Did you see that? (9/3-9/9)

September 10, 2012

School is back in session, and MHSAA teams should be hitting their best strides as league competition gets underway in most sports.

Here's a look at some of the highlights from the first full week of September, with links to additional coverage.

Volleyball

Spikes under the sun: Muskegon Mona Shores finished 3-0 in its home invitational Wednesday against a strong field of Grand Haven, Fruitport and Spring Lake. That's reason to celebrate on its own. But the best part of this story is where the Sailors did their damage -- on two portable courts stretched across the school's football field. (Muskegon Chronicle)

St. Philip takes Cereal City: Despite being one of the smallest schools in the state, it's rare that Battle Creek St. Philip doesn't leave a tournament as champion -- especially in its home town. But the Tigers hadn't won the Cereal City Invitational since 2007, until it did so with a two-set win over Class A honorable mention Temperance-Bedford this weekend. (Battle Creek Enquirer)

FHE is No. 1: Ada Forest Hills Eastern more than justified its ranking as best in the state in Class B by besting many of the best from the Grand Rapids area at the East Kentwood Invitational. Among others in the field were Class A No. 8 East Grand Rapids and reigning MHSAA Class A champion Rockford. (Grand Rapids Press)

Put them in the book: Johannesburg-Lewiston swept Gaylord St. Mary on Tuesday, thanks in part to 10 aces by junior Brittany Cherwinski, a total which will qualify for the MHSAA record book once documentation is submitted. In the team's previous match, junior Julia Nieman qualified for most assists in a match. (Gaylord Herald Times)

Cross Country

Harbor Springs rules the mud: Both the Harbor Springs boys and girls teams won their Charlevoix Classic Mud Runs on Saturday on a course that featured standing water and hay bales among other obstacles. It was the 21st year of the race. (Charlevoix Courier)

Running to records: Sault Ste. Marie has a freshman to watch in Parker Scott, who won his school's Bill Lynn Trails race Saturday in a time of 16:36 -- at least 26 seconds faster than any of the three first-place times from last season's MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals. The time was a school record. (Soo Evening News)

Swimming and Diving

West Ottawa wins West Michigan: Facing many of the biggest and best from that side of the state, Holland West Ottawa won the West Michigan Relays after finishing third in the event each of the last three seasons. Among those also in the field was reigning MHSAA Division 2 champion Holland. (Holland Sentinel)

Tennis

Dow rises again: The Division 2 top-ranked Midland Dow tennis team remained perfect this season by winning its third tournament of the fall, at Grosse Pointe North. Among others in the field were No. 2-ranked Portage Central and No. 3 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (Midland Daily News)

Multi-Sport Coach Kalleward Molds Multi-School Eagles Into Formidable Foe

By Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com

January 21, 2025

KALAMAZOO – When it comes to hockey, JD Kalleward has a different challenge than many high school coaches.

Southwest CorridorHis Kalamazoo Eagles team is a cooperative of six schools: Richland Gull Lake, Parchment, Vicksburg, Plainwell, Kalamazoo Christian and Paw Paw.

That is not a problem for Kalleward, who has more than 30 years of coaching experience to help meld his players into a family.

“In the locker room we sit by our linemates,” Gull Lake senior forward Carter Dominowski said. “My line is one from Vicksburg, one from Gull Lake. 

“It’s all team bonding, hanging out, having fun. We have team dinners every Tuesday (at The Nest at Wings Event Center, where the Eagles practice).”

Kalleward went from Eagles assistant coach to head coach when Matt Kruzich stepped down after last season. The team has rebounded from a 1-3 start this winter to reach 8-7 with eight games remaining before the start of the MHSAA Tournament. 

“JD was the perfect replacement for many reasons: his meticulous preparation, practice planning, management skills,” Kruzich said. “But most of all, I’ve seen the positive impact that he has had on 100 percent of young men and hockey players specifically.”

Gull Lake is the sponsoring school and providing nine of the 23 players.

“It’s a challenge.” Kalleward said of bringing the players together. “You work together, do exercises for bonding in preseason, and you make certain they’re playing for each other.”

The veteran coach has almost 1,000 high school hockey games under his skates. Add the 170 games coaching lacrosse, and he has eclipsed that milestone total.

Coaching across multiple net games

Kalleward started his coaching career with Art Missias in KOHA youth hockey, then moved to Portage Northern when Missias took that head coaching job in 1986. He took over the Northern coaching reins five years later when Missias retired.

Kalleward expanded his coaching experience, becoming Northern’s assistant boys lacrosse coach for three years until being named head coach in 2016.

Comparing hockey and lacrosse, Kalleward said the field sport is a bit harder to coach because of numbers.

Kalleward and his Portage Northern lacrosse team receive the Matt Thrasher trophy in 2019 from then-Portage Central athletic director Joe Wallace (speaking into microphone).“Both are chess games, and both are very fluid,” he said. “Lacrosse has 10 (players) instead of six, but it’s also easier to hide some of your weaker kids in lacrosse.”

Kalleward has had more success in lacrosse, making the MHSAA Division 2 Quarterfinals three of the last five years and winning the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference three times.

Kalleward said he enjoys coaching both sports, and there are some common elements – especially defensively.

“In hockey, you have to keep your head on a swivel, be aware of your surroundings the entire time,” he said. “Same in lacrosse. Always one more pass you’re looking to make.”

When it comes to drills, especially in hockey, the coach readily admits to “stealing” them from other programs to instruct his players.

“That’s how you learn,” he said, naming drills after former coaching friends. “(Portage Central’s) Jim Murray drills. (Kalamazoo Wings) Mark Reeds drills, (Western Michigan University’s) Bill Wilkinson drills, (K-Wings) Ken Hitchcock drills, (Fox Motors AAA U16) Travis Richards drills.”

Learning more than hockey

Kalleward coaches life skills as well as hockey techniques, assistant coach Ken Rogers said.

“These kids aren’t going to be NHL players after high school, so it’s trying to develop some responsibility, some accountability, what’s it like to be on your own,” Rogers said. “We’ve got a lot of seniors, and they’re going to be away from home next year. 

Eagles assistant coach Ken Rogers. “For most of them, that’s a big step in their lives. What we try to do along with hockey is instill those life lessons. Being part of a hockey team, you’re going to have to face those challenges when you get a job, become a good employee.”

Kalleward, who is on the ice with the team every day but Sunday, said that with tournaments the Eagles play 25 games a season plus MHSAA playoffs.

“I enjoy coaching,” he said. “We’re not here for you to try to be the next Sidney Crosby, that next pro. We’re here to have a good experience in high school, be competitive, have fun.

“I’m very big about life lessons. I’m very old school: manners, how we behave in public, address each other.”

Gull Lake senior defenseman Evan Kares appreciates that leadership.

“He has taught me to make smart decisions,” Kares said. “He’s developed the way I think about hockey and the way I play. He’s really introduced the physical aspect for me. I’m still not there yet, but I’m working on it.”

Forward Hank Livingston, another Gull Lake senior, added, “He’s always pushing the team to be the best players and best young men we can be. He’s always trying to help everyone.”

Kalleward, standing, coaches his Eagles hockey team.Other Gull Lake players are Owen Anderson, Joey Blondia, Henry Ludmer, Ryan Rocco, Henry Worgess and Jacob Worgess. Players from Vicksburg are Aidyn Garza, Blaine Herson, Cody Klesko and Grant Stopher, while the two from Paw Paw are Colton Gronau and Caleb Ranger. 

Kalamazoo Christian players are Isaac Riggs, Matthew Rohrer, Ryan Rohrer and Ari Wilkinson. The lone Comstock player is Brody Woolsey. Ryan Baranoski, and Carter Monette are from Plainwell and Kayden Hailey is from Parchment.

One of the downsides to coaching hockey is how player numbers are dwindling, Kalleward said.

The South Central Michigan Hockey League is down to six teams and four besides the Eagles are co-ops: the Capital City Capitals (Lansing), Eastside Stars (East Lansing), Kalamazoo United, and Portage. Mattawan is the only team that is not made up of players from multiple schools.

“That’s the sad thing about hockey,” Kalleward said. “It’s hard to grow the sport with the expense. I like to joke that (renting the ice) costs $6 a minute.”

Pam ShebestPam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at pamkzoo@aol.com with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

PHOTOS (Top) Kalamazoo Eagles coach JD Kalleward talks strategy with Gull Lake seniors (from left) Hank Livingston, Evan Kares and Carter Dominowski. (2) Kalleward and his Portage Northern lacrosse team receive the Matt Thrasher trophy in 2019 from then-Portage Central athletic director Joe Wallace (speaking into microphone). (3) Eagles assistant coach Ken Rogers. (4) Kalleward, standing, coaches his Eagles hockey team. (Top photo and headshot by Pam Shebest. Lacrosse and hockey game photos courtesy of JD Kalleward.)