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H art P irates B ase
Hart’s Varsity Baseball roster consists of, front row, left to right: JJ Bizon, Brandon Moul, Kevon Gray, Noah Smith, Halen Boos, Clayton Riley and Chase Gale; back row, left to right: Assistant Coach Adam Smith, Mitchell Slade, Blake Weirich, Aiden Coker, Avery Guikema, Carter Ramseyer, Brendan Hiddema Ty Schlukebir, Head Coach Dave Riley and Manager Buck Riley.
Photo Courtesy of Dave Riley
photos for Hesperia’s Varsity Baseball team were not made available at print
Pentwater’s Varsity Boys Basketball roster consists of, left to right: Malichi Bigsby, Jonny Arnouts, Kaleb Brown, Wyatt Roberts, Brody Austin, Edgar Vasquez, Abram Kieda, Kyle Oomen and Ben Roberson. Not pictured is Head Coach Anthony Davis. • Photo Courtesy of Anthony Davis
Shelby’s Varsity Baseball roster consists of, front row, left to right: DayDay Garcia, Carson Stovall, Eli Kelley, Chase Simon, Trevor Fitzgerald, Kamiron Sparks and Garrin Waller; back row, left to right: Head Coach Brian Wright, Trevor Weiss, Lalo Garcia, Evan Waller, Cam Smith and Assistant Coach Garcia. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
Hart’s Varsity Softball team
P entwater s o F t B all 2024
SCHEDULE
By: Brendan Samuels
The Oceana Echo Sports Editor
Spring sports are back in full force for Pentwater. The Falcons have four teams competing in 2024, but perhaps none more interesting than the softball program.
After taking a break in 2023 due to a lack of numbers, the limited number of girls interested in getting on the diamond were able to join forces with their male counterparts to form a co-ed baseball team. That squad finished their season at 2-6 in a year where the focus was on learning the game.
Now, Pentwater’s softball program has rallied and will have the numbers needed to compete. Circumstances are likely to be different this time around as the team looks quite a bit different than it did in 2022.
With a roster oozing talent two years ago, Pentwater went 19-4 and rode mo-
mentum into a nice postseason push that ended in the regional semifinals. That squad featured the likes of Haidyn Adams, Crysta Cluchey, Bailee Hasil, Haley Powers, Marissa Sayles and ace pitcher Mikaylyn Kenney. Kenney is now the top arm at Alma College where she owns a 1.50 ERA and a 10-1 record in games pitched so far this year.
Kenney and her former teammates are a lot to replace, but if early returns are any indication of what the new Pentwater softball team are capable of, hopes should be trending upward. The Falcons earned a sweep of Hesperia’s JV squad, ending both games early by way of the mercy rule.
The Falcons were led in that effort by a pair of doubles from Charlie Swanger and Mandi Sayles. Emma Werkema-Grondsma, Maggie Jorissen and Mackenna Hasil all were involved on the sticks as well, earning crucial runs batted in.
The key for Pentwater maintaining the Falcons Softball
Pentwater’s Varsity Softball roster consists of, front row, left to right: Ireland Breitner and MaKenna Hasil; middle row, left to right: Bailey Alltop, Maggie Jorissen, Alazae Acevedo and Emma WerkemaGrondsma; back row, left to right: Head Coach Troy Holstad, Mandi Sayles, Charlie Swanger, Aubrie Adams, Amelia Barter, Lauren Davis and Assistant Coach Maddy Holstad. • Photo Courtesy of Ralph Baker
Shelby’s Varsity Softball roster consists of, front row, left to right: Genessa Girard, Maria Silva, Ella Kroll, Elaina Davis, Emma Stovall, Remington Johnson, Allie Stovall, Ellie Monroe, Lexie Williams, Abby Cortes and Addison Shook; back row, left to right: Head Coach Harmony Blount, Abigail Eckert, Stella Springer, Jaeyden Allen, Mary Winterhalter, Izzie Rudat, Adria Beyer, Hali Hayes, Aspen Corey, Daniella Zarraga, Makailyn Meyers, Assistant Coach Kaylynn Clark and Manager Aspen Corey. Not pictured is Assistant Coach Tori Dekkinga. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
Falcons soFtBall
continued from p . 11
pace they set early on will be consistent contributions from a lot of young athletes. Bailey Alltop, Jorissen, Alazae Acevedo, Werkema-Grondsma, Amelia Barter, Lauren Davis, Charlie Swanger and Aubrie Adams are all still underclassmen. Davis has a bit more experience than the rest of the younger players, having joined the baseball team where her dad, Anthony, coached.
Upperclassmen that figure to help lead the youth include seniors Ireland Breitner, Hasil
and Mandi Sayles. Sayles was a member of the 2022 team that made it to the regional finals and, like Davis, also played baseball during the softball program’s hiatus last year.
New faces on the team are accompanied by new coaches at the helm. Steve Rossiter is no longer leading the charge for the Falcons, instead it’ll be husband-wife duo Troy and Maddy Holstad who will be tasked with rebuilding the program.
Varsity
s H el By t igers g irls s occer
back row: Assistant Coach Jairo Coronado, Eden Visger, Kylie Brown, Brianna
Coach Pete Peterson and Manager Mauricio ‘Mo’ Castillo. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
Brylee Friedman,
Shelby’s Varsity Girls Soccer roster consists of, front row, left to right: Hailey Jones, America Cruz, Kendall Zaverl, Biloxi Lee, Molli Schultz, Hannah Frees, Michelle Nuevo and Cynthia Bahena; middle row, left to right: Luz Mendieta, Audrey Horton, Ariana Garza, Alyse Erickson, Zilah Brito, Brissia Gonzalez, Genesis Perez, Micaela Diaz;
Cook,
Head
H art g irls t rack & F ield
By: Brendan Samuels
The Oceana Echo
Sports Editor
There is no tampering the expectations for Hart’s track and field program in 2024 – particularly on the girls side of competition.
Head Coach Calvin Ackley has led the Pirates to consecutive state titles in 2022 and 2023 and the hopes are high that a third trophy will be making its way into the already loaded trophy case inside Hart High School. That shouldn’t be too difficult with the loaded roster that the Pirates and Ackley boast. There are multiple individual state champions on the team,
with juniors Addi Hovey and Jessie Jazwinski leading the way.
Hovey has been a shockingly good addition to the team. Though her first sport has always been basketball, track and field seems to be something that she can
excel in as well. Hovey posted a personal record (PR) in the high jump last season, posting a 5-foot11 mark. She didn’t quite need that much lift in the state finals, claiming an individual title with a jump of 5-4.
For Jazwinski, distance
Hart’s girls track and field team pose with their newly acquired hardware after winning a state title in 2023. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
running is where she really brings home the bacon. Jazwinski claimed her second individual state title in 2023, placing first in the 3200-meter run. In 2022, Jazwinski was also a member of the Pirates’ first place 3200 relay team with Alyson Enns, LexieBeth Nienhuis and Audrianna Enns.
Alyson is back on the team this year, though it’s unclear if she’ll be able to compete at any point. Enns missed out on the entirety of the cross country season with injury and has been in street clothes for the early portion of Hart’s 2024 conference schedule.
Hart’s Girls Track & Field roster consists of, front row, left to right: Lauren Hopkins, Kenai Kokx, LexieBeth Nienhuis, Jessie Jazwinski, Nina Frick, Lillian Payne, Dani Casillas, Elea Bachmann, Harriet Kidder, Imogene Brumbaugh and Cadence Delon; back row, left to right: Naomi Bitely, Jaclyn Greiner, Macy Riley, Lilly Hopkins, Brooklyn Carter, Grace Hallack, Addison Hain, Rosemary Hernandez, Laura Bitely, Addi Hovey, Shelbie Choponis,
Julia McTaggart, Gissel Lara, Daria Pesavento and Jenny DeBrot. Not Pictured are Alyson Enns, Chanyanuch Sooksarn, Jasmyne Villanueva and Head Coach Calvin Ackley. • Photo Contributed by Lauren Butkevich
H art B oys t rack & F ield
Luckily, there are plenty of other athletes that have shown flashes of talent. Jasmyne Villanueva pairs with Hovey as two of the Pirates’ top sprinters. Villanueva is
SCHEDULE
also one of the best hurdlers on the girls team as well. Laura Bitely, Nienhuis, Addison Hain and Lily Hopkins have all been integral parts of the relay teams with Nienhuis also excelling in the pole vault.
APRIL 6
HART & SOLE MUSIC INVITE
APRIL 9
WMC MEET
APRIL 13
WARRIOR INVITE ( CHIP. HILLS )
APRIL 16
WMC MEET ( HESPERIA )
APRIL 19
PACKER RELAYS ( FREMONT )
In the field events, Imogene Brumbaugh has been working behind Hovey on the high jump and seems close to
APRIL 26
KENT CITY ELITE
APRIL 30 RAVENNA
MAY 3
BLUEJAY INVITE ( SHEPHERD )
MAY 10
WMC CHAMP. ( HOLTON )
MAY 13
MASON C.C.
MAY 18
REGIONALS ( CHIP. HILLS )
reaching the same ceiling. Shelbie Choponis has also been putting in plenty of work on throwing events, evidenced by her second
Hart Track continued on p. 24
MAY 22
ALL STARS ( REETHS - PUFFER )
MAY 25
UNDER THE LIGHTS ( GRAND RAPIDS )
JUNE 1
FINALS ( KENT CITY )
HOME AWAY
Hart’s Boys Track & Field roster consists of, front row, left to right: Eman Hertzler, Tyler Larios-Mendez, Pablo Ortega-Rubio, Joseluis Andaverde, Greg Escamilla, Joaquin Flores and Dominic Fulford; middle row, left to right: Emmanuel Ortega, Chase Lorenz, Lyric Fielder, Ethan Schaner, Carson Ackley, Aiden Schaner, Rhet Johnson and Connor Edwards; back row, left to right: Jack Slotman, Caleb Ackley, Bobby Jazwinski, Mason Opalewski, Bryce VanderKodde, Jason Collins-Crothers and Nick Ramirez. Not Pictured are Kaine Burns, Hunter Chaffee, Matt Fraiser, Johnny Rodriguez, Zaden Smith, Payden Stone, Jose Torres, Tyler VanderZanden, Caleb Westerbeek and Head Coach Ken Kimes.• Photo Contributed by Lauren Butkevich
P entwater t rack & F ield
Pentwater’s Varsity Track & Field roster consists of, front row, left to right: Mackenna Hasil, Ireland Breitner, Abby Hughes and Eliana Mandarano; middle row, left to right: Annaviolet Jeruzal, Karina Olivarez, Aubrie Adams, Lauren Davis, Laura Bortoluzzi, Alejandra Advincula, JoJo Mannor and Jane Howard; back row, left to right: Assistant Coach Carrie VanDuinen, Abe VanDuinen, Kaleb Brown, Ben Merten, Logan Fatura, Trey Johnson, Mitchel Daniels, Sam Gaylard, Rodney Grondsma, Alden Grondsma and Head Coach Erika Fatura. Not pictured are Lexi Smith, Lily Smith, Bailey Case, Michael Smith, Anthony Acousta and Assistant Coach Rodriguez. • Photo Courtesy of Ralph Baker
*Team photos for Shelby’s Varsity Track & Field team were not made available at print time.*
APRIL 9 HART
APRIL 16 RAVENNA
APRIL 19 FREMONT
APRIL 23 HESPERIA
APRIL 26 MASON C.C.
APRIL 30 HOLTON
MAY 10 WMC CHAMP. ( HOLTON )
MAY 13 MASON C.C. HOME AWAY
MAY 18 REGIONALS ( CHIP. HILLS ) MAY 22 ALL STARS ( REETHS - PUFFER ) JUNE 1 FINALS ( KENT CITY )
Hart track
place finish in both shot put and discus in the Pirates’ clobbering of Shelby and North Muskegon at a recent WMC Meet.
Plenty of positives surround the girls team, but they’ll have to overcome the loss of some important athletes. Aspen Boutell is probably the most notable loss, but other contributors like Savanna Owens and Abigail and Lauren Pretty have moved on as well.
The boys side has plenty of talent to spare as well, but the early returns from them show plenty of work left for Ken Kimes and his squad.
Returning this year are Bryce VanderKodde, Caleb Ackley, Caleb Westerbeek, Chase Lorenz, Connor Edwards, Eman Hertzler, Ethan Schaner, Greg Escamilla, Hunter Chaffee, Jack Slotman, Joseluis Andaverde, Lyric Fielder, Pablo Ortega-Rubio, Payden Stone and Tyler Larios-Mendez. Those are plenty of big names, but none of them stand up to what Hart lost to graduation.
Heavy hitting seniors
graduated at the end of the 2023 season including Kellen Kimes, Seth and Clayton Ackley, Revin Gale, Max Stitt, Wyatt Dean, Guillermo Ortega, Caleb Bitely and Easton VanderZwaag. Others decided not to run with Kaden Bond, Chase Gale and Austin Martinez among them. It seems only fitting that the theme for the boys this season will be growth. Plenty of new athletes will need to step in and fill the gaps left behind and the Pirates are hoping that’ll be the case. Luckily, there are some young faces that have joined the ranks,
continued from p . 19
including freshmen Bobby Jazwinski and Carson Ackley whose blood lines speak for themselves.
The upperclassmen will need to lead the way however. Westerbeek is one that has his hands on a variety of events and figures to be a swiss army knife that can compete in any sprinting, hurdle and relay event. Andaverde and Edwards are two that have shown big jumps as well and Hertzler’s speed has become vital in picking up placement points in the 100 and 200.
Perhaps the biggest loss for Hart will be the
absence of Kimes in the throwing events. In years past, placement points were a guarantee for the Pirates in the shot put, discus and even hammer throwing events. Now, there is uncertainty in the throwing ranks. Joaquin Flores is a newcomer that has shown promise alongside Jose Torres and Jason Collins-Crothers, but one or more will have to improve leaps and bounds to make up for the loss of Kimes. Regardless of what’s been gained or lost in recent years, Hart has come out on top of the first two events of their early season. The girls dominated the Hart & Sole Music Invite, claiming first place out of more than 10 teams competing. The boys landed in fifth, but made up for it in their next meet, defeating both North Muskegon and Shelby.
Only time will tell where both of these teams will land come June, but for now incremental improvements are all anyone can ask for.
Hart’s Joseluis Andaverde hands the baton to teammate Eman Hertzler as the two compete in a relay race. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
*Team photos for Hart’s Varsity Golf team were not made available at print time.*
H es P eria P ant
Hesperia’s Varsity Golf roster consists of, front row, left to right: Assistant Coach Josh Ehrke, Head Coach Mark Arbogast, Alex Scott, Braxton Hendrix, Evan Fuentes, Eli Edens, Connor Brogan, Logan Kammer and Assistant Coach Shane Kammer; back row, left to right: Wyatt Roberson, Jayden Sibley, Taylor Ackerberg, Vincent Lound and Tim Hoaglin. • Photo courtesy of Mark Arbogast
P entwater F alcons g ol F
Pentwater’s Varsity Golf roster consists of, left to right: Head Coach Alicia Kolenda, Mikey Carlson, Tyler Douglas, Hunter Cornelisse, Bode Powell, Alejandra Advincula, Leonie Rissmueller, Laura Bortoluzzi, Alivia Kolenda, Izzy Kolenda, Riley Swanger, Aiden Henry, Gavin Macher, Jack Roberts and Nathan Macher. Not pictured are Eli Cook and Aubriana Foster. • Photo courtesy of Alicia Kolenda
Neck & Back Pain Relief
Shelby’s Varsity Golf roster consists of, front row, left to right: Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Ortiz, Sebastian Horton, Titan Carter and Rafael Davis; back row, left to right: Head Coach Fred Inglis, Treyjin Waller, Wyatt Dickman, Josh Neuman, Nathan Miller-Ramirez and Zach Horton. Not pictured are Reid Maynard and Assistant Coach Rick Zoulek. • Brendan Samuels/ECHO
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