A2SportsFront 9-23
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Skyline must keep moving T he Skyline football team is part of a pretty dubi- ous club this season. After starting the season 0-4, the Eagles are one of several teams across the state that has yet to win a var- sity football game. I’ve been doing this job for awhile now, and I’ve been working in jobs like it for even longer. Winless teams are not uncom- mon. You see them all the time. In fact, I have some first-hand experience with one winless football team in particular. That team being the Red Raiders of my alma mater, Marlette High School. Things are kind of hazy , but I’ll try to recall everything right. I think the losing started when I was in middle school. I think it was eighth grade, but I can’t be sure. What I am sure about, though, was that the losing didn’t stop until the final game of my junior year . I believe the streak was like 44 or 45 games. I would look it up, but people don’t keep those kinds of records. My high school team lost every game for four consecutive seasons. And the only reason the team got a win to end the streak when it did was because our athletic director somehow Photo by Jonathan Knight/A2 JOURNAL Two Pioneer blockers level a pair of Skyline players last Thursday while Pioneer receiver Jeron Clayton streaks by. Pioneer defeated Skyline in the game, 62-40. PIONEER 62, SKYLINE 40 Irish crumple Cranes By Mike Larson A2 Journal The Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard football team had no idea what to expect last Thursday when they took on Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook- Kingswood. The Cranes, who are a new addition to the Fighting Irish schedule , were kind of a mys- tery for Richard. However, it didn’t take the Irish long to figure that mystery out. Gabriel Richard won the game easily, shutting out the Cranes in a 35-0 drubbing. Even more impressive was the fact that Richard scored all 35 points in the first half, and then used the second half to get the second string some valuable experience. “It’s so important to make sure everyone gets a chance to play in game situations,” Richard coach Brian Lemons said. “And it was huge for our second team guys to preserve the shutout.” The Irish finished the game in dramatic fashion, as the Richard defense stopped Cranbrook’s Stefan Czarnecki from scoring on a fourth-and- goal play from the 2-yard-line. “It was a huge stop,” Lemons said. “It was such a big play for this team.” When the game started, there were questions about whether it would even be completed. After a delay because of light- ing, the game had to be moved because Cranbrook’s field isn’t equipped with lights. However, the game was able to be played at Bloomfield Lahser High School. But the Fighting Irish wasted no time getting into the game. Richard’s Joey Birchler opened up the scoring on the very first play of the game, retuning the opening kicko ff 93 yards for a touchdown. Cranbrook didn’t seem as ready to play. The Cranes fumbled on their first possession and Richard recovered, giving the Irish great By Mike Larson A2 Journal Skyline fans were very disappointed as they left Ann Arbor Pioneer Thursday night after the Eagles’ first varsity game at Holloway Field. The only football fans who might have been more disap- pointed were the ones who came to the contest in hopes of seeing a low scoring game. Pioneer defeated Skyline 62-40 in a shootout where both teams seemed to be able to score at will. “Any time you score 62 Tommy Polornery intercepted a Copp pass. Two plays later, Johnson found the endzone on a 19-yard run. Holding a 21-7 lead, and scoring on every offensive pos- session they had had, it looked as if Pioneer was goi ng to blow out the younger Skyline team. However, the Eagles had other ideas. Skyline answered right back, when Copp found Jordan Woods with a 31-yard touch- down pass. With less than three min- utes remaining in the first quarter, the two teams had already combined for 35 points, as Pioneer led 21-14. The Eagles, who had been struggling on defense, then Pioneer, Skyline put up big points PiHi win River Rats get bucked by Bedford By Terry Jacoby A2 Journal On Ann Arbor Huron’s open- ing drive of the third quarter Thursday night, quarterback Alex Hassan fired a bullet to receiver Charles Boyd on a slant play. The senior wideout made a nice grab and tumbled into the endzone to give the River Rats a 29-15 lead with 8:14 to play in the third quarter. After a first half filled with penalties – it seemed as if false starts were part of their offense – and a couple of big plays by visiting Monroe, it appeared the River Rats were settling in for an easy victory. But less than 4 minutes later, the Trojans tied the game at 29-29 and never looked back in a 50-29 win over Huron in a Southeastern Conference game on a chilly evening in Ann Arbor. The loss drops the River Rats to 1-3 on the season. They play next Friday at Skyline. Monroe improves to 2-2. The first scoring drive for Huron featured the River Rats’ ability to overcome mistakes – something that eventually would catch up with them. On a third-and-19 play from the 41- yard line, Hassan found Brent King over the middle for a huge gain and a first down at the Monroe 23. On the next play, Huron was called for holding and it was suddenly first-and-23 at the 36-yard line. But Hassan lofted a pass to Matt Hastings, who went up and grabbed it in the endzone to give Huron a 7-0 lead with 3:52 to play in the first quarter. The lead didn’t last long. A good kick return – Huron had trouble all game on special teams – set Monroe up at the Huron 39. Three plays later, Mitchell Kuehniein threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Reginald Allen. After Huron FOOTBALL PLEASE SEE HURON /2-D PLEASE SEE LARSON /2-D Photo by Jonathan Knight/A2 JOURNAL A Huron player takes down a Bedford player in a recent game. Last week, the River Rats fell to Monroe. September 23, 2010 Heritage Newspapers O UR S PORTS D SECTION Log onto our Web site for additional stories, local video and daily updates on everything Ann Arbor. GENERAL ADMISSION MIKE LARSON Cut down the Net: Make sure to www. a2journal.co m for the lastest information on Ann Arbor’s local sports happening s. Check out our video: Be sure to watch high- lights from the Pioneer vs. Skyline football game from last week. Shootout!
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Skyline
mustkeepmoving
The Skyline football teamis part of a pretty dubi-ous club this season.
After starting theseason 0-4, the Eagles are
one of several teams across thestate that has yet to win a var-sity football game.
I’ve been doing this jobfor awhile now, and I’ve beenworking in jobs like it for evenlonger.
Winless teams are not uncom-mon.You see them all the time.In fact, I have some first-hand
experience with one winlessfootball team in particular.
That team being the RedRaiders of my alma mater,Marlette High School.
Things are kind of hazy,but I’ll try to recall everythingright.
I think the losing startedwhen I was in middle school. Ithink it was eighth grade, but Ican’t be sure.
What I am sure about,though, was that the losingdidn’t stop until the final gameof my junior year.
I believe the streak was like44 or 45 games. I would look itup, but people don’t keep thosekinds of records.
My high school team lostevery game for four consecutiveseasons. And the only reasonthe team got a win to end thestreak when it did was becauseour athletic director somehow
Photo by Jonathan Knight/A2 JOURNAL
Two Pioneer blockers level a pair of Skyline players last Thursday while Pioneer receiver Jeron Clayton streaks by. Pioneerdefeated Skyline in the game, 62-40.
PIONEER 62, SKYLINE 40 IrishcrumpleCranesBy Mike LarsonA2 Journal
The Ann Arbor GabrielRichard football team had
no idea what to expect lastThursday when they took onBloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood.
The Cranes, who are a newaddition to the Fighting Irishschedule, were kind of a mys-tery for Richard.
However, it didn’t take theIrish long to figure that mysteryout.
Gabriel Richard won thegame easily, shutting out theCranes in a 35-0 drubbing.
Even more impressive wasthe fact that Richard scored all35 points in the first half, andthen used the second half to getthe second string some valuableexperience.
“It’s so important to make
sure everyone gets a chanceto play in game situations,”Richard coach Brian Lemonssaid. “And it was huge for oursecond team guys to preservethe shutout.”
The Irish finished thegame in dramatic fashion, asthe Richard defense stoppedCranbrook’s Stefan Czarneckifrom scoring on a fourth-and-goal play from the 2-yard-line.
“It was a huge stop,” Lemonssaid. “It was such a big play forthis team.”
When the game started, therewere questions about whether itwould even be completed.
After a delay because of light-ing, the game had to be movedbecause Cranbrook’s field isn’tequipped with lights.
However, the game was ableto be played at BloomfieldLahser High School.
But the Fighting Irish wastedno time getting into the game.
Richard’s Joey Birchleropened up the scoring on thevery first play of the game,retuning the opening kickoff 93yards for a touchdown.
Cranbrook didn’t seem asready to play.
The Cranes fumbled on theirfirst possession and Richardrecovered, giving the Irish greatfield possession for their firstoffensive try.
And Richard didn’t wastethe opportunity as DennisOlszewski punched in a 12-yardtouchdown run to put his team
up 14-0 with just about nineminutes left in the first quarter.
Olszewski finished his daywith 31 yards, tied with team-mate Ashton Hundley for theteam lead in yards. Hundleyalso scored a touchdown.
Donnie Eaton also had a greatgame for the Irish.
The senior quarterbackscored the team’s other twotouchdowns, both 1-yard diveson the goal line.
Ryan Jenkins was perfect onextra points, kicking all five.
Tomorrow the Irish willface off against LivoniaClarenceville on the road. Thegame is set to kick off at 7 p.m.
By Mike LarsonA2 Journal
Skyline fans were verydisappointed as they left AnnArbor Pioneer Thursday nightafter the Eagles’ first varsitygame at Holloway Field.
The only football fans whomight have been more disap-pointed were the ones whocame to the contest in hopes of seeing a low scoring game.
Pioneer defeated Skyline62-40 in a shootout where bothteams seemed to be able toscore at will.
“Any time you score 62points, I think you are going tofeel pretty good,” Pioneer headcoach Jeremy Gold said abouthis offense. “The offensivestaff and the offense came out
and worked hard all week longduring the week of practice.”However, the Pioneer
defense didn’t have the sameresults.
“We had quite a few break-downs,” Gold said. “Anybodywho saw this game saw thatthis was not Pioneer defense.”
However, the Pioneers stillcame away with the win.
Pioneer opened the scoringearly when Drake Johnsonscampered into the endzonefor a 27-yard score in the firstpossession of the game.
And although the game wastied for about 17 seconds in thefirst quarter, the Skyline teamnever held a lead.
The Eagles did score ontheir first possession of thegame when quarterback AndyCopp hooked up with TheronWilson for a 24-yard score.
However, with the scoretied at 7-7, Pioneer snatched
the lead back on the ensuingkickoff when Jeron Claytonreturned the Skyline offeringfor a touchdown.
Pioneer took advantage of the Skyline offense on the nextpossession, when linebacker
Tommy Polornery intercepteda Copp pass.
Two plays later, Johnsonfound the endzone on a 19-yardrun.
Holding a 21-7 lead, andscoring on every offensive pos-session they had had, it looked
as if Pioneer was going toblow out the younger Skylineteam.
However, the Eagles hadother ideas.
Skyline answered rightback, when Copp found JordanWoods with a 31-yard touch-down pass.
With less than three min-utes remaining in the firstquarter, the two teams hadalready combined for 35points, as Pioneer led 21-14.
The Eagles, who had beenstruggling on defense, thendecided to get gutsy and forgodefense all together.
On the following kickoff,Skyline attempted an onsideskick, and the Eagles recoveredit.
However, the team wasunable to get anything goingas Copp threw three incom-plete passes and attempted afailed run before the Eaglesturned the ball over on downs.
Pioneer took over at mid-field, but the team was stoppedfor the first time in the game.
When Skyline took over,the team seemed unstoppable,even if it was just for the pos-session.
Copp orchestrated a 16-playdrive that ended with JackClark grabbing a 6-yard touch-down pass.
PLEASE SEE SHOOTOUT /2-D
Pioneer, Skyline put up big points PiHi win
River Rats get bucked by BedfordBy Terry JacobyA2 Journal
On Ann Arbor Huron’s open-ing drive of the third quarterThursday night, quarterbackAlex Hassan fired a bullet toreceiver Charles Boyd on a slantplay. The senior wideout made anice grab and tumbled into theendzone to give the River Rats a29-15 lead with 8:14 to play in thethird quarter.
After a first half filled withpenalties – it seemed as if falsestarts were part of their offense
– and a couple of big plays by
visiting Monroe, it appeared theRiver Rats were settling in foran easy victory.
But less than 4 minutes later,
the Trojans tied the game at29-29 and never looked backin a 50-29 win over Huron in aSoutheastern Conference gameon a chilly evening in AnnArbor.
The loss drops the River Ratsto 1-3 on the season. They playnext Friday at Skyline.
Monroe improves to 2-2.The first scoring drive for
Huron featured the River Rats’ability to overcome mistakes
– something that eventually
would catch up with them. Ona third-and-19 play from the 41-yard line, Hassan found BrentKing over the middle for a huge
gain and a first down at theMonroe 23.
On the next play, Huron wascalled for holding and it wassuddenly first-and-23 at the36-yard line. But Hassan lofteda pass to Matt Hastings, whowent up and grabbed it in theendzone to give Huron a 7-0lead with 3:52 to play in the firstquarter.
The lead didn’t last long.A good kick return – Huron
had trouble all game on specialteams – set Monroe up at theHuron 39. Three plays later,Mitchell Kuehniein threw a
27-yard touchdown pass toReginald Allen. After Huron
FOOTBALL
PLEASE SEE HURON /2-D
PLEASE SEE LARSON /2-D
Photo by Jonathan Knight/A2 JOURNAL Pioneer running back Drake Johnson takes the ballThursday. Johnson finished with two touchdowns.
Photo by Jonathan Knight/A2 JOURNAL
A Huron player takes down a Bedford player in a recent game.Last week, the River Rats fell to Monroe.
September 23, 2010Heritage Newspapers
OURSPORTSDSECTION
Log onto our Web sitefor additional stories, local
video and daily updateson everything Ann Arbor.
GENERALADMISSION
MIKE
LARSON
Cut down the Net:Make sure to www.
a2journal.com for the lastestinformation on Ann Arbor’slocal sports happenings.
Check out our video:Be sure to watch high-
lights from the Pioneer vs.Skyline football game fromlast week.
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Shootout!
