04-25-2019 Tri-City Area Sports

Press Box Player of the Week

By John Oliphant

 Our Press Box Player of the Week is Alex Worley. Alex is a junior on the Watervliet Panther varsity softball team. She’s currently batting .342 with 13 hits including one triple, seven RBI and 10 runs scored. She is also second on the team with a .893 fielding percentage with 28 chances and 25 putouts.

 What sets Alex apart this season is a big change from her favorite position defending left field to splitting time between second base and shortstop. Not many players make that kind of position change, but her coach, Tom Golden, says she has stepped up big as a team player to fill the roles as needed for the team.

Alex has been playing softball every year since she was six years old. Her favorite part of the game is getting on base after a tough at-bat, feeling the relief and watching her coach’s reaction across the field.

She plays travel softball in addition to playing at school. She said, “My coach always told me, keep your head up and get the next play. I’ve realized just how much that actually helps just to keep moving forward.” She said her team has been struggling early, but that they have a lot of potential to put it all together. So far she says they are having a lot of fun this season.

Alex, who also plays on the varsity basketball team, plans to study to become a physical therapist after she graduates, but is undecided where.

Congratulations, Alex!

Coloma Press Box By Dave Vollrath

Coloma Comet girls soccer team off to a fast start!

The Coloma Comet girls soccer team has been playing through some very cool spring weather, but they could not have had a much hotter start to this season. The team currently stands at 8-0-1, with that tie being the only slight blemish on their record.  In that game Coloma still played very well, and played what could easily have been a loss into a tie. They came back from being down in that game 3-1, to conference foe Delton Kellogg.  Emma Vandermolen, Cali Grenon, and Mackenzie Ecker scored the goals for the Comets as Vandermolen also got credit for an assist.

Rick Redman is the Comet head coach of the girls soccer team. He gives credit to their hot start to the fact that the team really believes in themselves and their teammates. He also says they are playing with a great deal of heart and determination. The team has a very balanced group of starters that includes two seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, and three freshmen. Also according to Coach Redman, the team has had scoring from up and down the roster. Ten different players have put the ball in the net, from the forwards to the defenders. All are capable of scoring.

LEVEL BEST… Coloma’s Karon Smith has plenty of room as he clears 5’5” in the high jump event Friday during the Watervliet Relays. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

Leading scorers for Coloma are Cali Grenon with 36 points who is just a freshman, junior Emma Vandermolen with 24 points, and senior Mackenzie Ecker with 24 points.  Most of the scoring for this Comet team comes from playing great team defense, which helps set up plenty of scoring opportunities.

Coach Redman names Abby Vandermolen, Bailey McVay, Addy Kimmerly, and Molly McVey as the top defenders, who have also each scored a goal this year.  When there is a slight lapse in the defense, junior Emma Watson has been strong playing in front of the goal. She was the goalie for six of the shutout wins, and the recent tie game. Emma has miniscule goals against average of 0.1.

Last year the Comets finished with an overall record of 10-5-1, and 4-3-1 in the SAC.  Their year ended in 2018 with a loss in the district finals, and they are working hard with the intention of going deeper into the post season with this group of dedicated players.

The Comet roster also includes junior Hannah Guntz, senior Grace Gagliardo, Samantha Trousdale a junior, Kimberly Spaulding a sophomore, Sierra Shubert a freshman, also  freshman Eadie Needham, sophomore Bella Blanco, freshman Paige Penkel, and Cassidy Henley also a freshman.

Assisting coach Redman this year are coaches Butch Jarvis, Gary Gagliardo, and Nate Adams.

Support the Coloma Comet girls soccer team. Home games are played on McDaniels Field. Please check the Coloma Community Schools website for the remaining schedule

Comet boys track team finishes second at annual Watervliet Relays

The 46th annual running of the Watervliet Relays track and field competition was held last week on a mostly sunny but very cool and blustery day.  Many in the crowd were huddled together under their winter garb and heavy blankets, but the Coloma Comet boys were running like their hair was on fire and finished second overall in the meet.  It was a very fine showing for Coach Bruce Dings’ team, who had two first place, three second place, and one third place finish, in the all relays competition.

In the field events Cole Alsup teamed up with James Clay to win the discus event with a combined effort of 262 feet five inches.  Finishing in first place for the Comet tracksters in the 4×200 relay event in a time of 1:35.58 were Mike Dancer, Caleb Ellis, Tayte Coleman, Sin’cere Taylor.

Coming in second place in the middle distance relay were Adiel Granados, Blane Sutherland, Nick Fogarty, and Tayte Coleman in 6:23.64.  The Comets also came in second in the Panther Relay which is a 200x300x100x400 meter race run by Caleb Ellis, Steven Trosper, Mike Dancer, and Sin’cere Taylor in a time of 2:04.28. The Comets running in the second place 4×100 relay team were Steven Trosper, Nick Fogarty, Kenny Crowder, and Noah Schwanke.

The third place run for the Comets came in the 4×1600 relay by the team made up of Blane Sutherland, Cannon Hodges, Luke Phillips, and Adiel Granados.

Cole Alsup breaks Comet discus record at home

Coloma Comet Cole Alsup, a junior on the Comet track team, recently put his name into the Coloma record books with a school record discus toss of 153 feet and 9 inches.  Cole also is an all conference lineman on the Comet varsity football team and a state finalist for the Coloma wrestling team.

Coloma Softball takes a pair of conference games from Martin

The Comet softball team finally got back on the field after some weather induced postponements last week. They made short work of Martin at home on Monday, Apr. 22 by clubbing the Clippers by scores of 13-3 and 11-1.

Megan Koenigshof, the sensational Comet junior, was the winning pitcher in both games, as she struck out 10 in the first game and 11 in the second.  Koenigshof also led the Comets offense as she had a total of four hits, including a double and a triple in the two games.

Also having a great night at the plate for the Comets were Megan Neubecker with a double and two singles and Hannah Mathis with a double and four singles.  Mia Cole had a double and two singles in the first game.  In the second game Sam Stewart had three singles and drove in four runs, and Taryn Blazier rapped out three singles.  The Comets overall record improves to 7-2 with a perfect 4-0 in conference play.

Coloma Varsity Baseball tops Comet team of alumni by a score of 18-11

In the annual Comet varsity vs. Comet alumni game on April 20, the younger Comets struggled somewhat but came out on top of the “old dudes” on a windy and slightly cool Saturday.  It was quite obvious on several of the fly balls that were blown around in a strong breeze, that some of the graduates from the Comet baseball program had not been on a ball field for some time. Their efforts on ground balls were not a whole lot better.  It was a fun day however and a lot of laughs were had by everyone.

Varsity Baseball pounds out 2 wins over Martin

The Comet baseball team traveled to Martin on Monday, Apr. 22 and picked up a couple of easy wins by pounding on an over matched Martin team by scores of 16-0 and 18-6.

In the first game Hunter Crist pitched three innings of shutout ball, as the offense scored 16 runs on 11 hits with six base on balls added to the mix. Nate Wilder, the Coloma leadoff man, had three hits and scored two runs and had three RBI. Ethan Price also had three hits and scored two times as he knocked in four runs. Nick Eastman had two hits including a double, and scored three times.

In the second game, Nick Eastman started on the hill and picked up the win. He struck out six while giving up just a single hit in two innings of work.

Once again the Comets pounded out a dozen hits, with freshman Jake Ickes leading the way with three hits scoring twice, and knocking in three runs.  Picking up two hits apiece were Eastman, Ethan Price, and Matthew Kennedy.  Eastman, Price and Hunter Crist each contributed a double.

Hartford Prress Box By Jerrod Birmele

Hartford’s student-athletes were scheduled to remain active last week, as athletic events dotted the calendar from Monday right on through Friday. However, Mother Nature had other things in mind, as weather forced the postponement or cancellation of a number of events, including baseball and softball games, along with soccer matches. When all was said-and-done, Indian athletes participated in just two baseball and softball games, as well as a pair of track meets.

Riley Traver breaks 100 Meter Dash school record!

The Hartford Indian Track teams were busy last week, with the boys and girls competing in a pair of meets. The schedule featured their first Southwest 10 Conference meets of the season, as well as a trip to Watervliet for the annual Watervliet Relays. While both teams are experiencing some ups-and-downs, the faithful that turn out to see the teams know they do have talent. And it showed up in earnest as a long-time school record fell by the wayside.

IN RECORD BREAKING COMPANY… Riley Traver, a senior on the Hartford varsity track team, celebrated Senior Night by breaking a long standing school record in the 100 meters on Wednesday, April 17, 2019. Traver broke the record, established in 1966 by Vere Shindeldecker (pictured here with Riley), with a time of 10.91 seconds.

In Wednesday night’s track meet, a Southwest 10 Conference triangular featuring Marcellus and Mendon, full results from April 17 were not made available. However, this night turned into a memorable evening when senior Riley Traver won the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 10.91 seconds. That time broke a school record that had been held by Vere Shindeldecker since 1966. Shindeldecker, who has volunteered countless hours to Hartford’s athletes over the years, was in attendance to see his record broken. Once again, congratulations to Riley Traver on his new school record, and look for him to be featured in an upcoming Press Box Player of the Week feature.

In Friday night’s track meet, the Watervliet Relays, the Hartford boys’ team tied for tenth out of 13 teams, while the Hartford girls’ team placed fifth out of 12 teams. Top performances on the boys’ side included a third place finish in the Pole Vault Relay. Top performances on the girls’ side included a runner-up finish in the Shot Put Relay, third place finishes in the Shuttle Hurdle Relay and 6400 Relay and fourth place finishes in the 400 and 800 Meter Relays.

LOPEZ’S LAUNCH… Hartford’s Abigail Lopez releases the shot put Friday during the Watervliet Relays. Lopez’s throw sailed 27’1/2”. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

The Hartford Indian track teams were scheduled to return to action just one time this week. They competed in their second Southwest 10 Conference triangular meet of the season on Wednesday, Apr. 24. That evening, they traveled to Decatur to take on the host Raiders, as well as Bloomingdale. Check back next week to see how the teams ran!

Hartford Baseball dominates in sweep of Eau Claire

The Hartford Indian Varsity Baseball team took to the diamond just once last week. The only competitive games they played were against Eau Claire, and, since it was against a conference opponent, it turned out to be a doubleheader. The young team has experienced its share of ups-and-downs to start the season, but this team appears to be coming together and improving daily, just in time for the Indians to make a run in the Southwest 10 Conference.

In Monday night’s games against the Fighting Beavers, Hartford swept the doubleheader with ease, winning both games via the mercy rule. In game one, the Indians only allowed one run and mashed the ball at the plate, scoring a 16-1 victory. In game two, the bats were even more electric and the pitching was even more dominant, as the Indians scored a 20-0 win.

The Hartford Indian Baseball team will play in a pair of conference doubleheaders this week. On Monday, Apr. 22, they traveled to Mendon to take on the Hornets, before making their second road-trip of the week to Marcellus on Thursday, Apr. 25, to take on the Wildcats. Check back next week to see if the team continues its winning ways!

Hartford Softball crushes Eau Claire in doubleheader sweep

The Hartford Indian Varsity Softball team returned to the diamonds last week, and had its schedule altered by the weather. Instead of playing in a pair of doubleheaders, the weather only offered them one opportunity to play, but it also gave them a chance to kick off the conference season against Eau Claire. The ladies have played solid ball to begin the year, but wins are often hard to come by in a tough conference, and this league is solid from top-to-bottom.

In Monday night’s doubleheader against Eau Claire, much like the baseball team, the softball team dominated in spades. Hartford won the afternoon’s first game by a score of 17-2, and also won the nightcap, taking the second game in a 15-0 rout.

In game one, pitcher Lainey Goodson earned the mound victory. She went three innings, striking out five batters. On offense, four Lady Indian batters, including Goodson, Regan Sinclair, Karlee Scherer and Cecilia Perales collected three RBIs each.

In game two, pitcher Karly Manning earned the win in the circle. Like her predecessor in game one, she also went three innings, and struck out six batters. On offense, Vanessa DeLaRosa picked up three RBIs, while Jaelyne Galvan and Lexi Griffith batted in two runners a piece.

The Hartford Indian Softball team will be rather busy this week. They will play two conference doubleheaders, and compete in a weekend tournament, all in the span of just six days. On Monday, Apr. 22, they traveled to Mendon to take on the Lady Hornets, before loading the bus again on Thursday, Apr. 25, for a trip to Marcellus to take on the Lady ‘Cats. They will conclude their week by participating in a tournament at Bailey Park in Battle Creek on the morning of Saturday, Apr. 27. Check back next week to see how the team performed!

And, as always, Go Indians!

Watervliet Press Box by John Oliphant

47th Annual Watervliet Relays

Thirteen track and field teams participated in the 47th annual Watervliet Relays on Friday, April 19. A pair of talented Berrien Springs teams won both the girls and boys divisions. The boys easily defended their 2018 win, giving them nine wins since their first in 1975. For the Shamrock girls, this was their fourth win since 2000.

SIMMONS SOARS… Watervliet’s Caley Simmons soars 12’1/2” during the long jump competition held Friday during the 47th annual Watervliet Track Relays. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

The meet is unique because there are no individual events or winners. Every race on the track is a relay, and a couple of those are not your standard race. For example, the shuttle hurdles has four runners from each team running 100 yards back and forth on the track. It’s challenging for the teams and fun to watch because few teams have four real hurdlers. In the field events each team’s top two heights or distances are combined for a total. The meet has been held annually since 1972, with the girls teams joining the fun in 1984.

The Berrien Springs boys won six of the 13 events, and likely would have won two more if not for bad baton transfers. Coloma, finishing second place overall, won the discus and the 4×200 relay, and also finished second in three other events, the middle distance, Panther Relay, and 4×100. Watervliet took second in the 4×1600 race, and fourth in both the 4×200 and 4×800. Hartford’s best finish was third place in the pole vault.

Meet records for the boys stretch back to 1974 for the 4×800 (Watervliet at 8:13.4), but no new records were set this year.

Boys results: Berrien Springs 94, Coloma 64, Lawton 50, Hopkins 40, Kalamazoo Christian 28, Schoolcraft 25, Marcellus 24, Watervliet 20, Bangor 17, Buchanan 15, Hartford 15, Brandywine 10, Eau Claire 1

In the girls competition Berrien Springs won by six points, being chased by Hopkins the entire meet. The Shamrocks won seven of the 13 events, and Hopkins won five. Marcellus had the remaining win in the 4×800. Hartford’s best finish was second in the shot put, and third in the 4×1600 and shuttle hurdles. Coloma’s best finish was third in the high jump. Watervliet’s best finish was fifth in the 4×1600.

Three new records were set by the girls. The Hopkins team set a new combined pole vault record of 15’0”, breaking the Coloma record of 14’3” set in 2016. The Hopkins girls also set a new middle distance record of 7:29.2, besting the 7:34.8 set by Edwardsburg in 1989. The Berrien Springs sprinters set a new record in the 4×100 of 52.38, breaking the 52.54 set by Cassopolis in 1987.

Girls results: Berrien Springs 96, Hopkins 90, Marcellus 51, Schoolcraft 47, Hartford 32, Bangor 27, Kalamazoo Christian 24, Lawton 16, Coloma 9, Buchanan 7, Watervliet 2, Brandywine 1, Eau Claire 0

Panther Softball drops a doubleheader to South Haven

The Panthers fell behind early and couldn’t mount a comeback in a 12-2 loss to South Haven Rams on Tuesday, April 16. They struggled to contain the Rams’ high-powered offense, which had 15 hits in the game including four for extra bases. Watervliet’s offense came alive briefly in the bottom of the second inning when Celina Klimkiewicz walked, Addison Riley hit a triple, and Maddie Wilkinson hit a single. After that short outburst, the Rams’ pitching shut down the Panthers’ bats.

HANNAH BRINGS THE HEAT… Hannah Hart took the mound for the Lady Panthers Tuesday evening as the squad faced South Haven on April 16. Watervliet dropped both games of the doubleheader, losing 12-2 and 8-6. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

The top hitter for the Panthers was Wilkinson with two singles and one RBI. Riley had a triple and RBI, Hannah Hart and Emalie Gitersonke each had singles.

The second game of the doubleheader was a heartbreaker as the Panthers lost the lead late in an 8-6 defeat. The Panthers were in control and leading 6-3 going into the last inning, but that solid Ram offense struck big while scoring five runs in the top of the 7th inning.

Alex Worley led the offense with two singles and two RBI. Celina Klimkiewicz also had a pair of singles. Emalie Gitersonke had one single and one RBI. Sabrina Klimkiewicz, Hannah Hart, and Serena Reyna each chipped in singles.

The Panthers fall to 4-7 overall, and 1-1 in the SAC Lakeshore Division. Celina leads all hitters, batting .516. Sabrina Klimkiewicz is hitting .359, and Alex Worley .342.

Panther Soccer

The Panthers played well against Saugatuck in Wednesday, April 17 but unfortunately they came up a little short losing 2-1. Emma Armstrong played her best game of the season so far, scoring the Panthers only goal. The defensive effort by Trinity Crain, Susanna VanLente, Aria Richards, and Alyssa Lange was outstanding. Freshmen Jada Prignano and Danyel Munson played well as outside mids. On defense, Alex Hays had several great saves in goal.

The soccer team also played Fennville on Monday April 15, losing 5-0. The team is currently 2-4, and their next games are at Lawton on Monday, April 29, then Wednesday when they host Delton-Kellogg.

Tremblay named Head Football Coach at WHS Watervliet High School has hired Josh Tremblay to take over as the head football coach for the Panthers for the fall of 2019. Tremblay is currently in his fifteenth year of teaching, his ninth at Watervliet as the High School Physical Education teacher. Tremblay is currently the head baseball coach, JV football coach, and a middle school boys basketball coach. Tremblay previously has been a Varsity Assistant Coach at Grant and Sparta High School. The new head coach led the JV football team to four consecutive undefeated seasons in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

MELCHER SIGNS….Watervliet Senior Matthew Melcher signs his letter of intent to wrestle at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. His career stats include 111 wins, 37 losses. Matt has been a two time individual district champion, twice individual regional runner-up, twice 1st team all conference wrestler and two time state qualifier as well as a 4th place finish all state wrestler. Matt has been named student athlete of the week two times and helped Watervliet win two team district titles.