After a bruising finish to last season, the Zeeland East football team is looking to rebuild following a cascade of injuries that derailed its playoff hopes.
Coach Joe Woodruff has made winning close games a central theme for the upcoming campaign, emphasizing that conference battles will be decided by narrow margins.
The defense showed resilience in the playoff loss to St. Joseph, holding the opposition to 20 points while the unit allowed more than 21 points only three times in ten games the previous year.
However, the departure of three all‑conference linebackers—Derek Baxter, Peyton Davis and Ben DeLost—has left a noticeable gap in the front seven.
Key Returning Players
Quarterback Will Drnek returns as the top offensive weapon, having posted 1,765 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions while also contributing 249 rushing yards and three scores.
Receiver Coby Miller, who also returned a punt for a score, recorded 38 catches for 575 yards and three touchdowns last season and will continue to be a central part of the offense.
Isaiah Boonstra, described by Woodruff as ‘our most dangerous weapon,’ amassed 46 receptions for 814 yards and ten touchdowns, as well as 117 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown before his injury.
Linebacker Zeek Ramandhani, a Michigan Tech commit, recorded 31 tackles, four sacks and nine tackles for loss last year and is expected to take a step forward in his development.
With a focus on defensive pressure and capitalizing on big plays, Zeeland East hopes to convert the close‑game defeats of last season into victories and contend for a conference title.