Oswego senior Zach West verbally committed to Grand Valley State University basketball coach Ric Wesley while making his official visit to the school Saturday in Allendale, just west of Grand Rapids.
“I’ve been thinking about (committing) for about two weeks,” West said. “It just feels like I’m at home when I’m there. I made the official visit but I had an unofficial near the beginning of the school year, where I was able to go to their open gyms and play with some of the guys.”
GVSU, an NCAA Division II school, is a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference. The school has an enrollment of just under 25,000.
The Lakers went 19-8 last season and have a .744 winning percentage (224-77) in Wesley’s 10 years.
“Their offense suits me and they’re looking for a shooter,” West said. “They’ve got a senior guard they’ll need to replace so there’s a chance I can get some playing time as a freshman.”
A 6-4 swing player last season for coach Kevin Schnable’s Panthers, West averaged just under 20 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists and was named to the Beacon News’ All-Area first team.
He had other Division II offers from nearby Lewis, Northern Michigan and the University of Mary in North Dakota.
Old-Timers banquet
The East Aurira Football Old-Timers Association’s annual dinner is returning to the eve of the annual East-West football game and will be held Thursday at Gaslite Manor.
Tickets are $20 for the event, which starts with a kickoff cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 7. The 1989 Tomcat team will be inducted following dinner.
Funds raised from the event will be used to support the group’s scholarship fund, Tomcat football program, and the Tomcat Youth Tackle Football (TYTF) program that was started in 2012 and features four teams with 80-plus players this season.
Email questions to eaoldtimersfootball@gmail.com . For ticket info, contact Stephen Kenyon 630-553-1631.
Taste of Cross
Coach Vic Mead’s Rosary cross country team will host its annual Taste of Cross event Wednesday at the school for students in fifth through eighth grade to introduce them to the sport of cross country.
Separate one-mile races for fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth-grade boys and girls are scheduled, beginning at 4:30 p.m. They will start at the school at 901 N. Edgelawn in Aurora on the north side of the gym and finish on the school track. It is mostly flat and features a water jump and hay bales.
Registration is from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m. and and cost is $1. Parents/coaches must accompany runners. Contact Vic Mead (630-896-0283) with questions.
Holes-in-one
Kathy Assell recently aced the sixth hole (95 yards, par 3) at Fox Bend, using a 7-iron. The shot was witnessed by Ken Assell and Joel Fern.
Bob Naehring recently shot a hole-in-one on the second hole (128-yard, par 3) at Phillips Park, using a 5-iron. It was witnessed by Jerry Kalita and Chuck Hill.
Rick Morales aced the 15th hole (161 yards, par 3) at Fox Valley Golf Course with a 7 iron recently. It was witnessed by Lee Sepplefrick, Joe Morales and Mike Morales.
Fox Bend competitions
David Lee of Waukegan shot a 69 to claim the Division I (age 50-64) gross title in the recent Senior Club Championship at Fox Bend Golf Course in Oswego. Naperville’s Jim Cannan won the net title with a 67.
Paul Anderson of Oswego won Division II (65 and up) gross title with a 76 and Montgomery’s Nels Jacobson took the net crown with a 66.
Bill Perkins and Gary Hills combined to shoot 67 and win the first flight of the 32nd annual Two Person Scramble at Fox Bend. Jeff Jones and Dave Ecton (73) took the second flight and Bryan Petry and Mike Zudyck (77) the third.
