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Morenci boys track & field

Morenci Rallies to Support 3-Sport Standout

By Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com

March 22, 2021

MORENCI – It would have been easy for Rodney Zimmerman to take a night off and no one would have thought twice.

But the three-sport athlete at Morenci High School in Lenawee County wouldn’t even consider it. Even while his mom was going through cancer treatments, battling COVID-19 and pneumonia, Zimmerman hit the weight room every morning, showed up for practice every afternoon and, now, has taken a step toward his dream of becoming a college athlete. 

Zimmerman committed this week to Saginaw Valley State University to run track.

“He’s just one of those kids that everyone rallies around,” said Morenci track and football coach Stefan Wilkinson. “He works really hard at everything he does. He goes all out, every time he’s on the court or field or track. He’s a very humble kid.”

Outside of his own community, few people were aware that his mother was going through cancer treatments in the fall, causing her to miss some of his games. Morenci rallied around the quiet senior.

“Everyone knew what was going on,” Zimmerman said, reluctantly. “Morenci is a small town. The parents and coaches were great to me. They would cook meals for us. That was really nice.

“Sports is a way for me to put that out of my mind,” he said. “I just go out and play the game. It is hard, but you have to do it. Football became my escape from all of that. That really helped. It wasn’t too hard to focus. Well, it was, but I just had to do it. I wanted to keep playing.”

Sports has been a part of his life since grade school. He grew up near Waldron in Hillsdale County and attended Pittsford until seventh grade when he moved schools and started going to Morenci. It was a good fit for him and the community.

His first interest was basketball, but he decided to pick up other sports as well.

“At first when I came here, I just played basketball, but I eventually picked up football and then track,” he said. “The coaches always told me it was good to play all of the other sports.”

Rodney ZimmermanHe’s a familiar face at Morenci events because he stands out in three sports. He also wears a signature headband.

Zimmerman was a running back for the Morenci football team in the fall, is a point guard for the Bulldogs basketball team as they head into next week’s Division 3 postseason, and he can’t wait to return to the track this spring. He’s a sprinter and a good one.

As a sophomore, Zimmerman finished second at the Tri-County Conference meet in both the 100 and 200 meters. At the Division 4 Finals, he placed fourth in the 100 and helped the Bulldogs 400 relay team place fourth as well. He also qualified in the 200. 

He likes how track is somewhat of an individual sport.

“I like all of the sports, but I like that in track I have total control,” he said. “The only one responsible for your performance is you. It’s all up to you.”

He missed his junior year of track due to the season being canceled because of COVID-19. 

“I was really disappointed that I missed my junior season because that’s a big season for recruitment,” he said. “I was thinking we were going to still have a season. I was working out and getting ready, then it was canceled. I was still lifting and trying to stay ready.”

He has goals for this season.

“I want to go to state again, and I want to be in the top three in my events,” he said.

He committed to Saginaw Valley State, a Division II college, after visiting the campus and finding out the Cardinals were able to give some scholarship money.

“They made the best offer,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to go to college. That’s been my plan. I want to do something in business, maybe own my own gym.”

College is still a while away. Right now, there is the District tournament looming for Morenci, then track season. His mother had a scan recently to find out where she stands with cancer.

For now, he’s happy to have her in the stands, watching him compete. The community continues to rally around him. His teammates do, too. During football season, Zimmerman and other players wore green on their shoes or wrist – a lime green ribbon promotes Lymphoma cancer awareness.

“It’s nice to have her watching again,” he said. “She missed some football games. She just had a pet scan last week to see if it is all gone. We are hoping for the best.”

Doug DonnellyDoug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Morenci's Rodney Zimmerman sprints toward the finish of a preliminary race during the 2019 Track & Field Finals. (Middle) Zimmeran was named this winter's Homecoming king. (Top photo by RunMichigan.com; middle photo submitted.)

Grand Blanc defenders converge on a Muskegon Mona Shores ball carrier during the Sailors' 28-26 win.

1st & Goal: 2024 Week 1 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 3, 2024

Football is the only high school sport for which teams prepare an entire week to play just one game, and at most are guaranteed nine games each season.

MI Student AidThat being the case, every week contributes significantly to a team’s overall story. And we're thrilled to tell as many as possible again, starting with what struck us most from season openers this past holiday weekend.

This time, headliners included a pair of victories over 2023 Finals champions, and two of the highest-scoring games in MHSAA history. And those are just a few of the notables from this first chapter, as we restart our weekly "1st & Goal" series to highlight several of the results that especially jumped off the page.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Frankenmuth 22, Goodrich 0 After falling to the Martians on a last-minute score to start the 2023 season, Frankenmuth avenged by handing Goodrich its first regular-season shutout since 2018. Logan Diener led the Eagles’ defensive effort with 15 tackles and two sacks, and Kobbi Ke outran Goodrich as a team 117 yards to 54. Click for more from the Saginaw News.

Watch list Fenton 28, Midland Dow 14 The Tigers also opened last season with a win over Dow, by two points, on the way to a Flint Metro League title – and this victory was even more impressive with quarterback Noah Sheil starring.

On the move Harbor Beach 24, Cass City 22 (OT) These two finished a combined 17-5 last year, and Harbor Beach extended its winning streak against the Red Hawks to three this weekend with an overtime defensive stand. Saginaw Heritage 48, Mount Pleasant 24 Despite graduating one of the most accomplished receivers in MHSAA history, Heritage raced to a second-straight win over the Oilers, who won a league title a year ago. Armada 28, Marine City 27 This ending was unforgettable as well, as both teams scored during the final two minutes, Armada first and then Marine City on a kickoff return – but the Tigers stopped the ensuing two-point conversion try.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Belleville 35, Clarkston 28 Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood started one of the nation’s most anticipated senior seasons running for 177 yards and two scores and throwing two touchdown passes. His 55-yard TD sprint with 18 seconds left was the game-winner at the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic. Click for more from the Detroit Sports Commission.

Watch list Warren De La Salle Collegiate 21, Davison 3 In another premier Xenith matchup at Wayne State, the 2023 Division 2 runner-up Pilots avenged last season’s 31-26 loss to Davison by dealing the Cardinals their first single-digit scoring day since 2021.

On the move West Bloomfield 42, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 0 The Lakers left no doubt in this rematch of annual powers, impressing even more after winning last season’s matchup with the Big Reds by just a point. Lake Orion 21, Northville 13 These were both 10-game winners a year ago, and Lake Orion is back on course after last season’s lone loss came by a point in its District Final. Riverview Gabriel Richard 15, Montrose 10 Gabriel Richard began building on last season’s trip to the Division 8 Semifinals by holding on against a Rams team that reached the Division 7 Regional Finals in 2023.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER Lansing Everett 28, Lansing Sexton 0 Everett ended a two-game losing streak against its rival in a big way, shutting out a Sexton offense that scored 30 points per game last season and putting up 28 on a Sexton defense that gave up that many only once a year ago. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Watch list East Lansing 31, Portage Central 7 Much is expected of the Trojans this season, and they showed why immediately in this matchup of 2023 league champions. East Lansing shut down a Central offense that averaged nearly 32 points per game last year.

On the move DeWitt 69, Haslett 42 These rivals ran right into the MHSAA record book combining for more than 100 points during one of the most high-scoring games of opening night, as the Panthers’ Elliott Larner and Vikings’ Kory Amachree combined to run for seven touchdowns. Pewamo-Westphalia 8, North Muskegon 7 The Pirates avenged their only two losses of a year ago (on opening night and then in a Regional Final) with a fourth-quarter touchdown and two-point conversion. Fowler 20, Hudson 6 Fowler also made some big-time small-school noise with this win over a Hudson program that was a combined 31-5 over the last three seasons.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Ogemaw Heights 29, Ubly 13 Ogemaw is coming off its best season in over a decade, and it’s impossible to argue with this start against last season’s undefeated Division 8 champion. Ubly has some significant changes on offense as several standouts graduated, and is a much smaller school, but the Falcons still held the Bearcats to their lowest-scoring performance since 2021. Click for more from the Bay City Times.

Watch list Traverse City West 6, Gaylord 0 West avenged last season’s 13-7 loss to the Blue Devils, who are coming off a perfect regular season and league and District titles. The Titans are seeking their first winning season since 2021.

On the move Traverse City St. Francis 67, Charlevoix 22 After opening last season with a one-point win over the Rayders, St. Francis fell to them in their Division 7 District opener. This avenges that, but they could mean again. Elk Rapids 7, Benzie Central 2 This may seem more like a baseball score, and Elk Rapids will take it after losing this matchup 47-26 last season and missing the playoffs at 4-5 while Benzie qualified at 5-4. Petoskey 8, Greenville 6 Only a few points were scored in this one too, but Petoskey knows every one of them counts after making the playoffs at 5-4 as well last season.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Onsted 35, Napoleon 20 The Wildcats are seeking their first winning season since 2019 and finished 2-7 a year ago. But they’re halfway to equaling that total after a loud start, as Napoleon is coming off back-to-back league titles. Click for more from the Adrian Daily Telegram.

Watch list Ypsilanti Lincoln 10, Milan 7 The Railsplitters are seeking their first winning season since 2017 and won two games a year ago as well, but they are on the right path with this victory over a 2023 playoff qualifier.

On the move Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 22, Clinton 14 The Falcons bounced back from losing to Clinton by the same score in last season’s Division 7 District Final. Jackson Lumen Christi 49, Michigan Center 21 This matchup featured two of the Jackson area’s traditional best for the second-straight season, with the reigning Division 7 champion Titans again prevailing. Ann Arbor Pioneer 27, Adrian 17 The Pioneers avenged last season’s 36-30 loss to the Maples as they look to build on their winningest season since 2015.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Paw Paw 32, Big Rapids 14 Paw Paw won this opening matchup for the second season in a row and by an almost identical score as in 2023, when Big Rapids went on to win the Central State Activities Association Gold and the Red Wolves finished second in the Wolverine Conference. PJ DeYoung led the way this time with 203 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Click for more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

Watch list St. Joseph 30, Niles 7 St. Joseph rebounded significantly after losing last season’s opener to Niles 55-0. The Bears took strides on both sides of the ball; Niles never scored fewer than 14 points in a game last season, and St. Joseph reached 30 only three times in 2023.  

On the move Hartford 55, Niles Brandywine 24 Hartford has a varsity team for the first time since 2021 and now its first win since 2019. Dowagiac 21, South Haven 11 Dowagiac last year posted its first winning season since 2019 despite a one-point loss to South Haven in their opener, and ending a three-game losing streak against the Rams over the weekend was another solid step. Buchanan 32, Saugatuck 6 Buchanan was another season-opening avenger, having fallen to Saugatuck 25-14 a year ago in what turned into a playoff season for both.

Marquette's Drew Bradley (6) breaks a tackle and gains several yards.

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Marquette 55, Gladstone 0 Watch out for the Sentinels. Marquette had lost two in a row to Gladstone, including 36-7 a year ago, and hadn’t reached 50 points in a game since 2021. This also was Marquette’s first season-opening win in three years. Click for more from the Marquette Mining Journal.

Watch list Ishpeming Westwood 36, Bark River-Harris 12 Westwood is coming off a pair of sub-.500 finishes after a string of much better ones, but breaking a two-game losing streak against Bark River-Harris could be the start of a turnaround. The Broncos had won last season’s matchup 50-14.

On the move Gwinn 14, Bridgeport 6 The Modeltowners are 1-0 for the first time since 2018 – the last time the team posted a winning record for the season. Iron Mountain 26, Houghton 16 The Mountaineers ran their winning streak against Houghton to three, but the Gremlins made this the closest matchup since their most recent victory over Iron Mountain in 2021. Kingsford 21, Escanaba 0 These two renewed this rivalry after a year ago, with Kingsford claiming its third-straight victory in the longtime series.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Zeeland West 28, Muskegon 13 This jumps off the page as Muskegon is the reigning Division 2 champion and won 12 straight games – including 22-16 over West – to close last season. But looking back further, it's fair to say the Dux have been on the verge; the Big Reds had won four of the last five matchups, but all of them were decided by eight points or fewer. This one, however, was a nonleague game as they are in separate divisions of the Ottawa-Kent Conference this fall for the first time since 2019. Click for more from the Holland Sentinel.

Watch list Reed City 24, Kingsley 22 Not to be outdone, Reed City also defeated a reigning Finals champion, edging last year’s Division 6 title winner Kingsley with a touchdown and two-point conversion with one second to play. Kingsley had defeated Reed City 37-7 last fall to advance to Ford Field.

On the move Rockford 30, Detroit Cass Tech 23 These Division 1 powers met for the first time, and the next time could be with a championship on the line. Rockford held on with a late defensive stand. Hudsonville Unity Christian 43, Whitehall 21 Unity Christian is coming off its first sub-.500 season in a decade, which began with a loss to Whitehall – which went on to finish 10-1 last fall and is Unity’s only opponent from 2023 on this year’s schedule. Muskegon Mona Shores 28, Grand Blanc 26 Shores followed quarterback Jonathan Pittman across the state for an impressive win at the Vehicle City Gridiron Classic.

Otsego's Lane Blanchard breaks through an opening during his team's loss to Coopersville.

8-Player

HEADLINER Pickford 40, Powers North Central 12 Pickford dealt the Jets a season-opening defeat for the first time since 2018 as the two 8-player powers faced off for the first time since 2019. Both could again be in the championship mix in at the end of this fall; North Central made the Division 2 Regional Finals last season, and Pickford reached the Division 1 Semifinals. Click for more from the Escanaba Daily Press.

Watch list Britton Deerfield 68, Pittsford 58 This tied for the 20th highest-scoring game in MHSAA 8-player history, with Britton Deerfield rebounding nicely off last year’s 2-7 finish to defeat a Pittsford team coming off a 7-3 run.

On the move Brimley 26, St. Ignace 0 The Saints stormed into 8-player last season with a 9-2 finish, but Brimley coming off a 3-6 run pulled off one of the stunners of Week 1 as it pursues a first .500-or-better season since 2019. Gaylord St. Mary 8, Rudyard 0 This was nearly an opposite of last season’s meeting; St. Mary’s won this time after Rudyard claimed last year’s 58-32. Atlanta 40, Rogers City 36 Atlanta closed last season 2-2 over its final four games and might be on the verge of another step forward with this first win over Rogers City after two losses in their previous two 8-player matchups – including 34-24 a year ago.

MHSAA.com's weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Click to connect with MI Student Aid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

PHOTOS (Top) Grand Blanc defenders converge on a Muskegon Mona Shores ball carrier during the Sailors' 28-26 win. (Middle) Marquette's Drew Bradley (6) breaks a tackle and gains several yards against Gladstone. (Below) Otsego's Lane Blanchard breaks through an opening during his team's 41-0 loss to Coopersville. (Top photo by Terry Lyons, middle photo by Cara Kamps and below photo by Gary Shook.)