Catch 22 Hamilton: Vote for the top Hawkeyes athlete from 2001-22
Editor's Note: Did you catch these 22 at Hamilton? The Holland Sentinel has released its list of the top athletes from the past 22 years from each school. Read about each athlete below and vote for the top athlete. The top boys and girls vote-getters will be announced at the end of the series. Remember, the series is from 2001-2022. Vote in the story at hollandsentinel.com.
Rayah Blood
Class of 2020
In completely different sports, Rayah Blood proved to be one of the best athletes in the state. She finished third in the state in diving and third in the state in the 100 meters during her career. She earned multiple all-state honors in both diving and track and field before earning a Division I scholarship to dive at Bowling Green.
Mitch Bosch
Class of 2005
One of the best on the gridiron, Mitch Bosch was an all-state football player who dominated at the line of scrimmage. He was tough to stop and blocked Hamilton to a record-setting year on the ground. He also was an all-state wrestler and track and field athlete for the Hawkeyes.
Cody Buresh
Class of 2011
A dominant linebacker, Cody Buresh was an all-state performer at Hamilton before going on to become an All-American linebacker at Wabash College. His quickness and explosiveness allowed him to fly to the ball.
Nick Carlson
Class of 2015
The greatest golfer in area history, Nick Carlson was dominant from his first high school season. As a freshman, he won the state championship. He finished state runner-up as a sophomore and junior before winning the state championship again as a senior. He went on to golf at Michigan and made the U.S. Amateur semifinals before turning pro.
Sara DeWeerdt
Class of 2007
A three-sport athlete, Sara DeWeerdt starred in basketball, volleyball and track for the Hawkeyes. She was an all-state performer in volleyball and track, helping the Hawkeyes to the regional finals in volleyball. She went on to play volleyball at Hope and was an All-MIAA selection on the Flying Dutch's Final Four team.
AJ Ediger
Class of 2021
One of the most dominating athletes in area history, the 6-foot-3 AJ Ediger was a force in basketball and volleyball. She earned all-state honors in basketball twice and volleyball twice, leading both teams to the state quarterfinals twice (the basketball team made the semifinals once there too). She also competed in track and field before earning a basketball scholarship to the University of Iowa.
Rileigh Eding
Class of 2016
In the pool, Rileigh Eding proved to be an inspiration to Hamilton, overcoming a brain tumor to win multiple state championships. She won the 100 backstroke as a junior and 50 freestyle as a senior. She went on to swim at Oakland and then Albion where she was an MIAA champion and All-American.
Austin Fathman
Class of 2011
In the fast lane his entire career, Austin Fathman made his mark in the sprints. He helped Hamilton become a state champion swimming program, on the way, claiming individual state title honors in the 50 freestyle. He went on to MIT where he became an All-American.
Hannah Fathman
Class of 2021
Following in his brother's footsteps a decade later, Hannah Fathman claimed the state championship in the 50 freestyle. She earned multiple state runner-up finishes and was a relay state champion for the Hawkeyes, earning several all-state finishes. She went on to swim at Albion and has been an MIAA champion and NCAA qualifier.
Erika Freyhof
Class of 2017
One of the top runners in history, Erika Freyhof made her mark in both cross country and track and field. She won the Division 2 state championship in cross country as a junior and finished third as a senior. In track, she won multiple state titles in distance races and was all-state in several events. She went on to run at Nebraska and scored at the Big Ten Championships and was an NCAA qualifier.
Zach Heerspink
Class of 2009
With incredible leaping ability, Zach Heerspink won the state championship in the long jump as a junior and finished all-state in multiple events as a senior to lead Hamilton to the team state title. He went on to North Central where he won the NCAA Division III national title in the long jump.
Stephanie Johnston
Class of 2015
One of the top sprinters of her time, Stephanie Johnston claimed multiple state championships in the water and was an all-state performer for multiple years for the Hawkeyes. She went on to swim at the Division I level at Eastern Michigan.
Jamie Kraker
Class of 2006
An elite and versatile athlete, Jamie Kraker came within an eyelash of winning the state title in the 100 meters. She was all-state multiple times in track and field and was also an all-state outside hitter in volleyball, leading the Hawkeyes to the regional finals.
Emily Oren
Class of 2012
The MHSAA scholar-athlete of the year as a senior, Emily Oren was on the run. She earned multiple all-state finishes in cross country, helping the Hawkeyes to a state runner-up finish. She also was all-state multiple years in multiple events for track and field. She went on to run at Hillsdale where she claimed multiple NCAA championships in the steeplechase and has qualified for multiple Olympic trials and USA national meets in the event.
Molly Oren
Class of 2013
Running alongside her sister, Molly Oren claimed multiple all-state finishes in cross country and track and field. She helped the Hawkeyes to a runner-up finish in cross country before heading to Belmont then Hillsdale to run, where she was a three-time All-American in the steeplechase, finishing as high as NCAA runner-up.
Ashley Overbeek
Class of 2014
One of the quickest and most talented basketball players in history, Ashley Overbeek made her mark by scoring 1,400 points and earning all-state honors. She started the resurgence of the Hamilton program. In addition, she was an all-state soccer player, using that same quickness to get to the goal.
Jordan Pikaart
Class of 2015
An all-around threat on the volleyball court, Jordan Pikaart could do it all. The outside hitter was an all-state volleyball player as a junior and senior. She was a dominant hitter and balanced that ability with her defense as a blocker and back-row player in the rotation. She went on to play volleyball at Saginaw Valley State.
Shawn Pitsch
Class of 2006
Perhaps the state's most talented athlete not to win a state championship, Shawn Pitch was dominant on the wrestling mat. He finished fourth in the state as a senior despite battling a major injury in the postseason. He finished with a stunning 207 wins, the most in area history, before wrestling at Heidelberg.
Bria Schrotenboer
Class of 2019
One of the top soccer players in the history of the Holland area, Bria Schrotenboer starred in soccer before moving on to higher club teams and landed a spot on Team USA before playing at Michigan State and then Duke. She also was an all-state basketball player, leading the Hawkeyes to the state semifinals.
Dustin Smith
Class of 2007
Whether on the field or the court, Dustin Smith was going to beat you. He was an all-state football player as a running back and linebacker and also played guard on the basketball team, earning all-state honors. He went on to play football at Hope College before transferring to Calvin to play basketball.
Kara VandeGuchte
Class of 2007
One of the most versatile and elite athletes in area history, Kara VandeGuchte was a three-sport star. She played basketball, but was even better in volleyball and on the track. She was all-state in volleyball twice, leading the Hawkeyes to the regional final. She also earned all-state honors in track and field, one of the top hurdlers in area history. She went on to play volleyball and run track at Hope. She was all-region in volleyball, helping Hope to the Final Four. She also earned All-American honors in the heptathlon.
Grant Wolfram
Class of 2015
A three-sport star, Grant Wolfram was all-conference in basketball and all-state in tennis, going 30-1 at No. 1 doubles as a senior. But his best sport was baseball. He was a multi-all-state performer, and put together one of the most dominating seasons in state history as a senior. He went on to play at CMU and Davenport before being drafted by the Texas Rangers.
— Contact Sports Editor Dan D'Addona at Dan.D'Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Catch 22 Hamilton: Vote for the top Hawkeyes athlete from 2001-22
