Geoff Mott
Sports Scene
NEW LOTHROP – New Lothrop senior Nick Wendling has title aspirations this year, and he started off his campaign with a bang.
Expectations are high for the Hornets football team. They were ranked No. 4 in the latest Associated Press Division 8 prep poll. New Lothrop opened its season at Traverse City St. Francis, ranked No. 9 in Division 7. After playing to a 7-7 halftime tie against the perennial powerhouse, Wendling took a trap play 84 yards for a touchdown to spur the Hornets to a 28-7 victory.
That momentum has pushed New Lothrop to a 4-0 record. It’s averaged a 48.6-point margin of victory in its last three wins over Genesee Area Conference opponents.
“Our offensive line is pretty good; they know what they are doing, and they had a nice kick-out block to spring me free,” said Wendling, one of five New Lothrop ball carriers with 100 yards or more this season. “I made a couple moves and our guys are good at getting downfield to block.
“It was a tough and close game and going up seven points was a huge deal. We kind of fed off of it.”
Wendling tore the meniscus in his knee as a sophomore and injured his knee again last year during a playoff loss to Harbor Beach. He recovered in time for wrestling season, where he captured the 145-pound individual state title in Division 4 with a 4-2 win over Nouvel Catholic Central’s Austin Hughes.
Wendling was pinned by Hughes two weeks prior to the championship match. He got revenge and captured a state title, something his father, Leo Wendling, couldn’t get as a standout wrestler with New Lothrop. Leo Wendling’s best finish was fourth place at the state meet.
“But he was on teams that won a bunch of state titles,” Nick Wendling said. “Wrestling was always my sport as a little kid. My dad is the president of New Lothop’s youth wrestling program, and we learn a lot at an early age.
“We know what we’re doing when we get to high school, and that helps us excel once we get to the varsity.”
Five of New Lothrop’s returning seniors finished in the top four in the state last season. The senior group has reached the team state semifinals all three seasons but were narrowly defeated all three years. Two losses came down to one match, and a third was lost after a tie went down to criteria.
New Lothrop’s football team has finished three consecutive 9-0 regular seasons. Wendling is looking for magical playoff runs in both sports.
“I’d trade a regular season loss for a state championship,” Wendling said of this football season. “I hate losing, but I wouldn’t be crushed to lose and bounce back for a playoff run. I just want to win championships.”
And if those titles elude him?
“I think I’d possibly try again in baseball,” said Wendling, who played as freshman before injuries sidelined him the last two years. “We made it to the state semifinals last year, and I don’t want to be that kind of kid who tries to jump on board for a state title.
“But I’d want to join and contribute any way I could.”