Top 5 Individual Performances
Maddie Musgraves at Jenison Invitational
Dancing in the contemporary solo division at the Jenison Invitational, senior Maddie Musgraves placed first among some of West Michigan’s best dancers. After failing to perform up to standards in the previous competition, Maddie’s performance generated some momentum for the rest of the dance team and herself going into future competitions.
Ben Kastner vs. Greenville
In what looked to be an unfavorable matchup for the boys bowling team, the boys were stacked up against the conference-leading Greenville Yellow Jackets. In the Baker games, the Yellow Jackets started off red-hot, leading 10-0 and leaving all the work for the Rangers to do in individual play. Needing something special, junior Ben Kastner bowled 9 strikes en route to his career-high score of 245. Thanks to Ben’s score, the Rangers won the individual matchup as well as extra points for the massive score differential. Ben’s play motivated his other teammates, as everyone on the team won their matchup in the second round, leading to a 17-13 victory.
“[The 245] meant a lot for our team,” Ben said. “We’ve struggled all year and this effort, alongside my team’s impressive bowls, willed us to beat a good Greenville team. To bowl like that in a match is one of the reasons I truly enjoy the sport.”
Matthew Simonis vs. Southgate Anderson
Playing in net in the first varsity hockey game of his career, senior Matthew Simonis got the opportunity he always dreamed of. After the Rangers went up 9-0 in the first period, the coaches approached captains senior Carl Mielock and junior Hayden Sarjeant about the possibility of bringing in Matthew, usually the team’s manager, to play goalie in the second period. The captains were more than happy to oblige, and Matthew got his chance. Matthew made multiple saves and didn’t allow a single goal in his time spent in net for a shutout win.
“It felt amazing to play well,” Matthew said. “Getting a shutout is very hard to do, and to do that in my first game was pretty awesome.”
Ally Ringler vs. Grandville
Facing a tough non-conference opponent in the Grandville Bulldogs, junior Ally Ringler exploded for a career-high 19 points. Knocking down shots when her team needed her the most, Ally had 10 points in the first half followed by an also-impressive 9 in the second. She also recorded 3 rebounds and 1 steal on the night, making for an all-around stellar performance.
Dan Deindorfer vs. Northview
Coming off a dominant win against the Greenville Yellow Jackets, the boys varsity basketball team shifted its attention in a highly-anticipated rematch with the Northview Wildcats. In the previous matchup, the Rangers had a distinct advantage down low, as senior center and four-year varsity player Dan Deindorfer scored 22 points. Fast forward to round two versus the Wildcats, Dan absolutely took over, scoring a career-high 31 points while grabbing 8 rebounds and blocking 3 shots en route to a heartbreaking 82-79 loss in overtime. The Wildcats tried many different defenses throughout the game to stop Dan, but they could not find an answer.
“I went into that game ticked off by our loss before, and I wanted to give us everything I had to propel us in the right direction,” Dan said. “I knew [Northview center] Ryan Castle was also going to come out ready, and I needed to outhustle, outrebound, and outscore him on the night. I give a lot of credit to my teammates for feeding me [the ball] so much. They allowed me to get in a rhythm.“