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TK wrestling line-up has

both talent and depth

Brett Bremer Sports Editor

It is always a fun way to
start the season.
The Thornapple Kellogg
varsity wrestling team will
open what it expects to be a
thrilling 2021-2022 season by
hosting Hastings to kick off
the Battle of Barry County
Friday, Dec. 10, at Thornapple
Kellogg High School in
Middleville.
The Trojan/Saxon wrestling
match will be followed by
varsity girls’ and boys’ basket-
ball games. Wrestling is set to
begin at 4:30 p.m.
“The TK Wrestling Team is
excited for the season to start
and see what this group can
put together,” third-year head
coach Dayne Fletke said.
“Some of our team goals this
year are to defend our confer-
ence and district champion-
ship, along with contending
for a regional championship.
We also have some high indi-

vidual goals of sending sever- al to the state tournament and climbing the individual plac- es.” Last winter was a pretty good one for the Trojans, and they’re hoping this one is even better – with good reason. TK won 25 duals last season, took the OK Gold Conference championship with a perfect record in conference duals, had nine individual regional qualifiers and five state qualifiers. Of those five state qualifiers, three are returning state medalists this season and four of them are back overall. That group is led by senior Ashton Corson who is a two- time state medalist after plac- ing third in the 119-pound weight class at the MHSAA Division 2 Individual State Finals last winter. Junior Zach Gibson placed seventh at the state finals in 2020 and 2021, at 125 pounds last year. Junior Kyron Zoet placed seventh at

the state finals at 130 pounds last season. The other returning state qualifiers from the winter of 2020-2021 are junior Andrew Middleton and senior Matthew Middleton. TK also brings back senior Hunter Pitsch who was a state qualifier at 103 pounds in at the end of the 2019-2020 season. Regional qualifiers Tyler Bushman, Austin Chivis and Jackson Curtis are also back for the loaded TK line-up. A number of other returnees from last season will provide depth and experience. Coach Fletke is also happy to have many new faces including 12 freshmen in the program. All those wrestlers give the TK coaching staff options at each weight class. Cedar Springs and Wayland will be the top chal- lengers for an OK Gold Conference title for TK, but the Trojans will certainly enter the season as the favor- ites for a conference crown. TK opens conference duals against Wayland as part of an OK Gold/Silver Quad at Kelloggsville High School. TK will also be a part of the Grandville Challenge Dec. 11 and visit East Kentwood for the Kent County Classic Dec. 18. TK will host an OK Gold/ Silver Quad Jan. 19 and another Jan. 26 as well as the OK Gold Conference Ashton Corson Tournament Feb. 5.

TK basketball might take

coach’s personality a bit Brett Bremer Sports Editor

For the past few years the Trojans have relied on the size and skill of the tower- ing center/guard duo of Austin Van Elst and Cole Shoobridge who walked in the graduation ceremony in Middleville this spring. With those two on to the collegiate level, TK head coach Josh Thaler is going to attempt to wipe the slate clean and build an identity throughout the Trojan program. “We’re definitely going to change the pace of how we play,” coach Thaler said. “That is something we’re excited for. I think it fits our personnel even better. It is something that we tried working towards last year, but it is a new concept and with as short as the season was last year we weren’t able to kind of hit some of those things. This year we have a lot more time to be able to go over to those kinds of things.” “As a coach you kind of eventually start playing the way you want to play. When I go play I am always trying to play at a quicker pace. If I was in better shape I’d be picking up full court,” he said. “We’ll see how good I can coach them.” Picking up the pace on offense will also force his defense to be ready to play

at a faster pace while deal- ing with it every day in practice. Junior shooting guard Terrell Jefferson saw the most time on the court of anybody for the Trojans who is returning this season. The Trojans will look to rely

on him for scoring this season, and coach Thaler knows Jefferson will face a tough challenge with defenses focused on him. Also back are senior small forward Jaymes

Terrell Jefferson

See TK BOYS, Page 9

SN 12-4-2021

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