TRAVERSE CITY — Doug Drenth is more than a coach in Jackson Crouse’s eyes.
He’s a hero.
The Charlevoix senior golfer credits his coach with saving the lives of the seven student athletes in the school van when a man fleeing police officers slammed into them.
On April 27, Drenth’s quick reaction to swerve to the right resulted in the black 2008 Ford Escape driven by Cedar resident Michael Plichta hitting the van’s front left side, instead of head-on.
Crouse was in the front passenger seat of the van beside Coach Drenth that night.
“I saw everything unfold and one thing I know is our coach is a hero who saved lives Sunday with his quick response,” Crouse told the Record-Eagle. “He turned that van to the right to put himself between the oncoming vehicle and his team behind him.”
Junior Bryce Boss, sophomore Landen Whisler and Crouse attended school last Thursday.
“Getting to see some of my friends and coach begin to improve in condition has been amazing to see,” Crouse said. “The thing that has impressed me the most is the way the community has rallied around all of us. With the Gofundme and all the dinners, the support we have gotten has been very uplifting and I’m thankful to be part of such an amazing community.”
Seniors Brady Warchol and Emmett Bergmann were released Thursday from Munson Medical Center and sophomore Maxwell Drenth about a day later, leaving junior Joe Gaffney and coach Doug Drenth as the only ones remaining in the hospital.
“I was a lucky one if there is such a thing and escaped with cuts, bruises and an ankle injury,” Crouse said. “All of my thoughts now are about my teammates and coach, who have very tough recoveries ahead of them. The pain and surgeries have been brutal for them – and several more to go.
“I’ve been amazed by the support of our town, my teammates, other golf teams and players around the state and that helps keep our spirits up.”
Scott Boss, Bryce’s father, said his 16-year-old son had cuts and bruises, a concussion and bruised ribs, but was back at practice Friday and golfed nine holes.
Boss said some of the players and family retrieved belongings from the van late in the week, and were amazed anyone survived such a crash.
“It is crazy how much this community has come together for these boys,” Scott Boss said. “We are grateful that are all alive.”
As of Saturday morning, a GoFundMe set up to help the golf families — https://www.gofundme.com/f/charlevoix-golf-team-medical-relief — had raised more than $250,000, including a $10,000 donation from Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix and donations from teams around the state, including $550 from the Lansing Catholic golf team, $1,005 from the Traverse City St. Francis softball program and $2,000 from the Charlevoix Sports Boosters.
Crouse said the swelling in his sprained ankle has gone down and he hopes to return to the links this season.
“While I’m hopeful maybe I and a couple others might be able to get back on the course this year,” Crouse said, “we’ll be out there representing my guys that won’t get another chance this year – or ever again as a Rayder.”
Aaron Gaffney, the father of Rayders junior Joe Gaffney, said his son had 76 screws inserted in his shattered pelvis during surgery Wednesday.
“Our next few weeks will be focused on pain management and then, eventually, recovery and learning to walk again,” Aaron Gaffney said in a social media post.
Onekama’s track and field team displayed a large “Rayder Strong” sign on its tent at Friday’s Ken Bell Invitational at Traverse City Central.
“It’s shown how much of a community northern Michigan really is,” Charlevoix senior track athlete Kristy Cordova said. “Even some downstate schools, like Onekama, they have a sign and stuff and that’s really cool.”
Onekama also had almost its entire student body dressed in maroon or white Friday. Elk Rapids track coach Cam Ward wore a Charlevoix hoodie at Friday’s meet, and Portagers girls runners had maroon ribbons in their hair.
“We all wanted to, just because we understand how it’s just devastating,” Onekama junior Anna Bradford said. “Our golf team was at that match, and they were really devastated as well.”
Numerous businesses in Charlevoix and the surrounding area ran special fundraisers for the golf team, and many area teams playing games Friday wore “Rayder Strong” items and Charlevoix’s maroon and white colors.
Several area schools had pledged to donate concession stand profits, but consistent rain in the area Thursday canceled all baseball, softball and track events.
Plichta, 32, of Cedar, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash around 8:50 p.m. Sunday on M-115 in Benzie County’s Joyfield Township, Michigan State Police said.
In Antrim County earlier that day, Plichta allegedly assaulted a 19-year-old Mancelona woman and stole her black 2008 Ford Escape, police said. A “be on lookout” was issued.
When Benzie County Sheriff’s deputies spotted the vehicle around 8:50 p.m., they attempted a traffic stop, but Plichta fled. Sheriff’s deputies said that, 1½ minutes later, he crossed the centerline and crashed into the Charlevoix school van.
The Rayders were heading to their hotel at Crystal Mountain after playing in the first round of the Traverse City Junior Golf Association’s two-day invitational at Arcadia Bluffs when the crash occurred.