Whitehall seniors Ryne Christensen and Kyle Stratton capped off remarkable Viking careers this spring by earning Division 2 first team all-state honors.
For Stratton, it’s his second consecutive all-state award. The shortstop and pitcher hit over .400 for the season with an on-base percentage in excess of .500. Most notably, he broke Whitehall legend and Major League All-Star Nate McLouth’s MHSAA career record for stolen bases, running his total up to 199 (McLouth’s old record was 180). He swiped his final base, which also tied the Vikings’ single-season mark of 72, in the last inning of his team’s regional semifinal defeat to Spring Lake. Former teammate Cayden Ritchie set that standard in 2021.
Likely the sweetest achievement of all for Stratton, though, was being able to help lead the Vikings to a district championship, their first since 2017, with wins over Big Rapids and Ludington June 1.
“Just like (in all his) sports, he’s such a competitor,” Whitehall coach Warren Zweigle said of Stratton in May; Stratton will be playing football at Taylor University this fall. “He just wants to go out there and compete at the highest level, and most of the time that helps separate him from other kids.
“It’s always hard to compare kids from other eras, but when you look at how complete an athlete he is, his strength and his speed, and his hand-eye coordination, it’s easy to see that he’s one of the best athletes to come out of here.”
Christensen earned the utility spot on the all-state team after a stellar season pitching and playing the infield for the Vikings. It was Christensen’s complete-game win over district favorite Big Rapids that propelled Whitehall to that district championship. Christensen continued his strong postseason work in the regional semifinals by throwing 6 1/3 innings and allowing four hits to a Spring Lake team that went on to the state championship game. Christensen also pitched three shutout innings against the Lakers during a regular-season Whitehall win and shut out Ludington over 6 2/3 frames in a standout effort during West Michigan Conference Lakes regular-season play.
“Every minute we get to spend with them is a good minute,” Christensen said of his Viking teammates after the season. “I’ve enjoyed all those times through the ups and the downs. We’ve had plenty of downs, but we’ve had some ups (too).”
The senior duo headlined a large group of postseason honors for Whitehall. Nate Betz and Brock Morningstar added their own all-WMC Lakes first team awards, Betz as an outfielder and Morningstar in the at-large spot. Betz provided strong defense in center field throughout the season, and Morningstar was a mainstay in the middle of the order and at first base all year while also contributing on the mound when needed.
Whitehall coach Warren Zweigle earned district coach of the year honors and, along with his coaching staff, helmed the Blue team to victory in the Marsh Field high school all-star game June 10. Stratton, Christensen and Morningstar joined teammates Ryan Goodrich, Nolan Taranko, Isaac VanAmberg and Noah Meinert on the academic all-district team as well. The Vikings picked up all-state academic honors in Division 2 as well.
Montague all-conference first team honorees were Bryton Belinger as an infielder, Ryver Jarka as an outfielder, and Kellan Francis as an at-large player. Jarka emerged as a constant late in the season, taking the pivotal leadoff spot in the Wildcat lineup for a team that picked up a district championship by upsetting top-ranked North Muskegon June 1. Belinger enjoyed a big year at the plate from the start of the season onward, homering in the team’s season opener at Reeths-Puffer and continuing to belt line drives from there. Francis, the Wildcats’ second baseman, spent much of the season in the #2 spot in the order and was awarded for his work at the plate.
Eli Petersen, who pitched a six-hit complete game gem in that district finals game and also had two hits and scored a run in the game, received honorable mention for his work during the regular season.
Reeths-Puffer enjoyed a successful season of its own, highlighted by a GMAA championship. The Rockets placed four players onto the O-K Green Conference first team, three of them - Cayden Theisen, Trent Reichert and Jaxson Whitaker - being seniors. Whitaker and Reichert anchored the Rockets’ pitching staff throughout the season, delivering terrific performances time and again. Left fielder Theisen was one of the more reliable bats in the R-P lineup, hitting in the middle of the order much of the season. Junior Holden Earnest, also a first-team pick, took on the demanding shortstop position and also hit in the middle of the order. He was an explosive bat at times, including a 4-for-4 showing against Holland and two doubles in a win over Oakridge.
