10. Girls Basketball 2023-2024

The West Ottawa girls basketball team had a terrific season in 2023-2024. The leader of the team was Gabby Reynolds who had a work ethic that nobody could match. Reynolds was in the gym from morning to night working on her basketball skills. Her hard work paid off when she was honored as Miss Basketball at the end of the season. The award goes to the best basketball player in the state of Michigan. Although Reynolds was the star, the talent extended throughout the team. Sr. Chelsea Overbeek was a phenomenal shooter, breaking the school record for career three-pointers. Additional key players included Magaly Lemus, a tall center, and Brooke Pedersen who could knock down key buckets. This team had an outstanding season and made a run in the playoffs losing to Rockford in the Quarterfinals.

9. Boys Baseball 1965

The West Ottawa boys baseball team had an extraordinary 1965 season. Being coached by Doug Waldron, they began practicing months ahead of playable conditions, setting up a baseball diamond in the gym. Compared to other teams at the time, they were taking a step ahead when it came to training. With Steven Vanderlip on the mound, it was nearly impossible for the other teams to get a hit. He was the first player in West Ottawa to pitch a perfect game. After high school, he went on to get drafted by the Detroit Tigers. This team had an impressive work ethic and they helped each other grow as players, finishing the season off as state champions.

8. Boys Swim and Dive 1964-1971

In the mid 60’s to early 70’s, the boys swim and dive team dominated the state. Setting multiple state records in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 400 freestyle relay, and diving. Some team leaders during this era were Rex Smith, Tom Nienhuis, and Chris Raphael. Led by coach Henry Reest, who started the program, secured 4 state championships and 3 second-place finishes in 8 years. It is unclear how developed swimming and diving was in the 1960s-1970s, this makes evaluating these teams’ results difficult.

7. Boys Rugby 2012

 Joey Sok led the rugby team to the 2012 Division 1 state rugby finals, being one of the top teams in the state they only lost one game to a team from Brownsburg, Indiana, who was ranked 11th in the nation. Safe to say the Panthers had the skill and aptitude to bring home the trophy. Assisting Sok in the team’s fourth state championship was Jackson Brown and Roman Mares. During the 2012 season, the Panthers beat Rockford 55-13 in the state finals securing their second Division 1 title. The 2012 Rugby team is not ranked as high due to many schools not offering the sport, thus making it easier to make a run at the state finals. Although Rugby may not be as popular as sports such as basketball and football, West Ottawa’s Rugby program has made outstanding accomplishments.

6. Football 2017

In 2017 the football team achieved the school’s first OK Red championship against Rockford defeating them 33-28. Led by Isaac Vandyke and Seankeese Townsend the team got their first 10-win season in school history. Vandyke was a very talented quarterback, who could have played at the next level but took the baseball route instead. Townsend surpassed the school’s record of five touchdowns in a game, scoring six, which has been held ever since. The Team lost to Clarkston who scored three touchdowns in the 4th quarter to put them ahead of the Panthers who went on to win the state championship. This was the best football team West Ottawa has ever had which is why it has such a high spot on the list.

5. Boys Tennis 2006

In 2006 West Ottawa had its best tennis team in school history. It started with their coach, Jens Miliobinski. All the players and parents loved the coach. Initially, Miliobinski thought it would be a rebuilding year for the Panthers, as he was not aware he had some serious talent coming into high school that year. Freshman Kyle Masteller was at #4 singles, then another freshman landed the #1 doubles position. The team went undefeated in dual matches, went on to win the conference title, claimed the Regional title, then easily qualified for the State Championship Tournament in Midland, Michigan. Going into the States the entire team was seeded and earned a first-round bye. By the end of the first day, the team totaled 18 points winning all their matches. A few flights competed in the semifinals and one singles flight lost in the State Championship. By the end of the tournament, West Ottawa secured the runner-up position. To this day, no West Ottawa tennis team has matched the success of the 2006 squad.

4. Boys Baseball 2003

  In 2003 the baseball team was led by coach Jim Caserta who has coached some incredible talent through the years, and this year was no different. With David Nykerk pitching and Brian Baker being the leading hitter, They finished out the year with an impressive record of 31-4. Despite facing tough competition they made it all the way to the state finals. The team took the competition to Brother Rice, beating them in the state championship. This was the team’s second state championship, the last one being in 1965. 

3. Boys Basketball 2017-2018

In 2017 the men’s basketball team had serious talent. The starting five included Tyler Bosma, Drew Pedersen, Nick Wehrmeyer, Liam Cavanaugh, and Xavier Wade. This was a special team because none of these players went on to play basketball at the next level, showing how proficient they were at working as a team. This team was not run by one guy, it was a team effort and that is why they found an exceptional amount of success. The Panthers had an astonishing record of 25-3 making a run all the way to the State Finals where they played in the Breslin Center, home of the Michigan State Spartans. Attending the state championship game is a very memorable experience because all the students showed their school pride and watched their classmates perform on the biggest stage.

2. Girl’s Cross Country 2022

In 2022 the girls cross country team was unstoppable. They were led by Gatorade Player of the year Ariane Olsen and an amazing freshman Helen Sachs. Although the Panthers were led by these two outstanding runners, the team had all the depth they needed including Megan Postma, and the Bonnema twins who all went on to run in college at the Division 1 and 2 levels. All season long the Panthers were dropping their times, running faster everyday. By the end of the season the team was in their best shape for a State Championship, sure enough the runners ran their best times of the season and claimed the first state championship in school history. Of the hundreds of cross-country teams in the state of Michigan, the 2022 West Ottawa squad outworked all of them.

1. Boys Swim 2019

The 2019 boys swim team was led by esteemed coach Steve Bowyer, who knows all the ins and outs of competitive swimming. Coach Bowyer prepares and challenges his swimmers to exceed even their own expectations with a grueling training schedule which includes dryland training and two-a-day practices. Bowyer was chosen by the MHSCA as the Michigan swimming coach of the year in 2020. The 2019 roster was stacked with key swimmers, many of whom went on to swim at the collegiate level, including Derek Maas, Sam Smith, Khadin Soto, Kevin Maas, and Jamahl Hogan. The team won the State Championship in exciting fashion, edging out Detroit Catholic Central by six-hundredths of a second in the final 400-yard freestyle relay. This was West Ottawa’s first swimming state championship since 1971.