Lakeview’s golf team was second in a CSAA jamboree last Tuesday. Lakeview shot a 366 compared to 356 for Big Rapids.Jon Wandel shot an 80 for Lakeview, followed by Jake Park with 94 and Seth Kanouse and Bennett Tomandl with 96s apiece.
By BUTCH HARMON
Led by a talented group of seniors, the Portland softball team is turning in another big season on the diamond.
Last year, the Raiders won the league title and turned in a 27-4 record before falling to Eaton Rapids in the district final. This season, Portland has picked up where it left off last spring. The Raiders have been ranked among the top teams in the state in Division 2 and have faced some of the top teams in the state.
“We’ve been playing pretty well,” Portland coach Jack Anderson said. “We’ve beaten some pretty good teams this year. We lost a doubleheader in our league, but after that, we’ve been pretty focused and have been playing pretty well.”
So far this season, Portland has racked up some impressive wins. It won the Portland Invitational to kick off the season and also won the Blue Chip Best of Michigan Showcase in Byron Center. The Raiders beat Bullock Creek, ranked eighth in the state in Division 2, by a score of 1-0 and posted a pair of wins against Springport, ranked ninth in the state in Division 3. They also defeated Reese, ranked fourth in the state in Division 3, 5-0.
“We’ve played a lot of ranked teams, and that shows the girls that they can play with anyone in the state,” Anderson said. “Our schedule and the teams we’ve played are as good as any in the state that we will be playing in June.”
Portland’s senior-dominated team combines strong pitching and hitting. Senior Allie Grys is the ace of the pitching staff. Last year, she went 27-4 with a 0.77 ERA and 265 strikeouts. This year has been more of the same. “Allie has been throwing extremely well for us,” Anderson said. “She moves the ball pretty well and has good movement on her pitches. She can spin it up and spin it down. She has great location and can hit spots.”
Grys is also an excellent hitter. She will be playing softball at Lansing Community College next year.
Grys has been getting a break in the circle from fellow senior Mary Brooks, who won three of her first five starts this year. Brooks is also the big bat in the Portland lineup. An all-state player last year who hit .412 with 23 RBI, Brooks is hitting over .500 this year with 24 RBI as of mid-May. She will be playing softball at Alma College next spring.
“Mary is a great hitter,” Anderson said. “She is a great power hitter and is our leading hitter.”
Senior second baseman Madison Adams is another returning all-state player. Adams, who will be playing at Lansing Community College next year, hit .405 last year. This season she is hitting over .450 and had her average up to .466 at one time.
“Madison is our leadoff hitter and has great quickness,” Anderson said. “She is a very, very good hitter.”
The Raider offense has also been getting strong production from senior catcher Katie Schrauben and senior first baseman Allison Russell.
Portland is gearing up for another big postseason run. It will again have to face Eaton Rapids in the district tournament. Eaton Rapids opened the season with 24 straight wins and is also ranked in the state in Division 2.
Lansing Everett was led in girls track and field action on Monday by Takiya Crawford. She had a pair of second places in the hurdles. She was second in the 100-meter hurdles in 17.14 and the 300 hurdles in 53.22.
Grand Ledge’s girls track team was led in action Monday by Madison Arnouts who won the 400-meter run in 1:00.34. She also won the 100 and 300 hurdles. Also taking firsts for Grand Ledge were the 1,600 and 3,200 meter relay teams and Halley French in the high jump.
Essence Whitaker won the 100 meters in 12.79 seconds and Elizabeth Jones the 200 meters in 26.13 seconds to lead East Lansing’s track and field effort on Monday. Madelin Glew won the 800 and 1,600 meter runs. Stephanie Vanis won the 3,200-meter run. East Lansing won the 400 and 800 relays. Other firsts came from Abby Pendred in the shot put and discus, Branna Wells in the high jump and Kathleen Russell in the pole vault.
Grand Ledge had several first places in boys track and field action on Monday. Taking firsts were Joe Davis in the 100 meters, Dar VanCourt in the 200 meters, David Christensen in the 400 meters, Nathan Mege in the 800 meters, Michael Buffin in the 1,600-meters, the 400, 800 and 3,200 meter relays, Jonathon Dobie in the shot put, Ben Graham in the pole vault and Austin Edwards in the long jump.
Antonio Clarke won the 200-meter dash in 21.97 seconds to spearhead the East Lansing effort in track and field action on Monday. Marq Adams won the 400 meters in 50.92 seconds. Jacob Stanton was first in the 3,200-meters in 10:10.31. Kentre Patterson took the 110 hurdles in 14.32 seconds and 300 hurdles in 40.85. East Lansing also won in the 800-meter relay. Patrick Moriarity won the discus.
Terry Leondre led Lansing Everett boys track and field team by winning the 100-meter dash in 10.894 seconds in Monday track and field action. Joe Wilson took the high jump with a leap of 5-8 for Lansing Everett.
Dorah Carter led Lansing Eastern with two first-place performances against Jackson in dual meet action on Monday. Carter threw the shot put 35-10 and the discus 87-6 for her first-place efforts.
Quion Lowe led Lansing Eastern boys track and field team against Jackson on Monday with a first-place effort of 11.51 seconds. Lansing Eastern won the 800 relay in 1:38.38 and the 1,600 relay in 3:44.37.
2021© High School Sports Scene. All rights reserved