Eastern Michigan University men's basketball coach Rob Murphy recently announced the signing of former Grand Haven standout Austin Harper. Harper, who last year played at Glen Oaks Community College, will be eligible to play immedately for the Eagles. "I made a visit to Eastern and felt a connection with the coaches,' Harper said. "I felt that this was a good fit for me and it is a great opportunity to continue my basketball career.'

After a disappointing loss to O-K Red Conference rival Rockford last week, Bucs' coach John Tarr said his team was angry and determined to make amends for the loss. The Bucs rebounded with a solid ninth-place showing at Saturday's Portage Invitational - a showcase of many of the best cross country teams in the state. Hartland won the Division 1 race with 97 points. Rockford was sixth with 176, while the Bucs totaled 238.

Grand Haven swimming coach Doug Thorne continues to be encouraged by his team's improvement, including the Bucs showing at a home quad meet on Saturday at the Grand Haven Aquatic Center. The Bucs defeated the co-op squad from Traverse City Central, 184-130, then was defeated by Holland Christian by the slimmest of margins, 158-157.

It only seemed natural for Spring Lake's Jacob Poel that auto racing would be a prominent fixture in his life. His father, Steve Poel, raced in various forms for more than 25 years, a craft that he picked up from his father, Jacob's grandfather, Ron Poel. Now the youngest driver in the family, the 2005 Spring Lake graduate is immersed in the sport, and has made a name for himself as a force to be reckoned with in the state of Michigan and throughout the Midwest in modified, dirt-track racing.