Confidence is everything. Stuart Gould knows it, and he showed it on Saturday at Forest Hills Eastern’s Hawk Stadium for the Division 2 state track finals.
Remember last year, when Gould got him? That was pure confidence in laying it all on the line in the final moments of the 400-meter dash to win a state championship. Whitehall’s Trannon Aylor was on the other side of Gould’s win last year. Two tenths of a second behind it, actually.
Tri County’s girls soccer team had plenty to celebrate at Goodin-Parker Field on Wednesday night. Five distinct moments, to be exact. The Vikings bounced Big Rapids from the CSAA tournament with a 4-1 win and celebrated along the way — of course ending with the victory bell.
When Greenville’s girls soccer team made its way to Tri County on Friday, it wanted to do something it hadn’t done in three games — get a shot on goal. Meanwhile, Tri County wanted to maintain its undefeated start to the season. Both teams accomplished their goals as the Vikings took a wild, 4-3 win over the Yellow Jackets.
Baylor Syrjala stepped into the batter’s box in Friday’s seventh inning on a mission. She wanted to spark the Wildcat offense, and take out some frustration about a close call on the previous play. She did both as an inside-the-park home run vaulted the Wildcats to a 14-9 win over Tri County.
At first glance, the Tri County track and field program looks like a successful bunch. A lot of kids, running hard, running together, cheering each other on, working independently under the general direction of their coaches.
On a deeper examination, the Vikings don’t just have the look of a successful team — they walk the walk, too. That success was quantified in a few different ways last June when Stuart Gould ended his junior season with a memorable 49-second sprint around the track at Forest Hills Eastern’s Hawk Stadium when he won a state championship in the 400-meter dash.
Girls Track Head coach: Tyler Arends Years as head coach: Five Last season’s conference record: Fifth in CSAA Key players lost: Meghan McGiverin, Amelia Jason and Janelle Docter Starters returning this year: 10 Number of seniors: Five Frosh/sophs: “It is hard to tell who will come in and immediately start to score points and earn varsity accolades. Incoming freshmen are […]
Case Johnson ended his first day at Ford Field with a shrug and a determination to get back at it the following day.
The Greenville sophomore was overpowered by a better wrestler in Adam Haselius of Jackson Northwest, the eventual state champ, in the state semifinals at the 215-pound weight class in Division 2. Johnson is a strong wrestler — even as a sophomore in a high weight class, he doesn’t get thrown around like that by anyone.
Just one year ago, the Perez family was celebrating a tremendous accomplishment in a once-in-a-lifetime wrestling match.
Lakeview brothers Joe Perez and Cam Perez found themselves in the third-place match of the 103-pound weight class in Division 4. It was a celebratory match — younger brother Cam won but both wrestlers ended the day as All-State finishers. It was a dream come true for father Abe and mother Jen to watch their boys on the All-State podium side by side.