Article - High School Sports Scene

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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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 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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Butch Harmon
Sports Scene
Year in and year out, the Midland Dow boys tennis team is one of the premier tennis teams on both the local and the state level. This season, the Chargers are keeping that winning tradition rolling.
Ranked number one in the state in Division 2, Dow has won the past two Division 2 state championships and has a total of state tennis championships to its credit.
This year is no different for Dow which is off to a strong start with the state tournament coming up soon.
“The season is going really well,” said Dow coach Terry Schwartzkopf. “We are 21-1-1 and our only loss came due to cramps on an extremely hot day so we ended up losing two flights I think we would win under normal circumstances. Austin (King) and Nimai (Patel) are still undefeated and I have two other flights that have a shot at a number two seed at states. We lost a ton of players last year and our doubles is brand new, so our success is a bit of a happy surprise.”
Along with totaling 21 wins, Dow has turned in some impressive efforts so far this season. Dow has defeated most of the top-ten teams in the state in dual format matches and also won the title at the Grosse Pointe North Invitational.
“What is cool about this team is there seems to be a different hero each match that pulls it out for the team,” said Schwartzkopf.
Dow is led this season by a standout group of singles players. Leading the way is Austin King at No. 1 singles. King started the season with a 27-0 record.
“Austin is a real candidate for Mr. Tennis,” Schwartzkopf said. “He won last year at one singles without dropping a set and is on his way again this year. He broke the career 0,0 record this year. He is a fantastic leader and has the strongest will of anyone I think I have ever coached.”
At No. 2 singles, Yassin Elsaadany opened the season with a 19-5 record.
Yassin’s losses are to the top seeds in the state and, unfortunately, isn’t a true reflection of his ability,” Schwartzkopf said. “He has had a few medical issues that have impacted some matches or I think you would have seen that loss column drop by three to four. I am proud of Yassin as he has fought through some difficult moments and pushed himself to a high level of success.”
Nimai Patel is also off to a strong start this season. Patel has not lost a match in over two years and is 24-0 this season. Patel is also a two-time, individual state champion.
“I have confidence that Nimai has the ability to win another state championship,” Schwartzkopf said. “He is another great leader for us in both action and attitude.”
Sid Venkatesan rounds out the singles lineup. Venkatesan has compiled a 23-2 record this season.
“Sid went from a reserve last year to a true warrior,” Schwartzkopf said. “Sid has battled all season and has an incredible record that anyone would be proud of. He is a real boon to this team and a foundational reason we continue to win after losing as much as we did.”
In doubles play, the No. 1 doubles team of Matthew McGaugh and Nathan Song have put together a 17-7 record.
“This team was half of three and half of four doubles last year,” Schwartzkopf said. “That is a huge jump and these guys have done it admirably. Three of the four losses were close third set breakers. They have beaten top competition in the state. These guys are the real day and have impressed me with their abilities this season.”
At No. 2 doubles, Dominic Griffin and Ian Koh have fashioned a 22-4 record.
“I expect these guys to be one of the top seeds,” Schwartzkopf said. “They are both coming off reserves last year, and I think it may be the best jump anyone has ever had from reserves in all of my coaching experience. These guys play hard, have fun, and work their tails off. I could not be prouder of what they have already accomplished.”
Raymond Chai and Jack Elwell are at No. 3 doubles and have put together a 13-6 record while playing tough all season.
“These guys are the tie-break team,” Schwartzkopf said. “It seems every match goes to tie breaks. What that shows me is that they can play with anyone in the state, regardless of seed or record. Both are new to the team and the experience and the stress that comes with playing for Dow High. Their growth has been fun to watch and I expect big things from them in the future.
Rounding out the doubles lineup are Vettel Xu and Jashwanth Thamminana who have turned in a 12-7 record at No. 4 doubles.
“These guys are raw and new but with incredible potential,” Schwartzkopf said. “They have the game and the consistency will continue to improve. They could be dangerous in October.”
With the season winding down, the Chargers are poised to accomplish their goals.
“The expectation is that we finish with 22 or 23 wins, sweep the SVL and the plan is to sweep regional,” Schwartzkopf said. “That will put us in a good position for seeds at state. There are about five to seven teams that have a legitimate shot at the state title and we are one of them. The seeds and draw will have a gigantic impact on the champion this year.”
Dow suffered heavy graduation losses from last year and winning a third straight title will not be easy but the team has responded.
“We lost seven starters last year,” Schwartzkopf said. “That means we have seven reserves and newbies taking over positions on a team with back-to-back championships and have maintained the number-one ranking the entire season. I think that is a testament to our team leaders, the environment of the program, and the families and parents who invest in our program. Our boys come back and work with the new guys to help establish tradition and expectation. I am blessed to have had former, current, and future players who buy into what we are doing here, the expectation of the program, and the investment in one another. I don’t know how the state tournament will end up this year, but either way, the Lord has blessed this old coach for sure and all glory goes to Him for the consistency of success, team atmosphere, and player health through the years.”

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David Cook
Sports Scene
With one of the premier golfers in the state leading the way, the Okemos girls golf team has risen to the top of the polls in Division 1.
One of the top teams the past several years in the Mid-Michigan area, the Wolves are also a team to watch come the middle of October at the state golf finals. Okemos placed ninth in the state at last year’s Division finals and is looking for an even loftier finish this season.
“We are really happy with the season we’ve had up to now,” said Okemos coach Dan Stolz. “We have a super-nice group of kids and I enjoy being with them every day. From the scores I’ve seen out there, I feel like we are a top five team in the state.”
The Wolves have turned in several noteworthy performances this season including winning titles at the Holt Invitational, the Capital Area Activities Conference (CAAC) Open and the Gull Lake tournament at Bedford Valley Golf Club. The Wolves turned in their best performance of the season at the CAAC Open where they set a school record with a 308 team total.
Leading the way for the Wolves is senior Alena Li. Not only the top player on the squad, Li is also one of the premier golfers in the entire state. A three-time, all-state golfer, Li is turning in a huge senior season as she is averaging 68 for the season and is an amazing 35-under par for the entire season.
“To be 35 under par for the season just blew my mind,” Stolz said. “Anytime you have a round under par that is an accomplishment. Alena has had two rounds of 64 this year. She is just a really terrific player. We are really fortunate to have her. She is just an amazing player. She won the state junior amateur this summer, she competed at the junior amateur in California and the junior PGA in Maryland. She has had a really great year.”
Li has been on a roll each year of her high school career as she has finished in the top ten at the state meet in all three of her previous seasons.
“Alena rarely gets into any trouble,” Stolz said. “She hits the ball long and straight. Her short game is very good. She can chip up and one putt. She is also a good putter and if you are going to score you have to be able to putt.
Okemos also has plenty of talent rounding out the lineup led by freshman Anika Srivastava.
“Anika has gotten better and better,” Stolz said. “She shot around 80 the first three matches but lately she has shot 75, 72 and 75. She has a 78 average and for a freshman she has done a terrific job stepping in.”
Rounding out the Okemos lineup is Emma O’Shea who is averaging 86.8, sophomore Anisha Pabbathi is averaging 95 and freshman Zoey McArdle is averaging 97.6.
“After Alena we are a pretty young team,” Stolz said. “We have a freshman, two sophomores and a freshman. We are pretty young but our young golfers are doing a really nice job.”
With the conference tournament, regional and state finals coming up, the Wolves are primed to finish strong.
“It’s been a fun season,” Stolz said. “We’re hoping for a strong finish and to do well the rest of the season.”

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Butch Harmon
Sports Scene
Led by a solid senior core, the Grand Ledge girls golf team is turning in a big season.
Ranked 10th in the state in Division 1, the Comets have their sights set on a strong finish to the season. Last season Grand Ledge capped an outstanding campaign by placing 12th in the state in Division 1 and this year’s team is poised to do even better.
“We’ve been having a nice year so far,” said Grand Ledge coach Jeffrey Miller. “The team has come together quite well. We are currently second in our league and second in our region.”
Being second in the league is no small feat as the No. 1 team in the state in Division 1, Okemos, sits in first place in the league.
Grand Ledge has turned in several big efforts on its way to a top-ten state ranking. The Comets placed second at the Perry, Big Rapids and Holt invitationals this season while going up against some of the top teams in the state.
Leading the way for the Comets are a trio of talented seniors led by Isabel Kelly. A returning all-state golfer who finished in the top ten individually at last year’s state finals, Kelly has posted some impressive efforts this season. One of those was a round of 71 and a second-place finish at the Capital Area Activities Conference (CAAC) Open. Kelly also won the Lady Cardinal Invitational title at Big Rapids with a score of 76.
“Isabel drives the ball well and has a really nice short game,” Miller said. “She also has that `it’ factor. When things are not going the best, she is able to really grind and never give up. She drives the ball well and putts and chips well.”
Following Kelly in the lineup is fellow senior Aubrie Parish, junior Erin McGinnis, senior Meghan Zann and sophomores Eleni Parish and Kimberly Xiong.
“We have a deep team,” Miller said. “We have one very, very excellent player in Isabel and three or four players who on any given day can shoot in the low to mid 40s. We also have an experienced team. We have three seniors, one junior and two sophomores.”
With the combination of talent and the experience that the Comets have, a strong post-season is within reach.
“All of the girls are dedicated and work hard,” Miller said. “They always do the best they can. They also like to have fun. They enjoy playing and I enjoy being around them.”

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