Article - High School Sports Scene

By BUTCH HARMON

It will be a learning experience for the Alma boys swimming team this year. With a roster loaded with freshmen and sophomores, the Panthers will be looking for growth and improvement as the season progresses.

“I think we will have some fun this year,” veteran Alma coach Jeff Huxley said. “We have a lot of kids who are early into their swimming careers, which is also where they tend to enjoy their biggest improvement. All of them have been training pretty hard.”

When it comes to experience, the Panthers are on the low end of the scale at this time. “Our average experience level is .7 years,” Huxley said. “We have two junior/senior level kids right now, and one of those kids is new. The rest of the team is freshmen and sophomores, and most of them do not have an age-group swimming background.”

Sophomore Brevan Bender leads the way for the Panthers this year. He specializes in the butterfly and backstroke. The Panthers also return junior Mason Molesky and sophomores Rees Wimmer, Kolton Kovac, and Todd Lovas.

“We have a lot of potential,” Huxley said, “but you don’t turn potential into production overnight. We are going to be a work in progress.”

Alma finished 20th at the Division 3 state meet last year.

Ionia finished 12th at last year’s D3 meet and returns a pair of state placers off that team. Senior Skyler Fish was second in the backstroke and fourth in the 100 freestyle. The Bulldogs also return senior Patrick Wood and sophomore diver Riese Penn.

Mason returns a pair of state placers in senior Corbin Shuler (50 free and 100 butterfly) and senior Brandon Stetler (breastroke/IM).

DeWitt placed third in the CAAC Blue last year and returns senior Dan Schroeder (IM/freestyle) and junior diver Arthur Hill.

Corunna will be looking for improvement this season behind senior distance swimmer Caleb Barnes and senior backstroker Christian Bitterman.

DIVISION 1

Rockford finished fourth at last year’s Division 1 state meet. While the Rams graduated a number of key swimmers, the cupboard is never bare, and plenty of talent returns this year. Senior Craig Wasberg earned all-state honors in a pair of events last year, as he took eighth place in both the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke. The Rams also return a pair of divers who placed in the top ten at the state meet in senior Shane Phillips (4th) and sophomore Jake Herremans (9th). Senior Jacob Davis (100 fly and relays) also returns. Juniors Timmer Hoffmeister (100 fly and backstroke) and David Newberger (200 IM and 100 breaststroke) also return as do sophomores Jacob Fase (200 free and 500 free) and Corbin Bremmyr (50 free).

Grand Ledge placed second in the CAAC Blue last year and will be challenging for the league title once again. The Comets will be paced by senior Zinghao Wang, who placed fourth in the 200 IM and sixth in the 100 breaststroke at last year’s state meet. Senior Tommy Sereseroz (200 and 500 free) is a key distance swimmer returning.

DIVISION 2

Midland Dow placed fifth as a team at the Division 2 meet last year. It returns a number of solid swimmers from that squad. Sophomores Nehemiah Mork (100 free), Zach Hoffman (200 IM), Nick Pixton (100 back), and Kevin White (500 free) will be among the team leaders this season.

Heritage has a strong nucleus of swimmers back. Junior Logan Yearham placed sixth in the 100 breaststroke at the state meet. The Hawks also return senior Elliott Plummer (100 and 200 freestyle).

Fenton will be a factor in Division 2 this year. The Tigers return seniors Brant Cassidy (50 and 100 free) and Mike Banner (500 free).

Okemos won the CAAC Blue last year and placed eighth at the D2 state meet. The Chieftains return senior Ian Poland, who finished fifth in the state in the 100 butterfly and 15th in the 200 freestyle. Seniors Jake Seeterlin (100 fly and 200 free) and Mitch Fountain (100 backstroke) also return.

St. Johns placed 14th as a team at last year’s state meet. The Red Wings welcome back senior diver Jared Gregory, who placed eighth at state a year ago. Junior Brad Garmyn (100 breaststroke and 200 IM) is another key returnee.

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When he graduates in the spring, Ithaca’s Travis Smith will leave behind a legacy that will likely never be seen again in our lifetime .

A member of four Division 6 state championship teams. A winning streak that reached 56 games with the 41-22 state final victory over Clinton. A 41-0 record as a starting quarterback. Multiple state and school records.

The accolades keep pouring in for Smith, who was recently named Mr. Football and Michigan’s High School Football player of the Year. Now he can be also called Sports Scene’s Player of the Year for the second time. Smith is the only two-time winner of the Sports Scene honor, and it is well deserved.

Smith started at receiver in the first game of the 2011 season but took over at quarterback when David Brown was injured. He then led the team to a 13-0 record and its second state title.

Prior to the state final game against Clinton, Smith had completed 170 of 237 passes for 3,017 yards and 38 touchdowns with only six interceptions. He also had run 61 times for 414 yards and six touchdowns. In the the final, he completed 17 of 27 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for 123 yards and another score.

He will continue his career at the University of Toledo.

Smith is definitely deserving of the honor, but Swan Valley’s Alex Grace was a close second after he set the Michigan single-season rushing record with 2,952 yards, only 48 yards away from becoming the first player ever to hit the 3,000 yard mark in a season in the history of Michigan high school football. Grace, Sports Scene’s Offensive player of the year, averaged more than 10 yards per carry while scoring 39 touchdowns for the Vikings. Grace and Heritage’s Brian Cole will be front runners for the award heading into next year.

On defense, Rockford’s Brent Shower’s is Sports Scene’s Defensive Player of the Year. A starter for the Rams the last three seasons, Showers had 120 tackles this season, including 40 unassisted. He had 23 tackles for loss and forced three fumbles. Outside football, he has a 3.9 grade-point average and is the catcher on the baseball team.

Although Ithaca was the only local team to walk away from Ford Field with a state title, Beal City and DeWitt had solid seasons in their respective divisions. Both teams finished the year 13-1, with the Aggies losing to Muskegon Catholic in the D8 finals and the Panthers losing to Zeeland West in the D3 championship game. Both teams are well represented on Sports Scene’s Dream Team. The smallest member of the Dream Team is Ty Rollin, the 5’8″, 185 pound running back for the Aggies, while Jake Johnson (quarterback) and Chris Ruby (defensive back) lead the way for the Panthers.

Overall, this year’s team of star-studded players is highlighted by a strong senior class, including Alma’s Curtis Doyle, Ithaca’s Logan Hessbrook, Midland’s Mike Alexander, Nouvel’s Tyler Jacqmain, New Lothrop’s Amari Coleman, and two-time Dream Team punter Austin Feldpausch of Fowler. Six juniors made the team, including Grace, Cole, and Swan Valley’s Taylor Reaume.

As hard as it was to pick this team, picking the coach was just as difficult. Beal City’s Lou Rau, Carson City’s Dustin Pringle, DeWitt’s Rob Zimmerman, and the 2011 Coach of the Year Jason McIntyre of Mt. Pleasant were all worthy candidates. But the honor of leading this great team goes to Ithaca’s Terry Hessbrook, who led his team to its fourth straight Division 6 championship this year. Here is the 2013 Dream Team.

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Sports Scene 2013 Football Dream Team

Player of the Year:

Travis Smith, Ithaca

Offensive Player of the Year:

Alex Grace, Swan Valley

Defensive Player of the Year:
Brent Showers, Rockford

First Team

QUARTERBACK

Travis Smith, Ithaca, 6-3, 200, Sr.

Jacob Johnson, DeWitt, 6-2, 185, Jr.

RUNNING BACKS

Alex Grace, Swan Valley, 6-1, 205, Jr.

Avonte Bell, Lansing Sexton, 6-1, 215, Jr.

Andre Houston, Bay City Central, 5-10, 194, Sr.

Ty Rollin, Beal City, 5-8, 185, Sr.

FULLBACK

Ben Finzel, Swan Valley, 6-0, 200, Sr.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Ben Bigham, Lowell, 6-3, 180, Sr.

Logan Hessbrook, Ithaca, 6-3, 200, Sr.

Malik Taylor, Montrose, 6-2, 210, Sr.

LINEMEN

Alex Neering, Garber, 6-5, 240, Sr.

Curtis Doyle, Alma, 6-6, 295, Sr.

Erik Belco, Mt. Pleasant, 6-2, 280, Sr.

Dakota Jelinek, Montrose, 6-2, 260, Sr.

Brad Osterman, Carson City-Crystal, 6-2, 225, Sr.

ALL-PURPOSE

Amari Coleman, New Lothrop, 5-11, 185, Sr.

Eli Villalobos, Ithaca, 5-9, 165, Sr.

KICKER

Josh Flamme, Mason, 5-10, 160, Jr.

DEFENSE

LINEBACKERS

Michael Alexander, Midland, 6-0, 215, Sr.

Taylor Reaume, Swan Valley, 6-1, 195, Jr.

Tyler Jacqmain, Nouvel Catholic Central, 6-1, 200, Sr.

Tyler Doyle, Montrose, 6-1, 215, Sr.

DEENSIVE BACKS

Brian Cole, Heritage, 6-2, 205, Jr.

Chris Ruby, DeWitt, 5-10, 175, Sr.

Brian Stearns, Frankenmuth, 6-0, 180, Sr.

Taylor Krupp, New Lothrop, 6-0, 190, Sr.

PUNTER

Austin Feldpausch, Fowler, 5-11, 240, Sr.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Terry Hessbrook, Ithaca

HONORABLE MENTION

Brennan Miller, Midland Dow; Kyler Shurlow, Lowell; Ty Glover, Holt; Leondre Terry, Lansing Everett, E.J. Jackson, Lansing Eastern; Josh Colegrove, Lowell; Jevonte Alexander, Carman-Ainsworth; Ecka Henderson, Saginaw Arthur Hill; James Claborn, Fenton; Tre’von Avery, Grand Blanc; Lucas Barner, Lansing Everett; Joe Reverman, Grand Ledge; Brandon Scott, Grand Blanc; Darryl Johnson, Carman-Ainsworth; Dakota Lawhon, Holt; Patrik Moriarty, East Lansing; Randy Garvin, Rockford; Johvi Reynolds, Fenton; Alex Brackett, Grand Blanc; Mac Hamilton, Fenton; Demarion Allen, Carman-Ainsworth; Romeel Dozier, Holt; Caleb Richard, Midland Dow; Quinn Nordin, Rockford; Alex Schwartz, Lake Fenton; Kyle Rachwal, Lapeer East.; Ja’Von Wray, Lansing Sexton; Mikhail Myles, Corunna; Erik Belco, Mount Pleasant; Tim Symons, Lake Fenton; Neil Allor, Lake Fenton; Robert Backus, Mount Pleasant; Bryce Dickman, Haslett; Austin Gregory, Ionia; Noah Bargouthy, Garber; Colin Prominski, Ionia; Javon Cooney, Lansing Sexton; Christopher Bukoski, DeWitt; Shain Shannon, Lansing Sexton; Bryce Wilker, Belding; Marcus Merrill, Chippewa Hills; Evan Huber, Mount Pleasant; Jacob Kimmel, Portland; Cody Peyok, Reese; Brian Burton, Bridgeport; Jaylian Henderson, Bullock Creek; JaWuan Taylor, Beecher; Mustafa Hopkins, Beecher; Charlie Ferens, Freeland; Caleb Sommerville, Bullock Creek; Mike Pratt, Vassar; Christian Petre, Meridian; Tony Poljan, Lansing Catholic; Jordan Gross, Clare; Jake Wenzlick, Meridian; Trent Grimes, Powers Catholic; Bryan Shaw, Ithaca;, Ricky King, Ithaca; Devon Kelley, Ovid-Elsie; Josh Hafner, Ithaca; Kevin Scheibert, Sanford-Meridian; Eli Villalobos, Ithaca; Tony Bentley, Reese; Joe McGuire, Clare; Ryan Watters, Williamston; Adam Stremlow, Coleman; Ryan Tilmann, Beal City; Tom Merlo, New Lothrop; Matthew Warner, Coleman; Kyle Nurenberg, Pewamo-Westphalia; Dylan Moffitt, Bath; Dustin Neyer, Sacred Heart Academy; Austin Cook, Fowler; Nathanael Schroeder, Michigan Lutheran Seminary; Hunter Gross, Coleman; Nick Ward, Beal City; Christian Benavidez, Vestaburg; Lane Simon, Pewamo-Westphalia; Keigan Ryckman, Vestaburg; Grant Steinborn, New Lothrop; Jake Jankoska, Freeland; Darrion Robinson, Arthur Hill; Jamar Hardy, Arthur Hill

COACHES

Dustin Pringle, Carson City; Nate Williams, Carman-Ainsworth, Jason McIntyre, Mount Pleasant

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2013 Sports Scene Volleyball Dream Team

Player of the Year

Addie Schumacher, Beal City

First Team

Addie Schumacher, Beal City, Sr., Middle Hitter, 5’11”

Kayla Rosman, Morley Stanwood, Jr., Outside Hitter, 5′ 10″

Bri Alspaugh, St. Louis, Sr., Middle Hitter, 6’0″

Brooke Tubbs, St. Louis, Sr., Outside Hitter, 5’8″

Sara Hansen, Sacred Heart Academy, Sr., Setter, 5’6″

Shannon Winicki, Rockford, Sr., Outside Hitter, 6’1″

Courtney Reinhold, Swan Valley, Sr., Middle Hitter, 5’10”

Makenna Ott, Haslett, Jr. Middle Hitter, 5′ 10″

Coach:

Kelly David, Beal City

Second Team

Karli Herrington, Hemlock, Sr., Outside Hitter, 6’2″

Laura Wilson, North Branch, Jr., Outside Hitter, 6’1″

Kelsey Baarck, Frankenmuth, Sr., Outside Hitter, 5’10”

Ashley Youngstrom, Freeland, Sr., Middle Hitter, 5’10”

Michaela Austin, St. Louis, Sr., Setter, 5’4″

Alexa Methner, Sacred Heart Academy, Jr., Middle Hitter, 5’11”

Cori Crocker, Grand Ledge, Jr., Outside Hitter, 6’3″

Mekayla Carey, Morley Stanwood, Jr., Middle Hitter, 5′ 11″

Abigael Brenke, Perry, Jr. Outside Hitter, 5’10”

Coach:

Russ Kela, Hemlock

Honorable Mention

Abby Carlson, Rockford; Maria Kronner, Haslett; Sarah Hayataka, Rockford; Ashley Bearden, Fenton; Kelli Combs, Grand Ledge; Mady Ruhlman, North Branch; Jamie Barrows, North Branch; Sarah Tabit, Mt. Morris; Monica Skrabut, Garber; Melissa Schoenow, Frankenmuth; Sara Kamen, Mt. Morris; Anna Reihl, Beal City; Lindsey Veersma, Morley Stanwood; Nicole Gross, Beal City; Melanie Schafer, Beal City; Jordan Schneider, Beal City; Candace Martin, Pewamo-Westphalia; Morgan Rombach, New Lothrop; Paige Gotham, Reese; Brooke Williams, Montrose; Bainbridge Scully, Sacred Heart Academy; Maggie Voisin, Sacred Heart Academy; Kelsey Smith, Ashley; Meggan Andrews, Ashley

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By BUTCH HARMON

While many teams usually need a few games at the beginning of a new season to get into the flow, the DeWitt girls basketball team hit the floor running.

Playing two of their biggest rivals in the first three games of the new season, the Panthers sent the message that they can play with anyone.

After an opening-game win against Lansing Everett, DeWitt faced non-league rival Grand Ledge, the No.-1 ranked team in the state in Class A and a team that defeated the Panthers last season. DeWitt came ready to play and not only defeated the Comets but also claimed a double-digit, 62-51, win.

“For us, we put all the rankings aside,” DeWitt coach Bill McCullen said. “This was a game we lost last year, and they beat us pretty handily. The kids were pretty motivated during the off-season to want to get back at a couple of people who thumped us last year.”

The Panthers utilized a balanced attack to defeat Grand Ledge, with senior Hannah Stoll leading the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while junior guard Claudia Reid added 13 points, and senior point guard Natalie Knauf added 12 points.

“We hit the boards hard and out-rebounded them” McCullen said. “We also shot the ball well and made our free throws down the stretch.”

DeWitt followed up the Grand Ledge win by defeating East Lansing, a team that has been a thorn in DeWitt’s side the past several years, 73-39.

“That was another big win,” McCullen said. “They have had our number for a while. The last time we beat them was 2005, so it was a nice win for us. Last year, they beat us by 20 points at our place, so it was a nice road win for us.”

Junior Abby Nakfoor led the Panthers with 15 points.

In the opening win against Everett, senior Lexi Banaszak led the team in scoring and finished with a double-double in points and rebounds.

“We have a lot of kids who can step up on any given night,” McCullen said. “A lot of it depends on the matchups and situations of the team we are playing.”

The tough games continue to come for the Panthers, who have games against Eaton Rapids, one of the higher-ranked teams in Class B, and league rival Ionia coming up.

“We have our work cut out for us this year,” McCullen said. “Not just in our non-league games, but our league is real competitive, too. Haslett has everyone back and is one of the top teams in the area, and St. Johns and Ionia are very competitive as well. You can’t afford to have a letdown in our league on any night.”

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Rylan Appold scored 25 points to lead Saginaw Valley Lutheran to a 69-60 victory over Bridgeport in boys basketball action on Wednesday to open the season for both teams. Appold was 9-of-14 from the floor and 1-of-2 in 3-pointers for the night. Josh Appold added 13 points with 5-of-14 from the floor. Logan Gatza had seven points.

Valley Lutheran was up 18-11 after the first quarter but trailed 33-19 at halftime. Valley Lutheran led 51-47 after the third quarter and outscored Bridgeport 18-13 in the fourth. Josh Appold also had 11 rebounds while Rylan Appold had eight rebounds, four steals and Gatza had seven rebounds and five assists. Mike Weiss had four assists. Valley Lutheran is at Michigan Lutheran Seminary on Tuesday.

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Olivia Viney is 5’2″, 118 pounds and was the smallest player on on the Marine City football team that won the Division 4 state title. As a girl, she’s obviously unique in that she plays football for the state champions. But as a placekicker, she put herself in the record books by becoming the first female to score a point in an MHSAA championship football game.

The historic moment came when Viney kicked her first extra point. She would kick six more before the night was over. going 7 for 7.

She’s a junior and will return next season. Ron Glodich, the coach for the Mariners, noted that this was Viney’s second year in the football program. She was the junior varsity team’s kicker last year.

Viney also plays for the girls’ soccer team at Marine City.

This season, Viney attempted one field goal, a 30-yarder, and made it. In the championship game, she only did extra points. For the season, she was 61 of 65 in PATs.

“For the season, she has kicked off a few times,” Glodich said. “When she kicks, she runs right off the field. We’ve had a few bad snaps during the course of the year, and she’s been instructed that, as soon as it’s a bad snap, to run off the field. And she does that. I think she’s been bumped one time. I wouldn’t call it a hit.”

Because girls’ soccer is in the spring, Viney was usually available for football practices.

“Her schedule’s quite open,” Glodich said. “We’d have her twice a week for a 20-minute stretch. We do all our special teams in the first part of practice. We might have her on Monday and Wednesday. She’ll come for our pregame, and we get our special teams done in the beginning.”

Glodich calls Viney “one of the best” placekickers he’s had in his football coaching career.

“What’s unique about her is she’s really a technician,” Glodich said. “A lot of credit for that goes to her dad. They have fine-tuned the steps, the planted football, and everything. I’ve found that kickers tend to be a little flaky at times. But for her, she’s a focused young lady. I’d almost consider her more of a football player than a kicker, because she’s very focused at what she does.”

The fact that Glodich almost makes the PAT process automatic for his team is “huge,” Glodich said. “I think our kids take pride if we get a good snap, we’re going to get the job done. We’re going to make sure she does her thing. People don’t realize the goalposts at Ford Field, in the NFL, [are narrower] than we have in high school.”

Glodich noted that when pictures were being taken after the game, many players made sure they had a photo with Viney.

“It was cool with the pictures, how our kids celebrate with her and how they’ve accepted her, and how proud they are she is part of our program. As a coach I found that very satisfying,” Glodich said.

Looking ahead, Glodich wouldn’t be surprised if his team tries more field goals next season.

“I would suspect now that she’s invested in this so much, she’ll work just as hard this summer and will increase her range,” Glodich said.

Olivia has played soccer 12 years, with two years on varsity. There is no junior varsity girls’ soccer team at Marine City. She usually plays center-mid field. Last season, she led the team with 18 assists and also had some goals.

“My favorite goal I scored was against Marysville,” she said. “We won 1-0. It was a really cool goal. My friends passed it right across the box to me. I just one-touched it.”

She anticipates playing the same type of position this spring. “My goal is to be district champs again and have an undefeated season or close to it,” she said. “We’re anticipating a good season.”

Viney plays in the summer and fall for the Michigan Gators travel team and also plays indoor winter soccer.

She recalls the decision to play junior varsity football last year.

“It started out as a joke, really,” Viney said. “I was talking to some of my friends on the JV. They didn’t have a kicker and they said, ‘Oh, Olivia, you should come be our kicker.’ At that time, I didn’t think I could. But after talking to my dad and family about it, I thought ‘why not?”

She and her dad, former soccer coach Chris Viney, went to a junior varsity practice and tried kicking a football and then talked to the coach about joining the team.

“He had me come to the practices and decided maybe it’d be all right to have a girl on the team,” Viney said. “I got on the team during the summer.”

Her role was similar to what it was this season, kicking field goals and PATs, with an occasional kickoff. Her longest kickoff was usually to the 20-yard line. She admits that kickoffs aren’t her strong point. She booted a 25-yard field goal last year and missed only a few PATs, which were either blocked or wide.

The four PATs she missed this season were bad snaps, and she never had a chance to kick the ball on those occasions.

For Viney, it was a thrill to not only be on the football team but to also play for a state champion.

“It’s such an honor to be a part of a team that is state champions,” she said. “It’s a cool feeling to say I’m on a state championship team,” she said. “I’m really proud to say I’m able to be the first girl [to score in a title game]. I feel like I’ve broken down barriers and more girls could play football, because it really is a great sport to be a part of. The whole atmosphere of the state championship game was fun. It was fun to be a part of the team when we won.”

For Viney, at the beginning at least, it wasn’t just another game.

“I was really nervous before the game started,” she said. “Once the game did start, I was less nervous than I thought I would be. I relaxed. At a point in the game, it started to feel like another football game.”

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It was a low point for the Ithaca Yellowjackets in the Division 6 state championship football game.

Clinton overcame a 14-0 deficit in the first half with 15 straight points. The 15th point came after a punt return by Mathew Sexton for an 86-yard touchdown, one yard shy of a state finals record. Prior to the extra point, the game was delayed for about 20 minutes when Ithaca’s Dallas Reeser, a junior 5’11”, 210-pound running back and linebacker, lay on the field near the 10-yard line, his arm broken after he tried to make a defensive play.

Reeser was carted off the field to an ovation by Ford Field fans and taken to a local Detroit hospital. The Yellowjackets went on to win 41-22. But Reeser was on everyone’s mind after the game.

“I was very very concerned with Dallas’ injury,” said coach Terry Hessbrook. “The doctors on our sideline, who I think are just fantastic, as soon as I got out to him said it’s a broken arm and broken in a couple of places. It was a bad injury. They were able to get it set. They got him some medication and he was able to listen to the end of the championship game, so he knows we were victorious, which was fantastic.”

Reeser remembers going after the return, getting hit, and going down.

“I didn’t realize I had broken anything,” he said. But as he tried to get up, his right arm went out and would not support him.

He doesn’t recall feeling any pain. When the doctors came out to look at him, they asked if Reeser if it was his knee, as he had had a previous knee injury.

“I said, ‘No, it’s my arm,’” he said. “Right away, the guy said, ‘It’s broken.’”

He could feel some pain when the medical staff turned him over onto his back. He recalls some type of cardboard material being placed around the arm to keep it firm and isolated.

Not wanting to take a chance with the arm, medical officials put Reeser on a stretcher and onto the back of a cart and then wheeled him off the field.

“That was a crucial point in the game,” Hessbrook said ” Brad Showers, my defensive coordinator, and myself were out and concerned about Dallas’ welfare. I said, ‘Brad, either you or I have to get back to the sidelines and get this team rallied back together.’ Just then as Brad and I looked toward the sideline we could see my brother,Todd, already had the kids pulled together and was getting the boys ready which was an awesome feeling and how we do things at Ithaca, one player,one coach down another steps in to get the job done!

Reeser, in the one quarter of football that he played, had a tackle and an assist.

An ambulance took him to Children’s Hospital, about a 10-minute drive away. He eventually was given painkillers. It was his humerus bone that was broken. He wound up with a sling and said he’d be wearing it for two months and then start physical therapy for another month. The healing process will be about three months.

Reeser was able to find out how his team was doing while at the hospital. “When I was at the hospital, the guy turned on the radio for me and it was 22-21, [Clinton] leading at that point,” he said. “I listened to it from there on out.”

Considering that the Yellowjackets scored 22 unanswered points to win the game, Reeser’s spirits were obviously bolstered.

“When I had to leave the game, I was very disappointed,” he said. “I had worked all year to get there and opening quarter…When I found out they won, I was excited and was proud of them, and I texted them all that night.”

Reeser and his parents left the hospital later that night and returned to Ithaca around 3 a.m. Some of his teammates visited him at his home the following day, and others texted him.

Reeser fondly reflected on being a part of Ithaca’s fourth straight 14-0 squad. “I’m satisfied with how it turned out,” he said.

An 18-tackle performance in a 49-14 win over Carrollton during the regular season stands out as one of the major highlights of his season. He had 61 solo tackles and 43 assists for the season, including 18 tackles for loss. He also had one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles.

How about next year?

“Our goal for the summer is to win state, but we don’t focus on it right away. We focus on one game at a time,” Reeser said. “I believe we’ll still be a pretty good team. A lot of the players were sophomores this year.”

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It was a banner season for DeWitt’s Jake Johnson, a 6’2″, 185-pound junior quarterback, and for Chris Ruby a 5’10”, 175-pound senior defensive back.

Both were named to the Division 3-4 All-State team by the Associated Press. But both would have preferred a 14-0 season that did not materialize because of a 34-27 loss to Zeeland West in the Division 3 state final.

Ruby had a 56-yard touchdown run that helped the Panthers get back into the title game. Johnson was 15 of 24 for 289 yards and three touchdowns. He had two passes intercepted. He rushed 13 times for 41 yards. Josh Borta was his favorite target, with five catches for 185 yards.

Defensively, Ruby had six solo tackles and three assists.

But for both Johnson and Ruby, not getting the championship ring was disappointing, even though it was a fun season.

“We had a very good season,” Johnson said. “It was an awesome season for us this year.”

“We were expecting to end up where we did,” said Ruby. “When we lost to Grand Rapids South Christian last year in the semis, it was our mindset we’d go to semi and win. That was our goal from game one, to get to Ford Field. We wanted to win. But it was our goal all season to get to Ford Field.”

In August, Johnson had the inkling that something special was in the making. “We had very high goals this season, and we knew we were going to be a pretty good team and hopefully fulfill all our goals this year,” he said.

Major highlights were a 21-20 squeaker over St. Clair in the state semifinals and a 48-20 victory over St. Johns in the regular season.

“Beating St Johns, we had a new school record in total offense with 605 yards,” Johnson said.

This marked Johnson’s second varsity season at quarterback. Last year, he was injured for half the season after breaking his throwing hand. He returned in time to take the team to the state semifinal.

He worked hard in the off-season to get ready for 2013. “My arm strength definitely got stronger and [also] reading defenses,” he said. “I put on about 20 pounds and got faster.”

He takes pride in being a pocket passer, being able to get out and run, being accurate, and being able to make good decisions. His best game was 258 yards passing and 160 rushing against St. Johns.

Johnson enjoyed working with Borta. “He’s a special kid,” Johnson said. “He’s strong and athletic. No one seems to be able to guard him, because he’s fast and catches the ball very well.”

Against Zeeland West, a slow start marked by turnovers was critical for the Panthers.

“In the second half, we scored early, got a turnover, and didn’t look back,” Johnson said. “Defensively, we made a lot of adjustments [at halftime]. Offense just had to get our composure and settle down a little bit. We were down by three touchdowns.”

It didn’t surprise Ruby that his team overcame the steep deficit and nearly won. “In that locker room, we believed we could come back and make it a game,” he said. “Our coaches made some adjustments on defense that helped us in the second half.

“We just played like we normally do in the second half.”

For DeWitt players, it was a thrill being at Ford Field for a state title game.

“It was an amazing experience being able to play over there on TV,” Johnson said. “It was incredible to get down there.”

“I think everyone is pretty much proud of what we did,” Ruby said. “We really wanted to win that game. Once we beat St. Clair, all we were thinking about was winning that state championship. It was unfortunate we didn’t. I don’t think there’s one person on our team or in our community that wasn’t proud or satisfied with how the season went. We did a lot of neat things this year. We came up a little short at the end. Overall, it’s a really great season.”

Johnson is one of several players returning. “We’ll be very good next year, also,” he said. “We’ll try to get down to Ford Field again. We’ll set some high goals.”

Johnson started quarterbacking in the sixth grade, broke his hand in the seventh, and played in the eighth. He focused on the job starting as a freshman. “It’s my favorite position,” he said. “It’s where the coaches put me.”

Johnson is already thinking about 2014. “I need to get bigger…get faster, and study the game and keep getting stronger,” he said.

Johnson used to play basketball, but he will not this season. He is a sprinter and a long jumper in track.

When it comes to football, Johnson and Ruby will always remember the 2013 season, one in which the Panthers continued the strong tradition of outstanding football at DeWitt.

“I think it’s got to come down to the coaching,” Ruby said. “If you look at the record of coach Zimmerman, it’s really remarkable. Coach Zimmerman is so well-respected, not just in DeWitt but in communities around us. [The coaches] know how to inspire the players to buy into what they believe we can do. They pushed us and challenged us and made us believe we can do what we did. Without the coaching, I don’t think we would have been close to doing anything like what we did this year.”

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CLASS C

Top teams statewide: Consortium College Preparatory, NorthPointe Christian, Mt. Clemens, Negaunee

Consortium College Preparatory returns the premier sophomore in the state, Josh Jackson (6’6″). Jackson is a multi-dimensional player with big-time skills, who is considered one of the top two sophomores in the entire nation.

NorthPointe Christian is a deep squad that is led by sharp-shooting senior guard Drew Zuidema. Senior Zach Baker (6’5″) is a proven scorer in the paint, and the Mustangs will get a big lift from transfer Khadim Dieng (6’11”), who is coming from Oak Hill Academy in January.

Mt. Clemens is coming off a big season and has a dynamic backcourt in junior Josh McFolley and sensational freshman guard Jermaine Jackson, Jr.

Negaunee advanced to the Class C state semifinal before falling to Laingsburg last year. All-state point guard Tony Jandron returns to pace the team this year.

Team area teams: Carson City-Crystal, Beecher, Hamady, Ithaca, Laingsburg, Merrill, Pewamo-Westphalia, Nouvel Catholic Central

Senior point guard Arron Haines leads the way for Carson City-Crystal this year.

Beecher has captured the last two Class C state titles, but adding a third will be difficult. Graduation hit the Buccaneers hard and includes the loss of Mr. Basketball, Monte Morris, who is now at Iowa State University. However, sophomore Aquavius Burks (6’3″) is a good player around whom to build, as he made a big impact last year.

Hamady has another athletic team that will make a charge from the Flint area. Jamil Demps and Jalen Fykes lead the way for the Hawks.

The good times in Ithaca don’t end when football season concludes. The Yellowjacket boys basketball team went 13-1 and won the Tri-Valley Conference West last year. With plenty of talent back, another big year is in the cards. A trio of starters return, led by all-conference forward Logan Hessbrook (6’4″). Senior guard Eli Villalobos (5’9″) also returns, as does athletic senior forward Travis Smith (6’2″). Add transfer Josh Hafner and sophomore Jacob Smith, and the ingredients for a big season of Ithaca basketball are in place.

Laingsburg suffered heavy graduation losses from a squad that came within a point of winning the state title last year. The Wolfpack have some talented juniors to rebuild around this year, led by junior guard Ryan Wade.

Merrill is looking for a big season, thanks to some tall front court players. Hunter DeBeau (6’7″) gives the Vandals a big presence in the post, while Tyler Aldrich (6’4″) and Austin Glazier (6’3″) add more size at forward.

Pewamo-Westphalia suffered some heavy graduation losses, but an outstanding senior trio will keep it among the state’s elite Class C teams. Senior guard Nitck Spitzley averaged 19 points per game and is being heavily recruited by a number of GLIAC schools. Senior guard Adam Wesley is another outstanding backcourt player. The Pirates also have an outstanding big man in senior Lane Simon (6’5″), who is a strong rebounder who can score in the paint.

Nouvel Catholic Central returns all five starters from last year’s squad. It is a deep squad with plenty of versatility and is led by Garrett Graham, Nate Grapiel, Chris Rybinski, and Tyler Jaqmain.

Top players in the state

Josh Jackson, soph., Detroit Consortium Preparatory; Tony Jandron, sr., Negaunee; Josh McFolley, jr., Mt. Clemens; Luke Meyer, sr., Addison; Drew Zuidema, sr., NorthPointe Christian

Top area players

Aquavius Burks, soph., Beecher; Arron Haines, sr., Carson City-Crystal; Logan Hessbrook, sr., Ithaca; Lane Simon, sr., Pewamo-Westphalia; Nick Spitzley, sr., Pewamo-Westphalia; Ryan Wade, jr., Laingsburg; Adam Wesley, sr., Pewamo-Westphalia

CLASS D

Top teams statewide: Inter-City Baptist, North Central, Southfield Christian, Tri-Unity Christian

Inter-City Baptist from Allen Park has been a Class D power for years and has another solid squad led by senior guard Evan Kraatz.

North Central looks to be the power out of the Upper Peninsula this season.

Southfield Christian has won the past two Class D state titles. With a talented backcourt led by Lindsay Hunter (6’0″) and Bakari Evelyn (6’1″) and a talented front court , it will be the favorite to make it three in a row.

Tri-Unity Christian suffered some heavy graduation losses but will develop into another solid outfit by the end of the season.

Top area teams: Fowler, Fulton, Lansing Christian, Sacred Heart Academy, New Lothrop

Fowler was hit hard by graduation, but with junior guard Austin Cook (5’11”), the Eagles will still be dangerous. Senior forward Joe Smith also returns.

Fulton turned in a 17-5 mark last season. With four all-conference players back, another strong season is in the cards. Senior guard Dalton Trefil (5’9″) earned all-state honors last year, while sophomore guard Colton Antes (5’10”) is an outstanding all-around player. Senior Nathan Davis (6’2″) and junior Gregg Jones (6’2″) bring talent to the front court.

Lansing Christian is paced by standout senior guard Jordan Terry (5’10”) but will have to find replacements for key players who graduated.

Sacred Heart Academy has a dominating front line. Seniors Brooks Hyble (6’6″) and Kevin Gamble (6’6″) are a dominating pair of forwards.

New Lothrop will have another talented, athletic squad. Kyle White is an accurate outside shooter, while Brandon Green can also score points.

Top players in the state

Bakari Evelyn, jr., Southfield Christian; Lindsay Hunter, sr., Southfield Christian; Evan Kraatz, sr., Inter-City Baptist

Top area players

Colton Antes, soph., Fulton; Austin Cook, sr., Fowler; Kevin Gamble, sr., Sacred Heart Academy; Brooks Hyble, sr., Sacred Heart Academy; Griffin Lewis, sr., Morrice; Jordan Terry, sr., Lansing Christian; Dalton Trefil, sr., Fulton; Kyle White, sr., New Lothrop.

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