Category Archives: West Michigan

Kentwood, Wyoming police to host Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 22 

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan,
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



Both the Wyoming Department of Public Safety and the Kentwood Police Department will be hosting a Drug Take Back Day, Saturday, April 22.

The event is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back initiative, which seeks to offer a safe, convenient way for community members to dispose of prescription drugs and provides education about medication abuse. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

Kentwood

Residents can drop off any unused, unwanted or expired prescription pills and patches from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. Liquids, needles and sharp objects cannot be accepted.

“Drug Take Back Day gives the community an opportunity to work together to prevent medication abuse and save lives,” Kentwood Police Chief Bryan Litwin said. “When medication is properly disposed, it helps protect the environment and prevent identity theft, accidental poisonings, drug addiction and overdose deaths. We encourage community members to gather unneeded medications from their home and join us April 22 as we work together to keep our community safe.”



(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Prescription and over-the-counter medications can be safely disposed of year-round in the Kentwood Police Department’s lobby from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visit kentwood.us/DrugTakeBack to learn more about Kentwood’s year-round Drug Take Back program.

Wyoming

Wyoming residents may drop off any unused, unwanted or expired prescription pills and patches from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wyoming Police Department, 2300 DeHoop Ave. or U of M Health West’s Campus, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. Liquids, needles and sharp objects cannot be accepted.

“Taking advantage of this free and anonymous Drug Take Back Day can help save lives in our community,” said Wyoming Public Safety Chief Kim Koster. “Proper medication disposal prevents accidental poisons, drug addiction and overdose deaths. It can also help preserve the environment by reducing the number of medications in landfills and sewer systems.”

Community members can also safely dispose of unused and/or expired prescription medications year-round at the Wyoming Police Department’s lobby from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To learn more about Wyoming’s year-round Drug Take Back Program, visit wyomingmi.gov/safemeds.

Sharps and other items

The Kent County Department of Public Works does provide a list of places that medications can be taken year around at www.reimaginetrash.org/safehomes/. The site includes information on the SafeMeds, SafeSharps, and SafeChem program where residents can dispose of medications and hazardous materials. Note, most of the Kent County sites take only non-controlled medications. Controlled medications need to be turned into a police department.

Twice a year, law enforcement agencies throughout the United States partner with the DEA to host a Drug Take Back Day as part of ongoing efforts to combat prescription drug misuse and overdose deaths. The events take place in April and October. The events give residents an opportunity to dispose of unneeded medications safely and securely to help address this public safety and public health issue. Studies have shown most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, often from a home medicine cabinet.

Tips on disposing of medication from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

Golden Gloves: Junior Rios looking to cap amateur career in a big way

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Local fighter Junior Rios (second from left) is aiming for a fifth state title this year and is carrying on the legacy of the Wyoming Pride gym that included from left: Coach Alex Fernandez, Junior, Coach Anbrocio Ledesma and Coach Dominic Marsiglia. (Courtesy, Junior Rios)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



Over the past several years, Aneudy “Junior” Rios has been one of the top amateur boxers in the Grand Rapids area. During his amateur career he has won 50 bouts and four Golden Gloves state championships.

Rios is competing in his final Golden Gloves this year, but before turning pro, he is looking to end his amateur boxing career in a big way.

Going for a fifth state title

Rios takes the next step in his quest to winning a fifth state championship in the open division at the semifinals of the West Michigan Golden Gloves scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Grand Rapids West Catholic High School.

“I feel like this year is my year for sure,” Rios said. “I won last year, but I feel like this year I am in better shape than I was last year. I’m at a different weight class and I feel more focused and more consistent. I’ve lost weight and I’m boxing at 132 pounds this year.”

Rios won his opening-night match April 1 and faces a challenge in the semifinals where he goes up against Armond Bridgeford of Grand Rapids MGGA in the semifinal match.

Not only does Rios have a goal of winning the state title this year, but he also wants to take it a step further at the National Golden Gloves tournament this May in Philadelphia. After that, Rios wants to earn a spot in the Olympic Trials where he will try to make the 2024 United State Olympic Boxing team.

Turning pro soon

“This is my last year of amateur boxing before turning pro,” Rios said. “My goal is the Olympics. I have one more national trial in December where I can earn a spot at the Olympic Trials.”

Rios, age 26, has come a long way in the sport of boxing since he first stepped foot in a gym 10 years ago. A four-time open division champion, Rios has fashioned an amateur record of 50-9. He also reached the semifinals of the National Golden Gloves in 2017.

Rios got his start in boxing at the former Wyoming Pride Gym that was open from 2012 to 2019.

Began boxing at 16

“I started boxing when I was 16-years old,” Rios said. “I was a street kid, and a lady, we call her Momma G, took me to the fights and introduced me to coach Alex Fernandez. I fell in love with boxing as soon as I stepped in the gym. I started going to the Wyoming Pride Gym and that was where I met my coach, Anbrocio Ledesma. Coach Ledesma has always been like a father-figure to me. I call him dad and he calls me son.”

Rios trained at Wyoming Pride until the gym closed in 2019 when the landlord needed the space for another venture.

Since then, Rios has sparred at other gyms in the area while also training at a gym coach Ledesma created in a heated garage on his property. Currently, Rios and Guillermo Mercado are both training under Ledesma.

“I’m a full-time dad, a full-time worker and a full-time boxer,” Rios said. “When I get out of work, I head over to Anbrocio’s and easily put in two to three hours a day working out. Anbrocio is a really good coach. He is great at strength and conditioning. Everything is precise and there is always a routine. I also get a lot of help from my sister, Andreina Torres, who helps watch my son (Gabriel) when I’m at the gym.”

Hard work paying off

The work Rios has been putting in over the years is paying off as Rios is one of the top amateur boxers in the state.

“Junior has put in a lot of hard work,” Ledesma said. “He also does what we ask him to do. He believes in my coaching style. Junior is very aggressive in the ring, but he also has a lot of skill, a lot of knowledge and a lot of quickness. Not only does he have very good hand speed, but he has very good footwork and that is hard to teach.

“You either have it or you don’t. He has the natural skills and he is also a hard worker who gets the most out of what he has.”

Ledesma believes Rios has what it takes to accomplish his goals.

“Junior looked pretty good in his fight last week,” Ledesma said. “As always, there is room for improvement and each opponent will test him in a little different way. Things are looking good for him as long as he keeps consistent in his training and his conditioning.        

Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department earns two state awards

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Recreation, West Michigan,
From Left: Ann Przybysz, recreation program coordinator with City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation; Clay Summers, executive director of mParks; Katelyn Bush, recreation program coordinator with City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation. Bush is holding the Excellence in Therapeutic Recreation Programming Award. (Courtesy, mParks). 



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The City of Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation Department has received two awards from the Michigan Recreation & Park Association.

The department was honored with the Excellence in Therapeutic Recreation Programming Award for its adaptive programs and the Integrated Marketing Campaign Award for its 2022 parks millage campaign. Department representatives accepted the awards during the Michigan Recreation & Park Association’s annual conference and trade show earlier this month in Lansing.

“We’re proud to have our innovative programs and initiatives recognized by mParks,” Parks and Recreation Director Val Romeo said. “Michigan is home to many impressive recreation departments, so we’re delighted to have our hard work and dedication to the community celebrated at a statewide level.” 

The Excellence in Therapeutic Recreation Programming Award is given to an organization for innovation and breadth of service in therapeutic recreation program development and recognizes accomplishments and consistently high standards in clinical and community settings. The Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department provides the most comprehensive adaptive recreation programming in Michigan. Kentwood’s adaptive recreation offerings are designed to encourage health and wellness, socialization and excellent quality of life for all and include adaptive programs such as archery, bowling, water skiing and more. 

The Integrated Marketing Campaign Award recognizes an individual or organization that has developed an outstanding campaign using a variety of coordinated mediums to effectively deliver a message to key audiences. In January 2022, the City of Kentwood launched a seven-month campaign to educate residents on the park millage proposal set to appear on the August ballot. The campaign included web pages, social media, digital media, printed materials, direct mailings and more to show voters all the benefits of a permanent parks millage. The millage passed with 63 percent of voters in favor.  



From left: Clay Summers, executive director of mParks; Laura Barbrick, marketing and events coordinator for City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation. Barbrick is holding the Outstanding Integrated Marketing Campaign Award. (Photo Courtesy, mParks)



“The City of Kentwood has an exceptional recreation presence in Michigan, and it’s truly an honor to have that work recognized at the state level,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “We’re eager to keep serving our residents and the West Michigan community and to continue improving our parks, trails and programming so these amenities can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

 

More information about the Michigan Recreation & Park Association can be found at mparks.org. To learn more about Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation department, visit kentwood.us/parks. 

Michigan Golden Gloves Championships begin 91st tournament; Opening night April 1 at West Catholic High School

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Local boxer Junior Rios (right) and his coach Anbrocio Ledesma. Rios will be one of the top open division boxers to watch at this year’s Michigan Golden Gloves Championships. (Courtesy, Junior Rios)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



If it’s April in West Michigan it must be time for some Golden Gloves boxing and this year is one of transition for the fabled boxing tournament.

The 91st annual Michigan Golden Gloves Championships begin this weekend, Saturday, April 1. This year’s tournament will be held at West Catholic High School (1801 Bristol Ave. NW, Grand Rapids) as the DeltaPlex, which hosted the tournament the past several years, closed its doors earlier this year.





“The Golden Gloves is one of the most prestigious tournaments in boxing,” said tournament co-director Brian Lentz. “The Golden Gloves is an exciting five-day event. The first three days are the West Michigan Championships and the final two days are the Michigan State Finals.”


Began in 1923

The Golden Gloves began in Chicago in 1923 and the Chicago Golden Gloves is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. This year’s Michigan Golden Gloves will be the 91st running of the tournament that began in 1932. Over the past 90-plus years, the Michigan Golden Gloves has produced some of the greatest boxers to have ever come out of the state of Michigan.

Floyd Mayweather and many other big names were Golden Gloves Champs

One of the greatest boxers of all time, Floyd Mayweather, is a former Golden Gloves champion from West Michigan along with a host of other champions, including Tony Tucker, Buster Mathis Jr., Roger Mayweather, Chris Byrd, Tim Littles, Andre Dirrell, Anthony Dirrell, Ra’eese Aleem, Fabian Williams, Roger Turner and Peter Quillin to name a few.

38 gyms represented

There are a total of 38 gyms in Michigan and this year’s tournament hopes to have representatives from all of those gyms. The first three days of the event will be the West Michigan Championships where boxers from Lansing to the west will compete. The East Michigan Championships will be held for boxers from east of Lansing. The final two dates will be the state championships where the winner and runner-up boxers in each division from the east will square off against the top two boxers in each division from the west with a spot on the Michigan team for the National Golden Gloves tournament on the line. This year’s National Golden Gloves Tournament is scheduled to take place in Philadelphia, PA. from May 8 through May 13.

Three divisions

The Golden Gloves is split into different divisions. There is a novice division, for beginning boxers that have had fewer than 10 fights, and an open division for more experienced boxers. There also is a female division.  

WKTV will televise the tournament (see below)

WKTV will televise all five nights of this year’s tournament. WKTV commentator Bob Serulla is in his 23rd year of working the Golden Gloves and is excited about this year’s tournament. 

“I think we are going to have a heck of a year,” Serulla said. “There is a lot of good, young talent and some highly-ranked fighters this year. Obviously, the Golden Gloves is going through a transition with the closing of the DeltaPlex, but I’m looking forward to a big year.”

Among the open division boxers are some highly-ranked local boxers. Justin Lacy-Pierce is a former national champion who recently qualified to compete for a spot on the USA National team. Lacy-Pierce is ranked fourth in his weight class by USA Boxing in their recent rankings at the end of last year.



Local boxer Junior Rios will be one of the top open division boxers to watch. (Courtesy, Junior Rios)



Junior Rios is another local standout who placed second at the regional qualifier for USA Boxing that took place March 18-25 in Detroit. Maurice Davis of Kalamazoo is another standout in the open division to watch along with Ulysses Campos of Grand Rapids, while Zoe Hicks of Lansing is a nationally-ranked female boxer in the 114-pound weight class.

Another name to keep an eye on is Ryan Schmidt. A member of the famed Schmidt family of boxers from the west side of Grand Rapids, Schmidt is making a comeback to the Golden Gloves at age 38. Schmidt was a five-time state champion from 2001-2005 and also was a silver and bronze medal winner at the National Golden Gloves during that time. 

Along with the big names, the tournament is the birthplace of boxing dreams for young boxers making their first appearances in the ring.

“Opening night is a night you have some of the best fights,” Serulla said. “A lot of guys match up who have never fought before. You see people who come out of nowhere put on a show, especially in the novice division. I love opening night at the Gloves. You see some out and out wars on the first night.” 

The opening night of this year’s Golden Gloves takes place Saturday, April 1. Boxing begins at 7 p.m. Action continues Wednesday, April 12 and Saturday April 15 with the state finals scheduled for Friday and Saturday April 21 and 22. Bouts begin at 7 p.m. each day with the doors opening at 6 p.m.


WKTV Golden Gloves Schedule

Catch all the action on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse 99 with a live tape delayed airing of each night. You also can stream WKTV at WKTV25Live 

West Michigan Preliminaries

Saturday, April 1 

 Airs Wednesday, April 5 at 5 p.m.

West Michigan Semifinals

Wednesday, April 12

Airs Saturday, April 15 at 11 a.m. and Tuesday, April 18 at 11 p.m.

West Michigan Finals

Saturday, April 15

Airs Sunday, April 16 at 12 p.m. and Wednesday, April 19 at 5 p.m.

State Semifinals 

Friday, April 21 

 Airs Saturday, April 22 at 11 a.m. and Wednesday, April 26 at 5 p.m. 

State Finals 

Saturday, April 22  

 Airs Sunday, April 23 at 12 p.m. and Wednesday, May 3 at 5 p.m.

East Kentwood boys basketball team and Coach Thomas turn things around; OK Red and district champs

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
East Kentwood boys basketball coach Mike Thomas. (Courtesy, East Kentwood High School)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



East Kentwood boys basketball Coach Mike Thomas knew right away he wanted to create a “gotta-get-it” mentality when he took over the team last fall.

“The only thing I know about last year is that they didn’t have a winning season, and I knew right away that I wanted to come in and kind of change that,” Thomas said. “I knew right away that I wanted to create a gotta-get-it mentality, and the meaning of a gotta-get-it mentality is to create a sense of urgency, to accomplish unforeseen goals without making any excuses along the way.

“We wanted to create some goals, create some expectations, and then teach them how to work for this year. And we started off early in the year back in the fall with a lot of training, running bleachers, conditioning, all of that stuff. And they didn’t quite realize or understand what it was for, but towards the end of the year, they could see and understand how all of that stuff helped us become successful this year.”


The East Kentwood basketball team celebrates with the district trophy after defeating Byron Center 62-45 in a district title game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



OK Red and District Champs

Thomas talked about taking first in the OK Red at 11-3 and finishing 18-7 overall with a district title as well, compared to 6-15 overall last year with a 6-8 conference record.

“Oh, this was huge for us,” Thomas said. “I think it’s a statement for where we’re trying to go as the foundation; we established that right away. And it’s unfortunate that we’re losing some seniors, but I told those seniors that whatever we do this year is the start of us accomplishing our ultimate goal and that’s to win a state title. Our seniors have done a really good job by creating a strong foundation of what it takes to be successful.

“They were able to set the stage for us moving forward winning the district and winning the conference title.”

Captain Marshaun Flakes: ‘Willing to do whatever’

“I was able to coach at some special places, special schools; I was able to coach some special players and Marshaun fits in the category of being one of my all time special players,” Thomas said. “He had a huge impact on winning. It’s just unfortunate that I was only able to coach him for one year. I’m going to miss him.


East Kentwood’s Marshaun Flakes. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)




“But you’re talking about a guy who has the power and the energy to control a community, control a school, control a team. When he wants it, we’re all going to get it, and he has a gotta-get-it mentality. He was our leading scorer and he did everything for us. He was Mr. Utility guy. He was willing to do whatever.”

Flakes led the Falcons with 21 points per game and averaged 7 rebounds, four assists and 2-1/2 steals a game as well. He was first team, all conference and Thomas said he’d be the Conference MVP if there was such an award.

“Based on what he did, he was able to turn this program around from sixth place to first place,” Thomas continued. “This guy just did everything.”



Captain Jah Hatchett: ‘Setting the tone’

Another player that played a big role was Jah Hatchett, who averaged 15 points, 4-1/2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1-1/2 steals per game. He also was first team, all conference as well. 


East Kentwood sophomore guard Jah Hatchett sets up the offense during action in the district championship game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)

“He’s going to go down as one of my all time special players,” Thomas said. “Here he is a sophomore, he’s just a baby. And he shows some great leadership skills. He was one of the guys that set the tone for us … for workouts, morning shoots, offseason workouts, he was always there.

“At one point in the season he was our leading scorer. And I think teams started to key on that. And that’s when Marshaun stepped up. When you have those two guys on the court at the same time great things are going to happen for you.


“Jah is going to be a very, very special player for East Kentwood.” 

Hatchett said it felt good to win an OK Red and district title.

“Especially since we haven’t won conference in eight years,” Hatchett continued. “It feels good and then in districts, we did even better.

“The highlight of my season was coming together as a team and going on our little run up, seven-game winning streak.”


Hatchett began playing basketball at age five.

“When I was little, I was always a two-sport athlete, playing football and basketball. But I just found more interest in playing basketball.” 

Sophomore point guard Darryl Thompkins

“We were very lucky to have him return back to Grand Rapids, as he did some really, really good things for us,” Thomas said. “He was our floor general. He got everybody involved. There were a couple games this year where he had double figures in assists. He also was first team all league.” 

I take my hat off to those two sophomores (Hatchett and Thompkins) just simply because they had to compete against some really, really tough seniors and upperclassmen.”

Coach Thomas’s highlight of the season?

“I would say the highlight of the season was just being able to turn the program around in a short period of time, and just simply having fun mentoring young men. This is nothing but fun to me. Coaching is what I love to do. This is who I am.

“But you can also add winning the conference championship and district title as a highlight. But an even bigger highlight is just being able to see the community, the response of the community, the support of the community, especially within those last couple of games. You can kind of feel that they believe in what we’re trying to do.”

Along with Flakes, Thomas also talked about graduating Rasheed Watkins and Nate Cobbs.

“We’re losing Rasheed Watkins, who was a big time energy guy for us,” Thomas explained. “He started some games, came off the bench for us, but he was always ready when his number was called. He does some really good things for us, but we’ll also miss Nate Cobbs. He’s a football player, wrestler and track star. He’s going to play Division 2 football at Davenport University. He came off the bench and gave us a spark when we needed it, especially against Grandville. He was that big time, muscle guy for us to kind of contain some people and was always ready when his number was called.

“But, for next year, great things are gonna happen for us. We have Jah Hatchett and and Darryl Thompkins returning along with Christian Humphrey-Rembert.”

South Christian falls to Ferndale in Division 2 state championship game

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
The Sailors pose with their runner-up trophy after losing to Ferndale 44-38 in the Division 2 state final Saturday at the Breslin Center. (Courtesy, South Christian)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



A storybook basketball season for the South Christian Sailors was one quarter short of a perfect ending as Ferndale forged ahead in the fourth quarter and held on for a 44-38 win in the Division 2 state championship game Saturday at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University.

The Sailors, who were looking to accomplish the rare feat of winning a football and basketball state championship in the same school year, were tied 28-28 with Ferndale heading into the final quarter. Ferndale, however, began the final quarter with an 8-2 scoring run and hung on to that margin to claim its first state basketball title since 1966.

“I’m real proud of these guys,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “It’s been an incredible season. We had a late start because of winning the football championship and we started off 1-2. We played and beat some really good teams this year. That is what made this run so special. I couldn’t be prouder of this team and they need to walk away with their heads held high.”

Conference, regional and district titles

The Sailors won conference, district and regional titles this season and finished with a 25-4 record despite battling through major injuries. South Christian lost senior Jaxon Rynbrandt to a season-ending injury early in the season and then standout sophomore Carson Vis was lost after getting injured in the regional title game.



Those injuries impacted South’s depth, depth that could’ve come in handy in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s state final, especially after winning a tough overtime game against Romulus Summit Academy North in the late-night state semifinal game the night before.

“Obviously, we are not as deep without Carson,” Johnson said, “and it caught up with us. Playing the overtime game the night before and having no prep time and playing without Carson, it was a tough stretch. I’m proud of these guys. They left everything they had on the court.



“They played some great defense tonight. We just didn’t make enough shots.”

‘Great defense’ all championship week

The Sailors played great defense the entire championship week. After holding Unity Christian to 38 points in the quarterfinal win, the Sailors held Romulus Summit Academy to 35 points in a game that went to overtime in the 40-35 win in the state semifinals and then allowed 44 points to Ferndale in the state finals.

South Christian limited Ferndale to 37 percent shooting from the field in the title game and nearly 32 percent shooting from three-point range. Ferndale, however, got hot at the opportune time as it connected on six of its 10 shots (60 percent) in the fourth quarter.

South Christian shot 33.3 percent for the game, but hit on just 2-of-19 shots from three-point range.

“They (Ferndale) are a good team,” Johnson said. “They pressured us on defense and created some turnovers that hurt us. We just didn’t get the shots to fall and that hurt us.”

South Christian outrebounded Ferndale 29-26 for the game. Both teams also pulled down six offensive rebounds.

South Christian held 16-14 edge at the half

Ferndale took the early lead in the game at 8-4 to end the first quarter. South Christian turned the tables in the second quarter by outscoring Ferndale 12-6 to take a 16-14 lead into halftime. Ferndale then outscored South 14-12 in the third as the game was tied heading into the final quarter.

Jake DeHaan and Jake Vermaas led in scoring

Senior Jake DeHaan and junior Jake Vermaas led the Sailors with 14 points apiece. Senior Sam Medendorp added seven points, while senior Nate Brinks added three. Vermaas dished out five assists, while DeHaan had three and Medendorp, two.



Medendorp led the Sailors on the boards with seven, including two offensive rebounds. Vermaas and DeHaan both added five rebounds. Medendorp turned in a big defensive game with four blocked shots and a steal, while Vermaas added two steals.

Five Sailors end high school careers

The state title game marked the end of the high school basketball careers for seniors Cam Post, Brinks, DeHaan, Medendorp and Rynbrandt.

“The seniors are going to be hard to replace,” Johnson said. “I’m going to really miss these guys. It’s hard to see the seniors walk away. This group of seniors was a really close group and we will miss them.



“We do have some good young guys coming up. We will have some good players to build around next year.”

Tri-unity Christian two points short of back-to-back D-4 state championships

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By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



The Tri-unity Christian Defenders were going for a second straight Division 4 state championship Saturday morning at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University, but they finished just two points short as Munising edged them 39-37.

The game featured plenty of strong defense from both teams, but a late surge proved to be the difference as Munising won its first-ever basketball state title in school history while Tri-unity fell just short of title number six.

“I thought we had a golden opportunity to win the state title, but we came up empty,” said Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler. “We shot ourselves in the foot. I thought that we played some phenomenal defense, but on offense we took a lot of bad shots. Shots that were just rushed and we kept doing it. I thought we also had way more turnovers than we usually have and that doesn’t help.”

Tri-unity committed 15 turnovers for the game, while Munising finished with eight.

The Defenders looked to negate the turnover issue with its work on the boards. They outrebounded Munising 39-17 with 17 of those boards coming on the offensive end of the floor. While the Defenders produced extra shots, a lid seemed to be on the basket for Tri-unity as it connected on 14-of-45 shots for the game, a 31.1 percentage. The Defenders were especially cold from long range as they shot 21.1 percent from three-point range, connecting on 4-of-19 three-point shots for the game.

An early lead

Despite the cold shooting and turnovers, Tri-unity was right in the game from beginning to end. They jumped out to an 8-2 early lead before Munising battled back to take a 9-8 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Munising built on the lead in the second quarter as it outscored Tri-unity 9-4 to go up 18-12 midway through the second. Both defenses were in control the remainder of the first half with a three-point shot by Tri-unity’s Jordan VanKlompenberg cutting the Munising lead to 18-15 at halftime.

Defense continued to hold serve in the third quarter with points being at a premium. Tri-unity outscored Munising 10-9 in the third quarter and trailed 27-23 heading into the final quarter.

After Munising opened the fourth quarter with a bucket, Tri-unity scored the next five points to go up 30-29. A three-pointer by VanKlompenberg and a layup by Roy Fogg put the Defenders up 30-29 with 3:45 remaining in the game.

Munising, however, regained the lead for good when Cully Trzeciak hit a three-pointer with 2:11 remaining to put his team up 32-30. Seconds later a steal and layup by Trevor Nolan put Munising up 34-30.

After a Tri-unity turnover, Munising added a free throw with 1:07 remaining to go up 35-30. Fogg responded with a pair of free throws for Tri-unity, but a pair of free throws by Munising upped the margin to five with 33 seconds to go. After a steal by Munising, the Mustangs tacked on a pair of free throws with 18 seconds remaining to go up 39-32.

One final push by the Defenders

Tri-unity made one final push in the game’s final seconds. Owen Rosendall connected on three straight free throws with 13 seconds remaining and VanKlompenberg added a bucket with two seconds left, but the Defenders were unable to get a steal in the final two seconds of the game.

“They (Munising) had a great strategy,” Keeler said. “They were not going to allow us to beat them inside. They were letting us take all the threes we wanted and we were not able to knock them down. I’m proud of our kids. They played their hearts out and did their very best. Give credit to Munising, they have a nice team.”



Jordan VanKlompenberg led the Defenders with 15 points. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)



VanKlompenberg led Tri-unity with 15 points, while Fogg added 11. Rosendall finished with five points, followed by Akais Giplaye, four and Trey Rillema, two.

Giplaye led Tri-unity with 13 rebounds, including six on the offensive end. Fogg and VanKlompenberg both added seven rebounds, including three offensive boards apiece. Rosendall, Rillema, Keaton Blanker and Wesley Kaman added three rebounds each. Rosendall led Tri-unity with six assists.

“I felt we had a chance to win back-to-back titles and we actually did,” Keeler said. “We just fell two points short.”

With the season ended, the Defenders say goodbye to a trio of seniors, including Dylan Bruinsma, Hanif James and Fogg.

“It’s tough to say goodbye to the seniors,” Keeler said. “We did have a pretty young team this year. We started three juniors and one sophomore so I’m pretty excited about the future. I’m looking forward to next year. I feel we have a lot of potential especially if we work in the summer and get stronger in the offseason.”

Tri-unity finished the season with a 22-7 record, while Munising ended at 27-1.      

Defense, offensive rebounding key to semifinal win for Tri-unity; aiming for back-to-back D-4 state titles

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,

Tri-Unity Coach Mark Keeler (far left) and his team watch the action during their semifinal win over Frankfort Thursday. The Defenders are looking to win a sixth state championship on Saturday morning. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



The Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University has seen hundreds of wins over the years with the home team playing stingy defense and dominating on the offensive boards.



Tri-unity Christian took those pages out of that successful Michigan State playbook during Thursday’s Division 4 state semifinal game against Frankfort and the result was a 54-37 win that sends the Defenders on to Saturday’s D-4 state championship game against Munising at 10 a.m.

Tri-unity played solid defense from the opening tip to the final buzzer as it limited Frankfort to 10 points or less in three of the four quarters.



The Defenders celebrate after a state semifinal win Thursday at the Breslin Center and are looking to win back-to-back state titles on Saturday. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)



“We focused in on making sure we challenged them (Frankfort) and not letting them have anything easy,” said Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler. “We played great defense. I was really happy with our defense.”

The Defenders also dominated the boards, outrebounding Frankfort 41-22 for the game including pulling down a whopping 21 offensive rebounds.

“I was really happy with the way our guys controlled the boards,” Keeler said. “That was huge to have that many second shots.”

Akais Giplaye led the way on the boards as he pulled down 11 rebounds including nine offensive rebounds. Wesley Kaman added four offensive rebounds while Roy Fogg and Trey Rillema had three offensive boards.

Offensively, Tri-unity did a solid job of sharing the ball and spreading the scoring load around. Owen Rosendall led the Defenders in scoring with 13 points while Fogg added 11 points, Rillema, seven; Giplaye and Kaman, six apiece and Jordan VanKlompenberg, five. Keaton Blanker added two points, three assists, a steal and an offensive rebound.



Tri-unity fans had a lot to celebrate during its team’s state semifinal win Thursday at MSU. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)



‘Everyone contributes’

“We had great balance which I really like,” Keeler said. “This team does a great job of sharing the ball. We don’t have one or two guys that do all the scoring. Everyone contributes on offense and we really take pride in that.”

Tri-unity took control of the game in the first quarter. The Defenders jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the early minutes thanks to three-point shots from VanKlompenberg and Rosendall.

Tri-unity led 16-8 going into the second quarter. Frankfort kept the score close throughout the second quarter and trailed 25-21 at halftime.

The Defenders began to pull away in the third quarter. Up by two points early in the quarter, Tri-unity closed out the third on a 15-4 run to take a 40-27 lead into the fourth. Frankfort managed to cut the margin to 10 points before Tri-unity pulled away in the final quarter.

Defenders succeed at wearing them down

“Our desire was to really up the tempo of the game,” Keeler said. “We did not want them to walk the ball up the court. They had a couple of big guys and we wanted to get them tired so every chance we got we pushed the ball trying to wear them down. By the fourth quarter it seemed they were pretty tired.”

Tri-unity improved to 22-6 for the season, while Frankfort finished at 18-9.

14th appearance in the state semifinals

The Defenders made their 14th appearance in the semifinal round at the Breslin Center.

“It’s not so much the number of times we’ve been here so much as it is special for these young men to get here,” Keeler said. “This is a different group. Every year it is a different group of young mean and it’s something we don’t want to take for granted. Thise guys really love each other and play for each other.”



Tri-unity celebrates after its state semifinal win Thursday at MSU. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)



The Defenders, who defeated Ewen-Trout Creek in overtime to win last year’s Division 4 state title, face Munising in Saturday’s championship game at 10 a.m. Munising (26-1) defeated Marine City Cardinal Mooney 55-44 in the other semifinal game.

“We know they are a good team and there is no quit in them,” Keeler said. “They had a lead on Cardinal Mooney before Cardinal Mooney came back at the end of the third quarter. Munising then turned it up a notch in the fourth quarter and pulled away. We are going to have to come in ready to play.”  

Ford International Airport expecting busy spring break; ‘pack your patience’

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Travel, West Michigan, ,
Gerald R. Ford International Airport. (Courtesy, Ford Airport)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



As we approach spring break travel, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport is expecting a busy week and is reminding guests to pack their patience. 

With the upcoming spring break travel season happening between March 30 and April 11, Ford International Airport is gearing up to ensure the more than 150,000 passengers visiting the terminal that week are ready for a safe and smooth travel experience. As a reminder, the terminal building never closes; however, the security screening checkpoint opens at 4 a.m. or 60 minutes before the earliest departure. 

“We are once again prepared to ensure safe and happy travels for spring break passengers,” Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority Chief Operating Officer Alex Peric said. “We look forward to another busy travel season and are grateful to the many teams and partners who make it possible.”

Important Travel Tips and Numbers

Some of the top prohibited, voluntarily abandoned items for spring break travelers include:

•Sunscreen lotion and tanning lotion

•Water bottles with water in them

•Gel and spray deodorants

•Liquid makeup and perfumes


Be sure to keep all liquids, gels, creams under 3.4 oz.

Arrive at least two hours prior to your scheduled departure to begin the check-in procedure. Parking will be busy, so please give yourself extra time to find a space.

Passenger Traffic: Guest traffic is currently surpassing 2019 levels, which was a record-breaking year for the Airport. “We expect to be at or above our 2019 spring break travel levels and 8 percent above our 2022 spring break traffic.”

Peak Holiday Travel Dates: March 30 through April 11. Peak departure dates are March 30 and April 2. Expected peak return dates for passengers are April 8 and 9. 

Expected Spring Break Travel: 150,000-plus total passengers from March 30 through April 11. This includes both departing and arriving passengers. As many as 13,000-plus passengers on peak days.

Top Destinations: Punta Gorda, Orlando, Clearwater, Tampa, Sarasota and Washington D.C. 

In addition, to kick off one of the most anticipated weeks of vacation, the Airport will host a Passenger Appreciation Day on March 31 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Passengers will be greeted with a live band, special costumed characters, a puppy parade and more. 

Airline Contacts

Individual airlines are responsible for the check-in process, all matters related to gates (including departures and deplanings), the handling of passenger luggage, their plane de-icing process, cancellation or delay of flights, passenger ticketing and rebooking options.

If you have questions related to any of the items listed above, please contact your airline.

Tri-unity Christian boys heading back to Breslin Center after quarterfinal win Tuesday

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Tri-Unity Coach Mark Keeler huddles his team at an earlier game this season. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Tied at 22 apiece at the half, Tri-unity Christian outscored Kalamazoo Phoenix 32-19 in the second half to grab a 54-41 win in a Division 4 quarterfinal Tuesday at Gull Lake High School.

The win advanced the Defenders (21-6) to a semifinal matchup with Frankfort (18-8) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University.

“The team is very excited and very tired; a lot of emotion,” said Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler, whose team won a state title last year. “They are looking forward to playing in the Breslin Center.

“They (Kalamazoo Phoenix) jumped out on us and then we tied the game heading into the half. We started out nervous and scared. I was quite surprised by our start.  However, the boys settled down and we finished strong with excellent defense. We led most of the second half, but it was not decided until late in the fourth quarter.”

Roy Fogg led the Defenders with 16 points, followed by Owen Rosendall, 10 and Akais Giplaye, nine. Keaton Blanker had four assists and five rebounds.

Roy Fogg led the Defenders with 16 points. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)

“Roy played an excellent game the entire night,” Keeler said. “However, he was in foul trouble a lot, missing a lot of the second quarter and the last half of the third quarter.

“Owen Rosendall really stepped up big with excellent defense on Phoenix’s explosive guard.”

Keeler said they are looking forward to playing at the Breslin Center.

“Frankfort is a good team with nice size,” Keeler added. “We will need to be at our best to beat them.”

South Christian leans on defense to beat Unity in Division 2 state quarterfinals; advances to MSU Friday

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
South Christian’s Jake DeHaan takes a jump shot during the Division 2 state quarterfinal game against Unity Christian. DeHaan led the Sailors with 27 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



The South Christian basketball team played without a familiar face in the lineup in a Division 2 state quarterfinal game against Hudsonville Unity Christian Tuesday at Calvin University, but its trademark lockdown team defense still made the trip and proved to be the difference in the 61-38 win over Unity Christian.

While a pair of broken wrists suffered in the regional finals ended the season for South Christian standout sophomore Carson Vis, the Sailors didn’t skip a beat in the quarters as their team defense stifled Unity from the opening tip to the final whistle. Their defense propelled them to the win and to Michigan State University where they’ll face Romulus Summit Academy North in the Division 2 state semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Breslin Center.

“I felt we did a really good job of playing team defense,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “To hold a team like Unity Christian to just 38 points is impressive. We wanted to take away the three-point shot from them and we did that by holding them to five threes for the game. We are a defensive team. For us it’s all about getting stops. We chart how many stops we get during the game and we got a lot of them tonight.”

Sailors led 15-5 after first quarter

The Sailors recorded several stops in the opening quarter of the game as they limited Unity to a pair of field goals and a free throw as they jumped out to a 15-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Jake DeHaan gets game-high 27 points

On the offensive end of the floor, South senior guard Jake DeHaan stepped up and proved to be a reliable source of points. DeHaan scored 10 of South’s 15 points in the first quarter and didn’t stop pouring in buckets. DeHaan finished with a game-high 27 points for the Sailors.

“My teammates did a great job of finding me,” DeHaan said. “Without Carson it was a next man up situation for us. We just trust the next man and that made the difference. Carson is such a great player and such a great teammate so it was different for sure without him out there.”



South Christian’s Sam Medendorp (20) and Sam Weiss (23) prepare to block out a Unity Christian player during a free throw attempt in the Division 2 state quarterfinals. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Both teams played tenacious defense during the second quarter. Unity was able to connect on a pair of three-point shots early in the second quarter as they whittled the Sailor lead to 18-14 midway through the quarter. South, however, answered late in the half with a three-point shot from Jake Vermaas and a bucket by DeHaan to take a 23-16 lead into halftime.

South stormed out of the locker room after halftime and took control of the game during the third quarter. DeHaan scored the first four points of the second half as South stretched the advantage to 29-13. The Sailors then began to flex their muscles inside led by senior big man Sam Medendorp.

Medendorp came up with one of his four blocked shots in the game midway through the third quarter that led to a bucket on the other end of the floor. Two possessions later Medendorp came up with a steal and then went in for a rim-rattling dunk that pumped the Sailor crowd into a frenzy and staked the Sailors to a 34-18 lead.

“We play for each other out there,” Medendorp said. “We’ve had some tough injuries this year. Jaxson Rynbrandt tore his ACL earlier this season and then Carson got injured in the last game. It’s huge for us to play together as a team. To play for our brothers.”

Medendorp turned in a huge all-around game for the Sailors. Along with scoring 16 points, Medendorp pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, four blocked shots and a steal.

“I think Sam is one of the best big men in the state,” Johnson said. “He had 16 points and 11 rebounds tonight. His putbacks on the offensive end were huge. Some college coach is going to be really lucky to get Sam on his team next season.”

South Christian pushes lead to 20 points in fourth

South led 42-30 at the end of the third quarter and upped the lead to over 20 points midway through the final quarter.

“This win means a lot,” DeHaan said. “First, we win the state football title last fall and now this. It feels great.”

With the win, South Christian improved to 24-3 for the season, while Unity Christian closed out the season with an 18-10 record.

Junior guard Jake Vermaas joined DeHaan and Medendorp in double figures for South, totaling 14 points along with five assists and two steals.

“It’s special defeating Unity Christian,” Johnson said. “It’s a special rivalry. We have a love-hate relationship with them. We have a ton of respect for Scott (Unity Christian coach Scott Soodsma) and a ton or respect for their team.”

Junior guard Colin Nieuwenhuis led Unity Christian with 18 points, while Dylan Shaban added seven.        

Spring brush and leaf drop-off service available to Kentwood residents beginning April 1

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan,
(courtesy, pxhere.com)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The City of Kentwood will once again offer its brush and leaf drop-off service for residents starting on Saturday, April 1.

Residents may drop off brush, sticks, tree limbs, logs, loose leaves and grass clippings at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE. Drop-off is available noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday through Friday, May 26. The site will be closed Sunday, April 9. 

The service is available to Kentwood residents only and proof of residency is required, via a driver’s license or recent tax or water bill.

The following materials won’t be accepted:

  • trash
  • paper and plastic bags
  • dirt
  • concrete
  • asphalt
  • tires
  • rocks
  • stones
  • construction materials
  • glass
  • metal


“As the season of spring cleaning gets underway, we want to offer an easy, convenient way to help residents get rid of yard debris,” Public Works Director Chad Griffin said. “Winter weather can create debris in the public right-of-way that leads to clogged storm drains and roadways. Our brush and leaf drop-off service provides help with yard maintenance and keeps our community’s infrastructure operating reliably.”

In addition to making yard clean up easier, the leaf and brush drop-off service also helps residents stay in compliance with City ordinances. The accumulation of leaves and debris on a property or in the right-of-way is prohibited in the City of Kentwood, as well as burning leaves and brush.

More information about the City’s brush and leaf drop-off services is available at kentwood.us/BrushLeafDropOff.

Lee boys basketball program completes major turnaround season; 19-2 overall, 8-0 atop Alliance League

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Coach Dominic Shannon huddles up his team during a game earlier this season with Potter’s House. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



After a successful basketball season, Lee Coach Dominic Shannon said it’s an understatement to say he’s proud of the boys.

“Words truly can’t express the love and respect we have for this special group of boys,” said Lee, whose team finished 19-2 overall and 8-0 in the Alliance League. “We accomplished the first conference championship in 43 years and lost by a total of four points all season. In my second year as head coach, we are well on our way to revitalizing a program which once upon a time had rich basketball history.

“The goal coming into this season was to continue to reshape the culture and for the student-athletes to understand what must be accepted or received in order to have a memorable season. I’m not surprised that we were successful, but I did not expect us to win 19 games this year. My staff and I, once fall league started, we began to see the team form and we all believed we would have the first winning season since 2010-2011, in which that Lee team finished 12-11.”


Last year, the Legends were 5-16 overall and 2-6 in the League.

Shannon’s highlight this season?

“Seeing the boys accept accountability and holding their brothers accountable,” Shannon said. “The 19 wins and two losses are impressive, the first conference championship in 43 years is extremely impressive, but as a coach I understand that the ball stops bouncing after so much time has passed.

“Once that ball stops bouncing all they’ll have left is their character and values and principles that they’ll stand on. We definitely want to win and compete, but the growth and maturity of the boys is essentially the driving force behind the success. This season was a success on several levels.”

Overtime loss to Godwin Heights in the districts

Shannon said the overtime loss to Godwin was and still is tough to swallow.

“We executed the game plan as we were up five points with under 40 seconds left in regulation and not to mention we missed 16 total free throws while being in position to win the game in regulation,” Shannon explained. “Execution late in the game was not what we’re capable of, essentially leading to an early playoff exit. I am already preparing for next season as I see where I can sharpen as preparation is key.

“The environment was very fun and I hope this game has restored the rivalry between Lee and Godwin.”

Scoring leader junior Marc Whitfield

Whitfield averaged 20 points, 5 assists and 3 steals this season. He had three 30-point games with a season high of 36 points against Lansing Eastern.

Lee guard Marc Whitfield. (Courtesy, Lee High School)



“Marc came into the season as our best player and I believe he exited the season as a more well-rounded player,” Shannon said. “The challenge for Marc this season was leading vocally the correct way. Marc’s energy and passion is felt each day in practice. So as coaches we evaluate what a student-athlete can do to improve themselves on and off the court, and for Marc it was communication.

“We’ve seen him accept ownership in not so pleasant times, lift up his teammates when they get down on themselves and show full maturity in the Godwin game. We believe he is a special athlete and his senior year is going to be fun to watch.”



Lone senior starter Joe Russau

“We sincerely appreciate the example he set as a senior by maintaining a 3.5 GPA all season and the presence he had as a captain,” Shannon said. “As a captain, there’s certain expectations the coaches have and he absolutely met them and it’ll be tough to see him go. He has yet to make a decision on where he’ll be playing college basketball next year, but whichever school he commits to will be receiving an awesome young man.”

Expectations for next year? 

Shannon said they will keep building upon the foundation laid two years ago.

“We are only losing one starter and three seniors total entering next season which provides comfort for the coaching staff as our senior class will be strong and understanding of expectations,” he explained. “We are expecting next season to be a battle in our conference and we’ll likely have a target on our back as defending conference champions.

“It would definitely be sweet to repeat as conference champs, but to meet those expectations, the work begins now.” 

South Christian uses big second half to defeat Hamilton en route to regional title; 14th straight win

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas led with 28 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in the win. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

It took a while for the South Christian basketball team to take  control of the Division 2 regional title game at Vicksburg Wednesday evening, but when they did the Sailors left no doubt that the trophy was theirs.

Thanks to a strong close to the first half and a big second half, South Christian defeated Hamilton 82-47 to claim its first regional championship since 2019.

“It was an emotional game,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “It was a great crowd and a great atmosphere. We started out a little slow, but then Nate Brinks hit a big three to put us up by 11 points at the half. Then we came out strong in the second half and scored 33 points in the third quarter.”

The game was tight in the early going with South leading 16-10 at the end of the first quarter. The Sailors maintained the single-digit margin in the second quarter before the three by Brinks sent South Christian into halftime with a 33-21 lead and riding a surge of momentum.


Jake DeHaan scored scored 24 points. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)

“They (Hamilton) are a really good team,” Johnson said. “They are really physical and play really good help defense. They came out and were playing super aggressive. At halftime we made some adjustments and it paid off big in the third quarter.”

South Christian got on an offensive roll during the third quarter. The Sailors totaled 33 points in the third and built the lead to 66-35 heading into the final quarter.




Vermaas and DeHaan light up the third

“Jake Vermaas and Jake DeHaan were outstanding in the third quarter,” Johnson said. “They provided a big spark to our offense by hitting threes and scoring inside. Our defense was also a lot better. Our man-to-man defense took it up a notch in the second half and did a good job of slowing their offense down.”

South closed out the game by outscoring Hamilton 16-12 in the fourth quarter.

Vermaas led the way on offense for the Sailors with 28 points while DeHaan followed with 24 points. Vermaas turned in a solid all-around effort as he added seven rebounds and seven assists.

As a team, South blistered the nets by connecting on eight-of-17 three-point shots (47%) and connected on 31-of-49 (63%) field goals for the game. The Sailors also converted 12-of-13 free throws (92%) and outrebounded the Hawkeyes 31-14. Sam Medendorp led the Sailors in rebounding with eight rebounds.

“It was a great team win,” Johnson said. “I’m super happy for our school, our community and our coaches. We’ve been on a good run during the tournament. We’ve had our challenges but the guys have played some really good defense. They are sharing the ball on offense, diving on the floor for loose balls and taking charges.”

Strong regional showing

The win capped a strong regional showing that began with a 72-33 win over Niles in the regional semifinals. South turned in a sizzling shooting game against Niles as it connected on 10 three-point shots (56%) and shot 61 percent overall from the floor. The Sailors also outrebounded Niles 32-15 led by Vermaas with nine rebounds. Brinks led a balanced scoring attack with 14 points, followed by Carson Vis with 11 and Vermaas, 10. Vermaas also led on the boards with nine rebounds.

Sailors face Hudsonville Unity Christian in state quarterfinals

With their first regional title since 2019 secured, the Sailors head to the Division 2 state quarterfinals where they face long-time rival Unity Christian. The regional game is set for next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Calvin University. Ironically, the last time South Christian played in the state quarterfinals was in 2019 against the same Unity Christian Crusaders in a game that also took place at Calvin.

“It will be a lot of fun for sure,” Johnson said. “It will be a great crowd. They have a great team and are very well coached. We played them in December and we won a close one.”

South Christian defeated host Unity Christian 58-50 on Dec. 16.

14 straight wins

The Sailors bring a 23-3 record into the quarterfinal matchup. They have won 14 straight games since a loss at Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Jan. 24.

Unity Christian advanced to the state quarterfinals by defeating Grand Rapids Christian 58-56 in the regional championship game it hosted. Unity Christian brings an 18-9 record into the quarterfinals and has a five-game winning streak highlighted by a tournament win against Grand Rapids Catholic Central.     

Tri-unity Christian boys use big fourth quarter to advance to Division 4 state quarterfinals

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
The Defenders with their regional championship trophy. (Courtesy, Tri-Unity Christian)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Ahead by five points heading into the fourth quarter, Tri-unity Christian outscored Lansing Christian 18-5 to secure a 62-44 regional championship Wednesday at Fowler High School.


Roy Fogg led with 17 points in the win. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)

“Last night was a great game to watch,” said the Defender’s Coach Mark Keeler, whose team improved to 20-6 overall. “My Assistant Coach Brent Voorhees suggested we try pressing down to get them out of the rhythm and it worked. They had made 12 threes for the game. Lansing Christian is a very well coached team.”

“Roy Fogg led us with 17. He was very versatile,” Keeler said. “He has really improved his outside shot so he’s affective going to the bucket or shooting outside. What I really enjoy about this team is the versatility of the players. We never know who’s going to step up and act out some key shots.




“Jordan VanKlompenberg had a great game with his 10 points, five assists and four steals. Akais Giplaye had eight points and six rebounds. He played huge for us. Owen Rosendall knocked down two key threes right before half to give us a lead of five. Wesley Kaman came off the bench and scored 15 points for us. He was awesome.”

Jordan VanKlompenberg had 10 points, 5 assists and 4 steals in the win. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)



Division 4 State Quarterfinal

The Defenders now face Kalamazoo Phoenix (17-2) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 at Gull Lake High School.

“As far as Kalamazoo Phoenix, we know that they are a very good team,” Keeler said.

Boys Basketball: South Christian and Tri-unity advance to state quarterfinals next Tuesday

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas led with 28 points in his team’s regional final victory over Hamilton Wednesday. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Division 2

Regional 12 at Vicksburg

Regional Final: South Christian 82, Hamilton 47

(SC: Jake Vermaas, 28 points; Jake DeHaan, 24)

State Quarterfinal: South Christian (23-3) vs. Hudsonville Unity Christian (18-9) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 at Calvin University




Roy Fogg led the Defenders with 17 points. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)


Division 4

Regional 29 at Fowler

Regional Final: Tri-unity 62, Lansing Christian 44

(TU: Roy Fogg, 17 points; Wesley Kaman, 15; Jordan VanKlompenberg, 10 points, 5 assists, four steals; Owen Rosendall, 8 points; Akais Giplaye, 8 points 6 rebounds)

State Quarterfinal: Tri-Unity Christian (20-6) vs. Kalamazoo Phoenix (17-2) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 at Gull Lake

After knocking off Niles Monday, South Christian boys in regional final tonight against Hamilton

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Nate Brinks led the Sailors with 15 points in a regional semifinal win over Niles Monday. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


South Christian boys basketball Coach Taylor Johnson said he’s expecting a very physical game tonight with Hamilton in a regional final in Vicksburg.

“They are very sound and play so hard,” Taylor said. “They travel super well; it’ll be a packed environment.”

The Sailors (22-3) face Hamilton (22-4) in a regional final tonight at 7 pm in Vicksburg. The teams will fight for a spot in a Division 2 quarterfinal on Tuesday.

In a 72-33 win over Niles Monday, South Christian had 10 3’s. Nate Brinks led the way with 15 points.

Boys Basketball Coach Tyler Whittemore reflects on Godwin Heights’ season

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. (Courtesy, Godwin Heights)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



After winning its first two tournament games, including a barnburner over a great Lee team, and losing to Hudsonville Unity Christian in a district final, Godwin Heights boys basketball Coach Tyler Whittemore looks back at his team’s successful season.

“I am lucky to have one of the best backcourts in West Michigan with Damarie Thompson and Jakhary Towns,” said Whittemore, whose team finished 14-8 overall and 8-5 in the OK Silver. “Those two guys are our leaders. Damarie has a toughness and intelligence about him that helped him lead the team in assists and steals.


Jakhary Towns. (Courtesy, Troy Maleport)
Damarie Thompson. (Courtesy, Godwin Heights)

“Jakhary is a special player that has a scoring ability that he has crafted over the years. His ability to score inside and out is dangerous for other teams. He often faced specialized defenses that attempted to take that away, but he continued to find ways to be efficient and effective for our team.”



Towns led the Wolverines with 28 points per game and also registered 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals.

“We came a long way this season when it comes to consistency and providing that effort needed to be successful,” Whittemore said. “The guys truly pushed one another to be great every possession. We improved on that and were in some great games throughout the season.”

Godwin beat Lee to advance to a district final last week

Godwin beat Lee 83-80 in overtime in a district semifinal matchup. Lee finished the season atop the Alliance League at 8-0 and was 19-2 overall.

“That game was important because it was win-or-go-home,” Whittemore explained. “We trusted and followed our leaders for this game. One of our captains, Jamarion Collins, set the tone tremendously by his defensive pressure and intensity. Many of his teammates fed off of his focus and were aggressive this game.

“I believe it was the toughness and intensity of Tre’Vonte Buckley that really helped us that game. Yes, Jakhary scored a lot of points that game (47), but it was Tre’ diving for loose balls and gathering second chance opportunities for his teammates.



From left: Damarie Thompson, Jace Reid-Anderson and Tre’Vonte Buckley. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



“We knew if we just played our game, remained together, and never stopped flying around until the buzzer sounds then anything can happen.”

Whittemore said he was very fortunate to have so many great athletes that are quick and can impact a game at any point.

“A couple of seniors that stick out to me that I knew I could lean on and trust in tough spots, even if things weren’t going their way earlier in the game, are Rashaad Dorsey and Johnny Horrell,” Whittemore said. “Those guys are very mentally tough and bring much quickness to our full-court defensive pressure.”

With many seniors this year, who will step up next season?

“Big leaps are made by all players who commit themselves to the weight room and time in the gym to work on their skills,” Whittemore explained. “A few players that I am excited for next season are Ben Dolo, Jaylen Martin and Jacari Jones. The underclassmen that will impact varsity greatly are Marcos Rodriguez, Jamaan Hastings and Isaiah Guyton.”

Bus service now available to Detroit

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Travel, West Michigan, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

FlixBus will be operating a new route from Grand Rapids to Detroit and back. (Courtesy, FlixBus)

Starting this week, bus service that goes beyond the Kent County area will now be available in Grand Rapids.

FlixBus announced this week that it is bringing long distance busing back to the Grand Rapids area by starting a route that will travel to and from the Detroit area with a stop in East Lansing.

Having been present in the North American market since 2018, Munich-based Flix SE acquired Greyhound Lines In. in 2021. Recently Flix North America Inc., the Dallas-based entity overseeing operations for both Greyhound and FlixBus across North America, announced a co-integration of both brand’s booking platforms. This will allow passengers to purchase both Greyhound and FlixBus tickets on each brands’ websites to more than 2,300 destinations across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Currently only FlixBus will be serving the Grand Rapids area, said FlixBus Public Relations Manager Sean Hanft.

“If passengers make the trip to Detroit for example, they can transfer to Greyhound buses throughout the U.S., transfer to FlixBus’ domestic network in Canada and more,” Hanft said. “So it s a great expansion in local service for Grand Rapids’ travelers, as well as giving them access to connections in metropolitan areas like Detroit to more destinations across North America.”

The new route, which officially starts on Thursday, March 16, will have four stops. Two are in Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids (East) is the Cascade Meijer, 5531 28th St. Ct. SE, and Grand Rapids (Downtown) is at the downtown Burger King, 410 Pearl St. NW, near the downtown YMCA. The East Lansing stop is at 3121 E. Saginaw St, near the Frandor Shopping Center. The Detroit stop is at Grand Circus Park, 501 Park Ave.

The line will run five days a week, excluding Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It departs daily at 10:15 a.m. from Detroit, arriving at 1 p.m. in Grand Rapids. It leaves from Grand Rapids at 3:20 p.m. and arrives in Detroit at 6:30 p.m.

“Whenever FlixBus enters a new market, college students are typically among our biggest fans who need affordable, convenient transportation for holidays, weekend trips and more, that is a major factor that we take into account with every expansion,” Hanft said, adding that FlixBus is a compelling option for college students throughout the region looking for sustainable, budget-friendly travel options.

 

Tickets for Detroit to Grand Rapids trips start at $37.99 and Grand Rapids to East Lansing start at $25.99.

Just like other transportation options such as airlines and trains, FlixBus passengers have the option to pick a seat or select to not have a neighboring passenger for an additional fee. Passengers are allowed one carry-on and one stowaway luggage item with additional luggage being added for a small fee.

As FlixBus builds its Michigan network, it hopes to add new connections to other destinations such as Chicago, Hanft said.

For more about the new FlixBus line and tickets, visit FlixBus.com or the FlixBus app, and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Tri-unity uses long ball to beat Baldwin in regional semifinal Monday

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Jordan VanKlompenberg led Tri-Unity with 20 points in the Defenders 79-36 win over Baldwin in their regional semifinal Monday.



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Tri-Unity Christian made nine 3’s in the first half of its 79-36 regional semifinal win over Baldwin on Monday at Fowler High School.

The Defenders (19-6) advanced to their regional final against Lansing Christian (16-9) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Fowler.

“This was the best first half of a game this year for us,” said Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler. “We had nine 3’s in the first half and a lead of 45-23 against a team that was 22-1.”

The Defenders led 26-9 at the end of the first quarter.

Jordan VanKlompenberg led Tri-unity with 20 points, including four treys, followed by Roy Fogg, 16; Wesley Kaman, 15 (3 treys) and Akais Giplaye, 10 points, 8 rebounds. Fogg and Keaton Blanker had 5 assists apiece.

“Roy has really been working on his shot and had great rotation on the ball,” Keeler said. “Our team played great team defense. 

“Going into the regional final we know that Lansing Christian is in an extremely tough conference and will come ready to play.  It will take another excellent effort by our team to continue the run we would like to have.”

Lansing Christian beat Fruitport Calvary Christian 51-40 in its regional semifinal.

Boys Basketball: South Christian, Tri-unity advance to regional finals Wednesday

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , , , ,
Tri-unity’s Jordan VankKlompenberg led the Defenders with 20 points in his team’s regional semifinal victory. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)


By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Division 1

Regional 3 at West Ottawa

Semifinal: Hudsonville 55, Rockford 50

Semifinal: Muskegon 68, East Kentwood 48

Regional Final: Muskegon vs. Hudsonville at 7 pm Wednesday at West Ottawa

Division 2

Regional 12 at Vicksburg

Semifinal: South Christian 72, Niles 33

(SC: Nate Brinks, 15 points. The Sailors had 10 3’s.)

Semifinal: Hamilton 63, Marshall 62

Regional Final: South Christian (22-3) vs. Hamilton (22-4) at 7 pm Wednesday at Vicksburg

Division 4

Regional 29 at Fowler

Semifinal: Tri-Unity Christian 79, Baldwin 36

(TU: Jordan VanKlompenberg, 20 points; Roy Fogg, 16; Wesley Kaman, 15; Akais Giplaye, 10 points, 8 rebounds; Fogg and Keaton Blanker, 5 assists apiece)

Semifinal: Lansing Christian 51, Fruitport Calvary Christian 40

Regional Final: Tri-unity (19-6) vs. Lansing Christian (16-9) at 7 pm Wednesday at Fowler

East Kentwood boys turn up the heat on defense to stop Byron Center in district final Friday

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
The East Kentwood basketball team celebrates with the district trophy after defeating Byron Center 62-45 in the district title game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

The old saying that defense wins championships was certainly spot on for the East Kentwood basketball team in Friday’s district championship game with Byron Center.


Thanks to a stifling defense that closed like a vise as the game progressed, East Kentwood won its first district championship since 2019 by defeating Byron Center 62-45. With the win, the Falcons move on to Monday’s regional semifinal at Holland West Ottawa where they will square off with Muskegon.

Byron Center had the upper hand for most of the early going, but as the second half wore on the East Kentwood defense became a more difficult puzzle to solve for the Bulldogs. In the fourth quarter, that defense paid dividends in a big way as the Falcons quickly seized the lead and never looked back.

“March is about dancing and we want to dance after every game,” said East Kentwood Coach Michael Thomas. “We are on a mission. Our guys have all bought in and believe in our system. We have a list of goals and we are checking them off.”

Bulldogs up 15-9 to end first quarter

Byron Center came out determined to prevent the Falcons from checking off the goal of winning a district championship and at the end of the opening quarter the Bulldogs were up 15-9.

East Kentwood roared back in the early going of the second quarter with a 9-0 run that put the Falcons up 18-15. Byron Center weathered that storm and regrouped during the remainder of the half, taking a 24-20 lead into halftime.

Byron Center continued to make things difficult for the Falcons in the third quarter. Displaying patience on offense and avoiding turnovers, Byron Center built its lead to 37-30 by the end of the third quarter.

The Falcons, however, continued to play solid halfcourt defense and picked up the intensity with their full-court defense in the fourth quarter. The constant pressure began to pay off in the final quarter. Trailing 39-36, Kentwood senior guard Marshaun Flakes stepped up on defense and turned the momentum of the game totally around.


East Kentwood senior guard Marshaun Flakes (5) applies defensive pressure during the district championship game. Flakes came up with a pair of key steals in the fourth quarter to break the game open. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



With 6:36 remaining in the game, Flakes came up with a steal that he quickly turned into two points on the other end of the floor. Seconds later Flakes struck again as he stole a Bulldog pass and raced down the floor on a drive to the bucket that put the Falcons up 40-39 and whipped the large Kentwood cheering section into a frenzy.

“Marshaun reminds me of Dwyane Wade in the way that he is all over the court and can make sudden plays,” Thomas said. “He’s a slasher who can make big plays on offense or defense at any time.”

EK puts up an 18-2 run in fourth

The impact plays by Flakes highlighted an 18-2 run that East Kentwood went on to start the fourth quarter and take control of the game. The run was capped by two more buckets from Flakes that put the Falcons up 48-39 with 3:15 remaining in the game.

“We did a good job with our defense of speeding them up on offense,” Flakes said. “My teammates were playing great defense and I just rotated over and got the steals. Winning this district feels really good because there is some really good competition in this district. Our schedule was also really competitive during the season and that got us ready for the tournament.”

That run took Byron Center out of its rhythm and changed the tempo of the game. East Kentwood continued to put their foot on the gas and outscored the Bulldogs 14-6 to close out the game. Junior Christian Humphrey also gave the Falcon fans plenty to cheer about as he delivered three breakaway slam dunks in the final two minutes of the game that provided the icing on the district cake.

Flakes, who scored 12 points during the fourth quarter, led the Falcons in scoring with 22 points. Jamell Hatchett added 16 points, followed by Humphrey with 14.

With the win, East Kentwood improved to 18-6 for the season.



East Kentwood sophomore guard Jamell Hatchett sets up the offense during action in the district championship game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“This feels good,” Hatchett said. “Coach changed the culture when he came in. We all believe in each other and we are a brotherhood. That is a big reason for our success.”

Byron Center finished the season at 14-11. Austin Buckley led the Bulldogs with 21 points and Camden Karel added 13. 

South Christian wins Division 2 District at Plainwell

South Christian won the district title at the Division 2 Plainwell district in a big way. The Sailors put up 64 points on the scoreboard and limited Otsego to 29 points to earn the win. 

With the win, South Christian improved to 21-3 for the season while Otsego ended the season with an 18-5 record.

South Christian will head to the Vicksburg regional on Monday where it faces Niles.

Tri-unity wins Division 4 District at Martin

Tri-unity added another district title to its vast trophy case by turning back Zion Christian 61-27 to win the title at the Martin district.

With the win, Tri-unity improved to 18-6 for the season. Zion Christian ended the season with an 11-13 record.

Tri-unity heads to the Fowler regional on Monday where it faces Baldwin. 

Godwin Heights rallies to outlast Lee 83-80 in district semi OT thriller; Towns scores 47 points

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Godwin’s Jakhary Towns (10, far right), teammate Damarie Thompson (2) and Lee’s Clarence Lewis (11) during the district semifinal game. Towns finished with a career-high 47 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


The venerable Godwin Heights gym has seen some thrillers in its long history, but few have produced the drama that the host Wolverines and Lee produced in Wednesday’s district semifinal game.

Trailing by six points with 20 seconds remaining, Godwin tied the game and sent it into overtime where it eventually came away with an 83-80 win.

Godwin Heights senior guard Jakhary Towns turned in a game for the ages as he poured in 47 points to lead the comeback and give himself and his teammates one more game to be played on their home court.

“When we were down by six late in the fourth quarter we were talking in the huddle about getting two more stops,” Towns said. “We had a lot of energy left and we knew if we could get two more big stops, we could do it.”

Godwin’s comeback hopes received a big shot of adrenaline with 17 seconds left in the game when Towns stepped back and drained a three-point shot that cut the Lee lead in half. After a turnover by the Legends, Godwin regained the ball and Towns cut the margin to 69-67 after splitting a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining in the game.

Off to overtime at 69-all

On the ensuring inbounds play, the Godwin defense forced the second turnover it needed with 13 seconds left on the clock. Three seconds later Godwin tied the game when Towns drew a foul and connected on both free throws to tie the game at 69-69.

Lee, however, was determined to retake the lead. The Legends quickly moved the ball down the floor, but missed a pair of shots that would’ve won the game in the final seconds of regulation.

“That was crazy,” said Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. “I told the guys we needed to execute on offense and force a couple of turnovers. I told the guys whatever happens we have to stay together and that’s what we did. Everybody came through and did their jobs.”

As thrilling as the final seconds of the game were, the four-minute overtime session provided even more thrills. The two teams combined for 25 points in overtime. Like regulation, the overtime had plenty of lead changes as the two teams exchanged the lead six times.


Lee’s Marc Whitfield (0) prepares to drive to the basket as Jaylen Martin (23) of Godwin Heights defends. Whitfield led Lee with 27 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Up 75-74 with 1:36 remaining in overtime, Marc Whitfield drained a pair of free throws putting the Legends up 77-74.

Godwin Heights cut the lead to 77-76 with 1:25 remaining when Towns scored. The next basket came with 23 seconds left when Towns again delivered from long range putting the Wolverines up 79-77.

Lee split a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left to cut the margin to 79-78. With 10 seconds remaining Towns proved to be money at the free-throw line by draining two free throws to up the Godwin lead to 81-78.

Lee battled to the end and with 1.5 seconds remining in the game Whitfield scored on a drive to the hoop cutting the margin to one point before Godwin ended the game with Jaylen Martin hitting a pair of free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining.

“When we were down by six points, we still knew we could come back,” Martin said. “It was not just a one-man effort. We all had to produce if we were going to come back and win this game.”


Lee’s Joe Russau (14) and Marc Whitfield (0) and Godwin Heights’ Jaylen Martin (23) line up along the lane during a free-throw attempt during a Division 2 semifinal game Wednesday at Godwin. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Towns, who scored a career-high 47 points, delivered five three-point baskets during the game along with scoring on numerous drives to the hoop.

“It feels great,” Towns said. “I’ve never been to a district final during my four years of high school. To have a game like this on my home court is special.”

Along with the 47 points from Towns, Godwin received 12 points from Damarie Thompson, eight from Jamarion Collins and seven from Tre’Vonte Buckley.

“Jaylen Martin was a big, big part of this win,” Whittemore said. “He has just dug in and gotten better all season. He played some great defense tonight.”

With the win, Godwin Heights improved to 14-7 for the season and will host Unity Christian for the district championship Friday after Unity defeated Grand Rapids Catholic Central 57-55 in the other semifinal game.

Lee finishes exceptional season with big turnaround

Lee finished the season with a 19-2 record and first place in the Alliance League at 8-0.

“This team really laid the foundation for our program going forward,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “Every one of our players left everything they had on the court. I’m so proud of our players and so proud of our coaching staff.



“We won only five games last year so to go 19-2 this year is a big turnaround. We also became the first Lee team in 43 years to win a conference championship.”

Whitfield scores 27

Junior Marc Whitfield led Lee with 27 points, followed by Clarence Lewis, 18; Joe Russau, 16; Ny’Zhem Marshall, 10 and Troy Fox, nine.

“You have to salute their senior guard Jakhary Towns,” Shannon said. “He had a great game tonight. We knew he was one of the keys. We put our best defender, Clarence Lewis, on him and he made it hard on him. He just was hitting shot after shot. They played well. You have to give them credit.” 

Woodland Mall to feature Mad Hatter Tea Party and seasonal photo ops with Easter Bunny

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, West Michigan, West Michigan Design Week
(Courtesy, Woodland Mall)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



As the end of winter nears, Woodland Mall invites guests to celebrate the start of spring with its whimsical Mad Hatter Tea Party and springtime bunny photo opportunities.

The Mad Hatter Tea Party will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 18. The Alice in Wonderland-themed event will include special appearances by Alice and the Mad Hatter himself.

There also will be spring-themed crafts, snacks and games until 1 p.m. The event will mark the return of seasonal photo opportunities, available through Saturday, April 8.

(Courtesy, Woodland Mall)


“Our Mad Hatter Tea Party is a fun and interactive twist on the classic Lewis Carroll story with activities that are entertaining for the child in all of us,” said Mikia Ross, interim senior marketing director. “Children can create their own Mad Hatter hat, enjoy tea and cookies and take family portraits as part of the fun.”

Photos with the bunny will be offered in the Macy’s Court from noon to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. For the last weekend, extended hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. will be offered on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8. 




(Courtesy, Woodland Mall)



Beginning March 20, pets can join in for photos from noon to 7 p.m. every Monday through April 3. Feathered and whiskered pets of all kinds are welcome as long as they are kept on a leash or in a carrier at all times. Owners also must sign a release prior to visiting.

 

Digital photo packages are available with add-ons such as prints and frames. Reservations are encouraged and can be made online. Walk-up visits are permitted when space is available.

More information on the Mad Hatter Tea Party can be found at ShopWoodlandMall.com.

Kentwood Traffic Alert for Thursday, March 9

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan,
(Image Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org


A temporary four-way stop will be in place Thursday, March 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the intersection of 32nd Street SE and Breton Avenue SE while traffic signal maintenance is completed. 

 

Drivers are asked to use caution when driving through the area and to be prepared for delays. If possible, it is recommended to seek an alternate route to avoid possible slowdowns.

 

For more information or questions, contact the Department of Public Works at 616-554-0817 or ePublicWorks@kentwood.us. 

East Kentwood wrestler Corey Mitchell shows strength as leader, eclipses expectations

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
East Kentwood wrestler Corey Mitchell won first place in the OK Red tournament at 215 lbs. earlier this season. (Courtesy, Sara Kohns)



By D.A. Reed

WKTV Contributor



East Kentwood wrestler Corey Mitchell shows that strength and sportsmanship go hand in hand.

With 27 pins on the wrestling mat this season, and a record of 36-8, Mitchell is no stranger to showing physical strength. His senior year of high school brought the OK Red Conference and District titles at 215-lbs, as well as state tournament qualification for 2023.

“He has eclipsed even his own expectations,” said EK wrestling Coach Eric Foster.

But Foster said physical strength and skill are only part of what make Mitchell a great team leader.

“We look for hard-working, strong, and dedicated athletes,” Foster. “As a teammate, we are looking for individuals who care for their teammates and support each other to be the best they can.”

Mitchell embodies those characteristics.

“Corey has had moments off the mat where he demonstrated a strong leadership with the team,” Foster said. “He is a loud supporter of each teammate when they are on the mat and has encouraging words for them in times of difficulty.”

Not all about the medals

While Mitchell’s accomplishments are numerous, he doesn’t mention medals or awards when asked about the highlights of his wrestling season. Instead, his attention turns toward relationships with teammates and having friends and family present at meets.

“The highlight of my wrestling career would be the sounds of my friends and family that cheer me on while I wrestle,” Mitchell said. “Even if sometimes I don’t live up to their expectations, I know they respect me as their captain.”

Sara Kohns, Mitchell’s mother, says she sees both the team spirit and the hard work her son puts in on a daily basis.


“I have faith in him that he is going to do great regardless of if he wins or not. Corey has the heart.”

That heart extends to more than just wrestling.

Football also is a big part of Mitchell’s life, and he plans to pursue football in college while majoring in Business. Three colleges have already extended offers to include Mitchell as part of their football team, including Kalamazoo College and Olivet College.


East Kentwood wrestler Corey Mitchell won first place in the OK Red tournament at 215 lbs. earlier this season. (Courtesy, Sara Kohns)



When asked about professional athletic role models, Mitchell admitted, “I don’t really watch any type of sports; I know it’s something that can boost my craft as an athlete. But I like learning upfront.”

The youngest of Kohns’ three sons, Mitchell is described as quiet yet dedicated by both his mother and coach.

“He is quiet, but a great listener and follows directions,” Kohn said. “Corey has taught me so much from watching him wrestle … he is the total package and one awesome son.”

‘Hard-working student athlete’

Foster has a similar view of the athlete.

“Corey is a hard-working student athlete who loves playing football and being part of a team,” Foster said. “He is a dedicated son and quiet soul. Corey lets his actions speak for him in most instances and has excelled throughout.”

Mitchell enjoys working out when he isn’t wrestling or playing football, but he also understands the importance of keeping his grades up, admitting that he does “a lot of homework.”

Kohns says Mitchell’s journey is one she is proud of: “I have loved every minute of watching him grow into the young man he has become!”



D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author

Check out the local boys basketball district brackets for First Round and Semis

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
First Round of the local boys basketball district tournaments on Monday, March 6. (WKTV/Scott Baisden)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Semifinals of the local boys basketball district tournaments on Wednesday, March 8. (WKTV/Scott Baisden)

Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show HERE, March 3!

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights right now, Friday, March 3!


Check out our local girls district final highlights here (East Kentwood, South Christian and Potter’s House) and our boys district bracket preview.



Thanks for watching, and see you next Friday!



East Kentwood girls fall short against Byron Center in district final; Potter’s House and South Christian also runners-up

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
East Kentwood’s Jaevym Montgomery (11) and Santana Eubanks (5) look to stop Byron Center’s McKenna Ferguson (23) during Friday’s Division 1 district title game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



Led by one of the top players in West Michigan, Byron Center put an end to the season for the East Kentwood girls basketball team Friday evening.



Byron Center junior Lillian Zeinstra poured in 33 points and led the Bulldogs to a 69-57 decision over East Kentwood in a Division 1 district championship game at Wyoming High School.



Zeinstra, who is committed to play her college basketball at Butler University, not only gave East Kentwood problems with her scoring skills, but the multi-dimensional guard also played havoc with Kentwood’s pressure defense with her ability to handle the basketball and took advantage of Kentwood’s lack of size on the defensive boards. Making Zeinstra’s effort even more impressive was the fact she overcame an ankle injury in the second quarter.

“I think Lily showed her grit tonight,” said East Kentwood Coach Eric Large. “You could see it when she got banged up. I think one of her greatest assets is her leadership. Her rebounding is also a big asset. We missed a lot of 50-50 shots and she was there to get the rebound. One of our strong points is our defensive pressure and she was also able to take that away from us with the way she handles the ball against our pressure.”



East Kentwood’s Harmonie Belton (1) looks over the Byron Center defense during action in their Division 1 district championship game. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



East Kentwood stayed close in the game’s early going until Byron Center closed out the opening stanza with a 6-2 run to take an 18-13 lead into the second quarter. Zeinstra was at the heart of the run on offense for Byron Center as she scored 13 of the Bulldogs’ 18 first-quarter points.

Byron Center stretched the lead to 24-15 midway through the second quarter before Zeinstra fell to the floor with an ankle injury. After limping off the floor, Zeinstra came back into the game two minutes later and helped Byron Center take a 31-20 lead into halftime.

“Lily is one of our team leaders,” said Byron Center Coach Jen Slot. “She rolled her ankle in the second quarter, but was able to tough it out. She had a really nice game tonight and gave it everything she had. She does whatever it takes to win.”



Falcons cut lead in half

East Kentwood quickly cut the deficit in half in the early moments of the second half. Harmonie Belton came up with back-to-back steals that led to back-to-back three-pointers by Sophia Wozniak, cutting the margin to five points just a minute into the third quarter.

Byron Center, however, quickly regrouped and outscored Kentwood 8-2 to regain a double-digit lead at 39-28. The two teams then traded buckets the remainder of the third quarter with Byron Center up 48-36 going into the final quarter.

With Zeinstra and senior guard McKenna Ferguson handling East Kentwood’s defensive pressure in the final quarter, the Falcons were unable to get the margin under double figures the remainder of the game.



East Kentwood’s Jaevym Montgomery (11) and Tianna Daye (23) prepare to box out Byron Center’s Lillian Zeinstra (10). Zeinstra finished the game with 33 points for Byron Center. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“I think in the second half we came out and matched their intensity,” Large said. “I think we were a little tight in the first half. Our tallest players are 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-7 so we had a tough time matching up with them on the boards. Our kids fought to the end and I was proud of them.”

Makayla Porter led East Kentwood with 16 points and Tianna Daye added 13. Sophia Wozniak scored nine points, followed by Harmonie Belton and Santana Eubanks with six apiece.



East Kentwood closed out the season with a 16-8 overall record and finished third in the O-K Red at 9-5.

Large said girls should ‘hold their heads high’

“I’m not disappointed with the season at all,” Large said. “The girls should hold their heads high. They continued to get better all season. I saw a lot of improvement all throughout the season. The O-K Red is the toughest conference in the state and I’m proud of the way my girls battled the entire way.”



Large also is looking forward to next season.

“We had two seniors on the team, Jaevym Montgomery and Tianna Daye, and both of them were all-conference players,” Large said. “We will miss both of them. We will have five or six juniors returning and Landen Smith is a sophomore who really played well tonight. We will have some good players to build around next season.”

Byron Center improved to 21-3 win the win. The Bulldogs were champions of the O-K White Conference this season with a 14-0 record. Along with 33 points from Zeinstra, the Bulldogs received 13 points from Makenna Crandell and 12 from McKenna Ferguson. 

     

Division 2 District Championship at Kelloggsville:

Grand Rapids Christian defeated South Christian 49-41

South Christian ended the season with a 16-8 record and finished second place in the O-K Gold at 10-4.


Division 3 District Championship at Calvin Christian:

NorthPointe Christian beat Potter’s House 41-24

Potter’s House ended the season with an 18-7 record and won the Alliance League title at 7-0 for the second straight year.

Tuesday night boys basketball scores and team leaders, February 28

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Ny’Zhem Marshall had 33 points and 10 rebounds in Lee’s win over Benton Harbor Countryside Tuesday. (Photo Courtesy, Lee High School)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Lee 76, Benton Harbor Countryside 50

(LEE: Ny’Zhem Marshall, 33 points, 10 rebounds; Marc Whitfield and Joe Russau, 10 points apiece; Whitfield, 11 boards and 15 assists; Russau, 10 boards)


Jake Vermaas led South Christian with 23 points in a win over East Kentwood Tuesday.



South Christian 64, East Kentwood 48

(SC: Jake Vermaas, 23 points; Jake DeHaan, 21; Carson Vis, 12. EK: Marshaun Flakes, 14 points; Christian Humphrey and Darryl Thompkins Jr., 11 apiece)







Tri-unity 63, Fennville 40

(TU: Roy Fogg, 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists; Keaton Blanker, 10 points)



Unity Christian 69, Wyoming 61

(WY: Alyjah Chandler, 22 points; Avonte’ Wiggins, 17)


West Michigan Aviation’s Luke Riebel led with 20 points in his team’s win over Allegan Tuesday. (Courtesy, Austin Riebel)


West Michigan Aviation 74, Allegan 42

(WMAA: Luke Riebel, 20 points, 2 steals, 4 turnovers; Ethan Dyksterhouse, 18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 5 blocks; Heath Tamlyn, 16 points, 1 steal, 2 turnovers)

South Christian boys beat East Kentwood in showdown of league champions Tuesday

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas (0) and Sam Medendorp (20) try to box out East Kentwood’s Christian Humphrey (35) in the lane. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

It was a showdown of two of the hottest teams in West Michigan Tuesday as OK Gold co-champion South Christian hosted OK Red champion East Kentwood. The matchup also featured two of the premier defensive teams in the area and defense proved to be the difference as South Christian defeated East Kentwood 64-48.

The Sailors entered the game riding a nine-game winning streak while Kentwood came in with seven consecutive wins. Both teams have relied on defense during their winning streaks and defense dictated the course of the game.

South Christian came out and established its defense early as the Sailors held Kentwood to a single bucket by Darryl Thompkins Jr. in the opening quarter. South Christian, meanwhile, put up 13 points during the opening quarter to build a double-digit lead and the Sailors kept the lead in double figures for nearly the remainder of the game.



South Christian’s Sam Medendorp (20), Jake DeHaan (3) and Carson Vis (11) talk strategy as East Kentwood’s Marshaun Flakes (5) looks on. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“I thought our defense was just great early in the game,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “We knew that if we wanted to beat Kentwood we would have to have a great defensive effort and that’s what we had. They have some great players. They have three all-conference guards, but our defense was great tonight. We also rebounded the ball well.



“On most of their possessions we held them to one shot and that was just as important for us.”

South Christian continued to play strong defense in the second quarter. The Sailors came close to holding Kentwood to single figures in the quarter as the Falcons put up 11 points during the period. South also built on its lead with some timely buckets on the other end of the floor. Jake Vermaas led the way on offense for the Sailors in the second quarter pumping in seven points to help South build a 28-13 halftime lead.

“It just wasn’t our night tonight,” said East Kentwood Coach Michael Thomas. “We were not able to play our style of play. We did not get any rewards for going to the basket. I thought our guys played hard, but hats off to South Christian, they are a great team.”

East Kentwood chipped away at the South Christian lead during the early stages of the second half. Kentwood opened the second half with an 8-2 run and cut the Sailor lead to 30-21 after a steal and layup by Marshaun Flakes midway through the third quarter. That would prove to be as close as the Falcons would get in the second half as South Christian responded with six consecutive points to build the lead back to 15 points at 36-21. South Christian headed into the fourth quarter up 44-25 as Vermaas closed out the third by hitting a three-point shot at the buzzer.

East Kentwood trims lead in fourth, but Sailors squash the rally

South Christian carried that momentum into the final quarter as the Sailors outscored Kentwood 8-5 to start the quarter and built the lead to 52-30. Kentwood managed to whittle the lead down to 10 points at 54-44 when Flakes scored off a steal with 3:05 remaining. The Sailors, however, squashed any hopes of a late rally by closing out the game on a 10-4 run.

The Sailors, who finished the regular season at 19-3 overall and 13-1 in the conference, were led by Vermaas with 23 points. Jake DeHaan added 21, followed by Carson Vis, 12 and Sam Medendorp, eight.

On to district play

South Christian now turns its focus to the state tournament that begins next week at their district in Plainwell. South has a bye in the first round and faces the winner of Hastings and Grand River Prep in the semifinals next Wednesday.

“I’m proud of these guys,” Johnson said. “They have had a heck of a season. I feel like we are playing our best basketball of the season right now. This team has just gotten better and better as the season has gone on.



“We have to stay humble and play the right way. Our defense is getting better and better. That is our culture and that has got to carry us.”

Flakes led East Kentwood with 14 points, followed by Christian Humphrey and Darryl Thompkins Jr., 11 apiece and Jamell Hatchett added nine.

East Kentwood, which finished the regular season at 16-6 overall, 11-3 in the conference, heads south to Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg for their district next week. The Falcons play the winner of Middleville and Ottawa Hills next Wednesday.

“I think we have some momentum heading into March,” Thomas said. “We have to go to the drawing board and touch up a few things. We have to make sure we don’t come out and start the game the way we did tonight.”

Girls District Tournament Update: East Kentwood, South Christian, Potter’s House Advance to Finals

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org

Division 1

District 12 (at Wyoming)

East Kentwood 72, Caledonia 56

East Grand Rapids 65, Wyoming 50

Semifinals: East Kentwood 61, Thornapple Kellogg 27

Semifinals: Byron Center 63, East Grand Rapids 39

DISTRICT FINAL: East Kentwood (16-7) vs. Byron Center (20-3) at 7 pm Friday at Wyoming

Division 2

District 42 (at West Catholic)

Sparta 59, Lee 7

District 43 (at Kelloggsville)

Godwin Heights 60, Grand River Prep 23

Semifinals: Grand Rapids Christian defeated Godwin Heights

Semifinals: South Christian 42, Kelloggsville 16

(SC: Lizzie Wolthuis, 11 points; Emerald Hoekwater, 9)

DISTRICT FINAL: South Christian (16-7) vs. Grand Rapids Christian (17-5) at 7 pm Friday at Kelloggsville

District 44 (at Lakewood)

Hastings 61, West Michigan Aviation 16

Division 3

District 75 (at Grandville Calvin Christian)

Potter’s House 43, Saranac 32

Semifinals: Potter’s House 57, GR Covenant Christian 54 (Double OT)

(PH: Anyieth Nhial, 20 points; Emily Baez (freshman), 18 points; Isabelle Baez, 9 points and 5 steals; Joy McClendon, 9 points and 6 rebounds)

Semifinals: NorthPointe Christian 48, Grandville Calvin Christian 45

DISTRICT FINAL: Potter’s House (18-6) vs. NorthPointe Christian (16-7) at 7 pm Friday at Grandville Calvin Christian

Division 4

District 115 (at Decatur)

Zion Christian 41, Decatur 29

Semifinals: Martin 45, Zion Christian 35

East Kentwood defeats Hudsonville Friday to win OK Red Conference title

City of Kentwood, Sports, West Michigan, ,
East Kentwood celebrates a win over Hudsonville Friday, which gave the Falcons the OK Red title. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



After his East Kentwood basketball team defeated Hudsonville 61-49 to clinch the OK Red Conference championship Friday, Kentwood coach Mike Thomas said the Falcons have the best high school atmosphere in all of America.

With the way the Falcons ignited the home crowd, few people would doubt him.

Some of the veterans of the East Kentwood sports scene said the Kentwood fieldhouse hasn’t been as loud as it was Friday since the days of Loy Vaught in the mid-1980s. With the conference title on the line, the Falcons gave their fans plenty to cheer about.

Falcons down early

After falling behind 15-3 in the first quarter, the Falcons whipped the crowd into a frenzy as they stormed back at the start of the second quarter to take a 22-18 lead.

As it has all season, defense provided the fuel for the rally. East Kentwood began the second quarter by reeling off 14 unanswered points to turn a 15-6 deficit into a 20-15 lead. Marshaun Flakes, Darryl Thompkins Jr. and Christian Humphrey all came up with key steals to ignite the rally while Humphrey also came up with a big blocked shot.


East Kentwood’s Darryl Thompkins Jr. (No. 2), Christian Humphrey and Marshaun Flakes came up with key steals to ignite a big second quarter rally in the win. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)

 

“I think we came out a little flat,” Thomas said. “We switched to a zone defense in the second quarter and I thought that caused them some problems.”

Hudsonville, however, was not about to fold in the battle of the conference co-leaders in a winner-take-all final game of the conference season.

Hudsonville back on top in the third

Hudsonville surged ahead in the third quarter with a run of its own to take a 35-30 lead. Kentwood then closed the third quarter strong to regain a 40-38 edge going into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter saw the Falcons again turn up the heat on defense. East Kentwood held Hudsonville scoreless the first four minutes of the final quarter. During that span the Falcons extended the lead to 47-38.

East Kentwood closed even closer to its first conference title in several seasons when it built the lead to double digits at 53-43 with 1:14 remaining in the game.

Hudsonville made one final run, and in the next 30 seconds cut the Falcon lead to 53-49 after three-point buckets by Griffin Baker and Gibson Heethuis.

The Falcons were not to be denied, however, and closed out the game with an exclamation point by scoring eight unanswered points in the final 47 seconds. The run was capped by back-to-back dunks from Humphrey and Flakes in the final 10 seconds of the game that brought the house down.

‘Best high school basketball atmosphere’

“I’ve coached at a lot of special places, but this is by far the best,” said Thomas, in his first season coaching the Falcons. “I’ve never experienced a crowd like this in high school. I believe we have the best high school basketball atmosphere in all the USA. With the replay screen, our student section. They are like a sixth-man for us.

Marshaun Flakes led East Kentwood with 23 points. Photo from a previous game. (WKTV/ Greg Chrapek)



“We haven’t won a conference title in like seven or eight years and to win it in my first year here is special. I’m new to this community and the community has been so welcoming. I wanted to give them something back, but this is just the beginning.”

Senior Marshaun Flakes led East Kentwood in scoring with 23 points. The win was extra special for Flakes who is one of the seniors on this year’s squad.

“It feels real good,” Flakes said. “I haven’t won anything at all in my four years here. This was one of our goals this year. It was great to see all the fans come out and it feels even greater to get the win.”

Fellow senior Christian Humphrey added 14 points, followed by Darryl Thompkins Jr. with 10.



“We really came together as a team this year,” Hatchett said. “The way we have been winning is with our defense. That is the way we came back tonight. Winning the title feels great.”

 

With the win, East Kentwood finished the conference season with an 11-3 record and improved to 16-5 overall.

Brayden Szamrej led Hudsonville with 15 points and Mason Dykstra with 14 points. The Eagles finished the league season at 10-4 and fell to 15-6 overall.

Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show HERE, February 24!

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights right now, Friday, February 24!



Every Friday, we’ll bring you some great high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.



Thanks for watching, and see you next Friday!

Friday night basketball scores and team leaders, Feb. 24

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


Friday, Feb. 24 Boys Basketball

South Christian 80, Cedar Springs 41 WKTV Game of the Week

Sailors OK Gold Champions

(SC: Jake DeHaan, 25 points; Sam Medendorp, 20)

East Kentwood 61, Hudsonville 49

Falcons OK Red Champions 11-3

(EK: Marshaun Flakes, 20 points)

Wyoming 59, Zeeland East 43

(WY: Alyjah Chandler, 15 points, 9 rebounds; Donavyn Edwards, 11 points, 6 assists, 6 steals)

Covenant Christian 56, WMA 52

(WMA: Luke Riebel, 24 points, 3 steals; Heath Tamlyn and Ethan Dyksterhouse, 10 points apiece)

Potter’s House 74, Fremont 55

(PH: Quincy Winkle, 20 points)

Tri-Unity Christian 78, Wellspring Prep 31

(TU: All 13 players scored for Tri-Unity. Jordan VanKlompenberg, 13 points; Dylan Bruinsma, 11)

Godwin Heights 84, Kelloggsville 66

Friday, Feb. 24 Girls Basketball

South Christian 63, Cedar Springs 26 WKTV Game of the Week

(SC: Lizzie Wolthuis, 13 points; Sophia Prins, 12)

Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights

Wyoming at Zeeland East

Hudsonville 49, East Kentwood 40