Hundreds of youth wrestlers from all over the nation attended the Border Wars Folkstyle National Championships held Sunday, November 2, 2013 at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Michigan.  In attendance were three of Cedar Springs very own youth wrestlers, Landon Demorest, Aiden Bouwens and Gage Gardner, all of whom placed in their divisions.

Landon Demorest and Aiden Bouwens both wrestled in the 9/10 year-old division. Landon took an impressive 4th place finish in the 55lbs weight class. Aiden also took home an equally impressive 4th place finish in the 90lbs weight class. Gage Gardner was crowned Border Wars National Champion this year. He pinned all three of his opponents in 26 seconds or less to secure his victory in the 11/12 year-old, 133lb weight class.

If your son our daughter would be interested in wrestling for a program that has been proven to produce State and National Champions or if they just want to be conditioned,  come join the Cedar Springs Youth Wrestling Club. Practices are Tuesdays and Thursdays in the High School Wrestling Room from 6:00 p.m. To 8:00 p.m. Registration is going on right now! Check the website at cedarspringsyouthwrestling.com.

The horse named Born Hot Feelin Good captured the first-place Intermediate title in senior hunter under saddle at the 2013 American Quarter Horse Association Open World Championship Show on Friday, November 22 in Oklahoma City. The first-place Intermediate horse is owned by Deanna Bailey of Sand Lake, Michigan, and was shown by Amber Hanson of Byron, Michigan.

Born Hot Feelin Good is a 2006 red roan gelding. Born Hot Feelin Good, sired by Born To Be Blazing and out of Good Graces, was bred by Kristin Rinkenberger of Morton, Illinois.

The Intermediate awards program is designed to recognize exhibitors who have never placed in the top 10 at an AQHA world show in the particular class in which they are competing. Intermediate exhibitor status is based only on an exhibitor’s lifetime, combined world show record, not on the number of points he/she has accumulated. Intermediate accomplishments will appear on the official records of the horse and exhibitor. Intermediate first-place winners in each class receive an 8-inch clear globe.

Front Row – (L-R) Maddie Pekrul, Kenzie Weiler, Breanna White, Kelsie Webber, Conner White, Marissa Morales, Julian Quiroga
2nd Row – (L-R) Jordan Johnson, Brittany Todd, Mia Scheidel, Jared Vodry, Blake Fisk
Back Row – (L-R) Caden Burrows, Austin Sargent, Justin Jones, Mitch Hamner, Kaden Myers, Cameron Klompstra

Boys Cross Country:  Austin Sargent, Justin Jones

Girls Cross Country:  Kenzie Weiler, Maddie Pekrul

Volleyball:  Brittany Todd

Tennis:  Blake Fisk

Girls Golf:  Conner White, Bre White

Football: Kaden Myers, Caden Burrows, Jordan Johnson

Soccer:  Mitch Hanmer

2013 Fall OK Bronze Honorable Mention Athletes:

Marissa Morales – Girls Golf, Julian Quiroga – Boys Soccer, Jared Vodry – Football, Cameron Klompstra – Football, Kelsie Webber – Cross Country, Mia Schiedel – Volleyball

Todd, Hughes and White are named Cedar Springs Athletic Boosters Student Athletes of the Month for November

Brittany Todd

Senior Brittany Todd was named the November 2013 Student Athlete of the Month for Volleyball. Brittany is a four year varsity player and middle hitter for the Red Hawks. Brittany is a 3 sport athlete also participating in Basketball and Softball at CSHS, and was named All Conference honorable mention for Softball in 2013. Brittany has earned 10 varsity letters thus far in her high school career. Brittany excels in the classroom with a 3.6 GPA and has been on the honor roll every trimester in high school. She is a member of Red Hawk kids club, ALC and has volunteered many hours with Hawks hoops and in youth camps.

Coach Mike Lozier says; “Brittany has been a tremendous athlete for the varsity volleyball program since I arrived last year.  When I first started I asked her to take on a new position that she had never played before and without hesitation she agreed.  This year yet again I have asked her to change positions and she did without question.  She is a lead by example player, and the type of competitor that you know no matter what she is giving 100%.  It has been really fun to watch her grow as a player, and I know with her personality and drive she will see great success in the future, both on and off the court.  I can say without hesitation that Brittany has been one of my favorite players to coach.  She shows up and works hard each and every day, and a respect.

Alex Hughes

Senior Alex Hughes was named the November 2013 Student Athlete of the month for Tennis. Alex just completed his first varsity season playing Tennis for the Red hawks. Besides sports Alex is actively involved in Advanced Drama, Newspaper, and Advanced TV Pro and, he also has many different roles in the student body. Alex also is a public address announcer for Red Hawk sporting events. Alex has a 3.6 GPA, and is on the honor roll every trimester. He also volunteers at Gods Kitchen.

Coach Unsworth states; “This was his first year on the team and he played Two Doubles.  I am nominating him because he had tremendous team spirit and was ALWAYS encouraging the other players and complimenting them.  He was this way with our opponents as well!  Other coaches often came to me to compliment him on his sportsmanship.  He was the most positive person on the team.”

Alex is the son of Sue and Mark Hughes.

Conner White

Conner White

Junior Conner White has been named the November 2013 Student Athlete of the Month for Golf. Conner has just finished a very successful season she averaged 47.5 for 9, 96.5 for 18.  She shot an 88 at Regional (6th overall) and finished 12th place at State. At the state finals Conner played in spite of being sick with tonsillitis. She has received recognition as all conference honorable mention and being named OK Bronze All Conference in 2013. Conner also plays soccer, and volunteers her time in coaching AYSO this past summer. Conner has a 3.3 GPA.

Coach London say that, “Conner does not hit the ball long, but she is very accurate with her short game. She has the knack to shake off a bad shot and focus on the next one.”

Conner is the daughter of Tammy and Tom White.

Kenzie Weiler and Austin Sargent

Two runners from the Cedar Springs Red Hawks cross country teams did something last weekend that has never been done before in Division 2—and only once before in the state’s history—a boy and girl from the same school both won the state title in Cross Country the same year.

Junior Austin Sargent finished first in the Boys Division 2 State Finals with a time of 15:42.7 and Kenzie Weiler finished first in the Girls Division 2 State Finals with a time of 17:55.1 last weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

Only one other time in state history has a boy and girl won state titles together and that was Corunna HS in 1995.

The entire girls Cross Country team also qualified for the state finals. After placing second at regionals, the girls’ team was looking for a solid performance on Saturday. The team ended up finishing 15th overall, led by Weiler, who placed first and became Cedar Springs’ first female cross country girl to win a state championship. Sophomore Kellsie Webber was 71st overall and ran her best time of her career. Senior Maddie Pekrul finished her last race, placing 90th overall, and was followed closely by Ellie Ovokaitys who placed 91st and also ran her best time. Shayne Mann (103rd) also ran her personal best time ever. Senior Caitlin McClurken also broke the 21-minute barrier and Allyson Marvel rounded out the top seven by adding a solid performance.

Austin Sargent, Cedar Springs boys only state qualifier, ran in a pack and broke away to take the lead and finish first to become the D2 state champion. Sargent becomes the third boy from Cedar to win an individual state championship. He follows Connor Mora (2012) and Landon Peacock (2005). The win also becomes the first time a school has had two different state champions in back to back years.

“This is a big moment in our school history and we are very proud of Kenzie and Austin!” remarked Autumn Mattson, Athletic Director at Cedar Springs High School. “The success of these individuals and our team is directly related to the support of our cross country parents, hard work and determination of our athletes and the countless hours our previous coaches and current coaches have put into our kids. Last Saturday was a great day to be a Red Hawk!”

Tri County U12 Girls take first place at the Allegan AYSO Halloween Classic Invitational

Tri County U14 Girls take second place at the Allegan AYSO Halloween Classic Invitational

The Allegan AYSO Halloween Classic Invitational was held last weekend. Forty-one AYSO teams competed in tournament play. Only the top four teams of each division went on to compete in championship play on Sunday. Tri County (region 1298) brought four AYSO teams.

The U12 Tri County Girls competed in a bracket of 10 total teams and only the top 4 of that bracket of 10 went on. They ended Saturday in first place and then played two games on Saturday and came out in first place in the championship.

The U12 Boys competed in a bracket of eight teams, where the top two from each bracket of 4 went on to play on Sunday. They placed fourth in their division.

The U14 girls competed in a bracket of five teams. They were in first place at the end of Saturday and placed second in the championships games on Sunday.

The U10 boys team also competed, but did not place on Saturday.

All four teams represented Tri County Soccer well. The sportsmanship and endurance they showed was phenomenal. Many thanks to the kids for their hard work and dedication.  Also a big thank you to the coaches, families and friends for all the hard work they did. If anyone is interested in signing up for Tri County AYSO REGION 1298 soccer, they can go to the web page for information. It is tricountyayso.com.

Link, Sargent and Kolasa are named Cedar Springs Athletic Boosters Student Athletes of the Month for October

Cam Link

Senior Cam Link was named the October 2013 Student Athlete of the Month for Football. Cam is a 2 year varsity player for the Red Hawks playing running back and defensive back. Cam is having a great senior season for the leading the team in rushing with 412 yards on 51 carries including 6 touchdowns. Cam has a 2.5 GPA, and he is involved Red Hawks Kids club.

Cam’s favorite class is Hitler Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. When asked what he likes about football Cam states that he loves that his team is so passionate and committed to playing together and improving with every game.

Cam is the son of Tami and Mike Link.

Brianna Kolasa

Senior Brianna Kolasa was named the October 2013 Student Athlete of the month for the Equestrian Team. Brianna is passionate about horses, so much that she says “Horses are my Life”. Brianna spends time volunteering at the Hidden Horse Haven and her favorite class is the Dave Ramsey class. She also commented that a couple things she loved about her Equestrian Team experience this year was that the team was so diverse in trying new events. Brianna excels in the classrom with a  3.55 GPA.

Coach Emily Ream says that,” Bri has a wonderful work ethic, and she is always willing to try new events and step up to fill spots where she is needed. She always has a smile on her face and is quick with and uplifting and encouraging word. She may not have known many of the other members of the team when she started, but definitely made a point to make friends and support her fellow teammates at every turn. She has been a great role model to our younger riders. WE are very blessed to have Brianna on our team and will miss her as she graduates.”

Brianna is the daughter of LeeAnn and Todd Kolasa.

Austin Sargent

Junior Austin Sargent has been named the October 2013 Student Athlete of the Month for Boys Cross Country. Austin is a leader for the team this season, and is having an excellent season currently ranked as the #1 runner in the state of Michigan for Division 2.  Austin also excels in the classroom with a 3.53 GPA.

Austin has blossomed into one of the elite runners in the area and many good things are ahead for him. Austin participates in Red Hawks kids club and enjoys his conditioning and weight training class the most so far this year. Austin loves how the Cross Country Team works together to push each other to get better every day!

Coach Craig Potter says, “Austin is a very hard worker with great leadership skills for the underclassmen on the team.”

Austin is the son of Misti and Shane Sargent.

Saturday, Feb 22, 2014 6:00 pm @ American Legion

Gun & Archery Raffle

Silent Auctions

Live Auction

Cash Bar

Potluck Dinner

• $25/person OR $250/table (seats 8) – includes a package of gifts for the purchaser the night of the event.

• Wild game dish or vegetable dish is your contribution to the potluck dinner.

• Drink tickets will be sold by the Athletic Boosters for a full service bar.

• Guests are to be 21 years of age or older.

Limited number of tickets will be sold.  Deadline is February 1, 2014

Tickets will be sold at home basketball games or by contacting :

Jodi Mouthaan (616) 636-4158 Jodi@fulldrawelectric.com

Pam Todd (616) 696-3526 pamtodd@chartermi.net

Both teams qualify for state meet

The boys and girls cross country teams traveled to Grand Traverse Resort on Saturday, October 26, to compete in their regional meet. Despite some challenging conditions of wind, rain, and mud, the teams represented very well. The course was on one of the golf courses that align the resort.

The boys team placed 9th overall, led by junior Austin Sargent, with his first place finish, and qualified for the MHSAA division 2 state meet this coming Saturday.  Justin Jones just missed qualifying for the state meet by placing 22nd. Also competing and having a great race were Brandon Harthorn, Dylan Finch, Remington Sawade, Tyler Lovell and Jonathon Wolfarth. This group of young men ran great despite the challenging conditions and finished the season on great note.

The girls team placed 2nd overall and qualified for the state meet as a team for the 5th straight year. Leading the Red Hawks was junior Kenzie Weiler, who finished first overall. Ellie Ovokaitys (18th), Shayne Mann (24th), Kellsie Webber (31st), Maddie Pekrul (32nd), Caitline McClurken(43rd) and Allyson Marvel (59th) all had great races to lead the Red Hawks back to another state meet at MIS Speedway this coming Saturday.

Good luck to the Red Hawks this weekend!

Photo by Kelly Alvesteffer

By Kendra Coons 

On Friday, October 25, the Cedar Springs Red Hawk Varsity football team played their last game of the season at Greenville high school. The final score of the game was 24-14 in favor of the Red Hawks. The team finished the season with a record of 5-4 in overall play and 3-2 in conference play.

Cedar Springs came out in the first quarter and scored making the game 6-0 and then scored a two point conversion making it 8-0. Greenville came back in the second quarter and scored two touchdowns. Greenville took the lead going into halftime 14-8. Neither teams scored in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Cedar Springs came fighting back and scored 16 more points making the final score of the game 24-14.

On offense, Cedar Springs had a total of 14 first downs, gained 184 yards while rushing, and had possession of the ball for 26:55. Senior Jeff Newland, and junior Mavrick Cotton both scored for the Red Hawks. Jeff Newland had a total of 73 net yards while rushing. Junior Kaden Myers wasn’t far behind him with 55, and senior Dylan Block also contributed with 17. Senior quarterback, Austin Hilyer, also scored a touchdown for the Red Hawks. On punt returns, junior, Mavrick Cotton ran for 14 yards and Kaden Myers ran for 32 yards.

On defense, Jeff Newland led the team with 10 tackles. Seniors Jordan Johnson, Nick Krajewski and junior Caden Burrows, came in with a total of five for the game. The team had a total of 53 tackles against the Yellow Jackets. Mavrick Cotton also had a pass interception for five yards.

“It was a great game, I’m very happy that our seniors could go out with a win over Greenville like that,” comments Coach Gus Kapolka. “It was a great feeling in the locker room after the game. Everybody was very satisfied with the outcome.”

The Red Hawks football season is officially over and the community of Cedar Springs wishes the best to our seniors, and also good luck to the Red Hawks football program next year.