High 5s: 10/3/2012
October 3, 2012
This week's honorees are some of Michigan's best on the golf and cross country courses and volleyball court.
Each week, Second Half recognizes two athletes and a team for their successes during the current season. To nominate a candidate, email editor Geoff Kimmerly at [email protected].
Below are this week's honorees. Check back later this week for details plus links to stories on each.
Jacqueline Setas
Lansing Catholic junior
Golf
Setas earned all-state honors in Division 4 as part of MHSAA championship teams her first two years of high school, but likely has put herself in contention for the Miss Golf Award this fall as one of the state's elite, regardless of division. She's won five tournaments this season, finished second twice and sixth in her team's first event this season, and is averaging 74.3 strokes for 18 holes and 35.9 for nine-hole matches. She shot a 68 on Thursday to win the Capital Area Activities Conference White championship at Wheatfield Valley in Williamston. She also plays basketball and softball, but hopes to play Division I college golf and is down to a list of five or six schools from which she'll likely choose.
Brother knows best: Setas' older brother Ben Setas played on Lansing Catholic's 2005 Division 3 championship team. "If I needed a quick swing change, without my coach (there), he's a scratch golfer and he can spot things really quickly. ... I beat him for the first time this summer, and that was not a happy day for him."
Still in the swing: "A lot of people told me that softball screws up your golf swing. (This spring) was the first time I've played in five years, and I was hitting my best this summer. I don't think it screwed up my golf swing too badly."
My favorite golfer is: "Probably Morgan Pressel, because she's sponsored by Polo. Luke Donald too; he's got a picture-perfect swing."
Pearly whites: "I'd like to study pre-dental. I just really liked going to the dentist growing up. Not a lot of people did, but I found it fascinating. If I had a loose tooth, I always pulled it out."
Nathan Burnand
Waterford Mott senior
Cross country
Burnand, last season's sixth-place finisher at the MHSAA Division 1 Final, has been arguably the top runner in the state this fall and won the Sept. 14 Spartan Invitational elite race at Michigan State in 15:21 -- 17 seconds faster than his time at Michigan International Speedway last November. He opened this season with a second-place finish at the Oakland University Golden Grizzly Invitational and last weekend won the Waterford Mott Fall Classic.
My toughest opponents: "There can be so many. There are so many good people. I've raced (Lake Orion's) T.J. (Carey) a lot. (Milford's Brian) Kettle, (Cody) Snavely. (Mason's) Tanner Hinkle.
XC for me: "I like being in control, and cross country allows me to be in control of my own destiny. It's what I do, not others, and of course I've been helped by my team and coaches. I (also) like the measured improvement I can constantly see."
My favorite runner: "Galen Rupp over the summer was amazing. That was a highlight."
Race thoughts: "It's definitely a challenge to keep negative thoughts out of your head. (When I'm running) I'm thinking things about my form and what I can do to make my race good as possible. I'm thinking about making my race as perfect as possible. (Mental focus) is definitely something I'm constantly improving on."
Beal City volleyball
The Aggies are 26-5-1 under first-year coach Kelly David, a former standout on the team who graduated in 2010. Beal City is ranked No. 3 in Class D, and last weekend won the St. Louis Invitational with wins over the Class C No. 2 Sharks and No. 7 New Lothrop.
Previous 2012-13 honorees:
- Julia Bos, Grand Rapids Christian cross country - Click for more
- Aaron Chatfield, Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian soccer - Click for more
- Ludington boys tennis - Click for more
Did you see that? (9/24-9/30)
October 2, 2012
League champions have been crowned in a number of golf and tennis conferences, and we'll get to more of those next week. Volleyball and cross country provided the best of the non-football action from the week that was Sept. 24-30.
Volleyball
Make it 40: Adrian Madison has owned the Tri-County Conference over the last few seasons, and Thursday pushed its league winning streak for 40 with a pair of wins over Morenci, which also was undefeated in the league this season heading into the night. (Adrian Daily Telegram)
Another weekend, another win: Richland Gull Lake, ranked No. 2 in Class A, this time won the East Grand Rapids Invitational by going undefeated in a Gold division that including formerly-No. 5 Portage Central and new No. 10 East Grand Rapids, among others. (Grand Rapids Press)
Calumet makes it three: The Copper Kings are ranked No. 4 in Class C and have dominated the Upper Peninsula this fall, including at this weekend's Marquette Invitational. Their title march included a final match win over Houghton. It's the third time this season Calumet has beaten Houghton, which won the Copper Kings' District the last two seasons. (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette)
Believe in Beal City: Some of the best small-school volleyball in the state is being played in the middle of the Lower Peninsula. Class D No. 3 Beal City downed Class C No. 2 St. Louis at the Sharks home invitational Saturday, and also beat Class C No. 7 New Lothrop on the way. (Mount Pleasant Morning Sun)
Cross country
Loaded fields at CCC: Some of the state's top competition, especially from the north and west, ran at the Carson City-Crystal Invitational on Saturday. Winning the four girls races were Division 2 No. 3 Ada Forest Hills Eastern, unranked Coopersville, Division 3 No. 1 Grandville Calvin Christian and Division 4 No. 3 Bear Lake/Onekama. The boys races were won by Division 4 No. 1 Pewamo-Westphalia, Division 3 No. 1 Grandville Calvin Christian, unranked Alma and Division 1 No. 7 Saginaw Heritage. Cedar Springs' Connor Mora (15:31) and Grand Rapids Christian's Julia Bos (17:37) were the fastest individuals. (Playmakers.com)
Escanaba in the highlight: The Escanaba boys team topped a field of 28 at the Munising Invitational with four finishers among the top 13. Sault Ste. Marie freshman Parker Scott continued his tremendous first season winning the individual title in 16:15. Calumet won the girls race, with Marquette's Lindsey Rudden leading the way individually in 18:21. (Escanaba Daily Press)
Seaholm makes statement: The Birmingham Seaholm girls, ranked No. 3 in Division 1, topped a field that included No. 2 Saline and No. 1 Grosse Pointe South (although without top runners Hannah and Haley Meier). Seaholm placed five finishers among the top 10 in the large school race at the Coaching Legends Classic in Brighton. Division 6 No. 1 Romeo won the boys race. (Oakland Press)
In Memoriam
Northern Michigan loses personality, official: The Traverse City area mourned the unexpected death of Scott Michael Trager, the morning anchorman at 9&10 News/Fox 32 and an MHSAA basketball official for nearly a decade. Trager, who was 46, had been at 9&10 since 1990 and assisted in the creation of the station's 'Sports Overtime" show. (9&10 News)
Story of the Week
Touchdowns for Teal: Those who have watched Monroe's football team this fall may have noticed the players' teal shoelaces, which certainly stand out against the otherwise red, white and black uniforms. The team is wearing them in support of Julie West, whose son Tom West is the standout quarterback. Julie is being treated for ovarian cancer. (Monroe Evening News)