Top 5 Unsung Heroes
Pierson VanGorp
Although he didn’t play the starring part on the boys varsity basketball team, senior Pierson VanGorp played a prominent role this year for Rangerball. Pierson was a starter and a captain for the team this past season, and while he didn’t average an outstanding number of points a game, his defense was what he took pride in the most. Having to defend great players in the OK White like Northview’s Kyler VanderJagt and East Grand Rapids’ Simon Neuhaus, Pierson stepped up to the task every time.
“I always take pride in helping the team grow as a whole and helping the chemistry between us grow,” Pierson said. “Being assigned to guard the best player on each team was special because it made the games mean more.”
J Coe
Just like Pierson, sophomore J Coe didn’t play the main role on the JV boys basketball team. Although this was the case, J gave his team a bunch of chances to score. Along with being a key role player, J could knock down shots from anywhere and be dominant in the paint. On both sides of the ball, he fought for every rebound for the team to get second-chance points and some fastbreak opportunities.
“I took pride in starting and being one of the main scorers for the team,” J said. “I was locked in before every game and made sure to be ready.”
Will Becker
Despite fellow senior Cole Hysong stealing the show at the state meet, senior Will Becker was an outstanding diver for the boys swim and dive team. Throughout the season, Will helped Cole lead the team to key victories during the season. After being behind in the first meet of the year against Grand Rapids Christian, Will led the way for the team to make a comeback and get its first win of the season.
Christian Bethea
Junior Christian Bethea was a very consistent skier for the varsity ski team at FHC this past season. Behind senior Ben Taylor, Christian was one of the most consistent finishers for each meet, coming in just short of the top 10 in most of the meets. Although he was just short of making the state meet, Bethea performed excellently all season for the Rangers and looks to be a leader with Taylor leaving.
Blake Jacobs
Junior Blake Jacobs was a dark horse all year for the boys varsity wrestling team. Behind junior Landon Cooke, Blake amassed a solid record and secured a couple of wins for the team this season. Overall, behind main contributors Will Richardson and Landon, Blake was the quiet one who seemed to get consistent wins on the mat and a plethora of points for the boys this season.
“Every win and point in wrestling is key, just like a tackle in football,” Blake said. “It shows how much each match weighs on the outcome of the meet.”
Top 5 Breakout Performances
Justin Osterhouse vs. Grand Blanc
In the second game of the football season, against one of the best teams in the state, Justin Osterhouse put up one of the best performances you will ever see. He was playing in his second-ever varsity game, and ironically, the Rangers battled against the 10th best team in Michigan, Grand Blanc. Although the Rangers lost due to a devastating 76-yard, game-winning touchdown, Justin put up an impressive stat line of 236 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, 75 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown.
“I was pretty nervous knowing that they were a state championship-caliber team, but I was going to play my game and stick to my strengths,” Justin said. “I felt like I had given everything that I could possibly do, and it still wasn’t enough.”
JV Golf vs. EGR
The day the JV golf team played against East Grand Rapids was a record-breaking day. The team had an excellent performance and broke the record of the lowest score by a JV team in FHC history, with a score of 175. East is always a very tough team to defeat, but the girls broke out and defeated them by 10 strokes. The girls shot a 43.75 stroke average for nine holes. Those were numbers that varsity teams normally put up. The young talent on this team is one that many people should be excited about in the future.
“We have a team of really great girls who practice and work really hard,” freshman Quinn Breslin said. “It felt great to see our hard work pay off.”
Chris Dongmo vs. Greenville
In a fierce battle against Greenville, the JV soccer team ended up winning 6-1. Sophomore Chris Dongmo stood out compared to everyone else, as he scored two goals. His two-goal explosion came at a perfect time for the team, showing what they were capable of. The difference he made on the field in this game was quickly noticed and should be recognized. All season Chris has stood out too; he has been putting up great numbers for the JV soccer team and has been a big part of the team.
Nick Yasenchak & Noah Kriekard vs. Midland Dow
In the third matchup of the season against Midland Dow, junior Noah Kriekard and senior Nick Yasenchak went in looking to finally get a win against the team they hadn’t beaten yet. Nick played them seven times, and he was never able to get one win. After playing the best game of their whole lives, they finally pulled it off; they finally beat DOW. For the first time, Noah and Nick were able to walk off of the court feeling satisfied and relieved.
“We played the best game ever and pulled off the monumental win,” Noah said. “It felt so good to get a win against them.”
Girls XC at the Cougar Falcon Invite
In the middle of the season, the girls cross country team lined up in the Cougar Falcon Invite. They completely dominated the scoreboard, winning by 30 points in front of the rival Forest Hills Northern. Sophomore Clara James-Heer placed first overall, and right behind her was Mia Bateson. Sophomore Peyton Ludwig came in sixth overall. The Rangers had seven runners in the top thirty. This was the team’s only win of the season, but they did it in a robust fashion. This win was huge for them, and it proved they were capable of winning future meets.
“I think that was a big confidence booster,” senior Rachel Marco said. “This year we had a young team, so it felt really good to prove ourselves against the competition. It felt like all of our hard work paid off.”
