Tag Archives: South Christian Sailors

South Christian holds off West Catholic in early-season girls basketball showdown; stays perfect at 7-0

Citizen Journalism, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, , , , , ,
South Christian senior point guard Sophia Prins (12) led the Sailors with 18 points against West Catholic. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org


In a showdown between two of the premier Division 2 girls basketball teams in the state, as well as OK Gold rivals, South Christian held off a furious Grand Rapids West Catholic second-half rally to grab a 73-62 win in what very well may be the first of three potential meetings between the local basketball powerhouses.

Last season, the two powers split a pair of conference games as they shared the conference title. The two teams met again in the postseason when West Catholic edged the Sailors 39-37 in the Division 2 state quarterfinals. This season, South Christian won Round One of what may be another memorable trilogy and kept its record spotless at 7-0.

The game was a close struggle in the early going before the Sailors built a 20-point lead midway through the third quarter. Any thoughts of an early surrender by the Falcons were washed away as West Catholic rallied and eventually cut the deficit to three points late in the fourth quarter before the Sailors regained command in the final minutes of the contest.

“They (West Catholic) are a good team,” said South Christian Coach Erika Brown. “They are a very, very good team. They are very well coached. They are disciplined and we knew it was going to be a game of runs. We got after it and got that 20-point lead, but at the same time we knew it wasn’t over.”

The game was close from the opening tip with the Sailors clinging to a 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter. West Catholic was up 22-20 midway through the second quarter before the Sailors went on a 15-4 run to end the first half. Freshman Kinley Regnery was at the middle of the Sailor run as she drained three consecutive three-point shots during the South scoring spree. Regnery finished with 11 points during the second quarter.

In the second half the Sailors picked up where they left off. Up 35-26 heading into the second half, the Sailors outscored West 13-8 to go up 48-36. The Sailors then reeled off eight straight points to take a 56-36 lead in the latter stages of the third quarter. Sophomore Abby Prins was a big part of the Sailor offensive success during the third quarter with 10 points.

South Christian sophomore Abby Prins (15) totaled 14 points against West Catholic. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



A combination of strong defensive and offensive execution enabled the Sailors to take the large lead.

“Our press was working pretty well,” Brown said. “I think we got them (West) out of rhythm a little bit on the offensive end.”

The 20-point lead, however, was anything but safe against a West Catholic team that came into the game with a five-game winning streak and 6-1 overall record. West also came in with the added confidence of beating Tecumseh, the team that it lost to in last year’s Division 2 state championship game, 54-52 in a tournament three days earlier.

Led by their junior standout Alexis Asekomeh, the Falcons responded with an 8-0 run of their own as they trimmed the South Christian lead to 58-46 by the end of the third quarter.

West Catholic continued to build on that momentum in the final quarter. The Falcons began the fourth quarter by outscoring South 11-2 to cut the margin to 60-57 with 4:36 remaining in the game.


South Christian defenders Meredith Helmus (11) and Isla Ogle (21) close in on West Catholic’s Kenley Slanger (11). (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)

The Sailors, however, boosted by their home crowd, battled back with an 8-0 run of their own to regain a double-digit lead and bring home the win that improved their record to 7-0 for the season.

“We just had to regroup,” Brown said. “We had to take a time out and get back to us. We had to focus on some things that we were really missing out on the floor. We had to settle each other down and believe that it would be ok.” 

Balanced scoring was a key for the Sailors. Senior Sophia Prins led the way with 18 points, followed by Regnery, 17; Abby Prins, 14; junior Meredith Helmus, 10, and senior Lizzie Wolthuis with nine.

Asekomeh led the way for West Catholic with 24 points, while sophomore Kenley Slanger added 17.

South Christian returns to action Friday evening hosting Northview and then travels to Wayland next Tuesday. The rematch with West Catholic will take place Feb. 3 at West Catholic.

“The season has been going good,” Brown said. “We have a good group of girls. We have good leaders, good senior leadership. The core of the team is back from last year so we are building off a good end to last year, but the basketball season is long and there’s lots of stuff still to work on.”    

South Christian boys off to fast start despite heavy graduation losses

Citizen Journalism, Local Sports, Sports, , ,
(Image Courtesy of South Christian)



By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

One would think that a high school basketball team that graduated eight seniors from a group of players that went 20-5 would be in for a rebuilding spell. That kind of thinking may be the norm for many squads, but not at South Christian where the Sailors don’t rebuild, but more aptly, restock.

Despite a young roster that is shy on varsity experience, the Sailors got off to a strong start this season. South Christian won its first three games highlighted by a season-opening 75-71 win at long-time rival Grand Rapids Christian, but did have a recent 65-48 loss to Unity Christian.

Jumped out to a 3-0 start

“We are off to a great start to the year while playing a really hard schedule,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “We played at Grand Rapids Christian in a game where we shot the ball really well. We played Holland Christian and we won that game with a three by Josh Fles at the buzzer and then we beat Kelloggsville. Anytime you start out 3-0 you have to feel pretty good.”

Coming into the season, the Sailors knew they had some promising young players but the lack of varsity experience and playing without eight seniors, including standout Carson Vis, who is at Western Michigan University, meant that things would definitely be different.



South Christian basketball and football standout Carson Vis has moved on to a basketball scholarship at Western Michigan University. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)


“This season is so different from last year,” Johnson said. “Last year we had eight seniors and this year we are super young.”

Leading the way for this year’s team is a core of players who were on the team last season. Junior Austin Burgess is a point guard who brings good passing skills to the floor and also has the ability to hit the outside shot.


South Christian Quarterback Austin Burgess is part of a group of core players on the hardcourt. (Greg Chrapek/WKTV Contributor)


In the post, 6-foot-6 senior JJ Modderman is off to a strong start averaging 18 points per game. Modderman kicked off the season with 23 points in the win against Grand Rapids Christian, including five 3’s. Senior wing Caleb Krosschell (6-2) is a versatile wing who is providing a steady source of offense.

Seniors Owen Burgess and Josh Fles also are stepping up this season. Owen Burgess provides more depth in the backcourt, while Fles is a 6-3 forward who can hit the three-point shot and had a big fourth quarter against Holland Christian.

Talented young players making an impact

Mixing in with the returnees are some talented younger players. Max Zichterman (6-3) is off to a really good start to the season as he brings plenty of all-around talent to the floor. Zichterman turned in a big game against Grand Rapids Christian scoring 19 points with three treys.

The Sailors also have a pair of talented freshmen that are making an impact. Dax Blackport is a 6-3, 200-pounder who provides strong rebounding and points in the paint. Crew Zichterman (6-1), the younger brother of Max, is a talented guard who brings an excellent outside shot and a strong overall offensive game to the floor.

“This group is really young, but they also have fun,” Johnson said. “They are young and inexperienced, but they also have a lot of confidence. We also shoot the ball really well. We have some length. The guys have a lot of talent and they also want to work to get better.”

The Sailors will put that talent to the test in the OK Gold against teams like Grand Rapids Northview, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Wyoming and Wayland.

“The OK Gold is going to be really tough,” Johnson said. “Northview is the top team and they have a ton of talent. West Catholic is going to be good and Wyoming is always good. It’s a league where everyone knows everyone well and it’s up to the players to decide it.” 

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.”       

South Christian girls fall short in state quarterfinal thriller against West Catholic, 39-37

Citizen Journalism, Kent County, Local Sports, Sports, West Michigan, , , ,



By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org



The South Christian Sailors girls basketball team found itself in a similar situation to last week’s regional title game, but unlike last week, a late comeback fell just a bucket short.


When a last-second layup attempt bounced off the rim with no time remaining on the clock, the Sailors saw a memorable state tournament run end with a 39-37 loss to Grand Rapids West Catholic in the Division 2 state quarterfinal game at Unity Christian.

Similar to the regional title game against Vicksburg, South Christian found itself facing a seven-point deficit with five minutes remaining. Just like the regional final, the Sailors mounted a furious comeback led by their defense. South Christian limited West Catholic to just two free throws in the final five minutes. Those free throws, however, proved just enough for West Catholic to hold off the determined Sailors.

“They don’t ever quit,” said South Christian Coach Erika Brown, about her player. “We just couldn’t connect on the offensive end like we usually do and it didn’t help missing our free throws tonight either. It was just one of those games where time just ran out on us.” 

The game was a close, defensive struggle throughout. South Christian was up 9-7 at the end of the first quarter and took a 20-18 lead into halftime.

“We knew it was going to be a grind-out battle against a conference opponent,” said West Catholic Coach Derek Paiz. “We just wanted to come out here and execute on offense. I thought they (South Christian) did a really good job of switching between man and two-three zone. That kind of threw us off and held us below our season average.”   



South Christian’s Lizzie Wolthuis (3) prepares to pass during the state quarterfinal game. (Photo Courtesy, Greg Chrapek)



Sailors up by three in the third until West Catholic run

The Sailors were up 28-25 midway through the third quarter before West Catholic went on a scoring spurt. The Falcons closed out the quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 33-28 lead into the fourth quarter.

West Catholic upped the lead to 37-30 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter before South Christian ramped up the intensity on the defensive side of the floor and began to create turnovers.

A bucket by Abby Prins cut the West lead to 37-32 with 3:54 remaining in the game. With 2:17 left, the Sailor defense forced another turnover, which led to a drive to the bucket by Sophia Prins. She was fouled and added the free throw to trim the Falcon lead to two.

With 1:44 remaining, West’s Elish Dykstra split a pair of free throws to put the Falcons up 38-35. South, however, trimmed the deficit to a single point with 57 seconds remaining in the game when Sophia Prins drained a pair of free throws.

The Sailor defense forced a turnover with 50 seconds remaining in the game, but came up empty on the ensuing possession. Abby Prins came up with a steal for the Sailors with 28 seconds remaining, but the Sailors lost possession with seven seconds remaining in the game.

Sailors’ last-second layup bounces out

West Catholic’s Anna Ignatoski split a pair of free throws with 6.8 seconds remaining giving the Sailors one final opportunity to tie or take the lead, but a last-second layup attempt bounced off the rim.

Sophia Prins South Christian with 12 points, followed by sophomore Meredith Helmus, 10 and freshman Natalie Wolthuis with five.



South Christian’s Kamryn Boonstra (10) and Meredith Helmus (14) prepare on defense during the state quarterfinal game. (Photo Courtesy, Greg Chrapek)



South Christian finished the season at 24-3, and shared the OK Gold with West Catholic, both teams at 11-1 in the conference.

“This season was pretty special,” Brown said. “With the group of girls that we have and coming off the season last year where we started that run at the end. We had some battles early in the season, but the run at the end just inspired us for this year. It’s one thing to sit down and talk about your dreams at the beginning of the season, but it’s another thing to actually work at the process of it and enjoy the process because it’s a long season.

“The girls bought into that this year and that alone speaks testament to how these girls are as individuals on and off the court. The whole journey was just fantastic.”

While the loss marked the end of the careers for South Christian seniors Kamryn Boonstra, Lily Nitz, Brianna Knott and Kaylee Quist, the bulk of the team is due back next season. The outcome was not what the Sailors wanted, but the state tournament run will propel the team into what should be another memorable season next winter.

“As a coach, when you look ahead that gets you excited about the future,” Brown explained. “Once this wears off, the hurt of this game wears off, it will sink into them that they made a run that was something special and they can make a comeback next year.”

The Falcons, who improved to 23-3, were led in scoring by senior Elisha Dykstra with 13 points.

Zeeland West beat South Christian 34-21 Friday

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



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Zeeland West held off South Christian 34-21 to improve to 4-1 in the OK Gold, 7-1 overall, while the Sailors fell to 1-4 in the Gold, 4-4 overall.


South Christian quarterback Carson Vis was 25-for-37 for 219 yards with one interception and one touchdown. He led on the ground with 62 yards on 17 carries with one touchdown. Tyler Brinks had six catches for 99 yards, followed by Owen Burgess, 13 for 81 yards and Chuck DeHaan, four catches for 35 yards and one touchdown.

South Christian faces Catholic Central at East Grand Rapids High School for the last regular season game on Friday.


South Christian quarterback Carson Vis at last year’s Division 4 state finals. (Courtesy, Eric Walstra)