Rivals Unite for 'Never Forgotten Games'
January 24, 2018
By Dean Holzwarth
Special for Second Half
FENNVILLE – The small West Michigan towns of Fennville and Saugatuck are separated by less than 10 miles, thus sparking a longstanding rivalry that has played out in various sports through the years.
However, for one night, a special event brought the two communities together to help support a worthy cause.
The seventh-annual “Never Forgotten Games” between the neighboring communities were played Friday night at Hope College in honor of Wes Leonard, who died unexpectedly in 2011 after making the game-winning basket in overtime against rival Bridgman.
Leonard, a 16-year-old junior at the time, died from sudden cardiac arrest due to an enlarged heart.
To open the night, Saugatuck’s girls defeated Fennville 55-40. Then, in a back-and-forth affair typical of a rivalry game, Fennville’s boys edged Saugatuck 48-46 and improved to 8-2 on the season.
But Fennville boys basketball coach Joe Rodriguez said the final result paled in comparison to the impact the game had on both schools.
“We circle that game on the calendar because it’s an opportunity to focus your energy on something bigger than us,” he said. “It’s not just a conference game; it’s not just another basketball game or Friday night game. It’s bigger than the game of basketball itself. It’s one of our former players that we look forward to tributing.
“Everyone was there for one reason, and that was to celebrate the legacy of Wes Leonard and to support the cause.”
The two schools joined forces to help make the night a success, including meeting in the days prior to discuss game preparations.
“Some Fennville kids came over to our school and met with some of our kids before to go over cheer and signs and just how we could help out,” Saugatuck boys basketball coach Andy Diaz said. “Our kids showed up early to help set up and help Jocelyn (Leonard, Wes' mother), so it was a real collaborative effort.”
This year Fennville’s student section, recalling some of their experiences taking part in the MHSAA’s “Battle of the Fans” the last two years, invited Saugatuck’s student section to join forces for some cheers during the game. Last week, Fennville student section leaders Kamryn Vandyke, Clay Rosema and Isabella Marquez strategized with Saugatuck’s Reece Schreckengust, Sydney Ayres and Alexa Phillips, designing and planning cheers they could do together.
The schools’ band teachers – Fennville’s Paul Andrews and Saugatuck’s Andrew Holtz – also met and planned the combined bad that played together in the same section for the entirety of Friday’s game.
“Although rival schools, both student bodies have embraced the idea that the cause is an opportunity to be a part of something greater than the game itself,” Fennville athletic director Frank Marietta said. “Both schools are very competitive on the field of play, but there is a positive and strong relationship between the students as a whole. The spirit and heart of the students from each school is what makes it such a great rivalry.”
The close-knit ties between the schools run deep.
“They know each other very well,” Diaz said. “They work at the same places during the summer, and they cross paths all the time. I have a lot of friends in Fennville.”
Rivalry games often are intense and emotional, but this one is different due to the greater significance the night holds.
“That’s the unique part of it,” Rodriguez said. “As a coach you want to talk about how it’s your rivalry game, but this one is a little different. It’s all about the events, and they play a big part in helping.”
“They are our neighbors, and when we went through (Leonard’s death) they showed a lot of support as a community to Fennville, and I think it’s awesome that they are a part of this game as well.”
Rodriguez said competing against another team in that setting just wouldn’t seem fitting.
“Because we are so close it would be weird if it was another community that we were playing,” he said. “It would feel manufactured, where this is more genuine.”
Diaz said the rivalry took on a different meaning after Leonard’s untimely passing.
“I feel very fortunate to be a part of the best small-school rivalry in the state of Michigan,” he said. “That’s our personal opinion, and when Wes passed, it definitely changed the perspective and narrative of the rivalry, especially on that game night.”
Shortly after Leonard’s tragic death, The Wes Leonard Heart Team was formed. The foundation raises money for automated external defibrillator (AED) awareness and donates AEDs to schools throughout the state.
The mission of the foundation is to honor Wes’s life using a team approach, combining the efforts of his loved ones and other existing foundations in the pursuit of a common goal. The foundation “is committed to honoring the children who have lost their lives to Sudden Cardiac Arrest and preventing other families and friends from feeling the pain of losing their loved ones. With this team approach, we feel we can give others a chance at ‘just one more game.’”
More than 260 AEDs have been put into schools through the foundation, and another 4-6 will be donated with money raised Friday.
The Never Forgotten Game hits close to home for Diaz, whose mother survived a scare almost seven years ago.
“My mom was saved by an AED,” Diaz said. “She had a heart attack in church, and one was used to revive her. They had to shock her twice, and without an AED, she’d be gone.”
Diaz, a Saugatuck graduate who coached against Leonard in football and basketball, hopes the money raised by the game can help others who may encounter the same situation.
“I gave my mom a big hug before that game because an AED saved her life, and maybe this game buys the right AED for a school that saves someone else’s life,” Diaz said. “It just put things into perspective. Obviously, we always want to win the game, but at the end of the day what really matters is the cause and Wes.
“We talked before the game about how this game is bigger than any of them. It’s not about us; it’s not about them. It’s about the entire state of Michigan at this point because of the importance of saving lives.”
Dean Holzwarth covered primarily high school sports for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years and more recently served as sports editor of the Ionia Sentinel and as a sports photojournalist for WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Fennville's students cheer as a classmate brings the ball upcourt against Saugatuck on Friday. (Middle) Fennville's student section worked with Saugatuck's to cheer together during the games at Hope College. (Photos by Isabela Marquez/Fennville High School.)
Breslin Bound: 2021-22 Girls Report Week 6
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 10, 2022
Breslin Bound is returning this week just as league play is picking up serious steam across Michigan.
Whittling down to five “Can't-Miss Contests” this week started with a group of 15, including three contests featuring pairs of undefeated teams squaring off as we move toward midseason and the most local-focused part of most schedules.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. East Lansing 49, DeWitt 44 The Lansing area is loaded again in Division 1, with this victory possibly signaling the Trojans (5-2) as the early leader; they travel to DeWitt (7-1) for the rematch Feb. 10.
2. DeWitt 24, Haslett 22 The week was a highly-competitive one for the Panthers, and they started it by handing Haslett (7-1) its first defeat. Haslett had previously downed East Lansing.
3. Hudsonville 79, Grass Lake 51 After doubling up Grand Haven on Friday, reigning Division 1 champ Hudsonville (5-2) made it two wins in two days with this one Saturday over last season’s Division 3 winner Grass Lake (3-3).
4. Farmington Hills Mercy 35, Bloomfield Hills Marian 29 These two have decided the Detroit Catholic League Central the last five seasons, and Mercy (6-1) is a step ahead this time after this win over the reigning champ Mustangs (5-2).
5. Benton Harbor 44, Niles Brandywine 42 After starting 0-2 this winter, Benton Harbor (4-3) has won four of its last five games and handed Brandywine (7-1) its first defeat.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
Division 1
Traverse City Central (6-1) The Trojans opened with a loss to Grand Haven, but are undefeated since and began Big North Conference play with a 32-26 victory over reigning champion Cadillac on Friday. And this start is worth a lot more than just an impressive record: Central finished 2-15 last year and is seeking its first winning season since 2016-17. The Trojans also started last week with a 49-40 win over Traverse City St. Francis (6-2).
West Bloomfield (8-1) The Lakers are on schedule to be in the mix at the top of Division 1, where they sit No. 8 heading into this week. That lone loss came in the season opener to No. 4 Dexter, and West Bloomfield immediately followed up by handing South Lyon East what remains the Cougars’ only defeat. The run is made even more impressive in that six of the Lakers’ seven in-state opponents are .500 or better.
Division 2
Edwardsburg (6-0) The Eddies regularly are among the best from the southwest, and that hasn’t been any different this winter coming off last season’s run to 12-4 and a Regional Final. Edwardsburg is winning by an average of 45 points per game and avenged a last-year loss to Three Rivers. Undefeated Otsego (9-0) will provide a major opportunity Tuesday.
Marine City (7-1) The Mariners are another team that got started with a loss but haven’t experienced another. After falling 42-38 to Clawson (6-1), Marine City has won seven straight including over St. Clair Shores South Lake (7-2) and most recently 60-51 in overtime over St. Clair to avenge a loss from last season. The team got in only nine games last season and has already eclipsed its six 2021 wins.
Division 3
Calumet (5-0) After reaching the Division 3 Semifinals last season, Calumet again is surging among a strong Western Peninsula Athletic Conference and particularly powerful northern tip of the Upper Peninsula. The Copper Kings have handed Hancock its only defeat and came back a week later to edge Negaunee by a point in another important win. Undefeated Ishpeming Westwood and Houghton are on the slate over the next two weeks as Calumet looks to continue building on a 31-game regular-season winning streak.
Sandusky (7-0) Longtime coach Al DeMott is up to 774 wins, just 23 from tying the state coaching record in girls basketball, and he’s bound to finish this season much closer to doing so after another great start. Sandusky handed Deckerville one of its two losses and Bad Axe its lone defeat, 32-30 on Dec. 9. DeMott recently received a John Wooden Legacy Award – as part of the inaugural class for high school coaches – from the National High School Basketball Coaches Association.
Division 4
Athens (7-1) After also opening this season with a defeat, to Adrian Lenawee Christian, Athens has run together seven straight wins with only one by single digits. That came last week, 45-43 in overtime over Bronson, a possible contender in the Big 8 Conference. Athens is following up last season’s 17-2 finish and has won two straight Southern Central Athletic Association West titles.
Gaylord St. Mary (5-0) The Snowbirds’ quick ascension to the top of the Ski Valley Conference, where they are tied with Johannesburg-Lewiston, has included a 54-38 win over reigning Division 4 runner-up Bellaire (avenging three losses from last season) and a one-point victory over Charlevoix. St. Mary finished 13-4 a year ago and tied for the league title before falling to the Eagles in a Regional Semifinal. The Snowbirds host Johannesburg-Lewiston on Friday.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Montague (5-1) at Hart (5-1) – Montague’s West Michigan Conference title last season came in part with seven and 17-point wins over the eventual runner-up Pirates.
Tuesday – Holt (5-0) at East Lansing (5-2) – The Rams can show they belong in the Lansing-area elite group referenced above with this Capital Area Activities Conference Blue faceoff for first.
Tuesday – Farmington Hills Mercy (6-1) at Dearborn Divine Child (7-0) – The Falcons also own an early win over Marian and are looking to take the next step in the Detroit Catholic League Central race after finishing third the last four seasons.
Thursday – Buchanan (7-0) at Niles Brandywine (7-1) – The only loss between them was Brandywine’s also referenced above, and Buchanan is seeking to repeat as Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red champion after Brandywine won in 2019-20.
Friday – Portland (6-0) at Lansing Catholic (9-0) – The reigning Division 2 champion Raiders won the CAAC White last season with 10 and 21-point wins over the Cougars, who can show how much ground they’ve made up.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO Alma and Essexville Garber, here facing off last month, are among hopefuls in the Tri-Valley Conference 8 this winter. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)