Zeeland East to be led by Groeneveld

Zeeland East is thrilled to announce the hiring of softball coach, Jolie Groeneveld.  

Coach Groeneveld heads to Zeeland East after completing her playing career at Cornerstone University.  While playing at Cornerstone, Groeneveld was a two time all conference player, two time academic all conference, holds the single season stolen bases record and was named Cornerstone’s Breakthrough Athlete in 2022.   

In addition to her playing career, Groeneveld has served as a varsity assistant coach at Allendale High School the last four years.  Coach Groeneveld has also assisted in coaching with Finesse West Fastpitch.  

Jolie brings an impressive playing background combined with an undeniable passion for the game. We are excited for her to share her love for softball as she teaches our student-athletes!

Groeneveld is eager to get started at Zeeland East:

“I am honored and excited for the opportunity to coach the Zeeland East Softball Team.  Zeeland is a great community and I am eager to build relationships with those in the softball community.  I am excited to meet the players and bring more people into the sport that I love!”

Coach Groeneveld will be holding a meeting next Wednesday (December 11th) at 3:00pm in the Zeeland East Cafeteria to meet the softball team.  

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Zeeland West High School

The Chix hosted the Dux of Zeeland West Tuesday evening on Zeeland Hall of Fame night at the Coop.  In front of a large crowd, the Chix prevailed 58-43 over the Dux.  The Chix got off to a quick start as Senior Mickey Voss hit a 3-pt shot on the Chix first possession of the game to fire up the crowd and the Coop.  The Chix used that momentum to score the first 12 points of the game and led 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.  The Chix built on their lead in the 2nd quarter, outscoring the Dux 19-11 to lead 33-14 at halftime.  In the second half,  the Dux outscored the Chix 29-25, but it wasn't enough as the Chix won the game.  With the win, the Chix hold onto 2nd place in the OK Black with an 8-3 conference record.  Overall the Chix are 13-8 on the season.Leading the Chix in scoring was Senior BJ Walker and Junior Caleb Claerbaut, who each scored 13 points on the evening.  Walker added 5 rebounds and 5 assists, while Claerbaut added 3 &nbs

Chix Beat FHC 58-39

  On January 17, East Varsity Girls Basketball went against Forest Hills Central and added another win to their record with a score of 58-39. The girls had a very exciting game for all four quarters,  Sr. Miara Fenlon had 15 points, Soph. Lizzie Rizdon and Jr. Cece Kuras had 13 points. Sr, Miara Fenlon said, “It was a good game that ended with another win, we knew had to play good defense and rebound, given that they were a good rebounding team to achieve the win.” After the game Coach Hammond said, “We had a game plan that stwitched a lot of things, and the girls defensively executed it. Offensively we shot great but I thought we got a lot of looks on a consistent basis, it was only a matter of time for things to swing our way which happened to be the third quarter. Everyone played and had an impact on the game and win.” This was a great game to see all the girls play and shine on the court, and have to opportunity to contribute to the win.

Chix Fall to Maroons

  Zeeland East Varsity Girls Basketball lost to the Maroons of Holland Christian by a score of 53-41. The girls played a hard game against the Maroons for all four quarters. Emily Wierenga said, “We played really hard, with a rough outcome. Our team played to the abilities we could, our shots were falling we did play well in defense; it just didn’t fall in our favor.” After the game Coach Hammond said, “Holland Christian is one of the best offensive rebounding teams, that's where this match started for us with a 1 and loss. I thought we rebounded well enough, but didn’t shoot as well as we hoped. But we matched up pretty well, you can’t help but feel encouraged by the way the kids played.” Although the Chix lost, the girls had energy on and off the court.

Chix Beat Spring Lake 56-41

  Zeeland East Girls Basketball team beat Spring Lake on Friday 56-41. After the game sophomore Lizzy Risdon said “We are now 3-0 in conference games which hasn’t happened in a while, I did pretty well on defense and had some rebounds.” Coach Troy Hammond said, “We played really hard. We were able to do things offensively that we hoped to. We did have some mistakes and self inflicted errors offensively, which led it to be a closer game longer than we hoped. I give credit to the girls for playing as well as they did and overcoming the mistakes.” Throughout the game the Chix maintained the lead, there were many mistakes in the beginning but once the second half started the girls were able to come out strong with a lot of energy and shut down the Spring Lake defense. The girls advance to lead the conference with a record of  3-0. 

Chix Finish Second in OK Black Conference Tourney

  Zeeland East Wrestling competed in the OK Black Conference Tournament this past Friday hosted by the Hamilton Hawkeyes. The team finished 3rd place overall with 12 podium placings. Earning 1st place in their brackets were JJ Ledford (120) and Gavin Drenren (150). Coach Chris Heald commented, “A lot of kids walked away disappointed but I was really proud, I felt like we wrestled hard and we have some work to do but we saw some improvement from our younger wrestlers.”   Furthermore, earning 2nd place in their brackets were Tanner Hoffman (106), Anders Tibbs (144), Zeek Ramandhani (215) and Maximus Gomez (HW). Earning 3rd place were Xavier Phuek (132) and Jonah Heyboer (175). Earning 4th place were Easton Sizemore (113), Zach Westrate (126), Tyler Clark (138), and Elijah Amid (190). Coach Chris Heald also commented, “I’m hoping we can carry some of these losses or victories into next week and focus for districts.” The team prepares to

Team Districts

Zeeland East Wrestling etched its name in the record books, capturing its first team district championship in school history with dominant victories over Zeeland West and Holland. The Chix overpowered the Dux with a 63-12 win before sealing the title with a hard-fought 43-30 victory over Holland. Leading the way for Zeeland East with double wins on the night were Easton Sizemore (106), Tanner Hofman (113), JJ Ledford (120), Anders Tibbs (144), Gavin Drenten (150), Caden Arendsen (157), and Maximus Gomez (285). This historic achievement is a testament to the team's hard work, resilience, and determination. The Chix now set their sights on the next stage of the postseason as they continue their incredible journey. ZESPN Student Journalist Olivia Siebart: Zeeland East Varsity Wrestling takes home the title of Team District Champions for the first time in school history, beating Zeeland West 63-12 and Holland 43-30 at Home on February 5. Coach Heald commented, “I

Wrestling Takes Down Spring Lake

  Zeeland East Varsity wrestling took home a 45-25 win against Spring Lake this past Wednesday at Holland. The match previously scheduled for January 22nd was cancelled due to winter weather. Coach Heald commented, “It’s tough when our schedule changes with all the snowdays and we have to prepare for Conference on Friday, but I was really proud of the way we showed up and took care of business.” Fr. Easton Sizemore competed in the 113 weight class. He won his match by pin earning the team 6 points. When asked about his match, Sizemore commented “I pinned him in a turk. It was also really fun to get my 16th win on my 16th birthday/” The team is preparing for the OK-Black conference meet this Friday hosted by Hamilton. The boys only have one conference loss this season. Heald closed by stating, “ We will just keep getting better and go from there.”

Boys Varsity Swimming/diving vs. Forest Hills Central High School

  The Zeeland boys swim and dive team beat Forest Hill Central yesterday, February 4, 2025, in a massive blowout 115-64 victory.  After the big win coach Drew Scheerhorn stated, “We are towards the end of our season which means that we are very tired. We weren't at our best today but our effort was very high which was great to see as we head into conference.” The 100-meter backstroke was won by Sr. Owen Stevens with a time of 53.82 seconds. Sr. Lucause Dattle, after the impressive win over Forest Hills Central, said, “I did the Iron Man, meaning I swam the last four events. This was a big challenge of endurance and effort. This challenge was super hard but very rewarding.”   

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Holland High School

The Chix traveled to Holland to play the Holland High Dutch at the Historic Dutch Dome on Friday night in an OK Black Conference match up.  The game was marked by a series of scoring runs by both teams, with the Chix making the final run to win the game 60-46. In the first quarter, the Chix started the game on a 6-0 run to take an early lead.  After a Dutch timeout, the Dutch came back with a 17-7 scoring run of their own to finish the first quarter with a 17-13 lead.  In the 2nd quarter, the Dutch extended their lead to 7 points, 22-15 with 3 minutes remaining in the first half.  But the Chix got hot to end the first half, finishing the 2nd quarter om a 10-0 run to lead 25-22 at half.  The Chix continued their strong play in the 3rd quarter, extending their lead to 6 points, 43-37 heading into the final period..  In the 4th quarter, the Dutch scored the first 8 points to regain the lead 45-43.  But the Chix went on the final run of

Boys Varsity Swimming/diving vs. Holland Christian High School

  In a back-and-forth battle the Zeeland boys swim and dive team beat Holland Christian 92-91 on Thursday, January 30, 2025.  After the tight match-up against Holland Christian the team found themselves on top, Coach Drew Scheerhorn said, “This was probably going to be the closest meet this season. It’s a lot of fun to race our cross-town rivals. Obviously we are not in their conference anymore, but being able to show up and being able to just really race to the finish was awesome. Having such a close meet is something really exciting for everybody involved other than head coaches.” Soph. Gibby Meyering met the sectional qualifier of the 200 Freestyle with a time of 1:48.36. After playing a huge role in the team's success Meyering said, “The swim felt really good. I’ve been working really hard on my butterfly and my underwaters. I feel like I was able to pull it together nicely in that race. I’m very happy about my state

Boys Varsity Wrestling vs.ZW & GR Union

Zeeland East Wrestling crossed the path this week to take on Zeeland West and Grand Rapids Union in an exciting night of dual competition. The Chix delivered two dominant performances, defeating the Dux 51-21 and rolling past GR Union 62-12. The highlight of the night came from senior Gavin Drenten, who made program history by becoming the all-time leader in career wins. With an impressive overall record of 165-20—and more season still ahead—Gavin continues to solidify his legacy as one of Zeeland East’s all-time greats. The Chix showcased their strength and depth, as they have one last conference quad of the season. Zeeland East Varsity Wrestling beat Zeeland West 51-21 and Grand Rapids Union 62-12 in their quad at  Coach Heald stated, “ I feel like we were a little flat tonight, but at the end of the day, a win is a win. So, I am hoping we can take the time off over the long weekend to keep chipping away and fixing the little thi

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Holland Christian High School

The Chix hosted the Holland Christian Maroons on Tuesday night.  In a close game though out, the Chix came away with a 53-49 win.  The game was tied at 28-28 at halftime and 43-43 after 3 quarters.  With the game tied at 49-49 with 3:30 remaining in the 4th quarter, the Chix got a huge bucket by Senior Quincy Thome to take the lead 51-49 and then 2 big blocked shots by Junior Caleb Claerbaut to help preserve the win in the last minute of the game. The Chix were led in scoring by Will Drnek, who tallied 12 points and dished out 5 assists.  Senior BJ Walker scored 11 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and assisted on 4 buckets.  Claerbaut scored 9 points, grabbed 3 boards and blocked 5 shots. Senior Will VerSteeg added 7 points in the win, while Seniors Mickey Voss and Jacob Vera each added 6 points.  Quincy Thome scored 2 points, and added 4 rebounds and 5 assists in the win. The Chix are back in action next week Tuesday at 7:30 pm vs the Zeeland West Du

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Spring Lake High School

The Chix traveled to Spring Lake to take on the Lakers in an OK Black Conference game on Friday night.  The Chix jumped out to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter and held a 27-19 halftime lead.  The Chix extended their lead to double digits in the 3rd quarter, leading 43 -31 after 3 quarters and the Chix held on to win the game 52-40.  With the win, the Chix improve to 11-8 overall, 6-3 in OK Black Conference games. The Chix were led by Junior Caleb Claerbaut, who scored 17 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and blocked 3 shots.  Sophomore Will Drnek scored 14 points, knocking down a couple of 3-pt shots.  Senior BJ Walker had a double-double for the Chix, scoring 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.  BJ added 3 assists and 2 blocked shots.  Senior Quincy Thome scored 4 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and dished out 4 assists.  Senior Will VerSteeg didn't score, but he dished out 5 assists and grabbed 2 rebounds.   The Chix are back home on T

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Unity Christian High School

The Chix were home Friday night in front of a packed house on Community night at the Coop against the Crusaders of Unity Christian.  The Crusaders started out on a 12-0 run to start the game before the Chix were able to score.  The Crusaders were able to maintain a double-digit lead throughout the game and won 58-39. Leading the way for the Chix was Senior Will VerSteeg, who scored a season high 13 point and grabbed 5 rebounds.  Senior BJ Walker tallied 11 points, grabbed 5 boards, dished out 3 assists and blocked 2 shots.  Senior Quincy Thome scored 5 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, while Junior Caleb Claerbaut scored 4 points and blocked 4 shots for the Chix.  Seniors Eli Walcot and Owen VerSteeg and Junior Will Drnek each scored 2 points.  All 12 players for the Chix saw game action. The Chix head back on the road as they travel to Hamilton on Tuesday night.  Tip time for the varsity game is scheduled for 7 pm or 20 minutes

Varsity Wrestling at McGinnis-Evans Memorial Invite

Zeeland East Wrestling traveled to Battle Creek Central to compete in the McGinnis-Evans Memorial Individual Tournament, finishing 5th out of 17 teams in a competitive field. The Chix had several standout performances, with JJ Ledford (120) and Gavin Drenten (150) both crowned champions in their weight classes. Anders Tibbs (144) had a strong showing, earning a runner-up finish, while Maximus Gomez (215) battled his way to 3rd place. Zach Westrate (126) claimed 4th place, and three wrestlers secured 5th place finishes: Tanner Hofman (106), Xavier Phuek (132), and Jonah Heyboer (175). Caden Arendsen (157) rounded out the podium finishes with a 6th place performance. The Chix continue to demonstrate their depth and competitiveness as they prepare for the upcoming stretch of the season.

Varsity at Rocket Invite

Zeeland East Wrestling traveled to Kelloggsville high school to compete in the Rocket invite. The Chix had several standout performances, with Easton Sizemore (106) and Tyler Clark (138) both with a string showing earning runner-up finishes. Eli Rahn (113) finished in 5th place, Cam Beckman (138) finished in 6th place, and Jackson VanderZwaag (190) 6th place finish rounding out the podium finishes. Great work on the mats! 

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Zeeland West High School

The Chix traveled to Zeeland West Saturday night to play in the basketball version of the Bird Bowl.  In a low scoring, hard fought game, the Chix pulled out a 48-36 win.  In the first half, both teams had a hard time putting the ball in the hoop as the Chix held a slim 15-14 halftime lead.  But in the 3rd quarter, the Chix outscored the Dux 22-9 to take a 14 point lead heading into the 4th quarter, where they were able to maintain a double-digit lead, to hold on for the win. The Chix were led in scoring by Sophomore Will Drnek, who tallied 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.  Junior BJ Walker scored 12 points and dished out 5 assists.  Junior Caleb Claerbaut scored 9 points and pulled down 7 rebounds, while Senior Quincy Thome scored 5 points and grabbed 7 boards.  Rounding out the scoring was Seniors Jacob Vera, Will VerSteeg and MIckey Voss, who each scored 3 points in the victory. With the win, the Chix record improves to 10-6, 5-1 in OK

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Forest Hills Central High School

The Chix traveled to play the Rangers of Forest Hills Central on Friday night.  The game started with the Rangers jumping out to a big early lead, leading 20-6 midway through the 1st qtr.  The Chix ended the quarter on a 9-5 run to trail 25-15 at the end of the 1st qtr.  The Chix continued their comeback in the 2nd quarter, tying the game at halftime, 33 -33 on a Quincy Thome buzzer beating 3-pt shot.  The Chix continued their strong play in the 2nd half, taking a 53-50 lead after 3 quarters and pulling away in the 4th quarter to secure the 68-58 win. Senior BJ Walker scored 34 points and grabbed 7 boards in the win.  Sophomore Will Drnek scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds,  Junior Caleb Claerbaut scored 10 points and grabbed 4 boards.  Senior Will Vwr Steeg scored 6 points and dished out 5 assists. The Chix continue their 5 game road trip as they travel to take on Zeeland West next Tuesday at 7:30 pm.  

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Holland Christian High School

The Chix boy's basketball team traveled to Holland to play the Holland Christian Maroons Tuesday evening in the historic Holland Civic Center.  The Maroons started out quickly, taking an early 13-5 lead midway through the 1st quarter.  After a Chix timeout, the Chix responded to outscore the Maroons 12-4 to tie the score at 17 after 1 quarter of play.  The 2nd quarter was tightly contested, with the Chix outscoring the Maroons 17-16 in the stanza and Zeeland East led 34-33 at Halftime.  In the 2nd half, the Chix offense caught fire, out-scoring the Holland Christian 21-15 in the 3rd quarter and 18-14 in the 4th quarter to win the game 73-62. The Chix had 4 players who scored double-digits points in the contest.  They were led by Sophomore Will Drnek, who scored a career-high 24 points.  Drnek added 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.  Junior Caleb Claerbaut, scored a career-high 23 points for the Chix.  Claerbaut stuffe

Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Spring Lake High School

The Chix hosted the Lakers from Spring Lake Friday night in OK Black Conference play.  The Chix started slowly and trailed 9-7 after the first quarter.  In the 2nd quarter, the offenses for both teams warmed up with the Chix outscoring the Lakers 26-20 in the 2nd quarter and the Chix led 33-29 at half.  In the 2nd half, offense was still the name of the game, as the Chix outscored the Lakers 37-35 and Zeeland held on for a 70-64 victory. Leading the way for the Chix was Senior BJ Walker, who scored 23 points, knocking down 3 of 4 3-pt shots, and grabbed 5 rebounds.  Junior Caleb Claerbaut scored a season-high 20 pts.  Caleb made six 3-pt shots, grabbed 4 rebounds and blocked 3 shots.  Sophomore Will Drnek scored 16 points, dished out 4 assists and had 3 steals in the victory.   Chix are now 6-5 on the season and 2-1 in OK Black conference play.  The Chix are now on the road for their next 5 games, starting with a game Saturday, January