Category Archives: Sports

City of Kentwood and Mary Free Bed partner to host Limb Loss Awareness 5K on Saturday, April 27

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Last year’s Limb Loss Awareness 5k. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The City of Kentwood and Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics are teaming up to recognize Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month with the Mary Free Bed Prosthetics Limb Loss Awareness 5K on Saturday, April 27.

The all-ages, all-abilities event will kick off with packet pickup at 9 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St. SE, followed by a “Show Your Mettle” photo at 9:45 a.m. This annual photo is a play on words and provides participants who use prosthetics an opportunity to show off their mettle – ability to cope well with difficulties and face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way, as well as their prosthetics and mobility aides which may be made of metal. The race will begin at 10 a.m. and feature a route that will take participants through Veterans Memorial Park and part of the East West Trail. A 1-mile fun run for ages 12 and younger will follow at 11 a.m.



Last year’s Limb Loss Awareness 5k. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Through this race, the City and Mary Free Bed are seeking to increase awareness of limb loss and limb differences, build community and raise funds for Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs. These programs are designed to provide recreation and enrichment programs for people of all abilities and offer adapted athletic opportunities for people with disabilities to create a safe, fun experience for all. 


“This race has quickly become one of our most popular events, bringing in participants from around the state,” said Shelby Henshaw, Kentwood’s recreation program coordinator. “We’re honored to have Mary Free Bed as our title sponsor for the event as we focus on community, recreation and inclusion for people of all abilities.” 


Registration is available online and costs $30 through March 29. The cost increases to $35 from March 30 to April 26 and is $40 on race day. Participants will receive a T-shirt, finisher medal and swag bag as part of their registration. To guarantee a shirt, register by April 5. The kids race costs $10 per child and includes a T-shirt and finisher medal. 


Last year’s Limb Loss Awareness 5k. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Packet pickup will be available at the event and in advance at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, on Thursday, April 25 from noon to 5 p.m. and Friday, April 26 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.


A brief award ceremony will take place following the race around 11:30 a.m. First place prizes will be awarded to the first adult men and women amputees and nonamputees who cross the finish line, as well as top finishers in each age group. The event will wrap up at 1 p.m. 


“Our team at Mary Free Bed is dedicated to helping individuals with limb loss and limb differences achieve their full potential,” said Scott Riddle, vice president, of Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics at Mary Free Bed. “We are excited to support the Limb Loss Awareness 5K alongside the City of Kentwood. This event is a powerful platform to raise awareness and celebrate the freedom and possibilities of individuals living with limb loss or a limb difference.”


The event also will include educational activities designed to help race participants learn more about limb loss and limb differences, connect with resources and build community. Several informational booths from various sponsors will also be on-site. 


The event’s diamond sponsor is Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses or organizations looking to get involved in the race. 



Last year’s Limb Loss Awareness 5k. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)




For more information about the race, sponsorships and race registration, visit kentwood.us/LimbLoss5K.


All profits from the event will go toward improving and expanding the City of Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs to encourage health and wellness, socialization and excellent quality of life for all. The programs – offered in collaboration with community partners like Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics – allow participants to enjoy the benefits that come with any athletic or recreational activity, such as a sense of community, improved confidence and new skills. For more info on the City of Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs, visit kentwood.us/adaptive.

Area boxers punch tickets to nationals at Golden Gloves state finals Saturday

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Gentle Gibson won the 132-pound open state title, defeating five-time state champ Aneudy “Junior” Rios. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

The final night of the 2024 Golden Gloves produced plenty of epic matches as state titles were on the line as well as trips to the Golden Gloves National Tournament for winners in the novice divisions.



Several West Michigan boxers are among those headed to the national tournament in Detroit after coming away with state titles at the finals that took place at the 4 Mile Showplace.



All open division boxers advance to the Golden Gloves National Tournament of Champions from May 13-18 at Huntington Place in Detroit.

Twins Mike and Michael Guzman grab state titles

Two of those fighters come from the same household as twins Mike and Michael Guzman from Michigan Golden Gloves Association (MGGA) completed the `Guzman takeover’ by winning state titles.

Mike Guzman won his title by coming away with a decision against Joshua Riley of Flint Town Boxing in the 139-pound novice final. Mike’s brother Michael earlier won his title in a walkover at 125 pounds.



Mike Guzman (pictured) won a state title at 139 pounds, while his brother Michael won a title at 125 pounds. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)

“I said when the tournament started that it would be a Guzman takeover,” said Mike Guzman. “It feels great. It went exactly as I predicted it would.”

Guzman kept a constant pressure on Riley throughout the bout that included plenty of body shots.

“My plan was to go to the body,” Guzman said. “If you kill the body the head will die. I just wanted to keep hammering away at the body.”



Guillermo Mercado won a fourth state title with his win at 112 pounds. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



A pair of MGGA veterans also added to their collection of state titles as Guillermo Mercado won a fourth state title, while Ulysses Campos won a fifth state title.

Mercado won the 112-pound novice title in a big way as he defeated Joseph Swartz of Riverside Sports Academy when the referee stopped the bout in the second round.

Mercado came out applying heavy pressure in the first round and had Swartz in trouble at the end of the first round. Mercado continued the barrage in the second round before the referee stepped in and stopped the bout.

“This one was the most important one,” Mercado said. “This is my last year as an amateur and I wanted to go out with a knockout. I am going to make my pro debut after the nationals and I wanted to win this one to go out in style. This couldn’t have gone any better.”

Campos claimed his fifth state title when he claimed a decision against Jaylen Nichols of 475 Elite. The match was a slugfest throughout with the taller Nichols presenting a challenge to the veteran Campos.

“This feels pretty good,” Campos said. “No matter if it is the first one or the fifth one, it always feels great to win an open division title. He (Nichols) had some reach and he’s an experienced fighter. He knew what he was doing in the ring. I knew I had to do work on the inside and stay busy.”  

Gentle Gibson gets first win over “Junior” Rios to advance

One of the premier bouts of the evening came in the 132-pound open final. That was where five-time state champion Aneudy “Junior” Rios was looking to win a sixth state title against Gentle Gibson of Kalamazoo. Rios defeated Gibson in the West Michigan finals last week and also defeated Gibson at both the Michigan and the West Michigan state finals last year. In a bout that featured non-stop action from start to finish, Gibson came away with the decision to claim his first-ever win against Rios and earn a trip to the national tournament.

“He beat me three out of four times and every one of them were close,” Gibson said. “He has made me a better fighter. I respect him a lot. They say iron sharpens iron and that is what we’ve been for each other. This is the first time I’ve beaten him and this was the one for all the marbles. I would rather have lost to him last week than this week.”

EGR graduate Wyatt Alvarez wins first-ever state title

Another rematch from last week’s West Michigan finals came at 165 pounds where Wyatt Alvarez of PK Boxing won a decision against Michael Lynn III of Team Glass of Lansing. Like last week, the two boxers put on an entertaining show with plenty of punches thrown. Alvarez, a 2023 graduate of East Grand Rapids, however, applied more steady pressure and came away with the win.



East Grand Rapids graduate Wyatt Alvarez won his first-ever state title at 165 pounds in the open division. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“I knew he would come out and put the pressure on,” Alvarez said. “I knew I had to respond with a lot of pressure and throw a lot of punches. I just had to keep on punching.”

After winning his first-ever West Michigan title last week, Alvarez added a state title and is headed to Detroit for nationals.

Also claiming open titles were Nicholas Young of Flint Town Boxing at 156 pounds, Solomon Jagun of Gideon Boxing at 203 pounds and Sardius Simmons of Ultimate Boxing Club at heavyweight.

A total of nine elite novice championships also took place to start the evening of boxing off.

Forest Hills Eastern grad Nasier Harris gets state title at 156-pound novice

In one of the most exciting novice matches, Nasier Harris of MGGA hooked up with Gohan Estevez Marte of PK Boxing in a rematch of the West Michigan finals at 156 pounds. In what proved to be another three-round slugfest that resembled their last bout, Harris again came away with a decision.



Forest Hills Eastern graduate Nasier Harris won the 156-pound novice state title. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“It was a hard fight and I feel I could’ve done better,” Harris said. “He was a little more elusive this time and he put a little more pressure on me. I think that my jab made the difference for me. Winning this title feels great. I worked hard for this.”

West Michigan boxers also won novice titles at 132 and 139 pounds. At 132 pounds, Stephen Ramirez won a rematch when he claimed a decision against Davone Jones of Lansing Crown Boxing. At 139 pounds, DreAun Ellis of the Kalamazoo Boxing Club earned a decision against Vincente Jezrrel Mendoza Castro of Zuniga Boxing.

At 125 pounds, Daniel Espinoza of Bay City won a decision against Dominique Suggs of Flint Boxing Club. At 147 pounds, Joseph Gossett of Saginaw Boxing claimed a decision against Karon Cross of MGGA.

A pair of Lansing boxers also claimed novice championships. At 165 pounds, Ramadhani Haji of Team Glass won a decision against Keegan Morrissey of Gideon Boxing Club. At 203 pounds, D’Angelo Williams of Team Glass won a decision against Jaylen Milton-Cofield of Saginaw Boxing.

At 176 pounds, Kyree Wiggins of Flint Town Boxing won a decision against David Venn of Lansing Crown Boxing. In the novice heavyweight division, Devon Dear of Torque Boxing in Sault Ste. Marie made the long trip south pay off as he defeated Daonte Johnson of Riverside Sports Academy by a decision.

New venue next year

Local Golden Gloves fans also heard the news at Saturday’s finals that next year’s West Michigan and state finals will take place at Aquinas College Fieldhouse.

Local school’s youth wrestling program produces results, sends first student to wrestling State Finals!

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Dahmari Lee (in gray) takes on an opponent during a scrimmage at AnchorPoint Christian School (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)



By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


AnchorPoint Christian School in Wyoming is excited to announce that 4th grade student Dahmari Lee will be moving on to the MYWAY State Championships. Dahmari is AnchorPoint’s first student to move on to the championship round.

“I’m so proud of all the wrestlers this year!” said Coach Ed Harris in supplied material. “Each one has grown in a number of ways whether it is learning new moves, self-confidence, or how to handle adversity.”

Challenges and growth

Dahmari Lee with parents Andreen and John Wierenga (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

For the past two years, Dahmari has wrestled as a novice. The 2024 regional tournament at Grandville High School was his first taste of open wrestling, competing against opponents with two or more years of wrestling experience.

Dahmari enjoys wrestling with his dad at home, so when AnchorPoint’s 5-6th grade teacher Ed Harris formed a school wrestling team, he immediately signed up.

“He’s really into sports, so when they started a wrestling program here he wanted to try it,” John Wierenga, Dahmari’s father, told WKTV. “I told him we probably wouldn’t do any tournaments the first year, just practice. But after three practices, he was ready [to try] a tournament.”

Dahmari said he enjoys working hard and receiving medals (of which he has earned several) at competitions. The young wrestler is looking forward to participating at the State Championships, in part because he will wrestle open.

“Open is a little bit harder because you have to wrestle a couple years ahead of you,” said Dahmari, admitting that he likes the challenge of competing against more experienced wrestlers.

Andreen Wierenga, Dahmari’s mother, said watching her son wrestle is very emotional for her because she doesn’t want him to get hurt.

Despite her nervousness, Andreen supports Dahmari by attending his matches.

Dahmari Lee (right) prepares to scrimmage (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“When he’s winning, I like to cheer him on,” said Andreen. “But when he started to get the hang of it, he said, ‘I don’t like the excitement. You can stay home, and Dad can take me,’” said Andreen.

Andreen attended a recent match with the promise that she would sit quietly and not cheer. When Dahmari won his match, however, Andreen admitted that her emotions ran high.

“He came up and hugged me and said, ‘See? This is why I told you not to come,’” said Andreen with a laugh.

Dahmari’s willingness to accept challenges placed before him has garnered the notice of his coach.

“[Dahmari] is always willing to challenge himself in practice and in competition,” said Harris. “The fact that he placed 4th shows he belongs with those open wrestlers, and will continue to grow as an athlete and a person going forward.”

Iron sharpens iron

Launching AnchorPoint’s K-6 grade wrestling program stemmed from Harris’ own love of the sport.

Teacher and Coach Ed Harris believes in teaching more than just wrestling moves (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Harris began wrestling in high school and quickly fell in love with the sport. A Division 2 Team National Championship win at GVSU was followed by coaching positions at Godfrey Lee Middle School and then Wyoming High School.

When a donor purchased mats for AnchorPoint from Michigan State, the school’s youth wrestling team began.

“I love the sport of wrestling, and with a donor coming forward to help get the mats here, and my sons going to this school [and] with the opportunity to coach them, God’s timing was perfect,” said Harris.

Harris is also excited to incorporate faith into the wrestling program.

“I have always loved Proverbs 27:17: ‘Iron sharpens iron,’ because it is so true in wrestling,” said Harris, adding that a good partner provides refinement, but a bad partner creates stumbling blocks. “It is amazing how much faith and wrestling are connected, and we talk about that in our devotions before every practice.”

Life lessons

Dahmari (left) shows perseverance during a recent scrimmage (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Faith is only one life lesson AnchorPoint’s wrestlers learn through the program.

Strengthening their bodies as well as relationships with their peers as they work together in a competitive setting is also a focus of the program. Giving students a positive outlet for working through emotions, physical stress or anxiety, and learning the art of winning and losing gracefully are also lessons the students will take with them throughout life.

But one of the most important lessons, Harris said, is perseverance – especially through tough times.

“Wrestling is super tough, especially when you first start out,” said Harris, commenting that he was proud of the wrestlers for showing perseverance during a recent scrimmage. “No matter the score, they just kept wrestling and working to improve.

“I hope they transition that thinking to life and that, no matter what is going on in life, you can always find ways to work to make it better.”

Preparation and anticipation

As Dahmari prepares for the State Championships at Wings Event Center Arena on March 22-23, anticipation is high for both student and coach.

“I’m excited to see where wrestling can take Dahmari and all of our students in the future!” said Harris.

For more information on AnchorPoint Christian School, visit www.anchorpointchristian.org.

West Michigan Golden Gloves finals produces plenty of high-level contests

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Michael Carbajal (left) and Mike Guzman staged the fight of the night at the West Michigan Golden Gloves finals at the 4 Mile Showplace. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

Championships were on the line Saturday night at the West Michigan Golden Gloves Finals and area boxers provided plenty of outstanding performances in front of a large and amped-up crowd at the 4 Mile Showplace.

The evening was highlighted by several high-octane bouts, but by far the most entertaining match of the 13-bout card was the battle for the 139-pound elite open title between Mike Guzman of Michigan Golden Gloves Association (MGGA) and Michael Carbajal of PK Boxing in Wyoming.

No strangers to each other, Guzman and Carbajal came into the bout having split their previous two meetings. With a West Michigan title on the line, the two boxers stole the show with a thrilling three rounds of boxing that saw both boxers unload big shots and flurries throughout. Time and time again the two fighters had the crowd on its feet cheering on the two pugilists who took turns delivering combinations and big right hands. In the end, Guzman had his hand raised in victory with a decision.

“He’s a brawler and I knew it was going to be a brawl,” Guzman said. “I tried to outbox him. He’s a tough fighter and I knew it was a going to be a battle of wills. It was a great fight, but I think my defense made the difference. I feel like I am built for this, but so is he.”



Mike Guzman won his second-straight West Michigan title. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



The West Michigan title was the second straight for Guzman who now sets his sights on winning a Michigan state championship next weekend.

“The job isn’t done yet,” Guzman said. “I want to win the state title.”

A fourth match between Guzman and Carbajal may be in the cards as both the winners and runner-ups from the West Michigan finals move on to the state finals where the top two placers from the East Michigan Golden Gloves make the trek west for the state semifinals and finals on Friday and Saturday. 

Another outstanding, action-filled bout took place in the 132-pound elite open final where five-time state champion Aneudy “Junior” Rios took the next step toward a sixth state title. Like Guzman, Rios faced a familiar face in the finals in Kalamazoo boxer Gentle Gibson. Rios defeated Gibson in both the West Michigan and Michigan state finals last year.



Aneudy “Junior” Rios is a five time state champ. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



Relying on his speed and quickness and in excellent condition, Rios came out pressuring Gibson the entire three rounds. Rios piled up the points with his steady barrage of punches, but Gibson kept busy himself firing off combinations and flurries that kept the crowd entertained for the entire three rounds. The pressure of Rios eventually made the difference as he won the match by decision.

“It feels great,” Rios said. “I did what I was supposed to do. I stayed mobile and I stayed busy. He’s a good fighter so I knew it would be a good challenge.”

Rios will most likely meet up with Gibson again in the state finals.

“Going into the finals this year I feel I am in way better condition and more confident,” Rios said. “I feel like my conditioning keeps getting better. I’ve always wanted to win six state titles. That’s my goal and that is what I’m going for.”

In all, a total of four open division titles were on the line. At 147 pounds, Ulysses Campos of MGGA won a decision against Malcolm Jones of PK Boxing. One of the most experienced and productive boxers in West Michigan, Campos came into the bout with a total of six West Michigan titles to his credit and four state titles on his resume.

Taking on a boxer with a mixed-martial arts background, Campos knew the match would be a challenge.


At 147 pounds, Ulysses Campos won a seventh West Michigan Golden Gloves title Saturday. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“Word on the street was he is a MMA fighter with a different style,” Campos said. “He was a little taller and he used his reach well. I used my experience and closed the gap on him and kept throwing punches. I think it helped that I was use to three-minute rounds.”

In the final elite open match Wyatt Alvarez of PK Boxing won a decision against Michael Lynn III of Team Glass of Lansing. The title was the first West Michigan title in his career for Alvarez.

A total of nine elite novice champions were also crowned during the card. One of the most entertaining bouts among the novices was between Forest Hills Eastern graduate Nasier Harris and Gohan Estevez Marte of PK Boxing at 156 pounds. Harris won by decision in a thrilling bout packed with plenty of action. He began to take control of the match in the second round and added a big third-round knockdown to help ensure the win.



Forest Hills Eastern grad Nasier Harris won the 156-pound novice title and the outstanding novice boxer award. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“I figured him out about the middle of the second round,” said Harris, who won the outstanding novice boxer award. “I took control after that and got the knockdown in the third round. I was really hyped after that.”

At 147 pounds, Karon Cross of MGGA won a decision against Kolbe Lewis of TCB Boxing. A first-year boxer who graduated from Grand Rapids Innovation Central High School, Cross kept up the pressure to come away with the win in another bout that featured plenty of action.

“This feels really good,” Cross said. “I’ve been boxing for seven or eight months now. My trainer said I have made a lot of progress and he’s real proud of me.”

A pair of boxers from Sturgis came away with titles in the first two bouts of the card. At 125 pounds Gabriel Munoz Hernandez won a decision against Andres Hernandez Gomez. At 132 pounds, Stephen Ramirez captured a decision against Davone Jones of Lansing Crown Boxing.

At 139 pounds, DreAun Ellis of the Kalamazoo Boxing Club defeated Tiburcio Hernandez IV of the Eli J Boxing Club via a decision.

A trio of Lansing boxers also claimed novice championships. At 165 pounds, Ramadhani Haji of Team Glass won a decision against Isaiah Clay of Crown Boxing. At 176 pounds, David Venn of Crown boxing won a decision against Caleb Balsitis of MGGA. At 203 pounds, D’Angelo Williams of Team Glass won when the referee stopped the contest in the second round of his match with Jeremiah Simmons.

In the final novice division match, Victor Napoles of Holland Eli J Boxing Club won a decision against Brendan Campbell of Crown Boxing.

Boxing resumes this week with the Michigan Golden Gloves state semifinals on Friday and the Michigan state finals on Saturday. Doors open at 6 p.m with boxing to begin at 7 p.m. at the 4 Mile Showplace.  


As usual, WKTV will be televising all five nights of this year’s tournament. Check this WKTV Journal Story to get dates and times.     

South Christian girls basketball team saves best for last with thrilling tournament run

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South Christian girls pose with their district championship trophy. (Photo Courtesy, David Kool)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



It was a season of ups and downs for the South Christian girls basketball team, but the final couple weeks of ups made the season one to remember for the Sailors.

After finishing the regular season with a 12-10 overall record, 7-7 in the OK Gold, the Sailors went on a thrilling state tournament run that included a district championship and berth in the regional finals.

Heading into the final game of the regular season, South Christian’s record stood at 11-10, the Sailors, however, wrapped up the regular season with a big boost as they defeated a 16-6 Wyoming team 56-55.

That win propelled the Sailors into the state tournament with some momentum. Hosting the district tournament, South Christian took advantage of that momentum by defeating Wayland 48-38 in the district semifinals. The Sailors then won the district title in thrilling fashion with a 78-67 win in double overtime against Holland Christian.


Holland Christian grabbed a 14-10 lead at the end of the first quarter in the district title game and led by four at halftime. The Sailors eventually took a 37-36 lead at the end of the third quarter before the game went into double overtime. The two squads scored six points apiece in the first overtime before South Christian dominated the second one outscoring Holland Christian 14-3.    

Sailors claw back after 13-2 deficit in regional opener

South kept the momentum going at the regional opener at Hopkins with a 47-40 win against Otsego. The Sailors displayed plenty of determination in the win against Otsego as they rallied from behind. South Christian trailed 13-2 at the end of the first quarter before clamping down on defense and picking up the pace on offense.

The season came to an end for the Sailors, however, in the regional final where they dropped a 49-34 decision to Vicksburg.


South Christian Coach Erika Brown (Courtesy, South Christian)

“Winning the district title and competing in a regional final game this season was so special for this group of young ladies,” said South Christian Coach Erika Brown, in her first season as head coach.



“Their hard work, love for each other and the game, and the deep belief they could win was what carried them through, plus our strong defensive mentality. I am incredibly proud of them and what they were determined to accomplish through the many ups and downs this season gave us.”



Defense key to success

The Sailors, who finished the season with a 15-11 overall record, built their team on defense and that defense was a key to success down the stretch.

“Our defense defined us this season,” Brown said. “When we connected and got after it on defense, our offense would ignite.”



Sophia Prins. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
Lizzie Wolthuis. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)

South Christian received key contributions from every member of the team this season. South was led by a solid backcourt that featured guards Sophia Prins and Lizzie Wolthuis.

“Sophia was our starting point guard,” Brown said. “She directed the way and gave us composure and confidence on both ends of the floor.





“Lizzie was our starting shooting guard. She would ignite our offense with her ability to hit threes and drive to the hoop. She also was a strong rebounder and defensive presence.”

The backcourt also was balanced by the versatile skills of the fellow starters.


“Ashley Thomasma was our senior captain who has strong defensive and passing abilities,” Brown said. “Kami Boonstra was our strong driver and shooter and was great at getting defensive deflections. Lily Nitz was our junior captain who was our most versatile player guarding the other team’s top players.”


South Christian captain Ashley Thomasma (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
South Christian captain Lily Nitz (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)



The Sailors also received numerous contributions from players not in the starting lineup throughout the season.

“So many of our players brought such unique talent to our team this year,” Brown said. “We were blessed and fortunate to have so many pieces to the puzzle.” 

While lifting a district title trophy was special, it was the process involved that really sticks out for Brown.

“What I will remember the most about the team and the tournament run was the smiles and watching the girls’ hearts grow and the belief in their eyes widen,” Brown said. “I am so grateful for my wonderful coaching staff, supportive parents and a group of young ladies that bought in and made this such a fun journey this season.


“I will forever remember this team and my first year as head coach.”

Tri-unity boys win second state championship in three years with dominant win over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart Saturday at MSU

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  • (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)
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By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor

Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema



The Breslin Center feels like home to the Tri-unity Defenders. The team has played in four consecutive state finals, this time avenging a two-point loss from last season.

“Last year, we played not to lose,” legendary Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler said. “That was one of the emphases I had. We need to play to win the game, not to play afraid that we are going to lose. It seems like it’s the same thing, but it’s not. It’s huge, and you don’t play up to your potential if you focus on the negative.


We made sure this year that we focused on the positive.”

The Defenders (24-5) reached that potential, winning their second Division 4 state title in three seasons in convincing fashion 79-59 over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart Saturday at Michigan State University.

“It was a very emotional game,” Keeler said. “I had to say goodbye to so many young men I truly love and respect. I’m going to miss all of them. I’m going to miss their camaraderie, their unselfishness, and they truly enjoy each other. Those are fun things to have on your team.”

VanKlompenberg and Rosendall will graduate with two state titles

Senior captains Jordan VanKlompenberg and Owen Rosendall were the catalysts for the Defenders. Both play a vital role in the suffocating Tri-unity defense while being the motor for the offense. The seniors end their high school careers winning two state finals in four attempts.

“Jordan and Owen are my two captains; I can not say enough about those two,” Keeler explained. “They have to guard the two best opposing players every game. It was that way again today. They were amazing. I’m really happy with them.”



Senior captains Owen Rosendall (left) and Jodan VanKlompenberg. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



VanKlompenberg led with 19 points, Rosendall added 14

VanKlompenberg led the Defenders with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Rosendall added 14 points and six rebounds. 

“The state title means everything,” Rosendall said. “It’s the all-time goal for everyone’s season. This year was special because it was our last game. It was a bittersweet ending, but I couldn’t be more proud of our team. This team means everything; we treat each other like brothers. Our chemistry on the court is above average compared to other teams; it feels like we know where everyone is on the court all the time.”

Tight first quarter

Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart played strong out of the gate and controlled the early portion of the first quarter, leading 8-4 midway through it.

 Grady Pieratt led the Saints with 21 points, while Noah Zeien added 14.

“Noah is tough and a very nice player, but his size hurt him against us because we could contest his shots,” Keeler explained.

VanKlompenberg hit a three-point shot with 3:33 left in the first to put Tri-unity up 11-10, and they wouldn’t look back after that.

The NCAA three-point line can confuse the players trying to adjust to the different layout of the Breslin Center court.

“I told them to stand on the line,” said Keeler, whose team was 7-17 from the three-point line. “We did a lot better job taking better shots and knocking them down.” 

All five starters in double-digit scoring

The entire starting five for Tri-unity scored double-digit points. Akais Giplaye scored 11 points, followed by Keaton Blanker, a second-straight double-double with 11 points and 12 assists and Wes Kaman added 10 points.

“Good balance; they shared the ball,” Keeler explained. “That’s what I love about it. I don’t think my guys have a selfish bone in their bodies. All they want to do is help the team win.”

 

The 6-4 Giplaye has been a constant force in the defensive paint for the Defenders. Keeler said Giplaye is made for this defensive scheme.



Akais Giplaye goes up for a shot. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



“It means a lot coming from Coach Keeler,” Giplaye said. “He’s been winning for a long time. Having a coach who helps us become young men and encourages us to reflect Christ on the court, I’m honored to have him as a coach.



“It takes commitment, determination, dedication, discipline, and hard work. We’ve been through the wars, the ups and downs, but we kept moving forward, and through the end, we won a trophy. It’s a memory that will never be forgotten.”

Tri-unity uses depth and free throws to earn fourth-straight state finals appearance

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By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor

(Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)

The Tri-unity Christian boys basketball team used its depth and signature defense to wear down St. Ignace in a back-and-forth matchup in a Division 4 semifinal Thursday at the Breslin Center.

In a game that saw 11 lead change, including multiple ones in the fourth quarter, the Defenders hit late free throws to ice the game, advancing to a fourth-straight Division 4 state championship with a 60-53 win over St. Ignace in East Lansing.

“We are very blessed; it would be a great finish to this year”

“It’s surreal, it’s hard to believe,” said Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler, whose team has a chance to win two state championships in three years. “We are very blessed. It would be a great finish to this year. These guys have worked so hard and made sacrifices to play tough, nasty defense.”


Two Tri-unity seniors, Jordan VanKlompenberg and Owen Rosendall, will play in their fourth state final game. Both played as freshmen on the 2020-21 Division 4 state runner-up team. 

St. Ignace senior Jonny Ingalls continued his torrid pace throughout the 2024 postseason. The future Northern Michigan University Wildcat scored 14 of the Saints’ 16 first-quarter points, and the Saints held a three-point lead after one frame in the semifinal.

Ingalls averaged 30 points in the postseason and ended the final game of his high school career with 31 points, four assists, and two steals.

“He was unbelievable,” Keeler said. “He had a little bit more than what we would have liked. I figured he would have around 20-25 points. He’s a great player.” 

Tri-unity was pressing early in the game, making several unforced errors unfamiliar to the disciplined Defenders.

“I was a little disappointed in how we played early on, but sometimes you have to win games like that,” Keeler explained. “We turned the ball over and started the game off trying to hit NBA threes.”

St. Ignace led 26-25 at the half

The score was almost even at the half; St. Ignace was up 26-25 after 16 minutes of play.  

After the break, the Defenders’ depth was felt. St. Ignace would only shoot 31.8% from the field for the remainder of the game and a lowly 40% from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.

“I thought we played good enough defense to stay in the game,” Keeler said. “I felt that we would eventually turn things around. I told the guys that if we keep pressing the ball down the court and play tough defense, we could wear them down. They didn’t have a lot of depth; they got worn out.”

Keaton Blanker led with 19 points, including 10 free throws and 10 boards

Junior guard Keaton Blanker continued his productive playoff run with a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. Blanker hit 10 of 11 free throws; two of which put the game out of reach with less than 30 seconds remaining.



Keaton Blanker led with 19 points, 10 rebounds. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)


Wes Kaman grabs 14 points, 6 boards

The Defenders have a new hero every game. In the semifinal game, Wes Kaman would take his turn to showcase his offensive skills, scoring 14 points and adding six rebounds.

“That’s what helps make our team so tough; you never know who will step up. They came out the second half with more discipline and knocked down some easier wide-open threes as well,” Keeler said.


Wesley Kaman takes a jumper. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



Giplaye and Rillema with 13 rebounds

Akais Giplaye and Trey Rillema provided a rock-solid presence in the paint for the Defenders. Giplaye snatched eight boards, while Rillema grabbed five in limited playing time. 


“Akais is just a rock for us inside; you are not going to take the ball away from him,” Keeler said. “Trey had five rebounds but didn’t play much in the second half.”

 Ingalls cooled off significantly for the Saints in the second half, missing multiple shots from beyond the arc and the free-throw line.

“I thought he got tired,” Keeler explained. “We rotate and have guys rested. I thought we played great defense. We did everything we could to contain him, and he got tired in the second half, and we took advantage of that.


“I told the boys at halftime that a good team will beat one player no matter how good he is, and he got tired. That was the difference in the game. He can shoot; he just didn’t shoot as well in the second half.”

The Defenders play a familiar foe in the finals, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart. The two teams met in early December, Tri-unity won that game 71-41.

“We played them in the third game of the year,” Keeler said. “They don’t have a lot of depth either, so our desire will be to push the ball on them and wear them down. They have three really good guards, and they do a solid job.”

Tri-unity (23-5) will face Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (26-2) in the Division 4 finals at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Breslin Center. The game will be aired live on Bally Sports Detroit. 

Check out this cool photo gallery by Becky Rillema; Defenders heading back to Division 4 state semifinals

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Another defensive gem leads Tri-unity to fifth-straight state semifinal appearance; VanKlompenberg hits seven treys

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Senior Jordan VanKlompenberg led the Defenders with 17 points (all three-pointers ) in the win. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor

Tri-unity Christian held another defensive clinic in its run to the Breslin Center.


The Defenders allowed seven combined points in the second and third quarters as they advanced to a fifth-consecutive Division 4 state semifinal appearance with a 65-29 victory over St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic on Tuesday night. 

The Defenders have turned up the heat defensively since the start of the playoffs, allowing just 38.4 points per game after giving up 43.2 points during the regular season. 

“It was amazing, wasn’t it,” said Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler about his team’s defense. “They are so coachable; they gave their very best. Whatever they do, they give their very best effort.”


VanKlompenberg hot from beyond the arc

Senior guard Jordan VanKlompenberg led the way offensively, connecting on a team-high seven three-point shots, which accounted for all of his team-high 21 points. He also had four assists and four rebounds. 

“Jordan also guarded their best player, and he did a phenomenal job defensively holding him to only six points,” Keeler said. 


Game closest after one quarter

The first quarter ended with Tri-unity ahead 19-12 and marked the closest the game would be. 

“They were fresh,” Keeler said. “We pushed the ball up and tried to make it a running game. They didn’t have a lot of depth, so we wanted to wear them out.”

Tri-unity tightened their defense against the Lakers’ offense, allowing only 17 points over the next three quarters.



Junior Keaton Blanker (4) filled the stat sheet. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)


Sensational junior guard Keaton Blanker again filled the stat sheet for the Defenders, capping off the quarterfinal game with 13 points, seven steals, four assists and four rebounds. 

“That’s Keaton; it’s what he does,” Keeler said. “He does it all. He’s a great young man and a great player. I’m excited to see his growth.

“They kept playing a zone, and we tried to get it inside, but they forced it outside, so we had an opportunity to score a lot of points. We also had several offensive rebounds.”



Akais Giplaye (20) goes high for a rebound. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)


Giplaye, Rillema and Mellon control the boards

Tri-unity used its trio of big men to control the boards. Akais Giplaye, Trey Rillema and Joey Mellon brought down six rebounds each.

“Akais is always amazing on the boards,” Keeler said. “He got into foul trouble early and only scored two points; he fits so well into our defense, runs the baseline, and dominates the boards. I’m pleased with the way they play defense. I think the whole team played great defense.”



Tri-unity (22-5) faces St. Ignace (21-6) in the D-4 state semifinals at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Breslin Center at MSU for the chance to play for a state championship. 

St. Ignace beat Crystal Falls Forest Park 68-51 on Tuesday night. St. Ignace lost in the quarterfinals last season to Traverse City St. Francis.

“They are a good team, and we have to come ready to play, but we are a good team too,” Keeler explained. “I’m confident how we play defense will keep us in games.

“I’m very confident in my team; six of our guys have been here before. I’m excited about the possibilities; we still need to come to play, though.”

Golden Gloves opening night highlights local talent; “large, enthusiastic” crowd Saturday at 4 Mile Showplace 

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan,

Aneudy “Junior” Rios (blue/red trunks) won by decision against Armand Bridgeforth in the 132-pound elite open division on Saturday. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

It was a new venue and a host of new boxers, but the intense action was familiar to area boxing fans as the opening night of the West Michigan Golden Gloves started with a flurry.

A total of 13 bouts took place at the 4 Mile Showplace (1025 4 Mile Rd. NW) in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd.

Three of the bouts featured elite open division boxers, including five-time state champion Aneudy “Junior” Rios. On a mission to win a national Golden Gloves title this season, Rios began his trek to nationals by winning a decision against Armand Bridgeforth of Anahuac Boxing Club in a crowded 132-pound weight class. In a bout full of action, Rios piled up the body punches and kept busy the entire three rounds while Bridgeforth countered with a steady barrage of punches of his own.

“He was a lot more active than I thought he would be,” Rios said. “I was kind of surprised. He put up a good fight and he made things difficult for me at times, but I felt like I boxed well tonight.”

Rios is putting in plenty of time training for his mission to win a national title and that was evident in his performance against Bridgeforth.

“So far so good,” Rios said. “I’m in good condition and my coach is making sure I stay on track. Now I have more time to train. I have a month off from work and I’m going to take advantage of it and get ready for nationals.”

Rios will be back in the ring Wednesday when he faces Michael Guzman in the semifinals.

“I will be facing a friend of mine in the semifinals in Michael Guzman,” Rios said. “It should be a real good fight and will be a good challenge for me.”

Michael Guzman’s twin brother Mike Guzman followed Rios on Saturday’s card and he provided the crowd with an explosive display of boxing skills. Mike Guzman defeated Jesus Lara of the Westside Boxing Club when the referee stopped the bout in the second round.



Mike Guzman won a novice division title last year and is looking to win in the open division this season. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“I felt things went good,” Guzman said. “I listened to my coaches and stayed behind my jab and kept the pressure up.”

A West Michigan champion last year in the novice division in his first action in the Golden Gloves, Guzman is making a smooth transition into the elite open division.

“I feel like I belong in the open division,” Guzman said. “I feel like this is going to be my year. With my brother, I feel like this year is going to be a Guzman takeover.”

Marcos Saucedo Jr. of Holland Westside Boxing Club

In the third elite open division bout, Marcos Saucedo Jr. of the Holland Westside Boxing Club held off Siderio Mitchell of Michigan Golden Gloves Association (MGGA) to win a decision at 139 pounds. Both Saucedo Jr. and Guzman will be boxing in the Wednesday’s semifinals in a loaded 139-pound weight class that totaled six boxers.

Union’s Hedaytullah Amarkhail of Blues Gym gets a win in first bout of career

Saturday’s action also included six bouts in the elite novice Division. The first of those bouts saw Hedaytullah Amarkhail of Blues Gym in Grand Rapids defeat Brandon Luis of MGGA at 132 pounds in an action-filled bout.



Hedaytullah Amarkhail (blue trunks) won the first bout of his boxing career Saturday with a decision over Brandon Luis. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



A student at Grand Rapids Union High School, Amarkhail is from Afghanistan and his parents and entire family are still in Afghanistan. Amarkhail made his boxing debut a successful one as he displayed plenty of skill despite only training as a boxer since last year.

“It felt amazing,” Amarkhail said. “It was really special. It was my first fight ever. It’s my father’s wish for me to be a boxer and I’m really excited to be here.”

In another bout in the 132-pound elite novice division, Stephen Ramirez from Sturgis won a decision against Anthony Holguin of the Holland Eli J Boxing Club.

The elite novice division also had a pair of bouts at 139 pounds. In the first 139-pound bout DreAun Ellis of the Kalamazoo Boxing Club defeated Dzenan Kovacevic of Blues Gym when the referee stopped the contest in the second round. In the next match at 139 pounds, Tiburcio Hernandez IV of the Eli J Boxing Club won a decision against Dylan Goodwin of the Lansing Crown Boxing Club.

In the elite novice 156-pound division, Gohan Estevez Marte of PK Boxing won a decision against Jordan Sanders.

In the final elite novice bout of the evening at 165 pounds, Isaiah Clay of Crown Boxing won a decision against Marco Walker of Mac Gym. Walker, however, was a big winner outside the ring as he became engaged to be married earlier in the day.

The boxing action kicked off for the evening with four junior novice bouts. At 150 pounds in the junior novice division, Dekent Murray of Kalamazoo Boxing won a decision against Jerymiah Signs of Team Glass Boxing. Also at 150 pounds, John Lopez of Crown Boxing won a decision against Jesus Diaz of Boxing House International of St. Joseph. At 145 pounds, Elijah Faidley of Crown Boxing defeated Keagen Wernette-Beals of Lansing Spartans Youth Organization when the referee stopped the bout in the first round. In the final junior novice bout Teodocio Magana of Crown Boxing won by decision against Noah Bates of Blues Gym.

Boxing resumes with the West Michigan Golden Gloves semifinals on Wednesday. Doors open at 6 p.m with boxing to begin at 7 p.m. at the 4 Mile Showplace.      


As usual, WKTV will televise all five nights of this year’s tournament. Check this WKTV Journal Story to get dates and times. 

Take a look at this Tri-unity Christian Photo Gallery from the Defenders regional championship win Thursday

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By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor


Tri-unity Christian beat Kalamazoo Phoenix 73-37 Thursday to win a Division 4 regional title. Jordan VanKlompenberg led with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. The Defenders advance to the state quarterfinals vs. St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12 at Portage Northern.

Area boxers set to shine as Michigan Golden Gloves action begins; state champ Junior Rios and Lee alum Michael Carbajal return

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Local boxer Junior Rios (right) and his coach Anbrocio Ledesma. Rios is a five-time state champion. (Courtesy, Junior Rios)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



For area boxing fans it’s the best time of year as the action is set to begin in the Michigan Golden Gloves Association state tournament on Saturday, March 9.

Change is taking place this year as the Golden Gloves has a new venue for the third straight year. After taking place at West Catholic High School last year and previously the DeltaPlex, this year’s Golden Gloves championships will take place at the 4 Mile Showplace located at 1025 4 Mile Rd. NW.

While the exact number of boxers is still unknown as many register as walk-ups on the day of the fights, the numbers are trending up for this year.

“We have 60 fighters signed up so far which is a few more than last year,” said Brian Lentz of PK Boxing and the Golden Gloves. “There will probably be quite a few walk-ups as well.”



As usual, WKTV will be televising all five nights of this year’s tournament. Check this WKTV Journal Story to get dates and times. 

Familiar faces returning to Golden Gloves

Plenty of familiar names will be returning to the Golden Gloves this year including Junior Rios, a returning state champion, along with returning female state champions Sarah Batenburg of Hudsonville and Zoe Hicks of Lansing.


Female state champions Sarah Batenburg of Hudsonville (right) and Zoe Hicks of Lansing (not pictured). (Courtesy Photo)



For Rios, a five-time state champion, the end goal is winning a national championship. Rios lost a controversial decision in his opening bout at last year’s national Golden Gloves tournament and the loss has him focused on making it back to the national tournament and avenging that disappointment.

“I went to nationals last year and I felt I should’ve won my first fight,” Rios said, “but they took it away from me. I’m still holding a grudge from that. I was planning on turning pro last year, but I wanted a national belt. I decided to come back this year and give it one last shot and then turn pro.”

Rios will compete in the 132-pound open division, one of the largest weight divisions with at least six boxers already registered.

Rios enters this year’s tournament even more focused as he recently dropped a tough fight against Chris Young, a fighter from the Roy Jones Jr. boxing team in Florida.

“He was a pretty good opponent,” Rios said. “I lost that one, but that has made me even more hungry. I can’t wait to step into the ring again and fight even harder. I feel more confident this year and ready to go.”

Lee High School alum Carbajal returns

While Rios is an experienced boxer looking to add to his legacy, the West Michigan Golden Gloves is filled with fighters looking to make a name for themselves. One of those boxers is Michael Carbajal, a Lee High School alumnus who made his boxing debut at last year’s tournament.



Wyoming Lee alum Michael Carbajal made his boxing debut at last year’s tournament. (Courtesy Photo)

“I started training in September of 2022 and my first fight was February of 2023,” Carbajal said. “I will never forget that day. It was February 25, two days after my birthday. I won the fight in the third round and after the fight we went to Chicago to celebrate my birthday.”

Less than two months later, Carbajal had his first Golden Gloves match. While Carbajal lost in his first experience in the Golden Gloves, it taught him plenty and has him hungry to make his mark this year in the 139-pound open division.

“It was my first time in a Golden Gloves tournament,” Carbajal said. “It was something different. I was eliminated on the first day in my first match. It was the worst performance of my boxing career. I had a lot of personal issues I was going through at the time.


“Physically I was there, but mentally I wasn’t. Moving forward it was a big lesson learned. Every time I step into the ring I focus on boxing and not having any of those outside issues.”

Carbajal has picked up plenty of experience since last year’s Golden Gloves with nine wins and three losses, including winning five matches by stoppage while all of his losses have been by decision. Carbajal also has won his first two bouts while competing in the open division.

“I feel like I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in, both physically and mentally,” Carbajal said. “I feel like this is going to be my year.”

Win or lose, Carbajal is sure to be a fan favorite with his aggressive and attacking style that should win fans over.

“I come to put on a show”

“I’m an aggressive fighter,” Carbajal said. “I feel like I’m a fearless fighter and I’m always looking to apply pressure. Some people say I have an entertaining style. Three or four times I won the fighter of the night. A lot of fighters want to keep clean records and try to not get hit. I come to put on a show. The fans want action and power shots and that’s what I want to give them.”

Carbajal grew up a boxing fan watching professional fights with his parents Ranulfo and Andrea. 

“My parents loved watching the fights and I would watch with them,” Carbajal said. “We’d get the pay per view and watch Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao. I liked watching all of those fighters.”

These days, his father and brothers, Ranulfo Jr. and Efren, and sister Candi watch his fights in person although his mother would rather wait to hear the results.

“My mother watched my first three fights, but after that she just got really nervous,” Carbajal said. “She just waits for that call or text telling her how I did.”

Carbajal, who played a year of soccer while at Lee High School, got his start in boxing while there.

“Tom DeGennaro and Jim Jenson introduced me to Brian Lentz at PK Boxing,” Carbajal said. “I trained for a year, but never had a fight. I eventually left boxing, but then a couple years ago I took a friend’s son to PK because he wanted to get into karate. I ran into coach Brian and he asked if I wanted to get back into boxing. One thing led to another and I’m back and loving it.”

Carbajal, Rios and all of the other boxers now set their sights on winning West Michigan titles and then going for state titles with the ultimate goal of making it to the national Golden Gloves tournament.

WKTV Golden Gloves Schedule

The opening night of this year’s Golden Gloves takes place Saturday, March 9. Action continues with the West Michigan semifinals on Wednesday, March 13 with the West Michigan finals set for Saturday March 16. The Michigan Golden Gloves state finals also takes place at the 4 Mile Showplace with the state semifinals scheduled for Friday, March 22 and the state finals slated for Saturday, March 23. Bouts begin at 7 p.m. each day of the tournament with the doors opening at 6 p.m.

With the 4 Mile Showplace being a smaller venue, boxing fans are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible before they sell out.

East Kentwood girls open state tournament with semifinal win over Hudsonville Wednesday; get 20th win

City of Kentwood, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, ,
East Kentwood senior Kanyla Tyler (2) passes the ball to a teammate during district action. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

Defense has been the trademark of the East Kentwood girls basketball team this season and that defense was on display in the district semifinal game against Hudsonville. Playing aggressive, intense defense from the opening tip, the Falcons earned a 50-33 win to advance to the district championship game Friday against Byron Center.

“Defense is what we are about,” said East Kentwood Coach Eric Large. “Our team is built on playing tough defense. We are gritty and very tenacious on defense. We work hard on defense and our defense produces baskets on the offensive end of the floor.”

The game was a low-scoring, defensive struggle right from the opening tip. Baskets were difficult to come by in the opening quarter as both teams managed just six points apiece. Senior Santana Eubanks led the way for the Falcons in the opening quarter as she scored all six of Kentwood’s points.

EK led 19-12 at halftime

Kentwood continued to apply strong defensive pressure in the second quarter. Again, the Falcon defense limited Hudsonville to six points in the quarter. The pressure defense also began to produce more turnovers that led to fast-break points on the offensive end for the Falcons. Led by senior Makayla Porter, who scored six points in the second quarter, East Kentwood totaled 13 points in the quarter to take a 19-12 lead into halftime.

The Falcons continued to play stingy defense in the second half. East Kentwood held Hudsonville without a point for almost half of the third. During that span the Falcons’ offense strung together seven straight points to build the lead to 26-12 and take control of the game.

Along with playing strong defense, East Kentwood did a strong job on the defensive boards. The Falcons routinely limited Hudsonville to just one shot on each possession as they dominated the defensive glass with their strong rebounding.

“I thought we did a really good job of rebounding,” Large said. “That is very important. We want to limit teams to just one shot per possession. I thought we rebounded the ball well.”

The Falcons’ offense also picked up the pace as the game went on. After scoring 13 points in the second quarter, they added 14 points in the third and led 33-19 going into the final quarter. A three-point shot from Sophia Wozniak got the Falcons going in the fourth quarter as they opened with a 7-2 scoring run to take a 40-21 lead and all but put the game on ice. The Falcons later went on a 5-0 scoring run to up the lead to 20 points at 45-25.

“Our defense got us going on offense,” Large said. “Once we were able to come down and make some layups, we got things going on offense. We just had to stay focused.”

East Kentwood featured a balanced attack on offense. Porter led the Falcons in scoring with 14 points, while Eubanks added 12. Wozniak added nine points, followed by Harmonie Belton with six.



East Kentwood senior Harmonie Belton (1) drives the lane during the Division 1 district semifinal against Hudsonville. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


East Kentwood gets 20th win of season

With the win, East Kentwood improved to 20-3 for the season. The 20-win mark is special for the Falcons and Coach Large.

“It is really special,” Large said. “The five seniors on the team, I’ve had them for three or four years on the varsity. They know exactly what I’m going to say every time. They’ve been with me all this time and they know what to expect.

“This team also has great leadership. Kanyla Tyler is our point guard and she does a great job of settling us down on offense.”

Ranked fifth in the state in Division 1, the Falcons next have the opportunity to claim the district title. East Kentwood faces a major hurdle in the district title game in a Byron Center squad that comes into the game with a 19-4 record. East Kentwood faced the Bulldogs in the season-opener in December and came away with a 58-52 win. Byron Center brings a nine-game winning streak into the contest, while East Kentwood is riding a five-game winning streak. 

Tri-unity uses stout defense Tuesday to advance to regional finals

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan
Junior guard Keaton Blanker (4) led the Defenders with 17 points, three steals and seven rebounds.
(Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor



Tri-unity Christian’s fourth-quarter defense again came up big in the regional semifinals against host Fowler Tuesday night.

The stout Defenders’ defense allowed seven points in the fourth quarter of last week’s district finals win and only six points in the fourth quarter to advance to the regional finals with a 46-39 victory over Fowler.



“We really embrace defense,” said Mark Keeler, whose team is seeking a fifth-straight regional championship.



“The old adage that offense wins games, but defense wins championships, I can tell you, is true. We play great defense and they all buy into it. We play a unique man-to-man setup.”

Fowler jumps ahead first

Fowler started the game hot and held a 13-9 lead after the first quarter.

But then Tri-unity woke up offensively in the second quarter with a 16-point outburst and took a slim 25-24 lead into the half.

The Defenders locked in on defense in the second half, allowing only 15 points in the final 16 minutes of play.

“It was a back-and-forth defensive battle, not much scoring,” Keeler explained. “I’m so proud of my team and how they invested and gave everything in their defense.”

Tri-unity senior guard Lincoln Eerdmans hit a three-point shot late, and senior Owen Rosendall hit a free throw on the next possession to score a quick four points, putting the team up by six with five minutes remaining in the game.

Seniors Jordan VanKlompenberg and Rosendall led the way defensively.



Jordan VanKlompenberg goes up for the layin. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



“Jordan covered their best player and held him to two points; he did an amazing job,” Keeler said. They had one player score 11 of their 24 points in the first half. I put Owen on him in the second half, and he didn’t score another point. He probably thought he was going to have a field day, but he didn’t know I was going to put Big-O on him.


Owen Rosendall skies high for a bucket. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



“Our whole team played great defense. Akais Giplaye had to guard a guy three inches taller than him and he did a phenomenal job on him. Fowler did a great job crashing the offensive board, so we will have to keep working on that.”

Keaton Blanker led the way for the Defenders

Junior guard Keaton Blanker had team highs with 17 points, three steals and seven rebounds.


“We had the ball in his hands a lot,” Keeler said. “He was huge for us. Last year, he was a sophomore point guard, and he really matured. He handled the pressure, made great choices, and made the extra passes. It’s fun to watch.” 


Keaton Blanker takes one of his many shots in the regional semifinal. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)


VanKlompenberg led the team with five assists and added seven points.

“We had eight players score points; we had good balance,” Keeler said. “Fowler played great defense as well. We didn’t shoot the ball well because of their tough defense.”

Tri-unity is one win from their fifth-straight regional championship and 19th in school history.



“We are excited. I loved how we played defensively, and that will carry us going into Thursday.”

Kalamazoo Phoenix (8-14) defeated Climax-Scotts 80-68 to advance to the regional final against Tri-unity (20-5) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Fowler High School.

“They have some good talent, so we need to come ready to play,” Keeler explaind. “We would love to win and win another regional championship.”

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (March 1) featuring many cool clips

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



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Feb. 26 through March 1.



Every week, we’ll bring you several high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings. We also have the local boys district results and regional matchups and the girls district brackets inside.



Thanks for watching!

Lee boys basketball team adds big district victory to league title

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
After winning the Alliance League championship with a perfect 8-0 record, the Lee Legends opened play in the state tournament with a thrilling win against West Catholic. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



After winning the Alliance League championship with a perfect league record this season, the Lee basketball team opened the state tournament with a thrilling 49-48 win against West Catholic in the Division 2 district semifinal game Wednesday at the West Catholic district.

In a low-scoring, defensive struggle, the Legends persevered at the end to come away with the win that improved their record to 17-5 for the season. Lee now goes on to Friday’s district title game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central as the Legends go after their first district title since 1995.

“It was a great team win,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “I’m proud of our effort and proud of our energy. It was a tight game to the end. It was a back-and-forth game from the start to the finish. The biggest lead of the game was eight by us early in the game and at halftime we were up by two at 19-17.”

West Catholic came out playing a zone defense and looked to slow down the pace of the game against the Legends.

“They (West Catholic) tried to slow the game down,” Shannon said. “The opportunities that we did have to run we capitalized on. It was a fun game with great energy and I’m happy we were able to pull it out.”

Lee played a rugged non-conference schedule this season that included games against schools like East Kentwood, Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix and Forest Hills Eastern, and that experience proved valuable in the district.

“The reason we played such a tough schedule is for moments like this,” Shannon said. “Our schedule prepared us for a game like this.”



Lee senior Ny’Zhem Marshall led with 17 points and 14 rebounds. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)



Marshall led the Legends with 17 points and 14 boards

Ny’Zhem Marshall led Lee with 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots. Nate Johnson added 11 points.

“Nate hit one of the biggest shots of the game for us,” Shannon said. “We were down 45-42 in the fourth quarter. Marc Whitfield drove to the basket and the defense collapsed on him. Nate is one of our best three-point shooters and Marc recognized that and kicked the ball out to him on the wing and Nate knocked the shot down to tie the game.”

 

Conference crown two-straight years

The district win comes after the Legends wrapped up a regular season that saw them win a conference title for the second consecutive year and with a perfect league mark for the second straight season.

“I’m so proud of our boys for capturing back-to-back conference championships for multiple reasons,” Shannon said. “One, the boys made history at Lee with back-to-back conference championships for the first time since 1971 and 1972.”

A key to success for the Legends this year is the way the team prepares for each game.

“The key to capturing our conference was trusting our preparation,” Shannon said. “Even though our conference is untraditional with teams only playing each other once, we were able to get film and have a gameplan based on what was shown on film. There were games when we were off, but we also have a strong bench and at times we were able to insert someone from the bench to provide a boost.



Specifically, I can recall the Wellspring game as we were down heading into the fourth quarter. The coaching staff made an adjustment as a starter was having an uncharacteristically off-game and essentially the adjustment aided with the win.”

Lee also did a solid job of handling the adversity it faced during the season.

“We started the season 0-3 and finished 15-5 overall,” Shannon said, “not to mention we dealt with many injuries this year and we are actually full strength in the postseason.”

On the court, the Legends count on strong defense as a major team strong point.

“A strong component of our team is our ability to defend baseline to baseline, regardless of who’s defending,” Shannon said. “We have great versatility in our defense this year and we really pressure the ball which has led to great success. We like to be able to make guards uncomfortable when starting their offense to disrupt rhythm and timing.” 



Lee senior Marc Whitfield leading the Legends this year. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)


Marc Whitfield leading the team

Leading the way for the legends this season is Marc Whitfield. The reigning conference player of the year, Whitfield averages 22 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals per game while shooting 40 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Whitfield has five 30-point games this season with a season-high 35 points in the win against Grand River Prep.

Ny’Zhem Marshall all-around production

Ny’Zhem Marshall provides all-around production averaging 11 points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and two assists per game while shooting 50% from beyond the three-point line. Marshall also recorded five games with seven blocked shots.

Clarence Lewis, who guarded the opposing team’s best player this season, added eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals per game and recorded a season-high of six steals in one game. Nathan Johnson averaged nine points and three rebounds per game while shooting 40% from the three-point line. Johnson also scored a season-high 22 points in two games this season. 

It’s back! Golden Gloves begins airing again on WKTV Saturday, March 9; check it out

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By Cris Greer

WKTV Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



There’s no more waiting! Golden Gloves is back.



WKTV is bringing you all the excitement of local boxing with our coverage of the Michigan Golden Gloves Boxing Championships.

 

Catch all the action on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse 99 with a live tape delayed airing of each evening’s bouts.

 

West Michigan Preliminaries

Saturday, March 9: Airs Sunday, March 10 at 12 p.m. and Wednesday, March 13 at 5 p.m.

 

West Michigan Semifinals

Wednesday, March 13: Airs Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m. and Tuesday, March 19 at 11 p.m.

 

West Michigan Finals

Saturday, March 16: Airs Sunday, March 17 at 12 p.m. and Wednesday, March 20 at 5 p.m.

 

State Semifinals 

Friday, March 22: Airs Saturday, March 23 at 11 a.m. and Wednesday, March 27 at 5 p.m.

 

State Finals 

Saturday, March 23: Airs Sunday, March 24 at 12 p.m. and Wednesday, April 3 at 5 p.m.

South Christian takes advantage of fast start to take out Godwin Heights in D2 district opener Monday

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, ,
South Christian junior standout Carson Vis scored 29 points in the tournament opener against Godwin Heights. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)




By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


Taking on a red-hot Godwin Heights squad the opening night of the state tournament, the South Christian boys basketball team left nothing to chance as they struck early and often on its way to a 62-43 win in the Division 2 district at Unity Christian.

Godwin Heights, fresh off winning the OK Silver Conference championship, entered the game on an eight-game winning streak. With plenty of momentum and confidence, the Wolverines were on a mission to keep rolling. The Sailors, however, had other plans. South ramped up the defense, kept the ball in junior standout Carson Vis’ hands and shot out to a 12-2 lead midway through the first quarter. By the end of the opening quarter that lead stood at 21-5 and the Sailors had the upper hand for the remainder of the game.

“Although it’s not March yet we consider it March,” Vis said, “because in March we try to be at our best. We wanted to come out and try and set the tone tonight. We wanted to come out and lock things down on defense. Our goal was to hold them under 30 points. Obviously, we didn’t do that, but we came away with the win.”

Carson Vis led South Christian with 29 points

While the Sailors were busy holding Godwin to five points in the first quarter, Vis was also busy filling up the basket on the other side of the floor. Vis totaled 13 points in the first quarter and added eight more of his game-high 29 points in the second quarter.

Sailors up 34-16 at halftime

South continued to play stingy defense in the second quarter as it limited the Wolverines to 11 points in that stanza. The Sailors also built the lead to 18 points at halftime as they entered the break with a 34-16 lead.

South also accomplished the feat without the benefit of standout senior guard Jake Vermaas who missed the game but will be back for Wednesday’s district semifinal showdown with Unity Christian.

“I’m real proud of our guys,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “We had to play without Jake Vermaas, but he will be ready to go on Wednesday. Carson did a real nice job of stepping up. He was scoring in a variety of ways for us. He was scoring inside and outside. Guys got him the ball and he made the shots.”

Vis also brought the Sailor crowd to their feet with a highlight-reel dunk during the third quarter that put the Sailors up 46-30.

The Sailors also received a strong scoring effort from senior Sam Weiss who also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points.

“I was happy with how Sam stepped up,” Johnson said. “He played the point and played with a lot of energy on both ends of the floor. I was very proud of him.”


South Christian senior Sam Weiss, who scored 10 points, prepares to drive to the basket. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


The Sailors also handled the ball effectively against Godwin’s swarming defensive pressure.

“We prepared for that pressure,” Vis said. “We knew what was coming so we actually started preparing for it last week. A lot of teams consider our ball handling a weakness so we wanted to show people that we can handle the pressure.”

South scored a number of points in transition after navigating the Wolverines’ defensive pressure.

Along with the double-digit offensive efforts of Vis and Weiss, the Sailors received eight points from Caleb Pleune, seven from Davis Kemper.

With the win, the Sailors improved to 18-5 for the season and will face Unity Christian, 18-4, in one semifinal game Wednesday.



Godwin Heights was led by senior Jacari Jones with nine points.  (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


Godwin Heights ended the season with a 16-6 record. The Wolverines were led in scoring by sophomore Isaiah Guyton who finished with 11 points. Senior Jacari Jones added nine points and fellow senior Jace Reid-Anderson added eight.    


Godwin Heights senior Jace Reid-Anderson (11) tries to split a pair of South Christian defenders on his drive to the basket. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


MHSAA Girls Basketball Tournament: Vicksburg defeated South Christian 49-34 in Regional 12 Final

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




By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


South Christian (15-11) lost to Vicksburg 49-34 in the Regional 12 final Wednesday night. Check out the complete story on South Christian’s great tournament run here.


DIVISION 1

DISTRICT 7 at Grandville

First Round: Hudsonville 50, Wyoming 43

Semifinal: East Kentwood 50, Hudsonville 33
DISTRICT FINAL: Byron Center 47, East Kentwood 44

DIVISION 2

DISTRICT 43 at Hudsonville Unity Christian

First Round: Kelloggsville 43, Wyoming Lee 27

Semifinal: Unity Christian 58, Kelloggsville 10

Semifinal: Allendale 46, Godwin Heights 29


DISTRICT 44 at Forest Hills Eastern

First Round: Grand Rapids Christian 55, West Michigan Aviation 11


DISTRICT 45 at South Christian

First Round: Hamilton 64, Grand River Prep 9

Semifinal: South Christian 48, Wayland 38
DISTRICT FINAL: South Christian 78, Holland Christian 67 (2 OT)
REGIONAL 12:
SEMIFINAL: South Christian 47, Otsego 40

Semifinal: South Christian 48, Wayland 38
DISTRICT FINAL: South Christian 78, Holland Christian 67 (2 OT)
REGIONAL 12:
SEMIFINAL: South Christian 47, Otsego 40
FINAL: Vicksburg 49, South Christian 34


DIVISION 3

DISTRICT 75 at Saugatuck

First Round: Potter’s House 39, Calvin Christian 36

Semifinal: Saugatuck 50, Potter’s House Christian 36

DIVISION 4

DISTRICT 114 at Fruitport Calvary Christian

Semifinal: Sacred Heart 40, Tri-unity Christian 33

DISTRICT 115 at Lawrence

Semifinal: Martin 39, Zion Christian 34

MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament: Tri-unity boys win second state championship in three years

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,




By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org

DIVISION 1

REGIONAL 2 SEMIFINAL AT EAST KENTWOOD: Forest Hills Central 54, East Kentwood 42

District 7 at Byron Center
DISTRICT FINAL: East Kentwood 55, Byron Center 45

DIVISION 2

District 43 at West Catholic
SEMIFINALS:
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 75, Allendale 56
Lee 49, West Catholic 48
(LEE: Ny’Zhem Marshall, 17 points, 6 blocks, 14 rebounds; Nathan Johnson, 11 points)
DISTRICT FINAL: Catholic Central 63, Wyoming Lee 56


District 44 at Ionia
First Round: Forest Hills Eastern 56, West Michigan Aviation 36


District 45 at Hudsonville Unity Christian
First Round:
Grand River Prep 78, Kelloggsville 60
South Christian 62, Godwin Heights 43
Semifinals:
Grand Rapids Christian 84, Grand River Prep 49
South Christian 70, Unity Christian 62
DISTRICT FINAL: Grand Rapids Christian 52, South Christian 49

DIVISION 3

District 75 at Calvin Christian
First Round: Calvin Christian 68, Potter’s House Christian 66 (OT)

DIVISION 4

STATE FINAL:
Tri-unity Christian 79, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 59

REGIONAL 29 SEMIFINAL AT FOWLER: Tri-unity Christian 46, Fowler 39
REGIONAL FINAL: Tri-unity Christian 73, Kalamazoo Phoenix 37
District 114 at Zion Christian
DISTRICT FINAL: Tri-unity Christian 78, Zion Christian 40

Godwin Heights boys basketball team captures OK Silver crown; tough district ahead

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Godwin Heights Boys Basketball Team. Coach Bernard Varnesdeel, second from right. (Photo Courtesy, Geskus Photography)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

For most first-year coaches, getting their program established is usually a major accomplishment. For Godwin Heights boys basketball Coach Bernard Varnesdeel, not only did he get his style implemented, but he also led the Wolverines to an OK Silver Conference title.

With eight straight conference wins to close out the season, Godwin Heights ended up winning the OK Silver by a full two games over second place Sparta. Godwin Heights ended the regular season with a 13-1 conference record to go along with a 16-5 overall record.

“I’m super-proud of the guys,” Varnesdeel said. “As a first-year coach implementing a whole new program, our team stepped up tremendously. I’m super proud of them. We have a really good group of guys and to win most every night is not easy.”

Winning in the Silver is no easy chore as the conference is full of quality teams from top to bottom. Godwin also had to come up with some key wins down the stretch to secure the title.

“All of our games in the conference were pretty tight,” Varnesdeel said. “The game at Sparta was a big win for us. For five days heading into that game, we weren’t even able to get into the gym due to the weather. To be able to go to Sparta without being able to practice for five days and get a win is pretty big.



“Our win at Belding was also a very big win just because of the style of play. We won 32-28 and to adjust to that style of play and get a win is big. We also beat Sparta at home despite being down by 15 points in the third quarter and that was also a pretty big win.”

A total team effort for Godwin Heights

The key to success for the Wolverines this season was a total-team effort. Having a deep bench proved beneficial time and time again for Godwin.

“The key was our depth,” Varnesdeel said. “We go 10, 11 players deep so we always have fresh players on the floor. Overall, we also have very good athleticism. Our depth and athleticism allows us to keep up the pressure on defense and get out in transition on offense.”

The overall depth is evident by the balanced scoring the Wolverines feature. Four players average in double figures in scoring. Jamaan Hastings averages over 12 points per game, Isaiah Guyton and Jacari Jones average around 10.5 points, while Jace Reid-Anderson averages over 10 points. Guyton and Jones also lead the team in rebounds.

“Another strong point is we shoot very well,” Varnesdeel said. “We have a very good two-point shooting percentage. Several kids are shooting around 60% and several more are shooting in the upper 50s and that’s pretty good.”  

Godwin also made substantial progress as a team since the beginning of the season.

“I think we made a lot of progress in just realizing our identity as a team,” Varnesdeel said. “We made a lot of progress in knowing we have to play hard and defend well. Our rebounding has also come along. Our improvement in rebounding has enabled us to create opportunities on offense in transition. Once that light clicked on, we made a big jump as a team.”

Tough, tough district ahead

With a conference title secured, Godwin is now on to the state tournament where they play in arguably the toughest Division 2 district in the state with what has to be the toughest draw facing any team in the state. Godwin opens up tournament play at the Unity Christian district by playing South Christian, who was a state finalist last year. If the Wolverines win that game they would play Unity Christian, ranked 12th in the state in the semifinals with the winner likely playing Grand Rapids Christian, the No. 1-ranked team in the state in the district finals.

“We are capable of doing some really special things in the state tournament if we play up to our abilities,” Varnesdeel said. “We do have the potential for a state tournament run. That said, we will be tested early and often.”

No matter the outcome in the state tournament, this year’s young squad accomplished plenty in Varnesdeel’s first season at Godwin.

“I’m super proud of all of our kids,” Varnesdeel said. “Everyone of them filled a key role. I couldn’t have been more happy with what all of our kids did for us.”    

Wyoming basketball coach Thom Vander Klay reaches milestone 400th win; “Wyoming is an important piece of who I am”

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Wyoming Boys Basketball Coach Thom Vander Klay has won more than 400 games from that position on the sideline. (Photo Courtesy, Curtis Holt)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

While a student at Wyoming Park High School during the early 80s, Wyoming boys basketball coach Thom Vander Klay was influenced by a virtual who’s who of Wyoming Park coaches. It should have been no surprise that some 40 years later Vander Klay reached a coaching milestone when he won the 400th game of his head coaching career.

The only coach the Wolves have ever had for boys basketball and the former coach at Wyoming Park before it merged with Wyoming Rogers to form Wyoming High School, Vander Klay won game No. 400 when the Wolves defeated Holland Christian 51-49 on Jan. 30 this season. He was then recognized for the achievement during Wyoming’s victory against Grand Rapids Union on Feb. 9.

Wyoming Park grad and three-sport athlete

A 1982 graduate of Wyoming Park, Vander Klay was a three-sport athlete for the Vikings playing football, basketball and running track before heading off to Hope College where he played football and basketball.

Vander Klay credits his former coaches at Wyoming Park for getting him started down the path of coaching.

“We just had some fantastic coaches at Park,” Vander Klay said. “We had Jack Verduin for football and Rich Renzema for basketball and Frank Grimm was the track coach. Ron Engels was the baseball coach forever and Dick Locke was another outstanding coach. Those were some really, really good coaches in high school and I knew that I was going to pursue that.”


Coach Vander Klay hoists his team’s 2022 district trophy. (Photo Courtesy, Curtis Holt)


After graduating from Hope College in 1986, Vander Klay returned to Park where he began his coaching and teaching career. His first coaching jobs were with the junior varsity football and basketball teams at Wyoming Park.

“I was really a football guy and I planned to eventually coach the football team,” Vander Klay said, “but coach Verduin kept going and going and then our varsity Coach Kelly McEwen retired so I took over the basketball team in 1995. I worked under Coach Verduin in the fall and Coach McEwen in the winter and I learned tons of knowledge from both of them.”

Vander Klay parlayed that wealth of knowledge into a legacy of success at both Wyoming Park and later at Wyoming when Park and Rogers merged 12 years ago.


Coach Vander Klay talks to his team in 2019. (Photo Courtesy, Andris B. Visokis)


Whether at Park or Wyoming, the style of play has been very consistent.

“We usually have the same type of style,” Vander Klay said. “Our players are usually quite small, but they play quite fast. We have to play fast, shoot well and play hard. We play pressure defense and play up-tempo on offense. We play very fast on both sides of the court.”

During his coaching career Vander Klay has experienced plenty of highlights. A couple, however, stand out after all the years.

1998 team and Mr. Basketball Drew Neitzel stand out

“The run we had in 1998 when we came out of nowhere to win the league is one team that stands out,” Vander Klay said. “Of course, the teams that had Drew Neitzel, who won Mr. Basketball in 2004, stand out. That team was the only team to sell out the Breslin Arena when we played against Detroit Renaissance in the state semifinals.”

Those teams were not alone, however, in making memories that stand out.

“So many teams and players and moments to remember”

“There were so many teams and so many players and moments that you remember,” Vander Klay said. “It’s not only the successful teams either. I remember so many kids and teams. Looking back on all the kids you coach and the success they eventually have as adults. Those memories last with you. The relationships are what make it special. Also, our coaching staff. We have had such a consistent coaching staff throughout the years. The assistant coaches I’ve had have made it so easy for me as a head coach.”


Coach Thom Vander Klay and WKTV Sports Director Cris Greer share a laugh at a recent interview. (Photo Courtesy, Olivia Potter)



The memories flooded back for Vander Klay during the ceremony commemorating his 400th win during the union game.

“It was so nice when they had the little ceremony at the game,” Vander Klay said. “Seeing the former teams and the former players and receiving the plaque. It was surprising and fun. The 400 wins is a longevity thing. I’ve coached a long time so you are going to pick up some wins.

“Wyoming is really important to me. I grew up here and live here, my kids went here, my grandson went here. Wyoming is an important piece of who I am. In so many ways it’s what I was called to do.”

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (Feb. 23) featuring many cool clips

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, , ,




By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Feb. 19-23.



Every Friday, we’ll bring you several high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings. We also have the local boys district brackets inside for next week!



Thanks for watching, and see you next week!

WKTV Friday Night Highlights brings you local high school sports every week!

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Going Local, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Our Cities, Recreation, Sports, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , ,
WKTV features local high school football and basketball games each week (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Greg Yoder, host of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, prepares for the weekly show (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

The WKTV Friday Night Highlights show features many area high school teams in action during the basketball and football seasons.

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


Every Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV Comcast 25 at 11 p.m. The games will repeat Saturday at 11 a.m.

Each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast 25 at 11 p.m. The games will repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.

Highlight clips can be found on our WKTV YouTube channel.

If you are interested in volunteering on WKTV’s sports crew, contact Davin at davin@wktv.org or Cris at greer@wktv.org!

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (Feb. 9) featuring many cool clips

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Feb. 5-9.



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



Thanks for watching, and see you next week!

East Kentwood trio helping boys basketball team navigate rugged schedule

City of Kentwood, Entertainment News, Sports, , ,
East Kentwood junior Jah Hatchett leads the Falcons from his point guard position. (Photo Courtesy, Cristian Salas-Salinas and Nuha Hussein)




By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



Playing against one of the most challenging schedules in the entire state, the East Kentwood boys basketball team has needed an “all hands on deck” approach. While the entire team has led the Falcons to an 11-6 record heading into the final couple weeks of the season, a trio of players are carving out outstanding seasons.

Senior Christian Humphrey-Rembert, junior Jah Hatchett and freshman CJ Reynolds are all turning in key contributions for a Falcon team that is also in second place in the rugged OK Red Conference.


East Kentwood’s Christian Humphrey-Rembert provides the Falcons with a steady source of points and rebounds. (Photo Courtesy, Cristian Salas-Salinas and Nuha Hussein)



Humphrey-Rembert, a 6-foot-8 junior wing, is a steady source of points and rebounds for the team. He’s averaging 14 points per game along with 8.5 rebounds and two blocked shots. He also has turned in numerous double-doubles in points and rebounds this season.

“Christian is a 6-foot-8 wing who is very athletic and can shoot the ball,” said East Kentwood Coach Mike Thomas. “He is playing at a pretty good level this season. His biggest improvement has been in his rebounding. His rebounding has been a difference maker for us this season.”

Along with being a standout on the basketball court, Humphrey-Rembert also is a standout in the classroom. With his combination of academics and athletic skills he is being recruited by a number of colleges including Wofford, the University of Chicago Illinois and Brown University.

“Academically, Christian is one of the top students in his class,” Thomas said. “He has a grade-point average of 3.7 or 3.8. He is also a great teammate. He is one of the first guys at practice and one of the last to leave. He is always helping me set up the gym and take down the gym. On his off days he’s always in the gym working on his shooting.”

Hatchett leads the team with 17 points per game

Hatchett also is a team leader in multiple categories. A 5-foot-10 junior point guard, Hatchett leads the team in scoring at 17 points per game. He also is dishing out five assists per game along with five rebounds and four steals per game.


“Like Christian, Jah plays a lot of minutes for us and does a lot for us,” Thomas said. “He is our go-to guy. He can get to the basket, shoot the three and is strong off ball screens. He can also break defenses down and make decisions in the lane.”

Although he has another season yet to play in high school, Hatchett is drawing the attention of college scouts. Currently he has offers from Ferris State, Northwood University and Wayne State and also is hearing from Central Michigan University and Northern Iowa.

“Jah is also good in the classroom and that work ethic shows on the basketball court as well,” Thomas said. “He puts in the hours and that shows in his production. He spends hours upon hours in the gym. As a junior, he is getting close to 1,000 career points and is about at 900 points right now.”


Freshman CJ Reynolds averaged 20 points per game on the junior varsity team. On the varsity squad, he averages 7.5 points, four rebounds and two assists per game. (Photo Courtesy, Cristian Salas-Salinas and Nuha Hussein)



Reynolds making an impact as a freshman

The Falcons also have a young and upcoming player in Reynolds who is making an impact as a freshman. A 6-foot-2 guard, Reynolds began the season on the junior varsity. Reynolds was seeing varsity action by taking advantage of the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s fifth-quarter rule, where a junior-varsity player can play a limited number of quarters on the varsity team each week, and the experience has paid off as he recently was moved up to the varsity team permanently.

“CJ is a long and lanky player who is starting to make a name for himself,” Thomas said. “He started the season on the junior varsity, but his talent level is going through the roof.”

Reynolds was averaging 20 points per game on the junior varsity team. On the varsity squad, Reynolds is already averaging 7.5 points, four rebounds and two assists per game.

“CJ is a guy who can beat you off the dribble or shoot the three,” Thomas said. “He can score in a multitude of ways. He is also a strong defender. I think the sky is the limit for him and he is going to do great things in our program the next few years.”

Reynolds is part of an overall young Kentwood team that continues to grow and improve.

“We have a young team,” Thomas said. “We will only loose three seniors. This is just my second year here and we are still building the program. I have a great staff with coaches like Christian Craft and Scott Rawley. These guys are with me for the long haul and are into developing players.


“We have played a challenging schedule this year and that is by design. We want to play a challenging schedule and it’s a pleasure to see how our guys have been competing.”

Of the Falcons six losses this season, two have been in the conference and four have been in non-conference games. Among those non-conference losses have been games against East Lansing, the No.2 rated team in the state in Division 1 and River Rouge, an honorable-mention team in Division 1. The Falcons also have wins against Warren Lincoln, currently ranked No. 2 in the state in Division 2, and Birmingham Brother Rice, ranked ninth in the state in Division 1.          

Godwin Heights stays in hunt for league title with 76-48 win over Comstock Park

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, , ,
Godwin Heights’ Jacari Jones (0) applies defensive pressure during Tuesday’s game with Comstock Park. Jones and Isaiah Guyton led the Wolverines with 12 points apiece. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



The Godwin Heights boys basketball team may be on the young side this season, but future foes need to be aware that this year’s squad of Wolverines is becoming a nasty team to deal with.

Combining a tenacious defense with an explosive offense, the Wolverines have been on the prowl lately. That was evident Tuesday as Godwin Heights turned back Comstock Park 76-48 to stay in the thick of the chase for the OK Blue Conference title.

The Wolverine defense proved tough to crack right from the opening tip while the offense gained momentum as the game progressed en route to its highest point total of the season. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 7-1 in the conference, a half game behind league-leading Sparta who travels to Godwin next Tuesday for a big conference showdown.

“We took a tough loss to Calvin Christian a couple of weeks ago and the one thing I’m super proud of is the way the guys learned from that loss,” said Godwin Heights Coach Bernard Varnesdeel. “Our team learned what our identity is from that loss. First, we realized that we have to hang our hat on our defensive pressure. We apply pressure both full court and in the half court. We put the pressure on with our defense and push the tempo on offense especially after creating turnovers on defense.”

That was the formula the Wolverines used against Comstock Park. The Wolverines used their strong defensive pressure to take a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Godwin dialed up that pressure in the second quarter as it outscored Comstock Park 26-13 to take a commanding 38-22 halftime lead.

“I feel like we did a lot better job of getting rebounds and I feel we did a good job of passing the ball on offense,” said Godwin Heights junior Jamaan Hastings. “I feel like we are working together better to play as a team and are starting to gel as a team for the March playoffs.”

Teamwork is a major strong point for the Wolverines. Not only do the Wolverines play strong team defense, but they share the ball on offense and have multiple players who can contribute on the offensive end of the floor. Nine different players scored for Godwin during the second-quarter offensive outburst and all 11 Wolverines scored during the game.



Sophomore guard Ka’Res Harris (10) looks for an opening as he moves the ball around the perimeter of the Comstock Park defense. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“We have 11 really, really good basketball players,” Varnesdeel said. “I tell all the guys that they will get the opportunity to get their run.”

Godwin players continued to get plenty of “run” during the second half as the defense continued to force turnovers while the offense capitalized on the offensive end. Godwin extended the lead to 58-35 at the end of the third quarter as it outscored the Panthers 20-13.

“I think we have a really good team,” said Wolverine senior Ben Dolo. “I think we are a super-underrated team. We can play with the top teams in the area and we can’t wait till March to show what we’ve been working on this season.”

Godwin closed out the game strong outscoring the Panthers 18-13 to end with a 28-point win.

“We’ve made a ton of improvement,” Varnesdeel said. “This is a great group. I’m a new coach here and we had a lot of younger, inexperienced players coming into the season. We only had one guy with a lot of experience and we have four sophomores. Those guys have made a lot of progress this season.


“We are learning each and every day and improving. We still have a lot to work on, but we’ve made a ton of progress.”

Godwin’s depth was evident in the scorebook. Jacari Jones and sophomore Isaiah Guyton were the lone Wolverines in double figures with 12 points apiece. Senior Jace Reid-Anderson added nine points, followed by Marcos Rodriguez and Hastings, eight points apiece; Armani Dedrick, six; sophomores Justin Chan, Ka’Res Harris and Dom Sanders, five each; sophomore Lonnie Sanders, four and Dolo, two.


Godwin Heights guard Ben Dolo brings the ball up the floor against Comstock Park. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


“Jace is our most experienced player and he is doing a great job of leading our young players,” Varnesdeel said. “Isaiah is a sophomore who is doing a nice job for us. Jacari had a really good game tonight and Ka’Res is our sophomore point guard who is doing a really good job. All 11 of our guys did a nice job and it was a great team win.”

With the win, the Wolverines improved to 10-5 overall. Godwin returns to action Friday at Calvin Christian before returning home for the OK Blue showdown with Sparta next Tuesday.        

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (Feb. 2) featuring many cool clips

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 2.



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



Thanks for watching, and see you next week!

Catholic Central uses big second quarter in win against rival South Christian Friday

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, ,
South Christian’s Jake Vermaas drives the lane against the Catholic Central defense. Vermaas scored 13 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


It was round two of the annual rivalry between the South Christian and Grand Rapids Catholic Central boys basketball teams and the second quarter proved to be the difference as the host Cougars downed South 58-46 Friday to take the upper hand in the OK Gold.

Up 14-13 heading into the second quarter, Catholic Central played a near flawless quarter and built a 33-16 halftime advantage as it gained a two-game lead over the Sailors in the conference standings.

The host Cougars outscored South 19-3 during the second quarter, limiting the Sailors to a single three-point bucket by Sam Weiss. Catholic Central was dialed in from three-point range during the second quarter, scoring 12 of their 19 points from beyond the three-point arc. Senior all-stater Durral Brooks, who committed to the University of Michigan, led the way during the second quarter with eight of his game-high 30 points. Brieland Watkins also scored all six of his points during the quarter as he drained a pair of three-point shots.

“It was a super-intense atmosphere at the start,” said Catholic Central Coach TJ Meerman. “South Christian is an incredible team and we knew we would get their best shot. They jumped on us early, but our guys answered and battled back. I’m just really proud of our guys.”

Sailors quickly up 8-1

South Christian started the game in a big way, jumping out to a quick 8-1 lead. The Sailors controlled the boards early and kept the crowd out of the game. Catholic, however, weathered the storm and by the end of the first quarter took a 14-13 lead.

“We got out to a good start and we looked locked in,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson, “then we started to miss some shots. They played faster, harder and with more confidence. We kept battling in the second half and got back in the game, but at the end of the game the better team won.”

Cougars up 33-16 at the half

Leading 33-16 going into the second half, Catholic Central began to milk the clock at times and shorten the game. The Cougars led 41-25 at the end of the third quarter.

South Christian continued to chip away at the deficit and early in the fourth quarter cut the margin to a dozen when Carson Vis connected on a three-point shot. The Sailors cut the mark to as close as 10 points when Vis scored a bucket with 2:07 remaining in the game, but that was as close as they would get.

Cougars’ Brooks led with 30 points, nine boards

Brooks, who led all scorers with 30 points, scored 16 of those points in the final quarter. Brooks also hauled down nine rebounds.

Catholic Central sophomore Jordan McCoy added 16 points, while Jack Bowen pulled down nine rebounds.

Catholic Central enjoyed a solid shooting night as they connected on six-of-19 three-point shots, were 50% on two-point shots and 78% from the free-throw line.

Carson Vis led Sailors with 14 points

South Christian was paced in scoring by Vis with 14 points and Jake Vermaas, 13. Davis Kemper added seven points, Sam Weiss, six.

“We are disappointed, but we will learn from this,” Johnson said. “We will grow from this. They tried to take Carson away, but he did hit some shots and crashed the boards and we did some good things out there.”


South Christian’s David Kemper puts up a shot during Friday’s game at Catholic Central. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



With the win, Catholic Central improved to 10-3 overall and 8-0 in the conference.

“I think in a game where two opponents know each other so well it comes down to togetherness, hustle and heart,” Johnson said. “We got after it in the second half, but it was just not enough. It was too little, too late.”

South Christian fell to 11-5 overall and 6-2 in the conference. The Sailors return to action Tuesday when they travel to Forest Hills Eastern and then return home on Friday when they host Cedar Springs.  

Tri-unity loses 62-61 heartbreaker to Schoolcraft on last-second tip-in

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Joey Mellon (24) had a career night with 19 points, including a tip-in to give the Defenders a late lead. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)



By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor



Tri-unity and Schoolcraft rekindled their rivalry from a year ago in a game that saw 13 lead changes and ended with a buzzer-beater tip-in by Schoolcraft, securing a 62-61 victory on Tuesday night’s WKTV Truck game.

“We knew it was going to be down to the wire,” said veteran Coach Mark Keeler, whose team moves to 10-3 on the season. “It was last year when we beat them at their place. Nobody got a huge lead. It was quite the game.”

The first quarter ended at 10-apiece as Tri-unity junior guard Keaton Blanker scored seven. Blanker finished the game with 16 points, including four three-pointers, and 10 assists.

“Keaton was amazing; I’d say that was a pretty good game from a point guard,” Keeler said.



Keaton Blanker scored seven of his 16 points in the first quarter. (Courtesy, Becky Rillema)



Defenders up 30-25 at halftime

The first half saw seven lead changes; Tri-unity led 30-25 at the end of 16 minutes.

Schoolcraft controlled the third quarter, outscoring the Defenders 20-10. Eagles senior guard Shane Rykse scored 11 of their third quarter points and ended with a game-high 28 points.

“I was happy we held him to that,” Keeler exclaimed. “He’s unbelievable. He was last year as well.”

Junior forward Tucker Walther added 15 points and two blocks for Schoolcraft.

“We knew those two guys would carry the load, and they did,” Keeler said.

Joey Mellon led Defenders with 19 points

Tri-unity junior big man Joey Mellon had a career night as he tallied 19 points, including a tip-in to give the Defenders a late lead.


“They had us outsized,” Keeler explained. “We were one big man short, Akais (Giplaye) was out with an ankle injury. We knew Joey had to step up, and he did. He’s only a junior, so I’m excited for him.”

Tri-Unity senior leader Jordan VanKlompenberg was held to just nine points as Schoolcraft focused their defense on him.

“They were really keying on Jordan; we thought it would be a lower-scoring game.”

Tri-unity led by one with 10.8 seconds left

The Defenders took a one-point lead with 10.8 seconds left on the clock. Tri-unity had two fouls to give and, in the process, ate up a valuable six seconds.

With 4.4 seconds remaining, the Eagles in-bounded the ball to a double-covered Rykse, who put it up toward the basket, where it was caught and tipped in by senior Jaden VanderWiere as time expired.

“You have to give it to Schoolcraft; they didn’t back down, we didn’t back down, and it was a war to the end,” Keeler said.

The Defenders (10-3 overall) play Lee (7-4) Friday night. The Legends won last year’s game 62-59.

“We need to contain (Marc) Whitfield, he will get his points, but we don’t want him to score layups. We want to make him work for it,” Keeler said.

Kentwood Valentine’s Dash 5K set for Saturday, Feb. 10

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



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The City of Kentwood will host its seventh annual Valentine’s Dash 5K at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 to benefit Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, which provides food and personal care items to community members in need.

The 5K route will include a combination of trails and paved pathways starting and ending at Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

Participants are encouraged to wear Valentine’s Day-themed costumes. While intended to be a fun run, the race will be chip timed and awards will be given for the fastest runner overall and in each age group.

An awards ceremony will follow in the library’s community room around noon and include light refreshments and a Valentine-themed photo booth.



(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



“Our Valentine’s Dash has been a community favorite for the past seven years,” said Shelby Henshaw, Kentwood recreation program coordinator. “This race brings together friends, loved ones and neighbors of all running and walking levels for an afternoon of winter fun.”

Online registration is available until Feb. 9 and includes a long-sleeved shirt and other participant-packet goodies while supplies last. Registration is $35 until Feb. 9 and $40 on the day of the event. Runners who sign up as a couple save $5 each.



(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Participants who bring a nonperishable item or monetary donation for Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry will be entered to win a free race entry.

Kentwood’s first Little Free Pantry opened to the community in 2017 at the Kentwood Activities Center, where it remains available year-round during business hours. The City launched a second pantry at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch in 2021. More information, including a list of suggested donations, is available at kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry.

There also are volunteer opportunities available for this event. Volunteers will help with racer check-in and registration, keep traffic off the race route and hand out water to participants during the event.

For more event information, visit kentwood.us/ValentinesDash.

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (Jan. 26) featuring many cool local basketball clips

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



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Jan. 23-26.



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



Thanks for watching, and see you next week!

Wyoming girls fall just short in battle of conference unbeatens

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan,
Wyoming’s La’Anna Griffin steps to the stripe. She had a team-high 11 rebounds. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)



By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor

First place in the OK Green was on the line in front of an electric crowd Friday night as Wyoming hosted the Muskegon Big Reds. Both teams were undefeated in the conference coming into the game.  

The Big Reds edged Wyoming in a 32-31 slugfest to take the top spot in the middle stage of the season.

The battle between the top two teams in the conference had a wild ending, including two technical fouls by Muskegon to allow Wyoming to set up a would-be game winner. 

“I’ve never been a part of an ending like that; very crazy,” said second-year Wyoming Coach Jesse Vasquez. 


Wyoming sophomore Tamia Gayles looks for an opening. (WKTV/Ty Marzean)



The first quarter ended at a 5-5 deadlock, with all of Wyoming’s points scored by sophomore guard Tamia Gayles, who finished with a team-high seven points.

Muskegon missed multiple three-point shots in the second quarter, which Wyoming senior forward La’Anna Griffin was able to gobble up off the board en route to an 11-rebound game. Griffin also added two points with 30 seconds left in the quarter to make it a 10-8 game.

Big Reds up 13-8 at halftime

Muskegon sophomore guard Mariah Sain hit a dagger from beyond the arc with one second left to make the halftime score 13-8 in favor of the Big Reds. Sain finished with a game-high 17 points.

Muskegon kept the defensive pressure on the Wolves, allowing only eight points in the third quarter, four of which came from late Wyoming free throws by Shakya Anderson and Myah Nabors to cut it to seven. Both Nabors and Anderson finished with five points.

Wolves grab 32 boards

“We have a deep bench,” said Vasquez, whose team collected 32 rebounds. “We look to stay fresh with the pressure defense we like to show.”

Sain and Nabors exchanged three-point buckets to start an exciting final frame.

Big Reds led by 10 in the fourth

Muskegon sophomore guard Camiyah Bonner put the Big Reds up by 10 with 4:31 remaining with a three-pointer.

Vasquez called a timeout to regroup his squad and the Wolves responded. The Wyoming defense gave up one point the rest of the way.

“The heart from these young ladies is unbelievable,” Vasquez said. “We didn’t have the best offensive showing, but the fact they never quit and just kept going forward shows you the heart they have.”

Hardiman cuts lead to five

Wolves senior Ta’tyana Hardiman hit a pivotal layup to close the gap to five, and that is when the game got interesting. 

Muskegon committed two technical fouls in the final minute to give Wyoming four free shots. The first set of two attempts went down easy for sophomore Michaela Moore. 

Griffin board and bucket cuts lead to one

With 22.2 seconds remaining, Griffin rebounded a Nabors miss and put it back for the score to cut Muskegon’s lead to one.

On the ensuing inbound came the next set of technical shots hampered with confusion. Muskegon’s Bonner was fouled and committed a technical foul on the same play. Moore attempted the first of two shots and missed, but the officials came together to correct the order, and Muskegon needed to shoot their free throws first, waiving off the Moore miss. Muskegon made one of the two attempts.

Moore then regrouped at the charity stripe to hit one of the two shots that made it 32-31 Muskegon.

Next, the Big Reds botched an inbound pass with 1.3 seconds to set up a final shot for Wyoming.

The Wyoming inbound pass put it in the hands of Gayles, who threw up a prayer that missed and sealed the Muskegon victory. 

“We don’t stop till the end of the game and tonight was the definition of that,” Vasquez explained. “I am beyond proud of how we competed till the end.” 

The Wolves have enjoyed an excellent season this year at 11-3. Last year they finished 12-11.
 

“The work the core group put in this summer and fall … they just keep growing closer together,” Vasquez said. “They are everything this program stands for. They play hard, smart and together. This group of ladies are a team, and they come together each and every day.”

Wyoming welcomes Zeeland West (8-4) and Zeeland East (3-10) their next two games (Feb. 2 and 6) to begin the second half of the OK Green schedule.

East Kentwood girls perched atop OK Red after beating No. 1 Rockford Friday; cruising along at 10-1 overall

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Check out the East Kentwood girls 60-54 win over Rockford last Friday in the WKTV Truck Game.



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

It was a showdown between No. 1 and No. 5 in the state at the East Kentwood fieldhouse Friday and the host Falcons came away with a statement win by turning back Rockford, the top-ranked team in the state in Division 1, 60-54.

In a game that went back and forth almost the entire way, Kentwood, the fifth-ranked team in the state, pulled away at the end to secure the win and improve to 10-1 overall for the season and remain unbeaten atop the rugged OK Red Conference.

“A very big win for us”

“It was a very big win for us,” said East Kentwood coach Eric Large. “I tell everyone that the OK Red is one of the toughest basketball leagues in the state every year.”

Rams were D1 state champs last season

Rockford proved that last year as it won the Division 1 state title while another OK Red team, Hudsonville, won the Division 1 state title three years ago giving OK Red teams two out of the last three Division 1 championships.

The key for the Falcons in the win against Rockford was playing with a high level of intensity the entire game.

“The key for us was our intensity,” Large said. “We were tenacious on the defensive end of the floor. Rockford is so skilled and shoots the ball so well, we had to make sure that we contested every shot.”

The game flowed back and forth throughout with Rockford up by two points at the end of the first quarter and East Kentwood up by two points at halftime.

Rockford regained the lead in the second half and the game remained tight during the fourth quarter. East Kentwood was up by four late in the game before Rockford hit a three-point shot to cut the margin to one. East Kentwood then countered with a three-point shot by Harmonie Belton to regain the four-point cushion and then closed the game out by converting their free throws at the foul line.

“It was a back-and-forth game,” Large said. “It was a typical East Kentwood-Rockford game. It was like a heavyweight fight and it came down to who could withstand the other team’s big blow.”

Harmonie Belton led with 18 points (4 threes)

Belton led the way for the Falcon offense with 18 points, including four three-point shots. Makayla Porter added 17 points. Santana Eubanks led the Falcons in rebounds with seven, while Kanyla Tyler led with six assists.


East Kentwood’s Makayla Porter (21) scored 17 points in the win over Rockford. (Courtesy, Cristian Salas-Salinas)



The win was the 10th of the season in 11 games for the Falcons who are also 4-0 and in first place in the conference.

“We want to play teams that prepare us for March”

“We started the season by playing some of the best teams in the state,” Large said. “Our non-conference schedule was very tough. We want to play teams that prepare us for March and the state tournament. We know our conference schedule is very tough and we wanted to make our non-conference schedule as tough as it can be.”

Among the teams East Kentwood defeated in non-conference play were Byron Center and Lowell, who are both state-ranked in Division 1 and Grand Rapids Catholic Central who is state-ranked in Division 2.

 

The Falcons have a veteran team this season that features plenty of all-around talent and skill.

“A very speedy and athletic team”

“We play with a lot of grit,” Large said. “We’re also a very speedy and athletic team. We’re not that tall, but we play with a lot of intensity. I describe us as a team full of guards.”

Tyler is the Falcons point guard and runs the offense. Porter leads the team in scoring at 17 points per game. Belton is not only a solid outside shooter, but also is the best on-ball defender. Eubanks leads the team in rebounding.

“Eubanks a Dennis Rodman on the boards”

“Eubanks is like a Dennis Rodman on the boards,” Large said. “She is only 5-foot-6, but she does a phenomenal job of rebounding. She had 20 rebounds in our win against Muskegon and had another game with 18 rebounds.”   

The Falcons also have a deep team. Along with the veteran core of Belton, Porter, Eubanks and Tyler, the Falcons have several more players who are playing key roles.

Wozniak had 5 treys earlier against West Ottawa

“Sophia Wozniak is a phenomenal shooter,” Large said. “She hit five three-pointers in our win against West Ottawa. We also have two juniors who are doing really well. Landen Smith is a do it all type of player. She can rebound, shoot and defend. Jaslynn Ward is a great shooter as well.”

East Kentwood returns to action with a pair of OK Red Conference games this week. The Falcons host Caledonia on Tuesday and travel to state-ranked Grand Haven on Friday.

“We want to continue to play with a lot of energy and stay focused,” Large said. “We want to continue to improve throughout the season.”    

Kentwood Parks and Rec offers new winter recreation opportunities

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Recreation, Sports, West Michigan, ,



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



Now that West Michigan has plunged headfirst into winter weather, the City of Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation Department is offering community members an opportunity to embrace the season and get active outdoors.  


Each weekend as weather permits, the Kentwood Parks and Rec team will offer snowshoe rentals at Covenant Park, 3724 Shaffer Ave SE. Rentals run 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and include snowshoes and poles for $5 per person. A five-rental punch pass is available for $20. Community members also are welcome to bring their own snowshoes and poles for free. 

Covenant Park offers groomed trails that are perfect for both first-time and experienced snowshoers to explore. The 1-mile loop trail designated specifically for snowshoeing, cross country skiing, walking and running winds community members through the middle of the park, offering spectacular views of the winter wonderland that has enveloped our part of the state.  

For residents who aren’t interested in strapping on snowshoes, there also is a dedicated 2-mile path for fat tire biking that takes bicyclists around the perimeter of the park, providing an equally stunning winter landscape. Community members need to bring their own bikes.  

(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)