Player Wes Leonard dies after hitting winning shot

Wes Leonard, a 16-year-old, helped clinch a perfect season and collapsed moments after celebrating with team.

Wes Leonard of Fennville High died Thursday night, Holland Hospital spokeswoman Deb Patterson said. A cause of death has not yet been determined.

Paramedics performed CPR on the 16-year-old before he was pronounced dead at the hospital, Patterson said.

Leonard, a junior who also excelled as the quarterback of the Blackhawks football team, was "by far the best player on that basketball team — outstanding athlete," said coach Mike Miller, whose Bridgman team lost 57-55 to Fennville Thursday night.

"All of Bridgman's thoughts and prayers are going toward Fennville right now," Miller told The Associated Press Friday morning.

Grief counselors were on hand at the high school on Friday, the district said.

Leonard's mother, Jocelyn, is a choir teacher at the middle and high schools and is the director of Fennville High's production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." A scheduled performance of the musical was canceled for Friday, and it's undecided whether there will be shows on Saturday and Sunday.

Chad VanHuis, a 21-year-old Fennville High graduate who once umpired Leonard's middle school baseball games and was his camp counselor, heard that Leonard had collapsed as he headed into work.

During his break around 1:30 a.m., VanHuis, an assembly line worker at an auto glass factory in nearby Holland, logged on to Facebook and learned of his friend's passing.

"I couldn't believe it," said VanHuis, who remembered opposing baseball coaches asking to see his birth certificate, not believing a 12-year-old could be so big and skilled.

"He was very courteous. He was the nicest kid. You'd think with his star potential, because he's so gifted, he'd be cocky, but he never really was that way."

On Thursday, Leonard, who earlier this season eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his high school career, laid the ball in with less than 30 seconds remaining. Bridgman wasn't able to score during the ensuing trip down the court, giving Fennville a 20-0 season. Leonard fell to the ground after teammates and fans rushed the court.

"It's tough to take in," his teammate, Shane Bale, told The Holland Sentinel. "It's like somebody from your family, you know?"

"Obviously, in the midst of celebration, I think 'shocking' is exactly the word," Fennville Superintendent Dirk Weeldreyer told the paper before an ambulance carried Leonard away from the high school.

Leonard is the second Fennville athlete to die in 14 months. Wrestler Nathaniel Hernandez, 14, died in January of last year after suffering a seizure at home following his participation in a high school wrestling match.

In an interview with the Sentinel at Tuesday's practice, Fennville coach Ryan Klingler talked about how Leonard had a great drive to succeed and that he saw the "bigger picture."

"That's what makes him a little different. He takes care of his body better than probably anybody I've ever coached," Klingler said. "Spends a lot of time on his own in the weight room. He's a special kid."

Fennville is about 200 miles west of Detroit.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• high
• school
• basketball
• Player
• Wes
• Leonard
• dies
• after
• winning
• shot

[RWpics]

only 16, so young

[69scribbles]

he dies from cardiac arrest it's where the hear stops all of a sudden and u have minutes to live becuz theres still blood flowing in the body if someone would have done cpr right away he would be alive right now but no one did they finally put AED's all over the school how do i know all of this?? his mom is the choir teacher for middle school and high school she told us all about it about a week ago and if there is any hater's how would u like it if someone u loved and was well known died??

[OutdoorKid2016]

So young, you would figure someone this young would die in a car accident or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm sure anyone that knows him would give anything just to hear his voice one more time, it just so saddening. Sports is full of injuries, but it shouldn't have this kind of injuries. R.I.P Wes Leonard

[davidragansgirl]

That was adams cousin for msu

[hylesbarigton09]

Hey guys I do apologise for the remarks that were made under my user name. my friend pointed that my profile may have been hacked and so i apologise that these remarks were made and my heart guys out to this family and this is a tragic event

[lilgangsta0719]

@mainebay why do you act like this i dont understand

[lilgangsta0719]

@mainebay ur a bitch u fat ass he is dad how can u say tht

[lilgangsta0719]

@hylesbarigton09 ur a punk

[FSUfanatic11]

wow only 16 does anyone know how rare this is?

[ItachiPR]

@hylesbarigton09 wow dude really...

[hylesbarigton09]

@xr543ax2z He probably went to hell bro

[hylesbarigton09]

@69scribbles he probably died because he sucked and missed the shot then had a heart attack