Coloma flogs Fennville for first win of season

LEAP!… Zack Pickens leaps over a Constantine defender on his way down the field Friday. It was a heartbreaker for Watervliet as the Panthers lost 60-58, suffering their second loss this season. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

What a way to win your Homecoming game! The Comets of Coloma notched their first win of the season with a 40-22 drubbing of Fennville last Friday.  Fennville’s first possession did not gain them much ground. Facing fourth and four, the Blackhawks were penalized for illegal procedure, which drew their punt team to the field.  Coloma drew first blood on their first possession. Zach Goodline, quarterback for the Comets, pitched the ball to Levi Wilkens who picked up a first down on a nice little run.  Goodline picked up the next first down on a 12 yard scamper. With 5:53 left on the clock in the first quarter, Goodline chugged into the end zone for the team’s first TD of the game. Derek Plitt booted the point after and Coloma took an early 7-0 lead.  But, Fennville fought back. The ‘Hawks scored with 2:56 left in the quarter on a six yard run and scored on the two point conversion. Fennville snatched the lead from the Comets, 8-7.  The second quarter was all Coloma. Goodline scored his second touchdown of the night on a three yard run. Plitt knocked the ball through the uprights again, and Coloma led 14-8.  Coloma’s Zach Lake grabbed a six yard pass from Goodline for another quick six. Plitt’s kick was no good, but the Comets led 20-8.  In their third score of the second quarter, Goodline was on the receiving end of a Caleb McDaniel 12 yard pass. The two point conversion failed but Coloma took a commanding 26-8 lead at intermission.  Fennville’s defense came out of the locker room ready to play in the third period. They held the Comets scoreless. The ‘Hawks did manage to find the end zone once for six points, but the two point conversion failed. Coloma enjoyed a 26-14 lead.  But, the Comets did not rest on their laurels. Caleb McDaniel hit the end zone on a one yard, and Plitt resumed his kicking prowess booting the point after attempt. Coloma led 33-14.  On their final scoring drive, Coloma’s Levi Wilkens ran 44 yards for a touchdown. Plitt’s kick was good, giving the Comets 40 points to Fennville’s 14. The Blackhawks did find the end zone one more time, scoring eight points on a TD and two point conversion. Coloma happily scored their first win of the season 40-22.  Goodline was two of four at QB for 45 yards and one touchdown. McDaniel was one of one for 12 yards and one TD.  McDaniel caught one pass for 39 yards.  Goodline’s one reception added 12 yards and one TD to his stat line.  Lake caught one pass for six yards and a TD, and Wilkens picked up two yards on one catch.  Wilkens also rushed nine times for 110 yards and one TD.  Lake carried the ball 19 times for 62 yards. Goodline netted 60 yards on 21 carries, including a 31 yard pick up. McDaniel rushed for 28 yards and one TD on seven carries.  Defensively for Coloma Christian Hudson led the charge with eight tackles and one assist. Wilkens had four tackles. Jamane Smith Jr. contributed three tackles, one assist, and two forced fumbles.  Calvin Hutchinson, Goodline, and Sergio Hernandez added three tackles apiece. Lake had two tackles and one sack.  Danny Najacht, Zane Lute, and Kendrick Simms notched two tackles apiece.  Coloma totaled 287 yards to Fennville’s 250. The Comets ran 71 plays and earned 17 first downs. The squad did not have any turnovers.  Coloma, now 1-5, is home again this Friday hosting 3-3 Kalamazoo United.

GOODLINE GOES FOR THE GOAL LINE… Coloma’s varsity football team notched their first win of the season Friday against Fennville 44-22. Coloma quarterback Zach Goodline scampers to the goal line for a touchdown in the first quarter. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

Panther Football foiled by Falcons

 Watervliet welcomed Constantine to the gridiron Friday in a Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore division game. Unfortunately for Watervliet, Constantine nipped the Panthers 60-58 in a game that featured plenty of scoring by both sides.  Both squads scored in the first period, taking an 8-8 tie into the second quarter.  It was then that Watervliet put on quite an exhibition. The Panthers scored 28 points on the strength of quarterback Cam Rendo, Garrett Matthews, Zack Pickens, and one heck of a stand by the Watervliet defense.  With the score Watervliet 14 Constantine 20, Constantine scored another TD with 8:56 left in the quarter to take a 21-14 lead.  Watervliet responded with a Rendo throw to Pickens who looked trapped by the Constantine defense. But, Pickens swiveled out of the grasp of Constantine defenders and gained big yardage.  A few short plays later, Pickens picked up six points on a 43 yard screen pass to the left side at with just over eight minutes left in the quarter.  The two point conversion pitch to Pickens from Rendo was good and Watervliet took a one point lead, 22-21.  Constantine responded with a touchdown with just under five minutes of play left in the second quarter. Their offense drove straight through the Watervliet d-line for the TD. The Falcons added another two points on the conversion and regained the lead 29-22.  Brad Yazel on Watervliet’s special teams recovered the ensuing onside kick. It did not take much for Watervliet to score again.  Rendo took a high snap, tipped the ball in the air before snatching it up and broke left.  He picked up 45 yards on his way to the end zone. The rush for two points failed and Watervliet trailed 29-28 with 3:20 left in the half.  Constantine’s next possession saw a dominating performance by the Watervliet defense.  With fourth down and inches to go, the Watervliet “D” stuffed the Falcons and got the ball back on downs and into the hands of the Panther offense.  Again, it was Rendo who made the play – with a little help from Matthews. Rendo got caught in traffic and looked to be heading for the turf courtesy of a Constantine sack when he stepped out of trouble and threw a bomb to Matthews.  Matthews caught the ball after it sailed through the open hands of a Constantine defender.  Another nice catch by Matthews gave Watervliet great field position and Rendo cast his magic again. This time, the quarterback held onto the ball and zigzagged his way into the end zone with 27 seconds left on the clock. The two point conversion was caught by Tyler Brant and Watervliet left the field at intermission holding a 36-29 lead.  It was a different Watervliet team that took the field in the second half. The Panthers allowed Constantine to score 23 points in the third quarter. Watervliet added 16 points, and as the clock wound down the game was all tied up at 52 apiece.  It all came down to this: the fourth quarter. Neither team was interested in giving up yardage or easy points. Defenses held fast and every yard had to be earned.  Constantine scored on a TD and two point conversion. Watervliet scored on a touchdown but was unable to convert the two yards needed to tie the game and force overtime. The Falcons nipped the Panthers for the win.  Rendo was six of 13 for 115 yards. He threw two touchdown passes and one interception.  Matthews was Rendo’s receiver of the night. The sophomore grabbed three passes for 52 yards. Brant caught two passes for 25 yards and one touchdown.  Pickens hauled in one pass for 38 yards and a TD.  Rendo was the team’s top rusher. He carried the ball 31 times for 204 yards and five TDs. Pickens picked up one TD and 20 carries on the ground for 166 yards. LA Smith rushed for 18 yards on one carry.  Rendo accounted for 319 of his team’s 503 total yards.  Watervliet is now tied with Constantine and Delton Kellogg atop the SAC Lakeshore division standings. This week, Watervliet celebrates Homecoming with a matchup against Delton Kellogg. DK is enjoying a three game win streak. But, Watervliet will be looking to avenge last week’s loss, so expect a high scoring game by the Panthers.

Hartford Football run over by Rams

 Hartford lost their Southwestern Athletic Conference Central division game against Galesburg-Augusta on Friday, 28-20.  With the loss, Hartford is now 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the SAC – Central.  Hartford’s lone win this season came last week against Bangor, who dropped their sixth game of the season Friday. Prior to their win, the Indians suffered a four game losing streak.  Hartford will head for Lawton on Friday in another SAC conference game. Lawton is 5-1 overall this season, having suffered their first loss of the season Friday against Schoolcraft.

Coloma Volleyball clutch against Watervliet

 Coloma Volleyball came up big against Watervliet in a conference match on Tuesday, September 27.  Coloma and Watervliet kept pace point for point through most of the first game. After tying the contest up at 16-16, Coloma buckled down. The Lady Comets went on to tally the 25-19 win in game one.  It was a blink-and-you-might-miss-it second game for the squads. Coloma took a commanding lead and bounced Watervliet 25-4.   Watervliet was unable to recover and lost game three, 25-14.  Coloma was led by Kayla Yore who had five kills, 24 assists, four aces, 17 digs, and three blocks. Kelly Walter pitched in 25 kills, two aces, eight digs, and eight blocks.  Morgan Wagner added nine kills, four aces, and 14 digs. Mya Potter hit one ace and accounted for 20 digs.  Nicolle Larson tallied two kills, five aces, and six digs. Alyssa Dillenbeck served up one ace and had five digs. Jenna Walter contributed one kill, nine assists, four digs, and one block. Mika Anderson had three digs, while Hannah Mathis notched three digs and one block.  Watervliet was led by Logan Mizwicki who had two kills, two block assists, and eight digs. Katie Schultz posted three kills, two block assists, and one dig. Mercede Daugherty had 13 assists, one kill, one block, and five digs.  Zoe Smith added five kills and eight digs, while Maggie Lynch had eight digs. Kara Liles blocked three shots and had two kills, while Grace Smith contributed 11 digs and one kill.

Coloma, Hartford, Watervliet runners hit the SAC Jamboree #2

 The skies may have been gloomy Wednesday, September 28 but the rain held off for the most part during the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s second jamboree of the season. The race was held at Eau Claire High School.  With nine teams competing, the runners of Coloma, Hartford, and Watervliet had their work cut out for them. In the women’s division, Saugatuck won the championship with 19 points. Watervliet took third place (86 points), while Hartford finished fifth (151) and Coloma took eighth (178).  Watervliet was led by Allie Pazera, who finished sixth overall with a time of 21:16.68. Teammate Taylor Shafer finished 15th (22:59). Jade Miller took 24th place (23:58.11), and Bailey Evans crossed the finish line in 26th place (24:09.90).  Alyssa Hobson earned a 32nd place finish (24:39.73), and Brenda Hess finished in 61st place (33:17.74). Natalie Wesaw set a new personal record with her time of 40:38.91; she finished 64th.  Hartford was led by Angela Saldana who raced to a 27th place finish and time of 24:19.76. Marisol Robles ended the race in 30th place (24:39.04). Isabell Heminger took 41st place (26:02.86) while Maria Gutierrez finished 46th (27:12.01).  Evelin Ugalde’s time of 27:33.74 landed her in 50th place. Mariela Gutierrez took 57th (29:48.21). Jessica Cortes set a new personal record with her time of 32:34.75. Cortez finished in 60th place.  Coloma was led by freshman Marissa Sherburn. She finished 23rd and set a new personal record (23:57.63).  Teammate Amaria Echols also set a new PR. She finished in 40th place with a time of 25:54.81.  Vanessa Crisenbery took 44th (26:42.04), and Julia Sternaman finished 58th (29:53.94) with a new personal record.  For the men, Watervliet’s effort earned them a third place (86 points) behind champion Saugatuck (25 points) and Bangor (49 points).  Jobe Kerr continued to dominate the competition. He finished second overall with a time of 17:23.78. Klayton Marshall set a new PR with a time of 18:57.62; he finished in 22nd place.  Dominick Tavolacci took 25th (19:01.71), and Brent Simmons finished 30th (19:16.07). Gus Hinch ended his run in 38th place (19:59.10), while Nick Swanson followed one place behind with a time of 20:00.68.  Austin Roberts finished 43rd (20:33.40), and Kody Edmonds (20:47.70) and Alex Isbrecht (20:48.58) finished 46th and 47th, respectively.  Haydon Richards ran to a 50th place finish (21:05.62), while Rick Ertman took 54th (21:32.12).  Trevor Pelton finished 60th (22:48.25) after setting a new PR.  Tom Swanson took 62nd place (23:38.73), and Josh Gruszczyk finished with a time of 26:14.37 and a 66th place finish.  Coloma’s team total of 188 points gave them a sixth place finish. The Comets were led by Greg Olsen’s time of 19:41.02; he finished in 33rd place overall.  Josh Young took 40th place (20:09.33), and Bryton Fitzgerald finished the day off with a new PR of 22:44.36 and 58th place finish.  Adiel Granados took 61st place (22:59.02).  Hartford’s squad earned 190 points and finished in seventh place, just two points away from rival Coloma in sixth place.  Francisco Loera led the Indians. He took 37th place (19:57.59).  Tristan Hanners (21:22.56) and Blair McMeeken (21:27.14) finished 52nd and 53rd place, respectively.  James Lucero earned a 56th place finish (22:31.21), and Francisco Medrano set a new PR with his 71st place finish time of 35:28.27. Zak Romhilt finished in 72nd place (37:26.74).

Hartford Volleyball

 Hartford’s Varsity Volleyball team opened their week of play on Tuesday, September 27 hosting Bangor. The Indians did not fare well against the Vikings and lost three games.  On Thursday, September 29, Hartford was able to turn things around and walloped Bloomingdale 25-14, 25-20, 25-15 for their fourth win of the season.  Sarah Rice had one ace, four kills, and 14 digs for Hartford. Amber Martin notched 12 kills, 24 digs, and six assists. AJ Jackson tallied three kills, 15 digs, and two blocks.  Olivia Ziemer contributed one ace and 16 digs. Ellie Valdes added seven kills and one block.  Olivia Kling had five kills and 14 assists. Ashley Kling hit three aces, while Amara Wesaw smacked two.  Jasmine Solis was credited with one assist, and Brynn Duffy blocked two shots.

Watervliet Volleyball tripped up at River Valley Invitational

KLING’S FLING… Olivia Kling of Hartford volleyball sends the orb flying last Tuesday in a game against Bangor at home. The Indians lost the match. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

Watervliet’s Varsity Volleyball team participated in the River Valley Volleyball invitational Saturday, October 1.  Of the seven teams who took the court, Watervliet earned their way to a number three seed after pool play.  In pool play, the Lady Panthers were downed by Dowagiac 28-26, 25-18, 21-25. Watervliet then faced Michigan Lutheran across the net and lost three games 25-21, 25-21, 25-14.  In bracket play, the Lady Panthers faced Bridgman and lost three games.  For the tournament, Watervliet’s Mercede Daugherty had 56 assists, seven kills, three blocks, three aces, and 17 digs. Logan Mizwicki tallied 12 kills, two blocks, two aces, and 25 digs. Zoe Smith hit 13 kills, two blocks, eight aces, and three digs.  Katie Schultz added seven kills, four blocks, and one ace for Watervliet. Kara Liles contributed 24 kills, eight blocks, and one ace.  Ariana Rowe had seven kills and four blocks.  Grace Smith provided the team with two kills, four aces, and 32 digs, while Katie Clark had six kills and three blocks. Hartford Soccer adds two “Ws” to the record book  The Varsity Soccer squad at Hartford continues to roll through the 2016 season in fine fashion. The team notched two more wins this past week.  On Monday, September 26, the Indians were victorious over Kalamazoo Hackett. William Martinez scored in the lone goal in the first half of play, while Hartford held Hackett scoreless.  Hackett got on the board in the second half, when they tied the game up 1-1.  It was a battle between teams during the penalty kick phase, before Hartford grabbed the win on their last opportunity.  Jake Griffith was in at keeper for the Indians and recorded 18 saves.  In their second game of the week, Hartford topped Marcellus 8-3. Seven different players scored goals for the Indians, showing what a balanced approach they have on the field.  Brandon Galvan led Hartford with two goals.  William Martinez scored one goal and had an assist.  Roy Rodriguez, Fernando Alvarez, Michel Calderon, and Ulises Bacilio scored one goal apiece.  Rudy Martinez handled netting duties for the Indians. He tallied three saves.

Coloma Soccer wins, wins, wins

 Coloma Soccer began a brilliant week of play on Monday, September 27 with an 8-0 shutout of Gobles on the road.  Antonio Gagliardo scored two goals. Kobe Hunter, Matt Kelly, Tyler Sherrill, Teo Bravo, Grant Kroschel, and Vinny Tavolacci scored one goal apiece.  Sherrill was credited with two assists, while Zack Heater and Steven Trosper notched one apiece.  Kroschel and Erik Jarvis shared goalkeeper duties in the net.  The Comet defense was on point and did not allow Gobles to take a shot.  On Wednesday, September 29 Coloma faced off at home against Lawton. Mark it in the books: Coloma recorded their second shutout in two games, besting Lawton 6-0.  Kobe Hunter continued his dominating performance this season by kicking four goals. He was assisted by Matt Kelly on two shots and Austin Russell and Zack Hunter on one each.  Shawn Moore scored for the Comet squad after Sherrill sent the ball flying his way.  Sherrill also got in on the scoring action, recording one goal.  Kroschel was in at keeper and notched one save.  Saturday, October 1 found the Comets on the road in Vicksburg. Coloma kicked their way to a 4-1 nonconference match victory.  Vicksburg struck gold first, securing a 1-0 lead early in the first half.  Kobe Hunter responded 12 minutes later and booted a goal with an assist by Kelly. The game remained tied 1-1 at half-time.  In the second half, Hunter kicked another gem and gave the Comets a 2-1 lead. Nine minutes later Sherrill, with an assist by Hunter, scored for Coloma. The game stood at 3-1 until late in the game.  Jacob Bryant used his incredible foot action to drive a shot over the head of the keeper to score Coloma’s fourth and final goal of the game. Coloma’s record is 8-4 overall and 7-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

DETERMINED… Hartford’s Zak Romhilt heads toward the finish line last Wednesday at the SAC Jamboree in Eau Claire. Romhilt finished the race with a time of 37:26.74. (TCR photo by Kristy Noack)

Kerr and Pazera finish in Top Ten at Berrien County Championship

 The cross country teams of Coloma and Watervliet joined their Berrien County rivals at Madeline Bertram Park in Niles on Saturday, October 1 for the running of the Berrien County Championship.  Jobe Kerr, a senior at Watervliet, finished fourth overall with a time of 17:07.9.  He was joined in the top ten by a fellow Panther runner. Allie Pazera took seventh place overall in the girls’ division with a time of 21:11.9.  The Watervliet squad, led by Kerr, took third place overall, finishing behind St. Joe and Bridgman.  Nick Swanson set a new PR as he finished the race in 19:09.8 and in 27th place. Klayton Marshall (19:11.6) and Brent Simmons (19:13.3) took 28th and 29th place, respectively.  Haydon Richards finished 37th (19:36.5) and Austin Roberts took 39th place (19:44.7).  Gus Hinch’s time of 19:49.4 was good for 41st place, and Alex Isbrecht came in in 55th place (20:38.2) sporting a new PR.  Kody Edmonds took 68th place (21:08.6), while Tom Swanson finished 70th and Rick Ertman took 71st place with times of 21:13.4 and 21:20.1, respectively.  Isaac Willmoth finished 82nd (22:33.5).  Trevor Pelton took 84th (22:50.5). Josh Gruszczyk placed 96th (27:20).  Coloma’s Josh Young set a new PR with his time of 19:31.8. He finished in 35th place. Greg Olsen crossed the finish line in 43rd place (19:58.4).  Adiel Granados took 52nd place (20:29.2), and Bryton Fitzgerald finished 89th (23:40.2).  For the Lady Panthers and Lady Comets, Watervliet took fourth place overall with 111 points. They finished behind champion St. Joe, Lakeshore, and Niles. Coloma’s effort earned the Comets a ninth place finish.  Trailing Pazera was Taylor Shafer. She finished in 17th place with a time of 22:08. Bailey Evans’ time of 23:25.8 gave her a 33rd place finish.  Jade Miller’s time of 23:44.8 set a new PR for the runner who finished in 44th place. Alyssa Hobson took 49th (24:11.1), and Brenda Hess finished 94th (33:32.6).  Coloma was boosted by Marissa Sherburn’s time of 24:46 and 54th place finish. Gabrielle Ezell took 70th after she set a new PR of 25:54.1.  Vanessa Crisenbery also set a new personal record; her finish time of 26:38.2 was good for 76th place. Amaria Echols ran to an 82nd place finish (27:47.5), and Julia Sternaman finished 91st (30:10.3).

Coloma AYSO Soccer

By Jennifer Fardello

Monday, September 19

U10B

Blue Lightning tied 4-4 against St. Joe team 6. Scoring for Blue Lightning was Tyler Kuehl with 3 and Jacob Alvarado 1.

U12G

The Dragons were defeated by St. Joe team 1, 5-0.

Wednesday, September 21

U12B

The Cupcakes defeated St. Joe team 4, winning 5-1. Scoring for The Cupcakes were Ernesto Rodarte with 4 and Zach Hastings with 1.

Thursday, September 22

U14

The Stingers defeated Lakeshore 4-3. Scoring for The Stingers were Drew Vanlente and Mercedes Requenes.

Saturday, September 24

U6

The Dinosaurs faced off against The Polar Bears. Playing for The Dinosaurs were Paxton Brethauer, Timmy Dibble, Adele Finehout and Aimee James. Playing for The Polar Bears were Zeke Fort, Camden Poole, Xavi Ramirez and Aubrey Winnell.  The Blue Jays faced off against Lightning.  Playing for The Blue Jays were Parker Duffield, Gabriel Thatcher, Violet Wolf and Landon Wolford. Playing for Lightning were Samuel Casiano, Jathan Dill, Gavin Downey, Clayton Lehnert and Aiden Sullivan.  The Lizards faced off against The Warriors. Playing for The Lizards were Froylan Flores, Henry Menz, Liam Mullin, Raeghan Prestidge and Brady Pullins.  Playing for The Warriors were Nehemias Bazan, Bradyn Fuller, Noah Fuller, Noah Hutchins and Conner Peek.

U8

The Green Wolves defeated The Blue Bombers 7-1.  Scoring for The Green Wolves were Brayden Harasewicz 3, Nathan Harasewicz 2, Mason Micelles and Wyatt Wagner with 1 goal each. Scoring for The Blue Bombers was Santiago Nava Aviles.  The Yellow Jackets defeated The Jaguars 3-1.  Scoring for The Yellow Jackets were Jairo Lorenzo 1 and Niomi Perez with 2 goals. Scoring for The Jaguars was Charlie Gagliardo.  The Lightning Bolts were defeated by The Shooters.  Scoring for The Lightning Bolts were Matthew Cowgill with 3 goals and Dylan Gargano with 1 goal. Scoring for The Shooters was Nathanael Grabovac with 3 goals and Raymundo with 2 goals.

U10G

The Pink Tigers defeated The Purple Rock Stars 5-1. Scoring for The Pink Tigers was Amelia Poole with 3 goals, Alyssa Brown and Mackenzie Holbein with 1 goal each. Scoring for The Purple Rock Stars was Ella Isbrecht.

U10B

The Goblins defeated Dowagiac Team 1, 6-2. Scoring for The Goblins were Dylan Kuehnle 5 goals and Yanel Nava Aviles 1 goal.  Team Galaxy defeated Blue Lightning 6-1. Scoring for team Galaxy were Parra with 5 goals and Adrian Flores with 1 goal. Scoring for Blue Lightning was Tyler Kuehl.

U12G

The Purple Tigers defeated The Dragons 4-0. Scoring for The Purple Tigers were Eva Fardello, Madison Gremore, Mykaylah Schwanke and Hannah Wagner with 1 goal each.

U12B

The Cupcakes defeated Team Thunder 5-0. Scoring for The Cupcakes were Zach Hastings with 3 goals and Anthony Mejia and Ernesto Rodarte with 1 goal each.

U14

The Stingers were defeated by Dowagiac 6-1. Scoring for The Stingers was Drew Vanlente.

U10 EXTRA

Coloma wins 8-0 against Mattawan. Scoring goals were Kameron Kuehnle and Jacob Alvarado with 2 goals and Adan Olivo, Lillian Wolf, Dylan Kuehnle and Mackenzie Holbein with 1 goal each.

Martin Truex Jr. wins handily at Dover;  second round of Chase competition is set

 Martin Truex Jr. certainly was not messing around Sunday at Dover International Speedway. Truex closed out the opening round of NASCAR’s Chase for the Championship in dominating fashion, winning the Citizen Soldier 400. Truex Jr. could have coasted to victory lane; there was no other contender even close to challenging him on the final go-round.  Troubles aplenty brewed for quite a few drivers. From ignition problems to bumping the wall to tire issues a few racers struggled to compete; only six drivers finished on Sunday’s lead lap. The race was without any major calamity; there were only four caution periods.  The running at Dover closed out the first round of Chase competition, and the field of championship-qualified drivers dropped from 16 to 12.  Truex Jr. began the race on the outside of lane one, led 187 laps, and notched his fourth win this season and seventh of his career.  Kyle Busch claimed the runner-up spot. He led 102 laps.  Chase Elliott finished third. Pole sitter Brad Keselowski took fourth place and led seven laps during the event.  Matt Kenseth drove his ride to a fifth place finish.  Jimmie Johnson led 90 laps on Sunday, and Greg Biffle headed the line of cars for seven laps. Jeff Gordon, back in the saddle for Dale Earnhardt Jr., led seven laps and finished in 10th place.  Twelve drivers move on in round two competition. Those fortunate enough to still be in the race include Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, and Austin Dillon.  Four drivers did not gain enough points or secure a win required to move on. Falling from the competition were Tony Stewart who will be retiring after the season is over, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, and Chris Buescher.  The twelve qualified drivers will battle for wins at Charlotte, Kansas, and Talladega. If a driver wins in one of these three races, they automatically qualify for the next round. Remaining spots in each round are based on points.  Following the next three races, eight drivers move one step closer to hoisting the championship trophy.  Get ready for Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte.  Truex Jr. won May’s Coca-Cola 500. Can he make it two in a row and guarantee his spot in the elite eight.

Lynch’s best record lands him in first place

By Kristy Noack

Two weeks ago Rodney Lynch was tied with Greg Krell for first place in the Tri-City Record Armchair Quarterback contest. Last week, Lynch dropped out of first into second place just one game out of the top spot. This week he roared into sole possession of first place after going 6-2 with the week’s best record.  Each week six local sports fans become predictors of the pigskin game, foretelling the winners of eight contests. At the end of the season, one AQB will stand alone and win a sporty championship cap.  In the event that two or more quarterbacks wind up with the same record in a week, their place in the standings is determined by the tie-breaker game. One game is picked and the AQBs must determine how many points will be scored in that matchup.  RoxAnn Rodney-Isbrecht, last year’s winner, had the second best record this week, going 5-3. She is in second place after six weeks of competition.  Greg Krell, Tim Hildebrand, and Chris Leach all went 4-4 this week, so the tie-breaker game played into their rankings.   Detroit and Chicago both, essentially, had miserable weeks on the field, which continue their miserable weeks thus far in their respective seasons. Total points scored were 31. With his 38 point guess Hildebrand finishes the week in third place, with Krell capturing fourth place based on his 52 point guess. Leach takes fifth place on her 56 point guess.  Tom Gear’s 3-5 record earned him sixth place for the week. It was a rough outing indeed for Gear.  Lynch is now one game in the lead with his 37-11 overall record. Krell drops one game out of first place and is now 36-12 and in second place.  Rodney-Isbrecht holds a 35-13 record and is just two games from first place and one behind Krell.  Hildebrand is in fourth place with a 34-14 record, just three games away from the top spot.  Gear fell to fifth place and is 29-19 this season.  He dropped one game further from first.  Leach is drawing ever closer to Gear, moving one game closer with her 26-22 record.  Last week all six of our superstars were burned by Indiana besting the Michigan State Spartans and by Chicago topping Detroit. Let us see how they do this week with the following games:

Delton Kellogg @ Watervliet

Hartford @ Lawton

Kalamazoo United @ Coloma

Michigan @ Rutgers

Notre Dame @ NC State

BYU @ Michigan State

Chicago @ Indianapolis

Philadelphia @ Detroit

The tie-breaker game will be Watervliet’s Homecoming Game against Delton-Kellogg.

Which masterful maestro of the turf will be in first place next week? Find out in the pages of your Tri-City Record!