Zeeland East dominated Zeeland West in their neighborhood wrestling battle on Jan. 28, as the Chix prevailed 63-15 on West’s Senior Night.
East won 11 of the 14 individual matches, including nine pins. Here is the meet summary:
138 pounds: Austin Ulberg (West) dec. Chase Shults (East) 6-1
144: Xavier Pheuk (East) pinned Kye Chayer (West)
150: Kaleb Kimme (East) pinned Max Burkhour (West)
157: Eric Segovia-Estipinan (East) pinned Levi DeJonge (West)
165: Deacon Stryker (East) pinned Kenneth Howe III (West)
190: Kaleb Willis (East) pinned Camden Stryker (West)
215: Nolan Overway (West) pinned Jacob Vansweden (East)
285: Maximus Gomez (East) pinned Lachlan Thoreson (West)
106: Easton Sizemore (East) pinned Damien Calderon (West)
113: Tanner Hofman (East) dec. Aiden Chavez (West) 12-1
120: Anthony Pablo-Diaz (East) pinned Nate Chavez (West)
126: Tyson Touch (West) pinned Tristan Gutierrez (East)
132: Zach Westrate (East) def. Sam Taylor (West) by technical fall 17-0
Also that night, East downed Grand Rapids Union 78-3 while West defeated Wyoming 60-24.
West competed in a tournament Saturday at White Pigeon, going 1-4 for the day with several meets decided by close margins. The Dux fell to Reed City 47-20, Kenowa Hills 39-33, Centreville 45-36 and Sturgis 42-36 before defeating Jackson Lumen Christi 47-36.
Aiden Chavez and Sam Taylor each posted 5-0 records for the day for the Dux, while Austin Ulberg, Cam Stryker and Lachlan Thoreson all went 4-1.
East and West will wrestle in the O-K Black Conference boys wrestling tournament Friday at Unity Christian. The girls will compete in the O-K Conference invitational Saturday at Grand Rapids Northview.
East won 11 of the 14 individual matches, including nine pins. Here is the meet summary:
138 pounds: Austin Ulberg (West) dec. Chase Shults (East) 6-1
144: Xavier Pheuk (East) pinned Kye Chayer (West)
150: Kaleb Kimme (East) pinned Max Burkhour (West)
157: Eric Segovia-Estipinan (East) pinned Levi DeJonge (West)
165: Deacon Stryker (East) pinned Kenneth Howe III (West)
190: Kaleb Willis (East) pinned Camden Stryker (West)
215: Nolan Overway (West) pinned Jacob Vansweden (East)
285: Maximus Gomez (East) pinned Lachlan Thoreson (West)
106: Easton Sizemore (East) pinned Damien Calderon (West)
113: Tanner Hofman (East) dec. Aiden Chavez (West) 12-1
120: Anthony Pablo-Diaz (East) pinned Nate Chavez (West)
126: Tyson Touch (West) pinned Tristan Gutierrez (East)
132: Zach Westrate (East) def. Sam Taylor (West) by technical fall 17-0
Also that night, East downed Grand Rapids Union 78-3 while West defeated Wyoming 60-24.
West competed in a tournament Saturday at White Pigeon, going 1-4 for the day with several meets decided by close margins. The Dux fell to Reed City 47-20, Kenowa Hills 39-33, Centreville 45-36 and Sturgis 42-36 before defeating Jackson Lumen Christi 47-36.
Aiden Chavez and Sam Taylor each posted 5-0 records for the day for the Dux, while Austin Ulberg, Cam Stryker and Lachlan Thoreson all went 4-1.
East and West will wrestle in the O-K Black Conference boys wrestling tournament Friday at Unity Christian. The girls will compete in the O-K Conference invitational Saturday at Grand Rapids Northview.
West Girls Hoops Win Three
The Zeeland West varsity girls basketball team snapped out of its recent slump with three road victories in three days last week, improving its season record to 10-3.
The Dux capped off their week last Friday with a 40-12 O-K Black Conference victory at Holland.
West jumped out to a 15-2 lead after one quarter and never looked back in raising its conference record to 4-2. The Dux led 24-8 at halftime, then held the Dutch without a single point in the third quarter as the lead grew to 39-8.
Junior guards Sadie Kragt and Jenna Hendricks led West with 10 points apiece, while junior forward Bri Kamer added eight.
The Dux broke a three-game losing streak Jan. 28 with a 42-33 win at South Haven.
West held the Rams scoreless in the first quarter in taking an 8-0 lead. However, South Haven battled back to cut the Dux lead to 22-20 after three quarters. West pulled away in the fourth quarter, putting 20 points on the board to the Rams’ 13.
Hendricks led the Dux with 14 points, while Kragt added nine points and Kamer six.
Last Thursday, the Dux defeated West Ottawa 42-38. West had to battle from behind, trailing 9-5 after one quarter. The Dux led 18-13 at halftime and 27-26 after three quarters.
Eight different players scored for West, led by Hendricks with 15 points. Senior forward Brooklyn Haight hit a pair of 3-pointers as she tallied seven points.
The Dux host Zeeland East Friday night in their second rivalry meeting of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The Dux capped off their week last Friday with a 40-12 O-K Black Conference victory at Holland.
West jumped out to a 15-2 lead after one quarter and never looked back in raising its conference record to 4-2. The Dux led 24-8 at halftime, then held the Dutch without a single point in the third quarter as the lead grew to 39-8.
Junior guards Sadie Kragt and Jenna Hendricks led West with 10 points apiece, while junior forward Bri Kamer added eight.
The Dux broke a three-game losing streak Jan. 28 with a 42-33 win at South Haven.
West held the Rams scoreless in the first quarter in taking an 8-0 lead. However, South Haven battled back to cut the Dux lead to 22-20 after three quarters. West pulled away in the fourth quarter, putting 20 points on the board to the Rams’ 13.
Hendricks led the Dux with 14 points, while Kragt added nine points and Kamer six.
Last Thursday, the Dux defeated West Ottawa 42-38. West had to battle from behind, trailing 9-5 after one quarter. The Dux led 18-13 at halftime and 27-26 after three quarters.
Eight different players scored for West, led by Hendricks with 15 points. Senior forward Brooklyn Haight hit a pair of 3-pointers as she tallied seven points.
The Dux host Zeeland East Friday night in their second rivalry meeting of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Dux Fall to EGR, Holland
The Zeeland West varsity boys basketball team dropped a pair of road games last week, falling to East Grand Rapids 57-34 and Holland 56-38.
The Dux have dropped seven in a row after a 5-3 start. They entered the week 0-6 in the O-K Black Conference and 5-10 overall.
Against the Dutch, West went scoreless for six minutes to start the game, falling behind 8-0. The Dux battled back to cut the deficit to 12-11 early in the second quarter on a basket by sophomore forward Maverick Jipping.
West pulled to within one point on two other occasions before halftime, but could never take the lead. Holland led 22-17 at the half.
The Dutch put the game away in the third quarter, reeling off 20 unanswered points to open up a 44-19 lead.
West hit eight 3-point baskets in the game, with senior guard Ethan Dalman and junior guard Mike Girman each nailing three from beyond the arc. Dalman led the Dux with 13 points off the bench while Girman added 11. Andrew Legg led four Holland players in double figures with 14 points.
The Dux will host Zeeland East Friday night, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. or 20 minutes after the varsity girls game between the Dux and the Chix.
The Dux have dropped seven in a row after a 5-3 start. They entered the week 0-6 in the O-K Black Conference and 5-10 overall.
Against the Dutch, West went scoreless for six minutes to start the game, falling behind 8-0. The Dux battled back to cut the deficit to 12-11 early in the second quarter on a basket by sophomore forward Maverick Jipping.
West pulled to within one point on two other occasions before halftime, but could never take the lead. Holland led 22-17 at the half.
The Dutch put the game away in the third quarter, reeling off 20 unanswered points to open up a 44-19 lead.
West hit eight 3-point baskets in the game, with senior guard Ethan Dalman and junior guard Mike Girman each nailing three from beyond the arc. Dalman led the Dux with 13 points off the bench while Girman added 11. Andrew Legg led four Holland players in double figures with 14 points.
The Dux will host Zeeland East Friday night, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. or 20 minutes after the varsity girls game between the Dux and the Chix.
Drnek’s 35 Leads Chix Over Lowell
The Zeeland East varsity boys basketball team had its biggest offensive performance of the season Jan. 28, defeating Lowell 86-80.
The Chix shot 68 percent from the field (33 of 49), including 10 of 14 from 3-point range, in racking up its highest point total of the season. East was a perfect 6-of-6 from beyond the arc in the second half.
Junior guard Will Drnek led East with a career-high 35 points, including a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point range. Drnek also pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds and dished out five assists.
Senior guard Caleb Claerbaut scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and added four assists. Junior forward Josiah Norman tallied 15 points and collected seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Isaiah Beckum chipped in eight points, seven rebounds and five assists.
One night later, the Chix ran into a hot-shooting Unity Christian team. The Crusaders nailed 11 3-pointers in going on to a 75-42 victory to solidify their hold on first place in the O-K Black Conference. Beckum led East with 10 points.
The Chix bounced back on Saturday, defeating Grand Rapids Covenant Christian 59-49 in a non-conference battle. East sprinted out to a 20-4 lead after one quarter and withstood a second-half rally by the Chargers to take the win.
Drnek led the Chix with 22 points, five rebounds, six steals and four assists. Beckum, Claerbaut and Norman each added eight points. Junior Isaiah Boonstra dished out five assists.
East entered the week 3-2 in the O-K Black Conference and 10-4 overall. The Chix were to host Spring Lake Tuesday night before battling Zeeland West Friday night on the Dux home court.
The Chix shot 68 percent from the field (33 of 49), including 10 of 14 from 3-point range, in racking up its highest point total of the season. East was a perfect 6-of-6 from beyond the arc in the second half.
Junior guard Will Drnek led East with a career-high 35 points, including a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point range. Drnek also pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds and dished out five assists.
Senior guard Caleb Claerbaut scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and added four assists. Junior forward Josiah Norman tallied 15 points and collected seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Isaiah Beckum chipped in eight points, seven rebounds and five assists.
One night later, the Chix ran into a hot-shooting Unity Christian team. The Crusaders nailed 11 3-pointers in going on to a 75-42 victory to solidify their hold on first place in the O-K Black Conference. Beckum led East with 10 points.
The Chix bounced back on Saturday, defeating Grand Rapids Covenant Christian 59-49 in a non-conference battle. East sprinted out to a 20-4 lead after one quarter and withstood a second-half rally by the Chargers to take the win.
Drnek led the Chix with 22 points, five rebounds, six steals and four assists. Beckum, Claerbaut and Norman each added eight points. Junior Isaiah Boonstra dished out five assists.
East entered the week 3-2 in the O-K Black Conference and 10-4 overall. The Chix were to host Spring Lake Tuesday night before battling Zeeland West Friday night on the Dux home court.
East Girls Rally Falls Just Short
The Zeeland East varsity girls basketball team nearly pulled off a stunning comeback against a state-ranked team over the weekend.
Trailing 43-24 in the second half against Grand Rapids Covenant Christian, the Chix roared back with a 21-2 run to tie the game in the final minute. However, the Chargers scored a late bucket to pull out a 47-45 win.
Covenant, which was ranked No. 8 in Division 2 by the Michigan Associated Press heading into the game, improved to 12-0 while East fell to 4-9 with the loss.
Junior Terra Schuberg led the Chix with 14 points. Senior CC Kuras and sophomore Lily Huizenga each added nine points. Sophomore Emry Wyngarden hit a pair of 3-pointers during East’s furious fourth-quarter comeback.
Last Thursday, the Chix dropped a 64-48 decision to Unity Christian on the road. Schuberg and junior Lizzie Risdon led East with 10 points each, while CC Kuras chipped in with nine.
East will face Zeeland West Friday night at 6 p.m. in their second meeting of the season on the Dux home court.
Trailing 43-24 in the second half against Grand Rapids Covenant Christian, the Chix roared back with a 21-2 run to tie the game in the final minute. However, the Chargers scored a late bucket to pull out a 47-45 win.
Covenant, which was ranked No. 8 in Division 2 by the Michigan Associated Press heading into the game, improved to 12-0 while East fell to 4-9 with the loss.
Junior Terra Schuberg led the Chix with 14 points. Senior CC Kuras and sophomore Lily Huizenga each added nine points. Sophomore Emry Wyngarden hit a pair of 3-pointers during East’s furious fourth-quarter comeback.
Last Thursday, the Chix dropped a 64-48 decision to Unity Christian on the road. Schuberg and junior Lizzie Risdon led East with 10 points each, while CC Kuras chipped in with nine.
East will face Zeeland West Friday night at 6 p.m. in their second meeting of the season on the Dux home court.
West Competes in Wrestling Meet
Three wrestlers from Zeeland West competed in the Hamilton Hawkeyes girls wrestling invitational on Saturday.
The Dux scored 38 points for the meet.
Junior Emmaline Kouw posted another first-place finish for West at 120 pounds, posting a perfect 4-0 record with two pins and a major decision for the tournament. Kouw took a 12-3 major decision in the championship match over Gianna Conflitti of Forest Hills Eastern. She is now 30-5 on the season.
Audrina Knoper posted a 3-2 record for the day in reaching the consolation semifinals at 120. All three of Knoper’s wins were by fall, including one where she needed just 52 seconds to pin Wayland’s Cristal Jost Costa.
Amaya Brott had a 2-2 record at 125, including a pin of Plainwell’s Ally Schippers in the consolation round in 1:47.
The Dux scored 38 points for the meet.
Junior Emmaline Kouw posted another first-place finish for West at 120 pounds, posting a perfect 4-0 record with two pins and a major decision for the tournament. Kouw took a 12-3 major decision in the championship match over Gianna Conflitti of Forest Hills Eastern. She is now 30-5 on the season.
Audrina Knoper posted a 3-2 record for the day in reaching the consolation semifinals at 120. All three of Knoper’s wins were by fall, including one where she needed just 52 seconds to pin Wayland’s Cristal Jost Costa.
Amaya Brott had a 2-2 record at 125, including a pin of Plainwell’s Ally Schippers in the consolation round in 1:47.
MHSAA Council Approves NIL Expansion for Student-Athletes
By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com Senior Editor
The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association has approved an expansion of personal branding activities (PBA) – also commonly referred to as Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) – allowing student-athletes at MHSAA member schools, effective immediately, to potentially benefit from such opportunities.
The MHSAA previously allowed some PBA opportunities, including the abilities for student-athletes to conducts camps, clinics and private lessons. The expanded policy allows student-athletes to capitalize on PBA through several more options as long as those activities are individual opportunities for individual students – while not disrupting competitive equity that would result from the creations of group activities including collectives and other pay-for-play opportunities now the norm at the collegiate level
The topic of PBA/NIL had been discussed at length with membership over the last three years during MHSAA Update meetings and various other conferences with schools and their administrators. The Council had debated the possibility of these rule changes since the Michigan Legislature proposed amending state law to allow for student-athletes’ use of NIL in 2023, and also after closely monitoring similar developments in surrounding states.
“We have said from the start of this conversation that the MHSAA could be comfortable with a policy that provides individual branding opportunities for individual student-athletes, and this rule change provides those while excluding the possibility of collectives, and boosters and school people getting involved in those activities,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “This is the essence of what NIL was supposed to allow in the first place, and we’re confident we’ve crafted language that allows true NIL opportunities without affecting competitive equity among our member schools.”
Additional activities allowed by the new PBA policy include social media endorsements and promotions, personal appearances, photo sessions or autograph signings; modeling, advertising, merchandise, sports cards or apparel sales; and the use of a student’s name, image or likeness in marketing materials.
PBA activities must be consistent with MHSAA rules and school policies. A student-athlete may not capitalize on PBA based on athletic performances, awards/recognition, team participation or competition outcomes. A student-athlete also may not involve school names, logos, mascots, trademarks or other obvious identifiers, uniforms or other intellectual property, and PBA activity may not occur during school attendance or any MHSAA event (including practice) and cannot take place on school property or be promoted on school media channels.
Schools, including coaches and other employees, are not allowed to solicit, arrange, negotiate or promote PBA activities on behalf of their student-athletes. Doing so may put that school’s MHSAA membership in jeopardy, in addition to rendering that student-athlete ineligible for MHSAA athletics.
“The MHSAA will guard the competitive equity we have promoted for more than 100 years, and take with the utmost seriousness any attempts to break or blur this rule,” Uyl said. “We have provided clear language and sufficient guidance on what is allowed to assist our schools as they navigate this ever-changing landscape.”
PBA associated with products, services, individuals, companies or industries deemed inappropriate, unsafe or inconsistent with the values and goals of interscholastic athletics, as determined by the MHSAA – for example gaming or gambling, alcoholic beverages and banned substances – are also prohibited.
All PBA activities must be disclosed to the MHSAA within seven days of an opportunity or contract for disclosure and approval. Schools may choose to have stricter rules regarding PBA if they choose to do so.
For more details on what is and what is not allowed, and frequently asked questions about PBA in regards to MHSAA regulations, visit the MHSAA Name, Image, Likeness page.
The Representative Council is the legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition.
No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
MHSAA.com Senior Editor
The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association has approved an expansion of personal branding activities (PBA) – also commonly referred to as Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) – allowing student-athletes at MHSAA member schools, effective immediately, to potentially benefit from such opportunities.
The MHSAA previously allowed some PBA opportunities, including the abilities for student-athletes to conducts camps, clinics and private lessons. The expanded policy allows student-athletes to capitalize on PBA through several more options as long as those activities are individual opportunities for individual students – while not disrupting competitive equity that would result from the creations of group activities including collectives and other pay-for-play opportunities now the norm at the collegiate level
The topic of PBA/NIL had been discussed at length with membership over the last three years during MHSAA Update meetings and various other conferences with schools and their administrators. The Council had debated the possibility of these rule changes since the Michigan Legislature proposed amending state law to allow for student-athletes’ use of NIL in 2023, and also after closely monitoring similar developments in surrounding states.
“We have said from the start of this conversation that the MHSAA could be comfortable with a policy that provides individual branding opportunities for individual student-athletes, and this rule change provides those while excluding the possibility of collectives, and boosters and school people getting involved in those activities,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “This is the essence of what NIL was supposed to allow in the first place, and we’re confident we’ve crafted language that allows true NIL opportunities without affecting competitive equity among our member schools.”
Additional activities allowed by the new PBA policy include social media endorsements and promotions, personal appearances, photo sessions or autograph signings; modeling, advertising, merchandise, sports cards or apparel sales; and the use of a student’s name, image or likeness in marketing materials.
PBA activities must be consistent with MHSAA rules and school policies. A student-athlete may not capitalize on PBA based on athletic performances, awards/recognition, team participation or competition outcomes. A student-athlete also may not involve school names, logos, mascots, trademarks or other obvious identifiers, uniforms or other intellectual property, and PBA activity may not occur during school attendance or any MHSAA event (including practice) and cannot take place on school property or be promoted on school media channels.
Schools, including coaches and other employees, are not allowed to solicit, arrange, negotiate or promote PBA activities on behalf of their student-athletes. Doing so may put that school’s MHSAA membership in jeopardy, in addition to rendering that student-athlete ineligible for MHSAA athletics.
“The MHSAA will guard the competitive equity we have promoted for more than 100 years, and take with the utmost seriousness any attempts to break or blur this rule,” Uyl said. “We have provided clear language and sufficient guidance on what is allowed to assist our schools as they navigate this ever-changing landscape.”
PBA associated with products, services, individuals, companies or industries deemed inappropriate, unsafe or inconsistent with the values and goals of interscholastic athletics, as determined by the MHSAA – for example gaming or gambling, alcoholic beverages and banned substances – are also prohibited.
All PBA activities must be disclosed to the MHSAA within seven days of an opportunity or contract for disclosure and approval. Schools may choose to have stricter rules regarding PBA if they choose to do so.
For more details on what is and what is not allowed, and frequently asked questions about PBA in regards to MHSAA regulations, visit the MHSAA Name, Image, Likeness page.
The Representative Council is the legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition.
No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
