NORTH MUSKEGON — Ask North Muskegon three-sport standout Ben Meyers to pick a favorite and he’ll tell you “whatever is in season.”
We did ask him that very question during an interview following the Norsemen’s 17-14 season-opening football win over perennial power Pewamo-Westphalia Aug. 25 at Fred Jacks Memorial Field.
CatchMark SportsNet’s interview with the Norse senior was part of a new weekly series for the 2023-24 school year spotlighting athletes in the West Michigan Conference. This is the first episode.
The soft-spoken and very modest Meyers excels in football, basketball, and baseball for North Muskegon. He’s played at the varsity level for multiple years in all three sports.
In August, the first-team all-state catcher announced his commitment to play baseball at Division II Davenport University.
“Ben is a quiet leader. He is non-vocal. Although, when he does speak up, people listen because he doesn’t speak up very often,” North Muskegon football coach Larry Witham said. “Just a tremendous leader inside and outside the classroom.
“Obviously, a great baseball player — just accepted a scholarship to Davenport to catch for them. But I told him, don’t forget about football because Davenport may be looking to you to play football, too.”
Meyers has been an impact player on the football field since being pulled up for the playoffs his freshman year. He’s a tireless worker as well, evidenced by the muscle he’s packed onto his 5-foot-8 1/2 frame getting up to 190 pounds.
Meyers was off to a strong start to his season, but according to Witham, he’ll be sidelined a few weeks. Meyers suffered a hairline fracture of his fibula on the second play of the game in last Friday’s 49-12 victory at Mason County Central. It was a non-contact injury.
In essentially two games, Meyers racked up 14 tackles from his linebacker position, he ran five times for 43 yards and a touchdown, and he caught five passes for 61 yards with a score.
“He works his butt off. He works hard in the weight room,” Witham said. “He catches 56 innings in a weekend (with travel baseball). … He’s just crazy good (on the football field). He can play any position on the field — even quarterback if he had to.”
Meyers did get pressed into QB duties near the end of his sophomore season.
In a more memorable performance, he helped keep the Norsemen in the game against Ravenna in a 7-6 first-round playoff loss in 2021. He led all rushers in the low-scoring game with 78 yards on 22 carries.
On the basketball court, Meyers is more unsung but he’s still been an important player for the Norse.
The son of Dan Meyers and Katie Brewer, Ben Meyers was voted the CatchMark SportsNet WMC Baseball Player of the Year in 2023. He batted .529 with five home runs, eight triples, 11 doubles, 47 RBIs, 62 runs scored, and 33 stolen bases for a North Muskegon team that finished with a school record for wins (35-6-1).
North Muskegon is off to a 3-0 start this football season and has looked impressive doing it. The Norsemen host Hesperia this Friday, travel to Hart next week, host Montague in Week 6, and head to Ravenna in Week 7.
You can bet the Norse are eagerly awaiting Meyers’ return.
“He’s made great plays on both sides of the football for his entire career here,” Witham said. “We brought him up as a freshman for the Pewamo playoff game and he ended up making a bunch of plays that game.
“We’ve known about Ben for a long time. He’s just a great high school football player. We’re very blessed to have him in our program.”
Watch the video at the top of story to hear from Meyers.
