Tag Archives: MHSAA Football

East Kentwood gets revenge over Hudsonville, brings home regional championship Saturday

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , , ,
WKTV Friday Night Highlights: East Kentwood at Hudsonville/D-1 Regional Final. (Video Courtesy, Darius Calvert)



By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org


East Kentwood made sure there would be no last-second heroics by Hudsonville in Saturday’s Division 1 regional title game as the Falcons put up 31 second-half points while the Kentwood defense kept the Eagles off the scoreboard resulting in a 52-28 win.

The win secured Kentwood’s first regional championship since 2014 and sends the Falcons into this Saturday’s Division 1 state semifinal game against Detroit Catholic Central. The semifinal game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Jackson High School.

The win against Hudsonville took away the sour taste the Falcons felt last time they visited Hudsonville. That was when the Eagles stunned the Falcons 43-42 with a last-second touchdown pass in Week 7. That win helped Hudsonville capture the OK Red title. Since then, Kentwood has strung together five consecutive wins and is now in the Division 1 final four.

“It was definitely about redemption,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “Being able to do it when it matters which it was now. Our goal was always to win the OK Red and they got us on that one. Our goal is also to win a state championship and this is part of that.”

Eagles up at halftime, then EK gets 24 points in the fourth quarter

Like that previous meeting between the two teams, the points were flowing in the game. The two teams traded touchdowns during the first half, with Hudsonville up 28-21 at halftime. Unlike the first meeting, however, the second half belonged totally to the Falcons. Of the 31 points that East Kentwood scored in the second half, 24 of them came in the fourth quarter.

The Kentwood offense has been piling up huge numbers in the playoffs and that trend continued in the regional title game. After totaling 555 yards against Grand Ledge in the first round and 619 over Howell in the district title game, the Falcons produced 570 yards of offense against Hudsonville.


EK quarterback and MSU commit Kayd Coffman has a big game against Hudsonville. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)



EK quarterback Kayd Coffman tallies 482 yards total offense

Falcon senior QB Kayd Coffman was a big part of that offensive production, tallying 482 yards and five touchdowns. He completed 21-of-32 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, and ran the ball 12 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns.

Coffman used his legs to produce the first touchdown of the game, breaking loose for a 65-yard score midway through the first quarter, giving the Falcons a 7-0 lead after the extra point kick by Jayden Garcia.

The host Eagles, however, stormed back to take a 14-7 lead later in the opening quarter. The Eagles scored their first touchdown on a three-yard run by Owen Haarsma. The Eagles then surged ahead when they blocked a Kentwood punt and turned it into a touchdown on a five-yard run.

East Kentwood tied the game late in the opening quarter when the Falcons covered 65 yards in four plays. A 59-yard run by Coffman highlighted the drive which was capped by a two-yard touchdown plunge by James Jones Jr.

Hudsonville regained the lead with a pair of touchdowns midway through the second quarter. The first Eagle score came on a 38-yard pass from Brady Van Laecke to Luke Heyboer. The Eagles defense then came up with a turnover on Kentwood’s next possession. That turnover was quickly turned into points as Van Laecke scored on a two-yard touchdown run giving the Eagles a 28-14 lead.

East Kentwood trimmed the deficit to seven points on the next possession. The Falcon passing game produced the score as Coffman hooked up with Stephan Jones on a 67-yard touchdown pass that cut the margin to 28-21 with 3:40 remaining before halftime.

The Falcons tied the game on the first possession of the second half, driving 68 yards in eight plays. Senior running back Davien Nettleman closed out the drive with an 18-yard run up the middle of the Eagle defense.

Scored knotted early in the fourth

The score remained tied until early in the fourth quarter when Garcia connected on a 37-yard field goal giving the Falcons a 31-28 lead.

On Hudsonville’s next possession, the Eagles rolled the dice on a fourth-and-five from their own 29-yard line. The Falcon defense, however, came up with a big stop. Two plays later Coffman took off on an 18-yard touchdown run up the middle putting the Falcons up 38-28.

The Falcons then pulled away as Major Barnes came up with a big interception on Hudsonville’s next possession. Two-plays later Coffman took off on a 50-yard touchdown run putting the Falcons up 45-28. The Falcons then added a final touchdown late in the game when Coffman hit Stephan Jones with a 37-yard touchdown pass.

Stephan Jones led with 175 yards on eight catches

Jones was the receiving standout of the game for the Falcons as he finished with 175 yards on eight catches with a pair of touchdowns. Kendrick Mayhue added six receptions for 36 yards, while Nettleman caught three for 31 yards and Ahman Edmonds, three passes for 19.

Nettleman added 55 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Donavan Jones led the Falcons with six tackles and three assists, followed by Dallas Moody, Major Barnes and James Jones Jr., with four tackles each and Benedi Kanda, three tackles and a pair of assists.

EK defensive back Donavan Jones. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)


“Our guys competed well,” Spencer said. “I thought our coaches installed a great game plan and the players executed at a high level. We are excited to prepare for Detroit Catholic Central in the semifinals. We also want to thank our parents and community for their support.”

The Falcons, who improved to 10-2 overall, now face a Detroit Catholic Central team that has a 12-0 record. The Falcons and Shamrocks share a common opponent in Grand Ledge. Catholic Central defeated Grand Ledge 36-14 in Week 8, while Kentwood defeated Grand Ledge 49-15 in the first round of the playoffs.

Michigan State University well represented next game

Michigan State football fans will have a particularly keen interest in the game as not only is Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman an MSU recruit, but so is Catholic Central standout receiver Samson Gash.              

Kelloggsville turns back Holland to secure spot in state football playoffs; Keyontae Gibson gets 416 yards and five TDs

Citizen Journalism, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
(WKTV)

By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org


With talented senior running back Keyontae Gibson leading the charge on offense, Kelloggsville held off Holland 40-34 to cap a winning regular season and secure a spot in the state playoffs.

Gibson turned in a game to remember as he carried the ball 41 times for 416 yards and scored five touchdowns as the Rockets turned back a late Holland comeback to earn the win and finish the regular season with a 6-3 record. That record is the best one the Rockets have posted since 2017 and is the first time they have qualified for the playoffs since 2017 other than the covid year of 2020 when every team qualified.

The 2017 team finished the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record and reached the second round of the playoffs where it dropped a 45-34 decision to Grand Rapids Catholic Central, who went on to win the Division 4 state championship. Ironically, Kelloggsville faces Catholic Central in the first round of the playoffs this week.

The rushing exploits of Gibson went a long way in helping the Rockets secure the playoff spot this year. For the year, Gibson has rushed for over 1,400 yards and scored 17 touchdowns.

“Keyontae had quite the game Friday,” said Kelloggsville Coach Justin Dennett. “We are trying to find out if it was a school record. There is a chance it is, but we are not sure. We ran the ball exclusively Friday as we didn’t complete a pass. Isaak Kowal and Cameron Dunbar also helped out running the ball to give Keyontae a break.”

Offensive line paved the way for Gibson

“Our offensive line really did a good job,” Dennett said. “Zane Hendricks is a senior lineman and he did a great job of leading our line on both offense and defense. Davion Whitfield is a junior who starts on both the offensive and defensive line and he also did a great job. The guys up front did a great job Friday night and have been getting the job done all season too.”

Dunbar, who has been battling through injury, also has been a big part of the Kelloggsville ground game this year totaling 505 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns.

The Kelloggsville defense also stepped up with some impact plays to preserve the win.

Defense big as well

“Our defense really came up with some big plays,” Dennett said. “We had three interceptions and a fumble recovery on defense. Nasyre Walker had an interception and a fumble recovery. Isaak Kowal also had a great game on the defensive side of the ball. We moved our freshman Sincere Allen to inside linebacker. He had never played there before and he had a lot of tackles all over the place. He made a lot of plays for us.”

The win capped a big turnaround season for the Rockets who went 1-8 last season. Paving the way for the turnaround has been the Rockets’ senior class.

“We have a really good core group of seniors,” Dennett said. “They have stepped up and have been leading us all year. They do a great job of setting the tone in practice. They have set a new standard in how to do things. This is my first year as head coach here and that group of seniors bought right into what the new coaching staff was putting in.”

The Rockets started the season strong with wins against Grant and Perry before falling to Fruitport in Week 3 and eventual league champion Belding in Week 4. In Week 5 the Rockets came up with a pivotal 30-22 win against Hopkins.

Hopkins win was telling

“The Hopkins game was when our kids realized that we have a chance to make the playoffs and can be a pretty good football team,” Dennett said. “Hopkins has been a good team for a long time and we took a 22-0 lead on them. They came back to tie it, but we came back with a scoring drive to seal it. To come back and beat them was a big win for us. We also won a close one with Comstock Park.”

Kelloggsville defeated Comstock Park 22-18 in Week 7 to improve to 5-2.

“Winning the close ones”

“We had to learn how to win the close ones,” Dennett said. “We found a way to win in those close games this year. Winning the close games has shown the growth in this team and how much they have improved since the start of the year.”

The Rockets now face a 9-0 Grand Rapids Catholic Central team in the first round of the playoffs. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at Catholic Central’s Cougar Stadium.   

CHECK THIS OUT: Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show of the season (10-24-25)

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



By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
greer@wktv.org


Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the local varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting Friday Night Highlights show.

Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.



WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org

Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

CONGRATS to local football teams: East Kentwood, Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville and South Christian for making the state playoffs

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , , ,
Michigan High School Athletic Association. (Logo Courtesy, MHSAA)





By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
greer@wktv.org


(Image Courtesy, East Kentwood)


DIVISION 1

DISTRICT SEMIFINAL:
Grand Ledge (7-2) vs. East Kentwood (7-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 at East Kentwood High School



(Image Courtesy, Godwin Heights)

DIVISION 4

DISTRICT SEMIFINAL:
Spring Lake (6-3) vs. Godwin Heights (7-2)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 at Wyoming High School



(Image Courtesy, South Christian)



DIVISION 4

DISTRICT SEMIFINAL:

South Christian (4-5) vs. Portland (9-0)
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 at Portland High School




(WKTV)

DIVISION 5

DISTRICT SEMIFINAL:
Kelloggsville (6-3) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (9-0)
7 p.m. Oct. 31 at Catholic Central

CHECK THIS OUT: Watch our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show of the season (10-17-25)

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, , , ,


By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
greer@wktv.org


Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the local varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting Friday Night Highlights show.

Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.



WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org

Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

Godwin Heights outlasts rival Kelloggsville 41-22, sets up title showdown with Belding Friday

City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , , , ,


By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

Godwin Heights continued their winning ways with a 41-22 victory over rival Kelloggsville Friday and in the process set up a winner-take-all scenario for the OK Silver championship at Belding.

The win kept Godwin Heights perfect in the OK Silver with a 5-0 record and sets up next Friday’s showdown in Belding against the Black Knights who are also 5-0 in the league. The two teams also have 7-1 overall records.

“It was a real battle with them last year,” said Godwin Heights Coach Brandon Kimble. “It was 14-7 at halftime and it was close in the third quarter before they ran away in the fourth quarter. The conference championship is going to be on the line and our boys are going to be ready to play. We have a real strong senior class that is used to going on the road and we’ve played in some really tough games already.”

The win against Kelloggsville was another one of those tough games. Godwin Heights fell behind the Rockets 16-7 in the first quarter before scoring the next five touchdowns to secure the win in the annual rivalry between the Division Avenue neighbors.

“It’s a big rivalry game for us,” Kimble said. “You can throw out the records when we play. Kelloggsville has been playing good as well this year and we knew they were going to give it their all. We battled back and forth early and it was a good game. They played hard, but our boys came to play.”

Wolverines averaging 33 points per game

Godwin Heights has been especially strong on offense this season as the Wolverines are averaging 33.6 points per game. Junior running back Julius Hoskins was among the offensive leaders for as he ran for four touchdowns against Kelloggsville. Hoskins finished the game with 202 rushing yards.

“Julius is really going to be something special,” Kimble said. “We actually have two stud running backs. Ka’Res Harris splits carries with Julius and he actually leads us in touchdowns.”

Godwin Heights sophomore quarterback Martellis Forest also was a big part of the offensive outburst. Forest passed for 171 yards.

“We are blessed with the athletes that we have at all of our skill positions,” Kimble said. “Martellis is one of the best quarterbacks in the area. He can really spin it. He can put the ball anywhere and can throw the deep ball. He puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses.”

Forest also is blessed with a wide variety of receivers.

“We have some really good receivers on the outside,” Kimble said. “We have four receivers who are capable to taking it to the house at any time. Isziah Walker, Martise Raphael, Aidan Jackson and Taisjon Allen have all been doing a great job for us.”

Walker led Wolverine receivers with nine catches, 98 yards and a TD

Walker led the way against Kelloggsville as he caught nine passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Paving the way for the backs and providing pass protection is an offensive line anchored by Jeremiah Lee and Jayden Ingram.


“Jeremiah is our right tackle and he had over 10 pancake blocks,” Kimble said. “Jayden is our left tackle and he is just as good. Our entire offensive line has been doing a great job and we have had over 200 yards rushing in the last three games.”

While the offense has been putting up plenty of points this season, the Godwin Heights defense has been stingy when it comes to allowing points.

“Our defensive line is very strong,” Kimble said. “We are led up front by Louis Wilson who is a three-year starter. Lonnie Sanders and Josiah Cox flank Louis. Our defensive line is really strong.”

The Wolverines also are solid in the defensive backfield.

“Taisjon Allen is a team captain and he leads us in the back end,” Kimble said. “He had a pick on Friday.

Mikyius Witherspoon plays a rover position for us and he has led us in tackles in three out of the last four games. He is a big part of our defense. He had four tackles for loss on Friday. He has really been playing great for us.”

With a 7-1 overall record, Godwin Heights is heading to the playoffs regardless of the outcome of Friday’s game with Belding. The Wolverines are 13th in the state in Division 4 in playoff points.

Kelloggsville also is looking to punch its ticket for the playoffs next Friday when it hosts Holland. The Rockets are 5-3 for the season and a win against 2-6 Holland would secure a playoff spot for the Rockets.

Cameron Dunbar led Kelloggsville with a pair of touchdowns and Keyontae Gibson added one as well.      

Hudsonville squeaks past East Kentwood with touchdown on final play of game

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , , ,
(Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)


By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

It was a showdown for first place in the OK Red Friday when East Kentwood traveled to Hudsonville. The contest lived up to all the hype and then some as the Eagles edged the Falcons 43-42 in a game that came down to the final play.

That final play was a 26-yard touchdown pass from Hudsonville quarterback Brady Van Laecke to Andrew Meerman who caught the pass in the back of the end zone after it was deflected with the final seconds ticking off the clock. The Eagles tacked on the extra point to secure the deciding point and come away with the win and keep their record perfect at 7-0 for the season, 5-0 in the league.

The climactic final play capped a stunning six-play, 70-yard scoring drive in the final 31 seconds of the game that gave the Eagles an amazing come-from-behind win after East Kentwood surged ahead with a late-game drive of its own that culminated with a touchdown with 31 seconds remaining in the game.

“It was a great game between two great teams,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “I thought our guys played well. It all came down to a couple of plays. Both teams had guys making plays and for them they made the final play when the clock ran out.”

What looked to be the game-winning drive

Trailing 36-35 with 5:52 remaining in the game, East Kentwood mounted what looked to be the game-winning drive. Starting out on its own 20 after Hudsonville had taken the lead on a two-yard touchdown, EK moved the ball 80 yards in 15 plays. The drive was a pressure-packed excursion as the Falcons twice kept the drive going by taking a page out of Detroit Lions Coach Dan Campbell’s playbook and going for a first down on fourth down. The first successful fourth-down play was when the Falcons faced a fourth-and-three on their own 27-yard line. Falcon running back Davien “Bam” Nettleman kept the drive alive with a five-yard run. Later in the drive, the Falcons faced a fourth-and-12 situation on their own 40 with less than two minutes remaining in the game.


With their backs to the wall, Falcon quarterback Kayd Coffman found Ahman Edmonds open and Edmonds turned on the jets for a 14-yard gain to keep the drive alive. With 45 seconds remaining in the game, Coffman again hooked up with Edmonds for a key pass play, this time the play netted the Falcons 38 yards and gave Kentwood a first-and-goal on the Hudsonville two-yard line. After a one-yard run on first down, the Falcons took the lead when Coffman scored on a quarterback sneak giving the Falcons a 42-36 lead after Jayden Garcia tacked on the extra point.

East Kentwood Quarterback Kayd Coffman passed for 188 yards and three scores. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)


“I was really proud of the way the guys kept battling,” Spencer said. “To be on the road and come back like they did.”

Spencer also was pleased with how the Falcons started the game. Getting out to a fast start was a goal of the Falcons entering the game and that was exactly what Kentwood did.

Kayd Coffman keeper starts up the scoring

On the first possession of the game, Kentwood forced Hudsonville into a three-and-out deep in Eagle territory. After taking possession of the ball at the Hudsonville 45-yard line, the Falcons needed just four plays to score the first points of the game as Coffman took off 33-yards down the middle of the field to score on a quarterback keeper.


Eagles score right away as well

Hudsonville answered that score with a six-play, 80-yard scoring drive of its own.

East Kentwood regained the lead on the next possession. This time the Falcons drove 70 yards in seven plays with Coffman finishing the drive by hooking up with Stephan Jones on a 26-yard touchdown pass giving the Falcons a 13-7 lead.

Falcons grab 20-7 lead in first quarter

East Kentwood upped the lead to 20-7 late in the opening quarter. That score was set up by a fumble recovery by Dmari Love-Simmons at the Hudsonville 22-yard line. The Falcons cashed in on the turnover when three plays later Coffman again hooked up with Jones, this time on a 16-yard scoring strike.

“Our offense really got off to a fast start,” Spencer said. “We took advantage of some things that they were giving us. Their defense did a good job of stabilizing things in the third quarter.” 

Hudsonville answered that score with an eight-yard touchdown pass by Van Laecke with 9:46 remaining in the first half cutting the Falcon lead to 20-13.

The two teams closed out the first half by trading touchdowns. Coffman snuck over from one-yard out for the Kentwood touchdown while Van Laecke threw a touchdown pass from 15-yards out with 20 seconds remaining in the first half cutting the Kentwood lead to 27-21.

Hudsonville took its first lead of the game in the third quarter, when the Eagles drove 65 yards for a score in six plays with Van Laecke tossing a 29-yard pass on fourth down. Hudsonville added a two-point conversion to go up 29-27.

The East Kentwood defense rose to the occasion on the next two Hudsonville drives and forced a pair of three-and-outs.

“Our defense kept us in it when Hudsonville stopped our offense in the third quarter,” Spencer said.

Falcons regain lead early in fourth

Early in the fourth quarter the Falcons regained the lead, driving 48 yards in seven plays with Coffman connecting with Owen Van De Veen on a 22-yard touchdown pass. Coffman then connected with Edmonds on a pass play on the two-point conversion putting the Falcons up 35-29 with 11 minutes remaining in the game. 

Hudsonville answered that score with a methodical 68-yard, 14-play march that ended with a touchdown that put the Eagles up 36-35 with 5:52 remaining in the game setting the stage for the late-game dramatics.

With the loss, East Kentwood fell to 5-2 overall, 3-2 in the conference. The Falcons return to action this Friday at Grandville.

“At the end of the day, a game like this prepares us for the playoffs,” Spencer said. “The regular season is important, but we want to end the season playing at Ford Field and these kinds of games prepare us for that.”

The East Kentwood offense was paced by Coffman who passed for 188 yards and three scores. Jones caught seven passes for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Edmonds hauled in eight passes for 50 yards and Van Der Veen caught two passes for 32 yards and a score. Coffman added 58 yards rushing and three scores while Jesse Phillips ran for 42 yards.

LOOK at our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show of the season (10-03-25)

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,



By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
greer@wktv.org


Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.

Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.



WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org

Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

East Kentwood starts fast, scores often against West Ottawa; showdown with Hudsonville next

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

There was no looking ahead to this Friday’s key OK Red showdown with Hudsonville for the East Kentwood football team as the Falcons struck early and often to defeat West Ottawa 45-8.

East Kentwood scored four touchdowns in the first quarter to take a commanding lead and cruised to victory to improve to 5-1 overall, 3-1 in the conference. The win sets up the Falcons with a trip to Hudsonville where they play the undefeated Eagles with a share of first place in the conference on the line.

“I liked that we were able to start fast,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “In the last two games we did not score in the first quarter. Tonight, we scored 28 points in the first quarter and 10 more in the second quarter. Being able to start fast was very important to us and we were able to get that done.”

Running back Nasir “Nas” Williams got the Falcons on the scoreboard first as he ripped off a 52-yard touchdown run. Jayden Garcia tacked on the extra point putting Kentwood up 7-0.

The Falcons scored on a second long run on their next possession when Jesse Phillips broke loose for a 26-yard touchdown. Garcia again tacked on the point after giving the Falcons a 14-0 lead.

Falcon quarterback Kayd Coffman scored the third touchdown of the opening quarter on a five-yard run.


EK quarterback Kayd Coffman. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)


East Kentwood closed out the scoring in the opening half through the air. Coffman hooked up with Ahman Edmonds for a 74-yard touchdown pass giving the Falcons a 28-0 lead after Garcia’s point after.

“We had something of everything on offense,” Spencer said. “Both of our backs ran for over 50 yards. Our quarterback was efficient completing 8-of-13 for 154 yards and our other quarterback (Tyran Harris) was five-for-five and threw a touchdown. It was a balanced game on offense.”

The Falcons tacked on 10 more points in the second quarter as running back Ace Bryant scored on a three-yard run and Garcia added a 27-yard field goal giving the hometown Falcon fans a 38-0 halftime lead to enjoy.

Neither team scored in the third quarter and the two teams traded scores in the fourth. East Kentwood’s final score of the game came when Harris connected with Amari Burch for a seven-yard touchdown strike.


(Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)



East Kentwood had 415 yards of total offense; 223 passing yards and 192 rushing. Coffman passed for 154 of those yards while Harris, a sophomore, added 41 passing yards.

Nettleman led the Falcons in rushing with 70 yards, while Phillips added 50, and Coffman, 47. Edmonds led Kentwood in receiving with 74 yards, followed by Owen Van Der Veen, two catches for 48 yards and Stephan Jone, four for 47.

Paving the way for the offense was a Falcon offensive line led by tackles Chris Lovelady and Xavier Williams, guards Isaiah Wilson, Leland Croskey and Jabari O’Bryant and center Charlie Nichols.

Offensive line “solid”

“Our offensive line has been doing a great job,” Spencer said. “We talked as a staff this week about just how good these guys have been. They are not the biggest group, but they are really solid. They are the reason we run the ball well. It’s a real close-knit group and they do a real phenomenal job of executing and doing the job at a high level.”

Big Falcon “D”

The Falcon defense also turned in a big effort. Along with limiting West Ottawa to single figures on the scoreboard, the Falcons allowed West Ottawa just 54 rushing yards and 117 in passing.

“I thought the defense performed pretty good,” Spencer said. “There were a couple of third downs where we should’ve got them off the field, but overall, I thought the effort and performance was good.”  

Tyler Meeuwsen led with seven tackles and an assist, while Alijah Bondon, Donavan Jones and Christopher Thompson all added three tackles.

With the win against West Ottawa tucked away, the Falcons can now concentrate on Friday’s OK Red showdown in Hudsonville.

“This is going to basically be like a playoff game,” Spencer said. “We are going to have to do our job better then they (Hudsonville) do. We have got to get off to a fast start and defensively we have to work to get off the field on third down. They (Hudsonville) do a great job of possessing the ball and their quarterback is a really good athlete. We have to make sure that our offense is on the field for most of the game and not their offense.”   

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show of the season (9-26-25)

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
greer@wktv.org


Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.

Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.



WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org

Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show of the season (9-19-25)

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,



By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
greer@wktv.org


Check out the new and exciting football clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you much of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.

Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.



WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org

Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

East Kentwood falls short at Rockford in OK Red football showdown

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , ,
East Kentwood at Rockford Football. (WKTV Friday Night Highlights/9-29-25/Eli Reed)


By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org


In a battle between two of the premier Division 1 high school football heavyweights in West Michigan, the Rockford Rams made a few more big plays than East Kentwood and that proved to be the difference as the Rams grabbed a 21-14 OK Red win.

Defense and the running game played big parts in the showdown as Rockford handed the Falcons their first loss of the season.

“I thought it wasn’t one of our best games,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “I felt that the effort was there. We fought hard, but we definitely made a lot of mistakes that we could’ve prevented. We had a lot of opportunities on our end that we did not take advantage of. We could’ve played a lot better overall, especially on defense.”

Neither team was able to put any points on the scoreboard during the opening quarter of the game. 


Rockford on offense during the Rams 21-14 home victory over East Kentwood Friday. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)

Rams strike first

Rockford broke the scoring drought in the second quarter, when it scored on a 19-yard touchdown run to go up 7-0 with 10:35 remaining in the first half after the extra point kick.

The score remained that way until late in the first half when both teams scored in the final minute of the half.

East Kentwood tied the game when quarterback Kayd Coffman capped a drive by running in for a touchdown from four-yards out. Jayden Garcia kicked the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 49 seconds remaining in the first half.


East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman sets the offense during the Falcons 21-14 loss to Rockford Friday. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)



Those 49 seconds, however, proved to be enough time for Rockford to regain the lead before halftime. 

Starting on their own 25-yard line, Rockford quickly moved down field on a 15-yard run by quarterback Braylen Daniels and a 38-yard pass play from Daniels to Jax Eichbauer. Daniels then finished the drive connecting with Jackson Cummings on a 22-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds remaining in the half. Rockford added the point after to take a 14-7 lead into halftime.

Both defenses tightened up during the third quarter as neither team put any points on the scoreboard.

Midway through the fourth quarter, East Kentwood drove down to the Rockford one-yard line, but on a fourth down and goal from the one, the Ram defense came up big and kept the Falcons out of the end one.


East Kentwood fans filled the visitor stands during their 21-14 loss to Rockford Friday. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)



Rockford turned to its ground game and went on a long drive of its own. The Rams eventually scored as Luke Ahern ran across the goal line with 5:04 remaining in the game, giving Rockford a 21-7 lead.

East Kentwood, however, refused to fold and cut the deficit to 21-14 with 3:48 remaining in the game. Coffman broke free for a 39-yard touchdown run.

That was as close as the Falcons would get as Rockford put the game on ice with its running game.

“We missed some shots we had,” Spencer said. “We had three fourth-and-ones that we missed and we have got to get those. Against good teams you are not going to get too many opportunities and you have to take advantage of them when you get them.”



East Kentwood and Rockford battled it out Friday night. (Photo Courtesy, Eli Reed)



East Kentwood finished with 358 total yards; 231 on the ground and 127 through the air.

Coffman led the way for the Falcons with 101 yards on seven carries and two touchdowns. He also completed 13-of-28 passes for 127 yards.

Jesse Phillips added 59 yards rushing on 12 carries, while Nasir Williams added 51 rushing on 13 carries.

Ahman Edmonds led the Falcons with nine catches for 90 yards, followed by Owen Van Der Veen, three for 33 yards.

Malachi Daly with seven tackles

Malachi Daly led the Falcons with seven tackles, followed by Major Barnes, five tackles and an interception, Donavan Jones, three tackles, an interception and a tackle for loss and Jaziel Negron, four tackles, including a tackle for loss.

“Defensively, we did create three turnovers so we did do some good things on defense,” Spencer said. “We did miss some alignments on defense so we have some things to work on defensively.”

With the loss, the Falcons fell to 3-1 overall, 1-1 in the conference. They return to action Friday when they host Caledonia (2-2 overall, 0-2 in conference play) with losses to Hudsonville and Grandville.

“We are excited about this week,” Spencer said. “I think we match up well with Caledonia. Like everybody else in the OK Red, there are no gimmees. You have to come ready to play and ready to play hard. We can’t have misalignments and miscues. We have to be ready to play our best on offense, defense and special teams.” 

East Kentwood opens conference play with offensive explosion at Jenison; Falcons total 500 yards

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , , ,



By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

The East Kentwood football team opened OK Red Conference play in a big way Friday as it totaled over 500 yards of offense in a 54-7 win against Jenison. 

The offense came from a multitude of sources as 261 yards came via the ground game and 240 yards from passing as the 54-point scoring output was the biggest offensive outburst by the Falcons since they scored 63 points in a 2019 win against West Ottawa.

East Kentwood football Coach Tyrone Spencer. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)


“I liked the way we executed the game plan,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “We want to be able to keep teams off balance with our offense and we were able to do that. I also think we were able to wear Jenison down. They had some guys that were going both ways and I think we were able to wear them down as the game went on.”

Coming into the season the Falcons planned to run the ball and use a running back by committee approach. That plan is being carried out as the Falcons again shared the wealth in the ground game. A total of four Falcons eclipsed 40 yards rushing for the game with three rushing for over 60 yards. Kentwood junior Ace Bryant led with 68 yards on four carries, followed by Ahman Edmonds, one carry for 62 yards, Jacarvion Johnson, two for 60 and a touchdown and Nasir “Nas” Williams ran seven times for 40 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Davien “Bam” Nettleman added 12 yards on three carries and scored a touchdown, while sophomore Tyran Harris, five yards on one carry and a TD.

“Our running back by committee has been working out nice,” Spencer said. “The guys are progressing well. We have guys that do certain things well and they are making the most of their opportunities.”


East Kentwood Quarterback Kayd Coffman. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)


QB Kayd Coffman in high gear

Senior quarterback Kayd Coffman also clicked into high gear against the Wildcats, completing 15-of-20 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns. 

Ahman Edmonds led the way in receiving with 114 yards on six catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. For the game, Edmonds totaled 176 yards of total offense. That kind of production is not going unnoticed by college recruiters as Tiffin University offered Edmonds a scholarship following Friday’s game.

Like the running backs, the Falcons shared the wealth in the receiving department. Junior wide receiver Stephan Jones caught four passes for 47 yards and two touchdowns. Junior wideout Bryce Barnes caught three passes for 43 yards, while senior tight end Kendrick Mayhue caught a pair of passes for 26 yards and sophomore receiver Caiden Cox caught a pass for 10 yards.

The Jenison defense proved to be a tough nut to crack during the early potion of the game as the contest was scoreless at the end of the opening quarter. The Kentwood offense began to percolate in the second quarter with four touchdowns to take a 26-7 halftime lead. Nas Williams scored the first Kentwood touchdown on a three-yard run and Jayden Garcia tacked on the extra point. 

Jenison tied the game thanks to a long touchdown run. The Falcon offense then took over, reeling off three consecutive touchdowns. The Falcons took the lead for good when Coffman hooked up with Stephan Jones on an 18-yard scoring strike. The Falcons closed out the first-half with a two-yard touchdown run from Williams and a one-yard scoring run by Bam Nettleman.

East Kentwood put the game on ice with four touchdowns in the third quarter. The outburst began with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Coffman to Edmonds. Coffman then hooked up with Jones on a 14-yard scoring strike. The Falcons closed out the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run by Tyran Harris and a 59-yard touchdown run by Jacarvion Johnson.

Strong EK defense as well

Along with the offensive explosion, the East Kentwood defense came up with an impressive effort. Factor out the 77-yard touchdown run, and the East Kentwood defense surrendered 116 yards of total offense for the game. Subtracting the touchdown run, the Falcon defense allowed Jenison 2.4 yards per play.

Defensive back Donavan Jones led with four tackles and two assists. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)

“Overall, I thought our defense turned in a really good performance,” Spencer said. “They created some turnovers and got some big stops. I thought we controlled their passing game, and other than the one big run we controlled their running game.”

The Falcon defense turned in a total-team effort against the Wildcats. Junior defensive back Donavan Jones led with four tackles and two assists, followed by Senior Benedi Kanda, two tackles for loss, Malachi Daly and Austin Bobo also added a tackle for loss. The Falcon defense also intercepted three Jenison passes with Dallas Thomas-Moody, Jaziel Negron and Major Barnes all recording picks. Senior defensive lineman James Jones Jr. racked up four assists, while Barnes and Baxter Johnson added three.

With the win, East Kentwood improved to 3-0 overall, 1-0 in the OK Red. The Falcons return to action this Friday with a big conference road trip to Rockford to face the 2-1 Rams, who opened conference play with a 42-24 win at Grand Haven.

Check out our first WKTV Friday Night Highlights show of the season!

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org


Check out the exciting clips above from our first Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.


Just like during basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.

Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Monday night! Thanks for tuning in.



WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org

Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

South Christian opens season with 27-13 win at Grand Rapids Christian 

Citizen Journalism, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , ,
South Christian quarterback Austin Burgess completed 11-of-14 passes for 234 yards and a pair of TDs. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)


By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org


The South Christian football team kicked off the season in a big way on the road with a 27-13 win over long-time rival Grand Rapids Christian.

The Sailors utilized a total team effort as the offense displayed plenty of balance, while the defense slowed down a potent Grand Rapids Christian offense.

South Christian also benefitted from a quick start with a pair of touchdowns in the opening quarter, while keeping the host Eagles scoreless.

South’s Austin Burgess scampers 17 for first TD of game

South put the first points on the scoreboard at the 7:30 mark of the first quarter. That was when junior quarterback Austin Burgess, making his first-ever varsity start at quarterback, scampered in from 17-yards out to give the Sailors a 6-0 lead.

Owen Burgess reels in 41-yard TD pass for South Christian. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)

They extended that lead to 13-0 with 22 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. This time South went to the air to score as Austin Burgess hooked up with Owen Burgess on a 41-yard touchdown pass. Austin Burgess kicked the point after.

“We had a real nice first drive,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown, “and then we got a stop on defense and scored again. The quick start definitely helped settle down those first-game nerves. At that point we started to run the ball more and control it and play some good defense. Anytime they did something we were able to answer. I’m proud of how the kids stayed the course and played a full four quarters.”

Eagles get on the board in second quarter

The two teams traded scores in the second quarter. Grand Rapids Christian scored its first points when Charlie King ran in for a score from seven-yards out. King added the extra point cutting the deficit to 13-7.

The Sailors answered that score with 4:36 remaining in the first half when the Burgess-to-Burgess connection clicked again, this time from 24 yards out to increase their lead to 19-7.


Easton Raak, South Christian. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)

After a scoreless third quarter, South Christian broke the game open in the fourth. Easton Raak scored the final Sailor touchdown with a 14-yard run. The Sailors tacked on a two-point conversion as Austin Burgess connected with Charles Vermass on a pass.

Grand Rapids Christian closed out the scoring with a touchdown with 1:23 left in the game to make the final score 27-14

.

Offensively, the Sailors totaled 426 yards. Burgess completed 11-of-14 passes for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns.




“Austin did a real good job of executing the game plan,” Brown said. “I was really happy for him in his first start as a junior. It was a little nerve-racking for him making his first varsity start, but he settled in and did everything we asked of him.”

Owen Burgess led the Sailors with five catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns.


South Christian’s Jesse Van De Griend led on the ground with 53 yards on 10 carries. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)

Overall, South ran the ball 40 times, while passing 14. Jesse Van De Griend led the South ground game with 53 yards on 10 carries, followed by Raak, 50 yards on five carries, Kyle Naklizki, 41 yards on eight carries and Isaac Osterhaven, 25 yards on nine carries.

“I thought our running backs did a really good job,” Brown said. “They each had about the same amount of rushes. They all added a different dynamic and I was very happy with that. Football is a physical game and 40 rushes is a lot for one back so being able to spread it out among three guys is a benefit.”

In all, four different Sailors ran the ball at least five times and six different Sailors caught at least one pass.

The team effort extended to the defensive side of the ball where the Sailors limited Grand Rapids Christian to 262 total yards with 179 coming through the air, 83 via the rush.

“I was really happy with our defense,” Brown said. “We were very physical and I thought we made them one-dimensional. We held them to under 90 yards rushing and that enabled us to do some things to disrupt their passing game.”

Brown credited the defensive line for their effort in stopping the Eagles’ ground game.


Caleb Wieneke led the Sailors with five tackles and three assists. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)


“Collectively, our front four played really, really well,” Brown said. “As a unit they blew up the running game and were able to get at the quarterback. Our inside linebacker, Caleb Wieneke, had a nice game. He was our leading tackler and forced a fumble.”

Wieneke totaled five tackles and three assists, followed by Cody Jones with two tackles, three assists and 1.5 tackles for loss, Ben Buiter, one tackle, three assists, one tackle for loss, Noah Klump, four tackles, two tackles for loss and Kasjen VanSolkema, two tackles, one assist and 0.5 tackles for loss.

 South returns to action Friday hosting East Grand Rapids at Byron Center Stadium.

East Kentwood football team poised to hit next level behind MSU commit Kayd Coffman

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,
East Kentwood quarterback and MSU commit Kayd Coffman prepares for his senior year. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)


By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org


After turning in a winning season and putting up a big effort in the state playoffs, the East Kentwood football team is poised to take things to another level this season.

East Kentwood featured a new look last season as Coach Tyrone Spencer took over the program. Season one was full of progress as not only did the Falcons turn in a winning regular season record at 5-4, but they made the playoffs after a one-year absence. In the opening round of the playoffs the Falcons had a tough 25-23 loss to Hudsonville on the road that came down to the final seconds against an Eagle team that went on to the Division 1 state championship game. East Kentwood also posted a winning record at 4-3 in the ultra-rugged OK Red Conference.

This year, with plenty of talent returning, the Falcons are looking for even more success.

“Things are looking pretty good right now,” Spencer said. “I like where are team is at right now.”

On the offensive side, the Falcons return one of the premier quarterbacks in the state in senior Kayd Coffman (6-2, 200). Coffman turned in a big season in his first year of starting last fall and parlayed that with a big offseason into a scholarship from Michigan State.

“Kayd is looking pretty good,” Spencer said. “He had a great offseason and a great camp.”

Coffman will have a familiar face to throw the ball to in senior Ahman Edmonds (5-8, 165). Edmonds was the Falcons’ leading receiver last season and is ready to take his game to the next level. The Falcon receiver corps also welcomes back senior Owen Van Der Veen, who battled injuries last season and junior Stephan Jones (5-9, 150).


Kendrick Mayhue, East Kentwood linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)



The Falcons also have a target at tight end in senior Kendrick Mayhue (6-3, 215), who also is a strong blocker at the H-back/tight end spot.

At running back the Falcons boast plenty of depth and talent. Seniors Jesse Phillips (6-1, 195), Nas Williams (5-8, 170) and Davien Nettleman give the ground game plenty of options.

“We don’t have a main guy yet,” Spencer said. “We will have a running back by committee until someone steps up.”



Offensive Line

Up front, the Falcons return a pair of starters to the offensive line. Senior Charlie Nichols (5-9, 270) returns at center, while Jabari O’Bryant (5-9, 255) also is a returning starter. A pair of seniors who logged plenty of playing time up front also return in guard/tackles Isaiah Wilson and tackle Xavier Williams. The Falcons feature plenty of depth along the offensive line with seniors Shantheis Moody and Hector Zuniga (6-2, 350) and juniors Chris Lovelady and Leland Croskey.

“I think our offense is in a great place,” Spencer said. “I like our passing game and it depends on whichever back steps up. Up front, we are not as big as last year, but we have guys who can move and have good experience.”

Falcons Defense

The Falcon defense also is looking strong heading into the new season. A total of seven starters return to the defense along with several more players who gained substantial experience last season.

Up front, the defensive line is anchored by returning all-conference senior James Jones (5-11, 270), while Junior Tyler Meeuwsen (6-1, 245) is a returning starter up front.

“Our three-man front is looking pretty stout,” Spencer said.

The Falcons do have to replace some starters at the linebacker spots, but the team has plenty of talented players set to step up.


Chris Thompson, East Kentwood linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
Qua’Shaun Julian, East Kentwood linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)
Benedi Kanda, East Kentwood linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)













Senior Malachi Daly (5-10, 180) and junior Chris Thompson (6-0, 210) are primed to make an impact as is senior Austin Bobo (5-10, 195) at inside linebacker.

The outside linebackers also will have some new starters. Senior Qua’Shaun Julian (5-11, 200) and junior Alijah Bondon are looking to lead the way along with senior Benedi Kanda (5-10, 180), who’ll play a hybrid safety/outside linebacker position.


Donavan Jones, East Kentwood defensive back. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)

The defensive backfield also looks like a major strong point. Junior Donavan Jones (5-10, 180) is a returning starter who can play either cornerback or safety. Senior Jaziel Negron was a part-time starter last year and is looking to take over a safety position.


Sophomore Austin Nelson (5-11, 166) is at cornerback along with junior Dallas Moody. Junior Major Barnes (5-10, 150) also is back.

“I like what our defensive backs are looking like,” Spencer said. “I think we should be a lot better on defense this year.”





East Kentwood opens the season on Friday when it travels to Southfield to take on Southfield Arts & Technology. The Falcons then return home on Sept. 5 against a Byron Center team that reached the Division 2 state title game last year. They open up OK Red Conference play Sept. 12 at Jenison.

“I think this team can accomplish anything it wants to,” Spencer said. “We have to stay healthy and continue to improve, if we can do that we have as good a shot as anybody to win the conference. In our league you have to come to play every week and if we come to every game ready to play, I like our chances.”        

After a trip to the state semis, South Christian Sailors looking to keep momentum going

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
South Christian quarterback Austin Burgess has big shoes to fill taking over for standout Carson Vis, who signed to play basketball at Western Michigan University. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)


By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

After a tough regular season grind, the South Christian team played some of its best football of the season in the playoffs last fall. This year, with plenty of veteran players returning, the Sailors are poised to build on that momentum.

The Sailors, who have been on a roll as a program the past several years, turned in a 5-4 regular-season record last fall playing in a new-look OK Gold Conference that featured powerhouses like Zeeland West, Forest Hills Central and Unity Christian. That gauntlet of a schedule paid dividends come playoff time as the Sailors reeled off three straight wins before falling to Niles in the Division 4 state semifinals to finish the season with an 8-5 overall record.

With a solid core of players returning from last year’s squad, South Christian is poised for another exciting season.

“We’re excited about the season,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “Obviously, camp was a grind. It was a lot of football, but I thought it went well and the team grew a lot together. We’re excited to see how everything comes together.”

The Sailors will have a different look on the offensive side of the ball this year as two-year starting quarterback Carson Vis has moved on to Western Michigan University where he’ll play basketball this winter.

Taking over the quarterback duties this season is junior Austin Burgess (6-0, 175) who is looking to carry on the Sailor tradition of developing strong dual-threat quarterbacks.

“Austin is a good leader and has a calming presence,” Brown said. “When he plays free and is having fun out there it’s contagious. He has a good command of the offense. He can throw and run, and that dual-threat ability is a good asset to have on offense.”

Burgess will have a big-time receiver to throw the ball to in senior wide receiver Owen Burgess (6-1, 180), a returning all-state performer.

“Owen is a good route runner,” Brown said. “He also has real good hands. He had a good year for us last year and we’re looking for him to have another really good year.”

Behind Burgess are several receivers looking to step up this season who also give the team outstanding depth at the position.

Isaac Osterhaven, South Christian running back. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)

Depth also is a strong point at running back where a trio of ball carriers are in the mix for carries this season. Juniors Isaac Osterhaven (6-0, 195) and Jesse Van De Griend (5-9, 150) and sophomore Kyle Naklizki (5-9, 185) give the Sailors plenty of options.

“This is a year where we are really deep at running back,” Brown said. “We have three guys that can run well. The backfield will be a shared responsibility. It’s going to be nice to spread the ball around and ride these guys.”

South also is deep along the offensive front where several veterans are also back to anchor the line.

Returning at left tackle is junior Jackson Rynalda (6-3, 210), who started last season. Back at right guard is junior Greyson Hunderman (6-0, 205) while senior right tackle Carson Joldersma (6-6, 250) also started some games a year ago.



Rounding out the offensive line is senior left guard Grant Jansen (6-1, 175), who earned some starts last year along with junior center Joseph Gritter (6-0, 195).

“We’re excited about our offensive line group,” Brown said. “They have quite a bit of varsity experience and have played in some big games.”

A key for the Sailors on the offensive side of the ball is establishing the ground game.

“For us the big thing is establishing the running game,” Brown said. “Running the ball will be important for us to create success and to set up the pass.”

On the defensive side the Sailors also return plenty of experience.


Ben Buiter, South Christian defensive line. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)


Up front, senior Ben Buiter (6-2, 205) is a returning starter that’ll help anchor the defensive line.



Junior defensive lineman Nathan Potter (6-3, 250) also is a returning starter and will make the Sailors tough to run against.



Junior defensive end Gavin Bouma (6-3, 190) also is back after playing in every game a year ago.


“We are going to count on good years from those three guys,” Brown said.






At linebacker, the Sailors return senior Kasjen VanSolkema (5-11, 182) and senior Caleb Wieneke (6-3, 205). Wieneke was a starter last fall and is moving to inside linebacker this season.


Senior Noah Klump (6-0, 155), who started at safety last year, will play a hybrid safety/linebacker position this season.



Noah Klump, South Christian safety/linebacker. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)



In the secondary, the Sailors return a pair of starters in junior Mark DeJong (6-1, 175) and Owen Burgess. Sophomore Brody Shilts (6-1, 170) is a returning starter who has a year of experience to draw on. Fellow sophomore Ben Jackson (6-0, 175) was moved up to the varsity for the playoffs last season and also will see playing time in the secondary.

“Defensively we’ve had a scheme change that we have been working on in the offseason,” Brown said. “The kids have taken well to it. The nice thing about this defense is that we have some guys who played meaningful minutes last season and we have some guys ready to step in and provide depth. I’m excited about our defense this season.”


Owen Burgess, South Christian secondary. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)


As usual, the Sailors face a rugged schedule not only in the conference, but out of the conference. South Christian opens at Grand Rapids Christian on Friday in the WKTV Game of the Week and then takes on East Grand Rapids in Week 2.


The conference schedule again includes defending Division 3 state champion Zeeland West along with playoff teams like Forest Hills Central, Unity Christian and Zeeland East. The Sailors close out the regular season against Grand Rapids Catholic Central.

“It’s a tough league,” Brown said. “There are a lot of really good football teams in the OK Gold. There are teams that have had a ton of success and a ton of playoff success. It is definitely in my opinion one of the toughest conferences around.”       

MHSAA News: Girls field hockey and boys volleyball make high school sports debut; boys tennis Finals update

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,
(Image Courtesy, MHSAA)



By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor


Girls field hockey and boys volleyball make their debuts with MHSAA sponsorship during the 2025-26 school year. Field hockey will be played in the fall, while boys volleyball begins its first season in the spring.


There are 37 varsity teams expected to play during the inaugural field hockey season. There will be one playoff division, with the first MHSAA Regionals in this sport beginning Oct. 8 and the first championship awarded Oct. 25.


Practices are set to begin Monday, Aug. 11, for an anticipated 100,000 high school athletes at Michigan High School Athletic Association member schools.

The fall season includes the most played sports for both boys and girls; 36,210 football players and 19,679 girls volleyball players competed during the Fall 2024 season. Teams in those sports will be joined by competitors in girls and boys cross country, field hockey, Lower Peninsula girls golf, boys soccer, Lower Peninsula girls swimming & diving, Upper Peninsula girls tennis and Lower Peninsula boys tennis in beginning practice next week. Competition begins Aug. 15 for cross country, field hockey, golf, soccer and tennis, Aug. 20 for swimming & diving and volleyball, and Aug. 28 for varsity football. 

Pilot program in Boys Tennis Finals
To conclude their season, Lower Peninsula boys tennis teams will begin a pilot program showcasing Finals for all four divisions at the same location – Midland Tennis Center – over a two-week period. Division 4 will begin play with its two-day event Oct. 15-16, followed by Division 1 on Oct. 17-18, Division 2 on Oct. 22-23 and Division 3 played Oct. 24-25.

Also in Lower Peninsula boys tennis, and girls in the spring, a Finals qualification change will allow for teams that finish third at their Regionals to advance to the season-ending tournament as well, but only in postseason divisions where there are six Regionals – which will be all four boys divisions this fall.

Football Finals now 3 days
The 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field will be played this fall over a three-day period, with Division 8, 4, 6 and 2 games on Friday, Nov. 28, and Division 7, 3, 5 and 1 games played Sunday, Nov. 30, to accommodate Michigan State’s game against Maryland on Nov. 29 at Ford Field.

Two more changes affecting football playoffs will be noticeable this fall. For the first time, 8-Player Semifinals will be played at neutral sites; previously the team with the highest playoff-point average continued to host during that round. Also, teams that forfeit games will no longer receive playoff-point average strength-of-schedule bonus points from those opponents to which they forfeited.

Boys soccer rule changes
A pair of changes in boys soccer this fall will address sportsmanship. The first allows game officials to take action against a team’s head coach in addition to any cautions or ejections issues to players and personnel in that team’s bench area – making the head coach more accountable for behavior on the sideline. The second change allows for only the team captain to speak with an official during the breaks between periods (halftime and during overtime), unless another coach, player, etc., is summoned by the official – with the penalty a yellow card to the offending individual.

More game-action rule changes  

  • In volleyball, multiple contacts by one player attempting to play the ball will now be allowed on second contact if the next contact is by a teammate on the same side of the net. 
  • In swimming & diving, backstroke ledges will be permitted in pools that maintain a 6-foot water depth. If used in competition, identical ledges must be provided by the host team for all lanes, although individual swimmers are not required to use them. 
  • Also in swimming & diving – during relay exchanges – second, third and fourth swimmers must have one foot stationary at the front edge of the deck. The remainder of their bodies may be in motion prior to the finish of the incoming swimmer.
  •  In football, when a forward fumble goes out of bounds, the ball will now be spotted where the fumble occurred instead of where the ball crossed the sideline.

East Kentwood quartet earns All-Region football honors 

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,
Quarterback Kayd Coffman is one of four East Kentwood football players named to the Division 1 All-Region team by the MHSFCA (Michigan High School Football Coaches Association). Elijah Jones, Andrew Durr and James Jones also were chosen. See photos below. (Photo Courtesy, Falcon News Network)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

greer@wktv.org



The East Kentwood football team turned in a productive season this fall and a quartet of Falcons reaped some rewards of that success by being named to the All-Region team.

Junior quarterback Kayd Coffman, senior running back Elijah Jones, senior offensive lineman Andrew Durr and senior defensive lineman James Jones were all named Division 1 All-Region players by the MHSFCA (Michigan High School Football Coaches Association).

Quarterback Kayd Coffman

Coffman, who is being recruited by numerous Division 1 programs and was recently offered a scholarship by Michigan State University, turned in a big season in his first year as Kentwood’s starting quarterback. Coffman completed 56.5% of his passes this season for 1,594 yards and 11 touchdowns against just two interceptions.

“Kayd only threw two interceptions this season,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “I thought Kayd got better as he got more comfortable with the offense. He has a live arm and deceptive speed. I was more impressed with his decision making.”

For Coffman, the honor was the result of plenty of hard work put in to help the Falcons have a strong season as a team.

“It is a very good accomplishment, but that is not the thing you go into the year chasing,” Coffman said. “It is part of the process of doing the right things over and over and over. I thought that the season went really, really well for me as a first-year starter.”

Coffman has another year left at Kentwood and he and his teammates are already beginning to prepare for year two under coach Spencer.

“That (preparing for next year) started the day after the loss to Hudsonville,” Coffman said. “We are all looking forward to next year and we are ready to go get it.”

Having a year of experience in the new system also will pay off next season.

“There is so much growth ahead for us”

“Learning the new system definitely had its speed bumps,” Coffman said. “It was challenging at times, but it’s a great system for me and our guys. We became more polished running the system as the year progressed and there is so much growth ahead for us.”    



East Kentwood running back Elijah Jones. (Photo Courtesy, Falcon News Network)



Running back Elijah Jones

While Coffman provided the Falcons with a threat through the air, Elijah Jones gave the Falcons a powerful force in the ground game. Jones rushed for 1,208 yards this season averaging 7.2 yards per carry. 

“After starting the season slow with injury, Elijah became one of the biggest pieces of the offense,” Spencer said. “He doesn’t go down often on first contact and has the speed to outrun you. Elijah is a smart and tough football player.”

Jones was pleased with the honor and the season the team turned in.

“It feels great and I’m grateful for the honor,” Jones said. “I give thanks to God along with my family and coaches and teammates for all of their support. As a team, we had a great season and got better every game we played. Obviously, it was heartbreaking to lose to Hudsonville, but I still think we had a great season. Personally, I think I had a good season, but I feel there is always room to grow.    

Jones, who also is attracting the attention of college recruiters, added 12 touchdowns this season.

“Hopefully, I will get the opportunity to play college football,” Jones said. “I’m still going through the process. Right now, I’ve been talking to Brown University of the Ivy League, Wayne State and Lawrence Tech.” 

Offensive lineman Andrew Durr

Paving the way for the offense was a strong offensive line this season led by Durr. Durr helped anchor the line where his versatility was a major strength to the unit.



East Kentwood offensive lineman Andrew Durr. (Photo Courtesy, Falcon News Network)



“Andrew was key in the run game for us this year,” Spencer said, “which allowed us to rush for a little over 2,000 yards. He played every position on the offensive line and was our most consistent lineman.”

Thanks to his versatility, Durr lined up at right tackle, left guard and center during the season.

“My favorite position was center,” Durr said. “I thought I did a good job at center. I feel I helped solidify the middle of the line.”

Durr credited his coaches and teammates for helping him earn all-region honors.

“I’m incredibly thankful for everything my coaches and my teammates have done to get me this far,” Durr said. “This honor isn’t just about me. It’s about my team, my coaches and my family.

“Playing college football has always been a dream of mine for a long time and this recognition is another step towards making it a reality and it means a lot to know that the hard work I’ve put in is being recognized.”

Defensive lineman James Jones

On the other side of the ball, James Jones provided an anchor for the defensive line. Jones totaled 44 tackles for the Falcons including seven tackles for loss and a quarterback sack. 



East Kentwood defensive lineman James Jones, Jr. (Photo Courtesy, East Kentwood High School)



“James is a strong defender who is hard to move in the middle of the defense,” Spencer said. “He’s more than likely going to win his matchup one-on-one. Many teams we played had to double-team him.” 



South Christian claims third straight regional title; defense holds in 28-21 victory over Whitehall

Citizen Journalism, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , ,
Check out this great scramble and touchdown pass by South Christian’s Carson Vis. (Courtesy, David Kool)



By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor

greer@wktv.org



South Christian continued its hot streak through the playoffs on a quest to Ford Field with a 28-21 victory over Whitehall in a back-and-forth affair in a D-4 regional final. 

The Sailors’ senior quarterback and Western Michigan University basketball commit, Carson Vis, finished off the first scoring drive of the game with a 15-yard pass to Chuck DeHaan with 4:50 left in the opening frame. Whitehall closed out the first quarter with a 24-yard touchdown run to tie the game.



South Christian quarterback Carson Vis. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



The second quarter went scoreless until the last play of the half as Vis found receiver Tyler Brinks for a 20-yard TD pass to put the Sailors up 14-7 to close the first half. 

“We came in with the game plan of getting to the outside and hitting some short throws, but the field was slippery, so we had to adjust,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “The beauty of having someone like Carson and the receivers we have is you have the option to take what works. They were tough against the run and loaded the box. You still have to mix in the run, but you don’t have to bang your head against the wall. You take what they give you.”



South Christian wins another Division 4 Regional title. (Courtesy, David Kool)


Rowan DeKam scores on a fumble, adds 10 tackles

Whitehall scored on a two-yard plunge to tie the game at 8:58 in the third quarter. The South Christian defense then got on the board as they forced a fumble that was picked up by Rowan DeKam and taken 31 yards for the score, putting the Sailors up 21-14. DeKam led the Sailors with 10 tackles.


21-all to end the third

The third quarter ended in a 21-all tie as Whitehall put another touchdown on the board. The Sailor defense, however, took over from that point holding the Vikings scoreless in the final quarter.

“We got them in a situation where they had to throw with the clock running out,” Brown said. “That helps with a team that doesn’t like to throw the ball.”
 

Vis had 224 passing yards and two touchdowns and 56 yards on the ground. 

Owen Burgess led the team with six catches and 77 yards, while running back Kasjen VanSolkema scored a rushing touchdown.

The Sailors will now play in their third consecutive Division 4 semifinal game.

“It’s a credit to the kids to have the belief that even when things weren’t looking good that if we could just find a way to right the ship anyone can get hot at the right time and we have done that,” Brown explained. “Winning three regionals is awesome. As a competitor it’s fun to win, but doing it consistently is a lot harder. The fact that these kids keep believing and buying in, keep doing the things during the season and in the off-season, being great teammates. It’s a credit to the team and the assistant coaches to keep this going.”

South Christian will meet a Niles team that is riding an 11-game winning streak into its first trip to the semifinals in school history.

“They have had some success in recent years, but I think the approach is about us,” Brown said. “What do we have to do to put the best product on the field. It starts in practice and in the details. You have to respect your opponent. Any team you see at this point is a really good football team.”

South Christian (8-4) and Niles (11-1) face off in a Division 4 semifinal at 1 p.m. Saturday at Three Rivers High School.

South Christian rallies to stun No. 1 Unity Christian 35-28 in district title game 

Citizen Journalism, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , ,
Carson Vis led the Sailors with a big game both passing and running. He connected on 12-of-16 passes for 171 yards and one touchdown and ran the ball 22 times for 127 yards and four TDs. (Courtesy, Murray Sports Photography)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

greer@wktv.org



When playoff season arrives, South Christian seems to find a way to play its best football. That was the case again in the Division 4 district final at Grandville Friday as the Sailors turned in one of their best performances of the year by taking down top-ranked and unbeaten rival Unity Christian 35-28 to win the district title.

Trailing 16-7 at the end of the first quarter, the Sailors rallied to defeat Unity and earn a spot in this Friday’s regional title game at Whitehall. The Sailor comeback win also avenged a 50-21 loss to Unity Christian suffered in Week 7 of the regular season.

“We found a way to win it,” said South Christian Coach Danny Brown. “I’m just excited for the kids to get a big program win like that. Obviously, they (Unity Christian) are ranked Number 1 and they have a great team. We knew it was going to be a tough one, but we stayed the course and the guys executed.”

Unity jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead in the game as quarterback Jackson DeHoop connected with Sean VanderZwaag on a 26-yard scoring play. DeHoop then ran in the two-point conversion.

South, however, matched that score midway through the first quarter. Sailor quarterback Carson Vis ran in for a touchdown from six-yards out and Wyatt Sall added the point after cutting the margin to 8-7.

“Offensively, we executed so much more efficiently this time,” Brown said. “I told the guys that they would score early and we would have to answer and we did.”

Unity led 16-7 to end the first quarter

Unity stretched the lead to 16-7 at the end of the first quarter when Isaac Stienstra ran in for a touchdown from six-yards out and Nolan Vis ran in the two-point conversion.

South had the answer for that score with a pair of touchdowns of its own in the second quarter. At the 9:07 mark of the second quarter Vis hooked up with Chuck DeHaan for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Sall added the point after cutting the margin to 16-14. South then surged ahead with two minutes remaining in the first half as Vis ran in for a touchdown from three-yards out. Sall added the extra point putting the Sailors up 21-16.

Unity up 22-21 at halftime

Unity, however, quickly responded, and with 1:23 remaining before halftime Nolan Vis ran in for a touchdown from a yard out putting the Crusaders up 22-21 heading into halftime.

South leads 29-22 in the third

The defenses took over for much of the third quarter before South Christian broke through with a touchdown late in the period. The was when Vis ran in for a touchdown from two-yards out putting the Sailors up 27-22 with 2:20 remaining in the quarter. Vis then connected with DeHaan on the two-point conversion giving the Sailors a 29-22 lead.

Unity Christian closed the gap at the 8:21 mark of the fourth quarter. That was when Max VanKoevering rumbled 13 yards for a touchdown cutting the margin to 29-28. The Crusaders then went for the two-point conversion and the lead before getting denied by the Sailor defense.



South Christian’s Caleb Wieneke (No. 3) and Nathan Potter (58) wrap up a Crusader. (Courtesy, Murray Sports Photography)



The Sailor defense overall did a solid job on the Unity offense. Not only did the South defense limit Unity to 22 less points than the previous matchup, but the Sailor defenders held Unity to its second-lowest point total of the entire season.

“We had some different personnel on defense from the last time we played them,” Brown said. “We also did a few things differently on defense. Ultimately, you can make changes, but the kids have to execute and they did a great job of executing the game plan.”  

South sealed the victory in the final seconds of the game. Vis ran for a touchdown from two-yards out making the final score 35-28 and sending the Sailors on to the regional final where they will face an 8-3 Whitehall team.

“I’m really excited about this group of guys,” Brown said. “The way they prepare is just awesome to see. After our win against Catholic Central in Week 9 you could definitely see a pep in their step at practice the last couple of weeks. The kids are laser-focused.”

Carson Vis had four TDs on the ground and one via air

Offensively, Vis led the Sailors with a big game both passing and running. Vis connected on 12-of-16 passes for 171 yards and one touchdown and ran the ball 22 times for 127 yards and four TDs.

“Carson was just phenomenal,” Brown said. “He is a big-time player and he made big-time plays for us. He has shown that for us time and time again.”



Owen Burgess led South Christian in receiving with five catches for 73 yards. (Courtesy, Murray Sports Photography)



Owen Burgess led the team in receiving with five catches for 73 yards. DeHaan caught three passes for 38 yards and a score, while Tyler Brinks caught a pair of passes for 48 yards and Bryce Kenyon caught two passes.

Rowan DeKam led South with 12 tackles

On defense, Rowan DeKam led the way with 12 total tackles, followed by Chuck DeHaan, seven and Caleb Wieneke, five. Brinks added an interception.



Rowan DeKam (No. 11) led the Sailors with 12 tackles. (Courtesy, Murray Sports Photography)

“Our defensive line also did a great job,” Brown said. “They did not make a ton of tackles, but what they did up front kept the Unity offensive linemen off of our linebackers. That was huge. Nathan Potter, Carson Joldersma, Ben Buiter, Cameryn Veltman, Greyson Hunderman, we had a rotation of guys that played their tails off. It’s not easy to do that against a big and powerful offensive line like Unity and those guys deserve a lot of credit.”

With the win, the Sailors improved to 7-4 for the season as they head to Whitehall to face a team they played in the regional finals two years ago.

“They have a great team,” Brown said. “They have some great athletes; they’re physical and they play hard. It will be a huge test for us.”

Like South, Whitehall has faced a rugged schedule this season with two of its three losses coming against Unity Christian and Zeeland West and the third against unbeaten and state-ranked Portland.  

Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 9

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, , , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org


Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.


Thanks for tuning in!


WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org


Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

East Kentwood, South Christian heading to MHSAA football playoffs 

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , , ,
(Logo Courtesy, MHSAA)



By Greg Chrapek

greer@wktv.org



Halloween is just around the corner and in high school football that means the state playoffs are also set to launch.

With the final week of the regular season in the books, a pair of local heavyweights, East Kentwood and South Christian, are both set to begin what they hope will be long playoff runs.


East Kentwood (5-4 overall) travels to Hudsonville (8-1) in the first round of the playoffs in Division 1 Region 1 at 7 p.m. Friday, while South Christian (5-4) hosts Holland Christian (6-3) at East Kentwood High School in Division 4 Region 1 at 7 p.m. Friday.

The Falcons finished the regular season with a 5-4 record after falling 45-27 to Rockford in the regular-season finale. The Falcons clinched a playoff berth with a 31-7 win against Jenison in Week 8.

The Falcons have made steady progress in their trek to the playoffs while playing a rugged schedule full of playoff teams.

“Our team has gained a lot of confidence the last couple of weeks,” said East Kentwood coach Tyrone Spencer. “I like where we are going right now and we are starting to hit our peak.”

The Falcons have a good mix of passing and running on offense and have been playing strong defense.

“I think we have done a good job of establishing the run and mixing in the pass,” Spencer said. “The last couple of weeks our defense has also been pretty stout, especially against Grand Haven and Jenison. Even the Grandville game our defense did a pretty good job at times containing that explosive offense.”


Offensively, the Falcons are led by quarterback Kayd Coffman and running back Elijah Jones. Jones rushed for 186 yards against Jenison after running for over 180 yards the week before against Grand Haven.



East Kentwood running back Elijah Jones. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)



On defense, the Falcons have been receiving solid play at all three levels.

“Our linebacker, Terence Kabanda, leads us in tackles,” Spencer said. “Our defensive line is a pretty stout group with Syncere Hobson-Washington, James Jones and Tyler Meeuwsen all doing a good job. Our sophomore safeties Donavan Jones and Major Barnes have done a good job of making plays.”

Kentwood is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022 after missing out on the playoffs last year.

South Christian makes playoffs with win over Catholic Central

South Christian kept its string of playoff appearances going with a big 26-20 win against Catholic Central in the Week 9 finale to guarantee a spot in the playoffs. The Sailors have qualified for the playoffs the past eight years, including winning the Division 4 state championship two years ago and reaching the Division 4 state title game last year.

The Sailors improved to 5-4 for the season with the win against the Cougars.

The Sailors clinched their playoff berth in thrilling fashion as they trailed Catholic Central 20-10 at halftime before rallying in the second half with a pair of touchdowns to win the game.

In the third quarter, Carson Vis tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Kenyon and then connected with Tyler Brinks on a two-point conversion pass to cut the deficit to 20-18.



South Christian quarterback Carson Vis committed to play basketball at Western Michigan University. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



In the fourth quarter, the Sailors took the lead when Vis hit Brinks for a one-yard scoring strike for the winning touchdown. Vis then connected with Brinks for the two-point conversion.

Vis completed 24-of-31 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns and ran the ball 18 times for 59 yards.

Chuck DeHaan led the receiving corps with four catches for 93 yards.

Like East Kentwood, South Christian has faced a rugged schedule loaded with playoff teams. The Sailors opened the season with four consecutive wins before falling the past four weeks to bring their record to .500.

South Christian entered the Catholic Central game with a high-powered offense led by quarterback Vis, who passed for 219 yards and a touchdown in last week’s loss against Zeeland West. Vis also rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown. Vis has a variety of targets to pass to including Brinks, who had six catches for 99 yards against West and Owen Burgess, who caught 13 passes for 81 yards and DeHaan, who caught four balls for 35 yards and a score.


The MHSAA Football Playoffs conclude with the 8-Player Finals on Nov. 23 at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome and 11-Player Finals to be played Nov. 29-30 at Ford Field.



Thornapple Kellogg beat Wyoming 49-12 Friday in season finale

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



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Thornapple Kellogg defeated Wyoming 49-12 in the last regular season game Friday. TK improves to 1-4 in the OK Black, 3-6 overall, while Wyoming finished the season at 1-8 overall, 0-5 in the OK Gold.

Rockford defeats host East Kentwood 45-27; both teams headed to Division 1 playoffs

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Visiting Rockford knocked off East Kentwood 45-27 Friday. The Rams improved to 5-2 in the OK Red, 7-2 overall, while the Falcons fell to 4-3 in the Red, 5-4 overall.


Despite the loss to Rockford, the Falcons already had clinched a Division 1 playoff berth with their 31-7 win over Jenison last Friday. Rockford also is headed to the playoffs.


Stay tuned for the playoff brackets which drop Sunday night.

East Kentwood routs Jenison Friday, clinches playoff berth

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman was 14-for-20 passing for 201 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Jenison. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)

By Ty Marzean

greer@wktv.org



East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer is no stranger to the MHSAA playoffs. Having spent the last eight seasons at Detroit Martin Luther King, he made the playoffs each year. Now, in his first season leading the Falcons’ football program, he is set to return to the playoffs for a ninth consecutive year.

The Falcons (5-3) will return to the playoffs for the fifth time in the last eight seasons after cruising to a 31-7 victory over OK-Red rival Jenison (3-5) on WKTV’s Game of the Week Friday night. 



“We had a good showing,” Spencer said. “In the first half, we were rolling and doing some good things. I was really pleased with how we started the game and finished. I feel that we are peaking as a team.



“We were able to kind of have our way in the first half. Our offense was pretty good and the defense came up with some key stops. They (Jenison) are a gritty team. They have a real good running back that beat us on one long run, but overall I thought we did a really good job.”

EK senior running back Elijah Jones opened the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter and ended up with 185 rushing yards. Jones received an offer to play at Wayne State University earlier in the week.



East Kentwood senior running back Elijah Jones. (Photo Courtesy, Falcon News Network)



Jenison matched that score with a touchdown run of its own when junior Brody Schuiteman went through the middle of the Falcons’ defensive line for a 62-yard touchdown. 

The Falcons’ defensive front wouldn’t allow much more after that play. Senior Syncere Hobson-Washington and junior James Jones disrupted the Wildcats offense all game long. Senior middle linebacker Terence Kabanda led the team with four solo tackles.
 

Junior quarterback Kayd Coffman led the Falcons offensive pass attack, going 14-for-20 for 201 yards and two passing touchdowns. His favorite receiver on the night was junior Ahman Edmonds, who caught five passes for 106 yards and scored a touchdown run. Senior receiver Charles Murphy-Ware tallied 92 yards on five catches, including a beautiful 36-yard touchdown grab. Junior Bam Nettelman hauled in the first touchdown pass from Coffman.



East Kentwood wide receiver Ahman Edmonds. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)



East Kentwood will end the regular season hosting the Rockford Rams (6-2) in OK Red action at Falcons Stadium for their “Black Out Game” on Friday.

Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 8

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,
Every week, WKTV brings you Friday Night Highlights featuring most of the local high school football action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, including the latest conference standings and analysis from our football game announcers Ty Marzean and Ron Schultz.
Producers: Cris Greer and Davin Harsila, Director: Tom Conquest, Graphics and Videographer: Jake Westbrook



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org


Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.


Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.


WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org


Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

Stay tuned for playoff brackets!

Grand Rapids Sacred Heart beat Lee 42-14 Friday

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Sacred Heart beat Lee 42-14 Friday to stay undefeated at 8-0 this season. Lee dropped to 3-5 overall.


Lee travels to Calvin Christian next Friday.

Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 7

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , , ,




By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org


Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.


Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.


WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org


Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked

Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood

Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)

Unity Christian knocks off South Christian 50-21 Friday; check out our WKTV Highlights inside

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Hudsonville Unity Christian beat South Christian 50-21 Friday to remain atop the OK Gold at 4-0, 7-0 overall. The Sailors fell to 1-3 in the Gold, 4-3 overall.


South Christian hosts Zeeland West next Friday at Hudsonville High School.

Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 6

1-featured, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , , ,




By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org


Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.


Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.


WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org


Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked

Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville

Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood

Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)

Kelloggsville gets first win with 24-8 defeat of Benton Harbor

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



The Rockets got their first win of the season with a 24-8 defeat of visiting Benton Harbor Friday.


Kelloggsville hosts Godwin Heights next Friday for a big rivalry game.

Godwin Heights gets past Fruitport 15-12

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Godwin Heights defeated Fruitport 15-12 Friday to improve to 2-1 in the OK Silver, 2-3 overall, Fruitport fell to 1-2, 2-4.


The Wolverines visit Kelloggsville for a big rivalry game next Friday.

Grandville edges East Kentwood 33-25; check out our WKTV highlights

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Grandville beat East Kentwood 33-25 Friday to improve to 3-1 in the OK Red, 3-3 overall. East Kentwood fell to 2-2 in the Red, 3-3 overall.


The Falcons travel to Grand Haven next Friday, while Grandville travels to Hudsonville.

Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 5

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , , , , , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org


Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.


Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.


Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.


WKTV Game of the Week

Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.

You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org


Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.

WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked

Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)

Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville

Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood

Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)