Grand River Prep senior Elijah Lipscomb wearing his Under The Lights Invitational Medal for placing amongst the top runners in his division. (Photo Courtesy, Isela Pronger)
Curiosity about who was faster, he or his best friend, led Grand River Prep senior Elijah Lipscomb into the world of running during middle school.
“I would like to shout out my best friend Levi for getting me into the sport,” Lipscomb said. “I started running in seventh grade when I wanted to compete with my friend to see who was faster. I also wanted to get conditioned for the soccer season, but fell in love with the sport.”
Lipscomb has accumulated a long list of accomplishments in the sport, among them being the fastest season average in school history of 17:46.3 in the 3.1 mile race. He also has the second, third and fourth fastest single race times in school history and was named 1st Team, All Conference in the Alliance League in both 2024 and 2025.
What do you love most about cross country?
“Honestly, it’s self improvement,” answered Lipscomb, who was the team’s MVP the past two seasons. “Setting goals, working towards them, meeting them, then breaking past them. That cycle is what keeps me going. Also, the team and the community is super fun to be around and hang out with.”
Lipscomb considers Coach Seth Pronger to be his mentor.
“Coach Pronger was the main mentor I had. He was there through everything, always curating the best workouts to help me meet my goals.
“In the beginning, it really was just competing against my friends. But through the years, it evolved to more of competing with my friends and against the other teams in friendly rivalries, which is even more fun.”
From Left: Grand River Prep Assistant Coach Junior Tovar; senior Elijah Lipscomb, and Coach Seth Pronger. (Photo Courtesy, Isela Pronger)
Favorite race memory?
“I would definitely say my favorite competition memory was sophomore year regionals,” said Lipscomb, whose favorite athlete is Lebron James. “Duking it out with the top guys at the time on our team and breaking 19 minutes.
“My favorite event is the Allendale Falcon Invitational because it is just the best course to run on. My best finish was definitely at the Alliance League Conference Championship this year, the first time I broke 17 minutes.”
Though he has his sights set on running in college, he wants to pursue his dream major.
“It is hard to find the perfect school to compete for,” said Lipscomb, who has a 4.27 GPA. “My current top choice would definitely be Indiana Wesleyan University. I wouldn’t be able to compete for them right away and would have to improve a lot, but that’s just more motivation. The other school I would love to run for is Spring Arbor University.
“I want to be a software engineer. I have always loved coding, and that is the perfect profession to be able to make software to better people’s everyday life.”
Beyond his prowess in cross country, Coach Pronger said Lipscomb is “a fantastic individual who uplifts and inspires everyone around him. His work ethic and drive for success speak volumes about him.
“He has tremendous character, is incredibly smart, and very passionate about his team.”
The Grand River Prep cross country team with their first place trophy at the Muskegon Catholic Central Mini Invite on Oct. 20, 2025. Elijah Lipscomb was the individual winner as well. (Photo Courtesy, Isela Pronger)
Lipscomb said it’s important for him to make a difference.
“I try to inspire those around me so that they can also fall in love with the sport and use my success as a springboard to do even better,” Lipscomb explained. “I love being in a leadership position because it gives me the opportunity to watch all my teammates improve at rapid rates and be able to help them achieve their goals.”
Outside of cross country, Lipscomb has many other interests.
“I love track, and also enjoy playing soccer and basketball,” said Lipscomb, who works at Mr. Burger part time. “I love video games, software development, and Beyblades.”
Favorite movie?
“I would say my favorite movie is Iron Man 1, because it was super cool to see him put together the MK1 suit in a cave.”
East Kentwood made sure there would be no last-second heroics by Hudsonville in Saturday’s Division 1 regional title game as the Falcons put up 31 second-half points while the Kentwood defense kept the Eagles off the scoreboard resulting in a 52-28 win.
The win secured Kentwood’s first regional championship since 2014 and sends the Falcons into this Saturday’s Division 1 state semifinal game against Detroit Catholic Central. The semifinal game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Jackson High School.
The win against Hudsonville took away the sour taste the Falcons felt last time they visited Hudsonville. That was when the Eagles stunned the Falcons 43-42 with a last-second touchdown pass in Week 7. That win helped Hudsonville capture the OK Red title. Since then, Kentwood has strung together five consecutive wins and is now in the Division 1 final four.
“It was definitely about redemption,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “Being able to do it when it matters which it was now. Our goal was always to win the OK Red and they got us on that one. Our goal is also to win a state championship and this is part of that.”
Eagles up at halftime, then EK gets 24 points in the fourth quarter
Like that previous meeting between the two teams, the points were flowing in the game. The two teams traded touchdowns during the first half, with Hudsonville up 28-21 at halftime. Unlike the first meeting, however, the second half belonged totally to the Falcons. Of the 31 points that East Kentwood scored in the second half, 24 of them came in the fourth quarter.
The Kentwood offense has been piling up huge numbers in the playoffs and that trend continued in the regional title game. After totaling 555 yards against Grand Ledge in the first round and 619 over Howell in the district title game, the Falcons produced 570 yards of offense against Hudsonville.
EK quarterback and MSU commit Kayd Coffman has a big game against Hudsonville. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
EK quarterback Kayd Coffman tallies 482 yards total offense
Falcon senior QB Kayd Coffman was a big part of that offensive production, tallying 482 yards and five touchdowns. He completed 21-of-32 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, and ran the ball 12 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns.
Coffman used his legs to produce the first touchdown of the game, breaking loose for a 65-yard score midway through the first quarter, giving the Falcons a 7-0 lead after the extra point kick by Jayden Garcia.
The host Eagles, however, stormed back to take a 14-7 lead later in the opening quarter. The Eagles scored their first touchdown on a three-yard run by Owen Haarsma. The Eagles then surged ahead when they blocked a Kentwood punt and turned it into a touchdown on a five-yard run.
East Kentwood tied the game late in the opening quarter when the Falcons covered 65 yards in four plays. A 59-yard run by Coffman highlighted the drive which was capped by a two-yard touchdown plunge by James Jones Jr.
Hudsonville regained the lead with a pair of touchdowns midway through the second quarter. The first Eagle score came on a 38-yard pass from Brady Van Laecke to Luke Heyboer. The Eagles defense then came up with a turnover on Kentwood’s next possession. That turnover was quickly turned into points as Van Laecke scored on a two-yard touchdown run giving the Eagles a 28-14 lead.
East Kentwood trimmed the deficit to seven points on the next possession. The Falcon passing game produced the score as Coffman hooked up with Stephan Jones on a 67-yard touchdown pass that cut the margin to 28-21 with 3:40 remaining before halftime.
The Falcons tied the game on the first possession of the second half, driving 68 yards in eight plays. Senior running back Davien Nettleman closed out the drive with an 18-yard run up the middle of the Eagle defense.
Scored knotted early in the fourth
The score remained tied until early in the fourth quarter when Garcia connected on a 37-yard field goal giving the Falcons a 31-28 lead.
On Hudsonville’s next possession, the Eagles rolled the dice on a fourth-and-five from their own 29-yard line. The Falcon defense, however, came up with a big stop. Two plays later Coffman took off on an 18-yard touchdown run up the middle putting the Falcons up 38-28.
The Falcons then pulled away as Major Barnes came up with a big interception on Hudsonville’s next possession. Two-plays later Coffman took off on a 50-yard touchdown run putting the Falcons up 45-28. The Falcons then added a final touchdown late in the game when Coffman hit Stephan Jones with a 37-yard touchdown pass.
Stephan Jones led with 175 yards on eight catches
Jones was the receiving standout of the game for the Falcons as he finished with 175 yards on eight catches with a pair of touchdowns. Kendrick Mayhue added six receptions for 36 yards, while Nettleman caught three for 31 yards and Ahman Edmonds, three passes for 19.
Nettleman added 55 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Donavan Jones led the Falcons with six tackles and three assists, followed by Dallas Moody, Major Barnes and James Jones Jr., with four tackles each and Benedi Kanda, three tackles and a pair of assists.
EK defensive back Donavan Jones. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
“Our guys competed well,” Spencer said. “I thought our coaches installed a great game plan and the players executed at a high level. We are excited to prepare for Detroit Catholic Central in the semifinals. We also want to thank our parents and community for their support.”
The Falcons, who improved to 10-2 overall, now face a Detroit Catholic Central team that has a 12-0 record. The Falcons and Shamrocks share a common opponent in Grand Ledge. Catholic Central defeated Grand Ledge 36-14 in Week 8, while Kentwood defeated Grand Ledge 49-15 in the first round of the playoffs.
Michigan State University well represented next game
Michigan State football fans will have a particularly keen interest in the game as not only is Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman an MSU recruit, but so is Catholic Central standout receiver Samson Gash.
The number 49 has been the target number the last three weeks for the East Kentwood football team and reaching 49 points in Saturday’s 49-41 win against Howell delivered the Falcons their first district championship since 2014.
A week after beating Grand Ledge 49-15 in the Division 1 district opener and piling up 555 yards of total offense, the Kentwood offense produced 619 yards of total offense as it scored on every possession during the game except for one which ended in a missed field goal attempt.
With the win, the Falcons improved to 9-2 for the season and will play for the regional championship Saturday at Hudsonville at 1 p.m. The game will be a rematch of the Week 7 thriller at Hudsonville that the host Eagles won 43-42 with a touchdown as the clock expired.
The game against Howell may have lacked a dramatic ending, but the Falcons provided their many fans who made the long drive to Howell with plenty to cheer about.
East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman had an impressive game completing 16-of-22 passes for 372 yards and five touchdowns and rushing for 96 yards on nine carries. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
Quarterback Kayd Coffman on fire
Any Michigan State football fans in attendance wanting to get a look at their quarterback recruit for next season, Falcon senior Kayd Coffman, were also treated to plenty of highlight-reel plays. Coffman finished the game completing 16-of-22 passes for 372 yards and five touchdowns. Coffman also showcased his running skills as he added 96 yards rushing on nine carries.
Ahman Edmonds caught 11 passes for 271 yards and 3 TDs
East Kentwood senior wide receiver Ahman Edmonds also gave college recruiters plenty of highlights to digest as he caught 11 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Edmonds was a constant thorn in the side of the Howell defense with his ability to get open and pile up yards after the catch with his combination of speed, quickness and elusiveness.
Kentwood’s first touchdown, however, came from fellow senior wide receiver Owen Van Der Veen. That was when he capped a five-play, 80-yard touchdown drive by hauling in a Coffman pass from 30-yards out. Jayden Garcia tacked on the extra point to tie the game as Howell scored on its first possession.
Falcons get 3 TDs in around 4 minutes in second quarter
The game remained tied until midway through the second quarter when the Falcon offense erupted for three touchdowns in a span of just over four minutes.
The first of those three scores came with 4:13 remaining before halftime when senior running back Jesse Phillips ran in from three-yards out. The touchdown capped a six-play, 78-yard scoring drive that was highlighted by a 33-yard scamper by Coffman.
Howell tied the game at 14-14 as it marched 80 yards for a score in five plays.
The deadlock, however, was short lived as the Coffman to Edmonds combination began to cook on the next drive. After a seven-yard pass to Edmonds on first down, Coffman connected with his game-breaking wideout on a 73-yard scoring strike that put the Falcons up 21-14 with 1:30 remaining before halftime after Garcia’s point after.
On Howell’s next possession, the East Kentwood defense provided a game-breaking play, that was when junior defensive back Donavan Jones forced a fumble that was recovered by sophomore defensive back Austin Nelson at the Howell 43-yard line.
With 43 seconds remaining before halftime, the Falcons cashed that turnover into points. With time winding down in the half, Coffman scrambled and kept the play alive long enough to fire a strike from 16-yards out to Edmonds who had worked himself open in the corner of the end zone. Garcia added the extra point to send the Falcons into halftime with a 28-14 lead.
“We have a dynamic offense and an opportunistic defense,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “We have a lot of playmakers on offense who create a lot of opportunities.”
East Kentwood gained control of the game in the opening moments of the second half. Receiving the second-half kickoff, the Falcons needed just two plays to break the game open. On a second-and-three from their own 20-yard line, the Coffman to Edmonds combination struck for the third time. This time Coffman threw a perfect pass that hit Edmonds in stride. Edmonds then turned on the jets and raced 80 yards to the end zone staking the Falcons to a 35-14 lead.
Howell, however, refused to fold. The Highlanders, who entered the game with a 9-1 record, responded by driving 76 yards for a touchdown to cut the Falcon lead to 35-21 as quarterback Preston Barb tossed a four-yard touchdown pass to Christian Farren.
Kentwood regained the three-touchdown advantage on the next drive. The Falcons were a little more methodical on the next scoring drive going 80 yards in 10 plays with Coffman hitting junior wide receiver Bryce Barnes with a 36-yard touchdown pass to put the Falcons up 42-21 with 2:24 remaining in the third.
Howell came right back on its next possession to cut the margin to 42-28. The Highlanders again scored via the pass as Barb tossed a 54-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Kish.
The points kept piling up as the game entered the final quarter. Kentwood’s final touchdown of the game came at the 10:55 mark of the fourth. The Falcons went deep into the playbook for the final score. Coffman dropped back to pass and threw a backwards pass to running back Davien “Bam” Nettleman, who then showcased his arm by lofting a pass to Stephan Jones who raced in for a 30-yard touchdown. Garcia tacked on the point after giving the Falcons a 49-28 lead.
Howell, came back again, as the Highlanders drove 80 yards for a touchdown in 14 plays on their next possession as they utilized their ground game. Howell then recovered an onside kick with just over five minutes remaining in the game. Seven plays later the Highlanders scored again to make the score 49-41 with 4:09 remaining in the game and make things interesting. The Highlanders attempted another onside kick, but this time the Falcons recovered. The East Kentwood ground game then ground out three first downs to chew up the final time remaining on the clock and earn a trip to the state quarterfinals for the first time since the 2014 team reached the state semifinals.
“This is a special group of seniors,” Spencer said. “They are very resilient. As freshmen they won just one game and on the junior varsity they did not have a win. Now, they are 9-2 and headed to the regional finals. The character they have shown this year is special. We’ve been through this before in tight situations. To be able to get it done is awesome. It’s like the perfect ending to the chapter.”
Along with Edmonds, who finished with 271 receiving yards, Stephan Jones added two catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. Jesse Phillips rushed the ball 10 times for 83 yards and a score. Nettleman ran for 21 yards on six carries along with throwing the 30-yard touchdown pass.
East Kentwood junior defensive back Donavan Jones had eight tackles and five assists, while senior linebacker Malachi Daly had eight tackles and three assists.. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
On defense, the Falcons swarmed to the football as junior defensive back Donavan Jones had eight tackles and five assists, while senior linebacker Malachi Daly had eight tackles and three assists. Junior defensive back Major Barnes had four tackles and five assists, followed by senior defensive back Jaziel Negron, four tackles; junior linebacker Alijah Bondon, three tackles and four assists; senior defensive tackle James Jones. three tackles and two assists; junior defensive back Dallas Moody, two tackles and three assists and junior linebacker Christopher Thompson II; two tackles and three assists.
WKTV footage from a Godwin Heights/South Christian football game in 2018 featuring Marshawn Kneeland at a WKTV Game of the Week. (WKTV)
By Greg Chrapek WKTV Contributor and Cris Greer WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
Former Godwin Heights football standout and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland died Thursday morning from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to law authorities in Texas.
In his second season with the Cowboys, Kneeland recently scored his first NFL touchdown during a Monday Night Football loss when recovering a blocked punt in the end zone. After graduating from Godwin Heights, Kneeland played football at Western Michigan University and was the Cowboys second round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
“Kneeland’s Senior year was a highlight reel with 110 tackles, including eight quarterback sacks on the defensive side, but also 20 catches for 330 yards and five touchdowns on the offensive side as a tight end,” said Game of the Week Sports Announcer Mike Moll, who has spent decades covering local high school sports for WKTV. (See below for more details about Kneeland’s local and NFL football career.)
“WKTV and Godwin Heights have had a very long running relationship bringing high school sports to West Michigan,” Moll explained. “The school’s cooperation in not only allowing us onto the campus, but getting us requested information for a broadcast is always nearly immediate. Not only does the administration know and appreciate the coverage, but the community does also.”
Godwin Heights helmet. (WKTV)
In a Press Release from Godwin Heights Public Schools, Superintendent Chad Conklin, states,“We are deeply saddened to share the news that Marshawn Kneeland has passed away. Marshawn was a remarkable individual, a gifted athlete, an exceptional student, a dedicated teammate, and a valued member of the Godwin Heights community. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his friends, and all who were impacted by his life.
“Marshawn’s passion for the game, his commitment to learning, his work ethic, and his warmth off the field left a lasting impression on all of us. He embodied qualities of determination, character, and kindness that we will always honor. Although his time with us was much too short, his spirit and accomplishments will continue to leave a lasting legacy.”
A Press Release from the Frisco (Texas) Police Department from Thursday, stated:
Frisco Police investigate a possible suicide
A man was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound following an outside agency vehicle pursuit that led to a multi-agency search in Frisco, Texas.
On Nov. 5, at approximately 10:39 p.m., the Frisco Police Department responded to assist the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) with locating a vehicle that had evaded troopers during a pursuit that entered the city of Frisco. After losing visual of the vehicle, troopers located it minutes later, crashed on southbound Dallas Parkway near Warren Parkway.
Initial reports indicated that a male subject, later identified as 24-year-old Marshawn Kneeland of Plano, TX, fled the scene on foot. Officers established a perimeter and initiated a search of the area with the assistance of the FPD K-9 and Drone units.
During the course of the search, officers received information that Kneeland had expressed suicidal ideations. Kneeland was later located at 1:31 a.m., deceased with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The cause/manner of death will be determined by the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office.
At this time, no further details will be released as the investigation remains ongoing.
Standout career at Godwin Heights
Kneeland played his senior season in 2018 for first-year Godwin Heights coach Brandon Kimble. That Godwin Heights team turned in a 6-3 record, and not counting the Covid year of 2020 when every team qualified for the state playoffs, was the last Godwin Heights team to qualify for the playoffs until this year’s team qualified.
Kneeland was a standout on both sides of the line for the Wolverines and Coach Kimble as the Wolverines turned in a winning season.
Kneeland was named first-team, all-state as a senior after earning honorable-mention, all-state honors as a junior. Kneeland was a two-time, all-conference and all-area player and a team captain. Kneeland concluded his career at Godwin Heights with career records for tackles, tackles for loss and sacks.
He also was a standout on the Godwin Heights track and field team. Kneeland was a regional champion in the 400-meter run and was an all-conference high jumper. Kneeland also was a standout in the classroom and was a member of the honor roll.
After his career at Godwin Heights, Kneeland went on to play college football at Western Michigan University. Kneeland played for the Broncos from 2019 to 2023. In 2023 Kneeland earned second-team, All-Mid-American Conference honors as he totaled a career-high 57 tackles along with 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. For his career, Kneeland totaled 149 tackles and 12.5 sacks.
Following the 2023 season Kneeland attended the National Football League pre-draft combine in Indianapolis where he posted impressive numbers that moved up the draft boards of NFL team.
Kneeland was eventually selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. In his rookie season of 2024 with the Cowboys Kneeland appeared in 11 games and totaled 14 tackles. This season Kneeland took on an expanded role with the Cowboys. In seven games, including three starts, Kneeland has accumulated 12 tackles and one quarterback sack.
The Dallas Cowboys organization issued this statement Thursday morning:
“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning. Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”
By Cris Greer WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director greer@wktv.org
Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the local varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
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. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman completed 14-of-21 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns, and also had 69 yards on the ground in 11 attempts. (Photo Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
East Kentwood was firing on all cylinders Friday in its Division 1 playoff opener against Grand Ledge. The Falcons produced a whopping 555 yards of total offense as it defeated the visiting Comets 49-15. With the win, they advanced to the district finals against host Howell to face the 9-1 Highlanders at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
Offense has been a strong point for East Kentwood all season and the outburst against Grand Ledge was one of the most productive efforts. The 49 points equaled the Falcons effort in a Week 9 win over Grand Haven and was just five points off the season-high 54 points they scored against Jenison in Week 3. The effort was even more impressive considering Grand Ledge entered the game with a 7-2 record.
“We played a lot cleaner game that we did the week before which I was hoping for,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “I thought we ran the ball really well. We had over 345 yards rushing and defensively we had four takeaways. I thought we played pretty good complementary football.”
East Kentwood helmet. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)
East Kentwood led 28-0 at the half
The Falcons wasted little time taking control of the game as they put up 21 unanswered points in the first quarter and led 28-0 at halftime.
East Kentwood set the tone for the game on the first drive. Starting on their own 22-yard line, the Falcons marched 78 yards down the field in 12 plays. The drive was capped with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Kayd Coffman to Stephan Jones. Jayden Garcia tacked on the extra point giving them a 7-0 lead.
The first takeaway of the game by the Falcon defense came on Grand Ledge’s ensuing possession. The Comets managed to drive down to the Falcon 18-yard line, but a fumble recovery by East Kentwood’s Benedi Kanda stopped the drive.
The Falcons then turned it into points as they went on an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown march. They again capped the drive with a touchdown pass, this time as Coffman hit Kendrick Mayhue on a six-yard scoring strike.
The East Kentwood passing attack produced the third score later in the first quarter. This time Coffman connected with Owen van der Veen on a 25-yard TD pass. Garcia added the point after putting the Falcons up 21-0 while still in the first quarter.
East Kentwood extended the lead to 28-0 in the second quarter. The Falcons scored their fourth touchdown via the ground as Jesse Phillips Jr. ran in for a score from a yard out giving Kentwood a 28-0 lead after Garcia’s extra point kick.
Grand Ledge gets on board in the third
Grand Ledge scored its first points of the game in the third quarter with a touchdown that cut the deficit to 28-7. The Falcons, however, answered with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to put the game out of reach. Kentwood’s first touchdown of the third quarter came on a six-yard touchdown run by Phillips. The Falcons then struck through the air for the fourth time as Coffman fired a 49-yard touchdown pass to Stephan Jones that put the Falcons up 42-7 after Garcia’s point after.
The two teams closed the game out by trading touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Jacarvion Johnson scored the Kentwood touchdown on a 35-yard scoring run.
For the game, the Falcons finished with 346 rushing yards and 209 passing for a total of 555 yards. Coffman completed 14-of-21 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed the ball 11 times for 69 yards.
“Bam” Nettleman led with 116 rushing yards
Davien “Bam” Nettleman led the ground game with 116 yards rushing on 11 carries. Phillips added 89 yards on 12 carries with a pair of touchdowns, while Johnson ran for 54 yards on three carries with a touchdown.
“Our offensive line played lights out all day,” Spencer said. “They did a great job for us.”
Jones led the way in the receiving department with three catches for 77 yards and two scores. Ahman Edmonds hauled in a team-high six passes for 42 yards, while Mayhue caught two passes for 21 yards and a score.
The East Kentwood defense was paced by junior linebacker Christopher Thompson II who totaled three tackles, an assist and a tackle for loss, followed by Dallas Thomas-Moody, two tackles, two assists and a tackle for loss, Major Barnes, two tackles and two assists, Alijah Bondon, two tackles, an assist, one sack and two tackles for loss and Donovan Jones and Jonathan Flores each added an interception.
Jayden Garcia logs seven touchbacks on kickoffs
“The guys were flying around and making plays on defense when we had to,” Spencer said. “It was just a pretty good day for us defensively. Our kicking game was also really good. Jayden Garcia had seven touchbacks on kickoffs. That was really important because it gave them (Grand Ledge) a long field to drive each time.”
With the win, East Kentwood improved to 8-2 for the season.
(Image Courtesy of South Christian)
South Christian gets knocked out in overtime
The football season came to an end for South Christian, but not without a fight. The Sailors fell 42-41 in overtime in a Division 4 opener at undefeated Portland.
The game began as a defensive struggle with neither team able to put points on the board in the opening quarter.
Portland scored the game’s first touchdown in the second quarter and South Christian quickly answered with a two-yard scoring run by Brody Shilts that tied the game at 7-7 after the extra point by Hudson Kerstetter.
Portland regained the lead with a touchdown midway through the second quarter. The Sailors, however, closed out the first half strong with a pair of touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead into halftime. South tied the game on an 80-yard touchdown pass from Austin Burgess to Owen Burgess. South Christian then took a 21-14 lead with 43 seconds remaining in the first half on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Burgess to Jesse Van DeGriend. Kerstetter added both extra points.
Sailors led 28-14 early in the third
South extended the lead to 28-14 early in the third quarter when Austin Burgess scored on a three-yard touchdown run.
Portland responded with a touchdown to trim the margin to 28-20.
The Sailors closed out the third quarter with a touchdown to go up 35-20. Burgess connected with Easton Raak on a 34-yard scoring pass that gave the Sailors a 15-point lead heading into the final quarter.
Portland tied the game for overtime
Portland, however, tied the game up in the final quarter to send the game into overtime. Brad Meyers scored for Portland with nine minutes remaining and then in the final minute of the game Nolan Zbytowski scored on a one-yard run and the Raiders tied the game with a two-point conversion.
In overtime, Portland scored on its first possession and added the point after. South Christian then matched that score as Austin Burgess ran in from a yard out, but Portland won the game when it blocked the extra point attempt.
Burgess passed for three TDs and ran two in
Austin Burgess completed 14-of-20 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Burgess also added 38 yards rushing and a pair of rushing touchdowns. Jesse Van De Griend ran for 42 yards and caught three passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. Owen Burgess led the Sailors in receiving with six catches for 128 yards and a touchdown, while Shilts added three receptions for 44 yards.
VanSolkema led with nine solo tackles and two assists
The South Christian defense was paced by Kasjen VanSolkema who totaled nine solo and two assists for 11 total tackles. Benjamin Buiter and Dax Blackport added eight total tackles apiece, while Jack Weiss added five.
South Christian ended the season with a 4-6 overall record, while Portland improved to 10-0.
Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville fall in playoff openers
OK Silver squads Godwin Heights and Kelloggsville both fell in their district semifinal games.
(Courtesy, Godwin Heights)
Godwin Heights dropped a 42-35 decision to Spring Lake in a Division 4 district semifinal game. The Wolverines wrapped up the season with a 7-3 overall record.
Kelloggsville dropped a 45-16 decision to undefeated host Grand Rapids Catholic Central in a Division 5 district semifinal game. The Rockets ended their season at 6-4.
Kelloggsville is one of four area teams playing in the MHSAA state playoffs Friday. Godwin Heights, South Christian and East Kentwood round out the other three.
The Kentwood/Wyoming area is well represented in this year’s Michigan High School Athletic Association state playoffs that begin this Friday. East Kentwood, Godwin Heights, South Christian and Kelloggsville all qualified for the playoffs this year with two of the teams, East Kentwood and Godwin Heights, hosting playoffs.
East Kentwood is in the playoffs for the second straight year and is hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2018. The Falcons finished the season with a 7-2 record. East Kentwood is hosting Grand Ledge out of the Capital Area Activities Conference in a first round Division 1 playoff game with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
East Kentwood. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)
Grand Ledge comes into the game at 7-2 and finished second in its league at 5-1 behind undefeated DeWitt. The Comets boast an offense that is putting up 35 points per game, while the defense is allowing 22.2 points. Grand Ledge played four playoff teams this year, including games against DeWitt and Detroit Catholic Central who both turned in 9-0 records. The Comets fell to DeWitt 59-7 and lost to Detroit Catholic Central 36-14.
Grand Ledge does share a common opponent with East Kentwood. In Week 1 Grand Ledge traveled to West Ottawa and claimed a 30-27 win. East Kentwood defeated West Ottawa 45-8 in Week 6.
East Kentwood enters the game with an offense putting up 40.8 points per game, while the Falcon defense is allowing 17.3 points. Kentwood has played five playoff teams this year. The two blemishes on the Kentwood schedule came by a combined total of eight points to Rockford (21-14) and Hudsonville (43-42), who have a combined record of 16-2 this season.
Unlike last year when the Falcons played at Hudsonville in the first round of a district comprised of fellow OK Red teams, the Falcons are in a district with teams to the east and south. The change of scenery is something East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer doesn’t mind.
“It’s nice being able to play someone new that you haven’t seen before,” Spencer said. “After a season in the OK Red beating up each other, it’s a nice change to play someone else.”
Spencer said the team also is excited about the playoffs and the opportunity to play a home playoff game.
“The kids are super hyped up”
“We got together on Sunday to watch the selection show and they loved it,” Spencer continued. “They are excited about it and playing a home playoff game, something we haven’t done since 2018.”
(Image Courtesy, Godwin Heights)
Godwin Heights hosting
Godwin Heights finished the regular season with a 7-2 record and also will be hosting a playoff game. The Wolverines host Spring Lake Friday at 7 p.m. in a Division 4 playoff opener.
Spring Lake enters the game with a 6-3 mark. The Lakers are members of the OK White where they turned in a 3-2 record and finished third. The Lakers average 37.4 points per game on offense, while the defense is allowing 21.3 points. Spring Lake played three playoff teams this season, including losses to league rivals Grand Rapids West Catholic (21-14) and Grand Rapids Christian (24-21).
“Closely matched teams”
“It will be a matchup of a couple of closely matched teams,” said Godwin Heights Coach Brandon Kimble. “We don’t know a whole lot about them, but they did play Fruitport who is in our league. We are looking forward to it and we expect it to be a really good game.”
Godwin Heights counters with an offense that is putting up 28.3 points per game. The Wolverines have faced four playoff teams this season and were 2-2 in those meetings. Godwin Heights is in the playoffs for the first time since 2018 other than the 2020 covid season when every school in the state qualified for the playoffs.
“The guys put in a lot of hard work”
“The boys are excited about the game,” Kimble said. “Coming into the season, making the playoffs is one of our main goals. The guys put in a lot of hard work this season and it’s always good to see the success from all the hard work they put into it. We’re super excited about playing at home in front of our fans and the community. We’re also super appreciative of all the support we have received from the administration and the community.”
(Image Courtesy, South Christian)
10 years in a row for the Sailors
South Christian qualified for the playoffs for a 10th consecutive season. The last time the Sailors missed the playoffs was 2015 when they finished at 2-7. South Christian hits the road for the playoff opener as it travels to Portland to take on the 9-0 Raiders of Portland in a Division 4 playoff game slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday. Portland reached the regional finals last season and two years ago the Raiders advanced to the state semifinals where they fell to South Christian 21-6.
Portland features a potent offense that is putting up 38.1 points per game and utilizes a strong ground game. The Raider defense is especially stingy allowing opponents five points per game. Portland has played three teams that qualified for the playoffs this season.
“They (Portland) have a real good program,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “The past few years they have had a lot of success. They know how to win. Watching the film you can see the enthusiasm they play with. They also tackle well and block well. They will be a challenge for us.”
South Christian enters the game at 4-5. A look inside the numbers, however, points to a highly-competitive schedule that the Sailors needed to navigate to earn a spot in the playoffs. South Christian played six playoff teams during the season with two wins against those teams to its credit. South defeated Grand Rapids Christian 27-13 and Zeeland East 41-12. The Sailors also had close losses to playoff teams, Grand Rapids Catholic Central (24-17), Zeeland West (12-6) and Grand Rapids West Catholic (27-20), meaning they enter the game being more than battle tested.
“The kids are excited for the opportunity,” Brown said. “They are excited about the playoffs, the second season, and playing in a win or go home situation.”
South enters the game with an offense putting up 22.3 points per game and its defense has developed into a team strength.
“Our defense has been continually improving,” Brown said. “We will really need our defense to play well Friday. We are going to need 11 hats flying to the football.”
Rockets head to the playoffs with a 6-3 mark
Kelloggsville enters the playoffs with a 6-3 record, the best mark at Kelloggsville since the 2017 Rocket team turned in a 9-0 regular season. That was the last time the Rockets qualified for the playoffs other than the 2020 season that was affected by the Covid pandemic.
Kelloggsville travels to Grand Rapids Catholic Central Friday for a 7 p.m. Division 5 opener.
Catholic Central is a familiar face in the playoffs for Kelloggsville as the Cougars defeated the Rockets 45-34 in the 2017 playoffs. That Catholic Central team also went on to win the Division 4 state championship.
Catholic Central enters the game with a 9-0 record. The Cougars, who average 29.3 points per game on offense, won the OK Black Conference championship this year. They field a stingy defense that’s allowing just 7.6 points per game. That defense was on display when the Cougars edged East Grand Rapids 10-7 in a game that determined the league champion. Catholic Central played a total of four playoff teams this year including a road win against defending Division 6 state champion Jackson Lumen Christi.
Running back Keyontae Gibson leading the charge
Kelloggsville enters the game with a high-powered offense of its own that’s putting up 25.2 points per game. The Rocket offense is led by running back Keyontae Gibson, who’s coming off a five-touchdown, 416-yard rushing effort in a win against Holland in the regular-season finale.
That win propelled the Rockets into the playoffs and the team is thrilled to be going.
“The kids are pumped up about it,” said Kelloggsville Coach Justin Dennett. “Everyone is really excited about it. It’s been great seeing the way the school and the community have rallied around the team. Everyone is embracing it and enjoying the ride.”
With talented senior running back Keyontae Gibson leading the charge on offense, Kelloggsville held off Holland 40-34 to cap a winning regular season and secure a spot in the state playoffs.
Gibson turned in a game to remember as he carried the ball 41 times for 416 yards and scored five touchdowns as the Rockets turned back a late Holland comeback to earn the win and finish the regular season with a 6-3 record. That record is the best one the Rockets have posted since 2017 and is the first time they have qualified for the playoffs since 2017 other than the covid year of 2020 when every team qualified.
The 2017 team finished the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record and reached the second round of the playoffs where it dropped a 45-34 decision to Grand Rapids Catholic Central, who went on to win the Division 4 state championship. Ironically, Kelloggsville faces Catholic Central in the first round of the playoffs this week.
The rushing exploits of Gibson went a long way in helping the Rockets secure the playoff spot this year. For the year, Gibson has rushed for over 1,400 yards and scored 17 touchdowns.
“Keyontae had quite the game Friday,” said Kelloggsville Coach Justin Dennett. “We are trying to find out if it was a school record. There is a chance it is, but we are not sure. We ran the ball exclusively Friday as we didn’t complete a pass. Isaak Kowal and Cameron Dunbar also helped out running the ball to give Keyontae a break.”
Offensive line paved the way for Gibson
“Our offensive line really did a good job,” Dennett said. “Zane Hendricks is a senior lineman and he did a great job of leading our line on both offense and defense. Davion Whitfield is a junior who starts on both the offensive and defensive line and he also did a great job. The guys up front did a great job Friday night and have been getting the job done all season too.”
Dunbar, who has been battling through injury, also has been a big part of the Kelloggsville ground game this year totaling 505 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns.
The Kelloggsville defense also stepped up with some impact plays to preserve the win.
Defense big as well
“Our defense really came up with some big plays,” Dennett said. “We had three interceptions and a fumble recovery on defense. Nasyre Walker had an interception and a fumble recovery. Isaak Kowal also had a great game on the defensive side of the ball. We moved our freshman Sincere Allen to inside linebacker. He had never played there before and he had a lot of tackles all over the place. He made a lot of plays for us.”
The win capped a big turnaround season for the Rockets who went 1-8 last season. Paving the way for the turnaround has been the Rockets’ senior class.
“We have a really good core group of seniors,” Dennett said. “They have stepped up and have been leading us all year. They do a great job of setting the tone in practice. They have set a new standard in how to do things. This is my first year as head coach here and that group of seniors bought right into what the new coaching staff was putting in.”
The Rockets started the season strong with wins against Grant and Perry before falling to Fruitport in Week 3 and eventual league champion Belding in Week 4. In Week 5 the Rockets came up with a pivotal 30-22 win against Hopkins.
Hopkins win was telling
“The Hopkins game was when our kids realized that we have a chance to make the playoffs and can be a pretty good football team,” Dennett said. “Hopkins has been a good team for a long time and we took a 22-0 lead on them. They came back to tie it, but we came back with a scoring drive to seal it. To come back and beat them was a big win for us. We also won a close one with Comstock Park.”
Kelloggsville defeated Comstock Park 22-18 in Week 7 to improve to 5-2.
“Winning the close ones”
“We had to learn how to win the close ones,” Dennett said. “We found a way to win in those close games this year. Winning the close games has shown the growth in this team and how much they have improved since the start of the year.”
The Rockets now face a 9-0 Grand Rapids Catholic Central team in the first round of the playoffs. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at Catholic Central’s Cougar Stadium.
By Cris Greer WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director greer@wktv.org
Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the local varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
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. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
Davenport seized a 49-9 halftime lead, then continued to pour it on, beating the visiting Roosevelt Lakers 75-23 Saturday.
Coach Sparky McEwen’s Panthers, who improved their GLIAC record to 3-2, 4-3 overall, set team and individual records during the win, including the most points in a single contest. Running back Cephus Harris led the onslaught with three scores plus a DU single game record 181 yards rushing on a mere eight carries, before heading to the bench midway through the third quarter.
Davenport running back Cephus Harris had a program-record 181 rushing yards and three touchdowns on eight attempts. He also had a team-record 87-yard run. (Photo Courtesy, Davenport University)
Roosevelt, which journeyed from Chicago for the contest, fell to 0-4 in the GLIAC, 1-6 overall.
“The record feels great,” said Harris afterward, saluting his “good offensive line having your back every time. I just took the ball and ran with it.”
The Panthers held a 14-0 lead three minutes into the contest on an opening drive 4-yard pass from quarterback D’Wan Mathis to Clint Walker, followed by Vince Cooley’s 27-yard pick six interception of Laker QB Tony Chahino’s first pass.
Chahino redeemed himself with a TD pass for the visitors, but DU’s Mathis responded with a 57-yard run, increasing the lead to 21-7 at the 9:58 mark of the first quarter.
Cephus Harris stole the show The 5-8, 215 lb. junior produced a 37-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, a 4-yard TD run 72 seconds into the second quarter, and a team record 87-yard touchdown sprint 6:44 before halftime. Davenport also got a 7-yard score from Harris‘ running mate Kayden Collins. Roosevelt managed only a safety, setting DU’s halftime margin at 49-9.
The 40-point lead aside, DU’s McEwen felt that his team had plenty of work to do at halftime, noting that he felt his team was not finishing plays in the opening half.
“We talk about consistency around here,” McEwen said. “I felt like we got out of our own way and it’s fun to have games like that so everyone can enjoy it. Just hard work you can see paying off. We’re starting to peak and it couldn’t be a better time.
Davenport quarterback D’Wan Mathis completed 6-of-9 passes for 81 yards and one touchdown, while adding 72 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries. (Photo Courtesy, Davenport University)
“It was nice to see it all work together today.”
The Panthers responded to halftime advice with scores on an 81-yard Gregory Asher punt return, an 87-yard kickoff return by George Sims following a second Roosevelt touchdown pass, and a 32-yard field goal from freshman kicker Ian Jenkins to lead 65-16 after three quarters.
JT Hartman added a 5-yard final quarter TD run and Jenkins hit a 19-yard field goal, making it 75-16 before Roosevelt added a TD pass with 30 seconds to play.
Du finished with 503 yards of total offense, with a school record 387 on the ground and 116 through the air.
Davenport linebacker Latrell Scott led with 11 tackles Panther linebacker Latrell Scott had 11 tackles to go with six apiece from Jayden Cray, Myles Harris, and Nick Pulley. DU also had three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
Davenport now continues with three straight noon kickoffs at home in November against Saginaw Valley, Northern Michigan and GLIAC leader and current national No. 1 Ferris State.
By Cris Greer WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director greer@wktv.org
Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the local varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
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. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
Davenport Running Back Cephus Harris runs through a crowd. (Courtesy, WSU Athletics)
BY Bill Rohn WKTV Contributor greer@wktv.org
Four scores from running back Cephus Harris combined with a revived passing attack led Davenport to a 49-14 win over Wayne State’s Warriors in Detroit Saturday.
The win improved the Panthers’ Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record to 2-2. DU is now 3-3 overall, while Wayne State fell to 0-3 and 0-7.
DU’s revved up run/pass combination produced 214 yards on the ground and 330 yards through the air.
Harris — a 5’8” 215 pound Junior transfer from Youngstown State, whose older brother Myron Harris led the Panthers’ rushing attack last year — opened the scoring on a 9-yard run midway through the first quarter, then added two one-yard TD plunges in the second quarter. Davenport also got a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback D’wan Mathis to Dom Grguric with 5:44 left in the opening quarter.
Davenport receiver Dom Grguric grabbed a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback D’wan Mathis in the opening quarter.(Courtesy, WSU Athletics)
The Panthers led 28-0 with 1:23 left before halftime when Wayne’s Luke Johnson stepped in front of an ill-timed pass from Mathis and quickly returned his interception 67 yards for a score, cutting DU’s intermission margin to three touchdowns, at 28-7.
Meanwhile, Davenport’s defense harassed Wayne‘s quarterbacks all afternoon. They knocked Warrior starting QB Carson Creehan out the game with concussion symptoms on Wayne’s second play from scrimmage, then sacked replacement QB Justin Cox four times. The DU defensive surge was led by Xavier Marquez and Latrell Scott, with five tackles each. Coach Sparky McEwen’s squad also forced a fumble and snared two interceptions, while holding the Warriors to 37 net rushing yards.
Second half action saw Davenport continue to press its advantage. Mathis hit wide receiver Keonta Nixon with a 50 yard third-quarter touchdown pass before Harris found the end zone from nine yards out for his third touchdown with four minutes left in the quarter. Harris finished the contest with 133 yards on 20 carries, for an average of nearly seven yards per attempt.
The Warriors finally got on the offensive scoreboard on a one-yard run by XaVior Tyus early in the fourth quarter, making the score 42-14. Davenport closed the scoring on a 4-yard run by Jeremiah Sterling with 7:34 left to play.
In addition to DU’s strong running game, Mathis threw for 285 yards, connecting on 18 of 25 throws including a five for five performance while targeting wideout George Sims.
Late in the game, Davenport actually reached 576 yards in total offense. However, Panther quarterbacks then saw two center snaps fly over their heads and land well behind the line of scrimmage. The result was over 30 yards in losses, wiping out DU’s chance at a new total offense record.
Davenport now returns home to Caledonia, with noon kickoffs on each of the next four Saturdays, beginning on October 25 against Roosevelt University. Wayne State will next attempt to get a first win at GLIAC foe Saginaw Valley State.
Godwin Heights continued their winning ways with a 41-22 victory over rival Kelloggsville Friday and in the process set up a winner-take-all scenario for the OK Silver championship at Belding.
The win kept Godwin Heights perfect in the OK Silver with a 5-0 record and sets up next Friday’s showdown in Belding against the Black Knights who are also 5-0 in the league. The two teams also have 7-1 overall records.
“It was a real battle with them last year,” said Godwin Heights Coach Brandon Kimble. “It was 14-7 at halftime and it was close in the third quarter before they ran away in the fourth quarter. The conference championship is going to be on the line and our boys are going to be ready to play. We have a real strong senior class that is used to going on the road and we’ve played in some really tough games already.”
The win against Kelloggsville was another one of those tough games. Godwin Heights fell behind the Rockets 16-7 in the first quarter before scoring the next five touchdowns to secure the win in the annual rivalry between the Division Avenue neighbors.
“It’s a big rivalry game for us,” Kimble said. “You can throw out the records when we play. Kelloggsville has been playing good as well this year and we knew they were going to give it their all. We battled back and forth early and it was a good game. They played hard, but our boys came to play.”
Wolverines averaging 33 points per game
Godwin Heights has been especially strong on offense this season as the Wolverines are averaging 33.6 points per game. Junior running back Julius Hoskins was among the offensive leaders for as he ran for four touchdowns against Kelloggsville. Hoskins finished the game with 202 rushing yards.
“Julius is really going to be something special,” Kimble said. “We actually have two stud running backs. Ka’Res Harris splits carries with Julius and he actually leads us in touchdowns.”
Godwin Heights sophomore quarterback Martellis Forest also was a big part of the offensive outburst. Forest passed for 171 yards.
“We are blessed with the athletes that we have at all of our skill positions,” Kimble said. “Martellis is one of the best quarterbacks in the area. He can really spin it. He can put the ball anywhere and can throw the deep ball. He puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses.”
Forest also is blessed with a wide variety of receivers.
“We have some really good receivers on the outside,” Kimble said. “We have four receivers who are capable to taking it to the house at any time. Isziah Walker, Martise Raphael, Aidan Jackson and Taisjon Allen have all been doing a great job for us.”
Walker led Wolverine receivers with nine catches, 98 yards and a TD
Walker led the way against Kelloggsville as he caught nine passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.
Paving the way for the backs and providing pass protection is an offensive line anchored by Jeremiah Lee and Jayden Ingram.
“Jeremiah is our right tackle and he had over 10 pancake blocks,” Kimble said. “Jayden is our left tackle and he is just as good. Our entire offensive line has been doing a great job and we have had over 200 yards rushing in the last three games.”
While the offense has been putting up plenty of points this season, the Godwin Heights defense has been stingy when it comes to allowing points.
“Our defensive line is very strong,” Kimble said. “We are led up front by Louis Wilson who is a three-year starter. Lonnie Sanders and Josiah Cox flank Louis. Our defensive line is really strong.”
The Wolverines also are solid in the defensive backfield.
“Taisjon Allen is a team captain and he leads us in the back end,” Kimble said. “He had a pick on Friday.
Mikyius Witherspoon plays a rover position for us and he has led us in tackles in three out of the last four games. He is a big part of our defense. He had four tackles for loss on Friday. He has really been playing great for us.”
With a 7-1 overall record, Godwin Heights is heading to the playoffs regardless of the outcome of Friday’s game with Belding. The Wolverines are 13th in the state in Division 4 in playoff points.
Kelloggsville also is looking to punch its ticket for the playoffs next Friday when it hosts Holland. The Rockets are 5-3 for the season and a win against 2-6 Holland would secure a playoff spot for the Rockets.
Cameron Dunbar led Kelloggsville with a pair of touchdowns and Keyontae Gibson added one as well.
By Cris Greer WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director greer@wktv.org
Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the local varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
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. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
It was a showdown for first place in the OK Red Friday when East Kentwood traveled to Hudsonville. The contest lived up to all the hype and then some as the Eagles edged the Falcons 43-42 in a game that came down to the final play.
That final play was a 26-yard touchdown pass from Hudsonville quarterback Brady Van Laecke to Andrew Meerman who caught the pass in the back of the end zone after it was deflected with the final seconds ticking off the clock. The Eagles tacked on the extra point to secure the deciding point and come away with the win and keep their record perfect at 7-0 for the season, 5-0 in the league.
The climactic final play capped a stunning six-play, 70-yard scoring drive in the final 31 seconds of the game that gave the Eagles an amazing come-from-behind win after East Kentwood surged ahead with a late-game drive of its own that culminated with a touchdown with 31 seconds remaining in the game.
“It was a great game between two great teams,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “I thought our guys played well. It all came down to a couple of plays. Both teams had guys making plays and for them they made the final play when the clock ran out.”
What looked to be the game-winning drive
Trailing 36-35 with 5:52 remaining in the game, East Kentwood mounted what looked to be the game-winning drive. Starting out on its own 20 after Hudsonville had taken the lead on a two-yard touchdown, EK moved the ball 80 yards in 15 plays. The drive was a pressure-packed excursion as the Falcons twice kept the drive going by taking a page out of Detroit Lions Coach Dan Campbell’s playbook and going for a first down on fourth down. The first successful fourth-down play was when the Falcons faced a fourth-and-three on their own 27-yard line. Falcon running back Davien “Bam” Nettleman kept the drive alive with a five-yard run. Later in the drive, the Falcons faced a fourth-and-12 situation on their own 40 with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
With their backs to the wall, Falcon quarterback Kayd Coffman found Ahman Edmonds open and Edmonds turned on the jets for a 14-yard gain to keep the drive alive. With 45 seconds remaining in the game, Coffman again hooked up with Edmonds for a key pass play, this time the play netted the Falcons 38 yards and gave Kentwood a first-and-goal on the Hudsonville two-yard line. After a one-yard run on first down, the Falcons took the lead when Coffman scored on a quarterback sneak giving the Falcons a 42-36 lead after Jayden Garcia tacked on the extra point.
East Kentwood Quarterback Kayd Coffman passed for 188 yards and three scores. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
“I was really proud of the way the guys kept battling,” Spencer said. “To be on the road and come back like they did.”
Spencer also was pleased with how the Falcons started the game. Getting out to a fast start was a goal of the Falcons entering the game and that was exactly what Kentwood did.
Kayd Coffman keeper starts up the scoring
On the first possession of the game, Kentwood forced Hudsonville into a three-and-out deep in Eagle territory. After taking possession of the ball at the Hudsonville 45-yard line, the Falcons needed just four plays to score the first points of the game as Coffman took off 33-yards down the middle of the field to score on a quarterback keeper.
Eagles score right away as well
Hudsonville answered that score with a six-play, 80-yard scoring drive of its own.
East Kentwood regained the lead on the next possession. This time the Falcons drove 70 yards in seven plays with Coffman finishing the drive by hooking up with Stephan Jones on a 26-yard touchdown pass giving the Falcons a 13-7 lead.
Falcons grab 20-7 lead in first quarter
East Kentwood upped the lead to 20-7 late in the opening quarter. That score was set up by a fumble recovery by Dmari Love-Simmons at the Hudsonville 22-yard line. The Falcons cashed in on the turnover when three plays later Coffman again hooked up with Jones, this time on a 16-yard scoring strike.
“Our offense really got off to a fast start,” Spencer said. “We took advantage of some things that they were giving us. Their defense did a good job of stabilizing things in the third quarter.”
Hudsonville answered that score with an eight-yard touchdown pass by Van Laecke with 9:46 remaining in the first half cutting the Falcon lead to 20-13.
The two teams closed out the first half by trading touchdowns. Coffman snuck over from one-yard out for the Kentwood touchdown while Van Laecke threw a touchdown pass from 15-yards out with 20 seconds remaining in the first half cutting the Kentwood lead to 27-21.
Hudsonville took its first lead of the game in the third quarter, when the Eagles drove 65 yards for a score in six plays with Van Laecke tossing a 29-yard pass on fourth down. Hudsonville added a two-point conversion to go up 29-27.
The East Kentwood defense rose to the occasion on the next two Hudsonville drives and forced a pair of three-and-outs.
“Our defense kept us in it when Hudsonville stopped our offense in the third quarter,” Spencer said.
Falcons regain lead early in fourth
Early in the fourth quarter the Falcons regained the lead, driving 48 yards in seven plays with Coffman connecting with Owen Van De Veen on a 22-yard touchdown pass. Coffman then connected with Edmonds on a pass play on the two-point conversion putting the Falcons up 35-29 with 11 minutes remaining in the game.
Hudsonville answered that score with a methodical 68-yard, 14-play march that ended with a touchdown that put the Eagles up 36-35 with 5:52 remaining in the game setting the stage for the late-game dramatics.
With the loss, East Kentwood fell to 5-2 overall, 3-2 in the conference. The Falcons return to action this Friday at Grandville.
“At the end of the day, a game like this prepares us for the playoffs,” Spencer said. “The regular season is important, but we want to end the season playing at Ford Field and these kinds of games prepare us for that.”
The East Kentwood offense was paced by Coffman who passed for 188 yards and three scores. Jones caught seven passes for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Edmonds hauled in eight passes for 50 yards and Van Der Veen caught two passes for 32 yards and a score. Coffman added 58 yards rushing and three scores while Jesse Phillips ran for 42 yards.
An anemic offense and a 49-yard field goal attempt that missed by three feet with little time to play doomed the Davenport Panthers to a 16-14 loss to Michigan Tech Saturday at Meyering Field in Caledonia.
The loss dropped the Panthers’ record to 1-2 in the GLIAC Conference and 2-3 overall. The visiting Huskies improved to 2-0 in the GLIAC, 5-1 overall.
Both teams showed strong defensive play throughout the contest. They also regularly failed to score in a game that Tech led 10-7 at half and 13-7 entering the fourth quarter. Davenport fell notably short, with game totals of 55 yards net rushing, 186 yards of total offense, and only nine first downs.
Difficulties moving the ball aside, Davenport had a shot at victory before its Homecoming crowd of nearly 2,000 late in the final quarter. The Panthers had a first down at the MTU 27 with just under two minutes to play. However, a delay of game penalty and two incomplete passes led to a fourth down 49-yard field goal attempt – his first ever as a Panther – by DU freshman Ian Jenkins with 1:09 on the clock.
Jenkins’ boot had enough distance, but sailed three feet wide to the right, ending Davenport’s victory hopes.
Davenport Coach Sparky McEwen was clearly unhappy with his team’s offensive performance, suggesting that it was “time to show some heart” at halftime.
“We knew this would be a tough game and there were far too many mistakes on our end,” said McEwen afterward, adding, “We’ve just got to get it figured out because it doesn’t get any easier from here.”
Among Davenport’s problems Saturday was the absence of prior starting quarterback D’Wan Mathis, who missed the game with an injury suffered in DU’s loss to Grand Valley one week ago. That meant the Panthers rode behind quarterback Mac VandenHout, who hit 12-of-25 passes for 131 yards, but also threw two interceptions. Making matters worse, Davenport’s rushing attack — which had averaged 185 yards per game entering the contest — averaged only 1.7 yards per attempt on 32 carries.
Addressing DU’s offensive performance, McEwen offered that Davenport “missed some reads, and they got some pressure on us. Those things happen and we’ll just have to get better from it.”
The Panthers managed only one lead in the contest. Following a first quarter field goal by Tech’s Avery Kucharski, they got a 74-yard kickoff return by George Sims, after which VandenHout found the end zone on a 4-yard quarterback keeper to make it 7-3. The Huskies responded with a 23-yard touchdown on a reverse by Nick Nora to lead 10-7 at the end of the first quarter, then led 13-7 at halftime following a 26-yard second quarter field goal from Kucharski.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Davenport continued to struggle with the ball, falling behind 16-7 on a 22-yard field goal by Kucharski with eight minutes remaining.
Davenport answered with a quarterback switch, as McEwen inserted redshirt senior QB Grant Thwaites behind center. Thwaites picked up the pace for the Panthers and closed the deficit to 16-14 with a 21-yard TD pass to Ernest Sanders.
From there, it was a question of whether the Panthers could score one more time, setting the stage for DU’s unsuccessful field goal try with 69 seconds remaining. The Huskies drained the clock in victory formation after the missed attempt.
D’Angelo Bellamy led the Panthers with eight tackles. (Photo Courtesy, Davenport University)
McEwen had praise for DU’s defense saying, “As bad as we were on offense, our defense was just as good.” Led by D’Angelo Bellamy and Antonio Mayes, with eight and seven tackles respectively, the Panthers held Michigan Tech to 20 points below its season average entering the game. “They gave us a shot to win in the end,” McEwen said.
Some good news for Davenport is they may have a good shot at improving their record in the short term. DU travels to Detroit on October 18 to face currently winless Wayne State, before returning home October 25 to host Roosevelt University. Roosevelt is currently 1-4 overall following a 42-7 weekend defeat at Saginaw Valley.
Grand Valley State University scored three first-half touchdowns, then held Davenport scoreless in the third and fourth quarters en route to a 37-14 victory Saturday in Allendale.
The win was the eighth in a row by the Lakers over their crosstown rival, who has never beaten GVSU.
“We had tremendous balance today and now we know who we can be,” said Grand Valley Coach Scott Wooster following the game, which was played in temperatures reaching 85 degrees. Grand Valley, ranked 10th nationally in the American Football Coaches Division II poll at kickoff time, improved its record to 3-1 overall, 1-0 in the Great Lakes Athletic Conference. The visiting Panthers fell to 2-2, 1-1 in the conference.
Quarterback Brady Drogosh led his team with 74 yards on the ground, including three touchdowns.
Wooster gave credit to Davenport for “dialing up“ solid offensive plays that rattled the Laker defense early on.
Davenport running back Kayden Collins had a 10-yard touchdown run in the first quarter for the Panthers. (Photo Courtesy, Brandon Petrysyzn)
The Panthers started strong, receiving the opening kickoff and launching a 10-play, 75-yard opening series that ended when running back Kayden Collins ran around the Laker left end for a 10-yard touchdown. Davenport never faced a third down during the six-minute drive.
Grand Valley answered quickly with a three-play drive that ended when redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Shuster found receiver Sean Byrd with a 28-yard TD pass.
Second quarter action saw the Lakers stifle Davenport’s offense, while taking a 21-7 lead on a 29-yard run by Kellen Reed and a 17-yard sideline sprint by quarterback Brady Drogosh, who alternated at QB with Shuster and freshman Zak Olejniczak throughout the game for GVSU.
“We’ve essentially got three all-conference guys at quarterback,” Wooster said.
Davenport closed to within 21-14 at halftime, when quarterback D’wan Mathis found Earnest Sanders with a 75-yard touchdown pass.
Drogosh lights up running game in second half
Following halftime, a sellout crowd of 15,188 was treated to more heroics by Drogosh. The 6-4, 220-pound sophomore sandwiched a third quarter six-yard TD run and a fourth-quarter TD carry of 12 yards around a safety that occurred when Davenport centered a punt snap out of its own end zone. Those 16 points accounted for all of the second-half scoring and the Lakers’ 37-14 final margin.
Grand Valley’s defense was dominant in the second half, holding Davenport quarterbacks Mathis and Mac VandenHout to final passing statistics of 4-for-19 for a total of 109 yards. The Lakers were 12-for-25 through the air for 127 yards. The Panthers picked up 193 yards on 45 rushes. Grand Valley, paced by Drogosh’s three rushing TDs, picked up a season-high 254 yards on 38 carries.
Anthony Cardamone led the Lakers with 10 tackles, while D’Angelo Bellamy had nine stops for the Panthers.
Grand Valley travels to winless Northern Michigan for a Saturday night contest. Davenport hosts Michigan Tech, winners of four of five games, in a Saturday afternoon Homecoming game.
Laker running back Derrick Woods. (Photo Courtesy, Grand Valley State University)
By Cris Greer WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director greer@wktv.org
Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
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. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
There was no looking ahead to this Friday’s key OK Red showdown with Hudsonville for the East Kentwood football team as the Falcons struck early and often to defeat West Ottawa 45-8.
East Kentwood scored four touchdowns in the first quarter to take a commanding lead and cruised to victory to improve to 5-1 overall, 3-1 in the conference. The win sets up the Falcons with a trip to Hudsonville where they play the undefeated Eagles with a share of first place in the conference on the line.
“I liked that we were able to start fast,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “In the last two games we did not score in the first quarter. Tonight, we scored 28 points in the first quarter and 10 more in the second quarter. Being able to start fast was very important to us and we were able to get that done.”
Running back Nasir “Nas” Williams got the Falcons on the scoreboard first as he ripped off a 52-yard touchdown run. Jayden Garcia tacked on the extra point putting Kentwood up 7-0.
The Falcons scored on a second long run on their next possession when Jesse Phillips broke loose for a 26-yard touchdown. Garcia again tacked on the point after giving the Falcons a 14-0 lead.
Falcon quarterback Kayd Coffman scored the third touchdown of the opening quarter on a five-yard run.
EK quarterback Kayd Coffman. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
East Kentwood closed out the scoring in the opening half through the air. Coffman hooked up with Ahman Edmonds for a 74-yard touchdown pass giving the Falcons a 28-0 lead after Garcia’s point after.
“We had something of everything on offense,” Spencer said. “Both of our backs ran for over 50 yards. Our quarterback was efficient completing 8-of-13 for 154 yards and our other quarterback (Tyran Harris) was five-for-five and threw a touchdown. It was a balanced game on offense.”
The Falcons tacked on 10 more points in the second quarter as running back Ace Bryant scored on a three-yard run and Garcia added a 27-yard field goal giving the hometown Falcon fans a 38-0 halftime lead to enjoy.
Neither team scored in the third quarter and the two teams traded scores in the fourth. East Kentwood’s final score of the game came when Harris connected with Amari Burch for a seven-yard touchdown strike.
(Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)
East Kentwood had 415 yards of total offense; 223 passing yards and 192 rushing. Coffman passed for 154 of those yards while Harris, a sophomore, added 41 passing yards.
Nettleman led the Falcons in rushing with 70 yards, while Phillips added 50, and Coffman, 47. Edmonds led Kentwood in receiving with 74 yards, followed by Owen Van Der Veen, two catches for 48 yards and Stephan Jone, four for 47.
Paving the way for the offense was a Falcon offensive line led by tackles Chris Lovelady and Xavier Williams, guards Isaiah Wilson, Leland Croskey and Jabari O’Bryant and center Charlie Nichols.
Offensive line “solid”
“Our offensive line has been doing a great job,” Spencer said. “We talked as a staff this week about just how good these guys have been. They are not the biggest group, but they are really solid. They are the reason we run the ball well. It’s a real close-knit group and they do a real phenomenal job of executing and doing the job at a high level.”
Big Falcon “D”
The Falcon defense also turned in a big effort. Along with limiting West Ottawa to single figures on the scoreboard, the Falcons allowed West Ottawa just 54 rushing yards and 117 in passing.
“I thought the defense performed pretty good,” Spencer said. “There were a couple of third downs where we should’ve got them off the field, but overall, I thought the effort and performance was good.”
Tyler Meeuwsen led with seven tackles and an assist, while Alijah Bondon, Donavan Jones and Christopher Thompson all added three tackles.
With the win against West Ottawa tucked away, the Falcons can now concentrate on Friday’s OK Red showdown in Hudsonville.
“This is going to basically be like a playoff game,” Spencer said. “We are going to have to do our job better then they (Hudsonville) do. We have got to get off to a fast start and defensively we have to work to get off the field on third down. They (Hudsonville) do a great job of possessing the ball and their quarterback is a really good athlete. We have to make sure that our offense is on the field for most of the game and not their offense.”
By Cris Greer WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director greer@wktv.org
Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
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. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
By Cris Greer WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director greer@wktv.org
Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
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. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
In a battle between two of the premier Division 1 high school football heavyweights in West Michigan, the Rockford Rams made a few more big plays than East Kentwood and that proved to be the difference as the Rams grabbed a 21-14 OK Red win.
Defense and the running game played big parts in the showdown as Rockford handed the Falcons their first loss of the season.
“I thought it wasn’t one of our best games,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “I felt that the effort was there. We fought hard, but we definitely made a lot of mistakes that we could’ve prevented. We had a lot of opportunities on our end that we did not take advantage of. We could’ve played a lot better overall, especially on defense.”
Neither team was able to put any points on the scoreboard during the opening quarter of the game.
Rockford on offense during the Rams 21-14 home victory over East Kentwood Friday. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)
Rams strike first
Rockford broke the scoring drought in the second quarter, when it scored on a 19-yard touchdown run to go up 7-0 with 10:35 remaining in the first half after the extra point kick.
The score remained that way until late in the first half when both teams scored in the final minute of the half.
East Kentwood tied the game when quarterback Kayd Coffman capped a drive by running in for a touchdown from four-yards out. Jayden Garcia kicked the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 49 seconds remaining in the first half.
East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman sets the offense during the Falcons 21-14 loss to Rockford Friday. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)
Those 49 seconds, however, proved to be enough time for Rockford to regain the lead before halftime.
Starting on their own 25-yard line, Rockford quickly moved down field on a 15-yard run by quarterback Braylen Daniels and a 38-yard pass play from Daniels to Jax Eichbauer. Daniels then finished the drive connecting with Jackson Cummings on a 22-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds remaining in the half. Rockford added the point after to take a 14-7 lead into halftime.
Both defenses tightened up during the third quarter as neither team put any points on the scoreboard.
Midway through the fourth quarter, East Kentwood drove down to the Rockford one-yard line, but on a fourth down and goal from the one, the Ram defense came up big and kept the Falcons out of the end one.
East Kentwood fans filled the visitor stands during their 21-14 loss to Rockford Friday. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)
Rockford turned to its ground game and went on a long drive of its own. The Rams eventually scored as Luke Ahern ran across the goal line with 5:04 remaining in the game, giving Rockford a 21-7 lead.
East Kentwood, however, refused to fold and cut the deficit to 21-14 with 3:48 remaining in the game. Coffman broke free for a 39-yard touchdown run.
That was as close as the Falcons would get as Rockford put the game on ice with its running game.
“We missed some shots we had,” Spencer said. “We had three fourth-and-ones that we missed and we have got to get those. Against good teams you are not going to get too many opportunities and you have to take advantage of them when you get them.”
East Kentwood and Rockford battled it out Friday night. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)
East Kentwood finished with 358 total yards; 231 on the ground and 127 through the air.
Coffman led the way for the Falcons with 101 yards on seven carries and two touchdowns. He also completed 13-of-28 passes for 127 yards.
Jesse Phillips added 59 yards rushing on 12 carries, while Nasir Williams added 51 rushing on 13 carries.
Ahman Edmonds led the Falcons with nine catches for 90 yards, followed by Owen Van Der Veen, three for 33 yards.
Malachi Daly with seven tackles
Malachi Daly led the Falcons with seven tackles, followed by Major Barnes, five tackles and an interception, Donavan Jones, three tackles, an interception and a tackle for loss and Jaziel Negron, four tackles, including a tackle for loss.
“Defensively, we did create three turnovers so we did do some good things on defense,” Spencer said. “We did miss some alignments on defense so we have some things to work on defensively.”
With the loss, the Falcons fell to 3-1 overall, 1-1 in the conference. They return to action Friday when they host Caledonia (2-2 overall, 0-2 in conference play) with losses to Hudsonville and Grandville.
“We are excited about this week,” Spencer said. “I think we match up well with Caledonia. Like everybody else in the OK Red, there are no gimmees. You have to come ready to play and ready to play hard. We can’t have misalignments and miscues. We have to be ready to play our best on offense, defense and special teams.”
If ever there was a jack of all trades at Berlin Raceway, the late George Keen was just that man.
Keen, who passed away in 2021, was a big part of the racing scene at Berlin Raceway for some five decades beginning in the 1960s. During his time at the raceway, he was a driver, car owner and car sponsor. Keen also promoted racing in West Michigan as a radio racing announcer, an announcer of Berlin racing on a website and also hosted a popular racing show on WKTV that was a staple for over 20 years.
All of that work was recently recognized with the announcement that Keen would be inducted into the Berlin Raceway Hall of Fame. He will be honored in January at Berlin Raceway’s annual banquet and a Hall of Fame plaque will be unveiled and added to the Berlin Raceway Hall of Fame next season.
“George did everything that you could possibly do at the track,” said veteran track announcer Matt McKenzie, who worked with Keen on the livestreaming Track Pass network that broadcast Berlin racing over the internet. “I am actually writing the write-up for his Hall of Fame plaque and it will be a challenge to get everything he accomplished in five sentences. George had his hand in so many things.”
A career that began in the Sixties
“George did everything in racing,” McKenzie said. “He owned race cars, he drove race cars, he sponsored other drivers, he was a radio broadcaster at the track and he started a racing show at WKTV. He even built a two-seat racing car so fans could ride around the track with their favorite driver.”
Later in his career, Keen provided another valuable service to drivers at Berlin with his mobile tool shed which was basically a concession for tools that pit crews and mechanics could turn to in a pinch.
“George was very entrepreneurial,” McKenzie said. “He knew how to sell about anything.”
Keen also knew how to give back and promote the sport he loved. He was a radio announcer for Berlin racing and also hit the streets to sell advertising for the broadcasts. In the early 1990s, Keen added television to his media portfolio with his racing show on WKTV.
George Keen hosting his popular “Racing Show” on WKTV. (WKTV)
A long pit stop at WKTV
“George turned “The Racing Show” from its first airing in 1993 until 2010, into a staple for West Michigan racing fans through the winter months,” said Tom Norton, executive director and general manager of WKTV. “His was the only individual TV show here who’s TV viewers had a well-attended winter party. With George and his team during those years, it was wonderful.”
Racing was not the only sport that Keen was involved in on the television end at WKTV. He also was part of the station’s annual coverage of the Golden Gloves.
George Keen also was involved with hosting various programs during the popular 28th Street Metro-Cruise like WKTV’s Dream Wheels. (WKTV)
A “shining star” at WKTV
“George was one of the shining stars of WKTV for decades,” Norton said. “George was a great television host, called many a sporting event for us, and of course, hosted “The Racing Show” for so many years. We truly miss George’s energy and spirit.”
As online broadcasting began to take hold, Keen also was ready to adapt to that as he teamed with McKenzie on NBC’s Track Pass each Saturday night to announce Berlin racing via the internet.
With his interest in so many activities surrounding racing, it was only natural that Keen would amass a wealth of contacts.
“George knew everybody”
“George knew everybody,” McKenzie said. “You could name any type of business in West Michigan and George knew someone in that business. If you needed something in audio, paint, tires, pizza, whatever, George knew people in that business. If you ever needed anything all you had to do was get a hold of George and he would make a call and get you in touch with whatever you needed. George was just a great guy.”
Keen also had a hand in the Berlin Hall of Fame that he’s going to be inducted into.
“George always wanted the Hall of Fame to be improved,” McKenzie said. “The hall of fame plaques used to be on a back wall next to the bathrooms. George wanted them moved to a bigger area and have an area built for them. He was working on getting that before he passed away. After he passed, I helped make sure that a new Hall of Fame area was built.”
With his induction into the Berlin Hall of Fame, the jack of all trades at Berlin Raceway is now a permanent fixture at the track.
The East Kentwood football team opened OK Red Conference play in a big way Friday as it totaled over 500 yards of offense in a 54-7 win against Jenison.
The offense came from a multitude of sources as 261 yards came via the ground game and 240 yards from passing as the 54-point scoring output was the biggest offensive outburst by the Falcons since they scored 63 points in a 2019 win against West Ottawa.
East Kentwood football Coach Tyrone Spencer. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
“I liked the way we executed the game plan,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “We want to be able to keep teams off balance with our offense and we were able to do that. I also think we were able to wear Jenison down. They had some guys that were going both ways and I think we were able to wear them down as the game went on.”
Coming into the season the Falcons planned to run the ball and use a running back by committee approach. That plan is being carried out as the Falcons again shared the wealth in the ground game. A total of four Falcons eclipsed 40 yards rushing for the game with three rushing for over 60 yards. Kentwood junior Ace Bryant led with 68 yards on four carries, followed by Ahman Edmonds, one carry for 62 yards, Jacarvion Johnson, two for 60 and a touchdown and Nasir “Nas” Williams ran seven times for 40 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Davien “Bam” Nettleman added 12 yards on three carries and scored a touchdown, while sophomore Tyran Harris, five yards on one carry and a TD.
“Our running back by committee has been working out nice,” Spencer said. “The guys are progressing well. We have guys that do certain things well and they are making the most of their opportunities.”
East Kentwood Quarterback Kayd Coffman. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
QB Kayd Coffman in high gear
Senior quarterback Kayd Coffman also clicked into high gear against the Wildcats, completing 15-of-20 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns.
Ahman Edmonds led the way in receiving with 114 yards on six catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. For the game, Edmonds totaled 176 yards of total offense. That kind of production is not going unnoticed by college recruiters as Tiffin University offered Edmonds a scholarship following Friday’s game.
Like the running backs, the Falcons shared the wealth in the receiving department. Junior wide receiver Stephan Jones caught four passes for 47 yards and two touchdowns. Junior wideout Bryce Barnes caught three passes for 43 yards, while senior tight end Kendrick Mayhue caught a pair of passes for 26 yards and sophomore receiver Caiden Cox caught a pass for 10 yards.
The Jenison defense proved to be a tough nut to crack during the early potion of the game as the contest was scoreless at the end of the opening quarter. The Kentwood offense began to percolate in the second quarter with four touchdowns to take a 26-7 halftime lead. Nas Williams scored the first Kentwood touchdown on a three-yard run and Jayden Garcia tacked on the extra point.
Jenison tied the game thanks to a long touchdown run. The Falcon offense then took over, reeling off three consecutive touchdowns. The Falcons took the lead for good when Coffman hooked up with Stephan Jones on an 18-yard scoring strike. The Falcons closed out the first-half with a two-yard touchdown run from Williams and a one-yard scoring run by Bam Nettleman.
East Kentwood put the game on ice with four touchdowns in the third quarter. The outburst began with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Coffman to Edmonds. Coffman then hooked up with Jones on a 14-yard scoring strike. The Falcons closed out the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run by Tyran Harris and a 59-yard touchdown run by Jacarvion Johnson.
Strong EK defense as well
Along with the offensive explosion, the East Kentwood defense came up with an impressive effort. Factor out the 77-yard touchdown run, and the East Kentwood defense surrendered 116 yards of total offense for the game. Subtracting the touchdown run, the Falcon defense allowed Jenison 2.4 yards per play.
Defensive back Donavan Jones led with four tackles and two assists. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
“Overall, I thought our defense turned in a really good performance,” Spencer said. “They created some turnovers and got some big stops. I thought we controlled their passing game, and other than the one big run we controlled their running game.”
The Falcon defense turned in a total-team effort against the Wildcats. Junior defensive back Donavan Jones led with four tackles and two assists, followed by Senior Benedi Kanda, two tackles for loss, Malachi Daly and Austin Bobo also added a tackle for loss. The Falcon defense also intercepted three Jenison passes with Dallas Thomas-Moody, Jaziel Negron and Major Barnes all recording picks. Senior defensive lineman James Jones Jr. racked up four assists, while Barnes and Baxter Johnson added three.
With the win, East Kentwood improved to 3-0 overall, 1-0 in the OK Red. The Falcons return to action this Friday with a big conference road trip to Rockford to face the 2-1 Rams, who opened conference play with a 42-24 win at Grand Haven.
Check out the exciting clips above from our first Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like during basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
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. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
A new era is dawning for Kelloggsville football and the Rockets have made it a successful launch in the first two weeks.
The new look starts with Justin Dennett, who stepped in as the new Coach. The early results are proving positive as the Rockets defeated Grant 43-14 to open the season, and beat Perry 48-28 Friday.
“We started out pretty good,” Dennett said of the opening day win. “We received the opening kickoff and went down and scored. Then on Grant’s first possession they fumbled. We were up 22-6 at halftime and then scored a few more times early in the second half. We got off to a good start and were able to maintain it.”
Quarterback Cameron Dunbar posts three TDs against Grant
Offensively, the Rockets were led by senior quarterback Cameron Dunbar (5-11, 185 pounds) who completed 7-of-10 passes for 82 yards and rushed the ball 12 times for 176 yards and three touchdowns.
Running back Keyontae Gibson logs 157 yards and three TDs in opener
Running back Keyontae Gibson added 157 yards on 14 carries and scored three touchdowns. Gibson also caught a pair of passes for 27 yards. Danyel White (5-11, 165) added two receptions for 25 yards.
A core of seniors led the way for Kelloggsville on the offensive side of the ball starting with Dunbar at the quarterback position.
“Cameron is a tremendous athlete,” Dennett said. “He is our fastest and strongest athlete. He really fits the offense that we want to run. He is a dynamic kid and a good leader for us.”
Gibson, White and senior Isaak Kowal (5-11, 180) provide plenty of options in the running and passing game.
“Keyontae had a breakout game for us,” Dennett said. “He is a really dynamic kid. He is fast and strong and broke a few long runs. Danyel is one of our fastest kids and has good hands. He is also a good blocker which is good for our offense. Isaak is a senior running back who is a good, tough runner and a good blocker.”
Up front, senior Zane Hendricks (5-10, 200) and Prince Bakara (5-6, 210) anchor the offensive line where they provide plenty of senior leadership for a young group of linemen.
The Rockets also turned in a productive game on the defensive side of the football in their opener.
“Defensively, I wasn’t sure how it would go in Week One,” Dennett said. “The defense played really well and forced four turnovers. They (Grant) only scored once on our first-team defense. I was pleasantly surprised with our defense. We have a lot of good athletes on defense. We still have to fine-tune some things and clean some things up, but for Week One it was a really good effort.”
With a small roster, the Rockets rely on several players to log minutes on both the defensive and offensive side of the ball.
Dunbar and White head up the defensive secondary. Kowal and Gibson lead the way at inside linebacker. Bakara and Hendricks anchor the defensive front.
The defense also is receiving contributions from senior Nasyre Walker (5-9, 170), who plays a hybrid outside linebacker/safety position, senior Jaquardre Montes (5-10, 160), inside linebacker, and Qubec Griffin, defensive back and receiver on offense.
Dennett brings plenty of head coaching experience to Kelloggsville. A native of Byron Center, Dennett was the Coach at Montague the past four seasons.
“We have a good group of seniors,” Dennett said. “They were all pretty committed over the summer. We have a lot of potential, but we need to focus on the little things.”
“We definitely had a good start,” Dennett said. “Our main focus right now is to grow our numbers. Hopefully we can grow them and have a junior varsity team. I was really happy with Week One and hope to build on it.”
For the second week in a row, the East Kentwood football team found its high gear on offense. Led by a potent passing game and a productive ground attack, the Falcon offense found the end zone six times as it defeated Byron Center 43-14 in their first home game of the season.
East Kentwood scored three touchdowns in each half as it opened up a 21-0 halftime lead and put the game away with 22 second-half points.
The Kentwood offense eclipsed the 40-point mark for the second straight week and was led by senior quarterback Kayd Coffman, who completed 17-of-24 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns. Coffman tossed four TD passes in Kentwood’s 43-8 win at Southfield A&T in the season opener. Ahman Edmonds led the Falcons with five catches for 108 yards, while Nasir Williams led in rushing with 80 yards on 12 carries.
East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman passed for three touchdowns in the win after tossing four TD passes in the season opener. He completed 17-of-24 passes for 299 yards in the win over Byron Center. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
Quarterback Kayd Coffman “locked in”
In his second season as the starting quarterback, Coffman has taken his game to the next level.
“I think Kayd has responded well this season,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “Last year at this time he was splitting reps with a senior. Now he is confident, has the position all his own, is committed to a university (Michigan State) so that confidence skyrockets. He has done a phenomenal job with his leadership. He stays locked in and he is an awesome benefit to us.”
Coffman completed all four of his passes on the opening drive of the game as he moved the Falcons 79 yards downfield in seven plays for a touchdown. He capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Owen Van Der Veen. Jayden Garcia tacked on the point after.
After the Kentwood defense forced Byron Center into a three-and-out on its first possession of the game, the offense embarked on a second long touchdown drive. Starting on its own 36-yard line, the Falcons drove the ball 64 yards in 13 plays. Coffman capped the drive with arguably the throw of the game as he fired a laser to junior Stephan Jones at the corner of the end zone on a third-and-goal play from the Bulldog 22-yard line. The Falcons overcame four penalties on the drive including a pair of delay of game penalties near the Bulldog goal line.
Byron Center responded on its next possession by driving down to the East Kentwood 19-yard line where the Falcon defenders came up with a big fourth-down stop.
Overall, the Falcon defense turned in a solid effort allowing Byron Center a pair of second-half touchdowns.
East Kentwood defense “played well”
I thought they played well,” Spencer said. “I thought they executed their assignments well. We tried to take away what they do. They are a tough, physical football team and we wanted to take some things away and we did and we forced them to do some other things that they don’t necessarily do a lot.
Kentwood tacked on a third touchdown with just 59 seconds remaining in the first half as Coffman connected with Davien Nettleman on a 15-yard scoring strike.
The touchdown pass was caught by a third different Falcon receiver highlighting the depth and talent of the team’s receiving corps.
East Kentwood’s Kayd Coffman sets the offense against Byron Center in a 43-14 win Sept. 6, 2025. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
“They are all great guys,” Coffman said. “They are just so good. We get a ball in space and they can go make a play. That is very reassuring for me and helps me sleep at night.”
One of the Kentwood playmakers is senior Ahman Edmonds, who not only makes plays in the passing game, but also can provide impact plays as a runner and kick returner.
East Kentwood’s Ahman Edmonds returns a kickoff in a 43-14 win over Byron Center on Sept. 6, 2025. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
“Our offense is definitely deep,” Edmonds said. “We’ve got a lot of good receivers. This offense is fun to play in. Me being a smaller guy they can put me out or in the backfield and I can show everything so it’s definitely a good advantage. My eyes blow up because I know that Kayd can make a big throw and I can make a big catch.”
Byron Center scored its first points of the game on the opening drive of the second half as Will Baubach hauled in a 38-yard touchdown pass.
Kentwood answered with a touchdown on the next possession. A 43-yard pass play from Coffman to Edmonds was the highlight of the drive that was capped by a four-year touchdown run by senior running back Jesse Phillips.
Kentwood upped the lead to 35-7 late in the third quarter when senior running back Nasir Williams ran in for a touchdown from a yard out.
The two teams closed out the game by trading touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Cam Payne scored Byron Center’s touchdown on a two-yard run. Williams scored East Kentwood’s final touchdown on a one-yard run.
Coffman completed 17-of-24 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns. Edmonds led the Falcons in receiving with five catches for 108 yards, followed by Nettleman, three catches for 52 yards, Van Der Veen, three for 50 yards, Jones, three for 49, and Kendrick Mayhue, two catches for 26 yards. Williams led the Falcon running game with 80 yards on 12 carries, while Nettleman added 49 yards on seven carries and Phillips, 20 on six carries.
Chris Thompson led the way with six tackles, followed by Dallas Thomas-Moody and Malachi Daly, five apiece, Donovan Jones added five tackles and one tackle for loss, James Jones Jr., four tackles and a tackle for loss and Jaziel Negron added four tackles.
With the win, Kentwood improved to 2-0 for the season and returns to action next Friday when it travels to Jenison to face the 2-0 Wildcats in opening-week action in the OK Red Conference.
While the Falcons are pleased with the start, they know the season is long and there is plenty of room for improvement.
“I think there is always room for improvement,” Spencer said. It’s part of rebuilding a program. We did overcome some penalties and we did overcome some mistakes so it shows a lot of the character of our guys and the kind of mental toughness that they have. There are some things we have to clean up.
“I told them it wasn’t the cleanest game, but I was satisfied with the effort. I thought we had great enthusiasm.”
The South Christian football team kicked off the season in a big way on the road with a 27-13 win over long-time rival Grand Rapids Christian.
The Sailors utilized a total team effort as the offense displayed plenty of balance, while the defense slowed down a potent Grand Rapids Christian offense.
South Christian also benefitted from a quick start with a pair of touchdowns in the opening quarter, while keeping the host Eagles scoreless.
South’s Austin Burgess scampers 17 for first TD of game
South put the first points on the scoreboard at the 7:30 mark of the first quarter. That was when junior quarterback Austin Burgess, making his first-ever varsity start at quarterback, scampered in from 17-yards out to give the Sailors a 6-0 lead.
Owen Burgess reels in 41-yard TD pass for South Christian. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
They extended that lead to 13-0 with 22 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. This time South went to the air to score as Austin Burgess hooked up with Owen Burgess on a 41-yard touchdown pass. Austin Burgess kicked the point after.
“We had a real nice first drive,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown, “and then we got a stop on defense and scored again. The quick start definitely helped settle down those first-game nerves. At that point we started to run the ball more and control it and play some good defense. Anytime they did something we were able to answer. I’m proud of how the kids stayed the course and played a full four quarters.”
Eagles get on the board in second quarter
The two teams traded scores in the second quarter. Grand Rapids Christian scored its first points when Charlie King ran in for a score from seven-yards out. King added the extra point cutting the deficit to 13-7.
The Sailors answered that score with 4:36 remaining in the first half when the Burgess-to-Burgess connection clicked again, this time from 24 yards out to increase their lead to 19-7.
Easton Raak, South Christian. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
After a scoreless third quarter, South Christian broke the game open in the fourth. Easton Raak scored the final Sailor touchdown with a 14-yard run. The Sailors tacked on a two-point conversion as Austin Burgess connected with Charles Vermass on a pass.
Grand Rapids Christian closed out the scoring with a touchdown with 1:23 left in the game to make the final score 27-14
.
Offensively, the Sailors totaled 426 yards. Burgess completed 11-of-14 passes for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“Austin did a real good job of executing the game plan,” Brown said. “I was really happy for him in his first start as a junior. It was a little nerve-racking for him making his first varsity start, but he settled in and did everything we asked of him.”
Owen Burgess led the Sailors with five catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns.
South Christian’s Jesse Van De Griend led on the ground with 53 yards on 10 carries. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
Overall, South ran the ball 40 times, while passing 14. Jesse Van De Griend led the South ground game with 53 yards on 10 carries, followed by Raak, 50 yards on five carries, Kyle Naklizki, 41 yards on eight carries and Isaac Osterhaven, 25 yards on nine carries.
“I thought our running backs did a really good job,” Brown said. “They each had about the same amount of rushes. They all added a different dynamic and I was very happy with that. Football is a physical game and 40 rushes is a lot for one back so being able to spread it out among three guys is a benefit.”
In all, four different Sailors ran the ball at least five times and six different Sailors caught at least one pass.
The team effort extended to the defensive side of the ball where the Sailors limited Grand Rapids Christian to 262 total yards with 179 coming through the air, 83 via the rush.
“I was really happy with our defense,” Brown said. “We were very physical and I thought we made them one-dimensional. We held them to under 90 yards rushing and that enabled us to do some things to disrupt their passing game.”
Brown credited the defensive line for their effort in stopping the Eagles’ ground game.
Caleb Wieneke led the Sailors with five tackles and three assists. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
“Collectively, our front four played really, really well,” Brown said. “As a unit they blew up the running game and were able to get at the quarterback. Our inside linebacker, Caleb Wieneke, had a nice game. He was our leading tackler and forced a fumble.”
Wieneke totaled five tackles and three assists, followed by Cody Jones with two tackles, three assists and 1.5 tackles for loss, Ben Buiter, one tackle, three assists, one tackle for loss, Noah Klump, four tackles, two tackles for loss and Kasjen VanSolkema, two tackles, one assist and 0.5 tackles for loss.
South returns to action Friday hosting East Grand Rapids at Byron Center Stadium.
After turning in a winning season and putting up a big effort in the state playoffs, the East Kentwood football team is poised to take things to another level this season.
East Kentwood featured a new look last season as Coach Tyrone Spencer took over the program. Season one was full of progress as not only did the Falcons turn in a winning regular season record at 5-4, but they made the playoffs after a one-year absence. In the opening round of the playoffs the Falcons had a tough 25-23 loss to Hudsonville on the road that came down to the final seconds against an Eagle team that went on to the Division 1 state championship game. East Kentwood also posted a winning record at 4-3 in the ultra-rugged OK Red Conference.
This year, with plenty of talent returning, the Falcons are looking for even more success.
“Things are looking pretty good right now,” Spencer said. “I like where are team is at right now.”
On the offensive side, the Falcons return one of the premier quarterbacks in the state in senior Kayd Coffman (6-2, 200). Coffman turned in a big season in his first year of starting last fall and parlayed that with a big offseason into a scholarship from Michigan State.
“Kayd is looking pretty good,” Spencer said. “He had a great offseason and a great camp.”
Coffman will have a familiar face to throw the ball to in senior Ahman Edmonds (5-8, 165). Edmonds was the Falcons’ leading receiver last season and is ready to take his game to the next level. The Falcon receiver corps also welcomes back senior Owen Van Der Veen, who battled injuries last season and junior Stephan Jones (5-9, 150).
Kendrick Mayhue, East Kentwood linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
The Falcons also have a target at tight end in senior Kendrick Mayhue (6-3, 215), who also is a strong blocker at the H-back/tight end spot.
At running back the Falcons boast plenty of depth and talent. Seniors Jesse Phillips (6-1, 195), Nas Williams (5-8, 170) and Davien Nettleman give the ground game plenty of options.
“We don’t have a main guy yet,” Spencer said. “We will have a running back by committee until someone steps up.”
Offensive Line
Up front, the Falcons return a pair of starters to the offensive line. Senior Charlie Nichols (5-9, 270) returns at center, while Jabari O’Bryant (5-9, 255) also is a returning starter. A pair of seniors who logged plenty of playing time up front also return in guard/tackles Isaiah Wilson and tackle Xavier Williams. The Falcons feature plenty of depth along the offensive line with seniors Shantheis Moody and Hector Zuniga (6-2, 350) and juniors Chris Lovelady and Leland Croskey.
“I think our offense is in a great place,” Spencer said. “I like our passing game and it depends on whichever back steps up. Up front, we are not as big as last year, but we have guys who can move and have good experience.”
Falcons Defense
The Falcon defense also is looking strong heading into the new season. A total of seven starters return to the defense along with several more players who gained substantial experience last season.
Up front, the defensive line is anchored by returning all-conference senior James Jones (5-11, 270), while Junior Tyler Meeuwsen (6-1, 245) is a returning starter up front.
“Our three-man front is looking pretty stout,” Spencer said.
The Falcons do have to replace some starters at the linebacker spots, but the team has plenty of talented players set to step up.
Chris Thompson, East Kentwood linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
Qua’Shaun Julian, East Kentwood linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
Benedi Kanda, East Kentwood linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
Senior Malachi Daly (5-10, 180) and junior Chris Thompson (6-0, 210) are primed to make an impact as is senior Austin Bobo (5-10, 195) at inside linebacker.
The outside linebackers also will have some new starters. Senior Qua’Shaun Julian (5-11, 200) and junior Alijah Bondon are looking to lead the way along with senior Benedi Kanda (5-10, 180), who’ll play a hybrid safety/outside linebacker position.
Donavan Jones, East Kentwood defensive back. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
The defensive backfield also looks like a major strong point. Junior Donavan Jones (5-10, 180) is a returning starter who can play either cornerback or safety. Senior Jaziel Negron was a part-time starter last year and is looking to take over a safety position.
Sophomore Austin Nelson (5-11, 166) is at cornerback along with junior Dallas Moody. Junior Major Barnes (5-10, 150) also is back.
“I like what our defensive backs are looking like,” Spencer said. “I think we should be a lot better on defense this year.”
East Kentwood opens the season on Friday when it travels to Southfield to take on Southfield Arts & Technology. The Falcons then return home on Sept. 5 against a Byron Center team that reached the Division 2 state title game last year. They open up OK Red Conference play Sept. 12 at Jenison.
“I think this team can accomplish anything it wants to,” Spencer said. “We have to stay healthy and continue to improve, if we can do that we have as good a shot as anybody to win the conference. In our league you have to come to play every week and if we come to every game ready to play, I like our chances.”
Godfrey-Lee’s varsity football program has not played a full season of 11-man football since 2019.
This off-season, Coach Lamar Marshall and his team prepared for a return to the traditional format. Due to low roster numbers, however, the Legends will once again compete in the MHSAA 8-man football division for the fourth-straight year.
“Unfortunately, we lost some players to transfer,” said Marshall, in his fourth year, whose Legends ended the 2024 season with a 4-5 record. “So we ended up making the decision to come back to the 8-man game.
“It will be business as usual to prepare for the season, and I’m excited for what’s coming up.”
Key players and dual roles
The 2025 Legends will boast an even number of seniors and lowerclassmen. Among the returning seniors is the wide receiver trio of Jaden Potts, Manny Ramos and Aidan Merriweather.
The trio accounted for 95 catches, 909 yards, and nine touchdowns from the graduated Anthony Blok.
Jaden Potts, Lee Legends (Courtesy, Ty Marzean)Jayden Sanchez, Lee Legends (Courtesy, Ty Marzean)Daeden Lopez, Lee Legends (Courtesy, Ty Marzean)Aidan Merriweather, Lee Legends (Courtesy, Ty Marzean)Manny Ramos, Lee Legends (Courtesy, Ty Marzean)Joseph Marshall, Lee Legends (Courtesy, Ty Marzean)
Potts will find himself all over the field as he is a stout force on the defensive side of the ball as well.
“Jaden Potts is our offensive captain, our defensive captain. He gets us into position on defense, and offensively – if you need a key play – he can come up big,” Marshall said.
Merriweather also will play a dual role for the Legends. The dexterous wideout collected 25 tackles last season and also will play running back on offense.
“He’s going to be our gadget guy,” Marshall said. “He’s coming off a foot injury from track, so he’s knocking the rust off, but he’s going to be a monster for us this year.”
Junior Jayden Sanchez will convert to quarterback from running back, where he led the Legends in rushing with 622 yards and seven touchdowns, pinballing his way to 10 yards per carry.
The Lee Legends varsity football team prepares for its first game of the 2025-26 season (Ty Marzean/WKTV Contributor)
“He’s a load to bring down,” Marshall said of his new signal caller. “He played quarterback under me in middle school, so he’s been in the system for a long time.”
The offensive line will be anchored by a pair of four-year varsity starters, 6-4 guard Darnell Burton and 220-lb. center Daeden Lopez.
Legends Schedule
The Legends will kick off the 2025 season with a pair of home games, hosting Baldwin on Thursday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m. and Sacred Heart Academy on Friday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. in the WKTV Game of the Week.
South Christian quarterback Austin Burgess has big shoes to fill taking over for standout Carson Vis, who signed to play basketball at Western Michigan University. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
After a tough regular season grind, the South Christian team played some of its best football of the season in the playoffs last fall. This year, with plenty of veteran players returning, the Sailors are poised to build on that momentum.
The Sailors, who have been on a roll as a program the past several years, turned in a 5-4 regular-season record last fall playing in a new-look OK Gold Conference that featured powerhouses like Zeeland West, Forest Hills Central and Unity Christian. That gauntlet of a schedule paid dividends come playoff time as the Sailors reeled off three straight wins before falling to Niles in the Division 4 state semifinals to finish the season with an 8-5 overall record.
With a solid core of players returning from last year’s squad, South Christian is poised for another exciting season.
“We’re excited about the season,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “Obviously, camp was a grind. It was a lot of football, but I thought it went well and the team grew a lot together. We’re excited to see how everything comes together.”
The Sailors will have a different look on the offensive side of the ball this year as two-year starting quarterback Carson Vis has moved on to Western Michigan University where he’ll play basketball this winter.
Taking over the quarterback duties this season is junior Austin Burgess (6-0, 175) who is looking to carry on the Sailor tradition of developing strong dual-threat quarterbacks.
“Austin is a good leader and has a calming presence,” Brown said. “When he plays free and is having fun out there it’s contagious. He has a good command of the offense. He can throw and run, and that dual-threat ability is a good asset to have on offense.”
Burgess will have a big-time receiver to throw the ball to in senior wide receiver Owen Burgess (6-1, 180), a returning all-state performer.
“Owen is a good route runner,” Brown said. “He also has real good hands. He had a good year for us last year and we’re looking for him to have another really good year.”
Behind Burgess are several receivers looking to step up this season who also give the team outstanding depth at the position.
Isaac Osterhaven, South Christian running back. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
Depth also is a strong point at running back where a trio of ball carriers are in the mix for carries this season. Juniors Isaac Osterhaven (6-0, 195) and Jesse Van De Griend (5-9, 150) and sophomore Kyle Naklizki (5-9, 185) give the Sailors plenty of options.
“This is a year where we are really deep at running back,” Brown said. “We have three guys that can run well. The backfield will be a shared responsibility. It’s going to be nice to spread the ball around and ride these guys.”
South also is deep along the offensive front where several veterans are also back to anchor the line.
Returning at left tackle is junior Jackson Rynalda (6-3, 210), who started last season. Back at right guard is junior Greyson Hunderman (6-0, 205) while senior right tackle Carson Joldersma (6-6, 250) also started some games a year ago.
Rounding out the offensive line is senior left guard Grant Jansen (6-1, 175), who earned some starts last year along with junior center Joseph Gritter (6-0, 195).
“We’re excited about our offensive line group,” Brown said. “They have quite a bit of varsity experience and have played in some big games.”
A key for the Sailors on the offensive side of the ball is establishing the ground game.
“For us the big thing is establishing the running game,” Brown said. “Running the ball will be important for us to create success and to set up the pass.”
On the defensive side the Sailors also return plenty of experience.
Ben Buiter, South Christian defensive line. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
Up front, senior Ben Buiter (6-2, 205) is a returning starter that’ll help anchor the defensive line.
Junior defensive lineman Nathan Potter (6-3, 250) also is a returning starter and will make the Sailors tough to run against.
Junior defensive end Gavin Bouma (6-3, 190) also is back after playing in every game a year ago.
“We are going to count on good years from those three guys,” Brown said.
At linebacker, the Sailors return senior Kasjen VanSolkema (5-11, 182) and senior Caleb Wieneke (6-3, 205). Wieneke was a starter last fall and is moving to inside linebacker this season.
Senior Noah Klump (6-0, 155), who started at safety last year, will play a hybrid safety/linebacker position this season.
Noah Klump, South Christian safety/linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
In the secondary, the Sailors return a pair of starters in junior Mark DeJong (6-1, 175) and Owen Burgess. Sophomore Brody Shilts (6-1, 170) is a returning starter who has a year of experience to draw on. Fellow sophomore Ben Jackson (6-0, 175) was moved up to the varsity for the playoffs last season and also will see playing time in the secondary.
“Defensively we’ve had a scheme change that we have been working on in the offseason,” Brown said. “The kids have taken well to it. The nice thing about this defense is that we have some guys who played meaningful minutes last season and we have some guys ready to step in and provide depth. I’m excited about our defense this season.”
Owen Burgess, South Christian secondary. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
As usual, the Sailors face a rugged schedule not only in the conference, but out of the conference. South Christian opens at Grand Rapids Christian on Friday in the WKTV Game of the Week and then takes on East Grand Rapids in Week 2.
The conference schedule again includes defending Division 3 state champion Zeeland West along with playoff teams like Forest Hills Central, Unity Christian and Zeeland East. The Sailors close out the regular season against Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
“It’s a tough league,” Brown said. “There are a lot of really good football teams in the OK Gold. There are teams that have had a ton of success and a ton of playoff success. It is definitely in my opinion one of the toughest conferences around.”
Girls field hockey and boys volleyball make their debuts with MHSAA sponsorship during the 2025-26 school year. Field hockey will be played in the fall, while boys volleyball begins its first season in the spring.
There are 37 varsity teams expected to play during the inaugural field hockey season. There will be one playoff division, with the first MHSAA Regionals in this sport beginning Oct. 8 and the first championship awarded Oct. 25.
Practices are set to begin Monday, Aug. 11, for an anticipated 100,000 high school athletes at Michigan High School Athletic Association member schools.
The fall season includes the most played sports for both boys and girls; 36,210 football players and 19,679 girls volleyball players competed during the Fall 2024 season. Teams in those sports will be joined by competitors in girls and boys cross country, field hockey, Lower Peninsula girls golf, boys soccer, Lower Peninsula girls swimming & diving, Upper Peninsula girls tennis and Lower Peninsula boys tennis in beginning practice next week. Competition begins Aug. 15 for cross country, field hockey, golf, soccer and tennis, Aug. 20 for swimming & diving and volleyball, and Aug. 28 for varsity football.
Pilot program in Boys Tennis Finals To conclude their season, Lower Peninsula boys tennis teams will begin a pilot program showcasing Finals for all four divisions at the same location – Midland Tennis Center – over a two-week period. Division 4 will begin play with its two-day event Oct. 15-16, followed by Division 1 on Oct. 17-18, Division 2 on Oct. 22-23 and Division 3 played Oct. 24-25.
Also in Lower Peninsula boys tennis, and girls in the spring, a Finals qualification change will allow for teams that finish third at their Regionals to advance to the season-ending tournament as well, but only in postseason divisions where there are six Regionals – which will be all four boys divisions this fall.
Football Finals now 3 days The 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field will be played this fall over a three-day period, with Division 8, 4, 6 and 2 games on Friday, Nov. 28, and Division 7, 3, 5 and 1 games played Sunday, Nov. 30, to accommodate Michigan State’s game against Maryland on Nov. 29 at Ford Field.
Two more changes affecting football playoffs will be noticeable this fall. For the first time, 8-Player Semifinals will be played at neutral sites; previously the team with the highest playoff-point average continued to host during that round. Also, teams that forfeit games will no longer receive playoff-point average strength-of-schedule bonus points from those opponents to which they forfeited.
Boys soccer rule changes A pair of changes in boys soccer this fall will address sportsmanship. The first allows game officials to take action against a team’s head coach in addition to any cautions or ejections issues to players and personnel in that team’s bench area – making the head coach more accountable for behavior on the sideline. The second change allows for only the team captain to speak with an official during the breaks between periods (halftime and during overtime), unless another coach, player, etc., is summoned by the official – with the penalty a yellow card to the offending individual.
More game-action rule changes
In volleyball, multiple contacts by one player attempting to play the ball will now be allowed on second contact if the next contact is by a teammate on the same side of the net.
In swimming & diving, backstroke ledges will be permitted in pools that maintain a 6-foot water depth. If used in competition, identical ledges must be provided by the host team for all lanes, although individual swimmers are not required to use them.
Also in swimming & diving – during relay exchanges – second, third and fourth swimmers must have one foot stationary at the front edge of the deck. The remainder of their bodies may be in motion prior to the finish of the incoming swimmer.
In football, when a forward fumble goes out of bounds, the ball will now be spotted where the fumble occurred instead of where the ball crossed the sideline.
Former heavyweight champion Buster Mathis Jr. poses in front of some of the numerous press clippings of Pride boxing at the reunion. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
Memories came flowing back in waves Saturday as former boxers from the Pride Boxing Gym gathered together for a first-time reunion in Byron Center.
Grand Rapids has a long and rich amateur boxing history and the former Pride Gym, which was located near the corner of Division and Burton streets in Grand Rapids, was one of the shining stars of the amateur boxing scene in West Michigan during the 1980s and 90s.
The names and the accomplishments were the things of legend in the amateur boxing realm. Among the boxers, many of them who went on to successful professional boxing careers that trained at the Pride Gym were the legendary Floyd Mayweather Jr., Buster Mathis Jr., Juan Padin, Kevin Childrey, Tony Quintana, Sugar Ray Collins, Brian Blakely, Kevin “KP” Porter and a host of others.
Many of those boxers were on hand for a reunion and picnic Saturday. The stories were numerous and the laughs and smiles flowed as over 25 former Pride boxers took part.
Burr Elzinga of Wyoming was one of those boxers who brought home one of many Golden Gloves state championships during the storied run of the Pride gym that began in 1985 and continued until it closed in 2000.
“It was a great facility that provided so much benefit for a whole lot of young people who needed it,” Elzinga said. “It helped so many kids. It was really a beautiful place and we are all very thankful for it.”
The reunion was organized by the two men who got Pride Gym up and running in the mid 80’s, Bob Serulla and Bruce Kielty.
Founders Bruce Kielty (left) and Bob Serulla reminisce at the Pride Boxing Club reunion. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
Ionia State Prison ring purchased for one dollar
“Bruce and I opened the gym 40 years ago,” said Serulla, who’s also a boxing announcer and co-host for WKTV’s Golden Gloves programming. “We talked about opening a gym and we met with Buster Mathis Sr. We talked to him about opening the gym and having him train young men. We finally found a location, but we didn’t even have a ring. The Ionia State Prison had a boxing program way back and we found out they still had their old ring. We contacted the prison about seeing if they would donate the ring and they said that we could buy it for $1. It was an old Everlast ring, but it was perfect for us and we got the gym going.”
Kielty also fondly recalled the beginnings of the gym.
“It was quite a dream of ours,” Kielty said. “We brought in Buster Mathis Sr. to be our head coach and we also had Phil McConahy who was another great coach. We had a very successful 10-12-year run.”
In Buster Mathis Sr., the Pride Gym had a name that was sure to get the attention of young boxing prospects in West Michigan. One of the finest heavyweights in the 1960s and 70s, Buster Mathis Sr. fought the great Muhammad Ali as well as other notables Smokin’ Joe Frazier, Jerry Quarry and Ron Lyle.
Trainer Buster Mathis Sr. helped grow the Pride Gym
With a trainer like Buster Mathis Sr. working with the boxers, the Pride Gym grew rapidly and produced a wealth of boxing talent.
Mathis Sr. was not the only high-level trainer at Pride as Johnny Butler also trained boxers. Butler, an amateur national champion in 1958, who is over 90-years old now, was also on hand for the reunion Saturday.
Boxers came from all over the country to reunite
The former Pride boxers came from all across the country for the reunion that first started sending out invitations a few years ago.
“We have boxers coming in from California, Montana, Alabama, Florida, Atlanta, you name it,” Serulla said. “It is a heck of a group. Almost everyone was able to make it in.”
Kielty also was thrilled to see the reunion come to fruition.
“This reunion is also very special,” Kielty said. “We have former boxers living all over the country and this reunion was another dream come true. We started sending invitations out three years ago. Boxing is a unique fraternity and this was something we really wanted to do.”
Juan Padin (left) and Brian Blakely were two of the original boxers at the Pride Boxing Club. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
Juan Padin and Brian Blakely first to join Pride
The first two boxers who joined Pride in the beginning, Juan Padin and Brian Blakely, became the backbone of the team and both became captains.
“It started with Juan Padin and me, we were the first two,” Blakely said. “I started when I was 14-years old. We would be going to different shows and doing really well and people were starting to ask ‘who is Pride’. No one knew who we were, but before long people began to know. There were a lot of good people in Pride. We had really good coaches who gave us a lot of attention.”
Blakely and Padin won a number of state titles during their boxing days at Pride and also went on to compete for national championships.
Blakely eventually turned professional and actually made his professional debut in November of 1990 in a boxing show at the Welsh Auditorium in downtown Grand Rapids that featured the last match of Floyd Mayweather Sr.
The former boxers of the Pride Boxing Club get together for a group photo at the first-ever reunion of the gym. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
The new Pride Gym was a perfect spot for Padin to begin his boxing career. The then 16-year old Padin had just moved to Grand Rapids from Brooklyn, New York.
“I just moved to Grand Rapids and didn’t know anyone,” Padin said. “I just went into the gym one day after it first opened and I kept coming back. It was a great gym. One thing about Pride fighters is that they got us in shape. You never had to worry about a Pride fighter running out of gas.”
Padin made the trip to Grand Rapids from Birmingham, Ala., where he now lives.
“This reunion is just great,” Padin said. “I haven’t seen a lot of these guys in a long time. This is just awesome to see all my old teammates and coaches. It’s a lot of great memories. I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”
Former champion Buster Mathis Jr. excelled at Pride Gym
The reunion also was special to Buster Mathis Jr., who grew into a champion amateur and professional boxer under the tutelage of his father and the team at Pride.
“I learned a lot of life lessons from my father,” Mathis Jr. said. “Boxing helped me in a lot of different areas in my life. The lessons I learned from boxing helped me to do a lot of other things later in my life.”
Taking up boxing as a 14-year old not only changed his life, but also changed the younger Mathis’ body.
“I weighed 280 pounds when I first came to the gym and started boxing,” Mathis Jr. said. “My dad trained me for a whole year and when I was a 15-year old I was down to 180 pounds. When I eventually fought Tyson as a pro I was at 225 pounds.”
After a highly successful amateur career, Mathis Jr. became a professional where he won 21 of 26 bouts and also won a USBA heavyweight championship. Mathis Jr. not only fought Mike Tyson, but also former world heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe.
For Mathis Jr., like the rest of the Pride boxers, the team atmosphere at the gym was one of the highlights of being a boxer at Pride.
“Everybody sparred with everybody,” Mathis Jr. said. “The atmosphere in the gym was just phenomenal. It was basically more like a family type of thing.”
Buster Mathis Sr. passed away in 1995 just prior to his son’s bout with Tyson. If the senior Mathis was alive today, Buster Jr. had no doubt where his dad would’ve been on Saturday.
“He would probably be at the gym right now training someone,” Mathis Jr. said. “The one thing my dad really liked was taking some young kid and making that kid into a champion. He loved working with and developing kids and teaching them to become a fighter.”
Kevin “KP” Porter, Leon Spinks, Michael Dokes to name a few more
Mathis Jr. was not the only successful heavyweight boxer to come out of Pride. Kevin “KP” Porter also had a long and successful pro career in the heavyweight division. During his professional career Porter defeated former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks and also fought some of the bigger-name heavyweights of the era like Andrew Golota, Greg Page, Michael Dokes and former Olympic champion Henry Tillman.
The reunion also fanned the flames of some of the boxers wanting to see a Pride comeback.
“I want to bring Pride back,” said Sugar Ray Collins. “I’d like to bring it back and have amateurs, pros and MMA fighters. I’d love to see it come back.”
The weather has been hot and the laps have been even hotter this summer in the Super Late Model division at Berlin Raceway, where Wyoming’s Brian Campbell is looking to win a third consecutive track championship this season.
A 25-year racing veteran at Berlin, Campbell is part of a large group of drivers who are in hot pursuit of the Super Late Model title at Berlin. Heading into this weekend’s race, Campbell is in second place, 41 points behind leader Austin Hull of Belmont, who’s in first place with 948 points.
“It’s been closer this year than it has been in the past,” Campbell said. “There are a lot of good drivers this year like Austin Hull, Terry Senneker and Tyler Rycenga.”
Campbell, who’s closing in on 100 career wins, has experienced some highs and lows in what has been a competitive first half of the season at Berlin.
“I’ve had my ups and downs this year,” Campbell said. “I’ve led the points, been second in points, been third in points. It’s been a rollercoaster of a season.”
Terry Senneker of Wayland is third in points, 12 behind Campbell in third place with 895. Tyler Lupton of Clarkston is fourth with 888, Joe Bush of Hastings, fifth at 837, Andrew Scheid of Sparta, sixth with 834, Dylan Stovall of Wayland, seventh at 820, Tyler Rycenga of Allendale, eighth with 772, Evan Szotko of Coopersville, ninth at 743 and Ken Wobma of Rockford rounds out the Top 10 in the Super Late Model Division with 639 points.
Christmas in July
This week three of the main divisions will be racing at Berlin Raceway’s Christmas in July event. Along with the Super Late Models, the Sportsman and 4-cylinders will be taking to the track along with a VROA race.
In the 4-cylinder division, Justin Roelofs of Ravenna is in first place with 1,220 points. Chase Roelofs of Allendale is in second place with 1,107 points, while Hunter Wiersma of Coopersville, third at 1,094 points in what is another competitive division. Dave Avink is in fourth place with 940 points, while Blake Huitema of Grandville, at 934 points and rookie Tyler Westveld of Marne, sixth with 895 points.
In the Sportsman division, Josh Frye of Coopersville is in first place with 946 points, followed by Ryan Holtzlander of Muskegon, 901 points, Brian Thome of Kent City, 886, Kevin Ford of Coopersville, 881 and Korey Ensing of Hudsonville, 864 in fifth place. Brian Tillema of Hastings is sixth with 861 points, Tom Thomas of Grandville, seventh, 793 points, Scott Baker of Grand Rapids, eighth at 778, Corey Holtzlander of Grant, ninth, 761 and Allen Davis of Wyoming rounds out the Top 10 with 702 points.
Campbell is looking to make up some ground on Hull in the Super Late Model race. Racing is a family affair for Campbell, whose father Fred began his racing career at Berlin in 1975.
Far right, Wyoming Super Late Model driver Brian Campbell and crew inspect his car at Berlin Raceway. (WKTV Photo by Greg Chrapek)
All in the Family
“My dad got me into it,” Campbell said. “My dad started in 1975 so I grew up here and in surrounding race tracks in the Midwest with my dad. I graduated college and started racing when I was 21. I helped my dad and followed my dad around and worked with him all the way through grade school, high school and college, and finally got a race car when I was 21.”
Campbell is a veteran in the Super Late Model division and other than his rookie season that’s the only division he has raced in during his career.
Super Late Model driver Brian Campbell’s car. (WKTV Photo by Greg Chrapek)
A number of highlights
Campbell’s career has been a successful one with a number of highlights.
“I’ve got four track championships out here,” Campbell said. “I’ve got wins at Bristol, I’ve got wins at Nashville, I’ve got wins at Milwaukee Mile, a couple of different traveling championships, so I’ve been fairly successful around the Midwest.”
A big part of that success has been Campbell’s team that consists of his father Fred, Henry Rosendall, Henry Fellows and Kevin DeGood.
“They run the show,” Campbell said. “I just drive.”
A home track advantage for Campbell
Campbell especially enjoys his home track at Berlin Raceway. This Saturday, July 26, he invites fans to get to the track early.
“Fans should get here early because there is going to be an autograph session on the front stretch,” Campbell said. “That will be fun for the kids to come down and get autographs. The whole front section will be packed with fans, and then from there it will be a good night of racing.”
The autograph session begins at 6 p.m. before the races. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m. The band Sounds Familiar will perform for fans live after the races.
