07-20-2017 Tri-City Area Sports

Hamlin’s number comes up in Overton 301

Denny Hamlin is in his 13th year in the NASCAR Cup Series. Before Sunday, Hamlin was winless in only two seasons on the circuit: 2005 and this year.

But Hamlin ended his 2017 drought by nabbing a first place finish in the Overton’s 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The win gave Hamlin his 30th career victory. He led 54 laps in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event.

Hamlin’s best year in the Series was 2010 when he won eight individual checkered flags. Last year, he won three races, so it’s been a challenge this season as the crew worked to get a win.

In the 19th race of the season, Kyle Larson continued to be the bridesmaid. He led one lap but finished in second place for the seventh time this year. Larson has nine top five finishes this season: two wins and the seven second places.

Martin Truex Jr. led 137 of the race’s 301 laps and was the pole sitter. He finished in third place.

Matt Kenseth, who is winless this season, led four laps and earned his fourth top five finish. He took fourth place.

Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five in fifth place.

The race featured seven caution periods for 34 laps. There were 11 lead changes.

Drivers who led laps but didn’t finish in the top five included: Kyle Busch (95) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10).

Of the 39 drivers, a whopping 24 finished on the lead lap at New Hampshire.

Truex Jr. leads the driver standings in first place. He is followed – ironically – by Larson, who trails by 38 points. Another Kyle – Busch – is in third place, 108 points behind the leader.

Harvick is 119 points out in fourth place, while Hamlin is now in fifth place, just 169 points behind Truex Jr.

Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, and Clint Bowyer round out the top 10.

Racing action returns to our area on Sunday with the running of the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Speedway.

Kyle Busch was last year’s winner at the ‘Yard. He was also the winner in 2015. Can Busch make it a three-pack? Find out next week.

Area softball teams scoop up All-State and All-Conference awards

Coloma, Hartford, and Watervliet softball stars scooped 11 of the 12 First Team nominations in the Southwestern Athletic Conference – Lakeshore Division.

Coloma’s Skylar Crisenbery, Morgan Wagner, Nicolle Larson, Kayla Yore, and Jaidyn Hutsell were awarded First Team nods.

Watervliet athletes awarded First Team recognition included Mercede Daugherty, Kara Liles, Logan Mizwicki, and Taylor Shafer.

Regan Sinclair and Amara Wesaw nabbed First Team awards and represented the Hartford varsity softball team.

In addition to the conference honors, the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association bestowed All-State honors on five Coloma and one Watervliet players.

Receiving Division 3 First Team All-State honors were Yore and Crisenbery.

All-State Honorable Mention nods went to Megan Koenigshof, Wagner, and Hutsell of Coloma and Daugherty of Watervliet.

Coloma’s varsity squad won the SAC – Lakeshore Division conference and Division 3 regional titles before falling to Napoleon in the state quarterfinals on June 13.

Larson played shortstop, Wagner was the catcher, and Yore covered centerfield for the Comets. All three were seniors.

Juniors Crisenbery and Hutsell shared pitching duties for Coloma. Both are on tap to return next year.

Watervliet’s Daugherty and Mizwicki were the senior leaders on the team. Daugherty played the hot corner, while Mizwicki covered the infield from the shortstop position for a majority of the season.

Liles pitched for the Panthers, and Shafer picked up the fielding duties at second base. Both First Team winners were juniors.

Hartford’s Amara Wesaw was a double threat this year on the diamond. The senior pitched and played shortstop for the Indians and was one of the leading hitters.

Freshman Regan Sinclair took care of third base for Hartford.

The three schools didn’t stop with First Team awards.  Of the 15 Honorable Mention awards doled out to players, our local teams earned nine awards.

Coloma’s Alyssa Dillenbeck, Mya Potter, and Megan Koenigshof were selected as SAC Honorable Mention winners.

Hartford’s Madisyn Earls, Jaelyn Galvan, and Megan Nelson received Honorable Mention awards.

Ariana Rowe and Zoe Smith were selected from Watervliet as Honorable Mention winners.

Congratulations, ladies!

Champions crowned in Hartford All-Star Tournament

Although the rains came forth and delayed the championship game in the Baseball All-Star Tournament of Champions, held at Indian Pride Park in Hartford, four teams gained first place titles.

TRIPLE TREAT… Hartford’s John Burfield gets down and dirty after belting a triple during the All-Star Pony division game against Allegan at Indian Pride Park July 11. Burfield’s rip scored two runs. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

In the Instructional division, Watervliet earned first place honors.

South Haven was the big winner in the minor division.

Lakeshore won the championship title in the major division.

The Pony division was won by Paw Paw. Paw Paw won their title on Thursday, July 13. The tournament began on Friday, July 7 and was scheduled to conclude Wednesday, July 12.

NATHAN NAILS IT… Water-vliet’s Nathan Harasewicz hits a single during July 11’s All-Star game against Lakeshore as part of Hartford’s Tournament of Champions. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

However, rains received Wednesday moved the final two games in the Pony division to the following day, setting up a one-day extension to the tourney.

Football fast approaching: Watervliet offering camp

Watervliet varsity football coach Jeremy Andrews has announced the school will be hosting a youth football camp Monday, July 24 and Tuesday, July 25 from 9:00 a.m. to noon both days.

Youngsters entering third- through eighth-grade can learn playing skills and techniques that will aid in their success as they progress from rocket to varsity football. The camp is non-contact and the primary focus will be fundamentals and fun!

Andrews advised that the camp will be taught by high school coaching staff members.

Players need to dress in shorts, t-shirts, and cleats and head to the Watervliet High School football field.

Participants will receive a camp T-shirt.

The registration cost is $25.  Contact Andrews at jandrews@watervlietps.org for additional information or to sign up. Late registration will also take place Monday, July 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:55 a.m.

Final sign-up for Hartford rocket and flag football and cheerleading

The Hartford Council for Recreation has announced one final sign-up for rocket and flag football as well as cheerleading.

The Council announced the sign-up will concur with the disbursement of equipment on Wednesday, July 26 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Indian Pride Park.

All players are encouraged to attend the two-hour equipment hand out session so they can be personally fit for equipment.

Rocket football practices will begin the week of August 7.

The cost for first- and second-graders to play flag football will be $35.00 per player. Rocket football players between second- and sixth-grade will be charged $85.00 per player or $75.00 for two or more participants in the same family.

A fee of $45.00 per person or $40.00 for two or more cheerleaders will be in effect. Cheerleaders will need to be in kindergarten through sixth-grade.

Forms can be found at the Rec Council’s website, hartfordrecreation.org.

Get your clubs and hit the links for some great causes

With summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to get your golf clubs out of the garage and tossed into the back of your vehicle. Golf outings aplenty can be found – all helping great causes.

Two special outings are close to the hearts of area duffers.

The Community Golf Outing benefitting the Coloma Area Chamber of Commerce and North Berrien Community Development will hit the links at Paw Paw Lake Golf Club Friday, August 11 at 9:00 a.m.

The cost is $60.00 per golfer and includes the greens fees, cart, continental breakfast and lunch.

The outing will once again have a $10,000 hole-in-one contest, sponsored by CIA.

All proceeds from the outing, one week after Coloma’s Glad-Peach Festival, will benefit community events.

The sixth annual Trent McKinney golf outing will be held Saturday, August 12 at noon. Held at Pipestone Creek Golf Course, located at 6768 Naomi Road in Eau Claire, the proceeds from the outing will benefit the Watervliet Wrestling programs.

The cost is $65.00 per person and includes a round of golf, your cart, and a steak dinner. The format is a four-person team with a shotgun start. Get to the course by 11:00 a.m. to check in.

In addition to great golf and fine food, the event will feature a silent auction and raffle.

McKinney was a star athlete at Watervliet and graduated from the school in 1986. The former state wrestling qualifier died from cancer on July 3, 2011.

Grab your friends, your irons, and your putter and sign up today to help two great community events!

Practice schedules set for fall 2017-2018 high school sports

It may be the end of July but work will soon begin for fall sports. To that end, Michigan High School Athletic Association has issued first practice dates, district, regional, semi- and finals dates for all fall sports.

Football players can begin practicing August 7. Regional action will take place November 10 or 11, with state finals occurring on November 24 and 25.

Boys’ and girls’ cross country teams can begin practice on August 9, with regionals being held October 27 or 28 and finals hitting the course on November 4.

Boys’ soccer kicks off with their first practice on August 9. The young men will have regional competition October 24-28 and state finals on November 4.

Volleyball teams will hit the court for their first practice of the new season on August 9. Regional competition will begin November 7 and 9, with finals following on November 18.

Female duffers will begin their season on August 9 at practice. Lower Peninsula regional golf competition will occur October 11-14. State finals in the sport will be held October 20-21.

Boys’ tennis will begin practice August 9. Regionals will be held October 12-14 and finals will take place October 20-21.