Alderink, Claerbaut Transfer Schools
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Two former Zeeland high school basketball standouts have found new destinations to continue their college careers.
Former Zeeland West forward Merritt Alderink, who entered the transfer portal after playing one season at Indiana State University, announced last weekend that he has transferred to Eastern Michigan University.
Meanwhile, former Zeeland East center Nathan Claerbaut, who just finished his third season at Ferris State University, has decided to follow his coach, Andy Bronkema, about 50 miles east from Big Rapids to Mount Pleasant to join the program at Central Michigan University. Bronkema was recently hired as the Chippewas’ new coach after predecessor Tony Barbee was fired.
A finalist for the Mr. Basketball award as one of the top high school players in the state a year ago, the 6-foot-7 Alderink played in 13 games for Indiana State in his freshman season, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, shooting 59 percent from the field.
“Grateful for the opportunity to keep putting in the hard work, growing with a team, and being surrounded by people who believe in me and push me to be better. Excited for what’s ahead!” Alderink wrote in a post on his X social media account.
The 7-foot-tall Claerbaut was named to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) All-Defensive Team for his performance this past season. He led the GLIAC with 78 blocked shots in 34 games, an average of 2.3 per game. He ranked eighth among all NCAA Division II players in blocked shots for the season.
Claerbaut also averaged 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 60.4 percent from the field in helping the Bulldogs to a 25-9 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament.
Zeeland Record
Two former Zeeland high school basketball standouts have found new destinations to continue their college careers.
Former Zeeland West forward Merritt Alderink, who entered the transfer portal after playing one season at Indiana State University, announced last weekend that he has transferred to Eastern Michigan University.
Meanwhile, former Zeeland East center Nathan Claerbaut, who just finished his third season at Ferris State University, has decided to follow his coach, Andy Bronkema, about 50 miles east from Big Rapids to Mount Pleasant to join the program at Central Michigan University. Bronkema was recently hired as the Chippewas’ new coach after predecessor Tony Barbee was fired.
A finalist for the Mr. Basketball award as one of the top high school players in the state a year ago, the 6-foot-7 Alderink played in 13 games for Indiana State in his freshman season, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, shooting 59 percent from the field.
“Grateful for the opportunity to keep putting in the hard work, growing with a team, and being surrounded by people who believe in me and push me to be better. Excited for what’s ahead!” Alderink wrote in a post on his X social media account.
The 7-foot-tall Claerbaut was named to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) All-Defensive Team for his performance this past season. He led the GLIAC with 78 blocked shots in 34 games, an average of 2.3 per game. He ranked eighth among all NCAA Division II players in blocked shots for the season.
Claerbaut also averaged 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 60.4 percent from the field in helping the Bulldogs to a 25-9 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament.
East Baseball Runs Winning Streak to 10
It took a few days, but the Zeeland East varsity baseball team completed a three-game sweep of Holland Monday, defeating the Dutch 16-13 for its 10th straight win without a loss to open the season.
The game had been suspended last Thursday in the fourth inning because of darkness with East leading 11-8. Mason Raade belted a three-run homer as the Chix battled back from an early deficit. The win improved East’s record in O-K Conference play to 6-0.
Earlier last Thursday, the Chix defeated Holland 12-5 in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader. Max Mulder and Ryan Kuzma supplied the big blows in the game, with Mulder belting a grand slam homer and Kuzma adding a three-run shot. Cam Jaworowski had three hits while five other players chipped in two hits each.
Raade picked up the pitching victory, striking out six over 4-2/3 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs.
In the series opener with Holland April 15, Mulder struck out 12 and allowed one hit over four innings as East rolled to a 14-0 win. Peyton Davis led the Chix attack with three hits and three RBIs. Kuzma added a pair of doubles and Raade had two RBIs.
Last Saturday, East swept Whitehall in a pair of five-inning games, 11-0 and 11-1.
East pounded out 16 hits in the opener, with Kuzma leading the attack with three hits and three RBIs. Davis also had three hits, while Derek Baxter knocked in three runs, and Mulder had two hits and two RBIs.
Eli Nienhuis threw four shutout innings for the win, allowing just two hits and striking out five.
In the nightcap, Kuzma led East with three hits, including a triple, and drove in four runs to back the pitching of Jailen Nesbitt, who struck out eight over four innings and allowed just two hits. Quincy Thome had three hits and Raade two hits and two RBIs.
The game had been suspended last Thursday in the fourth inning because of darkness with East leading 11-8. Mason Raade belted a three-run homer as the Chix battled back from an early deficit. The win improved East’s record in O-K Conference play to 6-0.
Earlier last Thursday, the Chix defeated Holland 12-5 in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader. Max Mulder and Ryan Kuzma supplied the big blows in the game, with Mulder belting a grand slam homer and Kuzma adding a three-run shot. Cam Jaworowski had three hits while five other players chipped in two hits each.
Raade picked up the pitching victory, striking out six over 4-2/3 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs.
In the series opener with Holland April 15, Mulder struck out 12 and allowed one hit over four innings as East rolled to a 14-0 win. Peyton Davis led the Chix attack with three hits and three RBIs. Kuzma added a pair of doubles and Raade had two RBIs.
Last Saturday, East swept Whitehall in a pair of five-inning games, 11-0 and 11-1.
East pounded out 16 hits in the opener, with Kuzma leading the attack with three hits and three RBIs. Davis also had three hits, while Derek Baxter knocked in three runs, and Mulder had two hits and two RBIs.
Eli Nienhuis threw four shutout innings for the win, allowing just two hits and striking out five.
In the nightcap, Kuzma led East with three hits, including a triple, and drove in four runs to back the pitching of Jailen Nesbitt, who struck out eight over four innings and allowed just two hits. Quincy Thome had three hits and Raade two hits and two RBIs.
Shutout, Unbeaten Streaks End for East Girls Soccer
The Zeeland East varsity girls soccer team entered Monday’s O-K Black Conference home contest with Unity Christian not only unbeaten, but unscored upon for the season.
The Chix shut out each of their first six opponents in getting off to a 4-0-2 start to the season.
But the Crusaders found a way to find the net, as they defeated East 2-0 to remain unbeaten and stay on top of the conference standings. Unity improved to 8-0-1 and recorded its eighth consecutive shutout.
Last week, East posted a pair of shutout victories, defeating Grand Rapids Covenant Christian 3-0 on April 16, then blanking Holland the next day, 2-0.
“We connected a lot of passes, we played well as a team, and we have a couple (players) out with concussions, so we had to switch a lot of people around and positions, and everyone stepped up,” East coach G Hunderman said after the Holland win.
The Chix shut out each of their first six opponents in getting off to a 4-0-2 start to the season.
But the Crusaders found a way to find the net, as they defeated East 2-0 to remain unbeaten and stay on top of the conference standings. Unity improved to 8-0-1 and recorded its eighth consecutive shutout.
Last week, East posted a pair of shutout victories, defeating Grand Rapids Covenant Christian 3-0 on April 16, then blanking Holland the next day, 2-0.
“We connected a lot of passes, we played well as a team, and we have a couple (players) out with concussions, so we had to switch a lot of people around and positions, and everyone stepped up,” East coach G Hunderman said after the Holland win.
West Softball Sweeps Hawkeyes
The Zeeland West softball team completed a doubleheader sweep of Hamilton in dramatic fashion on April 16, coming from behind to beat the Hawkeyes 10-9 on a walkoff, two-run single by Madison Wyckoff in the bottom of the seventh.
The Dux won the opener of the doubleheader 11-0 in a game that ended after five innings by the 10-run rule.
The second game was a back-and-forth affair. The Dux led 7-5 going into the top of the seventh, but the Hawkeyes struck for four runs to take the lead. West pulled back within a run at 9-8 on an RBI single by Kylie Glass, setting the stage of Wyckoff’s game-winning blow.
Glass drove in four runs to lead the West attack. The Dux had 11 hits and took advantage of eight Hamilton walks.
Sadie Kragt struck out six batters, allowed eight hits and two earned runs over 5-2/3 innings in the circle for West.
In the opener, West blew the game open with an eight-run uprising in the third inning. Wyckoff singled in two runs and Emily Kragt plated two more with a double to highlight the rally.
Wyckoff starred both at the plate and in the circle for the Dux, driving in four runs on three hits to lead the offense. She also scattered three hits and struck out 12 in the circle. Emily Kragt also had three hits and knocked in three runs. Bri Kamer and Maddi Veersma added two hits each.
Last Thursday, West split a doubleheader with Rockford, losing the opener 4-2 but bouncing back in the nightcap 10-5.
In the second game, the Dux rallied from an early 4-1 deficit to come away with the win. West gained the lead at 6-5 on a fielder’s choice by Megan Strabbing in the sixth, then put the game away with a four-run rally in the seventh.
Wyckoff went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases on offense, and gained the pitching win as well, allowing just two hits and one earned run in going the distance. She struck out eight Rams.
Bri Kamer provided punch from the cleanup spot in the lineup with a 3-for-4 performance and three runs batted in. Strabbing also had three hits in the contest. West as a team had 14 hits, six walks and five stolen bases.
In the opener, West tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch, but Rockford responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to take the win.
Sadie Kragt took the loss in the circle, allowing just five hits and two earned runs over six innings. Wyckoff led the offense with a pair of hits.
The Dux won the opener of the doubleheader 11-0 in a game that ended after five innings by the 10-run rule.
The second game was a back-and-forth affair. The Dux led 7-5 going into the top of the seventh, but the Hawkeyes struck for four runs to take the lead. West pulled back within a run at 9-8 on an RBI single by Kylie Glass, setting the stage of Wyckoff’s game-winning blow.
Glass drove in four runs to lead the West attack. The Dux had 11 hits and took advantage of eight Hamilton walks.
Sadie Kragt struck out six batters, allowed eight hits and two earned runs over 5-2/3 innings in the circle for West.
In the opener, West blew the game open with an eight-run uprising in the third inning. Wyckoff singled in two runs and Emily Kragt plated two more with a double to highlight the rally.
Wyckoff starred both at the plate and in the circle for the Dux, driving in four runs on three hits to lead the offense. She also scattered three hits and struck out 12 in the circle. Emily Kragt also had three hits and knocked in three runs. Bri Kamer and Maddi Veersma added two hits each.
Last Thursday, West split a doubleheader with Rockford, losing the opener 4-2 but bouncing back in the nightcap 10-5.
In the second game, the Dux rallied from an early 4-1 deficit to come away with the win. West gained the lead at 6-5 on a fielder’s choice by Megan Strabbing in the sixth, then put the game away with a four-run rally in the seventh.
Wyckoff went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases on offense, and gained the pitching win as well, allowing just two hits and one earned run in going the distance. She struck out eight Rams.
Bri Kamer provided punch from the cleanup spot in the lineup with a 3-for-4 performance and three runs batted in. Strabbing also had three hits in the contest. West as a team had 14 hits, six walks and five stolen bases.
In the opener, West tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch, but Rockford responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to take the win.
Sadie Kragt took the loss in the circle, allowing just five hits and two earned runs over six innings. Wyckoff led the offense with a pair of hits.
