Traverse City Record-Eagle - Top 10 Sports Stories of 2007

Top 10: Season switches bring changes
This November, Suttons Bay boys golf coach Todd Hursey was attending a meeting at the MHSAA office. Hursey stopped for a moment to look at the photos of the recent state champions, including his Division 4 championship squad. He recalls thinking about how it seemed so long ago. That's because it was.
Top 10: Changes on TC football sidelines
Matt Prisk stepped down at Traverse City West the day before deer hunting season. Tom Passinault has TC Central hunting for its first playoff win since 1991. Oh, how things have changed in Traverse City high school football in just a year.
Top 10: Merchant lands 'dream' job
Suzy Merchant's life has changed dramatically in the last year. Personally and professionally. Just over a year ago -- on Christmas Eve -- Merchant gave birth to son, Tyler. Four months later, the Traverse City native was hired as Michigan State women's basketball coach.
Top 10: Townsend goes back-to-back
There can't be much more room in Casey Townsend's personal trophy case. The Traverse City West soccer star is accumulating awards at an astonishing rate, garnering another seemingly each week.
Top 10: Glass adds a national title
Alisha Glass, Leland Class of 2006, national champion. "I like the sound of that," said Glass, a 6-foot sophomore setter on Penn State's volleyball team.
Top 10: Gaylord's Weber drafted by NHL's Blue Jackets
With a little luck, hockey fans in the Traverse City area could be seeing Will Weber real soon. Weber, selected by Columbus in the second round of the NHL draft last summer straight out of Gaylord High School, is currently playing for the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League but could make an appearance in TC as soon as next fall.
Top 10: Chicago Bears drafts McBain's Bazuin
When the NFL Draft began on April 28, former McBain standout Dan Bazuin had two wishes. First was to go in the first three rounds of the draft, making him a Day One selection. The second was to stay in the Midwest.
Top 10: Changes abound for Beach Bums
As the 2007 baseball season unfolded, there were changes aplenty for the Traverse City Beach Bums.
Top 10: Gladiators rebound to march into finals
For St. Francis, the wake-up call came early. Aug. 23 to be exact. That's when Suttons Bay marched into Thirlby Field and shocked the Gladiators 38-20 on the opening night of the high school football season. And it wasn't even that close.