It is not too often a brand-new football program can add a three-time conference champion and two-time regional champion at a skill position.
Luckily for the Calvin Knights, this happened after receiving a commitment from Reed City running back Zach Erickson. The senior standout announced his commitment to the program on February 29 via social media.
“I'm ready to get back on the field and get back to work playing the sport I love,” Erickson said. “I'm also ready to pursue my education and get a healthy job that I can rely on.”
Erickson rushed for over 660 yards last year with 12 touchdowns, including a 137-yard, four touchdown performance against Hart in the District title game. He received All-Pioneer and All-CSAA 1st team honors this past season.
“It's been a pleasure to be a part of the team, city, and program growing up,” Erickson said. “Ever since flag football, it has been amazing being with the teammates and c
Improvements are on the way for the construction of Depot Trail Head Park in Big Rapids.
Thanks to approved funding from a special Michigan Strategic Fund meeting last week, 17 projects totaling up to $41 million dollars from all over the West Michigan region will be helped by the collaborative Revitalization and Placemaking Program, or RAP.
“City staff is excited about the opportunity to develop Depot Park into a welcoming park for those visiting the City using the newly paved White Pine Trail,” Big Rapids Community Development Director Michele Stenger said. “We are also excited about the opportunity this will create for the businesses and residents of the east side.”
The $450,000 will be going towards building a trailside park, which will include a 20-foot by 40-foot covered picnic pavillion with an attached set of unisex bathrooms, a bike rack and repair station, and an improved parking lot with 31 spaces for single vehicles.
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A summer’s worth of 23 games is now complete for fellow Big Rapids Cardinal baseball players.
Led by Pioneer Coach of the Year J.T. Scarpelli, the Lumberjacks finished a circuit of four tournaments and various weekday exhibitions with a 10-13 record against some of Michigan’s premier 16U, 17U, and 18U teams.
“It was a great building season for everyone,” Scarpelli said. “We're going to continue the work into the Fall and be ready to go again next Spring.”
Some highlighted players from the Lumberjacks include upcoming junior Ty Gielczyk, who finished the summer hitting .544 at the plate with an outstanding .768 slugging percentage. He also hit a memorable walk-off grand slam against a Midland travel team at Beal City.
“He was also our best defender all over the field,” Scarpelli said. “Ty is expected to be our primary contributor next spring.”
Senior Mayson McNeilly continued his powerful batting potential w
After arguably one of the best seasons in school history, the Cardinals look forward to continuing their proven success in the fall.
While the team has lost five players from last year’s team due to graduation or a school change, head coach Jon Coles believes this year’s team has major potential.
“We lost five out of twelve players,” Coles said. “However, I see us reloading, not rebuilding. We will be skilled but inexperienced in the singles lineup and should be very solid and deep in doubles.”
Along with the roster changes, the team will also be moved up to Division 3 due to boosted enrollment numbers. This creates a much tougher schedule for the Cardinals in the regular and postseason.
“D3 is a different animal,” Coles said. “It’s a much, much tougher division. Our schedule is extremely difficult. We have 17 dates scheduled and we’ll play 13 State Qualifiers from the 2022 season.”
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