With its game last week against Grand Haven forfeited, Rockford made use of extra time in preparation for East Kentwood in a 41-20 victory over the Falcons.
The Rams clung to a 7-0 lead after one quarter and were still ahead 14-7 when disaster struck East Kentwood before halftime in the form of a special teams mistake. The Falcons lined up for a punt late in the first half, but instead were unable to get the punt off and failed to convert on fourth down.
“You can’t give up short field and especially to one of the best teams in the state,” East Kentwood coach Tony Kimbrough said. “You do that and they will make you pay for it.”
The Falcons did indeed pay for their mistake as Rockford converted the short field into a touchdown and a 20-7 lead at the break.
East Kentwood players receive instruction from their coach during Friday night’s game against Rockford. (WKTV/Nathan Piers)
Using a combination of exotic blitzes and different fronts, the Rams defense was able to shut down East Kentwood’s offense in the second half and build a decisive lead.
“Defensively we were solid all night long,” Rockford coach Brent Cummings said. “Pretty proud of our defensive line and linebackers. We wanted to attack their size with our team speed.”
It is often said that football is a “game of inches” and for East Kentwood it was the “little things” that prevented them from winning tonight, according to Kimbrough.
“We were battling early on and it was very close,” Kimbrough said. “You make a little mistake here and there and it can really make the difference. We have to be more technically sound.”
Ben Cash led the Falcons offensively with 74 rushing yards and a touchdown, as well as Elisee Kanda with 54 rushing yards and two scores. Stellan Bowman had 12 tackles and two sacks on defense.
East Kentwood (3-2, 2-1 OK Red) faces another stiff test as it travels to unbeaten Caledonia (5-0, 3-0 OK Red) next Friday. Meanwhile, Rockford (5-0, 3-0) clashes with Grandville (4-1, 2-1 OK Red).
WKTV Game of the Week
Our Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. Watch at home on your Smart TV in brilliant HD.
Even people in the know about the state of the State of Michigan high school girls golf might have overlooked East Kentwood High School sophomore Elise Fennell last year — until she finished her freshman season a solid fourth in the Division 1 individual finals.
And following her consistent, quality play this season, and with her dominating the field at a very tough Division 1 Regional 1 last week — shooting a 73 at Thompsonville’s Betsie Valley course, six stokes ahead of the second place individual finisher — she may well be the golfer to beat this week at the 2-day state Division 1 finals at Grand Valley State University.
East Kentwood High School sophomore Elise Fennell will be seeking a state title Oct. 15-16. (Supplied)
While the 15-year old speaks softly and humbly when asked about her approach to the state finals, to be held Oct. 15-16 at The Meadows, she sounds quietly confident in her game. And her Falcon coach, Mike Ketelaar, says the same thing, a little more loudly.
“Just trying to get ready, mentally, more than anything,” Fennell said to WKTV this week, as she prepared for a practice round at Stonewater Country Club in Caledonia. “Physically is not as important as your mental game. I’m just trying to prepare for what I am going to do. Course management decisions. Everything like that.”
Ketelaar, too, says his prize young player is “hungry” to prove herself to be among the best in the state while she is already establishing herself on the national stage in youth golf by playing in “a lot of serious tournaments in the summertime with some of the best players in the country.”
“Playing in the state finals last year … I got to watch every shot and she was very composed. She enjoyed herself,” Ketelaar said to WKTV. “At the state tournament last year, there was a little bit of nerves but there was nothing she wasn’t used to. I think this year she is very excited for this state tournament coming up, because it is 36 holes, its at Grand Valley, where we’ve had a lot of events.
“I think she is hungry. Fourth place (last year) was really good for her but I think she has higher aspirations this year.”
Growing into her game, individual and team
Fennell has been playing since age six, and competing since she was about 10. And like a lot of young players, when she started there as a parent and a Tiger involved.
East Kentwood High School sophomore Elise Fennell is all smiles … until there is a club in her hands. (Supplied)
“I was like six, and my dad and I would watch Tiger (Woods) on TV, all those guys on TV, and he introduced me to the game,” Fennell said. Her first lesson, however, was later — “I was nine and it was here, (at Stonewater) from Jimmy (Wisinski).”
It was right about that time that she knew she could — and should — compete with the best in her age group, and higher.
“When I was 10, I was winning a lot of stuff in my age group, just because it was small, there was not a lot of girls in my age group,” Fennell said. “My scores were similar to the older girls, so I started moving up. And every time I moved up, all my scores were right there with them. … When I was like 12, I ended up playing with high schoolers and I said ‘Okay, this is where I am meant to be.’”
And that is about the time Falcon coach Ketelaar started hearing about the talent that would he would have the “privilege” and “responsibility” to be working with.
“I’ve had the privilege to work with Elise for the last two years, as her coach at East Kentwood High School,” he said. “But, prior to that, I knew about her pedigree and her ability. … Hearing about her name around the country club here and seeing her scores in different newspapers and stuff, I knew I had a huge responsibility as a coach to make sure I took care of that talent and help develop it to the best of my abilities.”
And despite her growth, physically, it is her mental game where she and her coach continue working to improve.
Her game changed, physically, she said as she grew from 10 to her current 15 years old “because I kept growing, so I needed new clubs, and my yardages changed, and but the same mentality stayed where I just wanted to focus on each shot, stay in the moment and not get too far ahead of myself. Otherwise it would be downhill from there.”
She has also grown both in her individual game and her team game, her coach said.
“I’ve noticed a huge growth in (her), she wants to do well individually still, she’s very hungry and competitive. But I think she is seeing the larger picture of the importance of helping team members,” Ketelaar said. “She obviously has more golf experience than a lot of girls on the team. She has really taken it upon herself to pass on that knowledge and teach them about course management. How to remain calm. Just to enjoy the moment.
“I know she knows high school golf is four years. I think the first year she was really concerned about learning about it and having success herself. It is very apparent now that it is not so much about her as it is about the whole team.”
Falcon team making improvements
While the East Kentwood girls golf team did not advance past the regionals, Fennell’s coach said her impact on the team this year and in the future is certain. Not only on the courses but at practice.
East Kentwood High School head girls golf coach Mike Ketelaar. (WKTV)
“I text and call Elise a lot to get a vibe on what’s the team thinking,” Ketelaar said. “Obviously I’m not a high school girl and I try my best to figure out the climate of the team is. But a lot of time I bank on her relationships, her friendships, with them all to say ‘Hey, are they enjoying themselves? Is there a practice we are doing, is it worthwhile?’ She comes back with really good advice of how she thinks we can improve our program.”
Looking at this year’s team, outride of Fennell, coach starts with his senior leader, Chandler Baillie — “She was a really a consistent player for us,” and then goes from there.
“Morgan Lee is a sophomore, she played our Number 2 this year — I know she is really excited to work in the off season, to improve. So, I’m looking forward to seeing what Morgan can bring to the table next year.
“And Aish (Aishwarya Kasaju) is a junior this year, she had huge improvements, she’ll be a senior leader. And Cam (Camryn) Kolzow came out as a freshman and never played school golf before and now has a real itch. So I think we have a great squad coming in for next year.”
East Kentwood High School sophomore Elise Fennell at practice. (Supplied)
This week WKTV Sports features two high school girls basketball match-ups beginning Tuesday, March 2, with an OK Conference Red match-up as Grandville visits East Kentwood, the state’s No. 4 ranked team in Division 1.
Later in the week, on Thursday, March 4, the WKTV crew will be at South Christian as Forest Hills Eastern visits for an OK Gold contest. The Sailors enter the week 6-1 in conference and 7-1 overall; FH Eastern is 3-5 and 3-6 overall.
The WKTV Featured Game sports crew includes volunteer announcers including, from a 2020 game at East Kentwood, Ron Schultz and Mark Bergsma. (WKTV)
The Tuesday contest will tip off at 7 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Tuesday night, at 11 p.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later. (See details at end of story.)
The Grandville Bulldogs come into the game with 2-7 record (1-6 in OK Red) and coming off a 73-38 loss at Holland West Ottawa on Feb. 27.
The Falcons come into the game with a 6-1 record, all in conference, after a 54-43 road win at Grand Haven Feb. 27, and riding a 2-game winning streak following their only loss of the season, a 56-52 nail-biter at OK Red leader Hudsonville (7-0, 8-1 overall). The Falcons and the Eagles will have their rematch, at East Kentwood, on March 13.
According to information provided to WKTV by Eric Large, East Kentwood head girls basketball coach, the Falcons are a deep, experienced team with four seniors nominated for McDonald’s All American: Alexis McCully, Kaybriana Hallman, Madisyn Tillman and Keliese Christopher.
Christopher is averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds a game; McCully is averaging 17 points and 8 assists; junior guard Deyonce Thompson is averaging 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists; and Tilman is averaging 10 points and 9 rebounds.
Hallman is currently out due to an injury but, coach Large reports, she is ranked nationally (ESPN #46 in the country) and has signed to play at Xavier University next season. Tilmann will be playing at Eastern Michigan next season, and both Christopher and McCully have Division 1 offers.
To see the Grandville at East Kentwood basketball game on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
East Kentwood High School wresting co-head coach Eric Foster visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection. (Falcons’ hockey head coach Phil Sweeney’s interview is later in this story.)
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, as part of our continuing series of shows focused on different local high schools’ sports departments, we check in with the East Kentwood wrestling and hockey teams — both of which are dealing with pandemic-related restrictions and continued uncertainty.
Visiting the WKTV studios earlier this month were Falcon’s wresting co-head coach Eric Foster, and then hockey head coach Phil Sweeney. We talk with coach Foster and coach Sweeney about how their Falcon coaching staffs and teams are coping with the current pause in high school athletics, and about coaching in these unprecedented times.
But we also look ahead with hope, for lower COVID-19 numbers and the continuation of the current resumption of high school athletics — see a story on fall sports returning here — and we also get a peek from the coaches at their teams’ outlook for the 2020-21 season.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection, with this latest episode hosted by WKTV volunteer Cory Dalton, brings its audience interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports, both on cable television and on our on-demand and YouTube channels. Readers can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting wktvjournal.com/sports.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of highs school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.com. It also airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule). Individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal Sports Connection are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Before the latest Michigan High School Sports Association (MHSAA) action to suspend, but maybe not cancel, the state’s remaining high school sports championship schedule, East Kentwood High School’s girls swim coach thought her team had overcome all the COVID-19 turbulence this season.
And WKTV talked to Falcons head coach Monika Steffens via zoom last week about her team’s season as they prepared to send the relay team to the State Finals this week.
Coach Steffens — or as her team calls her, Coach Mo — told WKTV that the team’s season had been incredible through a difficult time, that her girls set personal best times in almost all of their races at the OK Conference tournament and, on top of that, sophomore standout Kalin Wiltrout broke a 22 year old team record for 100 freestyle.
“We were unsure when we would even practice and everyday these girls showed up, took everything we threw at them, and they still got around to swimming very fast,” Steffens said in the video interview.
Then came news over the weekend of the latest restrictions from the State of Michigan and the MHSAA, including suspension of the high school state swim meet as well as the volleyball and football tournaments.
“We had been warning the girls that this was a possibility for the past few weeks, but it still does not make facing the decision any easier,” Steffens said today, Nov. 16, to WKTV. “I am grateful that we were able to get through our conference meet and were given the chance to race hard throughout the past few months.
“Pushing back, or even cancelling, this season’s state meet does not take away from the hard work these ladies put in. Qualifying to compete is already a tremendous accomplishment. Putting the chance to beat a couple more team records on hold is hard to accept, but I know we will be back here again next season and I know we will do our best to race hard again when we are given the chance.”
WKTV’s local sports coverage is available at wktvjournal.com/sports. WKTV Journal Sports Connection is also available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of highs school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.com. Individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal Sports Connection are also usually available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
After Week 2 of the adjusted high school football season, South Christian High School remained undefeated, Godwin Heights gained its first win in a big way over Kelloggsville, while East Kentwood’s offense came alive but could not overcome a scoring onslaught by Grandville in WKTV’s Featured Game of the Week.
The biggest news may have come not on the field, however, but from the Michigan High School Athletic Association, the state’s governing body of high school sports, which made a little clearer what the expanded football playoffs will look like.
Playoff field expands; some details set
In an expected announcement on the expansion of the Michigan high school football playoff format, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) last week approved plan in which all teams would be eligible regardless of regular season records. There are currently 507 teams playing 11-player football, but some are already forfeiting games and/or are canceling games.
According to the MHSAA statement, teams have been placed in pre-arranged divisions based on enrollment, and into districts mostly reflecting current conferences. Teams will be seeded 1-8 based on playoff-point average, with the teams with highest averages hosting at the District and Regional levels.
The current, tentative playoff format includes, for each division, first three district round games, then the regional finals, and finally state semifinals and finals. The host sites for the semifinals and finals will be pre-arranged and announced at a later date. Finals will be played the weekend of Dec. 4-6.
Further details are expected to be “provided soon” on the Football page of the MHSAA website at mhsaa.com/sports/football.
Back on the field locally last week
On the road Friday, Sept. 25, the South Christian Sailors jumped out to a 21-0 first half lead and ran their record to 2-0 with a win at Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 35-12.
In the win, quarterback Ty Rynbrandt as 14-of-21 for 111 yards, including touchdown strikes to Sam Meengs and Elliot Grashuis. Eli Smith led the receivers with 33 yards on sic receptions. Daniel Possett led the Sailors rushing attack with 49 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries. Jeff Herrema was 5-for-5 in extra point kicks.
Conner Dykema led the defense with two solo tackles and five assists. And the defense scored one touchdown.
“Another good defensive performance,” South Christian head coach Danny Brown said to WKTV. “Both touchdowns given up were played well by our defensive backs but the receiver just made a better play. … We didn’t light up the stat book but we made the most of our opportunities. Great team win. Everyone was able to get some playing time which is always a bonus.”
Next up, the Sailors will be at home Friday, Oct. 2, as they host Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (0-2).
At East Kentwood, senior quarterback Braden Miller continued his hot start to the season going 18-of-30 passing for 359 yards and three touchdowns as the Falcons fell just short to Grandville, 54-42.
East Kentwood scores against Grandville on Sept. 25. (WKTV)
Miller also gained 60 yards on the ground as Kylon Hunnicut added 53 yards on just three carries. Hunnicut did most of his damage receiving, however, with 112 yards on three receptions. Pacino Horne added 102 yards on 12 receptions. On defense, Darian Quinn had seven tackles, and Carson Dunn, Caius Austin, Razah Townsend, Jocari Barnes and Jodon Gray-Tolb all had five tackles.
The East Kentwood game was WKTV Featured game and was broadcast on cable live and live-streamed. It is available on-demand at WKTVlive.org, along with all featured games from this season.
This week’s WKTV featured game will be Belding at Godwin Heights, and will also be broadcast live on cable and live-streamed available at WKTV.org by hitting the “Live” button.
Last week, Godwin (1-1) won at Wyoming Kelloggsville (0-2), 32-8. (Scheduling notes: Kelloggsville will be at home against Comstock Park (0-2) this week. Godwin’s scheduled Oct. 9 game at Grandville Calvin Christian has been cancelled.)
In the Godwin game, Kelloggsville sophomore quarterback Zack Zerfys was 10-of-17 for 86 yards including a touchdown strike to junior Jabari Campbell and a 2-point conversion to Cory Patton Ivy.
In other local games, Wyoming high (0-2) lost at home to Zeeland East, 49-14, while Wyoming Lee (1-1) gained a 1-0 forfeit over Three Oaks River Valley and will be at home this week against Comstock (1-1).
In the Wyoming high game, the Wolves senior quarterback Matthew Berg was 10-of-22 passing for 205 yards and a touchdown to fellow senior Mahki Matthews, who led the team with 151 yards receiving. Jeremy Barber scored the Wolves other touchdown as he rushed for 36 yards on 11 carries. Senior Cam Simon led Wyoming’s rushing attack with 57 yards on 15 carries.
“We played as hard as we’ve played since I’ve been here,” Wolves head coach Irv Sigler said to WKTV. “I am really proud of the fight in our kids. We had a lot to prove after a poor performance against Zeeland West. We played another outstanding football team this week and our kids gave everything they have. We will continue to get better and work to maximize our potential.”
Next up for the Wyoming Wolves is a rod game at Grand Rapids Union (0-2).
The 2019-20 East Kentwood High School girls basketball team. (East Kentwood Falcons)
By Mike Moll, WKTV Sport Director sports@wktv.org
The East Grand Rapids Pioneers were crowned Division 1 District 10 champions Friday, March 6, after defeating the East Kentwood Falcons for a second time this season, 56-53, at Caledonia High School.
It was a game where the Falcons had visions of bringing the championship trophy back to East Kentwood until they committed three consecutive turnovers inside the last two minutes of the game and East Grand Rapids displayed amazing free throw shooting throughout the game.
East Kentwood finishes the year at 19-4 while East Grand Rapids moves to 21-1 and advances to the Division 1 Regionals at West Ottawa to meet 21-2 Muskegon Reeths-Puffer Tuesday, March 10.
The game started off basket-for-basket until the Pioneers ran off 12 of the final 14 points in the first quarter to take a 16-6 lead. East Grand Rapids was led by Jillian Brown with 5 points in the quarter, while East Kentwood had three scorers with two each, Raven Jemison, Kaybriana Hallman, and Madisyn Tillman.
The theme of the night was turnovers right from the first quarter as the Falcons committed seven compared to just two by the Pioneers.
The second quarter had the Falcons getting their offense rolling as they scored 15 points in the quarter, led by Alexis McCully with four including a triple and a free throw along with a three by Deyonce Thompson. Even with that production, the closest they could cut the deficit to was eight as EGR countered with 13 of their own, led again by Brown with six to maintain the lead at the break, 29-21. Just as in the first quarter, the difference was East Grand Rapids capitalizing on four turnovers compared to just another two of their own.
The Falcons were much more aggressive on both ends of the floor after the break and were able to take advantage as the Pioneers more than doubled their turnover total of the first half in just the third quarter with 5. McCully was the main force as she totaled seven points in the stanza but had support as Hallman and Tillman each had four, cutting the lead to just a pair entering the final quarter 40-38. EGR’s sophomore Alli Carlson was responsible for the difference as she had five points.
The final quarter had two ties and two lead changes, as the Falcons were able to go on a 10-1 run to go from down three to what seemed like a huge lead inside the 2-minute mark, 50-44, as they held the Pioneers to no field goals over a 4-minute window. East Kentwood was led by junior McCully with nine points in the final quarter, but after back to back turnovers by EK, and Jillian Brown converting two free throws and a three by her freshman sister Macy Brown, the lead was cut to just one with 1:27 left.
The turnover issues continued for East Kentwood on a third consecutive trip on offense and after a foul on the defensive end, Jillian Brown made two more free throws to give the lead back to EGR with under a minute to play. That was a lead they would not relinquish as the Falcons could only counter with three free throws over the last minute to fall short in the end compared to near perfect free throw shooting for EGR.
The turnover war was the final enemy in that quarter as EK committed seven compared to just two for EGR.
On the night, the Falcons were led by McCully with 20 points, Jemison with nine, Hallman and Tillman with eight each. EGR only had five field goals in the entire second half but countered that low number by making 14-of-17 free throws in the half, including 10-of-12 for Jillian Brown alone, and Carlson was 3-of-4 in the fourth quarter. As a team, East Grand Rapids was 16-of-19 for the game. They were led by Jillian Brown with 21 points, Carlson 16, and Macy Brown with 10.
The 2019-20 East Kentwood High School boys basketball team. (Supplied/East Kentwood)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
So far this season, after five non-conference games and their OK-Conference Red opener earlier this week, the East Kentwood boys basketball team has had some success and some struggles executing coach Jeff Anama plan to have a team featuring fast-paced offense and defense.
The Falcons have two players scoring in double figures, several seniors playing key rolls, but have a modest early-season 2-4 record (0-1 in conference) as the team hosts Hudsonville (7-0, 2-0) Friday, Jan. 17, as part of a doubleheader of WKTV Sports Featured Games which will be available on cable television and, later, on-demand at WKTVlive.org.
“The kind of offense and defense we run, I think, is … transition, trying to push the ball quickly, look for opportunities to get easy baskets,” Anama said to WKTV in December as the team prepared for its first game. The team wants “to try to create pressure and turnovers an easier baskets with our defensive transition and defensive pressure.”
We need to “be able to push the ball from one end to the other and create opportunities for the depth that I think we have on this year’s team,” he said. “And with the defensive pressure to make the tempo uncomfortable for the team we are playing.”
Anama’s fast-paced philosophy has shown it sometimes takes a few games to click. Last season, the Falcons started 3-3, but ended up 16-10 overall and won five playoff games before falling to Okemos in the state Division 1 Quarterfinals.
This season’s Falcons, through six games, are led in scoring by seniors Ja’moni Jones (14 points per game) and Jordan Jackson (11.2 PPG), with three players averaging about six points per game: senior JaShon Large, junior Tyane Barnes and super freshman Jy’Air Harris. Jackson and Harris also lead the team in rebounds per game with just over four, while Jones is averaging just under four rebounds and leading the team in assists with about 3 per game.
The usual (and tentative Friday) starters are Jones, Jackson, Large, Harris and senior Urim Sahitolli.
Other players on the team (according to the team’s school webpage) include seniors Sean-Anthony Diggs, Deivi Martinez Abreu, Frey Nickson and Adonis Vashon; juniors Christopher Brown, Eric Cohill, Joshua Mayhue, Kellen Roelofs and Kalil Stimage.
“I would say our team is a team that loves to play basketball and they love to be together,” Anama said.
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; 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.
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 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.”
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/.
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/.
East Kentwood High School’s 2018-19 team. (Supplied/East Kentwood Falcons)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
After finishing the regular season with a four-game losing streak which dropped their season record to 11-9 and left them tied for third in the OK-Conference Red at 6-6, the East Kentwood High School boys basketball team has become the classic “survive and advance” tournament team this season.
After winning three tough games in the district tournament, then grinding out two two very tough wins in the Division 1 Regional 3 tournament at Holland West Ottawa last week — defeating Muskegon, 68-62, and then Hudsonville, 61-60 — the Falcons (now 16-9 on the season) will play in the MHSAA state Division 1 quarterfinals, a neutral-site game to be played at Caledonia High School Tuesday, March 12, at 7 p.m.
Incidentally, the regional final win over Hudsonville gave East Kentwood head coach Jeff Anama 220 wins as the team’s head coach, passing Mickey Phelps in the program’s record books.
East Kentwood’s opponent in the quarterfinals will be Okemos (22-2, and winner of the Capital Area Activities Conference-Blue), with the winner moving on to the Breslin Center at Michigan State University for the state semifinals on Friday, March 15, at 2 p.m., and, possibly, the finals on Saturday, March 16 at 12:15 p.m.
This will be the Falcons first quarterfinal appearance since 1998 and the first time they have advanced past district play in eight years.
East Kentwood’s playoff tournament run is all the more impressive, as head coach Jeff Anama pointed out in supplied information to WKTV, because “We have beaten three teams on our run that we lost to during the regular season … East Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Hudsonville — twice.”
The Falcon team is captained by senior guard Ryel Daye and 6-foot-4 senior forward Chris Brown, as well as junior guard Ja’moni Jones — who is the team’s leading scorer, with about 22-points-per-game in the regular season. The other routine starters for East Kentwood are 6-3 junior forward Jordan Jackson and 6-5 junior center Urim Sahitolli. The top reserves are 6-1 sophomore center Drapher Cribbs and junior guard Adonis Vashon.
While Jones has been the most consistent scorer for East Kentwood, coach Anama pointed out in supplied information that “four players have scored over 20 points in a game this year” — Jones, Daye, Brown and Jackson, while Sahitolli had a season high of 15 points.
Other players on the Falcons postseason roster include: sophomore guard Kellan Roelofs, sophomore guard Josh Mayhue, sophomore guard Kamarion Harris, junior forward Anthony Brown, junior guard Prince Shema, sophomore Jacari Barnes and junior forward Sean-Anthony Diggs.
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.
After clinching a playoff spot against Holland last week, the East Kentwood Falcons are going for their next goal: OK Red champs.
Hosting Hudsonville (5-2 overall, 3-1 in conference) this week, East Kentwood (6-1, 4-0) can secure at least a share of the title this week with a win. Combined with a win next week, in the final game of the regular season, also at home against Rockford (4-3, 3-1), the Falcons would claim the title outright.
Falcons Head Coach Anthony Kimbrough. (WKTV)
Both Falcons head coach Tony Kimbrough and his players know there is still a lot to play for in the final two games — as T’Shone Cutts, a senior middle linebacker for the Falcons, said “they are lasered in” for the rest of this season.
Unlike recent years, when the team struggled at times, Kimbrough, in his fourth year as head coach of the Falcons told the WKTV journal what changed in a early-season interview.
“We just got back to basics,” coach Kimbrough said. “The kids are playing good some really good fundamental and assignment football.”
Stephan Bracey, senior wide receiver for East Kentwood. (WKTV)
Stephan Bracey, a Western Michigan University football commit and senior wide receiver, also expressed high hopes for his team.
“We want to go all the way to Ford Field and get the dub there,” Bracey said, referring to a “W,” a win. “So, state champs is our goal.”
Cutts, one of Kimbrough’s defensive weapons, is confident in the defense he is one of the leaders on, despite the rocky start they had in the beginning of the season.
T’Shone Cutts, senior middle linebacker for East Kentwood. (WKTV)
“Our defense is looking good,” Cutts said. “We’re staying focused. We can’t allow teams to score the way they were in the beginning of the season.”
After giving up 30 points to Grandville in Week 5, East Kentwood has only given up 12 points in their last two games.
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.
The East Kentwood Falcons take on the Grandville this week in WKTV’s featured game of the week as the Bulldogs (2-2) will be traveling and facing a streaking Falcon team as well as a fired-up East Kentwood homecoming crowd.
East Kentwood High School is known for its loud and engaged Homecoming crowds. (WKTV file)
“Anytime you have homecoming, you’re going to have a big crowd,” said head coach Anthony Kimbrough of what is waiting his 3-1 East Kentwood squad. “It’s an exciting week leading up to the game. As a coach, it’s kind of a hectic week for me, but the kids seem to handle it well.
Coach Kimbrough says the secret to his team’s success, and now 3-game winning streak, is simple — the players are responding well to the fundamental system he has implemented.
“We just got back to basics,” said Kimbrough. “The kids are playing some really good fundamental and assignment football. Just doing everything right in the key moments of the game.”
Falcons Head Coach Anthony Kimbrough. (WKTV)
East Kentwood is coming off of a blow-out win against West Ottawa, a team that was down 35 points at halftime to the Falcons. The only loss East Kentwood has had to endure this season was a season-opener loss to an undefeated Mona Shores team, falling only 10 points short.
Grandville, however, has won the last three times these teams have met, beating East Kentwood 28-14 last year. Kimbrough expects to see the same competitive Grandville team as last year. East Kentwood comes in at 2-0 in OK-Gold standings, but Grandville is 1-0.
“They’re a physical and tough team that believes in their system and runs their system really well. They’re well coached and they play hard. So we’re in for a battle Friday night.”
These 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.
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.
Ice hockey is on WKTV’s coverage schedule this week.
WKTV Staff
This week in WKTV’s featured high school sport games, the coverage crew will be at East Kentwood for a hockey game against Reeths-Puffer on Wednesday, Feb. 8, and again on Friday, Feb. 10, for another hockey game against Mona Shores.
Reeths-Puffer enters the contest with a 9-9 record according to MHSAA latest records, after defeating Rockford with a 10-7 win last week. East Kentwood enters the week with a 6-12-1 record, after falling to Saline last week in a 3-5 loss. Both teams are looking to improve their records in their OK Conference standings.
In the Friday’s game, Mona Shores enters the week with a 6-12-2 record after losing to Salem. East Kentwood is seeking revenge on Mona Shores after losing to them earlier this season in a 4-2 game.
WKTV videos and broadcasts several games each week during high school sports season.
Each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood. Every Friday game will be aired that night on Live Wire 24 at 10:30 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. on WKTV 25 and AT&T U-verse 99.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action in January, see now.wktv.org/sports/
DVDs and Blue-Rays of each game are also available for purchase at $20 including shipping. For more information, visit WKTV.org
The East Kentwood High School’s boys basketball team will be one of the featured team in WKTV’s February coverage plans. (WKTV)
By Mike Moll
WKTV Sports
Some of the regular seasons of the winter schedules conclude in February leading to their respective championships late in the month as well as into March.
Girls Basketball tips off their District play Feb. 27 and into the first several days of March leading to the State Championships at The Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State on Saturday, March 18.
Boys and Girls bowling are rolling into their Regionals Feb. 24-25, with State Championships March 3-4 at various sites. Girls cheer has Districts Feb. 17-18 followed by Regionals the following weekend, on Feb. 25, and then the championships March 3-4 at The DeltaPlex in Grand Rapids.
Boys ice hockey drops the puck on Regional play between Feb. 27 and March 4. Wrestling will hold both individual and team Districts Feb. 8-11, Regionals on the Feb. 15 and 18, with team finals on Feb. 24 and 25 at Central Michigan University and individual finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills March 2-4.
WKTV will continue to bring two nights of area games each week, with the following schedule, as well as bringing March Madness basketball matchups as games are announced and teams remain in the tournament.
Wednesday, Feb. 8 —Hockey, Reeths-Puffer @ East Kentwood
Friday, Feb. 10 — Hockey, Mona Shores @ East Kentwood
Tuesday, Feb. 14 — Boys basketball, Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee
Friday, Feb. 17 — Hockey, Grandville @ East Kentwood
Tuesday, Feb. 21 — Girls basketball, Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Saturday, Feb. 25 — Hockey, FH Central @ East Kentwood
Tuesday, Feb. 28 — Boys basketball, Grand Rapids Christian @ Godwin Heights
Each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood. Every Friday game will be aired that night on Live Wire 24 at 10:30 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. on WKTV 25 and AT&T U-verse 99.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action in February, see now.wktv.org/sports/
East Kentwood High School’s girls basketball team in action during a Dec. 16 game at Wyoming. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
East Kentwood girls basketball head coach Jimmy Carter’s 2016-17 Falcons squad has looked impressive heading into its holiday break — winning five of six games with their only loss a close contest at perennial state-power Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
But don’t even think about asking him if he is “pleased” with the team’s development.
“I am never pleased,” Carter said last week. “There are always things to get right. We can go the whole season and I will always want them to get better than the game before. … I want to see growth all the time.”
Carter talked to WKTV following its Dec. 16 game at Wyoming broadcast by WKTV community television, 61-47 win in which the team was led by junior forward Lazurera’s Saunder’s 12 points and sophomore guards Mauriya Barnes and Alona Blackwell also scoring in double figures.
But, he says, the Falcons have a usual rotation of about seven players and each of them are capable of being the leading scorer on any given night.
“The players I put out there depends on who we are playing and what I want them to do … We do a lot of pressing and I like to keep them fresh, so I rotate them a lot,” said Carter, who took over as head coach of the team in 2012 and has had success to date, including having East Kentwood win three games in last season’s state tournament.
The other players on Carter’s usual rotation are senior guards Amari Brown and Anaya Powell, senior forward Andrea Johnson, and junior forward/center Taia Smith. Also on varsity are senior forward/center Jaylia Dooley and junior forwards Kayly Brown and Jordan Huizenga.
The 10-player compliment on varsity is not a matter of lack of number in the program, Carter says, pointing out that there are about 15 players on both the junior varsity and freshman teams.
“It is not a numbers thing, it is a skill-level thing,” Carter said. “I believe that if they are an underclassman on varsity, they need to play. If they are not going to play, I want them to be at the level where they will play.”
The varsity team is in the midst of a nearly three-week holiday break, from its Dec. 16 game until it returns to action, and to action Tuesday, Jan. 3, hosting Muskegon before beginning OK Red Conference play on Friday, Jan. 6 at Grandville.
“I know what we have, I know what we are capable of,” Carter said, summing up his team at the break. “It is a matter of them having their assignments and carrying out their assignments.”
East Kentwood boys basketball head coach Jeff Anama is still getting the feel for his 2016-17 Falcons squad as the prepares for a Dec. 28 game at perennial state-power Muskegon and then a short holiday break from their schedule.
But one thing he already knows for sure — freshman point guard Jamoni Jones is more than ready to lead his team.
“Jamoni Jones, we believe, is one of the best freshman in Grand Rapids area,” Anama said. He has been fantastic for a freshman in his first four games. He has a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, which is great for any guard who has the ball all the time … the point guard position has so much responsibility.”
Anama talked to WKTV following its Dec. 16 game at Wyoming broadcast by WKTV community television, a 64-59 loss which left the team at 2-2 in pre-conference games — and a game in which he started four seniors and Jones.
Against the Wolves, senior forward CaNas Coleman led the team in scoring with 14 points while fellow senior starter Keenan Williamson, at wing, added 10; both are averaging double-figure scoring in the first four games. Coleman is also averaging double-figures in rebounds. The other senior starters are wingman Daniel Akhimien and forward Yiber Sahtolli.
But Jones is not the only young player getting minutes for the Falcons, and the starting lineup may see more underclassman as the season goes on. Against Wyoming, sophomores Frederick Baker scored 12 and Adis Poljak added 10.
“Our other young guys have shown signs of getting more comfortable with the varsity level as well,” Anama said. “Adis Poljak had a great week … leading us in scoring vs Byron Center. Fredrick Baker is starting to find his shooting touch, and (sophomore) Ryel Daye brings the most energy on the team every game and every practice.”
So the ability of the Falcons to blend young talent with the seniors will be a major factor in the teams’s ability to compete in the OK Red Conference and make some noise at tournament time.
“We are an extremely young and inexperienced team, and all the teams we have played against have had many returning players,” Anama said. “I have been very impressed with our team’s ability to compete and very happy with our progress to this point. … We have some very nice pieces and we have not had a full roster healthy, so I think we’re only going to get better.”
In addition to the continued progress of his freshman point guard, Anama said he is confident in the continued progress and senior leadership of Williamson and Coleman.
“Keenan (Williamson) is an extremely quick guard who is in his first year on varsity and has done a tremendous job up in our games this year,” Anama said. “CaNas (Coleman) is also a first-year senior and is one of the best rebounders I’ve ever coached. Both guys are on a huge learning curve and have handled all of the pressure we have put on them very well to this point. … It is a long, tough season in the OK Red so it’s not going to get any easier for them.”
The team may also be bolstered by transfer D’Avery Moore, who played for Wyoming Godwin Heights last season and will be eligible after Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Day.
East Kentwood will open conference play on Jan. 6 with a game at Grandville.
East Kentwood before an early season game against Caledonia
Down 20 points midway through the second-quarter, the East Kentwood boys basketball team faced a tough reality.
On the other bench sat Goliath. Well, he might as well have; at 6 foot 10 inches, Michigan State commit Deyonta Davis led the Muskegon Big Reds to 31 straight wins dating back to last season. This season, the Big Reds were looking to run off another perfect run and had just built a 27-7 lead off of a 15-0 run during the second-quarter.
Most teams would’ve shut down and packed it in. It’s not very often teams recover from a 20-point deficit, especially against a team as formidable as Muskegon.
Then again, East Kentwood coach Jeff Anama’s team isn’t just another team.
The Falcons would answer with their vaunted full-court press that was able neutralize Davis and lead to turnovers, and ultimately, a 58-57 victory in the final seconds!
East Kentwood senior Brent Kimbrel
That win over Muskegon sent shock waves throughout Michigan and established the Falcons as a team to beat going forward.
Since then, East Kentwood has stayed perfect, posting a 7-0 record.
The Falcons are lead by Micah Rosser and Brent Kimbrel. Rosser leads the team in scoring with a little over 12 points per game.
Kimbrel, a senior averaging 10 points per game himself, is the leader of the team. His biggest asset is speed and he uses it to wreak havoc on defense and get easy buckets on offense. Most importantly, as a 4 year varsity player, he’s consistent and a rock for the Falcons to rally behind.
The Falcons relentless defense and aggressive offense is tough for any team to handle for 36 minutes. With OK-Red conference action set to start this Friday, the Falcons will have a big target on their back as the team to beat.
