Stanberry shined as four-sport athlete for Trailblazers

By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
To say recent Saugatuck graduate Cass Stanberry stayed busy during his high school days would be an understatement.
In addition to being actively involved in several leadership and service programs—including Interact Club, Be Nice, PALS and the Douglas Elementary Leadership Program—he was also a four-sport athlete for all four years.
In the fall, you’d find Stanberry on football field.
During the winter months, he’d be on the basketball court.
And come spring, he’d split his time between the baseball diamond and the track as a dual-sport athlete.
“I have been involved in athletics for as I can remember, especially because I had an older brother,” Stanberry said. “Having him around made me an overly competitive person, so the aspect of competing and being on a team was what I loved most.”
And he said he couldn’t have asked for a better community to represent.
“Playing for Saugatuck and representing this community meant so much to me,” he said. “Since Saugatuck is a small town, the support feels very personal. You know everyone, which makes it even more special. The encouragement from people in town has been incredible throughout my years, and I’ve truly been grateful for that amazing support.”
While Stanberry enjoyed each of the sports in which he participated, he felt a special connection to the gridiron.
“Football has always been my favorite sport because it’s what I grew up around,” he said. “I started playing at a young age, following my brother, and it quickly became something that felt natural to me.
“I’ve always had a good instinct for the game, and what made it even better was the strong connection I had with my teammates and the support from my coaches over the years.”
Not that it was always an easy experience.
During Stanberry’s sophomore year, Saugatuck ended the season two games early due to safety concerns resulting from a lack of healthy players.
But with Stanberry helping to lead the charge—first as a full back during his junior year and then as quarterback during his senior campaign—the Trailblazers rebounded, going 8-3 in 2023 and 7-4 last season. Each of those seasons included a playoff victory and an appearance in a division championship game.
The playoff win during Stanberry’s senior year came against White Pigeon, a team that had knocked Saugatuck out of the playoffs the previous three times they’d met. Stanberry scored all three touchdowns in the 24-22 victory.
It should come as no surprise, then, that that victory is one Stanberry will remember for a long time.
“One of my favorite memories was beating White Pigeon in football during my senior year,” he said. “They had always been a tough opponent for us, and many teams before us hadn’t been able to beat them.
“We were heavily doubted going into that game, but proved people wrong. I had a great game personally, and the win felt special, not just for me, but for the whole program and our community.”
Stanberry lists longtime Saugatuck varsity football coach Bill Dunn as one of his mentors.
“I’ve had many great coaches over the years, but Coach Dunn—and really the rest of the football coaching staff—has just been the greatest. They treat me and all their players like family. They can definitely be tough on us, but they’re also the ones who want us to succeed the most. They’re willing to push us, spend the time, and build real connections.”
Stanberry shared similar sentiments about track coaches Rick and Angelina Bauer.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bauer have also had a huge impact on me for the same reasons,” the said. “They truly believe in me, treat me like family, push me to be my best and show constant support. I owe a lot of my success to my coaches.”
Next month, Stanberry will head to Michigan State University, where he plans to study supply chain management.
“Some of my goals have changed since my time in school and athletics, but overall, I’m focused on building new connections and opportunities for the future,” he said.
And he has no doubt that the lessons he learned through athletics will help him achieve his goals moving forward.
“I think athletics taught me a lot, but the biggest thing was how to handle stressful situations,” he said. “A lot of the time, people aren’t exposed to high-pressure moments, like game-time decisions. So when those situations come up in the real world, they’re harder to deal with.
“I also think I learned the overall value of hard work and how important it is to carry that with you.”