Kent City Athletic Weekly 10-12 — 10-17

Handbook Reminder — School Absences

As a reminder for all families, Kent City Athletics operates on a “student-first, athlete-second” philosophy. Because athletics are an extension of the classroom, academic attendance is our top priority.

To be eligible for practice or competition on any given day, student-athletes at both the middle and high school levels must be in school all day.

Start Time: 1st period begins at 7:50 a.m.
Cutoff: Any student arriving after 8:10 a.m. without an approved excuse will be ineligible to participate that day.

Approved Exceptions Include:

Special Appointments: Medical or dental visits (a verification note from the provider is required upon return).
Educational Absences: Pre-approved school-related activities.
Extenuating Circumstances: Approval required from the Principal or Athletic Director.

Unexcused absences—including skipping class—will result in immediate ineligibility. If you are sick, please stay home and rest. For questions regarding unique circumstances, please visit the main office. Thank you for helping us maintain high standards for our student-athletes!

Week in Review

🏃‍♂️ Varsity Boys XC: The varsity boys XC team finished in 33rd place out of 38 teams on Saturday at the Portage Invitational.

🏃‍♀️ Varsity Girls XC: The varsity girls XC team finished in 5th place out of 38 teams on Saturday at the Portage Invitational. Four Kent City runners earned medals, including Elliana Max (5th place), Shelby Zimmer (10th place), Bayla Curtis (34th place), and Joselyn Vogel (48th place)

🏈 Varsity Football: The varsity football team defeated Central Montcalm 64-12 to win the CSAA White outright on Friday night. Kent City is now 5-2 overall and 4-0 in the CSAA White.

⛳ Varsity Girls Golf: The varsity girls golf team finished in 12th place at the MHSAA Regionals on Tuesday, ending their 2026 season. Leading the way for the Eagles was sophomore Abigail Peterson with a 120 in 28th place, followed by fellow sophomore Ava Harlett with 128 in 46th place.

⚽ Varsity Boys Soccer: The varsity boys soccer team lost to Grant on their home field 2-0. Then on Thursday, against Newaygo, the Eagles won 3-2. Senior Marcus Arechiga scored two goals to break the school record for goals in a season with 23. Kent City is now 11-7-1 overall and 5-2 in the CSAA Blue.

🏐 Varsity Volleyball: The varsity volleyball team defeated Montague 2-1 and lost to Manton 2-1 on Thursday at their J.V./Varsity tri. Kent City’s record stands at 14-8-1 overall and 4-2 in the CSAA White.

Key Contests

Varsity XC @ CSAA Championships

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 | 4:30 p.m. | White Cloud High School

It is off to White Cloud this week for the CSAA Championships for the varsity boys and girls XC teams. Kent City’s boys are currently in 2nd place behind Lakeview and the girls own the top spot in the CSAA White. Tuesday’s race is a bit different, yes it is a 3.1 mile course like all of their races this year, but the finish on Tuesday holds more weight than either of the first two jamborees run at Morley Stanwood and Kent City. Those two races count as 25% in the final standings, whereas the CSAA Championships count as 50%. Therefore if the boys team can pull the upset on Tuesday, they would share the title with the Wildcats. Another difference is the automatic all-conference bids up for grab. The top five runners to cross the line will be 1st team all-conference, regardless of their performances at the 1st and/or 2nd jamborees. Then, four more (6-9) 1st team runners are determined by the best 2 finishes throughout the season as well as five honorable mention runners (10-14). White Cloud’s course is NOT fast, but Tuesday’s race is not about times, it is all about place. Look for the Super Seven to dominate the field and for our boys squad to put some heat on the Wildcats in this final conference race of the season.

Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Tri-County (MHSAA Districts)

Wednesday, October 15, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. | Kent City High School

Kent City is hosting the MHSAA Districts this season and will start their post-season journey with a familiar foe in league rival Tri-County. The Vikings and Eagles have already faced each other two times during the regular season, both games at Ward Memorial Field. In the first game an early goal by the Vikings was met by an onslaught by the Eagles, making the final 7-1. In the second game in the opening round of the CSAA Tournament, Kent City jumped out to the early 4-0 lead, but then stalled out until late in the game when they added three more goals for a 7-0 win. It is win or go home time for both teams so expect an added sense of urgency on Wednesday night. Kent City has struggled out of the gate for most of the season, going on the offensive early, especially with home field advantage, will be the recipe for success in this District. Last season the Eagles advanced to the District Finals for the second time in school history. A win on Wednesday is the first obstacle as they look to take it one step further this season. Since this is an MHSAA postseason event, all tickets are $5.00 NO PASSES will be accepted.

Varsity Football @ Tri-County

Friday, October 16, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. | Tri-County

The Eagles will travel to Tri-County for a non-league match-up with the Vikings. Since Tri-County opened its doors in 1962, Kent City holds a 23-19-2 advantage over Tri-County in football. Since renewing this rivalry in 2024, both teams have recorded wins on their home fields. Tri-County beat the Eagles 40-22 in 2025 and Kent City outlasted the Vikings 24-21 last season. The Vikings are 4-3 overall and, like the Eagles, have lost some very close games. Tri-County fell to Big Rapids 6-0 in overtime early in the season after regulation saw the teams tied at 0-0. Then, against Reed City, it was a Coyote touchdown with only seconds remaining that led to another heartbreaking loss, 40-34. Both teams need the win to add to their playoff resumes. For Kent City, Tri-County is the largest school on the schedule for this season adding a 40 point total for a win over a D5 team. Looking at the common opponents in Newaygo and Grant suggest that this will be a tough game for the Eagles. Kent City lost to Newaygo 7-6 in the opener while Tri-County easily defeated the Lions 42-6. Against Grant, the Eagles defeated the Tigers 42-27 in week two while the Vikings defeated Grant 42-29 last week. Kent City will need to control the clock by sustaining drives to pick up a road victory on Friday night.