The Post traveled all over the world this year, including the old walled city of Lucca, in the Tuscany region of Italy, where Steve and Judy Reed visited in September. Photo by J. Reed.

It was a great year for our “Post travels to” feature in 2017. The Post traveled far and wide. It traveled as close as Traverse City, and as far away as New Zealand. Other places the Post traveled included: Weidman, Mich. to see Dr. Pol; Canada, the Danube River in Hungary and Germany; Great Britain; Peru; St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.; Beartooth Highway in Montana and Wyoming; the Bahamas; Beijing; Big Bay, Mich.; Branson, Missouri; California; China; Cozumel, Mexico; Disney World; the Dominican Republic; Los Angeles; Fort Myers; Hawaii; Italy; Kentucky, Ohio; Shipshewana; and Spain.

We have run out of Post travel photos, so if you have one, please send it in! (See details in other Post travels story on this page.)

The Post went on a wine tasting tour in Traverse City over Mother’s Day weekend. Judy Reed, of Cedar Springs, was treated to the weekend as a Mother’s Day present from her children, Rachel Hunt, Jessica Williams, and Steven Reed. The four visited several wineries on both the Old Mission Peninsula and the Leelanau Peninsula, tasted all things cherry at Cherry Republic, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery surrounding Traverse City and the bay.

Thanks to the Reed family for taking us with you!

If you are going on a trip, take a Post with you, snap a photo, and send it to us, along with some info about your trip. Be sure to include your contact info in case we have a question. Send your Post travels stories and photos to news@cedarspringspost.com.

By Jacquie Troupe

Cedar Springs Youth Wrestlers traveled to both Tri County and Traverse City last weekend.

According to Coach Scott Marsman, “It’s nice to see the amount of kids at these tournaments. Twenty-eight went to Tri County and the competition was excellent. Our kids are improving every week. We have Bryson Streeter who had his first pin, Chasyn Winchel placed 12th over all with most pins in the shortest time, and Jayden Mull had an :18 pin. We came in 1st place in match points with 217. The kids are running their moves. They are looking very good and we are excited to see how they finish out the season.”

In the 2010-2012 Open division 43lb class Dawson Pike placed 3rd after 5 matches. In the 49lb class Bryson Streeter placed 3rd after 5 matches. In the 55lb class Jaxon Fitzgerald placed 4th after 4 matches. In the 58lb class Chasyn Winchel placed 1st after 3 matches and had the fastest pin for the team with :16! Also in the 58lb class, Ben Streeter placed 4th after 4 matches. In the HWT class Luke Ball placed 2nd after 2 matches.

In the 2008-2009 Open division 58lb class Deegan Pike placed 4th after 5 matches. In the 61lb class Blake Falan placed 2nd after 5 matches with 2 pins in 1:17.

In the 2006-2007 Open division 75lb class Gavyn Byxbe placed 4th after 4 matches. In the 90lb class Thomas Prins placed 4th after 3 matches. In the 100lb class Elijah Artecki placed 4th after 4 matches and had a :21 pin! In the 110lb class Dakota Winchel placed 1st after 3 matches. In the combined 130/150 class Wyatt Cooper placed 2nd after 4 matches with 2 pins in 1:08 and David DeWeese placed 4th after 4 matches.

In the 2004-2005 Open division, 80lb class Ricco Artecki placed 4th after 3 matches. In the 100lb class Ben Brunner placed 4th after 5 matches with 2 pins in 2:00. In the 158lb class Nolan Myers placed 4th in his first ever tournament after 4 matches.

In the 2002-2003 Open division, 85lb class Trevor Marsman placed 2nd after 3 matches. In the 95lb class Andrew VanGessel placed 2nd after 2 matches.

MYWAY Greights Far North

In the 2010-2012 All division, Tucker Crystal had a pin in :45, 12 match points, and took 3rd place after 5 matches. Jonathan Libera had a pin in :31 & scored 6 match points. In the 2006-2007 division, Hudson Crystal had 2 pins in 1:35, scored 19 match points and took 3rd place after 4 matches.

West Michigan Pursuit wrestlers and their trophies.
Photo by B. Chong

By Barbra Chong

West Michigan Pursuit traveled to Alma, Orchard View and Traverse City this weekend. WMP entered 24 and placed 18 in the top four. We have two Champions who remain undefeated this season, Chayson Eberspeaker, 6 & under age group and Jayden Marcano-Cruz, 7/8 age group. Special recognition to Landon Foss, who went 6-1 to battle back for a true second this weekend. Out of 86 battles, WMP claimed 52 victories. Individual results are as follows:

Fourth place medalists include 90 lb Josh Howard, 9/10 age group and 145 lb Zak Schmid, 13/14 age group.

Third place medalists include 95 lb Gage Bowen, 9/10 age group; 55 lb Quinten Cassiday, 7/8 age group; 90 lb Brocke Fisher, 13/14 age group; 85 lb Braden Hallman, 11/12 age group; 59 lb Kameron Ogden (Orchard View) 9/10 age group and 52 lb Aaiden Vasquez, 6 & under age group.

Second place medalists include 80 lb Xavier Contreras, 11/12 age group; 58 lb Luke Egan, 7/8 age group; 55 lb Landon Foss, 7/8 age group; 55 lb Josh Vasquez, 9/10 age group; 52 lb Kellen Weckesser (Traverse City) 7/8 age group and 133 lb Maston Wood, 11/12 age group.

Champions are 59 lb Michael Cannon, 9/10 age group; 58/61 lb Chayson Eberspeaker, 6 & under age group; 49 lb Jayden Marcano-Cruz, 7/8 age group and 72 lb Blake Peasley, 7/8 age group.

“Often the focus is put on whether you win or lose; I believe that it is everything leading up to that point. How you conduct yourself is just as important—that response is what makes a champion,” said Head Coach, Dave Andrus.

photo courtesy of woodtv.com

Two Traverse City men where killed when another driver failed to stop for backed–up traffic on southbound U.S. 131 at around 8 a.m., according to a report from the Michigan State Police. Troopers are investigating the fatal accident in Plainfield Township.

Preliminary investigation showed that a 2013 Ford pick up truck, driven by a 57-year-old Sparta man, was southbound at Post Drive when the vehicle struck several vehicles that were stopped in the roadway due to traffic backup. Witness statements taken on the scene indicated that the driver of the pickup was traveling at a high rate of speed and never braked prior to striking the other vehicles.  The result of the impact was a chain-reaction crash involving seven different vehicles.

Several people were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries including the at-fault driver. John Pomeroy, 49, and William Kochis, 30, both from Traverse City, were traveling in the same vehicle and were the first to be struck by the at-fault vehicle, causing them to suffer fatal injuries. A portion of southbound U.S. 131 was closed at Post Drive for several hours to investigate the crash.

Troopers were assisted on the scene by the Kent County Sheriff’s Department, Plainfield Fire Department and Rockford Ambulance. The accident remains under investigation.