Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, February 10!
Every Friday, we’ll bring you some great high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.
Get an early glimpse of our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show with these exciting clips and interviews from our Tuesday Game of the Week: Mona Shores at Wyoming Boys. The Wolves beat visiting Mona Shores 71-58.
Be sure to watch the complete FNH show on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25 and ATT U-verse Channel 99.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety is investigating two separate crashes involving pedestrians and vehicles.
At approximately 6:52 a.m. on February 9, officers and firefighters responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a semi-truck at 28th Street and South Division Avenue. The semi was turning from northbound Division Avenue to westbound 28th Street when it struck a 55-year-old male Wyoming resident who was crossing 28th Street at the intersection.
The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital for significant injuries. He was last known to be in serious condition.
At approximately 7:24 a.m., officers and firefighters responded to a report of a pedestrian struck near Chicago Drive and Nagel Avenue Southwest.
A 32-year-old female resident of Wyoming was crossing Chicago Drive when she was struck by a vehicle traveling westbound. The pedestrian was then struck by another vehicle traveling eastbound. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The name of the pedestrian is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin. Wyoming accident investigators are currently investigating both crash scenes and the circumstances of the crashes.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345; 1-866-774-2345; or https://www.silentobserver.org.
After a 73-51 win over Ottawa Hills Tuesday, South Christian boys Coach Taylor Johnson was happy with how his Sailors handled the pressure.
“It was a great matchup with a team that can give you a lot of problems with their style of play,” said Johnson, whose Sailors improved to 13-3 overall, 8-1 (second place) in the OK Gold. “It took time, but once we got settled in I liked how we played together and passed through the pressure.
“It was an important game for us and we knew it would not be easy. Coach King does a nice job and we had to keep fighting. We made a big push late into the third quarter that really helped us pull away in the fourth.”
Jake DeHaan scored 17 points for the Sailors. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)
Sam Medendorp led the Sailors with 20 points, while Jake DeHaan added 17.
“Sam was so important for us and played great,” Johnson said. “His defensive presence is unlike anyone else in the league; he impacts the game on both sides of the ball. He showed off his athleticism last night with over five blocks and four dunks. It was fun to watch.
“DeHaan just continues to flourish of lately, finding his rhythm being able to hit the three and drive it to two feet and find ways to create angles and score. He also had some huge off rebounds for us that sparked important second chance points.”
Ottawa Hills fell to 10-7 overall, 6-3 in the Gold.
With an 81-47 win over Saranac Tuesday, the Lee boys basketball team kept a near-perfect season moving along.
The Legends improved to 13-1 overall, their only loss coming on January 16 by one point to Charlotte (45-44). Quite a turnaround from last season, where they finished 5-16 overall, 2-6 in the Alliance.
“Overall, our team played great versus Saranac,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “Energy was appropriate, effort was strong and we have improved each game since taking our only loss of the season.
“Clarence Lewis really set the tone early in the game defensively, and by the end of the game, tied the steals record with seven steals, which was set a few weeks ago by our freshman point guard Jr. Metcalf.”
Junior guard Marc Whitfield led Lee with 20 points and 10 assists, followed by Joe Russau with 19 points.
“Marc is very elusive in the open court and great at finding his teammates,” Shannon explained. “He’s our best playmaker on the team. Marc has been close a couple times to 10 assists, but last night notched his first double-double of the season in a team win over Saranac, which I was the varsity head coach at for two years.”
Lee huddles during a win over Potter’s House Christian last Friday. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
Shannon said his team’s defense has been the anchor.
“Our wing/front court players, Ny’Zhem Marshall, Joe Russau and Keontae Taylor, have really been a huge disruption in the paint by altering shots and starting the break,” Shannon said. “We’re dangerous once we get out and run the court. As we head into March, as coaches we want to keep practice competitive and energetic.
“With the season stretching across a few months, it can be tough at times to keep energy and effort high, but I think our staff has managed to do a great job of keeping the boys engaged.”
Sitting atop the Alliance League at 3-0, Shannon talked about his team’s opportunities.
“We are in control of our destiny with a huge conference game this Friday at home versus Tri-unity Christian,” Shannon said. “Our goals are set high for this team, but our immediate goal is to win the Alliance crown, and it must be done defensively.”
Jakhary Towns led the Wolverines with 23 points. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
Godwin Heights came out of the gate fast during Tuesday’s OK Silver showdown against NorthPointe Christian, but it was the visiting Mustangs that came away with a 69-67 win in a game that came down to the final seconds.
“You have to give the credit to NorthPointe,” said Godwin Heights Coach Tyler Whittemore. “They are a well-coached team and their kids played hard. They made some key shots and battled the entire game.”
Godwin Heights grabbed the early advantage in the game thanks to some outstanding defense and shot making on the offensive side of the floor. Godwin built a double-digit lead by the middle of the first quarter. The Wolverines were up 18-8 before NorthPointe Christian cut the margin in half by the end of the opening quarter.
The Wolverines kept control of the lead in the early going of the second quarter with a three-point shot by Jaylen Martin putting the Wolverines up 26-19 with 4:34 remaining in the half.
All tied up at the half
NorthPointe Christian, however, would not back down and a six-point Mustang run trimmed Godwin’s lead to a single point. By halftime, NorthPointe caught the Wolverines and the two teams went into the locker rooms tied at 34-34.
“We have a team full of seniors,” said NorthPointe Christian Coach Justin Yoder. “We start four seniors so we have a lot of experience. I told the guys no matter if we are up by 10 or down by 10, we have to stay the course. We have to execute on offense and play good defense.”
From halftime on, the game became a back-and-forth struggle, with neither team able to get more than a four-point lead in the third quarter or a five-point advantage in the fourth.
NorthPointe led 51-50 at the end of the third quarter before Godwin Heights surged ahead in the early minutes of the fourth. NPC led 65-63 with a minute remaining in the game when the Mustangs received a big play from Deangelo Person. He drove to the basket and scored and was also fouled on the play. Person added the free throw putting NorthPointe up 68-63.
Jamarion Collins trey tightens it up at the end
Godwin replied with a final run of its own. After a free throw by Jamarion Collins, the Wolverine defense came up with a stop and on the next possession Collins drained a three-point shot cutting the margin to 68-67 with 15 seconds remaining.
With eight seconds left in the game, NorthPointe’s Mitchell White split a pair of free throws that put the Mustangs up 69-67. Godwin had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds, but a pair of missed free throws and a missed putback at the buzzer enabled NorthPointe to come away with the win.
“We had a shot at the end and that is all you can ask for,” Whittemore said. “They (NorthPointe) made the shots. That’s a really good team and we’ve battled back and forth with them all year.”
Godwin gets earlier win
Godwin Heights defeated NPC 84-72 when the two teams previously met January 10 at NorthPointe.
“Godwin is a really good team,” Yoder said. “We changed up our defense this time. We went to a 3-2 zone the whole game and tried to mix it up. It was a game of runs and I’m super-proud of my boys. This was a big win for us.”
Jakhary Towns scores 23
Jakhary Towns led Godwin with 23 points, followed by Collins and Damarie Thompson, 10 apiece and Marco Rodriguez, nine.
NorthPointe was led by Kayden Bird with 27 points and Person, 17.
With the loss, Godwin Heights fell to 10-4 overall and 6-3 in the league. The Wolverines return to action Friday when they host Calvin Christian and then host Belding next Tuesday.
(LEE: Marc Whitfield, 20 points, 10 assists; Joe Russau, 19 points)
Tri-unity Christian 71, Ravenna 39
(TU: Jordan VanKlompenberg and Keaton Blanker, 14 points apiece. Blanker also had 5 assists and 4 steals; Trey Rillema and Akais Giplaye, 6 rebounds each)
Isabelle Baez had a team-high 16 points for Potter’s House Christian Friday. (Courtesy, Jake Szetela: Riparea Videography)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The Potter’s House girls basketball team was hitting on all cylinders on offense as it defeated Lee 60-13 in an Alliance League game Friday.
The Pumas took a 14-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and upped the advantage to 35-6 at halftime. They continued to put points on the board in the second half, building a 50-9 lead to end the third.
Isabelle Baez led the way for Potter’s House with 16 points, while Anyieth Nhial scored 10. The Puma’s improved to 12-4 overall, 4-0 in the Alliance League, while Lee fell to 2-14, 1-2.
Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, February 3!
Every Friday, we’ll bring you some great high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.
Coming soon, we’ll have coaches and players stop by our studio after their games to chat on the show.
Lee huddles during a win over Potter’s House Christian Friday. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
The calendar may have said it was the first Friday in February, but the action inside the gym at Potter’s House felt totally like March.
In a game that was played in a state tournament-like atmosphere and in front of a packed crowd, the Lee Legends boys team held on to edge Potter’s House Christian 56-53.
Lee led the game from start to finish, but the victory was a hard-earned one as the Legends needed to withstand a spirited comeback by Potter’s House during the fourth quarter.
“I’m very, very proud with the way we faced adversity today,” Lee Coach Dominic Shannon said. “You have to take your hats off to Potter’s House. They played a great game, but I’m so proud of the way our guys responded to the adversity and playing on the road in a tough gym like they did.”
Lee seemed to have control of the game early in the fourth quarter as the Legends led 41-32 with six minutes remaining in the game. That lead, however, was anything but safe as the Pumas fed off the energy of their home crowd and battled back during the final six minutes of the game. Lee also lost senior Keontae Taylor midway through the final quarter when he fouled out with the Legends holding a seven-point lead.
Potter’s House cut the lead to 49-48 with 1:21 remaining in the game. That was when Silas Ondersma came up with a steal that led to a bucket by Aaron Leedy making the contest a one-point game. That bucket also capped a six-point Puma run.
Lee, however, refused to surrender the lead. A free throw by Marc Whitfield with 1:16 remaining and a subsequent offensive rebound and putback by Joe Russau built Lee’s lead back to four points.
After a free throw by Ezequiel Araujo drew Potter’s House to 52-49, Ny’Zhem Marshall scored with 43 seconds remaining to put Lee up 54-49. Lee was not in the clear, however, as Quincy Winkle drained a trey with 36 seconds left cutting the lead to 54-52.
After Lee missed a pair of free throws, Potter’s House drew to within one point when Araujo split a pair of free throws with 23 seconds remaining.
Right down to the wire
Lee upped the lead to 56-53 when Whitfield connected on a pair of free throws and then a steal by Lee’s Clarence Lewis with three seconds remaining sealed the win.
Lee sophomore Troy Fox came off the bench to help the Legends win. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
“We lost a key player when Keontae fouled out,” Shannon said, “but like the old saying goes, `next man up’. Troy Fox, a sophomore, came off the bench and he really came through for us. It was a great team effort with everyone contributing.”
Lee knew they were facing a difficult road test and in the early minutes of the game the Legends did what they could to take the crowd out of the game. Lee scored the first nine points of the game and held Potter’s House scoreless until the 4:05 mark of the first quarter.
“Our plan was to get out to an early lead and take the crowd out of the game,” Shannon said. “Getting that early lead helped to settle our nerves and give us some confidence.”
Lee led 17-8 at the end of the first quarter and took a 26-20 lead into halftime. The Legends continued to keep that working margin in the second half as they led 36-29 at the end of the third quarter.
Despite trailing the entire game, Potter’s House never felt out of the contest and gave the Legends all they could handle.
Fell behind early
“We fell down into a hole early,” Potter’s House Coach Kevin Kuipers said. “I think we had a little too much adrenaline early and we missed some shots. The last month or so we’ve been playing pretty good. We’ve focused on staying together and never quitting. Never giving up.
“I liked the way we kept battling back tonight. I’m proud of the ways these guys played. We still had a chance at the end and that is all you can ask for.”
The Pumas getting ready to defend Lee. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)
With the win, Lee improved to 12-1 overall and 3-0 in the Alliance League. The Legends, whose only defeat this season was a 45-44 loss to Charlotte, return to action Tuesday at Saranac and then host Tri-unity on Friday.
Whitfield led Lee in scoring with 16 points, followed by Lewis with 13. Marshall added nine points, while Russau had eight.
Potter’s House fell to 6-8 overall and 2-2 in the conference. The Pumas return to action Tuesday when they host Wellspring Prep and then travel to Covenant Christian next Friday.
Winkle led the Pumas with 21 points and Leedy added 12.
The Potter’s House Christian girls basketball team won its seventh game in a row with a 52-14 win over Muskegon Orchard View Tuesday.
Coach Jake Hoogstrate said after a slow start to the game, his team got it rolling in the second quarter and “really turned it on in the third.”
“We wanted to pressure aggressively defensively and that finally started to turn into offense as the game went on,” Hoogstrate explained. “We had a season-high 16 assists in the game and really shared the ball well. Ten players scored in the game, also a season high.”
Isabelle Baez led the Pumas in scoring, in limited minutes, with 10 points and Anyieth Nhial added eight points, seven rebounds and three assists. Jordan Clark scored 6 points in her varsity debut, while Serenity Clark and Ivy Andreas each added five points.
The Pumas are now 11-4 overall, 2-0 in the Alliance League.
“This group has been an absolute joy to coach,” Hoogstrate said. “We started the season with a challenging schedule and really learned a lot about who we were and what we were capable of. This team enjoys being around one another and isn’t afraid of a challenge.
“We brought a lot of players back from last year and have some great upperclassmen leading the team. They have bought in and established a great culture for our program. We have a lot of great opportunities ahead of us and we look forward to making the most of them the rest of the way.”
Wyoming senior Aaliyah Ratliff poured in a season-best 30 points to help lead the way for the Wyoming girls basketball team as they overcame a slow start to defeat Zeeland East 55-33.
After falling behind 12-2 to start the game, Wyoming went on a 12-0 run to end the first quarter and get back in the game.
“It was a big win for us coming off two tough losses to Muskegon and Zeeland West,” Wyoming Coach Jesse Vasquez said. “To bounce back against a good Zeeland East team gives us a real shot of momentum going into next week.”
The sizzling shooting from Ratliff also provided a big boost of momentum during Friday’s game. Ratliff connected on five three-point shots in a row during a span in the third and fourth quarter that turned the game around.
“She had a couple of 20-point games this season,” Vasquez said. “She averages about 13 points per game, but she shows in practice every day that she has the ability to make tough shots. She got in a rhythm in the third quarter where everything was falling.”
The Wyoming offense also received a boost from Maddie Longoria, who finished with 10 points for the game including a pair of three-point shots.
With the win, Wyoming improved to 8-7 overall, 3-4 in the conference.
“I thought our girls did a real good job of responding to adversity,” Vasquez said. “The girls did a really good job of staying together and staying the course and ended up pulling it out.”
Tory Richardson, president and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, with Dataspeed’s Autonomous Service Vehicle. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, together with Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Seamless Ventures, Southwest Airlines®, Stantec GenerationAV and the West Michigan Aviation Academy, has announced the third round of companies that will receive a total of $171,000 in grant funding through the Ford Launchpad for Innovative Technologies and Entrepreneurship (FLITE).
One of the first airport-based initiatives in the nation, FLITE provides funding to encourage the design, development and pilot testing of new products and services in a live airport environment. FLITE has completed two rounds of funding and will launch a third round in spring 2023. The five companies that will receive grant funding through this next round include:
Cyberworks Robotics: Retrofitting autonomous navigation technology for OEM products.
Deaf AI: Training machines with artificial intelligence to use sign language to improve the experience of communicating with those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Renu Robotics: Revolutionizing the way aviation facilities conduct vegetation management with autonomous lawnmowers.
Solartonic: Enhancing security resilience with autonomous smart solar-powered lighting and camera systems with reduced operating costs.
UV Angel: Using first-of-its-kind software to reduce bacteria, viruses and molds on frequently touched surfaces and in the air.
“After the successful completion of two rounds of funding, FLITE has proven to be a key asset to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and the state of Michigan’s local entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Tory Richardson, president and CEO of the Ford International Airport Authority. “It has become a leading platform in transforming the aviation industry through the introduction of new technologies that advance our ability to provide a world-class experience to all passengers and guests.”
West Michigan Aviation Academy
A new partnership for FLITE includes the West Michigan Aviation Academy, a tuition-free public charter high school that provides a unique educational opportunity for students to focus on high-growth employment fields in the aviation industry during their high school education.
“The West Michigan Aviation Academy was very excited about the possibility to bring real-world innovation to the classroom with the partnership with FLITE,” said George Pavey, dean of aviation for West Michigan Aviation Academy. “Many of these cutting-edge projects connected with the FLITE program have provided countless opportunities for our students to experience learning beyond the academic setting. To see and experience the future of aviation and engineering further enhances our ability to develop the next generation of industry professionals.”
As Michigan’s lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with a focus on growing the local economy, MEDC provided grant funding to FLITE through the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME).
“For Michigan, innovation is in our DNA. With the announcement of FLITE’s round three of funding, we are positioning the state to be a global leader in high-tech and multi-modal mobility innovation,” said Charlie Tyson, technology activation director with OFME. “Programs like FLITE at the Ford International Airport not only support Michigan-based entrepreneurs, but also global tech companies as they seek to grow here in Michigan.”
Cyberworks Robotics
Based in Ontario, Canada, Cyberworks Robotics is a global leading provider of specialized autonomous self-driving systems for airport wheelchairs, autonomous industrial carpet cleaners, autonomous floor scrubbers and autonomous tow-tuggers. Specifically designed for airport operations, its technology is designed to operate in crowded large-scale environments to safely mitigate labor shortages and reduce operating costs.
WHILL’s autonomous wheelchair showcased at FLITE’s round one Demo Day event. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)
“Being based out of Canada, FLITE provides access to test and grow in the U.S. market,” said Vivek Burhanpurkar, CEO of Cyberworks Robotics. “We’re excited about the opportunity to connect with the FLITE partners and advisory committee as resources for our technology and business development.”
Deaf AI
Based in Toronto, Canada, Deaf AI is an artificial intelligence venture that focuses on improving communication for those who use American Sign Language due to hard of hearing or hearing loss. Its technology converts flight and boarding announcements into sign language at airport terminals.
“Throughout my communications with different airport authorities, a few of them referred us to the FLITE program as a starting point after noticing that Deaf AI is an early-stage venture,” said Mehdi Masoumi, founder and CEO of Deaf AI. “The aviation industry has a significant gap in pilot studies and soft landings for innovation, making it difficult for early-stage startups to present their innovations to airport authorities. FLITE singularly built a bridge to address this gap by providing resources for early-stage startups.
“For Deaf AI, FLITE is a window of opportunity to test its innovation and reach out to other airports, including airports on the advisory boards of the FLITE program.”
Renu Robotics
Based in San Antonio, Texas, Renu Robotics the industry leader in autonomous vegetation management systems, was part of FLITE’s second cohort and will be returning for round three to conduct additional pilot testing of their product.
Renu Robotics’ autonomous lawn mower at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)
“Round three allows us to further explore the Renubot’s mowing capabilities in areas of the airport where larger mowers cannot easily access, as well as a cost-savings comparison,” said Tim Matus, CEO of Renu Robotics. “We’re also continuing to look into FAA requirements for operating on airport grounds and how those regulations are applicable.”
Solartonic
Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Solartonic provides off-grid solar-powered smart poles that are safe, resilient and sustainable. Their smart solahub™ platform integrates cloud-controlled devices with framework products for LED lights, CCTV cameras, Wi-Fi networks, IoT sensors and digital signage through remote monitoring and control.
“We are excited to participate in FLITE with the Ford International Airport,” said Harry Giles, co-founder and CEO of Solartonic. “FLITE provides the ideal opportunity for us to demonstrate the value of our solutions to enhance airport perimeter security, passenger experience and airport operations. In partnership with Jacobsen|Daniels, we intend to apply this to airports across the country.”
UV Angel
Based in Grand Haven, Michigan, UV Angel is a leading disinfection technology company that uses UV Light technology, advanced optical engineering and a first-of-its-kind digital software platform, to disinfect surfaces by neutralizing bacteria, viruses and molds.
“We look forward to placing our UV Angel Clean Air™ Technology in the Ford International Airport,” said Tom Byrne, CEO of UV Angel. “The aviation industry has a critical need to protect personnel and travelers, and the FLITE program will provide invaluable insight and feedback to further our mission to make indoor spaces cleaner, safer and healthier for everyone.”
The Ford International Airport has identified six core focus areas for new technology advancements through FLITE:
Automation and Analytics: Improving operational efficiency and optimization of the workforce and other resources through automation and analysis of data.
Safety and Security: Strengthening passenger and worker safety and security throughout the airport campus.
Enhanced Guest Experience: Improving the pre-boarding experience.
Sustainability: Switching fossil fuel vehicles and infrastructure to electric and other decarbonization projects.
Door-to-Door Experience: Improving the experience and efficiency of getting to and from the airport.
Advancing Aviation: Exploring the enabling infrastructure and implications of emerging commercial aviation use cases.
South Christian Coach Kim Legge summed up her team’s 65-64 OT victory over Grand Rapids Catholic Central Tuesday with three words.
“What a game.”
Down by two points in regulation with five seconds remaining, South Christian’s Lily Nitz sank two free throws to tie the game at 56 apiece.
The Cougars, however, weren’t quite ready for overtime.
After the free throws, they inbounded the ball and took it downcourt for a chance to win. Catholic Central made a layup at the buzzer, but it was called off sending the game into overtime.
Off to overtime
“In overtime, both teams went back and forth with scoring,” explained Legge. “With 1:30 on the clock it was once again all tied up at 62. We hit 4-of-8 field goals and they had 2 out of 5, but also had 3-for-6 on free throws.
“We always have a lot of respect for Catholic Central. Going into the game we knew we would have to put together four solid quarters in order to compete. We have been learning from each game we play and seem to build on those experiences. Our team has talked a lot about consistency and composure in the past few weeks and the team really leaned into that last night.”
Legge talked about Catholic Central’s inside/outside game.
“Grace McKinney and Emily VanTimmeren are both extremely talented and have great moves in the paint,” Legge said. “They also have kids that can shoot the ball so we worked a lot on our closeouts in order to be ready for their shooters.”
VanTimmerman led the Cougars with 20 points.
Ashley Raredon had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Sailors. (Courtesy, South Christian)
“We are a team that also has an inside and outside game with Ashley Raredon inside and shooters like Ashley Thomasma and Lizzie Wolthuis to name a few.,” Legge explained. “We shot extremely well in the first quarter connecting on 4-of-5 3-pointers.”
Thomasma led South Christian with 20 points, including six 3-pointers. Her biggest trey of the night came with 1:13 left in overtime from the corner on an assist from Raredon to give the Sailors a three-point lead.
Raredon had 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Sophia Prins added 13 points and six boards.
(TU: Owen Rosendall, Roy Fogg, 12 points apiece; Akais Giplaye, 11 points, 7 rebounds; Keaton Blanker, 11 points, including the last 4 free throws to clinch the game)
Potter’s House Christian 73, West Michigan Aviation 57
Take a look at our latest edition of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, January 20!
Every Friday, we’ll bring you an abundance of great local high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, as well as highlighting some top performers and giving a snapshot of the latest conference standings.
Coming soon, we’ll have coaches and players stop by our studio after their games to chat on the show.
One little run proved to be the difference when long-time rivals Covenant Christian and Tri-unity Christian hooked up in a non-league contest on the Defenders home court Friday.
That mini-run came at the end of the third quarter and into the fourth, and was the difference as Covenant Christian edged Tri-unity 46-35.
“Whenever Covenant Christian and Tri-unity play we always seem to have good games,” Tri-unity Coach Mark Keeler said. “It was a close game all the way, but they built a 10-point lead at the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter and that was all it took. It was back and forth the rest of the way.”
Points were in short supply in the early going as both teams came out and played lock-down defense. Covenant Christian led by a bucket, 8-6, at the end of the first quarter. Even less points were put on the scoreboard in the second quarter. Tri-unity outscored Covenant 5-3 during that quarter and the game was tied at 11 at halftime.
“It was a war out there,” Keeler said. “It’s not like we didn’t shoot the ball. When you play against such great defense the shots just don’t fall. There was a lot of great intensity out there especially on defense.”
The shots began to fall a little more frequently in the second half. Covenant outscored Tri-unity 17-13 in the third quarter and led 28-24 at the end of three. Covenant Christian built the lead to 10 early in the final quarter and finished the final stanza outscoring the Defenders 18-11.
A learning experience
“It was a great game and a game we can learn from,” Keeler said. “It especially teaches us to be more consistent on defense. If we played defense like we did in the first half all the way through the game we would’ve been right there. Sometimes it’s hard to maintain that intensity and that is something we need to work on.”
Akais Giplaye led Tri-unity in scoring with 11 points, followed by Jordan VanKlompenberg, seven and Owen Rosendall, six. Roy Fogg led Tri-unity with six rebounds, while Giplaye added five.
Roy Fogg led the Defenders with six boards. (Courtesy, Tri-unity)
Covenant Christian, which improved to 7-5 overall, was paced in scoring by Isaac Kuperus with 10 points, Johnny Kuiper, nine and Logan Holstege, Brett Camminga and Ethan Deemter, eight apiece.
With the loss, Tri-unity fell to 8-2 overall. Both losses came against teams substantially larger as the Defenders fell to Division 1 Muskegon Mona Shores at the Cornerstone Tournament over Christmas break, while Covenant Christian is a large Division 3 school.
Tri-unity continues a rugged stretch of games against larger schools next week. The Defenders travel to Schoolcraft Tuesday to play the defending Division 3 state champions and then host Alliance League rival Potter’s House on Friday and Godwin Heights on Jan. 31.
“We have a tough schedule,” Keeler said. “We are just starting a real tough stretch right now. We are 8-2 with 11 more games and six of them are against some really, really tough teams.”
Strong defense
Tri-unity will face that tough slate of games with a defense that has been strong all season. Through 10 games this season the Defenders are allowing 39.2 points per game with only three opponents managing to reach 50 points or more and no team able to score more than 56 points on the Defenders.
“We’ve had some good wins against some good teams this year,” Keeler said. “The guys have been coming along. Our defense in the second half was not as good as it should’ve been. We’ve improved a lot on defense since the beginning of the season and that is what has helped us go a long way in the past.
“Tonight was a great game and a good experience for our young men. Losing can be a very good avenue to teach players how to improve.”
Kennedie Crawford and Abby Rivera-Sosa combined for 31 points to propel Grand River Prep to its first win of the early season.
The Titans knocked off Lee 50-27 to improve to 1-1 in the Alliance League, 1-3 overall, while Lee dropped to 0-2 in the league, 1-9 overall.
“Abby and Kennedie played very well tonight offensively and defensively,” said Grand River Prep Coach Morgan McMullan, who averaged 10 points per game while at NorthPointe Christian a few years ago. “They really stepped up as my point guards tonight. I’m proud of them.”
Crawford, a sophomore who started as a freshman as well, led with 19 points against Lee, including three treys.
Grand River Prep senior Abby Rivera-Sosa. (Courtesy, Grand River Prep)
“She’s a very quiet leader, but she leads and makes sure she gets her teammates open, and makes sure she’s scoring as well,” McMullan said. “She’s an all around great player.
“Her and Abby have led the way this season in points.”
Rivera-Sosa, a senior, added 12 points against Lee.
“I think we definitely turned the corner,” said McMullan, of getting their first win of the season. “It comes down to who really wants to win … and we’re the team that wanted to win more.
“We’ve been practicing two months with barely playing any games. We had four games that were cancelled in the beginning of the season. We feel like we can only go up from here, honestly.”
McMullan also was impressed with the play of her sophomore center Samantha Mendoza, who scored six points.
“We’ve been working with her a lot to get rebounds and put them back up,” McMullan said. “She worked really hard on the boards tonight.
As far as the Alliance League goes, McMullan said she thinks her Titans should compete really well against the other teams.
Wyoming City Council will be interviewing four candidates Monday night to fill a vacant council seat. (WKTV)
The Wyoming City Council will be interviewing four candidates for the open council seat vacated by John Fitzgerald.
In November, Fitzgerald was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, serving primarily the City of Wyoming.
When taking his seat in December, Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood said one of the first jobs the council had was to fill the vacant seat. The person selected to fill the council member-at-large seat would serve out the remainder of the term which ends in 2024.
Starting at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, the council will be interviewing the four candidates. Interviews will last 30 minutes with a 10 minute break/transition period. WKTV will be airing the interviews starting at 3:30 p.m. on Channel 26 with the regular council meeting to follow at 7 p.m.
According to City Clerk Kelli Vandenberg, the city received 19 applicants to fill the vacancy. The Council narrowed those applicants to four candidates. All the candidates have served the city in various capacities.
The candidates are (They are listed in order of interviews.):
3:30 p.m. Andrea Boot was the city’s treasurer. She retired from that position this past summer. She also has served as a city election worker.
4:10 p.m. Gabriella De La Vega is the president of the Mexican Heritage Association of West Michigan . She is a language coordinator for Trinity Health. She has served the city on its Parks and Recreation Commission and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance.
4:40 p.m. Tommy Brann is a longtime business owner of Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille, 4157 Division Ave. S. Brann recently completed serving eight years in the Michigan House of Representatives, he was termed out, and in November, ran for a Michigan senate seat that was won by Senator Winnie Brinks.
5:20 p.m. Robert Kilgo is the assistant to the president of Grace Christian University and serves as a mentor to at-risk students in Wyoming. In November, Kilgo along with Rob Arnoys and Renee Hill ran for two council seats. Arnoys and Hill were elected to the seats.
According to the Council agenda, once the interviews are complete, the council will discuss and then appoint a candidate to the position who will take oath of office that night.
The last time the council had to fill a vacant seat was in 2018 when Bill Ver Hulst resigned from his First Ward seat. Sheldon DeKyrger was appointed to fill the term and then elected to the seat in the fall of 2018. He ran unopposed this past fall for the same seat.
The Wyoming City Council meets the first and third Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. in the council chambers located at Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. For more on the City of Wyoming, visit the city’s website, wyomingmi.gov.
After a four-game winning streak, including a “Battle of Wyoming” championship over the holidays, the Wyoming girls basketball team was cooled off by Mona Shores 58-49 Tuesday.
Coach Jesse Vasquez said every time his Wolves cut into the lead, Mona Shores would build it up again.
“In the fourth quarter, Mona had us by 14 points and we cut it down to seven, but couldn’t get over the hump,” said Vasquez, whose team fell to 6-4 overall. “They would make a big 3 to put it back at 10 points.
“We just couldn’t get in a rhythm. They did a real good job defensively against us, and we couldn’t find a bucket when we needed one.”
Last year, Mona Shores finished atop the OK Green at 12-2 and were 19-4 overall.
Wyoming freshman Myah Nabors led in scoring with eight points.
Vasquez said La’Anna Griffin, Shakya Anderson and Meneliza McGee are “some big pieces for us this year.”
Turning things around
Vasquez said recently winning the Potter’s House holiday tournament, the “Battle of Wyoming,” was a cool experience.
“It was a great atmosphere; really loud and great that our girls found a way at the end to win,” said Vasquez, whose Wolves were 4-17 overall last year and have won two more games at this early point in the season.
“I didn’t come in to a bare cupboard; the cupboards are very full,” continued Vasquez, in his first season. “We’re getting them to rely on their teammates, trust one another and they definitely put the work in every practice.
Wyoming cruised past Godwin Heights in the first ‘Battle of Wyoming’ girls basketball tourney opener on Wednesday.(WKTV)
By Zach Fanko
WKTV Contributor
Wyoming used its size and physicality to overpower Godwin Heights in the opening game of the first ‘Battle of Wyoming’ girls basketball tournament on Wednesday night at Potter’s House High School.
The Wolves secured a 65-45 victory as forward LaAnna Griffin recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Aaliyah Ratliff added 12 points.
Wyoming sophomore Shakya Anderson goes in for a basket. (WKTV)
The frontcourt duo of Griffin and Shakya Anderson were able to establish their presence in the post and provided key baskets according to Wyoming coach Jesse Vasquez.
“Everytime Godwin would make a run we threw the ball into them and they made some good shots,” Vasquez said. “Which allowed us to get into our defensive sets after a make.
“I thought our defensive pressure causing problems and the way we rebounded really turned the game for us.”
Godwin tries to defend against Wyoming’s fast moving LaAnna Griffin (15). (WKTV)
The importance of this win could not be understated for the Wolves (4-3), who have already matched last year’s win total and have the look of a much improved team.
“To come out against Godwin, a school right down the road from us. A lot of the girls know each other.
“And to win a basketball game because of our effort and energy it’s huge for us.”
Battle of Wyoming championship Thursday
Wyoming faces host Potter’s House in the ‘Battle of Wyoming’ championship on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Pumas beat Kelloggsville in the other semifinal game, 58-31.
As we approach holiday travel, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport is expecting a busy week and is reminding guests to pack their patience.
The Ford Airport is expecting travel levels similar to 2019. While they are ready for guests, they are reminding travelers of the importance of patience and planning ahead.
“We are eager and ready to help guests connect with their family and friends over the holidays as West Michigan’s gateway to the world,” said COO Alex Peric. “We encourage guests to pack their patience while fellow community members work diligently to ensure a smooth travel experience for everyone.”
Travel Stats
Expected Holiday Travel: 165,000-plus passengers from December 19 through January 2. This includes both departing and arriving passengers.
Traffic: Guest traffic is currently at 98 percent of 2019, which was a record-breaking year for the Airport. Ford Airport expects to be at or near 2019 levels by end of 2022. Currently, they are seeing an average of a 22 percent increase in guest numbers from 2021.
Peak Holiday Travel Dates: December 19 through January 2. The busiest departure day is expected to be December 22.
Top Destinations: Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Punta Gorda and Orlando.
Airline Contacts
For questions about specific flights, baggage handling, and more, reach out directly to the airline.
Allegiant (702-505-8888)
Delta Air Lines (800-221-1212)
Southwest Airlines (800-435-9792)
American Airlines (800-433-7300)
Frontier Airlines (801-401-9000)
United Airlines (800-241-6522)
TSA Inquiries: TSA.gov
Weather and Staffing
As a reminder, the Ford International Airport never closes. Inclement weather can cause delays and cancellations. The Airport manages clearing runways and other infrastructure while individual airlines are responsible for plane de-icing. Individual airlines also are responsible for check-ins and all matters related to gates, including departures and deplanings.
(WMAA: Ethan Dyksterhouse, 23 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks; Luke Riebel, 13 points, 3 rebounds; Joseph May, 12 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 6 turnovers)
Lee at Grand River Prep
Grand Haven at East Kentwood
Godwin Heights at Belding
Hopkins at Kelloggsville
Tuesday, Jan. 17 Girls Basketball
Wyoming 48, Holland 33
(WY: Aaliyah Ratliff, 18 points; Michaela Moore, 10 points off the bench)
Kenowa Hills 54, South Christian 47
(SC: Ashley Raredon, 22. KH: M. Holman, 26 points)
Grand River Prep 50, Lee 27
(Kennedie Crawford, 19 points)
Belding at Godwin Heights
Kelloggsville at Hopkins
Potter’s House Christian 49, Muskegon Oakridge 35
Tuesday, Jan. 10 Girls Basketball
South Christian 61, Ottawa Hills 20
(SC: Lizzie Wolthuis, 16 points, Ashley Thomasma, 15; Ottawa Hills: Semaj Robertson, 8; South Christian Coach Kim Legge, “It was good to have my whole team back and healthy.”)
Mona Shores 58, Wyoming 49 (see story)
Rockford 40, East Kentwood 28
NorthPointe Christian 60, Godwin Heights 48
Comstock Park 77, Kelloggsville 31
Potter’s House Christian 48, Saugatuck 37
Morley Stanwood at West Michigan Aviation
Zion Christian 50, Wyoming Homeschoolers 21
Tuesday, Jan. 10 Boys Basketball
West Michigan Aviation 69, Morley Stanwood 30
(WMAA: Luke Riebel, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 6 steals; Joseph May, 13 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists; Ian Brown, 11 points; Braeden Mowry, 8 points)
In a tight battle right down to the wire, Grandville Calvin Christian pulled it out at the end, beating Potter’s House Christian 55-51 in girls basketball Tuesday night.
“It was a super fun game, back and forth, and came down to free throws at the end,” said Potter’s House Christian Coach Jake Hoogstrate, whose team fell to 1-4 overall. “We had our looks and had our chances. We’re definitely not putting our heads down after this one.”
A see-saw battle throughout, the Pumas led 51-49 down the stretch, until Calvin Christian (5-0) scored the last six points to close it out.
“It was a really competitive game,” said Hoogstrate, in his eighth year as coach. “I though both teams played really well. I think the best players on both teams stood out and did what they needed to do.”
Junior captain Anyieth Nhial led Potter’s House with 23 points.
Potter’s House junior captain Anyieth Nhial. (Courtesy, Jake Szetela)
“She played really well tonight,” said Hoogstrate, of his three-year varsity player.
Senior captain Isabelle Baez added 11 points, including 8 for 10 from the free throw line.
“Only one senior graduated last year and we feel really good about this season,” Hoogstrate said. “Starting Friday, everyone will be back at full strength. We have a tough road until the first of the year and we’ll see where we’re at after that.
“We look forward to defending the Alliance League championship.”
The Pumas were 7-0 in the league and finished 16-6 overall last year.
Though the Godfrey-Lee boys basketball team finished 5-16 overall last year, Coach Dominic Shannon said they were viewed by fans as one of the best as far as their will to fight.
“They were a very feisty 5-16 last year,” said Shannon, in his second year at Lee. “From fans and people that follow the school, I’ve heard last year was one of the best we’ve seen as far as their fight every single night.
“And we’re looking to move this program forward this year.”
Kelloggsville transfer Marc Whitfield, a junior, led the Legends with 21 points, five boards, four steals and three assists, while Joe Russau added 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
“Whitfield is very passionate and intense,” Shannon said. “The team feeds off his energy and they definitely follow his lead.
“Russau can score from the inside and out and is one of the leaders on the team as well.”
Shannon said junior Clarence Lewis is a very aggressive defender and led in steals against Martin.
After winning a state championship last season, Tri-unity tipped off 2022-23 with a 55-22 win over Muskegon Orchard View. (pxhere.com)
By Zach Fanko
WKTV Contributor
Despite a sluggish start offensively, Tri-unity Christian found its rhythm in the second half to pull away from Muskegon Orchard View 52-22 in its season opener Tuesday.
Without two returning key starters from a 2021-22 D-4 state championship, as well as last season’s leading scorer and Division 4 player of the year Brady Titus, the Defenders spread the scoring load out as Owen Rosendall led the way with 11 points.
“I really liked how we shared the ball tonight,” Tri-unity coach Mark Keeler said. “We have some really good players, but no dominant scorers yet like we had in Brady.”
Returning guard Jordan Vanklompenberg missed tonight’s game with a hamstring injury, as well as returning center Hanif James. The 6-foot-5 big man could miss up to six weeks with an injury sustained during football season.
Tri-unity (1-0) leaned on its defense in a low-scoring first half and led the Cardinals (0-1) 17-11 at the half.
With some adjustments made in the second half, the offense began to flow according to Keeler.
“We kind of forgot what we were doing on offense in that first half,” Keeler said. “We came out a bit more patient offensively in the second and I think once our kids settled in we were able to run our sets.”
Filling in for James, Trey Rillema added 10 rebounds and three blocks, one of which came on a chased-down rejection that Keeler described as “amazing effort.”
Sophomore guard Katon Blanker had an efficient night as well with nine points.
“Our trademark is defense and I think we were able to get them pressing a bit which led to some easy buckets,” Keeler said. “It’s always an adjustment when you have guys out and guys playing in new roles.”
WKTV Game of the Week on Friday
The Defenders host Northpointe Christian on Friday at 7 p.m. in WKTV’s Game of the Week presentation.
Coming off a 4-17 season, the Wyoming girls basketball team is ready to turn the page, jumping out to a 2-1 record with a 45-28 road win over Comstock Park Tuesday.
First-year coach Jesse Vasquez said though they’re taking it one game at a time, the team has its sights set on competing for an OK Green championship.
“You have to have high goals and high standards to achieve big things,” said Vasquez, whose Wolves finished 1-13 in the conference last year. “I believe they’re buying into the things our coaching staff is preaching every day. The more success you have along the way the more you keep buying in and wanting to work.
“Last year was a rough year. This year, we’re getting there every day.”
Sophomore Shakya Anderson led Wyoming with 20 point and nine rebounds, including 16 points in the first half alone.
“She’s been pretty good the last two games,” Vasquez said. “She had 15 boards the second game of the year. She’s big in the post.”
Senior leader Aaliyah Ratliff, high scorer the first two games, added eight points against Comstock Park.
Sophomore Meneliza McGee led with four steals against CP and five against Coopersville earlier.
“McGee is a defensive catalyst,” Vasquez said. “She sets the tone for our defense.”
Freshman Myah Nabors added nine points and five assists.
“We have a lot of skill and it’s now just getting them to play together,” Vesquez said. “If we can believe in each other all the time, we’re going to be dangerous.”
Our WKTV truck has been busy all season long covering exciting high school football Games of the Week in the Wyoming/Kentwood viewing area.
If you missed a GOTW, or would like to watch one for a second time, be sure to see our 22nd Annual Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving Day.
The 15-Hour Special, which starts at 9 a.m. Nov. 24, highlights most of our high school football Games of the Week. The Turkey Bowl is streamed live on the WKTV website at wktv.org or using this link: https://www.wktv.org/live25.html
Wyoming Athletic Director Ted Hollern summed it up best when describing No. 1 tennis player and senior Logan Bos.
“He’s not the big, glamorous state-ranked player, but for four years he’s been the leader of our tennis program and it’s fun to shine some light on him,” Hollern explained. “When you asked me to choose a student-athlete to write about, Logan was the first one that came to my mind, and we have many good athletes. I just admire his determination and the fight in him.
“He will be a big success in his future. His dedication and perseverance are going to serve him so well throughout college and his career.”
Lifelong lessons
Hollern said the most important thing in high school athletics is teaching the lifelong lessons.
“When you get knocked down, you pick yourself back up,” Hollern continued. “He had to go up against everyone’s best tennis player in the conference, and he showed a lot of grit and dedication.
“He’s been such a positive influence among the tennis players. He has quietly been one of the big leaders and has made a big impact on our tennis program.”
He has been No. 1 singles for Wyoming all four years and all-conference throughout as well, according to Hollern, who also calls Bos “an outstanding tennis player.”
Bos said his greatest trait on the tennis court is his hustle.
“I never run out of juice, even if my opponent is placing the ball with perfect precision and speed,” said Bos, who began tennis at age 6 with Smart Start Tennis at Wyoming. “I really enjoy being able to let all of my energy out when I hustle around the court. I feel like when I’m playing I have unlimited stamina and can maintain the same speed throughout all of the matches I play.”
His best tennis memory
“I was battling in a match against Sparta’s No. 1 singles last year in 99.5 degree heat index. The match lasted longer than two hours and eventually I won, beating him through two sets and a tiebreak, 5-7, 7-5, 10-4.”
Bos finished the season with a 7-10 record, and as Hollern explained, had to play every team’s No. 1 player all season long.
“As a team we didn’t win any matches, but many players were new to tennis and just seeing them grow as a group was fascinating,” said Bos, who also played baseball and soccer growing up. “One of our doubles teams got their first ever win against Ottawa Hills this season and that was an exciting experience for them.”
A brotherhood
“The Wyoming Wolves tennis team is like being part of a brotherhood. Everyone else thinks we are the underdogs when we go into a match and we just believe the motto of Wyoming versus everybody. We know we don’t have the best chance to go far, but we hustle as best as we can to keep up and maybe even sneak a few upset wins into the season.”
(Courtesy, Kelly Bos)
Favorite thing away from tennis
“My podcast on Spotify: Prairie Sports, named after the street Wyoming High school is located on and where me and my co-host Wyatt Hall discuss everything related to Detroit Sports,” said Bos, who has a 3.84 GPA. “Another thing I enjoy is partaking in Fantasy Football with my friends on Sleeper.
“I have always believed that I could create my own sports radio talk show about the Detroit Lions someday.”
Middle College Program at GRCC
Bos is in the Middle College program supported by Grand Rapids Community College.
“This program allows me to get my Associate’s degree and my high school diploma in my 13th year,” Bos said. “I am currently undecided on an exact career path, but will likely pursue my Bachelor’s degree at a local university following my 13th year.”
The Godwin Heights boys soccer team captured the OK Silver crown this fall. (Courtesy Photo)
By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributor
To Henry Lopez-Pinedo, soccer is more than just a game, it’s a passion.
“I love soccer because it’s a unique and one-of-a-kind sport,” said Lopez-Pinedo, a junior at Godwin Heights and varsity soccer player. “There can be hard moments and good moments, but this sport is something that will stick with me forevermore, a sport I will love more than anything.”
Henry Lopez-Pinedo with club team MFA Revolution during a college showcase game in June 2022. (Courtesy Federico Villafuerte)
As a center attacking midfielder for the Wolverines, Lopez-Pinedo led his team to an OK Silver Conference title as the top scorer in the league with 25 goals. He added one more in district play to finish with 26. He also had 16 assists this season for a Godwin Heights team that finished 13-0 in the conference, 15-2 overall.
While being undefeated in conference was a great accomplishment, Lopez-Pinedo said the highlight of the season was a home game against Calvin Christian. Teammate Abou Meshake crossed the ball in the box and Lopez-Pinedo knocked in a header.
“A lot of emotions ran through my mind because we haven’t beat Calvin in several years and this season we beat them twice,” Lopez-Pinedo said.
Not always his passion
“When I first started playing soccer, I didn’t like it at all,” Lopez-Pinedo admitted. “I was just a kid who loved playing with his toys.”
Lopez-Pinedo’s father, Leónides Lopez, an experienced soccer player in both Mexico and the United States, introduced Henry to the game by taking him to practices at the Olé Futsal Club. Lopez-Pinedo admitted to feeling nervous and not wanting to play.
Leónides spent hours on the field with his son, helping him hone his skills until Lopez-Pinedo’s nervousness began to fade.
“He made me work and work and did everything for me to be better than good,” Lopez-Pinedo said.
That work paid off with Godwin Heights’ success, and with four regional and three national wins with soccer club ABK.
His coach, Federico Villafuerte, has managed the girls and boys high school soccer teams at Godwin Heights for 12 years and founded the first soccer club for the middle school.
Henry Lopez-Pinedo practicing his skills. (Courtesy, Federico Villafuerte)
During his years at Godwin Heights, Villafuerte has led the boys varsity team to four conference titles in the last 10 years, which is no small feat considering the level of competition.
“To win it, you have to be perfect,” said Villafuerte, who built the program from the ground up.
But Villafuerte views soccer as more than just a sport — it also teaches life skills.
“What you learn from high school sports is sportsmanship; you are dedicated, you have to be responsible, and you learn how to listen.”
Villafuerte said one of the biggest skills he sees from high school sports players is learning how to deal with conflicts among players and how to lead as a team instead of individually.
Not all about soccer
Coach also keeps a close eye on his players’ grades.
“Two Es, you don’t play,” Villafuerte said. “Each week we check the grades, and we make sure they are not failing two classes.”
The belief that education is important extends past high school graduation.
“We try to encourage the students to go to college,” Villafuerte continued. “One like Henry, I see he’s got the possibility there.”
Lopez-Pinedo’s future hopes include college and playing on a college soccer team, and to play at the professional level as well.
Making time for what matters
Lopez-Pinedo’s interests include more than playing soccer. He also loves to run when he isn’t training or playing soccer and enjoys watching his favorite show The Perfect Chaos.
Family time also is a priority. His favorite family activity is taking walks together, looking at nature, and “just taking time with each other.”
Following your dreams is something Lopez-Pinedo encourages everyone to do.
“I just want to say for everyone who wants to achieve their goals, to sacrifice for the best, continue to keep working. Work or sweat ‘til your last breath.”
D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author
