The Northwest Conference and Lake Michigan Conference have completed a 2-year contract to square off in next year’s Lake Michigan Conference/Northwest Conference Challenge. Both Boys and Girls teams will be matched up according to how they finished in the conference the previous season, so we will see some very exciting matchups, and some we don’t see very often. The Girls games are scheduled for December 6th and the Boys games for December 13th. The games will tip-off the 2008-09 seasons.

Here’s the Boys Matchups…

Charlevoix, which won the Lake Michigan boys championship and advanced to the Class C regional, will take on Northwest co-champion Benzie Central. The Frankfort Panthers, who also earned a share of the crown, will draw St. Francis, the runner-up in the Lake Michigan. Other match-ups include: Leland vs. East Jordan, Kingsley vs. Boyne City, Suttons Bay vs. Grayling, Glen Lake vs. Elk Rapids, Mesick vs. Kalkaska and Buckley vs. Harbor Springs. The boys games will be hosted by the Lake Michigan Conference schools.

And the Girls…

Since Charlevoix and Kingsley won the Lake Michigan and Northwest girls titles, respectively, they’ll meet in the marquee game. Frankfort, which tied Benzie Central for second in the Northwest, will face East Jordan, which was second in the Lake Michigan. Benzie will take on Boyne City, the third-place finisher in the Lake Michigan.

Other match-ups include: Glen Lake vs. Kalkaska, Suttons Bay vs. Harbor Springs, Buckley vs. Elk Rapids, Leland vs. St. Francis and Mesick vs. Grayling. The girls games will be hosted by the Northwest Conference schools.

Sounds like a whole lot of fun!

Read Basketball challenge set to tip off in the Record Eagle

Muskegon West Michigan Christian was bigger, faster and stronger as they cruised to a 72-45 win over Leland in the Class D Quarterfinals at Traverse City West. After Leland started the game on a 9-0 run, it was all WMC after that as they advance to take on Cedarville in the Class D Semifinals at the Breslin Center. Marcus Whittaker led the way for the Comets with 22 points as they finished 21-5.

Read WMC swarms Leland in the Record Eagle
Read Warriors roll on to Breslin at MLive.com

Photo: Leland’s Eric Larsen (10) hits the game winning shot over Bellaire’s Riku Lempio with seconds left. Photo by Jan-Michael Stump of the Record-Eagle

Leland used two clutch plays from junior Eric Larsen to capture the Class D Regional title at Traverse City Central with a 48-46 win over Bellaire. The Eagles had knocked the Comets out of the tournament in the regionals last year and had won 4 of the last 5 regionals. Larsen intercepted a Bellaire pass with under a minute to give the Comets a 1-point lead and then later hit the game-winner with seconds left.

“This feels great,” Larsen said. “Bellaire beat us in the first round (of the regionals) last year so it feels nice to come back and beat them. Bellaire played a great game. I tip my hat to them.”

Leland (21-4) now advances to Tuesday night’s Quarterfinal at Traverse City West to face Muskegon West Michigan Christian.

Read Larsen lifts Leland to regional title at the Record Eagle

Opinions on five current sports topics from yours truly…

1. Lions vs. Packers - This is definitely what a Thanksgiving matchup should be! Two division rivals squaring off. The division is virtually locked up for the Packers, but a Lions win keeps some hope alive. Plus you need to watch in case Roy Williams does get 300 yards receiving!

2. Michigan State Football - That was a big win against Penn State for many reasons, but the way the Spartans did it impressed me the most. Down 24-7, they didn’t quit and that says more than anything else to me about Mark Dantonio and his staff. The future at MSU is very bright.

3. Lloyd Carr - I always enjoyed his conversations at halftime with sideline reporters, I would not have wanted to be in their shoes. He will be missed, but it was time for him to step down. I know alot of U of M fans that are happy, but if I was a Michigan fan, I wouldn’t be. He ran a great program and really coached some high-quality kids. They had better make the right decision about the next coach, and I’m not sure that means Les Miles.

4. Football at The State - Michael Moore has opened up the State Theatre in Traverse City on Saturday morning and will be showing Traverse City St. Francis playing for a state title. A great idea for those who can’t make the trip. I am sure it’s going to be a packed house.

5. Leelanau Sports Guy’s World - I plan on spending some more time getting things cranking again, so look for a new design and more frequent posts in the near future. Thanks to all who visit and send me emails, I appreciate it!

If you want to let the me know what you think, you can always send me an email at leelanausportsguy@sportspig.com or post a comment!

Mark Urban of the Record Eagle breaks down Montague’s 23-20 win over Suttons Bay in a Division 6 District Final. Suttons Bay finished the year 9-2.

Read Montague boots Suttons Bay from playoffs in the Record Eagle

Opinions on five current sports topics from yours truly…

I’m not including it in the five, but my overall Beach Bums record with me in attendance is now 6-1 as I attended the season finale, a 8-5 loss in 11 innings to the Windy City Thunderbolts. I thought I was going to keep my perfect record as the Beach Bums rallied for a 5-4 lead after 8 innings, but they couldn’t hold on. Congrats on another fun season in Traverse City!

1. Wolverines upset by Mountaineers - If you say it that way it doesn’t sound as bad because I could be referring to West Virginia. I am still in shock of this outcome, but I can’t say I’m disappointed, and as a State fan I loved this…

In East Lansing, after plowing for four touchdowns in Michigan State’s 55-18 beatdown of Alabama-Birmingham, Spartans running back Jeehu Caulcrick said, “It felt like we won two games today.”

Here’s a great article on the game from Michigan Football Saturdays.

2. Spartans look good in Dantonio’s debut - Mike Dantonio has some big plans for Michigan State and his Spartans got off to a good start with a 55-18 win over UAB. Lots of power football and great passing from Brian Hoyer led the way to victory. The Spartans will struggle to finish .500 this season, but Dantonio should lay the foundation for a nice turnaround in East Lansing.

3. Tigers continue to struggle - It’s looking more and more like 2007 isn’t going to be the Tigers year. They can’t seem to get a winning streak going. Inconsistent pitching, injuries, and the lack of clutch hitting have all played a big part. Rogers returns tonight and Sheffield tomorrow to hopefully give the Tigers a spark for one last run at the Indians.

4. Norsemen vs. Lakers - The Leelanau County rivals go head to head this Friday for bragging rights for the following year. Suttons Bay is off to a 2-0 start including a big win over Traverse City St. Francis. Glen Lake is 1-1 and coming off a loss. Kickoff is Friday at 7:00 in Suttons Bay.

5. Michigan In Play Magazine - Check out their latest issue featuring 2007 Roberto Clemente Award Winner Curtis Granderson on the cover. I just emailed Jack Rosenberg and told him to keep up the great work. This magazine is a great source for Detroit and Michigan sports fans!

If you want to let the me know what you think, you can always send me an email at leelanausportsguy@sportspig.com or post a comment!

Each Tuesday and Friday (no promises), I am going to take a quick peek into the world of Leelanau County prep sports.

Boys Soccer
Suttons Bay topped Northport 4-2 and Glen Lake defeated T.C. Christian 5-2 in Monday’s soccer action. Suttons Bay is now 3-1 on the young season, while the Lakers improved to 3-2.

On Saturday Suttons Bay captured the Harbor Springs Soccer Cup with a 2-0-1 record. The Norsemen tied Harbor Springs 1-1, defeated Glen Lake 3-2 and Sault Ste. Marie 6-0. Glen Lake beat Sault Ste. Marie 2-1 to finish the tourney 1-2.

Last week Suttons Bay couldn’t keep up with Elk Rapids as the Norsemen fell to the Elks 6-2.

Boys Football
Suttons Bay wasn’t the only county school with a big win in it’s football opener, Glen Lake defeated East Jordan 27-12 behind two big plays by Ryan Dyksterhouse, a 35-yard touchdown catch and a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Norsemen and Lakers meet in less then two weeks in what is shaping up to be a great game, with both teams showing big play capability in their opening games.

Girls Volleyball
Suttons Bay and Glen Lake welcome Leland to the Northwest Conference as county volleyball just got a little more interesting. You can check out the conference preview in the Leelanau Enterprise and the area preview in the Record Eagle.

The Lady Norsemen have gotten off to a fast start by winning the Pellston Volleyball Invitational. Suttons Bay defeated Charlevoix 25-18, 27-25 to capture the title after posting wins over Kingsley in the quarterfinals and Boyne City in the semifinals.

Leland has a new coach, but found some similar results with a strong second place finish at the Traverse City Central Invitational. The Lady Comets, led by head coach Angie Shinos, fell to the Lady Trojans 25-12, 25-12 in the finals. Leland topped St. Francis (25-13, 25-22), Glen Lake (25-8, 25-12), ElK Rapids (25-13, 25-14), and lost to T.C. Christian 26-24, 25-15 in pool play. Leland responded to it’s lone loss by topping the Sabres 25-20, 25-23 to reach the finals.

Have scores or game details to report, don’t hesitate to email them to me at leelanausportsguy@sportspig.com.

Suttons Bay piled up 471 yards of total offense and pulled away in the second half for a 38-20 win over St. Francis. Eric Hernandez ran for 220 yards and two touchdowns, while Anthony Stewart (pictured at right) added 84 yards as the Norsemen showed off their speed and played very well in the season opener for both teams.

(Coach Joe) Trudeau said his team played about as well as could be expected for the season opener.

“This is not the same team that played in the scrimmage last week,” Trudeau said of his squad.

Next up for the Norse is a trip to Harbor Springs next Friday.

Photo by Douglas Tesner of the Record Eagle

Read Speedy Suttons Bay runs past St. Francis in the Record Eagle

It doesn’t get much tougher than playing Traverse City St. Francis on the road, but that’s how Suttons Bay will begin it’s 2007 football season. The two schools have only played twice before (St. Francis is 2-0) with the last meeting in 1998, a 53-6 St. Francis win. Since the 2000 season however both schools have almost identical records. Norsemen coach Joe Trudeau said it could be a “playoff-like atmosphere” and I wouldn’t expect anything less. The Norsemen were 12-1 last season while the Glads went 10-2.

Kickoff is set for 7pm at Thirlby Field.

Read Tough opener at Thirlby in the Record Eagle

Held In Conjunction With The 2007 Glen Lake High School Cross Country Invitational - Saturday, August 18th

When: 10am start time for the 1-Mile FUN RUN & WALK - Saturday, August 18th!

Where: Glen Lake School, 3375 W Burdickville Road, Maple City, Michigan

The 1-Mile FUN RUN/WALK is NOT a race.

All participants of the 1-Mile FUN RUN & WALK are guaranteed winners! Olympic Style Medals complete with red, white & blue ribbons awarded to ALL finishers.

The 2nd Annual Glen Lake 1-Mile FUN RUN & WALK is all about celebrating health and fitness out on Glen Lake School’s beautiful cross country trails.

The 2-Mile Invitational races (for High School Cross Country Teams only) kick off at 9 a.m. and the 1 Mile FUN RUN & WALK will follow immediately after - at roughly 10 a.m.

$10.00 entry fee includes special “Olympic Style” Glen Lake Health & Fitness Medals complete with red, white and blue ribbons for ALL finishers.

For more information please contact Coach Edwards - phone: 231-334-3080 or email: getfit@skiwalking.com

Runners, Walkers, Pole Walkers & Jogging Strollers Welcome!

Let’s just say I think I know where I am going to be on August 23rd and September 7th!

Glen Lake Lakers
8/24 vs. East Jordan
8/30 at Coloma
9/7 at Suttons Bay
9/14 vs. Benzie Central
9/21 vs. Frankfort
9/28 at Kingsley
10/5 vs. Mesick
10/12 at Milwaukee Marshall (WI)
10/19 at Baldwin

Suttons Bay Norsemen
8/23 at Traverse City St Francis
8/30 at Harbor Springs
9/7 vs. Maple City Glen Lake
9/14 at Kingsley
9/21 vs. Mesick
9/28 at Frankfort
10/5 vs. Benzie Central
10/12 vs. White Cloud
10/19 vs. Mio

Opinions on five current sports topics from yours truly…

1. Marissa Treece - The Glen Lake senior captured 3 more state titles on Saturday, giving her 10 in her track/cross-country career. She heads to Notre Dame this fall and we will follow along as she looks to star at the NCAA level.

Read Ten titles for Treece in the Record Eagle

2. What’s next for Pistons? - Lots of ideas are being talked about by fans including: Firing Flip, Trading Sheed, trying to trade for Kevin Garnett or Zack Randolph, and on and on. Not sure what Joe D is going to do, but I would definitely call Minnesota and see what they want for Garnett.

3. Beach Bums - A slow start to the season has the Bums in last place in the Central Division, 5.5 games back. It’s not going to get easier with 4 games against Kalamazoo looming, but the Bums are playing better and have lost a couple of close games.

4. Lions Scouting Reports - I don’t know if you have been following Killer Kowalski’s scouting reports as he is scouting a different Lion player every day, but I have and it’s been some great info. Kevin Jones is today, go check it out!

5a. Tigers finally beat Indians - Now everyone can relax a bit as the Tigers took the final two games in Cleveland to get within 2 1/2 games of Cleveland in the A.L. Central. The Tigers are showing what they are made of as they battle with injuries and keep getting big performances from Maggs and Sheffield.

5b. Two Near The Dugout, Please - Great article by Gren Eno looking back at some run-ins with Eric the ticket taker on his trips to Tiger Stadium.

If you want to let the me know what you think, you can always send me an email at leelanausportsguy@sportspig.com or post a comment!

The Detroit Athletic Club has named Glen Lake track/cross-country star Marissa Treece as their 2007 Female Athlete of the Year. Treece was one of six finalists for the award. It’s the second year in a row a Leelanau County athlete has won with Alisha Glass winning last year.

“I think it’s pretty exciting,” said Treece, who has won four state titles in track and three in cross country. “All six of us are qualified. It’s just exciting that I got something like that.”

Treece is headed to Notre Dame this fall.

Read Treece state’s top athlete in the Record Eagle

The NFL Draft - I am in a NFL Draft contest again this year (last year I got 1 right) and I have absolutely no idea who is going where. The Lions have many options and they have to wait to see what the Raiders are going to do before they can get really serious about the draft. I like the Lions to trade down to #4 and then get Gaines Adams. It’s the position they need the most and Adams appears to be an impact player. Read Dan Wetzel’s column The misadventures of Millen if you want to laugh and be scared at the same time!

Maggs - Is it me, or is Magglio Ordonez quietly having a great start to 2007. He’s first on the Tigers in RBI’s, 2B’s, Runs, OBP, SLG & OPS, and he’s second in HR’s and BA, but no one’s talking about him. This is the Maggs that people weren’t sure we would ever see again, but he appears to be healthy and back to normal. I now it’s early, but Maggs playing like this is huge as Sheffield and the bottom of the order struggle.

Wings vs. Sharks - The Wings are in for a tough series, that should go seven games, and I like there chances with home-ice. They struggled against the Sharks during the regular season, losing 3 of 4, but they played two very solid games to finish off Calgary and will hopefully carry that momentum into tonight’s game. On the other hand, I wouldn’t be surprised if they lost tonight either. It’s just going to be that kind of series.

Pistons vs. Magic - If Detroit is going to lose one, tonight’s the night. I just don’t see it happening. I think they will sweep the Magic and get some rest for the Bulls. Chicago is going to be the toughest team (and series) in the Eastern Conference.

High School Baseball - If you aren’t busy on Saturday, head over to Wuerfel Park to watch Lake Leelanau St. Mary take part in the inaugural Beach Bums Division 3 & 4 Invitational Tournament. The Eagles face Traverse City St. Francis at 10 AM, followed by Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart and Gaylord St. Mary’s at noon. A consolation and championship game will follow. Tickets are $5 for the entire day, and let me tell you Wuerfel Park is not a bad place to watch a game!

Random Stuff - Could less people be excited that Barry Bonds is now at 741 home runs? Seriously, no one cares outside of San Francisco. There’s not much better than Fantasy Baseball. Winning or losing, it’s just fun! I can’t wait for the Beach Bums season to start, it was exciting (and well played) baseball to watch last summer, and I look for more of the same as the Bums have added some good talent along with their “new” coach! Lots of people have Drew Stanton going very high in the draft, and I think be a good pick and could be a legitimate starter in the NFL!

Opinions on five current Leelanau and Northern Michigan sports topics from yours truly…

1. Leelanau Enterprise Sports - The Leelanau Enterprise has revamped their website and now will be posting more stories online, including sports! Check out their sports department! I of course will be linking to them often as they provide another way to follow our favorite Leelanau teams.

2. Leelanau Classic - I only wish this event would have been around when I was coaching! Lake Leelanau St. Mary defeated Suttons Bay 4-1 to capture the baseball title and Glen Lake cruised to the softball title with a 17-0 win over Suttons Bay in the championship game.

Read Korson sparks Eagles to title in the Record Eagle

3. Beach Bums ready for 2007 - Opening Day for the Beach Bums is one month from today (at Kalamazoo Kings on May 23rd) and plenty of new things are on tap as they start their second summer in Traverse City. Lots of new faces, including a new manager, should make for another exciting season in the Frontier League. See what the Beach Bums have in store for 2007!

4. NHL & NBA Playoffs - It’s never hard to get a prediction in Leelanau County for the Pistons and Red Wings. The Pistons are a popular choice to be crowned NBA Champions this summer, and the Wings well who knows. The Wings did get out of the first round, and did play pretty well, in 4 out of the 6 games. If the Dominator can hold up, they have an excellent chance in my opinion. Whatever happens Hockey Town North is buzzing with playoff excitement right now!

5. The Season Switch - Nick Edson of the Leelanau Enterprise reported last week that longtime volleyball coach Laurie Glass will be stepping down, at least for the time being, as she can’t coach and follow her daughter Alisha at Penn State because of the girls volleyball season being moved. My opinion is that it’s a shame that a few people can ruin a good thing for many. The seasons seemed to be working just fine for 99.9% of the athletes, but a couple of parents couldn’t handle their kid’s not getting scholarships.

If you want to let the me know what you think, you can always send me an email at leelanausportsguy@sportspig.com or post a comment!