Weekly Choice - Section B - November 07, 2013

8/14/2019 Weekly Choice - Section B - November 07, 2013

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By Mike Dunn

GRAYLING The

Gunslinger came packing the

heat on Saturday. Grayling

senior QB Jake Swander, the

gun-slinging senior lefty who

has engineered the prolific

Sanchez Spread during themost successful two-year

stint in the history of the

Viking football program,

came loaded and ready in the

Division 5 pre-district opener

with familia r U.P. rival

Kingsford.

Swander had the high-

powered, high-velocity T-

Mac weapon in his arsenal

and used it to shred the

Flivver secondary. He also

employed the Latusek

Special to good advantage

and when he wasnt flooding

the airways with missiles,

Swander was launching twin

torpedo blasts code names

Branch and Harris

straight into the heart of the

enemy defenders and churn-

ing out serious chunks of dis-

puted real estate.

In the end, the Vikings up-

tempo, quick-strike assault

secured a hard-fought 42-25

victory and assured Grayling

of a berth in the Division 5

district finals for the third

time in four years under head

coach Tim Sanchez.

It feels great, the smiling

Sanchez said afterward.

This is the first time weve

beaten a U.P. team (in the

playoffs) since Ive been head

coach and it was great being

able to do it today at home

with so many of our fans

here.

Our kids played hard, he

added. Kingsfords a verytough team and we knew we

had to match their toughness

and be very physical on the

line. I was really pleased with

our effort.

Grayling improved to 9-1

with the victory, matching

last seasons record, and

reversed a 36-14 loss at

Kingsford in the pre-district

opener a year ago. The hard-

battling Flivvers finished 6-4.

Next up for the Vikings is a

trip to Menominee to take on

the highly regarded and

unbeaten Maroons (10-0) in

the Central Time Zone of the

far western Upper Peninsula.

Menominee defeated

Houghton 63-6 in a real nail-

biter in its district opener on

Saturday.

Grayling will be looking to

buck history on Saturday.

The Vikings played the

Maroons for the district title

in 2010 and again in 2011 and

lost each time. The Maroons

score points in bunches, as

Grayling does, so a shootout

between these two potent,

quick-strike assault forces

seems very likely.

Sanchez knows it will be a

challenge but he welcomes it.

As the seasons gone on,

theyve gotten better,

Sanchez said of the Maroons.

Theyre crushing everybody.

They have three very good

backs and a tough line. Well

have our work cut out for us.Well have a game plan when

we go up there and we need

to stay with it and execute it.

Part of the game plan will

no doubt be for Grayling to

put the ball into the hands of

T-Mac as much as possible.

Senior receiver Tyler T-Mac

McClanahan has been rip-

ping defensive secondaries

apart for three years as a var-

sity starter. Last year, he set

the Grayling school record

for receptions in a season

and this year he broke it

again.

In Saturdays high-scoring

triumph over Kingsford, T-

Mac corralled 10 aerials from

Swander for a whopping 191

yards, including touchdown

strikes of 11, 50 and 9 yards in

the first half as the Vikings

established a 28-13 lead on

the scoreboard and never

looked back.

McClanahans dangerous

presence benefits the

Vikings other talented

receivers and the running

game. In the win over

Kingsford, the Vikings

amassed more than 600

yards of offense between the

Swander air assault to

McClanahan, Scout Tobin,

Danny Schultz and Brandon

Latusek and the leg-churn-

ing, yard-munching ground

attack featuring strong-strid-

ing seniors Michael Branch

and Kevin Harris.

There were numerous

explosive plays on both sides

of the ball in a game that was

dizzying at times and also

very entertaining to watch.

When Swander wasnt gen-

erating some of his 263 yards

passing with four air strikes

for TDs, he was handing the

ball to either Branch or

Harris and watching the sen-iors slither, slash and slam

their way straight up the gut.

When he wasnt handing the

ball off or tossing it to a

receiver, he was running it

himself for 48 yards worth of

real estate and a score.

Sanchez said afterward the

Vikings were just taking what

the defense was giving them

on any given snap.

When they doubled Tyler

(McClanahan) and put six in

the box, the run was there

and thats what we did,

Sanchez said. When they

put seven in the box and left

Tyler in single coverage, Jakeput the ball in Tylers hands.

When they had Tyler covered,

Jake was able to find other

receivers.

It was a good effort offen-

sively. I was really happy with

the O-line today. Weve had

some injuries that weve had

to work through this season

and I thought the guys came

together and played a really

solid game.

The Viking trench warriors

center Justice Junttila,

guards William Romain and

Emmett Helsel and tackles

Noah Kolka and Tyler Wyman

formed a black wall of defi-

ance around Swander in the

pocket on passing plays and

fired out to create seams for

Branch and Harris to bust

through on running plays.

The results speak for them-

selves.

Sanchez commended thephysical play of the entire

line but was especially

pleased with the effort of

Kolka, a freshman who was

pressed into service because

of injuries to other starters.

McClanahan said after the

game that the Vikings, espe-

cially the seniors, had plenty

of motivation to beat

Kingsford on Saturday.

Our mindset going in was

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GAYLORD

HIGH SCHOOL

The strong-stridingsophomore harrierearned All-Statehonors Saturday atBrooklyn, takingninth place overall in18:57 in the Division2 state finals.

Next up is long trip to western U.P. to takeon Menominee for district title for thirdtime in four years

S SECTION B

CALL - (989) 732-8160 FAX (888) 854-7441

OR EMAIL:

MIKE DUNN - [email protected]

ANDY SNEDDON - [email protected]

SPORTS

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Continued on page 2

Vikings in big at home!

photo bybob GinGrich

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2/12

revenge for them beating us

up there last year (in the

playoff opener), T-Mac said.

Theres no way we wanted to

lose to them at home, espe-

cially all the seniors. In three

years on the varsity, none of

us seniors have ever lost ahome game.

This is really sweet, he

added. It was a great team

effort today and we had a

great crowd here supporting

us. Now we have another

shot at Menominee. We know

theyre tough. When I was a

sophomore we ended the

season there and we dont

want that to happen again.

The Flivvers closed the gap

to 28-19 on their first posses-

sion of the third quarter but

the Vikings answered right

back a minute later as senior

Swander fired his fourth TD

pass of the game, a missile

that the leaping Latusek

wrestled away from converg-

ing Kingsford defender ColeTengesdahl in the corner of

the end zone.

Kingsford trimmed the

lead to 35-25 early in the

fourth quarter when scram-

bling QB Joe Hofer hooked

up with Brody Sundquist

down the sidelines for a 44-

yard strike on a fourth-and-

11 play. The Vikings stuffed

the critical two-point conver-

sion, however, as linebacker

Nick Swiercz and tackle

William Rock-a- Bye

Romain stuffed charging full-

back Tyler Roberts at the line

of scrimmage.

After that, the Viking s

sealed the deal with a time-

chewing18-play, 80-yard

march culminating inSwanders 3-yard keeper up

the middle with 2:50 remain-

ing. Harriss fifth successful

PAT of the game gave the

home team an insurmount-

able 17-point lead.

Swander found Danny

Schultz for 19 yards and a key

first down early in the march,

then hooked up with

McClanahan for 16 yards for

another third-down conver-

sion to bring the ball into

Flivver territory. On fourth-

and-11 from the 14, Swander

fired to the leaping Latusek

for 13 yards over the middle

to set up the clinching score.

Latusek was well-covered

again but made the play with

his second Megatron-likecatch of the contest.

The Flivvers got the ball

back one final time after that

but were unable to advance

as Hofer was sacked by blitz-

ing linebackers Swiercz and

Branch.

Swander hit on 18-of-36

aerials for 263 yards in the

contest. Latusek hauled in

three for 33 yards, including

the two tough catches in traf-

fic. Branch bashed, dashed

and crashed his way to 152

yards on 23 carries with a 10-

yard TD on his stat line and

the elusive Harris darted andslashed his way to 155 yards

on 17 tries.

Cornerback Jaxson Ferree

returned an interception 75

yards to put the Flivvers first

points on the board. Running

back Alex Patterson raced 74

yards on a trap play to set up

the visitors second touch-

down, a 1-yard plunge by

Roberts. Patterson also tal-

lied on a 4-yard sweep in the

third quarter. Long-armed

lineman Hugh Harris

blocked a punt to set up

Kingsfords final touchdown

of the day, the 44-yard bomb

from Hofer to Sundquist.

Harris also recovered a fum-

ble, as did Roberts on a

muffed punt.

In addition to his receiving

yards, McClanahan also had

a huge game defensively,

making 10 tackles and a leap-

ing interception inside the 5-

yard line to halt the Flivvers

first drive of the game.

The ubiquitous Branch,

who covered the field like

green on a grass blade, had a

team-high 11 tackles and wasgave the Flivvers fits with his

bonsai-like blitzes. Rock-a-

Bye Romain was a fearsome

force on both sides of the

trenches. Defensively he

made nine stops and had two

sacks.

Page 2-B Tell our advertisers you saw their ad in the Weekly Choice November 7, 2013

LOCAL SPORTSOn-line at www.weeklychoice.com

By Mike Dunn

ISHPEMING Mancelona

head coach Dan Boo Derrer

knew it would be tough and

he was right.

The Ironmen made the

long trip north to face

unbeaten Ishpeming in the

Div. 7 playoffs for the second

year in a row and, for the sec-

ond year in a row, the

Ironmen season ended in the

U.P.

The defending state cham-

pion Hematites improved to

10-0 and face unbeaten West

Iron County in the district

title game this week.

Last year, the Ironmen won

their playoff opener at home

against Whittemore-Prescott

and met up with the

Hematites in week two with

the district title on the line.

This year, the Ironmen

opened the playoffs at

Ishpeming. The 50-0 loss in

the pre-district clash left

Mancelona with a

respectable 7-3 record for the

2013 campaign.

Mancy made the playoffs

for the sixth time in seven

years in the Derrer Era. The

Ironmen also captured the

Ski Valley title for the fourth

straight year and extended

their league winning streak

to 26 in a row dating back to

October of 2009. With both

West Iron County and

Ishpeming in their playoff

district, the Ironmen were

not able to accumulate

enough points during the

season to host a playoff game

this year. They ended up as

the No. 3 seed and had to

make the trip to Ishpeming

for the opener. On the other

side of the bracket, No. 1 seed

West Iron County played host

to Traverse City St. Francis

and secured a 21-6 victory.

The Ironmen played hard

in the loss at Ishpeming but

the Hematites were simply

the better team.

Theyre a great team,

Derrer acknowledged. Their

quarterback (Alex Briones) is

the real deal. Hes a D-1 kid

and he played like it.

We couldnt move the

ball, he added. We did a

pretty good job of stopping

their run but when they went

to the pass, we couldnt stop

them. We werent able to get

pressure on their quarter-

back and he was really accu-

rate with his passes.

Briones, who is bound for

Central Michigan University

next year, was super in the

game, hitting 7-of-10 for 246

yards and five touchdowns.

The Ironmen were over-

matched but still gave a gritty

effort.

The kids played hard anddidnt give up, Derrer said. A

few of our kids had really

good games. (Senior two-way

lineman) Tristan Waters may

have had his best game of the

year. He was outstanding on

defense. He did exactly what

we told him to do. He was

one of the guys who really

stepped up and played well.

Derrer also commended

the hard-nosed play of senior

linebacker Luke Smash

Mouth Smigielski, defensive

end Garrett Derrer and nose

guard Cody Derrer.

Overall, the kids playedhard; they were just a lot bet-

ter, he said.

Leg-churning senior full-

back Logan Borst was

engulfed by blue Hematite

jerseys every time he

touched the ball. He wasnt

able to generate a ton of

yardage but he capped his

notable prep career with

another blue-collar effort,

running the ball like a loco-

motive every time he carried

the pigskin.Fellow senior backs Justin

Spires and Erik Wheeler ran

equally hard but ran into the

same blue wall of tacklers.

The Ironmen were not able

to get a first down until the

third quarter. Spires smashed

and bashed his way to a

team-high 23 yards in eight

tries.

On the defensive side,

Garrett Derrer delivered

takedowns nine times.

Smash Mouth Smigielskiand Waters put the whack

down eight times each.

Boo will miss the seniors

who will be graduating and

leaving the program.

Theyre a great group of

kids, he said. Theyve

played a big part in keeping

the winning tradition going.

Theyve represented

Mancelona well and led the

way for the younger guys.

Derrer said there were a lot

of tears in the locker-roomafter Saturdays game.

Its always tough because

they know its the end, he

said.

I!hpeming 50, Mancelona 0

Ironmen season comes to a haltIshpeming keeps Mancy running

game in check, takes first step todefending state title

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photo byJanetSmiGielSki

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3/12

By Mike Dunn

GAYLORD Six teams from

the coverage area of the

Weekly Choice qualified for

the prep football playoffs this

year. After the pre-distr ict

round was completed over

the weekend, there were two

still remaining.

Grayling moved on in

Division 5 and

Johannesburg-Lewiston in

Division 8.

Cheboygan, Inland Lakes,

Mancelona and Mio all lost

their playoffs openers and

saw their season come to an

end.

Grayling earned a 42-25

victory over visiting

Kingsford in a thrilling

slugfest of a game in the

Division 5 opener on

Saturday. The high-powered

Vikings of coach Tim

Sanchez improved to 9-1 and

advanced to the districtchampionship game this

Saturday at 2 p.m. against

rugged Menominee. The

unbeaten Maroons (10-0)

defeated Houghton 63-6 in

their opener.

This is the third time in

four years the Vikings make

the long trip to the far west-

ern U.P. to take on the

Marrons. They are hoping to

buck history this time

around. The last two times

Menominee has won by lop-

sided scores.

The Vikings will seek to

outscore Menominee with its

vaunted up-tempo, quick-strike assault featuring senior

signal caller Jake Swander fir-

ing missiles to a fleet-footed

corps of receivers including

Tyler McClanahan, Scout

Tobin, Danny Schultz and

Brandon Latusek, and the

ground fire provided by sen-

iors Michael Branch and

Kevin Harris.

A big key in the game for

Grayling will be its ability to

keep the Maroons from mak-

ing explosive plays and piling

up points in a hurry.

Johannesburg-Lewiston

improved to 8-2 under first-

year head coach JoeSmokevitch with a surpris-

ingly tough 26-20 victory

over stubborn Atlanta in the

pre-district opener. The

Huskies, who came in with a

5-4 record, made enough big

plays from their talented

playmakers to stay in con-

tention to the end.

The young Cardinals, who

feature a sophomore-rich

roster this season, will seek to

regroup in a hurry and give

the Saints a four-quarter bat-

tle. St. Ignace, which defeat-

ed Hillman convincingly in

the pre-district game, also

owns an 8-2 record.

The Cardinals will look to

diversify their offensive

scheme a bit and throw the

ball more often to prevent St.

Ignace from loading up the

box to take away the run. J-L

has not had to throw the ball

much this season, mainly

because the running game

featuring the leg-churning

bursts of fullback Nick May

and halfbacks Dillon

Cushman, Ethan May and

Lights Out Logan Huff,

among others, has been so

effective. QB Brandon Huff is

very capable of throwing the

ball, however, and has reli-

able targets in tight endsCoalton Huff and Cam

Nickert.

The last time the Cardinals

faced St. Ignace in the play-

offs was 2009 in

Johannesburg, with the

Cardinals earning a close win

to advance to the regional

finals.

Cheboygan, the No. 2 seed

in its district, saw a notable

season come to an end with

the 41-17 loss to Ogemaw in

the Division 4 opener. The

Chiefs of coach Jack Coon

finished with a 7-3 mark.

Ogemaw advanced to face

Cadillac in the district title

game.

The Inland Lakes Bulldogs

of coach Stan Schramm

ended their season with a 6-4

mark after losing at

Negaunee in Division 6. It

was the battling Bulldogs

first trip to the postseason

since the 2009 season.

Mancelona made the long

trip north to Ishpeming for

the second year in a row in

Division 7 and got eliminated

by the defending state cham-

pions again. The Ironmen of

coach Dan Boo Derrer fin-

ished another playoff season

with a 7-3 mark. They quali-

fied for the playoffs for the

sixth time in the seven years

of the Derrer Era.

The Mio Thunderbolts of

coach Jim Genernalik also

had a tough playoff draw, fac-

ing Division 8 state finalist

Beal City in the opening

round. The Bolts opened the

playoffs at Beal for the sec-

ond year in a row. They fin-

ished another productive

campaign with a 7-3 record.

Division 5

Region 1-District 1

Menominee 63, Houghton 6

Grayling 42, Kingsford 25

Finals: Grayling (9-1) at

Menominee (10-0)

Division 8

Region 2-District 2

St. Ignace 60, Hillman 19

Johannesburg-Lewiston 26,

Atlanta 20

Finals: Johannesburg-

Lewiston (8-2) at St. Ignace

(8-2)

Vikings travel toMenominee for third timein four years in D-5 districtfinals; Cardinals go northto take on St. Ignace in D-8

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photo bymikeDunn

Grayling, J-L advance in playoffs

November 7, 2013 Tell our advertisers you saw their ad in the Weekly Choice Page 3-B


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4/12


UPDATEDFOOTBALL RESULTSCHEBOYGAN 7-3)Aug. 29 at Gaylord 19-13 WSep. 6 at Marquette 3-35 LSep. 13 ESCANABA 33-21 WSep. 20 at Ludington 42-14 W

Sep. 27 PETOSKEY 9-6 WOct. 4 ALPENA 28-6 WOct. 11 at Sault Ste. Marie 14-34 LOct. 18 at Benzie Central 41-7 WOct. 25 ST. IGNACE 48-16 WPlayoffs:Nov. 2 OGEMAW HEIGHTS 17-41 L

GAYLORD 1-8, 1-5)Aug. 29 CHEBOYGAN 13-19 LSep. 6 at T.C. St. Francis 7-21 LSep. 13 STANDISH-STERLING 7-34 LSep. 20 OGEMAW HEIGHTS* 7-35 LSep. 28 at T.C. Central* 14-35 LOct. 4 CADILLAC* 0-41 LOct. 11 at Petoskey* 14-42 LOct. 18 TRAVERSE CITY WEST* 0-48 LOct. 25 at Alpena* 20-13 W

GAYLORD ST. MARY 3-6, 1-4)Aug. 29 at Hillman 54-55 LSep. 6 at Pellston 33-21 WSep. 13 CENTRAL LAKE* 41-42 LSep. 20 at Onaway* 20-55 LSep. 27 at Forest Area* 42-14 WOct. 4 UBLY 41-22 WOct. 11 at Mancelona* 14-59 LOct. 18 JOHANNESBURG-LEWISTON* 14-50 LOct. 25 KINGSLEY 0-56 L

GRAYLING 9-1, 6-0)Aug. 29 ROSCOMMON 31-6 WSep. 6 at Houghton Lake 49-14 WSep. 13 CHARLEVOIX* 30-26 WSep. 20 at T.C. St. Francis 14-34 LSep. 27 at Harbor Springs* 42-7 WOct. 4 ELK RAPIDS* 48-28 WOct. 11 KALKASKA* 35-18 WOct. 18 at East Jordan* 33-26 WOct. 25 BOYNE CITY* 51-13 W

Playoffs:Nov. 2 KINGSFORD 42-25 WNov. 9 at Menominee

INLAND LAKES 6-4, 3-1)Aug. 29 ONAWAY 14-7 WSep. 6 JOHANNESBURG-LEWISTON 30-44 LSep. 13 at Pickford* 36-34 WSep. 20 at St. Ignace* 28-39 LSep. 27 RUDYARD* 28-24 WOct. 4 CENTRAL LAKE 56-30 WOct. 11 PELLSTON* 60-0 WOct. 18 MESICK 38-8 WOct. 25 at Mancelona 26-28 LPlayoffs:Nov. 2 at Negaunee 0-51 L

JOHANNESBURG-LEWISTON 8-2, 4-1)Aug. 30 at Tawas Area 14-35 LSep. 6 at Inland Lakes 44-30 W

Sep. 13 MANCELONA* 6-28 LSep. 20 FOREST AREA* 42-7 WSep. 27 at Central Lake* 30-12 WOct. 4 RUDYARD 36-14 WOct. 11 ONAWAY* 32-14 WOct. 18 at Gaylord St. Mary* 50-14 WOct. 25 at Pellston 63-19 WPlayoffs:Nov. 1 ATLANTA 26-20 WNov. 8 at St. Ignace

MANCELONA 7-3, 5-0)Aug. 29 ELK RAPIDS 0-35 LSep, 6 ST. IGNACE 20-26 LSep. 13 at Johannesburg-Lewiston* 28-6 WSep. 20 CENTRAL LAKE* 22-18 WSep. 27 at Onaway* 28-7 WOct. 4 at Pickford 42-6 WOct 11 GAYLORD ST. MARY* 59-14 WOct. 18 at Forest Area* 54-6 WOct. 25 INLAND LAKES 28-26 WPlayoffs:Nov. 2 at Ishpeming 0-50 L

MIO 7-3, 4-0)Aug. 29 WHITTEMORE-PRESCOTT 12-66 LSep. 6 TAWAS AREA 34-19 WSep. 13 at Atlanta* 49-30 WSep. 20 OSCODA 66-6 WSep. 27 at Hillman* 47-26 WOct. 4 at Rogers City 31-6 WOct. 11 AuGRES-SIMS* 55-0 WOct. 18 HALE* 56-0 WOct. 25 at Lincoln-Alcona 12-50 LPlayoffs:Nov. 1 at Beal City 15-68 L

ONAWAY 2-7, 1-4)Aug. 29 at Inland Lakes 7-14 LSep. 6 ROGERS CITY 7-22 LSep. 13 at Forest Area* 18-26 LSep. 20 GAYLORD ST. MARY* 55-20 WSep. 27 MANCELONA* 7-28 LOct. 4 at Pellston 25-0 WOct. 11 at Johannesburg-Lewiston* 14-32 LOct. 18 CENTRAL LAKE* 14-39 LOct. 25 at Pickford 6-41 L

PELLSTON 1-7, 0-4)Aug. 30 FOREST AREA 28-20 WSep. 6 GAYLORD ST. MARY 21-33 LSep. 13 ByeSep. 20 at Rudyard* 0-41 LSep. 27 PICKFORD* 0-29 LOct. 4 ONAWAY 0-25 LOct. 11 at Inland Lakes* 0-60 LOct. 18 at St. Ignace* 0-48 LOct. 25 JOHANNESBURG-LEWISTON 19-63 L

PETOSKEY 5-4, 3-3)Aug. 30 SAULT STE. MARIE 23-7 WSep. 6 HASTINGS 41-14 WSep. 13 at Cadillac* 7-20 LSep. 21 at Traverse City West* 14-31 LSep. 27 at Cheboygan 6-9 LOct. 4 T.C. CENTRAL* 42-37 WOct. 11 GAYLORD* 42-14 WOct. 18 ALPENA* 20-0 WOct. 25 at Ogemaw Heights* 12-13 L

By Andy Sneddon

CHEBOYGAN With just

under five minutes

remaining in the first half,

Cheboygan had a 10-0

lead.

Some 16 minutes of

game time later, it was sea-

son over for the Chiefs.

West Branch Ogemaw

Heights hit Cheboygan

with a flurry of big plays in

ousting the Chiefs from the

high school football state

playoffs, 41-17, Saturday in

a Division 4 pre-district

game at Western Avenue

Field.

It spelled the end for

Cheboygan, which fin-

ished 7-3, its highest win

total since it went 8-2 in

2008.

It was disappointing

after working for a 10-

point lead and you really

felt you had control of the

game, Cheboygan coach

Jack Coon said. Within

three, five minutes, losing

it that quickly, it just deflat-ed the kids a great deal.

It was the second

straight year that Ogemaw

Heights eliminated

Cheboygan from the play-

offs. The Falcons (7-3) will

play at Cadillac (10-0) 7

p.m. Friday in the district

championship game.

Cheboygan gained the

upper hand early on, and

moved the ball effectively

while holding in check a

speedy and dangerous

Ogemaw offense.

Cheboygan got a 3-yard

touchdown run from Ben

Pearson and a 30-yard field

goal from Austin Ginop for

its 10-0 advantage.

Both scores were set up

with well-executed razzle-

dazzle plays.

The first came when

quarterback Luke

Harrington handed off to

fullback Nik Bevier, and

Bevier took two steps

toward the line, then

underhanded the ball back

to Harrington. Harrington

hit Nathan Stempky for a

33-yard gain to Ogemaws

22-yard line. Five plays

later, Pearson was in theend zone and Ginop added

the extra point for a 7-0

lead.

Pearson recovered a

fumble at midfield on

Ogemaws next possession

and on the Chiefs first

play, Coon dipped into the

bag of tricks again. This

time, Harrington pitched

to Pearson running wide,

and Pearson handed the

ball behind the line of

scrimmage to end Chris

Demeuse running in the

opposition direction. The

left-handed Demeuse

found Pearson open for a

35-yard pickup to

Ogemaws 14. Four plays

later, Ginops 30-yard boot

split the uprights to make

it 10-0 with 4 minutes, 55

seconds left in the half.

The aggressive play-call-

ing was part of the game

plan, Coon said.

We were going to pull

out all the stops and we

had more in the bag, he

said. We felt that we were

going to take that attitude

that we were going to go

after this game hard, right

from the beginning.

Ogemaw answered

immediately.

Josh Awrey returned the

kickoff 95 yards for a

touchdown and Brandon

Winter kicked the extra

point to give the Falcons a

major momentum boost.

The Chiefs failed to gain

a first down on their nextpossession and punted,

giving Ogemaw the ball at

its own 21-yard line with

just over 2 minutes left in

the half. Devin Griffus

tossed to Ben Hartley who

made an outstanding leap-

ing grab near the

Cheboygan sideline at

about midfield, then

dodged several tacklers in

picking up another 25

yards, putting the Falcons

at Cheboygans 24. Three

plays later, Griffus scored

on a 4-yard run and

Ogemaw had a 14-10 half-

time lead and all the

momentum.

The kickoff return and

the failure to move the ball

and get a first down really

set the stage, Coon said.

We didnt cover very well

on the kickoff, took some

poor angles and (Awrey)

hit the crease. Thats

another example of how

youve got to play every

facet of the game, offense,

defense and special teams.

Our kickoff coverage has

been excellent all year. We

just didnt have a good one

right there.I thought defensively

our kids played well in the

first half with the exception

of the long pass. We had

that covered, (Hartley)

made a good catch on it. I

thought we were really in

good shape until that hap-

pened.

And while Coon and his

team looked to regroup at

halftime, Ogemaw didnt

miss a beat after the break.

The Falcons returned

the second-half kickoff for

a touchdown, but the play

was nullified by a penalty,

and they set up shop in the

third quarter at their own

22-yard line. Three plays

into the drive, Griffus and

Awrey hooked up on a 52-

yard pass play that gavethe Falcons a first down at

Cheboygans 22. After a

short gain by Awrey, Griffus

found a leaping Hartley in

the end zone to make it 21-

10 less than three minutes

into the second half.

And while Cheboygan

was still very much in the

game, the Falcon freight

train was only picking up

steam.

I really felt that even

though we were down 21-

10, I thought, Lets just

grind this out, Coon said.

We felt confident that wecould still move the ball,

but we just never broke a

big one. We never respond-

ed with a big play of our

own.

We werent as effective

in our passing game as we

wanted to be. They covered

our routes pretty well and

they have good team

speed. It limited us in what

we could do. We just didnt

respond the way we should

have, or the way we have.

Cheboygan managed a

first down on its next drive,

but was forced to punt

from midfield, giving theFalcons possession at their

own 18.

On Ogemaws first play,

Awrey raced 82 yards virtu-

ally untouched to increase

the lead to 28-10 with 5:30

to play in the third quarter.

Cheboygan failed to field

the kickoff a low, curving

liner and Ogemaw cov-

ered, taking over at the

Chief 29. Three plays later,

Griffus connected with

Michael vonKronenberger

on a 29-yard TD pass play,

extending the lead to 34-

10.

Hartley intercepted a

Harrington pass on

Cheboygans next posses-

sion, giving the Falcons the

ball at Cheboygans 17.

Awrey then scored on a 12-

yard run to make it 41-10

with 1:19 left in the third

quarter.

Awrey finished with 126

yards on 14 carries, while

Griffus completed all six of

his pass attempts for 184

yards. Awrey had three

catches for 91 yards, and

Hartley finished with three

for 74.

Pearson led Cheboygans

rushing attack with 80

yards on 16 attempts,

while Bevier finished with

68 on 13 touches, and John

Grantner added 66 on 15.

Harrington completed 5-of-10 passes for 75 yards.

Pearson had two catches

for 41 yards.

Grantner scored on an 8-

yard run midway through

the fourth quarter for the

final margin.

Perhaps overshadowed

by the loss was the fact that

the Chiefs, once again, put

together a solid season and

made great strides in

employing a new offense,

the pistol wing-T. It was

Cheboygans second

straight playoff appear-

ance and the 18th in

school history, and it wasthe Chiefs third consecu-

tive winning season, and

their ninth in the last 10

years.

We have a very positive

attitude about the results

of our 2013 program,

Coon said. We installed a

lot things. There was a lot

of learning, not only by the

kids, but also by the coach-

ing staff.

We had a 7-2 freshman

team, and our JV team,

with only 17 kids, went

from being 1-7 as fresh-

man to 5-3 this year, and

those kids got a lot of play-

ing time, a lot of experi-

ence, and there was a great

deal of toughness devel-

oped. Were back in the

playoffs and we want to get

back to that consistency.

You just keep coming back

and you keep trying to

knock down those doors

and get a little bit deeper

(in the playoffs).

Our leadership from

our captains (Pearson,

Jameson Knolton, Colton

Hudak) was really good, wehad solid leadership,

Coon said. Were going

miss their leadership. We

have 19 graduating sen-

iors, we have 19 different

stories and different rela-

tionships. Its always sad to

see kids go, but we have 19

different memories, stories

with each and every one of

them.

We have a good time in

the fieldhouse, we enjoyed

having them and collec-

tively weve enjoyed them

playing and representing

our community. When

they hear the nameCheboygan, they still think

of good solid football. Of

course our goal is to get it

back to championship

football.

B+ + (24) C+? +* J+* &:+ &+: B O+=

H+/: #:;*? *;/ D/


5/12

By Mike Dunn

JOHANNESBURG

Johannesburg-L ewiston

head coach Joe Smokevitch

didnt sugar coat things after

Fridays 26-20 victory over

stubborn Atlanta in the first

round of the Division 8 play-

offs.

The Cardinals improved to

8-2 in Smokevitchs first year

as head coach and advanced

to the district finals at St.

Ignace. Thats a solid accom-

plishment for a young

Cardinals squad but even so

Smokevitch didnt give his

team a very high grade for its

performance against Atlanta,

which made the playoffs with

a 5-4 record.

We didnt play very well

Friday night, said

Smokevitch, who isnt afraid

to say it like it is. Atlanta

came ready to play and we

didnt. They were tough.Their playmakers made plays

and kept them close.

The game was close

against an Atlanta team that

hadnt beaten the Cardinals

since the 1992 season. The

Cardinals trailed 6-0 after the

first quarter and led just 14-

12 at halftime and 20-12 after

three quarters.

It wasnt until strong-strid-

ing sophomore fullback Nick

May powered his way across

the goal-line for his second

touchdown early in the

fourth quarter that J-L had

any kind of cushion on the

scoreboard. The determinedHuskies came right back and

scored on their next posses-

sion, however, when QB Seth

Teets hooked up with the

dangerous Jacob Chambers

for 71 yards to pull within six

points, 26-20, with 9:30

remaining in the game.

And thats how it ended up.

The Cardinals were able to

move the chains sufficiently

enough to take time off the

clock and keep the visitors

from reaching the end zone

again before the final buzzer

sounded.

It wasnt pretty but its

nice to win and have a

chance to play for the district

title again, Smokevitch said.

What saved us is that we

were able to move the ball

even when they put 10 in the

box to stop us. Thats the kind

of stuff weve been seeing all

year and the kids are used to

dealing with it.

One of the key plays for J-L

in the contest was an 80-yard

breakaway from senior half-

back Dillon Cushman early

in the second quarter.

Cushman took the handoff

from QB Brandon Huff,

found a seam behind the

lead blocks of bust-it-out

fullback Nick May and soph-

omore pulling guard Joel K-

Ram Kussrow and then

turned on the afterburners.

He didnt stop until he

reached the end zone.

Cushmans timely sprint

broke a 6-6 tie and gave the

Cardinals a lead they would

not relinquish. Signal caller

Brandon Huff bulled his way

to paydirt for two points to

make it a 14-6 game with 9:02

left until halftime.

Cushmans score came on

the heels of a 2-yard burst

from elusive halfback Ethan

May to knot the score at 6 at

the 10:17 mark of the quarter.Atlanta rallied to trim the

lead to 14-12 shortly before

the half when Teets tallied on

a short run, but the Cardinals

added to their lead on their

first possession of the second

half when Nick May motored

15 yards on the Cardinals

patented fullback trap to

make it 20-12.

Nick Mays second TD

early in the fourth quarter

made it 26-12 but the visitors

came right back to make it

26-20 on the long connection

from Teets to Chambers.

J-L pushed, pounded and

powered to 347 rushing yardsin the contest. Cushman car-

ried 13 times for a team-high

134 yards and Nick May

churned out 105 yards on 23

attempts. Elusive Ethan May

darted and dashed to 52

yards on six tries and Lights

Out Logan Huff picked up

26 yards in two carries.

Sophomore fullback Dale

Wells, seeing his first varsity

action of the season, played

well in a reserve role, busting

out for 26 yards in three tries

while giving Nick May a rest.

Smokevitch also noted the

play of Joel Kussrow at right

guard. The sophomore was

brought up from the JV and

filled in for sidelined starter

Trevor Pickelmann and made

his presence felt, especially

on Cushmans critical break-

away.

Defensively, junior line-

backer Andrew Gross cov-

ered the field like gravy on

biscuits, making six solo

stops with 10 assists. Strong

safety Coalton Huff has been

a king of collision for the

Cardinals all season and con-

tinued that in the playoffs,

participating in 14 tackles.

Logan Huff was lights out

also, making 11 stops, andBrandon Huff was a bruise

maker, taking part in 10 take-

downs. Defensive ends Joel

Kussrow and Dangerous Dan

Nieman combined for a

whoppi ng 21 tackles, with

Nieman making 11 take-

downs with a tackle for loss

and Kussrow corralling ball

carriers 10 times.

Kalin Leonard was in

Krush mode also, partici-

pating in nine tackles with a

tackle for loss. Cam Nickert

put the close down on seven

runs and nose guard Nate

Fox fired in like he was

launched from a slingshotand blocked another punt.

Teets hit on 14-of-34 aeri-

als for 246 yards in the game

with two TDs. Chamber s

grabbed six of those missiles

for 115 yards.

THE LAST TIME J-L faced

St. Ignace in the playoffs, it

was in Johannesburg in 2009

and the Cardinals prevailed

in a close one to advance to

the regional finals that year.

A repeat performance will

require a stellar showing

from the young Cardinals,

their best game of the year.

St. Ignace is very athletic

and very fast, Smokevitch

said. Theyre a little more

physical than we are and

theyre really well-coached.

They remind me of us but

theyre a little older than we

are and a little more experi-

enced.

The Saints run and pass

about 50 percent of the time.

We have to recognize

their different formations

and not let them break the

big play, Smokevitch said.

We have to put pressure on

their quarterback. Thatll be

critical.

When the Cardinals have

the ball, they will need to

throw more and open things

up to spread the Saints

defense.

If we dont, theyll put 10

guys in the box, Smokevitch

said. We need to open the

field a little more and make

them respect the pass. Thatll

be a big key for us.



J-L ; A*+= G ++ :+ +* @+


6/12

FIRST TEAMGoalie: Justin Kraft (12), TC West

Cameron Sipple (11), TC West

Owen Stratton (11), TC Central

Ethan Cartwright (12), Petoskey

Lucas Meyer (12), TC West

Kurt Frick (12), TC Central

Connor Ingleson (11), Petoskey

Hunter Lumsden (12), TC West

Brett Farley (12), Cadillac

Austin Redes (12), Petoskey

Adam Stepan (12), TC Central

SECOND TEAMGoalie: Nathaniel Reed (10), Petoskey

Christien Geiger (12), TC West

Jacob Muessig (12), TC Central

Levi Rowan (11), Cadillac

Alex Patten (12), TC West

Mitchell Mead (10), Alpena

Matt Grost (11), TC Central

Austin Kirby (11), Gaylord

Jacob Ingasiak (11), Ogemaw

Hunter Viles (12), Petoskey

Austin Sanders (12), TC West

HONORABLE MENTIONGoalie: Gray Martin (12), Alpena

Peter Guest (11), Alpena

Zach Kendziorski (11), Alpena

Giulio Fantasia (12), Alpena

Evan Lee (11), Cadillac

Noah Scott (10), Cadillac

Guy Watson (11), Cadillac

Colton Kars (11), Cadillac

Cale Krist (12), Gaylord

Tyler Harwood (12), Gaylord

Jared King (12), Gaylord

Mike Misiak (11), Gaylord

Trever Flynn (11), Petoskey

Cory Hughey (12), Ogemaw

Dillon Zettel (11), Ogemaw

Zac Marentette (11), Ogemaw

Riley Marvin (10), Ogemaw

Ethan Mason (10), TC Central

Dillon Drossart (11), TC Central

BIG NORTH 2013

ALL-CONFERENCE SOCCER



Cardinals sweep past East Jordan inCharlevoix tourney, Snowbirds prevail

over Ellsworth in Central Lake tourneyThe Johannesburg-

Lewiston and St. Mary volley-

ball teams both took a suc-

cessful first step in the dis-

trict tournaments on

Monday.

The hard-hitting Cardinals

of coach Kristine Peppin

swept East Jordan in three to

advance in the Class C dis-

trict at Charlevoix. The

Cardinals played Boyne City

on Wednesday in one semifi-

nal. In the other semifinal,

the surging Mancelona

Ironmen of coach JessicaHudson took on host

Charlevoix. The finals are

slated for this Thursday, Nov.

7, at 7 p.m. The victor in the

Charlevoix tourney takes on

the winner of the Kalkaska

tourney in the regional open-

er on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at

McBain.

The Snowbirds of coach

Christie Perdue put the

broom to Ellsworth on

Monday in the opening

round of the Central Lake

tourney in Class D. The

Snowbirds faced the host

Trojans in the semifinals on

Wednesday. If the Snowbirds

won, they will face either

Alba or Bellaire in the cham-

pionship match on Thursday

at 7 p.m.

The winner of the Central

Lake tourney takes on the

winner of the Au-Gres Sims

tourney on Tuesday, Nov. 12,

in a regional semifinal at

Buckley.

In Class A, Gaylord took on

high-powered Traverse City

Central on Monday and saw

its season end. The Trojans

advanced to the semifinals

on Wednesday where they

faced Petoskey, a winner in

its opening-round game with

the Sault [see Andy

Sneddons volleyball report].

In Class C, Inland Lakes

was eliminated by Newberryon Monday in the Harbor

Springs tourney. Newberry

advanced to face Manistique.

Other area teams that

opened district play on

Wednesday included

Grayling in Class B, Mio in

Class C along with Mackinaw

City, Onaway, Wolverine,

Alanson and Pellston in Class

D.

The Vikings took on

Cadillac in a semifinal clash

at Cheboygan. In the other

semifinals, the host Chiefs

played Roscommon. The

Chiefs opened postseason

play with a victory over

Houghton Lake [see separate

story on Cheboygan volley-

ball in this issue].

Mio faced Lincoln Alcona

in one semifinal contest in

the Class C tourney at

Oscoda. If the Thunderbolts

won, they face Houghton

Lake or Tawas Area in the

finals this Friday. The winner

of the district advances to the

regional tournament at

McBain.

In the Class D tournament

at Mackinaw City, the host

Comets took on Beaver

Island in one semifinal with

Rudyard facing Engadine in

the other. The finals are

Thursday. The winner

advances to the regional

tournament at St. Ignace.

Defending district champi-

on Onaway battled Wolverine

in one semifinal clash in the

tournament at Rogers City. In

the other semifinal, the host

Hurons faced Posen. The

finals are slated for Friday

with the winner going to the

region at St. Ignace.

Host Pellston took on

Alanson in one semifin al

clash on Wednesday. In the

other game, Burt Lake

Northern Michigan Christian

Academy took on Harbor

Light Christian. The finals areFriday. The winner of the

Pellston tourney faces the

winner of the Rogers City

tourney in the first round of

the regional tourney at St.

Ignace on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

J-L, St. Maryadvance to semis

Di!"ic" Volle%ball

Available exclusively at...

By DENNIS MANSFIELD

Buckland News Service

BEAL CITY For one half,it seemed as though the Mio

Thunderbolts might just be

able to keep up with one of

the top-ranked teams in high

school football and, with a

few breaks, maybe even

advance to the next round of

the state playoffs.

But, in the end, undefeated

Beal City proved too much

and mistakes by Mio players

were too costly. So, Beal City

will be the team to advance

after a 68-15 win in the

District 8 pre-district clash

on Friday, Nov. 1.

Beal City (10-0 overall)struck first and put up 15

points in the first quarter.

But, Mio head coach Jim

Gendernalik said his team

seemed to recover, battling

back and scoring twice in the

second quarter.

Still, the undefeated Aggies

had a solid 36-15 lead over

Mio (7-3 overall) at the half.

We played better than the

score indicated in the first

half, Gendernalik said. It

was an amazing half.

Gendernalik added Mio

might have caught Beal City

somewhat by surprise by

being able to run the ball

inside using a variety of run-

ning backs, including under-

classmen Scott Blamer, BrianWatson and Zac Price.

Watson tallied the first Mio

touchdown on a 16-yard run

at the 8:49 mark of the sec-

ond quarter. And, senior

Bryson Devers punched the

ball in from just a yard out

with just over a minute left in

the first half, with senior

quarterback and kicker Brad

Rhoads tacking on the extra

point.

If we could have cleaned

things up, we had a chance,

the Mio coach added. The

spirits were high.

However, Beal City seem-ingly dashed any hopes of a

Mio upset early in the third

quarter. After a stalled pos-

session by the Thunderbolts

to start the second half, the

Aggies needed just two plays

to put another TD on the

scoreboard.

The biggest thing was not

playing defense,

Gendernalik said of his

teams second-half perform-

ance, adding his players

struggled to make the proper

plays on both sides of the

ball. It was a tough loss for

the seniors.

The stout Aggies defense

held Rhoads to only 93 yards

passing, as well as limiting

Mio to only 92 yards rushing.

Though, Rhoads' coach cred-

ited the senior quarterback

with still finding ways to be

effective in leading Mios

offensive attack.

Defensively, senior Chaun

Obermiller had an intercep-

tion and sophomore Jacob

Lentz tallied one of two fum-

ble recoveries by Mio defend-

ers.

We had a good year, a

good streak, Gendernalik

said. Our biggest goal is

going to the state playoffs

each year.

And, usually, thats a goal

Mio teams have achieved.

Last Fridays game was the

Thunderbolts 13th consecu-

tive trip to the state playoffs.

Not many teams can say

that, Gendernalik added.

With the win, Beal City will

next travel to Mt. Pleasant to

face Sacred Heart Academy

(7-3 overall) on Friday, Nov. 8,

in the Division 8 district final.

M)c+e) d%%# M% $ &"a%ff "%))

M/ 93+ #:: B3+ (N. 5) :/+9 : /* 93+ ;/ 3 /9: :; B+ C/:? *++9+

*;/ :+ $;*+:9' 9::+ : ? 99 : :+ 9: A/+9 F/*?, N


7/12



By Mike Dunn

BROOKLYN It was a great

way to end a notable season.

Gaylords strong-striding

sophomore Alexis Smith

turned in an outstanding

performance in the muck

and mire Saturday at

Michigan International

Speedway in Brooklyn, fight-ing through the tough condi-

tions to take ninth place

overall in the Division 2 state

cross country finals.

Alexis earned All-State

with her amazing perform-

ance, finishing in a personal-

best time of 18:57.1. Petoskey

freshman Lily Cesario also

earned All-State recognition,

coming in 28th overall in

19:26.7.

Cheboygan junior Mandy

Paull also showed up strong

at Brooklyn, with Lily achiev-

ing 27th place in 19:26.7 and

Mandy racing to 38th place

in 19:39.8.Alexis was first among all

the sophomores who com-

peted in the D-2 meet

Saturday and Lily, who also

has a very bright future, was

fourth among all the fresh-

men.

Alexis is the first Gaylord

girl since Amanda Olds in

2008 to achieve All-State and

one of the few runners to

turn in a personal-best time

on Saturday on the wet, slip-

pery turf. She finished ninth

in the Big North this season,

ninth in the regional meetand ninth at state, finishing

just seconds behind the

1600-meter and 800-meter

state track champion Megan

ONeill of Chippewa Hills.

Alexis made steady

progress over the season,

reported Gaylord coach Jeff

Kalember. She started in the

22-minute range, then 21,

then into the 19s at our home

invite, and then an 18:57 at

state.

Smiths performance puts

her in elite company. She had

the fourth fastest time ever

for a Gaylord gal in the state

meet, behind Sloan Secord(first in 2007), Thereseann

Zimmerman (fifth in 2004)

and Sammy Hunt (sixth in

2006).

ON THE BOYS side,

Petoskey came in 20th place

as a team Saturday and

Gaylord seniors Sterling

McPherson and Josh Green

competed as individuals.

McPherson and Green got

to finish out their prep

careers at Brooklyn, which is

the goal of every senior harri-

er. McPherson came in 53rd

overall in 16:50.3 to cap hisnotable four years as a varsity

runner for the Blue Devils

and coach Kalember. Green,

a three-year letter winner,

finished his final race in a

time of 17:29.6.

Sterlings All-Conference

and All-Regional honors

speak for themselves and his

leadership role on our team

will be missed, Kalember

said. Sterling trained

through many of our early

races, focusing on the big

meets at the end of the sea-

son and his efforts paid off in

these last couple weeks.

Joshs state finals race wasnot what we'd hoped, but his

All-Region al seventh -place

finish, just a step behind

Sterling, was definitely the

highlight of his season. Josh

leaves Gaylord as a three-

year letter winner with all-

regional honors and as our

team captain. Both will bemissed next season.

For the Petoskey boys, sen-

ior Mark Smith and junior

Thomas VanSlembrouck

were the top two finishers,

with Smith taking 64th over-

all in 17:06.9 and

VanSlembrouck just a few

strides behind, taking 67th in17:07.5.

Sophomore Max Myerson

was third for the Northmen

in 17:19.4, good for 84th

place in the very tough field,

followed by senior Quentin

Fettig (17:46.4, 120th) and

sophomore Jacob Kromm

(17:55.7, 128th) with juniorChase Gregory (18:06.4) and

sophomore Andy Frampus

(18:14.7) as the sixth and sev-

enth runners.

D-2 S"a"e Mee"

Smith, Cesario achieve All-State

G?* 93+ A+>/9 #3/: 3:9 : /:-+ //9 #:;*?

/ :+ D/


8/12



By DENNIS MANSFIELD

Buckland News Service

GAYLORD Make it more

than $25,000 raised in supportof the Grayling golf team and

their families. That after about

$7,600 was raised at the

Celebrate Grayling Recovery

dinner at the Treetops Resort

in Gaylord on Saturday, Nov. 2.

About 100 people attended

the dinner fundraiser held to

benefit members and families

of the Grayling boys varsity

golf team impacted by a tragic

two-vehicle accident April 29

in Kalkaska Countys Excelsior

Township that claimed the

lives of three people, includ-

ing golf coach Jason Potter

and golfer Louis Menard.

Several other members of

the golf team were injured,though all are now in various

states of recovery.

A little over six months ago

things changed for me, said

Gunner Metzer, one of the

golfers hurt in the accident.

Were in different stages of

recovery.

(But) theres been so much

support from everybody its

ridiculous, he added. (And)

Jason may be gone, but never

forgotten.

Despite not holding any

organized fundraiser till the

Nov. 2 dinner, members of The

Grayling Golf Recovery

Foundation reported about

$18,000 had already beendonated to help the golf team.

Jerry Coyne, co-owner of

the Grayling-based Blarney

Stone Broadcasting and mem-

ber of the foundation board,

said he that after the accidenthe and others were contacted

by people from all over

Michigan who wanted to help

in some way.

It was amazing the out-

pouring of support, Coyne

added. It was mostly from the

golf community.

Those attending Saturdays

dinner paid $50 per person.

More was raised through a

silent auction that included

signed sports memorabilia, as

well as a live auction. A guitar

to be signed by rock-n-roll

legend Bob Seger went for a

winning bid of $3,250.

This is the only fundrais-

er, said Coyne. We wantedthis to be a celebration. We

wanted this to help put a pos-

itive spin on things.

Each of the foundation

members, including Anita

Merchant of Chemical Bank in

Grayling, thanked those

attending the dinner and for

their continued support.

We didnt expect all of you

guys would come. But, you

did, she said. It shows how

youve opened your hearts.

The great thing is it was

started to help the families.

Every time we wrote a check

to the families to help it was

a great feeling.

(And) the letters that camewith the deposits were phe-

nomenal. They came from all

over the state, she added. I

want to thank you s o much.

While the foundation also

already collected more than

$25,000 in donations, includ-

ing that raised at the dinner,

Thomas Ruden of Tomlyn

Advisors said the total could

still grow. Ruden, also a foun-

dation member, said hes been

in contact with other founda-

tions which would like to help

support the Grayling effort, if

and when it is granted non-

profit status.

Were really excited about

that, he said. I was just

amazed to see all the funds

come in. And theyre still com-

ing in.

A job well done.

At some point, Ruden the

foundation will be dissolved.

The funds collected will be

turned over Crawford-

AuSable School s to fund

scholarships to the golf team

members impacted by the

accident, as well as Menards

sister. That could happen as

early as this spring, he added.

But, if the outpouring of

support at the dinner wasnt

enough, it was also

announced that the Grayling

Country Club is moving for-

ward with plans to build a

memorial to Potter and those

impacted by the accident at

the local golf club.

Yesterday, we broke

ground, said Chet Wheeler,

president of the country clubs

board and assistant golf

coach, adding the memorial

should be finished in spring

2014. The biggest thing we

can do is not forget about any-

one involved in this.

And, prior to the dinner,

golf team members were

reportedly presented new golf

equipment by Nike Golf.

Jason Guss, director of golf

performance at Treetops, said

it was inspiring to see the

players, including several hes

worked with over the years,

back to being able to take a

golf swing and enjoy the game

they love.

Its unbelievable, Guss

said, also commenting on how

people in Grayling and

throughout the area rallied to

the cause. It makes me proud

to be from a small community.

Most importantly, I want to

thank those boys for being so

tough. Theyre Grayling

tough.

Dinner eent raises $7,600 for Gra"ling golf team

European frog-bit appears to be spreading into Northern Lower PeninsulaALPENA The Department

of Natural Resources' Wildlife

Division is leading response

efforts to control a new

aquatic invasive plant,

European frog-bit

(Hydrocharis morsus-ranae).

Until recently, this free-float-

ing plant had only been

reported in a few localized

sites in the southeastern

Lower Peninsula. Throughrecent statewide monitoring

efforts, this species has been

detected in Saginaw Bay,

Alpena and Munuscong Bay

in Chippewa County.

This new invasive species

was detected as a result of an

Early Detection Rapid

Response (EDRR) pilot proj-

ect funded through a federal

Great Lakes Restoration

Initiative grant. The project

relies on collaboration with

partners, including Michigan

State University and

Cooperative Weed

Management Area groups.

Using the new State of

Michigans Rapid Response

Plan for Aquatic InvasiveSpecies, developed jointly by

the DNR, DEQ and MDARD,

these new reports were veri-

fied, an on-site assessment

was conducte d and a

response plan was formulat-

ed. Control measures are

under way, including physi-

cal removal (1,500 pounds

removed beginning in mid-

September) and trial treat-

ments with herbicides.

Responding quickly to a

new invasive species is criti-

cal to increasing our chances

of success, and it requires a

well-organized, collaborative

effort between multiple

agencies and other partners,

said Wildlife Division chiefRuss Mason.

Education, outreach and

future control activities are

being planned with local

stakeholders and partner

groups. A complete outline of

the EDRR program, includ-

ing future stages, is defined

in the newly revised SOM

Aquatic Invasive Species

State Management Plan at

www.michigan.gov/aquatici

nvasives.

European frog-bit was

accidentally released into

Canadian waters between

1932 and 1939, and has since

spread throughout Ontario,

New York, Vermont and other

eastern states. It formsextremely dense vegetative

mats that cover the available

open water surface. Frog-bit

shades out submerged native

plants, reducing invertebrate

and plant biodiversity, dis-

rupts natural water flow,

inhibits watercraft move-

ment and may adversely

affect fish and wildlife habi-

tat.

European frog-bit resem-

bles a miniature water lily

(lily pad), with leaves about

the size of a quarter or half-

dollar. It produces a small

white flower, usually in June.

Frog-bit is typically found in

slow moving, shallow waters

(1-3 feet), typically withincattail and bulrush stands.

Additiona l identif ication

information is available at

the Midwest Invasive Species

Information Network at

www.misin.msu.edu.

If you suspect that youve

seen European frog-bit,

report sightings towww.misin.msu .edu or to

Matt Ankney, EDRR coordi-

nator, at ankneym2@michi-

gan.gov or (517) 641-4903.

For more information,

please visit

ww w.m ic hi ga n. go v/ in va -

sivespecies

DNR "%%!) *% c%$*(%" a'+a*c )&ece)

BELDING When Jody

Bachelder took a step back

away from the pointing dog

at her feet, a rooster pheas-

ant sprung into flight, practi-

cally knocking her over and

leaving her so temporarily

dazzled she didnt even think

to shoulder her shotgun.

Im four months pregnant

and I swear I felt the baby

jump, said Bachelder, who

was making her first pheas-

ant hunt.

Happens all the time, said

Scott Brosier, proprietor of

Pine Hill Kennels and

Sportsmens Club near

Belding, Mich., and the host

of a recent pheasant hunting

event for women.

Lots of people get startled

when that flush occurs right

in their face, said Brosier.Ive seen guys who are built

like Buicks jump when it

happens.

Bachelders disorientation

didnt last long. Not too many

minutes later, a rooster got

up in front of her and she

smoothly mounted her

firearm, pulled the trigger

and dropped the bird into

the tall grass.

Bachelder was one of a

dozen women attending the

event, which was put togeth-

er by Department of Natural

Resources wildlife technician

Donna Jones, who works at

Flat River State Game Area.

Brosier who had put

together his own womens

event last year as part of a

breast cancer awareness pro-

gram was more than happy

to accommodate the pro-

gram. Jones lined up three

chapters of Pheasants

Forever Barry County,

Montcalm County and Grand

Valley to help with the

funding, and all that was left

was to recruit the gals.

It didnt take long. I could

have gotten 40, Brosier said.

Among those who signed

up was Alyssa Wethington, an

intern with the Gourmet

Gone Wild program, which is

designed to introduce folks

who are not from sportingtraditions to the outdoors by

exposing young profession-

als to wild game and fish

dishes. She brought her

grade-school pal Shakoor

Rohela, and the 22-year-olds

had their first hunting expe-

riences together.

The pair shot at and hit

a bird, but it sailed off into

the distance. When the crew

went to recover it, it flushed

again apparently no worse

for wear.

That just made Wethington

more determined.

This is something I hope

to do regularly, she said. I

like to eat food produced

locally, so if I can kill some-

thing and cook it up, thats

great. Thats as local as you

can get.

While Wethington and

Rohela were making their

first hunts, many of the

women were veterans of the

field having hunted deer

and turkey though they

hadnt hunted pheasants.

Trish Taylor, a public-rela-

tions professional from

Allegan, said she hunted rab-

bits as a youngster but,

despite being married to a

sportsman and owning a

pointing dog, had never

hunted upland birds.

Her husband was glad shecame, Taylor said, because he

wanted her to learn to hunt

but he didnt especially want

to take her because I never

listen to him, she said.

It was awesome, Taylor

said. Now I want to go to

North Dakota.

Similarly, Kathleen Kiester

of Dimondale had hunted

wild turkeys and deer, but

had never pointed the Model

12 Winchester she inherited

from her father at flying

birds. By the time the hunt

was finish ed, Kiester had

killed a pair of pheasants.

This is so much fun, she

said. Im just ecstatic. They

get up so fast and fly so hard.

This is so cool, Id love to do it

again.

Thats a sentiment echoed

by virtually all the women at

the event. Rohela said the

experience was really, really

fun and Wethington said

shes going to keep doing

this until I get something.

Bachelder, whose husband

was away on busines s in

China, emailed him a picture

from her smartphone as

soon as it was taken.

This is cool, she said,

admitting that she was a little

bit surprised that she made

her shot. Its different than I

was expectin g. I like thewalkin g around instead of

sitting in the deer blind.

DNR wildlife biologist John

Niewoonder gave a presenta-

tion at the event, explaining

how the DNR works and

about wildlife management

in general. He gave the par-

ticipants food for thought

about hunting as not only an

enjoyable pastime, but also a

vital part of Michigans natu-

ral resources conservation.

Jones was very pleased

with the way things went.

When I started at the DNR

I wasnt a hunter and some of

the guys showed me, said

the 33-year DNR veteran. I

was hoping to target single

moms and first-time hunters.

It worked out perfectly. We

had a lot of fun.

So much, in fact, that Jones

can hardly wait to get started

planning an event for next

year.

To learn more about hunt-

ing in Michigan including

different species and season

opportunities, how to pur-

chase licenses, where to

hunt, and how to ensure its

done safely visit

www.michigan.gov/hunting.

Women enjoy challenge of pheasant hunting

F/9:-:/3+ ;:+ J*? B+*+ ;*? 9=9

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2 G C F. 1999 F +

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1995 F HG. 5 ,


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By Jim Akans

This stylish, impeccably remodeled home,

located in the Whispering Pines subdivision just

a few miles from downtown Gaylord, offers

1,800 square feet of spacious, thoughtfully laid

out main level living space. The wonderful floor

plan of this home makes optimal use of all that

space, and it also has a full basement that has

recently be partially finished for even more inte-

rior living area, nearly doubling the available

square footage.

This home has four generously sized bed-

rooms, two-and-a-half baths, and an open mainliving area with vaulted ceiling and a breathtak-

ing, prow-style bank of windows, and it is

accented by a majestic brick fireplace. The large

kitchen is absolutely spectacular with recently

updated stainless steel appliances and oak cabi-

netry with under cabinet lighting, and all the

storage and counter space you will ever need.

The kitchen and nook also feature ceramic tile

flooring, offering beauty and ease of mainte-

nance all in one. Each bath also features ceramic

tile flooring, and the master bath includes a jet-

ted tub, making it a great destination for relaxing

at the end of a long day.

This home offers central air conditioning and

is heated by a forced air, natural gas fired fur-

nace and supplemented by a pellet stove to savesubstantia lly on heating bills. There is also an

attached and heated two-and-a-half car garage,

and the yard is magnificently landscaped, with a

lush green lawn that has an irrigation system,

plus beautiful shrubbery and flower beds and

the back yard is fenced.

This is a wonderful home in a great location,

and it is listed at $179,000 - Call Ed Wohlfeil

today for a private showing. (989) 732-1707 or

email [email protected] .


weeklychoice.com

www.NorthernRealEstate.comOffice: 989-732-1707 Toll Free: 800-828-9372

1738 S. Otsego Ave., P.O. Box 641 Gaylord, MI 49735

GREAT SQUARE

10North of Vanderbilt in

Woodland Hills sub.

Great Building Site or

Hunting Parcel.

$15,500.MLS #281401

GREAT PRICEfor More Than 300

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Outstanding Fishing

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Own Property...Here's

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$23,800.MLS #285316

OLDY BUT AGOODY

3 Bed, 1 Bath usableCabin with 2 additional

fixer upper cabins for thedo-it-your-selfer. Another

shed and garage currentlyused for wood storage. Allon 1.7 acres within a 1/2

mile of Big Bear Lake.Want more acreage...see

MLS#287360$43,900. MLS #287342

25K PRICEREDUCTION!

Peaceful Up NorthCustom Built 3 Bed, 3Bath Home on 10

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with Wildlife (see Elk-Deer in back yard).

New Maple Flooring,Field Stone Fireplace, T&G Vaulted Ceiling, Built In Appliances, Wet Bar,Jet Tub, Sauna. Large Deck, Naturally Landscaped, 2 1/2 Car AttachedGarage, Car Port and Additional 24x24 Out Building. Close to Gaylord,

Petoskey Boyne Falls $310 000 MLS #280633

SELLER JUST INVESTEDMORE THAN $7K

in New Kitchen Cabinets andFlooring in this Sprawling 3Bed, 2 Bath Grayling Ranch.

Two New Additions in last 10Years. New Roof, Furnace,

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Call 989-732-1707

Featured HomeOn the Market

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Spacious, RemodeledRanch in a Beautifully

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Real EstateLifestyle Choices

Affect

Bottom LineCompliments of Ed Wohlfiel

When it comes to eventually moving into that dreamhome you've always wanted, keep in mind that manyof the choices we make on a house are really driven bylifestyle desires, rather than lifestyle needs.

More bedrooms means more time to clean, moreexpensive to repaint and carpet/floor in the future. Thebigger the house and the larger the lot, the more you'regoing to pay for it both in time and financial resources.The main three decision factors are larger lot, morespace and more stuff. Each of these come with a pricetag.

Larger lotDepending on the acreage, this is going to cost the

owner in regards to acquisition, monthly payment, andupkeep. First is the acquisition. Larger lot means larg-er price, thus larger down payment and monthly pay-ment. In metropolitan areas, the closer in to the epi-center of town, the more the extra space is going tocost you. If you decide to get it cheaper by moving outof town, then you'll be paying more for gas and be los-ing the ever elusive minutes of your life.

A friend of mine is dying for a couple of acres. He'smoving into the area from a community where houseswith 2 acres are common and they are within minutesof the job centers. No problem. In this market, howev-er, it means possibly driving 30 miles or more for whathe's looking for. It also means a longer commute --upwards to 90 minutes -- in morning and evening rushhour. If that's 30 minutes longer per day than what hedoes now, that's 2.5 hours per week longer on the road-- folks that's 125 hours per year just on the road towork and back per year -- MORE -- than living closer

in. (That's three weeks worth of working hours.)The larger lot also means more upkeep. If you have

teenagers, maybe it's not your problem, you think witha wry grin. Nevertheless, the larger lot that is clearedoff and landscaped will take longer to mow, requiremore gas and possibly even more equipment. In addi-tion, there's the landscaping that you may not haveneeded to fret about before.

Even in a wooded lot, you'll now have to start watch-ing the trees that border your house. A neighbor toldme before he was moving that he was spending about$500 per year taking down trees that were threateninghis house. Once he did move, the new owners had atree fall on their home within a few weeks, causingdamage to the roof and patio.

More spaceFor most move up buyers, this is the No. 1 reason

they are shopping for a home. The 3-bedroom town-house isn't cutting it for the growing family and it's

time for a yard. Let's get the 4th bedroom, or 4th bed-room with a "bonus" room in the basement.

More space creates more expenses for paint, acces-sories, flooring, etc., every time the room is repainted,remodeled, etc. It's no rocket science calculation to seethat the 1,800 square foot home is going to be cheaperto care for than the 2,800 square foot home.Remember, percentage wise, we're talking 55 percentmore home which will interpret into 55 percent moreflooring cost, 55 percent more paint, 55 percent moreutilities, etc. When purchasing, don't forget to ask theowner for a rundown of monthly or annual expensesfor upkeep of the property. (Most likely, it will be anestimate, but a good indicator of your true costs of theproperty.)

More stuffDon't forget that once you get a larger place, it usu-

ally is compounded with a decision to replace olderfurnishings or purchase new furnishings to put into

your new areas.A recent home moving survey revealed that:57 percent of owners and 37 percent of renters

bought furniture within the 12 weeks surroundingtheir move; owners spent an average of $3,500 andrenters spent $1,220.

55 percent of moving homeowners purchase at leastone appliance when they move, and 57 percent ofhomeowners buy furniture.

35 percent of owners and 40 percent of rentersbought bedding; of these individuals, 72 percent did sowithin three after their move. Owners spent an average

of $420 and renters $240.

Documents

Weekly Choice - Section B - November 07, 2013