Coloma Press Box
Football ends with 3-6 record after home defeat to Decatur
Last week, the Coloma Comet varsity football team hosted a non-conference foe, Decatur, to conclude the 2023 campaign. Having started the season with five straight losses, the Comets have battled back with two consecutive wins (three if you include a forfeit), to pull Coloma to a 3-5 record, which put the team into the conversation for the playoffs.
On a chilly, but dry evening Friday, Oct. 20, the team was looking to make one final regular season statement, defeat the Raiders for the ninth time in thirteen meetings, and likely secure a spot in the upcoming playoffs. The fan base showed up hoping to be in a celebratory mood at the end of the proceedings, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Coloma played a rough game on both sides of the ball, and the youthful Comets fell to visiting Decatur, 42-6. The loss meant that the squad fell out of the conversation for a playoff appearance, which was confirmed when the pairings were announced the following Sunday.
The majority of the first half was dominated by the visiting team, as the Raiders jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the opening twelve minutes. The second quarter went in a similar fashion for the most part. Coloma looked for a quick drive to try to cut into the deficit and would score their lone points of the night – on the very next kickoff. Zacorious Tanner fielded the kickoff at his own 9-yard line and took the ball 91-yards back ‘to the house’ for the Comet touchdown. The point-after attempt, a kick, was blocked and the Decatur lead was trimmed to 29-6, with 5:14 remaining in the first half.
Any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed late in the second quarter. After the Comets forced a turnover, they took over possession of the ball in their own territory in the final minute of play. Unfortunately, a pass slipped through the fingers of the receiver and into the hands of a Raider defender. The ball would be returned 29 yards for the defensive touchdown. After the point-after kick sailed through the uprights, the score was 36-6, which would be the halftime score.
As the second half began, Decatur would get the ball and take just mere seconds to put additional points on the scoreboard. The Raiders would receive the kick near midfield, and they would hit a hole on the outside and run 51-yards into the end zone for the score. The point-after attempt (a kick) missed wide left, making the score, 42-6.
The remainder of the third and fourth quarters was played under a running clock, because of the mercy rule. No additional scoring took place, despite both teams having opportunities to score, but could not convert.
Coloma finishes the season with a record of 3-6. Despite their final mark, the Comets have plenty to look forward to in the coming years. Looking ahead to next fall, Coloma will graduate just a handful of seniors, while possessing a solid core group of underclassmen that will have a year’s worth of playing experience under their wings. Congratulations to Coach Klee, the coaching staff and the players on their accomplishments this season!
Volleyball scores victories over Constantine, Galesburg-Augusta
The Coloma Lady Comet varsity volleyball team participated in just one conference triangular last week. The ladies have had a successful season so far, with the team entering the week having won a total of twenty-four matches this year. However, the season is slowly starting to make its way towards a close, so they will need to continue playing at their best level to be a postseason threat.
The Lady Comets hosted a Southwestern Athletic Conference triangular on Tuesday, Oct. 17, which also featured Constantine and Galesburg-Augusta. For the evening, Coloma went 2-0, winning both of their matches against the Lady Falcons (Constantine) and Lady Rams (Galesburg-Augusta) in straight sets, by the same exact scores: 25-20, 25-21.
In terms of statistics encompassing both matches, the Lady Comets were led in aces by Miryssa Nelson with four, while Brielle Hicks served three aces and Ava Cartwright and Clara Kimmerly added two each. Maddy Hamilton led the team in kills with 16, while Mackenzie Hosbein added 12 kills. Nelson led the team in assists with 36. Hosbein led the team in blocks with four, while Hamilton made three and Andre’a Bale and Nelson added two each. Hamilton led the team in digs with 33, while Hannah Wagner added 15 and Nelson was in on 14 digs.
Coloma is currently 26-10-1 on the season, which includes a record of 11-4 in Southwestern Athletic Conference action. For a second straight week, the Lady Comets schedule will feature just one date on the calendar. That event will have occurred as the team traveled to Stevensville Lakeshore on Wednesday, Oct. 25, for a non-conference quad which featured the host Lady Lancers, along with Bridgman and Niles.
Coloma harriers prepare for Regionals with invitational meet
The Coloma cross-country runners competed in their final invitational event of the regular season. Following this invitational, the postseason is upon the runners.
In the River Valley Invitational, which took place in Three Oaks on Tuesday, Oct. 17, both teams lined up one final time in the regular season against some solid runners from around the area. The Coloma men finished in 4th place out of six teams, with a total of 107 team points, while the Coloma ladies did not have enough runners (five) to qualify for a team score.
The top-five finishers for the Coloma men included Boden Genovese, who was the overall champion of the competition, stopping the clock with a time of 16:21. He was followed across the finish line by Aiden Cripe (6th place, 18:03), Eddy Granados (33rd place, 21:57), Jayden Christie (40th place, 22:55) and Cole Brown (45th place, 26:42). The Coloma ladies had two runners compete: McKinleigh Kraemer finished in 16th place, with a time of 26:02, while Melody Dixon finished in 31st place, with a time of 32:57.
The teams will return to the local trails just once this week, but it will be quite the big one. The Comets / Lady Comets will participate in the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Division 3 regional meet, which will take place at Portage West Middle School on Saturday, Oct. 28.
As always, GO GREEN! GO GOLD!
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