11-14-2019 Tri-City Area Sports

Coloma Press Box By Dave Vollrath

Comet Volleyball falls in exciting 1st round matchup with Paw Paw in 5 sets

The Coloma Comet Volleyball team coached by Kim Swisher headed into the Division 2 state district play, looking to make it to the district finals for the second straight year. If they could get past a below .500 Paw Paw team, the path looked like a doable one. Benton Harbor was waiting to face the winner for the next matchup, and the Tigers were another team that was primed to be knocked off in a path to the district finals.

HUDDLE UP… Coloma head coach Kim Swisher surrounded by her team gives them their last minute instructions before beginning the 5th and deciding set in district action on Nov. 4. The Comets lost a heartbreaking match to Paw Paw to get knocked out of the state tourna-ment run by scores of 20-25, 25-14, 25-19, 19-25, and 7-15. (TCR photo by Dave Vollrath)

In the first round of district play on Monday, Nov. 4, Paw Paw jumped out to an early lead in the first set, but the Comets kept it close before falling by a score of 25-20. Marissa Sherburn and Megan Neubecker, two of the Comet seniors, were playing strong all night after a bit of a slow start. But they, along with their Comet teammates, dominated the next two sets and won them in fairly easy fashion, 25-14 and 25-19.

The Comets who hosted their district last season, and surprisingly made it to the finals where they fell to a strong Lakeshore team, looked like they had all the momentum going their way heading into the 5th and deciding set. With each point the Comets were gaining in confidence and enthusiasm. The fifth set however, the Paw Paw girls, got a couple of quick points, and then a few lucky breaks on shots that could have gone in Coloma’s favor. But when the deciding set only goes to 15 points, there wasn’t enough time for the Comets to come all the way back. They eventually fell in this final set by a score of 15-7, and their season was suddenly over.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when it looked for most of the night that Coloma had the stronger team. But that doesn’t always mean it’s going to work out that way. These kinds of endings are always especially tough for the seniors, because they know their high school career is over and it just always seems to come as a shock.

Marissa Sherburn finished the night with six kills, three digs and five blocks. Kelsey Ellis had one kill and 18 digs. Maddie McQuillan had three kills, 29 assists, 12 digs and one block. Gracie Whitaker had two kills, one ace, four digs and one block. Maurissa LaGrow had 13 digs. Taryn Blazier had 10 kills, four aces, and 12 digs.

Megan Neubecker in her final game as a Comet had 18 kills, nine aces, eight digs, and five blocks. Mia Cole had limited action but finished with three digs, while Addy Kimmerly had 13 digs on the night.

The Coloma Comet program under head coach Kim Swisher, who is assisted by Lorraine Teed and Tami Gear, showed great improvement once again this year and will have quite a few talented players returning next year.

IN UNISON… Coloma Comets junior #8 Taryn Blazier and senior #1 Marissa Sherburn go up over the net, as #2 senior Kelsey Ellis stands ready, in action against Paw Paw. The Lady Comets played the Paw Paw Redskins in first round district play at South Haven. The Comets lost an exciting 5-set match, ending their season. (TCR photo by Dave Vollrath)

Coloma Comet football season

finishes strong, showing promise for next year

The 2019 Coloma Comet Football team finished the season with a 3-6 record, but there is much more to the story than that record would indicate. The Coloma team had a rough start to the season, having to play their first three games on the road. September 20 was the date of their first home game, a very unusual schedule for a high school team.

Also in looking back on the Comets’ schedule regarding the six losses suffered by the Comets, all six of them were to teams that eventually made it into the playoffs. In addition to that stat, two of those teams finished the regular season undefeated.

Brandywine finished with a record of 9-0 before falling in the first round of the playoffs, and Berrien Springs was 8-0, but they too fell in the first round of the playoffs. Both of those non conference teams lost in the playoffs to SAC teams who beat the Comets in the regular season, just to show how strong the conference was.

The Comets offense struggled mightily during the first half of the season with the low point coming as they were shut out in three consecutive games, by Berrien Springs, Constantine, and Kalamazoo United with two of those lopsided losses coming before the Coloma home crowd. Coloma head coach Joe Stephens, following those three shutouts, scrapped much of his regular offense and instituted some drastic changes, which made the offense much more effective. The Comets put 90 points on the scoreboard in the last three games, and finished the season with a 2-game winning streak. The last of those wins coming against their neighborhood rival Watervliet, in the 110th year that they’ve been facing one another.

The Comets, like always, will have to replace plenty of talented seniors, not only in talent but their leadership. Coach Stephens states that, “I’m really proud of the way our guys kept playing this year, and didn’t let a few injuries, or a few rough weeks, be an excuse for not finishing strong. We certainly did not get the results in the win column that we expected, but they learned some valuable lessons about life, and getting knocked down a few times, but always getting back up and continuing to battle.”

Coach Stephens also stated that even though they will be losing some seniors, they still have plenty to look forward to as they will continue to build on the offensive changes they made late in the season. They had plenty of young talent step up and show what they have to offer for next year. If they take their off season programs as seriously as they should then they have a great opportunity to leave their mark on the program in a positive way.

Earning all-conference honors for the Comets this year were 1st team Cole Alsup, James Clay, Kenyon Boyd, and Nick Santarlas. Second teamers were Charlie Cullitan, Ian Ishmael, and Jackson Hodges. All region and all state honors have not yet been announced.

Hartford Prress Box By Jerrod Birmele

Hartford volleyball season ends abruptly in district finals

Last week, the Hartford Indian Volleyball team took the court in district play, traveling to a neutral site at Watervliet with an opportunity to bring home a district trophy for the first time in nearly two decades. The Lady Indians have been on a slide as of late, but the postseason means every team starts fresh with a 0-0 record. With five very close, yet competitive teams in the bracket, the team knew it was a wide open field as to who would take the crown and move on.

In their district semifinal match against Bloomingdale on Wednesday, Nov. 6, the Lady Indians and the Lady Cardinals played a very competitive four-set match. The two teams played each other in the regular season and in the Southwest 10 Conference tournament, with Hartford winning the regular season match-up and Bloomingdale winning a two-set match in the conference tournament. For the first time in over a month, the Lady Indians were victorious, taking the match 25-16, 21-25, 25-16 and 25-15.

In terms of statistics, Hartford was led in aces by Jessica Cardoso and Ariah Jordan with four aces each. Alexis Snodgrass led the team in kills with 11, while Megan Nelson added 10 kills and Khashya McCoy posted six kills. Nelson led the team in digs with 28, while Lainey Goodson and Descenya Rodarte added 14 digs each. Other statistical leaders included Gillian Kuehnle and Nelson with 14 assists each and Snodgrass with two blocks.

In their district final match against Gobles one night later, on Thursday, Nov. 7, the Lady Indians and Lady Tigers were playing each other for the first time this season. It would be a tough match for Hartford, as Gobles may have brought a smaller roster, but they made up for it in size, as they had some tall, yet athletic, players that could play on the front or back row with no problem. The final result saw the Lady Indians season end, as the Lady Tigers swept the match in straight sets: 25-14, 25-15 and 25-20.

In terms of statistics, Hartford was led in aces by Lainey Goodson with four, while Gillian Kuehnle served two aces and Ariah Jordan posted one ace. Megan Nelson led the team in kills with eight, while Alexis Snodgrass added two kills. Jordan led the team in digs with 14, while Goodson added 12 digs and Karla Robles posted 11 digs. Other statistical leaders included Kuehnle with six assists and Snodgrass with one block.

Hartford finishes the season with a record of 11-35. The season was a roller-coaster of emotions for the team, from the highs of dominating victories to the lows of crushing defeats. Yes, the record is the thing most people will remember. But, for those fans who watched the Lady Indians throughout the year, they will remember a team that played hard to the very end, and also remember a team that played together, even when times were rough.

Congratulations to Head Coach Patty Matheny and her coaching staff, along with the volleyball team, on making it to the district finals!

Hartford winter sports on the horizon!

Well, Hartford fans, it seems like just last week we were writing about fall sports, and now, the colors have changed, the temperatures have fallen like a rock, and there is snow on the ground! Time flies by these days, and because of that, it is time for the Hartford Press Box to begin preparing for winter sports season. Athletes will soon be hitting the courts and mats in the coming days and weeks, preparing for those early contests before taking a break for holidays.

All winter sports practices will begin Monday, Nov. 18. That date is the first official day that practices can start, according to the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) calendar. Hartford athletes are encouraged to check with their specific coach for practice dates and times. Athletes are also reminded that they must have a physical on file with the athletic office, and have their athletic forms filled out online through the FinalForms website. Athletes, parents and guardians can visit http://www.hpsathletics.org for more information. The Hartford Press Box is gearing up for another fantastic season of Indian Athletics, as we prepare to give readers the best insider coverage of boys and girls Basketball, Competitive Cheerleading and Wrestling in the months ahead. Before the winter sports schedule begins in December, season previews will be forthcoming in the next few weeks. So, stay tuned to get a first look at the athletes and teams that will compete for the green and white this year.

As always, GO INDIANS!

Press Box Player of Week

By John Oliphant

Press Box Player of the Week for November 14, 2019 is Nick Polaskey, senior on the Watervliet High School Varsity Football team. Nick was recently named to SAC First Team All-Conference for his outstanding defensive play for the Panthers this season. He was also named the team’s defensive MVP, and had 71 tackles and one interception. Nick moved from safety in 2018 to a middle linebacker position this season, and was also a top receiver on the offense.

Nick said, “My favorite part of the past football season was being able to drop everything going on in my life in the locker room and enjoy the game on the practice and playing field. I enjoy being able to fly around and hit people, and I would say I was pretty successful at that this year.”

He also said that Coach Tremblay is good at not just teaching the game, but teaching his players how to be successful young adults.

Nick keeps himself busy during the winter playing club soccer and hockey, but his favorite sport is baseball and he’ll be on the Panther’s team in the spring for the third season. In warm weather Nick likes to hang out with his family and friends, go out on the big lake, and catch ballgames on the south side in Chicago. In addition, he is a fan of the MSU Spartans.

Nick loves being a peer-to-peer mentor to students at North Elementary, where he works with Mrs. Laws and Mrs. Graffenius and their students.

His favorite class in school is math, and he’s taking business classes at Lake Michigan College. He intends to study for a year at LMC after graduation, then transfer to Western Michigan or Hope College to study business and elementary education. His long-range plans include owning a business, coaching youth sports, and teaching.

Congratulations Nick!

Watervliet Press Box by John Oliphant

Panther Football awards

Watervliet Football teams recently held their post-season awards banquet. Coach Josh Tremblay talked about the team’s season and handed out individual awards. The 2019 season didn’t have many bright spots as the team finished with a 2-7 record and limped to the finish line against Coloma. But as tough as this season got the boys never gave up and those that remained fought all the way to the end.

So what happened to the Panther program from a couple years ago? One factor is a pair of small classes came through the system making for smaller than usual teams in 2018 and 2019. This years’ team had just seven seniors, allowing coaches to pull up two sophomores and two freshmen, all of whom got significant playing time against older and often much bigger opponents.

Special shout out goes to freshman Tyson Williams who was called up after just one JV game to drive the offense. The tall and poised quarterback learned fast and played well. Fellow freshman Royce Daugherty was a solid lineman and is a name to watch as well. Next year’s team will have at least 10 seniors and a big group of juniors coming up, and the classes behind them are as big and talented as any in the past. Stay tuned.

Awards presented at the banquet include senior Nick Polaskey being named to the 1st Team All-Conference squad. The defensive linebacker led the Panthers with 71 tackles and had an interception. He also hauled in eight passes for 65 yards on offense.

Junior Jordan Abney was also named to the 1st Team All-Conference squad. The wide receiver caught 27 passes for 427 yards, a fine 15.8 average per catch. He scored three touchdowns and three two-point conversions. He was also solid on defense with 40 tackles, four interceptions and several passes defended. Jordan also scored two rushing touchdowns. He was the team’s top kick returner averaging a spectacular 24.6 yards per return on 14 attempts.

Evan Hutchins, Don Smith, and Isaiah Yazel were named Honorable Mention on the all-conference team.

Yazel locked down the middle of the defense at linebacker, making 44 tackles. On offense the junior snapped every ball to the quarterback, on target all season long, then had to defend guys twice his size.

Hutchins had 41 tackles at the cornerback spot, and on offense caught 10 passes for 128 yards with three touchdowns and four two-point conversions. He rushed 13 times for 56 yards.

Smith was the team’s workhorse running back with 113 attempts for 627 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught six passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. At left outside linebacker he notched 32 tackles, recovered two fumbles, one interception, and scored two defensive touchdowns, one of those a 102-yard fumble recovery.

The most improved player in 2019 was Conner Underwood. The first-year sophomore played on the offensive line and at linebacker on defense. On defense he made 37 tackles, forced a fumble and recovered one.

The team voted Jordan Abney as the most valuable offensive player, and chose Nick Polaskey as the defensive MVP. The overall MVP award was presented to junior Don Smith III.

Coach Tremblay’s Panther Award was presented to senior Logan Geisler. Logan made six tackles on defense, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

Other defensive standouts include junior cornerback Logan Duscha with 35 tackles. Junior lineman Dylan Lawson had 26 tackles and forced a fumble. Sophomore cornerback Austin Wilmoth had 25 tackles, freshman Daugherty had 23 tackles and a fumble recovery, and junior linebacker Jerry Unger had 23 tackles and two fumble recoveries.

On offense, Williams completed 65 passes for 796 yards with seven touchdowns and nine two-point conversions. Duscha caught seven passes for 136 yards and a touchdown, and ran the ball 14 times when called on to fill in at quarterback. Unger caught six passes for 82 yards and ran the ball 18 times for 130 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Nave caught a couple passes and ran 18 times for 66 yards and one touchdown. Isaac Wilmoth rushed seven times for 22 yards, caught one pass for five yards, and 27 yards on two kickoff returns.

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Kieft leads Northwoods U

Bryant Kieft’s breakout sophomore season at Northwoods University continues as he leads the team with 274 receiving yards. The 2015 Watervliet graduate also leads the team in yards per catch with 24.9. In his most recent game he caught one pass for 20 yards in a loss to Davenport, and in the prior week caught two passes for 47 and 25 yards against Northern Michigan. Northwoods has one more game this season at Michigan Tech in Houghton.

Armchair QBs dusting off from a rough weekend, Lynch rides the wave of upsets

By Dave Vollrath

During travels this week in the Tri-Cities area, anyone that may run into one of our panel of football forecasters needs to be kind, say something nice, because our panel of pickers really took it on the chin this week, and they’ll need some comforting.

None on our panel was spared the wrath of the football gods, as Tim Hildebrand at 5-3 was our only panelist to finish above the .500 line. On Saturday the games that gave our group the most grief, as they had all picked MSU to prevail over perennial Big Ten doormat Illinois and Penn State to continue rolling toward a possible football playoff. The Illini and Golden Gophers however, had other ideas.

MSU coughed up a 25-point fourth quarter lead to lose in the final minute, disgusting everyone who bleeds that now reflective green color.

The Gophers had what could be the biggest upset in school history by knocking the Nittany Lions from the ranks of the unbeaten. Then the land of 10,000 lakes, turned into the land of 10,000 fans flooding the football field.

It was a rough weekend for our group, and after an overtime affair on Monday night football where Seattle won an overtime thriller against San Francisco, the corks were popping in Miami as the last unbeaten team in the NFL this year had lost that title.

Rodney Lynch our two-time defending champ, hung on to first by the skin of his teeth. Going into the Sunday NFL schedule Kathy Summers was breathing down his neck, one point behind, and if the Lowly Lions and the Bad News Bills had won, she would have taken over the first place spot from Rodney. It was not to be though as the Lions and Bills both got beat, and the battering of our group had continued.

The Tri-City Record Armchair Quarterback competition is held weekly from the beginning of the high school football season in late summer, until it finishes with the playing of the Super Bowl in February. We have six Tri-City area football fans competing against each other to predict the winners of a group of pre selected games from the high school, collegiate, and professional ranks. Following the conclusion of the Super Bowl, one winner is crowned champion and will have the honor of wearing the Tri-City Record Armchair Quarterback Championship hat.

In the event that two or more ‘backs have the same record for the week, or the yearly total, their place in the standings will be determined by a weekly tiebreaker game. In addition to trying to correctly pick the winners of each week’s games, they predict the score from a specially selected game. The AQB whom comes the closest to the total number of points scored by both teams will get the higher spot in the standings.

Tim Hildebrand had the best week finishing at 5-3, and moves back into a tie in overall standings with RoxAnn Rodney-Isbrecht, but stays in fourth place because of the tiebreaker. Rodney keeps his 3-point lead over Kathy, and RoxAnn remains in third. Dan Jones and Greg Krell each went 3-5 (ouch), and remains in 5th and 6th respectively.

Behind Tim’s 5-3 mark for the weekly honors, at 4-4 was RoxAnn, Rodney, and Kathy in that order based on the tiebreaker, a 47-41 affair with LSU winning against the Crimson Tide. Greg gets the weekly nod for the 5th spot over Dan, also based on the tiebreaker.

Be sure and check back next week because we know our pigskin prognosticators will be looking to get their A game back, as they have this list of games to try and get their MOJO back.

Michigan vs. Michigan State (Tiebreaker)

Navy vs. Notre Dame

Minnesota vs. Iowa

Wake Forest vs. Clemson

Georgia vs. Auburn

Dallas vs. Detroit

Chicago vs. LA Rams

New England vs. Philadelphia