By Bruce Rolfe

There’s a lot riding on the October 16, 7 p.m. game that will be played at Climax-Scotts Jr./Sr. High School between Mendon and Climax-Scotts.

Playoff positioning for both teams is definitely being thought of.

Mendon (7-0 overall and 3-0 in the SCAA Red Division) will be looking to win the division all to itself with a win.

C-S (6-1 overall and 2-1 in the SCAA Red Division) will be looking to gain a share of the SCAA Division title with Mendon, while handing the Hornets their first loss.

A loss however would leave C-S in a third place finish in the division behind Mendon and Colon (if Colon beats Bellevue October 16). 

And it’s homecoming at C-S.

But what also carries great significance is a rivalry that has existed between the two current SCAA schools that dates back to the days when both schools played in the SJV together and before.

C-S held off Mendon 8-6 in a 2015 pre-district playoff game ending nearly 38 years of frustration and 30 straight losses to Mendon, including seven consecutive playoff losses.

The Panthers have gone 3-4 against Mendon since that historical win, including 1-3 in the playoffs.

A 55-20 win over Bellevue (1-6) October 9 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School gave the Panthers plenty of momentum entering the key clash against Mendon, leaving first year Panther coach Justin Kirinovic encouraged heading into the key game.

“We are progressing every week and slowly gaining players back from injury. We are going to need a fantastic and focused week of practice, which I think our team will do,” said the Panther coach. 

Elijah Bowron got the Panthers on the scoreboard with a 13-yard touchdown. Blake Wechsler’s extra point attempt kick was no good.

A Blake Wechsler interception set up C-S’ next score, a 34-yard touchdown pass play from Alexander Wurtzel to Maddox.

Wyman on the next play. Wechsler kicked the extra point and C-S had a quick 13-0 lead.

A 61-yard touchdown punt return by Bowron was called back because of a penalty, however the Panthers entered the endzone four plays later.

Alexander Wurtzel scored on a three-yard run to the right side and Wechsler kicked the extra point, giving the home team a 20-0 lead after one quarter.

A 30-yard pass play put the Broncos on the C-S one-yard line and three plays later a short pass covering two yards was enough to get the visitors on the scoreboard. The Panthers stopped Bellevue on the two-point attempt for a 20-6 lead.

An onside kick attempt by Bellevue gave C-S the ball in good field position on its own 48-yard line.

C-S quarterback Alexander Wurtzel found a wide open Blake Wechsler for a 52-yard touchdown strike on the next play. Alex Wurtzel ran in the two-point conversion for a 28-6 C-S lead.

A 27-yard run by Wyatt Deeds followed by a successful extra point kick by Wechsler gave the home team a 35-6 lead at halftime.

Bellevue started the second half with an attempted onside kick, however C-S recovered the kick on the 50-yard line and were back in the endzone on the first play from scrimmage.

A short pass from Alex Wurtzel to Maddox Wyman turned into a touchdown covering 50-yards when Wyman broke a tackle, received a big block up front and outran the Bronco defense into the endzone. Wechsler kicked the extra point for a 42-6 lead.

Bellevue started a drive at its own 35-yard line and worked its way down field before scoring on a 20-yard touchdown run, however the two-point attempt failed, leaving the Panthers ahead by a 42-12 count. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

C-S responded on the following kick off when Bowron returned the kick 80 yards for a touchdown. The extra point kick attempt was wide to the left, however C-S led by a 48-12 count entering the fourth quarter.

An interception by Wechsler he returned 59 yards, followed by an extra point kick by the Panther junior gave the home team a 55-12 lead.

A seven-yard touchdown run and successful two-point conversion run by Bellevue with 3:45 left in the game established the final score 55-20.

A Panther fumble gave Bellevue the ball one more time. The Broncos marched down to the C-S nine-yard line. A penalty on Bellevue was followed by an interception by freshman Jett Frost on the last play of the game.

 Game statistics were not available.

Frustration against Battle Creek St. Philip continued for the Climax-Scotts varsity volleyball team October 6 when the Panthers were swept by the No. 2 ranked Tigers in three sets (25-11, 25-8, 25-9) at C-S Jr./Sr. High School.

The losing streak to the Fighting Tigers goes back to 2000 when C-S recorded its last match win.

C-S has lost 54 straight  matches without a match win against the Tigers. The losing skid includes 35 straight match losses before C-S earned a split at the Harper Creek Tournament in 2016 (27-15, 16-25). That split has now been followed by 18 consecutive match losses.

Battle Creek St. Philip Def. C-S 25-11, 25-8, 25-9
C-S Stat Leaders
Digs: Kyla Etheridge 6, Kendal Reitz 5, Olivia Bolt 4, Michaella Carillo-Keegan 3, Annabelle Edwards 2, Alessandra Pontoni 1, Lucy Schultz 1
Kills: Kendal Reitz 3, Olivia Bolt 3, Mia Reschner 3
Assists: Alessandra Pontoni 9
Ace: Lucy Schultz 1, Olivia Bolt 1
Solo block: Annabelle Edwards 1, Peytan Cogswell 1

The Climax-Scotts boys cross country team had one top 10 finisher and the girls had a top 15 placer at the SCAA Jamboree at Hillsdale Academy October 7.

Both teams did not have enough runners to score as a team. Hillsdale Academy won both events.

C-S freshman Blake Morrison finished ninth with a time of 19:37.0 to lead the men and his sister, junior Alyssa Morrison placed 13th in the womens race with a time of 25:36.0.

C-S 6th grader Ryleigh Fields posted a personal best time in the 1.5-mile middle school girls race and 8th grader Jaxon Marlowe finished with a season best time in the boys race.

Fields posted a time of 11:01.0 in fifth place and Marlowe finished 41st with a time of 13:26.0.

SCAA Jamboree At Hillsdale Academy 
High School
Men
1. Hillsdale Academy, 15, 2. Colon, 61, 3. Athens, 64
C-S Results
9. Blake Morrison, 19:37.0, 21. Eli DeWaal, 22:40.0, 35. Zachree Roebuck, 24:36.0    
Women
1-Hillsdale Academy 15
C-S Results
13. Alyssa Morrison, 25:36.0, 19. Topanga Fields, 27:00.0    
1.5-Mile Middle School
Women
1-Hillsdale Academy 10, 2-Colon 26
C-S Results
5. Ryleigh Fields, 11:01.0PB    
1.5-Mile Middle School
Boys
1. Hillsdale Academy MS 11, 2. Jackson Christian, 41, 3. St Joseph (Battle Creek), 52, 4.    Will Carleton Academy, 66, 5. Colon MS, 81
C-S Results
41. Jaxon Marlowe, 13:26.0SB

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