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KALAMAZOO, MI – The temperatures are getting cooler and the times are getting shorter, which implies the autumn highschool sports activities season is in full swing, and loads of athletes across the Kalamazoo space have discovered their groove.
From decided distance runners to smooth-swinging golfers and hard-hitting volleyball gamers, there’s an abundance of proficient prep performers, and we’re having a look at those that shined between Sept. 8-14 with the second installment of our fall sports activities Athlete of the Week collection.
Readers have limitless voting till 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, and we’ll publish the winner Tuesday. Voting has no bearing on postseason honors, such because the all-conference or all-state groups.
The Athlete of the Week collection will proceed all through the autumn sports activities season, and to appoint a standout performer, you possibly can e mail Patrick Nothaft at pnothaft@mlive.com.
Listed here are the second set of candidates.
Isaac Bos, Kalamazoo Christian boys cross nation
It’s an extended season, however Bos is effectively on his strategy to securing a fourth journey to the Division 4 state finals, as he posted a season-best time of 17:16.1 at Thursday’s Delton Kellogg Invitational, which was good for third place.
Nick Cockerel of Otsego tries to maintain tempo in the course of the 2020 MHSAA Division 2 boys cross nation finals at Michigan Worldwide Speedway in Brooklyn, on Friday, November 6, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com
Nick Cockerel, Otsego boys cross nation
The senior runner zoomed across the 5K course at Saturday’s Lakeview Invitational, breaking 16 minutes for the primary time in his profession with a first-place run of 15:59.6 in a subject loaded with expertise from throughout Southwest Michigan.
Macarena Garcia, Allegan ladies golf
Allegan picked up a pair of wins this week at Cheshire Hills Golf Course, defeating Otsego, 195-202 on Monday, and Hamilton, 198-209 on Tuesday. Garcia was the Tigers’ prime scorer in each occasions, posting a 42 towards the Bulldogs and a 44 towards the Hawkeyes.
Teammates Megan Germain (319) and Logan Brazee (317) of Otsego push one another’s tempo as Melanea Strauss of Linden (294) tries to move them in the course of the 2020 MHSAA Division 2 ladies cross nation finals at Michigan Worldwide Speedway in Brooklyn, on Friday, November 6, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com
Megan Germain, Otsego ladies cross nation
The standout sophomore runner posted a season-best time of 19:28.8 at Saturday’s Lakeview Invitational, which was good for third place and simply 5 seconds behind her private finest. On Tuesday, she took first place at a twin meet towards Three Rivers with a time of 20:34.0.
Ethan Glick, Constantine boys cross nation
Glick gained his first highschool race with a time of 18:29.5 in a twin meet with Centreville on Sept. 1, and that end motivated him to shatter his private finest by virtually 20 seconds, when he posted a third-place time of 17:52.4 at Saturday’s Centreville Invitational.
Sebastian Gonzalez, Hartford boys soccer
The sophomore midfielder tallied a objective and two assists in Hartford’s 6-0 win over Comstock to maneuver the Indians’ report to 8-1 general and 3-0 within the Southwest 10. Gonzalez has been a key contributor for a Hartford group that’s presently ranked fourth in Division 4.
Morgan Corridor, Decatur volleyball
The senior exterior hitter got here out swinging in Tuesday’s match towards Marcellus, as Corridor put down 15 kills to steer the Raiders to a three-set win (25-12, 25-15, 25-18) over the Wildcats.
Caleb Heid, Portage Central boys cross nation
After opening the season with a pair of 17-plus-minute instances, the senior runner posted a posted a private better of 16:34.3 at Saturday’s Lakeview Invitational, which improved upon his earlier report time by six seconds.
Jacob Hodgman, Mattawan boys tennis
The sophomore standout and No. 1 singles participant for a Mattawan group ranked third within the state in Division 2 claimed double-bagel wins final week over St. Joseph’s Tyler Romano and Kalamazoo Central’s Jacob Kubiak, then defeated Battle Creek Lakeview’s Kooper Etheridge 6-3, 6-1, earlier than profitable his flight and main the Wildcats to a championship on the Higher Kalamazoo Match on Saturday.
Braydon Lancaster, Portage Central boys soccer
The junior goalkeeper made seven saves, together with a couple of of the acrobatic selection, to steer Portage Central to a 1-0 win Thursday over a Mattawan group that’s ranked No. 10 in Division 2, and with Lancaster in objective, the 14th-ranked Mustangs (5-0-1) have allowed simply two objectives in six video games. They’ve their greatest check of the season on Thursday, once they journey to Richland Gull Lake to face the undefeated and defending Division 2 champs.
Emilee Miller, Constantine volleyball
The senior defensive specialist opened her week with seven aces and eight digs in a three-set win over Fennville, then confirmed she will additionally put the ball on the bottom by hammering 13 kills to go together with eight digs in Tuesday’s sweep of Galesburg-Augusta, bringing the Falcons report as much as 12-5-2.
Eliza Phares, Portage Central ladies cross nation
The senior distance runner broke the 20-minute mark for the primary time this season and beat her earlier private finest by greater than six seconds when she accomplished the 5K course on the Lakeview Invitational in 19:42.1 on Saturday.
Carlee Rynearson, Allegan volleyball
The sophomore standout tallied 11 kills and 11 digs with a .261 hitting share to steer Allegan to a comeback win over Vicksburg, through which the Tigers’ trailed 6-0 within the fifth set, earlier than rallying to outscore the Bulldogs 15-6 down the stretch.
Alexis Snodgrass, Hartford volleyball
The senior center hitter almost willed Hartford to a comeback victory with 16 kills in a five-set thriller towards Comstock, nevertheless it wasn’t fairly sufficient, because the Indians fell to the Colts, 23-25, 16-25, 25-19, 25-16, 16-18.
Hayley Staffen, Allegan ladies swimming
Staffen loved one other excellent week to her senior season by profitable the 100 and 200-yard freestyle races and swimming on the profitable 400 relay at Allegan’s Swim Your 12 months Invitational, which included some powerful competitors in Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, Battle Creek Lakeview, Portage Northern and Kalamazoo Central.
Staffen additionally claimed first-place finishes within the 200 medley relay, the 200 freestyle relay and the 50 free model throughout Thursday’s win over Otsego, and he or she helped the Tigers enhance to 4-0 in twin meets by profitable the 200 particular person medley, 100 backstroke, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay in Tuesday’s victory over Battle Creek Harper Creek.
Chase Williams and Vance Muenzer, Allegan boys tennis
The Tigers’ No. 1 doubles group went 4-1 final week, together with large wins towards Hudsonville Unity Christian, which is ranked No. 2 in Division 4, and defending state champ Grosse Pointe Woods College Liggett, which is presently ranked No. 3 in D4. The lone loss from Williams and Muenzer got here towards a proficient Rochester group, and the duo is now 15-2 on the season.
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