The Alma Panthers girls track team split in their first meet of the 2014 season on Wednesday. The girls earned a convincing victory by over 50 points against host Breckenridge High School, but then fell to the Panthers of Birch Run by four points. Alma will continue their season on Saturday when they travel to St. Louis to partake in the Saint Louis Relays.
The Panthers boys track and field team opened up their season with two dominant victories on Wednesday. Alma took on Birch Run and host Breckenridge for the season-opening tri-meet. The Panthers notched 103-34 victory over Birch Run and a 102-33 win over the host Huskies. Alma will next compete on Saturday at the St. Louis Relays.
The Alma girls soccer team fell on Wednesday evening 9-1 to host Saginaw Swan Valley. The Panthers jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead as senior Jacey Fetzner was able to find the back of the net on an assist from sophomore Maggie Bever. The veteran Viking squad comprised of many club players answered with six goals to take a 6-1 lead into the half. Swan Valley notched the final goal of the half with 2:30 left on the clock. Senior goalkeeper Danielle Francis notched 17 saves. Alma will continue their season on Friday for their home opener. JV starts at 4:30 and varsity at 6:00.
Baseball
The Panther baseball squad comes into 2014 after completing their most successful season since their conference championship in 2005-06. A year ago, Alma went 24-6-1 and 11-2-1 in the TVC Central for a second place league finish. The only losses on the season came to Class A Bay City Central, state quarterfinalist Chippewa Hills, #5 ranked Bullock Creek, and #1 ranked Mt. Pleasant. The season also featured an unblemished record against conference powers Shepherd and Swan Valley, along with a sweep and two wins by mercy over regional champion Clare. The Panthers defended their home diamond well, only losing one game in Alma all season. The 2013 team graduated seven seniors, including two First Team All-TVC performers in Josh Moody and Aaron Gilbert, who are currently continuing their baseball careers in college. The Panthers do return four starters from last season in seniors Matt Young and Tyler Minnick, junior Zach Hanson, and sophomore Justin Doyle. Minnick received First Team All-Conference honors last season, while Hanson and Young earned Second Team. Senior Toph Roethlisberger and junior Aidan Kunkel also return after playing in many of the games in 2013. In 2014, the Panthers are looking to reload quickly and look for another top two finish in the TVC Central. Alma will again be solid up the middle as it returns the short-stop/second base duo of Young and Hanson for the third season in a row. Hanson and Young are also the only returners to see time on the mound last season, so the Panthers will look to Doyleand freshman Konner Vedrode up the middle. Catcher Minnick also spent time on the hill for the Panthers as a sophomore in 2012, and will see time at third base this season as well. Vedrode will likely see time behind the dish in Minnick’s absence. Kunkel, Doyle, and Vedrode will all be looked to for innings on the mound for the Panthers as well. Alma kicks off its season on April 12th when it hosts Sault Sainte Marie for a double header. Girl’s Soccer The Panthers girls soccer team looking to win their first conference title in school history this season. Leading the way for the Panthers are senior captains Elise Bennett, Jacey Fetzner, and Sydney McCarthy. McCarthy was First Team All-Conference and All-District a season ago, while Bennett and Fetzner earned Honorable Mention All-Conference and earned All-District Awards as well. A year ago McCarthy led the Panthers with 13 goals and seven assists. Alma will be needing to replace the production of 2013 graduate Aundria Fell. McCarthy, junior Jessica Hollaman (third on team with six points a season ago), andsophomore Maggie Bever will all have to step up on for the 2014 team. In the midfield, Alma returns three from a season ago in Bennet, Hollaman, and sophomore Therese Rosalez. Defensively the Panthers should be strong with the return of senior Keeper Danielle Francis, center backs Fetzner and sophomore Calli Ackels, and sophomore outside backs Kialee Morton and Reyna Widman. Alma is hopeful for the 2014 season and will be looking to improve on their third place league finish a season ago. A conference title is a viable goal for the Panthers, “Most of the teams in our conference will be evenly matched this season. We will need to play with intensity to win those games,” said Head Coach Nick O’Neill, “and then we have to beat a very good Ovid-Elsie team. We definitely have the opportunity to challenge for a conference title.” The Panthers will start their 2014 campaign on Wednesday when they take on Swan Valley. Girl’s Tennis The girls tennis team has an uphill climb in the 2014 season after graduating nine girls from a season ago, and 18 over the past two seasons. This season’s team will feature just one senior and one junior in Cassie Vogel and Isabella Rivera. The team is looking to work through the season and improve and build towards the next two seasons. Coach Dan Oosting said, “This year is definitely a learning year, but we will look to be competitive and continue to improve as the season progresses. We looked very good in our opener, and even though we lost, the girls played well and had a chance to get a few wins.” The Panthers fell to a veteran Hemlock team in their season opener Tuesday, and will continue their campaign Thursday evening. Golf The Alma boys golf team will enter 2014 looking to rekindle some of the magic of the 2013 team. That team won their second consecutive TVC Championship (third in four years) and finished second at both districts and regionals, and third at the state championship. At states, the Panthers golf team was the top finishing public school at the tournament. The 2014 team returns just four golfers this season in seniors Jay Green, Luke Mallory and Chase Ramirez and sophomore Cody Yates. Green was an All-State golfer a year ago, was the Medalist at the district competition, and finished second in the TVC behind older brother Brett Green. Jay also took fifth overall at regionals. Yates was a Second Team All-TVC golfer andMallory earned Honorable Mention. The Panthers are looking to equal the success of last season with another strong performance in 2014. “If we can get some of our new guys to step up and golf well this year, then we should win conference again,” said Green. Alma will open up their season with a match play tournament on April 16. Softball The Alma softball team looks to come into 2014 on an upward slope after a couple of transition seasons. The Panthers return a solid base from a season ago, led by juniors Kendall Vedrode, Karli Hyatt, Justin Moreno and Bree Brown. Vedrode (second-team all-TVC as a freshman and sophomore) and Hyatt will man the left side of the infield for the Panthers as Kendall returns for her third season as the starting shortstop, while Karli returns for her second season at third. Morenoreturns as the starting catcher from a season ago, while Brown will again take care of centerfield duties. Sophomore Emma Ceja will make the transition into the starting pitching role for the Panthers. Senior Kaleigh Kovac andsophomore Taylor Kinnunen will split time at first base. Freshmen Emmy VanBlaricum will be looked to start at second base and spend time in the circle. Freshman Evelyn VanDeMark will split duties at second base and shortstop. The Panthers are looking forward to turning the corner from a pair of disappointing seasons in 2012 and 2013. “I think we’re going to have a competitive team this year and I’m looking forward to seeing how we’ve improved from last year now with Coach Block,” said Vedrode. Alma will kick off their season with St. Charles on Friday. Track and Field The Alma Panthers track and field program is looking to build on the consistent success of their program. The boys are coming off of a second place finish in the TVC and the girls a third place finish. Over the past nine seasons, the boys have compiled a record of 69-6 in meets. Alma will be led on the boys side by senior Jake Morey, who is the defending conference champion in the 1600 and 3200. A year ago Morey was a part of the state qualifying 3200 meter relay team. More key returnees for the Panthers are seniorsClayton Carr (third-team all-conference thrower in 2013), thrower Curtis Doyle, and sprinter Malcolm Davis. Junior hurdler Chase Austin and sophomore mid-distance runner Brevan Bender will be looked to to provide key points as well. The girls team will be led by senior thrower Lexi Morton. Morton is the Panther’s top returning thrower and has signed her NLI to throw at Spring Arbor University next season. The runners will be led by junior distance runner Seraphina Provenzano and sophomore distance runner Alyx Wesley. Sophomore Maya Anderson and freshman Tayla Guerrero will lead the sprinters in 2014. The Panthers will start off their season with their first outdoor meet on Wednesday when the travel to Breckenridge. |