All three Grand Haven schools advance to the state Science Olympiad meet after placing in the top tier of teams at the 32nd Annual Michigan Science Olympiad Regional Tournament held Saturday at Grand Valley State University.
Lakeshore Middle School took first place – for the third year in a row — in the middle school division at the Region 12 event.
Forty-four teams competed in the middle school division.
Grand Haven High School placed second of 25 high school teams at the event. White Pines Intermediate School finished in eighth place out of the 44 middle school teams.
The top 10 middle school and the top six high school teams in each region advance to the state meet set for April 30 at Michigan State University.
Region 12 includes students from schools in Ottawa and Kent counties
The tournament is scored by awarding points according to placement in each of 23 events, said Lakeshore coach Nathan Mihalek.
“Lakeshore placed first with an all-time Lakeshore team low of 60 points,” he said.
This was the 31st year Grand Haven High School competed in the regional tournament, said Coach Mike Reed.
The team finished two points out of first place – with 97 points, behind Grand Rapids Christian High School, who scored 95 points.
Third place went to West Ottawa High School, while Plymouth Christian High School finished fourth. Allendale High School took fifth place and Forest Hills Central High claimed the remaining spot to be eligible for this year’s state competition.
Only two teams from each division will advance from the state meet to the national competition.
The younger students from White Pines Intermediate School took eighth place in the middle school competition – a “job well done,” according to their coach, Rhonda Bird. “I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
White Pines scored 248 points.
The following middle school teams advance out of Region 12: Lakeshore, Chandler Woods, Allendale, Plymouth Christian, Jenison, Harbor Lights, East Grand Rapids, White Pines, Macatawa Bay and Riley Street.
Medals were awarded through eighth place.
Grand Haven High School received medals in 19 of their 23 events as follows:
First Place
Cell Biology: Emily Stringham, Maiya Yu
Dynamic Planet: Haley Kalis, Trent Stegink
Forensics: Scott Bays, Anna Jullie
Game On: Kaden Kar, Ciana Witherell
GeoLogic Mapping: Haley Kalis, Trent Stegink
It’s About Time: Travis Myers, Ciana Witherell
Protein Modeling: Leah Chappell, Emily Stringham, Maiya Yu
Second Place
Anatomy and Physiology: Leah Chappell, John Richardson
Bridge Building: Noah Van Abbema, Connor Weber
Experimental Design: Haley Kalis, Emily Stringham, Ciana Witherell
Fossils: Haley Kalis, Trent Stegink
Green Generation: Scott Bays, Anna Jullie
Hydrogeology: Trent Stegink, Jasmine Wang
Third Place
Disease Detectives: Noah Merriman, Emily Stringham
Fourth Place
Air Trajectory: Kaden Kar, Connor Weber
Electric Vehicle: Noah Van Abbema, Connor Weber
Invasive Species: Anna Jullie, John Richardson
Wright Stuff: Noah Van Abbema, Connor Weber
Fifth Place
Astronomy: Scott Bays, Travis Myers
Ninth Place
Chemistry Lab: Leah Chappell, Maiya Yu
Twelfth Place
Robot Arm: Noah Van Abbema, Ciana Witherell
Fourteenth Place
Wind Power: Noah Merriman, Travis Myers
Nineteenth Place
Write It Do It: Jasmine Wang, Noah Van Abbema
Trial Events
Fourth Place
Potions and Poisons: Kendal Kroes, Jasmine Wang
Other team members include Ian Dean, Ronald Hodge, Fritz Jaeger, William Mayfield, Eric Moerland, Natasha Robertson, Andrea VanDyke, and Emma Wingard.
The head coach is Mike Reed and the assistant coaches are Luke Anderson, Eric Dykstra, David Funk, Greg Huizenga, Jason Hunter, George Jaeger, Robert Monetza, Melissa Moerland, Marcella Morrell, Julie Olson, Dennis Striegle, Margaret Shay, Dan Tlachac, Jim Vande Waa, and Jeremey Wilder.
Lakeshore Middle School placements are as follows:
1st Place (9):
Anatomy and Physiology: Valerie Bobeldyk and Natalie Currie
Bio-Process Lab: Valerie Bobeldyk and Carter Brown
Bridges: Thomas Draper and Nolan Ruble
Dynamic Planet: Carter Brown and Brenner Kar
Elastic Launched Glider: Thomas Draper and Nolan Ruble
Food Science: Brenner Kar and Nolan Ruble
Scrambler: Grace Doyon and Nolan Ruble
Wind Power: Thomas Draper and Brenner Kar
Potions and Poisons (Trial Event): Kelsie McManus and Tess O’Leary
2nd Place (9):
Crave the Wave: George Fullerton and Brenner Kar
Crime Busters: Sophia Jaeger and Nolan Ruble
Experimental Design: Thomas Draper, Kiya Hammond, and Nolan Ruble
Fossils: Carter Brown and Kiya Hammond
Green Generation: Samantha Kasbohm and Matthew Marcus
Invasive Species: Carter Brown and Morgan Womack
Meteorology: Brenner Kar and Samantha Kasbohm
Road Scholar: George Fullerton and Matthew Marcus
Write it, Do it: Matthew Marcus and Valerie Bobeldyk
3rd Place (1):
Picture This: Morgan Womack and Maddie Streng
4th Place (4):
Air Trajectory: Thomas Draper and Nolan Ruble
Disease Detectives: Valerie Bobeldyk and Matthew Marcus
Mission Possible: Thomas Draper and Kiya Hammond
Roller Coaster: Elizabeth Hodge and Frank Frisinger
7th Place (1):
Bottle Rockets: Thomas Draper and Matthew Marcus
12th Place (1):
Reach for the Stars: Matthew Marcus and Samantha Kasbohm
Also involved with the team are: Keegan Aerts, Nabeel El-Amir, Caroline Jeisey-Word, Libby Haan, Lindsey Hubbell, Mercedes Mancilla, Trevor Martin, Tess O'Leary, Meadow White, Matt Bays, Quinn Byington, Andrew Egerer, Frank Frisinger, Elizabeth Hodge, Cameron Lakatos, Bennett Lowe, Kelsie McManus, Cameron Pikaart, and Gavin Plemon.
White Pines Middle School placements were:
3rd Place
Fossils – Carl Jaeger and MaxTran
Scrambler – Charlie VanAbbema and Jaxon Hancock
Wind Power – Frank Roberts and Grant Bell
4th Place
Dynamic Planet – Carl Jaeger and Chase Greene
Potions and Poisons – Paige Meller and Olivia Stevens
5th Place
Crime Busters – Sammi Ruble and Justine Wolffis
Elastic Launch Glider – Sammi Ruble and Charlie VanAbbema
Invasive Species – Carl Jaeger and Frank Robert
6th Place
Bridge Building – Sammi Ruble and Justine Wolffis
Picture This – Sammi Ruble and Justine Wolffi
7th Place
Experimental Design – Carl Jaeger, Charlie VanAbbema, Marissa McManus
Mission Possible – Frank Roberts and Charlie VanAbbem
9th Place
Bottle Rockets – Jacob Marcus and Kaitlin Zylstra
11th Place
Crave The Wave – Frank Roberts and Aashray Mandal
12th Place
Disease Detectives — Jacon Marcus and Marissa McManus
13th Place
Air Trajectory – Jaxon Hancock and Chase Greene
14th Place
Anatomy and Physiology – Aashray Mandala and Marissa McManus
Green Generation – Frank Roberts and Jacob Marcus
15th Place
Food Science – Jaxon Hancock and Sammi Ruble
Road Scholar – Marissa McManus and Wil Stegin
19th Place
Reach For the Stars – Jacob Marcus and Aashray Mandala
Bio Process Lab – Jaxon Hancock and Aashray Mandala
20th Place
Meteorology – Aashray Mandala and Grant Bell
33rd Place
Write it Do it – Sammi Ruble and Justine Wolffis
This story originally appeared in the Grand Haven Tribune.
