Zeeland West senior Madison Wyckoff fires a pitch during the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader against Holland Christian. Wyckoff fired a one-hitter and struck out 14 in the opener as she shut out the Maroons, 4-0, then struck out 13 in 4-2/3 innings of relief in the second game, which the Dux lost 6-5.
Photo by Greg Chandler
The Zeeland West varsity softball team saw its bid for a share of the O-K Black Conference championship slip away in the second game of a doubleheader with Holland Christian Tuesday.
The Dux won the first game of the doubleheader on their home field, 4-0, behind the one-hit pitching of senior Madison Wyckoff. However, the Maroons held off a late West rally in the nightcap to take a 6-5 win, handing West just its second conference loss against 12 wins.
Meanwhile, Unity Christian swept a doubleheader from Hamilton, 13-1 and 11-0, on Monday to win the conference title by one game over the Dux. West had handed the Crusaders their only conference loss, 4-0, on April 22.
In the first game, Wyckoff was next to unhittable, allowing only a leadoff single in the second inning in outdueling Holland Christian standout Kierea Smits. She struck out 14, did not walk a batter and set down the last 18 batters she faced.
West took advantage of Holland Christian miscues in the third inning to score two runs. Wyckoff led off with a single and came around to score on a pair of Maroon errors. Later in the inning, Bri Kamer scored on a passed ball on a third strike that would have ended the inning.
The Dux added two insurance runs in the sixth. With two out and nobody on, Sadie Kragt drew a walk. Wyckoff singled, advancing Kragt to third, and Kragt scored when the Maroons mishandled the relay throw from the outfield. Emily Kragt later delivered an RBI single to extend the West lead to 4-0.
The Dux had seven hits in the game off Smits, led by Emily Kragt with three and Wyckoff with two.
In the second game, Kamer doubled in a run in the top of the first to give West an early 1-0 lead. But Holland Christian tied the game on a Paige Phelps home run in the bottom of the frame, then exploded for five runs in the second to take a 6-1 lead. Smits’ two-run single was the big hit in the Maroon uprising.
Wyckoff came on in relief in the third and slammed the door on the Holland Christian bats, striking out 13 in 4-2/3 innings of work to give West a chance to get back in the game. Meanwhile, the Dux chipped away at the Holland Christian lead, eventually pulling to within one run at 6-5.
West had nine hits in the game and drew six walks. Sadie Kragt led the offense with three hits while Megan Strabbing had two. Maddi Veersma drew three walks and stole two bases.
The split left West with a record of 21-9 on the season.
The Dux won the first game of the doubleheader on their home field, 4-0, behind the one-hit pitching of senior Madison Wyckoff. However, the Maroons held off a late West rally in the nightcap to take a 6-5 win, handing West just its second conference loss against 12 wins.
Meanwhile, Unity Christian swept a doubleheader from Hamilton, 13-1 and 11-0, on Monday to win the conference title by one game over the Dux. West had handed the Crusaders their only conference loss, 4-0, on April 22.
In the first game, Wyckoff was next to unhittable, allowing only a leadoff single in the second inning in outdueling Holland Christian standout Kierea Smits. She struck out 14, did not walk a batter and set down the last 18 batters she faced.
West took advantage of Holland Christian miscues in the third inning to score two runs. Wyckoff led off with a single and came around to score on a pair of Maroon errors. Later in the inning, Bri Kamer scored on a passed ball on a third strike that would have ended the inning.
The Dux added two insurance runs in the sixth. With two out and nobody on, Sadie Kragt drew a walk. Wyckoff singled, advancing Kragt to third, and Kragt scored when the Maroons mishandled the relay throw from the outfield. Emily Kragt later delivered an RBI single to extend the West lead to 4-0.
The Dux had seven hits in the game off Smits, led by Emily Kragt with three and Wyckoff with two.
In the second game, Kamer doubled in a run in the top of the first to give West an early 1-0 lead. But Holland Christian tied the game on a Paige Phelps home run in the bottom of the frame, then exploded for five runs in the second to take a 6-1 lead. Smits’ two-run single was the big hit in the Maroon uprising.
Wyckoff came on in relief in the third and slammed the door on the Holland Christian bats, striking out 13 in 4-2/3 innings of work to give West a chance to get back in the game. Meanwhile, the Dux chipped away at the Holland Christian lead, eventually pulling to within one run at 6-5.
West had nine hits in the game and drew six walks. Sadie Kragt led the offense with three hits while Megan Strabbing had two. Maddi Veersma drew three walks and stole two bases.
The split left West with a record of 21-9 on the season.
Zeeland Athletes Shine at Division’s Regional Track Meet
The Zeeland East girls track team finished second, while the Zeeland West boys got a record-setting performance in the long jump last Thursday at the Division 1 regional meet at Zeeland Stadium.
In the girls meet, the Chix finished with 108 points, second to regional champion Rockford’s 182. The Dux were 13th in the girls meet with 8.33 points. West placed seventh in the boys meet with 48.5 points while East was 13th with 24.5 points.
West senior Trey Sloothaak was the lone individual regional champion for the day, breaking a 17-year-old school record in the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 6 inches. Sloothaak broke the previous record of 22-1 ¼ that had been held by Nate Oppenhuizen since 2008. Dux teammate Brandon Holman gave West two jumpers in the top five as he placed fifth with a jump of 21-5 ½.
The East girls got tremendous performances from their relays and distance runners in their second-place finish. The Chix finished third in the 4x200-meter relay, fourth in the 4x400 relay and second in the 4x800 relay.
In the 4x200, the East team of Terra Schuberg, Lesley Martinez, Kat Wilson and Meredith Cook posted a time of 1:47.47. The 4x400 foursome of Adalyn Raab, Wilson, Emma Drnek and Cook ran a 4:05.94. In the 4x800 relay, Drnek, Cook, Taryn DiLaura and Raab took the runnerup spot behind West Ottawa in 9:18.07. West finished fourth in the 4x800 relay as the team of Evie Kleinheksel, Avery Towne, Jordyn Klaasen and Rowan Sloothaak ran a 9:46.85.
East placed two runners in the top five in both girls distance events. Raab finished third in the 1,600 meters in 5:03.37 while Drnek placed fifth (5:06.07). Drnek was third (11:19.58) and Raab fourth (11:32.40) in the 3,200.
West’s Keaton Hendricks narrowly missed winning the regional title in the boys’ 110-meter hurdles, as he placed second with a time of 14.54 seconds. Muskegon’s Michael Piggee Jr. nosed out Hendricks by .03 of a second at the tape.
The Dux boys also got a runnerup performance from their 4x400 relay team of Ben Greshaw, Holman, Hendricks and Ethan Dalman, as they ran a 3:26.02. Hudsonville took first place in that relay.
East’s Cook finished second in the girls 800 meters with a time of 2:16.26. In the girls 300-meter hurdles, the Chix had two athletes finish in the top three as CC Kuras placed second in 47.05 seconds and Wilson third in 47.33. Grand Haven’s Nadia Prieditis edged out the East runners in 46.86.
East’s Mirra Fenlon had two top-three finishes in field events, placing second in the girls long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 5 ½ inches and third in the high jump at 5 feet, 2 inches.
Both Zeeland teams placed in the top five in the boys 4x800 relay. West’s relay foursome of Robert Dodd, Joshua Dodd, Keagan Smith and Greshaw posted a third-place finish in 7:59.76, while East’s team of Tristen Hinson, Caden Guffey, Sam Downing and Nate Davis held off Rockford to place fifth in 8:07.81.
East’s Downing finished fourth in the boys 800 in 2:00.44, while West’s boys placed fifth in the 4x200 relay, as Xane Herrygers, Hendricks, Garrett Kapenga and Holman ran a 1:30.53.
In the field events, East took two of the top five places in the girls shot put as Laura Maartense finished fourth and Lily Huizenga fifth, both with tosses of 36 feet, 1 inch. Huizenga was fourth in the girls discus with a heave of 109-8.
East’s Kate Murphy was third in the girls pole vault at 9 feet, 9 inches. East’s Bennett Bing finished fourth in the boys high jump at 6-2, while West’s Reagan Page posted a fourth-place finish in the boys pole vault at 13-6.
The East and West track teams will compete in the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association state meet Friday at Davison High School near Flint. West finished second in the boys’ MITCA state finals a year ago at Zeeland Stadium while the East girls finished third.
In the girls meet, the Chix finished with 108 points, second to regional champion Rockford’s 182. The Dux were 13th in the girls meet with 8.33 points. West placed seventh in the boys meet with 48.5 points while East was 13th with 24.5 points.
West senior Trey Sloothaak was the lone individual regional champion for the day, breaking a 17-year-old school record in the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 6 inches. Sloothaak broke the previous record of 22-1 ¼ that had been held by Nate Oppenhuizen since 2008. Dux teammate Brandon Holman gave West two jumpers in the top five as he placed fifth with a jump of 21-5 ½.
The East girls got tremendous performances from their relays and distance runners in their second-place finish. The Chix finished third in the 4x200-meter relay, fourth in the 4x400 relay and second in the 4x800 relay.
In the 4x200, the East team of Terra Schuberg, Lesley Martinez, Kat Wilson and Meredith Cook posted a time of 1:47.47. The 4x400 foursome of Adalyn Raab, Wilson, Emma Drnek and Cook ran a 4:05.94. In the 4x800 relay, Drnek, Cook, Taryn DiLaura and Raab took the runnerup spot behind West Ottawa in 9:18.07. West finished fourth in the 4x800 relay as the team of Evie Kleinheksel, Avery Towne, Jordyn Klaasen and Rowan Sloothaak ran a 9:46.85.
East placed two runners in the top five in both girls distance events. Raab finished third in the 1,600 meters in 5:03.37 while Drnek placed fifth (5:06.07). Drnek was third (11:19.58) and Raab fourth (11:32.40) in the 3,200.
West’s Keaton Hendricks narrowly missed winning the regional title in the boys’ 110-meter hurdles, as he placed second with a time of 14.54 seconds. Muskegon’s Michael Piggee Jr. nosed out Hendricks by .03 of a second at the tape.
The Dux boys also got a runnerup performance from their 4x400 relay team of Ben Greshaw, Holman, Hendricks and Ethan Dalman, as they ran a 3:26.02. Hudsonville took first place in that relay.
East’s Cook finished second in the girls 800 meters with a time of 2:16.26. In the girls 300-meter hurdles, the Chix had two athletes finish in the top three as CC Kuras placed second in 47.05 seconds and Wilson third in 47.33. Grand Haven’s Nadia Prieditis edged out the East runners in 46.86.
East’s Mirra Fenlon had two top-three finishes in field events, placing second in the girls long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 5 ½ inches and third in the high jump at 5 feet, 2 inches.
Both Zeeland teams placed in the top five in the boys 4x800 relay. West’s relay foursome of Robert Dodd, Joshua Dodd, Keagan Smith and Greshaw posted a third-place finish in 7:59.76, while East’s team of Tristen Hinson, Caden Guffey, Sam Downing and Nate Davis held off Rockford to place fifth in 8:07.81.
East’s Downing finished fourth in the boys 800 in 2:00.44, while West’s boys placed fifth in the 4x200 relay, as Xane Herrygers, Hendricks, Garrett Kapenga and Holman ran a 1:30.53.
In the field events, East took two of the top five places in the girls shot put as Laura Maartense finished fourth and Lily Huizenga fifth, both with tosses of 36 feet, 1 inch. Huizenga was fourth in the girls discus with a heave of 109-8.
East’s Kate Murphy was third in the girls pole vault at 9 feet, 9 inches. East’s Bennett Bing finished fourth in the boys high jump at 6-2, while West’s Reagan Page posted a fourth-place finish in the boys pole vault at 13-6.
The East and West track teams will compete in the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association state meet Friday at Davison High School near Flint. West finished second in the boys’ MITCA state finals a year ago at Zeeland Stadium while the East girls finished third.
East Baseball Clinches 2nd Place in O-K Black
The Zeeland East varsity baseball team concluded O-K Black Conference play last week by taking two out of three games from Hamilton.
The Chix split a doubleheader with the Hawkeyes on May 13, bouncing back from an 8-6 loss in the opener to take the second game in a pitcher’s duel, 2-1. Then last Thursday, East got a solid pitching performance by Mason Raade as he blanked Hamilton, 3-0.
The Chix finished second in the O-K Black Conference behind Spring Lake at 14-4 in conference play, and improved to 21-8 overall on the season.
In the series finale against the Hawkeyes, Raade threw a six-hitter and struck out six in going the distance for the win. He also helped his own cause at the plate with two hits and an RBI.
Max Mulder set the tone early for East, blasting a two-run homer in the top of the first to stake Raade to a 2-0 lead.
Earlier in the week, the Chix fell behind big early against the Hawkeyes in the first game of their doubleheader. Hamilton used timely hitting and several costly errors for East to take an 8-1 lead. The Chix roared back with five runs in the fifth, highlighted by Peyton Davis’ two-run single, to cut the deficit to 8-6. But East could not push across any more runs over the last two innings.
Raade had two hits and an RBI in the opener, while Quincy Thome scored two runs and Mulder added an RBI double.
Caden Hunderman was strong in relief for the Chix, allowing one run on four hits over 3-1/3 innings. He struck out three.
In game two, Thome came through the big hit, a two-run triple in the fifth, to put East ahead.
Derek Baxter and Ryan Kuzma combined on a three-hitter for the Chix. Baxter went the first five innings for the win, striking out four and allowing the lone Hamilton run. Kuzma was perfect over the last two innings to gain the save.
In between the Hamilton games, East edged West Ottawa 6-5 on May 14. Thome led the Chix offense with two hits and two RBIs. Davis and Cam Jaworowski also had two hits each, including a triple. Jailen Nesbitt went the first four innings for the win, giving up just two hits and striking out four. Eli Nienhuis went the final three innings for the save, allowing just one hit and one run.
The Chix split a doubleheader with the Hawkeyes on May 13, bouncing back from an 8-6 loss in the opener to take the second game in a pitcher’s duel, 2-1. Then last Thursday, East got a solid pitching performance by Mason Raade as he blanked Hamilton, 3-0.
The Chix finished second in the O-K Black Conference behind Spring Lake at 14-4 in conference play, and improved to 21-8 overall on the season.
In the series finale against the Hawkeyes, Raade threw a six-hitter and struck out six in going the distance for the win. He also helped his own cause at the plate with two hits and an RBI.
Max Mulder set the tone early for East, blasting a two-run homer in the top of the first to stake Raade to a 2-0 lead.
Earlier in the week, the Chix fell behind big early against the Hawkeyes in the first game of their doubleheader. Hamilton used timely hitting and several costly errors for East to take an 8-1 lead. The Chix roared back with five runs in the fifth, highlighted by Peyton Davis’ two-run single, to cut the deficit to 8-6. But East could not push across any more runs over the last two innings.
Raade had two hits and an RBI in the opener, while Quincy Thome scored two runs and Mulder added an RBI double.
Caden Hunderman was strong in relief for the Chix, allowing one run on four hits over 3-1/3 innings. He struck out three.
In game two, Thome came through the big hit, a two-run triple in the fifth, to put East ahead.
Derek Baxter and Ryan Kuzma combined on a three-hitter for the Chix. Baxter went the first five innings for the win, striking out four and allowing the lone Hamilton run. Kuzma was perfect over the last two innings to gain the save.
In between the Hamilton games, East edged West Ottawa 6-5 on May 14. Thome led the Chix offense with two hits and two RBIs. Davis and Cam Jaworowski also had two hits each, including a triple. Jailen Nesbitt went the first four innings for the win, giving up just two hits and striking out four. Eli Nienhuis went the final three innings for the save, allowing just one hit and one run.
East Netters Third, West Tied for Sixth at Regional
The Zeeland East varsity girls tennis team fell just two points short of qualifying for the state finals in the Division 2 regional at Byron Center on May 14.
The Chix finished third with 16 points, behind regional champion Mattawan (27) and the host Bulldogs (20). Zeeland West finished tied for sixth with Holland and Sturgis with seven points each. Mattawan and Byron Center advanced to the state finals to be held May 29-31 at Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University.
East had runnerup finishes in three flights while West had one.
At No. 3 singles, West’s Halle Reider won a pair of matches in straight sets to reach the finals. She defeated Katherine Steele of Sturgis, 6-0, 6-0, and Byron Center’s Kristina Ha 6-4, 6-3 to reach the championship match. Reider fell to top seed Sienna Watts of Mattawan, 6-4, 6-3 in the title match.
East’s Trinh Kleikamp reached the finals at No. 4 singles by defeating Libby Beardsley of Richland Gull Lake, 6-1, 6-2, and Mya Eicher of Sturgis, 6-4, 6-4. Kleikamp lost the championship match to top seed Ava Vergara of Mattawan, 6-4, 6-0.
At No. 2 doubles, East’s top-seeded team of Mahalia Vis and Elizabeth Rogovich advanced to the finals with straight-set wins over Gull Lake, 6-2, 6-1 and Holland, 6-2, 6-2. However, Vis and Rogovich were defeated by the second-seeded team of Valeria Vega and Addy Copeland of Mattawan in the finals, 6-3, 6-2.
At No. 3 doubles, East’s Pippa Boerman and Olivia Grotenhuis won a three-set thriller over St. Joseph in their first match, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, then defeated Mattawan 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the championship match. Boerman and Grotenhuis fell to Byron Center’s team of Natalie Rutgers and Emma Wiechertjes in the finals, 6-2, 6-1.
East finished 15-5-1 on the season.
The Chix finished third with 16 points, behind regional champion Mattawan (27) and the host Bulldogs (20). Zeeland West finished tied for sixth with Holland and Sturgis with seven points each. Mattawan and Byron Center advanced to the state finals to be held May 29-31 at Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University.
East had runnerup finishes in three flights while West had one.
At No. 3 singles, West’s Halle Reider won a pair of matches in straight sets to reach the finals. She defeated Katherine Steele of Sturgis, 6-0, 6-0, and Byron Center’s Kristina Ha 6-4, 6-3 to reach the championship match. Reider fell to top seed Sienna Watts of Mattawan, 6-4, 6-3 in the title match.
East’s Trinh Kleikamp reached the finals at No. 4 singles by defeating Libby Beardsley of Richland Gull Lake, 6-1, 6-2, and Mya Eicher of Sturgis, 6-4, 6-4. Kleikamp lost the championship match to top seed Ava Vergara of Mattawan, 6-4, 6-0.
At No. 2 doubles, East’s top-seeded team of Mahalia Vis and Elizabeth Rogovich advanced to the finals with straight-set wins over Gull Lake, 6-2, 6-1 and Holland, 6-2, 6-2. However, Vis and Rogovich were defeated by the second-seeded team of Valeria Vega and Addy Copeland of Mattawan in the finals, 6-3, 6-2.
At No. 3 doubles, East’s Pippa Boerman and Olivia Grotenhuis won a three-set thriller over St. Joseph in their first match, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, then defeated Mattawan 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the championship match. Boerman and Grotenhuis fell to Byron Center’s team of Natalie Rutgers and Emma Wiechertjes in the finals, 6-2, 6-1.
East finished 15-5-1 on the season.
Meyering Ties Season HR Mark
Zeeland East senior softball standout Emme Meyering tied the school record for most home runs in a season last Thursday by slamming two more homers against Sparta.
Meyering has now hit 13 homers this season, tying the Chix school record that was originally set by Katie Carlson in 2023. She now has 31 career homers, far and away the most ever by an East softball player.
Carlson had been the previous career record holder with 24.
Meyering has now hit 13 homers this season, tying the Chix school record that was originally set by Katie Carlson in 2023. She now has 31 career homers, far and away the most ever by an East softball player.
Carlson had been the previous career record holder with 24.
Dux Boys Golfers 4th in Black
The Zeeland West varsity boys golf team finished fourth at the O-K Black Conference tournament at The Ravines Golf Club in Saugatuck Monday.
Sophomore Mike Girman led the Dux with a 77, placing seventh overall. Senior Logan Bomers fired a 79, while senior Graham VanDort shot an 80 and senior Tyler Baumann an 84.
Bomers was named to the all-conference team for the fourth consecutive year while Girman was an all-conference pick for the second time.
West finished fourth overall in the O-K Black on the season.
Sophomore Mike Girman led the Dux with a 77, placing seventh overall. Senior Logan Bomers fired a 79, while senior Graham VanDort shot an 80 and senior Tyler Baumann an 84.
Bomers was named to the all-conference team for the fourth consecutive year while Girman was an all-conference pick for the second time.
West finished fourth overall in the O-K Black on the season.
