Merrill’s boys basketball team is still looking for its win of the season after a 71-25 loss to Valley Lutheran on Tuesday. Valley Lutheran had leads of 32-7, 54-13 and 65-19 after the third quarter and was outscored 7-6 in the final eight minutes. Hunter DeBeau scored 15 points for Merrill.
Valley Lutheran improved to 6-0 in the Tri Valley West Conference and 9-1 overall with a 71-25 victory on Tuesday over Merrill. Valley Lutheran had leads of 32-7, 54-13 and 65-19 after the third quarter and was outscored 7-6 in the final eight minutes. Rylan Appold scored 18 points and Josh Appold had 11 points and seven rebounds for Valley Lutheran.
Chippewa Hills was sixth with 671.04 points in the nine-team Comstock Park High school competitive cheer meet.
Chippewa Hills was second in Division 3-4 behind Comstock Park.
Chippewa Hills had scores of 208, 193.44 and 269.9 for a total of 671.04.
Cedar Springs finished fifth among nine teams Monday in the Comstock Park High School competitive cheer meet. Cedar Springs was fourth in the Division 1-2 category. The Red Hawks had round totals of 203.2, 180.5 and 293 for a total of 676.7.
Comstock Park was first at 754.6 and Kenowa Hills third at 736.24.
Rockford finished in third place on Monday in the Comstock Park High School competitive cheer meet.
Rockford also finished second in the Division 1-2 competition.
Rockford had 223.6 the first round, 200.18 the second and 307.9 the third for a total of 731.88. Comstock Park was first at 754.6 and Kenowa Hills third at 736.24.
Cedar Springs won 44-23 on the road Tuesday at Comstock Park in girls basketball action. Cedar Springs was up 11-4 after the first period, 16-9 at halftime and 34-15 after the third quarter. Cedar Springs had a 10-8 scoring advantage in the final eight minutes.
Cedar Springs had a 33-21 advantage in rebounding. Comstock Park had 15 turnovers compared to 13 for Cedar Springs. Aubree Mouthaan had 12 points for Cedar Springs while Samantha Taylor scored 10.
The Bri Alspaugh File
St. Louis High School
Sports: Volleyball, basketball, track
Season Accolades: Scored a career high 27 points in the win against Alma, guided the Sharks to a 10-1 record
GPA: 3.5
Accomplishments: Third team all-state volleyball sophomore year, second team all -state volleyball junior and senior years, Most Improved basketball freshman year, MVP sophomore year
Future: Would like to work in a hospital as an ultrasound technician
The Ally Haran File
Powers Catholic High School
Sports: Basketball and soccer
Season Accolades: Basketball team captain; helped the basketball team jump out to an 11-1 record; averaging 12.5 points, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 5 rebounds per game this season
GPA: 3.74
Accomplishments: 2011 soccer state champions D3, 2011 soccer all-state second team, 2011 soccer academic all-state, 2011 basketball academic all-league, 2011 basketball second team all-conference, 2011 basketball Big 9 Champions, 2012 soccer state finalist D3, 2012 Soccer Michigan Dream Team, 2012 soccer academic all -state, 2012 basketball academic all-league, 2012 basketball first team all-conference, 2012 basketball Big 9 Co-Champions, 2013 basketball state finalist Class B, 2013 basketball first team all-conference, 2013 basketball all-state honorable mention, 2013 Basketball BCAM Academic All-State
Other: National Honor Society since sophomore year
College: Will pursue Bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University while competing on varsity soccer team
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Jan. 23 – The 120 finalists for the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Scholar-Athlete Awards for the 2013-14 school year have been announced.
The program, celebrating its 25th anniversary, has recognized student-athletes since the 1989-90 school year. Again this winter, it will honor 32 individuals from MHSAA member schools who participate in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament.
Farm Bureau Insurance underwrites the Scholar-Athlete Awards and will present a $1,000 scholarship to each recipient. Since the beginning of the program, 608 scholarships have been awarded.
Scholarships will be presented proportionately by school classification, with 12 scholarships to be awarded to Class A student-athletes, six female and six male; eight scholarships to Class B student-athletes, four female and four male; six scholarships to Class C student-athletes, three female and three male; and four scholarships to Class D student-athletes, two female and two male. In addition, the final two scholarships will be awarded to two at-large minority recipients.
Every MHSAA member high school could submit as many applications as there are scholarships available in its classification and could have more than one finalist. Crestwood, Hastings, and Marlette each have five finalists this year. Fourteen schools each had two finalists: Bay City Central, Marian, Dearborn, Grand Haven, West Catholic, Manistee Catholic Central, Marquette, Thornapple Kellogg, Midland Dow, Swan Valley, Sturgis, Traverse City Central, Walled Lake Western, and Yale.
Multiple-sport participation remains the norm among applicants. The average sport participation rate of the finalists is 2.70, while the average of the application pool was 2.16. There are 75 three-plus sport participants in the finalist field, and all but two of the 28 sports in which the MHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments are represented.
Of 407 schools which submitted applicants, 55 submitted the maximum allowed. This year, 1,701 applications were received. All applicants will be presented with certificates commemorating their achievement. Additional Scholar-Athlete information, including a complete list of scholarship nominees, can be found on the MHSAA Website at the following address: www.mhsaa.com.
2013-14 Scholar-Athlete Award Finalists
BOYS CLASS A
Stone Manczak, Bay City Central
Zachary Segall, Berkley
Andrew Barton, Birmingham Seaholm
Rami Kadouh, Dearborn
Samuel A Mousigian, Dearborn
Jared Hagan, Crestwood
Jalal Taleb, Crestwood
Brad King, Garden City
Ryan S. Fischer, Grandville
Kenneth Elkin, Grosse Pointe North
Chris Kruger, Holt
David Doyle, Linden
Craig Ekstrum, Marquette
David Walter III, Thornapple Kellogg
Nate Fisher, Midland
Vikram Shanker, Midland Dow
Tanner Vincent, Novi
Trevor Denoyer, Petoskey
Kellen Scott Michael, South Lyon
Kyle Dotterrer, Traverse City Central
Cody James McKay, Utica Ford
Devin Kimberlin, Walled Lake Northern
Mitchell Dennis, Walled Lake Western
David J Walczyk, Walled Lake Western
GIRLS CLASS A
Anna Haritos, Avondale
Saige Tomczak, Bay City Central
Jessica Hacker, Bay City Western
Tatyanna Dadabbo, Marian
Clare Nienstedt, Marian
Tala Taleb, Crestwood
Caroline Ann Hagan, East Lansing
Elizabeth Cowger, Fenton
Paige Blakeslee, Gibraltar Carlson
Mallory Beswick, Grand Haven
Claire Elise Borchers, Grand Haven
Joslyn Mae TenBrink, Jenison
Jessica Graves, Lowell
Gabrielle Gencheff, Marquette
Fiona B Shea, Thornapple Kellogg
Kallisse R Dent, Midland Dow
Rachel Barrett, Milford
Grace Kao, Okemos
Kirsten Avery Chambers, Riverview
Meghan Datema, Rockford
Elianna Shwayder, Saline
Molly Peregrine, Traverse City Central
Sarah O’Connor, Waterford Kettering
Jenna Ciennik, Waterford Mott
BOYS CLASS B
Tye Wittenbach, Belding
Carl Steinhauser, Berrien Springs
Ryan Spaulding, Freeland
Joseph Corey, West Catholic
Nicholas Linck, West Catholic
John Gatti, Grosse Ile
Matt Johnson, Hastings
Richard Cassell, Lumen Christi Catholic
Ben Woodruff, Northwest
Ismail Aijazuddin, Lamphere
Zachary A Ohs, St. Mary Catholic Central
Michael T. vonKronenberger, Ogemaw Heights
Anthony William Canonie, South Haven
Trenton Karle, Three Rivers
Daniel Kosiba, Vicksburg
Noah Nicholl, Yale
GIRLS CLASS B
Greer Elizabeth Clausen, Cranbrook-Kingswood
Abigail Brown, Caro
Lindsey Brewis, Divine Child Catholic
Bailey Baker, Eaton Rapids
Callie Jensen, Gladstone
Grace Bosma, Hastings
Kylee Nemetz, Hastings
Amanda M Metz, Otsego
Alexandra J Grys, Portland
Kiersten Mead, Swan Valley
Courtney T Reinhold, Swan Valley
Roxane L Strobel, Spring Lake
Peyton Boughton, Sturgis
Alea Penner, Sturgis
Angela Maurer, Williamston
Alana Koepf, Yale
BOYS CLASS C
Ty Michael Rollin, Beal City
Matthew S Johnson, Fennville
Carter Ballinger, Jonesville
Luke Joseph Smigielski, Mancelona
Dakota Hall, Marlette
Bradley Schaub, Marlette
Kyle Baxter, Mayville
Stephen T. Erwin, Shrine Catholic
Jason Beckman, Shelby
James Barber, St. Charles
Devin Morrow, River Valley
Nicholas DeSimpelare, Unionville-Sebewaing
GIRLS CLASS C
Korinna Corbin, Addison
Kirsten Olling, Breckenridge
Elizabeth Baker, Bronson
Melissa Dowell, Clinton
Amanda Reagle, Homer
Mandy Haferkorn, Iron Mountain
Megan Chapman, Westwood
Keara Wilson, Marlette
Grace Leighton, Mendon
Allie Kendall, Nouvel Catholic Central
Kari Feddema, Schoolcraft
Erin McDonnell, Traverse City St. Francis
BOYS CLASS D
Grant Hohlbein, Lenawee Christian
Bret Hiveley, Au Gres-Sims
Tyler Anthony Johnson, Bear Lake
Jeremy Bigalke, Manistee Catholic Central
Ben Feliczak, Manistee Catholic Central
Steven McKenzie, Marcellus
Alec Firack, Pickford
Harding Fears III, Southfield Christian
GIRLS CLASS D
MacKenzie Ciganick, Bellaire
Julie Ahnen, Bessemer
Sara Inbody, Deckerville
Vanessa Freberg, Superior Central
Kari Borowiak, St. Mary Cathedral
Lyvia Deaver, Jackson Christian
Erin Gast, Lake Linden-Hubbell
Jennifer Malcolm, Plymouth Christian
Ben Murphy
Sports Scene
If there was something good that came from last year’s regional semi-final loss to Greenville, it’s that the Bay City Western wrestling team was left wanting more.
“Our goal now is, of course, to make states this year and do something once we get there,” said Steve Goss, who is in his sixth year coaching the Warrior wrestlers. “We’ve dominated everybody this year, but the one team that we lost to [John Glenn], and that was by one point. We just beat Mt. Pleasant on Jan. 22, 52-21, and they’re a pretty solid team.”
Aside from the one-point loss, the 2013-14 season has gone simlilarly to the way that last year went. A season ago, the Warriors rolled to a 20-3 record, were Saginaw Valley League North Division Champions, and won their Division 2 district title. Chris Schoenherr (130 pounds) took second place in the state finals, and Tom Schoenherr (125) and Jake Alarie (215) both took eighth.
The Warriors, who are ranked sixth in Division 2, recently took third in the power-laden New Lothrop tournament, won both the Grandville and Freeland invitationals, and have already wrapped up the SVL-North title this year with a perfect 10-0 league mark in duals.
“That was the first [goal]; we feel good about that being secured,” Goss said of winning the league. “We want to keep focused on securing all our matches and having control as much as possible and not get pinned at all hopefully. [Hopefully] we win districts and continue on from there and individually, we’re working on getting as many guys through districts and to regionals. We host regionals this year, so hopefully we can launch as many as we can from here to states.”
From the 119 weight class up to 215, the Warriors don’t lose many matches. Wrestlers in those classes are Coby Moore (119), Blake Jackson (125), Mike Rojas (130), Jacob Wibirt (135), Tom Schoenherr (140), Chris Schoenherr (145), Zak Davis (145), Cole Rechsteiner (152/160), Cody Okes (189), and Alarie (215). Noah Schoenherr (112) is an up-and-coming member of the team as well, according to the coach.
“We have a tough row [of wrestlers],” Goss said. “We have three Schoenherr boys in our lineup, and they’re all outstanding. Moore is doing really well for us, too; he’s just a very skilled wrestler. Jackson is a sophomore, but he’s ranked ninth or tenth in the state right now. Okes is a junior, and he is wrestling really well right now.”
Rojas and Alarie are two of the team’s top seniors, and the coach noted just what they mean to the team.
“Alarie is a returning state medalist, and he has really worked hard as well,” Goss said. “He’s a very physical wrestler, very aggressive and smart, also. Rojas, a good portion of his matches have been pins. He goes out, takes care of business. He doesn’t get too nervous, he’s just been running through opponents going 21-1. He’s very businesslike and tough all-around. He really gets into his wrestling.”
Chris Schoenherr narrowly missed out on a state title last year, and his quest for a championship took a heavy hit during football season when he broke his leg. He’s come back to pick up a pair of wins, and the coach is hoping to see the junior continue to mend quickly.
“It’s been good to have him back,” Goss said. “He’s really performing well; he’s just so mentally into the sport. In his first match back, he pinned his opponent in 30 seconds. In his second match, against Mt. Pleasant, I thought it was going to take him longer, but he pinned him in 35 seconds.”
Coach Goss feels that Schoenherr’s quick recovery should lead him to another strong postseason run.
“Last year he had a phenomenal run to the state finals,” Goss said. “I’m hoping he’ll be at full strength by then. We’re watching out for that leg, but he hasn’t had any problems. We’re picking and choosing our sports with him for awhile, and we’re really hoping he’s ready for individual and team districts. Not only is he a great wrestler, but he is a good leader, and that of course helps the team.”
Though the squad may have high expectations and a lofty state ranking, the coach is still stressing basic strategies for success.
“We just need to give 100 percent effort and focus and do the best we can,” Goss said. “We need to finish matches strong. The last 30 seconds are really important. They have been good representatives of Western wrestling and the community, and we just need to keep chugging away. We have a bunch of good guys on the team. They’re a good group, they’re all-state academic, and they’re just good representatives of the area.”
This and That
In other county wrestling, Bay City Central senior Davon Jackson recently reached 150 career wins. In early January, Jackson also set the Central wrestling record for career pins, with 100. A year ago, he took the Division 1 individual state finals by storm. He lost his opening round match in the 152-pound weight class to Jordan Atienza of Livonia Franklin in a 16-8 major decision. From there, he won five straight matches to finish in third place. This year, he has earned MVP honors at nearly every tournament he’s attended and is seen by many as a main contender for a state championship.
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