SPORTSBEAT; by Peter Jakey
State hopping on the tournament trail
It was a unique start to the weekend, tracking the progress of the district champion Posen Vikings and the three Huron wrestlers who placed at the individual state finals in Auburn Hills. My interesting journey along the tournament trail this week, and the miles I piled up, were nothing compared to some local parents who followed a group of Rogers City junior high wrestlers from Sault Ste. Marie to Lansing. Now that?s state hopping. But to squeeze in multiple events, as was the case Friday and Saturday, for me, was something that doesn?t happen all that often, especially with so much at stake.
Friday brought a surprise to a fired-up Viking basketball team. I?ll have to say, from the accounts I?ve heard, Posen basketball coach Ron Misiak was getting fired up two hours before the district final in Joburg, and it had nothing to do with basketball. The coach likes to have the bus ready to leave early, and at 4:55 p.m., it wasn?t there.
MISIAK?S DAUGHTER Karen Smigelski of Alpena, who attends all the games, had been planning for a month to book a charter bus for the basketball team?s trip to Joburg. Only three people knew about it: Karen, Ron?s wife, and athletic director Cliff Kelly. Kelly needed to be in on the plan so a bus driver wasn?t scheduled. Just before five o?clock the charter bus pulled into the parking lot at the school. It was an exciting moment for the players. ?They are such a great group of kids,? said Smigelski. ?They really appreciated it. Aaron (Hincka) almost drove me over with a hug.?
The Vikings didn?t hug any of the Atlanta players when they arrived in Joburg, but they easily drove right over them by playing tough defense. The Posen defenders tipped shots, poked and swatted at the ball, and blocked jumpers by the Huskies, and tempers boiled over. Atlanta players had already been complaining about nearly every call and non-call by the officials and the men in black and white had heard enough and called technicals on a player and the coach. Memo to the Huskie players: it was all about the defense.
Junior Matt Ponik showed great sportsmanship when he fouled out early in the fourth quarter. He put in another warrior-like effort and shook the hand of the official as he left the floor. ?He called a good game, what can you do,? Ponik said of fouling out.
EARLIER IN the week in the district semifinal, good sport Curtis Beach received the loudest cheer when he bombed a three pointer late in the win against Hillman. Beach had been looking for an opportunity to reach his goal of scoring more points than he did during his sophomore season. With the three, Curtis was able to do to it. The cheer from the crowd was Mastercard-like — as in priceless.
From Joburg I headed south on I-75 to stay at my brother?s cottage in Gladwin. The next morning I was up at 6 a.m. and off to The Palace two hours away. I had just walked onto the arena floor as Huron Chris Rhode strapped on his head gear. The junior showed tremendous patience and broke a 2-2 tie with a takedown with 15 seconds left in the match. It was an exciting match, and the young man showed great poise.
With the experience of the last two years, it should prepare him for a super senior season. All three state placers should do well again next year, if they are not slowed by injuries.
I ENJOY READING some of the T-shirts of the wrestlers at the finals. Many schools come up with a motto or a slogan that drives them through their season. I liked this one the most: ?Your momma pinned your diaper, but you?re my baby now.? A Hudson High School wrestler had a T-shirt
Small town reporters — the folks in the big city can see us coming from a mile away, no matter how many miles are traveled on the tournament trail.