BAY CITY, MI – A look at the high school sports scene in Bay County for Sept. 24-26, 2021. Bay County coaches are asked to submit results, highlights and a feel-good moment the night of each event by emailing lthomps2@mlive.com.
GIRLS SWIMMING
Glenn coach gets fitting farewell performance
As far as sendoff performances go, this one was pretty stellar.
In the final meet of longtime coach Mike Darbee’s tenure at the helm of John Glenn swimming, his Bobcats rose to the occasion for a runner-up finish at the Tri-Cities Championships.
Glenn swimmers and parents formed a spirt tunnel to commemorate Darbee’s farewell as he makes the move to assistant coach at Saginaw Valley State University. Then the Bobcats went to work in the very SVSU pool he’ll now call home.
“The girls had an incredible meet,” said Bob LaRocque, who is serving as interim head coach the rest of the season. “Between prelims and finals, our girls posted season best times and many of them were personal best times. The girls have put in a lot of hard work to get to this point and had some great opportunities to race.”
Glenn’s Ella Yantz and Belle Begres emerged as individual Tri-Cities champions for Glenn. Yantz captured top honors in the 50 freestyle in 25.04 while Begres won the 100 freestyle in 55.09. Yantz also placed third in the 100 backstroke while Begres took sixth in the 500 freestyle.
Kaylene Darbee placed second in the 200 IM and third in the 100 butterfly while Jayna Darbee was sixth in the 100 freestyle and eighth in the 50 freestyle. Saree Schlitt was runner-up in the 500 freestyle and fourth in the 100 breaststroke while Olivia Leasure placed fourth in the 500 freestyle and fifth in the 200 freestyle.
Addy Begres, Cayla Cataline, Evie DeLeon, Lola Fisher, Aubrey Lang and Brooke Moeller each added top-8 finishes for Glenn. The Bobcats finished second in all three relays and added another top-8 finish with B entries in every relay.
Bay City Western was led by Lake Clark in fifth place in the 100 freestyle and Maddy Fournier in eighth place in the 100 butterfly. The Warriors placed seventh in the 400 relay and eighth in the 200 medley relay.
Essexville Garber’s Jenna Miller took fifth in diving.
Maison is two-time Tri-Cities champ
Freshman Scarlet Maison made a wondrous Tri-Cities Championship debut, capturing individual champion honors in two events to lead Standish-Sterling to fourth place in the team standings.
Maison was tops in the 200 IM in 2:10.68 and in the 100 breaststroke in 1:09.37. Sierra Maison also shined as runner-up in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.
The Panthers claimed third place in the 200 medley relay and fourth in the 400 freestyle relay.
TRI-CITIES CHAMPIONSHIPS
Event Champions
200 Medley Relay
Midland Dow 1:51.47
200 Freestyle
Ella Roberson, Midland Dow 1:53.11
200 IM
Scarlet Maison, Standish-Sterling 2:10.68
50 Freestyle
Ella Yantz, Glenn 25.04
Diving
Emily Krzciok, Midland Dow 395.40
100 Butterfly
Emmy Sower, Midland Dow 59.31
100 Freesytle
Belle Begres, Glenn 55.09
500 Freestyle
Ella Roberson, Midland Dow 5:02.87
200 Freestyle Relay
Midland Dow 1:42.03
100 Backstroke
Ella Banning, Saginaw Heritage 58.54
100 Breaststroke
Scarlet Maison, Standish-Sterling 1:09.37
400 Freestyle Relay
Midland Dow 3:41.08
Team standings: Midland Dow 840, John Glenn 496.5, Midland 244.5, Standish-Sterling 204, Saginaw Heritage 183, Bay City Western 175, Bay City Central 38
BOYS SOCCER
Garber gives a ‘Woo!’ for late coach
No Dan Wieland tribute would be complete without a “Woo” or two.
The Essexville Garber soccer team honored their former assistant coach, who died on Aug. 17, with a tribute prior to its Stadium Game with Bay City Central – then went out and delivered a 5-0 win in his memory.
“The ceremony featured a moment of silence,” Garber coach Bill Williamson said. “We followed this with a moment of spirit. The players and coaches led the crowd in a ‘Wieland Wooo!’ The noise itself is an expression of Dan’s sometimes silly spirit and absolute joy for soccer.”
Garber took control of the contest with four first-half goals, then added the fifth shortly after halftime. Jack Day led the attack with two goals while Trey Tulin, Thoth Moya and Sam Fodrey each scored one.
Fodrey dished two assists and Nick Stenman and Corey Shorkey each added one. Cam Rowley notched two saves in goal and Shorkey tallied three in the shutout.
The Dukes, who also honored their seven seniors with Senior Day, now host Freeland in a league match on Tuesday.
Zoe Ruiz of the Bay City Central cross country team.
CROSS COUNTRY
Central has a sloppy, sloggy good time
It was a two-mile run through mud and slop – and the Bay City Central cross country team loved it every step of the way.
Plowing on through rain-soaked conditions, the Wolves had no complaints at the Al Kayner Invitational at Delta College.
“The course was wet and muddy,” Central coach Russ Gorski said. “We all had mud streaks up our back and pruned feet, but they had fun and so did I.”
The Central girls were highlighted by Zoe Ruiz (13:39) in 40th place, Selma Ruiz (14:14) in 58th and Emma Rodriguez (14:16) in 59th. Gorski said Natalia Costilla and Katina White had strong performances as well.
Hunter Seifferly (11:15) led the Central boys in 45th place while Andrew Bernelis (12:15) was 86th and Ryan Castaneda (12:22) took 90th.
“The bottom line is all of the runners ran strong and posted improved average mile times,” Gorski said. “The challenge ahead is to sustain those average mile times through a full 5K and turn them into a PR.”
The John Glenn boys cross country team had a strong performance at the Al Kayner Invitational. (Photo provided by Matt Kaczor)
Thrower shows off his legs for Glenn
John Glenn delivered a stellar day at the Al Kayner Invitational at Delta College, getting a lift from an unexpected source.
Cole Perkins, a thrower from the track team who wasn’t necessarily lauded for his wheels, showed he can get it done on the cross country route. He clocked in at 11:57 for the two-mile course, giving Glenn its fifth scorer.
Emerson Laverty went 10:22 to be the top Division 2 male to finish and fifth overall. Ryder Payne went 11:14, Nick Beson 11:28 and Braden Amthor 11:39 for Glenn.
On the girls side, Destiny Wasoski led the way at 13:20 and Ava D’Archangel finished in 14:40.
Banner day for Bay City Western
The Bay City Western girls cross country team is in championship mode, bringing home the team title at the Al Kayner Invitational at Delta College.
The Warriors scored 54 points to edge runner-up Midland Dow by just four points in the annual two-mile competition.
Western saw Marin Stevens (12:04) place fifth, Ambria Nagel (12:15) sixth, Isabelle Becker (12:17) seventh and Erica Slocum (12:31) ninth, dominating the finish line over a thrilling 27-second span. Kylie Fredenburg (13:15) was far behind in 28th for the Warriors.
The Western boys placed fourth, led by Jeffrey Stecker (10:30) in 12th. Noah Selvaraj (10:37) placed 19th, Anden Robertson (10:47) was 23rd, Hoyt Smith (11:02) took 33rd and Daniel Ebel (11:13) placed 43rd.
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