09-14-2017 Tri-City Area Sports

Larson wins final regular season NASCAR cup race; field of 16 set for championship drive

 Saturday night’s victory for Kyle Larson in the Federated Auto Parts 400 was big. But, even bigger was the fact that the field for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship playoffs was set.

Richmond Raceway proved to be a great place for Larson. He battled Martin Truex Jr. off the line after a late-race caution period allowed the drivers a chance to bunch up for the final laps home. The restart proved beneficial for Larson, who took the lead in the overtime contest.

A second caution period in seven laps, this time on lap 404, caused the race to end under yellow with Larson in the lead. The victor led 53 laps during the event.

Larson won his fourth race of the season and earned his fifth career victory.

Joey Logano finished in the runner-up spot. Ryan Newman led three laps en route to a third place finish.

Crossing the finish line in fourth place was Kurt Busch, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five in fifth place.

Drivers who also led laps but did not finish in the top five included: Kyle Busch (38 laps), Brad Keselowski (9), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (13), Truex Jr. (198), and pole sitter Matt Kenseth (89).

The 26th race of the 2017 season featured 13 lead changes and seven caution periods for 38 laps.

With the checkered flag waving, sixteen drivers exhaled a big sigh of relief as they claimed their spots in the playoffs.

Truex Jr. earned the number one seed in the championship playoffs. He will be joined in the competition by Larson, Kyle Busch, Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Newman, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Austin Dillon, Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray.

Thirteen of the 16 drivers won at least one race this season. Three drivers made the cut on points but did not have a win, including Elliott, Kenseth, and McMurray.

Everyone heads to Chicagoland Speedway for Sunday’s first Round of 16 race.  The Tales of the Turtles 400 is the kickoff race for the first of three three-race playoff rounds, with one final, season-ending, championship-crowning race at Homestead.

Truex Jr. won last year’s running at Chicagoland. A win on Sunday would propel him into the next round of competition. With four wins this season, can he be stopped?

Krell increases lead atop AQB leaderboard

 Greg Krell and Bryan Conrad had the magic picks in the third week of the Tri-City Record Armchair Quarterback competition. Both players recorded 7-1 records, which afforded some movement on the leaderboard.

Krell increased his one-game margin over second place to three games, while Conrad climbed out of the basement and is now tied for fourth place.

Each week six local, fierce football fans predict the winner of eight high school, college, and professional football games. Their mission is simple: predict the best record all season long, which culminates in February’s Super Bowl.

Should two competitors end the week with the same record, the tie-breaker game comes into play.

One of the eight games on the docket is selected as the tie-breaker game. Our contestants must determine the total number of points that will be scored in that contest. The AQB who guessed closest to the total wins the higher ranking in the standings.

This week’s tie-breaker game was the Western Michigan versus Michigan State battle royale. After duking it out, the Spartans laid claim to the 28-14 victory.

With their identical weekly records of 7-1 in hand, Krell and Conrad’s position in the standings came down to the tie-breaker.  Krell’s 59-point guess was closer to the 42-point score than Conrad’s 65-point estimate. That gave Krell first place.

Conrad took second place, as Tim Hildebrand and Rodney Lynch tied for third with 6-2 records. Hildebrand assumed third place with his 49-point guess; Lynch landed in fourth place as he predicted 63 points would be scored.

Fifth place went to Chris Leach with her 5-3 record, and RoxAnn Rodney-Isbrecht finished in sixth after going 3-5.

Overall, Krell increased his first-place lead by two more games. He holds a 22-2 overall record.

Tied for second place overall are Hildebrand and Lynch with 19-5 records. They trail Krell by three games.

Fourth place is knotted up as Leach and Conrad hold 18-6 records, just four games out of first place.

Rodney-Isbrecht is in a position she hasn’t seen: her 17-7 record puts her in sixth place. But, it’s early, sports fans, and we have plenty of season left to play.

The games on this week’s roster include:

Coloma @ Martin

Marcellus @ Hartford

Watervliet @ Gobles

Air Force @ Michigan

Notre Dame @ Boston College

Idaho @ Western Michigan

Chicago @ Tampa Bay

Detroit @ NY Giants

The tie-breaker game is Notre Dame’s road trip to Boston College. Our AQBs are in sync – for the most part – with the high school and college games, so the real games in play are the NFL contests. Who will it be? Can Detroit make it two in a row by defeating the NY Giants? Can the Bears get a win over Tampa Bay? Check back to find out.

Coloma football celebrates second win of the season

Coloma’s varsity football squad earned their second victory of the season after they defeated Fennville 40-20 Friday, September 8 at home.

With the coin toss win, Coloma deferred to the second half. That gave Fennville the ball first. On their first possession, Fennville ran into a spot of trouble as Coloma’s Kenny Crowder ripped the ball loose. Fennville recovered the ball, but turned it over on downs.

On Coloma’s first possession, they picked up quite a few yards courtesy of Zack Lake and Levi Wilkens.  Coloma quarterback Zach Goodline also had a nice nine-yard pass.

A holding penalty against the Comets created a second down and 11 yards to go. Goodline handed the ball to Caleb Ellis who trotted downfield and picked up the first down. Ellis had a second run as Coloma was deep in Fennville territory.

A bad Comet snap created a fumble, which was recovered by Fennville on the three-yard line.

The Comet defense stepped up in a big way as they stuffed the Blackhawks’ line. With Fennville facing a third down and six yards to go, the ‘Hawks were flagged for a delay of game, which backed them up further.

It was Jamane Smith Jr. who shut down the third down play forcing Fennville to punt from the end zone.

It was a terrible boot and the ball was spotted at the Fennville 11-yard line giving Coloma excellent field position.

Another disastrous moment for Coloma occurred. With the goal line in sight, the Comets fumbled again and the ball was recovered by Fennville.  The first quarter expired with a score of 0-0.

Midway through the second quarter, Coloma finally got on the board after Lake scored a quick six on a five-yard run.  Derek Plitt kicked the point after attempt which sailed true.

Coloma’s Cole Allmon had a nice flying tackle to take out the Fennville ball carrier on the kick return.

In addition to nice work by the special teams, the Coloma defense stepped up to the plate this game.  Davion Bledsoe, Calvin Hutchinson, and Robbie Schroeder walloped the Fennville offense much of the night.

Tevon Blazier had a nice 40-yard pickup in the second quarter on a pass from Goodline. With less than a minute in the quarter, Coloma attempted a long pass to Brendan Lute in the end zone. The pass fell incomplete.

With 21 seconds left in the half, Goodline, under pressure in the backfield, lofted a pass that was caught by Robbie Schroeder for a touchdown.  Plitt’s kick was good and Coloma rolled to a 14-0 lead at intermission.

Coloma scored two times in the third quarter.  Jamane Smith Jr. had a one-yard run right into the end zone. Plitt’s PAT was good and Coloma increased their lead 21-0.

Later in the quarter Levi Wilkens blasted through the field as he picked up 58 yards and a touchdown.  Another PAT by Plitt was good and Coloma led 28-6.

Fennville finally got on the board in the third quarter after scoring on a 45-yard pass play.

Fennville opened the fourth quarter with a four-yard touchdown run. Their attempt at the two-point conversion failed. Fennville trailed 28-12.

Ellis scored a Comet touchdown on a five-yard run. The ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed but Coloma led 34-12.

Wilkens scored his second TD of the night. He rushed for 24 yards on the carry. Plitt’s kick was no good.

Fennville went on to score one more time in the fourth quarter and also scored on the conversion. Final score: Coloma 40, Fennville 20.

Goodline was three of six for 94 yards and one touchdown. He threw one interception. Goodline also rushed five times for 55 yards.

Goodline’s three throws went to three different receivers.  Blazier had 45 yards on his reception. Ellis tallied 35 yards on his catch; he also intercepted a pass. Schroeder scored the lone passing touchdown, a 14-yard catch.

Wilkens rushed for 143 yards on eight carries and two touchdowns.  Ellis carried the ball eight times for 87 yards and one TD.  Lake had 10 carries for 47 yards and one TD. Blazier’s two carries netted 36 yards.  Smith Jr. rushed for 36 yards and one touchdown on seven carries.

Defensively, Smith Jr. led Coloma with nine tackles and two assists.  Cody Reece had six tackles and six assists.  Goodline was credited with five tackles and one assist.

Schroeder contributed four tackles and four assists.  Lake had three tackles, one assist, and one sack.  Bledsoe and Ellis provided three tackles each; Bledsoe also had a sack.

Coloma ran 55 plays compared to Fennville’s 69.

Coloma’s ground game was in fine form. They accumulated 407 yards on the ground, and the passing game chipped in 94 yards.  Coloma’s total yardage of 501 yards was well over Fennville’s 193 yards.

Coloma is now 2-1 this season.

Pickens/Kieft combo for the Panthers showcased in spectacular 52-26 victory

PICKENS APART THE PANTHERS’ OPPONENT… Watervliet quarterback Zack Pickens turned in another masterful performance under center Friday as the Panthers posted a 52-26 victory over Maple City Glen Lake. Pickens was nine of 11 and passed for 245 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

Zack Pickens and Bryant Kieft made a winning combination Friday, September 8 in the Panthers’ 52-26 victory over visiting Maple City Glen Lake.

All in all, it was a runaway win for Watervliet.  Their foe may have been the state runner-up last year but certainly didn’t look like it this season.

On Watervliet’s first possession of the game, the Panthers marched downfield and scored a touchdown on a Zack Pickens quarterback keeper and successful Pickens two-point conversion pass to Bryan Kieft.

MCGL responded with their own pick six and a two-point conversion to tie the game at eight all.

From there on out it was Watervliet commanding the field as the Panthers scored 30 unanswered points in the first half of the game.

Pickens picked up his second TD of the night after rushing 59 yards. Kieft logged his second successful two-point conversion play after he plowed into the end zone. Watervliet led 16-8 at the end of the first quarter.

Kieft notched the first score of the second quarter after he scampered six yards into the end zone. The Panthers’ two-point conversion attempt failed but the squad led 22-8.

It would be Watervliet’s next possession that brought the crowd to its feet. After MCGL punted deep into Panther territory, Watervliet faced a first and ten from their own one-yard line.

The worrisome spot couldn’t contain Pickens as he launched a pass to Kieft. Kieft caught Pickens’ pass, sidestepped a MCGL defender and rumbled all the way downfield into the end zone. It was a spectacular 99-yard play and will certainly make Kieft’s highlight reel this season. With the two-point conversion pass from Pickens to Dylan Lynch, Watervliet went up 30-8.

Following a Watervliet interception, the Panthers scored again with Kieft rushing six yards into the end zone. Ryan Chisek caught the two-point conversion pass from Pickens giving Watervliet a 38-8 lead.

With under a minute left in the quarter, MCGL scored on a 12-yard pass play but failed to convert the two-point attempt. At the half, Watervliet led 38-14.

Midway through the third period, Pickens completed a 21-yard pass to Chisek for another pick six. This time, Lamarrius Smith caught the two-point conversion pass and Watervliet increased its lead to 46-14 over Maple City Glen Lake.

MCGL got into the end zone once again with two minutes left in the third quarter. Their conversion attempt failed and they trailed 46-20.

As time wound down in the quarter, it was Pickens and Bryant who teamed up for another great Panther play.

With the ball in hand, Pickens dumped a short pass to Kieft who charged around the left side of the field, pushed past a few defenders and ran into the end zone. The 80-yard play put another six points on the board for Watervliet and fans back on their feet. The conversion attempt failed but Watervliet led 52-20 as the quarter ended.

Watervliet was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. MCGL got on the board with a five-yard rushing TD.

The game ended with another Panther win, this time 52-26, giving Watervliet a perfect 3-0 start to the season.

Pickens continues to be masterful under center. He was nine of 11 for 245 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. On the other side of the ball, he picked off a pass.

Kieft rushed for 35 yards and two touchdowns on six carries. He also caught three passes for 182 yards and two TDs.

Chisek caught one 21-yard pass for one TD.  Garrett Matthews had 24 yards on two catches.

Dylan Lynch ran for 16 yards on six carries, and Jakob Aldrich carried the ball one time for eight yards.

Trent Boone had two receptions for 20 yards and carried the ball two times for 24 yards.

Defensively Watervliet was led by Anthony Wade who lit up the defense. You won’t see a more spirited, enthusiastic player than Wade and he showed it on Friday night. Wade had 16 total tackles.

Smith put up big numbers as well. He had 12 tackles. Chisek and Kieft posted six tackles each with Kieft also getting a sack.

Blake Kinzler and James Bell each had five tackles. Kinzler also tallied a sack.

Logan Swigart notched four tackles for the Panthers, while Lynch and Matthews turned in three tackles each. Lynch was also credited with a sack.

Watervliet ran 45 plays compared to MCGL’s 62 plays. The teams were evenly matched with Watervliet picking up 18 first downs and MCGL marking 19. Watervliet was assessed 85 penalty yards on seven yellow hankies.

Hartford suffers 41-14 loss to Mendon

After winning two consecutive games this season, Hartford suffered their first lost on Friday, September 8 in a 41-14 loss at home to Mendon.

Hartford out passed Mendon 105 yards to 36 but Mendon’s ground game showed the big difference in offense. Mendon rushed for 408 yards compared to Hartford’s 62 yards on the ground.

Mendon also outpaced Hartford in first downs with 28 compared to 10.

The first quarter passed without a score by either team.  The Hornets scored 14 quick points on two consecutive five-yard rushes by Austin Rensi in the second quarter.

Hartford got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter. Garrod Johnson threw a 10-yard pass to Aaron Sinclair to score the pick six. The point after attempt failed and Hartford trailed 14-6 after the first half.

Third quarter scoring was all Mendon, as they tallied 21 points on three touchdowns – all courtesy of Wyatt Cool, who also kicked the PATs to his TDs. At the end of three, the score was Mendon 35, Hartford six.

The Indians tallied eight points in the fourth quarter as Evan Parker scored on a 25-yard run. The two-point conversion was good as Hartford worked to shorten the scoring gap.

Mendon finished the scoring with another six points in the fourth period before the game ended.

In the 41-14 loss, Hartford ran 45 plays to Mendon’s 61.

Hartford suffered two fumbles and eight penalties for 44 yards.

SUMMER BALL IN SESSION… School may be back in session but so is softball. The Lake Michigan Red Hawks faced IUSB Saturday in doubleheader fall ball action. Third baseman Jenna Walter, of Coloma, also played the hot corner for the Comets last year as a senior. The Red Hawks are coached by John Jewell, former longtime softball coach of the Grace Christian Patriots. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

Johnson was four of five for 85 yards. He also rushed four times for five yards.

Parker rushed for 34 yards and one TD on nine carries.  Robert Ledesma Jr. picked up 16 yards on 11 carries.

Joe Beebe caught one pass for 46 yards, and Moses Beraza’s one reception was good for six yards.

Beraza led the Indian defense with seven tackles and five assists. Bobby Johnson had five tackles and five assists.  Parker posted three tackles and seven assists. Xavier Salinas had three tackles and four assists. Noah Wade provided three tackles and two assists.

Hartford girls take third place at Teske Invitational

The rain held off Thursday, September 7 as the young ladies of six area cross country teams gathered for the Teske Invitational at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds.

Bloomingdale’s 50 points earned them the championship.  Hartford finished third with 57 points and Watervliet took sixth with 157.

Hartford racers claimed six of the top 18 places. Adrianna Morseau was the first Indian finisher in sixth place (22:33).

Brianna Morseau took 11th place (23:39). Marisol Robles finished 13th (24:01). Angela Saldana and Abigail Lopez took 14th and 18th, respectively. Their times were 24:06 and 24:34.

Isabella Heminger finished 26th (25:48). Jamie Smith took 27th place (25:49). Alexis Griffith crossed the finish line in 32nd place (27:04), followed by Mariela Gutierrez in 43rd place (30:27).

Watervliet’s first finisher was Alyssa Hobson. She took 16th place with a time of 24:19.

Panthers Angelina Hammond, Bailey Swisher, Katelynn Sutherland, and Keyona Klimkiewicz finished 36th, 38th, 39th, and 40th with times of 27:48, 28:24, 28:54, and 28:56, respectively.

The following runners set new personal records: Adrianna Morseau, Brianna Morseau, Lopez, Heminger, Smith, Griffith, Hammond, Swisher, Sutherland, and Klimkiewicz.

Watervliet boys claims second place at Teske Invitational; Hartford finishes sixth

Watervliet’s varsity cross country team claimed a second-place finish at the Teske Invitational in Hartford Thursday, September 7.

The sun broke just before the boys began their run along the grassy course at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds. Bangor won the championship title with 36 points. Watervliet finished in second place with 56 points. Hartford took sixth with 124 points in their home meet.

Seven Watervliet trekkers finished in the top 25; Gus Hinch was the first Panther to cross the finish line. He completed the course in 18:25 and set a new personal record with his fifth-place result.

Ezra Troyer took seventh place (18:34). Kody Edmonds cleared 11th place (19:15), and Nick Swanson sailed to a 16th place finish (19:45).  Austin Roberts and Klayton Marshall finished 21st and 22nd with times of 20:20 and 20:21, respectively.

Kade Van Niel’s time of 20:25 was good for 24th place.  Trevor Pelton took 27th place (20:57).  Tom Swanson trailed Pelton in 31st (21:21).  Alex Isbrecht finished 34th (21:44).  Matthew Hanks took 37th place (22:21) and Coby Henslee hoofed it to a 40th place finish (23:29).  Korben Camp cruised to 42nd (23:56). Aaron Leoni lay claim to 46th place (24:09), and Josh Reeves finished in 50th (28:15).

Francisco Loera was the first Indian to finish the race. He took 15th place (19:44).  Blair McMeeken finished 23rd (20:22). Trey Ackerman took 26th (20:50). Evan Delarosa’s time of 23:07 earned him a 39th place finish.  James Lucero took 44th (24:03), and Francisco Medrano finished 48th (26:03).

Runners who set new personal records included: Troyer, Edmonds, Van Niel, Hanks, Delarose, Henslee, Leoni, and Reeves.

Hartford soccer beat Bloomingdale, shuts out South Haven in shoreline shootout

Nick Blackmer’s varsity soccer squad scored a 5-3 road win over Bloomingdale Wednesday, September 6.

TESKE TRIBE… Isabella Heminger, Brianna Morseau, Angela Saldana, and Abigail Lopez, members of the Hartford cross country team, hit the trail at the Van Buren County Fair-grounds Thursday in the Teske Invitational. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

The Indians scored four goals in the first half and one in the second half.  All three of Bloomingdale’s goals came in the second half of the game.

Roy Rodriguez had the hot foot Wednesday as he scored four of Hartford’s five goals. Jovani Calderon booted one goal for Hartford.

Danny Gutierrez, Danny Resendez, Joel Soto, and Calderon were credited with assists.

Rudy Martinez and Riley Traver shared keeper duties for the Indians.  Martinez recorded two saves, while Traver was credited with one.

The Indians also scored a shutout win over South Haven Saturday, September 9. The Indians topped the Rams 1-0 on a Roy Rodriguez goal in the first half. Rudy Martinez was in goal for Hartford and recorded two saves.

The Indians also defeated West Michigan Aviation in penalty kicks. It was Danny Gutierrez who belted a kick in the fourth round for the win.

Blackmer stated, “The back line defense of Herik Garcia, Isai Ordonez, Nick Pults, and Ulises Bacilio played outstanding the entire day and should be credited with a big part of (the team’s) success.”

Coloma volleyball wins Climax-Scotts tourney and outlasts Lawton

Coloma’s varsity volleyball celebrated a winning week. The squad faced Lawton Thursday, September 7 with a 25-14, 25-12, 25-20 win.

Hannah Mathis had four assists, one ace, nine digs, and one block.  Kayla Yore added eight kills, 14 assists, five aces, 14 digs, and two blocks.

Morgan Wagner hit 10 kills, one assist, nine digs, and four blocks. Taryn Blazier added two digs. Mya Potter was credited with five aces and 19 digs.

Megan Neubecker had eight kills, two digs, and three blocks.  Mia Cole slammed two aces.  Sam Stewart tallied three aces and 10 digs. Mika Anderson had 10 digs and two blocks.

The Comets used their momentum from Thursday at Saturday’s tournament at Climax-Scotts.

Coloma was perfect in pool play, racking up three wins. Coloma outmaneuvered Marshall Academy 25-12, 25-9. They then clobbered Kalamazoo Home School 25-12, 25-12 before they clipped Climax-Scotts 25-19, 25-20.

In bracket play, Coloma held off Heritage Christian 25-16, 25-13 to reach the championship game.

In the finale, Coloma faced Galesburg-Augusta 25-19, 25-12.

In the tournament Anderson hit 16 kills, seven digs, two blocks, and five aces.  Stewart tallied eight aces and 31 digs. Cole had one ace and 11 digs.

Neubecker added 15 kills, one dig, and five blocks.  Potter provided 42 digs and one ace.  Blazier was credited with 12 kills and four digs.

Wagner had 24 kills, four assists, 25 digs, four blocks, and 14 aces.  Yore contributed 23 kills, 50 assists, 18 digs, and six blocks. Mathis was responsible for 12 kills, four assists, 24 digs, one block, and seven aces.

Watervliet falls to Kalamazoo Hackett and Delton Kellogg, hosts invitational

Watervliet’s varsity volleyball squad had a busy week. The ladies traveled to Kalamazoo Hackett Thursday, September 7 for quad action on the court then hosted an invitational Saturday.

Against Delton Kellogg, the Panthers   lost 25-20, 25-22 in a close game. Jaelyn Pitre led Watervliet with 14 assists. Zoe Smith had one assist, seven kills, one ace, and four digs.  Kara Liles hit two kills and one dig.  Caley Simmons contributed seven digs, while Elaine Koshar tallied two kills and one block.

Emma Armstrong was credited with six kills and five digs. Grace Smith hit one ace and five digs.  Mikalah Clay had one kill and one dig.

LILES LAYS IT DOWN… Kara Liles of Watervliet volleyball tips the ball across the net as the Panthers took on Decatur Saturday morning in pool play. Watervliet earned a spot in the championship bracket; they lost to South Haven in the semi-finals. Liles had 20 kills, four digs and nine blocks during tournament action. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

The Panthers then played Kalamazoo Hackett and lost another close contest 25-20, 25-22.

Emma Yazel and Brenna Langston each provided one dig. Alexis Burrows had one assist and one dig.

Clay tallied two digs, while Grace Smith had six kills.  Armstrong hit two kills, two aces, and six digs.

Koshar came up with five kills and three blocks, while Simmons supplied one ace and two digs.

Liles had four kills, one dig, and two blocks. Zoe Smith hit four kills, one ace, and six digs.  Pitre provided 13 assists, one kill, one ace, and two digs.

The squad then hosted a 12-team tournament Saturday, September 9.

To open the tourney, Watervliet topped Michigan Lutheran 25-16, 28-26. In their second match of the day, Watervliet was downed by Decatur 14-25, 22-25.

In one of the better games of the day Watervliet faced Paw Paw. Watervliet won the first game 25-22 but it was the second game that had the crowd on the edge of their seats.

Watervliet held an early lead but Paw Paw battled back to take the lead. The shots went back and forth and the excitement ramped up. Eventually, Paw Paw won 30-28 to split with the Panthers.

Following pool play, Watervliet faced South Haven in the semi-finals. The Rams defeated Watervliet 25-12, 25-15.

Pitre had 57 assists, two kills, and two digs.  Zoe Smith contributed 23 kills, four aces, 18 digs, and one block.  Liles added 20 kills, four digs, and nine blocks.

Armstrong was credited with one assist, five kills, three aces, and 12 digs.  Koshar had nine kills, two digs, and 11 blocks.  Simmons slammed two aces and 14 digs.

Grace Smith hit one ace and had 14 digs.  Langston chipped in four aces and two digs.  Clay added one ace, seven digs, and four blocks.

Indians best Bison 3-0 on the volleyball court

The Hartford Indians girls’ varsity volleyball team improved to 9-8 this season after a three-game sweep of New Buffalo at home Tuesday, September 5.

Hartford beat the Bison 25-15, 25-20, 25-18.

The Indians were led by Megan Nelson. She had 33 digs, seven assists, and seven kills.  AJ Jackson added five kills and one block. Cora Wesaw and Jessica Cortes teamed up and smacked three aces each.  Mikenzie Chambers blasted four kills.

Coloma competes at Fennville Invitational

HOT ON HIS TRAIL… Hart-ford’s Francisco Loera leads the way to the finish line with Watervliet’s Nick Swanson trailing by a few steps Thursday during the Teske Invitational. Loera took 15th place overall with Swanson finishing 16th. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

The Coloma boys’ and girls’ varsity cross country squads competed in the Fennville Invitational Saturday, September 9. With the race set at the Fenn Valley Winery in Saugatuck, the weather was picture perfect for a run.

Jenison won both the men’s and women’s divisions. Coloma’s boys’ team finished 11th, while the young ladies took seventh place.

Adiel Granados topped the Comets with his 10th place finish and time of 19:01.

Josh Young took 74th, while Ian Ishmael finished 77th. Their times were 22:42 and 22:56, respectively.

Blane Sutherland’s time of 23:35 earned him an 87th place finish.  Hunter Crist took 94th place (24:16).

For the young women, Emma Vandermolen finished first for Coloma in 15th place (23:14).  Abby Vandermolen took 24th place (23:43).

Vanessa Crisenbery raced to a 50th place finish (25:51). Gabrielle Ezell took 66th place (27:29) and Samantha Scott finished 86 (29:19). Hot on Scott’s heels was Amaria Echols in 87th place (29:20).

McKenzie Ecker took 90th (29:52), while Phoebe Browne finished 99th (30:27), and Kayla Walter ran to a 121st place finish (34:42).