MOST RECENT ARTICLES
Here are the volleyball pairings for next week’s district tournaments involving area teams
LocalSportsJournal.com Here are the pairings for the volleyball district tournament, which starts next Monday at various sites throughout the area. Information courtesy of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. DIVISION 1 - COOPERSVILLE Monday Coopersville vs....
Oakridge claims three-set sweep over Hart on Senior Night
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Oakridge volleyball team finished the regular season with a narrow three-set victory against Hart for Senior Night on Tuesday. The Eagles edged out the Pirates, 25-22, 27-25 and 25-21. “Tonight, we honored our seniors,” said...
Regular season ends with two losses for Muskegon Catholic volleyball team
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball team finished the regular season with a pair of losses in a tri-match on Tuesday. The Crusaders fell to Kenowa Hills (14-25, 16-25, 19-25) and Sacred Heart (7-25, 23-25). Molly Caughey led the...
Mona Shores wins two of three volleyball matches in Tuesday quad
LocalSportsJournal.com COOPERSVILLE - The Mona Shores volleyball team went 2-1 at a quad match on Tuesday. The Sailors beat Ludington (25-10, 25-10) and East Grand Rapids (25-14, 25-22), but lost to host Coopersville (16-25, 25-20, 13-15). Grace Allen led the Sailors...
Hamilton spikes Spring Lake
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - The Spring Lake volleyball team was edged out by Hamilton (25-23, 25-20, 25-13) in an OK Conference-Black match on Monday evening. “Unfortunately, we gave up seven point leads in the first two sets,” said Spring Lake coach Edward...
Packers earn volleyball title with a game in hand
MUSKEGON - The Fremont volleyball team clinched an outright West Michigan Conference-Lakes title with a two-match sweep of the conference championship on Saturday. The Packers opened with a win against Whitehall (25-15, 25-17), then took down Ludington (25-14, 25-22)...
Dates, times announced for area’s 10 high school football teams in the MHSAA playoffs
LocalSportsJournal.com A total of 10 high school football teams in the Local Sports Journal's coverage area earned spots in this week's MHSAA playoffs. Based on playoff points, Mona Shores, Mason County Central, Newaygo and North Muskegon will host first-round games....
Ten area football teams earn spots in the MHSAA playoffs
LocalSportsJournal.com A total of 10 high school football teams in the Local Sports Journal's coverage area earned spots in this week's MHSAA playoffs. First-round games will be played Friday or Saturday. Dates and times for specific games will be announced on Monday...
North Muskegon’s performance in league volleyball tournament nets Norse tie for WMC title
LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE - The North Muskegon volleyball team made a perfect 3-0 sweep in the West Michigan Conference-Rivers tournament on Saturday to tie with Shelby for first place in the conference. The Norse topped Holton (25-16, 25-8), Hart (25-17,...
Whitehall captures third place at WMC volleyball tourney
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Whitehall volleyball team capped off the regular season with a third-place finish in the West Michigan Conference-Lakes tournament on Saturday. It was also a milestone day for Whitehall coach Ted Edsall as he reached the 1,000-win...
Muskegon Catholic volleyball wins one of four matches at Alliance tournament
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball team finished the Alliance League tournament 1-3 on Saturday. The Crusaders got a win against Wellspring Prep (25-11, 25-11), but fell to Zion Christian (22-25, 10-25), West Michigan Aviation...
Team effort carries Grand Haven to sweep of volleyball quad on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND HAVEN - The Grand Haven volleyball team was a perfect 3-0 in a quad match on Saturday on its home court. The Bucs didn’t drop a single set all day with wins against Forest Hills Central (25-15, 25-13, 25-16), Dewitt (25-12, 25-15, 25-16)...
Muskegon Lumberjacks gain 4-1 victory in the friendly confines of Trinity Health Arena
By Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Lumberjacks didn’t want their fan base to wait too long to see them win on home ice. The Jacks, who opened the season playing nine straight games away from Muskegon, suffered a disappointing setback on Friday...
Focused Fruitport captures OK-Silver volleyball tournament title
LocalSportsJournal.com KELLOGGSVILLE - The Fruitport volleyball team took home the OK-Silver title with a clean sweep at the conference tournament on Saturday. “For the last three weeks, we have been laser-focused, seeking rematches against key opponents we faced...
Ludington cranks up its offense in lopsided victory over Tri-County in regular-season finale
LocalSportsJournal.com HOWARD CITY – It was another long night for the Ludington football team Friday, but in a positive way as the Orioles rolled up a big 51-31 season-ending blowout of Howard City Tri County on the road. Any doubt whether the Orioles would make...
Hart no match for playoff-bound Central Montcalm in regular-season finale
LocalSportsJournal.com CENTRAL MONTCALM – Hart's football team dug itself a 38-0 hole from which it could not climb out and lost a 40-16 non-conference game to Central Montcalm in the regular season finale Friday night. Kolton Rockwell completed 3-of-9 passing for...
Holland West Ottawa, Grand Haven claim top two spots at cross country regional; earn state finals berths
LocalSportsJournal.com ALLENDALE - The Holland West Ottawa girls' cross country team turned in a dominating performance on Saturday and ran away with the Division 1 regional title. The Panthers finished with 32 points, far ahead of runner-up Grand Haven (81 points)...
Villalpando’s big return swings momentum in North Muskegon’s win over Oakridge
LocalSportsJournal.com Classic high school football dog fights are what fall is all about in west Michigan. North Muskegon and Oakridge had just the battle in a give-and-take West Michigan Conference matchup on Friday night. The Norse had to dig deep to hold off the...
Grand Haven boys cruise into Division 1 cross country state finals with second-place finish at regionals
LocalSportsJournal.com ALLENDALE - The Grand Haven boys track team claimed second place in Saturday's Division 1 regional cross country meet. The meet, at Allendale, finished with Jenison and Grand Haven tied with 44 points. Jenison won the tiebreaker based on the...
Fruitport soccer suffers regional final shootout loss to Forest Hills Northern
LocalSportsJournal.com CEDAR SPRINGS - Hearts will break when there's a matchup between evenly talented teams, especially when it is a "winner take all" tournament clash. The Fruitport Trojans' undefeated soccer team found itself just in such a situation on Saturday...
Western Michigan Christian girls win D3 regional cross country title; Warriors put three in top 10
LocalSportsJournal.com ALLENDALE - Three Western Michigan Christian Warriors finished in the top 10 in Saturday's Division 3 girls' regional cross country meet. That pushed the Warriors to the regional title and a spot in next Saturday's state final meet at Michigan...
Mason County Central upends Manistee, awaits news on playoff berth
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – After posting its historic eighth victory of the season with an exciting 36-22 decision over non-conference rival Manistee at home Friday night, the Mason County Central football team now prepares for the...
Three area teams compete in Division 4 girls’ cross country meet at Allendale
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY DIVISION 4 AT ALLENDALE TEAM SCORES 1, Gobles 26; 2, Martin 57; 3, Fowler 60; 4, Holland Calvary Christian 83; 5, St. Joseph Our Lake of the Lake Catholic 129; Holton 142. HOLTON: 28, Sophia Morrell, 24:40.24; 31, Aubrey Goyings, 24:53.32; 35,...
Western Michigan Christian boys, led by Morse, earn berth in Division 3 state cross country finals
LocalSportsJournal.com ALLENDALE - Western Michigan Christian senior Matthias Morse took first place in Saturday's Division 3 regional cross country meet. Morse toured the course in 16:02.79 and led the Warriors to a second-place finish and a berth in next weekend's...
Mason County Eastern claims fifth place at Division 4 girls cross country regional meet
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY DIVISION 4 GIRLS REGIONAL MEET AT BENZIE CENTRAL TEAM SCORES 1, Bear Lake-Onekama 61; 2, Grand Traverse Academy 69; 3, Buckley 77; 4, Maple City Glen Lake 90; 5, Mason County Eastern 96; 6, Leland 96. MASON COUNTY EASTERN: 9, Lucy Shoup, 20:22.89;...
Cruzan leads White Cloud boys to berth in Division 4 state cross country finals
LocalSportsJournal.com ALLENDALE - White Cloud, led by Coleson Cruzan, earned a second-place finish in the Division 4 regional boys' cross country meet on Saturday morning. White Cloud finished second with 73 points. Holland Calvary Christian was the team champion...
Mason County Eastern boys captures Division 4 regional cross country crown
LocalSportsJournal.com BENZIE - The Mason County Eastern Cardinals' boys will be running in the Division 4 state cross country finals next week. The Cardinals won the Division 4 regional crown on Saturday at Benzie Central. MCE finished with 55 points and tied with...
Montague whips Ravenna, now waits to see if it’s enough to make the playoffs
By Scott VanSickle LocalSportsJournal.com RAVENNA - Montague and Ravenna came into Friday’s regular-season finale as losers of three of their last four games, one spot out of playoff contention in their respective divisions and in desperate need of a win to keep their...
Fremont boys heading to Division 2 state cross country finals after third-place regional finish
LocalSportsJournal.com BENZIE - The Fremont Packers gained a spot in next weekend's Division 2 cross country final meet thanks to a third-place finish in Friday's regional at Benzie Central. Gladwin won the meet with 91 points, followed by Cedar Springs with 100 and...
Muskegon Heights slides by Fennville in regular-season finale of 8-man football
LocalSportsJournal.com FENNVILLE - The Muskegon Heights Academy football team held off Fennville, 34-30, to finish the 2024 regular season on Friday. After being outscored in the first quarter 8-0, the Tigers began to find the end zone and rolled into halftime with a...
Muskegon Big Reds outmatched against out-of-state power Cincinnati Moeller, 52-27
By Melvin Lane LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - A season filled with highs and lows for the Muskegon Big Reds ended in defeat against nationally-Ranked Ohio power Archbishop Moeller Crusaders, 52-27. In the first half, the Big Reds did make things a bit interesting...
Muskegon Lumberjacks’ long awaited home opener results in loss to Chicago
By Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Lumberjacks faithful waited a very long time to see their hockey team in action as they opened the season playing their first nine games away from the Trinity Health Arena. Muskegon finally returned home on...
Spring Lake, Ludington girls earn berths in Division 2 cross country state final meet
LocalSportsJournal.com BENZIE - The Spring Lake Lakers claimed the top spot in Friday's Division 2 regional cross country meet. The Lakers finished atop the team leaderboard with 79 points, two ahead of runner-up Ludington with 81. Both teams, plus Cadillac, qualified...
Grand Haven’s football season ends with 20-point loss to league foe Jenison
LocalSportsJournal.com JENISON - The Grand Haven football team's season came to an end with a 34-14 OK-Red loss to Jenison on Friday evening. The Bucs went down 27-7 by halftime and couldn’t recover. Andrew Willemsen led the Bucs’ production on offense with 242...
Whitehall falls to red-hot Portland in final game of the gridiron regular season
LocalSportsJournal.com PORTLAND - The Whitehall football team took a tough 49-7 loss to Portland to end the regular season on Friday night. The Vikings were down 21-0 after the first two quarters and got their lone score in the fourth quarter from Hunter Osborne on...
Newaygo overcomes Fremont with a pair of second-half touchdowns
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT - Newaygo's Porter Slominski had a big night to help close out the regular season with a 21-14 comeback win over Fremont on Friday night. The Packers had an edge at the end of the first quarter with a 68-yard touchdown run from Karter...
Robinson leads the White Cloud charge in big victory over Holton
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLTON - Jayden Robinson accounted for five touchdowns and helped the White Cloud football team wrap up the season with a 48-20 victory over host Holton on Friday. Robinson opened the action with an 80-yard kick return for a touchdown, threw for...
Second-quarter uprising propels Kent City to victory over Grant
LocalSportsJournal.com KENT CITY – It was an explosive second quarter in Kent City Friday night. The host Eagles entered the second quarter down a point, but outscored the Grant Tigers 22-7 in the second stanza on their way to a 34-14 win. Andre Mead started the...
Muskegon Catholic’s running game sputters in loss to Schoolcraft
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON – Schoolcraft limited Muskegon Catholic to negative rushing yardage enroute to a 36-14 victory over the host Crusaders on Friday night. MCC put together two scoring drives to inch its way back into the game, but Schoolcraft's balanced...
Mona Shores falls from the ranks of the unbeaten with one-point loss to Ohio powerhouse
By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - Playoff-style football arrived a week early for the Mona Shores Sailors. The Sailors, who came into the final week of the regular season 8-0, hosted Toledo Central Catholic at Sailor Stadium. And while the Sailors...
Hart Pirates claim a spot in the cross country state finals after regional runner-up finish
LocalSportsJournal.com BENZIE - The Hart Pirate girls qualified for the Division 3 cross country state finals after a runner-up finish on Friday in the regional meet. The Pirates are joining the Hart boys, which also qualified for the finals earlier in the day at...
Kent City loses to NorthPointe Christian, defeats Greenville in volleyball tri-match on Thursday
LocalSportsJournal.com KENT CITY - The Kent City volleyball team split a tri-match at home on Thursday evening. The Eagles narrowly dropped a three-set match to Northpointe Christian (18-25, 26-24, 13-15) but took down Greenville (25-15, 25-14). Laynee Hoffman led the...
West Ottawa falls behind early, succumbs to Hudsonville, 47-15
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND – The visiting Hudsonville Eagles put it on the Panthers early and cruised to a 47-15 victory over Holland West Ottawa. Hudsonville scored the game's first six touchdowns. Hudsonville did its damage on the ground, rushing 42 times for...
Spring Lake’s rushing attack proves to be too much to handle for Allendale
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE – The Spring Lake Lakers dominated the ground game Friday night, compiling six rushing toucdowns enroute to the 46-16 win over Allendale. Spring Lake rushed for 271 yards and wore down the Falcons late. The Lakers scored the final...
Week 8 High School Football Leaderboard
LocalSportsJournal.com The 2024 football stats leaders are in and the numbers are exciting to read. Here is the football leader boards for passing, receiving, rushing and defense through Week 7.
Hart boys earn spot in the Division 3 state cross country finals after runner-up finish at regionals
LocalSportsJournal.com BENZIE - The Hart boys' cross country team qualified for the Division 3 state finals meet based on its second-place finish in Friday's regional meet at Benzie Central. Hart finished with 73 points for its runner-up finish. Host Benzie Central...
Western Michigan Christian avenges earlier loss, knocks off No. 2-ranked Leland for Division 4 regional title
LocalSportsJournal.com CADILLAC - Playing a tough regular-season schedule isn't the challenge every team seeks. When it comes to preparing for postseason action, the Western Michigan Christian boys soccer squad had all the tests it needed to set up its chances for...
In a five-set match, Oakridge edged out by Sparta in non-league volleyball action
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Oakridge volleyball team fell in a close five-set battle against Sparta, 18-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-19, 12-15, in a non-conference match on Thursday. The Eagles’ Avery Willea led the offense with 17 kills, while Gracie Willea added...
Reeths-Puffer swept by Jenison in league volleyball match
LocalSportsJournal.com JENISON - After a tight first set, the Reeths-Puffer volleyball team slowed down and dropped an OK-Green match against Jenison, 21-25, 11-25, 8-25, on Thursday evening. Alissa Klopp led the Rockets with seven kills, one ace, three digs and a...
Western Michigan Christian sweeps by Shelby, Montague in volleyball tri-match
LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - The Western Michigan Christian volleyball team won both sets in a tri-match on Wednesday. The Warriors battled and edged out Shelby, 25-20, 13-25, 25-20, and Montague, 24-26, 25-16, 25-20. “It was an overall good day for us,” said WMC...
Mona Shores cruises to lopsided volleyball victory over Muskegon
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Mona Shores volleyball team routed Muskegon, 25-4, 25-6, 25-10, in an OK-Green matchup on Thursday. The Sailors’ Elena Reister led the way with 16 aces and 10 assists. Maddie Russell added six kills and Kyli Geoghan had five...
Netcott reaches milestone in Montague’s volleyball tri-match on Wednesday
LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - The Montague volleyball team’s Jordan Netcott reached the 1,000 career mark for digs in a home tri-match on Wednesday. The Wildcats went 1-1 with a close loss to Western Michigan Christian (26-24, 16-25, 20-25) and a win against...
We’ve reached ‘Michigan vs. Ohio’ week, but this time it’s in the high school ranks
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com This is the final week of the regular season, and it’s a bit of the bizarro world. The in-state battles will take place on Saturday, in college football, with Ferris at Grand Valley and then Michigan State at Michigan. It’s on...
Lady Turtles co-op swimming team turns in big night in win over OK rival Holland
LocalSportsJournal.com The Lady Turtles co-op swim team made its meet extra special for seniors Cambree Bowen, Elise Bradley, Susie Van Baale, Emily Zheng and Coach Kim Arnold on Tuesday night. The Turtles team turned in some of their top times of the season and...
Kent City drops two volleyball matches in tri-match at Whitehall
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - Kent City traveled to Whitehall on Tuesday for a volleyball tri-match and dropped both contests. In the first match, Whitehall defeated Kent City 14-25, 25-22, 15-11. In the second match, Shelby defeated Kent City 25-20, 25-19. The...
Fremont takes care of Cedar Springs, Morley-Stanwood in volleyball tri-match
LocalSportsJournal.com CEDAR SPRINGS - The Fremont volleyball team won both matches in a tri-match on Tuesday. The Packers edged out host Cedar Springs, 25-23, 25-23, and Morley-Stanwood, 20-25, 25-17, 15-13. Mia Clemence had 12 kills, two aces and 10 digs. Averi...
Spring Lake takes down Holland Christian in league volleyball match
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND - The Spring Lake volleyball team outlasted Holland Christian, 25-9, 19-25, 25-15, 25-23 in OK-Black play on Tuesday. “Once we settled down and started to play our game, we were competitive with Holland Christian,” said Spring Lake coach...
Reeths-Puffer falls to Byron Center in OK-Green volleyball match
LocalSportsJournal.com BYRON CENTER - The Reeths-Puffer Rockets had a rough night on the volleyball court on Tuesday night and lost to Byron Center in three sets. The Rockets lost 25-11, 25-10, 25-15 in an OK-Green match played at Byron Center. "Overall, our defense...
Western Michigan Christian shuts out Harbor Springs, next up is rematch with Leland in Division 4 regional final
LocalSportsJournal.com When a team keeps itself under control in a must-win game, good things eventually happen. Western Michigan Christian boys soccer had to maintain its composure in the Division 4 regional semifinals against Harbor Springs at Cadillac High School...
Fruitport battles back for Division 2 regional soccer victory over Marquette
LocalSportsJournal.com GAYLORD - The Fruitport boys soccer team’s journey down the tournament trail continued on Tuesday night with a 4-2 victory over Marquette in the Division 2 regional semifinal game. The action was back and forth through the first 20 minutes of...
Upset special: Mona Shores volleyball knocks off highly ranked Jenison in volleyball
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Mona Shores volleyball team took down No. 6 state-ranked Jenison in an OK-Green, four-set thriller on Tuesday. The Sailors started slow and dropped the first set, but pulled together to edge out Jenison the rest of the way,...
Weber surpasses milestone in Grand Haven’s volleyball sweep of East Kentwood
LocalSportsJournal.com KENTWOOD - The Grand Haven volleyball team’s Sara Weber became the ninth player in program history to surpass 2,000 career assists in a convincing three-set win over East Kentwood on Tuesday. Weber and the Bucs cruised to the OK-Red victory,...
North Muskegon captures three volleyball victories in quad match
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANDVILLE - The North Muskegon volleyball team finished 3-0 in a competitive quad match at Calvin Christian on Tuesday. The Norse went 3-0 with wins against host Calvin Christian (23-25, 25-22, 15-11), Zion Christian (25-20, 25-17) and Kenowa...
Scores from Tuesday night’s boys soccer regional semifinals; Pairings for regional title games
BOYS SOCCER REGIONALS Four area boys' soccer teams headed into regional action on Tuesday night with the regional semifinals. DIVISION 1 - GRANDVILLE Tuesday Byron Center 2, Grand Haven 1 Portage Central 3, Traverse City West 0 Finals Thursday Byron Center vs. Portage...
Four area soccer teams brace for regional action this week
BOYS SOCCER REGIONALS Four area boys' soccer teams head into regional action on Tuesday night with the regional semifinals. DIVISION 1 - GRANDVILLE Tuesday Grand Haven vs. Byron Center, 5 p.m. Portage Central vs. Traverse City West, 6:45 p.m. Finals Thursday, 6 p.m....
Muskegon Voyagers unleash its potent offense in 15-3 victory in home opener
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - Ryan Gamber needed just one game to ink his name into the Muskegon Voyagers' record book. In his first game with the Voyagers, Gamber scored three goals and dished out five assists for a franchise-record eight points in the team's...
Mona Shores earns third straight GMAA volleyball crown with five-set victory over Fruitport
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Mona Shores volleyball team collected their third straight GMAA title at Reeths-Puffer on Saturday. The Sailors went five sets with Fruitport after dropping the first two in the championship round and battled back to win, 15-25,...
Muskegon Lumberjacks win third straight, now prepare for long awaited home opener
LocalSportsJournal.com ANN ARBOR - The Muskegon Lumberjacks completed their first weekend sweep of the season on Saturday with a 4-0 win over the Under-17 Team USA squad. The Lumberjacks will finally head back home for their first game at Trinity Health Arena on...
Dull leads Spring Lake to sixth-place finish at Division 2 state golf finals
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 finals at The Meadows on the campus of Grand Valley State University. Dull shot identical rounds of 73 for a 146 total...
It was another explosive offensive night as Manistee rolls over Montague
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – Just one week after crushing Shelby under an avalanche of points, the Manistee football team unleashed its growing offensive firepower against Montague and blasted the Wildcats, 65-32 in its final home game Friday...
Spring Lake, led by Alexis Kotkowicz, wins Mel Hall Cross Country Invitational girls’ race
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - The host Spring Lake Lakers ran away with the team title in Saturday's girls race in the Mel Hall Cross Country Invitational. Spring Lake's five runners totaled 32 points, easily outdistancing the field, which included Detroit...
Ruel wins boys’ individual race at Mel Hall Cross County Invitational; Country Day wins team title
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - Oakridge senior Peyton Ruel led the pack and won the Mel Hal Cross Country Invitational on Saturday at Spring Lake High School. Ruel completed the course in 16:50.38, just ahead of two Detroit Country Day runners who finished...
Mona Shores wins eighth straight with shutout victory over rival Reeths-Puffer
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The visiting Mona Shores Sailors are one victory away from a perfect regular season. On Friday night, the Sailors traveled to Reeths-Puffer and handed the host Rockets a 40-0 defeat. Mona Shores caps the regular season next Friday at...
Fruitport loses fourth-quarter lead, game to Holland, 27-23
LocalSportsJournal.com FRUITPORT - The Fruitport Trojans lost a fourth-quarter lead on Friday night and fell to Holland, 27-23. The host Trojans led 23-15 before the Dutch stormed back with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to claim the victory. Fruitport (2-6) will host...
Game gets away from Grand Haven in the second half against state-ranked Rockford
LocalSportsJournal.com ROCKFORD - The Grand Haven football team dropped an OK-Red matchup, 49-14, against state-ranked Rockford on Friday evening. The Bucs trailed just 21-14 after the first two quarters, but the Rams came out of the break swinging with a 21-0 scoring...
Muskegon Heights’ road trip results in lopsided loss to Middleton-Fulton
LocalSportsJournal.com MIDDLETON - The Muskegon Heights Academy football team struggled to find the end zone in a 56-0 loss to Middleton-Fulton on Friday night. The Tigers found themselves down 24-0 after the first two quarters. Ja’Marion Taylor led the Tigers with...
Youthful Western Michigan Christian blanks North Muskegon for Division 4 district soccer title
By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - Western Michigan Christian boys' soccer coach Ben Buursma is enjoying watching his young Warrior team grow up right before his eyes. While the Warriors do have solid leadership, it's the influx of underclassmen that...
It was a rough night for Holland West Ottawa in lopsided loss to Grandville
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANDVILLE – The Grandville Bulldog ground game overpowered West Ottawa Friday night and delivered a 38-3 win in O-K Red competition. Despite a slow start, Grandville did not let up, feeding the running backs 42 times out of their 45 offensive...
Thompson-led Vikings run over Fremont in a West Michigan Conference gridiron clash
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT – The visiting Whitehall Vikings rallied off seven straight touchdowns in the first three quarters en route to the 47-6 West Michigan Conference win over Fremont Friday night. Camden Thompson had himself a night. The Whitehall...
It was a heartbreaking loss for Muskegon against highly ranked Byron Center
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com BYRON CENTER - Muskegon coach Shane Fairfield couldn’t have asked for more effort than the Big Reds gave on Friday night. The Big Reds - playing at senior-laden Byron Center, which is ranked No. 3 in the state in Division 2 - went...
Balanced attack carries Muskegon Lumberjacks to victory over Team USA, 7-2
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Lumberjacks had seven different players find the back of the net as they exploded offensively in a 7-2 win over the Under-17 Team USA squad on Friday night. The Lumberjacks are now 3-2-3 on the season, good for nine points and...
Spring Lake’s offense explodes for 62 points in rout of GR Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - The Spring Lake football team unleashed a lot of its frustration and snapped a six-game losing streak by beating Grand Rapids Christian 62-28 on Friday night. The Lakers jumped out to a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter,...
Muskegon Catholic’s trip to Centreville results in fourth straight loss
LocalSportsJournal.com CENTREVILLE - The Muskegon Catholic football team dropped their fourth straight game on Friday night, losing 16-8 to Centreville. The Crusaders trailed 8-0 heading into the second quarter before scoring on a 94-yard return on a fumble recovery...
Fruitport’s undefeated league volleyball run ends against Calvin Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com The Fruitport volleyball team lost their first league match of the season, losing to Calvin Christian in a five-set contest on Thursday night. The Trojans lost by scores of 25-15, 21-25, 25-8, 23-25, and 10-15 to fall to 23-10 on the season and...
Spring Lake surges to volleyball sweep over Holland in three sets
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake volleyball squad needed just three sets to beat Holland on Thursday night. The Lakers won by scores of 25-17, 25-16 and 25-15 to improve to 8-18 on the season and 3-7 in conference action. Katherine Penning paced Spring Lake with...
Muskegon Catholic volleyball turns in strong performance, sweeps Grand River Prep in three sets
LocalSportsJournal.com The Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball team made easy work of Grand River Prep, winning by scores of 25-21, 25-21, and 25-15 on Thursday. “The girls did a nice job tonight," said MCC coach Shawn Bectel. "We were able to get everyone some good...
Mona Shores sweeps by Reeths-Puffer in OK-Green volleyball match
LocalSportsJournal.com The Mona Shores volleyball squad cruised to a three-set win over Reeths-Puffer by scores of 25-5, 25-17, and 25-14 on Thursday night. The Sailors were led by Laynie Russell with eight kills and three blocks, while Cece Gappa and Grace Allen each...
Fruitport soccer team captures Division 2 district crown with victory over Reeths-Puffer
LocalSportsJournal.com FRUITPORT - The Fruitport boys soccer team added a Division 2 district title to their dominating run with a 4-1 win over Reeths-Puffer on Thursday. "I'm so proud of our boys to be able to win on our home field and have the community support...
LSJ High School Football Leaderboard through Week 7
LocalSportsJournal.com The 2024 football stats leaders are in and the numbers are exciting to read. Here is the football leader boards for passing, receiving, rushing and defense through Week 7.
Thursday’s district soccer score; Pairing for Friday’s game
BOYS DISTRICT SOCCER Here are the district soccer scores and pairings for boys' teams in the Local Sports Journal coverage area. DIVISION 1 - HUDSONVILLE Wednesday at Hudsonville Final Grand Haven 1, Jenison 0 Grand Haven advances to regional semifinal 5 p.m. Tuesday...
Moyes Memories: Remembering Ray Newman, Muskegon’s forgotten Big Leaguer
By Jim Moyes LocalSportsJournal.com There perhaps has been no other Muskegon area athlete who was remembered less for his outstanding athletic achievements than the late Ray Newman. A 1963 graduate of Muskegon High School, Newman wasn’t just an outstanding high...
Whitehall, Holland West Ottawa gearing up for run at state tennis title
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 after their finish in last week's regional meet. The state finals are...
Area golf teams, individuals set for state finals competition
LocalSportsJournal.com The area will be well represented this weekend when the Michigan High School Athletic Association hosts its four girls' state finals meets. Teams from Spring Lake, Whitehall, Montague and North Muskegon will be vying for state titles in the...
Ludington’s soccer season ends in Division 2 district title game
LocalSportsJournal.com MT. PLEASANT – Ludington's boys soccer team saw its season come to an end Wednesday night with a 3-0 loss to Bay City John Glenn in the Division 2 district final at Mt. Pleasant. But, the score doesn't indicate how close the game actually...
Montague wins district soccer championship over Fremont
LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - The Montague boys' soccer team came out on top of a defensive battle with Fremont in the Division 3 district final on Wednesday evening. Both teams were scoreless at the halftime break and through most of the second half. The...
Kent City volleyball hands share of CSAA White title to Morley Stanwood
LocalSportsJournal.com MORLEY - The Kent City volleyball team fell short in a CSAA White showdown against Morley Stanwood (21-25, 20-25, 19-25) on Wednesday. Kent City and Morley Stanwood now each claim a share to the conference title with a record of 7-1. Maddy...
Warriors fall to Aviators in volleyball action
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND RAPIDS - The Western Michigan Christian volleyball team faced some challenges and fell short in four sets against West Michigan Aviation Academy (20-25, 18-25, 25-20, 19-25) on Wednesday. “Sickness and multiple injuries made it a tough...
No playoffs? Postseason may not include the usual suspects this time around
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com Playoffs? That word, followed by a question mark, requires that you say it in the squeaky, high-pitched voice of then-Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Mora after a loss to the 49ers in the middle of the 2001 season dropped them to 4-6...
North Muskegon knocks off Potter’s House, advances to Division 4 district soccer title game
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The North Muskegon Norsemen advanced to the Division 4 district soccer title game with a 4-1 victory over Potter's House Christian on Wednesday night. The state-ranked Norse (14-4-2) will take on host Western Michigan Christian...
Western Michigan Christian rolls into Division 4 district final with soccer shutout of Ravenna
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - Western Michigan Christian boys soccer cruised past Ravenna in its Division 4 district semifinal opener on Wednesday. The Warriors rallied past Ravenna with a 4-0 shutout win off the 1-2 senior combo of Tekalegn Vlasma and Cole...
Grand Haven holds off Jenison, wins fourth straight Division 1 district soccer title
LocalSportsJournal.com Some teams just know how to get it done. Grand Haven's boys soccer squad showed that on Wednesday night when it captured the school's fourth straight Division 1 district championship with a 1-0 win over Jenison at Hudsonville High School. "It's...
Here are Wednesday’s district soccer scores; Pairings for remainder of the week
BOYS DISTRICT SOCCER Here are the district soccer scores and pairings for boys' teams in the Local Sports Journal coverage area. DIVISION 1 - HUDSONVILLE Wednesday at Hudsonville Final Grand Haven 1, Jenison 0 Grand Haven advances to regional semifinal 5 p.m. Tuesday...
Grand Haven loses three-set battle to highly ranked Rockford in OK-Red volleyball
LocalSportsJournal.com ROCKFORD - The Grand Haven volleyball team kicked off a tough stretch to the end of the regular season with a three-set loss to No. 3 Division 1 Rockford, 15-25, 23-25, 18-25, on Tuesday. “We are beginning the second round of OK Conference-Red...
Muskegon Catholic turns in strong volleyball performance against state-ranked Tri-Unity, falls in three sets
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball team was edged out by No. 7 ranked Division 4 Tri-Unity Christian despite a valiant effort on Tuesday. The Crusaders fell short in the Alliance League matchup, 21-25, 17-25, 21-25. “Despite...
Reeths-Puffer struggles in OK-Green volleyball loss to Caledonia
LocalSportsJournal.com CALEDONIA - The Reeths-Puffer volleyball team dropped three sets, 10-25, 12-25, 10-25, in an OK-Green match against Caledonia on Tuesday. Alissa Klopp had six kills and scored an ace on offense. Hannah Lindstrom threw in three kills, while Maddy...
Spring Lake suffers three-set volleyball setback to Zeeland East
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake volleyball team fell to Zeeland East in a three-set match by scores of 26-28, 12-25 and 23-25 on Tuesday night. The Lakers were led by Katherine Penning with six kills while Aliya Williams, Brianna Kirby, Abbey Rogalski, and...
In five sets, Mona Shores falls to Byron Center in OK-Green volleyball match
LocalSportsJournal.com BYRON CENTER - The Mona Shores volleyball team fell short in a five-set OK-Green battle against Byron Center, 25-19, 19-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-17, on Tuesday. Grace Allen led the Sailors’ offense with 15 kills, followed by Laynie Russell with 12...
Montague sweeps by Oakridge in WMC volleyball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com The Montague Wildcat volleyball team defeated Oakridge in a three-set match on Tuesday night. The Wildcats won 25-13, 25-16, 25-23. Montague was led by Jordan Netcott with 36 digs, 14 service points and four aces. Jaelyn Sundberg had 11 points...
Fruitport steps up, wins district semifinal matchup against rival Spring Lake
LocalSportsJournal.com There was almost a full moon over the Fruitport and Spring Lake boys' soccer Division 1 district semifinal matchup on Tuesday. Almost. The matchup pitted No. 1-ranked Fruitport in a rivalry clash against an unranked Spring Lake team that had...
Here are Tuesday’s soccer district scores; Pairings for games remainder of the week
BOYS DISTRICT SOCCER Here are the district soccer scores and pairings for boys' teams in the Local Sports Journal coverage area. DIVISION 1 - HUDSONVILLE Monday at Hudsonville Jenison 2, Hudsonville 1 Grand Haven 1, Holland West Ottawa 0 Wednesday at Hudsonville...
Shorthanded Ludington swimmers make strong showing at Alma’s double dual
LocalSportsJournal.com ALMA - The Ludington girls' swimming team went into a double dual meet a bit shorthanded, but came out feeling pretty good about their accomplishments. Ludington, with just seven healthy swimmers, lost to Mount Pleasant 102-63 and to Cadillac...
Warriors drown out Squires in key volleyball matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Western Michigan Christian volleyball team edged out Calvin Christian, 25-20, 25-20 and 25-19 on Monday. Abby Leffring led the way with 16 kills, followed by Hannah Heiss with six kills. Madie Folkema chipped in four kills...
Fremont blanks Whitehall in soccer district semifinal
LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - The Fremont boys soccer team blanked Whitehall, 3-0, in the Division 3 district semi-final on Monday. The action was back and forth early on, with the Vikings finding the most opportunities, but Whitehall was not able to capitalize....
Grand Haven tops West Ottawa for third time this season to advance to district finals
LocalSportsJournal.com Beating a team three times in a single season is rarely an easy task for a team to do, especially when tournament time arrives. Grand Haven was reminded of that when it faced Holland West Ottawa in the semifinals of the Division 1...
District soccer scores for Monday night, pairings for remainder of the week
BOYS DISTRICT SOCCER Here are the district soccer pairings for boys' teams in the Local Sports Journal coverage area. Semifinal and final games will be played this week. DIVISION 1 - HUDSONVILLE Monday at Hudsonville Jenison 2, Hudsonville 1 Grand Haven 1, Holland...
Reeths-Puffer makes it back-to-back GMAA golf titles with victory at White Lake Golf Club
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - The Reeths-Puffer Rockets' golf team hadn't won an event the entire season. That all changed on Monday as the Rockets stormed to the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association golf title at White Lake Golf Club. The event was originally...
Berzkalns pops in game-winning goal, Lumberjacks’ losing streak comes to an end
LocalSportsJournal.com DES MOINES, Iowa - Rudolfs Berzkalns’ game-winning goal at the 7:23 mark of the third period snapped the Muskegon Lumberjacks three-game losing streak on Saturday night. Berzkalns’ goal broke a tie against the Des Moines Buccaneers as the Jacks...
Oakridge musters just one field goal in football setback at Belding
LocalSportsJournal.com BELDING - The Oakridge Eagles had a rough night in its road game at Belding on Friday night. Belding captured a lopsided 30-3 victory. The only points for the Eagles came on a 47-yard field goal by Edwardo Aldrete late in the first quarter to...
Grant falls to tough Reed City team in CSAA Gold matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com Grant football took a tough 40-6 loss on the road to Reed City (5-2, 3-1) on Friday night in a CSAA Gold matchup. The Tigers fell behind quickly, trailing 13-0 after the first quarter and 33-0 by halftime. The lone touchdown for Grant arrived on...
Records fall in Manistee’s rout of Shelby in gridiron matchup
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – Manistee successfully rebounded from a one-point loss to Ludington with a dominating 62-14 non-conference football win over visiting Shelby for homecoming Friday night before a capacity crowd. It was a record...
Western Michigan Christian boys capture GMAA cross country crown
LocalSportsJournal.com The Western Michigan Christian boys' cross country team captured the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association title on Saturday. In the race at Rycenga Park, the Warriors finished atop the leaderboard with 48 points. Runner-up Whitehall had 55,...
Western Michigan Christian girls make it back-to-back GMAA titles in cross country
LocalSportsJournal.com The Western Michigan Christian girls cross country team had never won a Greater Muskegon Athletic Association title until last year. Now, they've won two in a row. On Saturday at Rycenga Park, the Warriors captured the team title with 40 points,...
Muskegon Heights suffers big shutout loss to Bridgman in 8-man football
LocalSportsJournal.com BRIDGMAN - The Muskegon Heights Tigers' trip south to Bridgman did not go as planned on Friday night. The Tigers were blanked 54-0 in their 8-man football game. Muskegon Heights trailed 8-0 after one quarter and 40-0 at the half. The Tigers were...
Grand Haven handed decisive setback by East Kentwood in OK-Red football matchup
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND HAVEN - The Grand Haven Buccaneers found the end zone just once on Friday night in a 42-7 loss to East Kentwood. The Bucs fell behind 14-0 at the half and 35-0 after three quarters. The only Grand Haven score came in the fourth quarter on...
Fruitport sputters in gridiron loss to Hopkins, 27-13
LocalSportsJournal.com FRUITPORT - The Fruitport Trojans had a rough night on offense and it resulted in a 27-13 loss to Hopkins on an evening when the Trojans were celebrating Homecoming. The result leaves the Trojans at 2-5 overall, 1-3 in the OK-Silver. Hopkins'...
It was a wild and crazy night as Montague hangs on for a 70-64 victory over Fremont
By Scott VanSickle LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - Points came early and often in Friday’s WMC Lakes Division tussle between Fremont and Montague, and both defensive coordinators certainly left extremely frustrated. The two teams combined for almost 1,150 yards...
Mona Shores blanks Grand Rapids Union to remain unbeaten on the season
LocalSportsJournal.com Mona Shores cruised past Grand Rapids Union in a 48-0 O-K Green win on Friday night. The Sailors rushed out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter and led 35-0 by halftime. Tomarion Steward struck first for Mona Shores on a 28-yard TD run, the...
Kent City ends its losing streak with lopsided victory over White Cloud
LocalSportsJournal.com KENT CITY - The Kent City football team snapped their two-game losing streak on Friday night with a 50-6 victory over White Cloud. The Eagles led 14-6 after the first quarter, scoring on a 1-yard run from Cooper Houtman and a 51-yard touchdown...
North Muskegon claims another WMC football title with shutout victory over Ravenna
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com NORTH MUSKEGON - North Muskegon coach Larry Witham knows he has a plethora of offensive weapons this year, and admits sometimes the hardest part of his job is finding a way to use them all in an organized, effective way. That was...
Muskegon drubs Reeths-Puffer, Fairfield becomes winningest coach in storied Big Red history
By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - On a night Muskegon coach Shane Fairfield became the winningest coach in the storied history of Big Red football, he watched as his team unleashed a 47-7 victory over crosstown rival Reeths-Puffer. Fairfield's 157th victory...
Craner runs wild in Whitehall’s lopsided victory over Ludington
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - Gavin Craner scored four touchdowns to lead the Whitehall football team to a 47-10 win over Ludington on Friday in a West Michigan Conference Lakes division showdown. The Vikings scored the lone first-quarter touchdown on a 3-yard...
West Ottawa succumbs to Rockford on its home turf, 47-15
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND - West Ottawa had its hands full when Rockford came into town on Friday night. The host Panthers lost 47-15 to the Rams. The Panthers started on the right foot with a 34-yard touchdown run by Ruben Esparza for a 7-0 lead in the first...
Third period dooms Muskegon Lumberjacks in road loss to Waterloo
LocalSportsJournal.com WATERLOO, Iowa - The Muskegon Lumberjacks allowed three unanswered third-period goals on Friday night, resulting in a 6-2 loss to the Waterloo Black Hawks. The Lumberjacks are now 1-2-3 on the season, good for five points and seventh place in...
Muskegon Catholic allows late touchdown, falls to Frankfort, 26-24
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - Muskegon Catholic Central found itself on the wrong side of a gut wrenching 26-24 loss to visiting Frankfort for the Crusaders' Friday night homecoming matchup. Holding a 24-20 lead after Bryan Convertini's 6-yard touchdown run with...
Merz sparks Mason County Central to its fourth straight victory
LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE - The Mason County Central football team won their fourth straight game, cruising to a 50-13 win over Hesperia on Friday in a West Michigan Conference Rivers division contest. And it was a huge offensive evening for Peyton Merz, who...
Newaygo falls to Big Rapids in CSAA matchup on Friday night
LocalSportsJournal.com The Newaygo football team dropped their second game of the season on Friday night, falling to Big Rapids 41-20. Blake Kerr went 11-for-18 passing for 112 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Hunter Yearsovich caught three passes for 61...
Hart celebrates homecoming with a decisive victory over Orchard View
LocalSportsJournal.com The Hart Pirates used back-to-back shutout quarters to take down visiting Orchard View in a 44-14 homecoming win on Friday night. The Pirates were in a 8-8 tie after the first quarter then proceeded to outscore Orchard View 28-0 in the second...
Spring Lake falls behind early, drops league football game to host Hamilton
LocalSportsJournal.com HAMILTON - The Spring Lake football team dug themselves a big hole and failed to climb out on Friday night against Hamilton. The Lakers trailed 17-0 at halftime and could not recover, resulting in a 24-14 loss to Hamilton. Owen Smies scored a...
Quick start propels Ludington to lopsided victory in opening game of Division 2 soccer district
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON – The Ludington boys soccer team came out quickly and ran all over Bay City Central, 8-0 Thursday in a game that was ended early because of the mercy rule. The first-round game in the Division 2 district was played at Oriole Field....
Ravenna survives shootout, claims Division 4 soccer victory over Muskegon Catholic
LocalSportsJournal.com Ravenna survived a nailbiter soccer victory over Muskegon Catholic in a game that took two days to complete. In a game that started on Wednesday, and was suspended due to darkness, Ravenna defeated Muskegon Catholic 6-5 in a shootout. The teams...
LSJ High School Football Leaderboard through Week 6
LocalSportsJournal.com The 2024 football stats leaders are in and the numbers are exciting to read. Here are leaders for: Ludington, North Muskegon, Hesperia, Whitehall, Mona Shores, Montague, Reeths-Puffer, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Orchard View, Montague, Spring Lake,...
Hart ends victory drought against Shelby with 1-0 win to open Division 3 district soccer action
LocalSportsJournal.com HART – The Hart boys' soccer had not beaten Shelby since 2017, but the Pirates changed all that on Thursday night. In a Division 3 opening-round game, the Pirates blanked the Tigers 1-0 to move into next week's district semifinal game. The...
Manistee picks up steam, blanks Kingsley in Division 3 soccer district opener
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – The young Manistee boys soccer team has a lot of players who had ever competed in a post-season game, so it was no surprise when they struggled to adjust to the “win or go home” mentality Thursday night. But, once...
Grand Haven finishes fourth at Division 1 tennis regional
LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND - The Grand Haven boys' tennis team earned a fourth-place finish in the Division 1 regional tennis tournament on Thursday. The tournament was hosted by Holland West Ottawa. Rockford and Holland West Ottawa finished tied atop the team...
Western Michigan Christian earns four-set volleyball victory over Covenant Christian
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND RAPIDS - The Western Michigan Christian volleyball team squeezed past Covenant Christian, 25-17, 24-26, 25-23, 25-13, in a non-conference match on Thursday evening. Abby Leffring led the Warriors with 19 kills and four blocks. Madie and...
Muskegon Catholic drops four-set volleyball match to Potter’s House
LocalSportsJournal.com WYOMING - After a win in the first set, the Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball team dropped the next three to drop an Alliance League match against Potter’s House, 25-18, 21-25, 13-25, 12-25, on Thursday. “We started out strong tonight, but...
Reeths-Puffer chalks up a league volleyball victory with sweep of Muskegon
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Reeths-Puffer volleyball team bagged their first OK-Green win of the season over Muskegon (25-6, 25-12, 25-9) on Thursday evening. Alissa Klopp led the way with six kills, three aces and a block. Abby Machinski had three kills,...
Grand Haven earns hard fought, five-set volleyball victory over Grandville
LocalSportsJournal.com The Grand Haven volleyball squad needed all five sets to beat Grandville on Thursday night by scores of 22-25, 25-19, 25-23, 23-25 and 15-6. The Bucs, who are currently in third place in the O-K Red, will play Rockford on Tuesday night. “We had...
Oakridge experiences rough night on the volleyball court in a pair of losses
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTH MUSKEGON - The Oakridge volleyball team dropped both matches of a tri-match on Thursday. The Eagles battled, but lost to Morley Stanwood (10-25, 25-22, 8-15) and host North Muskegon (13-25, 24-26). The Eagles’ Cami Guenthardt had 10 kills...
Spring Lake volleyball defeats Whitehall, falls to Coopersville in tri-match
LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake volleyball squad settled for a split on Thursday night, defeating Whitehall (25-10, 18-25, 25-6, 25-17) then falling to Coopersville (3-25, 18-25, 23-25) in a tri-match. Katherine Penning paced the Lakers with 17 kills, while...
Mona Shores falls in five sets to Caledonia in OK-Green volleyball action
LocalSportsJournal.com CALEDONIA - The Mona Shores volleyball team fell short in a back-and-forth, five-set, loss to Caledonia on Thursday evening. The Sailors were edged out of the OK-Green match, 25-9, 12-25, 28-26, 23-25, 12-15. Grace Allen had 11 kills and 14...
Fruitport has no trouble remaining undefeated in OK-Silver volleyball with victory over Kelloggsville
LocalSportsJournal.com FRUITPORT - The Fruitport volleyball team blew by Kelloggsville Thursday to remain unbeaten in OK-Silver play. The Trojans won, 25-8, 25-4, 25-9. Sadie Haase led with 13 kills and two aces. Gracelynn Olson had six kills, three aces, 24 assists...
Orchard View battles back from deficit to eliminate Tri-County in Division 3 district soccer game
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Orchard View boys soccer team caught fire after a slow first half of the Division 3 district opener to down Tri-County, 6-4, in overtime on Wednesday. The Cardinals went down 2-0 early, but goals from Xander Randall and Jumelendo...
Boys district soccer scores from Thursday night; Pairings set for next week’s district semifinal games
BOYS DISTRICT SOCCER Here are the district soccer pairings for boys' teams in the Local Sports Journal coverage area. Semifinal and final games will be played next week. DIVISION 1 - HUDSONVILLE Wednesday Jenison 5, Grandville 1 Thursday Grand Haven 2, Grand Rapids...
Grand Haven’s strong cross country tradition continues with the likes of Addy Smith, Valerie Beeck
*This article originally appeared in the LSJ's September magazine. To view the magazine PDF, click here. By Nate Thompson LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND HAVEN – Grand Haven’s cross country program may not utilize it as an official motto, but the way the Bucs have been...
Muskegon Lumberjacks head into 2024-25 season with solid nucleus, plenty of optimism
*This article originally appeared in the LSJ's September magazine. To view the magazine PDF, click here. By Dave Hart LocalSportsJournal.com It is hard to believe, but the Muskegon Lumberjacks have entered their 15th season as a member of the United States Hockey...
For the Mahans, being a Muskegon Lumberjack billet family is an annual event
*This article originally appeared in the LSJ's September magazine. To view the magazine PDF, click here. By Jason Goorman LocalSportsJournal.com There is no place like home. Dorothy from Wizard of Oz said that on the silver screen decades ago and it still rings true...
Reeths-Puffer finishes in fourth at Division 2 tennis regional, Mona Shores takes seventh
LocalSportsJournal.com Reeths-Puffer and Mona Shores boys tennis teams traveled to the Division 2 regional at Forest Hills Northern on Wednesday. The Rockets finished in fourth place with 14 points while Mona Shores took seventh with four points. Byron Center captured...
Mr. Norse, Jr: Coach Cody Liverance’s love for North Muskegon shows both in the classroom and on the court
*This article originally appeared in the LSJ's September magazine. To view the magazine PDF, click here. By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com Cody Liverance could easily be labeled Mr. North Muskegon, Jr. Of course, there have been so many great athletes, teachers,...
Montague salutes heroes in pregame ceremony prior to gridiron matchup against Oakridge
*This article originally appeared in the LSJ's September magazine. To view the magazine PDF, click here. By Scott Van Sickle LocalSportsJournal.com Making sure veterans get the support and recognition they deserve has been a personal mission for Jacquie Wood,...
Who is going to win this Friday night? The answer is blowing in the wind
By Tom Kendra LocalSportsJournal.com After a long day of mowing and edging the yard on Sunday, I sat down in the backyard for a glass of wine in a skull glass (my new bride loves Halloween). The wind was howling, which not only messed up my hair, but it cleared the...
Grand Haven’s Livingston earns berth in Division 1 golf state finals; Bucs finish ninth
LocalSportsJournal.com KEWADIN - The Grand Haven Buccaneers will be sending freshman Colbie Livingston to the Division 1 state golf finals after her performance on Wednesday at the regionals. The regionals were played at A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort in Kewadin. Livingston...
Kent City tops White Cloud in conference volleyball
LocalSportsJournal.com KENT CITY - The Kent City volleyball team earned an important three-set CSAA win against White Cloud on Tuesday. “This was a big league game for us to stay on top of the CSAA White with one match left next week,” said Kent City coach Vandy...
Oakridge rally comes up short versus Whitehall
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - The Whitehall boys' soccer team held on to top a rallying Oakridge, 5-3, in overtime in the Division 3 district opener on Wednesday. The Vikings led 3-1 at halftime, but the Eagles buckled down and cut the deficit to push the game...
Lakers blank Knights to extend season
LocalSportsJournal.com SPRING LAKE - The Spring Lake boys' soccer team advanced to the Division 2 district semi-final with a 4-0 win against Kenowa Hills on Wednesday. The Lakers held a 2-0 at halftime and held the pace to the end. Chandler Noorman bagged a hat trick...
Packers blow by Lions in soccer district game
LocalSportsJournal.com FREMONT - Joey Mansfield and Deagan Klimek helped propel the Fremont boys soccer team to an 8-0 win against Newaygo in the opening round of the Division 3 district tournament on Wednesday. Mansfield wrapped up the game with four goals and an...
North Muskegon cruises to district semi berth
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTH MUSKEGON - The North Muskegon boys' soccer team opened the Division 4 district tournament with a bang as they blew by Wellspring Prep, 8-0, on Wednesday. Seven different players recorded goals for the Norse. Oliver Chumley-Jarvis led the...
Boys district soccer schedule: Wednesday results, Thursday pairings
BOYS DISTRICT SOCCER Here are the district soccer pairings for boys' teams in the Local Sports Journal coverage area. Semifinal and final games will be played next week. DIVISION 1 - HUDSONVILLE Wednesday Jenison 5, Grandville 1 Thursday Grand Rapids Union at Grand...
Whitehall golf team, Fruitport’s Mineni qualify for Division 3 state finals
LocalSportsJournal.com WHITEHALL - The Whitehall Vikings finished second to Forest Hills Eastern on Tuesday and qualified for the Division 3 state finals in golf. Fruitport's Mylee Mineni shot a 93 and qualified as an individual. The top three teams and the top three...
Western Michigan Christian earns four-set volleyball victory over Comstock Park
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Western Michigan Christian volleyball team squeezed by Comstock Park, 25-20, 21-25, 25-21, 25-22, on Tuesday. Abby Leffring led the offense with 26 kills and made six blocks. Madie Folkema added 14 kills and 14 digs, while...
Bultema, Fox lead Montague to runner-up finish at Division 4 golf regional, berth in state finals; NM also qualifies
LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - The Montague girls golf team is heading to the Division 4 state finals. The team finished runner-up at Tuesday's Division 4 regional final at Old Channel Trail Golf Club. The Wildcats (386) took second place behind regional champ,...
Muskegon Catholic earns league volleyball victory over Wyoming Lee in four sets
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball team edged Wyoming Lee, 25-19, 25-16, 22-25, 25-20 in Alliance League play on Tuesday. The Crusaders' Molly Caughey led the way with 16 kills and a block. Claire Carlton chipped in 13 kills,...
Oakridge needs four sets to take down Orchard View in WMC volleyball action
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Oakridge volleyball team bested their neighbor, Orchard View, for a West Michigan Conference win on Tuesday. The Eagles got the victory in four sets, 25-12, 25-12, 25-27, 25-14. Gracie Willea had seven kills, seven aces, 18...
Spring Lake golfers qualify for state finals after third-place finish at regionals
LocalSportsJournal.com CEDAR SPRINGS - The Spring Lake Lakers are heading to the Division 2 state golf finals after a strong day on the golf course on Tuesday. The Lakers, led by Zoe Dull, captured third place in the team event with a score of 368. Forest Hills...
Reeths-Puffer has a tough night on the volleyball court against Jenison
LocalSportsJournal.com The Reeths-Puffer volleyball squad struggled Tuesday night in a three-set loss to Jenison by scores of 14-25, 11-25, and 17-25. The Rockets were led by Alissa Klopp with six kills and three blocks, while Makayla Disselkoen had four kills. Maddy...
Mona Shores cruises past Muskegon in Tuesday night volleyball match
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Mona Shores volleyball squad had little trouble on Tuesday night, cruising to a three-set sweep over Muskegon by scores of 25-4, 25-5 and 25-8. Maddie Russell paced the Sailors with seven kills and five aces, while both Kyli...
Manistee finishes ninth at Division 4 regional golf tournament; Traverse City St. Francis wins team title
LocalSportsJournal.com AU GRES - The Manistee Mariners' girls golf team finished ninth at Monday's Division 4 regional golf tournament. The tournament was played at Huron Breeze Golf Course in Au Gres. Traverse City St. Francis, led by medalist Grace Slocum, won the...
Boys district soccer pairings for area teams
BOYS DISTRICT SOCCER Here are the district soccer pairings for boys' teams in the Local Sports Journal coverage area. Games begin Wednesday with pre-district games. Semifinal and final games will be played next week. DIVISION 1 - HUDSONVILLE Wednesday Grandville at...
Hart’s homecoming festivities just got a whole lot better thanks to a scheduled game with Orchard View
LocalSportsJournal.com What is homecoming without a varsity football game? Hart High School had to deal with that dilemma for its Week 7 matchup that was cancelled after Holton pulled the plug on its West Michigan Conference games. The Pirates faithful don't have to...
Trojans add two more wins in volleyball quad
LocalSportsJournal.com CADILLAC - The Fruitport volleyball team went 2-1 at a quad match on Monday. The Trojans posted wins against Midland (19-25, 25-13, 25-7) and Clare (25-15, 26-6), but narrowly fell to host Cadillac (25-17, 19-25, 24-26). Sadie Haase led for the...
Whitehall tennis falls to Big Rapids
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 Ziska, Big Rapids def. Brady Tate, Whitehall, 6-7 (2), 6-0, 10-5 No. 3 - Evan Schuitema, Whitehall def. Carter Smalley, Big...
Fruitport claims conference crown in showdown with Calvin
LocalSportsJournal.com FRUITPORT - The Fruitport boys' soccer team capped off a stellar regular season with a 2-0 win over Calvin Christian in the last round of the OK-Silver conference tournament on Monday evening. The top-ranked Trojans had already clinched the...
Ludington heading into soccer districts after blanking Big Rapids in regular-season finale
LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON – The preliminaries are over. Ludington hosted Big Rapids in its final regular-season boys' soccer game Monday and notched a 2-0 shutout. Now it's time to prepare for the post-season. All of the scoring came in the first half,...
Manistee soccer falls to state-ranked Traverse City St. Francis in regular-season finale
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com MANISTEE – Manistee knew what they were facing going into a game against the state ranked and No. 1 district tournament seed Traverse City St. Francis. St. Francis proved its ranking with a decisive 7-1 boys soccer win over...
Hart dominates Grant in soccer, eyes district opener on Wednesday against rival
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANT – Hart traveled to Grant for its final regular-season boys soccer game Monday and came away with a 6-1 win. The Pirates dominated possession in the early stages of the game, and for the majority of the first half. Multiple chances were...
Kent City wins Dig Pink volleyball title in event that raises money to battle breast cancer
LocalSportsJournal.com KENT CITY - The Kent City volleyball team hosted its 11th Annual Dig Pink Invitational to help raise money for the Side-Out Foundation on Saturday. Since 2010, Kent City has raised more than $78,000 to help those who are fighting breast cancer...
Western Michigan Christian wins two, loses three at ‘Best of the West’ volleyball tournament
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Western Michigan Christian volleyball team finished 2-3 at the Best of the West Invitational on Saturday at Mona Shores. The Warriors earned victories over Whitehall (25-16) and Reeths-Puffer (26-24, 24-26, 15-7), but dropped...
Muskegon Lumberjacks succumb to Chicago in USHL overtime contest
LocalSportsJournal.com GENEVA, Ill. - The Muskegon Lumberjacks have been getting solid goaltending through the early games of the United States Hockey League season. The same held true on Saturday night, but a lack of offense cost the Lumberjacks in a 2-1 overtime...
Muskegon Catholic earns third place at volleyball tournament on Saturday
LocalSportsJournal.com BIG RAPIDS - The Muskegon Catholic Central volleyball team claimed a third-place finish at the Crossroads Charter Academy Invitational on Saturday. The Crusaders went 2-0 in pool play with tough wins over Lakeview (22-25, 25-18, 25-20, 12-25,...
Mona Shores cruises to ‘Best of the West’ volleyball tournament title
LocalSportsJournal.com NORTON SHORES - The Mona Shores volleyball team dominated the Best of the West tournament on Saturday. The Sailors were a perfect 5-0 all the way to the finals and didn’t drop a single set along the way. The Sailors took down Whitehall (25-16,...
Montague surges to volleyball tournament finals, finishes second to Beal City
LocalSportsJournal.com REMUS - The Montague volleyball team battled all the way through to the finals of the Chippewa Hills Invitational then finished runner-up on Saturday. The Wildcats were edged out by Beal City, 27-26, 21-25, 11-15, in the final round of gold...
Muskegon Heights falls in wild 8-man game against visiting Britton Deerfield
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON HEIGHTS - An 8-man football game turned into a track meet on Saturday at Muskegon Heights. The host Tigers dropped a 52-40 decision to Britton Deerfield in a game played at Phillips Field. The Tigers led 26-22 at the half, but allowed...
Hart soccer turns in solid performance, nips Potter’s House, 3-2
LocalSportsJournal.com HART – Hart entered Friday's game with some momentum after beating Orchard View earlier in the week. There was definitely a carry over on Friday as the Pirates earned a tough 3-2 victory over Potter's House Christian. The Pirate's put together...
Beight, Booth lead the way in Grant’s gridiron victory over Lakeview
LocalSportsJournal.com GRANT - Eddie Beight and Aiden Booth both scored a pair of touchdowns to lead the Grant football team to a 27-6 win over Lakeview on Friday night. Beight rushed for 86 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns, while Booth had 68 yards on 11 rushes...
Mason County Central’s banner season continues with solid victory over Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com SCOTTVILLE – A pair of founding members of the original West Michigan Conference renewed acquaintances Friday night when Mason County Central hosted Hart in a non-conference clash. Winning teams know that to be successful, you have to...
In a wild and crazy game, Ludington escapes with narrow victory over Manistee
By Greg Gielczyk LocalSportsJournal.com LUDINGTON – In a game replete with big plays, the Ludington Orioles were able to make one more to pull out an exciting 39-38 West Michigan Conference Lakes Division win over visiting Manistee on the Orioles' homecoming Friday...
It’s a milestone victory for the North Muskegon program in victory over rival Montague
By Scott VanSickle LocalSportsJournal.com MONTAGUE - North Muskegon rode a stout defense to a milestone victory Friday at the expense of Montague in a WMC crossover game. The Norse stuffed the Wildcats on fourth down five times and also came up with two...
Reeths-Puffer loses lead, game to Byron Center; Big Reds up next for Rockets
LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Reeths-Puffer football team lost a lead after three quarters and fell to Byron Center, 42-28, on Friday night. The OK-Green matchup was tied at 14 going into halftime and, though Byron Center got on the board first in the third...
No problem for Muskegon in league rout of Grand Rapids Union
LocalSportsJournal.com GRAND RAPIDS - James Young and the Muskegon Big Reds football team had a field day in a crushing, 62-0, win over OK-Green opponent Grand Rapids Union on Friday. The Big Reds led 48-0 after two quarters, ensuring a running clock for the remainder...
Fremont’s ‘Thunder and Lightning’ strike over and over in big victory over Orchard View
By Ron Rop LocalSportsJournal.com MUSKEGON - The Fremont Packers delivered a heavy dose of "Thunder and Lightning" on Friday night at Orchard View. Running backs Karter Frens (Lightning) and Khai Noordyk (Thunder) delivered time after time in the Packers' 62-28...
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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
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 were announced by the Michigan High School Soccer 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
Fruitport soccer suffers regional final shootout loss to Forest Hills Northern
Oct 26, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com CEDAR SPRINGS - Hearts will break when there's a matchup between evenly talented teams, especially when it is a "winner take... READ MORE
Lady Turtles co-op swimming team turns in big night in win over OK rival Holland
Oct 23, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com The Lady Turtles co-op swim team made its meet extra special for seniors Cambree Bowen, Elise Bradley, Susie Van Baale, Emily Zheng and Coach Kim Arnold on Tuesday night. Th READ MORE
Shorthanded Ludington swimmers make strong showing at Alma’s double dual
Oct 15, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com ALMA - The Ludington girls' swimming team went into a double dual meet a bit shorthanded, but came out feeling pretty good abo... READ MORE
Spring Lake swim team earns all-state academic honors; three swimmers earn individual honors
Mar 14, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com The Spring Lake Laker boys' swimming team proved to be more than just a solid team in the pool this season. The Lakers also a... READ MORE
Ludington swimmers earn 29th-place finish at Division 3 state meet
Mar 11, 2024 LocalSportsJournal.com HOLLAND -- Ludington's boys swim team finished 29th at the MHSAA Division 3 state meet at the Holland Aquatic Center on Fr... 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
