As We Enter 2025, LHS Sportscasting Team Keeps Sports Coverage Going Strong

Evan Langenbach and Tray Coulier calling the Lowell Girls Basketball game against Northview.

The LHS Sportscasting Team has broadcast hundreds of LHS sporting events over the past few years, with students at the forefront.

Justin Scott - Sports Reporter

For those out of town or rewatching or listening to Lowell High School sporting events, you know just how much the LHS sportscasting team is doing. What you might not know, is the work being put in behind the scenes. Football, basketball, baseball, and other select events like the district final volleyball game are covered by the LHS sportscasting team, a group under the WRWW Radio umbrella led by Al Eckman and Laurie Summerfield. Summerfield handles the day-to-day operation while Eckman, who founded the station, focuses on the sports coverage now.

Tray Coulier is one of the group’s main sportscasters. The LHS sophomore who played freshman baseball last year has been active particularly in football and basketball this year.

“I want people to be able to watch the games I’m broadcasting in their mind through the call. I feel I’ve really improved in getting in extra details to make it sound better, including where the ball is spotted for football, and what the athletes are doing on the field or court for any sport,” Coulier said.

Another baseball player on the team is Ethan Pratt, who has broadcasted baseball and football. New to LHS, having moved to Lowell last year, he told his counselor at the school about his interest in sportscasting and was connected with the group. The Lowell senior believes since joining up last spring, he’s really improved in his confidence when broadcasting and explaining the plays as they happen.

Sportscasting at LHS began as far back as 2005 and continues strong to this day. Games can be heard at lowellradio.org and locally in Lowell on 92.3 FM. Two games on the schedule this week will be the boys basketball game at home vs. Covenant Christian and the girls basketball game at home vs. Northview on Friday. While away games are broadcast on occasion, a lot of work has to go into it to move equipment, get permission to broadcast, and set up. 

Above - Some clips of LHS sportscasters on the call this year, the first from LHS sporting events, and the last from Ford Field in the division 2 state championship football game between Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Byron Center

Sports broadcasting director Eli Wilcox helps Eckman set up equipment before the game. Watching and adjusting the sportscasters’ volume during games, monitoring equipment, and announcing batters during games with walk up music are just some of the responsibilities as broadcasting director. 

“From last year to now I've learned how to connect to the radio station from the Comrex and I just feel like I've had more responsibilities,” Wilcox said of his growth with the station.

"In reference to 'connecting' to the radio station, that is done using a Comrex Access Portable and mixer which connects (talks to) the Comrex Access Rackmount in the radio studio. Our student sportscasting members are part of the MHSAA School Broadcast Program. Two students were responsible for creating the sportscasting logo. In addition to Evan Langenbach, Eli Wilcox was instrumental in that," Eckman told the Ledger.

For those subscribed to the NFHS Network and MHSAA.TV, the only way to watch high school sporting events, you can hear those broadcasts on the on-demand and live sporting events in which the broadcasting team is a part of, which included all the home football games. Those home football games are the favorites of the group, who enjoy all the energy that goes into them. It does mean sacrificing being in the student section, but the good news is for away games they get to join. Marching band is another group that experiences the same.

Wilcox particularly enjoyed the volleyball district broadcasts last year where Jon Bieneman joined the broadcasts. The LHS teacher has a daughter, Laney, on the team. An added bonus to being able to call volleyball. “Mr. Bieneman sounds super professional. He also adds jokes to his broadcast, and he is just overall nice to listen to,” Wilcox said.

The magic behind the graphic design belongs to Evan Langenbach, among other tasks. He creates the graphics for things like scoreboards, operates the audio interface. He got involved at the suggestion of Wilcox. If graphics aren’t able to be worked in, a live feed of the scoreboard is placed into the broadcast to help the audience always know the score. These broadcasts are a tremendous help for writing sports articles, being able to look back at plays with the broadcast going on.

Still the club is always looking for new recruits. “This year, we are recording the broadcasts and putting them on our website, Lowellradio.org. Unfortunately, we are not doing any video because we don't have enough people committed to this club,” Wilcox said.

Some professional sportscasters the crew listed as their favorites were Mike Tirico, Jon Sciambi, Joe Davis, and Jason Benneti. 

Other members of the team include Harmon Esch, Kyle Stauffer, Dylan Burrow, Noah Germanese, and Connor Rapson. Nearly all the members of the team are involved in sports in some way. Stauffer, a member of the football team and school’s powerlifting team joined Coulier on the sports coverage of Lowell Girls Basketball when they took on Forest Hills Northern earlier this month. For basketball they kick off with introductions after the National Anthem, then go straight into the game. At halftime, the team has a chance to relax as they play music during intermissions, go down and get some food, and give their voices a break before finishing the game.

Music is continuously playing on the radio station, as well as student segments, of which there have been over 3,800 student shows broadcast over the last few years. For music, the station plays a wide variety of ‘clean’ music from the 1950’s to present times.

WRWW calling a game during the football season.

Broadcasts are similar with football games, Burrow and Coulier were the voices on the call during the Lowell-Cedar Springs playoff game. The Lowell Radio crew situated on the north end of the press box fit with snacks and a heater. Definitely a nice place to be for a Lowell Football game.

All members of the group particularly praised working with Eckman. “He is very clear with his instructions to do something, and he is a very funny guy. He is always making some jokes now and then,” Wilcox said.

“He’s so eager to help make you better at sportscasting,” added Pratt.

“Al also buys us doughnuts and pop for almost every game which is a huge plus,” Wilcox joked.

“Ultimately we just appreciate being given the opportunity to sportscast the games. I love doing it and hope to continue doing so far into the future,” Coulier concluded.