MOST RECENT ARTICLES
Reeths-Puffer girls basketball squeezes out an OK-Green win over Muskegon
LocalSportsJournal.com A low-scoring game didn't stop the Reeths-Puffer girls basketball team from defeating Muskegon in an OK-Green matchup on Friday. The Rockets squeezed their way to a 30-27 win by overcoming a dismal 1-of-8 shooting performance at the free throw...
Shelby girls basketball extends winning streak to nine games with win over Ravenna
LocalSportsJournal.com RAVENNA - The Shelby girls basketball team extended its win streak to nine games with a 50-35 WMC-Rivers victory over Ravenna on Friday evening. The Tigers opened with a 16-4 scoring run in the first quarter. The Bulldogs were able to warm up in...
Whitehall drubs Montague in 72-28 win to capture The Bridge rivalry trophy
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - The Whitehall boys basketball team remained undefeated in WMC-Lakes play with a convincing, 72-28 win over visiting Montague on Friday. The Vikings’ Camden Thompson had another productive night with a double-double of 23 points, 14...
Montague holds off rival Whitehall in girls basketball victory
LocalSportsJournal.com The Montague girls basketball team used a third-quarter run and a solid night from Braylyn Bultema to hold off rival Whitehall, 39-35 in a WMC-Lakes matchup on Friday night. Holding an 18-17 halftime lead, the visiting Wildcats used a 10-2...
Ravenna mounts comeback in win over Shelby in WMC-Rivers boys basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com The Ravenna boys basketball dug itself out of a hole to top host Shelby, 52-49 on Friday night in a WMC-Rivers victory. The Bulldogs turned around a 29-22 halftime deficit with 19 fourth-quarter points to pull off the comeback. Dylan May and...
Montague’s Pelton, Moore turned in solid performances at Holt wrestling event
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLT - The Montague girls wrestling team competed in a meet at Holt on Saturday. Ava Pelton and Taylor Moore secured second-place finishes, while Zaniya Meza came in third place. “It’s good to have Taylor back on the mat. She was cleared from an...
Montague’s grapplers finish fifth at Randy Jacobs Memorial Duals
LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - The Montague boys wrestling team wrestled to a fifth-place finish at the Randy Jacobs Memorial Duals on Saturday. “We struggled in the lower and middle weights, but our tournament is a good test for us with a mix of bigger teams,”...
Muskegon Community College men earn hard-fought conference victory over North Central Michigan
LocalSportsJournal.com PETOSKEY - The Muskegon Community College men's basketball captured a 61-56 conference victory over the host North Central Michigan Timberwolves on Saturday. The Jayhawks owned a 29-23 lead in a first half that featured some sluggishness from...
Lady Jayhawks’ balanced attack leads to rout of North Central Michigan
LocalSportsJournal.com PETOSKEY - The Muskegon Community College Lady Jayhawks showed a little rust early on, but then surged to an 81-48 victory over North Central Michigan College on Saturday. MCC had not practiced in five days due to the weather and it showed in...
Fast start propels Spring Lake girls to victory over Unity Christian on Friday night
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - The Spring Lake girls' basketball team earned a 42-35 OK-Black victory over Hudsonville Unity Christian on Friday evening. The Lakers came out hot with a 16-2 advantage in the first quarter and that set the tone. Unity Christian...
Make it five straight victories for Ludington’s girls after triumph over Oakridge
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON – The Ludington girls basketball team extended its winning streak to five in a row with a 64-18 victory over the Oakridge Eagles on Friday night. The West Michigan Conference Lakes Division game was played at Oakridge. Ludington...
Oakridge grabs early lead on Ludington, cruises to WMC victory; Stephenson hits for 24
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON – Oakridge built a 10-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back in a 71-56 West Michigan Conference Lakes Division boys' basketball win Friday night over host Ludington. Oakridge kept up the pressure in the...
Adams, Swanger lead shorthanded Pentwater to one-sided victory over Mesick
LocalSportsJournal.com MESICK – Despite being shorthanded, the Pentwater girls' basketball team rolled to a 48-16 West Michigan D League win at Mesick on Friday night. The Falcons had to leave three of their players back home due to illness. Aubrie Adams drained...
Mona Shores cruises past East Kentwood in Sixth Annual Cancer Awareness Game
LocalSportsJournal.com Mona Shores hockey faced off against East Kentwood on Friday night for the Sailors' Sixth Annual Cancer Awareness Game. Nathan Tilden and the Sailors cruised to an 8-0 win over the Falcons. Tilden tallied a hat trick on the night, earning the...
Grand Haven cruises past East Kentwood in girls’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND HAVEN - Mallory Woiteshek went off with a triple-double to help the Grand Haven girls' basketball team capture a 55-43 OK-Red victory over East Kentwood on Friday. Woiteshek racked up 13 points, 11 rebounds, 11 blocks, four assists and...
Fremont drubs Pine River in girls’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com LEROY - The Fremont girls' basketball team shook off a slow start after a long trip up north to overpower Pine River 72-24 on Friday. “We came into this one anticipating a tough game as Pine River just beat Beal City, who had beaten the No. 1...
Mona Shores takes down Caledonia in boys’ hoops
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - Jonathan Pittman gave a double-double performance to help the Mona Shores boys' basketball team to a 53-41 OK-Green victory over Caledonia on Friday night. Pittman scored 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Landyn Smith...
Muskegon took its time dispatching Reeths-Puffer in boys’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON—Muskegon (11-2) and Reeths-Puffer (3-9) squared off in OK-Green Conference play and the Big Reds would pull away late in the fourth quarter for a 67-48 victory. Behind the duo of Marvin Moore and Brayden Mitchelson, the Reeths-Puffer...
Western Michigan Christian fights off Covenant Christian in girls’ hoops
LocalSportsJournal.com A big second quarter and a team effort lifted Western Michigan Christian girls' basketball to a 42-39 win on the road over a hot-shooting Grand Rapids Covenant Christian on Friday. The Warriors were led by an 18-point second quarter and Maddie...
Hart’s Ackley, Rockwell lead Pirates to victory over Muskegon Catholic in boys’ basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com Caleb Ackley and Kolton Rockwell led the Hart boys’ basketball team to a 67-44 victory over Muskegon Catholic on Friday in a non-league contest. Ackley scored 17 points to lead the Pirates while Rockwell added 16. "Tonight was a tough loss as we...
North Muskegon girls record league basketball victory over Hesperia
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTH MUSKEGON - The North Muskegon girls basketball team took down Hesperia, 53-12, in a WMC-Rivers rout on Friday evening. “We had nine scorers tonight and everyone contributed,” said North Muskegon coach Jill Young. “My girls hustled and...
Newaygo girls pull away in fourth quarter against Reed City
LocalSportsJournal.com NEWAYGO – A hot start in the fourth quarter was enough to lift the host Lions past Reed City 36-25 Friday night. Newaygo (9-2, 5-1) went on a 7-0 run to start the final quarter, giving them a 32-19 lead that was enough to get the league win. “It...
Kent City girls, led by Freeland, take down Lakeview with strong second half
LocalSportsJournal.com KENT CITY – The host Kent City Eagles battled to a 30-23 halftime lead and kept the pedal down in the second half, downing Lakeview 56-38 Friday night. Kenzy Freeland was feeling it for Kent City. Freeland went 4-for-4 from behind the arc, and...
Fruitport pulls away for double-digit victory over visiting Belding
LocalSportsJournal.com FRUITPORT – The Fruitport Trojans outscored Belding 25-13 in an explosive fourth quarter and earned a 58-45 win over visiting Belding Friday night. Grade Anspach stepped up in the pivotal fourth quarter for Fruitport (10-3, 5-1) by scoring 10 of...
Scrappy Newaygo falls just short against Reed City, 80-75
LocalSportsJournal.com NEWAYGO – The Newaygo Lions showed their toughness Friday night, fighting back and nearly evening the game with 10 seconds left, before dropping a heartbreaker, 80-75, to Reed City. Reed City led by double digits until late in the fourth...
Spring Lake boys fall to state-ranked Unity Christian, 54-25
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE – The Spring Lake Lakers had the daunting task of taking on the No. 2 ranked team in Division 2 Friday night and it did not go well. The Lakers suffered a 54-25 loss at the hands of visiting Hudsonville Unity Christian. Spring Lake...
Grant boys, led by Hatch, Phillips, get back on track with league victory over host Tri-County
LocalSportsJournal.com HOWARD CITY - Sincere Hatch and Zaiden Phillips combined for 49 points to help lead the Grant boys’ basketball team to a 79-55 CSAA-Red victory over Tri-County. The victory snapped the Tigers' two-game losing streak. The Tigers had turnover...
Mona Shores girls hang on for league victory over Caledonia
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores girls’ basketball team did just enough in the fourth quarter to earn their 10th win of the season, defeating Caledonia 42-38 on Friday night. The Sailors led 11-9 at the end of the first quarter and 24-19 at halftime before...
Lumberjacks unleash a seven-goal barrage in victory over Team USA
By Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Lumberjacks took quite a beating last weekend in Lincoln and they came back to town to get back on the right track. Muskegon suffered a pair of losses to the Stars last weekend, losing by four goals both...
Jayhawk bowlers compete at Kellogg Invitational
LocalSportsJournal.com BATTLE CREEK - The Muskegon C0mmunity College bowling teams ventured to the Kellogg Community College Invitational on Friday and had mixed results. The bowlers found a tough shot and that meant scores across the board were unusually low. The...
North Muskegon boys storm by Hesperia in WMC basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com HESPERIA - Four days off, thanks to Michigan’s winter weather, wasn’t enough to cool down the North Muskegon boys' basketball team’s hot streak and winning ways. The Norse increased their win streak to 12 wins, and six in the WMC-Rivers, with a...
Grant stymied by Cedar Springs in boys’ hoops
LocalSportsJournal.com CEDAR SPRINGS - The Grant boys' basketball team dropped a non-conference game to Cedar Springs 49-39 on Wednesday. “Cedar Springs played the best defense we have seen all year,” Grant coach Dan George said. “We have work to do before district...
Kaden Kott certainly has left a big mark on the Manistee Mariner sports scene
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – Kaden Kott’s accomplishments on the football field are legendary and certainly have been well documented. Despite his rather diminutive size, Kott’s speed and elusiveness contributed to his ability to fake out much...
Grand Haven bowler Ben Prokopec shows he’s ‘ready for this’
*This article originally appeared in Local Sports Journal's January magazine. To view the January magazine edition, click here. By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND HAVEN –Ben Prokopec learned something about himself last year in the Division 1 state bowling finals...
Dan Vander Myde steps away from his long and storied career as the voice of Mona Shores hockey
*This article originally appeared in Local Sports Journal's January magazine. To view the January magazine edition, click here. By Jason Goorman LocalSportsJournal.com He ended it where it all started ... on the original home ice that was once called, L.C. Walker...
Whitehall’s Craner takes that ‘wrestle to win’ mindset into every one of his matches
*This article originally appeared in Local Sports Journal's January magazine. To view the January magazine edition, click here. By Scott Vansickle LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - Losing is something Gavin Craner hates to do, and the Whitehall senior hasn’t lost...
Scoring King: Bradley Richards becomes area’s all-time leading scorer in boys basketball
*This article originally appeared in Local Sports Journal's January magazine. To view the January magazine edition, click here. By Nate Thompson LocalSportsJournal.com There’s a new scoring king in Muskegon County for boys basketball. Following Muskegon Catholic...
Grant wrestlers place high in Northview Invitational
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND RAPIDS - The Grant wrestling team placed five out of six wrestlers in the top three at the Northview Invitational on Saturday. Alex Russo captured four wins on the way to a first-place finish at 126 pounds. Kashton Atwood (132) and Antonio...
Sparta takes down Grant in boys’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANT - The Grant boys' basketball team experienced its first loss of the season on Monday evening, as Sparta took down the Tigers 80-73 in a non-conference matchup. “We are usually pretty good at following the game plan, but we were not good at...
Ravenna girls’ bowling makes Kent City its latest victim
LocalSportsJournal.com SPARTA - The Ravenna girls' bowling team stayed undefeated with a 27-3 over Kent City at Sparta Lanes on Monday. Taylor Nutt led the way with games of 146 and 170, while Gabby Nutt followed close behind with 177 and 134. Emma Herremans tossed in...
Girls, boys high school bowling rankings for this week
Here are the first rankings for boys and girls bowling this season for the state of Michigan. GIRLS Division 1 1. Grand Blanc 2. Utica Eisenhower United 3. Grandville 4. Oxford 5. South Lyon 6. Flushing 7. Davison 8. Lapeer 9. Portage Northern 10. Troy Division 2...
Here are the team scores, results for GMAA wrestling meet; Whitehall wins another title
LocalSportsJournal.com Here are the results of Saturday's Greater Muskegon Athletic Association wrestling tournament at Orchard View. Included are the championship and the consolation match results along with the team scores. Whitehall won the team title for the 18th...
Jayhawk men ambushed in first half, fall to Bay College, 94-66
LocalSportsJournal.com ESCANABA - The Muskegon Community College men's basketball team never recovered from a disastrous first half on Saturday. The Jayhawks made the long trip to the Upper Peninsula to take on Bay College, which greeted its visitors with a 61-point...
Lakeshore Badgers earn a pair of hockey victories over the weekend
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – The Lakeshore Badgers co-op high school hockey team pulled away from a 4-4 first-period tie for a 13-4 over New Boston United at the West Shore Community Ice Arena in Scottville on Saturday afternoon. It was the...
Mason County Central earns fifth-place finish at Hopkins Wrestling Invitational
LocalSportsJournal.com HOPKINS — The Mason County Central wrestling team was looking to get in some weekend competition in the Hopkins Invitational. The Spartans came in a bit shorthanded with several wrestlers out due to illness. Still, MCC managed a...
Muskegon Voyagers unleash 14-goal attack in victory over Alpena
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - Luke McCarthy and Kevin Belvitch led the Muskegon Voyagers' scoring attack Saturday night. McCarthy and Belvitch both scored three-goal hat tricks in the Voyagers' 14-4 victory over Alpena in a game played at Lakeshore Sports Centre....
Northern trip results in victory for Muskegon Community College Lady Jayhawks
LocalSportsJournal.com ESCANABA - A long road trip north resulted in a conference victory for the Muskegon Community College Lady Jayhawks basketball team on Saturday. The Lady Jayhawks ventured to the Upper Peninsula to take on the Bay College Norse and came home...
Muskegon Big Reds fall to defending state champions at Horatio Williams Freedom Classic
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTH FARMINGTON - The Muskegon Big Reds had a tough task on Saturday at the Horatio Williams Freedom Classic. The Big Reds took on the defending state champions in Division 2, the Warren Lincoln Abes, and fell 76-66. Muskegon came out fast...
Montague finishes sixth in Saturday’s GMAA wrestling tournament
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Montague wrestling team finished in sixth place at the GMAA tournament on Saturday. The Whitehall Vikings won the title for the 18th time in the last 19 years. “Our young guys got a good taste of the level they need to get to in...
First-place Grant takes care of Big Rapids in CSAA showdown
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANT - The Grant boys basketball team grew their season winning streak to double digits and claimed the top spot in the CSAA-Red on Friday. The Tigers took down Big Rapids, 61-47. “I was pleased with our rebounding and defensive efforts," said...
Pentwater boys tear into Mesick in West Michigan ‘D’ league matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com MESICK – Coming off a tough non-conference loss to Onekama, the Pentwater boys' basketball team rebounded with a big 60-33 West Michigan D League victory at Mesick on Friday. Pentwater led, 13-7 at the end of the first quarter and 27-15 at...
DeKuiper hits career high, Clemence posts triple-double as Fremont defeats Manistee
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – The Fremont Packers remained atop the West Michigan Conference standings with a 76-44 victory over Manistee on Friday night. The Packers are now 6-0 in the league and the Mariners' fifth straight loss after a hot...
Manistee boys are on a roll after victory over Fremont on Friday night
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – Kaden Kott went off for 11 points in the third quarter to lead a Manistee pullaway Friday night in a 55-35 West Michigan Conference Lakes Division boys' basketball victory over visiting Fremont. The win was the...
Hart boys roll to lopsided victory over host Holton
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLTON - The Hart Pirates executed their game plan to perfection on Friday night and the result was an 83-33 victory over the host Holton Red Devils. Freshman Kolton Rockwell led the Pirates with 19 points. Junior Caleb Ackley had a solid...
Muskegon Big Reds’ victory over Mona Shores comes with a heavy cost
By Melvin Lane LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - A game filled with highs and lows saw the visiting Muskegon Big Reds pull away from the Mona Shores Sailors 55-48. The gym was packed with spectators and the energy was sky high throughout the contest. Mona Shores...
Mona Shores comes up a goal short in hockey loss to St. Clair Shores.
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores hockey team was unable to make a comeback happen in its 4-3 loss to visiting St. Clair Shores on Friday at Lakeshore Sports Centre. The Sailors fell behind 1-0 early in the first period, but Nathan Tilden tied the game with a...
Muskegon Lady Reds earn hard-fought league basketball victory over Mona Shores
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Muskegon Lady Reds used a strong second half to fight off Mona Shores in an OK-Green girls basketball matchup on Friday. The Lady Reds scored 17 third-quarter points as they were able to pull away with a 43-35 win over Mona...
Grand Haven boys win a wild one, 73-70, over host Holland West Ottawa
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND - Grand Haven and Holland West Ottawa had an OK Red boys basketball burnout on Friday. The Bucs walked away with an incredible 73-70 win over West Ottawa, after trailing the hosts by 12 points early in the fourth quarter. "West Ottawa...
David leads the way in Reeths-Puffer girls’ victory over Jenison
LocalSportsJournal.com JENISON - Ashlyn David used a hot hand to help lead the Reeths-Puffer girls basketball team to a 50-45 OK-Green victory over Jenison on Friday night. David was one rebound shy of a double-double with 24 points and nine rebounds. The Rockets led...
Grand Haven girls pull away for big league victory over Holland West Ottawa
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND - The Grand Haven girls basketball team notched a convincing, 54-27, OK-Red victory over West Ottawa on Friday evening. The Bucs edged out West Ottawa 10-8 in the first quarter, but limited them to just one point in the second quarter...
Youthful White Cloud girls’ squad sneaks away with narrow victory over Central Montcalm
LocalSportsJournal.com STANTON - Freshman Andi Vincent played a strong game to help the White Cloud girls basketball team secure a well-earned, 36-34, victory over Central Montcalm on Friday night. The Indians opened the game down two players and started three...
Spring Lake boys fall in tight conference basketball matchup to Holland Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND - The Spring Lake boys basketball team lost a narrow lead in the fourth quarter and dropped a 67-62 OK-Black decision to Holland Christian on Friday. The Lakers trailed 13-12 after the first quarter and 31-25 by halftime. After the...
Western Michigan Christian’s offense kicks into high gear in rout of Potters House
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - Western Michigan Christian had a total team night in its 76-40 homecoming win over Potter's House Christian on Friday. Five players scored in double figures as all 11 players on the Warriors' roster scored at least a point in...
Road trip out west results in lopsided loss for the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Friday
LocalSportsJournal.com LINCOLN - The Muskegon Lumberjacks suffered one of their worst losses of the season, falling to the Lincoln Stars 6-2 on Friday night in Nebraska. The Jacks, who are 20-9-6 on the season, will look to bounce back on Saturday against Lincoln....
Newaygo battles back from double-digit deficit to claim victory over Chippewa Hills
LocalSportsJournal.com REMUS - The Newaygo boys basketball team made a late-game rally and captured a 61-55 CSAA-Red victory over Chippewa Hills on Friday night. The Lions trailed by seven points at halftime and were behind by 13 points with a quarter left to play. ...
Second quarter spells doom for Fruitport in league loss to Calvin Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANDVILLE - A tough second quarter led to a 64-48 loss for the Fruitport boys’ basketball team against Grandville Calvin Christian on Friday night. The Trojans led 16-12 at the end of the first quarter, but trailed 33-24 at halftime and 51-34...
Bultema’s 19-point effort leads Montague girls to victory over Oakridge
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Montague girls basketball team outdid Oakridge with a 42-27 WMC-Lakes victory on Friday night. The Wildcats ran out to a 17-7 lead after the first quarter and 25-15 at halftime. After the break, the Eagles tried to chip away at...
Western Michigan Christian girls capture homecoming victory over Potters House, 39-29
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Western Michigan Christian girls' basketball team held on to a 39-29 homecoming win over Potter’s House Christian on Friday. Madie Folkema, Emersyn Paling and a solid defensive effort to finish the night lifted the Warriors...
Richards, Convertini combine for 44 in Muskegon Catholic’s victory over Wellspring
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Catholic boys’ basketball team plowed past Grand Rapids Wellspring, 75-43, on Friday night. The Crusaders led 20-5 at the end of the opening quarter and 32-11 at the half. "Tonight, I saw a lot of growth in our team,” said MCC coach...
Ruel pours in 33 in Oakridge boys’ rout of Montague
LocalSportsJournal.com The Oakridge boys’ basketball team captured a lopsided victory on Friday, defeating Montague 77-47 in a West Michigan Conference contest. The Eagles jumped out to a 21-13 lead at the end of the first quarter, led 35-22 at halftime and extended...
Thompson, Koehler turn in double-doubles in Whitehall’s victory over Orchard View
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - Camden Thompson and Kal Koehler each had a double-double on Friday night to help lead the Whitehall boys’ basketball team to a 76-42 win over Orchard View in a West Michigan Conference clash. Thompson had a team-high 22 points, 11...
Ravenna girls’ bowling team remains undefeated after defeating Holton
LocalSportsJournal.com The Ravenna girls bowling team topped Holton, 19-11, on Friday. Taylor Nutt led with team-high games of 197 and 233. Gabby Nutt tossed in games of 156 and 174, while Emma Herremans had a 153 and 142. Reese Herremans added 152 and 116. Kendyl...
Jayhawk bowlers compete at Jackson Invitational, women finish third, men fourth
LocalSportsJournal.com JACKSON - The Muskegon Community College bowling team competed at the Jackson College Invitational on Friday. The women earned a third-place finish and the men came in fourth place. Raegan Dykstra led the women with a series of 504, while Mae...
Hart girls’ league record remains unblemished after victory over Holton
LocalSportsJournal.com HART - The Hart girls basketball team improved to a perfect 6-0 with a 64-30 victory over Holton on Thursday evening. The senior trio of Breslyn Porter, Addi Hovey and Kelsey Copenhaver combined for 14 points, nine rebounds, five steals and four...
Fremont’s bowling teams overcome some obstacles to sweep Reed City on Thursday
LocalSportsJournal.com EVART - The Fremont bowling team faced wooden lanes with unfamiliar oil patterns at AJ’s Event Center, but came away with wins against Reed City on Thursday. The boys dropped both baker games, but adjusted and took the regular games to win,...
VanderHaag hits for 21 in Mason County Central’s victory over Hesperia
LocalSportsJournal.com HESPERIA – Cole VanderHaag scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Mason County Central boys basketball team to a resounding 55-31 win over Hesperia on Thursday night. The West Michigan Conference Rivers Division game was played in...
Mason County Central girls take it to Hesperia in WMC basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – Although it was still a bit on the sloppy side for the host Mason County Central girls basketball team, the Spartans dominated the game with Hesperia, cruising to a 55-11 victory Thursday night. The game was played in the West...
Shelby’s quick start too much for Muskegon Catholic in girls’ basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com SHELBY - The Shelby girls basketball team used a hot first half to overpower Muskegon Catholic Central, 49-23, on Thursday evening. The Tigers took control early with a 21-1 scoring run in the first quarter and a 12-7 advantage in the second...
Daggett sparks Whitehall to one-sided basketball victory over Orchard View
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - Lexi Daggett put up 20 points to help lead the Whitehall girls' basketball team to a 55-21 WMC-Lakes victory over Orchard View on Thursday. The Vikings’ Clare Westerlund scored 12 points, while Sidney Shepherd and Peyton Schultz each...
Spring Lake swimmers dominant in victory over Ludington
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - The highly ranked Spring Lake boys swimming team won 10 of 12 events in a 112-71 victory over Ludington on Thursday. “Tonight was a great chance to see the team swim many off-events and be successful,” said Spring Lake coach Mick...
Oakridge bowlers capture two victories in Ludington
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON - The Oakridge bowling squads cruised to victory over Ludington on Thursday. The girls won 23.5-6.5 and the boys won 22-8. Bella Bowen led the girls with games of 163 and 197, while Breanna Twining added 174 and 172. Courtney Bowen...
Holton wins a pair from Whitehall in bowling action on Wednesday
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Holton bowling teams had a whole lot of success on Wednesday against Whitehall. The Red Devil boys won, 28-2, and the girls won, 23-7. Holton was led by Jace Crosby with games of 178 and 165. Marcus Newell had a 177. Whitehall was...
Fremont outlasts Muskegon Heights through two OTs in boys’ hoops
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT - The Fremont boys' basketball team finished on top in a thrilling 57-51 double-overtime win over Muskegon Heights on Wednesday. The Packers opened with a 9-0 run but slowed down significantly to edge out the Tigers 11-9 in the first...
Montague wins back-and-forth battle with Ravenna in boys’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - The Montague boys' basketball team rallied back to take down Ravenna 59-52 in a non-conference game on Wednesday night. The Wildcats held the advantage early and rolled into the second quarter with a 17-10 lead. However, the momentum...
Washington’s 31-point night leads Jayhawks to league victory over Delta
LocalSportsJournal.com UNIVERSITY CENTER - The Muskegon Community College Jayhawks and Delta College had no trouble putting up big numbers on Wednesday. And when the final buzzer sounded, the Jayhawks had a 96-92 road victory over the Pioneers. MCC trailed 50-46...
Davis, Lundquist spark Lady Jayhawks to league victory over Delta College
LocalSportsJournal.com UNIVERSITY CENTER - The Muskegon Community College Lady Jayhawks made the trek east to take on the Delta College Pioneers on Wednesday night. The trip turned out to be quite successful as the Lady Jayhawks returned with an 80-64 victory over...
Mona Shores sweeps by Muskegon on Wednesday in bowling match
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores bowling teams took care of Muskegon on Wednesday. The Sailor boys defeated Muskegon 29-1. Derek Kern led Mona Shores with a 233 and 244 for a 477 series. Skyler Bosch had a 167 and 233 for a 400 series. The Sailor girls were led...
Coopersville comes out on top versus Oakridge in girls’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Oakridge girls' basketball team fell to Coopersville 50-31 on Wednesday evening. The Eagles trailed 13-9 after the first quarter and dropped further behind as they rolled into half-time down 28-14. In the third quarter, the Eagles...
Montague wrestlers grab tight win over Hesperia and lopsided victory over Ludington
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON - The Montague wrestling team finished 2-0 in a quad match on Wednesday. The Wildcats edged Hesperia 40-38, and blew by host Ludington 78-6. “I’m incredibly proud of our young group of wrestlers," Montague coach Kristoffer Maddox said....
Ravenna keeps on rolling, takes down Ludington in girls’ bowling
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON - The Ravenna girls' bowling team routed Ludington 29-1 at Stix Bowling Center Wednesday to remain perfect on the season. Taylor Nutt led the way with games of 183 and 195, while Gabby Nutt threw in a 181 and 188. Emma Herremans had...
Oakridge bowlers bulldoze Montague
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Oakridge bowling team cruised by Montague in a 2-0 sweep at Sherman Bowling Center on Wednesday. The girls won 26-4, and the boys won 28-2. The Eagles’ Breanna Twining led the girls with games of 157 and 189. Bella Bowen added a...
Whitehall clips Ravenna in girls’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - The Whitehall girls' basketball team edged out Ravenna 37-34 on Tuesday night. The Vikings’ Lexi Daggett led all scorers with 16 points. Care Westerlund posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Whitehall (7-4 overall,...
Ludington overcomes early deficit, claims victory over neighboring Mason County Central
LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – As the old adage goes, it's not how you start, but where you finish that counts and that certainly proved true for the Ludington girls' basketball team Tuesday night. The Orioles made the short bus ride down US-10 to Scottville...
Hot start propels Kent City boys to victory over Newaygo; Vanderwest leads four in double-digit scoring
LocalSportsJournal.com NEWAYGO - The Kent City boys basketball team blew by Newaygo, 76-53, on Tuesday evening. The Eagles set the tone early, making five 3-pointers in the first quarter to build a 27-12 lead they owned the rest of the game. The Eagles had four...
Free throws key Western Michigan Christian’s non-league victory over host Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com HART - The Western Michigan Christian boys' basketball team traveled to Hart on Tuesday night and used solid free-throw shooting to earn a hard fought 55-45 non-league win over the Pirates. The Warriors jumped out to a 16-12 first-quarter lead...
Mona Shores boys win fourth straight; Bledsoe reaches 1,000-point plateau for Sailors
LocalSportsJournal.com JENISON - The Mona Shores boys basketball team notched their fourth consecutive victory with a 56-42 victory over Jenison in OK-Green play on Tuesday. Jordan Bledsoe etched his place in the Sailors’ record book as he reached the 1,000-point...
Woiteshek, Sorrelle lead the way in Grand Haven girls’ victory over Grandville
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND HAVEN - Mallory Woiteshek scored 20 points, pulled down eight rebounds and dished out seven assists to lead the Grand Haven girls’ basketball team to a 55-36 win over Grandville on Tuesday night. The Bucs led 17-15 at the end of the first...
Chalk up a league victory for the Reeths-Puffer girls’ basketball team
LocalSportsJournal.com BYRON CENTER - The Reeths-Puffer girls basketball team secured their first OK-Green victory of the season on Tuesday night. The Rockets edged Byron Center, 37-35. Byron Center led 13-7 after the first quarter, but the Rockets evened the score in...
White Cloud loses big on its trip to Big Rapids, 56-35
LocalSportsJournal.com BIG RAPIDS - White Cloud traveled to Big Rapids on Tuesday and dropped its matchup, 56-35, in boys' basketball action. The Indians. missing a starter due to injury, were led by Brady Strait with 10 points. Coleson Cruzan scored nine points and...
Muskegon Big Reds make quick work of host Caledonia in OK-Green matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com CALEDONIA - The Muskegon Big Reds came back strong after suffering their first defeat of the season over the weekend. On Tuesday night, the Big Reds dismantled host Caledonia 74-20 in an OK-Green contest. The Big Reds led 17-7 after one quarter...
Four players reach double figures in Grand Haven boys’ victory over Grandville
LocalSportsJournal.com The Grand Haven boys' basketball team put four players in double figures and used a strong second half to take down Grandville 70-66 in an OK-Red matchup on Tuesday. Will Plummer was the glue that held the Bucs together as he scored seven of...
Spring Lake’s balance on offense keeps Zeeland West winless
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake boys’ basketball team gutted out a 50-46 win over winless Zeeland West on Tuesday night. The Lakers trailed 15-8 after the first quarter before going on a 14-5 second-quarter run to take a 22-20 lead at halftime. Spring Lake...
Newaygo girls battle all night long, earn victory over Kent City, 37-31
LocalSportsJournal.com KENT CITY - The Newaygo girls basketball team rallied from a slow first half and took down Kent City, 37-31, on Tuesday night. “I am so proud of how the team fought and battled tonight,” said Newaygo coach Nathan Thomasma. “We didn't shoot the...
It was a rough night for the White Cloud girls in loss to Big Rapids
LocalSportsJournal.com BIG RAPIDS - The White Cloud girls basketball team struggled with Big Rapids' athleticism and lost, 35-15, on Tuesday. The Indians played well defensively, but couldn’t get things going on offense. By the fourth quarter, the Indians were down...
Mona Shores girls earn home victory over Jenison, 39-28
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Mona Shores girls’ basketball team took care of business on Tuesday and defeated Jenison 39-28. The Sailors led 10-6 at the end of the opening quarter, 22-13 at halftime and 31-15 through three quarters of play. Laynie...
Derdowski provides spark in Western Michigan Christian girls’ victory over Orchard View
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - Western Michigan Christian's Abigail Derdowski had her best game of the season in the Warriors' 61-37 win over Orchard View in a non-league girls basketball matchup on Tuesday. Derdowski scored nine points in the second quarter...
Grant boys remain undefeated with resounding victory over Central Montcalm
LocalSportsJournal.com The Grant boys’ basketball team remained unbeaten with an overwhelming 72-24 win over Central Montcalm on Tuesday night. Ethan DeLong paced the Tigers with 19 points, while Sincere Hatch scored 15, Zaiden Phillips had 12 and Jack Swanson chipped...
Fremont falls to Evart in non-league girls’ basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fremont girls’ basketball team struggled against a physical Evart squad, falling 54-39 on Tuesday night. The Packers led 11-9 after the first quarter, but trailed 26-19 at the half. Fremont was behind 45-27 heading into the final quarter....
Freshman Lillmars lights it up in Fruitport’s league victory over Godwin Heights
LocalSportsJournal.com WYOMING - The Fruitport boys basketball team grew their OK-Silver winning streak to four, thanks in part, to a 26-point performance from Dexter Lillmars on Tuesday evening. “Lillmars stepped up big time tonight,” said Fruitport coach Steve Erny....
Richards’ big night helps Muskegon Catholic whip Holton, snap losing streak
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - Bradley Richards had another huge night for the Muskegon Catholic Central boys' basketball team to help snap their losing streak on Tuesday. Richards posted a double-double of 35 points, including 32 in the first half, and 14 rebounds...
Shelby girls earn non-league basketball victory over Potters House
LocalSportsJournal.com SHELBY - The Shelby girls basketball team took down Potters House Christian, 44-29, on Tuesday evening. The Tigers edged out Potters House 12-8 in the first quarter and led 21-15 at halftime. A 13-5 third-quarter scoring advantage allowed the...
North Muskegon’s offense kicks into gear in second half of victory over Oakridge
LocalSportsJournal.com A strong second half helped keep the North Muskegon boys’ basketball team unbeaten as they defeated Oakridge 70-48 on Tuesday in a WMC contest. After a 17-all tie at the end of the first quarter, Oakridge went on an 11-8 second-quarter run to...
Ludington boys fall to Cadillac in non-conference basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON – Cadillac methodically pulled away from host Ludington for a 57-45 non-conference boys basketball victory Monday night. The Orioles trailed 15-12 at the end of the first quarter and then were outscored 14-10 by the Vikings in the...
Oakridge and Orchard View bowling teams go 1-1 on Monday
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Oakridge bowling teams split a match with cross-town rival Orchard View on Monday. The girls were taken down 22-8, and the boys routed the Cardinals 29-1. Breanna Twining led the girls with games of 104 and 182. Courtney Bowen had...
Pentwater boys have tough time in non-conference basketball matchup at Onekama
LocalSportsJournal.com ONEKAMA – The Pentwater boys basketball team traveled to Onekama for a non-league matchup and lost, 60-44, Monday night. Both teams had similar records coming in. The Portagers built a narrow 24-20 lead at the end of the first half thanks...
Mason County Central earns a pair of wrestling victories over Orchard View, Manistee
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – The Mason County Central wrestling team swept a makeup double-dual match with Orchard View and Manistee Monday night. The match was held in Scottville on Parents Night. In the opening match of the night, the...
Holton, Fremont split bowling match at Northway Lanes on Monday
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Fremont boys and the Holton girls captured bowling victories on Monday in a match at Northway Lanes. The Packer boys had a solid start to the match and took all 10 baker game points. That led to a 21-9 victory over the Red Devils....
Grand Haven girls’ basketball hands Forest Hills Northern first loss
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND RAPIDS - The Grand Haven girls' basketball team upset Forest Hills Northern and handed them their first loss of the season on Monday evening. The Bucs started slow, but quickly picked up the pace and came away with the 51-37 victory. After...
Oakridge rallies for win over Hart in boys’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Oakridge boys' basketball team bounced back from a 10-point first-quarter deficit to defeat Hart 62-59 on Monday night. The Eagles were down 23-13 after the first quarter, but outscored the Pirates 16-3 in the second to take a...
Fremont boys’ basketball edged by Big Rapids
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT - The Fremont boys' basketball team fell to Big Rapids 50-43 on Monday evening. The Packers were down 17-13 after the first quarter and 22-17 by halftime. They trimmed the deficit to four points after the third quarter, but the comeback...
Baldwin beats Shelby in boys’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com SHELBY - The Shelby boys' basketball team dropped a non-conference game 44-34 against Baldwin on Monday. Eli Kelley led the Tigers with nine points, four rebounds, three steals and a block. Leighton Belasco added seven points and four rebounds,...
Muskegon Community College wrestling picks up two wins
LocalSportsJournal.com DOWAGIAC - The Muskegon Community College wrestling team picked up a pair of wins in the James Judd Duals at Southwestern Michigan College on Sunday. The Jayhawks dominated Grand Valley State University Wrestling Club 48-6, and edged out Harper...
Montague and Ravenna split bowling spoils Monday
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Montague bowling team went 1-1 against Ravenna at Northway Lanes on Monday. The Wildcats’ girls were swept 30-0, and the boys breezed by the Bulldogs 27-3. Jordyn Tolan led the Wildcats with games of 126 and 125, while Alanna...
Determined Lumberjacks capture decisive Sunday afternoon victory over Youngstown
By Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - It looked like the Muskegon Lumberjacks were determined to get at least one win during this three-game weekend home series. The Lumberjacks overcame a four-goal deficit on Friday, but still lost in a shootout, then on...
Muskegon Voyagers claw their way to overtime victory over host Waterford on Saturday night
LocalSportsJournal.com WATERFORD - The Muskegon Voyagers took their show on the road Saturday night and brought home a 6-5 overtime victory over the host Waterford Sharks. Zach Grover scored the game-winning goal at 2:40 of overtime to push the Voyagers' record to...
Grant’s Russo crowned 126-pound champion at Sparta Wrestling Invitational
LocalSportsJournal.com SPARTA - Grant's Alex Russo captured the 126-pound weight class title on Saturday at the Ron Helmbolt Sparta Invitational on Saturday. The event attracted 16 teams, including some of the top programs in the area. Russo defeated opponents from...
Jayhawk men open conference schedule with rout of Alpena, 82-51
LocalSportsJournal.com ALPENA - The Muskegon Community College Jayhawk men's basketball team kicked off conference play in style on Saturday. On their home court, the Jayhawks blasted Alpena Community College, 82-51. The MCC defense limited Alpena to 26 percent...
Montague girls hit the mat at Northview; Pelton celebrates 100th career victory
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND RAPIDS - The Montague girls wrestling team competed in the Northview Invitational on Saturday. Ava Pelton was winning, 11-2, in the finals, but was caught with a pin and finished runner-up. Zania Meza wrestled her way to a third-place...
Spring Lake swimmers finish third in mid-season invitational
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake boys swim team finished third with a score of 255 in the Division 3 Invitational on Saturday. Holland Christian secured the top spot with 460 points and East Grand Rapids finished runner-up with 390. “This was great to assess how...
Grand Haven finishes winless in two games in Konrad hockey showcase
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Grand Haven Bucs hockey team opened its play in the 35th annual Stan Konrad Hockey Showcase with matchups against Canton and Midland on Friday and Saturday at Lakeshore Sports Centre in Muskegon. The Buc fell on Friday to an 8-7...
Reeths-Puffer finishes weekend undefeated in Konrad hockey showcase
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - Reeths-Puffer was the lone area hockey team to go undefeated in this weekend's 35th Annual Stan Konrad Hockey Showcase, which was hosted by Mona Shores. The Rockets went 2-0 with wins on Friday over Brimingham Unified and the FNV...
Mona Shores earns Saturday night win over South Lyon in Stan Konrad Hockey Showcase
LocalSportsJournal.com There was one place to be in West Michigan for high school hockey on Friday and Saturday, the 35th Annual Stan Konrad Hockey Showcase. A total of 10 teams hit the Lakeshore Sports Centre ice for the event hosted by Mona Shores. The Sailors were...
Mona Shores remains composed down stretch, defeats Zeeland East on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Mona Shores boys basketball team secured their third straight win on Saturday afternoon. The Sailors hosted Zeeland East and came away with a 56-48 non-conference victory. “The team is finally starting to get healthy and...
Muskegon Big Reds fall to Brother Rice by double digits at hoop classic
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND RAPIDS - The Muskegon Big Reds tasted defeat for the first time this season on Saturday at the Gotta Get It Hoop Classic. Muskegon, playing its second game in two days, lost to the Brother Rice Warriors, 66-50. Muskegon fell to 8-1 and...
Bruised and battered Lumberjacks fall to Youngstown on home ice, 4-3
By Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Lumberjacks do not make excuses when they don't get the job done, but it is awfully tough to win when you have six players out of your lineup. The Lumberjacks were without forwards Kurt Gurkan, Chase Stefanek...
Lady Jayhawks reach 100-point mark in rout of Alpena on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com A two-week break did the Muskegon Community College Lady Jayhawks some good. On Saturday, the Lady Jayhawks destroyed Alpena Community College, 100-46. MCC led by 28 at the half. Tyvi Davis finished with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists...
Grant girls overcome slow start to post league victory over Reed City
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANT - The Grant girls basketball team powered through a sluggish first quarter to capture a 35-27 CSAA-Red victory over Reed City on Friday evening. The Tigers were outscored 10-2 in the first quarter, but managed to pull within two, 16-14, by...
Manistee boys rally for league victory over visiting Montague
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – It's been a tough season for the Manistee boys basketball team, and in particular senior point guard Kaden Kott, who has been scuffling to make his 3-point shot. Kott didn't even take a shot from beyond the arc...
Pentwater jumps out quickly and never looks back in rout of Mason County Eastern
LocalSportsJournal.com PENTWATER – It was one of those nights for the Pentwater boys' basketball Friday when the team chemistry showed up big time, resulting in a lopsided 84-20 win over Mason County Eastern in the West Michigan D League. With its stifling defense...
Muskegon Community College women finish fourth, men come in sixth in Jayhawk bowling invitational
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The bowling teams from Muskegon Community College hosted a tournament on Friday at Northway Lanes. The Lady Jayhawks finished sixth in the 10-team tournament while the men came in sixth. Bianca Kammers led the MCC women with a 530...
Fruitport continues hot start to season with victory over NorthPointe Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fruitport Trojans earned a hard-fought victory over NorthPointe Christian on Friday night in boys' basketball action. A 17-6 scoring spurt put the Trojans up by five, 24-19, at the half. Fruitport led 38-36 heading into the final...
Balanced attack carries Montague girls to victory over host Manistee
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – Three players scored in double figures as the Montague girls basketball team pulled away from Manistee in the fourth quarter for a 51-44 win Friday night in Manistee. The Wildcats successfully rebounded from a...
Quick start propels Ludington girls to lopsided victory over host Orchard View
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON – Ludington took control of the game early and rode it all the way to a convincing 56-20 win over host Orchard View in the West Michigan Conference Lakes Division Friday night. After racing into the half with a 24-8 lead, the...
Muskegon wins battle of two of the state’s top teams; Big Reds knock off Byron Center, 63-49
By Melvin Lane LocalSportsJournal.com BYRON CENTER - The Muskegon Big Reds hit the road for their first true game away from home for a key conference game against Byron Center. In the end, the Big Reds kept their undefeated record intact with a 63-49 victory over the...
Mona Shores boys hang on for two-point victory over rival Reeths-Puffer
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Mona Shores boys basketball team held off a pesky Reeths-Puffer squad and escaped with a tight 55-53 OK-Green victory on Friday. The Sailors had opportunities to put the game away, but the Rockets showed resilience and...
Carlson, Vanderwest spark Kent City boys to CSAA victory over White Cloud
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITE CLOUD - Tanner Carlson and Aaron Vanderwest helped lead the Kent City boys' basketball team to a 55-39 CSAA-White victory over White Cloud on Friday evening. Carlson scored 22 points and snagged seven steals, while Vanderwest posted his...
Holton girls win WMC battle against North Muskegon, 46-40
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLTON - The Holton girls basketball team held on after a back-and-forth second half to take down North Muskegon, 46-40, on Friday evening. The Red Devils went into halftime with a 21-15 lead, but the Norse opened the third quarter with five...
Thompson leads red-hot Whitehall to rout of Fremont in WMC action
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT - The Whitehall boys basketball team stretched their WMC-Lakes winning streak to five games with a 74-33 victory over Fremont on Friday. Camden Thompson was again a key contributor for the Vikings with a double-double of 27 points, 11...
Clemence pours in 34 points in Fremont girls’ big victory over Whitehall
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT - Mia Clemence had another huge night to help Fremont snap Whitehall’s four-game winning streak on Friday evening. Clemence racked up 34 points, eight rebounds, seven steals and four assists in the Packers’ 78-42 WMC-Lakes victory. The...
Ruel becomes Oakridge’s all-team scoring leader in victory over Western Michigan Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com Peyton Ruel is the new career points king for the Oakridge boys' basketball program. The senior guard scored 13 points in the Eagles' 66-45 win over visiting Western Michigan Christian on Friday night. Ruel's career points total is now at 1,033,...
Sorrelle, Woiteshek combine for 39 in Grand Haven’s league victory over Hudsonville
LocalSportsJournal.com HUDSONVILLE - The Grand Haven girls' basketball team got big games from Gillian Sorrelle and Mallory Woiteshek to secure their first OK Conference-Red win of the season on Friday night. The Bucs took down Hudsonville, 57-36. Hudsonville led...
Spring Lake boys falls to hot-shooting Zeeland East in conference matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com ZEELAND - The Spring Lake boys basketball team couldn’t overcome a hot handed Zeeland East on Friday. The Lakers fell short, 70-64, in the OK Conference-Black game where Zeeland East scored on a dozen 3-pointers. Both defenses opened strong as...
Lady Big Reds’ balance too much for Byron Center to handle
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon girls basketball team used a balanced scoring attack in its 59-37 O-K Green win over Byron Center on Friday night. Muskegon used a 21-point third quarter to build on its 25-17 halftime lead for a 46-29 edge to start the...
Muskegon Lumberjacks erase four-goal deficit, battle to shootout loss and earn a point in the standings
By Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - Sometimes it's hard to believe the Muskegon Lumberjacks team are the youngest team in the United States Hockey League. The Lumberjacks are not only one of the best teams in the league, but they also find ways not to lose...
Grand Haven falls behind early, nearly battles back before falling to league foe, Hudsonville
LocalSportsJournal.com Grand Haven nearly turned around a rough start in its 71-66 O-K Red loss to Hudsonville on Friday night. The Bucs scored 24 points in the fourth quarter, but couldn't recover from a 10-point first quarter and 9-of-16 shooting from the...
Mona Shores defeats Reeths-Puffer on night Sailors retire Jordan Walker’s jersey
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Mona Shores girls basketball team earned a 44-32 OK-Green victory over Reeths-Puffer on Friday. The Sailors had a 24-12 lead by halftime and they maintained that lead as both teams put up 20 points in the second half. As part...
Grant boys rack up another victory, this time against league foe, Reed City
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANT - The Grant boys basketball team overwhelmed Reed City, 77-27, in a CSAA-Red matchup on Friday. The Tigers had 10 players find their way into the scorebook to help the team remain undefeated on the season. "We hit all of our team marks...
Newaygo boys suffer double-digit league loss at Big Rapids
LocalSportsJournal.com BIG RAPIDS - It wasn't a good night for the Newaygo boys' basketball team on Friday night. The Lions traveled to Big Rapids and suffered a 70-54 loss at the hands of the Cardinals in a CSAA-Red matchup. Big Rapids took a big lead early, and...
Hart posts lopsided boys’ basketball victory over Hesperia in WMC matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com HART - The Hart boys basketball team blew by Hesperia, 77-37, in WMC-Rivers play on Friday night. The Pirates edged out the Panthers, 17-12, in the first quarter, but grew their lead to 41-24 by halftime and never turned back. The Pirates’ Caleb...
Newaygo girls dealt league loss at the hands of host Big Rapids
LocalSportsJournal.com BIG RAPIDS - The Newaygo girls' basketball team was handed its first CSAA-Red loss of the season on Friday night. The Lions found themselves down 23-11 at halftime against Big Rapids and couldn’t recover and lost, 45-30. “Big Rapids dictated the...
Comeback falls short for Muskegon Catholic boys in scrap with Zion Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Catholic Central boys' basketball team battled back from a 23-12 halftime deficit but fell short to Zion Christian, 48-44, in the Alliance League opener on Friday. "We had a very slow start in the first half against a...
North Muskegon boys remain unbeaten after one-sided victory over Holton
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLTON - The North Muskegon boys basketball team dominated Holton in a 74-22 victory on Friday to remain the only team undefeated in the WMC-Rivers standings. The Norse jumped out to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter then outscored the Red...
Kent City girls pull away from White Cloud in second half of league matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITE CLOUD - The Kent City girls basketball team put away White Cloud, 53-28, for their third straight CSAA-White victory of the season on Friday. The Eagles had a 13-8 lead after the first quarter and 25-18 by halftime. The Indians were...
Hart girls overwhelm Hesperia in WMC-Rivers matchup on Thursday night
LocalSportsJournal.com HART - The Hart girls basketball team preserved their perfect WMC-Rivers record with an 85-4 rout over Hesperia on Thursday. The Pirates led 30-4 after the first quarter and 54-4 by halftime. Reese Smith led the way for the Pirates with 15...
Chalk up a league basketball victory for the Mason County Eastern girls
LocalSportsJournal.com BALDWIN – The Mason County Eastern girls' basketball team traveled to Baldwin for a West Michigan D League game Thursday night and came away with a 51-29 blow out win. Eastern came out a bit sluggish in the first quarter and permitted the...
Mason County Central boys take down visiting Shelby in WMC matchup; VanderHaag hits for 20
LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – Mason County Central rebounded from a close loss in its last game with a dominating 56-36 win over visiting Shelby in the West Michigan Conference Rivers Division on Thursday night. Cole VanderHaag fired in 20 points to lead the...
Ludington boys take control early, cruise to victory over Orchard View in WMC matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON – Ludington's boys basketball team rebounded from an overtime loss earlier in the week with a 67-39 West Michigan Conference Lakes Division win over visiting Orchard View Thursday night. The Orioles established early control over...
Spring Lake girls capture lopsided victory over Grant in non-league basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANT - The Spring Lake girls basketball team cruised by Grant, 50-20, in a non-conference game on Wednesday night. The Lakers outrebounded the Tigers, 22-7. Tessa Britt led the Lakers with 11 points, five rebounds and a steal in just 10 minutes...
Lakeshore Badgers climb above the .500 mark with victory over East Kentwood
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – It was a tie game after the first period before the Lakeshore Badgers co-op ice hockey team scored three unanswered goals in the second and eventually overwhelmed East Kentwood, 8-3, on Wednesday night. The game...
Pentwater travels to White Cloud and hands the Indians a 55-49 loss
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITE CLOUD – The Pentwater boys basketball team traveled to White Cloud for a major non-conference test Tuesday night and pulled off a 55-49 upset. Pentwater had a hot hand from beyond the 3-point line to start the game, with Trey Johnson...
Reeths-Puffer sweeps by Mona Shores in Wednesday bowling match
LocalSportsJournal.com Reeth-Puffer enjoyed a solid day on the lanes on Wednesday and swept Mona Shores in both the boys and girls events. The Rocket boys defeated the Sailors 17-13 and the girls won 23-7. Skyler Bosch led Mona Shores with games of 234 and 181 for a...
Mona Shores hockey uses late rally to take down GR Kenowa Hills
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores hockey team had to rely on patience and a fury of last-minute goals to take down Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills on Wednesday night. The Sailors scored three goals in the final three minutes to top the Knights 4-2 at Lakeshore Sports...
Oakridge bowling team blows out Whitehall
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Oakridge boys' and girls' bowling teams breezed by Whitehall at Northway Lanes on Wednesday. The boys won 28-2, and the girls won 26-4. Russell Slocum led the boys with games of 212 and 208. Zackary Lockhart added games of 174 and...
Montague grapplers win twice on Wednesday
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Montague wrestling team swept a meet at Orchard View on Wednesday. The Wildcats cruised by Mason County Central 60-24, and then defeated host Orchard View 59-21. “It was a great total team effort tonight,” Montague coach...
Fremont bowlers win home battle against Ludington
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT - The Fremont bowling team swept Ludington at Fremont Lanes on Wednesday. The boys' team rolled to a 28-2 rout and the girls' squad won 26-4. Gavin Payne led the boys with games of 224 and 183. Eli Hertel added a 178 and Carter Rottman...
Ravenna girls’ bowling defeats Orchard View
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Ravenna girls' bowling team rolled over Orchard View 25-5 on Wednesday to stay perfect on the season. The Bulldogs’ Taylor Nutt led the way with games of 190 and 196. Gabby Nutt added a 130 and a 216, while Emma Herremans added...
Hart girls’ basketball stays undefeated in league play after big win over Ravenna
LocalSportsJournal.com HART - The Hart girls' basketball team took control of its conference on Tuesday after topping a Ravenna squad that was only allowing 25 points a game. The Pirates battled to a 62-42 victory and extended their WMC-Rivers win streak. The Pirates...
Ludington hits the road, earns conference victory over Montague, 44-36
LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE – The Ludington girls basketball team stung Montague 44-36 in the West Michigan Conference Lakes Division on Tuesday night in Montague. Ludington took a 14-8 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Wildcats rallied in the...
McQuarter’s hot hand lifts Orchard View boys to their third straight victory
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – Orchard View trailed by nine points midway through the third quarter, but then Demontae McQuarter went to work. McQuarter knocked down the first of his four 3-pointers in the game and the Cardinals rallied at...
Dugener scorches the nets for 30 in North Muskegon’s victory over host Ludington
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON – North Muskegon had to work overtime Tuesday night to preserve its undefeated record on Tuesday night. But in the end, the Norse captured a 61-49 victory over Ludington in a West Michigan Conference cross over win that featured...
Daggett sparks Whitehall to fourth straight victory as Vikings’ triumph over Manistee
LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – Lexi Daggett scored 19 points to lead all scorers Tuesday night as the Whitehall girls' basketball team turned back host Manistee, 37-27, in the West Michigan Conference Lakes Division. It was the Vikings fourth straight win. ...
Pentwater girls edged out by Bear Lake in battle for first place in West Michigan ‘D’
LocalSportsJournal.com PENTWATER – In a battle of West Michigan D League unbeatens Tuesday night, the Pentwater girls' basketball team fell to Bear Lake, 34-31 in Pentwater. Bear Lake outscored the Falcons 6-4 in the first quarter and held a 18-13 lead at the...
Muskegon Community College men turn up the defensive pressure in victory over Community Christian College
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The losing streak is over for the Muskegon Community College Jayhawk men after a 76-69 victory over Community Christian College on Tuesday night. The Jayhawks did it with a solid defensive effort on their home court. MCC limited...
Whitehall’s tandem of Koehler, Thompson lead Vikings to big victory over Reeths-Puffer
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - Whitehall’s Kal Koehler and Camden Thompson let their presence be known in a convincing, 66-43, win over Reeths-Puffer on Tuesday. Koehler put up 24 points, three rebounds and a steal, while Thompson posted a double-double of 19...
Kent City outlasts Fremont to claim non-league victory in boys’ basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com KENT CITY - The Kent City boys basketball team overcame a slow start to top Fremont, 60-48, on Tuesday evening. The Packers took a 13-7 first-quarter lead, but the game became a 20-all standoff at halftime. The Eagles controlled the second half...
Phillips soars to 31 points in Grant’s victory over Hart on Tuesday night
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANT - Zaiden Phillips had a hot hand that helped the Grant boys' basketball team tally their seventh straight win on Tuesday. Phillips racked up 31 points in an 81-69 win over Hart. The Tigers were sluggish early as the Pirates quickly jumped...
Western Michigan Christian boys pull out intense victory over Muskegon Catholic, 53-51
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - Rivalries bring out the intensity in boys basketball matchups and the battle between Western Michigan Christian and Muskegon Catholic brought it on Tuesday night. The host Warriors matched up with MCC and the Crusader's All-State...
Johnson leads Muskegon Big Reds to boys’ basketball victory over Hudsonville
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Big Reds secured their seventh straight victory to start the season on Tuesday night. Muskegon (7-0) defeated Hudsonville, 63-56. Keashaun Johnson had the hot hand for the Big Reds with 23 points. Johnson scored 15 in the first...
Third-quarter surge pushes Shelby’s girls to victory over North Muskegon
LocalSportsJournal.com The Shelby girls’ basketball team went on a 17-1 third-quarter run, which led to a 51-23 win over North Muskegon on Tuesday. The game was tied 11-11 after the opening quarter and the Tigers led 23-16 at halftime before going on the 17-1 run that...
Mona Shores’ 1-2 punch of Pittman, Bledsoe spark Sailors to road win over Grandville
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANDVILLE - The Mona Shores boys’ basketball team led by Jonathan Pittman and Jordan Bledsoe, came away with a 64-48 road win over Grandville on Tuesday night. The Sailors were led by Pittman with 20 points and nine rebounds while Bledsoe...
Western Michigan Christian girls battle back for victory over Muskegon Catholic
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - It is not who jumps out to an early lead who gets the worm in basketball. It's the team that has the lead at the end of the game. Western Michigan Christian girls' basketball was on the right side of the lead on Tuesday night in...
Montague cruises right from the start in boys’ victory over Newaygo
LocalSportsJournal.com NEWAYGO - The Montague boys basketball team led from start to finish to capture its second victory of the season on Tuesday evening. The Wildcats led 44-24 after the first two quarters and went on to down Newaygo, 71-42. “No secret that we had a...
Stephenson leads the charge in Oakridge’s victory over Shelby
LocalSportsJournal.com The Oakridge boys’ basketball team cruised past Shelby 69-43 on Tuesday night. Bryson Stephenson led the Eagles with 20 points, while Evan Jozsa scored 13 and Evan Miller had 12. Peyton Ruel chipped in nine and Logan Huston scored eight....
Fruitport’s boys notch another victory, this time over Hopkins, 48-39
LocalSportsJournal.com HOPKINS - The Fruitport Trojans hit the boards hard on Tuesday night and defeated host Hopkins, 48-39. Fruitport snared 21 rebounds on the offensive end of the court, and along with a strong defensive effort, claimed the victory. "I hope we...
Holton girls roll over Hesperia in WMC basketball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com The Holton girls’ basketball team made a season-high six 3-point baskets in a 56-16 win over Hesperia on Tuesday night. The Red Devils led 26-3 at the end of the first quarter, 42-5 at halftime and 52-10 through three quarters. Eight different...
Fremont grabs early lead, cruises to girls’ basketball victory over Oakridge
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT - The Fremont girls basketball team took the lead early and never looked back in a dominating 70-17 victory over Oakridge on Tuesday evening. The Packers led 27-3 after the first quarter and 39-10 at halftime. The Packers held the...
Mona Shores girls use strong fourth quarter to earn basketball victory over Grandville
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANDVILLE - The Mona Shores girls basketball team fought off Grandville for a 42-35 victory on Tuesday. The Sailors held a slight 19-18 lead by halftime, but swapped the lead with Grandville and trailed 30-29 with a quarter to play. The Sailors...
Manistee boys use stellar defense to turn back Hesperia in hardcourt matchup
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – Although its shooting woes continued, the Manistee boys' basketball team kept up its stout defense and was able to turn back visiting Hesperia, 54-41 on Monday night. The Mariners managed to sink only 22-of-58...
Lakeshore Badgers trail early, fall to Kalamazoo Loy Norrix in prep hockey action
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – For the second straight night, the Lakeshore Badgers co-op ice hockey team dug itself a first-period hole and couldn't climb out of it, losing to Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 8-4 Saturday in Scottville. Playing...
Holton can’t keep pace with Fennville in boys’ basketball
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLTON - The Holton boys' basketball team fell to Fennville 55-35 in a non-conference game on Monday. The Red Devils’ Keon McMillan put up 15 points and Peyton Russell scored 11 points. Seth McMillan added eight points. Holton (1-7 overall, 0-4...
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Grand Haven boys finish eighth at Division 1 state cross country finals; Hammond finishes fifth
Nov 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com BROOKLYN - The boys from Grand Haven captured eighth place in Saturday's Division 1 cross country state finals. The meet, which was run at Michigan International Speedway, fea READ MORE
Sachs leads West Ottawa girls to third-place finish at Division 1 cross country state meet
Nov 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com BROOKLYN - The girls from Holland West Ottawa ran a strong race on Saturday at the Division 1 state cross country finals. The... READ MORE
Spring Lake finishes ninth, Ludington 12th in Division 2 girls cross country state finals
Nov 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com BROOKLYN - The girls from Spring Lake finished in the top 10 in Saturday's Division 2 state cross country finals. The Lakers,... READ MORE
Fremont boys claim a top 10 finish at the Division 2 cross country state finals
Nov 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com BROOKLYN - The Fremont Packer boys captured a top 10 finish in Saturday's Division 2 cross country state finals. Fremont fini... READ MORE
West Michigan Conference honors its all-league competitive cheer team
Mar 15, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart competitive cheer squad finished on top of the West Michigan Conference with a district title this season. Here are the final standings and first-team selections for READ MORE
Reeths-Puffer takes eighth place at MHSAA Competitive Cheer State Finals
Mar 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com MOUNT PLEASANT - The Reeths-Puffer Rocket competitive cheer team capped off their season on Saturday with an eighth-place fini... READ MORE
North Muskegon earns eighth-place finish at competitive cheer state final meet
Mar 01, 2024 By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com MOUNT PLEASANT - To say this season was a dream come true for the North Muskegon competitive cheer team would b... READ MORE
Mona Shores competitive cheer takes home OK-Green title
Feb 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Mona Shores competitive cheer team hosted the OK Conference-Green finals on Thursday. The Sailors fin... READ MORE
Spring Lake’s Zoe Dull certainly is a student of the game of golf
Nov 18, 2024 *This article originally appeared in the LSJ's October/November magazine, click here to see the PDF By Jon Styf LocalSportsJournal.com Spring Lake’s Zoe Dull finished her high school golf car READ MORE
Dull leads Spring Lake to sixth-place finish at Division 2 state golf finals
Oct 19, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake Laker girls' golf team finished in a tie for sixth place at this weekend's Division 2 two-day MHSAA state golf... READ MORE
Area golf teams, individuals set for state finals competition
Oct 17, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com The area will be well represented this weekend when the Michigan High School Athletic Association hosts its four girls' state ... READ MORE
Reeths-Puffer makes it back-to-back GMAA golf titles with victory at White Lake Golf Club
Oct 14, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - The Reeths-Puffer Rockets' golf team hadn't won an event the entire season. That all changed on Monday as the Roc... READ MORE
Muskegon Risers ambushed in fourth quarter, fall to St. Louis
Dec 29, 2024 By Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Risers had a tough mountain to climb, hosting a team that has already scored 56 goals in just three games. The Risers managed to keep READ MORE
Five area soccer standouts garner first-team all-state honors; four from WMC, one from Fruitport
Nov 13, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com The area's most successful soccer teams during the season also landed the most players on the all-state teams. The teams... READ MORE
Freshman nets lone goal as Western Michigan Christian pulls off ‘three-peat’ with another Division 4 state soccer title
Nov 02, 2024 By Jason Goorman LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND LEDGE - When high school athletes wrap up their careers, the student body often chants, "thank you, ... READ MORE
Western Michigan Christian headed back to soccer state finals after narrow 1-0 victory over Calvin Christian
Oct 31, 2024 By Jason Goorman LocalSportsJournal.com KENTWOOD - Sometimes after the hard work put into winning a big game, all it takes is a trickle and a roll... READ MORE
Spring Lake swimmers dominant in victory over Ludington
Jan 17, 2025 LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - The highly ranked Spring Lake boys swimming team won 10 of 12 events in a 112-71 victory over Ludington on Thursday. “Tonight was a great chance to see the tea READ MORE
Spring Lake swimmers finish third in mid-season invitational
Jan 12, 2025 LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake boys swim team finished third with a score of 255 in the Division 3 Invitational on Saturday. Holland Christi... READ MORE
Spring Lake tops the competition at its swimming and diving invitational
Jan 07, 2025 LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - The Spring Lake boys' swim and dive team won its home invitational for the fifth year in a row with a sc... READ MORE
Ludington swimmers claim fourth place at Spring Lake Invitational
Jan 05, 2025 LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE – The Ludington swim team competed in the Spring Lake Invitational on Saturday and took fourth place behind Spri... READ MORE
Whitehall, Holland West Ottawa gearing up for run at state tennis title
Oct 17, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com Two area teams will be battling for state tennis titles in the Michigan High School Athletic Association finals. In Division 1, Holland West Ottawa will be after a team title READ MORE
Grand Haven finishes fourth at Division 1 tennis regional
Oct 11, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND - The Grand Haven boys' tennis team earned a fourth-place finish in the Division 1 regional tennis tournament on Thurs... READ MORE
Reeths-Puffer finishes in fourth at Division 2 tennis regional, Mona Shores takes seventh
Oct 10, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com Reeths-Puffer and Mona Shores boys tennis teams traveled to the Division 2 regional at Forest Hills Northern on Wednesday. ... READ MORE
Whitehall tennis falls to Big Rapids
Oct 08, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com Big Rapids 6, Whitehall 2 Singles No. 1 - Carson Coles, Big Rapids def. William Burger, Whitehall, 6-2, 6-2 No. 2 - Ari... READ MORE
Grand Haven boys finish eighth at Division 1 state cross country finals; Hammond finishes fifth
Nov 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com BROOKLYN - The boys from Grand Haven captured eighth place in Saturday's Division 1 cross country state finals. The meet, which was run at Michigan International Speedway, fea READ MORE
Sachs leads West Ottawa girls to third-place finish at Division 1 cross country state meet
Nov 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com BROOKLYN - The girls from Holland West Ottawa ran a strong race on Saturday at the Division 1 state cross country finals. The... READ MORE
Spring Lake finishes ninth, Ludington 12th in Division 2 girls cross country state finals
Nov 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com BROOKLYN - The girls from Spring Lake finished in the top 10 in Saturday's Division 2 state cross country finals. The Lakers,... READ MORE
Fremont boys claim a top 10 finish at the Division 2 cross country state finals
Nov 02, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com BROOKLYN - The Fremont Packer boys captured a top 10 finish in Saturday's Division 2 cross country state finals. Fremont fini... READ MORE
