Skate park may ditch fees, helmets
TRAVERSE CITY (May 5) — Area skateboarders might have $17,000 left in their pockets this summer if Grand Traverse County decides to drop its skate park fee.
County officials recommend eliminating skate park attendants who collect $17,000 in $2.50 daily fees, an amount that doesn't cover their costs. Instead, county officials propose adding roving park rangers at the Civic Center complex in Traverse City.
The park initially was free and unsupervised when it opened in late 2000, but the county board padlocked it in 2002 based on allegations of "unruly behavior." The county began charging in 2003, making it one of the few supervised skate parks in Michigan.
Beach Bums to report to camp today
TRAVERSE CITY (May 7) — The boys are back in town.
Players from the Traverse City Beach Bums independent league baseball team are scheduled to report for training camp today at Wuerfel Park.
Some players began arriving in Traverse City early last month. Second baseman Steve Young actually remained in town through the winter while working as a youth counselor. First baseman Brad Vericker and pitchers Robbie McClellan and Steve Shippey showed up a month before they were required to report.
Young joined the Beach Bums last spring after being released from the Detroit Tigers organization. This was the first time in his career that he didn't head south for spring training in February.
Stars hire Palumbo as GM
TRAVERSE CITY (May 9) —The shakeup in the ranks of the Traverse City North Stars started to settle down a bit, as the team hired former Traverse City West coach Anthony Palumbo as its general manager.
The team recently accepted the resignation of Scott Gardiner as coach after a 36-72-12 record in the Stars' first two seasons, and Steve Fournier has taken over majority control of the team.
Fournier said an offer has been extended to a coach, but did not identify the potential hire. He said the candidate will take some time to make a decision, which likely won't come until after the NAHL's draft on May 22.
Fournier said the team has received many inquiries from all over the country about the vacancy.
Glads win tennis title
PETOSKEY (May 11) — St. Francis won 3 flights Thursday to capture the Lake Michigan Conference tennis championships.
The Gladiators finished with 16 points. Elk Rapids and Harbor Springs tied for second with 12. Charlevoix was fourth with 10.
For St. Francis, Ben Schippers beat Todd Phillips of Harbor Springs 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the finals at No. 2 singles, Ben Wheelock and Mike Kowalski downed Charlevoix's Alex Molter and Colin McDonough 6-3, 6-4 at No. 3 doubles and David Eddington and Ryan White topped Chad Cottrill and Pat Berryer of Harbor Springs 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4 doubles.
Four records fall at Garland Relays
MAPLE CITY (May 11) — Four new meet records — two by Glen Lake's Marissa Treece and Amber Therrien — highlighted the 33rd annual Suttons Bay Garland Relays, run at Glen Lake because of track construction.
St. Francis won the meet with 85 points. Kingsley was second with 68 points followed by Glen Lake (55), Marion (53), Frankfort (50) and Suttons Bay (41).
Treece and Therrien set records in combining to win the 800 (4:55.7) and 1600 (10:47.01). Other records went to Frankfort's Britt Frantz and Kelly Tousley in the 200 (54.42) and St. Francis in the 3200 relay (10:13.3).
While not a record, Treece and Therrien also teamed with Ashley Leach and Abby Christiansen to win the 1600 relay in 4:20.4. The Lakers beat Marion by one-hundreth of a second with Treece running a closing 57.8.
Stars ink TC West standout to tender
TRAVERSE CITY (May 13) —-- Sean Burke hopes he won't have to go far to take the next step in his hockey career. Just a few miles, to be exact.
The former Traverse City West High School star accepted a tender for 2007-08 from his hometown Traverse City North Stars late this week, just in time for the weekend pre-draft tryout camp at Centre ICE arena.
"I was pretty excited," said Burke, who poured in 16 goals and assisted on 29 other for the Big North champion Titans last season.
Frontier League commissioner: No merger
TRAVERSE CITY (May 15) — Frontier League commissioner Bill Lee wrote in an e-mail that the Frontier League and Northern League are not discussing a merger.
The subject arose after Dave Ciarrachi, owner of the Frontier League's Rockford (Ill.) RiverHawks, told the Rockford Register Star that he hoped the two independent baseball leagues would eventually join forces, partly because three Northern League teams are within 50 miles of Rockford.
Traverse City Beach Bums co-owner Leslye Wuerfel said Friday, however, that the subject had come up in the past, but there have been no recent discussions between the leagues. She also said she doubted a merger would ever take place.
Lee was traveling on Friday and Saturday and was unavailable for comment, but he wrote on Monday expressing the need "to set the record straight."
Erdman just misses two Big Ten titles
TRAVERSE CITY (May 15) — Two-hundreths of a second was all that separated University of Michigan senior captain Katie Erdman from another Big Ten track and field title.
The Cadillac grad won one event and nearly took another as the championships concluded at Penn State University.
Erdman was the 800 in 2:05.17 and was edged out by two-hundreths of a second in the 1500 by teammate Anna Williard despite running a personal-best 4:15.95.
Erdman was also on Michigan's 1600 relay team that took fourth (3:40.91).
The Wolverines tied Illinois for first place with 129 points. The host Nittany Lions were third with 121½.
Gaylord's Weber top pick in USHL draft
TRAVERSE CITY (May 16) — Will Weber is a wanted man.
Just a little over a month after he committed to play collegiately for Miami (Ohio), Weber was selected No. 1 overall Tuesday in the United States Hockey League draft.
The Gaylord High School defenseman could still be a possibility for the Traverse City North Stars if he chooses to play his year of junior hockey closer to home.
"I think everybody in the state is trying to get him," North Stars general manager Anthony Palumbo said. "It doesn't surprise me (that he went No. 1 overall). He's a talented player."
West sweeps past Central
TRAVERSE CITY (May 16) — Kathy Breece was finally introduced to the Traverse City West-TC Central rivalry on Tuesday.
So far, so good.
"It was fun," Breece said after West swept the Trojans 6-1, 7-3 in a Big North Conference softball doubleheader. "But I'm only a couple of games into it."
Breece is in her first season as head coach of the Titans, who improved to 17-8 overall and 5-1 in the league.
Combine to give players exposure
TRAVERSE CITY (May 16) — Paul Khoury has heard the knock that college football players are few and far between in northern Michigan.
He wants to help change that.
To get the process started, Khoury and St. Francis assistant Greg Sherwin are organizing a combine for area football players in grades 7-12 on Sunday, June 3, at Just For Kicks. Players will be tested in the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, vertical jump and bench press -- the same events players are tested in at the national Nike combines.
The goal is to start identifying prospects with potential — and helping high school players gain exposure with college recruiters.
Doubles lead Gladiators to title
PETOSKEY (May 18) — For the second straight season, the Traverse City St. Francis tennis team is heading to the Division 4 state finals.
But this time the Gladiators are going as regional champions.
St. Francis reached the finals of all four doubles flights, winning three, as the Gladiators finished with 26 points to earn a trip to the championship in Kalamazoo June 1-2.
Harbor Springs and Elk Rapids tied for second with 19 points and will also advance. Charelvoix finished fourth with 15 points and Leelanau School fifth with 8.
"Our doubles are really strong," St. Francis coach Ann Murphy said. "Our singles aren't bad either. We have a lot of depth on the team."
St. Francis won No. 1, 3 and 4 doubles titles.
TC West moves on to Div. 1 state final
LAKE ORION (May 18) — For the first time since 2002, the Traverse City West golf team will tee it up at the state finals.
The Titans finished third in the Division 1 regional at Lake Orion on Thursday to earn a berth in the June 1-2 state championship at Forest Akers West course in East Lansing.
"It's been something we've been working toward the whole year," first-year West varsity coach Cathy Coon said. "I'm happy it turned out the way we wanted it to."
Grand Blanc won the regional with a 350. Host Lake Orion was second with a 353 followed by the Titans with a 361.
TC West was led at the regional by an 87 from Jordan Newhouse. Gaby Muller added an 89, Natalie White a 92 and Leighanna Whiting a 93. The Titans didn't count a 98 from Brooke Rodes.
The Titans were the only one of 17 teams at the regional to not have a player shoot in triple digits.
Win gives TC Central two trophies
TRAVERSE CITY (May 19) — With one swing of the bat, Ian Prokes was able to keep two trophies at Traverse City Central.
Prokes' two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday lifted the Trojans to a 3-1 baseball victory over TC West in the completion of a game suspended by darkness on Tuesday.
The win allowed reigning Big North Conference champions to earn a share of the league title with Alpena. Central also held on to the Murchie Memorial Trophy, which goes to the winner of the West-Central doubleheader.
West, which won game one on Tuesday by a 7-5 score, was unable to wrestle the Murchie away as Central (21-7, 8-2 Big North) won it for the second straight time for the first time since the award began in 2001. In a split, total runs decide the honor and if that's tied, the defender keeps the Murchie.
Gladiators sweep regionals
FRANKFORT (May 20) — The Traverse City St. Francis track teams were able to team up — in more ways than one — at the Division 4 regional meet at Frankfort on Saturday.
The Gladiators swept the team titles.
St. Francis edged North Muskegon 113-108 for the girls title while the Glads rolled to a win in the boys meet.
St. Francis had 118.3 points to take the boys crown. Hesperia was second with 99.3 with North Muskegon (82), Onekama (72) and Mason County Eastern (69) rounding out the top five.
Titans cruise to title
SUTTONS BAY (May 22) — Traverse City West golfers claimed five of the top six spots and coasted to a 59-stroke victory in Monday's TC West Invitational at The Leelanau Club at Bahle Farms.
The Titans finished with 333, followed by TC Central (392), Petoskey (417), Alpena (426) and Cheboygan (480).
The Trojans' Natalie Matuzak scored medalist honors with a 79. She was followed by five West golfers — Jordan Newhouse (80), Brooke Rodes (83), Gaby Muller (85), Natalie White (85) and Leighanna Whiting (90).
Rounding out the top 10 were Katie Blodgett of TC St. Francis (91), Betsy Gowell of Cheboygan (91), Kara Newhouse of Elk Rapids (92) and Kari Tomaski (480).
North Stars pick two defensemen in NAHL entry draft
TRAVERSE CITY (May 23) — The Traverse City North Stars decided to address their defense Tuesday.
After losing all-NAHL defenseman Nick Von Bokern to the league's age limit, and another defenseman Eric Scovill to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, the North Stars added a pair of blueliners in the North American Hockey League's entry draft.
The third-year club tabbed Blind River (Ont.) defenseman Tyler Stephens in the first round of the draft, and took a chance on Gaylord star Will Weber with the team's second-round selection.
Weber was the first overall selection by Chicago in last week's United States Hockey League draft. He was an All-State Dream Team selection, Traverse City Record-Eagle All-Region Dream Team captain, and Team Michigan invitee after posting 18 goals and 20 assists in his senior campaign.
Elks, Glads score LMC crowns
ELK RAPIDS (May 23) — Elk Rapids swept St. Francis 10-4 and 3-2 to clinch the Lake Michigan Conference baseball title on Tuesday.
Brandon Isenhart pitched the Elks (18-4, 11-3) to a win in the opener. Ian Sliger and Charlie Smith had two hits apiece for Elk Rapids. Nick Rausch and Nate Peck drove in two runs each.
Garrett Gribi earned the win in the nightcap. Rausch drove in two runs and Mike Greiner one.
TC West boys claim Big North title
CADILLAC (May 24) — Four teams took turns running in front.
In the end, the Traverse City West boys crossed the finish line first, literally.
The Titans dominated two of the final three events and held on to win the Big North Conference championships at Cadillac on Wednesday.
TC West finished with 121½ points. TC Central was second with 110 followed by Alpena (102), Petoskey (101), Gaylord (48) and Cadillac (40½).
The Titans and Trojans were the only teams to place in 16 of the 17 events at the meet. Central coach John Lober said the BNC was "the closest its been in nine years" with four teams topping the 100-point mark.
Staying busy in the off-season
TRAVERSE CITY (May 25) — So what did the Beach Bums do during the off-season to stay in touch?
Several took part in a fantasy football league.
Pitcher Buddy Klovstad was the commissioner.
Tony Casoli beat Robbie McClellan in the championship game, although there was some controversy involving a late trade that saw Casoli obtain Indianapolis Colts receiver Marvin Harrision from Ryan Gehring for Laveranues Coles. There were rumors that money exchanged hands, too.
West takes tourney, share of BNC
TRAVERSE CITY (May 25) — Traverse West didn't win the most flights at Thursday's Big North Conference tournament.
The Titans didn't even take the second most.
But West won the whole thing.
The Titans finished with 32 points, edging TC Central by a point for first place in the tournament. West tied for the overall league title with the Trojans, the regular season dual-meet champions.
Petoskey was third with 27 points followed by Cadillac (17), Alpena (13) and the TC JV All-Stars.
TC's Wuerfel Park is pitcher friendly
TRAVERSE CITY (May 25) — The Kalamazoo Kings and Traverse City Beach Bums blasted five home runs in their just-completed two-game series at Kalamazoo's Homer Stryker Field.
That's several weeks worth of round-trippers at spacious Wuerfel Park.
"I was only here for a few starts last year, but the ball doesn't fly out of here much," said pitcher Buddy Klovstad, who joined the team for the final month. "I don't think I saw any of our pitchers give up a home run. I did see (Brad) Vericker hit two."
Wuerfel Park's dimensions — 320 feet down the lines, 400 to center "— allo the pitchers to challenge hitters. It puts a premium on defense.
The park does reward gap hitters. Much like Detroit's Comerica Park, Wuerfel Park is noted more for yielding doubles and triples .
Lansing runners finish 1-2 in Bayshore 10K
TRAVERSE CITY (May 27) — Adam Wheeler ran 20 seconds faster than he did a year ago when he came in second in the Bayshore 10K race. This time he came in third.
Wheeler, 30, of Westland, hoped to do Saturday what he wasn't quite able to do last year. The competition was pretty stiff, though.
"I ran almost exactly the same race as last year," said Wheeler, a 1995 Traverse City Central grad. "Last year, I was behind a Hansons guy (Ryan Linden) who was training for marathons and this year wasn't much better."
Wheeler had a good showing, finishing in 33:10.2, but he couldn't match the 1-2 punch supplied by Nate Eggers, 24, of Lansing (32:28.9) and Scott Schmick, 23, of Lansing (32:50.0).
Kathryn Boyles, 24, of New York was the female winner (36:33.25).
Beach Bums shuffle roster
TRAVERSE CITY (May 29) — After a slow start, the Traverse City Beach Bums decided to shake up the roster on Monday.
Traverse City added former Frontier League All-Star catcher Lance Koenig after he was released by the Pensacola Pelicans of the American Association.
The former Houston Astros' draft pick played the last two seasons for the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League. He batted .276 for the Wild Things in 2006 with five home runs and 47 RBIs.
Koening, who can also play in the infield, ranked among the Frontier League leaders with a .323 average in 2005. He also had 26 doubles, three homers and 56 RBIs while scoring 77 runs.
Koenig made nine starts at second base for Pensacola, which also began the season slowly.
The Beach Bums also signed Michigan State hurler Craig Brookes. He was 4-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 13 starts for the Spartans.
Erdman runs down a regional title
COLUMBIA, MO. (May 29) — University of Michigan senior co-captain Katie Erdman has ran down a lot of honors during her career on the track.
Erdman added a first on Saturday in Columbia, Mo.
The Cadillac graduate won her first Mideast Regional crown in the 800 with a time of 2:01.99. Her time was just three-quarters of a second off her school-record time of 2:01.25 in Friday's preliminaries.
Erdman finished ahead of teammate Geena Gall (2:03.81) in the event.
In addition, Erdman teamed with Gall, Shana Vinson and Serita Williams to place eighth in the 1600 relay (3:38.41).
Suttons Bay's Hernandez blazing in his first season
TRAVERSE CITY (May 30) — After throwing up, Suttons Bay's Eric Hernandez threw down the best time in the 100-meter dash.
Hernandez made his Record-Eagle Honor Roll meet debut a memorable one, running a 10.9 to win the sprint going away.
"I don't know why, but I was over there puking," Hernandez said. "Maybe it was nerves, I don't know. But I puked two or three times."
Then Hernandez held the lead down the track.
Treece bests her Honor Roll records
TRAVERSE CITY (May 30) — The heat and humidity didn't slow Marissa Treece.
The Glen Lake senior burned up the track at Traverse City Central, shattering her own 1600- and 3200-meter records in the Record-Eagle Honor Roll track meet.
Treece won the 1600 in 4:52.94 and the 3200 in 10:40.96. The previous records were 5:07.3 and 11:09.19, respectively.
"I've seen a lot of individual highlights in 33 years (of Honor Roll meets), but Marissa has taken these records to another level," meet director John Lober said. "It's going to be a long time before these records are broken. This is a just a very unique young lady who has really applied herself. Talent, preparation ... that's what greatness is all about. She's phenomenal."
Treece's time in the 3200 was a personal record outdoors.
Jones up to CMU's challenge
TRAVERSE CITY (May 31) — After winning 10 games, a Mid-American Conference championship and the Motor City Bowl in 2006, expectations are high for the 2007 football season at Central Michigan.
And first-year coach Butch Jones wants it no other way.
"It's exciting," said Jones. "When you're in a competitive business like we are, you want people shooting for you. You want to be the team others are chasing. The expectations? Our staff understands that. That motivates us. That's what we want. We'd rather be in that situation, feeling we have an opportunity to win every time we step out on the field, instead of vice versa. I think our kids understand and know what's at stake."
Jones, a former Central Michigan assistant, returned to Mount Pleasant after spending the last two seasons at West Virginia. He succeeds Brian Kelly, who left to accept the University of Cincinnati job prior to the Motor City Bowl.
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