Bay City fall sports roundup: Every game turning into fight to the finish

BAY CITY, MI – A look at the high school sports scene in the Bay City area for Sept. 11, 2024. Bay City area coaches are asked to submit results, highlights and comments the night of each event by emailing lthomps2@mlive.com.

SOCCER: TIGHT BATTLES ARE NORM FOR BCW

Bay City Western knows how to stand tall in tight games.

After all, just about every game it plays is a fight to the finish.

The Warriors battled Mount Pleasant to a 1-1 tie in Saginaw Valley League action, coming through with clutch defensive plays throughout the second half to earn the draw. Every Western game but one this season has been decided by two goals or less.

Goalkeeper Logan Courier rose to the challenge against Mount Pleasant, registering 13 saves to keep the Warriors tied.

“He had a great one-handed save that was going top corner with just a few minutes left that saved the game for us,” Western coach Kyle Jean said.

Western trailed 1-0 in the first half when Blake Wrzesinski took a feed from Weston Carter and scored his team’s lone goal, creating the 1-1 standoff.

“Blake’s goal came at a great time because we were struggling at the time,” Jeans said. “That allowed us to go into half tied instead of down and set us up for a good second half.”

Western is 6-4-1 on the season and 0-2-1 in Saginaw Valley League play.

SOCCER: GLENN FENDS OFF SWAN VALLEY

John Glenn fought off a Swan Valley comeback bid to secure a 3-2 victory and maintain first place in the Tri-Valley Conference Red.

Swan Valley got a pair of second-half goals to keep things tight until the end, but the Bobcats (12-0-1, 4-0-1) remained undefeated on the year.

“We played a fantastic first half, but the second half we fell apart a little bit,” Glenn coach Brian Scherzer said. “It wasn’t our best showing, but we came out on top.”

Trent Phillips, Carter Glaza and Asher Clark each scored a goal in the win. Clark joined Dylan Wood and Landen Beson Montoya with assists. Drew Bailey stayed busy in goal, notching 20 saves.

SOCCER: STANDISH BATTLES TO TIE

Standish-Sterling continued its trend of tight game, playing Midland Bullock Creek to a 1-1 draw in Jack Pine Conference play.

The Panthers (3-3-2, 3-1-2) have held the opposition to one or zero goals in six of their past seven games and the defensive unit of Tom Peistrack, Christian LaFave, Carson Koin, Ian Emans, Kaleb Selman and Lucas Verdusco shined again. Keeper Zach Bell registered 10 saves in the contest.

Standish got a goal from Ben Briggs off a cross from Caleb Emans in the first half. The goal stood until the final five minutes of the game, when Bullock Creek’s Gino Pani scored the equalizer on a header.

VOLLEYBALL: GARBER WINS IN SWEEP

Essexville Garber lived up to its billing as an honorable mention team in the state rankings, rolling past Montrose 25-11, 25-10, 25-15.

Jeana Lenhard led the charge with 12 kills while Audrey Ball added eight. Rylee Jatczak notched seven digs, while Ella Kokaly dished 23 assists and matched Grace Zwetzig with three aces.

CROSS COUNTRY: SPARTANS SHINE AT INVITE

Pinconning had its share of highlights at the Roscommon Invitational, posting a pair of Top 20 finishes and one personal record.

Dayne Ivey and Landon Cooley both cracked the Top 20 in the boys race while Kat Hedge established a new personal-best for the girls.

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