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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."

Click to read more.

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."

Click to read more.

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.

Click to read more.

Previous 2012-13 honorees:

Did you see that?

February 13, 2012

Check out our must-know scores and news from Feb. 6-11.

(Click on links for coverage.)

Wrestling

Shelby remains; Hesperia does not: Hesperia always seems to be in the Division 4 Finals mix, having reached the championship match in Battle Creek three of the last five seasons, including 2011 when it finished runner-up. But Shelby -- frequently a Division 3 team but in Division 4 this season -- knocked out the Panthers with a 36-26 win in Wednesday's team District. Shelby was ranked No. 4 and Hesperia No. 3 entering the postseason. (Mlive.com)

Coon remains king of the heavyweights: Fowlerville junior Adam Coon won the last two MHSAA Division 2 championships at 215 pounds, and is considered the favorite at heavyweight this season. He remained undefeated at 42-0 with a 3-2 win in Saturday's individual District final over Mason's Adam Robinson (39-2), who finished third at heavyweight in Division 2 at last season's MHSAA Finals. (MHSAA.com)

All four move on for one more: The 215-pound class at Temperance Bedford's Division 1 individual District also was expected to be among the most contested statewide Saturday, with four of the top six in that division competing according to MichiganGrappler.com. All four advanced to next weekend's regional, led by the Kicking Mules' Bryan Smith, who won with a 6-1 decision in the final. (MHSAA.com)

Girls basketball

Goodrich rolls on: The Martians continue to make their case not only as the favorite in Class B this season, but as one of the state's elite regardless of class. For the second straight week, Goodrich beat a state-ranked Class A team by double figures. This time it was reigning Class A champion Inkster, 63-48 (last week it was No. 9 Midland, 56-36). The Martians are 16-0. (Mlive.com)

Boys basketball

Wes Leonard enters Fennville Hall of Fame: Nearly a year after his death, the former all-stater was inducted into his school's Hall of Fame during a ceremony Friday. We've created one file with links to both print and video media coverage, and we'll be uploading our video of the entire ceremony later Monday. (Second Half)

Editor's note: Did we miss something? Comment below and tell us about it. Is there an event coming up that we should make sure to note? Comment or e-mail [email protected].