In a press conference held in Big Rapids High School’s auxiliary gym Monday, six Cardinal athletes
officially declared their next sporting ventures.

For men’s soccer, both Brady Fox and Aden Herron will be attending Jackson College, a division two
junior college competing in the MCCAA. Both players obtained All-Conference awards last season,
including Herron breaking the single-season school scoring record with 30 goals.

The duo will be looking to bring the Big Rapids winning success to the fairly new Jets program, which
began just nine years ago.

“I really didn’t want to hang up the cleats yet,” Fox said. “I knew I was able to play at the next level, but just had to put in the work to get there.”

Adding to the soccer list is All-Conference honoree Rebecca Allers, who will attend Coe College in Iowa, and All-Region award winner Katie Williams, who will attend Kellogg Community College this fall.

Both ladies used premier goal-scoring to help the Cardinals reach a 12-5-2 record this season, with a
chance to clinch the CSAA Gold divisional title this Friday vs. Newaygo.

The remaining two signees consist of DeMarcus Lee and Zach Jones.

Lee, a standout basketball player, will be taking his talents to Grand Rapids Community College on the hardwood. The 2021 Pioneer Dream Team Player of the Year helped Big Rapids win two conference titles in his varsity career.

Meanwhile, Jones will be heading north to Lake Superior State University, where he will join the Laker
club hockey program. The fellow three-sport athlete has shown his versatile skill throughout his career, which included recording a shutout in an emergency appearance at goaltender.

“I’m glad seeing Zach continue his journey,” Hockey coach Tim Blashill said.

Blashill believes Jones’ size, physicality, and team-first mentality will help him become a successful at
the next level.

These six signees add to a total of nine Big Rapids athletes that will be competing collegiately next year.

Earlier this year, Kate Langworthy (Northern Michigan University Cross Country & Track and Field), Ryan Ososki (Ferris State University Cross Country & Track and Field), and Makenna Rautio (Mid-Michigan Community College Basketball) declared their decisions individually.

This year adds even more prominence to an already long line of Cardinal athletes competing collegiately. Not only do the athletes deserve a bulk of credit but also the support staff alongside.

“It’s a lot of dedication and a lot of time,” Thompson said. “Not only on the athletes part, but those people surrounding them and helping them reach their goals.”