Sports

• Walled Lake Central Boys, Girls Shine At Regional Track Meet

  

  Walled Lake Central’s Cullen takes first place in the shot put to lead the Vikings to the regional crown at Milford High School on Friday, May 17. 

  The Walled Lake Central track teams shined at the MHSAA regional track meet held at Milford High School on Friday, May 17. The boy’s team captured the team title with a total of 75.50 points finishing just ahead of Novi (71,) Walled Lake Northern (70,) Walled Lake Western (65) and Milford (59.50) in a field of 15 teams.

  Walled Lake Central’s Cullen Prena illustrated why he is one of the top throwers in the entire nation as he set a meet record with a throw of 195-3 in the discus with one throw that sailed into the woods. Prena also won the shot put with a throw of 57-7 ½ to lead the Vikings.

  

  Walled Lake Central’s Chantel Edwards wins the 100-meter dash for the Vikings at the 2013 regional track meet. 

  Matt Kosmalski from Walled Lake Northern won the long jump while Walled Lake Western’s Jon Simmons won the 100-yard dash. Milford’s Brian Kettle took first place in the 1600 meter run with a solid time of 4:17.30

  On the girl’s side, Walled Lake Central, Novi and Northville were battling all afternoon. Northville’s solid depth in the running events proved to be the difference. The Mustangs finished first with 121 points followed closely by Novi with 102 and Walled Lake Central’s 88 points to claim the top three spots.

  

  Walled Lake Northern’s Allyson Goff wins the long jump for the Knights at the 2013 regional track meet at Milford High School.

  Walled Lake Northern’ Allyson Goff had a great day by winning the long jump (17-1) and took second in the 100 meter hurdles. Walled Lake Central’s Chantel Edwards won the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.20. Milford’s Rachel Barrett breezed to the win in the 1600-meter run in 4:57.60.

• High School Sports Recap

  Baseball 

  Milford High School

  MHS (14) vs. WLW (4)

  The Milford Mavericks varsity baseball team jumped to an early lead over Walled Lake Western on Friday and cruised to a 14-4 win in six innings. The Mavericks scored three runs in the first and 10 runs in the second inning. Seniors Alex Larson, Connor Walters and Josh Corey led the way, each going 2-2 in the game. Larson hit his first home run of the year and doubled. Walters had three runs and two RBIs and Corey doubled and had three RBIs. Sophomore Kyle Valden, junior Jake Johnson and freshman Sam Lee also had two hits in Milford’s 14-hit attack. Junior Grant Hawes threw a complete game on the mound, going five innings and allowing two earned runs while striking out three.

  In a stunning and devastating turn of events on Saturday, the Milford baseball team took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning against last year’s Division-I State Champion Hudsonville and lost, 5-4, without giving up a hit. Three Milford pitchers combined for six walks and three wild pitches in the final frame. Hudsonville scored all five runs by putting only one ball in play, the final play of the game, which resulted in an error and the winning run. Milford played six impressive innings at the Hudsonville tournament against the host Eagles (16-7.) Senior Jake Lee, after being unable to play because of a hamstring injury the last two weeks, came back to throw four innings without a hit and struck out six. On the season, he has now pitched 24 innings and allowed only one earned run. Freshman Sam Lee had an RBI single and Sophomore Kyle Valden went 1-2 with a walk.

  The Maverick varsity baseball team (11-16) came out flat after the shock of the first Hudsonville Tournament game and had its worst performance of the year in the second game, losing 14-1, to Unity Christian High School. Junior Courtland Kinte was one of a few bright spots offensively, going 3-3 with a double. The Mavericks had only seven hits on the day and Unity Christian pounded out 16 hits.

  MHS (4) vs. Howell (10)

  The Milford High School baseball team struggled in a doubleheader against eighth-ranked Howell, losing 10-4 and 9-0. The Highlanders scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back in the first game. The Mavericks bounced back with two runs in the third and added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but never closed the gap to less than four runs. Seniors Josh Corey and Alex Larson led the offense with two hits each. Corey had two RBI’s and a double. Senior Derek Beslock also had a double and pitched two 1/3 innings, only giving up one run. Senior Dylan Bastyr went 1-1 with a single.

  In the second game, Howell jumped out with three runs in the first inning and the Milford offense never got going.  Sophomore Connor Young went 1-2 with a walk and a line-out. The Mavs only managed five hits.

  MHS (2) vs. Petoskey (4)

  The Milford baseball team dropped a game at a tournament in Petoskey before the tournament was rained/snowed. The Mavericks lost, 4-2, to Petoskey High School in an early game with game time temperatures in the 30’s. The Mavericks only managed four hits and gave up three unearned runs in the contest. Senior Alex Larson was the bright spot offensively. He singled, walked, stole four bases and accounted for both Milford runs. Senior Scott Cazabon pitched three scoreless innings in relief. Sophomore Kyle Valden just missed his sixth home run of the season, hitting the top of the fence in right centerfield. The Mavs second game of the day was called due to a steady rain, which later turned to snow in the afternoon. Milford was scheduled to play Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart before the cancellation. The tournament will not be made up.

  KLAA North Division

  MHS (1) vs. WLN (2)

  The Milford baseball team played a great defensive game, but lost to KLAA North Division Leader Walled Lake Northern, 2-1. Senior Josh Corey pitched effectively, going 4.2 innings and striking out 11. He took a tough loss after giving out a two-out single in the fourth inning. Despite some hard hit line drive outs in the final innings, the Mavericks offense could not mount a comeback. Senior Alex Larson had two hits and scored the Mavs only run on a sacrifice fly from Sophomore Kyle Valden.

  Softball

  Lakeland High School

  LHS (15) vs. Brighton (5)

  Brighton didn’t put up much of a fight on Thursday as Lakeland varsity cruised to a blowout 15-5 win in seven innings at Brighton High School.

  Lakeland Varsity scored six runs in the fifth on a double by Brooke Beale, an RBI single by Hannah Szajner, an RBI single by Madison Burgess, an RBI single by Selena Hicks, a passed ball, and an RBI double by Kelly Merkle. Merkle had four RBIs

  Burgess racked up four RBIs on three hits, three runs scored and four stolen bases for Lakeland Varsity.

  Hicks got the win for Lakeland.

  LHS (4) vs. Hartland (2)
  Selena Hicks went 2-3 and hit a home run, helping Lakeland Varsity to a 4-2 victory over Hartland at Lakeland High School. She homered in the first inning and singled in the fifth inning. Hannah Szajner went two-for-two, with a single in the second and the fifth.  

  Annika Wiesinger got it done on the rubber on the way to a win. She allowed two runs over seven innings. She struck out two, walked three and surrendered eight hits. 

  LHS (16) vs. WLC (6)

  Lakeland Varsity refused to relinquish the lead after grabbing it early against Walled Lake Central, recording a 16-6 victory at Lakeland High School.

  With 13 runs in the first three innings, Lakeland Varsity left no doubt about the eventual outcome.

  A groundout by Kelly Merkle in the first inning and a solo home run by Lauren Brouillard, a solo home run by Alivia Grunwald, an RBI single by Madison Burgess, a passed ball, and a passed ball during the second inning fueled Lakeland Varsity’s offense early. Burgess racked up two RBIs on three hits for Lakeland Varsity.

  Selena Hicks got the win for Lakeland Varsity. She allowed two runs over two 2/3 innings. She struck out five, walked one and surrendered four hits.

  LHS (9) vs. WLC (1) Lakeland Varsity pounded Walled Lake Central in seven innings.

  Lakeland Varsity scored three runs in the fifth on an RBI double by Annika Wiesinger, an RBI double by Kelly Merkle, and an RBI double by Lauren Brouillard.

  Brouillard had a busy day at the plate, collecting two extra-base hits.

  Walled Lake Central couldn’t get anything going as long as Wiesinger was on the mound. Walled Lake Central managed just one hit off of Wiesinger, who allowed no earned runs, walked one and struck out two during her two 1/3 innings of work.

  Selena Hicks got the win for Lakeland Varsity. She allowed one run over four 2/3 innings. Hicks struck out three, walked one and gave up four hits.

  The game was never in doubt after the second, as Lakeland Varsity scored one run on an RBI single by Hannah Szajner.

  Lakeland Varsity brought home three runs in the fourth inning, and matched that run total in the fifth. In the fourth, Lakeland Varsity scored on a two-run single by Alivia Grunwald, scoring Merkle and Brouillard.

  Lakeland Varsity built upon its lead with two runs in the sixth. An error scored Brooke Beale to get Lakeland Varsity on the board in the inning.

• Waterford United Lacrosse Thumps Walled Lake Unified

  

  Bailey Cristofori scores for Waterford Unified in the 11-5 win over Walled Lake Unified on Monday, May 6. 

  The Waterford Unified women’s lacrosse team scored 1:30 into the game and never looked back as they beat Walled Lake Unified 11-5 on Monday, May 6.

  Stacy Nguyen scored quickly for Waterford in a KLAA Lakes Conference game at Pierce Middle School. Waterford Unified kept the pressure on goals by Krissy Smith, Briana Holland, Amanda Barnes and Bailey Cristofori to take a commanding 5-0 lead with 13:48 to go in the first half.

  After a Walled Lake timeout, the Lady Gladiators got on the board with a goal by Kortney Diaz with 12:10 to go in the half.  Walled Lake scored again on a great shot by Amanda Brunt at the 6:25 mark.  Samantha Wais got a goal for the Gladiators with 1:27 left in the half cutting the lead to 5-3.

  

  Angelita Yerena with the quick shot for Waterford in the 11-5 win over Walled Lake.

  Waterford (3-7) broke the game open in the second half as they scored 5 unanswered goals to build a 9-3 lead with 8:08 left in the game. Krissy Smith, Briana Holland, Bailey Cristofori and Brittany Dupuis scored two goals apiece to lead the offensive onslaught for Waterford. Goalies Emily Stieber and Kyley Hartel combined to hold Walled Lake to just five goals on the evening in a wide-open game. Kortney Diaz scored Walled Lake’s lone goal of the second half with 1:25 left.

  Waterford Head Coach Jeff Gillespie was very pleased with the effort. “Our passing was good tonight. We moved to ball very well through the middle of the field, which allowed us to score on transition. We did a good job of pressuring the ball through the midfield which caused multiple turnovers.”

• Walled Lake Northern Varsity Lacrosse Wins 2013 City Championship

  

  In a victory over Walled Lake Central, the Walled Lake Northern Varsity Boys Lacrosse Team won the 2013 City Championship last month. 

  The Walled Lake Northern Varsity Lacrosse team won the 2013 City Championship in an exciting game vs. Walled Lake Central.

  The game, which was played at Central, saw the WLN Knights get out to an early lead, but the WLC Vikings recovered quickly and went into halftime with an 8 – 4 lead. The second half went back and forth before WLN scored their fifth goal, which seemed to ignite their offense into scoring an additional seven goals before games end. The WLN Knights strong second half performance rocketed them to a 13 – 10 defeat of their WLC Viking rivals.

  Having previously defeated their other crosstown rivals, the Walled Lake Western Braves, by a score of 9 – 4 on April 13, this victory over WLC found the WLN Knights regaining possession of the Walled Lake Varsity Cup trophy and the Walled Lake City Lacrosse Championship for 2013.  First season WLN Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach Ryan Jay and Asst. Varsity Coach Russ Brandt were more than happy to gain these honors for their WLN Varsity squad. “The boys showed tremendous character in their second half comeback. It’ll be a game we’ll all remember for a long time to come” Coach Jay said.

• Lady Eagles Sweep Twin Bill

  

  Milford sophomore Hannah Hasley with the single to right for the Mavericks in game one of the doubleheader against crosstown rival Lakeland on Monday, April 29. 

  BY CHRIS WALL
  CONTRIBUTING WRITER

  The Lakeland softball team swept crosstown rival Milford in a doubleheader on Monday, April 29. The lady Eagles blanked the Mavericks 10-0 in game one. Milford’s Rachel Morrin started out strong blanking the Eagles through the first 3 innings. Lakeland exploded for 9 runs in the bottom of the 4^th as the lady Eagles slammed 5 home runs. Freshman catcher Alexa Flores led off the inning by blasting a line drive homer off the scoreboard in center field.

   

  

   

  Lynsey Raschke catches the towering fly ball for the Mavericks in center field in the third inning on April 29. 

  Selena Hicks followed with a towering home run to left field for a 3-0 lead. Lauren Brouillard drilled the third consecutive homer over the fence in left center giving the Eagles a 4-0 lead. Two batters later, Kendall Johnson blasted a 2 run homer.  After a walk, Alexa Flores drilled a two run homer, which was her second home run of the inning giving the Eagles a 10-0 cushion.

  Senior pitchers Selena Hicks and Annika Wiesinger combined on the 5 hit shutout for Lakeland. Hicks struck out 7 batters while raising her record to 7-1. Freshman catcher Alexa Flores was the leading hitter with two home runs and 4 RBI’s for the Eagles. Flores’ sizzling afternoon at the plate saw her batting average soar to .500 after 9 games.

  

  Hannah Szajner lays down a bunt single for the Eagles in the 10-0 win over Milford. 

  Lakeland won the second game of the doubleheader with a 9-3 paced by the hitting of shortstop Sam Dunnigan.  Sam had two hits in the nightcap good for 4 runs batted in. Annika Wiesinger picked up with win as she gave up no runs in three innings on the mound. Milford sophomore Emily White led the Mavericks (3-6) with two hits.