CONSTANTINE – Bennett Vandenberg has won numerous awards over the past four years as a three-sport athlete at Constantine.
But when the 6-foot-3, 240-pound standout looks back on his memories as an all-state football player, state champion wrestler, and record-breaking throwing specialist for the Falcons, it's not this award that will be remembered most. . squad.
“I'll never forget how I represented my school and pushed myself to be the best I could be in each sport I played,” said Vandenberg, who earned a varsity letter 12 times.
VandenBerg has developed into one of the best athletes in the state this year as a senior, especially among athletes from smaller communities.
This fall, he was named to the Division 5-6 All-State defensive end first team in football and won the Division 3 individual finals title in 285-pound wrestling at Ford Field in early March.
Vandenberg's ultimate goal is to win the discus title at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 finals in Kent City on Saturday, June 1, ending his All-State career in all three sports. It is to hit.
He broke the school record in the discus throw at 158 feet, 1 inch during his junior year. The previous record of 156-6 was held by Doug Polasek since 1986. Vandenberg has broken his school record twice this spring, most recently posting a career-best toss of 170-9 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference double meet with Schoolcraft and Kalamazoo. Christian. He ranks fourth in the entire state in this event regardless of his registration division. Lawton junior Mason Main is 175-4 and the only Division 3 competitor with a better pitch than Vandenberg.
“It's really great to see my name on the school report card, but I want to make it more untouchable before I'm done,” Vandenberg said. “My goal is to be a state discus champion. I've put in the necessary effort to get there. It would be nice to be able to finish my career that way.”
Kyle Reimer, Constantine's veteran men's track and field coach, is most impressed with Vandenberg's leadership and presence when working with the Falcons' young players.
“Bennett loves to compete. We've had him on our 400-meter relay team since he was a freshman. That's what he really enjoys. He's not just a thrower. “There are a lot of personalities in track and field, but he has the drive, commitment and skill to achieve his goal of becoming a state champion in the throwing event. I think he does a great job of leading young kids,” Reimer said. ”
Vandenberg has already reached the finals twice in the discus, placing sixth as a junior and seventh as a sophomore. He admitted he was a little disappointed with his distance at the 2023 state tournament.
“That particular event (discus) requires a lot of focus and determination because little things can go wrong and affect your throwing. In order to get better, you have to be consistent and You have to show up every day and be willing to work hard at your job,” Vandenberg said. “Right now I’m working on speed in the circle and quick follow-through.”
Vandenberg is also pleased with the improvement in his shot put this spring. He has increased his distance by more than 5 feet and hopes to break his school record in that event as well. John Campers (1967) holds Constantine's shot put record at 54 wins and 1/8, and Vandenberg's personal best is 48 wins and 10 losses this season in a double-double match against Parchment and Centerville. be.
“Shot put is a difficult sport. You need power, but your form has to be top notch or it's hard to move that 12-pound ball,” Vandenberg said. “I would like to qualify for state in both the discus and shot put and go all-state in each. It would be great to be state champion in either of those events.”
Vandenberg received extra coaching from Next Throw's Bill Griffey in Plainwell during the offseason and worked with Constantine track and field assistant and head football coach Sean Griffis to go the extra mile.
“Bennett spends a lot of time practicing his throwing. He spends a lot of time in the weight room. He's a bigger kid, he's not afraid to be coached and he doesn't mind what other people say. Listen,” Griffiths said. “We’ve had some warm weather lately, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
Vandenberg's motivation this spring is a phenomenal wrestling season that saw him finish 54-0 and win the 285th championship with a 3-0 victory in the title match against Reed City junior Wyatt Sparo. in the process of.
“I gained 20 pounds of muscle and did everything I needed to do to become a better athlete to compete at heavyweight. Winning the title was overwhelming. It was something I had always wanted. That was everything, and the first 20 minutes after the win was a relief, especially after losing in the finals as a junior, I went into that last match and played smart and confident.'' said. “My speed and strength gave me an advantage over the bigger heavyweights I faced this year.”
With a record of 188-22 and 104 career pins, Vandenberg became the 10th Finals Champion in Constantine wrestling history and the first to accomplish the feat since Kevin Watkins won the 152-pound title in 2000.
VandenBerg entered the game with 189 points as a freshman and sophomore. He qualified for regionals as a freshman, finished sixth in Division 3 as a sophomore, and finished his junior season as a final runner-up with 215 points.
“Bennett is a competitive player and when he loses, he learns from it. He had a lot of good practice partners on the team for the first three years, and he wasn't going to be denied even if he lost in the finals,'' said Constantine's wrestling coach. Dale Davidser Jr. said.
Vandenberg played four years on Constantine's varsity football team. Constantine earned a lot of extra playing time as a freshman as he reached the Division 6 semifinals during the coronavirus-shortened season. He led the Falcons in rushing as a sophomore before converting to tight end his junior year. Naturally, Vandenberg returned to lead Constantine in rushing and scoring once again as a senior.
“Bennett has learned a lot from the older players on the team in his first three seasons on the national team. He has learned leadership qualities and is a very unselfish kid who is willing to do what's best for the team.” said Griffith.
Vandenberg is most proud of Constantine winning district honors last fall, especially after his senior class finished 0-5-1 in eighth grade. Vandenberg became Constantine's primary offensive weapon, recording 164 solo tackles at defensive end and rushing for 1,354 yards and 16 touchdowns on 186 carries during his final high school season. Ta.
“Winning district as a senior in soccer was a special moment. We weren't necessarily the most athletic team as eighth graders, but we worked hard to be successful as we grew.” Vandenberg said.
Vandenberg was invited to play on the West team in the annual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game this summer.
College coaches have expressed interest in Vandenberg in all three sports, especially football and wrestling. VandenBerg, whose cumulative GPA is 3.989 and on the SAT he scored 1110, is considering athletics options, but would like to study either ecology or forestry in college.
“I love being outdoors and doing what I love,” Vandenberg said.
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader publications and previously served as sports editor for Three Rivers Commercial News from 1994 to 2022. You can contact him at: [email protected] Includes story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, and Branch counties.
photograph (Top) Constantine's Bennett Vandenberg competes in the discus at his junior season home meet. (Middle) Top-ranked Vandenberg faced Wyatt Sparo in a 285-pound wrestling division championship match at Ford Field in March. (Bottom) Vandenberg, 34, carries the football during a 2023 regular season home game against Schoolcraft. (Photo by Brandon Watson/sturgis journal. )
