Having cheered together for most of their high school careers, the five seniors who are the Wyoming Lee Cheer team make the moves look effortless as members lift up their flyer, anticipating her movements.
“We have come a long way,” said senior Amy Sosa. “There is just the five us and we have this really strong bond. We’re happy that we are all here and we do really well together.”
Like so many of the winter high school sports teams, the Wyoming Lee cheer team had the long wait to find out if it would even have a season. When the green light was given, the Wyoming Lee team came ready to tuck and roll as they quickly snagged second and third place wins at their first two meets.
They are the Legends. (WKTV)
Not an easy feat considering that there was a change in divisions for the cheer programs in the OK Conference, according to Coach Jody Hankis Snyder. Wyoming Lee is now part of the OK Silver which includes Comstock Park, Sparta, Kelloggsville, Godwin Heights, Belding, Hopkins, NorthPointe Christian and Calvin Christian.
“We have all worked so hard,” said senior Arely Fernandez. “We have built so many memories and so many friendships that it would have been really sad if we couldn’t finish it out on our last year.
“This is like our opportunity to show that we can do something that is fun and cool.”
There have been challenges as the team has had to work with new rules to prevent the spread of COVID 19, one of which is the requirement to wear masks even when performing.
“It is not the same voices,” said senior Elsy Bonilla. “You can’t show the excitement like you could without a mask.
“Still we have been doing really well despite the challenges, landing in the top tier of the teams.”
Also many high school sports teams saw a reduction in participation due to COVID. This meant new challenges from some on the Wyoming Lee cheer team as they filled spots that were open.
“I’m a base,” said senior Arely Fernandez. “I have always been a flyer so I never would have thought that I could be a base.
“This has shown me how strong I am and now round three has become my favorite round because I am able to show off that strength.”
With senior Adriana Landis adding that the team has gained other strengths as well.
“We have learned to teach each other and to motivate each other,” Landis said adding this has helped not only on the floor but to cement the bonds of friendship as well.
Key conference games, as well as Wyoming Lee’s annual Hall of Fame games, are on the schedule this week as WKTV’s sports crew will be on the road Jan. 12 with a doubleheader of boys and girls basketball at Wyoming High School when the South Christian Sailors challenge the Wolves in a pair of key early year OK Conference Gold games.
On the girls side, Wyoming enters with an 0-1 conference record, 4-3 overall, after opening up OK Gold play with a tough 49-46 road loss at Thornapple Kellogg Friday, Jan. 5, and before another road game Tuesday, Jan. 9, at Forest Hills Eastern. South Christian will enter 1-0 in conference after a 59-29 home win over Forest Hills Eastern Friday, 5-2 overall, before hosting Grand Rapids Christian Tuesday.
On the boys side, Wyoming enters with an 1-0 conference record, 4-2 overall, after opening up OK Gold play with a 67-37 win at Thornapple Kellogg and before a home game Tuesday, Jan. 9, against Forest Hills Eastern. South Christian will enter 1-0 in conference, 4-1 overall, after a 56-50 win Forest Hills Eastern Friday and before a road game at Christian Tuesday.
Wyoming Lee will host Kelloggsville on Friday in the school’s annual Hall of Fame game.
The remainder of the tentative January Featured Game broadcast schedule is:
Tuesday. Jan. 16 — Boys Basketball: West Ottawa at East Kentwood
Tuesday, Jan. 23 — Boys Basketball: NorthPointe Christian at Godwin Heights
Thursday, Jan. 25 — Boys Swimming: Grandville at East Kentwood
Currently, each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Each Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktv.viebit.com.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
Monday, Jan. 8
Boys/Girls Bowling
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
Unity Christian @ Wyoming
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Catholic Central @ Tri-Unity Christian
Tuesday Jan. 9
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Caledonia @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Game
Holland Black River @ Grand River Prep
West Michigan Aviation @ Martin
Zion Christian @ Holland Calvary
West Michigan Lutheran @ WMAES
Hopkins @ Tri-Unity Christian
Christian @ South Christian
Boys Basketball
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
FH Eastern @ Wyoming
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Caledonia @ East Kentwood
Covenant Christian @ Potter’s House
Holland Black River @ Grand River Prep
West Michigan Aviation @ Martin
West Michigan Lutheran @ WMAES
Hopkins @ Tri-Unity Christian
South Christian @ Christian
Girls Cheer
@ East Kentwood – Falcon Invite
Wednesday, Jan. 10
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Belding
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
Wyoming @ Zeeland East
Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee
Boys Wrestling
Godwin Heights @ Coopersville
NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville
FH Eastern @ Wyoming
TBA @ Wyoming Lee
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian
Boys Hockey
Catholic Central @ East Kentwood
Thursday, Jan. 11
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming Lee @ Tri-Unity Christian
Boys Swimming
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Friday, Jan. 12
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
South Christian @ Wyoming – WKTV Featured Game
West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
Holland Calvary @ Grand River Prep
Calvary Christian @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Lutheran @ Creative Technologies
Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
South Christian @ Wyoming – WKTV Featured Game
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee – Hall of Fame Game
West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
Holland Calvary @ Grand River Prep
Calvary Christian @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Lutheran @ Creative Technologies Academy
1968 World Championship Series Detroit Tigers team member Mickey Stanley
By Mike Moll
WKTV Sports Director
WKTV will once again bring you highlights of the Stubby Overmire Benefit and Card Show with a program set to premiere on WKTV 25 Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. The program will run again Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. and Jan. 1 at 1:15 p.m.
Denny McLain, a member of the 1968 World Championship Detroit Tigers team
Stubby Overmire was born in Moline, Michigan, but went to high school at Wyoming Lee in the mid 1930s. Overmire went on to become a major league baseball player from 1943-1952 including seven seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1943-1949. Overmire would have turned ninety-eight this year, but passed away at the early age of fifty-seven in 1977.
Each year for the last twelve, Wyoming Lee baseball head coach Ty Emelander, along with a host of many others, has put together the Stubby Overmire Sports Card Show and Auction, usually in November, as a fundraiser benefitting not just the baseball team and its facilities, but other athletic departments in the school as well. What is now a two-day event is called by many of the participating vendors, to be one of, if not the largest show in West Michigan.
Tom Matchick, another member of the 1968 World Championship Detroit Tigers team, with WKTV Sports Director Mike Moll
WKTV had cameraman/producer Gary Vande Velde, sound man Doug Hansen, and sports director Mike Moll attended the 12th Annual Stubby Overmire Sports Card Show and Auction, held on Nov. 18 and 19, to not only get entertaining video of the products available, but also to interview multiple vendors along with Stubby’s daughter Jane Overmire Keller, baseball coach Emelander, Lee football coach Tom DeGennaro, and a host of others. Highlighting the event were the guest appearances, autographs, and interviews with three members of the 1968 World Championship Detroit Tigers team. Also there was super utility man Tom Matchick along with all-star center fielder turned World Series shortstop Mickey Stanley, who made his second trip to the event, Denny McLain, who was baseball’s last 30-game winner having posted a 31-6 record in 1968 was there, just as he has been for every one of the twelve years. In this year’s WKTV special, you will hear humorous stories from all three players from not just the 1968 championship season but others as well.
Stubby Overmire’s daughter Jane Overmire Keller.
This year’s program was dedicated to Shirley Peuler. Shirley recently passed away unexpectedly and was the wife of 60 years to longtime WKTV volunteer Ray Peuler, who is called by many “the godfather of WKTV broadcasting.”
