Fun in the Valley
Winter Homecoming Recap
Winter Homecoming at Maple Valley was a night full of excitement, competition, and school spirit. The evening kicked off with the Juniors taking on the Seniors in a thrilling volleyball matchup. The Juniors won the first set 25–20, the Seniors came back to claim the second set 27–25, and the Juniors sealed the victory in the tie-breaker set 15–8. Next, the Juniors faced off against the staff. The Juniors started strong with a 25–20 win in the first set, but the staff dominated the second set 25–8 and finished the night by winning the tie-breaker 15–7. The night was a fun-filled celebration for students, staff, and families alike.
The 2026 Winter Homecoming Spirit Week brought even more energy to the week with Dress-Up Days, a Pep Assembly, and Banner Decorating. In the Dress-Up Day competition, the Sophomores placed first, followed by the Freshmen in second, the Seniors in third, and the Juniors in fourth. For the banner decorating, the Juniors earned first place, the Seniors took second, the Freshmen placed third, and the Sophomores came in fourth. Overall Spirit Week placings saw the Freshmen take first, Juniors second, Seniors third, and Sophomores fourth.
Congratulations to the Homecoming Court winners: Owen Joppie and Madie Henney as Prince and Princess, and Holdyn Clinkscales and Izabelle Soper as King and Queen. It was a memorable week and a fantastic way to celebrate school pride and camaraderie!
Check out more from the 2026 Winter Homecoming here: Winter Homecoming Page
Sports
For sports schedules, please visit the Athletics Website: Upcoming Sporting Events
On January 26th, the Varsity girls basketball team traveled to Delton Kellogg and earned a hard-fought 36-28 victory. The Lions played with intensity on both ends of the floor, coming away with an important win on the road.
On January 29th, the Maple Valley JV and Varsity girls basketball teams hosted Stockbridge. The JV team fell 9-36, and the Varsity team lost 26-43 in a challenging matchup.
On January 27th, the Maple Valley JV and Varsity boys basketball teams hosted Stockbridge. The JV team earned a 56-51 win in a close-fought game, while the Varsity team fell 36-61.
On January 30th, the Maple Valley JV and Varsity boys basketball teams hosted Union City for their Homecoming games. The JV team earned a solid 61-34 victory, while the Varsity team fought hard but fell 54-63.
On January 28th, the 7th and 8th-grade girls' basketball teams played Quincy at home.
On January 28th, the Wrestling team traveled to Union City for a Big 8 Quad. Maple Valley faced off against Bronson and Union City.
On January 31st, the High School wrestling team competed at Fennville High School, with several wrestlers earning strong finishes against tough competition. Roman Schliz led the way with a 3rd place finish at 126 pounds, scoring 15 team points. Schliz earned multiple bonus-point victories, including two tech falls and a fall in the 3rd place match, to secure his podium finish.
At 190 pounds, Jackson Burpee placed 4th and scored 18 team points. Burpee picked up a forfeit, a major decision, and a fall to advance deep into the bracket before narrowly falling in the 3rd place match by decision. Tyrese Robinson also placed 4th at 215 pounds, contributing 14.5 team points. Robinson recorded a tech fall and two falls during the tournament to earn his placement.
Joe Long had another strong performance at 285 pounds, placing 2nd and scoring 18 team points. Long earned two falls and a decision victory to advance to the championship match, where he finished as the runner-up.
At 113 pounds, Sawyer Wawiernia and Trapper Wawiernia both competed in tough brackets. Trapper earned a consolation round fall to pick up team points, while Sawyer battled through his matches against strong opponents. Quincy Page competed at 144 pounds and advanced through multiple rounds, while Gavin Swift wrestled at 157 pounds and gained valuable experience against quality competition.
Overall, the Lions showed grit and determination throughout the day at Fennville, with multiple podium finishes and strong individual efforts as the team continues to prepare for postseason competition.
Activites/Clubs
On February 4th, Maple Valley students competed at the District competition and represented our school with pride. Several students earned top finishes and strong ratings, with multiple members and teams qualifying for Regionals. Members and teams marked with a ★ will advance to Regionals on February 11th at Marshall High School.
Kaitlyn Garlinger competed in the Job Interview Contest and placed 4th with a Gold rating. ★Nolan Gates competed in the Junior High Public Speaking Contest and placed 2nd with a Silver rating. Dakota Griffin competed in the Job Interview Contest and placed 10th with a Silver rating. Gage Jordan competed in the Extemporaneous Public Speaking Contest and placed 8th with a Silver rating. ★Kearson Keiffer earned an outstanding 1st place finish in the Job Interview Contest with a Gold rating.
★Brooklyn Myers competed in the Greenhand Public Speaking Contest and placed 1st with a Silver rating. ★Hannah Primm also had a strong showing in the Junior High Public Speaking Contest, earning 1st place with a Silver rating. Annabelle Staley competed in the Extemporaneous Public Speaking Contest and placed 5th with a Silver rating.
The Demonstration Team, consisting of Mikayla Griffin, Leannah Johnson, and Hope D'Agostino, placed 7th and earned a Silver rating. The Junior High Conduct of Meetings Team — Myla Bodell, Krissa Johnson, Vanessa Main, Leigha Matonis, Bodey Morawski, Sophia Moulden, and Raylin Oversmith — placed 3rd and earned a Gold rating.
Congratulations to all of our competitors on a great showing at Districts, and best of luck to those advancing to Regionals!
Staff Highlight
Ms. Whitney Beglin is starting her first year at Maple Valley as a 6th-grade teacher. She attended Kellogg Community College and Western Governors University before joining our team. Whitney says she wanted to be an educator at Maple Valley because she loves the sense of community here and how everyone is willing to help each other out.
Her favorite part about working at Maple Valley is the support among staff, which allows everyone to do their jobs to the best of their ability. When she’s not at school, Whitney enjoys playing sports with her kids, spending time on the lake, and exploring new places.
Her advice to students is simple but meaningful: try new things even when it can be scary. Keep an open mind and grow from your experiences, you never know what doors it can open. Whitney also shares a little about her life outside of school: she has three boys, a Husky named Rocky, and a cat named Angel.
