Article - High School Sports Scene

8-Man Division 1
Area Teams to Watch
Bay City All Saints: All Saints are back in the playoffs after finishing the season 7-2. The Cougars dominated on both sides of the ball, scoring 46.2 ppg while only giving up 96 points all season including four shutouts. They will have a tough test in the first round with a rematch against Deckerville who they lost to in week 1 50-16.
Blanchard Montabella: Blanchard Montabella has clinched their first playoff appearance since 2020 thanks to a 6-3 regular season finish. The Mustangs went on a four-game winning streak midseason, including a 42-12 victory over Coleman, before losing to Morrice in the final week. Indian River Inland Lakes await in round one.
Top 8-Man D1 Contenders: Deckerville (9-0), Gobles (9-0), Indian River Inland Lakes (9-0), Pickford (9-0), Alcona (8-1)
Preview: The top half of the bracket features two unbeaten teams in Pickford and Indian River Inland Lakes who will be favorites to meet in the semifinals, but do not count out Alcona whose offense is averaging 54.7 ppg. The bottom half of the bracket also features two unbeatens in Deckerville and Gobles along with two-time defending state champions Martin making it a gauntlet.
HSSS 8-Man Division 2 State Final Prediction: Pickford 34, Deckerville 28

8-Man Division 2
Area Teams to Watch
Morrice: Morrice clinched their 8th straight playoff berth thanks to an 8-1 record with their lone loss coming to fellow D2 contender Portland St. Patrick. The Orioles had an impressive regular season that saw them beat the likes of Fulton-Middleton, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, and Blanchard Montabella. Morrice is a well-balanced team, scoring 42.2 ppg while only giving up 89 points all season. Morrice feature plenty of speed on offense with players like Wyatt Cartier and Joel Fisher who have been a steady source of offense for the team this season. The Orioles have a rematch with Portland St. Patrick in the first round.
Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart: Sacred Heart rallied late with wins in their last two games to reach their second straight postseason, finishing with a 6-3 record. The offense, which averaged 37.6 ppg, helped post big wins against Blanchard Montabella in week 1 and Coleman in the final week of the season. Sacred Heart is led on offense by quarterback Jason Boge. Boge is a strong runner and is also an excellent passer. Luke Hacker is one of the top options to throw to when the Irish take to the air. At running back, Teegan Duffy and Mark Kanimi have been a steady source of yards on the ground. The Irish will play title favorite Grand Rapids Sacred Heart in the first round.
Portland St. Patrick: The Shamrocks cruised to their second straight postseason appearance with an 8-1 record, their only loss coming to D1 playoff contender Fulton-Middleton. Portland St. Patrick features a high-powered offense that is averaging 48.7 ppg. The offense is paced by versatile quarterback Brady Leonard. Leonard has passed for 831 yards this season and tossed 17 touchdown passes. Leonard has also carried the ball for 1,123 yards and scored 22 touchdowns. Running back Brayden Simon has added 597 yards rushing and scored 10 touchdowns. The receiving corps is led by Charlie Thelen who has caught 19 passes for 334 yards and seven touchdowns. On defense, Thelen is among the leaders with 66 tackles and seven sacks while Ben White leads with 89 tackles, Auggie Teachworth has 63 tackles and Simon has five sacks. The Shamrocks begin their title run against Morrice who they beat 29-12 back in week 3.
Top 8-Man D2 Contenders: Grand Rapids Sacred Heart (9-0), Crystal Falls Forest Park (8-1), Morrice (8-1), Portland St. Patrick (8-1), Powers North Central (8-1)
Preview: This year’s playoffs are wide open with half of the field holding an 8-1 record. Grand Rapids Sacred Heart, the sole undefeated team, is the early favorite but are in arguably the toughest region with the winner of Morrice and Portland St. Patrick potentially awaiting them in round two. Do not count out three-time champions Powers North Central or Crystal Falls Forest Park in the top half of the bracket. A potential matchup between the two could decide who will end up playing in the Superior Dome on November 23rd.
HSSS 8-Man Division 2 State Final Prediction: Powers North Central 33, Grand Rapids Sacred Heart 25

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HSSS FOOTBALL STATS
Mid-Michigan coaches, statisticians, school administrators. Feel free to contact us with any updates or football statistics you have. Send any updates to greg102300@yahoo.com . HSSS will be updating the football stats page on a daily basis. Send us your stats if you have players among the leaders, we will post them.

WEEK 9 STATS
PASSING YARDS
Aidan Anderson, Evart 2,416
Colton Klein, Swan Valley 2,197
Joel Cranmore, Leslie 2,092
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 1,755
Garrett Buzzard, Bay City Glenn 1,740
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 1,604
Jayden Arthur, Clare 1,540
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 1,520
Tyger Whitbeck, Perry 1,501
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 1,368
Hunter McGuire, Chippewa Hills 1,319
Christian Powers, Charlotte 1,312
Mayson Burgett, Dansville 1,266
Kaleb Nielson, Williamston 1,118
Jordan Allen, Saginaw United 1,101
Zac Rogozinski, Stockbridge 1,022
Liam Patrick, Owosso 952
Truk TerBush, Millington 865
Jay Kreisler, Bath 843
Ethan Pett, Essexville-Garber 764
Blake Burke, Okemos 724
Shawn Skocelas, Houghton Lake 724
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 700

PASSING TOUCHDOWNS
Joel Cranmore, Leslie 29
Aidan Anderson, Evart 28
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 28
Colton Klein, Swan Valley 25
Jayden Arthur, Clare 24
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 23
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 22
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 21
Liam Patrick, Owosso 20
Garrett Buzzard, Bay City Glenn 15
Christian Powers, Charlotte 15
Hunter McGuire, Chippewa Hills 14
Zac Rogozinski, Stockbridge 14
Kaleb Nielson, Williamston 13
Jordan Allen, Saginaw United 12
Jay Kreisler, Bath 11
Truk TerBush, Millington 11
Shawn Skocelas, Houghton Lake 10
Mayson Burgett, Dansville 8
Jake Metiva, Freeland 8
Tyger Whitbeck, Perry 8

RUSHING YARDS
Hoyt Patrick, Owosso 1,348
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 1,341
Nolan Rowley, Bath 1,236
Brayden Florian, Chesaning 1,180
Kane Graham, Houghton Lake 1,117
Codey Manley, Belding 1,101
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 1,085
AJ Hill, Davison 1,079
Tevon dallas Walsh, Millington 956
Ladon Hatcher, Holt 928
Dominick Knezek, Essexville-Garber 829
Luke Winkler, Almont 824
Joe Smith, Williamston 796
Max Heyn, Freeland 753
Liam Patrick, Owosso 740
Aidan Anderson, Evart 728
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 683
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 681
Trav Moore, DeWitt 670
Brandon Hamlett, Stockbridge 651
Landon Russell, Millington 603
Aiden Vanbonn, Clare 568
William Salgot, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 565
Tim Bensinger, Charlotte 530
Marshawn Hallums, Okemos 516
Case Johnson, Greenville 507
Brayden Petre, Freeland 503

RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 19
Hoyt Patrick, Owosso 19
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 16
Codey Manley, Belding 16
Aiden Anderson, Evart 14
Luke Winkler, Almont 14
Max Heyn, Freeland 13
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 13
Trav Moore, DeWitt 13
Nolan Rowley, Bath 13
Tevon Dallas Walsh, Millington 13
Kane Graham, Houghton Lake 12
Ladon Hatcher, Holt 12
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 11
AJ Hill, Davison 11
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 9
Noah Rief, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 9
Landon Russell, Millington 9
Brayden Florian, Chesaning 8
Noah Sandecki, Stockbridge 8
Joe Smith, Williamston 8
Truk TerBush, Millington 8
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 8
Chase Battani, Almont 7
Jayden Colby, Leslie 7
Kaiden Holmes, Charlotte 7
Colton Klein, Swan Valley 7
Jayden Arthur, Clare 6
Boston Beaugher, Swan Valley 6
Codey Manley, Belding 6
Gavin Morse, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 6
Brayden Petre, Freeland 6
William Salgat, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 6
Liam Patrick, Owosso 6
Aiden Vanbonn, Clare 6

RECEIVING YARDS
Jamison Pelt, Swan Valley 1,222
Jayden Colby, Leslie 1,022
Abram Larner, DeWitt 913
Lucas Johnson, Evart 867
Gage Perkins, Chippewa Hills 769
Noah Vanderlinde, Evart 718
Quinton Burgett, Dansville 605
Dryson Derscheid, Evart 579
Braylon Naves, Davison 576
Jacob Adkins, Perry 567
Wesley Hughes, Davison 562
Jacob Halicek, Clare 528
Brady Sager, Chesaning 527
Dionquavis Hardy, Saginaw United 517
Bradley Boyk, Bay City Glenn 512
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 494
Brock Rochow, Stockbridge 489
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 478
Brayden Connell, Perry 463
Zach Rye, Owosso 463
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 458
Ryan Louch, Clare 445
Cal Delisle, Swan Valley 431
Gibson Rondy, Ithaca 426
Tommy Pratt, Williamston 423
Hunter VanSickler, Williamston 412
Colton Carey, Charlotte 409
Adam Woodcock, Chesaning 397
Owen Fortman, East Lansing 378
Kane Graham, Houghton Lake 371
Wilson Huckeby, Freeland 369
Kaiden Holmes, Charlotte 365
Coleson Lessner, Lake Fenton 354

RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
Jamison Pelt, Swan Valley 20
Abram Larner, DeWitt 17
Jacob Halicek, Clare 11
Lucas Johnson, Evart 10
Gage Perkins, Chippewa Hills 10
Noah Vanderlinde, Evart 10
Jayden Colby, Leslie 9
Brady Sager, Chesaning 9
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 8
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 8
Quinton Burgett, Dansville 7
Kaiden Holmes, Charlotte 7
Wesley Hughes, Davison 7
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 7
Braylen Navis, Davison 7
Tommy Pratt, Williamston 7
Dryson Derscheid, Evart 6
Wilson Huckeby, Freeland 6
Gibson Rondy, Ithaca 6
Adam Woodcock, Chesaning 6
Coleson Lessner, Lake Fenton 5
Ryan Louch, Clare 5
Brock Rochow, Stockbridge 5
Bradley Boyk, Bay City Glenn 4
Brayden Connell, Perry 4
Cal Delisle, Swan Valley 4
Lukas Gies, Bay City Glenn 4
Kane Graham, Houghton Lake 4
Trav Moore, DeWitt 4
Jacob Phillips, Leslie 4

TACKLES
Hoyt Patrick, Owosso 137
Carter Moore, Charlotte 112
Cohen Ferqueron, Almont 108
Miles Keener, Williamston 103
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 96
Brady Burns, Perry 93
Justin Rodriguez, St. Louis 93
Timmy Bensinger, Charlotte 87
Van Reed, Charlotte 86
Carson Moore, Owosso 83
Noah Reif, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 83
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 81
Jack Pestrue, Essexville-Garber 81
Valentino Solano, Bay City Glenn 80
Logan Broekhuizen, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 76
Cal Frasier, Chesaning 72
Melchizadek Washington, Saginaw United 72
Brayden Bundy, Davison 70
Kane Romano, Dansville 70
Aiden Van bonn, Clare 70
Michael Borie, St. Louis 66
Blake Bawks, Perry 68
Morgan Laupichler, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 66
Joey Bouchy, Clare 64
Ryan Louch, Clare 64
Zach Rogozinski, Stockbridge 64
Alex Mcewan, Perry 63
Braiden Royal, Stockbridge 63
Jamaris Graham, Okemos 62
Nathan Precise, Okemos 62
Chase Battani, Almont 61
Quinton Everett, Chesaning 61
Roman Hurosky, Ithaca 61
Keegan Whelton, Freeland 61
Broghan Bupp, Ithaca 60

SACKS
Alex Mcewan, Perry 13
Tristan Comer, Freeland 7
Braydon Wendling, Chesaning 7
Landon Qualls, Chesaning 7
Van Reed, Charlotte 5
Logan Broekhuizen, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 4.5
Austin Blaha, Owosso 4
Trenton Farkas, St. Louis 4
Ethan Fowler, Freeland 4
Cal Frasier, Chesaning 4
Brevin Hendricks, Millington 4
Marcus Joshua, Bay City John Glenn 4
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 4
Karson Tweh, St. Louis 4
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 4

INTERCEPTIONS
Kam Reynolds, Swan Valley 7
Brock Rochow, Stockbridge 7
Tray Haido, Davison 5
Elijah Smith, Ithaca 5
Abram Larner, DeWitt 4
Truk TerBush, Millington 4
Miller Wing, DeWitt 4
Aiden Wolf, Bath 4
Jadon Bender, DeWitt 3
Owen Case, Freeland 3
Jaydin Colby, Leslie 3
Dionquavis Hardy, Saginaw United 3
BJ Henry, Holt 3
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 3
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 3
Jacob Phillips, Leslie 3
Cortez Porter, Davison 3
Tommy Pratt, Williamston 3
Torrion Stevenson, Saginaw United 3

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WEEK 8 STATS
PASSING YARDS
Aidan Anderson, Evart 1,998
Joel Cranmore, Leslie 1,854
Colton Klein, Swan Valley 1,757
Garrett Buzzard, Bay City Glenn 1,608
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 1,561
Jayden Arthur, Clare 1,540
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 1,422
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 1,363
Hunter McGuire, Chippewa Hills 1,319
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 1,194
Tyger Whitbeck, Perry 1,161
Mayson Burgett, Dansville 1,123
Kaleb Nielson, Williamston 1,026
Jordan Allen, Saginaw United 965
Jay Kreisler, Bath 843
Liam Patrick, Owosso 773
Ethan Pett, Essexville-Garber 764
Shawn Skocelas, Houghton Lake 724
Truk TerBush, Millington 705

PASSING TOUCHDOWNS
Joel Cranmore, Leslie 26
Jayden Arthur, Clare 24
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 24
Aidan Anderson, Evart 22
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 20
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 19
Colton Klein, Swan Valley 19
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 17
Liam Patrick, Owosso 15
Garrett Buzzard, Bay City Glenn 14
Hunter McGuire, Chippewa Hills 14
Jordan Allen, Saginaw United 12
Kaleb Nielson, Williamston 11
Jay Kreisler, Bath 11
Shawn Skocelas, Houghton Lake 10
Truk TerBush, Millington 10
Mayson Burgett, Dansville 8
Jake Metiva, Freeland 8

RUSHING YARDS
Hoyt Patrick, Owosso 1,175
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 1,169
Nolan Rowley, Bath 1,156
Brayden Florian, Chesaning 1,049
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 1,004
Kane Graham, Houghton Lake 979
Codey Manley, Belding 964
AJ Hill, Davison 957
Ladon Hatcher, Holt 928
Tevon dallas Walsh, Millington 860
Joe Smith, Williamston 739
Dominick Knezek, Essexville-Garber 713
Liam Patrick, Owosso 700
Max Heyn, Freeland 679
Aidan Anderson, Evart 672
Trav Moore, DeWitt 670
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 648
Landon Russell, Millington 603
Aiden Vanbonn, Clare 568
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 549
Case Johnson, Greenville 507
Brayden Petre, Freeland 503
William Salgot, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 503

RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
Hoyt Patrick, Owosso 17
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 16
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 15
Aiden Anderson, Evart 14
Codey Manley, Belding 14
Trav Moore, DeWitt 13
Ladon Hatcher, Holt 12
Max Heyn, Freeland 12
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 12
Nolan Rowley, Bath 12
AJ Hill, Davison 11
Tevon Dallas Walsh, Millington 11
Kane Graham, Houghton Lake 9
Noah Rief, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 9
Landon Russell, Millington 9
Jayden Colby, Leslie 8
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 8
Joe Smith, Williamston 8
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 8
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 8
Brayden Florian, Chesaning 7
Colton Klein, Swan Valley 7
Jayden Arthur, Clare 6
Boston Beaugher, Swan Valley 6
Codey Manley, Belding 6
Brayden Petre, Freeland 6
William Salgat, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 6
Liam Patrick, Owosso 6
Aiden Vanbonn, Clare 6

RECEIVING YARDS
Jayden Colby, Leslie 909
Abram Larner, DeWitt 824
Jamison Pelt, Swan Valley 819
Gage Perkins, Chippewa Hills 378
Noah Vanderlinde, Evart 718
Lucas Johnson, Evart 679
Quinton Burgett, Dansville 579
Wesley Hughes, Davison 531
Jacob Halicek, Clare 528
Brady Sager, Chesaning 527
Braylon Naves, Davison 497
Dionquavis Hardy, Saginaw United 458
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 448
Bradley Boyk, Bay City Glenn 445
Ryan Louch, Clare 445
Jacob Adkins, Perry 436
Cal Delisle, Swan Valley 431
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 424
Gibson Rondy, Ithaca 413
Hunter VanSickler, Williamston 412
Dryson Derscheid, Evart 396
Owen Fortman, East Lansing 378
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 377
Kane Graham, Houghton Lake 371
Wilson Huckeby, Freeland 369
Adam Woodcock, Chesaning 365
Tommy Pratt, Williamston 351

RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
Abram Larner, DeWitt 16
Jamison Pelt, Swan Valley 14
Jacob Halicek, Clare 11
Gage Perkins, Chippewa Hills 10
Noah Vanderlinde, Evart 10
Brady Sager, Chesaning 9
Jayden Colby, Leslie 8
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 8
Quinton Burgett, Dansville 7
Wesley Hughes, Davison 7
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 7
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 7
Wilson Huckeby, Freeland 6
Lucas Johnson, Evart 6
Gibson Rondy, Ithaca 6
Ryan Louch, Clare 5
Braylen Navis, Davison 5
Tommy Pratt, Williamston 5
Adam Woodcock, Chesaning 5
Bradley Boyk, Bay City Glenn 4
Cal Delisle, Swan Valley 4
Dryson Derscheid, Evart 4
Lukas Gies, Bay City Glenn 4
Kane Graham, Houghton Lake 4
Trav Moore, DeWitt 4
Jacob Phillips, Leslie 4

TACKLES
Hoyt Patrick, Owosso 122
Miles Keener, Williamston 98
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 96
Justin Rodriguez, St. Louis 86
Brady Burns, Perry 78
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 75
Carson Moore, Owosso 75
Jack Pestrue, Essexville-Garber 74
Valentino Solano, Bay City Glenn 72
Logan Broekhuizen, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 72
Aiden Van bonn, Clare 70
Noah Reif, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 69
Joey Bouchy, Clare 64
Ryan Louch, Clare 64
Michael Borie, St. Louis 62
Karson Tweh, St. Louis 62
Blake Bawks, Perry 61
Roman Hurosky, Ithaca 61
Brayden Bundy, Davison 60
Alex Mcewan, Perry 60
Kane Romano, Dansville 60

SACKS
Alex Mcewan, Perry 13
Braydon Wendling, Chesaning 7
Landon Qualls, Chesaning 7
Tristan Comer, Freeland 5
Trenton Farkas, St. Louis 4
Ethan Fowler, Freeland 4
Cal Frasier, Chesaning 4
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 4
Karson Tweh, St. Louis 4
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 4

INTERCEPTIONS
Kam Reynolds, Swan Valley 6
Elijah Smith, Ithaca 5
Tray Haido, Davison 4
Miller Wing, DeWitt 4
Aiden Wolf, Bath 4
Jadon Bender, DeWitt 3
Owen Case, Freeland 3
Jaydin Colby, Leslie 3
Dionquavis Hardy, Saginaw United 3
BJ Henry, Holt 3
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 3
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 3
Jacob Phillips, Leslie 3
Tommy Pratt, Williamston 3
Torrion Stevenson, Saginaw United 3
Truk TerBush, Millington 3

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David Cook
Sports Scene
Over the years, the DeWitt girls golf team has been one of the premier teams in the Mid-Michigan area. This season is no different as the Panthers have been posting some consistently low scores.
Heading into October and with the state tournament looming, DeWitt is ranked seventh in the state in Division 2. The Panthers are also in third place in the ultra-competitive Capital Area Activities Conference (CAAC) Blue Division that includes Okemos, ranked first in the state in Division 1, and Grand Ledge, ranked 10th in the state in Division 1.
Leading the way for DeWitt this season are a pair of seasoned seniors who bring a wealth of experience and talent to the course. Seniors Courtney Novak and Cate Piesko are both four-year varsity players and are leading the way for the Panthers. Novak is averaging 42.6 for nine holes while Piesko is close behind with a 44.0 average for nine.
DeWitt is also receiving a strong contribution from junior Sydney Ferguson. In her first year of playing golf for the Panthers, Ferguson is averaging 46.8 for nine holes.
DeWitt started the season strong with an impressive performance at the Sydney Carfine Memorial tournament at The Meadows on the campus of Grand Valley State University. In a field loaded with top teams from across the state, the Panthers placed eighth out of 18 teams.
A couple weeks after that, the Panthers turned in one of their top performances of the season. That is when they placed third behind Okemos and Grand Ledge at the Holt Invitational. DeWitt finished just two strokes behind second-place Grand Ledge and seven shots behind first-place Okemos. DeWitt scored their lowest team total of the season at the Holt Invitational and placed five golfers in the top 17 individually.
DeWitt was led at Holt by Ferguson who placed sixth with an 85. Novak also finished in the top ten as she placed eighth with an 87. Hannah Kukulski took 11th with an 88, Piesko placed 13th with an 89 and Sophie Beland placed 17th with a 92.
DeWitt also placed second at the Coldwater Invitational where they were led by Beland and Novak who both placed in the top ten individually.
The Panthers are gearing up for the state tournament that is closing in. The regional is slated for October 8 at the Coldwater Golf Club. The regional is stacked with state-ranked teams including No. 2 South Lyon, No. 3 Dexter, No. 6 Mason, No. 10 Fenton and the Panthers. DeWitt has won back-to-back regional titles and adding a third is the goal.
“If the girls find a way to stay relaxed, enjoy the moment and play to their ability, there is a good chance we can steal one of the state finals spots,” said DeWitt coach Chris Thelen.
A total of three teams from the regional qualify for the state finals.

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David Cook
Sports Scene
Thanks to some excellent overall team speed, the Clare football team is off to a fast start this season.
The Pioneers opened the new season by coming out of the gate quickly with a 51-7 win against Grayling. Clare followed that up with a 43-0 win against Sanford-Meridian, a 53-14 win against Midland Bullock Creek and a 26-21 win against Gladwin in a key Jack Pine Conference matchup.
A big element to Clare’s fast start is some excellent team speed.
“So far the strong points of our team is our overall team speed and athleticism,” said Clare coach Steven Spranger, “but as a coach, what’s been most impressive is the way the guys are coming together and playing for one another.”
Whale the Pioneers have started the season fast, they still have a big second half of the season awaiting them along with a number of goals to accomplish.
“Obviously, we’re happy with the way the season has started,” Spranger said, “but we’re nowhere near accomplishing our goals and still have a lot of our season ahead of us.”
Another big factor in the success the team is enjoying is a deep and talented group of seniors.
“We have a very strong senior class that’s been through a lot of big games,” Spranger said, “and we will continue to lean on them as the season progresses.”
Jayden Arthur, the team’s quarterback and a defensive back, is one of those senior leaders. Arthur is off to a strong start this season as he has passed for 781 yards through the first four game. Arthurn is completing 68% of his passes and has also thrown for 12 touchdowns. Arthur has also rushed for 139 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“Jayden is our third year starting quarterback and has been tremendous for us in the off-season and has carried that into the season with his play and his leadership,” Spranger said. “He’s always getting us in the right spot, and making the right reads. His calm demeanor and presence is exactly what you want in a quarterback.”
Senior wide receiver/running back/defensive back Ryan Louch is another senior leader. Louch has caught 15 passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns through the first four games. Louch also leads the team in tackles with 38 including a pair of tackles for loss.
“Ryan is another third-year starter for us that we can move all around the field and can count on him making an impact on the game,” Spranger said. “Defensively, he’s our most physical player and is able to go sideline to sideline making plays.
Up front, senior Chase Randall is a leader in the trenchses both along the offensive and defensive lines.
“Chase is another third-year starter that made the move from tight end to tackle to fit our needs and has become a leader of both of his position groups,” Spranger said.
Senior offensive and defensive lineman Dawson Babcock is another leader in the trenches who has made a position switch for the good of the team.
“Dawson is another senior who moved positions to fit the needs of the team,” Sprang said. He moved from right tackle to center and has done a tremendous job.”
At running back, senior Aiden Van bonn has taken over the bulk of the ball carrying duties. Van bonn is also a leader on defense at linebacker. Van bonn has rushed for 365 yards (7.3 avg.) and scored five touchdowns. On defense he has 33 total tackles and a pair of tackles for loss.
“Aiden is a senior who has waited his time to take over the bulk of the carries, and has a done a tremendous job for us,” Spranger said. “With the athletes that we have on the edge, he gets forgotten about at times and that’s when he’s able to bust off a long run.”
Senior Joey Bouchey is a linebacker on defense and running back on offense. Bouchey is one of the leaders of the Pioneer defense.
“Joey is the guy in the middle of our defense who is making all of our checks and making sure that we’re in the right spots defensively,” Spranger said.
A junior turning in a big season is Jacob Halicek who lines up at wide receiver on offense and defensive back on defense. Halicek is a big-play target in the passing game with 11 receptions for 270 yards and three touchdowns.
“Jacob is a two-year varsity player that is doing a great job as our deep threat and has made some big catches for us,” Spranger said.
While the Pioneers are pleased with the fast start, they know that they have plenty more work ahead of them.
“In order to continue our success, we need to continue to win the turnover battle and limits opposing team’s big plays,” Spranger said. “We also have to capitalize on our ability to make the big plays, all while continuing to improve all across the board.”

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Butch Harmon
Sports Scene
After turning in one of the most successful seasons in recent years last fall, the Chesaning football team is picking up where it left off last season.
Chesaning turned in a 9-2 record last year and reached the district title game in the state playoffs. This year, the Indians are off to another fast start reeling off five straight wins to begin the season. Chesaning opened the season with a 52-12 win against Bath and followed that up with wins against LakeVille (50-0), New Lothrop (47-22), Mt. Morris (54-23) and Birch Run (17-9).
So far this season Chesaning is checking all the boxes as contributions are coming from all areas of the team.
“We are off to a great start,” said Chesaning coach Matthew Walter. “Our offense is clicking right now with all 11 guys doing their job. Max Volk and Brayden Florian are both off to a phenomenal start but they could not do it without the stellar play of our offensive line and wide receivers blocking. Defensively we are just as strong and have held teams in check all game. The coaching staff has done an excellent job preparing these guys every week. Our program has taken more strides from last year’s team and continues to get better every day.”
Success is nothing new for the Chesaning players as the players on the football team have experienced plenty of success in other sports at Chesaning as well.
The Chesaning offense has scored 50 or more points in every game this season and has been piling up some impressive numbers. Quarterback Max Volk has passed for 794 yards and tossed 12 touchdown passes. Volk is a dangerous dual threat as he has also rushed for 228 yards and six touchdowns. Running back Brayden Florian is also off to a big season rushing for 563 yards and four touchdowns. At receiver Brady Sager leads the way with 329 receiving yards.
Paving the way for the offense is a standout offensive line anchored by Seth Schlicht, Braydon Wendling, Andrew Reiber, John Talbot and Braden Burtch.
“I believe our offensive and defensive lines have been very strong this year,” Walter said. “We have guys on the line that have been on varsity for two and three years so it’s great to have that experience and they can make adjustments on the fly. Our pass protection has been great so we are able to throw the ball more.”
Chesaning has shown good balance on offense this season. The Indians have totaled 1,885 yards on offense with 1,104 rushing yards and 794 passing yards.
Defensively, Chesaning is led by outside linebacker Cal Frasier who has totaled 21 tackles along with seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Defensive end Braydn Wendling is also having a big year with six quarterback sacks.
While the team has started fast, plenty more challenges lie in the weeks ahead and remaining focused and improving is at the top of the priority list.
“The key for us is `don’t let up`”, Walter said. “Our guys have to keep getting better every day. We have a tough schedule coming up and have to stay focused. We have to keep practices intense and go with the underdog mentality every game.”
Among the big games coming up for Chesaning are a home game against Montrose on October 4 and a road game at Ovid-Elsie on October 11.

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David Cook
Sports Scene
If your looking for entertainment on a Friday evening, taking in a DeWitt football game would be a good option.
Not only is DeWitt off to a fast start this season with a 5-0 record, but the Panthers are doing it in exciting fashion with an offense that is averaging an unbelievable 59.6 points per game. Not only are the Panthers scoring points in bunches, but they are doing it against some of the top competition around. Among the teams DeWitt has defeated this year are Hurricane, West Virginia, one of the premier teams in West Virginia, East Lansing, ranked eighth in the state in Division 2 and Mason, ranked seventh in the state in Division 3 as well as a solid Haslett team.
“We’re vey happy at where we are at right now,” said DeWitt coach Rob Zimmerman. “We are 5-0 and doing it against very, very good competition.”
One of the games that sticks out the most was the 70-63 win against Hurricane, West Virginia in week three. DeWitt quarterback Elliott Larner turned in a record-setting effort in that game as he ran the ball 20 times for 279 net yard and five touchdowns. Larner’s 279 yards broke Mike Cowdrey’s long-standing record of 275 set in 1989. Larner’s five touchdownss in a game tied the record for touchdowns in a game with Trav Moore from last year. The Panthers also set a new record of 70 points in a game, breaking the record set in game one against Haslett. DeWitt sophomore kicker Vincent Rose also set a new record as he was 10-of-10 on extra points to set the Panther record for consecutive extra points in a game.
“That was just an unbelievable game,” Zimmerman said. “It was the most points I ever seen scored in a high school game. The West Virginia team has a great quarterback and running back and is probably the best team we will play this season.”
Panther quarterback Elliott Larner is turned in a huge season both passing and running the football. Larner has passed for 931 yards and 16 touchdowns and has run for 929 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
At receiver, Abram Larner has hauled in 20 passes for 554 yards and 10 touchdowns. Junior running back Trav Moore is turning in a big season with 554 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns and has caught nine passes for 122 yards and four touchdowns.
Paving the way for the DeWitt offense is a solid offensive line anchored by juniors Luke Nolen (5-8, 235) at guard and Drew Rumsey (6-2, 265) at tackle.
“Our offensive line is doing a nice job as a unit,” Zimmerman said.
On defense, the Panthers are young and improving. The Panthers have nine underclassmen starting on defense.
“Defensively, I do think we can be a lot better,” Zimmerman said. “We are not where we want to be yet. In our game against East Lansing we did close out the game well.”
Junior linebacker Cooper Chambers leads the defense with 36 tackles while junior Max Holtz has 31 tackles. Senior Charlie Winsor has 26 tackles followed by junior Jacob Schorfhaar with 24 and junior Jadon Bender with 23 tackles.
“Our goal is to get better every week,” Zimmerman said. “Each week we need to continue to improve and we need to execute at the highest level once the playoffs begin. I’ve had a great time coaching this team. This is a great group with tremendous character. I will be exciting to see the rest of the season play out and I like the potential of this team.”

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Butch Harmon
Sports Scene
Led by an explosive offense that features balance and an improving defense, the Ithaca football team is off to a fast start this season.
The Yellowjackets reeled off five straight wins to begin the season. Included in the wins as a thrilling 30-22 win against Standish-Sterling and a 35-14 win against Michigan Lutheran Seminary.
Offense has been a highlight for Ithaca in the early going as the Yellowjackets are putting up 42.2 points per game. Defensively, Ithaca is showing steady improvement and is allowing 7.2 points per game.
“We are 5-0 so far and at a good point right now,” said Ithaca coach Jordan Hessbrook. “Our offense has been a strong point. We have shown the ability to run and throw the football and that makes us much tougher to defend. Defensively, we have some young guys who are getting experience at the varsity level and our older guys are stepping into their roles and embracing their roles.”
On offense, the Yellowjackets are led by senior quarterback Jackson Conn. A talented dual-threat quarterback, through the first five games this season Conn has completed 56% of his passes for 687 yards and 12 touchdowns. Conn has also rushed for 374 yards (5.4 avg.) and scored 12 rushing touchdowns.
Conn has a variety of receivers to throw to. Senior Nathan Mikesell has caught 11 passes for 236 yards (21.5 avg.) and five touchdowns while senior Ryley White has hauled in 11 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Riley Guild has stepped in with 10 catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns while sophomore wide receiver Gibson Rondy has 10 catches for 161 yards and three scores.
Nathan Mikesell leads the Yellowjacket running game. Mikesell has rushed for 605 yards and scored five touchdowns this season.
“Jackson is putting up decent numbers running and passing,” Hessbrook said. “Nathan Mikesell has played well running and receiving. When you look at our receivers we are pretty balanced. Ryley White, Riley Guild, Connor McMurphy, Gibson Rondy and Elijah Smith can all catch the ball. We have quite a few guys we can throw to out there.”
Paving the way for the backs and receivers is an outstanding offensive line that continues to improve.
“Our line is starting to gel into a unit,” Hessbrook said. “We have three returning starters in Nicholas Mikesell, Lloyd Stoneman and Broden Peska. Nicholas is a three-year starter and Broden is a four-year starter. Junior Kenny Daniels and sophomore Broghan Bupp round out the line and are doing a good job for us.”
The Yellowjacket defense is also rounding into form.
“Nathan Mikesell is our leading tackler at inside linebacker,” Hessbrook said. “Roman Hurosky has stepped up at outside linebacker. Our defensive line of Broden Peska, Nicholas Mikesell, Karter Araujo and Aiden Smith has played well. We start a couple of sophomores in the defensive backfield and they are starting to get their feet under them.”
Nathan Mikesell leads the Ithaca defense in tackles with 59 along with six tackles for loss while senior Roman Hurosky has 49 tackles. Senior Karter Araujo and sophomore Broghan Bupp have 22 tackles apiece. Sophomore Aiden Smith has 21 tackles while senior Nicholas Mikesell has 20 tackles. Bupp and Smith also have four tackles for loss apiece. Sophomore defensive back Elijah Smith has two interceptions.
With the season heading into the home stretch, the Yellowjackets have some key games coming up including a week seven game against an unbeaten Saginaw Nouvel team and a week eight non-league game against Tecumseh, a much larger Division 4 team.

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Butch Harmon
Sports Scene
Ranked number one in the state in Division 4, the Lansing Christian boys soccer team is off to a strong start this season.
The Pilgrims began the season reeling off 15 straight wins before dropping matches to DeWitt, the number two-ranked team in the state in Division 2, and Haslett, another Division 2 squad.
During the first 15-game span Lansing Christian totaled 89 goals while allowing just eight goals.
The start of the season has gone really well for us,” said Lansing Christian coach Tommy Ziolkowski. “We have started the year scoring a lot of goals and defending hard. The boys have learned the system and style we want to play very quickly which has helped us get some good results early on. Returning eight starters from last year’s regional finalist team has also helped with the start of the season.”
Among the returning players are a trio of players who have club soccer experience in the offseason.
“Having three club players in there has really made a difference,” Ziolkowski said. “Those guys are the engine of the team. Having such a strong midfield allows us to play the way we want.”
Senior forward Owen Resch leads the way for the Pilgrims. One of the top players in the area, Resch is a three-time, all-state player and a Mr. Soccer candidate this season. Through the first 15 games this season Resch has totaled an astronomical 45 goals with 11 assists.
Junior attacking midfielder Cullen MacKay is also having a huge season. A two-time, all-state player, MacKay is a talented playmaker who leads the team in assists with 25 and has totaled nine goals.
Junior winger Alex Binioris has added nine goals and 10 assists.
Sophomore central midfielder Carson Block earned all-state honors last year as a freshman and has totaled seven goals and nine assists this season.
Senior centerback Payton Allaire has six goals and three assists and sophomore wing Own Andrus has eight goals and three assists.
The Pilgrims also have a solid defense led by senior defensive midfielder Josh Mead, senior outside back Collin Leavitt, senior centerback Mitch Cochran, senior outside back Isaac Cisk and freshman outside back Andrew Toy. Lansing Christian is also strong in goal with junior goalkeeper Brady Carmichael who is a returning all-state keeper.
Along with having plenty of talent on the roster, the team also has a special team chemistry that makes the Pilgrims difficult to stop.
“Something else that makes this group special is how close they are as a group,” Ziolkowski said. “The group hangs out together all the time at school or after. I think this has been an important part of our success so far.”
With the stretch run of the season coming up along with the state tournament, the Pilgrims are looking to continue to learn and improve.
“The key to continue success this fall will be to continue to develop our backline,” Ziolkowski said. “With one returner from last fall, this is the most inexperienced position group we have. So far they have developed into a strong unit but we need to continue that development by the time the postseason starts to hopefully make a run.”

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WEEK 7 STATS
PASSING YARDS
Aidan Anderson, Evart 1,770
Joel Cranmore, Leslie 1,695
Garrett Buzzard, Bay City Glenn 1,428
Colton Klein, Swan Valley 1,387
Jayden Arthur, Clare 1,263
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 1,207
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 1,168
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 1,145
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 1,107
Mayson Burgett, Dansville 1,015
Kaleb Nielson, Williamston 974
Tyger Whitbeck, Perry 947
Jordan Allen, Saginaw United 786
Ethan Pratt, Essexville-Garber 716
Jay Kreisler, Bath 715
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 642

PASSING TOUCHDOWNS
Joel Cranmore, Leslie 26
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 21
Jayden Arthur, Clare 20
Aidan Anderson, Evart 19
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 18
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 16
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 16
Colton Klein, Swan Valley 14
Garrett Buzzard, Bay City Glenn 13
Kaleb Nielson, Williamston 10
Jay Kreisler, Bath 9
Mayson Burgett, Dansville 8
Jordan Allen, Saginaw United 7
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 7
Liam Patrick, Owosso 7

RUSHING YARDS
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 1,105
Nolan Rowley, Bath 947
Brayden Florian, Chesaning 846
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 837
AJ Hill, Davison 783
Max Heyn, Freeland 673
Trav Moore, DeWitt 670
Joe Smith, Williamston 647
Tevon dallas Walsh, Millington 628
Hoyt Patrick, Owosso 616
Ladon Hatcher, Holt 603
Landon Russell, Millington 603
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 587
Anderson, Evart 560
Codey Manley, Belding 553
Dominick Knezek, Essexville-Garber 513
Case Johnson, Greenville 507
Brayden Petre, Freeland 503
Marshaun Hallums, Okemos 464
Aiden Vanbonn, Clare 463
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 460
William Salgot, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 451

RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
Elliott Larner, DeWitt 14
Jackson Conn, Ithaca 13
Trav Moore, DeWitt 13
Max Heyn, Freeland 12
Nolan Rowley, Bath 11
Aiden Anderson, Evart 10
AJ Hill, Davison 10
Codey Manley, Belding 9
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 9
Patrick, Owosso 9
Landon Russell, Millington 9
Jayden Colby, Leslie 8
Ladon Hatcher, Holt 8
Joe Smith, Williamston 8
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 7
Codey Manley, Belding 6
Brayden Petre, Freeland 6
William Dalgat, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 6
Jaxson Dosh, Davison 6
Tevon Dallas Walsh, Millington 6
Liam Patrick, Owosso 5
Aiden Vanbonn, Clare 5
Maxwell Volk, Chesaning 5

RECEIVING YARDS
Jayden Colby, Leslie 802
Jamison Pelt, Swan Valley 703
Abram Larner, DeWitt 678
Noah Vanderlinde, Evart 677
Lucas Johnson, Evart 604
Quinton Burgett, Dansville 579
Brady Sager, Chesaning 527
Bradley Boyk, Bay City Glenn 445
Ryan Louch, Clare 445
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 435
Wesley Hughes, Davison 412
Jacob Halicek, Clare 399
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 391
Dionquavis Hardy, Saginaw United 388
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 372
Hunter VanSickler, Williamston 364
Braylon Naves, Davison 353
Tommy Pratt, Williamston 342

RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
Abram Larner, DeWitt 14
Jamison Pelt, Swan Valley 11
Brady Sager, Chesaning 9
Noah Vanderlinde, Evart 9
Jayden Colby, Leslie 8
Jacob Halicek, Clare 8
Quinton Burgett, Dansville 7
Braydin Johnson, Leslie 7
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 7
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 7
Wesley Hughes, Davison 6
Lucas Johnson, Evart 5
Ryan Louch, Clare 5
Lukas Gies, Bay City Glenn 4
Trav Moore, DeWitt 4
Jacob Phillips, Leslie 4
Braylen Navis, Davison 4
Tommy Pratt, Williamston 4

TACKLES
Miles Keener, Williamston 88
Nathan Mikesell, Ithaca 83
Justin Rodriguez, St. Louis 74
Brady Burns, Perry 72
Garrett Hilborn, Bay City Glenn 64
Ryan Louch, Clare 64
Roman Hurosky, Ithaca 61
Aiden Van bonn, Clare 61
Jack Pestrue, Essexville-Garber 60
Valentino Solano, Bay City Glenn 60
Logan Broekhuizen, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 58
Alex Mcewan, Perry 57
Noah Reif, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 57
Blake Bawks, Perry 56
Kane Romano, Dansville 55
Michael Borie, St. Louis 53
Karson Tweh, St. Louis 53
Joey Bouchy, Clare 51
Hoyt Patrick, Owosso 50

SACKS
Alex Mcewan, Perry 13
Braydon Wendling, Chesaning 7
Landon Qualls, Chesaning 5
Tristan Comer, Freeland 4
Trenton Farkas, St. Louis 4
Ethan Fowler, Freeland 4
Cal Frasier, Chesaning 4
Karson Tweh, St. Louis 4
Ethan Wakefield, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 4

INTERCEPTIONS
Jadon Bender, DeWitt 3
Owen Case, Freeland 3
Tray Haido, Davison 3
BJ Henry, Holt 3
Andrew Miller, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 3
Jacob Phillips, Leslie 3
Kam Reynolds, Swan Valley 3
Elijah Smith, Ithaca 3
Truk TerBush, Millington 3
Miller Wing, DeWitt 3

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8-man football playoff preview

Mid-Michigan football stats Week 9

Mid-Michigan football stats Week 8

DeWitt girls golf team carrying on winning tradition this season

Clare football team utilizing team speed for fast start to new season

The Chesaning football team reeled off five straight wins to open the new season.

DeWitt football team treating fans to exciting season with high-scoring offense

Balanced offense has Ithaca football team going strong this season

Lansing Christian soccer team turning in big season

Mid-Michigan football stats through week 7