Hartford Press Box

Hartford Football

The Hartford varsity football team hosted Cassopolis on Friday, Oct. 3, for a conference game, with the team looking to conclude the regular season home schedule with its first win in league play. In a thriller on their turf, they would rally from two scores down to grab the victory, 29-28.

In the first quarter, the Huskies would get off to a quick start on their first drive. Several key plays, including a long run of nearly twenty yards and a big pass that put them near the goal line, set up a two-yard touchdown run by Linken Birkhead. Birkhead would make it an eight-point possession by himself when he rushed for the two-point conversion, giving Hartford the 8-0 lead.

But the lead for the Huskies would not last long, as the Rangers would strike on a pair of scoring drives later in the first quarter, for a 14-8 lead after twelve minutes of action. Their run would continue into the second quarter, as Cassopolis would capitalize for the lone points of the stanza, growing their lead to 21-8, which would be your score when the game reached halftime.

In the third quarter, momentum would swing on the opening kickoff, as Hartford would create chaos on an onside kick, which they would recover. It wouldn’t take long for the Huskies to score, as they utilized the feet of Mason Mireles, who plunged in from a yard out for the score. The point-after kick was blocked, but the margin was down to a manageable seven points, 21-14.

Before the quarter concluded, the Rangers scored a touchdown, regaining the momentum they had built late in the first half. The seven-point possession they created would give them a 28-14 lead through three quarters, as Cassopolis would be ahead by two scores, for the second time in the game.

In the fourth quarter, staring another heartbreaking loss in the face, Hartford would respond with an ending to remember. Down fourteen, the Huskies would strike on a ten-yard touchdown pass from Mireles to Isaiah Lovell, slicing into their deficit. Mireles would connect with Birkhead on the two-point conversion pass, making it 28-22 with plenty of time left.

Then, with just over six minutes left in the game, a celebration would erupt. After a penalty, on first down from the Rangers’ 28-yard line, Birkhead would get the handoff, breaking several tackles, racing his way into the end zone, tying the game. Hartford would send Sebastian Balli-Resendez for the point-after kick, which split the uprights, for the team’s winning moment.

In terms of statistics, the Huskies finished with 305 yards of total offense, which included 213 rushing yards and 92 passing yards.

Offensively, Mireles was 5-of-7 passing, with a touchdown. Lovell was the leading receiver, catching four passes for 90 yards and a score. Birkhead was the leading rusher, carrying the ball 18 times for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

CONTROLLING THE BALL… Hartford’s Kenneth Rios (10) boxes out his Bangor opponent as he gains possession of the ball during this rivalry showdown on the home pitch last week. Rios scored one of eight goals for the Huskies in this conference match. Hartford pitched a shutout against the Vikings, 8-nil, securing the squad’s co-ownership of the Southwest 10 Conference title. (Jerrod Birmele photo)

Defensively, Hartford was led by Birkhead with seven tackles and Mireles with six tackles. Shane Phillips had five tackles and a sack, while Josh Dyson and Lovell added four tackles each.

Hartford Boys Soccer

The Hartford varsity boys soccer squad hosted Bangor on Monday, Sept. 29, for a conference match, with the men looking for their second win in the season series and a share of the Southwest 10 Conference crown. Both feats were accomplished, as they secured the win, 8-nil.

In the final match of the home schedule, the Huskies came out firing on goal in the opening half, putting six shots in the back of the net, while the defense on the back end played strongly, keeping the Vikings’ chances to a minimum. In the second half, the rout continued as Hartford looked to put the match away before the end of full-time. Two goals in the first twenty minutes would put this one to rest, with the conference title banner making an appearance once more.

Kameron Kuehnle (3), Eduardo Zarco (3), Isaac Morales, and Kenneth Rios scored goals in this match.

The boys soccer squad traveled to Kalamazoo on Friday, Oct. 3, for a non-conference match against Kalamazoo Christian, with the men looking to sweep the week on the pitch. The squad trailed by a goal during two stretches of action, but would pull off the win, 3-2.

During a quiet opening half, it appeared we were headed for a scoreless draw at half, but the Comets would score with only :31 remaining, breaking the lid on the scoreboard and grasping hold of a 1-nil

SETTING BALL IN MOTION… In their recent appearance at the Bloomingdale Varsity Volleyball Invitational, Hartford’s Lily Goodson (8) looks for the perfect bump, as she tries to set her team up for success at the net. Goodson and her Lady Husky teammates might be struggling this season, but one thing you can’t question is their determination to improve each time they take the court. (TCR photo by Micah Jones)

lead. In the second half, the Huskies got on the board 41 seconds in, only to be answered by Kalamazoo Christian just 18 seconds later. From there, the Hartford defense stood tall, while the offense caught fire, scoring two goals in the final ten minutes, to grab the victory.

Kuehnle (2) and Zarco scored goals in this match.

Hartford Cross-Country

The Hartford varsity cross-country teams traveled to Portage on Saturday, Oct. 4, for an invitational event which drew teams from across the state and region, with fields of over 300 runners in both races. Despite challenging, hot conditions, the runners did an outstanding job.

In the men’s meet, the Huskies finished twenty-fourth in the team race, out of thirty-seven scoring teams, with a total of 683 points. Aiden Mcdonald paced Hartford across the finish line, with his 64th place result, in a time of 17:54. The rest of the top five for the men included Alex Diaz (129th, 19:08), Josaias Robles (165th, 19:33), Zavier Gutierrez (176th, 19:43), and Bryan Ocelo (272nd, 21:10).

In the women’s meet, the Lady Huskies finished twenty-sixth in the team race, out of thirty-four scoring teams, with a total of 706 points. Juliana Morseau paced Hartford across the finish line, with her 59th place result, in a time of 21:34. The rest of the top five for the women included Adilene Roman-Garcia (167th, 24:14), Katlina Wadlington (192nd, 24:45), Arely Garcia (200th, 24:59), and Esmeralda Garcia (245th, 26:12).

Hartford Volleyball

The Hartford varsity volleyball team traveled to Bangor on Tuesday, Sept. 30, for a conference match, with the ladies looking to break into the win column in conference play as they competed in their fifth league contest of the season. Standing in their way were the Lady Vikings, who entered the night with twelve reported wins, so the Lady Huskies needed to bring their best. The ladies in green and white brought their best effort, but lost in straight sets: 25-14, 25-17, 25-7.

For upcoming athletic schedules, go to https://www.hpsathletics.org and click on the Calendar link.

As always, GO GREEN! GO WHITE!

Coloma Press Box

Coloma Football

The Coloma varsity football team hosted Delton Kellogg on Friday, Oct. 3, for a divisional conference game, with the team looking to secure a crucial victory in its final home game of the regular season. A big first half solidified that effort, as they’d take home the win, 28-7.

In the first quarter, the Comets put together two scoring drives, which would give them a 13-0 lead when the clock struck zero. The first six points would be recorded on an eight-yard touchdown run by Maverick Kraemer, on Coloma’s opening possession of the night. The two-point conversion was attempted, but the run failed, giving the Comets an early 6-0 lead.

Later in the stanza, Coloma would threaten again and take advantage of their passing game to add to their lead. The Comets stood on their own 45-yard line when Kraemer hit Treyton Myers on a quick curl route, and he did the rest, racing 55 yards for the touchdown. Kane Howell added the extra-point kick, giving Coloma their thirteen-point margin.

In the second quarter, the Comet defense continued its strong play, while the offense scored once, adding to its lead. After a time-consuming drive, Coloma would convert in the red zone on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Kraemer, who had to work hard for it. Howell would boot the ball through the uprights, giving the Comets a 20-0 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, the Coloma offense was held scoreless for the only time all night. Meanwhile, with just over three minutes left, the Panthers were able to cut into the lead, thanks to a 15-yard touchdown run. After adding the extra point, the game would stand at 20-7, which would be your score when the stanza concluded.

In the fourth quarter, the Comets finished the game strong, with their defense taking care of business, while the offense went out on a high note. The final scoring drive of the night featured Myers lining up in the “wildcat,” racing down the sidelines 44 yards for the score. Coloma would convert the two-point conversion, on a rush by Joey Vorva, ending the scoring.

Coloma Volleyball

The Coloma varsity volleyball team traveled to South Haven on Tuesday, Sept. 30, for a divisional conference match, with the ladies looking to break through in conference action while putting an end to their losing skid. The Lady Rams entered the night tied atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference – Lakeshore Division standings, so the Lady Comets wanted to pull an upset. In the end, Coloma would have to accept a tough loss in straight sets: 25-14, 25-16, 25-16.

The team hosted Schoolcraft on Thursday, Oct. 2, for a non-divisional conference match, with the ladies attempting to rebound from their straight-set loss earlier in the week and end their losing streak. The visiting Lady Eagles were on a skid of their own, having dropped six in a row, so one of these two combatants would win for the first time in weeks. However, it wasn’t the Lady Comets who fell in four sets: 25-23, 25-20, 23-25, 25-14.

For upcoming athletic schedules, go to https://colomahighschool.bigteams.com and click on the Calendar link.

As always, GO GREEN! GO GOLD!