The Sailor defense also received strong efforts from Tiesma who totaled five tackles and seven assists, Tyler Brinks who added three tackles, two assists and a quarterback sack, Daniel Niewiek who had two tackles and four assists and Andrew Helmus who added a tackle and three assists.
The City of Kentwood and Great Lakes Disc are inviting disc golfers of all levels to the annual Fall Fling tournament and food drive Saturday, Nov. 11.
The best-shot doubles tournament begins with on-site registration at 9 a.m. at Old Farm Park, 2350 Embro Drive SE. The cost is $25 per person or $50 per team, plus a canned food donation for Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry.
“The City of Kentwood is pleased to again offer local disc golfers an opportunity to have fun, show off their skills and support our community at the Fall Fling,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “We appreciate our partnership with Great Lakes Disc in helping to bring this popular event to Kentwood each year and are grateful for the continued generosity of our local disc golf community.”
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Pre-registration for the Fall Fling is encouraged online at kentwood.us/FallFlingDiscGolf. Players will meet at 9:45 a.m., and the first round of the tournament will begin at 10 a.m. Dune Buggy food truck will be on-site offering burgers, fries and beverages for sale.
“We really enjoy being a part of this tournament and spending a fall day with local disc golfers and other community members,” said Shea Abbgy, owner of Great Lakes Disc. “Our team is honored to join the City of Kentwood in co-hosting this event, which is a great example of our community’s active and giving spirit.”
Kentwood Little Free Pantry
The Kentwood Little Free Pantry initiative began in 2017 as a community service project in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The pantry is open to all community members year-round and addresses an immediate and local need. It offers non-perishable food and personal care items. Anyone can utilize or donate to the pantry, no applications required, and no questions are asked.
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry is in immediate need of donations, and the City is encouraging local businesses, organizations and community members to get involved. The pantry has locations at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, and the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE, along with several other donation bins located throughout the City of Kentwood campus.
More information about the pantry, including hours and a suggested list of donations, is available at kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry.
The Division 4 playoffs began where the regular season left off: South Christian vs. Wayland at East Kentwood’s Falcon Stadium.
The rematch of the regular season finale, which saw both teams combine for nearly 1,000 yards and 89 total points, looked a lot different Friday night as South Christian controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball to cruise to a 34-7 playoff victory.
South Christian struggled out of the gate
The Sailors elected to receive the opening kickoff and proceeded on a 15-play drive that saw junior quarterback Carson Vis struggle to pass the ball. Vis went 1-4 and took a sack before turning the ball over on downs.
Wayland started its first drive at the 25-yard line. On the second play, Wildcat running back Cameron Bogart burst out of the backfield and streaked down the sideline for a 74-yard touchdown run.
South Christian Coach Danny Brown had flashbacks of the week prior.
“That was not how we anticipated it starting,” said Brown, whose team improved to 7-3.”We envisioned coming out getting a defensive stop and scoring.
“We knew that if we could all come together and trust each other and do what we’re supposed to do, we would have a chance.”
Sailors grind it out on offense
Vis finished off a 14-play, 70-yard drive that took over seven minutes off the game clock with a 4-yard dart to Jake Vermaas that tied the game at 7.
Vis threw an interception to Wayland’s Kaharrie Pureifoy on the next drive.
South Christian grabs lead for good
The final drive of the first half was capped off by an 8-yard touchdown run by Vis to give South Christian a 14-7 lead at the half.
“All year, we have been scoring in a hurry; this game, we had to grind it out,” Brown explained.
A week after giving up 453 yards, South Christian stood stout and gave up the lone touchdown on the opening drive.
South Christian’s Cam VanSolkema. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)
“We took it personal”
Senior defensive lineman Cam VanSolkema has been an anchor on the Sailor defensive front since he’s been a freshman.
“I think the energy at practice changed the whole game,” VanSolkema said. “We all trust each other and love each other, and that was the topic we worked on during practice this week.
“We took it personal and we got it done on defense.”
South Christian controlled the second half as Vis went a perfect 6-for-6 with another touchdown pass to Vermaas while adding a second running score.
“He was a little off schedule to start the game,” Brown said. I don’t know if he was just excited. We went up to him and said settle down and get back to basics.”
Vis completed 11-of-16 passes for 188 yards and two scores, including an interception. He also ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
South Christian receiver Jake Vermaas earlier this year. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
His favorite target, Vermaas, had six catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
South Christian advanced to the district finals against Forest Hills Eastern next Friday.
Last meeting, the Sailors beat Forest Hills Eastern 32-29 in Week 4.
“They’re a good team up front they’ve got some really good linemen, and their backs run hard, so we’re going to have a challenge,” Brown explained. “We’re going to need another great week of practice like we had this week.”
The winner of that matchup faces the winner of Whitehall vs. Big Rapids on November 10 in the regional finals.
The Sailors hope to continue their winning playoff ways from last year, where they finished a perfect 14-0 season with a D-4 state title with a 28-0 win over Goodrich. It was South Christian’s fourth state championship in football.
Without question, two players that helped the Lee football team make a statement this season are sophomore Aidan Merriweather and junior Anthony Blok.
Merriweather caught 48 passes for over 900 yards with 14 touchdowns, and Blok threw for nearly 2,500 yards with a school record 29 touchdowns.
Lee QB Anthony Blok. (Courtesy, Shafi Subhan)
Those impressive stats helped the Legends secure their first winning season (5-4 overall) since 2006, and clear a path for their next step of growth.
The 2022 Legends gave up 60 points per game, while scoring 17 en route to an 0-9 season. The 2023 Legends improved on both metrics, scoring 38 points per game and giving up 32.
Though they were ineligible for the MHSAA 8-Man playoffs due to enrollment limits, the 2024 Legends look to build upon the gains they made this season, returning many key starters like Blok and Merriweather, among others.
“Aidan is an outgoing kid; he’s vocal … he leads by example,” said Lee Coach Lamar Marshall, in his second year. “He comes in and puts in the work and doesn’t complain.
“Without a doubt, he will be the vocal leader next year. Players tend to get behind him, especially when he’s assertive.
“Anthony is more of a quiet guy … when he needs to be vocal, he most certainly is,” Marshall said. “He takes charge on offense and makes sure everyone knows what to do. He audibles when need be; he makes the right play when we need him too.”
Merriweather, who began playing football around 9 or 10 years old, said a relative got him interested.
“My uncle inspired me to play football,” Merriweather explained. “He said that I had the potential to be the best.”
Lee WR Aidan Merriweather. (Courtesy, Shafi Subhan)
He went on to say the team’s season had to be “one of the best.”
“It was great to see the team get together in the summer practices, conditioning … and strengthen our brotherly bond,” said Merriweather, who also plays basketball. “It felt amazing going 5-4 this season because seeing all the hard work and dedication we put in this past summer pay off, making history for our school.”
As far as his stat-filled season, Merriweather said he’s “extremely proud” of himself.
“I pushed and worked hard for my team … our coaches pushed me to be the best version of myself. Being able to contribute and help this team grow means a lot to me. Overall, our team definitely deserved this praise and glory for all the hard work.”
Like Merriweather, Blok began football at an early age
“I started playing football around the age of 8 to 9,” explained Blok, who also plays basketball and runs track. “My dad used to coach our elementary football team, but I wasn’t old enough to have pads on, so I just practiced.
“I loved many sports, so football was just another one I was trying out, but along the way one of my coaches said I thought I would be a good quarterback, and that was always my favorite position when I was watching football.”
Blok said the Legends’ year was “amazing” coming off a winless season.
“It wasn’t just luck like some people thought,” Blok said. “We were putting in the work through the offseason to come in and make a statement. It felt great as a team and an accomplishment as a player to have that winning season.
“The next step for us is to turn it up even more and make a bigger statement next year. We need to get in sync as a team and get in the weight room.”
Lee QB Anthony Blok. (Courtesy, Shafi Subhan)
Blok said he was adopted at age 6 and his parents are his biggest supporters.
“They come to every game no matter how far, or cold it is,” he explained. “They inspire me to be my best and try hard at what I do.”
As far as his achievements on the field Blok said, “It was cool to know that I would be making a stamp at Lee High School. My coaches knew my strengths and weaknesses, so we improved those weaknesses and perfected my strengths.”
The Legends lose three graduating seniors: Clarence Lewis and defensive standouts Issac Delgado and Kameron Washington.
“Clarence was huge for us,” Marshall said. “He made plays when we needed him to. He was a vocal and emotional leader.”
Marshall also anticipates significant growth from freshmen Jayden Sanchez and Ziere Feast.
“I expect Jayden and Ziere to lead us on defense next year,” Marshall said of his young talent.
In their regular season, high-scoring finale, South Christian fell to Wayland 49-40 in a game where the teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense. The Sailors had 532 yards, while Wayland posted 453.
One week later, the teams will have to square off again, this time with everything on the line. The Sailors and Wildcats meet in the Division 4 playoff opener at 7 p.m. Friday at East Kentwood’s stadium.
“I would expect them to show up similar to last week,” South Christian Coach Danny Brown said. “It is win or go home time so we expect to get everyone’s best game.”
“We need to clean up some things and get our defensive unit to play 11 strong. We show moments of it, but we haven’t been consistent enough. We seem to lose trust in each other so that is the biggest thing to clean up. Once we lose trust big plays have happened against us.”
Last week against Wayland, South Christian relied on the passing arm of Carson Vis. The junior standout connected on 24-of-44 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns. Vis also provided a running threat with 117 yards and a pair of scores on eight carries.
“He is a great athlete and has really settled in at playing QB,” said Brown, whose team is 6-3 overall heading into the playoffs. “He has a great understanding of what we are tying to do and has done a great job of executing as the play develops. He can hurt teams with his legs and his arm which makes it tough for teams to game plan for.”
South Christian hopes to lean on quarterback Carson Vis. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
While South was passing the ball last week, Wayland countered with an effective running game that gobbled up huge chunks of yardage. Bryce Calkins led the ground game for Wayland with 121 yards on 21 carries and a pair of touchdowns. Wayland quarterback Brady Cassini also was effective running the ball as he rushed for 94 yards on 16 carries. And Kaharrie Pureifoy gave Wayland a three-pronged running attack with 70 yards on seven carries and a touchdown.
Jake Vermaas “best wide receiver in the state,” Brown says
Another big weapon for the Sailors is receiver Jake Vermaas, who had 16 catches for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns against Wayland.
“Jake is a great athlete and an even better competitor,” Brown said. “He has been the leader of this team and we seem to go as he goes. His game last week was a school record in catches and yards. He is one of the best wide receivers in the state in my opinion.”
South Christian receiver Jake Vermaas is the “leader of the team.” (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
The Sailors hope to continue their winning playoff ways from last year, where they finished a perfect 14-0 season with a D-4 state title 28-0 win over Goodrich. It was South Christian’s fourth state championship in football.
The 2022 edition of the Lee Legends gave up 60 points per game while scoring 17 en route to an 0-9 season.
The 2023 Legends improved on both metrics, scoring 38 ppg and giving up 32.
Lee football coach Lamar Marshall. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Second-year Coach Lamar Marshall stressed execution and growth from last season’s struggles in the off-season.
“Maturity, experience, and knowing how varsity football operates,” Coach Marshall said. “Every down is meaningful. Executing on all three phases of the game is crucial.”
On Friday night, the Legends secured their first winning season (5-4) since 2006 with a record-setting 62-0 win over Bloomingdale.
The Legends’ defense, led by defensive coordinator Damion Gregory, scored a school-record four touchdowns.
“My hats off to my defensive coordinator, Damion Gregory,” Marshall said. “He did an incredible job with that unit.”
Sophomore wide receiver Aidan Merriweather showed his defensive skills with two interceptions returned for a touchdown and a recovered fumble for a score.
Hybrid linebacker Jaden Potts also took an interception 75 yards for a touchdown.
The Legends set another record in the blowout win.
Quarterback Anthony Blok from an earlier game this season. (Courtesy, Shafi Subhan)
Lee QB Anthony Blok sets passing TD record in a season
Junior quarterback Anthony Blok went 4-for-7 for 154 yards and three passing touchdowns to set a Lee record for most passing touchdowns in a season with 29.
Senior running back Clarence Lewis finished his lone football season with 147 yards from scrimmage and two scores.
“Clarence was huge for us,” Marshall said. “He made plays when we needed him, too. He was a vocal and emotional leader.”
The Legends will lose three graduating seniors: Lewis and defensive standouts Issac Delgado and Kameron Washington.
The 2024 Legends will look to build upon the gains they made this season. Lee will return many key starters, including Blok and Merriweather, among others.
“Aidan set the confidence tone this December with his dedication to the weight room. He got stronger, and it motivated the team to follow suit.
“Without a doubt, he will be the vocal leader next year. Players tend to get behind him, especially when he’s assertive.”
Marshall also anticipates significant growth from freshmen Jaden Sanchez and Ziere Feast.
“I expect Jaden and Ziere to lead us on defense next year,” Marshall said of his young talent.
The Legends are ineligible for the MHSAA 8-Man playoffs due to enrollment limits and will finish the 2023 season with a 5-4 record.
South Christian opened the season playing in a high-scoring dual with Grand Rapids Christian, and Friday the Sailors ended the regular season in another barn-burner against Wayland. South, however, came up on the short end of the latest points bonanza as Wayland held off the Sailors 49-40.
The Sailors and Wayland combined for 89 points, a little less than South Christian and Grand Rapids Christian combined for in the regular-season opener when the two teams combined for 108 total points.
“It was a back-and-forth game the whole way,” said South Christian coach Danny Brown. “Credit Wayland, they were playing for their playoff lives. They gave us everything they had. They made the plays at the end that made the difference.”
Carson Vis led via air and ground
The two teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense as the Sailor offense totaled 532 yards and Wayland posted 453. Each squad reached those lofty numbers in different ways. South Christian relied on the passing arm of Carson Vis. The junior standout connected on 24-of-44 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns. Vis also provided a running threat with 117 yards and a pair of scores on eight carries.
Jake Vermaas had 16 catches for nearly 300 yards
South Christian wide receiver Jake Vermaas was the main target of Vis in the passing game as he put up some video-game type receiving numbers. Vermaas hauled in 16 passes for the game for 298 yards and three touchdowns.
“Offensively, on paper we did really good,” Brown said. “We did have some mistakes that hurt us. We had a couple of turnovers and a couple of other things did not work out so well.”
While South was moving the ball with the passing game, Wayland countered with an effective running game that gobbled up huge plots of yardage. Bryce Calkins led the ground game for Wayland, carrying the rock 21 times for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Wayland quarterback Brady Cassini also was effective running the ball as he rushed for 94 yards on 16 carries. Kaharrie Pureifoy gave Wayland a three-pronged running attack as he carried the ball seven times for 70 yards and a touchdown.
“They (Wayland) know who they are,” Brown said. “They have an identity. They have physical, hard-nosed kids. We tried some things to stop their inside ground game but they adjusted and went outside and hurt us. Their coaches did a great job adjusting and their kids do a great job of executing.”
The Bulk of the points came during the second and fourth quarters. Wayland was up 7-6 at the end of the first quarter thanks to a 21-yard run by Pureifoy, while South answered that score with an eight-yard scoring pass from Vis to Vermaas.
Both teams turned up the rpms on offense during the second quarter as they each reached the end zone twice. Wayland upped its lead to 14-6 on a six-yard touchdown run by Calkins. South answered with a 46-yard passing play from Vis to Vermaas that cut the lead to 14-12 when the Sailors missed the two-point conversion.
Sailors take first lead at 18-14
The Sailors then took their first lead of the game when Vis scored on a 67-yard touchdown run. The Sailors missed the two-point try leaving their lead at 18-14.
Wayland up 21-18 at halftime
Wayland then regained the lead before halftime when Hudson Biondo scored on a four-yard touchdown run giving Wayland a 21-18 advantage.
The two teams traded touchdowns during the third quarter. Wayland went up 28-18 as Cassini hit Calkins with a 19-yard touchdown pass. South then answered when Jackson Haik broke free on a 40-yard touchdown run that cut the deficit to 28-25 after the extra point by Drew Bruinsma.
Five TDs scored in the final quarter
The offensive fireworks picked up in the final quarter as the two teams combined for five more touchdowns. Wayland took control of the game with back-to-back touchdowns early in the final quarter to go up 42-25.
South cut the margin to 10 points when Vis connected with Vermaas on a 68-yard scoring strike with Bruinsma tacking on the extra point.
Wayland then upped the lead to 49-32 when Calkins ran in for a touchdown from four yards out.
South Christian closed out the scoring when Vis ran for a touchdown from 16-yards out. The Sailors then added a two-point conversion making the final margin 49-40.
With the win, Wayland improved to 6-3 for the season and nailed down a spot in the upcoming state playoffs.
South Christian fell to 6-3 win the win as it prepares for the state playoffs coming off a pair of losses.
“It’s a unique situation coming into the playoffs off a loss,” Brown said. “You can look at it one of two ways. It can motivate you or it can bring you down. I feel we are good enough to compete with anyone. It’s up to us and what team shows up. The beauty of the playoffs it that everyone starts 0-0. Coming into the playoffs with that mindset could make a difference as we will be playing for our lives.”
In the last game of the COVID-19-shortened season in 2020, the Wyoming Wolves beat the Holland Dutch 34-26.
Since that night in October 2020, the Wolves have won only one game.
Nearly two years later, on a rain-filled and chilly homecoming night, the Wolves again emerged victorious against the Holland Dutch 34-13 on Friday night.
Two plays into the opening drive, the Wolves lost junior quarterback Jay Johnson to an injury.
Wyoming running back Adrian Moore filled in for injured QB Jay Johnson early in the game.
As Johnson was helped off the field, he had a moment of embrace with junior quarterback Adrian Moore, who would take over at quarterback for the Wolves.
Moore would get Wyoming on the board first, scoring on a QB keeper from seven yards out early in the first quarter.
After a long punt by Holland’s Dylan Floes, the Wolves’ senior running back Donavyn Edwards took the first play 64 yards down the sideline to put Wyoming up 13-0.
The second quarter saw two long drives by the home team end in turnovers.
Mauricio Hernandez-Keys helped the defensive effort with an interception in the end zone late in the second quarter.
Wyoming led 13-0 at halftime
Junior running back Jack TerVeen came into Week 8 averaging 125 rushing yards over the last four games.
TerVeen had wide-open running lanes all night long on his way to another 100-yard game and punched the ball past the goal line three times.
Wyoming (1-7) ends the 2023 season at home next Friday hosting the Muskegon Big Reds (6-2).
Check out our WKTV highlights from the Defenders 8-0 win over Grandville Calvin Christian. Tri-unity is tied atop the the Southwest Michigan 8-Man Football League – Blue with New Buffalo at 3-1, 5-3 overall.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
GR Catholic Central clinched a share of the OK Gold with their win over South Christian. (WKTV/Jake Westbrook)
By Zach Fanko
WKTV Contributor
Host of Friday Night Highlights
On a rainy, windy night, OK Gold rivals Grand Rapids Catholic Central and South Christian collided with at least a share of the conference title on the line. The Cougars avenged last season’s 36-34 loss with a 21-12 victory over the Sailors Friday.
Catholic Central went ahead early on a Kellen Russell-Dixon 2-yard TD run with 8:17 left in the first quarter.
The Sailors returned the favor, as junior QB Carson Vis used his legs on a 34-yard TD scamper. The extra point was blocked as the Cougars clung to a 7-6 lead with 4:57 left in the 1st.
With weather playing a factor, both defenses dug in and held the offenses in check for the remainder of the half.
Russell-Dixon found paydirt once again, this time on a 59-yard run to increase Catholic Central’s lead to 14-6 at the 7:38 mark in the third quarter.
South Christian got back within two points as Vis found the end zone on the ground from a yard out. The ensuing two-point conversion attempt was stopped as the Sailors trailed 14-12 with 1:16 left in the third.
The Cougars all but iced the game on Russell-Dixon’s third TD run of the game with less than 8 minutes remaining to make it a two-possession game. The senior halfback had himself a night totaling 330 rushing yards on 32 carries and 3 TDs.
With the win, Catholic Central (7-1, 6-0 OK Gold) stays unbeaten in the conference and can clinch the outright conference title next week in their season finale at Ottawa Hills.
South Christian (6-2, 5-1 OK Gold) visits Wayland to close its regular season next Friday.
Check out our WKTV highlights from Caledonia’s 21-0 win over East Kentwood Friday.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
On a chilly, rain-filled Friday night, the Lee Legends were overpowered by their 8-player league foe from New Buffalo 72-28.
The Legends have used junior quarterback Anthony Blok and senior running back Clarence Lewis to spark their offense, which has averaged 41.3 points per game.
Injuries and inefficient play dampened the Lee offense Friday.
Lee played without star running back Clarence Lewis, who was out with an ankle injury.
“He’s the guy we go to when we need a play,” said Lee Coach Lamar Marshall of his senior running back.
Anthony Blok rushed for 95 yards and two scores
Junior quarterback Anthony Blok completed 33 percent of his passes in the losing effort, but used his ground game to run for 95 yards and two scores. He also threw two passing touchdowns.
Lee quarterback Anthony Blok earlier this season. (Courtesy, Shafi Subhan)
The Bison also held standout sophomore wide receiver Aiden Merriweather to 22 yards on the night.
“We couldn’t sustain drives,” Marshall said. “We didn’t execute well at all.”
The Legends played close in the first half. New Buffalo was up 20-14 at the end of two quarters.
“We committed a few penalties, and then we had to wait out a rain delay,” Marshall explained. “We couldn’t recover.”
Charles Davis was a bright spot for the Legends, finishing the night with 108 yards and a touchdown catch.
Lee receiver Charles Davis. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
“We need to be consistent throughout the week,” Marshall said. “We need to make practice a little more physical next week.”
The Legends (4-3 overall, 1-3 in the Southwest Michigan 8-Man Football League – Blue) look to get back on track next week against host NorthPointe Christian (4-3).
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
On a wet, windy and chilly night, the South Christian football team kept its hopes for a conference championship by playing some old-fashioned football. Relying more on the ground game and playing some strong defense late in the game, the Sailors rallied to defeat Middleville Thornapple Kellogg 29-20 in the WKTV Game of the Week.
With the win, the Sailors remained undefeated in conference play and set up a showdown with Grand Rapids Catholic Central next Friday with the OK Gold Conference championship on the line.
Keeping their conference record clean was anything but easy for the Sailors as Middleville came in with a strong game plan and pushed South to the limit. Relying on their strong running game, the Trojans played to their strengths and gave South everything it could handle.
“We talked about it all week that they are better than their record,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “They are a physical team and they run their schemes well. Their fullback (Drake Snyder) is a heck of a player. It probably helped a little bit when he went out of the game, just for us to kind of dictate the line of scrimmage a little more.”
Middleville showed just how strong it is running the football when it mounted an 11-play, 73-yard scoring drive on the first possession of the game. Quarterback Grant Middleton capped the drive when he ran in for a touchdown from two-yards out halfway through the opening quarter.
South Christian tied the game late in the first quarter. With Middleville bottled up deep in its own territory, Jake Vermaas intercepted a Trojan pass giving South good field position inside the Middleville 20-yard line. A few plays later Drew Bruinsma took a pitch from South quarterback Carson Vis and rambled into the end zone from 14-yards out
Trojans up 14-7 at the half
Middleville regained the lead late in the first half. Again, the Trojans mounted a long drive. Covering 73 yards, the Trojans capped the scoring drive by going to the air as Middleton hooked up with Snyder for a seven-yard touchdown pass. Hayden Chatman added the point after giving Middleville a 14-7 halftime lead.
South responded to the score on the opening drive of the second half. Relying on their own ground game, the Sailors drove the ball down to the Middleville 7-yard line where Vis connected with Austin Tiesma for a touchdown pass cutting the margin to 14-13. South, however, missed the point after.
Trojans up 20-13 in the third
Middleville answered the South score with a scoring drive of its own on the next possession. Starting out at its own 45-yard line, the Trojans moved the ball 55 yards on nine plays. Brody Wiersma capped the scoring drive by running in from 24-yards out. Middleville, however, missed the extra point leaving the Trojans with a 20-13 lead.
South Christian goes ahead 21-20 in the fourth
Facing a touchdown deficit late in the third quarter, the South Christian offense again stepped up. Starting out on their own 35-yard line, the Sailors mounted an 11-play scoring drive that went into the fourth quarter. Mixing the pass and run, the Sailors drove down to the Middleville 4-yard line. At third down at the 4, Vis scrambled in the face of a Middleville pass rush and found Vermaas for a touchdown pass. Down by one point, the Sailors elected to go for the two-point conversion. South pulled a trick out of its bag on the play as Vermaas took the ball on a double reverse and completed a pass to Tyler Brinks in the corner of the end zone giving South a 21-20 lead.
With the lead, the Sailors put the game in the hands of its defense. Making adjustments throughout the game, the Sailor defenders slowed down the Middleville ground game. They forced the Trojans into a three-and-out and then turned Middleville over on downs late in the fourth quarter.
Sailors get insurance score late in the game
South added some insurance points late in the game. With 2:14 remaining, Vis ran in for a touchdown from eight-yards out. The Sailors then added another two-point conversion when Vis connected with James VanderArk on a pass play.
“This was a great team win,” Brown said. “I challenged the guys at halftime. I told them we have to make some positive plays. We had to make them (Middleville) doubt themselves and what they had going on. Our kids just stepped up in the second half.
“The kids got the stops we needed and the two-point conversion was a big play.”
With the win against Middleville keeping their record clean, the Sailors face Catholic Central in the showdown for the league title.
“We’re excited about the game,” Brown said. “It will be fun. We are both undefeated and they are obviously a very good program. It is one of those special games that the kids will remember 20 years from now.”
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
The Lee soccer team has won a second straight Alliance League championship and has been state-ranked in Division 3 this season. (Courtesy, Lee High School Soccer Team)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The West Michigan area is home to some outstanding soccer programs that have played an elite level of soccer for years. At Lee High School, the Legends soccer team is working hard to add its name to the list of premier soccer teams in the area.
Since entering the Alliance League two years ago, the Legends have elevated their play on the field and have been contending for the league title. Two years ago, the Legends turned in the best record in conference play, but were ineligible for the league title as a first-year team. Last season Lee won the Alliance League title and this year the Legends finished first with a perfect league record of 8-0.
Lee finished the regular season with a record of 11-3-1. The Legends also have been garnering state-wide recognition as they were ranked 12th in Division 3 in the state rankings the last week of September.
Winning a second consecutive league title has been anything but easy for the Legends who graduated some key players from last year’s squad and also have been dealing with adversity this season.
“We have a younger team this year,” said Lee Coach Hugo Cano, in his third year coaching the team. “We have six seniors, but overall, we are a pretty young team. We have also gone through a lot of adversity both on and off the field. We really emphasized to the guys to play hard and stay strong mentally and they definitely show that resiliency and drive this year.
“The team unity is a strong point this year and going through the adversity has brought our players together.”
On the field, the team unity is evident as the Legends have won several close games and play strong defense. During league play this season the Legends have allowed just five goals. A major highlight victory for Lee came on September 21 when it defeated Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, the No. 2 ranked team in the state in Division 4 and a defending state champion, 2-1.
“That was our biggest win so far this season,” Cano said. “We played our most complete game of the season in that win. The team played together and it was an overall great team effort.”
Lee also tested itself against the best in the state in Division 3 when it played Hudsonville Unity Christian in a non-league game. Lee led Unity Christian 1-0 at the half in that game before Unity rallied in the second half to win the game.
The Lee soccer team huddles up with Coach Hugo Cano to talk strategy during a recent match. (Courtesy, Lee High School Soccer Team)
On offense, the Legends rely on a balanced attack. Junior Javier Zamora leads the team in scoring, while fellow junior Aundrey Hernandez is second on the team.
“Aundrey and Javier are our leading scorers but we have different players scoring from different positions,” Cano said. “Our goals are coming from different positions on the field.”
In the midfield, the Legends are paced by senior Alexis Rivera, who also has added a couple of goals and a couple of assists this season.
“Alexis’ soccer IQ, his vision on the field and his ability to read defenses is very crucial for us,” Cano said.
On the backline, the Lee defense is led by senior Carlos Herrera-Santos and senior Kevin Mencho. Sophomore backs Edwin Flores and Brian Herrera also have added to the depth on defense. The Legends also are strong in goal with senior goalkeeper Christian Diaz.
“Christian is a team captain,” Cano said. “He has a great understanding of the game and helps keep us very well organized in the back.”
Legends very deep
Overall, the Legends have a deep team with contributions coming from many players on the squad. Seniors Victor Huitron and Justin Gomez have provided key contributions. Senior Denison Vasquez has been a key multi-role player for the squad. Junior forward Gera Perez has provided strong play at forward. Junior Kevin Meza and sophomore Aaron Perez have added to the strong depth along with Nazareth Maldonado-Martinez, Ruvino Bautista-Perez and Jose Ayala.
The total-team effort will be needed when state tournament play opens as Lee competes at the rugged Covenant Christian Division 3 district. Lee opens district play October 12 against Kentwood Grand River Prep. The district also includes Unity, ranked No. 2 in the state and Godwin Heights, ranked 14th.
Aiming for Top 15 every year
“We’ve had a lot of positives the last three years as a program,” Cano said. “We want to get the program to where we can be a top 15 team in the state in Division 3 every year. We want to be a top contender in the conference and the district every year.
“I also want to thank coach Oliver and Coach Andrew for all the work they do and our Athletic Director Sarge (Andre Sargent) for all the support he gives our program. I also want to give a shout out to Erving#13.”
Check out our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights above, for clips of many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
WKTV Game of the Week Remaining Schedule
Friday, Oct. 13 (7 p.m.) Holland at Wyoming
Friday, Oct. 20 (7 p.m.) West Ottawa at East Kentwood
South Christian’s Carson Vis completed 11-of-13 passes for 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He added 28 yards rushing and two touchdown runs. (Courtesy, Louis Murray)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
South Christian continued to roll in the OK Gold Conference as the Sailors defeated Cedar Springs 45-23 to run its conference record to 4-0.
South Christian finished the game with 400 yards total offense. Quarterback Carson Vis was nearly flawless throwing the ball as he completed 11-of-13 passes for 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Jake Vermaas caught five passes for 98 yards and a score, while Noah Funk grabbed a pair of passes for 79 yards and a score. Sam Weiss caught two passes for 70 yards.
The Sailors struck early and often in the game as they scored more than 40 points for the third time in four conference games this season. South Christian scored the first points of the game on their opening possession when Vis connected with Funk on a 67-yard touchdown pass. Drew Bruinsma tacked on the point after giving the Sailors an early 7-0 lead.
South doubled the lead later in the opening quarter. This time the Sailors used the ground game to put points on the board as Jackson Haik broke loose for a 52-yard touchdown run. Bruinsma added the extra point for a 14-0 lead.
Cedar Springs got on the board with a 44-yard touchdown run from Dylan LaFontsee cutting the Sailor lead in half at 14-7.
The Sailor offense continued to churn out the points in the second quarter. Bruinsma began the scoring in the second quarter with a 23-yard field goal. Vis then ran for a touchdown from two yards out giving the Sailors a 24-7 lead after Bruinsma tacked on the extra point.
South Christian led 31-15 at halftime
The two teams wrapped up the first half exchanging touchdowns. Cedar Springs scored on a touchdown pass and added a two-point conversion. South Christian quickly answered that score when Jackson Haik returned the ensuing kickoff 93-yards for a touchdown giving South a 31-15 halftime lead.
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas caught five passes for 98 yards and a score, while Noah Funk caught a pair of passes for 79 yards and a score and Sam Weiss grabbed two passes for 70 yards. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
South Christian extended its lead to 38-15 in the third. The Sailor passing game provided the points when Vis hooked up with Vermaas on a 15-yard touchdown pass.
Cedar Springs added a score in the third quarter on a 22-yard touchdown run by Marek Oleneack. The Red Hawks tacked on the two-point conversion to cut the Sailor advantage to 38-23.
South Christian closed out the scoring in the fourth with a two-yard touchdown run by Vis.
On the ground, Haik carried the ball nine times for 94 yards and a touchdown. Vis added 28 yards rushing and two touchdown runs.
The Sailor defense was led by Benjamin Mulder who totaled 10 tackles and one tackle for loss. Luke DeJager added seven tackles, one quarterback sack and a pair of tackles for loss. Mitchell Lindhout and Austin Tiesma both added six tackles, while Tiesma added a sack and tackle for loss.
South Christian returns to action next Friday when it hosts Thornapple Kellogg for the WKTV Game of the Week before traveling to Catholic Central on Friday, Oct. 13 for the conference showdown with the league title possibly on the line.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
Lee quarterback Anthony Blok passed for 310 yards and four touchdowns, and rushed for another. (Courtesy, Shafi Subhan)
By Ty Marzean
WKTV Contributor
In front of a large crowd of alumni and fans, including 65 former homecoming kings and queens, the Lee Legends outscored Eau Claire 38-24 on Saturday afternoon in 8-player football.
Junior quarterback Anthony Blok once again led the explosive Lee offense, throwing for 310 yards and four touchdowns and adding another on the ground. He used his speed to extend multiple drives as well.
The Beavers strike first
Eau Claire opened the game with a score on its first drive to grab a quick 8-0 lead.
“We started off slow,” said Lee Coach Lamar Marshall, whose team improved to 4-2 overall, 1-2 in the Southwest Michigan 8-Man Football League – Blue. “They jumped out ahead of us early in the game.”
On the final play of the first quarter, Blok connected deep with sophomore Aiden Merriweather to get to the one-yard line. The Legends couldn’t capitalize as Blok’s pass was tipped and intercepted in the end zone.
The Legends used multiple defensive stops to stave off the Beavers in the second quarter.
“We were able to hold them until the offense could get going,” Marshall said.
Legends heat up near halftime
Lee’s Clarence Lewis in an earlier game this season. (Courtesy, Diego Jeronimo)
The offense showed signs of life near the end of the first half as Clarence Lewis ripped off big gains and capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run to tie the game 8-8 going into halftime.
Lewis finished with 94 yards rushing, 85 yards receiving and two scores.
“He’s everything to us,” said Marshall, of his senior running back. “He’s our emotional and vocal leader. The guy we lean on when we need a play.”
Big second half for Lee
The Legends exploded for 30 points in the second half.
Sophomore Aiden Merriweather was the favorite target for Blok on the afternoon, reeling in five catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Charles Davis collected 74 yards and a touchdown.
Strong defensive stand to finish
The Legends needed a defensive stand late in the fourth quarter and stuffed the Beavers on a 4th and 1 with 1:31 left on the clock.
“The 4th and 1 stop was huge for us,” Marshall said. “I felt like we grew up in this game as a coaching staff and a team.”
The Legends travel to New Buffalo (4-2) next Friday.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
Godwin Heights junior quarterback Keion Beasley showed his arm strength and poise with touchdown passes of 53 and 46 yards. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
By Ty Marzean
WKTV Contributor
In a battle of winless teams, Godwin Heights used several big plays to cruise past Kelloggsville on homecoming night, 52-0, in the WKTV Game of the Week.
Penalties plagued the Rockets all game long, and it began on the opening kickoff as sophomore Nasyre Walker ran it back for a touchdown, but a holding penalty called it off.
The Wolverines would capitalize a few plays later with an interception by Miguel Ocampo, who also returned the opening kickoff of the second half 95 yards for a touchdown.
Senior Jeff Zelaya pounded one in for a seven-yard TD and later added a 28-yard touchdown on another run.
Godwin Heights running back Jeff Zelaya. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Godwin Heights used tandem running backs to wear down the Rockets’ defense. Zelaya was joined in the backfield by sophomore Kares Harris, who rumbled for over 100 yards in the game.
“We are real tough to stop when we have both of them in the backfield,” said Godwin Coach Brandon Kimble of his running back duo.
Kelloggsville senior quarterback Jeremie Tsoumou was under duress for most of the game, and had one interception returned 85 yards by Godwin’s Patrick Knight.
“He’s out there trying,” said Kelloggsville Coach Brandon Branch. “That happens when you put the ball in the air; sometimes the other team comes up with it. I can’t fault him for trying to make something happen.
“Our mantra is to be undefeated against adversity. When adversity strikes, we keep getting after it. I think we were undefeated against adversity today.”
Godwin Heights junior quarterback Keion Beasley showed his arm strength and poise with touchdown passes of 53 and 46 yards.
“He’s a first-year starter, and he’s been working hard,” Kimble said. “We have missed a lot of key players, so he’s had to grow up fast.”
Kimble emphasized perseverance on his team.
“If you lose your job and you’re a husband and have kids, are you going to stop fighting? Or are you going to keep fighting?”
To cap off homecoming night, newly crowned king Armani Dedrick got into the end zone on a five-yard touchdown run.
Godwin Heights (1-5) travels to OK-Silver leading Belding (5-1) next Friday. Kelloggsville (0-6) hosts Hopkins (1-5).
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
Check out our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights above, for clips of many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. To watch the WKTV Game of the Week online, visit WKTVVideos on Youtube.
WKTV Game of the Week Remaining Schedule
Friday, Oct. 6 (7 p.m.) TK at South Christian (EK Falcon Stadium)
Friday, Oct. 13 (7 p.m.) Holland at Wyoming
Friday, Oct. 20 (7 p.m.) West Ottawa at East Kentwood
TeamAgar, from left, Jeff, Johnny and Becki Agar, were guest speakers at Kentwood’s Adaptive Recreation Programs fundraiser The Vibe on Sept. 14. (Courtesy, DK Photography)
Guest speaker Johnny Agar held everyone’s complete attention when it was his turn to take the mic at The Vibe fundraiser for Kentwood’s Adaptive Recreation Programs.
“On the road of life there are many mountains to climb, valleys to get lost in and rocky roads to forge through,” said Agar to the very attentive audience on Sept. 14. “I see you all as signposts helping others to their own finish line.”
Born with cerebral palsy, and who doctors thought would never walk, Agar continued, “I fail all the time, but to me failure is just part of the process. If I let that stop me, I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed every morning. Together, there’s no stopping what you can do.”
Check out our WKTV video of The Vibe fundraiser. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Agar and his parents Jeff and Becki delivered many positive, inspirational messages to the audience at The Vibe, Kentwood’s Adaptive Recreation Programs fundraiser at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.
From marathons to motivational speakers … media outlets to TV commercials
Johnny, who uses a wheelchair, and his dad Jeff have competed in more than 200 races in various states, including multiple marathons, half marathons, 25Ks and more than 30 triathlons. They’ve also competed in six Ironman races where Jeff pulled Johnny 2.4 miles in a kayak, rode 112 miles on a custom tandem bike and pushed Johnny in a racing jogger during the marathon portion. In September 2022, TeamAgar completed their first full-distance Ironman in Maryland, where Johnny walked across the finish line.
“Featured on ESPN, NBC Nightly News, CBS Mornings, Today, and other media outlets, TeamAgar delivers a powerful moving message of family, faith and extraordinary courage. Their tenacity and indelible spirit have caught the attention of Olympic swimming great Michael Phelps and the sports apparel company Under Armour — so much so that UA placed them in two commercials: One with Phelps and the other with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.” TeamAgar are also accomplished motivational keynote speakers and authors. (Source, johnnyagar.com)
(Courtesy, TeamAgar)
(Courtesy, TeamAgar)
(Courtesy, TeamAgar)
(Courtesy, TeamAgar)
After the fundraiser, Johnny and his parents shared more with WKTV.
“Does no good to have my failures bring me down”
“I like to take life one step at a time and just stay even-keeled because it doesn’t do me any good to have my failures bring me down,” Johnny explained. “The highs can sometimes look a little different for me having cerebral palsy because to an able-bodied person they may be “miniature wins” — like learning to do an everyday task such as opening a candy wrapper or brushing my teeth by myself – but to me they are huge victories. Most people can do those things without even thinking, but for me it takes a lot of effort and a lot of patience.
“From the day I was very young, my parents never put any limitations on me. My parents have always made sure to go the extra mile for me to make sure I have the best life possible despite my challenges. To watch them in action work so hard to help me fulfill my goals – while setting theirs aside – makes me understand how hard I need to work to let them know how thankful I am for them.”
Becki said when Johnny was born, his premature birth really turned their world upside down.
“He was our first child and as a young couple we never anticipated having any complications with his birth,” she explained. “So, when the doctors told us he had cerebral palsy and would probably never walk or talk, we were pretty jolted. Our reality had to be shifted. However, our faith had taught us to lean on God and not our own understanding. We knew God had a bigger and better plan than we could have ever imagined for Johnny, and we had to trust in that plan.
“One of the greatest things that came out of the news that Johnny had cerebral palsy was that it strengthened our resolve to raise Johnny as a typical child and to love him no matter what he could or couldn’t do. It strengthened our faith because it made us realize that we aren’t as in control as we like to think we are, and it brought our family closer together so we could work on raising this little boy to believe in his possibilities.”
“I am so proud of the man he has become”
“Now when I see Johnny encouraging others, turning his cerebral palsy into a positive rather than a negative, and using it to help encourage others and motivate others, it makes me want to burst with happiness. I am so proud of the man he has become. What a blessing it is to be able to watch your son change the trajectory of people’s lives in a positive way.”
When raising Johnny, they decided to not make any excuses for him.
“We wanted to treat him as if he had no disability,” Jeff explained. “We weren’t in denial as we saw his challenges every day first-hand, so there was no getting away from it. We knew it would be hard for him, but we also knew life was going to be hard for him. I think that mentality helped him to believe in himself and place no limits on himself.
“Johnny has always seen himself doing things that most would have said couldn’t be done given his disability. I am really proud of the fact that he didn’t listen to any of the naysayers and kept focused on his goals.”
Watching him speak to thousands the greatest gift
“Along with that, he keeps a sense of humor and learns to roll with the punches. Now, to watch him speak to thousands of people all over the country, to help encourage them with their challenges, is one of the greatest gifts to watch as his dad.”
Favorite TeamAgar moment?
“One of our favorite moments of all our races was crossing the finish line at Ironman Maryland,” Becki said. “We put so much time and effort into making moments like that happen. With it being our first to finish, it will always hold a special place in our hearts.”
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley and his wife Susan watching the TeamAgar presentation at The Vibe fundraiser. (Courtesy, DK Photography)
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said he was amazed with TeamAgar’s presentation and story.
“It’s just an amazing inspirational story that gives you the vision of what can be,” said Kepley, after Johnny and his parents spoke at The Vibe. “They just give that inspiration saying, ‘If we can do it, then you can, too.'”
Kepley had much to say about the Kentwood Adaptive Recreation program as well.
“I think it’s successful because of the people running it,” Kepley said. “They see a vision, they have a passion, and that passion manifests itself in a very special way. The staff takes it personally and that’s why it is special. That’s why it’s an incredible program and has a great reputation because of the staff, their heart, their vision and because of the empowerment that they give people who participate in the program.
“As a city, we take care of Kentwood residents, but the adaptive sports program is one of those things that goes much farther than our city limits. Because all of it is being sponsored by corporations, gifts or the fundraising, we’re able to swing the doors wide open to people wherever they’re coming from … Traverse City, Lansing, (even) Florida.”
The Vibe fundraiser “A big success”
“The event was a big success with 120 guests in attendance,” said Laura Barbrick, marketing and events coordinator for Kentwood Parks and Recreation. “We raised over $7,000 between the silent auction, live auction and giving wall. Thank you to everyone who came out to support our Adaptive Recreation programs.”
Money raised at this year’s event will help purchase new equipment for Kentwood’s many adaptive programs. These offerings include active sports such as archery, kayaking, rock climbing and water skiing as well as more relaxed activities like leisure club and social events.
Kentwood Recreation Program Coordinator Ann Przybysz. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Kentwood recreation program coordinator Ann Przybysz said the wonderful thing about the adaptive programs is you don’t have to be a Kentwood resident to participate.
“We have people from all over West Michigan that come to participate in our programs,” Przybysz said. “A lot of people have been wanting things to do in their free time; healthy leisure opportunities, making new friends, seeing new places and just having a good time in the community.
“We serve people of all different diagnoses and abilities. We have a lot of individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities like autism, Down syndrome and we also serve people who have physical disabilities as well, maybe a spinal cord injury or spina bifida, people using wheelchairs.”
What’s the most popular program?
“Many of our programs are popular, but one of our big ones recently has definitely been our adaptive bowling program,” Przybysz said. “It’s a really positive social program that we’ve seen grow a lot. Also, our water sports programs are popular … water skiing and kayaking. Our adaptive recreation programs have been going on for 30 years and are very well established with the City of Kentwood.”
The adaptive water sports programs are popular at Kentwood Parks and Recreation. (Courtesy, DK Photography)
The emotional draw for employees
“I love getting to know the participants and their families, and hearing their stories and what lights up their lives,” Przybysz explained. “I love that we get to be a part of that … I love being able to touch peoples lives.”
Katelyn Bush, Kentwood recreation program coordinator, said it has been exciting and an honor to watch it grow, add new sports and buy new equipment.
Katelyn Bush, recreation program coordinator. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
“The people that come to our programs are from age five to well into their eighties; all ages and really all abilities. We have programs designed for all these different needs and it’s really fun to watch them succeed in whatever it is they’re doing.
“I think when you can find something that you’re passionate about and match it to a need in the world, that’s when you’ve truly made it. When you’re having fun doing your job and you’re serving others … that’s really satisfying and fun for me.”
The Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department provides Michigan’s most comprehensive adaptive recreation programming alongside several community partners, including Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan, Hope Network, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital and more. Programs also are made possible thanks to the help of a strong volunteer network.
Programs are open to individuals of all abilities in Kentwood and beyond. Learn more about Kentwood’s adaptive programs and current offerings at kentwood.us/adaptive.
On an unseasonably hot night, the Union Redhawks used five touchdown runs to pull away from Wyoming to grab a 47-23 win at the WKTV Game of the Week Friday.
Union started the scoring with a 60-yard strike from quarterback Ja’Quari Tyler to Christopher Murphy-Ware on its first drive.
Wyoming answered back with a long drive capped off by a two-yard touchdown run by Jack TerVeen, who missed last week’s game at Zeeland East with an ankle injury.
“He’s a blue-collar guy,” said Wyoming Coach Carlton Brewster of his running back.
Union running back Jesse Phillips led the charge for the Redhawks as he ran in four scores. Tyler ended the night with a pair of touchdown passes.
Wyoming (0-5) looks for its first win of the season as they travel to Mona Shores
Take a look inside at highlights from the Legends game with the Lakers, plus many more local clips. (Videographers: Hayden Passig, Eli Mutula, Jake Westbrook)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The Lee Legends football team hooked up for a thriller with St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Friday in a contest that came down to the final play. That final play didn’t go Lee’s way, however, as the Lakers came away with a 38-36 victory.
“We had a chance to score from our 50 on fourth and six,” Lee Coach Lamar Marshall said. “They (Our Lady of the Lake) made a great play to stop us before the first down.”
Our Lady of the Lake took the initial lead in the game and managed to stay ahead of Lee the entire game.
“They were ahead the entire game,” Marshall said. “They onside kicked the opening kickoff and recovered it.”
Our Lady of the Lake stayed ahead of the Legends thanks to a big effort from their quarterback.
“Their quarterback was really solid,” Marshall said. “We did everything to stop him. We gang-tackled him and he just kept moving forward. He made plays when they absolutely needed it and ultimately scored the game-winning conversion late in the third quarter.”
Lee solid on offense
Lee stayed close to the Lakers thanks to a strong performance from its offense. The Legends, who entered the game averaging 43.5 points per game, put together a solid offensive effort. The onside kick by Our Lady of the Lake proved to be a big boost of momentum early.
“It’s an extremely disappointing loss,” Marshall said. “We felt like we had a great week of practice. The opening kickoff was huge for them. They were able to gain momentum early.”
Defensively, Lee faced a difficult challenge as the Laker offense came up big.
“I told my guys after the game, we have to put four quarters together,” Marshall said. “We have to get off the field on third down. We have to know the game plan and execute the game plan. All in all, I was happy with how we played.”
With the win, Our Lady of the Lake improved to 2-3 for the season. Lee fell to 3-2 overall after coming into the game off a 42-30 win against Grand Rapids Sacred Heart.
Lee returns to action next week against an Eau Claire team that has a 2-3 record. The Legends are looking to continue the steady improvement they are making this season in what should be a competitive contest.
“This was a learning experience for myself and my team,” Marshall said. “We’re still learning how to win, practice the right way and execute. I will say, we fought until the end. We played extremely hard even though we were down our starting corner (who was out with illness).”
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’re bringing you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlighting some top performers and their stats, posting final scores, and giving a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You don’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
Check out our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights above, for clips of many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream.
WKTV Game of the Week Remaining Schedule
Friday, Sept. 29 (7 p.m.) Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights
Friday, Oct. 6 (7 p.m.) TK at South Christian (EK Falcon Stadium)
Friday, Oct. 13 (7 p.m.) Holland at Wyoming
Friday, Oct. 20 (7 p.m.) West Ottawa at East Kentwood
Lee quarterback Anthony Blok accounted for five touchdowns; four in the air and one on the ground. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
By Ty Marzean
WKTV Contributor
The Lee Legends welcomed fans to their first home game of the season with a 42-30 victory over a program-building Sacred Heart team.
Junior quarterback Anthony Blok accounted for five touchdowns. He passed for 253 yards and four touchdowns and added 43 yards and a score on the ground.
“He’s getting guys to understand the offense,” Lee Coach Lamar Marshall said about his QB. “He gets guys in the right position.”
Senior running back Clarence Lewis had touchdown catches of 59 and 48 yards on the night en route to 143 yards from scrimmage.
Big night for Lee’s Charles Davis
The Legends produced two touchdowns from greater than 60 yards, both coming from junior wide receiver Charles Davis.
Davis wrangled in his only catch of the night on a 63-yard strike from Blok. Davis also took the second half kickoff 70 yards for a score.
First varsity game for Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart was participating in its first varsity football game in program history, as they played junior varsity teams the past two weeks in their inaugural season.
Falcons claw back
The Falcons were down 42-6 in their first foray into varsity life, but showed grit and determination to close the deficit to 12 at the final gun.
“We are grateful to have the opportunity to play this great game,” Sacred Heart Coach Joe Hyland said. “Lee was the very first school to agree to play us, and we look forward to building a fantastic competitive relationship with Lee.”
Sacred Heart started the scoring on their first drive of the game. Joseph Hyland threw a downfield bullet to a wide-open Patrick Fickell to make it 6-0.
42 unanswered points
Lee scored 42 unanswered points until the second-half outburst by Sacred Heart to make it 42-30.
Senior defensive lineman Isaac Delgado wreaked havoc on the defensive side of the ball all game long for the Legends, along with Jaden Potts and Jayden Pena.
“We have to do a better job finishing games,” Marshall said. “We have to work on tackling and rallying to the ball.”
The Legends (3-1) host St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake next Friday.
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
