Heartache in Past, Wait Ends as West Catholic Breaks Through to Breslin
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 17, 2022
GRAND RAPIDS – Good things come to those who wait.
That has been the case for the Grand Rapids West Catholic girls basketball team.
The Falcons have had to endure two years of disappointment and heartache, but all of that has been washed away with this year’s tournament run.
“It’s really exciting for our team, just because of all the hard work we’ve put in and it's finally showing with this run,” said Falcons senior guard and Michigan State recruit Abbey Kimball, whose team rolled into the Division 2 Semifinals on Tuesday with a convincing 82-27 win over previously-unbeaten Edwardsburg in the Quarterfinals.
“Obviously the past two years haven’t been the best, but we’re just happy we are here and we're just trying to enjoy the moment.”
This moment has eluded West Catholic most recently.
In 2020, the Falcons won their first District title in 25 years and earned a berth in the Regional Finals before the remainder of tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus.
Last season, West Catholic won another District title, but lost to Newaygo, 55-48, in the Regional Final without the services of Kimball and junior standout and Toledo commit Cadence Dykstra.
“You can't predict things like COVID or injuries or whatever circumstance that might come up,” Falcons coach Jill VanderEnde said. “You have to take it day by day, and you have to be resilient and you have to adapt.
“This year has been about being adaptable and yet continuing to persevere. That's what separates the team from years past, even though we’ve had some great teams the past few years.”
The Falcons will play Friday in their first Semifinal since 1995, against Detroit Country Day at the Breslin Center.
West Catholic lost to the Yellowjackets, 44-32, in the 1995 Class B Final.
“They’re a great team that is well-coached and very athletic and skilled,” VanderEnde said. “We will have to come up with a savvy gameplan to disrupt the things they do well.”
The Falcons improved to 24-1 as a suffocating defense helped them to their Quarterfinal win.
West Catholic led 26-5 after the first quarter en route to the lopsided victory.
“Our defense has set the tone all season long, and going into the tournament that’s what we were hoping to hang our hat on,” VanderEnde said.
The Falcons’ only loss occurred earlier in the season against Rockford, which advanced to the Division 1 Semifinals.
West Catholic went undefeated in conference play, led by Kimball and a supporting cast of young talent.
All five of its starters, including Kimball, Dykstra, freshman Elisha Dykstra, sophomore Emma Tuttle and junior Ellie Bies, made the all-conference team, while freshman Anna Ignatoski and sophomore Reese Polega earned all-conference honorable mention.
“It’s always satisfying when you can look at your players and know that they put in the hard work and that they've done everything you have asked and more to try and accomplish a goal that the entire team was seeking,” VanderEnde said. “Just to see those kids’ faces and smiles in the locker room (after Tuesday’s win) and the pure excitement and enjoyment of being able to accomplish something that we set out for so many months ago to do was really rewarding.
“That's what coaching is all about. Getting everyone on the same page and going in the same direction and not leaving anyone behind.”
Kimball, a four-year starter, finished runner-up to Detroit Edison’s Ruby Whitehorn in the Michigan Miss Basketball Award voting.
She is the lone senior, and has embraced her role as a veteran leader.
“In other years, there have been other seniors on the team who I’ve looked up to and they’ve really paved a path for me,” Kimball said. “Just to see how to lead a team, and so I’ve taken that role by getting girls in the gym with me and leading by example. They’ve helped me in that way, and it’s been really cool.”
VanderEnde has seen that growth throughout the season.
“Her skill level is off the charts, but there is a lot of responsibility with being the lone senior,” she said. “She has learned how to embrace her teammates and work with the younger kids. In the past she didn’t have to share that load. She could just be herself and be the leading scorer, but with all the seniors gone she has helped hold the other kids accountable in helping achieve the goals for the program. She’s really matured in that area.”
Kimball will now get the rare opportunity to play on her future collegiate court.
“I’m excited, and it will be the first time playing on that court so that will be fun,” Kimball said. “Every game we’ve been super focused because we want to get to the end goal, which is a state championship.”
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for four years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS (Top) West Catholic’s Abbey Kimball (1), Emma Tuttle (15) and Ellie Bies (11) help up a teammate this season. (Middle) Kimball makes her move to the basket. (Photos courtesy of the West Catholic athletic department.)
Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Report Week 5
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 12, 2026
As we start this sixth week of the 2025-26 girls basketball season, 37 teams across Michigan remain undefeated.
The list is guaranteed to be at least a little shorter as quickly as Tuesday night.
Several high-profile matchups headline the schedule as league play continues to ramp up. We take a look at a few below – but with several more candidates to be included in the “Review” portion of next week’s report.
“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. Grand Rapids South Christian 73, Grand Rapids West Catholic 62 South Christian (8-0) avenged last season’s Quarterfinal loss to the Falcons (7-2), but they’ll meet again Feb. 3 and also split the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold title last season.
2. Negaunee 54, Ishpeming 44 The Miners (9-0) took a significant step in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East with this win over the rival Hematites (6-1), who they’ll see again Feb. 6.
3. Flint Powers Catholic 54, Pewamo-Westphalia 43 The Chargers (8-1) started off a three-win week by handing the Pirates (6-1) their lone defeat of the winter.
4. Freeland 46, Frankenmuth 42 The latest chapter in this rivalry saw the Falcons (5-2) avenge last season’s Regional Semifinal loss to the Eagles (3-4) after they also had split regular-season meetings and the Tri-Valley Conference Red title.
5. McBain 56, Evart 32 The Ramblers (6-0) moved a key step ahead of their Highland Conference rival after Evart (6-1) edged them for the league championship a year ago.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
New Baltimore Anchor Bay (6-0) The Tars have started their encore well after improving four wins to 17-5 last season while winning the Macomb Area Conference White title. Friday’s 59-53 victory over Macomb Dakota was their first by fewer than 15 points, and that next-closest victory came 47-32 as they handed St. Clair its only loss this season. Five of the six wins have come against opponents currently .500 or better.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (7-1) A 47-43 win over Warren Regina last week sent St. Mary’s into first place alone in the Catholic High School League Central West, a lead they also own thanks to a 45-33 win over Farmington Hills Mercy on Jan. 2; St. Mary’s and Mercy shared the league championship last season. A 24-point win over Clarkston also jumps out, and the only loss came to Saginaw Heritage over the break.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (7-0) The Chargers already have equaled last season’s 7-15 finish, avenging last-winter losses to Lowell, Big Rapids and Muskegon Western Michigan Christian and navigating three victories by six points or fewer. A 34-30 nail-biter over Kent City was arguably the most notable of the impressive opening run, and there are plenty of opportunities to shine in the near-future as they jump into the second half of an eight-game road trip.
Haslett (6-0) The Vikings have enjoyed plenty of success over the first half of this decade, finishing 22-4 a year ago, and they’re on the right track again despite playing four of their first six games on the road. A 62-56 win at Frankenmuth made a nice statement, as did a 57-36 victory over Williamston in Capital Area Activities Conference Red play Friday. They’ll hope to roll that momentum into Tuesday’s matchup against DeWitt, one of the few to down the Vikings a year ago.
DIVISION 3
New Lothrop (5-0) The Hornets also finished 22-4 a year ago and are back on the same track with all five of their victories this winter by 11 or more points – including one apiece over St. Charles and Ovid-Elsie, which have both begun 6-2. New Lothrop has reached 20 wins two seasons in a row and made the Regional Finals last winter, and the Hornets will prep for another run in part with games at Division 2 Freeland and Division 1 Midland.
Shelby (5-0) The Tigers went from 8-17 two seasons ago to 19-5 last winter, and they’re on the move again with five double-digit wins – including 49-38 over Hart, which defeated Shelby three times in 2024-25 including in their District matchup. Shelby’s first game this s season against Ravenna, scheduled for Dec. 19, was postponed, but they’ll meet twice and are the only two teams without a loss in the West Michigan Conference Rivers.
DIVISION 4
Concord (7-1) The Yellowjackets reached the Division 4 Semifinals last season at Breslin Center and finished 22-5, and they’re dominating once again. They actually opened with a loss to Morenci, but haven’t fallen since – and all but one of those victories have come by 16 or more points. The lone single-digit win came as Concord handed Adrian Lenawee Christian its only defeat, 64-55.
Morenci (6-0) As noted above, Morenci started this season in a big way by downing Concord 58-25, and they closed last week by handing Petersburg Summerfield its only loss as well, 44-20. The Bulldogs have reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals the last two seasons and will face several Division 3 opponents this winter as they prep for another run – with a 38-30 win already as well over Division 1 Temperance Bedford.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Haslett (6-0) at DeWitt (7-1) These longtime rivals are again among mid-Michigan’s elite and have split their last four games, with DeWitt winning last year’s 62-50.
Tuesday – Baraga (9-0) at Ewen-Trout Creek (5-1) – E-TC finished first and Baraga second in the overall Copper Mountain Conference standings last season with the Panthers winning their lone meeting.
Tuesday – McBain (6-0) at Roscommon (7-0) – For the second-straight week, McBain will take on another undefeated Highland Conference contender.
Tuesday – Grand Rapids South Christian (8-0) at Wayland (7-0) – The Wildcats could make a move in the O-K Gold after finishing third a year ago, and that might start against one of the reigning co-champions.
Friday – Belleville (7-0) at Wayne Memorial (7-0) – Belleville has a big week ahead as it pursues another Kensington Lakes Activities Association East title, taking on undefeated Livonia Stevenson on Tuesday before this first matchup with the reigning co-champion Zebras.
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PHOTOS (Top) Gwinn's Alayna Soyring passes the ball around Ishpeming' Jenessa Eagle (left) and Ava Jo Hares (right) during their teams’ matchup Jan. 6 at Northern Michigan University. (Middle) Hemlock senior guard Victoria Hauffe (21) drives through the Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central defense during the first quarter Friday. (Gwinn/Ishpeming photo by Cara Kamps. Hemlock/Nouvel photo by Kolleth Photo.)