Clearly the Grand Rapids South Christian High School football team hoped and practiced for a better result than the 47-7 road loss at state-power Edwardsburg, Saturday, Jan. 9, after the state playoffs resumed following a six-week, state-mandated pause due to COVID-19 restrictions.
But Sailors head coach Danny Brown had nothing but praise for his team, which finished the season 8-2, their best season since 2014, and never backed down from the challenge of a night road game in freezing January temperatures against the Division 4 powerhouse Eddies (now 9-0).
Sailors head coach Danny Brown talks to his team during the Jan. 9 game. (Eric Walstra)
“Our team as a whole deserves a lot of praise,” Brown said to WKTV this week. “This has been a tough journey for these kids and they never wavered. They were always ready no matter what was thrown their way.”
And a lot was thrown their way, including the nearly two-month layoff, less than a week in pads to prepare for the game, and a rigid COVID-19 rapid testing protocol the team and staff had to pass. And that was before they took the field.
In the game, South Christian took the opening kickoff and drove to Edwardsburg 28, keyed by a 22-yard pass from senior Ty Rynbrandt to Trevor Hansen that got the ball to the Eddies’ 28. But the drive stalled, Edwardsburg took over, and the Eddies scored first. The Sailors answered later in the first quarter with a 7-play, 60-yard scoring drive finishing with Hanson’s 28 yard run and Nate Brinks’ PAT to make the score 8-7.
But Edwardsburg, and its prolific offense, proved just too much from there on out. For the game, the Eddies out-gained the Sailors in total yards 306-138, and the host team marched to their fourth Regional title in five seasons while continuing a streak of scoring at least 43 points in every game this season.
For the game, Sailors’ quarterback Rynbrandt was 11-of-26 for 96 yards while returning to the field after recovering from an injury in the November.
But finishing the season on the field was important to Rynbrandt, and to the rest of the South Christian team.
“I think it was important to get closure on the season,” Brown said. “There would of always been this thought of ‘what if’ if we weren’t allowed to continue. We always just wanted a chance to complete the season. The game didn’t goes as we hoped but at least we know we got to play in our last game of the season.”
Try as they might, South Christian could not stop the high-scoring Edwardsburg offense in the Jan. 9 game. (Eric Walstra)
The South Christian High School football team returns to practice Wednesday, Dec. 30, after mandated COVOD-19 testing was completed. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
When Grand Rapids South Christian High School’s football team returned to the practice field Wednesday, in preparation for its hoped-for return to the Sailors’ Division 4 playoffs with a regional final game Jan. 9, 2021, coaches and players actually had two playbooks to follow.
One is the on-field playbook put together by head coach Danny Brown and his staff as they prepare the team for a road game against the Edwardsburg Eddies. The second is an even more extensive COVID-19 testing playbook which the team will have to follow to the letter to practice, let alone get back to competition.
Following extensive COVID-19 rapid testing instructions laid out by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Service (MDHHS) and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) — including an 14-page “how to” of use for the BinaxNOW antigen tests by kit maker Abbott — the Sailors’ athletic department and school staff begin their first round of testing this week.
As with all fall sports teams preparing to return to action, if all players, coaches and personnel test negative through the first round of testing, they may proceed with full-contact practices as early as Dec. 31.
“Our players and coaches are looking forward to getting back on the field with another opportunity to finish our season,” South Christian athletic director David Kool said to WKTV. “We realize the only way we can accomplish this is by participating in the pilot testing program. The MHSAA and the MDHHS have clearly outlined their expectations and have given very sound guidance on the process so we are ready to begin the testing on Wednesday.”
The testing went well on Wednesday, Dec. 30, and the team began practice later in the day.
A graphic for Abbott BinaxNOW test. (Abbott)
Testing kits came this week
The MDHHS Testing Pilot Program for Organized Sports, which the Sailors are part of, involves the MDHHS, the MHSAA, all of the schools choosing to restart fall sports, and local health departments. It is available to student athletes in girls volleyball, girls swimming & diving, and football “who have already qualified or begun competing in MHSAA postseason championship games and meets within the regular Fall 2020 season,” the MHSAA states.
Also according to the MHSAA, the testing pilot program is “an opportunity for student athletes to finish out their seasons through rigorous COVID-19 antigen (rapid) testing. By agreeing to frequent rapid testing and other COVID-19 safety precautions, student athletes, coaches, and staff who are symptom-free and continue to test negative for COVID-19 can participate.”
In addition to providing a way for student athletes to complete their competitions, according to the MHSAA, if successful “this pilot provides an opportunity for public health and schools to assess an antigen testing strategy for students and staff, paving the way for a broader school testing protocol and the safe reopening of K-12 schools.”
“We’re excited about this opportunity for our remaining football playoff teams to return to play and thankful to the MDHHS for the opportunity to take part in this pilot program,” MHSAA’s Geoff Kimmerly said to WKTV. “Boxes of tests departed from our building Monday to give teams the opportunity to begin testing and full practice again Wednesday, and we are working with MDHHS to answer questions and provide training in administering these tests.
“This is the avenue forward for our teams wishing to complete the football season, and we’re confident the testing process will go smoothly and allow them to do so,” Kimmerly said.
And that “avenue forward,” just getting a chance to finish their season, is all that South Christian wants.
“January 9 (game day) is going to be a fun day for all involved,” Kool said. The hoped-for return to the field “has been a much anticipated day, and our athletes and coaches are going to be ready to go.”
After a state-mandated five-week “pause” in the state high school football playoffs, the South Christian High School Sailors are back on the practice field today and preparing for a regional final game at Edwardsburg on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.
With action by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) on Dec. 18, announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and resulting action by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) on that same day, football and two other high school fall sports are allowed to resume practice in preparation of finishing their seasons.
David Kool, South Christian athletic director, on the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection. (WKTV)
“I have had a virtual meeting with the team since the news was announced and they are very excited,” Danny Brown, South Christian head football coach, said to WKTV. “I think excitement might be an understatement. We are also thankful for the opportunity to get closure on our season. These kids have sacrificed a lot to get us to this point and it is awesome they will have the chance to see their season all the way to the end.”
The Sailors (8-1, and 3-0 in the playoffs), have not played since Nov. 13, when they defeated Hamilton in a regional semifinal, and are scheduled to travel to Edwardsburg (8-0) for the regional final.
The MDHSS and Gov. Whitmer in mid-November, responding to COVID-19 pandemic statistical surges, banned in-school education for high schools and, as a result, put football, volleyball and girls swimming and diving teams into hiatus as their fall tournaments were in process.
The November order also put a pause on winter sports practices and competitions, including girls and boys basketball. Last week’s changes of state health department and MHSAA directions does not allow for resumption of basketball and other winter sports at this time.
A key element in resuming winter sports will likely be how the fall sports competitions operate with new pandemic related “rapid testing” protocols.
According to a MHSAA statement on Dec. 18. “teams and individuals still participating in tournament play will be allowed to do so as part of an MDHHS pilot rapid testing program designed to gain insight and collect data on the spread of COVID-19 as the MDHHS plans to provide expanded rapid testing availability to schools in January.”
At this point, the details of that rapid testing protocol are yet to come from the MDHSS and the MHSAA.
David Kool, South Christian athletic director, on the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection. (WKTV)
“We don’t know the specifics yet of the pilot testing program that is going to be mandatory for our athletes but we look forward to complying with the MHSAA and MDHHS on this,” David Kool, South Christian athletic director said to WKTV. “We realize this is the only thing that gives the kids a chance to finish their season and we are really happy about that.”
The uncertainty is not diminishing the anticipation for the resumption of the Sailor’s state title drive, however.
“We are thrilled that the MHSAA announced the restart of the football playoffs,” Kool said. “Coach Brown, along with the rest of the staff and players, cannot wait to take the field on January 2nd at Edwardsburg. Amidst all of this chaos, this is a special opportunity that these kids will never forget and we are blessed to have another chance at finishing this season.”
And, after waiting more than a month not knowing if they would even get a change to get back on the field, coach Brown says his staff and team are ready for whatever comes.
“The testing part adds a whole new element to the situation but we are willing to do whatever it takes to get to the finish line,” Brown said.
Details of initial MHSAA restart plans
According both MHSAA Dec. 18 statement, football playoffs will begin Saturday, Jan. 2, with regional finals for 11-player teams and semifinals for 8-player teams. The 8-player championship games in both divisions and all 11-player semifinals will be played Saturday, Jan. 9. The football season will conclude with the 11-player finals in all divisions the weekend of Jan. 15-16. All semifinals in both 11 and 8-player will be played at home sites. Sites for championship games will be finalized and announced later.
In addition, the girls volleyball tournament will begin again with quarterfinals on Jan. 5, with semifinals and finals to be played Jan. 7-9 at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. Also, the girls swimming and diving finals with return with its three Lower Peninsula finals competed during the weekend of Jan. 15-16, with one division at each of three locations.
“All previous safety protocols remain in place, and no spectators will be allowed at the fall tournament events,” according to the MHSAA statement. And “all indoor Winter sports — which are not part of the pilot rapid testing program — remain on pause from the MDHHS until Jan. 16, although girls and boys alpine skiing season — competed outdoors and following safety protocols including all activity must be outdoors — will be allowed to begin practice Monday, Dec. 21.”
The MHSAA Representative Council is expected to meet Tuesday, Dec. 22, to discuss details for the rest of winter sports. And all Spring 2021 sports are expected to begin on time and play complete seasons concluding with their traditional MHSAA tournament dates in May and June.
When it comes to COVID-19 related restrictions, or allowances, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer often says her and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ decisions are “guided by the data.”
So as high school athletic departments across the state, including those in the Kentwood and Wyoming area, await an expected modification by Gov. Whitmer and the MDHHS of the current “pause” in competition and most practices, WKTV asked about the data — the numbers.
The MDHHS and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) both responded, with numbers which might be viewed as telling a somewhat different story.
“There have been 42 outbreaks associated with athletics (K-12 schools, professional, collegiate, and commercial venues) in August and September,” according to a MDHHS statement prior to the Nov. 15 pause in athletics, along with indoor restaurant service and other COVID-19 related restrictions.
And “we do continuously track data on outbreaks, including outbreaks associated with high school sports, and we know that there continued to be high school sports associated outbreaks in (October and November),” Bob Wheaton, spokesperson for the MDHHS, said to WKTV this week.
But those “outbreaks” did not prevent high school sports teams across the state from safely completing the vast majority of scheduled contests, according to MHSAA numbers given to WKTV. Even in a sport considered by the state to be “high risk” — football — with nearly 600 teams playing on any given week the percentage of games not played due to COVID-19 outbreaks was never more than 4.1 percent and was under 3 percent five out of nine weeks of competition.
“Our schools, with athletic directors monitoring activities and trained coaches teaching their athletes best practices and holding them to high standards, have for the large part been able to keep their teams competing and free of infection this fall,” MHSAA spokesperson Geoff Kimmerly said to WKTV this week. “We have maintained from the start of fall that schools are best equipped to provide athletics in the safest-possible environment, and we’re eager to restart our fall and winter seasons following the precautions that have been successful so far.”
(The complete data chart supplied my the MHSAA is at the end of this story.)
The MHSAA’s opinion on the effectiveness of high school sports programs’ COVID-19 safety efforts was echoed by David Kool, athletic director at South Christian High School, which had their football team’s so-far successful playoff drive halted in mid-November.
“Our staff and players have done a tremendous job navigating through this pandemic,” Kool said this week to WKTV. “The support and leadership from our coaches has been and will continue to be phenomenal. … We have followed the protocols and guidelines put on us to the best of our ability throughout the fall and now into the winter. We all realize that gives us the best chance for the student athletes to do what they love to do, which is to compete.”
MDHHS and athletics numbers
The MDHHS, in response to a questions about how much of a COVID-19 spreader problem high school sports has been this fall and early winter, referenced its late October update of its Interim Guidance for Contact Sports, which noted:
“There have been 42 outbreaks associated with athletics (K-12 schools, professional, collegiate, and commercial venues) in August and September of 2020. Outbreaks of this magnitude have the potential to affect more than just a sports team, but the community in which the players and coaches reside as well.”
The document also noted that contact sports are particularly concern, saying, “Given the available epidemiological data with concerning rising cases of COVID-19, contact sports such as football and wrestling pose a high risk of transmitting COVID-19 to athletes, coaches, and the general community, and should be avoided at this time.”
But under the mid-November order, while high school sports competitions and team practices were restricted, the MDHHS stated: “Gyms will remain open for individual exercise with strict safety measures in place. … (and) Professional and college sports meeting extraordinary standards for risk mitigation may continue without spectators, however all other organized sports must stop.”
And what’s next for high school athletics?
And what will drive Gov. Whitmer and the MDHHS’s decision to continue restrictions on, or allow resumption of, high school sports?
“As MDHHS’s order pausing gatherings for 3 weeks expires Dec. 8, we are reviewing the COVID-19 data and will make decisions on high school sports and other gatherings based on what that data shows us,” the MDHHS spokesperson said.
“We understand why the state health department paused activities for three weeks — we all have the same hopes for reducing COVID-19,” MHSAA’s Kimmerly said. “But we believe we have a good story to tell, and that we can continue to play a major role in keeping high school athletes safe while providing them a meaningful experience during this difficult time.”
And so local high school athletic departments, coaches and athletes await the decision and guidance from the Governor, MDHHS and the MHSAA.
“Each and every day we are trying to do everything we can to give our student athletes as many opportunities as we can,” South Christian’s Kool said. “We are hopeful that we will be given the green light to continue with athletics on Wednesday, December 9 and look forward to being back in action.”
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) made clear this week that this week’s action to suspend the three remaining fall sports championship competitions was just that: a “suspension” and not a “cancellation.”
But by any definition, local high school athletic teams readying this week to continue their drives for state titles are at least on indefinite hold and at worst cancelled.
At East Kentwood High School, the girls swim team’s trip to the state swim finals this weekend is not going to happen. (See a WKTV video and story on the Falcons’s swim team here.)
And at South Christian, Coach Danny Brown’s football team will likely be idle for three weeks instead of playing a playoff game this week and getting shot at the 2020 Division 4 title.
“I feel terrible for the kids. They put so much into having a successful season and they keep getting knocked down,” Brown said to WKTV. “They are resilient and will get through this. My hope and prayer is we get to finish the season so these boys can get some closure on their season.”
Originally, the Sailors (8-1, including 3-0 in expanded playoff format games) were scheduled to play this Friday against Edwardsburg (8-0) in the regional finals, with the semifinals on Nov. 27 and the state finals scheduled for Dec. 4. (On Nov. 13, South Christian defeated Hamilton, 56-14, in the regional semifinals. WKTV was there with our featured game crew and the game is available on-demand at WKTVlive.org.)
Now South Christian will have to wait until later this week to find out plans from the MHSAA on the possible restart of the fall season championships after the current 3-week suspension of activities to comply with a new state orders.
On Nov. 15, the MHSAA announced it was suspending fall tournaments for girls volleyball, girls swimming & diving, and football, and all winter practices and competitions scheduled to begin over the next three weeks “per the emergency order to pause activity announced Sunday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to limit the spread of COVID-19.”
“Our plan for all our fall tournaments is that they are suspended, they are not cancelled,” Mark Uyl, executive director of the MHSAA, said Monday, Nov. 16, in a Zoom press conference. “Our goal as we started off this new athletic year was that we were going to find a way to have three (high school sports) seasons in 2020 and 21. … Our goals and plans have not changed.”
A more extensive excerpt from a Monday press conference with Uyl is at the top of this story.
The MHSAA action not only suspends local teams’ title hopes, it is another delay in winter sports practices and competition — including boys and girls basketball. Full practices for basketball was scheduled to begin this week, with some girls teams taking to the court for games the first week of December.
Godwin Heights goes for a two-point extra point conversion after junior quarterback Jeremiah Drake (1) punched in an early Wolverine touchdown in their Oct. 2 home game against Belding. (WKTV)
After a weekend announcement by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), local Wyoming and Kentwood area teams know where they will be playing in this week’s opening round of an expanded and altered football playoff tournament.
East Kentwood, Wyoming high and Kelloggsville high schools will each be on the road late this week. But South Christian will host the Rockets at East Kentwood High School’s field and Godwin Heights will has also drawn a home game — which will be the WKTV Featured Game of the Week, with delayed broadcast of the game on our cable channels as well as later on-demand availability on WKTVlive.org.
Last week, Godwin Heights (2-4) at home defeated Comstock Park (1-5), 19-13, in 2 OT, on Oct. 23. The Wolverines will host Hamilton (2-4) Friday, Oct. 30, with a 7 p.m. kickoff. Hamilton (also 2-4) lost Oct. 23 at home to Grand Rapids West Catholic, 35-7.
The Godwin vs. Hamilton game was announced Oct. 24 as a MHSAA Division 4, Region 14, District 27 matchup. According to the MHSAA, Godwin Heights won a host-field tie-breaker with Hamilton based on opponents’ winning percentage.
Also in Division 4, Region 14, District 27 matchup, Wyoming Kelloggsville (1-5) will play at Grand Rapids South Christian (5-1). Kelloggsville was idle last week but gained a forfeit win against Hopkins. The Sailors lost their first game of the shortened season, a 28-27 overtime thriller Oct. 23 to visiting Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (The game was last week’s WKTV Featured Game of the Week and is available on-demand at WKTVlive.org.)
All MHSAA playoff tickets will be sold online only via GoFan at https://gofan.co/ to “provide for a cashless and contactless purchasing process that also allows for contact tracing,” according to the MHSAA. Tickets for single-session Pre-District, District and Regional games are $6. Single-session Semifinal tickets are $8. A per-ticket convenience fee will be applied.
Other local teams’ playoff matchups
In MHSAA 11-player pairings also announced this weekend, in a Division 1, Region 1, District 1 matchup, East Kentwood (2-3) will be close to home at Hudsonville (4-2) on Saturday, Oct. 31.
The Falcons finished their 5-game regular season Oct. 16 with a 24-7 home-field win over Muskegon Reeths-Puiffer (2-3). East Kentwood was originally scheduled to play at Caledonia (1-4) on Oct. 23. Hudsonville was actually 4-1 in games played, but had to forfeit their Oct. 23 home game against Jenison.
In a Division 2, Region 5, District 9 matchup, Wyoming high (1-3) will travel to Muskegon Mona Shores (6-0) on Friday, Oct. 30. Wyoming, after two weeks off due to COVID-19 safety protocols, returned to the field Oct. 23 with a 34-26 win at Holland (0-6). The Wolves match-up with Mona Shores is actually a game against a newly aligned OK Conference Green opponent which was not played this year due to the late start of the season.
In Division 8, Wyoming Lee opted out of the tournament. Wyoming Lee (1-5, including a forfeit win and a forfeit loss) lost 22-12 at Potterville (3-3) on Oct. 23 to end the Legends’ season.
In 8-player football pairings, in a Division 2, Region 4 game, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (2-4) will be at Burr Oak (5-1) on Oct. 31. The Defenders finished their regular season with a 54-53 overtime loss at Bridgman (5-1).
Details of MHSAA playoff format
The MHSAA announced Oct. 24 that the 2020 MHSAA Football Playoffs would begin Oct. 29-31 with District First Round games in the 11-Player Playoffs and Regional First Round Games in the 8-Player Playoffs.
According to the MHSAA statement, all 11-player teams were divided into eight divisions before play began. Because of the shortened 2020 regular season due to COVID-19, all 11-player teams were then divided into Districts of up to eight teams each, then paired into four regions.
Pairings for the first four weeks of the tournament are based on regular-season playoff point averages, with the highest-ranked team hosting, regardless of the distance between the two schools. For District First Round and Regional First Round play, the top-seeded team in each bracket will host the eighth-seeded team, the second-seeded team will host the seventh-seeded team, and so on.
District Semifinals for 11-player teams will occur on the weekend of Nov. 6-7, with District Finals the weekend of Nov. 13-14. Both rounds will be played at the site of the highest-ranked team remaining.
Regional Finals in the 11-Player Playoffs will take place Nov. 20-21, at the site of the highest-ranked team. Semifinal games in the 11-Player Playoffs will take place Nov. 27-28, pairing the winners of Region 1 vs. Region 2 and the winners of Region 3 vs. Region 4. Highest-ranked teams will host unless participating teams are 200 or more miles apart; in those cases the MHSAA will assign the game to a prearranged site “if one can be secured in a reasonable location.”
The 11-Player Finals will be played Dec. 4-5 at sites to be determined, and additional spectator information will be determined later as well.
In WKTV’s final high school football regular season Featured Game of the Week, the South Christian Sailors will bring a perfect record into a battle with also undefeated Grand Rapids Catholic Central. The game will be a “home away from hone” game at played East Kentwood High School.
South Christian (5-0) defeated Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg (2-3), 28-7, on the road on Oct. 16. Central Catholic is also 5-0, and tied with South Christian for the OK Gold Conference lead.
The game is important in several ways: an outright OK Gold title during this pandemic shortened season, seeding for the upcoming and expanded state playoffs, and, of course, that rivalry thing.
But for Sailors head coach Danny Brown the game is all about his senior leaders, and his team continuing to improve each week. And one of those senior leaders is quarterback Ty Rynbrandt. WKTV caught up with both before at a Wednesday practice.
WKTV’s Featured Game crew will be at the 7 p.m. game, and the game will be broadcast on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel. WKTV also livestream games where allowed on WKTV.org (click on Live).
WKTV also rebroadcasts games on the night of the game, and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.
East Kentwood High School’s football team (shown at practice from the 2019-20 season) and other local football programs will have restrictions on how they practice in August due to the COVOD-19 situation. (WKTV)
The Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Representative Council announced July 29 a continuation of its “phased-in practice and competition” schedule for traditional fall high school sports “in hopes of continuing to deter the spread of COVID-19.”
The Council affirmed that lower-risk sports — including Wyoming and Kentwood area high school girls golf, boys tennis, cross country, and girls swimming & diving — may begin practice on Aug. 12 and begin competition on their traditional start dates of Aug. 19 and 21.
However, moderate and high-risk sports — football, girls volleyball and boys soccer – may begin practice, with limitations, but not competitions until additional decisions by the MHSAA, expected to be made by Aug. 20.
In addition, recommendations on spectator attendance will follow before the start of competition, according to the MHSAA statement, and it is possible “spectators will be limited in accordance with Governor (Gretchen) Whitmer’s executive orders on large gatherings.”
According to the July 29 statement, practice for boys soccer and girls volleyball may begin on Aug. 12, but football will delay the start of practice with full player pads and equipment until Monday, Aug. 17. The week of Aug. 10 “may include football practice sessions consisting of conditioning, physical training and skill work with no other player equipment except helmets. This week of acclimatization is similar to allowed summer football activities that have been ongoing for schools since June.”
David Kool, the new South Christian athletic director, on the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection. (WKTV)
David Kool, athletic director at South Christian High School, told WKTV he welcomed the expanded clarity as to what his school’s teams and student athletes can and cannot do — “All in all, this was a very positive step for high school athletics in Michigan.”
“It is great to know that all fall sports will be able to begin practicing on time to a certain extent,” Kool said. “We are thrilled that golf, tennis, cross country and swimming can begin practice and competitions without delay. Soccer and volleyball are also able to begin practice without delay which is great news.
“Football, being in a helmet-only (practice restriction) for an extra week, is a great decision and made sense for our student athletes. The next step is getting encouraging news on August 20 that soccer, volleyball and football may begin competitions and we are hopeful that will happen.”
Limits also placed on scrimmages, tournaments and invitationals
Among the other actions announced by the Representative Council, the MHSAA’s 19-member legislative body, was the cancelations of scrimmages in all fall sports for this school year, and limitations on numbers of teams that may compete together at regular-season tournaments, invitationals and other multi-team events.
“The Council believed eliminating scrimmages emphasized the importance of keeping teams from mixing before the first date of competition, and the regular-season limitations may lessen opportunities for viral spread while still allowing meets to be conducted,” according to the MHSAA statement.
The expected Aug. 20 decision on competition for football, girls volleyball and boys soccer is “dependent on how the spread of the virus is trending statewide”, including “sustained metrics measuring virus spread and/or progression by schools and regions across the state according to Gov. Whitmer’s MI Safe Start Plan,” according to the statement.
“The Council, reflecting on the positive impact on their athletes this summer from taking part in offseason training, feels it’s of utmost importance to continue athletic activity moving forward,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said in supplied material. “If we take a month off, our students will find opportunities to compete through non-school entities that may not be as focused on safety. Our athletic directors and coaches can provide the safest-possible environment to return to sports, and this phased-in approach to competition will help schools continue building on progress already made”
The MHSAA also has posted sport-by-sport guidance documents outlining increased precautions designed to limit the viral spread, plus a four-page overview with precautions that apply generally for all sports.
Specific sport guidelines and the overview are available on the respective sport pages of the MHSAA website, at mhsaa.com/sports.
Wyoming High School’s football team will be at home this week when the visiting South Christian comes to Davies Memorial Field at Wyoming Junior High for a key game in both teams’ season goal to be a factor in the OK Conference Gold title race.
But will it matter that this week’s WKTV High School Sports Featured Game of the Week is on home turf for the Wolves with the Sailors facing a mostly opposing crowd?
Wyoming is 1-2 (0-1 in OK Gold in early-season action) while South Christian is 2-1 (1-0), with the Wolves only win coming at home, and the Sailors only loss on the road.
For all WKTV’s local high schools — including East Kentwood, Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville, Wyoming Lee and Tri-unity Christian — the football teams are 6-1 at home and 3-10 on the road.
WKTV talked to both head coaches — South Christian’s Danny Brown and Wyoming high’s Irvin Sigler — and while both agree that “they don’t call it home field advantage for nothing”, what happens on the field usually means more.
The coaches also talked about what their team has done well so far this year, and their respect for the opposing head coach and the opposing programs.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
South Christian head football coach Danny Brown, at left, at a practice last week. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, one of the interviews is a special high school sports segment with South Christian High School’s new head football coach Danny Brown, of whom it would not be an understatement to say he bleeds Sailor Blue.
Coach Brown is no stranger to the Sailors’ program having served as an assistant coach since 2011 and as defensive coordinator for the past five seasons under Mark Tamminga, who retired after last season. Being a Sailor runs deep for Brown, having played varsity football at South Christian in the early 2000s. Brown attended Hope College and now is a small business owner in Byron Center.
During the discussion, Coach Brown talks about working with Coach Tamminga, playing for the late Bob Blacquiere, who was head coach when Brown played for the Sailors and was a big influence on his becoming a coach, and Brown’s transition from running the South Christian defense to being the man in charge of the entire program.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
A scene from East Kentwood High School’s playoff win over Brighton on Oct. 27. (WKTV/Micah Cho)
By Drew Dargavell, WKTV Sports Intern ken@wktv.org
This past football season lead to four local high school players earning the title of first team AP All-State in the state of Michigan. East Kentwood, somewhat unsurprisingly, lead the way with three of those All-Staters coming from their team after a tremendous season from the Division 1-2 Falcons finishing the season 9-2.
These players include senior running back Kionte Blakely, senior offensive tackle Logan Brown, and senior defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
The fourth local first team AP All-State comes from Division 3-4 South Christian: senior offensive tackle Spencer Holstege.
Of the four players named, three have earned scholarships to play for Big Ten teams.
Brown, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound offensive tackle from East Kentwood has committed to play football at the University of Wisconsin next season. Brown started to impress recruiters his Junior season with his size and athleticism as he is rated as a four star recruit and the top overall recruit in the state of Michigan according to ESPN’s recruiting database and is number 28 overall in the nation. ESPN also has him listed as the 7th best player at his position in the country. According to ESPN, Brown is listed as the top-overall recruit for the University of Wisconsin. Brown was featured in the 2019 All-American Bowl on Jan. 6, which gathered some of the top high school talent around the nation to compete in an exhibition.
Another top recruit ranked in ESPN’s Top 300 is the 6-foot-3, 320-pound defensive tackle Mazi Smith from East Kentwood. Smith was a key part of East Kentwood’s success this season. According to ESPN Smith is ranked as the 38th best recruit in the country and number three overall in the state. Smith will be staying in state and has committed to University of Michigan. ESPN has Smith ranked as number two at his position in the nation and is U of M’s second highest recruit. Smith was also featured in the 2019 Under Armor All-American football game on Jan. 3, which is similar to the All-American Bowl, and which gathers some of the best high school players in the country for an exhibition.
The third All-State from East Kentwood is their work-horse, 5-foot-6, running back Kionte Blakely. Blakely was the Falcons main weapon on offense as he rushed for 1,698 yards and 28 touchdowns. He finished first place in M-Live’s online poll for Grand Rapids Press Player of the Year (local area’s best player), garnering over 63,000 votes out of 145,516 total votes.
Last but not least is the senior offensive tackle from South Christian, Spencer Holstege.
Holstege has committed to play football at Purdue University next season. According to ESPN, Holstege is rated as the number 25 recruit in the state of Michigan. Holstege was the key player for the South Christian team as he played both the offensive and defensive lines as needed.
Other local players who gained honorable mention on the AP All-State teams were senior linebacker Rusheon Bash, for Division 1-2 Wyoming; senior receiver Peyton Vis, for Grand Rapids South Christian; and senior lineman Marshawn Kneeland, for Division 3-4 Wyoming Godwin Heights.
From the 8-man football division, Wyoming Tri-unity placed two senior players, Benson Heath and Brayden Ophoff, on the All-State team. Heath rushed for 993 yards and 12 touchdowns during the regular season and added 710 yards and five scores as a receiver. He had 31 tackles for loss and three interceptions on defense. Ophoff played in the defensive secondary and totaled 82 tackles and three interceptions during the regular season. At quarterback, he was 51 of 72 passing for 1,666 yards and 22 TDs and added 1,070 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
For a complete list of AP All-State Players see apnews.com .
Did we miss anybody? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org .
Four area teams are going to the playoffs this year, including Tri-unity Christian, South Christian, Godwin Heights and East Kentwood. Although the first round of the playoffs can be a door to something bigger, all four coaches are taking a “back-to-basics” approach this week.
“We’re just trying to keep things consistent,” Godwin Heights head coach Brandan Kimble, echoing his fellow coaches, said to WKTV.
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Kimble and his team are taking on the South Christian Sailors Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m., at East Kentwood High School. Godwin Heights finished the regular season 6-3, while Mark Tamminga’s South Christian Sailors gained the playoffs as an at-large team with a 5-4 record.
For Kimble, this week comes with excitement and uncertainty. The Wolverines started off the season 1-3, but as players became more comfortable with their coach and started buying into the system, Kimble says that’s when things started to take off. Now their hoping their kids can keep with the system a little longer.
“We’re just trying to keep things consistent,” said Kimble. “We’re just going to change a few things so they can understand the importance of the week, tweak some things and then add a little bit more intensity to practice.”
Curt Copeland, assistant coach and athletic director for South Christian, is trying to help head coach Mark Tamminga win their first playoff game since 2014, the year they won their last championship.
“We’re trying to retrain our kids and get them back to understanding what it takes to make a deep run and it starts with the first week of the playoffs,” said Copeland.
Also at East Kentwood High School this weekend is East Kentwood’s opening round playoff game. The Falcons (8-1) will be hosting Brighton High School. Located towards Eastern Michigan, the Bulldogs went 7-2, with their only loses coming twice to Belleville.
East Kentwood won their final game last week against Rockford, giving them the OK-Red title. And head coach Anthony Kimbrough couldn’t be more excited for his kids.
“I coach because of them,” said Kimbrough. “I come out everyday seeing these kids wanting to get better. One of our goals was to be OK-Red champs, and beating Rockford Friday, for that to come true is tremendous for our program.”
In 8-man playoff action, head coach Tim Heath and his Tri-unity team have gone 9-0 this season, beating No. 2 ranked Colon in Week 9. They will be hosting Webberville at Grandville Middle School,m also Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. Colon finished their season 4-5, another at-large team sneaking into the playoffs.
Coach Heath doesn’t plan on changing anything in preparation of his Defenders. For his undefeated team, Heath’s mantra for this week is “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
“We don’t do anything different,” said Heath. “… The same preparation that goes into every game we’re taking into this game.”
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