Coach encouraged by team’s resilience
By Bruce Rolfe
The first three games of the season have brought some adversity for the Climax-Scotts varsity football team. Each game the Panthers have responded with a stronger second half to capture wins.
The pattern continued September 11 in a 34-19 win over Adrian Lenawee Christian on the road, improving C-S’ record to 3-0.
C-S has faced early deficits, struggled with numerous penalties and battled through portions of games when there was a lack of execution.
All three surfaced again September 11.
The first three games of the season have brought some adversity for the Climax-Scotts varsity football team. Each game the Panthers have responded with a stronger second half to capture wins.
The pattern continued September 11 in a 34-19 win over Adrian Lenawee Christian on the road, improving C-S’ record to 3-0.
C-S has faced early deficits, struggled with numerous penalties and battled through portions of games when there was a lack of execution.
All three surfaced again September 11.
Blocking up front along the offensive line in the game at Adrian Lenawee Christian is left to right Cooper Dinse, Cole Birkam, and Aiden Klusman.
(Photo by Bruce Rolfe)
C-S was flagged seven times for 65 yards and trailed 7-0 after one quarter.
First year Panther coach Justin Kirinovic told the team after the win, with a tougher schedule approaching, the team will have to clean up its play if it hopes to continue winning.
“You know, it’s been the name of our team so far this year. Is anytime we find ourselves in a bad spot we seem to climb our way out of it. That’s something we’re going to need down the road, and I look forward to it. It was a great first one-third of the year. But, you know, we got to clean some things up if we want to continue to go further as a team and continue to rack up wins. I think they will. This team has responded well all year long and I think they’ll continue to do that,” said Kirinovic.
A James Reatherford pass to a wide open Drew Kirkendall covering 20 yards gave the Cougars a 6-0 lead with 2:08 left in the opening quarter. The extra point kick was good, sending Lenawee Christian into the second quarter with a 7-0 lead.
C-S responded early in the second quarter with a touchdown, however it was a 22-yard pass play from quarterback Alex Wurtzel to Elijah Bowron that set up the score.
The Cougars were penalized moments later and then Alex Wurtzel sped around the right side for a 14-yard touchdown run with 10:23 left in the second quarter. Wurtzel completed a pass to Bowron for the two-point conversion, giving C-S an 8-7 lead.
The Cougars bounced back with a touchdown at the 8:11 mark on a 14-yard run by Reatherford. The two-point conversion attempt failed, however ALC enjoyed a 13-8 lead.
C-S utilized an effective passing and running game to score its next touchdown.
A 12-yard pass play from Alex Wurtzel to his brother Maximus put C-S on the Cougar 19-yard line. Alex Wurtzel rushed for another 10 yards and Brody Vosburg finished the drive by running across the goal line from seven yards out with 4:02 left in the first half. The two-point conversion attempt was no good, but C-S enjoyed a 14-13 lead.
An interception by Bowron with 2:18 left in the second quarter thwarted a Cougar scoring attempt and C-S led by a 14-13 count at halftime.
Similar to the first two games, C-S came out and played better in the second half on both sides of the ball.
The Panther offensive line did a nice job opening up holes that helped C-S backs enjoy multiple double digit runs, starting with the first scoring drive of the third quarter.
Bowron (13 yards), and Maximus Wurtzel (12) had long runs before Alex Wurtzel capped a six-play drive that took just 2:21 with a 26-yard touchdown run with 9:33 left in the quarter that put C-S in front 20-13 (the two-point conversion failed) after three quarters.
The C-S defense forced ALC to punt and the offensive ground game, led by strong blocking up front, went right to work again.
Bowron opened the fourth quarter with a 30-yard run followed by a 24-yard pick up by Alex Wurtzel, leaving C-S knocking on the door at the Cougar two-yard line.
Alex Wurtzel finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run with 10:43 left in the game. Maddox Wyman scored on the two-point conversion run, increasing C-S’ lead to 28-13.
The C-S defense came up big with a fourth and short yardage stop at the Panther 29-yard line, throttling another Cougar scoring threat.
A 38-yard pickup by Alex Wurtzel set up C-S’ next score four plays later when the junior quarterback ran into the endzone from four yards out at the 6:18 mark for a 34-13 lead (the two-point conversion attempt failed).
Lenawee Christian reduced the deficit to 34-19 on an Elijah Paschal to Drew Kirkendall pass that covered 19 yards with 4:18 left. The extra point kick was blocked to establish the final score.
C-S rolled up 394 yards on the ground.
Besides scoring four touchdowns, Alex Wurtzel piled up 209 yards on 22 carries. Bowron added 113 yards on 16 carries and Maddox Wyman contributed 63 yards on 12 carries.
The Panther defense held the Cougars to 81 yards rushing however ALC racked up 187 yards in the air.
Elijah Bowron had seven tackles including five solo tackles and Brody Vosburg had five tackles. Easton VanMiddlesworth added one sack for a loss and one forced fumble.
C-S volleyball team battling injuries
Already playing short handed because of an injury, Climax-Scotts varsity volleyball coach Jeanelle Pontoni learned she would start the Panther Invite September 12 without another player because of illness.
The injury news got worse in C-S’ first match in pool play of the Panther Invite when a player left the Panthers’ match against Marcellus with an injury and remained out the rest of the tournament.
C-S battled through the injuries and advanced into the semifinals before falling to Galesburg-Augusta in three sets (25-13, 8-25, 6-15).
The injury news got worse in C-S’ first match in pool play of the Panther Invite when a player left the Panthers’ match against Marcellus with an injury and remained out the rest of the tournament.
C-S battled through the injuries and advanced into the semifinals before falling to Galesburg-Augusta in three sets (25-13, 8-25, 6-15).
Pontoni said in the semifinals match two additional players suffered minor injuries that were not game ending, but required the team to adjust to different positions and a different line-up.
Pontoni said due to FERPA laws and she did not have parental consent, she could not provide specifics of the injuries and player names.
She did note one starting hitter suffered a serious knee injury earlier in the season and “may not make it back prior to the end of the season though we remain optimistic.”
The C-S coach adds she is hopeful the starter that was removed in the first match of the Panther Invite should be back in action in a week or so.
She adds the player who was ill is expected to return for C-S’ next scheduled match September 17.
Pontoni was pleased that despite the injuries and illness, her team had a solid performance.
After dropping the first two sets in pool play to Marcellus (23-25, 21-25), C-S rebounded with two-set wins over Hillsdale Will Carleton (25-18, 25-10) and Tekonsha (25-24, 25-20) before falling to G-A in the bracket play semifinal match.
“Our players are smart and are able to step in to play anywhere on the court if needed, which is how we were able to still compete,” observed Pontoni.
Mia Reschner led the team in kills with 18 on the day and Olivia Bolt added 17. Kendal Reitz had six aces, and 23 digs, Kyla Etheridge had a team high 24 digs and Reitz and Lucy Schultz each added 23. Bolt added two solo blocks and Alessandra Pontoni had a team high 46 assists on the day.
Kendal Reitz and Olivia Bolt were named to the All-Tournament team.
C-S Panther Invite
C-S Results
Pool Play
Marcellus 23-25, 21-25; Hillsdale Will Carleton Academy 25-18, 25-10; Tekonsha 25-24, 25-20
Gold Bracket Play
Semi-Finals: Galesburg-Augusta 25-23, 8-25, 6-15
C-S Stat Leaders
Kills: Mia Reschner 18, Olivia Bolt 17, Kyla Etheridge 8, Kendal Reitz 5, 1 assist, Alessandra Pontoni 3, Lucy Schultz 2, Annabelle Edwards 1
Pontoni said due to FERPA laws and she did not have parental consent, she could not provide specifics of the injuries and player names.
She did note one starting hitter suffered a serious knee injury earlier in the season and “may not make it back prior to the end of the season though we remain optimistic.”
The C-S coach adds she is hopeful the starter that was removed in the first match of the Panther Invite should be back in action in a week or so.
She adds the player who was ill is expected to return for C-S’ next scheduled match September 17.
Pontoni was pleased that despite the injuries and illness, her team had a solid performance.
After dropping the first two sets in pool play to Marcellus (23-25, 21-25), C-S rebounded with two-set wins over Hillsdale Will Carleton (25-18, 25-10) and Tekonsha (25-24, 25-20) before falling to G-A in the bracket play semifinal match.
“Our players are smart and are able to step in to play anywhere on the court if needed, which is how we were able to still compete,” observed Pontoni.
Mia Reschner led the team in kills with 18 on the day and Olivia Bolt added 17. Kendal Reitz had six aces, and 23 digs, Kyla Etheridge had a team high 24 digs and Reitz and Lucy Schultz each added 23. Bolt added two solo blocks and Alessandra Pontoni had a team high 46 assists on the day.
Kendal Reitz and Olivia Bolt were named to the All-Tournament team.
C-S Panther Invite
C-S Results
Pool Play
Marcellus 23-25, 21-25; Hillsdale Will Carleton Academy 25-18, 25-10; Tekonsha 25-24, 25-20
Gold Bracket Play
Semi-Finals: Galesburg-Augusta 25-23, 8-25, 6-15
C-S Stat Leaders
Kills: Mia Reschner 18, Olivia Bolt 17, Kyla Etheridge 8, Kendal Reitz 5, 1 assist, Alessandra Pontoni 3, Lucy Schultz 2, Annabelle Edwards 1
Aces: Kendal Reitz 6, Olivia Bolt 4, Michaella Carillo-Keegan 3, Kyla Etheridge 2. Lucy Schultz 2, Alessandra Pontoni 1
Digs: Kyla Etheridge 24, Kendal Reitz 23, Lucy Schultz 23, Michaella Carillo-Keegan 19, Alessandra Pontoni 17, Olivia Bolt 13, Mia Reschner 4, Ona Newland 2
Blocks: Olivia Bolt 2 solo blocks, Kendal Reitz 1 solo
Assists: Alessandra Pontoni 46
Lady Panthers Fall to Athens
The Panthers dropped three close sets to Athens September 10 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School, 21-25, 18-25, 21-25.
Olivia Bolt led the team in kills with six and 12 digs, and Alessandra Pontoni had a team high 15 assists.
Athens Def. C-S 25-21. 25-18, 25-21
C-S Stat Leaders
Kyla Etheridge 1 Ace, 10 Digs
Michaella Carillo-Keegan 9 Digs
Kendal Reitz 2 Aces, 4 Kills, 8 Digs
Alessandra Pontoni 2 Aces, 1 Kill, 15 Assists
Lucy Schultz 1 Ace, 6 Digs
Olivia Bolt 2 Aces, 6 Kills, 12 Digs
Annabelle Edwards 3 Kills
Peytan Cogswell 1 Kill
Mia Reschner 4 Kills
The Panthers dropped three close sets to Athens September 10 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School, 21-25, 18-25, 21-25.
Olivia Bolt led the team in kills with six and 12 digs, and Alessandra Pontoni had a team high 15 assists.
Athens Def. C-S 25-21. 25-18, 25-21
C-S Stat Leaders
Kyla Etheridge 1 Ace, 10 Digs
Michaella Carillo-Keegan 9 Digs
Kendal Reitz 2 Aces, 4 Kills, 8 Digs
Alessandra Pontoni 2 Aces, 1 Kill, 15 Assists
Lucy Schultz 1 Ace, 6 Digs
Olivia Bolt 2 Aces, 6 Kills, 12 Digs
Annabelle Edwards 3 Kills
Peytan Cogswell 1 Kill
Mia Reschner 4 Kills
Three runners enjoy personal best times
While both the Climax-Scotts womens and mens cross country teams did not have enough runners to score as a team at the Centreville Invite September 12, three runners enjoyed personal best times.
Freshman Blake Morrison was the first Panther to cross the finish line, posting a personal best time of 19:53.4 in 21st place out of a field of 59 runners.
Freshman Blake Morrison was the first Panther to cross the finish line, posting a personal best time of 19:53.4 in 21st place out of a field of 59 runners.
Senior Eli DeWaal, with a time of 24:05.5 in 47th place, also posted a personal best time.
Junior Alyssa Morrison was the only member of the girls team to compete, finishing with a personal best time of 25:25.6 in 25th place out of a field of 53 runners.
Centreville won the mens event with 28 points and Sturgis won the womens race with 20 points.
C-S did not have any runners compete in the middle school run.
Sturgis won the boys middle school race with 32 points and Paw Paw won the girls race with 40 points on a tiebreaker with Schoolcraft.
Centreville Invite
Men
1. Centreville, 28, 2. Lakeland, 44, 3. Sturgis, 56, 4. Constantine, 106, 5. Colon, 144
C-S Results
21. Blake Morrison, 19:53.4 PB, 47. Eli DeWaal, 24:05.5PB, 53. Zachree Roebuck, 25:51.2
Women
1. Sturgis, 20, 2. Constantine, 71, 3. Centreville, 73, 4. Niles Brandywine, 80
C-S Results
25. Alyssa Morrison, 25:25.6PB
1. Centreville, 28, 2. Lakeland, 44, 3. Sturgis, 56, 4. Constantine, 106, 5. Colon, 144
C-S Results
21. Blake Morrison, 19:53.4 PB, 47. Eli DeWaal, 24:05.5PB, 53. Zachree Roebuck, 25:51.2
Women
1. Sturgis, 20, 2. Constantine, 71, 3. Centreville, 73, 4. Niles Brandywine, 80
C-S Results
25. Alyssa Morrison, 25:25.6PB
C-S High School, Middle School Opens Season at Hillsdale
The Climax-Scotts middle school and high school cross country teams opened the season with a match at Hillsdale Christian Academy September 8.
Junior Alyssa Morrison was a top five finisher, posting a time of 26:41.99 in fifth place to lead the girls. Freshman Topanga Fields, posted a personal best time of 28:57.11, finishing in eighth place.
No schools had enough runners to score as a team in the women’s high school race.
Freshman Blake Morrison was the first Panther to finish for the boys high school team, finishing sixth out of a field of 23 runners with a time of 21:44.75.
Senior Zachree Roebuck finished 16th (26:13.40) and senior Eli DeWaal had a personal best record time of 26:29.08 in 17th place.
Algoma Christian, with 17 points, won the event.
In the middle school two-mile run, C-S sixth grader Ryleigh Fields finished fourth with a personal best time of 18:18.73.
In the middle school boys run Panther eighth grader Jaxon Marlowe finished sixth with a time of 18:11.44.
Heritage Christian Academy won the middle school women’s run with 27 points.
St, Michael Lutheran, with 23 points, won the men’s middle school race and Colon (35) finished second.
At Hillsdale Christian Academy
Women
C-S Results
5. Alyssa Morrison PB, 26:41.99, 8. Topanga Fields PB, 28:57.11
Men
C-S Results
6. Blake Morrison PB, 21:44.75, 16. Zachree Roebuck, 26:13.40, 17. Eli DeWaal PB, 26:29.08
Middle School 2-Mile Run
Women
C-S Results
4. Ryleigh Fields PB, 18:18.73
Men
C-S Results
6. Jaxon Marlowe, 18:11.44
The Climax-Scotts middle school and high school cross country teams opened the season with a match at Hillsdale Christian Academy September 8.
Junior Alyssa Morrison was a top five finisher, posting a time of 26:41.99 in fifth place to lead the girls. Freshman Topanga Fields, posted a personal best time of 28:57.11, finishing in eighth place.
No schools had enough runners to score as a team in the women’s high school race.
Freshman Blake Morrison was the first Panther to finish for the boys high school team, finishing sixth out of a field of 23 runners with a time of 21:44.75.
Senior Zachree Roebuck finished 16th (26:13.40) and senior Eli DeWaal had a personal best record time of 26:29.08 in 17th place.
Algoma Christian, with 17 points, won the event.
In the middle school two-mile run, C-S sixth grader Ryleigh Fields finished fourth with a personal best time of 18:18.73.
In the middle school boys run Panther eighth grader Jaxon Marlowe finished sixth with a time of 18:11.44.
Heritage Christian Academy won the middle school women’s run with 27 points.
St, Michael Lutheran, with 23 points, won the men’s middle school race and Colon (35) finished second.
At Hillsdale Christian Academy
Women
C-S Results
5. Alyssa Morrison PB, 26:41.99, 8. Topanga Fields PB, 28:57.11
Men
C-S Results
6. Blake Morrison PB, 21:44.75, 16. Zachree Roebuck, 26:13.40, 17. Eli DeWaal PB, 26:29.08
Middle School 2-Mile Run
Women
C-S Results
4. Ryleigh Fields PB, 18:18.73
Men
C-S Results
6. Jaxon Marlowe, 18:11.44
