After Slight Delay, Veteran Spring Lake Impresses in Long-Awaited Launch
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
September 9, 2021
Spring Lake returned 17 starters and, understandably, couldn’t wait to get this season started.
But just as the Lakers were revving up their engine for takeoff, they were idled for another week.
Spring Lake picked up a forfeit victory in Week 1 after Muskegon Orchard View decided to not field a varsity team this fall, so the Lakers put in another week of practice and then unleashed all of their pent-up energy on Zeeland East last Thursday.
Christian Folkert rushed 11 times for 211 yards and four touchdowns as Spring Lake sprinted to a 42-0 halftime lead and then cruised to a convincing 56-21 nonleague victory.
“We were so excited and pumped,” said Folkert, a 5-foot-11, 195-pound senior. “We wanted to go out there and send a message and show everyone what we have this year.”
After the Lakers’ front line and Folkert established itself in the first quarter, senior quarterback Jackson Core (6-1, 170) did his thing in the second quarter, connecting on touchdown passes to senior Joe Westhoff and junior Derrick Paggeot.
Core finished 6-of-7 passing for 90 yards, and Paggeot had four catches for 71 yards. SL piled up 401 total rushing yards, with eight ball carriers.
The final score was a surprise to many throughout West Michigan, considering Zeeland East plays in the larger Ottawa-Kent Conference Green and has qualified for the playoffs 10 straight seasons. About the only people not surprised were Spring Lake’s 19 seniors, who are used to winning – and winning big.
The Lakers’ senior class went undefeated in seventh grade, lost one game in eighth grade (to Hudsonville Unity Christian), then went unbeaten as freshmen and sophomores – despite having five of the best players from the class playing on the varsity as sophomores. Those five who were called up in 2019 were Folkert, twin brothers and linemen Travis and Hunter Throop, RJ Lisman (C/LB) and Ty French (H-back/DE).
“Our senior class is used to winning, and that gives us confidence,” explained Core, whose father, Bill, is Spring Lake’s longtime basketball and softball coach. “It’s not just a couple of us seniors, we have a lot guys who can play and push each other. I guess that’s why we’re so excited for this season.”
Spring Lake broke through last season and beat Fremont (48-0) in a Division 4 District opener, snapping a 12-game playoff losing streak dating back to 2001, before falling to Ada Forest Hills Eastern (28-21) in the District Semifinal.
The bulk of that 5-3 team is back, led by Folkert, who combines size and speed – and now another intangible, according to sixth-year Lakers coach Dan Start.
“In the past, Christian was more of a battering ram who ran people over,” explained Start, a former player at Grandville, who coached football in Florida before taking the Spring Lake job in 2016. “He can still do that, for sure, but he’s learned how to make them miss, too. His change of direction and vision is much-improved.”
Folkert is also a leader of the Lakers’ 4-2-5 defensive look from his defensive end position. With Folkert and French setting the edge at the two defensive end spots and the Throop brothers plugging up the middle, Zeeland East was unable to run the ball.
Spring Lake begins league play in the rugged O-K Blue this week at Holland Christian. The real test comes over the final four weeks of the conference season at home against Hudsonville Unity Christian and Coopersville, at Grand Rapids West Catholic and at home against Allendale – all of whom are 2-0 thus far.
“We’ve only won one game, so we obviously have a long way to go,” said Folkert, who also gave a shout out to his school’s student section, which was loud and raucous for the Zeeland East game, clad in matching black shirts. “You never know what is going to happen. We have a lot of good players, but we have to go out there and ball and get it done. I mean, everyone said we were going to lose to Zeeland East and that didn’t happen.”
Spring Lake has had two undefeated teams during the playoff era, in 1980 and 1982, but neither qualified for the playoffs – which at that time included just 32 teams in the entire state, broken into four classes. The 1982 team was a particularly hard-luck story, posting eight shutouts in nine games and outscoring its opponents by a combined score of 266-6.
The Lakers’ best playoff run came in 2000, when they made it all the way to the Division 5 championship game at the Pontiac Silverdome, losing to Jackson Lumen Christi, 42-15.
Spring Lake reached the second round the following year, but before last fall, the Lakers went “one and done” in the playoffs 11 straight times.
After snapping that skid, this year’s senior-laden Lakers squad is focused on making a long playoff run.
Spring Lake is the largest school in Division 4 with 825 students, which means many of its conference opponents could become early-round playoff foes as well.
“First off, we do play in a very difficult conference,” said Start, whose assistants include offensive coordinator Kyle Jewett and defensive coordinator Aaron West. “So we feel like if we can do well in our conference, then we can do well in the playoffs.
“But honestly, that is so far away. Our goal right now is to get one percent better every day. If we actually do that, the results will take care of themselves.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Spring Lake senior running back Christian Folkert breaks through a huge hole on a 57-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of the Lakers' 56-21 win over visiting Zeeland East on Sept. 3. Joe Westhoff (24) and Hunter Throop (77) provide additional blocking for Folkert, who finished with 11 carries for 211 yards and four touchdowns. (Middle) Spring Lake senior quarterback Jackson Core launches a pass during his team's win over Zeeland East. He completed 6-of-7 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. (Below) Spring Lake coach Dan Start, now in his sixth season, addresses his team before the start of last Thursday’s game. (Photos by Kelly Gates.)
1st & Goal: 2025 Week 2 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 4, 2025
When Ishpeming travels to Crystal Falls Forest Park tonight, it will be the first time the Upper Peninsula powers have met since 2022 – and a matchup of two of the first MHSAA Finals champions, as Forest Park won the first Class D title in 1975 and Ishpeming claimed the first championship in Class C that fall.
Meanwhile, much farther south, we’ll look to our first meeting this season of 2024 champions as Jackson Lumen Christi hosts Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
Those are just a pair of Week 2 matchups that pop off the page, but there are plenty of note as we start another September. Nearly 75 percent of those mentioned below will be broadcast on the NFHS Network, along with several more, and scores for every game across the state will be posted on the MHSAA Scores page as they conclude.
Bay & Thumb
Ottawa Lake Whiteford (1-0) vs. Harbor Beach (1-0), Saturday at Davison WATCH
This Saturday showdown pits a pair of playoff teams from a year ago that were both expected to face tough matchups in Week 1 – and won their games 56 and 34 points. Harbor Beach has strung together 15 straight regular-season victories and downed Cass City 42-8 after the defeating the Red Hawks by just two points in 2024. Whiteford opened with a 56-0 shutout of a Blissfield team it edged by just seven last season.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Warren De La Salle Collegiate (1-0) at Davison (1-0), Saginaw Swan Valley (1-0) at Frankenmuth (0-1) WATCH, Goodrich (1-0) at Lapeer (0-1), Midland Dow (1-0) at Saginaw Heritage (0-1) WATCH.
Greater Detroit
Detroit Catholic Central (1-0) at Toledo Central Catholic (0-1)
This matchup ended up deciding the Catholic High School League Central championship last year as DCC won their Week 2 meeting 21-7 and carried the league lead through the rest of the regular season. The Shamrocks received some of the greatest attention of any team statewide this preseason and justified it with a 41-7 win over Clinton Township Chippewa Valley last week. Central Catholic, an eventual Ohio state runner-up last fall, took reigning MHSAA Division 1 champ Detroit Cass Tech to the end last week while losing 28-27.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Harper Woods (1-0) at Clarkston (1-0) WATCH, Oxford (1-0) at Birmingham Groves (1-0) WATCH, Grandville (1-0) at Detroit Cass Tech (1-0) WATCH, Port Huron Northern (1-0) at Madison Heights Lamphere (1-0) WATCH.
Mid-Michigan
Williamston (1-0) at Hastings (1-0)
Williamston made some noise starting the season with a 46-14 win over Lansing Catholic, which finished Division 6 runner-up last fall. Hastings will provide a second opportunity for the Hornets to avenge a 2024 loss, as they fell to the Saxons 16-12 a year ago during a 1-5 start that still turned into a playoff berth. Hastings – a District finalist the last four seasons – won its opener last week 31-29 over Middleville Thornapple Kellogg with a field goal as time expired.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Reed City (0-1) at Belding (1-0), Mason (1-0) at DeWitt (1-0) WATCH, New Lothrop (1-0) at Durand (1-0) WATCH, Portland (1-0) at Lansing Sexton (0-1) WATCH.
Northern Lower Peninsula
Traverse City St. Francis (1-0) at Ogemaw Heights (1-0) WATCH
We knew Ogemaw Heights was leveling up with its 2023 win over St. Francis, and although the teams didn’t play each other last year the Falcons are a combined 19-4 over the last three, including a pair of District Final losses. They opened with a big win last week over Flint Hamady, while St. Francis set the tone with a 30-6 victory over Maple City Glen Lake, which like the Gladiators was a league champion last season.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Gaylord (1-0) at Kingsley (1-0) WATCH, Harbor Springs (1-0) at Mancelona (1-0) WATCH, Frankfort (1-0) at Maple City Glen Lake (0-1) WATCH, Kalkaska (1-0) at Oscoda (1-0) WATCH.
Southeast & Border
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (1-0) at Jackson Lumen Christi (0-1) WATCH
After two games last week across the state featured teams that finished at Ford Field last year, here’s the first between reigning champions as Division 5 Notre Dame Prep looks to add to last season’s 28-24 win over eventual Division 6 title winner Lumen Christi. That proved to be the Titans’ only loss of 2024, and although they opened this season falling 20-16 at Lombard Montini Catholic of Illinois, they’ll surely be amped to attempt to avenge last year’s defeat.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Clinton (0-1) at Adrian Madison (1-0) WATCH, Ypsilanti Lincoln (1-0) at Ypsilanti Community (1-0), Hudson (1-0) at Ida (1-0) WATCH, Traverse City Central (1-0) at Parma Western (1-0).
Southwest Corridor
Hudsonville Unity Christian (1-0) at Schoolcraft (1-0) WATCH
Schoolcraft reached the Division 7 Semifinals last season and has loaded its nonleague schedule with Unity joined by annual matchups against Centreville and Constantine and a Week 9 meeting with Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep. Three of those four opponents won at least eight games last season, and Unity began building on last year’s 10-1 run with a 55-14 win over Whitehall last week.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Plainwell (1-0) at Galesburg-Augusta (1-0), White Pigeon (1-0) at Hartford (1-0), Ithaca (1-0) at Lawton (1-0) WATCH, Edwardsburg (1-0) at St. Joseph (0-1) WATCH.
Upper Peninsula
Bark River-Harris (1-0) at Iron Mountain (1-0) WATCH
As one of the smallest among the best, Bark River-Harris doesn’t always make the conversation when we talk about contenders from the Upper Peninsula – but it should. The Broncos have reached the playoffs eight of the last 11 seasons and last week already avenged a loss from 2024. But Iron Mountain has been a nemesis. The Mountaineers have won all 10 meetings since the teams began playing each other annually in 2018, with a couple of playoff matchups in there as well.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Cadillac (0-1) at Escanaba (1-0) WATCH, Ishpeming Westwood (0-1) at Calumet (1-0) WATCH, Kingsford (0-1) at Houghton (0-1) WATCH, Negaunee (1-0) at Gladstone (0-1) WATCH.
West Michigan
Rockford (0-1) at Muskegon (0-1)
The last time these two both started the season 0-1 was 2015, and this matchup could tell mean a lot moving forward this fall. Granted, a second loss won’t end anyone’s season – but a win will really help. Muskegon has Byron Center, Mona Shores and Cincinnati Moeller among others left on the schedule, and Rockford will see three 2024 playoff teams during league play plus a fourth that upset the Rams last year. Rockford downed the Big Reds in last season’s meeting 28-21 and 27-7 in 2023.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Byron Center (0-1) at East Kentwood (1-0) WATCH, Portage Central (1-0) at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (1-0) WATCH, Vicksburg (1-0) at Grand Rapids Northview (1-0) WATCH, Coopersville (0-1) at Grand Rapids West Catholic (0-1).
8-Player
Portland St. Patrick (1-0) at Morrice (1-0)
Morrice’s only loss last season on the way to the Division 2 championship game came in Week 4 against St. Patrick, and the Orioles avenged that 17-point defeat with a 28-22 Regional Semifinal win over the Shamrocks. The rivals are 2-2 against each other since becoming league foes again in 2022, and as usual both are coming off big opening-night wins – Morrice 49-0 over St. Charles and St. Patrick 62-12 over Merrill.
Keep an eye on these THURSDAY Mendon (1-0) at Britton Deerfield (1-0) WATCH. FRIDAY Ishpeming (0-1) at Crystal Falls Forest Park (0-1) WATCH, Newberry (1-0) at Ontonagon (1-0) WATCH, Norway (1-0) at Powers North Central (1-0) WATCH.
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PHOTO A Goodrich defender chases down Frankenmuth's quarterback during the Martians' Week 1 win. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)