Category: Aspen One Hour | Page 46

Making his mark

October 21, 2015

Photo by Matthew Mitchell, MSU Athletic Communications Willis already a major contributor with Michigan State football team By Mike Moore Staff Writer When he first got to Michigan State as a freshman safety, the goal was to maybe see the field on special teams. If that wasn’t in the cards his first year, Khari Willis was ready to be redshirted and absorb as much as he could with the Spartans’ football team. A few months removed from that initial objective, Willis stood in the end zone at Michigan Stadium, the screaming silence of more than 100,000 fans surrounding him in utter disbelief. And beneath him lay Jalen Watts-Jackson. “And all I could say was ‘you just won us the game,’” Willis recalled. From the practice fields of Lumen Christi, the main star at Withington Stadium, to front and center in one of the most memorable Michigan State-Michigan games ever. It’s been a wild ride for Willis the past 12 months or so, but as the former Titans standout put it, “it’s been a dream come true.” “When the season started, I expected to come in here and be redshirted or see…

Week 9 Football Schedule

October 19, 2015

Cascades/Big 8 Crossover Games - Thursday Springport (5-3) at Vandercook Lake (7-1) - JTV Concord (6-2) at Hanover-Horton (4-4) Union City (4-4) at Grass Lake (4-4) Reading (3-5) at Michigan Center (3-5) Jonesville (3-5) at Napoleon (3-5) Quincy (3-5) at Addison (2-6) Athens (0-8) at East Jackson (0-8) Cascades/Big 8 Championship Game - Friday Homer (7-1) at Manchester (7-1) Jackson (6-2) vs. Lumen Christi (6-2) - JTV Columbia Central (7-1) at Onsted (4-4) Dexter (0-8) at Western (5-3) Leslie (2-6) at Northwest (0-8) Watch the Suburban Chevrolet Cadillac Sports Weekend on JTV, beginning at 1pm Saturday

Aspen One Hour Football Show: Week 8

October 16, 2015

Winner take all

October 15, 2015

Wolvin keeping even keel as conference title hangs in the balance By Mike Moore Staff Writer Jackson – It’s been the same approach all season long, and one that has certainly worked. No one game has been any bigger than any other, no opponent given more attention than the next. So would that change this week, as the Vandercook Lake football team took its undefeated record to Manchester for a winner-take-all conference finale? “No, we’re really not making a big deal about any game. Our focus is on whatever game is up next, and this happens to be next,” coach Steve Wolvin said simply. “It’s going to be exciting, and if we find a way to win, that’ll be a great thing for these kids.” His tone never changed, almost a stubborn boringness to it. But again, if it ain’t broke… The Jayhawks enter Friday’s tilt in Manchester 7-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play. Last week’s wild 30-27 victory at Michigan Center — thanks to a blocked field goal as time expired — set up the impromptu Cascades Conference championship game with a Manchester team that started the season with a one-point loss, but hasn’t looked back…

Focused on Holt

October 15, 2015

Playoffs can be clinched, but Farley and Vikings have just one thing in mind By Mike Moore Staff Writer Jackson – It’s been a long, long time — too long in fact. And that’s certainly not lost on Scott Farley as the Jackson High football coach preps his team for Friday night’s tilt with Holt High. Win, and they’re in. Win, and a streak of missing the playoffs that dates back to 2009 comes to a crashing halt. Yet, as Farley talked about the one-win-from-the-playoffs landscape the Vikings currently reside in, he said the focus isn’t on what could be in Week 10, but instead, what has to be right now. “We’re not focused on playoffs, we’re focused on finding a way to beat Holt,” the Vikings sideline general said simply. And truthfully, that’s plenty enough to think about. A perennial power the better part of 13 years, Holt stumbled in 2014, going 3-6 and missing the playoffs for just the fourth time since 2000. But the Rams have rebounded nicely to the tune of a 5-2 record this year, and a five-game winning streak entering Friday night. “Defensively we have to stand up to their power running game,” Farley…

Power Rankings: Week 7

October 12, 2015

JTV Sports Power Rankings 1. Vandercook Lake 7-0 (W at Michigan Center 30-27) The Jayhawks survived a Week 7 thriller at Michigan Center setting up a showdown with Manchester (6-1, 6-0) for the outright Cascades Title. The winner will face Homer in the Big 8/Cascades Crossover game in week 9. 2. Jackson 5-2 (W vs Eastern 56-0) The Vikings, led by Corey Pryor's three first half rushing TDs dominated the Quakers (0-7) from start to finish. Jackson recorded its first shutout since 1997 and will need a similar performance this week against Holt (5-2). Both Holt and Jackson would like to get to 6 wins this week as both teams face tough week 9 opponents. Jackson plays Lumen Christi (5-2) week 9 while Holt has Grand Ledge (7-0). 3. Lumen Christi 5-2 (W vs. Western 12-7) The Titans bounced back with a big win over crosstown rival Western this week. Up next for the Titans is a BC Pennfield team who has won two in a row. The Titans end the season with rival Jackson on October 23rd. 4. Manchester 6-1 (W at Napoleon 31-7) Manchester is headed to the playoffs for the 8th straight year after a convincing win over Napoleon. The Dutch have…

Week 8 Football Schedule

October 12, 2015

Vandercook Lake at Manchester - JTV Holt at Jackson - JTV Western at Northwest - JTV East Jackson at Napoleon Lumen Christi at Battle Creek Pennfield Hanover-Horton at Addison Michigan Center at Grass Lake Concord at Quincy Columbia Central at Dundee Union City at Homer For Game Previews, Rankings and Highlights watch the Aspen One Hour Football Show on JTV Thursday Night at 7:30pm and 10:30pm