C-S cross country runners
striving for improvement
By Bruce Rolfe
While the Climax-Scotts varsity and junior high cross country teams are small in numbers, Panther coach Dave Lodes sees a determined group eager to make individual improvements.
The teams started the season September 10 at Colon.
Junior Zach Roebuck is the lone current runner and returner to the high school squad.
Eighth grader Blake Morrison and seventh grader Jaxon Marlowe are returning on the junior high squad and eighth grader Topanga Fields, a transfer
student from Battle Creek St. Philip, is a new participant on the C-S junior high squad.
Lodes, entering his 20th season as C-S cross country coach, said each runner has goals for improvement, which could lead to higher places in events C-S participates in.
He said Roebuck is hoping to improve on last year’s 5k time of about 23:30.
Morrison was 5th in the SCAA last year in junior high and hopes to compete for a top spot in the league this year.
While the Climax-Scotts varsity and junior high cross country teams are small in numbers, Panther coach Dave Lodes sees a determined group eager to make individual improvements.
The teams started the season September 10 at Colon.
Junior Zach Roebuck is the lone current runner and returner to the high school squad.
Eighth grader Blake Morrison and seventh grader Jaxon Marlowe are returning on the junior high squad and eighth grader Topanga Fields, a transfer
student from Battle Creek St. Philip, is a new participant on the C-S junior high squad.
Lodes, entering his 20th season as C-S cross country coach, said each runner has goals for improvement, which could lead to higher places in events C-S participates in.
He said Roebuck is hoping to improve on last year’s 5k time of about 23:30.
Morrison was 5th in the SCAA last year in junior high and hopes to compete for a top spot in the league this year.
2025 - 2026 Cross Country
(Coed Varsity)
A Look Ahead ...
Sep 10: Colon Away 5 p.m.
Sep 24: Hillsdale Academy Away 5 p.m.
Oct 1: Mendon Away 5 p.m.
Oct 11: Pittsford Away TBD
With the top two runners in the league moving up to high school, Lodes feels Morrison could contend for the top spot in the league at the junior high level.
The C-S coach adds Marlowe hopes to shave a couple of minutes off his 1.5 mile time from 14 to 12 minutes.
The C-S coach adds Fields was 15th in the league last year and is trying to make it into the top ten this year. She would have to reduce her time about a minute over last year to teach that goal.
C-S Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Profile
Coach: Dave Lodes, 20th season
Returners: Zach Roebuck, 11th grade
Jr High: Blake Morrison, 8th grade, Jaxon Marlowe, 7th grade
New runner: Topanga Fields, 8th grade
(Coed Varsity)
A Look Ahead ...
Sep 10: Colon Away 5 p.m.
Sep 24: Hillsdale Academy Away 5 p.m.
Oct 1: Mendon Away 5 p.m.
Oct 11: Pittsford Away TBD
With the top two runners in the league moving up to high school, Lodes feels Morrison could contend for the top spot in the league at the junior high level.
The C-S coach adds Marlowe hopes to shave a couple of minutes off his 1.5 mile time from 14 to 12 minutes.
The C-S coach adds Fields was 15th in the league last year and is trying to make it into the top ten this year. She would have to reduce her time about a minute over last year to teach that goal.
C-S Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Profile
Coach: Dave Lodes, 20th season
Returners: Zach Roebuck, 11th grade
Jr High: Blake Morrison, 8th grade, Jaxon Marlowe, 7th grade
New runner: Topanga Fields, 8th grade
C-S cross country teams begin season
The Climax-Scotts cross country teams started the season September 10 at the SCAA Preview Meet at Colon.
C-S did not have enough runners to score in both the high school men’s and women’s event and the junior high boys and girls race.
Junior Zachree Roebuck was the lone participant for C-S in the high school run, finishing 31st out of a field of 39 runners with a time of 26:42.
Athens won the men’s event with 25 points and Battle Creek St. Philip won the women’s meet with 25 points.
In the 2575-meter Junior High race C-S eighth grader Blake Morrison finished third out of a field of 50 runners with a time of 10:32.
SCAA Preview Meet #1 At Colon
C-S Results
Men’s
31-Zachree Roebuck, 26:42
2575-meter Jr. High Race
Boys
C-S Results
3-Blake Morrison, 10:32, 42-Jaxon Marlowe, 15:54
C-S did not have enough runners to score in both the high school men’s and women’s event and the junior high boys and girls race.
Junior Zachree Roebuck was the lone participant for C-S in the high school run, finishing 31st out of a field of 39 runners with a time of 26:42.
Athens won the men’s event with 25 points and Battle Creek St. Philip won the women’s meet with 25 points.
In the 2575-meter Junior High race C-S eighth grader Blake Morrison finished third out of a field of 50 runners with a time of 10:32.
SCAA Preview Meet #1 At Colon
C-S Results
Men’s
31-Zachree Roebuck, 26:42
2575-meter Jr. High Race
Boys
C-S Results
3-Blake Morrison, 10:32, 42-Jaxon Marlowe, 15:54
C-S Cross Country
A Look Ahead ...
10/24 Hillsdale Academy Away 5 p.m.
1/1 Mendon Away 5 p.m.
A Look Ahead ...
10/24 Hillsdale Academy Away 5 p.m.
1/1 Mendon Away 5 p.m.
Lady Panthers settle for 2nd place
in own tournament
The Lady Panthers swept all three opponents in pool play by 2-0 scores before taking Heritage Christian in two games in bracket play, setting up the championship match against Kalamazoo Premier.
C-S started the tournament by downing Tekonsha 25-14, 25-15, defeated Heritage Christian, 25-20, 24-15 and downed Marcellus, 25-7, 25-23.
In bracket play the Panthers had a rematch against Heritage Christian and came out on top 24-7, 26-6.
Senior starter Addy Reeves, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury and did not play in the first four matches, did play in the championship match, coming up with one kill.
Ashlynn Gilbert totaled 62 assists over the five matches, Kendal Reitz had 21 digs, Sophie Braithwaite had a team high 31 kills to go with nine aces and 16 digs, Mackenzie Vincent had 16 kills and 14 aces, and Holly Talbert had 12 kills, 15 aces and a team high 30 digs.
Sophie Braithwaite sends a ball back over the net during the Panther Invitational September 13 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School.
(Photo by Bruce Rolfe)
C-S Comes Back to Defeat Athens
The Lady Panthers responded to a first game loss by winning the next three games in a 3-1 win over Athens September 9 at Athens.
C-S dropped the first game 20-25, but took the next three, 25-17, 25-12, 25-17.
Holly Talbert, Sophie Braithwaite and Ashlynn Gilbert each had 14 digs, Talbert had a team high 13 kills, Mackenzie Vincent led the team with three blocks, Gilbert had 33 assists and Talbert and Kendal Reitz had four aces each.
C-S Def. Athens, 20-25, 25-17, 25-12, 25-17
C-S Stat Leaders
Holly Talbert: 14 digs, 4 aces, 13 kills; Mackenzie Vincent: 3 aces, 3 blocks, 7 kills; Sophie Braithwaite: 14 digs, 9 kills; Kendal Reitz: 4 aces, 13 digs, 3 kills; Jane Carillo: 3 digs; Ona Newland: 2 digs; Michaella Carillo: 3 digs; Ashlynn Gilbert: 14 digs, 33 assists; Adalynn Reeves: 6 kills
C-S Varsity Volleyball
A Look Ahead ...
Sep 23: Bellevue Home 7 p.m.
Sept. 27: Marcellus AwayTBD
C-S Volleyball JV
A Look Ahead ...
Sep 23: Bellevue Home 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 30: Colon Home 5:30 p.m.
A Look Ahead ...
Sep 23: Bellevue Home 7 p.m.
Sept. 27: Marcellus AwayTBD
C-S Volleyball JV
A Look Ahead ...
Sep 23: Bellevue Home 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 30: Colon Home 5:30 p.m.
Growth starting to emerge for
Panther football team
By Bruce Rolfe
Climax-Scotts varsity football coach Tyler Langs admitted before the season, with a young and inexperienced roster, there might be some challenges along the way.
But one thing the Panther coach is learning, his team is eager to get better and answer any challenges with a strong play.
The growth continued September 12 when the Panthers held off Adrian Lenawee Christian 44-41 in the home opener to move to 2-1.
The offensive line continued to show growth, helping the offense score over 40 points for the second straight game while racking up over 500 yards (533 Friday) in total offense for a second consecutive game.
There were multiple contributors as well.
Led by a trio of Panthers who had over 100 yards rushing, C-S rolled up 499 yards on the ground.
The Panthers responded to adversity well.
C-S answered Lenawee Christian’s first score with a touchdown in the first quarter for a 14-8 deficit after one quarter. C-S responded to a stalled drive that ended on the Cougar two-yard line on a fourth down play by coming up with a fumble recovery that was followed moments later by a big touchdown with 17.0 seconds left in the first half that pulled the home team to within 21-16 at halftime.
C-S showed grit and the ability to overcome adversity again in the second half, scoring with 8:57 left in the third quarter for a 22-21 lead.
C-S responded to a controversial call that turned out to be a Cougar touchdown with a 74-yard drive in just 2:24 with a touchdown to knot the score 28-28.
Junior Elijah Bowron blocked a 31-yard field attempt and then scampered 65 yards for a touchdown that sent the home team into the fourth quarter with a 36-28 lead after Alexander Wurtzel teamed up with Hunter LaSala on the two-point conversion.
The Panthers again answered a Cougar touchdown in the fourth quarter with one of their own to take a 44-34 lead with 5:37 left. The team ran out the clock after the visitors pulled to 44-41 with 2:48 left by getting the ball at the Cougar 43-yard line when an onside attempt went out of bounds.
“We’re young and inexperienced. We’re trying to work to find our rhythm and our groove. There was a lot of talented kids out here for us. We just needed the experience. It kind of seems to be our inexperience. We struggled in the first half and got our butts kicked a little bit, and then came out and played well, and again we didn’t change anything at the half. The kids just made a choice to get after it and they did a great job and it was all them,” said Langs.
Adrian Lenawee Christian struck first on a James Reatherford to Elijah Lutz 20-yard touchdown strike at the 6:48 mark. Max Stamats kicked the extra point.
C-S responded 3:15 later when Dane Sattler crossed the goal line from the one-yard line with 3:33 left in the opening frame. Liam LaSala ran in the two-point conversion, giving the home team an 8-7 lead.
Climax-Scotts varsity football coach Tyler Langs admitted before the season, with a young and inexperienced roster, there might be some challenges along the way.
But one thing the Panther coach is learning, his team is eager to get better and answer any challenges with a strong play.
The growth continued September 12 when the Panthers held off Adrian Lenawee Christian 44-41 in the home opener to move to 2-1.
The offensive line continued to show growth, helping the offense score over 40 points for the second straight game while racking up over 500 yards (533 Friday) in total offense for a second consecutive game.
There were multiple contributors as well.
Led by a trio of Panthers who had over 100 yards rushing, C-S rolled up 499 yards on the ground.
The Panthers responded to adversity well.
C-S answered Lenawee Christian’s first score with a touchdown in the first quarter for a 14-8 deficit after one quarter. C-S responded to a stalled drive that ended on the Cougar two-yard line on a fourth down play by coming up with a fumble recovery that was followed moments later by a big touchdown with 17.0 seconds left in the first half that pulled the home team to within 21-16 at halftime.
C-S showed grit and the ability to overcome adversity again in the second half, scoring with 8:57 left in the third quarter for a 22-21 lead.
C-S responded to a controversial call that turned out to be a Cougar touchdown with a 74-yard drive in just 2:24 with a touchdown to knot the score 28-28.
Junior Elijah Bowron blocked a 31-yard field attempt and then scampered 65 yards for a touchdown that sent the home team into the fourth quarter with a 36-28 lead after Alexander Wurtzel teamed up with Hunter LaSala on the two-point conversion.
The Panthers again answered a Cougar touchdown in the fourth quarter with one of their own to take a 44-34 lead with 5:37 left. The team ran out the clock after the visitors pulled to 44-41 with 2:48 left by getting the ball at the Cougar 43-yard line when an onside attempt went out of bounds.
“We’re young and inexperienced. We’re trying to work to find our rhythm and our groove. There was a lot of talented kids out here for us. We just needed the experience. It kind of seems to be our inexperience. We struggled in the first half and got our butts kicked a little bit, and then came out and played well, and again we didn’t change anything at the half. The kids just made a choice to get after it and they did a great job and it was all them,” said Langs.
Adrian Lenawee Christian struck first on a James Reatherford to Elijah Lutz 20-yard touchdown strike at the 6:48 mark. Max Stamats kicked the extra point.
C-S responded 3:15 later when Dane Sattler crossed the goal line from the one-yard line with 3:33 left in the opening frame. Liam LaSala ran in the two-point conversion, giving the home team an 8-7 lead.
The Cougars entered the second quarter with a 14-8 lead after Reatherford completed a pass to Jaxon Salenbien on a 41-yard scoring play with 1:11 left in the first quarter and Stamats kicked the extra point.
A two-yard touchdown run by Reatherford and extra point kick by Stamats, followed by a one-yard touchdown run by Liam LaSala with 17 seconds left in the second quarter and two-point run by LaSala, sent the Cougars into halftime with a 21-16 lead.
C-S seized some momentum in the third quarter by scoring three touchdowns to take a 36-28 lead into the fourth quarter.
A 23-yard touchdown run by Elijah Bowron (the two-point attempt was no good) with 9:13 left in the quarter, a 30-yard touchdown run by Liam LaSala (the extra point kick was no good) at the 4:08 mark and a 65-yard touchdown run by Bowron with 30.5 seconds left followed by a Alex Wurtzel to Hunter LaSala pass on the two-point conversion gave the Panthers their third quarter offense.
A 16-yard touchdown run by Reatherford and extra point kick by Stamats with 6:32 left in the quarter was all the offense the Cougars could muster in the quarter.
A 38-yard touchdown strike from Reatherford to Salenbien (the two-point conversion attempt failed) with 9:52 left in the fourth quarter pulled the visitors to within 36-34.
C-S responded 4:18 later when Maddox Wyman found an opening and scampered 13 yards for a touchdown. Wyman completed a pass to Hunter LaSala on the two-point conversion, expanding C-S’ lead to 44-34.
The Cougars made the ending interesting by pulling to within 44-41 with 2:48 left when Reatherford scored on an 11-yard run and Stamats kicked the extra point.
Lenawee Christian attempted an onside kick but the kick went out of bounds, giving C-S the ball at the Cougar 43-yard line.
C-S ran out the clock to secure its second straight win.
“To be in a tight game like that and be able to finish it out, that’s growth. We think about what it was at halftime and down. We took the ball and scored right away. The kids just responded well. So growth, grit, I mean, there’s a lot of things you saw tonight from the young team, so a lot of positives,” adds Langs.
Bowron led the C-S ground game with 191 yards on 12 carries, Liam LaSala had 153 yards on 15 carries and Wyman totaled 109 yards on 10 carries.
Wyman had 13 tackles including nine solo tackles to pace the defense. Dane Sattler and Liam LaSala each added 10 tackles, Bowron had seven and Easton VanMiddlesworth contributed six tackles.
C-S will host Colon September 19 at 7 p.m.
A two-yard touchdown run by Reatherford and extra point kick by Stamats, followed by a one-yard touchdown run by Liam LaSala with 17 seconds left in the second quarter and two-point run by LaSala, sent the Cougars into halftime with a 21-16 lead.
C-S seized some momentum in the third quarter by scoring three touchdowns to take a 36-28 lead into the fourth quarter.
A 23-yard touchdown run by Elijah Bowron (the two-point attempt was no good) with 9:13 left in the quarter, a 30-yard touchdown run by Liam LaSala (the extra point kick was no good) at the 4:08 mark and a 65-yard touchdown run by Bowron with 30.5 seconds left followed by a Alex Wurtzel to Hunter LaSala pass on the two-point conversion gave the Panthers their third quarter offense.
A 16-yard touchdown run by Reatherford and extra point kick by Stamats with 6:32 left in the quarter was all the offense the Cougars could muster in the quarter.
A 38-yard touchdown strike from Reatherford to Salenbien (the two-point conversion attempt failed) with 9:52 left in the fourth quarter pulled the visitors to within 36-34.
C-S responded 4:18 later when Maddox Wyman found an opening and scampered 13 yards for a touchdown. Wyman completed a pass to Hunter LaSala on the two-point conversion, expanding C-S’ lead to 44-34.
The Cougars made the ending interesting by pulling to within 44-41 with 2:48 left when Reatherford scored on an 11-yard run and Stamats kicked the extra point.
Lenawee Christian attempted an onside kick but the kick went out of bounds, giving C-S the ball at the Cougar 43-yard line.
C-S ran out the clock to secure its second straight win.
“To be in a tight game like that and be able to finish it out, that’s growth. We think about what it was at halftime and down. We took the ball and scored right away. The kids just responded well. So growth, grit, I mean, there’s a lot of things you saw tonight from the young team, so a lot of positives,” adds Langs.
Bowron led the C-S ground game with 191 yards on 12 carries, Liam LaSala had 153 yards on 15 carries and Wyman totaled 109 yards on 10 carries.
Wyman had 13 tackles including nine solo tackles to pace the defense. Dane Sattler and Liam LaSala each added 10 tackles, Bowron had seven and Easton VanMiddlesworth contributed six tackles.
C-S will host Colon September 19 at 7 p.m.
C-S Varsity Football
A Look Ahead ...
September 19 Colon Home 7 p.m.
September 26 B.C. St. Phil Home 7 p.m. Homecoming
C-S JV Football
A Look Ahead ...
Sep 29: Concord Home 6 p.m.
A Look Ahead ...
September 19 Colon Home 7 p.m.
September 26 B.C. St. Phil Home 7 p.m. Homecoming
C-S JV Football
A Look Ahead ...
Sep 29: Concord Home 6 p.m.
