This Time, Cranbrook Kingswood Comes from 12 Back to Clinch Repeat Finals Win
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
June 6, 2026
ALLENDALE — Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood boys golf coach John Minnich didn’t need to deliver a special inspirational or motivational speech to his team after the first day of this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals at The Meadows at Grand Valley State.
Instead, with his team in fifth place and trailing by 12 shots going into Saturday’s final round, Minnich resorted to simple math as the primary message.
“I said, ‘We were 15 back (after the first day) last year,”’ Minnich said. “We’re only 12 back. That’s three shots per player. That’s nothing. I said, ‘You guys are good. We can make up three shots per player.’”
Cranbrook did that and more, shooting a sizzling second-day score of 292 to rally and win its first Finals championship in boys golf since 2014.
The Cranes finished with a two-day score of 602, four shots ahead of 2025 champion Grand Rapids Christian and five better than Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
On Saturday, Cranbrook got a 70 from freshman Tim Delzer, a 71 from senior Brennan Tato, a 74 from senior Henry Delzer and a 75 from senior Andrew Chang to complete the comeback – and in the opinion of Minnich, go down in history.
“I’ve been telling these guys all year that they are the best team in the state regardless of division,” Minnich said. “Division 1, 2, 3, 4, you guys are the best team. That’s the deepest team I’ve had. I’ve got eight, nine guys that I can put in that rotation. I have said that if we could play eight and count six, nobody could touch us. This is probably my favorite team, my best team and my closest team.”
Minnich said one factor contributing to his team’s success was its starting position on the course. Cranbrook started on holes 15, 16 and 17, and holding firm on those holes at the beginning of the round paid dividends later on.
“Holes 15 through 18 on a lot of golf courses is the toughest stretch of holes on the course,” Minnich said. “We played those early in the round. I knew that if we could make up some shots or at least hold our ground early, that those other teams would have to play those holes down the stretch. We were already through them.”
Grand Rapids Christian was seeking its third title in four years, but had to settle for the runner-up trophy after holding a one-shot lead over Catholic Central after the first day.
“I thought those kids fought really hard,” Grand Rapids Christian coach Kevin Broene said. “Golf is so difficult to play perfectly all the time with the ups and downs. I thought they played so hard today.”
Individually, 18 holes weren’t enough to decide the medalist.
East Grand Rapids junior JP Levan and DeWitt senior Justin Steinman finished with identical 1-under-par scores after 36 holes, creating a playoff to determine the winner.
Steinman won on the second playoff hole, which was the par-5 No. 9. He hit his drive to roughly 220 yards from the green, hit a 6-iron to within 10 feet of the hole and two-putted from there for a birdie and the win.
“It was a little nerve-racking, but it was fun,” said Steinman, who will play in college at Saginaw Valley State. “It was a blast. I love playoffs.”
Ada Forest Hills Eastern junior Jack Klimek and Catholic Central sophomore Tommy Preston tied for third at 1-over-par.
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Eagles Close with Round to Remember
June 15, 2013
By Dean Holzwarth
Special to Second Half
ALLENDALE – Grand Rapids Christian's Ken Bokhoven has been coaching boys golf for more than three decades.
But it wasn't until Saturday afternoon that the longtime coach had the opportunity to celebrate an MHSAA title.
The Eagles captured their first championship in program history with a six-shot win over Marshall in the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Final at The Meadows at Grand Valley State.
Grand Rapids Christian carded a two-day score of 636. It followed up Friday's 315 with a 321 in the final round.
Overall, combined with track and field, Bokhoven has been guiding athletes at the Grand Rapids-based private school for 51 years.
“He's coached for 51 years, and this is his first, so I can't imagine how he is feeling right now,” said Grand Rapids Christian junior Ben VanScoyk, who shot rounds of 75 and 78 to close at 153 and in a tie for fourth overall.
“It's definitely special, and we wanted to win for Coach with all he's been through. He's been through a lot in his life, and he's showed so much dedication to Christian High and athletics. It's special knowing that Coach can finally have something to lean on for golf and his first one.”
Bokhoven, who was doused with a water cooler after the round, tried to keep his team focused on the task at hand despite charging to a six-stroke lead after the first day.
“My pep talk consisted of, 'guys, go make some memories',” Bokhoven said. “I'm excited, and this is about as excited as I get. But in golf you have to stay relaxed and even-keel. It worked out well for us, and anytime you set a goal and you achieve that goal, it's rewarding. You feel like this is reaping the rewards of your efforts.”
The Eagles' previous top finish at an MHSAA Final was third in 2010. Bokhoven believed this year's team had the potential to make a serious run after winning a Regional title the week before.
“Five Regional champions come here, and I told the kids that we can compete,” Bokhoven said. “We came in thinking we could be in the hunt, and I told them after the first day on the way home that we're the hunted now. We are not in the hunt.”
Grand Rapids Christian's roster contained only one senior, Tom Voskuil. Five of its top six players will be back next season.
“Being a senior, I'm not going to lie, it's an emotional day for me,” Voskuil said. “Just because golf is a sport that is all about putting in the work, and I'm not playing in college so this is it for me.
“We didn't know if we had a chance coming into this tournament because some of the teams here were historically good, and we were surprised we were up by six after day one. We just had to hold on, and we were able to do that.”
Marshall shot 642 after rounds of 322 and 320. Juniors Aaron McCoy and Tanor Blowers each shot 159 to lead the team.
“We're disappointed, but I'm happy for Grand Rapids Christian because talking to their athletic director, he said it’s their first championship ever, so I know how that feels and that's good stuff,” Marshall coach Thomas Reynolds said. “I knew we had a shot at it, but this golf course is so hard. It was a nightmare, and we normally shoot around 310 to 320 as a team. Did they play to their potential? It's kind of hard to say with this golf course.”
Comstock Park junior Ryan Bayer, playing in his first MHSAA Final, overcame a triple-bogey en route to a stunning debut and an MHSAA individual title.
Bayer fired a 2-over 74 in the final round and defeated defending individual champion Nick Carlson of Hamilton by two strokes.
“It feels great, and I'm so happy,” said Bayer, who shot 75 Friday and finished at149. “I didn't even think about something like this, and I just wanted a couple solid rounds. I was nervous halfway through because I knew it was going to be close.
“I knew I would be up there, but I wasn't expecting to be all the way at the top.”
After the triple on the par-3, 17th-hole, Bayer rebounded to drain a 20-foot putt for par on No. 18. He capped his round with a 25-foot birdie putt on his final hole.
“I thought that was going to win it for me, but I ended up winning by two shots,” Bayer said. “It was like frosting on top of the cake. I played steady all day.”
Carlson shot a 4-over 76 Saturday for a 151 total. He won last year's individual title as a freshman at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids.
“I had a shot, and a darn good one at that. I just needed to play a little better and have some different things happen,” Carlson said. “I didn't play to my potential, and I could've played a lot better. But coming out here and taking second trying to defend was pretty cool.”
PHOTOS: (Top) A Grand Rapids Christian player fires a shot during his team's round Saturday at The Meadows at Grand Valley State. (Middle) The Eagles pose with their first MHSAA team title trophy. (Click to see more at HighSchoolsSportsScene.com.)