Northwest

By Jeff Steers JTV Sports (February 26, 2023 8:00 AM ET) Grass Lake High School may have Brayden Lape as their “Voice” contestant, but Northwest has its own voice on the basketball court. Senior Layne Sleight has considered herself the voice for the Mounties for the past four years. And Northwest is starting to make some noise again after advancing to the state finals five seasons ago.  The Mounties finished the regular season Friday by winning a share of the Interstate Eight Conference and winning its 20th game of the season. Northwest is 20-2 on the season.  Defense sets the tone for the Mounties in 2022-2023 giving up less than 35 points per game. “We have been focusing on the defensive side of the ball as of late,” Sleight said. “It is great to see it all come together.” Sleight has been part of the Mountie program for nine seasons – five as a ball girl for NWHS during her elementary school days. Her two sisters played on the 2018 squad that advanced to the state finals.  “People have said I am one of the main leaders because of my voice,” Sleight said. “That has been my role … and…

Northwest High School wrestler Cameron Beach, back, earned an individual wrestling regional title on Saturday at 113 pounds. Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports. By Jeff Steers JTV Sports (February 19, 2023 8:00 AM) The sentence wrestling, regional, and Cameron Beach never came together until this year.  The senior has experienced mixed results this week in regional wrestling for the Mounties. Northwest lost 36-35 in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 team regional Wednesday.  But the Mounties rebounded with seven state qualifiers at the D-2 individual regional at home Saturday.  Beach, competing in his first individual regional, earned a championship with a 4-1 win in the final at 113 pounds.  “I was a weird match as I got the first takedown and rode it out,” Beach said of the individual final.  He improved to 34-6 on the season with the win. Things weren’t so rosy on Wednesday as the Mounties led by five points heading into the final match – and led handily in the 120 pound weight class  – but the Mountie wrestler fell and passed out.  It was an automatic forfeit. “It was a freak accident like that … you can’t do anything about it,” Beach…