By John Raffel
MaxPreps.com
They're not blessed with quantity. But the defending Division 3 girls track state champions in Michigan definitely have the quality.
Coach Jill Evers' Kent City Eagles team defeated Grand Rapids Forest Hills Eastern 73-64 earlier this week to improve their dual record to 5-0. In fact, the Eagles, who won the 2006 state championship, haven't lost a dual meet since 2001.
But the school, located 20 miles north of Grand Rapids, had a scare with its narrow victory over FHE.
"They've got a nice team at that school," Evers said. "They've got some talented kids."
But so does Kent City, which has a small, but talented team that Evers said could come away with another state title.
"Hard work has been the key," Evers said. "The kids always seem to do well.
"We had 14 girls on the team last year. It just worked out. All the kids who were entered at the state meet did very well."
The 2006 title was the first for the school in any sport sanctioned by the Michigan High School Athletic Association. The state's coaches association had a 2004 state meet that Kent City won in its division.
Winning the 2007 title is possible, but will be a challenge for the Eagles.
"We lost four huge seniors to graduation last year," Evers said. "They were all good point scorers. But we had a lot of girls who scored points who are back."
The state meet is in early June but that's not necessarily the No. 1 focus for the Eagles right now.
"We're just trying to win our conference (O-K Silver)," Evers said. "Anything else that happens from that is just a bonus."
Standout Eagle athletes include senor All-State sprinter, long jumper, and pole vaulter Kris Boehm; senior sprinter and high jumper Courtney Zahrt; and senior relay runners Lizzi Dunnick and Arielle Hammond. Senior distance runners Amber Nyblak, Danielle Loomis and Hannah Ring are also very talented.
Boys Tennis
Grand Rapids North Pointe Christian, formerly known as Grand Rapids Baptist, won the Division 4 Michigan tennis title last year. But coach Erin Fouty is confident her team can compete for another title.
The team was 10-1 in duals last year and won four tournament championships. It marked the first state tennis title for the school.
So far this season, the North Pointe tennis team is 7-1-1. It tied Grand Rapids Christian, 4-4. GR Christian plays in a higher division, No. 3.
North Pointe is loaded in singles but younger in doubles.
"I graduated seven doubles players," Fouty said. "I have a very experienced singles lineup. They're definitely a strength this season. I have some really dedicated players. They're having a very good season.
"Our doubles players are winning their matches. But they lack the depth that they had last year. But having said that, I'm very pleased with their perfomance so far this year."
Twin brothers Matthew and Andrew DeVlieger, at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, are in their four seasons in those respective divisions.
The state tennis titles will be decided in early June but Fouty is confident of another crown.
"We'll give the other top teams a run for their money," he said. "Ann Arbor Greenhill has a lot of depth. I know they'll be tough. We'll have to see what happens. Flint Powers and Lansing Catholic Central will also be tough."
Girls Soccer
Okemos won the Division II girls soccer state title last season with a 25-4-1 record and coach Rob Antcliff has the team out to a 7-0-2 start this spring.
Okemos, located near Lansing, beat Bloomfield Hills Lahser 2-1 in the title game last season.
"We've been in Division I but our enrollment count dropped and we went into Division 2," Antcliff said.
Nichole Schiro, a sophomore, led the team in scoring last year as a freshman. She scored 24 goals last year and so far has nine goals this season.
Okemos hopes to make another state title run. But it will have to come in Division I since Okemos has moved up to that division.
"You have to go through Novi if you're going to win the Division I title," Antcliff said, referring to the school that has won the last two Division I crowns. "You'd be foolish to think it's going to be easy. We have a lot of depth. We'll see."
Baseball
Berrien Springs posted a 36-6 record to win a Division 3 state championship last season and Coach John Donley has his team ready to make another bid.
"We had great athletes last year," Donley said. "We had unbelievable chemistry and leadership. It was the most veteran team I've ever had. We started seven seniors, one sophomore and a junior. We had some high expectations. We thought it might be another year for us to make a run. But everything came together."
Donley's team is off to an 11-2 start this season.
"As a team, we start four sophomores," Donley said. "Our top two pitchers are returning players from last year. They're very good. In the first game of a doubleheader earlier this week, they combined for 16 strikeouts."
Berrien Springs' top two arms belong to Kolby Wood who is 3-0 this year and has fanned 36 batters in his first 17 innings and Chris Hass, a junior, who has 39 strikeouts in his first 18 innings.
"They're two exceptional guys," Donley said. "We need to develop a third pitcher."
Catcher Darius Whitehead is batting .447 with three home runs in 13 games. Hass is batting .488. Designated hitter Joe Krugh has 19 hits in 13 games and 11 are for extra bases.
Berrien Springs was state runner-up in 2000 and 2001. Donley's team won a state title in 1989.
Boys Lacrosse
Flint Powers has started out the lacrosse season at 8-1.
"We beat Rockford 15-4. They beat us last year so beating them was fun for our team," Powers coach Travis Perry said. "We graduated 12 seniors. We didn't know what to expect this season. We've done fairly well so far. We have a new goalie who's doing a very good job. We graduated our goalie and three starting defensemen. But the younger guys have stepped in and are doing a nice job.
"We don't have a feeder system yet. The guys we have basically didn't start until they came to high school. But attitude wise, they're very good."
Chase Ferris has scored 49 goals in his senior season for Powers. Kevin Beer has put in 30 goals as a sophomore.
"Those two guys are doing a great job so far," Perry said. "Two midfielders are doing a great job, Ryan Rikert and Jeremy Sims."
Perry is looking forward to a showdown against state power East Grand Rapids.
"That's an established program," he said. "We're trying to get everything going right now."
