Article - High School Sports Scene

Lansing Sexton had hopes for a state title but its season ended at 12-1 with a 12-7 loss to Marine City, 12-1, in Saturday’s Division 2 semifinal game at Ortonville.

Both teams had to contend with fierce wintry weather conditions. Malik Mack was 3-of-4 in passing for 77 yards for Sexton with one touchdown, a 45-yard pass to Javon Cooney. Rayshawn Wilborn also caught a pass of 33 yards from Mack. Avonte Bell ran for 63 yards to lead the Sexton rushing attack. Marine City had a solid rushing attack. Tait Sapienza had 183 yards on 27 carries while Jarrett Mathison had 90 yards on 5 carries.

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DeWitt scored a 21-20 victory over St. Clair in Division 3 semifinal action on Saturday and will play Zeeland West 7:30 p.m. Saturday night at Ford Field for the state title. DeWitt is 13-0.

St. Clair drove to the DeWitt 5-yard line when it tried a 20-yard field goal against a driving wind on fourth down very late in the game with DeWitt leading by a point The kick failed. Quarterback Jacob Johnson was 6-of-10 in passing for 92 yards and ran for 56 yards.

DeWitt is 0-3 in state finals appearances.

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It was a battle of two 12-0 teams in Marquette on Saturday and Beal City prevailed 34-18 over Crystal Falls Forest Park in a Division 8 semifinal game.

The Trojans took a 6-0 lead on the first quarter. But the Aggies took a 14-6 lead at halftime. Ty Rollins had a 1-yard run and caught a 36-yard pass from Kurt Gross. In the third quarter, Gross had passes of 7 and 22 yards to Carson Salisbury and Ryan Tilmann. Luke Farrell had a 20-yard run in the fourth quarter. Kevin Straus had nine tackles for Beal City while Hayden Huber, Jacob Flaugher and Alex Schafer had eight apiece and Nick Hoogerhyde had seven tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery

Gross was 10-of-17 for 170 yards and three touchdowns. Tilmann had five catches for 97 yards.

Huber had 75 carries for 11 yards. Beal City will face Muskegon Catholic Central for the state title Friday at Ford Field.

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New Lothrop’s hopes for a state title were dashed with a 45-14 loss to Muskegon Catholic Central on Saturday at Legacy Field. Catholic Central improved to 11-2 and will play Beal City on Friday for the state title in Division 8. New Lothrop’s season ends at 12-1.

MCC had a 21-0 lead after the first quarter. It was 28-14 at halftime. Catholic Central outscored New Lothrop 17-0 in the second half.

Amari Coleman caught a 56-yard pass from Taylor Krupp and also had a 7-yard run in the second quarter.

Ben Muron had 26 rushing yards for New Lothrop. New Lothrop passers were 3-of-12. Defensively for New Lothrop, Luke Harris had 12 tackles. Owen Wilson had 10 and Brandon Green added eight.

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It was Division 6 drama on Saturday at Midland in the highly anticipated Division 6 semifinal showdown between two undefeated teams: Ithaca and Montrose.

At the end, it was a missed extra point by Montrose that sealed a 21-20 victory for Ithaca and sent the Yellowjackets, winners of 55 straight games, to the title game Friday at Ford Field against 13-0 Clinton. Ithaca led 7-0 after the first quarter and it was 7-7 at halftime. Both teams scored seven points in the third and Ithaca had a 7-6 advantage in the fourth against horrible wintry conditions.

Travis Smith was 17-of-26 in passing for 258 yards and three touchdowns including a 67-yarder to Logan Hessbrook, who had eight catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns, Josh Hafner had four catches for 48 yards and Eli Villalobos three catches for 19 yards and one touchdown. The Ithaca rushing attack netted only 28 yards. Montrose kept Brian Shaw to minus three yards rushing. Smith had 28 yards on 16 carries.

A key stat was that Alex Vanderploeg made all three PATs for Ithaca while Montrose missed one.

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Jeff Chaney

Sports Scene

LOWELL, MI – Dave Dean acknowledges this was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make, but believes he will be leaving his program in good hands.

After nine successful seasons of leading the Lowell wrestling team, Dean will be leaving the program and the state of Michigan after this school year to take a job at Cornell University and its wrestling program.

Dean will be joining the Cornell program as its new coach in charge of its Olympic Developmental Program.

“This was a very difficult decision,” Dean said. “I have so many friends here at Lowell that have been a great influence on me. Lowell is an outstanding and exceptional place.”

Dean and his family, which includes son Max, who is a sophomore on Lowell’s wrestling team, and daughter Cassie, who is in eighth grade, will be moving to Ithaca, N.Y. This summer to start his new position.

They will be joining the Dean’s oldest son, Gabe Dean, who is a freshman on the Cornell wrestling team.

Dave Dean doesn’t have the final say on who will be his replacement, but is giving a vote of confidence that assistant R. J. Boudro take his place after he leaves.

“I don’t want to speak for our athletic director, but I think R.J. Would be a great transition. He is great with the parents, a great organizer and has great respect from the kids.”

Boudro, who wrestled at Armada High School, then at the University of Michigan, before transferring to Michigan State where Dave Dean was an assistant coach before coming to Lowell, said he would be honored to take over the Red Arrows for his head coach.

Boudro has been on Dave Dean’s staff for the past six years.

“First of all, Dave was a big deal when I went to (MSU),” Boudro said. “He and (fellow MSU assistant) Roger Chandler had a lot to do with me going to MSU. He then brought me to Lowell

“When I came from Michigan, he helped me be captain my first year there,” he added. “We hit off right away, and then he was big in bringing me here at Lowell. I can’t put into words what he has done for me in being a coach. Him and (Lowell football coach and Dave Dean brother Noel Dean), have both helped me become the coach I am, because I also coached football for five years here.”

If he gets the job, what Boudro will get to coach is a Lowell program that won the Division 2 state title in 2009 and has been runner-up three times, including the past two years.

Dave Dean took a traditionally strong Lowell program and made it stronger, from top at the varsity level, to bottom at the youth level.

“The way Dave treats the sport, dealing with the kids and treating it like a business, it’s huge,” Boudro said. “He is in to every kid he coaches, from the kid that had never wrestled before that wants to give it a try, to a national caliber wrestler like Jackson Morse (who currently wrestles at the University of Illinois). I think he puts more time and effort into the newer kids, which is cool.”

Now it could be Boudro’s time on the edge of the mat.

“I’m pretty intimidated and nervous, but that’s the way I am,” Boudro said. “It’s like getting ready for a big match, I always have those nerves going.

“Dave always told me to get prepared when Max is done, but this is a little earlier than expected,” he added. “Dave has been giving me more of the responsibilities of a head coach. He has been there to help me, that I feel I am prepared.”

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Jeff Chaney

Sports Scene

It’s been a great fall for sports teams in the West Michigan area.

Many teams and athletes made runs to state championships in their respective Michigan High School Athletic Association state tournaments.

The following is a run down of the fabulous fall.

CROSS COUNTRY – A pair of West Michigan teams came back from Michigan International Speedway with state titles in cross country in early November.

The Saugatuck boys team cruised to the title in Division 4, while the Grand Rapids Christian girls team came home with the title in Division 2 – the second state championship in four years for the Eagles.

Leading their team to state titles were Saugatuck’s Jacob Pettinga, who was second in the race with a time of 16 minutes, 36.9 seconds, while Rachel Warners was sixth in the D2 girls race with a time of 19:01.2.

GIRLS GOLF – No West Michigan team was able to bring home a state championship trophy, but a shout out has to go to NorthPointe Christian’s Monica Koert, who led her team to a runner-up finish by taking second in the Division 4 finals at Bedford Valley Golf Course in Battle Creek in mid-October. Her tow-day total was 159, including an impressive 3-over-par 75 on day two of the two-day tournament.

BOYS SOCCER – Three West Michigan teams played for state championships in boys soccer this fall, but all three came up short in tough matches for each.

In Division 2, Spring Lake dropped a 2-0 decision to East Lansing at East Kentwood’s Crestwood Middle School.

In Division 3, South Christian fell to Flint Powers Catholic 1-0 in a shootout at Troy Athens High School.

In Division 4, Grand Rapids Covenant Christian lost to Lansing Christian 1-0 at East Kentwood’s Crestwood Middle School.

It was the second year three area teams played for state championships. The difference is, last year East Kentwood in Division 1, Hudsonville Unity Christian in Division 2 and South Christian in Division 3 all won.

GIRLS SWIMMING – A pair of West Michigan dynasties continued to make waves in girls swimming this fall.

The Holland girls swimming team won its third straight title in Division 2 at Eastern Michigan University, while East Grand Rapids won its third title in five years in Division 3 at the Holland Aquatic Center last weekend.

Senior Holly Morren and junior Taylor Garcia had big weekends in the pool for Holland, while sophomore Emily Converse and freshman Gabby Higgins swam extremely well for the Pioneers in Holland.

BOYS TENNIS – Three West Michigan teams cam close in boys tennis this fall, but were unable to bring home state championship trophies.

In Division 2 at Hope, Forest Hills Northern was third, while East Grand Rapids was runner-up in Division 3 at Kalamazoo College, and West Catholic was runner-up at Grand Blanc/Holly.

It’s been a bit of a drought for area teams to win a state championship in tennis. The last team from West Michigan to win a title was East Grand Rapids in Division 3 in 2007.

VOLLEYBALL – This past weekend champions were crowned in Volleyball at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena. And two teams came home with a championship trophy, while another came home with a runner-up trophy.

In Class A, East Grand Rapids beat Bloomfield Hills Marian in four sets. Caroline Knooihuizen led the Pioneers with 15 kills, and Maeve McDonald had 27 assists.

In Class C, Grand Rapids Covenant Christian beat Beal City in three sets. Alyssa Scholten and Shelby Lubbers each had 13 kills for Covenant Christian, while Cailey DeJong had 21 assists.

In Class B, the South Christian Sailors lost a hard-fought five-set match to Pontiac Notre Dame, completing a very successful weekend for area teams in Battle Creek.

FOOTBALL – One sport still needed crown its champions at the time of print. Football will be played this weekend at Ford Field, and three area teams are still alive.

In Division 3, Zeeland West will be looking to win its third state championship in eight years when it plays DeWitt Saturday at 7:30 p.m.. It’s only the ninth year the Dux have been a program.

In Division 4, South Christian will be looking to win its second straight state title, and third in 12 years, when it plays Marine City Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

And in Division 5, West Catholic is making its third trip to the finals in four years, and will be looking to win its second title in that time. The Falcons play Menominee on Saturday at 5 p.m.

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NEW LOTHROP – While New Lothrop’s football season came to an end with a 45-14 loss to Muskegon Catholic Central in the Division 8 state semifinals, it ended a four-year run of one loss seasons.

The Hornets have compiled a 43-4 record since 2010, advancing to the state semifinals twice. Six of the Hornets players played in the state semifinal game in 2011 and had experience through winning seasons.

“With six guys returning that played in that game two years ago, I think they got a good picture of what it’s like to play on this stage,” New Lothrop coach Clint Galvas told MLive before the Muskegon CC game. “We’re excited for where we’re at now, but these guys have been putting in work since the last week in March.

“That’s 244 straight days of football-related activities, so we have a lot invested this year, and these guys definitely deserve to be where they’re at.”

Returning all-stater Amari Coleman had an explosive season as an offensive utility weapon. Coleman verbally committed to Central Michigan University and the 6-foot, 185-pound was 5-for-5 on punt returns for touchdowns heading into the MCC game.

While Coleman was limited to 17 yards rushing on 14 carries against MCC, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the ground with 1,004 yards on a remarkable 65 carries for a 15.4-yard per carry average. He scored 18 touchdowns on the ground and four more through the air with 282 receiving yards.

“He’s a huge weapon to have back there,” Galvas told MLive on Coleman’s punt returning abilities. “It forces teams to kick out of bounds, and we’re constantly getting good field position just by having him stand back there.”

New Lothrop got its offense rolling throughout the postseason. The Hornets opened with a 35-0 win over Michigan Lutheran Seminary and then won a district title with a 41-28 win over Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes.

Coleman scored on touchdown runs of 9 and 39 yards in a 28-0 New Lothrop first quarter lead against Ottawa Lake-Whiteford in the state quarterfinal game. The Hornets cruised to the 58-22 win over the regional title.

Coleman had five carries for 118 yards while seven other ball carries tallied 167 yards on the ground.

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It’s a great day here at High School Sports Scene.

The holidays are now upon us and the football season is at its apex with the state finals taking place the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. Three area teams will be battling it out for state titles this season. In Division 3, DeWitt will be playing in its fifth state title game in school history. Ithaca is making its fourth straight trip to Ford Field and the Yellowjackets are gunning for a fourth fabulous state title after edging Montrose by a single point in a dramatic state semifinal game. In Division 8, Beal City will be looking to add another state championship trophy to its trophy case.

With the fall season coming to an end, the winter sports season is right around the corner. Winter means the mats will be coming out for another year of high school wrestling. It will be hard to beat the success of area teams the past few seasons, and area wrestlers are set to add to that success this year. St. Johns will be looking to add to its list of titles, and other area powerhouses like Davison, Holt, Grand Ledge, Lowell, Greenville, Swan Valley, Chippewa Hills, Birch Run, Carson City-Crystal, and New Lothrop have outstanding teams waiting to be let loose.

The boys’ and girls’ basketball seasons are also set to open up. The news out of Saginaw is promising for both Saginaw and Arthur Hill, who both look to have powerhouse teams this season, while the Pewamo-Westphalia boys are also primed for a big year.

So grab a turkey leg, enjoy friends and family, and take in some football and good luck to all the area teams and athletes, both in the football finals and in the winter season.

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By BUCTH HARMON

For the fourth time in the last nine years, the DeWitt football team will end the season playing for the state championship.

After a thrilling 21-20 win against St. Clair in the Division 3 state semifinal, DeWitt earned a trip to Ford Field to play in the Division 3 state championship game against Zeeland West. The title game appearance will be the fifth for the Panthers, who are still looking to win a state championship.

DeWitt improved to 13-0 on the season with the win against St. Clair after a back-and-forth battle. Junior running back Ben Heinritz scored a pair of touchdowns for the Panthers, while Christopher Ruby scored one touchdown. DeWitt relied on its ground game to earn the win in a game played in very windy and cold conditions. Ruby paced the ground game for the Panthers with 77 yards, while junior quarterback Jacob Johnson rushed for 68 yards and Heinritz added 62.

Heinritz has been DeWitt’s leading rusher with over 1,300 yards for the season.

Johnson has enjoyed a big season throwing the football for DeWitt, totaling over 1,600 yards.

DeWitt’s defense came up big against St. Clair. Tyler Madar paced the Panthers with 13 tackles, while Joshua Hanna added 11 tackles and Zachary Deak 10 tackles.

“I’m incredibly proud of these kids,” coach Rob Zimmerman said. “I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

DeWitt’s offensive and defensive units have both come up big during the postseason. The Panthers opened the postseason with a 14-8 win over Haslett in a defensive struggle. DeWitt followed that win with a 27-14 win against Linden in the regionals and then won the regional title with a 49-0 win against Eaton Rapids. The Panther offense received 145 yards passing and three touchdowns from Johnson, and Heinritz added 183 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Along with going unbeaten during the season, DeWitt also captured its eighth straight league championship.

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Lansing Sexton falls in semifinals

DeWitt will play for state title

Beal City advances to Division 8 title game

New Lothrop falls short in semifinals

Ithaca holds off Montrose for 55th straight win

Dave Dean moving on after school year is complete

Westside Notebook

New Lothrop’s bid for trip to For Field falls short

Publishers blurb

DeWitt football heading to Ford Field