>Fennville pays tribute to Wes Leonard, wins emotion-packed game

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In a touching, emotional tribute, just four players from Fennville were announced during pregame introductions Monday night before a Class C boys district tournament basketball game against Lawrence.

And just four players from Fennville walked onto the court for the opening tip in DeVos Fieldhouse at Hope College.The fifth Fennville player, Wes Leonard, was absent in body but not in spirit. Wes, 16, died Thursday night from cardiac arrest because of dilated cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart.After a dramatic pause, Wes’ replacement, Xavier Grigg, was introduced and walked onto the court.

The crowd erupted in applause, many wiping away tears. It was Fennville’s first game since Wes died.

Fennville started out slow but rolled to a 65-54 victory. The undefeated Blackhawks advance to the district semifinal Wednesday against Bangor at Bloomingdale, although there was discussion that the site could change.

“Wes was a brother to me,” said Xavier, who scored 18 points. “It’s hard to play without him. It felt weird. It wasn’t the same.”

Fennville Superintendent Dirk Weeldreyer said he hoped the game would be “a celebration” and a “step in the healing process.”

And that’s what it was. A celebration of Wes. A celebration of sportsmanship. A chance for an entire west Michigan community to come together and grieve and scream and smile and try to return to normal, if only for a moment.

“Wes would have wanted to win, so I wanted to win,” said Adam Siegel, a Fennville senior who scored a game-high 22 points. “Wes was a big strong guy, so I tried to be big strong guy for him.”

A team decision

Since Wes died, the entire Fennville basketball team has been together almost nonstop, hanging out at coach Ryan Klingler’s house.

“He’s had them for days since this happened,” said DeLonda McGee, whose son DeMarcus McGee is a senior and scored 14 points. “He is feeding them in the mornings. We are invited to go over with them, but it’s a team thing. That team is like 13 brothers. They just came together.”

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Klingler let his team members decide whether they should play the game or not. Some thought they should not play in the state tournament and let the season end with a perfect 20-0 record, and the memory of Wes making the last shot to beat Bridgman before he collapsed on the court.

On Saturday afternoon, the players met with Wes’ parents and asked permission to play. The boys lined up and hugged Wes’ mother, Joslyn Leonard.

“They are like 17-year-old men,” DeLonda McGee said. “I have never seen a group of kids like this group.”

DeMarcus was so close to Wes that he considered him a brother. Wes was a white kid from Kansas, DeMarcus a black kid from Chicago. They both moved to Fennville in middle school and became best friends.

DeLonda McGee told her son: “Wes is there on that court. You guys just can’t see him. But he’s there. Just go out there and do what Wes wants you guys to do.”

A show of unity

Early Monday afternoon, the Fennville players and coaches came out of the locker room wearing matching black T-shirts. The front of each shirt read: “Never forgotten.”

The back of the shirt had Wes’ No..35 and his name.

When the members of the Lawrence Tigers came out for pregame practice, they wore identical shirts. It was something the superintendents of both school districts decided to do, as a show of unity.

Several players from Lawrence were in attendance Thursday, scouting Fennville, when Wes died, according to Lawrence Superintendent John Overley. “They were very, very distraught and numb,” he said of the Lawrence players. “We went into the practice on Friday and they were standing around in a circle, just trying to come to grips with it.”

Weeldreyer acknowledged that Lawrence was in a no-win situation, trying to play the game. But Overley said it was important for his own players to play. “Getting back out onto the court helps them, just as it will help Fennville,” Overley said. “That’s where they feel at home.”

Surprises and support

There were several surprises behind the scenes. Michigan State University basketball coach Tom Izzo met with the Leonard family and both teams on Monday afternoon before the game.

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Jim Leonard, Wes’ uncle, said that Wes’ parents did not know about all the national reaction to their son’s death. “Until today, they really had no idea what was going on outside the four walls of their home,” Jim Leonard said. “We have been sheltering them from all of this.”

During pregame warm-ups, the crowd went silent as members of Wes’ family took their seats, including his father and mother, Gary and Jocelyn Leonard.

“It was very overwhelming to say the least,” Jim Leonard said. “I don’t know how they could describe the sorrow and the amount of love and support, not just from Fennville but pretty much all of west Michigan.”

The crowd was announced at 3,472, and most of those tickets were sold in the two communities. Fennville has a population of 1,404, Lawrence has 989.

“Thank you, Lawrence!” the Fennville student body chanted, for moving the game to Hope. “Thank you, Lawrence!”

Many in the crowd were close to Wes. There was a friend over here, a football teammate over there. And his girlfriend sat in the front row. Selena Beltran-Pena, 16, had dated Wes for three years.

“It’s hard, but I came here to support the boys,” Selena said.

She was at the game when Wes died, and she said it was the worst moment of her life. “The last few days have been like hell,” Selena said. “It’s rough, but I’m trying to stay calm around other people. I’ve had tons of support from the entire community. Just talking about it has really helped.”

As she talked, the basketball team walked onto the court, locked arm in arm.

All of the players wore black T-shirts, but Wes’ little brother, Mitchell, wore a white T-shirt. He is only an eighth-grader, but he went through warm-ups as an honorary member of the team.

Selena thought it was good for the team to play.

“I think it’s what Wes would want,” she said, “for them to go as far as they can. With him or without him.”

Keeping strong

After the game, both teams formed two lines and hugged each other.

Many players from both teams were crying.

Lawrence coach Curt Mead hugged Klingler and shouted: “Keep strong. You can win it.”

At a post-game press conference, Klingler said he was amazed by his team and by the Leonard family.

“They have showed me, you can rise up,” Klingler said. “My gosh, the strength they showed and the strength the Leonards showed, being here tonight, just blows my mind. That exemplifies Wes Leonard.”

Klingler let his team members decide whether they should play the game or not. Some thought they should not play in the state tournament and let the season end with a perfect 20-0 record, and the memory of Wes making the last shot to beat Bridgman before he collapsed on the court.

On Saturday afternoon, the players met with Wes’ parents and asked permission to play. The boys lined up and hugged Wes’ mother, Joslyn Leonard.

“They are like 17-year-old men,” DeLonda McGee said. “I have never seen a group of kids like this group.”

DeMarcus was so close to Wes that he considered him a brother. Wes was a white kid from Kansas, DeMarcus a black kid from Chicago. They both moved to Fennville in middle school and became best friends.

DeLonda McGee told her son: “Wes is there on that court. You guys just can’t see him. But he’s there. Just go out there and do what Wes wants you guys to do.”

A show of unity

Early Monday afternoon, the Fennville players and coaches came out of the locker room wearing matching black T-shirts. The front of each shirt read: “Never forgotten.”

The back of the shirt had Wes’ No..35 and his name.

When the members of the Lawrence Tigers came out for pregame practice, they wore identical shirts. It was something the superintendents of both school districts decided to do, as a show of unity.

Several players from Lawrence were in attendance Thursday, scouting Fennville, when Wes died, according to Lawrence Superintendent John Overley. “They were very, very distraught and numb,” he said of the Lawrence players. “We went into the practice on Friday and they were standing around in a circle, just trying to come to grips with it.”

Weeldreyer acknowledged that Lawrence was in a no-win situation, trying to play the game. But Overley said it was important for his own players to play. “Getting back out onto the court helps them, just as it will help Fennville,” Overley said. “That’s where they feel at home.”

Surprises and support

There were several surprises behind the scenes. Michigan State University basketball coach Tom Izzo met with the Leonard family and both teams on Monday afternoon before the game.

Jim Leonard, Wes’ uncle, said that Wes’ parents did not know about all the national reaction to their son’s death. “Until today, they really had no idea what was going on outside the four walls of their home,” Jim Leonard said. “We have been sheltering them from all of this.”

During pregame warm-ups, the crowd went silent as members of Wes’ family took their seats, including his father and mother, Gary and Jocelyn Leonard.

“It was very overwhelming to say the least,” Jim Leonard said. “I don’t know how they could describe the sorrow and the amount of love and support, not just from Fennville but pretty much all of west Michigan.”

The crowd was announced at 3,472, and most of those tickets were sold in the two communities. Fennville has a population of 1,404, Lawrence has 989.

“Thank you, Lawrence!” the Fennville student body chanted, for moving the game to Hope. “Thank you, Lawrence!”

Many in the crowd were close to Wes. There was a friend over here, a football teammate over there. And his girlfriend sat in the front row. Selena Beltran-Pena, 16, had dated Wes for three years.

“It’s hard, but I came here to support the boys,” Selena said.

She was at the game when Wes died, and she said it was the worst moment of her life. “The last few days have been like hell,” Selena said. “It’s rough, but I’m trying to stay calm around other people. I’ve had tons of support from the entire community. Just talking about it has really helped.”

As she talked, the basketball team walked onto the court, locked arm in arm.

All of the players wore black T-shirts, but Wes’ little brother, Mitchell, wore a white T-shirt. He is only an eighth-grader, but he went through warm-ups as an honorary member of the team.

Selena thought it was good for the team to play.

“I think it’s what Wes would want,” she said, “for them to go as far as they can. With him or without him.”

Keeping strong

After the game, both teams formed two lines and hugged each other.

Many players from both teams were crying.

Lawrence coach Curt Mead hugged Klingler and shouted: “Keep strong. You can win it.”

At a post-game press conference, Klingler said he was amazed by his team and by the Leonard family.

“They have showed me, you can rise up,” Klingler said. “My gosh, the strength they showed and the strength the Leonards showed, being here tonight, just blows my mind. That exemplifies Wes Leonard.”