Rivaling for a Cause
January 25, 2013
It’s impossible to include all the perspective we gain from every “Battle of the Fans” visit.
But this anecdote, although it didn't make Tuesday’s story about our Frankenmuth trip, tells of another great example for what student cheering sections can accomplish.
Frankenmuth and Millington are heated rivals, to say the least, separated by 13 miles and made more competitive by plenty of championship-deciding matchups over the years.
But for their boys basketball game Jan. 10 at Frankenmuth, student section leaders from both schools almost completely on their own set up the game as a cancer awareness night, complete with Frankenmuth students in black shirts and Millington’s wearing pink.
The idea was the brainchild of a of Frankenmuth section leader, who then received help from a local bank and contacted Millington to get the ball rolling.
Battle of the Fans has shown us the obvious – these student sections need strong leaders – but also the special things they can accomplish with additional initiative.
“Never Forgotten”
Two more rivals, Fennville and Saugatuck, met late last month for their second “Never Forgotten” boys and girls basketball games with proceeds going to the Wes Leonard Heart Team for the purchase of AEDs.
Players wore jerseys with names on the backs of friends and family members who had died, and those jerseys were then given to family members after the games. Officials Ace Cover, Chris Dennie and Kyle Bowen also donated their game checks to the Heart Team, as did the winner of that night’s 50-50 raffle.
Leonard died from sudden cardiac arrest after making the game-winning shot in a basketball game March 3, 2011. The two schools played their first “Never Forgotten” games last season.
More support for less specialization
I’m asked once a year at least about sport specialization – that is, athletes focusing on just one sport, often from an early age, and if it pays off some way down the road.
Most of my evidence to support my belief in the well-rounded athlete has been anecdotal, based on conversations with people at the high school and college levels over the years. But a British study published this fall in the Journal of Sport Sciences by University of Birmingham researchers provides some interesting empirical findings.
The study of 1,006 people from the United Kingdom showed that those who participated in three sports at ages 11, 13 and 15 were “significantly more likely to compete at a national rather than club standard” between ages 16-18 than those who had practiced only one sport.
In other words, the study found that those who played more sports at earlier ages played at a higher level during their high school-age years, which seems to contradict the one-sport focus philosophy.
Click for more perspective on the study from Chris Kennedy, the Superintendent of Schools in West Vancouver, British Columbia.
PHOTO: The boys and girls teams for Fennville and Saugatuck pose together after their "Never Forgotten" games Dec. 21 at Fennville High. (Photo courtesy of Al LaShell.)
Pickford Wins Matchup of Reigning Champions to Run Title Streak to 3
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
June 2, 2024
KINGSFORD — The Pickford boys extended their championship reign here Saturday, retaining top honors at the Upper Peninsula Division 2 Track & Field Finals with 137 points.
They were followed by Munising with 106 and Ishpeming with 79. The team championship was the Panthers’ third straight, as they also won Division 3 in 2022.
Sophomore Gunner Bennin was a double-winner for Pickford, taking the 200-meter dash in 23.85 seconds and 400 at 53.36.
“It feels great to come here and win a couple events as a sophomore,” he said. “We knew Iron Mountain had some good sprinters, and Munising is tough. We needed the points. I started faster than I usually do, especially in the 400.
Senior Hayden Hagen provided the Panthers with a first in the 800 (2:05.03), and sophomore John Anderson won high jump at 5 feet, 8 inches.
Panthers junior Tom Storey was runner-up in pole vault (10-6) and high jump (5-7). Hagen was runner-up to Munising junior Dan Goss in the 1,600 (4:39.84) and 3,200 (10:30.81).
Goss ran a personal-best 4:33.98 in the 1,600 and was clocked at 10:23.9 in the 3,200, and anchored the winning 3,200 relay (8:50.22).
“I like the weather today,” he said. “It was a little humid during the 3,200. Otherwise, it was a good day for running. That was a 10-second PR (personal record) in the 1,600. I’m real happy with that. I’ve been training my tail off the last two weeks.
“The field events hurt us, but overall I’m happy with how our team did. I had a PR in every event including a split of 2 minutes flat in the 3,200 relay.”
Munising – the Division 3 champion in 2023 – also took the 800 relay (1:36.19), and Pickford was runner-up (1:38.18). The Panthers claimed the 1,600 relay (3:43.36) and placed second in the 3,200 (8:52.74).
Munising senior Joe Kelley added firsts in the 110 hurdles (16.46) and the 300s (42.12) and helped the Mustangs take second in the 400 relay (46.19) and 1,600 (3:48.86). Mustangs’ senior Trevor Nolan added a third in the 1,600 (4:43.41), followed by Bark River-Harris freshman Ben Knauf in a personal-best 4:48.04.
Ishpeming got a first on senior Brayden Martin’s throw of 123-9¼ in discus, and Hancock senior Myles Lewis took shot put (42-11½).
The Hematites got seconds from senior Tramon Gauthier in long jump (18-7¾), 110 hurdles (16.47) and 300s (43.62), and freshman Kemper Gearhart was third in the 3,200 (10:41.5).
Ironwood sophomore Talon Hughes placed second in the 100 (11.51) and 200 (23.98) and third in the 110 hurdles (16.55).
Iron Mountain senior Matt Colavecchi had a hand in three firsts, taking the 100 (11.44), long jump (19-8¼) and anchoring the winning 400 relay (45.92).
Rudyard got a first on junior Jaydon Niemi-Alcorn’s leap of 11-6 in pole vault. Taking runner-up for the Bulldogs were senior teammate Kaeden Sistrunk in shot put (40-8) and junior Ethan Hoolsema in discus (120-0).
PHOTOS (Top) Pickford's Jacob Mitchell hands off the baton to Eli MacDonald for the last leg of the 3,200 relay Saturday at Kingsford. (Middle) During a rainy 1,600, Munising's Dan Goss (1) leads the race with Pickford's Hayden Hagen (2) and Munising's Trevor Nolan (3) right behind him. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)