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The home crowd was in full force to cheer on the Lady Hornets, with bleachers on both sides of the gym opened up. The New Lothrop students occupied their traditional cheering section on the east side of the gym, while the parents and grandparents did a good job of filling the west side.

Not to be out-done, the Comets brought a good-size cheering section of their own, despite the long drive from McBain.

The host Hornets came out and took the opening game 25-22. The Comets battled back in the second game, taking it 25-15. The third game went to New Lothrop, 25-18. Number four went to the Coments, 24-26, knotting the session at 2-2 for the fifth and final game. As the noise level rose in the gym, so did the intensity. The Comets prevailed in that final contest, 15-12, and advanced to the semifinals at Battle Creek on Thursday.

"I thought we were pretty evenly matched," said New Lothrop coach Sheri Warner after the contest. "It truly could have gone either way. We left everything out on the floor."

Monica Confer notched 16 kills, three blocks, 17 digs and four ace serves on the night for the Hornets.

Senior setter Sabrina Besaw had 49 assists with 17 digs and two aces.

Kayla Krupp was credited with 13 kills, 20 digs and an ace.

Rachelle Kviz had 16 kills and four digs.

Kelsey Gasper had 10 kills and 15 digs.

Defensive specialist Shauna Henige had 18 digs.

Gracie Theodore added five digs. Kayla Gross had two digs and Hannah Wenzlick had three digs and an ace. Megan Hajek served up two aces.

"I reminded the girls after the game that they had come so far in such a short time," Warner said. "We won the league, a district and a regional. I told them they have nothing to hang their heads about."

She added, "We set our goals at the beginning of the year, and I told the girls some teams can't even begin to imagine things we're putting down as realistic goals, like a league title or a district title. We accomplished almost all of it."

The Hornets finished the season with an impressive 35-17-3 record.

'Dawg volleyball season comes to end in regionals

MORLEY - St. Charles' varsity volleyball completed a successful season despite losing a 25-18, 25-15, 25-16 decision to White Cloud in a regional semi-final match on Saturday, November 10 at Morley Stanwood.

"It was a great experience for our volleyball program and it shows that St. Charles is capable of producing teams to play at a competitive level, given the persistence and teamwork demonstrated by this year's squad," commented head coach Joe Cribbs.

According to Cribbs, White Cloud played a near-flawless game while the Lady Bulldogs struggled in their passing game at times during the contest. Cribbs also pointed to service and blocking errors as contributing factors in Saturday's loss.

Nonetheless, Cribbs is proud of his team's achievements this season, which include a district title, a 12-4 record in match play, and a 56-35 game mark for the 2007 campaign.

"These kids earned everything they accomplished," concluded Cribbs. "It was a great season."

Indian spikers fall to Alma in regionals

ALMA - With its first district title in 23 years tucked under its belt, Chesaning's varsity volleyball team traveled to the Alma regionals on Saturday, November 10 in hopes of achieving even bigger and better things.

But Pam Wesley's game Indians ran into a buzz saw in the form of the host Panthers, losing in the semi-finals by a 25-15, 25-9, 25-22 count.

"We lost to a very strong and sound team today," commented Coach Wesley. "Steve Humm has done a wonderful job with his Alma team and we hope to see them go far."

Alma went on to win their first-ever regional championship by defeating Freeland in the finals.

Despite the loss, Wesley feels her team took a lot of positives away from Saturday's regional experience.

"It was an honor making it to regionals when many figured we wouldn't and I think these last two weeks, the girls have found that when you truly play and work as a team it is amazing what can be accomplished," noted Wesley.

In the loss to Alma, Brooke Jastrzembowski recorded eight digs, four kills, three attacks and a pair of solo blocks. Megan Newton added four digs, three solo blocks, two assist blocks, nine attacks and four kills to the Tribe cause. Brooke Beckman chipped in with three attacks, eight kills and five digs while Megan Buck contributed four attacks, four kills and nine serves.

"The Chesaning girls have really found the heart for the game. I am so proud of these girls and they are amazing individuals," concluded Wesley. "I have to say I am probably one of the luckiest coaches around to have a team like them."

Red-hot Hornets roll to regional volleyball title

MORRICE - New Lothrop's varsity volleyball team continued its outstanding post-season play on Saturday, November 10 by cruising to a pair of impressive wins en route to a regional championship at Morrice. The regional title kept New Lothrop's hopes alive as it strives for a fourth state title since the turn of the century.

"It's kind of nice to get back into that post-season run," understated Hornet Coach Sheri Warner, whose team has won five regional crowns in the past 10 tries. "In this program, there's a lot of pride with our kids, parents and spectators. The way the community supported our kids today was absolutely outstanding."

The NL faithful had plenty to cheer about on Saturday as the Hornets defeated Beal City in three straight games in the semi-finals and swept past Muskegon Western Michigan Christian in the finals.

"Our girls did a good job today at doing what we call taking care of both halves of the ball, meaning we were very solid both offensively and defensively," said Warner. "That's huge. We need to continue with that same type of play."

After whipping Beal City by a 25-21, 25-11, 25-18 count, the Hornets disposed of Muskegon Christian in the finals, 25-18, 25-14, 25-23.

Sabrina Besaw led the way for NL, accumulating 55 assists, 5 aces, 4 digs and 4 kills on the day. Kayla Krupp also excelled with 21 kills, 23 digs, 23/28 passing, 3 aces and a block.

Other top performers for the Hornets were Monica Confer (14 kills, 12 digs, 13/15 passing, 2 blocks, an ace), Rachelle Kviz (12 kills, 4 digs, a block), Kelsey Gasper (18 kills, 21 digs, 10/11 passing, 2 aces) and Shauna Henige (8/9 passing with 8 digs).

Saturday's regional win qualified New Lothrop for a quarterfinal match with McBain Northern Michigan Christian last Tuesday on the Hornets' home court (Look elsewhere in this issue of the Citizen for coverage of that contest).

"This team continues to work hard, do the things that are asked of them and the team chemistry they have developed is a vital part of who they are and what they are accomplishing together," concluded Warner.

Saturday's two wins improved New Lothrop's overall record to 35-16-3.

Wizards to host try-outs

NEW LOTHROP - The Mid-State Wizards will be holding try-outs for the girls basketball teams on Sunday, Dec. 2 in the New Lothrop Elementary School gym on the following schedule:

Fifth grade/10-U - 10 a.m. to noon; Sixth grade/11-U - noon to 2 p.m.; Seventh grade/12-U - noon to 2 p.m.; Eighth grade/13-U - 10 a.m. to noon.

The player's age as of June 30, 2007 determines the player's grade/age level.

The Mid-State Wizards welcome players from the entire area to join in an effort to enhance their basketball skills and field competitive teams. When players and coaches are available, their goal is to create multiple levels of teams at each grade level.

A $20 registration fee is required to participate in the try-out.

For more information, contact Ron Birchmeier at (989) 743-5010, or Larry Cole at (989) 743-5662, or visit the website at www.geocities.com/mid_state_wizards.

Clock runs out on Chesaning grid season

MADISON HEIGHTS - Bobby Layne, the great Detroit Lions quarterback during the 1950's, used to say that he never lost a football game in his life-he just ran out of time on occasion.

Although no one connected with the Chesaning varsity football team might ever come out and say it, it seems that Bobby Layne's favorite statement might well apply to the Indians on Saturday, November 10 when they lost a 21-15 heartbreaker to undefeated Madison Heights in the regional championship.

Jim Szappan's never-quit Indians could have used a few more seconds on the clock as Joe Bitterman's desperation pass into the end zone fell incomplete as time ran out on a valiant Tribe comeback attempt.

The Indians spotted the host Eagles a 14-0 halftime head-start, but tightened the defensive clamps after that, nearly pulling off a dramatic rally after intermission against a Madison Heights squad that reached the state finals in 2006.

"We came to within five yards of scoring at the end of the first half, which would have been huge for us," commented Szappan in reference to an incomplete pass in the end zone as time ran out in the first half.

But the Indians, who appeared to take over most of the momentum in the second quarter, finally got on the board on the opening drive of the second half. Bitterman's 35-yard screen pass to David Hawes capped an 87-yard march, and the successful Bitterman-to-Troy Weisenberger lateral out of the "swinging gate" formation added two more points to narrow the deficit to 14-8.

Christopher Dewey's quarterback sack put the Eagles in a fourth-and-24 from their own 24-yard line on the next possession and the Indians appeared poised to get the ball back in excellent field position with a chance to go ahead.

But Eagles punter Deandre Johnson, who rushed for 139 yards from scrimmage in the contest, bolted for 54 yards on an impromptu fake punt to change the complexion of the game. Johnson's scramble down to the Tribe 22-yard line eventually led to a Madison TD as the Eagles built their cushion to 21-8 with 2:21 left in the third quarter.

Chesaning once again showed its resilience, however, holding the ball for 13 plays before scoring on another Bitterman-to-Hawes screen pass-this one from 25 yards out. Bitterman booted the extra point and the Indians trailed just 21-15 with eight minutes still left in the contest.

After an exchange of possessions, the Eagles picked up a key first down and appeared to have the game on ice. But Bitteman recovered a fumble and the Tribe had just enough time to put together a final desperate attempt to score as time ran out.

Chesaning, which controlled the second half statistically, out gained the Eagles, 244-239 overall. Madison Heights gained just 71 yards from scrimmage after intermission, including the 54-yard fake punt.

"We had a good game plan and I thought we would win that game," stated Coach Szappan.

Bitterman rushed for 79 yards on 24 carries and completed 9 of 18 passes for 88 yards. Hawes gained 59 yards on eight rushes and scored twice on touchdown passes from Bitterman.

Chesaning completes its season with an overall record of 8-4.