PREP ZONE FALL SPORTS REWIND DECEMBER 15, 2018 Huron
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 15, 2018
About this section
FALL SPORTS REWIND
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BAD AXE FOOTBALL
The 2018 fall sports season was one to remember. We were treated to teams winning championships for the first time in years, while others continued their dominance. Plenty of individuals had breakout seasons, as well. The season was so jam packed with memories and excitement, the Huron Daily Tribune is launching its first-ever Fall Season Review. Here is our final look back at another memorable seasons of high school sports in the Upper Thumb.
BAD AXE CROSS COUNTRY
Hatchets show improvement on gridiron It’s been a steady building process for Bad Axe under coach Kelly Durr. Prior to the season, Durr said he wanted to at least double the Hatchets’ win total from a season ago. They accomplished that by Week 7 and had two shots to qualify for the playoffs for
Hatchets produce pair of all-state athletes Bad Axe saw David Knarian finish his career a two-time Division 3 all-state performer, finishing fourth in Division 3. Meanwhile, junior Jelena Prescott earned all-state status for the second straight season, placing 26th.
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the first time since 2014. Ultimately, they suffered two straight losses, but made huge improvements to turning the program around. Bad Axe will return most of its players next season, as it attempts to challenge for a league championship and playoff spot.
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BAD AXE SOCCER
BAD AXE VOLLEYBALL
District delight for soccer program Youth was served for the Bad Axe soccer team on a Sunday afternoon in October. Due to inclement weather, the Hatchets had to wait to complete their Division 4 district soccer championship match with Saginaw Valley Lutheran on a Sunday. It didn’t matter, as Bad Axe
blitzed the Chargers down the stretch for a 4-2 victory, claiming their fifth title in program history. The win came 20 years to the day of the first district title the program won. With a team mostly comprised of underclassmen, this could be the start of a big run for the Hatchets.
Hatchets adjust to new coaching style It was a transition season for Bad Axe under first-year coach Chrissy Kaczuk. The Hatchets struggled in some matches, but showed some of their potential,
when they took a set from state runner-up USA. They have a strong junior varsity program, and could be a contender shortly.
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 15, 2018
CASEVILLE FOOTBALL
Eagles flirt with playoffs, on their way to fine season Midway through the season, it looked as though the Caseville football team would make history and make the playoffs for the first time. However, the Eagles had to settle for a
4-5 record, after losing their final three games. Still, it makes the most wins in a season since the return of the football program, in 2012.
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Eagles show improvements with first-year coach It was a bit of a struggle for Caseville under first-year co-coaches Samantha Krueger and Natasha Crawford-Sears. The Eagles had been at the top of the NCTL for years, but took a step back. However, they had a fairly young roster, and should be back to contention as quickly as by next season.
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WEEKEND, DECEMBER 15, 2018
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CASS CITY FOOTBALL
Hawks claim first-ever GTW championship The Cass City football team partied like it was 1972. The Red Hawks captured the Greater Thumb West championship. It was their first outright league crown since 1972. They featured an explosive
offense, led by junior quarterback Sandyn Cuthrell. Cass City is in the midst of its best five-year run in program history, making the playoffs each of those five seasons. The next step will be the elusive first-ever district championship.
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CASS CITY VOLLEYBALL
It was another solid season for the Cass City volleyball team. The Red Hawks were in the thick of con-
tention in the Greater Thumb West and took a pair of sets from eventual state runner-up USA.
Volleyball team stays in the league title hunt
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CASS CITY CROSS COUNTRY
McArdle leads rebuilding Red Hawks It was a transition season for the Cass City cross country program. But the Red Hawks did see sophomore Nick McArdle win a meet and qualify for the Division 3 state finals.
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DECKERVILLE FOOTBALL
Eagles continue to be the best in the Thumb It was a tough start to the season for Deckerville’s football. The Eagles struggled to a 1-2 record in their first three games, losing back-to-back games for the first time since 2011. However, veteran coach Bill Brown made the proper adjustments, as the team ripped off a
seven-game winning streak. Along the way, they claimed the NCTL Blue Division and played in a regional championship. It was the first time in four years the Eagles failed to win double digit games. But the proved they were
still one of the best teams in the state. The offense saw the emergence of running back Derek Snyder, while the defense was led by bruising linebacker Curtis Vogel, who was the AllThumb Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
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DECKERVILLE VOLLEYBALL
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DECKERVILLE CROSS COUNTRY
Eagles nearly capture district championship The Deckerville volleyball team found itself contending for a Division 4 district championship. The Eagles dropped a heartbreaking five set
match to Dryden. But they continue to find ways to be near the top of the NCTL Stars standings, along with being on the cusp of postseason hardware.
Trio of state qualifiers lead the way The Deckerville cross country teams sent a total of three athletes to the state finals. Morgan Armstead and Abigail Sanford represented the girls, while Brett Dumaw paced the boys team.
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EPBP FOOTBALL
Lakers continue recent run of gridiron success It was another successful for the EPBP football program. The Lakers finished second in the Greater Thumb West, while making the playoffs for a third straight season. EPBP has reached the postseason five of the last six seasons.
EPBP SOCCER
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EPBP VOLLEYBALL
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EPBP CROSS COUNTRY
Repkie begins to shape new-look Lakers It was a season of transition for the EPBP volleyball team. The Lakers adjusted to first-year coach Renee Repkie and a new style of volleyball.
Towards the end of the season, it was coming together for the team. Repkie will look to keep building the team into a contender next season.
Young Lakers ready to turn the corner The EPBP cross country team was extremely young and was led by sophomore Mason Williams, who just missed out on being a state qualifier.
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HARBOR BEACH FOOTBALL
Pirates return to prominence At one point this season, Harbor Beach’s football was sitting at 1-1, with its season hanging in the balance. Then the Pirates figured things out. When the dust settled, they found themselves in their first state semifinal since 2014. Harbor Beach played a couple of classic games with its rival Ubly, including an unforgettable 28-26 triple overtime victory in the Division 8 district championship. The Pirates also defeated Saginaw Nouvel for the first time in program history and shutout Flint Beecher in the playoffs. Long time coach Troy Schelke passed his mentor Jack Dillon for most wins in Harbor Beach history. Schelke will welcome the core of this team back in 2019.
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HARBOR BEACH VOLLEYBALL
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HARBOR BEACH CROSS COUNTRY
Pirates produce pair of state finals qualifiers
Pirates reach new heights
Harbor Beach’s cross country team was light on numbers, but not on talent. The Pirates sent a pair of girls to the state finals, with Makara Kramer and Paige Anderson.
The Harbor Beach volleyball team continue makes strides to be a contender in 2018. The Pirates won a couple of tournaments, on their way to over 30 wins for the season. For the second straight year, they found themselves playing for a district championship. Veteran coach Stephanie Weiss had a good core of player returning for next season.
HARBOR BEACH SOCCER
Soccer team stays steady Harbor Beach’s soccer team continues to be one of the most consistent on the area. The Pirates were in the mix for the Greater Thumb North, again this season, for veteran coach Brian Fuller. They ultimately fell to Bad Axe in a gritty district semifinal contest.
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FALL SPORTS REWIND
NORTH HURON FOOTBALL
Warriors able to secure second straight trip to the playoffs North Huron’s football team took a slight step back from this history-making season of 2017. Still, the Warriors were in the playoffs for a second straight season. It’s only the third time in program history the team has qualified for the postseason in consecutive years. Ty Knoblock turned in a fine all-around season, especially from the defensive back position, where he picked off 11 passes. It was a performance that earned him AllThumb co-Defensive Player of the Year.
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NORTH HURON CROSS COUNTRY Warriors send a pair to state finals North Huron’s cross country team produced not one, but two state finals qualifiers. Junior De’Andre Morris pulled double duty on regional Saturday. In the morning, he finished 15th at Wagener Park, then made the trek to Posen to play in the Warrior’s 8-Player playoff game. Meanwhile, freshman Ellie Bender turned in a top 15 performance at the regional to make it to the state meet.
NORTH HURON VOLLEYBALL
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OWEN-GAGE FOOTBALL
Gibbard helps Bulldogs show improvement The Owen-Gage football team adjusted nicely to first-year coach Nick Gibbard. The Bulldogs finished 4-5 and ended the season on a two-game winning streak, over rivals Akron-Fairgrove and Caseville. They doubled their win total from 2017.
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OWEN-GAGE CROSS COUNTRY Bulldogs reach program milestones The Owen-Gage girls cross country team made huge improvements this season. The Bulldogs won the NCTL championship. Individually, Madelyn Haldane qualified for the state meet.
OWEN-GAGE VOLLEYBALL
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UBLY FOOTBALL
Bearcats stay the course under Becker The Ubly football team didn’t miss a beat under “first-year” head coach Jim Becker. Becker, who has been with the football program in some capacity for over 20 years, called the shots for the Bearcats this season. The result was an 8-3 record, with two of those losses coming to Harbor Beach. The final game was an unforgettable 28-26 triple overtime loss to the Pirates in the Division 8 district championship game.
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UBLY CROSS COUNTRY
Girls cross country continues to shine for Bearcats It was another fantastic season for the Ubly girls cross country team. The Bearcats won their fifth straight regional championship, easily won the Greater Thumb East title and placed eighth at the state meet. Sisters Haili and Josie Gusa were allstate runners. Haili finished her career as a fourtime all-state performer. At the regional, Ubly had three in the top seven, as Shelby Messing was seventh, to go with the finishes of the Gusas. With plenty of talent set to return in 2019, the Bearcats will look continue their success.
UBLY VOLLEYBALL
Bearcats prove to be pesky on the court The Ubly volleyball turned in another solid season. The Bearcats were not an easy matchup for any team they faced with their tenacious defensive style. The pushed Greater Thumb East champion Brown City to five sets, proving they could play with anyone.
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USA VOLLEYBALL
Record-setting Patriots turn in season to remember It was unquestionably the best season in the history of USA volleyball. The Patriots set all kinds of program records. But their biggest accomplishment was playing for their first-ever state championship. They did suffer the loss in the title game, but when the dust settled, they were still
Division 3 state runner-up. Individually, the senior duo of Rylee Zimmer and Nichole Schember shattered the USA record book. Zimmer set the all-time USA mark for kills in a season with 828. Her 2,332 career kills puts her ninth in the Michigan High School Athletic Association record book.
She will continue her career at Saginaw Valley State University. Meanwhile, the Thumb has never seen a setter like Schember. She tied the MHSAA record for assists in a match with 70, in just four sets. Her 1,702 in a single season ranks her for fourth-most in MHSAA history.
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USA CROSS COUNTRY
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USA SOCCER
Patriots take the next step USA boys cross country is back. The youthful Patriots missed out on the league championship, but more than made up for it, by winning their first regional title since 2010. They followed that up with a fifth place finish at the Division 4 state meet. Sophomore Bentley Alderson earned all-state honors by placing 12th. USA should improve on all of its accomplishments in 2019, as it will only lose one senior.
Soccer team sets new standard The USA soccer team has turned into one of the best in the area. The Patriots secured their third straight Greater Thumb North championship, while
USA FOOTBALL Patriot see playoff streak snapped For the first time in five years, the USA football team found itself not playing in the postseason. The Patriots just missed the playoffs, as they finished 4-5. They were low on numbers and upperclassmen. With a good core of players set to return, including sophomore running back Connor Gettel, USA should be back in contention for a Greater Thumb West championship, along with a playoff spot in 2019.
advancing to a district title game. The district hardware continues to elude USA, but it’s only a matter of time before the team breaks through to win one.
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Sporting events are FANtastic One of the best parts about sporting events is the fan experience. Without the fans, the contests would have little or no meaning. The players wouldn’t be able to feed off the energy of the crowd. And there’s nothing like seeing the band performing at halftime of a football game on a Friday night. The next two pages feature the best fans and bands we’ve seen this year. Enjoy!
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