1:55 PM Sep 1, 2011
Spring Lake sophomore Ryan Fedewa won't be doing any bodybuilding flex-offs after his matches this fall, but added strength - especially on his serve - has been a welcome addition to his game at No. 1 singles for the Lakers varsity tennis squad.
11:13 AM Sep 1, 2011
Matt DeYoung - Last Week: 6-4; Season: 6-4, 64.0 percent
10:56 AM Sep 1, 2011
A 3-0 spanking at the hands of Hudsonville Unity Christian last fall was still on the minds of Grand Haven varsity boys soccer players 12 months later. The Buccaneers were on the verge of avenging that loss, leading 2-1 in the final 10 minutes of Wednesday's rematch before the Crusaders struck back with a late goal. The two state powerhouses settled for a 2-2 tie in a highly competitive showdown at Buccaneer Stadium.
10:54 AM Sep 1, 2011
Spring Lake's varsity boys soccer team continued its torrid start to the season with an impressive 4-0 victory at Holland Christian on Wednesday. The Lakers are now 4-0 on the year. "The guys do a lot of hard work,' Lakers' coach Jeremy Thelen said. "Plus, we scored at the perfect times. We scored five minutes into the game, five minutes before halftime, and five minutes into the second half. We really took the wind out of them.'
10:53 AM Sep 1, 2011
Spring Lake's volleyball team has coped with heavy hearts this week after one its players, junior Emily Blahnik, has dealt with a family tragedy. Blahnik's mother, Brenda, was involved in an accident at the Spring Lake Aquatic Center on Saturday, when a lift she was working on fell over. Emily has spent the week staying by her mother's side at Spectrum Health Hospital in Grand Rapids. Brenda was put into an induced coma and recently underwent surgery to relieve pressure on her brain.
10:50 AM Sep 1, 2011
Grand Haven's varsity boys tennis team was no match for O-K Red Conference favorite West Ottawa on Wednesday, falling to the Panthers, 8-0. The Buccaneers went down in straight sets in each flight. At No. 3 doubles, the Bucs' Phil Chalifoux and Craig Peplinski played well, falling to Brandon Ballard and Mark VanderStoep, 6-3, 6-4.
10:22 AM Aug 31, 2011
Dick Seyffert's Heart Throb and Buzz and Sherie Russell's Avanti were the top boats in the Spinnaker and Main & Jib Fleets, respectively, during the Grand River Sailing Club's Gift of Life Cup. In the Spinnaker Fleet, Heart Throb finished with five points, taking first place over Frank Lloyd Starboard, which was second with eight points. Surface Tension finished with 12 points, followed by Stingray with 13 points, Monkey Wrench with 13 and JetStar with 14.
10:18 AM Aug 31, 2011
Bryan Muri prides himself as an ultra cyclist, competing in events of 100 or more miles, and many times, riding throughout a 24-hour time period. He's already completed a 24-hour event at the Rocky Hill mountain bike race in Texas, as well as several other grueling mountain bike races. Muri's latest conquest of 100 miles only took him 6 hours, 11 minutes to complete, but the stage of the Deer Creek Challenge in Littleton, Colo., was excruciating.
10:15 AM Aug 31, 2011
Two "brothers' combined for three goals and two assists Tuesday night at Warrior Field to help Western Michigan Christian to an opening 4-0 River Valley Conference victory over Covenant Christian. Senior Ryan Briggs started the scoring off an assist from sophomore Chaise Schuiteman with just eight minutes left in the first half to put the Warriors up 1-0 at intermission.
11:21 AM Aug 30, 2011
The past few years, catching a 20-pound salmon out of Grand Haven was something to get excited about. The last few weeks, 20-pounders don't even warrant any raised eyebrows back at the dock. That's because the size, and numbers, of king salmon being caught is way up, according to several area charter boat captains.
11:16 AM Aug 30, 2011
Andrew Byrne scored one goal and assisted on two others as the Grand Haven varsity boys soccer team shutout Mona Shores on Monday, 4-0. Byrne set up the Buccaneers' first goal, scored by Chad Buitenhuis, with just 50 seconds remaining in the opening half. Midway through the second half, with his team already on top 2-0, Byrne sent a cross to Jake Vanderlaan, whose header found the upper corner of the goal for a 3-0 lead. Byrne then put one away himself later in the game to wrap up the 4-0 victory.
11:15 AM Aug 30, 2011
Spring Lake's varsity boys tennis team went 3-0 at Monday's home tri-meet, scoring victories over North Muskegon, Western Michigan Christian and Whitehall. The Lakers beat the Norsemen, 5-3, scoring wins in all four doubles flights. Spring Lake also swept the doubles in a 6-2 win over Whitehall, then won at every flight except No. 4 singles in a 7-1 victory over WMC. Sophomore Ryan Fedewa went 3-0 at No. 1 singles, scoring easy wins against WMC and Whitehall but needing three sets to beat North Muskegon senior John Snider, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0.
11:13 AM Aug 30, 2011
The first-ever varsity soccer game for Muskegon Community College was a rousing success on Saturday. Behind a hat trick from Reeths-Puffer graduate Nate Schmitt, the Jayhawks pulled out a 4-3 victory over Ancilla (Ind.) College at Orchard View High School.
6:50 PM Aug 29, 2011
The last time a pitcher won the Most Valuable Player award in the American League, Justin Verlander was 9 years old. The season was 1992, when the Oakland A's closer Dennis Eckersly and his Old West gunfighter-style mustache took home the award. And the last starting pitcher to win MVP? Verlander was only 3 when a fresh-faced Roger Clemens won in 1986 with Boston.
1:54 PM Aug 29, 2011
Don Anderson continues to be humbled by the fact that the Grand Haven cross country team annually hosts a trail run in his honor. Anderson, who started the Grand Haven cross country program in 1958, is also extremely proud to see how successful the Buccaneers' programs have become. On Saturday, the Bucs' boys and girls both claimed championships at the Don Anderson Trail Run, despite both teams running without key team members due to illness and injury.
10:22 AM Aug 29, 2011
Grand Haven advanced to the championship game of the WMOVA Tournament at East Kentwood on Saturday before falling to the host Falcons in the finals. The Buccaneers raced through pool play with wins over Northveiw, Kenowa Hills and Forest Hills Eastern. The Bucs topped Lakewood in the quarterfinals and Rockford in the semifinals before coming up short in a pair of close games against East Kentwood, 25-23, 26-24.
12:10 AM Aug 27, 2011
For Grand Haven High School lacrosse players Hillary Land, Sarah Shaw, Mackenzie Yoas, Mackenzie Klingenberg and Carlee Klingenberg, the summer of 2011 has been one to remember. The Grand Haven girls played on the Grand Rapids-based Oasis Lacrosse Club, coached by Aquinas College head coach Frank Rogers and Aquinas junior Kati Rogers. The team competed in three multi-state tournaments this summer, bringing home three first-place trophies.