Tuscola County Sports

All Thumb football team released. This year's All Thumb football team was released yesterday, highlighted by the announcement that the 2007 All Thumb Player of the Year is Millington's Dustin Griesing. There were a few questionable nominations but I can personally attest that the meeting was enjoyable. Most importantly, I think we got it right this time around. After two undefeated teams forced us to assign co-team of the year awards for the boys basketball season; we were again faced with a similar dilemma with a couple of undefeated teams after the conclusion of the 2007 football season. In my mind, though, no team was as dominant this year as Harbor Beach, so thankfully we were able to avoid giving out another co-team award. Yes, Reese was undefeated during the regular season, but I felt that the Pirates were the best team available to pick from, and they were a unanimous selection. They won the Greater Thumb East in dominant fashion, and they were among four teams from t

Big First Half carries Marlette past USA SEBEWAING - Led by 19 points from Jenna Lange, Marlette used a big second quarter to grab a 51-39 opening game win over Unionville-Sebewaing on Monday night. The Red Raiders outpaced the Patriots 22-10 in the second frame, which allowed coach Fred Mroczek's team to carry a 30-15 lead into the half. Lange made good on just five field goals, three of which were three-pointers, while teammate Kelsey Hall added 18 points for the Raiders (1-0). USA (0-1) was led by Dani Gremel, who led all scorers with 24 points. Marlette: A. Wood 0 2-2 2, K. Hall 8 2-6 18, K. Roberts 2 0-0 4, A. Wilson 0 1-5 1, C. Distelrath 0 4-4 7, J. Lange 5 0-0 19, K. Smith 0 0-2 0. Totals: 15 9-19 51 USA: D. Gremel 10 1-2 24, J. Williamson 4 1-6 9, K. McBrayer 3 0-4 6. Totals: 17 2-12 39 Marlette 08-22-09-12--51 USA 05-10-14-10--39 Reese 67, Millington 39: The Cardinals lost their season opener on the road against Reese (1-0), falling behind 37-16 at halftime

Three from area named First Team All State Congratulations go out to three area volleyball players who were named First Team All State this past week on the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association teams. North Branch's Olivia Kohler (Class A), Frankenmuth's Nicole Bade (B) and Marlette's Jenna Lange (C) all were selected by the coaches as First Team selections for their efforts during the season. MIVCA FIRST TEAM ALL STATE CLASS A Sara Skornia, Bay City Central; Kyndra Abron, Livonia Churchill; Brittany McGinnis,Fraser; Megan Hendrickson, Jenison; Ashlee Crowder, Jenison; Kim Stewart, Kentwood; Megan Steenhuysen, Kentwood; Olivia Kohler, North Branch. SECOND TEAM ALL STATE CLASS A Ashley Nevelle, Caledonia; Taylor Root, Jenison; Jessica Brown, Kentwood; Alexandra Cocklin, Marian; Rachel Charles, Marian; Kaitlyn Schultz, Milford; Jessica Curtis, North Branch ; Grace Hill, Portage Northern. HONORABLE MENTION CLASS A Taylor Minor, North Branch. FIRST TEAM ALL S

In case anyone was wondering who actually wrote this....here it is, with full credit given to the author. By Andrew Selich Sports Writer TUSCOLA COUNTY - Football is a simple game. Two teams made up of eleven players line up against each other across the line of scrimmage and take turns fighting for yardage. The team with the ability to move the ball the farthest the most times and scores the most points within the time frame allowed wins the game. Period. As complex as the game may appear to be at certain times, it all begins with eleven players and one team. With that in mind, the 2007 Tuscola County Advertiser's Dream Team is a collection of the top eleven football players from in and around the Tuscola County area for the past football season. One team....eleven guys. A throwback to another era, when eleven players took the field and played the whole game on both sides of the ball. No third-down specialists; no nickel-back defensive players. Just eleven guys led by one coa

Congrats. Congratulations go out to North Branch's Zac Hueter, who today was named as a First Team All State Linemen on the Division 3-4 AP team. Player of the Year: Dan VanDreumel, DeWitt. FIRST TEAM QB: Brendan Kay (Marine City), Dan VanDreumel (DeWitt). RB: Joe Glendening (East Grand Rapids), Jonas Gray (Detroit Country Day), Andy Plaska (Zeelancd West), Ron Spears (Milan). WR: Jason Fleet (DeWitt), Robert Philips (Gaylord), Nate White (Comstock). L: Matt Armstrong (Lansing Sexton), John Deyo (Richard Gull Lake), Matt Forward (Zeeland West), Shelton Gaines (Detroit Crockett), Andrew Harig (Fruitport), Jason Harvey (Grand Rapids Catholic Central), Zac Hueter (North Branch). LB: Kenny Demens (Detroit Country Day), Taylor Hopkins (Chelsea), Mike Matyniak (Marine City), Nathan Schott (Cheboygan). DB: Dan Hocker (Richland Gull Lake), Mike Noffsinger (West Branch Ogemaw Heights), Floyd Simmons (Detroit Crockett). P: Andy Herman (Flint Powers Catholic). K: Doug Raak (South Haven). Sp

Congratulations to Reese's Isaac Zimmer, who today was named First Team All-State as a Specialist in the Division 5-6 Associated Press. Others from the area who were honored include: Marlette's Austin Comment, who earned Special Mention as a quarterback; Millington's Dustin Griesing, Honorable Mention All-State at quarterback; and Frankenmuth's Ryan Keith, Honorable Mention All-State as a Specialist. PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Deandre Johnson, Madison Heights Madison, 5-8, 170, Sr. QB: Kirk Deering (Grand Rapids West Catholic), Simuel Overall (Flint Beecher), Joe Bitterman (Chesaning). RB: Deandre Johnson (Madison Heights Madison), Jezrel White (Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central), Ethan Shaver (Menominee), Antoine Smith-Guise (Flint Hamady). WR: Clifton Powell (Madison Heights Bishop Foley), Neal Zott (Almont), Zac Dreffs (Elk Rapids). L: Brad Saunders (St. Charles), Steve Winston (Muskegon Heights), Armando Roque (Madison Heights Madison), Spencer Bouwkamp (

All-State Teams coming this week. This is the week when the All-State Teams are released, timed to coincide with the upcoming State Finals games this Friday and Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit. Congratulations to Peck's Michael Mann and Harbor Beach's Jason Volmering and Brett Bucholz, three Thumb football players who were all named First Team All-State for Division 7-8. Here is the entire Division 7-8 First Team. QB - Jason Pratt (Merrill), Ray Wojtala (Allen Park Cabrini). RB - Brandon Kelly (Au-Gres Sims), Casey Hares (Ishpeming), Michael Mann (Peck). L - Jordan Rahme (Fulton-Middleton), Jason Volmering (Harbor Beach), Shane Hettinger (Martin), Justin Leonard (Webberville), Andrew Buday (Traverse City St. Francis), Andrew Barrowcliff (Waterford Our Lady). WR - Billy Myler (Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart), Josh DuPree (Ottawa Lake Whiteford), Brad Guy (Bellaire). LB - Joe Smith (Mendon-Div. 7-8 Player of the Year), Max Bankston (Frankfort), Brett Bucholz (Harbor Beach) ,

Here they are. With every team involved in fall sports around here finally finished for the season, attention has turned to the release of the all-conference teams. Here are the football teams for the four conferences in and around the Tuscola County area: Tri-Valley East First Team - Offense OL - Mike Mosier, Birch Run; Corey Robinson, Caro; Tony Ball, Frankenmuth; Spenser Summersett, Millington; Zac Hueter, North Branch; Ben Ward, Vassar. WR - Bret Coleman, Birch Run; Justin Zielinski, Garber; Garrett Stier, Millington; Tyler Reinert, Millington. RB - Mitch Babcock, Birch Run; Ryan Keith, Frankenmuth ; Josh Pierson, Garber; Corban Stewart, Millington . FB - Nathan Cormier, Frankenmuth . QB - Dustin Griesing, Millington ; Randon Henika, Garber. Second Team - Offense OL - Earl Leach, Birch Run; Madison Todd, Frankenmuth ; Kendrick Heinlein, Garber; Rick Lich, Millington; Rick Holtzlander, Millington . WR - Jordan Duby, Birch Run; Andrew Lapointe, Caro; Casey Linck, Nor

Mid-Michigan still well represented. There are a few teams left in the Mid-Michigan area as far as the MHSAA football state playoffs are concerned. In fact, 11 Mid-Michigan area teams are still alive, with five of those teams hosting games either this Friday night or Saturday afternoon. In fact, one team is even hosting a home game for the first time after winning their first two playoff games on the road. Here's a closer look at this weekend's games, starting in Division 2. Division 2 Davison (8-3) at Midland (9-2)-F7: At first look, it might appear that the Big Nine-champion Cardinals are over matched against the Chemics, who were the co-champions of the of the SVL. But a cloeser look at Davison's schedule shows that their only losses were to fellow playoff qualifiers, Lowell, Rockford and Holt. Still, the game is in Midland. PICK: Chemics 19, Cardinals 8 Division 3 Mt. Pleasant (8-3) at East Grand Rapids (10-1)-S1: Being that both of the my parents are MPHS grads,

Cardinals blow late lead MILLINGTON - Going into Friday's District Title championship game, Chesaning coach Jim Szappan had said about his quarterback Joe Bitterman that in Szappan's thirty years as a football coach, Bitterman was the best athlete that he had ever coached. After the fourth-quarter performance the senior had on Friday, it is easy to agree with Szappan's statement. Bitterman led the charge against Millington in the Division 5, District 4 Title game, leading his team back from a two-touchdown, fourth quarter deficit to the come-from behind 29-28 win over the Cardinals on Friday night. While trailing at halftime, Bitterman told his team at the break that if they wanted to win, they had to give a little more. "I told them I would lead them," Bitterman said. "I just asked for them to play a little harder, give a little more than they could. "I just needed some more time." He took a little more time than he his teammates may ha

I was there. A lot of talk this week in the blog-world has focused on this Friday's Chesaning-Millington District Final game of the Division 5 playoffs and whether or not it is relevant to talk about 1998. For those if you unfamiliar, let me summarize: 1998 was the last time these two teams met. It was the second round of playoffs, Millington was 10-0, which included a 29-26 win over Chesaning in week one of the season. The Cards were flying high; they had scored 444 points in 10 games and looked like the team to beat in the Class B playoffs. The Indians, on the other hand, were 9-1 and came into Millington that day in November full of confidence. Coach Jim Szappan and his team had ran over nine straight teams and they came to play. Unfortuantely for Millington, they were shut out by the Indians, 28-0, eliminated from the playoffs after a season which looked as though Coach Furno and his team had a legitmate chance at winning the school's first state title. The outcome of