TRAVERSE CITY -- Traverse City Central started the season off with a volleyball tournament victory, claiming its own invitational with a 25-15, 25-17 win over Benzie Central in the finals.
It was the third straight season Central has won the 12-team Traverse City Central Invitational.
The Trojans swept through pool play without losing a game over three matches, then swept Lake City and topped Pine River two games to one to earn a spot in the championship match.
Carly Beers led Central with 92 assists, Laura Spencer posted 41 blocks, 40 kills and 31 digs and Meredith Aja had 33 kills.
The Trojans (6-0) travel across town to play Traverse City West on Tuesday.
Benzie was taken to three games in its first two matches, but won both and also topped Elk Rapids to emerge from pool play unscathed. The Huskies then topped Leland (22-25, 25-9, 15-12) and Traverse City St. Francis (25-16, 30-28) to get a spot in the finals.
Benzie was led by the efforts of Sara Thurkettle (44 kills, 24 digs, eight blocks, five aces), Haeley Melton (32 kills, 36 digs, 12 blocks, 13 aces), Jenna Scheele (17 kills, 30 digs, five aces, four blocks), Kate Masell (34 digs, six aces), Raenee Harig (116 assists, 28 digs) and Madison Lutzke (10 kills, four blocks).
St. Francis didn't lose a game until meeting Benzie, sweeping all three matches in pool play and downing Traverse City Christian 25-22, 25-22 in the quarterfinals.
The Gladiators (4-1) were led by Abby Clear (24 kills), Bailey Ray (22 kills, six aces), Lyndsay LaCourse (19 kills, three aces) and Emily Buckel (17 aces).
Leland won three matches in pool play before a three-game loss to Benzie in the quarterfinals.
The Comets were paced by Sara Ruszel (19 kills), Elizabeth McKee (14 aces, 13 kills), Hanna Schaub (70 assists, 11 aces) and Melissa Loredo (26 digs).
TC Christian topped Elk Rapids and took Benzie to three games in pool play, falling to St. Francis in the quarterfinals.
The Sabres were led by Callie Kostrzewa's serving and Leah Beemer's setting. Christian plays Tuesday at the Frankfort Invitational.
Manton defeated Elk Rapids in the silver bracket finals.
VOLLEYBALL
Pellston claims its own invitational
Pellston won the Pellston Invitational with a 25-21, 20-25, 15-10 win over Kingsley in the championship match.
No details were reported for the Hornets.
Kingsley swept through pool play with a 4-0 mark and topped Suttons Bay (25-15, 25-17) and Charlevoix (25-20, 25-16) to earn a spot in the finals.
The Stags were led by all-tournament selections Sam Zubalik (42 kills, 11 aces, 37 digs, six blocks) and Hannah Bach (42 kills, 10 blocks, 13 digs). Other top performers were Erica Berridge (126 assists, 22 digs), Katie Nickerson (42 digs, four aces), Chelsea Edgecombe (21 kills, 46 digs) and Lauren Leach (17 kills, six blocks).
Charlevoix defeated Pellston in pool play 25-20, 25-20, topped Central Lake and Mio in straight games and split with Suttons Bay. The Rayders downed Boyne City in the quarterfinals before a 20-25, 25-16 loss to Kingsley.
Charlevoix was led by Jenna Way (77 assists, 37 digs, 12 aces, three blocks), Taylor Storm (79 digs, 97 percent serving) and Sarah Potter (20 kills, 20 digs, five aces, 92 percent serve reception). Way and Storm were chosen to the all-tournament team.
Forest Area was 4-0 in pool play with wins over Harbor Light Christian, Boyne City, Inland Lakes and East Jordan, defeating Cheboygan 25-14, 27-25 in the quarters and falling to Pellston 25-19, 25-16 in the semifinals.
The Warriors (5-1) were led by all-tournament picks Mae Johnson (42 kills, 22 digs) and Katie Johnson (85 assists, 32 digs, eight aces). Other top performers were Chelsee Strine (28 kills), 32 digs), Kassie McGee (18 kills, 18 digs), Camila Tarnow (29 digs) and Marissa Ingersoll (27 digs).
Forest Area will play in the Cadillac Invitational on Thursday.
TC West goes 1-4 at Portage Central Invite
Traverse City West topped Allen Park Cabrini en route to going 1-4 at the Portage Central Invitational.
The Titans posted a 25-10, 25-20 win over Cabrini, falling to defending state runner-up Bloomfield Hills Marian (17-25, 16-25) among four setbacks.
West received strong performances from Gaby Muller (22 digs, 16 kills, nine aces), Courtney Saxton (32 digs), Emily Ellison (16 kills) and Ellen Patenaude (19 kills).
The Titans host rival TC Central on Tuesday.
TENNIS
St. Francis, Loy Norrix co-champs at West Invite
Traverse City St. Francis and Kalamazoo Loy Norrix tied for the championship in the round-robin Titan Invitational at Traverse City West.
Both TCSF and Norrix ended with 16 points, just one ahead of the hosts. Leland was fourth.
Loy Norrix won all four singles flights, with the Gladiators taking three doubles flights and West two.
St. Francis had wins from Newton Calcutt and Sean Paquet at No. 1 doubles, Josh Kurtz and Pat Wilson at No. 3 and Chris Miller and Stephen Siddal at No. 4.
West claimed No. 2 doubles with the team of Luke Hessler and Trevor Tooley and won No. 5 doubles with Graeme Placek and Jacob Diss.
West plays in the Saginaw Invitational on Monday.
Cross Country
Jenkins, Wynsma win in race at Glen Lake
Manton's Sonny Jenkins and Suttons Bay's Ben Wynsma won the season-opening Glen Lake Cross Country Invitational on Saturday.
Jenkins posted a winning girls time of 13:09, while Wynsma's 10:40 was tops among boys and just 10 seconds off the course record.
Matt Moss of Elk Rapids was second in 11:37, while Suttons Bay had Chase Palmer and Mart Jasinski in second and third at 11:43 and 12:00, followed by Leland's Galen Whittaker (12:05), Elks Rapids' Pat Janisse (12:09) and Dylan Sundberg (12:10), Manton's Kyle Sosenko (12:11), Frankfort's Tommy Willis (12:12), Lake Leelanau St. Mary's Caleb Korson (12:13) and Layton Korson (12:30), Manton's Chase Lovell (12:31) and St. Mary's Aaron Helwig (12:44).
On the girls' side, Stephanie Ingraham of Manton was four second behind Jenkins, followed by Frankfort's Keeton Spencley (13:30), Traverse City St. Francis' Maddy Danz, Glen Lake's Bonnie Ricord, Manton's Stacey Baron, Elk Rapids' Laura Bailey (14:03), Manton's Courtney Roth (14:21), Suttons Bay's Jordan Callewaert (14:33), Leland's Rory Price (14:35), Manton's Giselle Gomez (14:41) and Sarah Arthur (14:58) and Addey Meachum (14:59) of St. Francis.
The race wasn't scored as a team meet.
SOCCER
TC Christian 2nd at Bay City Western tourney
Traverse City Christian fell 4-2 to the hosts in the Bay City Western Invitational in the tournament's championship game.
The Sabres started the tournament with two victories, beating Bay City John Glenn 4-0 and Flint Kearsley 6-1.
Jason Send scored seven goals on the day, including starting off the season with a hat trick against John Glenn.
Scottie Raetz added a goal and Mike Weber, Ian Spencer and Paul Bump had assists.
Raetz and Send each scored twice against Kearley, with Jerrod Argyle and Isaac Noge adding single goals. Peter Mustard and Jon Tuck added assists.
Send had two goals and Raetz an assist in the finals.
David Gallagher and Jon Rudolph split time in goal in each game for the Sabres (2-1).
Harbor Light wins Burt Lake NMCA tournament
Ben Cole scored two goals to lead Harbor Light Christian to a 3-1 win over the hosts in the Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian Academy Invitational.
Aaron Chatfield put the Eagles up 1-0, but Harbor Light scored three unanswered goals to win the title.
The Swordsmen beat Sault Ste. Marie 3-1 in the opening round.
NMCA beat Skeels Christian 5-0 to open the tourney, as Paul and Aaron Chatfield scored two goals each, and Jeff Thompson added a goal and an assist. Josh Fosmore was in net for the Eagles.
Sault Ste. Marie beat Skeels 3-1 in the consolation game.
Muskegon Catholic 2
Suttons Bay 1
In a rematch of last year's regional finals, Suttons dropped a 2-1 decision to Muskegon Catholic Central.
Muskegon CC scored on its first shot on goal with 14 minutes left in the first half.
Evan Glowicki came back to tie the game on a header off a crossing pass from Luke Reyhl five minutes into the second half, but Muskegon would score the winning goal on a penalty kick with 18 minutes left.
Jared Orban made seven saves for the Norsemen, who travel to Elk Rapids on Tuesday.
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