MOST RECENT ARTICLES
Some area teams are in, others sit on the high school football playoff bubble
LocalSportsJournal.com Some area football teams appear to have clinched berths in the MHSAA playoffs, while others are on the bubble as the 2021 regular season concludes this weekend. With strength of schedule now entering into the picture, a few teams with 5-4...
Grant wins individual title; Rocket boys finish runner-up in OK Green cross country meet
LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer Rocket boys cross country team gave it a shot, but in the end, fell one point short in the OK Green Conference cross country championship. Zeeland West escaped with a 54-55 victory on a soggy course Wednesday afternoon at...
Spring Lake’s Hill, Parker win cross country races; Lakers sweep boys and girls titles
LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake's boys and girls cross country teams made it a clean sweep at the OK Blue Conference Championships on Wednesday afternoon. The meet was hosted by Holland Christian. The Lakers featured the individual winner in both races. Senior Ian...
Kent City turned in a solid day on Tuesday to sweep the CSAA Silver cross country titles
LocalSportsJournal.com Kent City's boys’ cross country team survived a tight race with White Cloud on Tuesday. The Eagles pulled out a narrow 31-34 victory in the CSAA Silver Championships in an event hosted by Lakeview. It wasn’t so close for the Eagles’ girls who...
Fremont boys cruise to easy victory in cross country conference championship
LocalSportsJournal.com Home course advantage put the Fremont Packers boys’ cross country team in its comfort zone on Tuesday. That, and a pack of solid runners, led the Packers to an easy 33-85 victory over Big Rapids in the CSAA Gold Cross Country Championship....
MCC Jayhawks volleyball tops Lake Michigan College in three games
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Community College Jayhawks’ volleyball team ended Tuesday night victorious with a 3-0 rout at Lake Michigan College. MCC won with scores of 25-21, 25-12 and 25-12. The team effort was led by Jayhawks' Raegan Murphy with 40...
Reeths-Puffer falls to Zeeland West in O-K Green volleyball tourney
LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer girls volleyball team fell in a close and tough O-K Green Conference semifinal match at Zeeland West on Tuesday. The Rockets fells with set scores of 25-19, 19-25, 25-20 and 25-21. A trio of Rockets led the way as Brianna...
Mona Shores volleyball falls to Zeeland East in O-K Green conference tourney
LocalSportsJournal.com Mona Shores volleyball fell to No. 1 seeded Zeeland East in four tight games on Tuesday in the O-K Green conference tournament. The Sailors fells 25-18, 21-25, 25-21 and 25-18. Leading the way for the Sailors was Kyann Hellmann with 13 digs, 10...
Spring Lake volleyball tops rival Fruitport in five-game showdown
LocalSportsJournal.com In a thrilling five-set showdown, Spring Lake volleyball topped rival Fruitport on Tuesday. The Lakers won with set scores of 25-21, 29-31, 25-23, 28-30 and 15-13. Kyla Kobylak led the Lakers with 54 assists and 14 digs while sophomore Kalli...
Fruitport shuts down Whitehall, sets up district final showdown against rival Spring Lake
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fruitport boys soccer team moved on to the Division 3 district finals as they shutout Whitehall 5-0 on Tuesday. Sam Gieske netted a hat trick to lead the Trojans. Fruitport scored quickly as Bode Anspach put the Trojans up 1-0, heading in a...
North Muskegon cruises past Pentwater in D4 district semifinals (PHOTOS)
LocalSportsJournal.com The North Muskegon boys soccer team shutout the Pentwater 3-0 on Tuesday in the Division 4 district semifinals. The Norse advance to host Ravenna on Thursday for the district championship. Bandon Winter led for the Norsemen with a goal and two...
Second half propels Spring Lake soccer past Reeths-Puffer, Lakers advance to D3 district finals
By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake Lakers and the Reeths-Puffer Rockets are making their district soccer matchups an annual event. For the sixth straight year, the teams have battled in the Division 2 tournament and, after Tuesday night’s result, the...
Ludington girls edge WM Christian for Lake 8 conference cross country title
LocalSportsJournal.com In a race that came down to the wire, Ludington's girls cross country ream nosed out Western Michigan Christian at the Lakes 8 Activities Conference Championships. The meet was Tuesday at West Shore Community College campus. The Orioles took the...
Life’s a balancing act: How multi-sport athlete Robyn Hunt manages cross country and swimming in the same season for Mona Shores
By Jon Styf LocalSportsJournal.com For Mona Shores junior Robyn Hunt, life is a balancing act. With swimming, cross country, a full slate of Advanced Placement courses and choir this fall, it could easily be overwhelming. As swimming coach Mick Homan said, “She never...
Boys soccer tournament starts back up, Spring Lake against Reeths-Puffer and Frutport vs. Whitehall are Tuesday’s games to be at
LocalSportsJournal.com The MHSAA boys soccer state tournament returns to west Michigan for its second week of action as area teams battle for state championship honors. Area teams that are still in the hunt, battle in their second round games between Tuesday and...
It’s faith, family and football for the Young family in North Muskegon
By Jon Styf LocalSportsJournal.com James Young’s freshman football season at North Muskegon took a hit on October 8. The 6-1 quarterback's opening year of varsity football ended on the schools’ track at the end of a run play when he was driven out of bounds by a...
West Michigan Conference releases its all-conference football teams
LocalSportsJournal.com One of the more hotly contested football races in recent memory produced tri-champions in the West Michigan Conference. Montague, Oakridge and Whitehall all finished atop the standings with 6-1 records. And to the victors go the spoils, namely...
Fremont’s Fall of 1957…. A Year to Remember
by Ron Pesch LocalSportsJournal.com After 60 plus years of additional living, memories can become hazy. For some of the participants, the events of Fremont’s undefeated football season in the fall of 1957 have been reduced to brief highlights and snippets of...
Fit to be tied: Montague wins back-to-back Division 4 state golf titles using the tiebreaker
LocalSportsJournal.com The Montague Wildcats captured their second straight Division 4 state title in girls golf on Saturday. The Wildcats and Lansing Catholic actually tied for the lead with a two-day total of 675. However, the tiebreaker favored the Wildcats as the...
Reason to celebrate: Kent City runs over Hartford in homecoming game, 46-6
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com There’s no better way to celebrate homecoming than to get off to a fast start and never look back. On Saturday afternoon, the Kent City Eagles scored on their first six possessions and defeated Hartford 46-6. Six different...
Whitehall boys, Mona Shores girls capture GMAA cross country titles; WMC’s Vanderkooi captures fourth straight title
LocalSportsJournal.com It was what you might call a photo finish in the boys portion of the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association cross country meet. The Whitehall Vikings edged the Fruitport Trojans by the narrowest of margins on Saturday, winning 63-64. In the girls...
Hart harriers run away with Hart & Sole cross country titles
LocalSportsJournal.com Hart's boys and girls cross country teams dominated the competition at the Hart & Sole Invitational on Saturday. The Pirate girls captured the top three places and finished with 23 points. Runner-up Ludington had 42. Hart’s boys won by an...
Penalties doom Lumberjacks against Chicago, split home opening weekend with the Steel
By Jason Goorman LocalSportsJournal.com Finding a winning streak in the USHL is tough to do, especially when playing first-place Chicago. The Muskegon Lumberjacks looked to add to their first win of the season on Saturday after Friday's exciting 6-5 overtime win...
Larson’s hat trick, Hutson’s OT goal lift Lumberjacks to home opener victory
By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com The celebration began on the ice, continued into the hallway and ended in the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ dressing room on Friday night. And for good reason. The Lumberjacks broke into the victory column with a hard-fought 6-5 overtime...
The Konecny’s Coming Full Circle
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com Thomas Wolfe wrote his most famous novel, “You Can’t Go Home Again” more than 80 years ago, warning that people tend to look at the past in an overly nostalgic light – and that things will never be quite as good or pure as you...
LocalSportsJournal.com High school football headlines: SATURDAY, October 16
LocalSportsJournal.com High school football continued to surprise area fans during Week 8 as several teams pulled out big wins and others were snake bitten in the final moments of action. Muskegon Catholic walked away big winners on Friday night, pulling off a last...
Muskegon Heights falls to Carson City-Crystal on the road
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Heights football team dropped a tough 41-14 decision to host Carson City-Crystal in a non-conference matchup on Friday. The Tigers fell behind 6-0 after the first quarter and trailed 19-0 by halftime. Muskegon Heights' ground game...
Grant rallies back against Central Montcalm, falls in final seconds
LocalSportsJournal.com The Grant Tigers football team lost a heartbreaker in the final seconds to CSAA-Gold foe Central Montcalm on Friday. The Hornets found the end zone in the final 53 seconds, caping a 25-21 win over Grant. The Tigers fell into an early hole as the...
Ludington seniors celebrate with win over Morely Stanwood in final home game
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com Ludington gave its seniors something to celebrate Friday night in their final home game with a 35-8 non-conference win over Morley Stanwood, and snapped a two-game losing streak as well. After the game, head coach Charlie...
Sam Convertini makes giant TD catch in final seconds to lift Muskegon Catholic over Centreville (PHOTOS)
By Kameron Willer LocalSportsJournal.com Good teams figure out how to win. Muskegon Catholic football did that in its down-to-the-wire battle against defending Division 8 state champion Centreville on Friday. With the Crusaders' backs against the wall, tied 16-16...
Spring Lake falls victim to GR West Catholic second-half comeback
LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake fell victim to a furious second-half comeback on the road in a tough OK-Blue contest with Grand Rapids West Catholic. The Lakers provided a valiant effort against the Falcons despite the 41-28 loss. The two programs entered the...
Muskegon Big Reds use three-straight TD’s to top Reeths-Puffer
By Melvin Lane LocalSportsJournal.com Muskegon extended its win streak to six as the Big Reds defeated Reeths Puffer, 47-21. The win didn’t come easy on a slippery wet field as Reeths-Puffer was within striking distance before the Big Reds scored three unanswered...
Hart snaps five-game skid with 70-12 win over Shelby
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart Pirates found their way back into the win column Friday evening, scoring six first-half touchdowns en route to a convincing 70-12 victory over Oceana County rival Shelby. Hart quarterback Kellen Kimes led the way,...
North Muskegon manages injuries and a missing head coach, shuts out Mason County Central
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com North Muskegon was playing with its second string quarterback, Denny Belmonte, to start the game, and its head coach, Larry Whitham, was in the hospital because of a health issue. As if that wasn't enough adversity for the...
Paschal Jolman breaks off 90-yard TD run to lift Fruitport over Allendale
LocalSportsJournal.com Paschal Jolman ran for a 90-yard touchdown to break the tie to give Fruitport a 22-14 O-K Blue Conference victory over Allendale on Friday night. Jolman finished with a game-high 184 yards on the ground. Quarterback Gavin Reames went 5-for-10...
Turnovers hurt Grand Haven in 26-7 loss to East Kentwood
LocalSportsJournal.com Grand Haven struggled holding onto the ball as four interceptions doomed the Bucs against host East Kentwood on Friday. Owen Worthington threw four interceptions, including a fourth quarter pick six, as the Buccaneers struggled offensively in...
Oakridge fights off WMC rival Ravenna in high scoring battle
LocalSportsJournal.com Through one half, Oakridge had what looked to be a comfortable lead on West Michigan Conference rival Ravenna. The Eagles led by 29 points at the half, but then the Bulldogs got ornery and a comfortable victory turned into a nail-biter. Ravenna...
Vikings sophomore QB Kyle Stratton puts on show to return “The Bell” back to Whitehall in battle against Montague
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - It took a super performance by a sophomore to bring “The Bell” back to Whitehall for the first time since 2014. Sophomore quarterback Kyle Stratton put on a show for the first three quarters on Friday night - not with...
Larson’s hat trick, Hutson’s OT goal lift Lumberjacks to home opener victory
By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com The celebration began on the ice, continued into the hallway and ended in the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ dressing room on Friday night. And for good reason. The Lumberjacks broke into the victory column with a hard-fought 6-5 overtime...
Mona Shores bounces back after tough loss to Muskegon, rolls past Holland with 76-24 win
HOLLAND -- Mona Shores bounced back from a disappointing loss last week against rival Muskegon with a blowout victory against the Holland Dutch. Sailors' quarterback Mark Konecny tossed five touchdown passes -- all in the first half -- helping the Sailors roll to a...
Cross country title on the line as area teams line up for GMAA event
LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon Athletic Association cross country meet is set for Saturday at Oak Ridge Golf Course, located at 513 W. Pontaluna Road in Norton Shores. Reeths-Puffer comes as the defending champions in both the boys and girls races. The...
Ward Memorial Field Renovation Success
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com When the Kent City football team hosted Newaygo to kick off the 2021 season, there was more than the normal excitement for the start of a new gridiron campaign. They were playing on their new artificial surface for the first...
Greater Muskegon co-op girls swim team tops Ludington
LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon co-op swim team cruised past the Ludington Orioles on Thursday. The Turtles won nine of the 12 events for a 109-76 points advantage. Caroline Carlson posted wins in the 200 IM, 500 Free, 200 Medley. Robyn Hunt won in the 200...
North Muskegon volleyball drops two at Hamilton tri
LocalSportsJournal.com North Muskegon volleyball fought hard in its tri-meet at Hamilton, but lost to both Hamilton and Mattawan on Thursday. The Norse lost to Mattawan, 25-18, 25-22 and to Hamilton 20-25, 25-18, 15-9. Sami Baker led North Muskegon with 39 assists...
Western Michigan Christian tops GR Covenant Christian in volleyball
LocalSportsJournal.com The West Michigan Christian volleyball team visited Covenant Christian on Thursday and only gave up a single match coming away with a 3-1 victory 3-1 The Warriors topped the Charger 25-18, 14-25, 25-23, 25-22. WMC did well together with multiple...
Hart splits volleyball quad with Hesperia and Oakridge
LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart volleyball team competed in a tri match between Hesperia and Oakridge on Thursday ending in a split. The Pirates started out with a win over Hesperia (25-11, 13-25, 15-10) and ended in a hard loss against Oakridge (21-25, 25-18, 15-13)....
Spring Lake volleyball falls to Zeeland East
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake volleyball team dropped three sets in a row in their match against Zeeland East on Thursday. Leading for the Lakers Kalli Lewkowski with 17 kills and Ella Andree with 11 kills while Kyla Kobylak made 43 assists and posted two...
Mason County Central volleyball tops Mason County Eastern
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mason County Central volleyball team dropped rival Mason County Eastern in four matches on Wednesday. The Spartans cruised past the Cardinals with game scores of 25-8, 25-2, 22-25, 25-23. MCC Freshman Alayna Rafter played well, posting 14...
Reeths-Puffer upsets No. 15 ranked Ludington in Division 2 district boys soccer opener
LocalSportsJournal.com If you plan to make a long run in the boys state soccer tournament, sooner or later, you’re going run up against a highly talented team. For the Reeths-Puffer Rockets, it was sooner rather than later. On Wednesday night, the Rockets dispatched...
Underclassmen lead Ludington girls cross country team to Chris Grabowski Invitational title
by Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com Ludington's girls cross country team sped to a 41-57 victory over Manton at the Chris Grabowski Memorial Invitational at Manistee on Thursday. Reed City finished third, Leroy Pine River was fourth, followed by Frankfort,...
A LOOK AT THE LUMBERJACKS
By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com When Muskegon Lumberjacks coach Mike Hamilton pores over his team’s 2021-2022 roster, he can’t help but get just a bit excited. He sees plenty of experience at all levels of his team – in goal, along the blueline and up front. He also...
Montague travels to Whitehall for the Battle for the Bell and with a league title at stake
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com At least a share of the West Michigan Conference title will be riding on the outcome of Friday’s game between the Montague Wildcats and the host Whitehall Vikings. Gametime is 7 p.m. The visiting Wildcats enter this week leading...
Greater Muskegon co-op girls swim team falls to Spring Lake
LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon co-op swim team swam hard against O-K Rainbow rival Spring Lake on Tuesday coming up short with the Lakers winning 109-77. The Turtles swam to six first place finishes and five second place finishes, despite the loss. The...
Kent City volleyball tops Hesperia in CSAA matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com The Kent City volleyball team routed Hesperia in three games in Wednesday's CSAA matchup. The Eagles won with scores of 25-19, 25-11 and 25-11. Leading for the Eagles was Lexie Bowers with four aces and four kills, Kaden Perkins made 12 digs and...
Whitehall goalie Andon Palmer posts shutout with 14 saves in district boys soccer win over Fremont
LocalSportsJournal.com The Whitehall boys soccer team opened the MHSAA state tournament with a tight 1-0 Division 2 win over Fremont on Wednesday. The Vikings snuck past Packers on a lone goal from Jack McDowell that was assisted by Kyren Bluhm. Andon Palmer played...
Mason County Eastern takes WMD Cross Country Championships
by Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com Mason County Eastern's girls and boys cross country teams ran to convincing wins at the Western Michigan D League Championships on Wednesday afternoon. The meet was hosted by Mesick. Paced by freshman Lucy Shoup and sophomore...
A force to reckon with: WMC twin senior blockers Kyla and Maddie Wiersema
By Jon Styf LocalSportsJournal.com At 10:20 p.m. on Aug. 10, Kyla Wiersema heard the loudest noise she had heard in her life. Her father, Tom, said it sounded like a bomb had gone off. What Kyla actually saw was chunks of wood from the ceiling of their 1970s home on...
It’s the Battle for the Bell as Montague visits Whitehall in key West Michigan Conference showdown
LocalSportsJournal.com There is plenty at stake as area teams head into Week 8 of the high school football season. There are conference championships to be won, there are bragging rights on the line and there is positioning for the playoffs, which being in two weeks....
Whitehall’s Rayne Thompson passes 1,000 career kills in Viking volleyball win
LocalSportsJournal.com Whitehall's Rayne Thompson became the fourth volleyball player in program history to reach 1,000 career kills on Tuesday. The senior reached the milestone in the Vikings' convincing non-league win over Sparta. Whitehall won in three games, 25-9,...
MCC Jayhawks volleyball moves up in conference race with win over Glen Oaks
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Community College volleyball team moved up in the MCCAA West Division race with a win over Glen Oaks Community College on Tuesday. The Jayhawks are now in second place after winning 28-26, 25-19 and 25-22. Reilly Murphy had 13...
WMC tops Orchard View in final Lakes 8 matchup of season
LocalSportsJournal.com The West Michigan Christian volleyball team took down Orchard View in their final Lakes 8 duel of the season on Tuesday. The Warriors won in four games with scores of 25-16, 25-19, 18-25 and 25-6. For the Warriors, Ashley Binnendyk had 15 digs...
Mona Shores volleyball downs Holland in conference tourney
LocalSportsJournal.com Mona Shores volleyball topped Holland in the opening match of the O-K Green tournament on Tuesday. The Sailors topped Holland with set scores of 25-23, 25-13 and 25-21. Multiple players led on the court for the Sailors. Grace Norris made 17...
Mason County Central falls to Hart in WMC volleyball
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mason County Central volleyball team fell to the Hart Pirates in three games on Tuesday. The Spartans fells 25-18, 25-16 and 25-22. Alayna Rafter led MCC with three aces, three digs and a kill, Ashlyn McKay made two blocks, Charlie Banks had...
Reeths-Puffer rolls past Muskegon in O-K Green volleyball tourney opener
LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer volleyball team rolled past Muskegon in the O-K Green tournament on Tuesday. The Rockets won in three games, 25-14, 25-8 and 25-14. Producing on the court for the Rockets was Leah Ellis with eight kills, four digs and two aces,...
Spring Lake volleyball falls in opening round of O-K Blue tourney
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake volleyball team really struggled against Unity Christian in the opening round of the O-K Blue tournament. The Lakers fell in three games with scores of 25-11, 25-8 and 25-13. Offensively the Lakers were led by Anna Fumarolo with...
Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball falls to Ludington in Lakes 8 matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball fell to Lakes 8 foe Ludington in three games on Monday. The Crusaders lost 25-12, 25-20 and 25-20. Leading MCC was Ella Muskovin with two aces, Erin LaVigne made nine kills and seven digs, Elaina LaGuire got...
Spring Lake wins O-K Blue tourney, tops Hudsonville Unity Christian 4-1
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake boys soccer team took down Hudsonville Unity Christian 4-1 in the O-K Blue Conference final on Monday. All five goals from both teams came in the first half. It was a team affair in scoring for the Lakers with Porter Saunders,...
Western Michigan Christian soccer closes out regular season with 4-1 win over Oakridge
LocalSportsJournal.com The West Michigan Christian boys soccer team closed out its 2021 regular season with a 4-1 win over Oakridge in a wet and stormy non-conference showdown on Monday. Warrior Senior Jamie Choe put his team up 1-0 on an assist from Gavin Riksen, six...
Hart Continues Winning Ways in WM Conference Cross Country
LocalSportsJournal Nothing like a clean sweep and that's what the Hart Pirates accomplished a soggy West Michigan Conference cross country championship. The meet was run at Shelby. Both the girls and the boys came away with first-place finishes and both victories came...
Muskegon Lumberjacks Host Media Day
By Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Lumberjacks are just days away from hosting their home opener of the 2021-22 regular season. So, on Tuesday, the Jacks hosted a press conference at the Family Financial Credit Union downtown hub to discuss what is...
GMAA Volleyball Tourney Set for Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon Athletic Association volleyball is set for Saturday at two sites, Mona Shores High School and Orchard View High School. The teams are seeded 1-8 with Western Michigan Christian being the top seed. WMC is followed by...
Hart volleyball finishes runner-up at Big Rapids Crossroads weekend invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart volleyball team traveled to Big Rapids to compete in the Cougar Invitational hosted by Crossroads Charter Academy on Saturday, and went 2-1-1 on the day. The Pirates started with a split against McBain Northern Michigan Christian...
Muskegon Community College volleyball falls to No. 7 GRCC
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Community College volleyball team fell in a tight road match to No. 7 ranked Grand Rapids Community College. The Jayhawks fell 3-2, with set scores of 20-25, 25-19, 25-22, 21-25 and 15-10. Reilly Murphy made 25 digs, 13 kills and...
Whitehall volleyball goes 2-1-1 at Saturday’s Jenison invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The Whitehall volleyball team moved its season record to 24-3-1 at the 16 team Jenison Invitational on Saturday. The Vikings struck down Durand and Grand Rapids South Christian but split with Coopersville before falling to eventual gold...
Reeths-Puffer wins silver bracket at volleyball invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer volleyball team didn't let a pair of opening losses host it down at Saturday's Mona Shores Invitational. The Rockets followed up with wins in three consecutive matches to capture the Silver bracket title. The Rockets opened up...
Mona Shores volleyball hosts invite, goes 1-2 on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores volleyball team played well despite losing a teammate in the first set of the day and went on to finish 1-2. The Sailors opened with a loss at the hands of Portage Central (27-25, 25-21), then found redemption against Forest...
Spring Lake volleyball finishes runner-up at Mona Shores invite
LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake volleyball posted a runner-up finish at the Mona Shores Invitational on Saturday where it fell to Reeths-Puffer in the finals of the Silver bracket (11-25, 18-25). The Lakers went 0-2 in pool play with losses to Zeeland East (25-15,...
Greater Muskegon girls co-op swim team competes at MISCA all-star event
LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon girls co-op swim team took part in the MISCA All-Star Meet at Calvin University on Saturday. The Turtles swam hard against some of the best swimmers in the state with Robyn Hunt and Caroline Carlson leading the way. Hunt...
Ludington boys soccer wraps up regular season with shutout of Manistee
LocalSportsJournal.com The Ludington boy’s soccer team wrapped up their regular season with a 2-0 victory over Manistee on Thursday. Jacopo Cracco and Parker Wendt each put a score on the board for the Orioles while Mason Verstrat offered up an assist. Keeper Tiler...
Montague girls golf looks to repeat as state champs, Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Whitehall lead area teams into finals weekend
LocalSportsJournal.com Montague is on a mission to capture a second straight state title in girls golf. Montague took a big step over the week by winning the Division 4 regional title with 354 strokes. Orianna Bylsma led Montague with an 83, Gabriella Moreau followed...
MHSAA boys soccer state tourney starts Wednesday, Fruitport, Spring Lake and Ludington among top-ranked area teams
LocalSportsJournal.com The MHSAA boys soccer tournament starts up on Wednesday at various locations throughout the area. Several Division 2 teams are poised to finish the regular season ranked in the statewide polls. Fruitport finishes the season ranked No. 7 in...
Enns Sisters and Jazwinski lead Hart to Portage Cross Country Invitational Title
LocalSportsJournal.com Hart's girls cross country team came away with a dominating victory8 in the Division 3 portion of the Portage Cross Country Invitational on Saturday. Hart finished with 83 points, while runner-up Jackson Lumen Christi had 102. Kent City finished...
Vanderkooi Sisters Lead WMC to Cross Country Title on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com The Western Michigan Christian girls, paced by sisters Abby and Grace Vanderkooi, claimed the Division 4 title at the Portage Cross Country Invitational on Saturday. The Warriors finished with 67 points to outpace Rochester Hills Lutheran...
Cardinal Girls take Pentwater Invitational; boys place second
Localsportsjournal.com Mason County Eastern girls cross country team had a strong, consistent performance on Saturday and won the Pentwater Falcon Invitational. While the Cardinals did not have a top 3 finisher, they did edge out Frankfort 31-33 for the team title....
LocalSportsJournal.com High school football headlines: SATURDAY, October 9
LocalSportsJournal.com Week 7 high school football arrived on time and the weather held. Area fans were given a great display of football at the biggest game of the night between Muskegon and Mona Shores. The Big Reds pulled away with a momentum swing just before...
Fruitport rolls past Holland Christian in O-K Blue football win
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fruitport Football team piled on the scoring against host Holland Christian in O-K Blue Conference play on Friday posting a final score of 52-16. Quarterback Gavin Reames steered the ship for the Trojans passing 11 of 20 for four touchdowns...
Ludington falls just short in OT heartbreaker against Belding
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com Ludington gave Belding all it could want, and then some, but fell short of getting the victory Friday night. The Orioles went into overtime before falling, 44-41 in the non-conference contest. Host Ludington (2-5) struck first,...
Fremont snags first win of the season, piles up 324 yards rushing
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com Fremont's football team picked up its first win of the season at the expense of winless Chippewa Hills, rolling past the Warriors, 32-6 Friday night at Fremont. It took the Packers awhile to get on the scoreboard, but they...
Muskegon Catholic shuts out Manistee, continues roll through Lakes 8
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Catholic Central football team continued its roll through the Lakes 8 Conference as it shut out Manistee 34-0 on Friday night. Signal caller Elliot Reigler was surgical through the air, completing 4-of-5 passes for 112 yards with a...
Kent City marches past White Cloud in Week 7 win
LocalSportsJournal.com Kent City marched down the field on its opening possession and never looked back in a 50-14 over White Cloud. Dylan Sutton’s key interception in the endzone set the tone for the Eagles as they got out to an impressive 28-0 lead at halftime....
Holton uses big first half in victory over Hesperia
LocalSportsJournal.com An explosive finish to the end of the first half powered Holton over Hesperia in a CSAA-Silver matchup on Friday. In the 56-12 victory over Hesperia, Holton quarterback Austin Fowler connected with Bret Hosmer on three straight touchdowns before...
Ravenna pulls away from North Muskegon in second half
Kam Willer LocalSportsJournal.com A pair of Hunter Hogan touchdowns and a Hogan field goal proved to be enough as Ravenna beat North Muskegon 17-6 in a WMC matchup on Friday night. Hogan caught a 36-yard first half touchdown pass from Kyle Beebe to give the Bulldogs a...
Early hole too much for Grant to dig out of, Tigers fall to Big Rapids
LocalSportsJournal.com Grant fell into a 14-0 hole against the visiting Big Rapids Cardinals on Friday evening and the Tigers couldn't claw back, dropping a 21-12 decision. The Tigers had some momentum going into the half, as Brady Jacobs capped a 16-play drive with a...
Grand Haven struggles in O-K Red loss to Hudsonville
LocalSportsJournal.com The Grand Haven Buccaneers had no answers in their O-K Red Conference showdown at home against Hudsonville, falling 49-14. The Bucs were scoreless in the first half but Ryan Francis was able to run into the end zone twice in the second half and...
Whitehall tunes up for match with arch-rival Montague, by running over Hart, 46-6
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.comThe Whitehall Vikings made quick work of the Hart Pirates on Friday evening, racking up 465 yards of total offense en route to a convincing 46-6 West Michigan Conference victory. The Vikings scored on four of their five first...
Spring Lake digs down in bounce back win over Coopersville
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE -- Spring Lake was either going to start reeling following a humbling first loss of the season last week or the Lakers were going to dig down and bounce back. Alex Lee and a ball-hawking secondary made sure the Lakers bounced back....
Big Reds make statement against Mona Shores, unleash lethal running attack on Sailors
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com It’s hard to imagine that many of the 875 football victories in the history of Muskegon High School were much sweeter than the one on Friday night. Muskegon traveled across town to rival Mona Shores as the underdog and made a...
Week 7 Friday night football lineup
By Craig Beilfuss Local Sports Journal.com It’s here already. Week 6 of Friday night high school football has arrived and the Local Sports Journal will be covering 14 games tonight. There are some interesting matchups, rivalry games and games that could determine some...
Fremont takes down Howard City Tri-County in volleyball
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fremont Packer’s volleyball team took down Tri-County in four sets with scores of 25-21, 25-10, 25-15, and 17-15. The Packers offense was directed by Carle Bruggema who offered up 27 assists and four aces. Kaitlynn Bennet had nine kills and...
Hart volleyball battles against Ravenna, falls in five
LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart volleyball team fell in a long battle with West Michigan Conference foe Ravenna on Wednesday. The Pirates fought through five games, but fell 25-22, 13-25, 16-25, 25-21 and 15-8. Finley Kistler made 20 assists, 13 digs, one kill and...
Reeths-Puffer volleyball tops GR Union, Stawski now just 13 kills from 1,000 career mark
LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer volleyball team wrapped up O-K Green Conference play on Tuesday with a win at Grand Rapids Union. The Rockets won with scores of 25-13, 25-14 and 25-21. Briann Stawski led for the Rockets, making eight kills and four aces....
Two for Two as Lakers capture OK Blue Cross Country Jamboree
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake's girls cross country team ran to a first-place finish in the second OK Blue Jamboree of the season Wednesday, easily getting past second-place Allendale, 39-62. Coopersville served as the host for the event. Grand...
No. 11 ranked MCC womens soccer team tops Schoolcraft in final minutes on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com The No. 11 ranked Muskegon Community College Jayhawks womens soccer team posted a tight 2-1 win at Schoolcraft on Saturday. The win lifts MCC to 9-2 overall this season. Sammy Hecht lifted the Jayhawks to victory on a goal in the waning minutes...
Greater Muskegon co-op girls swimming team tops Hamilton
LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon co-op swim team earned a narrow 97-89 victory over Hamilton on Tuesday. The Turtles posted 14 personal record and won nine events. Katie Cree led divers with a second-place finish, scoring 170 points. The team of Caroline...
WMC soccer blanks Orchard View in final Lakes 8 matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com The Western Michigan Christian boy’s soccer team won its final Lakes 8 Conference game in emphatic fashion, topping Orchard View 7-0 on Tuesday. Charlie Buursma led the Warriors with two goals and an assist. Ethan Hill, Ashton Leffring, Isaac...
MCC Jayhawks volleyball tops Lansing CC
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Community College volleyball team took a 3-1 win over the Lansing Stars on Tuesday with set scores of 25-19, 25-21, 24-26 and 28-26. Leading the Jayhawks was Reilly Murphy with 17 kills, 13 digs, four blocks and two aces while...
Montague falls to rival Whitehall in three-game volleyball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com The Montague volleyball team was unable to pull past rival Whitehall Vikings on Tuesday, falling in three games. Whitehall won with scores of 25-9, 25-23 and 25-19. Jaelyn Sundberg set up her teammates with 16 assists, she made eight blocks,...
Fruitport Calvary volleyball falls just short in five-game battle
LocalSportsJournal.com Fruitport Calvary Christian volleyball fell short in a five-game battle against Rivertown Crossing on Tuesday. The Eagles captured the opening two games, 25-16 and 25-22, but fell short in the next three with scores of 25-16, 25-15 and 15-13....
Spring Lake volleyball squad falls to Allendale in O-K Blue action
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake volleyball team played some tough sets on Tuesday but ultimately fell to Allendale in four, 25-23, 21-25, 25-18 and 25-11. Kyla Kobylack led for the Lakers with 31 assists and scored two aces while Meah Bajt had 17 digs and...
North Muskegon volleyball continues pace in West Michigan Conference race with win over MCC
LocalSportsJournal.com The North Muskegon volleyball team took down Mason County Central on Tuesday 25-14, 25-5, 25-16 in WMC action. Contributing on the court for the Norse was Natalie Pannucci with 13 kills, five digs and made two blocks, Molly Stewart had six...
Mona Shores volleyball wins three over Wyoming
LocalSportsJournal.com The Sailors volleyball team won three straight sets against Wyoming in an O-K Green Conference matchup on Tuesday. Mona Shores won with set scores of 25-12, 26-9 and 25-14. Grace Norris had ten assists, nine digs, four kills and scored two aces...
Muskegon Catholic tops OV in Lakes 8 volleyball
LocalSportsJournal.com On Tuesday the Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball team stumped Lakes 8 Conference foe Orchard View, 25-12, 25-12 and 25-13. Leading for the Crusaders was Natalie Rich with seven aces and Ella Muskovin posted three. Erin LaVigne made 16 kills,...
Mason County Central volleyball drops three to North Muskegon
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mason County Central volleyball team struggled against North Muskegon on Tuesday, falling in three sets (25-13,25-6 and 25-16). Charlie Banks led for the Spartans with 11 digs, one kill and an ace. Alayna Rafter had seven kills, a kill and a...
Hart volleyball falls to Shelby in WMC matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart Pirates volleyball team fell to Shelby in WMC action on Tuesday 14-25, 17-25, and 15-25 dropping to 0-5 in the conference. Finley Kistler made seven assists, six digs and scored an ace for the Pirates while Mya Chickering made four...
Western Michigan Christian volleyball cruises past Muskegon Heights
LocalSportsJournal.com The No. 1 ranked Western Michigan Christian volleyball team travelled to Muskegon Heights for their fourth Lakes 8 Conference match of the season, dominating in three sets 25-8, 25-1 and 25-9. Emily Fett led for the Warriors, scoring ten aces...
Grand Haven doubles teams lift Bucs past Whitehall in boys tennis
LocalSportsJournal.com Grand Haven boys tennis had its doubles teams step up in its 5-3 win over Whitehall. The Bucs won all four of their doubles matches to lift them to victory. The team of Jonah Sispera and Alex Waite took No. 1 doubles while Ben DeGram and Robert...
Spring Lake girls golf team wins O-K Blue jamboree on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake girl’s golf team took home an O-K Blue Conference jamboree on Saturday at the West Ottawa Golf Club finishing with a team score of 344. Kelsey Megley led for the Lakers with an 84 and Zoe Dull shot an 86. Clara Saunders and Clare...
MCC women’s volleyball team goes 2-2 over weekend at Grand Rapids tourney
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Community College womens volleyball team participated in the Raider Classic Tournament in Grand Rapids over the weekend, going 2-2 overall. On Saturday, the Jayhawks downed Oakland Community College (23-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-14) and...
MCC Jayhawks men’s golf squad finishes second at Mott invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Community College mens golf team competed in a makeup match at a Mott Community College invite on Monday. The Jayhawks finished runner up, turning in a 303 at the Flint Elks Golf Course. Zach Petroski and Steve Cullen led for...
Mona Shores girls golf finishes sixth at Forest Hills Northern invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shore’s girls golf team had a tough outing in the Forest Hills Northern Invitational at Egypt Valley on Monday, finishing sixth with a team score of 413. Senior Dezmin Merwin left it all on the course, earning a three-way tie for ninth...
Fremont boys take CSAA Gold Cross Country Jamboree
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Fremont Packer boys placed three runners in the top four finishers and ran away with the CSAA Gold Cross Country Jamboree on Tuesday. The event was in Big Rapids. Fremont finished with a score of 33, followed by Reed City...
Ludington boys soccer downs Shelby with a 2-0 shutout
LocalSportsJournal.com The Ludington Oriole’s boys soccer team shutout the visiting Shelby Tigers 2-0 in non-conference action on Monday. Leading for the Orioles was Spencer Holmes with a goal and an assist. Ultan Ryan also offered up a goal for the Orioles while...
Rivals Shores, Muskegon make each other better
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores and Muskegon football programs might despise each other (OK, might has nothing to do with it, they do despise each other - this a REAL cross-town rivalry), but they really should be sending each other thank you...
Spring Lake drives past Coopersville with 4-1 win in O-K Blue soccer tourney
LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake boys soccer downed Coopersville 4-1 in Monday's opening match of the O-K Blue Conference tournament. The Lakers took a commanding 3-0 lead by halftime. Conrad Bush led for the Lakers, snagging two scores while Jack Mulder and Kole...
Fruitport soccer cruises past Hamilton in Monday’s O-K Blue Conference tourney opener
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fruitport Trojan’s boys soccer team took down the visiting Hamilton Hawkeyes on Monday with a 3-0 win in the opening round of O-K Blue Conference tournament. The Trojans came alive after a scoreless first half and opened up with an Eli...
Vanderkooi Sisters Lead the way for WMC
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com It's going to be close. Muskegon Western Michigan Christian's girls cross country team has won both Lakes 8 Activities Conference cross country jamborees this season by the narrowest of margins. Back on Sept. 21 the Warriors...
Kent City Girl’s take CSAA – Silver Cross Country Meet
By Greg Gielczyk Local SportsJournal.com It's often said in sports that there's nothing better than home cooking. You won't find the White Cloud boys cross country team arguing with that premise after it gobbled up the third CSAA Conference cross country jamboree that...
Hart Sweeps West Michigan Conference Cross Country Jamboree
By Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart Pirates swept the third West Michigan Conference Jamboree on Tuesday afternoon by outdistancing the Whitehall Vikings in both races. Hart slipped by Whitehall with 35 points to Whitehall’s 44. Mason County Central was...
![[VIDEO] Highlights from Muskegon Catholic’s milestone 500th football win on Friday](https://localsportsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/244374582_10226873538169386_7802514130268446056_n.jpg)
[VIDEO] Highlights from Muskegon Catholic’s milestone 500th football win on Friday
LocalSportsJournal.com Muskegon Catholic football celebrated an impressive milestone on Friday night in its win over Muskegon Heights. The Crusaders' 52-20 win over the Tigers was the school's 500th win since its 1952 inception. LSJ videographer Trent Alphenaar from...
North Muskegon volleyball finishes second at Shelby invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The North Muskegon volleyball team played strong at the Shelby Invitational on Saturday, going 4-1 and making it all the way to the Gold division final. In pool play, the Norse took down Hart (25-15, 25-13), Ludington (26-24, 25-18) and...
Spring Lake volleyball competes at Hudsonville invite on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake Lakers volleyball team travelled to the Hudsonville Invitational on Saturday. The Lakers lost to Hudsonville (9-25, 18-25), Grandville (14-25, 15-25) and Unity Christian (16-25, 15-25) but split their final match with...
Western Michigan Christian volleyball takes third at Polish Classic Tournament
LocalSportsJournal.com The Western Michigan Christian volleyball team took a long trip to the Indiana border to play in the Polish Classic Tournament at Bronson High School on Saturday. It was a roller coaster day, but the Warriors managed a three-way tie to take...
Spokes Fighting Strokes gives cyclists new lease on life
By Kristi Lynn LocalSportsJournal.com They say that life can change in an instant. And when it does, in the most tragic and unexpected way, it’s difficult. Sometimes it’s so overwhelming you want to give up. But you may just discover it’s easier to tackle adversity...
Fruitport boys capture Fruitport Invitational; Whitehall finishes runner-up in both boys and girls cross country meet
By Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal The Fruitport Trojans boys cross country team edged out the Whitehall Vikings and captured the Fruitport Cross Country Invitational on Saturday. The meet was at Rycenga Park. Fruitport finished with 31 points, followed by Whitehall...
Montague romps past Shelby 70-0
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com It was another long night for the young Shelby Tigers, as the Montague Wildcats rolled into town and spoiled the Shelby Homecoming festivities by shutting out the Tigers on their home field, 70-0. Montague would find the end...
LocalSportsJournal.com High school football headlines: SATURDAY, October 2
LocalSportsJournal.com Week 6 high school football is on the books. Here are the headlines from Friday night's games. Oakridge hangs on over North Muskegon, Vanderputte leads Eagle ground game with 265 yards (+PHOTO GALLERY) Muskegon Catholic Central breaks into 500...
Oakridge hangs on over North Muskegon, Vanderputte leads Eagle ground game with 265 yards
By Kameron Willer Local Sports Journal In a game that wasn't decided until the final drive, it was a senior standout who largely helped secure the final outcome. Oakridge senior Corey Vanderputte rushed 32 times for 265 yards and four touchdowns, but it was his play...
Muskegon Catholic Central breaks into 500 Win Club, tops Muskegon Heights
By John Karafa and Greg Wickstrom LocalSportsJournal.com It wasn't just another win for the Muskegon Catholic Central varsity football team Friday evening. Instead, a prestigious milestone was achieved. With the Crusaders' 53-20 win over rival Muskegon Heights, MCC...
Grant QB Brady Jacobs leads Tigers past Newaygo in “Battle of M37”
LocalSportsJournal.com The Grant Tiger’s football team went head to head in a CSAA-Gold "Battle of M37" matcup against neighboring rival Newaygo on Friday. In a battle of will power, the Tigers found a way out, winning 12-7. Grant QB Brady Jacobs pulled out the victry...
Kent City firepower outlasts Holton in 50-38 CSAA Silver win
LocalSportsJournal.com Kent City outlasted Holton in an eruptive offensive battle on Friday. The Eagles offensive firepower was on display in their 50-38 victory on the road against Holton. Most of the fireworks were fired in the first half as the score was 36-24...
Mona Shores leaves rival Reeths-Puffer in dust, cruises to 57-15 O-K Green win
LocalSportsJournal.com Mona Shores hosted the Reeths-Puffer Rockets in O-K Green Conference action on Friday night with the Sailors leaving with a 57-15 victory over their rival. The Sailors put on a show in the second quarter, racking up a total of five touchdowns,...
Big Reds’ big-play ability and stifling defense overwhelm Holland
By Melivin Lane LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON -- On Homecoming night at Muskegon High School, the Big Reds had no trouble cruising to a 58-0 victory over the Holland Dutch. The Big Reds (5-1, 4-0 O-K Green Conference) opened up with a scoring outburst from Damari...
Spring Lake suffers first loss of the season, falls to Hudsonville Unity Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com Despite starting off their O-K Blue Conference battle neck-and-neck in the first quarter on Friday, the Spring Lake Lakers couldn’t keep up in a 54-21 loss to visiting Unity Christian. In the Lakers' first loss of the season, quarterback Jackson...
Alec Pruett rushes for 308 yards in Whitehall win over Ludington
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Whitehall Vikings rained on Ludington's momentum after a Week-5 win over Muskegon Heights. The Vikings cruised to a 49-0 win thanks in big part to Alec Pruett. The senior running back amassed 308 yards on the ground and a...
Ravenna rushes its way past Hart in 41-14 victory
LocalSportsJournal.com Ravenna's offense was powered by a pair of 100-yard rushing performances en route to a 41-14 victory over Hart on Friday evening. The Bulldogs bulldozed the Hart defense behind 121 yards rushing on seven carries by Hunter Hogan and a 14-carry,...
Grand Haven football suffers 50-7 loss to Grandville in O-K Red road trip
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANDVILLE -- In its search for its fourth win of the season, Grand Haven will have to wait at least another week. The Bucs ran into a high-powered offense from Grandville on Friday and suffered a 50-7 setback. The loss drops Grand Haven to 3-3...
Mason County Central hangs in through first half against Manistee, falls in Week-6 football opener
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE -- Coach Scott Briggs knew what his Mason County Central Spartans were getting into when they faced the Manistee Chippewas in a non-conference football game at Chippewa Field on Thursday night. The Spartans (1-3), who...
Mason County Eastern sweeps third consecutive cross country jamboree
By Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Mason County Eastern Cardinals swept their third consecutive West Michigan D League Cross County Jamboree of the season on Wednesday. The meet was hosted by Bear Lake. MCE placed five runners in the top 10 in the boy’s race...
Reeths-Puffer boys finish second at OK Green conference meet
By Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com Zeeland West swept the second OK Green Conference Meet on Wednesday at Rycenga Park. In boys action, Zeeland West barely escaped with the low total team score (52) over Reeths-Puffer (53). Holland finished in third place (75),...
High school football playoff questions: Will 2021 have 9-0 teams that don’t make the cut?
*Today's story can be found in hard-copy print in the LocalSportsJournal.com September magazine at area outlets in west Michigan. By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.comSpring Lake football is having a ton of fun this fall, racking up wins behind a raucous student...
Heights looking for share of conference title
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com It’s a showdown on Friday night when the Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders battle the Muskegon Heights Tigers with a stake of the Lakes 8 Activities Conference title on the line. Muskegon Heights head coach, Van Parker and...
Mona Shores tennis cruises past GR Northview
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores Sailors boys tennis team hosted Grand Rapids Northview on Wednesday nearly sweeping both the singles and doubles. The Sailors won with a score of 6-2. Drew Hackney cruised at No. 1 singles and Kayden Hellmann took No. 2 singles...
North Muskegon tennis singles lead Norse past Grant
LocalSportsJournal.com The North Muskegon boys tennis team dominated Grant at home on Wednesday, coming away with a 6-2 victory. The Norsemen took all four spots in singles play with Troy McManus, Pierce Marczak, Ethan Koman and Luke Hall all defeating their...
Montague looks to extend winning streak on Friday evening
By Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Montague Wildcats have come a long way since their 35-0 loss to Edwardsburg in the season opener last month. Since then, the Wildcat defense has been nearly flawless. During their four-game winning streak, that includes two...
Whitehall tennis ties Coopersville
LocalSportsJournal.com The Whitehall boys tennis team tied Coopersville on Wednesday 4-4. The Vikings took the top flights in both singles and doubles action. Ashton Trnka and River Morrison snagged the No. 1 and No. 2 singles for the Sailors. The team of Samuel Cole...
Mona Shores girls golf team finishes eighth at RP invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores girls golf team finished in eighth place at the Reeths-Puffer Invite on Tuesday. With a team score of 373, the Sailors were led by Lily Miller's 87. Mayson Southland shot a season low 89. Also contributing to the Sailors...
Lady Turtles fall to Holland Christian, swim to ten personal records
LocalSportsJournal.com The Lady Turtles swim team hit rough water against state ranked Holland Christian on Tuesday. The Turtles swam to ten personal record swims, despite the 101-75 loss. The day was led by first-place finishes of Caroline Carlson in the 200 Free...
West Michigan’s NFL connection was never more in-your-face than in 1963
By Ron Pesch LocalSportsJournal.com West Michigan’s connection to the NFL was never more in-your-face than it was on December 15, 1963, when the pride of Shelby, defensive back Dave Whitsell, and the pride of Muskegon, quarterback Earl Morrall, were headline...
Fruitport Calvary Christian volleyball team fall to Potters House
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fruitport Calvary Christian volleyball team lost to Potters House in three sets on Tuesday with scores of 25-15, 25-13 and 25-11. Anna Childerhose led for the Eagles scoring two aces. Ella Dykman made 13 digs and five kills, Kamea...
Spring Lake falls to Coopersville volleyball in four
LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake volleyball lost to a competitive Coopersville squad in four sets in an O-K Blue matchup on Tuesday. The Lakers fell in four games with set scores of 25-22, 25-16, 25-27 and 25-19. The Lakers were led by Kalli Lewkowski who made 12...
Mona Shores volleyball rallies past Muskegon in quick win
LocalSportsJournal.com Mona Shores volleyball team rallied past Muskegon on Tuesday in a quick O-K Green win. The Sailors won 25-5, 25-7 and 25-4. Leading for the Sailors was Grace Norris with 11 aces, 11 assists and six kills while Kyann Hellmann had ten...
Reeths-Puffer volleyball tops Holland in O-K Green win
LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer volleyball team won another hard fought O-K Green match at home against the Holland Dutch on Tuesday. The Rockets won with set scores of 19-25, 25-12, 25-19 and 25-15. Leading for RP was Leah Ellis with 20 digs and two aces....
Mason County Central volleyball falls to Montague
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mason County Central volleyball team took a loss to hard hitting Montague in Western Michigan Conference play on Tuesday. Adria Quigley scored one ace and had three digs for the Spartans. Charlie Banks had four kills and two aces while...
Fremont boys soccer rolls past Reed City with 8-0 shutout
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fremont boys soccer team bombarded the net in their 8-0 victory over Reed City at home on Tuesday. The Packers took an early lead then continued to pile on the goals. Marcus Klimek netted four goals with an assist to lead Fremont while Chaz...
Fruitport fights off Reeths-Puffer for 1-1 tie in boys soccer
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fruitport boys soccer team battled Reeths-Puffer to a 1-1 draw in a non-league matchup on Tuesday. After a scoreless first half, Reeths-Puffer struck first with an Ashton Carpenter goal. The Trojans answered minutes later as Jackson Rebone...
Ludington posts shutout of Western Michigan Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com The No. 14 ranked Division 2 Ludington boys soccer team downed West Michigan Christian 2-0 in a non conference matchup on Tuesday. Matthew Snyder led for the Orioles netting a goal and making an assist while Parker Wendt also contributed a goal....
Mason County Eastern cross country takes first place at Oakridge invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mason County Eastern boys and girls cross country teams were the story on Saturday morning, as the Cardinals swept both white divisions at the Oakridge X-Country Invitational. In the boy’s division, MCE, placed four runner’s in the top ten,...
Mona Shores boys tennis gets past Holland
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores boys tennis team visited Holland on Monday and came out with a 5-3 win. The Sailors snuck past Holland, getting three of the four wins in singles action, while grabbing a pair of wins at doubles. Drew Hackney, Kayden Hellmann and...
Mona Shores girls golf captures O-K Green jamboree at Zeeland West
LocalSportsJournal.com It was a great day for the Mona Shores Sailors girls golf team as it took first place overall with a score of 187 at the Zeeland West O-K Green jamboree on Monday. The Sailors posted four scores in the 40s and four players finished in the top...
North Muskegon soccer posts 4-0 shutout of Muskegon Catholic
LocalSportsJournal.com No. 14 ranked North Muskegon boys soccer hosted Muskegon Catholic in a 4-0 shutout of the Crusaders in a nonleague matchup on Monday. Dylan Schultz and Brandon Winter posted two goals each to lead North Muskegon. Zach Mallon contributed with two...
Mona Shores soccer snaps win streak in 3-1 loss to Grandville
LocalSportsJournal.com Mona Shores boys soccer's winning streak was snapped on Monday in a 3-1 loss to Grandville. The Sailors hadn't lost in their last six games, going 5-0-1 over the past three weeks. Gavin Cheatum put up the solo goal...
Klimek nets four goals in Fremont soccer win over Newaygo
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fremont Packers and the Newaygo Lions squared off in a CSAA matchup on Monday with the Packers dominating in a 5-1 win. Marcus Klimek netted four goals while Chaz Miller put away one to put the Packers up 5-0 at the end of the first half....
Ludington battles Fruitport and GR Northview in soccer doubleheader
LocalSportsJournal.com No. 14 Ludington Orioles boys soccer team competed in a powerhouse double header on Saturday against Fruitport and GR Northview. The No. 14 ranked Orioles played to a 0-0 draw against undefeated and No. 4 ranked Fruitport and followed up with a...
Montague volleyball goes 2-1 at its own Saturday quad
LocalSportsJournal.com Montague volleyball went 2-1 at its own quad on Saturday. The Wildcats topped Holton and Ludington, but fell in three games to Spring Lake. Ally Collins led Montague with ten aces and two digs, Alissa Wynn had 32 digs, five...
Spring Lake volleyball goes 2-1 at Saturday quad, next host Coopersville
LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake volleyball went 2-1 on Saturday at a Montague quad invite. The Lakers posted victories over Holton (25-14, 25-17, 25-15) and Montague (23-25, 25-17, 25-15). The Lakers fell just short against Ludington falling with set scores of...
Mona Shores Volleyball travels to EGR, readies for O-K Green play against Muskegon on Tuesday
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores volleyball traveled to East Grand Rapids on Saturday for a non conference invite. The Sailors went 0-3-1 on the day, splitting their opening match with Jenison 25-12, 19-25, while falling to West Catholic 25-11, 25-18, and...
Fremont, Mona Shores cross country teams race at same Saturday event, Packers lead way
LocalSportsJournal.com Both Fremont and Mona Shores cross country teams competed in the Cougar Falcon Invitational on Saturday at the Gainey Athletic Complex. Fremont boys took third place in Division 2, placing three runners in the top 20. Conor Somers led the way...
WMC volleyball cruises through Warrior Weekend, next set up for Muskegon Catholic
LocalSportsJournal.com Western Michigan Christian volleyball hosted Covenant Christian on Friday in its annual Warrior Weekend. The Warriors walked away with the victory in three games off set scores of 25-19, 25-12 and 25-15. Kyla Wiersema led the way making 12...
Sundae’s on Sunday
By Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com On a typical Sunday afternoon during the football season, Muskegon Big Reds coach Shane Fairfield is reviewing game tape. Fairfield and his staff breaks down the tape from the last game and looking at tape on the upcoming...
Spring Lake takes Ludington Invitational
By Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Ludington High School girls golf team hosted the Ludington Invitational at Lincoln Hills Golf Club on Friday on a beautiful and sunny fall day that saw the Spring Lake Lakers finish atop the leaderboard. The Lakers...
LocalSportsJournal.com High school football headlines: SATURDAY, September 25
LocalSportsJournal.com Week-5 high school football came through with surprising wins and challenging losses on all sides of the ball. Take a look at the LSJ's Friday high school football headlines for September 25. The Ludington Orioles disrupt Lakes 8 race,...
Ludington defense halts Muskegon Heights, disrupts Lakes 8 prediction for next week matchups
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Heights Tigers came into Ludington on Friday evening looking to extend a perfect 4-0 start to the 2021 season. But the Orioles defence had something to say about that. Ludington took advantage of three,...
Reeths-Puffer can’t hang in lopsided O-K Green loss to Zeeland West (+PHOTO GALLERY)
LocalSportsJournal.com Reeths-Puffer ran into a powerful Zeeland West team at home in an O-K Green matchup on Friday and lost 48-8. The Rockets (2-3) trailed just 6-0 after the first quarter but allowed a pair of Dux touchdowns before halftime. Reeths-Puffer answered...
Piggee and Muskegon speed past Wyoming in first ever meeting
By Melvin Lane LocalSportsJournal.comWyoming - While the score wasn't close, it was a night that Muskegon sophomore slot/returner Destin Piggee won't soon forget.Piggee took a punt that bounced off the turf and returned it for a score, showcasing an array of moves and...
Montague gets just enough offense against Ravenna, stays atop of WMC race (PHOTO GALLERY)
LocalSportsJournal.com Ravenna had ideas of ruining homecoming for Montague on Friday night. But, after scoring the game's first touchdown, Montague's defense took over in a 14-7 win over Ravenna. Tugg Nichols scored the winning touchdown on a 26-yard second-quarter...
Mason County Central Spartans shutout Shelby to get first win of season
by Craig Beilfuss LocalSportsJournal.comMason County Central and Shelby both entered Week 5 seeking their first wins of the season. The Spartans walked away more than satisfied, topping the Tigers 50-0. MCC took advantage of four second-quarter Shelby turnovers and...
Holton QB Austin Fowler has near flawless night in CSAA win over Lakeview
LocalSportsJournal.com Holton's Austin Fowler was nearly flawless, throwing for 267 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Red Devils to a CSAA Silver conference win over Lakeview. Fowler connected with four different receivers for scores and threw just six...
Brady Jacobs end-zone interception seals Grant victory, takes away Fremont’s hope for first win
LocalSportsJournal.com Brady Jacobs intercepted a Fremont pass in the end zone with 20 seconds left to seal a Grant win on Friday night. The Tigers outlasted the Packers 20-14 in a Central State - Gold showdown. Jacobs played well on both sides of the ball,...
Spring Lake remains undefeated with 41-21 O-K Blue win over Hailton (PHOTO GALLERY)
LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake’s dominant second half rushing performance drove the Lakers to victory over Hamilton to remain undefeated. Alex Lee ran for 251 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries to lead the Lakers to a 41-21 win on the road against Hamilton...
Mona Shores continues roll through O-K Green action, flies past Zeeland East
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores Sailors continued their tear through the O-K Green Conference with a 49-30 victory over Zeeland East on Friday. Despite a scoreless first quarter, the Sailors (4-1, 3-0 O-K Green) found their groove and didn’t look back....
Whitehall rolls over North Muskegon, keeps WMC title hopes alive (PHOTO GALLERY)
By Kameron Willer LocalSportsJournal.com Both Whitehall and North Muskegon entered their battle on Friday night with the same West Michigan Conference records: 3-1. If either team wanted a chance to still contend for WMC title, neither could afford another loss. ...
Grand Haven rocked by Caledonia ground attack in 42-12 O-K Red loss
LocalSportsJournal.com Grand Haven did not have any answers for host Caledonia’s ground attack in the Bucs’ 42-12 O-K Red loss on Friday night. Grand Haven (3-2, 2-1) allowed the Scots to rush for 411 yards in the contest and Caledonia was 8 for 8 on third down. The...
Corey Vanderputte rushes for 165 yards in Oakridge’s WMC win over Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com Oakridge outpaced visiting Hart in an explosive West Michigan Conference football matchup Friday night. The Eagles benefited from a dominant second quarter en route to a 56-32 win over the Pirates. Oakridge was led by a trio of running backs who...
(PHOTOS) Week 5 high school football lineup plus Holton photos from Week 4
LocalSportsJournal.com Week 5 high school football is here! In case fans are looking for games to go to this Friday night, here's a list of all the area's games: Grant @ Fremont Fruitport @ GR West Catholic Grand Haven @ Caledonia Hart @ Oakridge Holton @ Lakeview ...
Western Michigan Christian dedication ceremony for new athletic facility Saturday, invites public
LocalSportsJournal.com Western Michigan Christian High School will dedicate its new athletic facilities in a 12:30 p.m. ceremony on Saturday at its Ellis Road campus. This will be the celebration and dedication of the baseball field, soccer field and the newly...
Western Michigan Christian soccer wins final game at former east Muskegon campus
LocalSportsJournal.com Western Michigan Christian played its last game on the field at its former campus in east Muskegon on Thursday. The Warriors shutout Manistee 7-0 and earned an important Lakes 8 win. For the second game in a row, the Warriors netted a goal...
MCC Jayhawks improve to 10-3 overall with win over Kellogg CC
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Community College Jayhawk’s volleyball team ran up its season record to 10-3 with a win over Kellogg Community College on Thursday. MCC topped the Bruins in three games with scores of 25-19, 25-16 and 25-22. Leading for the Jayhawks...
Hart volleyball squad tops White Cloud in non-league win
LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart Pirates volleyball team played its best game of the season yet defeating the White Cloud Indians 3-1 in a non-league matchup. Hart won with scores of 25-12, 28-30, 25-11 and 25-21. Kloe Klotz posted 16 digs, eight kills, four aces and...
Spring Lake girls golf finishes second at O-K Blue invite
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake girls golf team earned a second-place finish at Thursday's O-K Blue match at Mines Golf Club in Grand Rapids. All four Lakers shot in the 40's to combine for a 188 score, just behind Coopersville. Clara Saunders was the leading...
Fruitport Calvary Christian volleyball tops Grand River Prep in Alliance League matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com Fruitport Calvary Christian volleyball topped league opponent Grand River Prep on Thursday. The Eagles won in four games with scores of 18-25, 25-13, 25-11 and 25-23. Madison Hoofman led Fruitport Calvary Christian with 36 assists, 16 digs...
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Grant wins individual title; Rocket boys finish runner-up in OK Green cross country meet
Oct 21, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer Rocket boys cross country team gave it a shot, but in the end, fell one point short in the OK Green Conference cross country championship. Zeeland West escap READ MORE
Spring Lake’s Hill, Parker win cross country races; Lakers sweep boys and girls titles
Oct 21, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake's boys and girls cross country teams made it a clean sweep at the OK Blue Conference Championships on Wednesday af... READ MORE
Kent City turned in a solid day on Tuesday to sweep the CSAA Silver cross country titles
Oct 20, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Kent City's boys’ cross country team survived a tight race with White Cloud on Tuesday. The Eagles pulled out a narrow 31-3... READ MORE
Fremont boys cruise to easy victory in cross country conference championship
Oct 20, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Home course advantage put the Fremont Packers boys’ cross country team in its comfort zone on Tuesday. That, and a pack of ... READ MORE
Local Sports Journal kicks off podcast debut with 2018 Summer Coaches Series
Aug 04, 2018 LocalSportsJournal.com There is new excitement in the air for the 2018-19 prep sports season at Local Sports Journal. Podcasts. The "2018 Summer Coaches Series" is now hitting the air as the READ MORE
Prep football highlights: Click here for an online version of the November LSJ magazine
Nov 02, 2017 LocalSportsJournal.com While area high school football teams and fans are gearing up for deep playoff runs, it's hard to forget the thrilling regu... READ MORE
Help us increase LSJ coverage of your favorite high school’s sports teams!
Jun 29, 2017 LocalSportsJournal.com With the decline of daily newspapers, local media coverage of high school sports has been disappearing in recent years. F... READ MORE
Register today for the first annual Local Sports Journal golf outing on June 2!
Apr 22, 2017 LocalSportsJournal.com Don’t forget to get your team signed up for the first annual Local Sports Journal Golf Outing, slated for Friday, June 2 a... READ MORE
Fit to be tied: Montague wins back-to-back Division 4 state golf titles using the tiebreaker
Oct 17, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Montague Wildcats captured their second straight Division 4 state title in girls golf on Saturday. The Wildcats and Lansing Catholic actually tied for the lead with a two- READ MORE
Montague girls golf looks to repeat as state champs, Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Whitehall lead area teams into finals weekend
Oct 11, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Montague is on a mission to capture a second straight state title in girls golf. Montague took a big step over the week by wi... READ MORE
Spring Lake girls golf team wins O-K Blue jamboree on Saturday
Oct 06, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake girl’s golf team took home an O-K Blue Conference jamboree on Saturday at the West Ottawa Golf Club finishin... READ MORE
MCC Jayhawks men’s golf squad finishes second at Mott invite
Oct 06, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Community College mens golf team competed in a makeup match at a Mott Community College invite on Monday. The Ja... READ MORE
Fruitport shuts down Whitehall, sets up district final showdown against rival Spring Lake
Oct 20, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Fruitport boys soccer team moved on to the Division 3 district finals as they shutout Whitehall 5-0 on Tuesday. Sam Gieske netted a hat trick to lead the Trojans. READ MORE
Second half propels Spring Lake soccer past Reeths-Puffer, Lakers advance to D3 district finals
Oct 19, 2021 By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake Lakers and the Reeths-Puffer Rockets are making their district soccer matchups an annual event... READ MORE
Boys soccer tournament starts back up, Spring Lake against Reeths-Puffer and Frutport vs. Whitehall are Tuesday’s games to be at
Oct 19, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The MHSAA boys soccer state tournament returns to west Michigan for its second week of action as area teams battle for state... READ MORE
Reeths-Puffer upsets No. 15 ranked Ludington in Division 2 district boys soccer opener
Oct 15, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com If you plan to make a long run in the boys state soccer tournament, sooner or later, you’re going run up against a highly ta... READ MORE
Life’s a balancing act: How multi-sport athlete Robyn Hunt manages cross country and swimming in the same season for Mona Shores
Oct 19, 2021 By Jon Styf LocalSportsJournal.com For Mona Shores junior Robyn Hunt, life is a balancing act. With swimming, cross country, a full slate of Advanced Placement courses and choir this fall, it c READ MORE
Greater Muskegon co-op girls swim team tops Ludington
Oct 15, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon co-op swim team cruised past the Ludington Orioles on Thursday. The Turtles won nine of the 12 eve... READ MORE
Greater Muskegon co-op girls swim team falls to Spring Lake
Oct 14, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon co-op swim team swam hard against O-K Rainbow rival Spring Lake on Tuesday coming up short with the Lak... READ MORE
Greater Muskegon girls co-op swim team competes at MISCA all-star event
Oct 12, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Greater Muskegon girls co-op swim team took part in the MISCA All-Star Meet at Calvin University on Saturday. The Turtles ... READ MORE
Grand Haven doubles teams lift Bucs past Whitehall in boys tennis
Oct 06, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Grand Haven boys tennis had its doubles teams step up in its 5-3 win over Whitehall. The Bucs won all four of their doubles matches to lift them to victory. The team of READ MORE
Mona Shores tennis cruises past GR Northview
Sep 30, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores Sailors boys tennis team hosted Grand Rapids Northview on Wednesday nearly sweeping both the singles and dou... READ MORE
Whitehall tennis ties Coopersville
Sep 30, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Whitehall boys tennis team tied Coopersville on Wednesday 4-4. The Vikings took the top flights in both singles and ... READ MORE
Fremont falls to WM Christian in boys tennis
Sep 23, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Newly resurfaced courts at Fremont did help the Packers boys tennis team in its 7-1 loss to Western Michigan Christian on We... READ MORE
Grant wins individual title; Rocket boys finish runner-up in OK Green cross country meet
Oct 21, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer Rocket boys cross country team gave it a shot, but in the end, fell one point short in the OK Green Conference cross country championship. Zeeland West escap READ MORE
Spring Lake’s Hill, Parker win cross country races; Lakers sweep boys and girls titles
Oct 21, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake's boys and girls cross country teams made it a clean sweep at the OK Blue Conference Championships on Wednesday af... READ MORE
Kent City turned in a solid day on Tuesday to sweep the CSAA Silver cross country titles
Oct 20, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Kent City's boys’ cross country team survived a tight race with White Cloud on Tuesday. The Eagles pulled out a narrow 31-3... READ MORE
Fremont boys cruise to easy victory in cross country conference championship
Oct 20, 2021 LocalSportsJournal.com Home course advantage put the Fremont Packers boys’ cross country team in its comfort zone on Tuesday. That, and a pack of ... READ MORE
