Category Archives: WKTV Featured sports

In 3rd year of new program, Wyoming Wolves show improved offense, senior leadership

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Sports, WKTV Featured sports,
Wyoming quarterback Matthew Berg (11) reacts to a Wolves touchdown in a game at Northview Sept. 6. (Curtis Holt)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

In the third year of Wyoming High School football coach Irvin Sigler’s reboot of the Wolves program, the coach and his team are probably disappointed with their win/loss record in the tough OK Conference Gold.

But the Wolves’s offensive mindset is showing impressive improvement, the team opened their new field in equally impressive fashion, and Sigler’s 2019-20 senior class continues to show the leadership he wants.

Sigler talked to WKTV this week about his Wolves, currently 3-5 (1-4 in conference) with a Friday, Oct. 25, game at East Grand Rapids remaining on the season. And he started with his team’s ability to stay focused and positive after a 1-4 start to the season.

“Our coaching staff and players believe in each other,” Sigler said. “Trust is a critical part of building a team. We have a great time on the practice field and a relentless belief in what we are doing. It’s truly a team effort. Most importantly our players know that they are loved by our coaches.”

That belief in the system led to two impressive wins in weeks 6 and 7 — a 57-51 overtime win at Holland West Ottawa on Nov. 4 and a 47-0 win over Wayland on Nov. 11 as the Wolves opened their newly refurbished field at the high school.

But the team’s scoring outbursts in those two wins were only two signs of the increased offensive prowess of the Wolves. Even in losses, the offense has been scoring points.

As evidence, Wyoming scored 158 points in nine games in 2017-18, Sigler’s first season as head coach, and 132 in 2018-19 — but the Wolves have totaled 279 points in eight games so far this season.

The Wyoming offensive line, from the Wolves game at Northview Sept. 6. (Curtis Holt)

“We’ve got some very skilled guys on our offense,” coach said. “The four Parks have really been a key. We moved DeMari and Marion to running back after some injuries and they blossomed. Monte is an excellent receiver and Deion helps lead our offensive line.

“Mahki Matthews, Payton Lee and Matt Berg have also played very well. The key to everything is our offensive line. Getting Austin Bruce back from an ankle sprain was a big boost.”

De’marion, Diamonte and Dion Parks are seniors, as are Lee and Bruce. DeMari Parks is a junior, as are Matthews and Berg.

Sigler also pointed out several other seniors who have been leaders for the Wolves.

“Logan Cox, Dale Cross and Keeingg Briggs are three guys that come to mind — all have played exceptionally well,” he said. “ Our kicker, Adel Odobasek, has become a great leader in our special teams and has improved greatly.”

But plenty of other underclassmen have played and played well.

Maybe the biggest returner next season, however, will be a return to the Wolves’s new home field — the arrival of which this season was a boost to the team, Sigler said.

“The change in our mindset, with the opportunity to be in the new field, came at a great time,” he said. “While many teams are going through the grind of doing the same thing daily, we had an amazing new facility to jump start our season.”

And he expects that home field advantage, as well as overall program improvement, to carry on in the future.

“We must play our best at home and that is the mindset we are working to build,” Sigler said.

Lee boys soccer team, walking hallways with pride, preps for Districts after sharing conference title

Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports,
Lee High School’s boys soccer team preps for District tournament play. (Photo Credit: WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

After a 17-1 regular season, and being crowned co-champions of the OK Conference Silver, the Lee High School Legends boys soccer team is preparing for another run at a District title next week at Hudsonville Unity Christian and — hopefully — another shot at a Unity Christian squad which knocked them out in the District finals last season.

But first things first. As his team practiced this week, Lee coach Jaime Ramirez talked to WKTV about his team having a week off after a great regular season, detailed his top players, and his belief that this year’s team has brought their own bit of pride to the school.

Oh, and ya. There is that thing about “the kids” wanting a rematch with Unity Christian.

“It is a fantastic season so far, the kids are playing so good,” Ramariez said. “They earned this (conference co-championship) because they are doing the job on the field. … There is a little (school) pride in this team this year.”

Ramirez gives some of the credit for the school pride to Lee Middle and High School’s new principal, Candy VanBuskirk, who in addition to her impressive educational background played and coached basketball at the collegiate level — “This year the new principal is doing good job announcing (game results) every morning when we play, how we did.”

There was a lot of good news announced, as far as the soccer team’s season was concerned.

The Legends outscored their regular season opponents 81-12, with their only loss being a 1-0 setback to conference co-champion Grandville Calvin Christian, which the Legends beat early in the season, 2-1.

While scoring has not been a problem for the Legends this season, Ramirez still thinks they can do better and he is using the team’s 10-day layoff to “adjust” some things.

The long layoff “is kind of bad because the kids don’t get to play,” he said. “But it is kind of good too because the kids get to rest and I am able to adjust some things, what we’ve been struggling on, like targeting or scoring goals. That is my main thing right now.”

Lee High School’s boys soccer team huddles, from an early season game. (Photo Credit: WKTV)

Senior-led but but with plenty of young stars

The Legends are deep and talented with both offensive and defensive position players, according to their coach.

Senior co-captain and midfielder Raúl Montañez has 10 goals and six assists this season, junior co-captain and midfielder Gerardo Montañez has scored 10 goals and has eight assists, sophomore midfielder Edgar Vazquez leads the team in assists with 16 while adding five goals. But the team’s scoring leader is co-captain Michael Esqueda with 19 goals and five assists this season.

Senior forward Tristan Perez has played through injuries but still contributed nine goals and 10 assists.

On what has been a smothering defense, sophomore Alexandro Ruiz “improved so much and … (is a) very solid defender”, Ramirez said, while junior Gustavo Romero has also anchored the back line. Senior goalkeeper Jorge Montes blocked two penalty kicks, has 25 saves and six shutouts.

Two younger players who have contributed to the team’s success are junior Wili Diaz and Jacob Flores, who has played both on the field and in goal. “Definably he (Flores) will be my main goalkeeper next season, but he did an outstanding job as a defender,” Ramirez said.

District tournament outlook

Coach Ramirez said he and his team are not looking past their first game of the District 35 tournament, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 15, at a time to be determined, when they will play the winner of an opening round contest between Grand Rapids Catholic and Grand Rapids West Catholic. But, should they win, they know which team they’d like to see in the District finals.

“We have to beat anybody that is going to be in our way, regardless of who it is,” Ramirez said. “If we come out and play a bad game, and they beat us up, then we don’t have anything to say. But if we play good, it doesn’t matter who we play, if we play good, we beat them.”

And as far as that rematch with Unity Christian — “The kids are looking for that rematch because they think they can do better this year than we did last year.”

Home and away: WKTV featured game is Wyoming, South Christian in early-OK Gold clash

Education, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, ,

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Wyoming High School’s football team will be at home this week when the visiting South Christian comes to Davies Memorial Field at Wyoming Junior High for a key game in both teams’ season goal to be a factor in the OK Conference Gold title race.

But will it matter that this week’s WKTV High School Sports Featured Game of the Week is on home turf for the Wolves with the Sailors facing a mostly opposing crowd?

Wyoming is 1-2 (0-1 in OK Gold in early-season action) while South Christian is 2-1 (1-0), with the Wolves only win coming at home, and the Sailors only loss on the road.

For all WKTV’s local high schools — including East Kentwood, Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville, Wyoming Lee and Tri-unity Christian — the football teams are 6-1 at home and 3-10 on the road.

WKTV talked to both head coaches — South Christian’s Danny Brown and Wyoming high’s Irvin Sigler — and while both agree that “they don’t call it home field advantage for nothing”, what happens on the field usually means more.

The coaches also talked about what their team has done well so far this year, and their respect for the opposing head coach and the opposing programs.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

With memories and, hopefully, tradition carried over, Wyoming high to honor Coach VerDuin with field ceremonies

City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Faces, Local History, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports, ,
Wyoming High School’s football team practicing at their soon-to-be ex-home field this week. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

When Wyoming High School’s football team plays its last game at Davies Memorial Field this week, at the current middle school but at what was once Wyoming Park high, those in attendance will have many memories of games and players on the field.

Jack VerDuin, in a historic photo from Wyoming High School Athletic Department Facebook page.

And the Friday, Sept. 20, game pitting the Wolves against the visiting South Christian Sailors will also be filled with memories of the late Jack VerDuin, who rolled up a 243-118-6 record with the Wyoming Park Vikings before the school merged with Wyoming Rogers into Wyoming high in 2012.

The Friday game will be the first part of a two-part, two-home game special event for Wyoming high as the Wolves will honor VerDuin during their last varsity football game at Davies field before moving to the new football stadium for a Oct. 11 home game.

One person who will have special memories, especially at this week’s game, will be Ted Hollern, Wyoming High School Athletic Director, who remembers VerDuin as an opposing coach, mentor and friend.

Ted Hollern, Wyoming High School Athletic Director. (WKTV)

“I can remember, as a high school student, playing against Jack VerDuin’s teams and how good they were,” Hollern said this week to WKTV. “They were well coached. What a machine they had operating.

“And then (later) … I was at Wyoming Rogers, when he was at Park … to be able to rub shoulders with him. At the time, I was a young football coach … you know, I could pick up on some of his ideas. I was the head football coach at Rogers and he was still coaching here. We shared a lot of time together.”

There will also be many memories by VerDuin’s family and many friends who will be in attendance at the game, set to start at 7 p.m. The Jack VerDuin family will be there as they will be announced as our Honorary Captains for the game.

VerDuin, who died in 2007, coached the Vikings for 38 seasons beginning in 1962. During the years, Wyoming Park won 19 conference championships and the Class B state championship in 1984, a 33-20 victory over Monroe Catholic Central. The Vikings were state runner-up in 1985, falling to Dearborn Divine Child 21-0.

VerDuin is a member of the Wyoming Hall of Fame, Grand Rapids Hall of Fame, Michigan High School Hall of Fame and the Michigan Football Hall of Fame.

Clearly Coach VerDuin and his “Mighty Vikings” built a tradition of excellence — a tradition which Hollern hopes can carry over from the “the house that Jack built” at Davies field to the new football stadium.

“I think of all the players and coaches who have played here, at what was Wyoming Park. How many championships they won. The tradition they had,” Hollern said. “I just think it will be great to remember some of their past, and some of their accomplishments, and then hope that tradition, those accomplishments, kind of springboard into the new place.”

For a story on the new football stadium, and how students and staff at Wyoming high are anticipating its opening, see a School News Network story here.

The South Christian vs. Wyoming Community Night Football Game at Wyoming Junior High will be the WKTV High School Sports Featured Game of the Week, with on-demand video replay available at WKTVLive.org.

(For a WKTV video preview of the game, visit here.)

The game will have a 7 p.m. kick-off, but, among many special events, will have a Jack VerDuin Family Night pregame with a hospitality tent opening at 5:15 p.m. in the north end zone, with all family and friends welcome.

Local football wrap: East Kentwood survives Caledonia; Godwin, Lee and Tri-unity gain first wins

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports,
The Sept. 13 East Kentwood vs. Caledonia football game is available on-demand at WKTVlive.org. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

At East Kentwood High School Friday, the Falcons rallied for 13 points in the fourth quarter — on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Christian Tanner to Josh Ledesma and a 4-yard run by Ledesma — to overcome a 14-10 Caledonia advantage and gain a 23-14 win.

The East Kentwood win Sept. 13 pushed the Falcons to 2-1 on the season and began their OK Conference Red slate with a home win over the Fighting Scots (1-2). East Kentwood had posted a 10-0 first half lead on 25-yard field goal by Tanner and a 51-yard pass from Tanner to Colton Emeott. Tanner was 13-of-23 passing for 198 yards while Drapher Cribbs led the team in rushing with 56 yards on 15 carries.

The Caledonia at East Kentwood game was the WKTV High School Sports Featured Game, with on-demand replays of the game available at WKTVlive.org. This week’s featured game will be South Christian at Wyoming high.

South Christian also pushed their record to 2-1 with a 42-0 win at home over Wayland to open the Sailors’ OK Gold schedule. In the game, short runs by Daniel Possett and Chase Bradman, with extra point kicks by Jeff Heerema, staked South Christian to a 14-0 first half lead. Two more rushing touchdowns by Possett, the second a 29-yard scamper, and a short run by Eli Smith pushed the score to 35-0 to enter the fourth quarter.

Also on Sept. 13, Wyoming high (1-2) lost at Grand Rapids Christian (1-2), 54-14.

In other local football action, Godwin Heights (1-2) and Wyoming Lee (1-2) both gained their first wins of the season. The Wolverines defeated Wyoming Kelloggsville (0-3) 36-14 in the OK Sliver opener for both teams. (Due to three teams in the conference playing non-conference football schedules, the two teams will meet later in the season at Kelloggsville.) For more information on the Lee Legends win, see a story here.

Tri-unity Christian won a 8-Man Midwest Central conference game at Lawrence, 40-28.

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

East Kentwood, lessons learned, returns home for key OK Red game against Caledonia

City of Kentwood, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Featured sports,
East Kentwood High School’s football team at practice this week. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

There was no shame in East Kentwood High School’s season opening game loss at Muskegon Mona Shores — a team that went 12-2 last year, losing only to state power Muskegon high during the regular season and then in the Division 2 state playoff finals.

There were some lessons to be learned in the loss, however. And those lessons were evident last week when the Falcons rolled to a 39-6 road win at Grand Ledge Sept. 6.

East Kentwood football coach Anthony Kimbrough working with the team at practice. (WKTV)

“I always say you learn more from a loss than you do from a win. We did some things uncharacteristic of ourselves (against Mona Shores), but we got back to basics and tightened up some things, and it showed against Grand Ledge,” Falcon head coach Anthony Kimbrough said to WKTV. “We had a better overall execution on offense and defense. Just doing the little things.”

But coach also knows his team will face another challenge this week against OK Red Conference foe Caledonia — the Fighting Scots.

“It is right in their name, the Fighting Scots,” Kimbrough said. “They fight you, man. They play hard, they play physical, they run around. They do some good things and they are well coached. … We really have got to come to play.”

For the complete interview with Coach Kimbrough, see the video here.

East Kentwood football team at practice. (WKTV)

In last week’s win, the Falcons (1-1) jumped out to a 25-0 first half lead on a 40-yard run by Josh Ledesma and a 13-yard pass from Christian Tanner to Colton Emeott in the first quarter, and then a 39-yard run by Willie Berris and a 22-yard run by Tanner. They did not let up much in the second as they ran the score to 39-0, on an 82-yard touchdown pass from Tanner to Jamoni Jones, and a short run by Carter Selby.

The Fighting Scots (1-1), last week, also had an impressive win, defeating Cedar Springs (10-2 last year) at Caledonia by the score of 19-12, after falling on opening night at Holt, 35-17. Caledonia was 2-7 last year, 1-5 in conference play.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

Local football wrap: Wyoming falls to Northview’s big play offense; East Kentwood bounces back

Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, ,

[huge_it_slider id=”90″]


By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

At Northview High School Friday, Wyoming high got a great effort from running back Cameron (Cam) Simon, who rushed for rushed for 192 yards and one touchdown, and quarterback Matthew Berg threw scoring strikes to Mahki Mathews and Diamonte Parks.

But the Wolves could not match the Wildcats’ big-play power in a 49-21 non-conference loss Sept. 6.

After a finishing the first half with a 21-21 tie, Northview (2-0) scored 28 unanswered points to hand Wyoming (1-1) its first loss of the season.

Last season, Northview was 7-3 including an opening round playoff loss to Grand Rapids Christian, which ended a six-game winning streak. They were 5-1 in OK White and finished second to Cedar Springs, their only conference loss.

Against Wyoming, Wildcat running back Jakaurie Kirkland rushed for 270 yards and four touchdowns, including runs of 60, 37, 82 and 57 yards.

The Wyoming at Northview was scheduled to be televised as a WKTV Featured Games, but technical issues forced plans to be cancelled. This week’s featured game will be at East Kentwood.

In other local football action, East Kentwood (1-1) bounced back from an opening season loss at Muskegon Mona Shores with a 39-6 road win at Grand Ledge Friday. In the win, the Falcons jumped out to a 25-0 first half lead on a 40-yard run by Josh Ledesma and a 13-yard pass from Christian Tanner to Colton Emeott in the first quarter, and then a 39-yard run by Willie Berris and a 22-yard run by Tanner.

Also on Friday, South Christian (1-1) lost at Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 35-21; Godwin Heights (0-2) lost at Hudsonville Unity Christian, 36-0; Kelloggsville (0-2) lost at Williamstown, 27-0,Wyoming Lee (0-2) lost at Gobles, 37-20; and Tri-unity Christian lost at Martin, 20-0, in 8-Man football.

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

After impressive opener, Wyoming high Coach Sigler likes progress of team, program culture

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Local Faces, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports,
Wyoming High School football practice. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

As his team “went to work” at practice this week in preparation for a high school football Week 2 game at Northview High School, Wyoming high head football coach Irv Sigler Jr. sounded like an X’s and O’s football coach as he talked to WKTV.

He praised his offensive line play in the team’s dominating 59-25 win over Holland opening week. He praised his opponent this week and said his team would need to be better to beat the Wildcats on their home field — a game which WKTV’s Featured Game sports coverage crew will be covering. UPDATE: Due to technical issues, WKTV was unable to video record the game.

But Coach Sigler also went a bit beyond the X’s and O’s by talking about the “culture” of his program, which has a modest 5-13 record in his first two years but may be about to turn the competitive corner.

Coach Sigler. (WKTV)

“We’ve grown a great deal in our ability to practice with purpose, with having a sense of urgency about getting better every day when we come out … the little things are the difference between being good and great,” Coach Sigler said in a WKTV interview. (See the entire interview on YouTube here.) “I describe our kids as lunchbox kids. They come here every day. They got a lunch box and they go to work.”

In their opening night games, Northview defeated Comstock Park 28-7 while Wyoming defeated Holland 59-25 in a game which was began on Thursday night but finished on Friday night due to storms moving through the area.

Wyoming High School football practice. (WKTV)

For the Wolves, junior running back (and linebacker) Cameron (Cam) Simon rushed for just shy of 200 yards and scored four touchdowns, while junior quarterback Matthew Berg passed for three TDs.

Northview, out of OK White, had 10 new starters on defense against Comstock Park but still held the Panthers to a single touchdown. Running back Jakaurie Kirkland had 220 yards on 23 carries. Senior quarterback Dan Frey went 7-of-11 for 72 yards, with two touchdown passes to sophomore Kyler VanderJact.

Northview, last season, was 7-3 including an opening round playoff loss to Grand Rapids Christian, which ended a six-game winning streak. They were 5-1 in OK White and finished second to Cedar Springs, their only conference loss.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

New South Christian head football coach on latest WKTV Journal In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Education, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, ,
South Christian head football coach Danny Brown, at left, at a practice last week. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, one of the interviews is a special high school sports segment with South Christian High School’s new head football coach Danny Brown, of whom it would not be an understatement to say he bleeds Sailor Blue.

Coach Brown is no stranger to the Sailors’ program having served as an assistant coach since 2011 and as defensive coordinator for the past five seasons under Mark Tamminga, who retired after last season. Being a Sailor runs deep for Brown, having played varsity football at South Christian in the early 2000s. Brown attended Hope College and now is a small business owner in Byron Center.

For a YouTube video of the interview visit here.

During the discussion, Coach Brown talks about working with Coach Tamminga, playing for the late Bob Blacquiere, who was head coach when Brown played for the Sailors and was a big influence on his becoming a coach, and Brown’s transition from running the South Christian defense to being the man in charge of the entire program.

WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

Spanish language game announcing available of Lee high boys win over Godwin Heights

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, WKTV Projects,
Late game action from the Lee at Godwin Heights boys soccer game Aug. 29. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

The Lee High School boys soccer broke open a tight, defensive struggle with two goals near the end of the first half, and then ran their early-season record to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in OK Conference Silver with a 5-1 win over cross-town rival Godwin Heights on Thursday, Aug. 29.

Jesus “Chucho” Cruz.

The game was televised by WKTV Community Media’s high school sports coverage team with special Spanish-language announcing by local soccer instructor and radio host Jesus “Chucho” Cruz. The Spanish language audio game telecast will be replayed Saturday, Aug. 31, at 11 a.m., and then again Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 6:30 p.m. on WKTV cable channels. It will also be available both with Spanish and English announcers on-demand at WKTVlive.org. (See note below for details.)

Cruz is a goalie trainer for GRAS Academy of Grand Rapids and hosts the local La Mejor GR radio program.

In the actual game between Lee and Godwin Heights, Legends junior Gerardo Montañez broke the scoreless tie with about 4 minutes remaining in the first half, then about two minutes later sophomore Edgar Vasquez scored to push the score to 2-0. Lee and Vasquez wasted little time getting on the board in the second as he scored again with only about seven minutes played in the second half.

Lee pushed the score to 5-0 with goals by junior Willi Diaz and senior Michael Esqueda before Godwin sophomore Mario Aguilar tallied late for the final 5-1 score. Senior Godwin goalkeeper senior Eric Truong had several good saves despite the one-sided score. Lee sophomore Jacob Flores faced relatively few threats on goal as the Legends defense played very well.

With the loss, Godwin Heights’ record is now 1-1-1 overall and 0-1-1 in conference play.

In the lead-up to the contest, WKTV interviewed Lee coach Jamie Ramirez on the state of this current team and the school’s soccer program. For a story visit here. For a video, visit here.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org .

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

Lee high boys soccer ready to make run for conference title, deeper playoff run

City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Faces, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports,
The Lee High School boys soccer team is off to a 6-0 start this season, and coach Jaime Ramirez has plenty of reasons to smile about their goals of a conference title. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Lee High School boys soccer coach Jaime Ramirez likes the state of his program, top to bottom, from the nearly 40 kids in the middle school program to the deep, talented varsity roster that has posted a 6-0 early-season record heading into a cross-town rivalry with Godwin Heights on Thursday, Aug. 29.

But Ramirez and his newly-named Legends expect more after last season’s 18-7 record including two playoff wins with an 8-3 record in OK Conference Silver standings, and this season’s fast start including a 2-1 comeback road win over Grandville Calvin Christian in conference play.

“The kids are working really hard. They have ambitions to make history on their own this year. The last conference championship we had was in 2010,” Rameriez said to WKTV early this week. “They are anxious to put another conference championship on their shoulders.”

The Lee boys soccer game at Godwin Heights will be this week’s WKTV High School Sports Featured Game of the Week.

Lee lost only two players from last year’s squad and feature not only five seniors and five juniors on the varsity roster, but also several young players who are too good to keep off the varsity roster.

“That is what is making the team pretty strong,” Ramirez said. “This is my dream team. I can substitute like four of them and not notice a big difference on the team, which is what I believe all the coaches dream for.”

Coach (reluctantly) pointed out several players who are the “players to watch” on the offensive side of the squad, starting with senior Raul Antonio Montañez — “He is one ofr the best leaders I have. He works hard every single game and, right now, he is the number one we are looking for. … but like I said, we have a lot of good players coming back.”

Among those “good players coming back” is senior goalkeeper Jorge Andres Montes — “He is another straight-up leader.” As is junior Gerardo Montañez and senior Tristan Perez.

“I’ve got quite a few of them,” Ramirez said. “On defense I’ve got (sophomore) Alexander Ruiz, he is really good. And I’ve got a couple others coming back … (but) my midfielders are new this year. Wili Diaz has been playing really good. And Leonardo Maldonado, I put him up (on varsity), he was playing JV last year. … We have a lot of good players, it is hard for me to name just a few.”

The depth, on the varsity team and in the program, is not something the Legends have had in past years.

The Lee High School varsity team before a recent game. (WKTV)

“We have, if I’m not mistaken, something like 38 kids in the middle school program, and we are shooting to have two teams,” Ramirez said. “Back in 2007, when I started as a coach, I had 13 players on varsity. That’s it. That says something right there.

“The program is getting better and better. We’ve got more kids joining and we got a girls (program building the numbers) too. … The kids they really want to do things.”

And what the varsity “kids” want to do is win a conference title for a school which has struggled in many varsity sports in recent years.

“I talked to the guys and I keep telling them ‘We’ve got a lot of chances, a lot of potential to become OK champs this year.’ I’m not going to say we will, because I don’t like to say that. I’m going to say we’re going to try really hard.”

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

WKTV high school sports coverage team audibles, plans featured game of other ‘football’

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports
The high school soccer season has already started with football close behind.

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

WKTV’s high school sports coverage truck will all over our local Wyoming and Kentwood football teams this season, but with a change of schedule for Wyoming Lee High School’s football team, we have switched our coverage to the other “football” — we will be at Godwin Heights as the Wolverines host the Lee Legends for a boys soccer game Thursday, Aug. 29.

As far as the Lee football game is concerned, after the originally scheduled home game against White Cloud was cancelled by the visiting school, Lee added a second game against Grandville Calvin Christian, which will be at Lee on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m.

And, there is no shortage of high school sports action all over the Wyoming and Kentwood area, so check out something live if you can.

Where and when to see featured games

Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org .

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

 
Following is this weeks’s schedule:

Saturday, Aug. 24
Girls Volleyball
Tri-Unity Christian vs TBA – WMVOA Invitational @ MSA Fieldhouse
Godwin Heights vs TBA – Officials for Kids Tourney @ MSA Fieldhouse
Potter’s House vs TBA – Official for Kids Tourney @ MSA Fieldhouse
Zion Christian vs TBA – WMVOA Invitational @ MSA Fieldhouse
South Christian @ Grand Haven
Boys Tennis
South Christian @ East Kentwood – EK Invite
TBA @ Wyoming – David Bentley Tournament
Boys / Girls Cross Country
South Christian @ East Kentwood
Wyoming Lee @ Muskegon Catholic Central
Boys Soccer
TBA @ Zion Christian – Zion Soccer Invite
Boys Water Polo
East Kentwood @ Ann Arbor Pioneer – Pioneer Invite
Girls Volleyball
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – Lakeshore Classic

Monday, Aug. 26
Boys Soccer
Tri-Unity Christian @ NorthPointe Christian
South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Girls Golf
South Christian @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Boys Tennis
Holland Christian @ South Christian
Girls Volleyball
Wyoming Lee @ Algoma Christian

Tuesday, Aug. 27
Boys / Girls Cross Country
South Christian @ St. Joseph
Girls Swimming
South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian
Central @ East Kentwood
Boys Soccer
NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
Ottawa Hills @ Wyoming
Zion Christian @ Saugatuck
Boys Tennis
Wyoming @ Zeeland East
TBA @ East Kentwood – EK Quad
Girls Volleyball
Ottawa Hills @ Wyoming
Zion Christian @ Martin – Quad
TBA @ East Kentwood – EK Early Bird Tournament

Wednesday, Aug. 28
Girls Golf
South Christian @ Kent Country Club – OK Jamboree
Boys Tennis
Unity Christian @ South Christian
Girls Volleyball
Caledonia @ South Christian – Sailor Invite
Boys Soccer
East Grand Rapids @ South Christian
Wyoming @ Wayland
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Boys / Girls Cross Country
Godwin Heights @ Saranac
Wyoming Lee @ Saranac
Wyoming @ Wayland

Thursday, Aug. 29
Girls Swimming
South Christian @ East Kentwood
Boys Football
Greenville vs South Christian @ Byron Center
Godwin Heights @ Hamilton
Grandville Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee
Holland @ Wyoming
Boys Soccer
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – WKTV Featured Event
Potter’s House vs West Michigan Heat – @ Hudsonville Christian
Zion Christian @ Kalamazoo Christian
Plainwell @ East Kentwood
Girls Volleyball
TBA @ East Kentwood – Lady Falcon Invite
Boys / Girls Cross Country
East Kentwood @ Milford – Invite

Friday, Aug. 30
Boys Football
Tri-unity Christian @ Climax-Scotts
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores

August high school sports schedule includes WKTV featured football game

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Sports, WKTV Featured sports
East Kentwood takes the field. (File photo)

By Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director
sports@wktv.org

Here comes the start of another academic school year opening this month, which also means the local high school sports schedules are doing the same.

Beginning on Aug. 16, fall seasons for girls golf and volleyball, along with boys and girls cross country, and boys soccer, tennis, swimming, water polo and — of course — football all get under way throughout the last two weeks of the month leading to Labor Day weekend.

WKTV will once again be featuring a weekly football game starting with the Thursday, Aug. 29, matchup between White Cloud and Wyoming Lee.

There are some changes not only to Wyoming Lee this year, but to the O-K Silver conference, where the former nicknamed Rebels and now called Legends have played.

For a variety of reasons, Lee, along with NorthPointe Christian and Calvin Christian have all made the change to play independently this season.

As a result, the four remaining Silver teams — Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville, Belding and Hopkins — will each play a home and home conference schedule to determine the league champion.

Want to be a television sports announcer?

If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! The tentative schedule for May follows and we are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com.

Where and when to see featured games

Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.


For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.


All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

 
Following is this month’s schedule, starting Friday, Aug. 16:

Friday, Aug. 16
Boys Soccer
Wyoming @ Wyoming Lee
East Kentwood @ FH Central
Girls Golf
East Kentwood vs Jenison – Jenison Invite @ The Meadows
Boys Tennis
East Kentwood @ Ludington – Ludington Invite

Saturday, Aug. 17
Boys Soccer
Whitehall @ South Christian – Mark Hasper Invite
TBA @ Wyoming Lee – Copa Leyendas

Monday, Aug. 19
Girls Golf
South Christian @ Traverse City Invite – Spruce Run
Boys Soccer
Holland Christian @ South Christian
Holland @ East Kentwood
Boys Tennis
Wyoming @ Holland

Tuesday, Aug. 20
Girls Golf
South Christian @ Traverse City Invite – Wolverine
Boys Soccer
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Union @ Wyoming
Boys / Girls Cross Country
Godwin Heights @ Kent City

Wednesday, Aug. 21
Boys Tennis
TBA @ South Christian – Sailor Quad
TBA @ Wyoming – Quad
Boys Soccer
Caledonia @ South Christian
Wyoming @ Zeeland West
Portage Northern @ East Kentwood
Boys / Girls Cross Country
Wyoming Lee @ Hesperia – Baker Woods Invitational
Potter’s House @ Holland Calvary

Thursday, Aug. 22
Boys Tennis
TBA @ South Christian – Sailor Quad
Wyoming @ Lowell
Boys Soccer
Belding @ Godwin Heights
Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee
Ravenna @ Zion Christian

Friday, Aug. 23
Boys Soccer
Tri-Unity Christian @ Barry County Christian
Potter’s House @ Wyoming
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa
Girls Golf
South Christian vs Middleville T-K – TK Invite @ Yankee Springs
Girls Volleyball
Wyoming Lee @ WMAES
Wyoming vs TBA – WMVOA Meet @ MSA Fieldhouse
Boys Water Polo
East Kentwood @ Ann Arbor Pioneer – Pioneer Invite

Saturday, Aug. 24
Girls Volleyball
Tri-Unity Christian vs TBA – WMVOA Invitational @ MSA Fieldhouse
Godwin Heights vs TBA – Officials for Kids Tourney @ MSA Fieldhouse
Potter’s House vs TBA – Official for Kids Tourney @ MSA Fieldhouse
Zion Christian vs TBA – WMVOA Invitational @ MSA Fieldhouse
South Christian @ Grand Haven
Boys Tennis
South Christian @ East Kentwood – EK Invite
TBA @ Wyoming – David Bentley Tournament
Boys / Girls Cross Country
South Christian @ East Kentwood
Wyoming Lee @ Muskegon Catholic Central
Boys Soccer
TBA @ Zion Christian – Zion Soccer Invite
Boys Water Polo
East Kentwood @ Ann Arbor Pioneer – Pioneer Invite
Girls Volleyball
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – Lakeshore Classic

Monday, Aug. 26
Boys Soccer
Tri-Unity Christian @ NorthPointe Christian
South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Girls Golf
South Christian @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Boys Tennis
Holland Christian @ South Christian
Girls Volleyball
Wyoming Lee @ Algoma Christian

Tuesday, Aug. 27
Boys / Girls Cross Country
South Christian @ St. Joseph
Girls Swimming
South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian
Central @ East Kentwood
Boys Soccer
NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
Ottawa Hills @ Wyoming
Zion Christian @ Saugatuck
Boys Tennis
Wyoming @ Zeeland East
TBA @ East Kentwood – EK Quad
Girls Volleyball
Ottawa Hills @ Wyoming
Zion Christian @ Martin – Quad
TBA @ East Kentwood – EK Early Bird Tournament

Wednesday, Aug. 28
Girls Golf
South Christian @ Kent Country Club – OK Jamboree
Boys Tennis
Unity Christian @ South Christian
Girls Volleyball
Caledonia @ South Christian – Sailor Invite
Boys Soccer
East Grand Rapids @ South Christian
Wyoming @ Wayland
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Boys / Girls Cross Country
Godwin Heights @ Saranac
Wyoming Lee @ Saranac
Wyoming @ Wayland

Thursday, Aug. 29
Girls Swimming
South Christian @ East Kentwood
Boys Football
Greenville vs South Christian – @ Byron Center
Godwin Heights @ Hamilton
White Cloud @ Wyoming Lee – WKTV Featured Event
Holland @ Wyoming
Boys Soccer
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights
Potter’s House vs West Michigan Heat – @ Hudsonville Christian
Zion Christian @ Kalamazoo Christian
Plainwell @ East Kentwood
Girls Volleyball
TBA @ East Kentwood – Lady Falcon Invite
Boys / Girls Cross Country
East Kentwood @ Milford – Invite

Friday, Aug. 30
Boys Football
Tri-unity Christian @ Climax-Scotts
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores

Wyoming Lee football seeks better days with independent schedule in 2019

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, , ,
Wyoming Lee’s football team will be playing an independent schedule for the next two seasons. (2018 photo/WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Wyoming’s Lee High School has historic rivalries in the OK Conference Silver, especially with local Godwin Heights and Kelloggsville high schools. But, in football, it has also had a history of struggling mightily against its conference rivals.

Ultimately, though, it was “doing what is best for the kids” that drove the Rebels — soon to be Legends — to take at least a two-year hiatus from conference play and play an independent schedule this season starting with a home game against White Cloud Thursday, Aug. 29.

While Lee athletic director Jason Faasse said he and others are excited about the possible impact of two years playing an independent schedule, head coach Tom DeGennaro also hopes for a little excitement but wonders if, after decades, Lee football and the OK Conference should part ways for good.

“We’re excited about it,” Faasse said to WKTV. “Our coaching staff is excited about it. Our kids are excited about it. I think it is going to help build our program. It is going to get more kids out. … We are excited to see what this is going to bring.”

The decision to go independent was actually made last season, in the midst of a 1-8 season, and a streak of winning only five games against 22 losses in three years.

“We put together a proposal to do that back in October of last fall, the decision really came because of the state our program has been in the past several years,” Faasse, said. “Just the amount of players we have coming out seems to ebb and flow but we have seen a decrease (and) a lot of that is based on success.”

Faasse said there was some talk about making the jump to independent schedule in 2017, “but we thought we’d be rushing it.”

“We went out to our (varsity) coaches, our other coaches in the program, our parents, our (school governing) board,” Faasse said. “And we just asked for their input on if you think this is a good idea. We got overwhelming support of it.”

Also, there was no serious consideration of playing 8-man football. “We are above the (student count) threshold … we could play, however we would not qualify for the playoffs because of student count,” Faasse said.

Faasse said they would look at resuming conference play again in two years.

DeGennaro, however, says “what is best for our kids” may be no longer playing football in the OK Conference.

Lee head coach Tom DeGennaro. (WKTV)

“We’ve struggled, and it hasn’t just been a short term thing,” DeGennaro said to WKTV, who, like all coaches, had the stats to back up his actions.

The team has had a 61-year history with the OK Conference, it was one of the founding members, he said. And during those 61 years, the team has had 4 winning seasons. The last time they won the conference championship was 1965. They have had 357 total games in conference and 284 losses.

Lee has football players, many of them hitting the weight room this summer. But maybe not enough to compete at there OK Conference level. (WKTV)

“We preach we should do what is best for our kids … last year we had the score run up on us, a team putting their first string back in so they could break 60 points on us. We were not physically able to stay in a game with anybody,” DeGennaro said.

The decision on what will happen in the future is yet to be decided, Faasse said.

“After two seasons of playing an independent schedule, we (will) conduct a review of the status of the program to determine if rejoining the OK Conference schedule is in the best interest of our students,” Faasse said in a previous memorandum to the district governing board detailing the plan to play an independent schedule.

“The goal of this decision is first and foremost putting our athletes in a safe situation,” Faasse also said in the memorandum. “… Under the direction of our coaching staff, this move will help jump-start the development of the program and provide for a culture of success at Lee High School.”

Lee also has history of success when it has gone with an independent schedule — something both coach and athletic director can attest to.

“We pulled out when I was the coach here for my first tenure, we pulled out in ’05 and ‘’06, and we won 13 games (over those two years) and we lost six,” DeGennaro said. “We made the playoffs when we played schools we could compete with.”

Faasse was, coincidentally, a player at Lee when they went independent in 2005.

“Hopefully this gives out kids something to be excited about,” DeGennaro said. “I think they are excited to play teams that they are more on an even par with.”

Lee’s complete football schedule is available at leelegends.org .

Where and when to see Lee football on WKTV

Lee’s Aug. 29 game and all WKTV Featured Games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

High school sports schedule includes WKTV featured games with Wyoming, Kelloggsville

3-bottom, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Sports, WKTV Featured sports
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

WKTV’s spring baseball and softball schedule is nearing its end but this week as our coverage crew will be on the road twice this week, with baseball games featuring Wyoming high and Kelloggsville.

But there is high school sports action all over the Wyoming and Kentwood area, so check out something live if you can.

The tentative schedule of WKTV featured game’s remaining this month are as follows:

Wednesday, May 22, boys baseball, South Christian at Wyoming, at Lamar Park
Friday, May 24, boys baseball, Zion Christian at Kelloggsville, at Kellogg Woods Park

Want to be a television sports announcer?

If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! The tentative schedule for May follows and we are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com.

 
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.


All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.


For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

 
Following is this week’s schedule:

Monday, May 20
Boys Golf
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Fruitport Calvary Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian – Maple Hill
Wyoming @ Christian – Thornapple Pointe
Boys Baseball
Wyoming @ South Christian – DH
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – DH
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee
Girls Softball
Wyoming @ South Christian – DH
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – DH
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian – DH
Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH
Girls Soccer
FH Eastern @ South Christian
Hudsonville@ East Kentwood
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee
Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Zion Christian @ Calhoun Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ Heritage Christian

Tuesday, May 21
Boys Golf
East Kentwood – OK Red Post Season Tournament @ Thornapple Pointe
Girls Softball
Belding @ Kelloggsville
Boys Baseball
Zion Christian @ Ottawa Hills – DH
Holland Black River vs West Michigan Aviation – DH @ Zion Christian
Girls Soccer
West Michigan Aviation @ Calvin Christian

Wednesday, May 22
Boys Baseball
 South Christian @ Wyoming – Lamar Park – WKTV Featured Event
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Girls Softball
South Christian @ Covenant Christian – DH
East Kentwood @ Byron Center – DH
NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Boys Golf
Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep – The Mines
Girls Soccer
Wyoming – MHSAA Districts @ Hamilton

Thursday May 23, 2019
Girls Soccer
Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming Lee – MHSAA Districts @ Wellsprings Prep
Boys Baseball
Grand Rapids Crusaders @ Wyoming Lee
Potter’s House @ Holland Black River – DH

Friday, May 24
Boys Baseball
Godwin Heights vs Saugatuck – @ Hope College
Zion Christian @ Kelloggsville – DH
Wyoming @ Zeeland East
West Michigan Aviation @ Belding – DH
Girls Soccer
TBA – @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts
West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep – MHSAA Districts
Girls Softball
Wyoming @ Zeeland East – DH

Saturday, May 25
Boys /Girls Track
MITCA State Meet
Boys Baseball
Wyoming @ West Ottawa – DH

Monday, May 27
Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 28
Boys Baseball
@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts
Godwin Heights @ Christian – MHSAA Districts
Kelloggsville @ Holland Christian – MHSAA Districts
Wyoming Lee @ Christian – MHSAA Districts
Zion Christian @ Holton
Girls Softball
@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts
Kelloggsville @ Christian – MHSAA Districts
Wyoming Lee @ Christian – MHSAA Districts
Wyoming @ Ottawa Hills – MHSAA Districts
Girls Soccer
Tri-Unity Christian vs Zion Christian – MHSAA Districts @ NorthPointe Christian

Wednesday, May 29
Boys Golf
East Kentwood — MHSAA Regionals
Kelloggsville — MHSAA Regionals @ Diamond Springs
Wyoming – MHSAA Regionals
Girls Soccer
TBA @ South Christian — MHSAA Districts

Thursday, May 30
Girls Soccer
East Kentwood @ TBA — MHSAA Districts
Boys Golf
East Kentwood @ TBA — MHSAA Regionals

Friday, May 31
Girls Tennis
MHSAA State Finals

High school sports schedule includes WKTV featured game at Kelloggsville

Area Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

WKTV’s spring baseball and softball schedule continues this week as our coverage crew will be on the road for softball at Kelloggsville.

But there is high school sports action all over the Wyoming and Kentwood area, so check out something live if you can.

The tentative schedule of WKTV featured game’s remaining this month are as follows:

Wednesday, May 15, girls softball, Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Wednesday, May 22, boys baseball, South Christian at Wyoming
Friday, May 24, boys baseball, Zion Christian at Kelloggsville

Want to be a television sports announcer?

If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! The tentative schedule for May follows and we are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com .

 
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.


 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

 
Following is this week’s (original) schedule; due to rainouts and other factors, please check the school’s websites for latest changes:

Tuesday, May 14
Girls Softball
South Christian @ FH Eastern – DH
Grandville @ East Kentwood – DH
Wyoming Lee @ East Grand Rapids
Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – DH
Boys Baseball
South Christian @ FH Eastern – DH
Grandville @ East Kentwood – DH — WKTV Featured Game
Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – DH
Potter’s House @ Kalamazoo Heritage Christian
Girls Soccer
FH Central @ South Christian
Kenowa Hills @ East Kentwood
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming
West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep
Boys Lacrosse
East Kentwood @ Jenison
Girls Tennis
Kelloggsville @ Muskegon Catholic Central
Boys Golf
Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian

Wednesday, May 15
Boys Golf
South Christian @ FH Eastern – Egypt Valley
East Kentwood @ Caledonia – Broadmoor Country Club
Kelloggsville – OK Silver Conference @ The Meadows
Wyoming @ FH Eastern – Egypt Valley
Boys Lacrosse
South Christian @ East Kentwood
Girls Softball
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville — WKTV Featured Game
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
FH Central @ Wyoming
Boys Baseball
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
West Michigan Aviation @ Kalamazoo Cougars – DH
Girls Soccer
Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian
Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Black River
Wyoming @ Christian

Thursday, May 16
Boys Baseball
FH Eastern @ South Christian
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Black River – DH
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Zion Christian @ Heritage Christian Academy – DH
Girls Tennis
East Kentwood @ TBA – MHSAA Regionals
Kelloggsville @ TBA – MHSAA Regionals
Wyoming – MHSAA Districts @ FH Northern
Girls Softball
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven
Godwin Heights @ Ottawa Hills
Girls Soccer
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa
Tri-Unity Christian @ Grand River Prep
Boys Golf
Grand River Prep @ Tri-Unity Christian – Maple Hill

Friday, May 17
Boys / Girls Track
South Christian – MHSAA Regionals @ Houseman Field
West Michigan Aviation – MHSAA Regionals @ Houseman Field
East Kentwood – MHSAA Regionals @ Grand Haven
Wyoming – MHSAA Regionals @ Grand Haven
Godwin Heights – MHSAA Regionals @ FH Eastern
Wyoming Lee – MHSAA Regionals @ Saugatuck
Girls Tennis
@ South Christian – MHSAA Regionals
Girls Soccer
South Christian @ Wyoming
East Kentwood @ Kalamazoo Central
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Girls Water Polo
@ East Kentwood – Regionals
Girls Softball
East Kentwood @ Caledonia
Holland @ Wyoming – DH
Boys Baseball
South Christian @ Wyoming – Lamar Park
Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville – DH
West Michigan Aviation @ Barry County Christian – DH

Saturday, May 18
Boys Baseball
Hamilton @ South Christian – Sailor Invite
East Kentwood @ Lakeview – DH
Wyoming Lee @ Saranac – Saranac Invite
Zion Christian @ North Muskegon
West Michigan Aviation @ Barry County Christian – DH
Girls Water Polo
@ East Kentwood – Regionals
Girls Softball
Christian @ East Kentwood – DH
Wyoming Lee @ Saranac – Saranac Invite

Monday, May 20
Boys Golf
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Fruitport Calvary Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian – Maple Hill
Wyoming @ Christian – Thornapple Pointe
Boys Baseball
Wyoming @ South Christian – DH
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – DH
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee
Girls Softball
Wyoming @ South Christian – DH
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa – DH
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian – DH
Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH
Girls Soccer
FH Eastern @ South Christian
Hudsonville@ East Kentwood
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee
Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Zion Christian @ Calhoun Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ Heritage Christian

May high school sports schedule includes WKTV featured games at five schools

Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director
sports@wktv.org

May is the last full month of high school sports schedules as the spring seasons along with the academic year are quickly ending.

Many high school graduations will be this month and we wish all students the very best as they take that next step in life, and for the student athletes that we have had the opportunity to cover and watch over the course of your high school careers, thank you.

There are many state tournaments beginning near the end of the month including state championships in girls tennis on the final day.

Take advantage of these last opportunities to watch in person, but then also catch the games that WKTV will be rebroadcasting on cable television as well as on-demand. The tentative schedule of WKTV featured game are as follows:

Wednesday, May 8, boys baseball, Godwin Heights at Wyoming Lee
Thursday, May 9, boys baseball, West Michigan Aviation vs Tri-Unity Christian at Pinery Park #3
Tuesday, May 14, boys baseball, Grandville at East Kentwood
Wednesday, May 15, girls softball, Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Wednesday, May 22, boys baseball, South Christian at Wyoming
Friday, May 24, boys baseball, Zion Christian at Kelloggsville

Want to be a television sports announcer?

If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! The tentative schedule for May follows and we are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com.

 
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

 
Following is this week’s schedule:

Thursday, May 2
Boys / Girls Track
South Christian vs FH Eastern @ West Catholic
Girls Tennis
South Christian @ Holland Christian
West Catholic @ Kelloggsville
Sparta @ Wyoming
Girls Softball
South Christian @ Zeeland East – DH
East Kentwood @ Grandville
East Grand Rapids @ Godwin Heights – DH
Wyoming @ Kelloggsville
Union @ Wyoming Lee – DH
Boys Baseball
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Tri-Unity Christian @ Barry County Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ Covenant Christian – DH
Boys Lacrosse
Kenowa Hills @ South Christian
East Kentwood @ Northview
Boys Golf
East Kentwood @ FH Central – Ranger Invite – The Meadows
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills – Graewil
Girls Soccer
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep
West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Black River

Friday, May 3
Boys / Girls Track
East Kentwood @ Traverse City – Ken Bell Meet
Godwin Heights @ Kalamazoo Central
Girls Water Polo
East Kentwood @ Rockford
Girls Softball
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Boys Lacrosse
Comstock Park @ East Kentwood
Girls Tennis
Kelloggsville @ Cedar Springs
Girls Soccer
Belding @ Wyoming Lee
Wayland @ Wyoming
West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary

Saturday, May 4
Boys / Girls Track
South Christian @ East Grand Rapids – EGR Classic
Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids – EGR Classic
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins – Vikings Invitational
Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins – Vikings Invitational
West Michigan Aviation @ Hopkins – Vikings Invitational
Girls Water Polo
East Kentwood @ Rockford
Girls Softball
East Kentwood @ Northview – Northview Invite
Kelloggsville @ East Grand Rapids
Girls Tennis
East Kentwood @ Jenison
Boys Baseball
Kelloggsvillle @ Wayland
Grand Rapids Crusaders @ Wyoming Lee – DH
Wyoming @ Union – DH
Heritage Christian Academy @ Zion Christian
Girls Soccer
Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park – Kristen Stowie Memorial Invite
Tri-Unity Christian @ Comstock Park – Kristen Sowie Memorial Invite
Zion Christian @ Barry County Christian
Boys Golf
Tri-Unity Christian – Christian Schools Invitational @ Chase Hammond Country Club

Monday, May 6
Boys Golf
South Christian @ East Grand Rapids – Kent Country Club
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Kelloggsville @ Wellsprings Prep – The Mines
Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids – Kent Country Club
Girls Softball
Unity Christian @ South Christian – DH
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – DH
Hopkins @ Kelloggsville – DH
Wyoming @ Covenant Christian – DH
Boys Baseball
Unity Christian @ South Christian – DH
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights
Hopkins @ Kelloggsville
Grattan Academic @ Zion Christian – DH
Boys Lacrosse
South Christian @ Jenison
Girls Soccer
South Christian @ Grand Rapids Christian
Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Zion Christian @ Wellsprings Prep
Boys / Girls Track
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Girls Tennis
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Kelloggsville @ Catholic Central
Middleville T-K @ Wyoming

WKTV sports coverage team begins extensive Golden Gloves coverage this weekend

Sports, WKTV Featured sports
WKTV will begin broadcast coverage of Michigan Golden Gloves this weekend. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The Wyoming and Kentwood area still has basketball teams playing in the state tournament this week, but due to MHSAA rules our Featured Game Coverage team’s high school sports winter season has ended. (Check WKTVjournal.org/sports for online/print updates, however.)

But our coverage truck and crew will not be idle — It’s Golden Gloves Boxing time!

WKTV has been covering the Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament for more than 25 years. Again this year, we will be at the Grand Rapids DeltaPlex Saturday, March 16, for the West Michigan Preliminaries, with replays of the bouts on our cable channels on Sunday, March 17, at noon, and Wednesday, March 20, at 5 p.m. We will continue coverage through the State Finals in April.

The Deltaplex Arena is located at 2500 Turner Ave NW, Grand Rapids.

The tentative coverage days/times and replay plan includes:

West Michigan Preliminaries, Saturday, March 16; airing Sunday, March 17, at noon, and Wednesday, March 20, at 5 p.m.

West Michigan Semi-Finals, Thursday, March 21; airing Saturday, March 23, at 11 a.m., and Wednesday, March 27, at 5 p.m.

West Michigan Finals, Saturday, March 30; airing Sunday, March 31, at noon, and Wednesday, April 3, at 5 p.m.

 
State Semi-Finals, Friday, April 12; airing Saturday, April 13 at 11 a.m., and Wednesday, April 17, at 5 p.m.
 
State Finals, Saturday, April 13; airing Sunday, April 14, at noon, and Wednesday, April 24, at 5 p.m.

Catch all the action on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse 99 with a tape delayed airing of each evening’s bouts on the following day. For future broadcast schedule, check out our on-air schedule.

All bouts will also be available on-demand at WKTVondemand.com , but not immediately after the event.

East Kentwood boys basketball’s post-season run ends in state’s Division 1 Final 8

City of Kentwood, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports
East Kentwood High School’s 2018-19 team. (Supplied/East Kentwood Falcons)

By Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director
sports@wktv.org

The East Kentwood Falcons and record-setting coach Jeff Anama’s basketball season came to an end Tuesday night at Caledonia High School, losing to Okemos, 50-45. And while their march toward MSU and the state championship game Saturday may have hit a road block, this team accomplished something that hadn’t been done by a boys basketball team from East Kentwood since 1998 — advancing to the quarterfinals.

The Falcons’ tournament run didn’t come easy as they survived three district games by a total of 11 points to advance to regionals.

The difference between winning and losing was just as small in the regional round when the Falcons won two games by a total of seven points. Three of their post season wins were against teams the Falcons had lost to on four occasions during the regular season.

“The guys never lost faith in each other and were better prepared for the rematch,” coach Anama said to WKTV. “When a team wins a couple of tough games, things can start rolling.”

Anama passed former East Kentwood coach Mickey Phelps in all-time coaching wins at the school with the regional championship win, which was his 220th.

Their final game of the season was a continuation of tight games as the largest lead by either team was seven points.

Okemos led 20-13 early in the second quarter, but East Kentwood came back with 14 straight to take a 27-20 lead early in the third quarter. Okemos, though, came back with 14 straight points of their own at the end of that quarter and to start the fourth to take a 44-37 lead.

The first quarter had both teams trading baskets as neither team had more than a two-point lead until just before the buzzer when Okemos leading scorer Evan Thomas hit a 3-pointer and was fouled by East Kentwood’s Josh Mayhue. After he converted the 4-point play, Okemos led 17-13 to close the quarter. Evans led all scorers with 10 points.

The second quarter was a very quiet stanza where the Falcons were able to take the lead at the half 22-20. Thomas had the only Okemos’ points as he connected on a 3-pointer in the first 20 seconds, but soon after picked up his second personal foul and had to sit for over half of the quarter. The Falcons were able to take advantage as they went on their run which included triples from Christopher Brown and Ryel Daye. Daye led the way with 10 points at the break.


It seemed like the Falcons were ready to take control early in the second half after five consecutive points from Daye, but the Chiefs were quick to respond with a pair of buckets, and a made foul shot in between, all by Grant Holtzer, and another triple by Evans. But East Kentwood held a 37-34 lead heading into the decisive fourth quarter.

However, the Falcons then hurt their cause by committing six of their unofficial 12 turnovers in that final quarter alone.

“The difference tonight was they won the fourth quarter as we didn’t finish strong, and they made free throws,” Anama said.

The Falcons totaled eight points in the fourth, but gave up 16 to close out the game and their season. Okemos guard Fabian Leone came alive with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and Evans hit four key free throws late to put the final score out of reach.

The Falcons finish 16-10 on the season and were led by senior Daye with 19, junior Ja’moni Jones with nine, senior Brown with seven, and junior Jordan Jackson with six.

Okemos, now with a 23-2 record, was led by Evans with a game high 22 points, Leone with 10, and Holtzer with nine. The Chiefs will now face 24-2 Detroit U-D Jesuit in the Division 1 semifinals at MSU Friday, March 15.

South Christian boys basketball looks to go to Breslin Center and beyond

Sports, WKTV Featured sports
The South Christian High School boys basketball team celebrate one of their early tournament game wins. (WKTV/Drew Dargavell)

By Drew Dargavell, WKTV Sports Intern
ken@wktv.org

South Christian’s boys basketball team seems to be unstoppable right now as they are winners of 19 straight games, champions of a district and now regional tournament, and one game away from a trip to Michigan State University’s Breslin Center for a state Final Four game.

South Christian (now 22-3) will play in the MHSAA state Division 2 quarterfinals, a neutral-site game to be played at Calvin College Tuesday, March 12, at 7 p.m., against Hudsonville Unity Christian (22-3, and winner of the OK Conference-Green). The winner will move on to the Breslin Center at Michigan State University for the state semifinals on Friday, March 15, at 5:30 p.m., and, possibly, the finals on Saturday, March 16 at 6:45 p.m.

South Christian’s last loss came on Jan. 4 against rival school Grand Rapids Christian, a team against which the Eagles ultimately avenged that loss, beating them 56-50 on the road on Feb. 1.

Two of the Sailors biggest wins of the year, however, both came against Grand Rapids Catholic Central, who went undefeated in the OK-Conference Blue and had only two losses in the regular season — one of which came against South Christian on Jan. 19 by a score of 54-42.

But in their second meeting, in last week’s regional final, everything was on the line, as South Christian looked to avenge their loss to Catholic Central in last year’s regional final. (Catholic Central went on to finish as state runner-ups a year ago.) In the rematch, the Sailors defeated the Cougars, 64-62.

After the game, South Christian head coach Jeff Meengs told WKTV that the game wasn’t about getting revenge on Catholic Central, however, but rather “the team just loves the thrill of advancing and keeping their state championship hopes alive.”

Catholic Central came into the game on a 12-game win-streak of their own, coming off of a blowout win in the regional semifinals against a then 15-7 Muskegon Orchard View by a score of 75-43 after taking out Grand Rapids Christian (16-5) and Ada Forrest Hills Eastern (12-10) in district play.

South Christian was also coming into the game off of a blowout regional semifinal win, defeating Coopersville by a final of 62-35, giving them their 18th consecutive win. Senior Luke Schrotenboer had a huge game, scoring 30 points while knocking down 4 3-pointers and shooting 12-of-16 overall from the field.

This regional final rematch was a very close one throughout, with a halftime score of 28-27 in favor of Catholic Central. The second half was very back-and-forth with the game eventually getting tied up at 62-62 with 11 seconds remaining.

Then, with the ball, South Christian senior Connor Kok drove the ball up the court and knocked down a mid-range jumper from the wing to give South Christian a 64-62 lead and force Catholic Central to heave up a last-second half-court shot that missed the mark and gave South Christian a payback win to move on to the state quarterfinals.

Kok was not only the hero at the end of the game, but led the way in scoring, putting up 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-5 on 3-point attempts. Kok also contributed five assists, five rebounds, and two steals. Senior Peyton Vis, who led the way in district play, put up 16 points and added three steals.

The team stats in the game were very comparable, but one key difference that stood out was the offensive rebounds in which South Christian had a 12-4 advantage over Catholic Central.

“Limiting them (Catholic Central) to four offensive rebounds was definitely key,” coach Meengs said. “And we only had eleven turnovers against an impressive defense, so I think those were two big factors in the game.”

This was not the first time South Christian has won it on a last second shot in the tournament as Tyler Buwalda hit a game-winning three against Godwin Heights in the district semifinal game.

“Our players are not afraid of the moment,” coach Meengs said on his team’s ‘clutch factor’. “They are confident under pressure and enjoy the big moments.”

The Sailors were looking for more than just revenge on last year’s regional final, as they now march on to the state quarterfinals with hopes of going the distance.

But first South Christian has to take care of business in the state quarterfinal matchup against a strong Hudsonville Unity Christian team, in which the Sailors are very familiar with. Unity Christian will enter the contest with a 23-2 record. Their last loss, however, came at the hands of South Christian.

“They were a little rusty earlier in the year coming off of the football season” Meengs said in a joking tone of their win against Unity Christian early in the season.

Like South Christian, Unity Christian is coincidentally on a 19-game win-streak as well, and are winners of the Ok-Conference Green, going 12-0 in conference play. Unity Christian comes into the state quarterfinals off of a tough regional final matchup against the defending Division 2 state champions, Benton Harbor, who had only lost one game all season. Unity Christian came away with a 63-54 win.

Coach Meengs told WKTV that this is a very interesting matchup because they know this Unity Christian team very well and vise versa. He said that not only did they play them earlier in the season but that these teams play each other in the offseason as well.

“All we can really do is go out there and play our game,” he said.

South Christian and Unity Christian will meet again on March 12 at 7PM at Calvin College. The winner will go on to play the winner of Ludington (13-10) and Alma (19-3) at the Breslin Center in the state semifinals.

For more updates on both girls and boys basketball playoffs, visit wktvjournal.org/sports.

Godwin Heights girls basketball ‘family’ finishes season in District finals

Education, Sports, WKTV Featured sports
Godwin Heights head coach Cassie Medina., center, talks to her team during a time-out in the Wolverines District final game. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

After two impressive wins in the MHSAA girls basketball Division 2 District 44 tournament at Grand Rapids Christian High School and a spot in the district finals Friday, March 8, Godwin Heights’ season ended against a very good South Christian squad.

Despite being offensively overwhelmed by the Sailors in a lopsided first half, which ended with a 44-7 South Christian lead, the Wolverines’ “family” stayed together, stayed aggressive on defense, and made respectable the final score of 55-19.

“I just wanted us to bring it back … to respectability,” Godwin Heights coach Cassie Medina said to WKTV about how her team handled the second half of the game. “With a score like this it is easy to fall apart. The family thing is: ‘Stay together. Talk together. Be family’.”

Against South Christian, senior guard Raviear Koppenhofer led the Wolverines in scoring with nine points, all in the second half. And Koppenhoffer was also an offensive force in Godwin Heights two district early-round wins, a 51-17 victory over West Michigan Aviation, and a 56-40 semifinal win over Kelloggsville in which she scored 28 points.

Koppenhofer was joined by Destiny Craig and Josefa Shields as the only seniors on the squad.

The seniors “have definitely brought a lot to our team,” Medina said, and Koppenhofer “has been one of our bigger scorers (all season). She makes this team go.”

Medina also sees progress in her team, despite finishing at 11-11 after last year’s similar 11-10 season.

“Every year I want to progress, not go backwards,” she said. “Next year … I just want us to progress.”

One reason for her optimism is that the Wolverines fielded a team in the district tournament with only two juniors (Jordan Ballard and Chanelle Hatchett) but six sophomores.

“This is a young team,” she said. “I am definitely looking forward to this summer and next year.”

The sophomores on the team include Lanaja Polk-Craig, who scored seven points against South Christian; Lashay Lee and Hannah Barns, who scored eight points each in the win over Kelloggsville; as well as Diamond Johnson, Anika Clark and Jakaya Lay.

Girls basketball Districts begin Monday with local teams on the road

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports
WKTV’s coverage of girls high school basketball continues this month with District tournament play. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

Wyoming and Kentwood area girls basketball teams will be in district play this week, but you will need to travel a little to catch any of the action live as the nearest district tournament site is at Grand Rapids Christian, where Kentwood Grand River Prep, West Michigan Aviation, Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville and South Christian will all be in action.

And at GR Christian is where WKTV’s featured high school sports coverage team will be this week, starting Wednesday, March 6, and continuing coverage of the tournament on Friday, March 8. Additionally, WKTV will file WKTV Journal online-print reports on the results of all the games involving local teams as the week goes on.

At Christian, action begins Monday, March 4, in the Division 2 District 44 tournament, where West Michigan Aviation (9-11) and Godwin Heights (7-10) play at 5:30 p.m., and Grand River Prep (9-8) vs. GR Christian (10-10) @ 7 p.m.

The tournament will continue on Wednesday, March 6, with the W. Mich. Aviation/Godwin Heights winner vs. Kelloggsville (12-8) at 5:30 p.m., and the Grand River Prep/Christian winner vs. South Christian (11-9) at 7 p.m. The winners will then play Friday, March 8, at 8 p.m. for a spot in the Regional 11 tournament at Coopersville.

Division 1 District 11 at East Grand Rapids

At the Division 1 District 11 tournament at East Grand Rapids, the Monday games will have East Kentwood (15-4) vs. Grandville (4×16) at 6 p.m., and East Grand Rapids (18-2) vs. GR Ottawa Hills (15-5) at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 6, games at East Grand Rapids will have the East Kentwood/Grandville winner vs. Wyoming (8-12) at 6 p.m., and the East Grand Rapids/Ottawa Hills winner vs. Byron Center (15-5) at 7:30 p.m. The winners will play Friday, March 8, at 7 p.m., for a spot in the Regional 3 tournament at Grand Haven.

Division 3 District 74 at Saugatuck

At the Division 3 District 74 tournament at Saugatuck, the Monday games will be Fennville (8-12) vs. Wyoming Potter’s House (13) at 6 p.m., and Grandville Calvin Christian (6-11) vs. Holland Black River (8-11) at 7 p.m.

Wednesday games at Saugatuck will have the Fennville/Potter’s House winner vs. Covenant Christian (4-15) at 5:30 p.m., and the Calvin Christian/Holland Black River winner vs. Saugatuck (9-11) at 7 p.m. The winners will play Friday, March 8, at 6 p.m., for a spot in the Regional 19 tournament at Kent City.

Division 4 at Martin and Muskegon Catholic Central

At the Division 4 District 114 tournament at Martin, the Monday game will be Covert (5-12) vs. West Michigan Lutheran (14-6) at 6:30 p.m. On Wednesday, March 6, the games will be Lawrence (4-15) vs. Byron Center Zion Christian (8-11) at 5:30 p.m., and the Covert/West Michigan Lutheran winner vs. Martin (15-3) at 7 p.m.

Also in Division 4, at the District 113 at Muskegon Catholic Central, starting on Wednesday, March 6, the games will have Muskegon Heights Academy (0-16) vs. Fruitport Calvary Christian (15-5) at 5:30 p.m., and Tri-unity Christian (2-17) vs. Muskegon Catholic Central (6-13) at 7:15 p.m.

The winners from the Wednesday District 113 games will play Friday at 7 p.m., at Muskegon Catholic Central, while the winners from the Wednesday District 114 games will play Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Martin. Both district winners will move on to play at the Regional 29 tournament at Mendon.

Featured game coverage

Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

Local boys basketball teams prepare for district tournaments

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports
A previous game televised by WKTV at Wyoming High School. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Wyoming, South Christian and Tri-unity Christian high schools will each host boys basketball state playoff District opening-round tournaments, starting Monday for some, and each concluding with championship games on Friday, March 1.

South Christian (16-4, 10-2 in OK Gold) will enter district play as a conference champion. In the same district tournament will be Wyoming Godwin Heights (15-5, 12-0 in OK Silver), also a conference champion. They could meet in a district semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at South Christian.

So, WKTV’s featured high school sports coverage teams will be at South Christian starting Wednesday, Feb. 27, and will continue coverage of the tournament on Friday. Additionally, WKTV will file WKTV Journal online-print reports on the results of all the games involving local teams as the week goes on.

Wyoming Potter’s House (18-1, 8-0 in Alliance League) was also its conference champion, edging out Tri-unity Christian (17-3, 7-1 in Alliance League) by virtue of a 54-53 win on the road at Tri-unity in January.

Division 1 tournament at Wyoming

The Division 1 District 11 tournament at Wyoming will open with games Monday, Feb. 25, with Byron Center (5-15 record on the season) squaring off against East Kentwood (11-9) at 6 p.m. and Ottawa Hills (2-16, before a Feb. 22 game vs. Lowell) vs. Wyoming (8-11) following at 7:30 p.m.

The winners of the Monday games will play Wednesday, Feb. 27, with the winner of the Byron Center/East Kentwood game playing East Grand Rapids (7-13) at 6 p.m., and the Ottawa Hills/Wyoming winner playing Caledonia (4-15) at 7:30 p.m.

The winners of the Wednesday games will play for the district title March 1 at 7 p.m., and then move on to the Regional 3 at Holland West Ottawa.

Division 2 tournament at South Christian

In the Division 1 District 44 tournament, South Christian will play in the opening-round, Monday game, on their home floor, playing Wyoming Kelloggsville (4×16, 3-9 in OK Silver) at 7 p.m.

The tournament continues on Wednesday, Feb. 27, with Grand River Prep (10-4) playing West Michigan Aviation Academy (9-11, 5-4 in Alliance League) at 5:30 p.m., and the Kelloggsville/South Christian winner playing Godwin Heights at 7:30 p.m.

The winners of the Wednesday games will play for the district title March 1 at 7 p.m., and then move on to the Regional 11 at Fremont.

Division 4 tournament at Tri-unity Christian

In the Division 4 District 114 tournament, starting on Wednesday, Feb. 27, Zion Christian (6-13) will play host Tri-unity Christian (17-3, 7-1 in Alliance League) at 7 p.m. In the other game, Holland Calvary (11-6) will play Martin (13-3) at 5:30 p.m.

The winners of the Wednesday games will play for the district title March 1 at 6:30 p.m., and then move on to the Region 29 at Mendon.

Other local teams in District play

In the Division 2 District 43 tournament, this one at Ada Forest Hills Eastern, Wyoming Lee (2-17, 1-11 in OK Silver) will play the winner of a Monday game between Wellspring Prep (5-13) and Forest Hills Eastern (11-9), in a second round game Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. In the other Wednesday game in this tournament, Grand Rapids Catholic (17-2) against the winner of a Monday game between Grand Rapids West Catholic (10-8) and Grand Rapids Christian (14-5).

The winners of the Wednesday games at Forest Hills Eastern will play for the district title March 1 at 7 p.m., and then move on to the Regional 11 at Fremont.

Finally, in a Division 3 District 75 tournament at Grandville Calvin Christian, Wyoming Potter’s House will play the winner of a Monday contest between Covenant Christian (7-13) and Fennville (10-10), with the second round game on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 5:30 p.m. In the other Wednesday game, Calvin Christian (8-10) will play the winner of a Monday game between Holland Black River (3-17) and Saugatuck (3-15).

The winners of the Wednesday games at Calvin Christian will play for the district title March 1 at 7 p.m. and then move on to the Regional 19 at NorthPointe Christian.

Other local sports schedule:

Monday, Feb. 25
Boys Basketball
East Kentwood vs Byron Center @ Wyoming – Division 1 MHSAA Districts
Kelloggsville @ South Christian – Division 2 MHSAA Districts

Tuesday, Feb. 26
Girls Basketball
East Kentwood @ Christian
Tri-Unity Christian @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming @ Union
West Michigan Lutheran @ Potter’s House
Grand River Prep @ Muskegon Catholic Central
FH Northern @ South Christian
Boys Hockey
@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Regionals
Boys Swimming
South Christian @ Holland

Wednesday, Feb. 27
Boys Swimming
@ East Kentwood – Second Shave Meet

Thursday, Feb. 28
Boys Swimming
@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Diving Regionals
Girls Basketball
Kelloggsville @ Tri-Unity Christian
Holton @ Wyoming Lee – Senior Night
Grand River Prep @ Zion Christian
Potter’s House @ Wellsprings Prep
South Christian @ Byron Center

Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

WKTV sports features retiring East Kentwood swim coach, who talks memories, gratitude

3-bottom, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Faces, Newscast, Sports, WKTV Featured sports,


By Drew Dargavell, WKTV Sports Intern
ken@wktv.org

After an illustrious career that spanned 38 seasons over 43 years, Jock Ambrose, head swim coach for the East Kentwood Falcons boys swim team, is stepping down from his position.

Ambrose accomplished a lot in his 38 seasons as head swim coach including 17 league titles, three state runner-ups, two state championships, and five Coach of the Year honors.
 

In his 43 years in the East Kentwood community, Ambrose not only served as the boys head swim coach but also as the boys water polo coach from 1977-1992, girls swim coach from 1994-1997, and athletic director from 1997-2001. He also served as Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (MISCA) area vice president for seven years, and MISCA water polo chair for five years. He was the founder of the West Michigan Water Polo League, and a founding member of the West Michigan Swim League.

But it wasn’t any of the awards, honors or positions that Ambrose said he will miss most.

“It’s the people around here, in this community that have made it as special as it is and will make it tough for me to walk away,” Ambrose said to WKTV.

Ambrose had a lot of praise for his final team as head coach, currently in its winter swim season, and its group of seniors — “This senior class is a tremendous group of young men, and a great group of leaders.”

The coach went on to give praise to his three senior captains — Nick Cohey, Theo Duong, and Max Henderson — who have stuck with the program all four years.

Ambrose has hopes of finishing his final season in the top half of the team’s state swim division and “to make a nice showing at the state meet. It’s been a few years since we’ve done that and I think this senior class is ready to.”

Ambrose also had a very optimistic outlook on the future of this program once he’s done as head coach. “We’ve got a wonderful freshman class, they’re going to be very, very good, four of them have senior brothers on the team so that’s very exciting.”

This video story and all sports news segments are available on the WKTV YouTube channel . All featured games covered by WKTV’s sports coverage crew, as well as other community events covered, are available on-demand at wktvondemand.com .

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports .

Local high school sports schedule includes WKTV featured girls basketball games

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director
sports@wktv.org

WKTV Featured Game high school sport coverage this week will include two girls basketball games, a solo game from Wyoming High Tuesday, and part of a boys-girls basketball doubleheader Friday from Godwin Heights.

The Jan. 15 game will feature Grand Rapids Christian at Wyoming. The Jan. 18 game will featured NorthPointe Christian at Godwin Heights.

Show the local schools your support by going in person, but then watch WKTV for the events that are showcased each week. Check out the broadcast schedule at wktvjournal.org for replay dates and times.

The rest of the current tentative January featured game schedule is:

Tuesday, Jan. 22 — Boys/Girls basketball: Potter’s House at Tri-Unity Christian
Friday, Jan. 25 — Boys/Girls basketball: Middleville T-K at Wyoming
Thursday, Jan. 31 — Boys swimming/diving: Rockford at East Kentwood

In addition our featured games — where our sports crew and remote coverage truck will be on hand — we also have a weekly list of all local sporting contests for local fans to get out and enjoy in person.

 
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/ .

 
Following is this week’s schedule:

Monday, Jan. 14
Boys/Girls Bowling
South Christian @ Wayland
Kelloggsville @ Belding
Wyoming @ Byron Center
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven
Girls Gymnastics
Potter’s House @ Lowell

Tuesday, Jan. 15
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee
Hopkins @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ Christian
Wellsprings Prep @ Tri-Unity Christian
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Holland Calvary @ Potter’s House
Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Aviation
Creative Tech @ West Michigan Lutheran
Muskegon Catholic Central @ Grand River Prep
Girls Basketball
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins
Christian @ Wyoming – WKTV Featured Event
Fruitport Calvary @ Tri-Unity Christian
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Holland Calvary @ Potter’s House
Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Aviation
Creative Tech @ West Michigan Lutheran
Holland Black River @ Grand River Prep
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming @ Unity Christian
Calvin Christian @ Potter’s House

Wednesday, Jan. 16
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights
Middleville T-K @ South Christian
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins
Wayland @ Wyoming
Caledonia @ East Kentwood
Boys Wrestling
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins
Allendale @ Kelloggsville
Christian @ Wyoming
Caledonia @ East Kentwood
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian
Wyoming @ Zeeland East
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

Thursday, Jan. 17
Boys Swimming
South Christian @ Muskegon Mona Shores
East Kentwood@ Grandville
Boys/Girls Bowling
Potter’s House @ Hopkins

Friday, Jan. 18
Boys/Girls Bowling
Ottawa Hills @ Godwin Heights
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ West Catholic
Boys Basketball
NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights – WKTV Featured Event
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Kelloggsville @ Belding
Wyoming @ Benton Harbor
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
Tri-Unity Christian @ Zion Christian
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Holland Black River @ Potter’s House
West Michigan Lutheran @ Libertas Christian
Girls Basketball
NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights – WKTV Featured Event
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Kelloggsville @ Belding
Benton Harbor @ Wyoming
Tri-Unity Christian @ Zion Christian
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Holland Black River @ Potter’s House
West Michigan Lutheran @ Libertas Christian
Boys Wrestling
Wyoming Lee @ Pinconning
Boys Hockey
East Grand Rapids @ East Kentwood

Saturday, Jan. 19
Boys Wrestling
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Kelloggsville @ Christian
Wyoming @ Jenison
East Kentwood @ Holt
Boys Basketball
Catholic Central @ South Christian
Girls Cheer
Kelloggsville @ Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
East Kentwood @ Rochester
Girls Dance
East Kentwood @ Wayland
Boys Hockey
FH Central @ East Kentwood

Monday, Jan. 21
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian
South Christian @ Christian
Kelloggsville @ Wellsprings Prep
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Grandville @ East Kentwood
Girls Gymnastics
Potter’s House @ Rockford

Local high school sports schedule includes first WKTV featured game at South Christian 

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, WKTV Featured sports,

WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

The WKTV Featured Game winter broadcast schedule is jelling, and once again boys and girls basketball games of all local Wyoming and Kentwood teams will be showcased. But boys hockey as well as swimming and diving competition will also be on the schedule.

 

Our first featured game will be Tuesday, Dec. 4, when we cover the girls basketball game between Hamilton and host South Christian — in what will be the Sailors’ final game on their old basketball floor before moving to their new home. The week after that, we will be covering the Friday, Dec. 14, boys and girls basketball games between East Kentwood and host Wyoming high. Then on Saturday, Dec. 15, we will change sports and cover boys hockey as Hudsonville travels to East Kentwood.

 

In addition our featured games — where our sports crew and remote coverage truck will be on hand — we also have a weekly list of all local sporting contests for local fans to get out and enjoy in person.

 

Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

 

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

 

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

 

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

 

Following is this week’s schedule:

Tuesday, Nov. 27

Boys Basketball

South Christian @ East Kentwood

Wyoming Lee @ Saugatuck

Creative Tech @ West Michigan Aviation

 

Wednesday, Nov. 28

Boys Hockey

Caledonia/Lowell @ East Kentwood

 

Thursday, Nov. 29

No events scheduled

 

Friday, Nov. 30

Boys Basketball

Byron Center @ South Christian

Christian @ Godwin Heights

Kelloggsville @ Unity Christian

Wyoming @ Grandville

FH Eastern @ Tri-Unity Christian

Grand River Prep @ Wyoming Lee

FH Central @ East Kentwood

Holland Black River vs West Michigan Aviation @ Davenport University

Zion Christian @ Holland Calvary

Boys Hockey

East Kentwood @ Rockford

 

WKTV reviews fall high school sports highlights, plans winter schedule

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports

WKTV’s coverage of girls high school basketball begins in December. (WKTV)

 

Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director

sports@wktv.org 

 

As the always busy holiday months are upon us starting with November, the high school sports world does just the opposite as the last of the fall seasons crown their newest state champions and the winter seasons slowly begin with boys hockey and basketball at the end of the month.

 

The schools that WKTV covers certainly had some highlights during the fall competition and here are just some of them.

 

The girls golf season held their state championships near the end of October in some tough cold and wet conditions, and for an amazing 23rd consecutive time, the South Christian High School girls team was there to compete for that title. At the end of the two-day tournament, the Sailor ladies finished behind only Flint Powers Catholic to earn the runner-up trophy for the second consecutive season.

 

The soccer state championship was held the first weekend in November and had the East Kentwood Falcons in the championship game where they too finished as runner-up to Ann Arbor Skyline.

 

The football season had four of our six area teams qualify for the playoffs.  South Christian finished the season with a 6-5 record and in fourth place in the O-K Gold after defeating another of our local teams, Godwin Heights, in the opening round but dropped the second-round game to Hudsonville’s Unity Christian.

 

East Kentwood had a great season as they won nine straight games after losing their season opener to win the O-K Red title and finish 9-2 on the year. The Falcons defeated Brighton in the opening round of the playoffs before coming up short against Saline in round two.

 

Godwin Heights completed their year at 6-4 and in second place in the O-K Silver and lost in the opening round to South Christian. Kelloggsville finished in fourth place in the O-K Silver with a 4-5 record, Wyoming finished the season 2-7 and 1-5 in the OK Gold, and Wyoming Lee finished with a 1-8 record on the year.

 

The 8-man division had the Tri-Unity Christian Crusaders cruise through the regular season undefeated and ranked in the top 5 in the state as they won the Midwest Central 8 Man conference championship. The Crusaders defeated Webberville in their playoff opener before dropping the second-round game to No. 2 ranked Morrice to finish the year at 10-1.

 

Congratulations to all teams and athletes!

 

The WKTV Featured Game winter broadcast schedule is being finalized but there will once again be boys and girls basketball coverage showcasing all of the local teams, boys hockey, and swimming and diving competitions so be watching for the schedule, but in the meantime, get out and enjoy some of your local schools games in person.

 

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

 

Following is this week’s schedule:

 

Thursday, Nov. 22

Happy Thanksgiving – Watch the WKTV Turkey Bowl

 

Friday, Nov. 23

Boys Hockey

@ East Kentwood – Thanksgiving Falcon Classic

 

Saturday, Nov. 24

Boys Hockey

@ East Kentwood – Thanksgiving Falcon Classic

 

Monday, Nov. 26

No events scheduled

 

WKTV’s 18th Annual Turkey Bowl cable channel fest returns Thanksgiving Day

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Holidays, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports

WKTV’s sports coverage team was at the NorthPointe Christian at Wyoming Lee football game. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

WKTV’s sports coverage crew was busy this fall, as our high school football Featured Game crew covered every local team in the first six weeks of the season and then was at the biggest local games as the season ended.

 

As every year, high school football fans can get their Turkey Day football fix this year as we broadcast several of those big games on our cable Channel 25.

 

The 15-hour special starts at 9 a.m., highlights the best of our high school football games from the season. The schedule and approof games (with link to the games on WKTV’s On-Demand video internet channel) is as follows:

 

9 a.m. — Hamilton @ Godwin Heights. On-Demand

 

11:25 a.m. — Ashley @ Tri-unity Christian. On-Demand

 

1:22 p.m. — NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee. On-Demand

 

3:25 p.m. — Wyoming @ South Christian. On-Demand

 

5:35 p.m. — Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville. On-Demand

 

8 p.m. — Rockford @ East Kentwood. On-Demand

 

10:25 p.m. — MHSAA Playoff: Godwin @ South Christian. On-Demand

 

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government cChannel, where local government meetings and events are shown. On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are give the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26).

 

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

 

Tri-unity falls to Morrice, 14-44, in 8-man football district finals

City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, WKTV Featured sports

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By Micah Cho

ken@wktv.org 

 

A heartbreaking 14-44 loss to Morrice at Grandville Middle School Saturday afternoon sent the Tri-unity High School Defenders home after the second round of the playoffs.

 

Throughout the first quarter it was mainly an offensive battle. Trailing in the first quarter, Tri-unity was able to claw back and tie the game 14-14. After the first quarter, however, it was a difficult battle to get back in the game after fumbles and interceptions plagued the Tri-unity offense.

 

“They were bigger, faster, and stronger than us,” Tri-unity head coach Tim Heath said to WKTV.

 

Being the first loss of the year, the Defenders couldn’t help but hold back tears as Heath addressed the now 10-1 team.

 

“We’re a tight knit group,” Heath said. “This isn’t a (big school). We don’t have 35 or 40 guys on our sideline. We have 13. It really is a family.”

 

For seniors Benson Heath, Brayden Ophoff, and Bennett Sinner, this was the last time they’ll suit up as Defenders on the football field. But Heath wouldn’t let the season end without acknowledging all they’ve done for the team.

 

“Brayden played great, Benson had a big catch, and Bennett had a little momentum going our way,” Heath said. “Our big players still made plays, they (Morrice) just made more.”

 

Although Saturday afternoon’s game came with an unfamiliar ending for the Defenders, they can find comfort in how they played. Tri-Unity’s 14 points were the most points Morrice allowed since a Sept. 14 game against Lawerence.

 

“We didn’t play bad,” said Heath. “They just played really good.”

 

Also around the Wyoming and Kentwood area, both South Christian’s and East Kentwood’s football teams fell to their opponents this weekend. Holland Christian beat South Christian, 22-19. Saline defeated East Kentwood, 42-7.

 

East Kentwood narrowly tops Brighton, moves on to Saline for second-round playoff game

Area Education, City of Kentwood, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports,

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By Micah Cho, WKTV Sports Intern

ken@wktv.org

 

East Kentwood, now 9-1, is traveling to Saline for the second round of the Division 1 state football playoffs with a narrow victory over Brighton last Saturday.

 

The Falcons were able to put 426 yards on the offensive stat sheet. A big contributor to the total yardage is senior wide receiver Stephan Bracey.

 

“We didn’t really click in the first half,” said Bracey. “We just thought about the bigger prize and executed the best we could.”

 

And clicked they did. With a juggled pass from quarterback Kyle Dent, Bracey ran for 81 yards in the second quarter which helped contribute to his 108 receiving yards for the game.

 

Trailing most of the first half, the Falcons were able to tie the game late in the second quarter, 28-28. That’s when East Kentwood head coach Anthony Kimbrough was able to readjust his game plan.

 

East Kentwood head coach Anthony Kimbrough. (WKTV)

“They showed us some things we hadn’t seen in the (defensive) secondary,” said Kimbrough of Brighton’s passing attack.

 

With Brighton trailing 31-28 with 20 seconds left on the clock, a 41-yard field goal from Brighton could have tied the game up and sent it into over time. But after three consecutive timeouts, Brighton missed a field goal that would have extended play.

 

“I was just praying that he missed,” said Kimbrough. “It was a great battle on both sides. You hate for someone to come out as a loser but were fortunate to move on. … But give Brighton credit. They’re a well-coached football team.”

 

However, at the end of the game, Kimbrough did have some tough love for his players. Falcon quarterback Dent threw for 188 yards. but with three interceptions, and Bracey was a total of -16 yards rushing.

 

“We can’t play the way we played today and beat Saline, we just can’t,” said Kimbrough. “We have to have our best. We have to play like the team we’ve been all year.”

 

MaxPreps, a CBS affiliated website dedicated to high school sports, has East Kentwood football ranked 7th in Michigan with Saline behind at 18th.

 

Just like Brighton, the Falcons have never faced Saline. With an unfamiliar opponent, anything can happen. But for now, Bracey and his teammates are thankful.

 

“We’re just truly blessed for what happened,” said Bracey.

 

East Kentwood will be on the road Saturday facing the Saline Hornets, a team that also went 8-1 in the regular season. Saline beat Kalamazoo Central last weekend.

 

You can check out the MaxPreps state rankings here.

 

Four Wyoming, Kentwood teams preparing to make deep playoff runs

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports, , ,

 

By Micah Cho, WKTV Sports Intern

ken@wktv.org

 

Four area teams are going to the playoffs this year, including Tri-unity Christian, South Christian, Godwin Heights and East Kentwood. Although the first round of the playoffs can be a door to something bigger, all four coaches are taking a “back-to-basics” approach this week.

 

“We’re just trying to keep things consistent,” Godwin Heights head coach Brandan Kimble, echoing his fellow coaches, said to WKTV.

 

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Kimble and his team are taking on the South Christian Sailors Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m., at East Kentwood High School. Godwin Heights finished the regular season 6-3, while Mark Tamminga’s South Christian Sailors gained the playoffs as an at-large team with a 5-4 record.

 

For Kimble, this week comes with excitement and uncertainty. The Wolverines started off the season 1-3, but as players became more comfortable with their coach and started buying into the system, Kimble says that’s when things started to take off. Now their hoping their kids can keep with the system a little longer.

 

“We’re just trying to keep things consistent,” said Kimble. “We’re just going to change a few things so they can understand the importance of the week, tweak some things and then add a little bit more intensity to practice.”

 

Curt Copeland, assistant coach and athletic director for South Christian, is trying to help head coach Mark Tamminga win their first playoff game since 2014, the year they won their last championship.

 

“We’re trying to retrain our kids and get them back to understanding what it takes to make a deep run and it starts with the first week of the playoffs,” said Copeland.

 

All you need to know about the Wolverines vs. Sailors matchup

 

Also at East Kentwood High School this weekend is East Kentwood’s opening round playoff game. The Falcons (8-1) will be hosting Brighton High School. Located towards Eastern Michigan, the Bulldogs went 7-2, with their only loses coming twice to Belleville.

 

East Kentwood won their final game last week against Rockford, giving them the OK-Red title. And head coach Anthony Kimbrough couldn’t be more excited for his kids.

 

“I coach because of them,” said Kimbrough. “I come out everyday seeing these kids wanting to get better. One of our goals was to be OK-Red champs, and beating Rockford Friday, for that to come true is tremendous for our program.”

 

In 8-man playoff action, head coach Tim Heath and his Tri-unity team have gone 9-0 this season, beating No. 2 ranked Colon in Week 9. They will be hosting Webberville at Grandville Middle School,m also Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. Colon finished their season 4-5, another at-large team sneaking into the playoffs.

 

Coach Heath doesn’t plan on changing anything in preparation of his Defenders. For his undefeated team, Heath’s mantra for this week is “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

 

“We don’t do anything different,” said Heath. “… The same preparation that goes into every game we’re taking into this game.”

 

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This week’s WKTV Featured Game and other sports events are cable broadcast either live, immediately after the event and/or in rebroadcast, on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99.

 

WKTV’s featured football games are rebroadcast on the night of the game (Thursday or Friday) at 11 p.m. and Saturday starting at 11 a.m. See WKTVjournal.org/sports for complete schedules.

What you need to know about Godwin Heights vs. S. Christian playoff game

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Local Entertainment, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports,

 

By Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director

sports@wktv.org 

 

WKTV’s Featured Game this week is a Division 4 football playoff game at East Kentwood Friday at 7 p.m., with Godwin Heights (6-3 overall, 5-1 and 2nd place in O-K Silver) facing South Christian (5-4, 3-3 and 4th place O-K Gold).

 

This will be the pre-District game for Region 2 District 1 in Division 4.

 

Both teams earned the same number of playoff points, 57.667.  The victor will face the winner of Otsego (5-4, 49.111 points) against Holland Christian (6-3, 63.444 points), with the game being played at the team with the highest playoff points earned.

 

This will be the 13th meeting between these two schools with South Christian leading 8-4 overall, but it’s the first meeting since the fall of 1983 when both teams were in the O-K White. That was the last of those 12 consecutive games as conference opponents.

 

South Christian Notes

 

This is the 22nd time that South Christian has qualified for the playoffs, their 3rd consecutive, 7th in the last 8 years, and 17th of the last 20.

 

South started 2-0 this season but then only were 3-4 the rest of the season, highlighted by their Week 7 win when they defeated conference co-champ Grand Rapids Christian, 24-10, which was Christians only conference loss and one of only two on the season.

 

That game was the only win South had against an above .500 team.

 

Souths wins were by an average margin of just under 24 points a game while their defeats were by 5 to Wayland (4-5), 14 to Unity Christian (7-2), 13 to EGR (6-3 and conference co-champs with Christian), and 1 to Middleville (7-2); so their losses were by an average of just over 8 points a game.

 

They faced 4 teams that qualified for the playoffs and were 1-3 against them.

 

Their defense has given up just 154 points for an average of just over 17.11 points a game which will keep you in many games.

 

Their last playoff win was in the fall of 2014, which was their Division 4 State Championship (24-23 over Lansing Sexton). That also was their 3rd consecutive year being in the state championship game, having lost to Marine City in 2013, 49-35, and won in 2012, 40-7, over Detroit Country Day.

 

They also played for state championships in 2002, winning, 42-13, over Riverview; in 1999, losing to Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s, 34-13; in 1986 (Class B), losing to Marysville 38-15; and in 1984 (Class C) losing to Detroit DePorres, 38-26. Their overall playoff record is 40-18 (.690).

 

Godwin Heights Notes

 

Godwin Heights started 1-3 but closed on a 5-game winning streak highlighted by a Week 7 win against Belding (7-2), 25-21. That was their only win against a team with above .500 record.

 

Unlike last year, when Godwin was known for their offense after scoring 395 points on the season, this year’s team is known for its defense as they have only given up 155 points (17.2 average per game). That is the lowest total allowed since 1987 when they gave up just 84 points, so the game could be a low scoring battle led by the two defenses.

 

This is just the school’s 5th playoff appearance but is their 4th consecutive. However, they are still searching for their 1st playoff victory, having lost in 1989 to Muskegon Catholic Central (Class C), 46-20; in 2015 to Catholic Central (Division 4), 55-0; in 2016 also to Catholic Central, 43-0; and last year to Kelloggsville, 49-7.

 

Their only conference loss was to conference champ Hopkins 27-8, in Week 4.

 

Following that loss, they scored at least 23 points each game and a total of 143 for an average of just under 29 a game.

 

They played three games against playoff teams this season and were 1-2 against them (Unity Christian, Hopkins, and Belding).

 

One common opponent with South Christian was Unity Christian, which Godwin lost to 38-18 and South Christian lost to 28-14.

 

WKTV Note: Because of the MHSAA usually taking over Week 2 playoff broadcasts, this will be the final WKTV football coverage of the season. But should local teams still be alive, we will be producing online/print stories. Stay tuned.

 

WKTV adds local football playoff game to high school sports schedule

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, WKTV Featured sports

East Kentwood High School’s football field is known for its loud a crowds, and there will be two playoff games on the field this weekend. (WKTV file)

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org 

 

The regular season of football completed its schedule the weekend of Oct. 19-20 and, with the playoff match-ups announced, WKTV has added the Godwin Heights High School vs. South Christian Division 4 game scheduled for Friday, Oct. 26, at East Kentwood High School’s field, to our featured game coverage plans.

 

The Wolverines will come into the “road game” at 6-3 after closing out the season with a win Friday, and the Sailors will come into their “home game” at 5-4 after earning an at-large bid after their season-ending win. The game will begin at 7 p.m.

 

Other Pre-District games kicking off the playoff opening weekend include East Kentwood (8-1) will host Brighton (7-2) in Division 1 action on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. Also, in 8-man Division 1 playoff action, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (9-0) will host Webberville (4-5) at Grandville Middle School on Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m.

 

All games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.

 

Following is the end of this week’s schedule:

 

Tuesday, Oct 23

Boys Soccer

TBD at FH Central – MHSAA Regionals Division 1

TBD at Portage Northern – MHSAA Regionals Division 4

Girls Volleyball

Zion Christian @ Godwin Heights

Zion Christian @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Cross Roads Charter @ Tri-Unity Christian

FH Eastern @ South Christian

 

Wednesday, Oct. 24

Boys Soccer

TBD at Otsego – MHSAA Regionals Division 3

Girls Volleyball

East Kentwood @ Grandville

 

Thursday, Oct. 25

Boys Soccer

TBD at FH Central – MHSAA Regionals Division 1

TBD at Portage Northern – MHSAA Regionals Division 4

Girls Volleyball

Kelloggsville @ Tri-Unity Christian

Ravenna @ Tri-Unity Christian

South Christian @ Wyoming

Algoma Christian @ Wyoming Lee

 

Friday, Oct. 26

Boys Water Polo

TBD – State Regionals

Boys Football – MHSAA Pre-Districts

Godwin Heights vs. South Christian, Division 4 game, at East Kentwood High School’s field, at 7 p.m. — WKTV Featured Game of the Week

Also, in 8-man Division 1 playoff action, Webberville at Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, at Grandville Middle School, 8-man Division 1, at 7 p.m.

 

Saturday, Oct. 27

Boys Soccer

TBD at Otsego – MHSAA Regionals Division 3

Boys/Girls Cross Country

Wyoming at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 1

East Kentwood at Portage Central – MHSAA Regionals Division 1

West Michigan Aviation at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 2

Grand River Prep at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 2

Godwin Heights at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 2

Kelloggsville at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 2

South Christian at Portage Central – MHSAA Regionals Division 2

Wyoming Lee at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 3

Tri-Unity Christian at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 4

Boys Water Polo

TBD – State Regionals

Boys Football – MHSAA Pre-Districts

Brighton at East Kentwood, Division 1 game, at 1 p.m.

 

Monday, Oct. 29

Girls Volleyball

South Christian vs West Michigan Aviation @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts

Christian vs Grand River Prep @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts

 

Tuesday, Oct. 30

Girls Volleyball

TBD @ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts

 

Wednesday, Oct. 31 — Halloween

Boys Soccer

TBD at Holt – MHSAA Semifinals Division 1

TBD at Cedar Springs – MHSAA Semifinals Division 3

TBD at Holland – MHSAA Semifinals Division 4

Girls Volleyball

Kelloggsville vs TBD @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts

TBD @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts

 

Godwin Heights hosts Wyoming Lee, looks to advance to playoffs

City of Wyoming, Education, Local Faces, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, ,

 

By Micah Cho, WKTV Sports Intern

ken@wktv.org 

 

After starting off the season with a rocky 1-3 record, Godwin Heights high school’s football team has been on a 4-game win streak bringing the Wolverines to the brink of an playoffs. And the team shows no indication of slowing down anytime soon.

 

The Wolverines look to may make Friday night’s game against Wyoming Lee their sixth win of the season locking them into the playoffs.

 

This week’s game against Wyoming Lee is big for first-year head coach Brandon Kimble and his team, as a win against the Rebels will return Godwin Heights to the playoffs. Although Lee is sitting at a rough 1-8 on the season, Kimble isn’t taking Friday night’s game lightly.

 

“These kids want to finish their season strong just like how we want to finish our season,” Kimble said to WKTV this week. “We did some good things to get us to this point, but what a way to ruin everything you’ve done than to overlook an opponent.”

 

Deamonte Clark, a senior running back and cornerback, isn’t taking this week lightly either. Clark says he knows that childhood best friend and Lee wide receiver/safety Nalin Mena and his team will be putting up a fight in their final battle of the season.

 

“You can’t take anyone lightly,” Clark said. “… Nalin Mena is going to give it all he’s got, so we have to give it all we got.”

 

More on Lee’s Mena, other Rebel senior leaders playing this week.
Big game, but also a special effort for kids in need

 

Godwin Heights lost their first two games of the season, events that may have worried the Godwin faithful. But after turning their season around in just four weeks, Kimble is proud of his teams successful season.

 

“For me, it’s a really exciting time, if I’m being honest,” Kimble said. “… It’s my first year and I’m the head coach. You want to do things right and you want to make sure you take the program in the right way and continue it in the (team’s) trajectory that it was going, so getting into the playoffs would solidify that.”

 

WKTV coverage plans for Friday, Oct. 19

 

The WKTV sports truck can not be at two places at once, but we are planning to come close. WKTV will have sports crews out at both the Rockford at East Kentwood game, and the Lee at Godwin Heights game, on Friday, Oct. 19.

 

The East Kentwood game will be rebroadcast in its entirety on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99 on the night of the game (Friday) at 11 p.m. and Saturday starting at 11 a.m.

 

Highlights of the game at Godwin Heights will be up on WKTV’s YouTube channel early next week. Check it out at WKTVvideos on YouTube.

 

WKTV will also be doing Facebook Live reports from both games. Check them out at WKTV.org on Facebook.

 

See WKTVjournal.org/sports for complete high school sports schedules.

 

WKTV’s coverage of high school sports and select community events are also available on-demand within a week of the event at wktvondemand.com.

 

Wyoming Lee football seniors will try to end high school careers on high note

City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, WKTV Featured sports, ,

Wyoming Lee’s senior-led offensive line prepares for a snap against NorthPointe in an early season game. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Wyoming Lee and Godwin Heights High Schools not only share spots in the current OK Silver conference but have a long history of friendly competition on the football field as cross-town rivals.

 

So when the Rebels invade Wolverine territory this week, it will be for bragging rights among friends in some cases, such as between Lee senior Nalin Mena and Godwin senior Deamonte Clark.

 

Clark, a running back and cornerback, is childhood friends with Mena, a team captain, receiver and safety. And Clark knows Mena and his Rebel teammates will show up despite Godwin (5-3) playing for a playoff spot while Lee (1-7) is playing to end the season on high note.

 

“Nalin Mena is going to give it all he’s got, so we have to give it all we got,” Clark told WKTV this week. (See WKTV’s story and video on Godwin Heights here.)

 

Lee’s coach Tom DeGennaro, looking at his key seniors who will be playing their last game this week, could not agree with Clark more.

 

Mena “is the emotional leader, the best player on the team — leads the team in tackles, interceptions, receiving yardage,” DeGennaro told WKTV. “Type of kid you wish you had 11 of them to play for you.

 

“He is willing to do anything for his teammates, and has been on the varsity for all four years. Don’t judge him by his size, (5-foot-7, 140 pounds), he is a big time player. (And he is) better then 3.0 in the classroom.”

 

Big game, but also a special effort for kids in need

 

DeGennaro also praised three other seniors: Ruben Blanco, a tight end and defensive end; Eddie Carter-Cook, a offensive and defensive tackle; and Alan Jimenez, an offensive and defensive guard.

 

Blanco (6-1 and 260, and also better than 3.0 in the classroom) is a captain and 4-year year starter who was all-conference his freshman year. He played offensive tackle his first three years and switched to tight end this year.

 

“He has caught at least one pass in every game,” DeGennaro said. “The last two years we had zero receptions by our tight ends. He is a big time blocker and a force on defense. He will be playing somewhere next year on Saturdays.”

 

Carter-Cook (6-4 and 285, also better than 3.0) is a captain who transferred from Arizona his sophomore year and never played football before.

 

“He is a great run blocker, a big force on the offensive line,” DeGennaro said. “When he and Alan or Ruben double team somebody they stay blocked. (He) could be playing next year on Saturdays.”

 

Jimenez (5-10 and 225, also better than 3.0) is a 4-year starter who has committed to the United States Marine Corps next year.

 

“He is an awesome football player who also wrestles and throws shot put,” DeGennaro said. “He is a very quiet kid who leads by example.”

 

Other seniors on the Lee team include running back/defensive back Carlos Savala, full back/linebacker Alfredo Corbera and full back/linebacker Joe Broca.

 

WKTV coverage plans for Friday, Oct. 19

 

The WKTV sports truck can not be at two places at once, but we are planning to come close. WKTV will have sports crews out at both the Rockford at East Kentwood game, and the Lee at Godwin Heights game, on Friday, Oct. 19.

 

The East Kentwood game will be rebroadcast in its entirety on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99 on the night of the game (Friday) at 11 p.m. and Saturday starting at 11 a.m.

 

Highlights of the game at Godwin Heights will be up on WKTV’s YouTube channel early next week. Check it out at  WKTVvideos on YouTube.

 

WKTV will also be doing Facebook Live reports from both games. Check them out at WKTV.org on Facebook.

 

See WKTVjournal.org/sports for complete high school sports schedules.

 

WKTV’s coverage of high school sports and select community events are also available on-demand within a week of the event at wktvondemand.com.