Category: Locker Room | Page 688

Now, and later

January 22, 2016

Western wrestling team in good shape for this season and beyond By Mike Moore Staff Writer Parma – Where the desire to compete now, in the conference and in the state tournament is, the Western wrestling team has pieces at the ready. Where there’s a desire to build the program up for the future, well, the same can be said. Needless to say, coach Greg Hoffman is in a good spot with his Panthers right now. “We’ve got a nice lineup, with some young kids and some great veteran leaders,” Hoffman said Thursday night. “We’ve had a lot to deal with this year, from health and injuries and so on. But we’re doing all right.” Western was 19-9 entering the weekend, and that comes with a lineup that features eight freshmen and sophomores. But Hoffman refused to even consider the word “rebuild.” “Because we came into the season with too high of expectations to look at it that way,” he explained. And many of those expectations had to do with some key guys at the top of the totem pole. Senior Chase Veydt placed second in the state a year…

Michigan Center’s Connor Pelham Postgame Interview

January 22, 2016

Michigan Center's Connor Pelham Postgame Interview from JTV Studios on Vimeo.

Clash of the unbeatens

January 21, 2016

First place on the line as Michigan Center heads to Hanover-Horton By Mike Moore Staff Writer A rivalry game with potential conference implications. Another meeting of two of the best teams in the Cascades Conference. Unbeaten against unbeaten? What else could one need for a Thursday night in January? “It’s a real big game,” Hanover-Horton boys basketball coach Chad Mortimer said of his team’s home date at 7 p.m. tonight with Michigan Center. “Being a conference game with two undefeated teams, and it’s on us to protect home court. We don’t want to fall behind knowing we still have to go there. It’s a big one.” “You cant put too much pressure on one game this early, but it’s a great gauge of where we’re at, especially when we’re the last two unbeatens,” Center coach Travis Gaddy said. “So, for confidence, sure, this is a huge game.” Hanover comes into tonight’s action with a 6-1 overall record and a 4-0 mark in the Cascades. Center is 5-2 overall, and 3-0 in the conference. One thing is certain, not much is going to come easy. Both teams are solid on the defensive…

Constructing a program

January 21, 2016

Birch’s goal for Hanover girls is a sustained winner for years to come By Mike Moore Staff Writer Horton – The loss Tuesday night was convincing, a 33-point setback on the road against Grass Lake. After starting the season 6-1, the Hanover-Horton girls basketball team is 6-4. And this, if you look back on the past handful of years, is a gigantic step in the right direction. “If you would have asked me in our first 10 games to be 6-4, I’d take it,” coach Andrew Birch said. “I think we were capable of this, but not too many people expected it.” Birch is in his second season as the sideline general at Hanover, and to put into even further perspective as to how far the Comets have come, the six wins so far equal the most a single team has had since the 2010-11 team finished 6-14. “Right now, the focus is on establishing a winning mentality,” Birch said when asked how he hopes to transform the program. “All these girls are competitive and play competitive sports. That’s what you have to instill in them. Having the heart. Playing feisty defense. They…