The biggest thing about high school sports is not the wins and losses but what the athletes can take with them to the next level. Granted most of these kids will never being playing sports outside of high school.
Sure there will be pick-up games and games played with friends. Athletes have to realize that every game they play in high school is a big deal. They will look back on these games and hopefully have fond memories. I can recall a coach telling me he had to talk a golfer into not quitting at the state finals because of the weather.
It was snowing and the kid was not shooting very well. Had that golfer walked off and quit he surely would have remembered that for the rest of his life.
I love sports and I love finding interesting aspects about those sports. Statistics are something that I find interesting. I also like the little odd bits of information that people may either overlook or just thing isn’t important.
I covered a team a few years back that won the state title in softball (Allen Park Cabrini). They went undefeated and were hardly scored on all year. The next year they also went undefeated and won another state title.
This season they were moved from Division 4 to Division 3. In the state semifinals they defeated the two-time defending Division 3 state champion Unionville-Sebawaing 2-1. In the finals they fell to Galesburg-Augusta (40-3) 5-0.
The Monarchs (37-3-1) only had one hit and struck out 18 times in the finals. Not the way I would have expected them to lose. Think about this the Cabrini team went three years with only three losses and one tie in those three years. Pretty amazing run this team had, eh?
I was impressed last year when the Ypsilanti High football team rattled off eight straight wins after losing to Chelsea. The playoff game at home against Carleton Airport was interesting. Every time the Jets had the ball they scored and it was a windy, rainy night not fit for any sport.
I am sure Coach Dave Poole and company will have his team ready again this season.
I hope Lincoln can manage to maybe notch one in the win column this season. I saw some tough games for them last year. One of the game even had a nice fight right before halftime against Bedford. Maybe this year the Splitters will do more scoring and less fighting.
Willow Run is a team that was on the edge of the playoffs last season. I hope this year the Flyers can get six wins and earn a spot into the post season.
The summer is here but before you know it training camp for football will be kicking off. Have a great summer and I look forward to an exciting fall.
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