Battle of the Fans IX: Vote Now
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 18, 2020
This year's Battle of the Fans IX finalists have shown us over the last two weeks more than enough to prove they should be considered among Michigan's top high school student cheering sections.
Now we're asking you over the next two days to help us determine which should be crowned as the state's best for 2019-20.
Vote today through 4 p.m. Thursday on your favorite of these three (enrollments in parentheses) – Buchanan (435), Saginaw Heritage (1,515) or Zeeland East (943) – by liking, sharing and re-tweeting on the MHSAA’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites
But before you do, take a few minutes to watch all three videos from our visits and read the stories behind the sections by clicking the links below.
The contest is sponsored by the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, which will have the final vote on the champion. SAC members will use all resources available to make their decision – including giving weight to the public social media vote. Votes will be valued proportionately to the size of the school receiving them (for example, one vote for Class B Buchanan will be worth more than one vote for Class A Zeeland East and Saginaw Heritage).
The champion will be announced Friday on Second Half. All three finalists will be invited to Michigan State University's Breslin Center on March 27 for the Division 2 Boys Basketball Semifinals, and the winner will be presented with a championship banner at center court.
And now, the finalists, in alphabetical order:
Buchanan
Read all about it: Have You Herd? Buchanan Tradition Lives On
Saginaw Heritage
Read all about it: Heritage's Hawk Nest Taking Charge
Zeeland East
Read all about it: Zeeland East's Coop Crazies Share the Love
Performance of the Week: Holland Christian's Levi Rozema
January 17, 2025
Levi Rozema ♦ Holland Christian
Senior ♦ Swimming
A Finals placer in two individual races and a relay last season, Rozema is surging toward a big finish to his high school career and enjoyed a highlight-filled week contributing to Holland Christian's first win over rival Holland West Ottawa since 1999 and then a victory at the weekend's D3 Invitational against a field that included several of the top-ranked teams in Lower Peninsula Division 3 this winter.
Against West Ottawa, Rozema won the 200-yard individual medley (2:03.24) and 100 butterfly (55.24) and swam on the winning 200 freestyle relay (1:32.85) and 200 medley relay (1:41.76). At the D3 Invite, Rozema paced the top-ranked Maroons with a first place in the 100 breaststroke (58.39), second place in the IM (2:01.72) and as part of a meet record-setting 200 relay (1:37.23) with teammates Karsten Huisman, Josiah DeVries and Basilio Ledesma. Rozema swam with Ledesma, Miles Stock and Jake Shoemaker on the winning 200 free relay (1:29.71) as well. Rozema also previously played football and baseball at Holland Christian and will continue swimming next season at Grand Valley State where he’ll study general business or business finance.
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Previous 2024-25 honorees
Jan. 10: McRecco McFadden, Burton Bentley basketball - Report
Dec. 18: Nash Leonard, Bay City Western hockey - Report
Dec. 11: Blake Cosby, Dundee wrestling - Report
Dec. 4: Keaton Hendricks, Zeeland West football - Report
Nov. 29: Kate Simon, East Grand Rapids swimming - Report
Nov. 22: Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber softball - Report
Nov. 15: Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8: Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25: Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18: Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26: Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19: TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Rozema family.)