Zeeland West senior halfback Brandon Holman (6) breaks free for a 56-yard touchdown run during the third quarter of last Friday’s victory over Cedar Springs, as senior center Jace Henry (68) signals what the play is about to result in. A first-team All-State selection last season, Holman rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Dux offense.
Photo by Angela Howe Creations
Photo by Angela Howe Creations
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
It took a little while for Zeeland West to get its rushing attack in gear in last Friday’s season-opening contest, but once it did, Cedar Springs had no answers.
West scored on its first four possessions of the second half to break the game open in going on to a 46-20 road victory over the Red Hawks in a battle of Wing-T offenses.
The Dux have now won 14 consecutive season openers and are 20-2 all-time in opening games.
West took a punch to the face early on from the home team. A 42-yard return of the opening kickoff put Cedar Springs at the Dux 48. It took the Red Hawks eight plays to draw first blood, as Spencer Schoenborn scored on 7-yard run. The two-point conversion failed, but Cedar Springs had the early lead at 6-0 less than three minutes into the game.
West answered later in the first quarter. Senior halfback Brandon Holman returned a punt 49 yards to the Cedar Springs 27. Two plays later, junior Kenny Howe III found a hole on the right side of the Dux offensive line and raced 13 yards for a touchdown.
Senior quarterback Drew Albrecht then threw a two-point conversion pass to senior Logan Nash to put the Dux ahead 8-6, and West would never trail again.
The Dux extended their lead midway through the second quarter. Nash made a leaping catch of an Albrecht pass on a fourth-and-5 for a 21-yard gain. On the next play, Holman bounced off two Cedar Springs tacklers like a pinball, and ran 28 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion pass was good, and West led 16-6 at halftime.
Holman then broke the back of the Red Hawks on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter. On the first play after the kickoff, he bolted 65 yards for a touchdown. Later, No. 6 struck again, this time dashing 56 yards down the far sideline for his third TD of the night, giving the Dux a 30-12 lead.
West then tacked on two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, a 23-yard run by Niko Moungkhoun and a 3-yard quarterback keeper by Albrecht. Cedar Springs scored a meaningless touchdown in the final seconds as the Dux improved to 7-0 all-time against the Red Hawks.
Holman led the ground attack with 166 yards on just eight carries, while Moungkhoun added 72 yards on nine carries and Howe contributed 69 yards on six carries.
Bolhouse and Holman both credited the work of West’s offensive line for the success of the running attack.
“We have so many guys back from last year (in the line) that have played a lot of downs, so we can make little adjustments,” Bolhouse said. “They’re very adaptable for what we’re trying to do, because these guys have played before. Some of them have played two seasons of varsity football.”
Center Jace Henry, guards Eli Chavez and Westen Headley, tackles Grady Patrick and Ethan Malec, and ends Hudson VerBeek and Nash are all seniors this year.
“It was just a great job by our offensive linemen,” Holman said. “(On one of the runs), the D-end crashed in, Logan (Nash) blocked him, which made him spill. Another great job by Eli Chavez for blocking that right (end). I’m just proud of the guys for firing off and sticking to (their blocks) and finishing to the end.”
The Dux will face Midland in their home opener Friday night at Zeeland Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m.
Zeeland Record
It took a little while for Zeeland West to get its rushing attack in gear in last Friday’s season-opening contest, but once it did, Cedar Springs had no answers.
West scored on its first four possessions of the second half to break the game open in going on to a 46-20 road victory over the Red Hawks in a battle of Wing-T offenses.
The Dux have now won 14 consecutive season openers and are 20-2 all-time in opening games.
West took a punch to the face early on from the home team. A 42-yard return of the opening kickoff put Cedar Springs at the Dux 48. It took the Red Hawks eight plays to draw first blood, as Spencer Schoenborn scored on 7-yard run. The two-point conversion failed, but Cedar Springs had the early lead at 6-0 less than three minutes into the game.
West answered later in the first quarter. Senior halfback Brandon Holman returned a punt 49 yards to the Cedar Springs 27. Two plays later, junior Kenny Howe III found a hole on the right side of the Dux offensive line and raced 13 yards for a touchdown.
Senior quarterback Drew Albrecht then threw a two-point conversion pass to senior Logan Nash to put the Dux ahead 8-6, and West would never trail again.
The Dux extended their lead midway through the second quarter. Nash made a leaping catch of an Albrecht pass on a fourth-and-5 for a 21-yard gain. On the next play, Holman bounced off two Cedar Springs tacklers like a pinball, and ran 28 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion pass was good, and West led 16-6 at halftime.
Holman then broke the back of the Red Hawks on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter. On the first play after the kickoff, he bolted 65 yards for a touchdown. Later, No. 6 struck again, this time dashing 56 yards down the far sideline for his third TD of the night, giving the Dux a 30-12 lead.
West then tacked on two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, a 23-yard run by Niko Moungkhoun and a 3-yard quarterback keeper by Albrecht. Cedar Springs scored a meaningless touchdown in the final seconds as the Dux improved to 7-0 all-time against the Red Hawks.
Holman led the ground attack with 166 yards on just eight carries, while Moungkhoun added 72 yards on nine carries and Howe contributed 69 yards on six carries.
Bolhouse and Holman both credited the work of West’s offensive line for the success of the running attack.
“We have so many guys back from last year (in the line) that have played a lot of downs, so we can make little adjustments,” Bolhouse said. “They’re very adaptable for what we’re trying to do, because these guys have played before. Some of them have played two seasons of varsity football.”
Center Jace Henry, guards Eli Chavez and Westen Headley, tackles Grady Patrick and Ethan Malec, and ends Hudson VerBeek and Nash are all seniors this year.
“It was just a great job by our offensive linemen,” Holman said. “(On one of the runs), the D-end crashed in, Logan (Nash) blocked him, which made him spill. Another great job by Eli Chavez for blocking that right (end). I’m just proud of the guys for firing off and sticking to (their blocks) and finishing to the end.”
The Dux will face Midland in their home opener Friday night at Zeeland Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m.
East Blanks Muskegon Oakridge in Football Opener
Zeeland East senior wide receiver Coby Miller (81) stiff-arms a Muskegon Oakridge defender after catching a pass from senior quarterback Will Drnek (8) late in the first half of last Thursday’s game. Miller turned this catch into a 90-yard touchdown to give the Chix a two-touchdown lead.
Photo by Andrea Brink Photography
East’s Raab Wins at Under the Lights Invitational
Zeeland East junior Adalyn Raab got her cross country season off to a strong start last Friday night, taking first place in the Starlight Girls division at the Under the Lights meet at Grand Rapids South Christian High School.
Raab, who earned All-State honors by finishing ninth at last year’s Division 1 cross country state championships, won her race by 28 seconds over her nearest competitor, posting a time of 17 minutes, 39.8 seconds and crossing the finish line shortly after midnight in the final race of the evening.
Raab’s performance led the Chix to a fifth-place finish among 14 teams in the Starlight Girls division with 163 points, just five points ahead of Zeeland West, which finished sixth with 168 points.
East freshman Charlie Vonk finished 14th in the race with a time of 19:36.5, while West sophomore Tessa Albrecht led the Dux with a 19th-place showing in 19:43.4. Dux freshman Ava Hoffer placed 27th in 20:10.6, while Chix junior Alivia Schnakenberg took 29th in 20:15.3.
Other girls who placed among the top 50 runners at the meet were West junior Caralyn Elkins (38th, 20:45.6), West senior Samantha Koppenol (45th, 21:00.3), East sophomore Tenley DeWitt (46th, 21:01.4) and West senior Rowan Sloothaak (49th, 21:09.5). A total of 266 runners competed in the Starlight Girls division.
In the Starlight Boys division, West finished sixth among 13 teams with a score of 163, while East placed ninth with 238 points.
The Dux were led by sophomore Tanner Smith, who narrowly missed a top-10 finish by one-tenth of a second, placing 11th in 16:15. East senior Nate Davis was close behind Smith, leading the Chix with a 13th-place showing in 16:30.8. West sophomore Bryson Hassevoort came in 16th in 16:35.2.
Other boys runners finishing in the top 50 included West senior Joshua Dodd (34th, 17:10.3), East junior Nico DiLaura (35th, 17:11.5), and East freshman Micah Chen (47th, 17:24.9). A total of 289 runners took part in the Starlight Boys division.
Raab, who earned All-State honors by finishing ninth at last year’s Division 1 cross country state championships, won her race by 28 seconds over her nearest competitor, posting a time of 17 minutes, 39.8 seconds and crossing the finish line shortly after midnight in the final race of the evening.
Raab’s performance led the Chix to a fifth-place finish among 14 teams in the Starlight Girls division with 163 points, just five points ahead of Zeeland West, which finished sixth with 168 points.
East freshman Charlie Vonk finished 14th in the race with a time of 19:36.5, while West sophomore Tessa Albrecht led the Dux with a 19th-place showing in 19:43.4. Dux freshman Ava Hoffer placed 27th in 20:10.6, while Chix junior Alivia Schnakenberg took 29th in 20:15.3.
Other girls who placed among the top 50 runners at the meet were West junior Caralyn Elkins (38th, 20:45.6), West senior Samantha Koppenol (45th, 21:00.3), East sophomore Tenley DeWitt (46th, 21:01.4) and West senior Rowan Sloothaak (49th, 21:09.5). A total of 266 runners competed in the Starlight Girls division.
In the Starlight Boys division, West finished sixth among 13 teams with a score of 163, while East placed ninth with 238 points.
The Dux were led by sophomore Tanner Smith, who narrowly missed a top-10 finish by one-tenth of a second, placing 11th in 16:15. East senior Nate Davis was close behind Smith, leading the Chix with a 13th-place showing in 16:30.8. West sophomore Bryson Hassevoort came in 16th in 16:35.2.
Other boys runners finishing in the top 50 included West senior Joshua Dodd (34th, 17:10.3), East junior Nico DiLaura (35th, 17:11.5), and East freshman Micah Chen (47th, 17:24.9). A total of 289 runners took part in the Starlight Boys division.
On the Record
East Boys Tennis Edges St. Joseph in Thriller
The Zeeland East varsity boys tennis team continued its strong start to the season last Thursday, edging St. Joseph 5-4.
The Chix improved to 9-1-1 with the win. The dual came down to the lower doubles courts after St. Joseph grabbed three singles wins and East answered with four victories of its own.
At No. 4 singles, Zeeland East’s Oliver Reese delivered one of the cleanest wins of the day, shutting out Ben Kirschenbaum 6-0, 6-0. East also picked up important points at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, where Jace Velderman and Payton Ott beat Archie Johansen and Henry Smith 6-4, 7-5; and Lukas Hafeman and Pierson Kolean topped Anderson Schroeder and Gustavo Luckman 6-1, 6-2.
The most dramatic match came at No. 1 doubles, where St. Joseph’s Wyatt Milletics (6-1) and Ben Hosbein (6-1) outlasted East’s Jacob Guerriero (9-2) and Luke Hathaway (9-2) 6-7 (3), 6-4, 11-9 in a three-set tiebreak.
East still closed strong, with Ben Slotman (10-1) and Max Lewis (10-1) winning at No. 4 doubles 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-2 to help seal the dual.
East Volleyball Goes 2-1, West 2-2 at Western Michigan Christian
The Zeeland East varsity boys tennis team continued its strong start to the season last Thursday, edging St. Joseph 5-4.
The Chix improved to 9-1-1 with the win. The dual came down to the lower doubles courts after St. Joseph grabbed three singles wins and East answered with four victories of its own.
At No. 4 singles, Zeeland East’s Oliver Reese delivered one of the cleanest wins of the day, shutting out Ben Kirschenbaum 6-0, 6-0. East also picked up important points at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, where Jace Velderman and Payton Ott beat Archie Johansen and Henry Smith 6-4, 7-5; and Lukas Hafeman and Pierson Kolean topped Anderson Schroeder and Gustavo Luckman 6-1, 6-2.
The most dramatic match came at No. 1 doubles, where St. Joseph’s Wyatt Milletics (6-1) and Ben Hosbein (6-1) outlasted East’s Jacob Guerriero (9-2) and Luke Hathaway (9-2) 6-7 (3), 6-4, 11-9 in a three-set tiebreak.
East still closed strong, with Ben Slotman (10-1) and Max Lewis (10-1) winning at No. 4 doubles 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-2 to help seal the dual.
East Volleyball Goes 2-1, West 2-2 at Western Michigan Christian
Both of Zeeland’s varsity volleyball teams competed last Saturday at the Western Michigan Christian Warrior Invitational in Muskegon.
The Chix posted a 2-1 record for the day while the Dux finished 2-2.
East won a three-set battle over Forest Hills Central, 25-16, 16-25, 25-16, then suffered its first loss of the season against Allendale, 12-25, 25-22, 25-23, and bounced back to defeat Grandville, 25-17, 27-25.
West, meanwhile, romped to wins over Holland Black River, 25-11, 25-11, and Fremont, 25-21, 25-20 to start pool play.
The Dux then fell to host Western Michigan Christian 25-23, 25-19, and dropped a tough three-set battle to Ravenna, 25-22, 13-25, 16-14.
The Dux were led by strong middle play from senior Hannah VanderZwaag and sophomore Molly Settlemyre who led the team in kills on the day.
Both teams were scheduled to open O-K Black Conference play Tuesday – East at home against Holland and West at home versus Unity Christian.
The Chix posted a 2-1 record for the day while the Dux finished 2-2.
East won a three-set battle over Forest Hills Central, 25-16, 16-25, 25-16, then suffered its first loss of the season against Allendale, 12-25, 25-22, 25-23, and bounced back to defeat Grandville, 25-17, 27-25.
West, meanwhile, romped to wins over Holland Black River, 25-11, 25-11, and Fremont, 25-21, 25-20 to start pool play.
The Dux then fell to host Western Michigan Christian 25-23, 25-19, and dropped a tough three-set battle to Ravenna, 25-22, 13-25, 16-14.
The Dux were led by strong middle play from senior Hannah VanderZwaag and sophomore Molly Settlemyre who led the team in kills on the day.
Both teams were scheduled to open O-K Black Conference play Tuesday – East at home against Holland and West at home versus Unity Christian.
