SPORTSBEAT BY PETER JAKEY: Sports winter warm up on the way
It is Ground Hog Day 2006. What does that mean around here? If Moltke Mountain Marvin sees his shadow it will be an exciting journey down the tournament trail, meaning there will be less time to grumble or think about another northern Michigan winter. If he doesn?t see his shadow, it?ll be a short trip for area teams. Traditionally, that has not been the case, which has been nice, because by the time the Michigan High School Athletic Association crowns its state champs in March; we?ll be a little closer to warmer weather. Tournament time is almost here again with the first post-season competition to take place right here in Rogers City.
The Huron wrestlers will host the team district tournament two weeks from today (February 16). The tournament date was changed from February 15 to February 16. Rogers City is looking to wrap up their 20th consecutive district title. The individual district tournament will be in Rogers City a couple of days later. I don?t care what the ground hog sees or hears, it should be another good time when the tournaments start.
IT?LL BE INTERESTING to see how many Huron wrestlers qualify for state. If coach Pat Lamb has his way, it?ll be everyone. If the boys turn in a performance like they did at Ithaca, it?ll be anywhere from six to 10, and who knows, maybe a dozen will make it. One sophomore, who was fourth at the Northern Michigan Championships at Gaylord, has a shot at it. T.J. Sobeck is the smallest wrestler on the team. Undersized? I don?t think so. Underestimate him? You better not.
Jacob Brown of Standish-Sterling may have underestimated Sobeck at Gaylord and it cost him his undefeated record. Lamb said Brown came into the match against Sobeck with a perfect 28-0 record. Both Brown and Sobeck pinned their first opponents of the day at Gaylord and the times were similar. Sobeck?s pin was in 1:36, while Brown?s match lasted 1:15. It was a close match when the two met on the mat, but Sobeck pulled it out with a 2-1 decision. Sobeck went on to medal, while Brown could not recover and lost a 6-3 decision in his next match and was eliminated from the tournament. ?(Sobeck) might be the smallest man on the team, but he has the biggest heart,? said Lamb. ?This kid just goes out there and gives it everything he has, every second on the mat. He also beat a young man from Whittemore, who was a state qualifier last year.?
That was an 8-6 overtime win against Melvin Hottois. It was a terrific effort by Sobeck. The Hurons will need more of that type of effort by the entire team if they want to get back to Battle Creek. Sobeck?s performances this season certainly will improve his chances of becoming a first-time state qualifier. I plan to be down at The Palace and I?m hoping to be busy for a couple of days at Auburn Hills.
?SATURDAY WAS my first Alpena Community College basketball game. I wasn?t in the door but a couple of minutes when Whitney Meeder, who excelled in basketball her senior year at Posen, confronted me: ?sure, you showed up for the guys game.? The ACC women played earlier in the evening. Meeder is playing well as a starter, but they are on a nine game losing streak.
?We?re getting a lot better. We?re not losing by as many as we had been. Hopefully it is going to come around,? she said. The men have won only five games this season, but have showed some late season improvement as well. It still may not be enough to lock up a post-season slot. They have to finish .500 or better in the league.
Former Posen athletes Aaron Hincka and James Sobek are playing this season for ACC, which was one of the reasons for my visit. It also should be noted that former RCHS athlete Charley Smolinski is a red shirt freshman for the Lumberjacks this season. He is practicing and traveling with the club, and will try to work his way onto the team next year. He was keeping stats at the scoring table during Saturday?s game.
Hincka got in about five minutes into the game, and I thought ACC played a little better when he was on the floor. It was refreshing to see the enthusiasm of the ACC players on the bench, chanting ?D-Fense! D-Fense!? That got the crowd into it. Hincka said the team is playing better now that everyone knows each other more.
I noticed ACC president Dr. Olin Joynto
Park Arena is a nice facility for a junior college game, and there was a decent crowd. I saw familiar faces from Rogers City and Posen alike, but what?s with the prehistoric possession arrow. It looks like something that was made in the wood shop class. I know Park Arena is a fairly new facility, but somebody skimped on the clock budget when they constructed the facility. It?s too high on the wall and too small. It seems nit-picky, but why hang a clock if you can?t see it.
That certainly won?t keep me from seeing another game. It sure would be nice to see all four of these former high school athletes help ACC get in the playoffs. I think everyone from the area would get behind them.