Jeff Chaney
Sports Scene
The fall season is moving quickly.
State titles are already being won.
State finals took place this October 19 and 20 in boys’ tennis and girls’ golf, and several area teams and individuals thrived during the weekend at sites throughout the state.
The best performance by an area team was turned in by the Forest Hills Eastern girls golf team, which won the Division 3 state championship at Bedford Valley Golf Course in Battle Creek.
Forest Hills Eastern finished with a two-day total of 710, two strokes better than runner-up Cranbrook-Kingswood.
Leading the way for the Hawks was Henna Singh, who had the best two-day total of 167. She was followed by teammates Jordan DuVall (169), Anne Parlmer (173), and Kelsey Sands (203).
l In boys’ tennis, a couple area teams came home with runner-up trophies. Forest Hills Central finished second to Midland Dow at the Division 2 finals at Holly/Fenton, while Comstock Park was second to Greenhills School at the Division 4 finals at Kalamazoo College
Leading Forest Hills Central was the No. 4 doubles team of Joey McClure and Matt Gebhart, who won that flight’s championship. Amey Vrudula and Nico Finelli were runners-up at No. 3 doubles.
For Comstock Park, Zac Rossman was runner-up at No. 4 singles, Will Douma and Ryan Schall at No. 2 doubles, and Calvin Haagsma and Matt Hurley at No. 3 doubles.
l Congratulation to the Northview football team for qualifying for its first-ever trip to the state playoffs. The Wildcats are led by former Romeo coach Greg Ganfield, who came to Northview after two successful seasons at Forest Hills Central.
At the start of this season, Northview was one of 39 schools of the 596 football-playing high schools that had never qualified for the postseason. The problem for the Wildcats, is that they get to play at perennial power Lowell October 26. The Red Arrows have beaten Northview 16 straight times.
l Cross country in this state has produced some excellent talent over the years. All you have to do is look at Olympic marathoner Dathan Ritzenhein, who starred for Rockford early last decade.
A pair of former Lakeshore high school runners just won the 9th Annual Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon on Sunday.
Former Holland Christian state qualifier in cross country David Mart won the men’s race in 2 hours, 27 minutes, 55.46 seconds, while former West Ottawa all stater Amber Brunmeier won the women’s race in 2:49:53.77.
Congratulations to both.