THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS SPORTS

The Latest News, Updates and Opinions from Flint-Area Communities

Gabrielle Anzalone isn't used to settling for anything other than first place, so she wasn't sure how to view it when she took fifth in the state cross country meet after placing fourth last season.

With a chance to put her accomplishment in perspective, the Grand Blanc sophomore doesn't look at her state placement as a step backward. Not by any means.

All she could do was run her best — and no girl in Flint-area history has ever put up a better five-kilometer time than Anzalone did Nov. 1 in the state Division 1 meet at Michigan International Speedway.

Her time of 17:36.4 broke the area record of 17:43 set by Goodrich's Janee Jones on Oct. 19, 2004 at Bicentennial Park in Grand Blanc.

"At first I wasn't sure about it, but they did a comparison and showed my time would have won 11 of the last 12 state meet or something," Anzalone said.

Continue reading "Grand Blanc's Gabrielle Anzalone repeats as No. 1 runner on Flint Journal All-Area girls' cross country team" »

Jake Hord was once a football player.

Check that.

"Technically, I didn't play it," the Linden High junior said. "I was on the team. I was one of the bench warmers, I guess you'd say."

That was in seventh grade when he also caught the eye of his middle school gym teacher after doing a mile run in class. The teacher, current Linden girls cross country coach Becky Harryman, saw tremendous potential in Hord.

Harryman pointed out that Hord's time was comparable to those run by Brad Ferarra, a future three-time All-Stater who was already beginning to make a name for himself in eighth grade.

Still, Hord had his mind set on playing football — well, on being on the football team.

Continue reading "Linden's Jake Hord headlines Flint Journal All-Area boys' cross country team" »

FLUSHING, Michigan — Flushing wasn't completely in midseason form in its girls basketball opener Monday night, but the Raiders sure looked that way on defense.

A well-executed game plan held Fenton to its lowest point total in at least two decades and the Raiders romped to their easiest victory in eight years with a 50-16 victory at home.

It was Flushing's largest margin of victory since a 64-24 win over Fenton on Sept. 5, 2000. Fenton had never scored fewer than 18 points in coach Brad DeWitt's previous 19 years as coach, and no lower total shows up in Journal records dating to 1981.

Continue reading "Flushing ices Fenton 50-16 in girls basketball opener" »

Flushing 50, Fenton 16
Lapeer West 55, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 41

Readers
TENNIS
Jared Harburn
Key Stats: 16-5 record at No. 1 doubles, All-Metro Second Team, Swartz Creek Invitational champion.
Vote: 51.1 percent.
Coach's Comment: "Jared did an outstanding job with the younger players," said coach Dan Ellis. "He was a leader and a true sport on and off the court."

GOLF
Haylee Zyber
Key Stats: All-Metro First Team, team MVP, 47 average.
Vote: 80 percent.
Coach's Comment: "Haylee is a talented golfer and represents the future of Swartz Creek golf," said coach Deb Culver. "Her sportsmanship and attitude is to be modeled by other golfers."

Football
Mason McGuff
Key Stats: 419 passing yards, three touchdowns.
Vote: 65.5 percent.
Coach's Comment: "Mason gained valuable game time experience (this year)," said coach Mike Ryan. "He is a student of the game and should be much more prepared to run our system next year."

Continue reading "2008 Swartz Creek News Fall Sports Standouts" »

Readers

CROSS COUNTRY
Ryan Hladik
Key stats: All-Big Nine Second Team, 66th (16:22.4 personal best) at state final, ninth (16:23.6) at regional, team MVP.
Vote: 66.3 percent.
Coach's Comment: "Ryan had an ankle injury at the start and that set him back a bit," said coach George Hackney. "But I have to give him credit for hanging in there and running personal bests in the biggest meets of the year. He was the whole package."

Erin May
Key stats: All-Big Nine Second Team, finished 190th (20:55.9) at states and was 14th (19:43.1) at regionals.
Vote: 74.6 percent.
Coach's Comment: "She was an extremely hard worker and that was the reason for her success," said coach Stan Holmes. "She was very consistent all year except for her last two races when she knocked 46 seconds off her time. That's not an easy thing to do."

Football
Chris Buckel
Key stats: Was All-Big Nine Second Team, was 108-of-168 passing for 1,336 yards and seven touchdowns, tied the single season record for completions with Matt Jakeway at 109, rushed for 370 yards on 77 attempts.
Vote: 49.4 percent.
Coach's Comment: "Chris had an outstanding season," Buckel said. "As anyone knows, if you don't have a good player at this position, you don't usually have a good season. Chris is our fourth consecutive quarterback to be either first or second team All-Big Nine."

Continue reading "2008 Flushing Observer Fall Sports Standouts" »

Readers

Jeff Tilley, Football
Key Stats: All-Big Nine Second Team.
Vote: 81.9 percent.
Coach's Comment: "Jeff is a hard-working kid. Hard-nosed football player. He's going to be a great leader for this team," said coach Nate Williams. "I believe he played four or five different positions for us (this year), he did whatever needed to be done for his team."

Jane Roda, Volleyball
Key Stats: All-Big Nine Second Team, led team in digs.
Vote: 39.5 percent.
Coach's Comment: "Jane was a great leader as well as a great defender. She's grown as a person and a defensive player," said coach Barb Hurand. "We counted on Jane to pass, as much as we counted on Kamrin (Gold) to hit. Very consistent player. When push came to shove, she produced."

Bryce Hamilton, Soccer
Key Stats: All-Big Nine First Team, All-District, All-State Honorable Mention.
Vote: 44.2 percent.
Coach's Comment: "He plays a lot bigger than his probably size. Very quick and strong for his size and wins a ton of head balls," said coach Jay Witham. "Just a great leader in the back."

Continue reading "2008 Flint Township News Fall Sports Standouts" »