Forest Hills Eastern (FHE), built in 2004, is a relatively new high school, so its sports programs have had a different time to grow than those of many neighboring schools. Still, with fall sports recently concluding, FHE had an impressive 16 OK-White All-Conference Athletes and 5 Honorable Mentions across various sports. These numbers are a testament to the success of FHE’s athletic programs and the exceptional talent being developed. While nothing can underscore the individual success of the OK-White All-Conference Athletes, it’s essential to understand the talents of the FHE coaches.
Stella Bernhardt, a junior at FHE, was awarded all-conference honors this season. With the help of her teammates and excellent head coach, Beth Fuehrer, the Hawks finished 9th in the state according to the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association. This is an outstanding accomplishment for Bernhardt, as she has another year to grow her craft.
Boys’ tennis earned a spot in the state match this year, primarily due to the three all-conference selections: Will Overbeek (’25), Emerson Chiodini(’27), and Jace Konwinski(’25). These three men played stellar throughout the season and attributed much of their success to the newly named Head Coach, Nolan Hubbard.
The girl’s Cross Country team, coached by Dan McElheny, earned three Honorable Mention OK-White All-Conference Athletes. Congratulations to Marlina Howell (’25), Ainsley Sullivan (’27), and Lily Phillips (’26) for such a well-deserved honor. Boys Cross Country, also coached by Dan McElheny, had a tremendous season. The boys finished MHSAA state runner-ups at the Michigan International Speedway due to their consistent performance and dedication. While multiple boys had the opportunity to run at the state event, only a few could be given All-Conference honors. Congratulations to Henry Dixon (’25) and Steve Zawacki (’27) on such a prestigious honor.
The boy’s soccer team didn’t reach its goals for this season, but multiple players achieved tremendous individual success. Wes Conkling (’25) and Carson Tucker (’25) both earned OK-White All-Conference honors, while Issac VanDyke (’25) earned Honorable Mention OK-White All-Conference honors. No one deserved these awards more than these seniors who have poured time, swear, and tears into the FHE soccer program.
Girls’ volleyball experienced a memorable year competing in the playoffs. Unfortunately, their state championship goals fell short, but the squad earned tremendous team and individual honors. The Hawks won the district championship, and two players earned OK-White All-Conference honors, while one earned Honorable Mention OK-White All-Conference honors. Congratulations to seniors Layna Waselewsky and Adelee Kaiton, and sophomore Emily Wolter for epitomizing how to be a student-athlete at FHE.
The football team entertained FHE students, staff, and parents every Friday night this fall. The players will be the first to say that this team was exceptional and that the seniors had a bond that would last a lifetime. While the season ended much shorter than anticipated, this does not underscore the team and players’ success throughout the season. Coach Joseph Schwander trained and developed his players to be the best version of themselves on and off the field. Congratulations to senior Quarterback Brendan Thompson, senior Right Guard Ace Simonson, senior Running Back and Linebacker Max Ferrick, senior Right Tackle Brayden Syrba, senior athlete Jackson Arnold, and senior Defensive Tackle Edem Denoo on OK-White All-Conference honors. This is a tremendous amount of athletes for one team and is a testament to the pride the players and coaches take in the program.
Student-athletes don’t just earn OK-White All-Conference honors because they are talented; it’s a culmination of hard work, good sportsmanship, and many other traits. These honors, which are awarded to the top performers in their respective sports within the OK-White Conference, result from hundreds or more hours of work these athletes have poured into their sport since childhood.
