Skyline's last chance for a win comes tonight

I don't feel the least bit bad about saying this: Tonight is the Ann Arbor Skyline football team's last chance for a victory this season.
Tonight they host Ann Arbor Huron, and if the Eagles don't want to end the season 0-9, they need to win this one.
Yeah, I know there are four more games left after this one, but let's be realistic.
After Huron, the Eagles have games with Bedford, Saline, Adrian and Dearborn. After four weeks, those teams are a collective 14-2 and Bedford, Adrian and Dearborn are all undefeated.
The odds of Skyline picking up wins against any of those teams are similar to the odds of my 13-week-old son getting up out of his bouncy chair, going up the stairs and making me a grilled cheese sandwich.
It's just not going to happen.
I'm not trying to pile on the Skyline team, because in all honesty, I was thoroughly impressed with the play of the Eagles last week against Pioneer. But again, we have to be realistic. Skyline is a first-year program without a single senior on the squad. Bedford, Saline, Adrian and Dearborn are all established programs and at least three of those teams are on the road to the playoffs.
However, tonight, the Skyline team has a chance to beat Huron.
I wouldn't have believed it at the beginning of the season, but now, I think Skyline can do it.
Huron is only averaging 16 points per game, while Skyline is averaging about 21 (and that's including a shutout at the hands of Ypsilanti).
And while the Skyline defense has been atrocious (the Eagles are giving up an average of over 57 points per game), the Huron D hasn't been anything to write home about either (the Rats are giving up around 31 points per game).
The Huron faithful might hate me, and I could be way off, but Skyline might be able to come out and surprise the River Rats tonight.

Tiger volleyball is hot

The volleyball season just got underway for the Tigers last week and it was an interesting opening. The power was out at Dearborn Heights Annapolis High School so the teams were forced to go the middle school.
The interesting part of that is the gym at OW Best Middle School doesn’t exactly hold a lot of fans. So with a packed middle school the two teams played a very interesting match.
The Tigers played good in the first two matches and won rather convincingly over the Cougars. The team this season is made up of a lot of seniors and upper classmen.
The lone sophomore on the squad this season is Desiree Clemons.
In the third game, which I thought, Belleville played a little less aggressive than the first two the Tigers found themselves down 22-12 before the serving of junior Destiny Hudson came into play. I must admit Hudson is a gamer she came in and served out the game.
She also managed a few aces along the way. I really liked what I saw from her and the rest of the team during that final game. Belleville has some solid players this year and I am sure they will do well in the Western Wayne Athletic Conference.
The seniors on the team this season are Kamila Price, Jessica Hughes, Bridget Cole, Jorri Scruggs, Mariah Hawley, Audrey Sullens, Samantha Hayden, Sierra Westcott and Katelyn LaPrairie. The other junior for the locals is Kaylyn Counts.
I also liked the energy that coach Mike Musser showed during the game. It was his first varsity game and win since taking the program over from Sam Villa who went to help coach the football team.
Musser is a gamer and you can tell he never gives up. He even said after the win that he would not change the lineup when the team was down by so many points in the third game.
It is extremely early in the season and the girls haven’t had a lot of live action especially considering they had one tournament already cancelled on them.
Despite being in a the gym of a middle school both teams drew a good crowd and I think it was exciting for the fans and I know the players have much more to offer.
The football team at Belleville is doing well and getting some well-deserved press but don’t forget that the girls on the volleyball team are also starting out well.
Sports at Belleville are looking like they are making an insurgence and the fall sports are the first ones to make it count this season.
Look for more exciting action and features in the paper in weeks to come. I would like to do features on as many athletes as I can so if you think I missed anyone give me a call or an email.
Heck, send me an email with the picture and I will work my hardest to get it in the paper.

What a play!

I'm still having a hard time getting over Michigan State's overtime football victory against Notre Dame last Saturday. I never expected MSU to execute a fake field goal play with the game on the line. But execute they did -- to perfection -- and, I might add, much to the dismay of Fighting Irish faithful worldwide. I think Brian Kelly, his staff, players and even the Notre Dame Marching Band are all still standing motionless, mouths agaped, along the sidelines of Spartan Stadium. Someone ought to tell them they have a game this Saturday. I never knew stoic, serious Mark Dantonio had it in him to pull off such a surprise attack. I don't think Kelly and his staff thought so, either. Of course, former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, now a college football analyst, said afterward the Irish were well-prepared for the fake kick. Uh huh. Sort of how General Custer was "well-prepared" at the Battle of Little Big Horn...I'm just sayin'...

Going the distance (Week 5)

Last week my fiancee Amanda asked me if I was scared about running in the Detroit Half Marathon (which, at the time of this writing, is only about four weeks away).
It was a confusing question at first.
Why would I be scared?
I'm sure there will be some jitters before the race, but fear?
No.
I'm not scared.
I still feel like my training is going well and that I'm consistently getting better. I'm learning that my body can take a lot more punishment than I ever thought before.
Last week marked the halfway point in my training, and it was a little easier than every other week.
My longest run was only five miles. Listen to me. Only five miles. That used to be a really big deal for me, now, it's just another run.
And as I was out on one of my runs last week, I couldn't help but go back and think about what Mandy had asked me.
Was I scared?
I still didn't think I had anything to fear. At this point, I am almost positive I could finish the race. My time might not be where I want it to be, but I'm sure I could finish.
I don't have the doubts that I used to. So I'm not scared I can't finish.
But as I trudged along, I couldn't help but think of some scenarios, and I came to the realization that I did have some fears.
They weren't really about finishing the race, but rather, if I would get the chance to run in it.
What if I got hurt?
What if there was some kind of family emergency that happened the day of the race?
What if the race got canceled for some reason?
All I kept thinking was how terrible it would be to go through all of this training, and then not be able to finish my goal.
But, then, just like the fears and doubts I had a couple months ago when I started running, these fears just kind of melted away.
There are things I can control, and things I can't. And I can't spend time worrying about the things that I can't control. It's just that simple.
So maybe something will happen that will keep me from accomplishing my goal this year. And if it does, I'll be back to finish it as soon as I'm able.
All I can do is try to stay as fit and healthy as possible, and leave the rest up chance.
So, am I scared?
Not one bit.
In fact, I've never been more sure of anything in my life.

Calvin Johnson robbed of TD?

I think I've had it with the NFL. After watching last Sunday's debacle at Chicago's Soldier Field where the referees took away a legitimate, game-winning touchdown from Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson in the closing seconds of the season-opener, I think I'm going to watch a little less NFL football from here on out. No matter how hard the league and its officials try to explain why the touchdown was disallowed, nothing they can say can take away from the fact the Lions were robbed. Robbed of a victory, robbed of an exciting, team-bonding, come-from-behind win and robbed of a road victory, of which Detroit hasn't experienced in such a long time. The whole incident stinks. What an embarrassment for the NFL and for referees at all levels of the game. I'll still tune in every now and again for a product that has been consistenly deteriorating for years, but I will temper my enthusiasm for and my respect of NFL football and its league officials and administration from here on out after watching last Sunday's travesty.

Friday should be fun

The Lincoln Splitters will be looking for their first win of the season on Friday night as they hope to defeat the Dexter Dreads. Dexter won their opener against Garden City and has lost two straight since then.
Lincoln has dropped every game this year but is looking to improve on its 0-3 record. I hope to see some excitement and maybe even see Rare Williams run another kickoff back for a touchdown. I saw him run one at Bedford a few weeks ago and he did it again last week against the Tecumseh Indians.
So far this season I have watched three games live and my team has lost each one of them. I really hope I can see Lincoln get past Dexter.

Some fun with realignment

With a new era in Big Ten college football beginning next year, there has been lots of talk about divisions and realignment over the past several weeks.
By now you know that the Big Ten has 12 teams, and the Big 12 Conference is down to 10 schools. Teams from the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Utah, etc.) are moving to the Pac-10, and Notre Dame is insistent on remaining independent for now.
It’s madness, I tell you. Madness.
With the addition of Nebraska, a good fit in terms of athletic tradition and academics, the Big Ten has officially been divided. The conference announced its two-division format Sept. 1, with Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Northwestern and Iowa making one division, and Ohio State, Penn State Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana forming the other. Would it not be fitting for Michigan’s division to be named the “Schembechler Division” and Ohio State’s be the “Hayes Division?” Just a thought.
All this talk about realignment got me thinking about Manchester and the Cascades Conference. The Dutchmen were once part of the Lenawee County Athletic Association, but jumped to the Cascades in 1982. If one really looks at the conference as is, you may wonder where Manchester fits in. After all, the Dutchmen are the lone Washtenaw County school in the league, while the rest is Jackson County (except for Addison, which is Lenawee).
Take a look at other conferences. For example, the LCAA is now down to six teams, with half in Monroe County. The Tri-County Conference has Morenci on the Ohio border and Whitmore Lake in northern Washtenaw.
So here is my proposal for a new conference, one that works in terms of locations and traditional rivalries. It features Manchester, Addison, Napoleon and Grass Lake from the Cascades, Clinton from the TCC, Onsted and Hudson from the LCAA and Brooklyn Columbia Central from the Southern Michigan Activities Association. Then you take the rest of the Cascades and hook up with the SMAA, have Blissfield join the TCC along with the Monroe County schools and send Whitmore Lake east to join with the South Lyon schools.
In terms of location, my league would work perfectly, as the eight schools form a circle. Travel would not be an issue, as the longest stretch would be between Grass Lake and Hudson. Manchester and Clinton are seven miles apart, Columbia Central and Napoleon are about five miles apart, and all the school districts are connected.
Think of the rivalries in the league. You have the Manchester-Clinton “Battle of M-52,” the Addison-Hudson “Battle of 127,” Columbia Central-Napoleon and Clinton-Onsted, all of them meaning something for a conference title. Think of the potential rivalries that the Dutchmen could develop with Hudson and Onsted. And this is not just limited to football – this works for all sports.
Now to come up with a name. It could be the Sauk Trail Athletic Conference, named after the trail that Native Americans blazed along what’s now U.S. 12, which passes through Clinton, Onsted and Addison. It could be nicknamed the “STAC,” which would be fitting since the quality of the teams would definitely make it a “stacked league.”
It’s probably a pipe dream, but it is interesting to think about. Let me also say that I have no problem with the Cascades, as it is a very good league. With all the talk about divisions and conference realignment, wouldn’t it be interesting to see Manchester and other local high schools join in the fun.

Ypsi football vs Chelsea preview

The Ypsilanti Phoenix (1-1) football team will have its hands full on Friday night when the visit the Chelsea Bulldogs (2-0) for a 7 p.m. Southeast Conference White Division match up.
Chelsea is coming off a 31-20 win over Monroe last week and they opened the season with a 26-7 win over Ann Arbor Huron. They play no non-league games this season. Last year they finished 8-3 before losing in the Division 3 district finals to Adrian 30-20.
Amazingly the team has made the playoffs under coach Brad Bush (former Ypsilanti High quarterback) 11 out of the last 12 years. The only year they didn’t make it was 2005.
Top players on the team this season include senior quarterback and two-year starter Brian Paulsen. Sophomore running back Berkley Edwards whose brother, Braylon is a National Football League player for the New York Jets. The other running backs on the team are senior Chris Ballow and senior Joey Newland.
One very talented offensive tackle is senior Connor Tait (6-6, 225) and on defense one star in linebacker Cal Bauer (5-11, 215).

Spartans pass first test

Michigan State football began its season last Saturday with a 38-14 victory over visiting Western Michigan. The Spartans looked pretty solid, as far as openers go, in dismantling the Broncos. MSU looked especially strong on the ground. Defensively, the Spartans played well. Holding a high-powered offense like WMU's to only 14 points is pretty impressive. However, in watching the game, I noticed Michigan State still didn't produce much of a pass rush and I still saw too many missed tackles. With Florida Atlantic up next this weekend in a contest at Ford Field in Detroit, let's hope the Spartans can improve defensively, especially in their quarterback pressure and open field tackling.

New Wall of Fame class worthy of honor

One by one, they walked the track toward Manchester immortality.
As each of the new inductees to the Manchester Athletic Wall of Fame moved along the track, their contributions to the school district were read off while the packed crowd applauded in appreciation of their contributions to the school district.
It was a special night Sept. 2 as the fourth class was inducted to the Wall of Fame during halftime of the Manchester varsity football team’s home opener against the Michigan Center Cardinals.
What began in 2007 has become a nice opening night tradition in Manchester. As a new school year begins, the district takes time to honor those who shaped the athletic program into what it is today. And the Wall of Fame Class of 2010 is certainly no exception.
Three athletes, two teams, a coach, four volunteers and a business were honored during the ceremony. The athletes were Alicia Seegert (’83), Jeff Punches (’02) and Jon Schaible (’04) and the coach was John Korican Sr. The 1956 Manchester football team and the 1956-57 boys basketball team was inducted along with volunteers Keith Reed, Duane Kuebler, Ron Punches and Jeff Knouase. The Award of Merit, which salutes the contributions of local businesses to the athletic department, went to Ron and Joann Finkbeiner of Bridgewater Lumber Company.
The athletes in this year’s class made significant contributions to the MHS athletic department as players and representatives. Seegert was a member of some of the early female sports teams in Manchester and was most well-known for her efforts in softball. Punches was a standout multi-sport athlete who lends his expertise as a coach for junior varsity baseball and freshmen boys basketball.
Schaible helped the Manchester varsity baseball team to a deep playoff run as a senior in 2004. One of his most memorable moments came in the Division 3 district tournament when he recorded a strikeout with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh at Onsted, giving the Dutchmen the district crown. Three years later, Schaible helped the Spring Arbor University baseball team to an appearance in the NAIA World Series.
Korican has played an active role in Manchester athletics for decades. After serving as a head coach for several sports, including football and basketball, Korican became Manchester’s athletic director. Korican remains active with the schools as a member of the Manchester Civic Club (formerly Optimist Club) and is a familiar face at all sporting events.
One of the best things about Manchester’s Wall of Fame is that it honors those who volunteer their time to help better the program. Since I started covering Manchester athletics, I’ve always been amazed who the community comes together to support the school district. And it’s not just limited to athletics. Village residents have assisted in improving school facilities and educational departments.
The 1956 football team and 56-57 basketball teams posted two of the best seasons in school history, and helped set the standard for future teams’ success.
The first home game is always a special night as it signals the beginning of a new school year. But while Manchester celebrates a new beginning, the athletic department takes time to honor its past, a past worth celebrating.

Trip to Bedford

Maybe people take football a little more serious in Bedford than what I am use to. I recently went down to Temperance to see the Kicking Mules play the Lincoln Splitters and I came back with a few observations.
First they have a beautiful stadium in Bedford. It is like a small college field with all the fringe benefits. They have what appeared to be something similar to a "Wall of Fame."
The fans in Bedford cheered and jumped up and down for most of the game in the student section. When the band played the National Anthem the next thing they played was the Bedford Fight Song.
Bedford is close to Ohio and the colors are the same as Ohio State University. Maybe that is what it seems they have more fans than some of the school north of Ohio.
I was impressed and I liked what I saw. Lincoln did well against them but in the end the Kicking Mules proved to be too much.
I was glad I only got lost once on my way and when I went home a different way I had no problems.
I like road trips once in awhile but I will admit I enjoy seeing my teams play at home.