The Cheboygan football team struggled to slow down Kingsley on Friday, while one area volleyball team captured a conference title on Saturday.
CHEBOYGAN – When you face a team as powerful as Kingsley, you can’t make many mistakes.
Unfortunately for the Cheboygan Chiefs, turnovers, penalties and struggles on defense hurt them in a 57-22 home loss to the Stags on Friday, Oct. 10.
On the night, the Chiefs (3-4, 1-2 Northern Michigan Football League Legends Division) committed 10 penalties and had problems stopping the Kingsley offensive attack, which generated 372 rushing yards.
After the Stags (5-2, 2-1) built a 16-0 lead in the first quarter, Cheboygan struck back when junior running back Killian Miller broke loose for a 72-yard touchdown run, which was followed by a successful 2-point conversion attempt that made it 16-8 with 1:02 left in the third.
However, the Chiefs had no answers for the Stags, who continued to have success against Cheboygan’s defense and built a commanding 30-8 advantage going into halftime.
Cheboygan’s offense had a solid third quarter, as Miller scampered 80 yards for a TD and junior quarterback Nolan Schley capped off a 72-yard march with a 1-yard TD run, but Kingsley still led 44-22 after three. Kingsley added a couple more touchdowns in the fourth to seal the win.
Miller finished with 147 yards rushing to lead the Chiefs, who received 67 yards from senior fullback Jack Ekdahl, and 58 rushing yards from Schley.
Cheboygan committed four turnovers in the contest. However, the rushing offense of the Chiefs was solid, finishing with 345 rushing yards.
Leading Cheboygan’s defense was Daniel Harke, who made 10 tackles and intercepted a pass, while Miller and Schley each had 10 tackles, Mason Johnson and Christian Uselman each added seven tackles, Charlie Godfrey recorded six, Jerzi Mix and David Chase finished with three apiece, and Evan Fradette, Wyatt Wiltfong, Eli Chase and Hunter Meldrum chipped in with two each.
Cheboygan meets Fowlerville (3-4) in a 2:30 p.m. matchup at Central Michigan University’s Kelly-Shorts Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Eagles win first conference title in school history
WOLVERINE – It’s been a sensational season for the Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian Academy volleyball team.
On Saturday, Oct. 11, the Eagles sealed a perfect Northern Lakes Conference season and captured the title by going 3-0 at the NLC tournament in Wolverine on Saturday.
After defeating Wolverine (25-5, 25-15, 25-6) in the first round and Boyne Falls (25-13, 25-16, 25-22) in the semifinals, the Eagles (15-2-1, 10-0 NLC) topped Harbor Light (25-19, 25-16, 26-24) in the championship match.
“I’m sure every team in the conference sets the goal to win the conference championship before the season starts. I know we did. It’s hard to put into words how happy and blessed we are to achieve that goal,” NMCA coach Josh Ferraiuolo said. “This is the first volleyball conference championship in our school’s history, and I couldn’t be happier for this awesome group of girls that play every sport for each other. To be able to say we went undefeated through regular season play, and to win our conference tournament without dropping one set is beyond amazing.”
Shanna Ferraiuolo’s 22 kills, 10 aces and nine digs paced the Eagles, who received 27 digs, six aces and two kills from Ariel Tucker, 52 digs from Isabel Hoffmeyer, five kills, six aces and six digs from Lauren Ferraiuolo, 19 aces and three digs from Ellie Schepperley, and five aces, five blocks, three kills and three digs from Otillia Styburski.
“This is a special group of girls rewriting the history books at NMCA, and I couldn’t be more thankful that I get to be along for the ride,” Ferraiuolo said. “After a couple rough years in volleyball, these girls and their parents deserve this moment.”
On Thursday, Oct. 9, NMCA captured a 3-0 win at Forest Area (25-13, 25-10, 25-23).
NMCA plays at Gaylord St. Mary on Thursday, Oct. 16.
Campbell, Kiefer lead Cheboygan XC teams at Rudyard
RUDYARD – Led by an eighth-place individual finish from Briahna Campbell (21:31), the Cheboygan girls cross country team claimed runner-up at the Rudyard Autumn Classic on Saturday, Oct. 11.
The Cheboygan girls were also led by Cloee Rupp, who placed 11th (21:45), while Addison Ptasnik (23:35) and Ella LaRocque (23:39) were 24th and 25th respectively. Nadia Chandler (32nd, 24:23), Elleigh Wilson (36th, 24:56) and Mallory Ekdahl (37th, 25:07) also raced for Cheboygan.
“(Briahna) Campbell ran a great race today,” Cheboygan coach Sandy Safford said. “She and (Cloee) Rupp were in the top 15 at the first mile and moved up a few places by the end of the race. Talking with (Campbell) after the race, she said she felt great at the start and just tried to improve on that.”
For the Cheboygan boys, who placed fourth, they were led by Andrew Kiefer’s 12th place (18:19) and Carson Kiefer’s 14th place (18:27). Other Cheboygan runners were Russell Abernathy (32nd, 19:46), Alex Hudson (45th, 20:37), Duncan Spies (48th, 20:44), Collin Mersch (50th, 20:53) and Jose Castro (58th, 21:27).
“Andrew Kiefer has been running great this season,” Safford said. “He is really finding his stride in the final kick of the race. It is always exciting to see Andrew and Carson run together and who will beat whom this season, since they have been going back and forth. This is the first year Andrew has started to beat his brother more consistently here at the end of the season.”
Cheboygan runs at Boyne Mountain on Monday, Oct. 13.
Mackinaw City XC wraps up NLC title run
BOYNE FALLS – The Mackinaw City boys cross country team sealed a Northern Lakes Conference championship by finishing first in the final NLC meet at Boyne Falls on Thursday, Oct. 9.
Knox Wilson finished third (19:16), Braylon Currie took fourth (19:16), and Ben Strittmatter was fifth (19:31) for the Comets, who also received top-10 finishes from Mikey Sullivan (sixth, 19:32), Clayton VanOrman (seventh, 19:35) and Kyle Valot (10th, 20:34).
Cobe Robertson (12th, 21:25), Tanyon Pierce (13th, 21:36), TJ Peterson (19th, 25:39), Cecil VanOrman (22nd, 28:14) and Tyler Allaire (24th, 30:34) rounded out the Comets.
Wilson, Currie, Strittmatter, Sullivan and Clayton VanOrman each made the all-NLC first team, while Valot, Robertson and Pierce earned second team accolades.
For the Mackinaw City girls, Rian Esper led the way by finishing fifth (24:50), while Ava Thompson (12th, 28:43), Emily Kruczynski (15th, 30:47) and Cynthia Thompson (17th, 44:11) also raced.
Esper made the all-NLC first team. Ava Thompson and Kruczynski earned spots on the NLC second team.
At the Rudyard Autumn Classic on Saturday, Oct. 11, the Mackinaw City boys placed third. Wilson (15th, 18:28) and Currie (19th, 18:48) both finished in the top 20. Strittmatter (24th, 19:16), Clayton VanOrman (26th, 19:18), Sullivan (27th, 19:23), Kyle Valot (42nd, 20:21) and Pierce (57th, 21:33) also competed.
Mackinaw City volleyball takes third in NLC
WOLVERINE – The Mackinaw City volleyball team claimed a third-place finish in the Northern Lakes Conference after reaching the semifinals of the NLC tournament in Wolverine on Saturday, Oct. 11.
The Comets (11-11-4, 6-3 NLC) made the semifinals by capturing a 3-0 victory over Alba (25-14, 25-20, 25-9) in their first-round match. However, their day ended with a 3-1 loss to Harbor Light (25-21, 19-25, 19-25, 10-25) in the semifinals. Harbor Light fell to NLC champion Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian Academy in the final.
“I am proud of our effort within the conference this season as we came up with a third-place finish in a very competitive league,” Mackinaw City coach Jake Huffman said. “We will now turn our focus in getting prepared for districts. as we have a tough stretch of tri-matches and our home tournament in the next three weeks to close out the season.”
Kerry-Ann Ming led the Comets with 16 kills, 16 digs and six aces, while Rian Esper had 13 kills, 34 assists, 17 digs and three aces, and Alaina Brown tallied 12 kills, 10 aces, eight assists and eight digs. Others helping Mackinaw City were Ella Kruczynski (12 digs, six aces, five assists), Emily Kruczynski (11 digs, six aces), Elizabeth Kruczynski (eight digs), Alaia Mendez (three kills, three aces, six digs), Julia Short (eight digs), Poppy Wallace (three kills, nine digs, two blocks) and Jillian Poumade (two kills).
Mackinaw City hosts East Jordan and Onaway in a tri-match on Thursday, Oct. 16.
Pellston volleyball beats Harbor Light in 3
PELLSTON – The Pellston volleyball team captured a 3-0 victory over Harbor Light (25-14, 25-20, 25-20) in a non-conference match on Thursday, Oct. 9.
Breanna Willis led the Hornets with 19 assists, 10 aces, four kills and seven digs, while Lanie Irwin tallied 14 kills, nine digs and three aces, and Ella Klungle had six kills and 10 digs. Other Pellston contributors included Alivia Pelaccio (two kills, five digs), Mackenzie Jutson (11 digs), Sophia Nicholls, Allie Cameron (five digs), Makenna Cooley (two digs), and Adalynn Hendershot (two digs).
Chatfield, NMCA soccer finish regular season 14-4
CADILLAC – Led by a hat trick and an assist from Lee Chatfield, the Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian Academy boys soccer team wrapped up its regular season with a 5-0 victory over Cadillac Christian School on Friday, Oct. 10.
Noah Chatfield and Jeremiah Tucker had a goal and an assist apiece for the Eagles (14-4), while Tyler Vest added an assist. Goalkeeper Trey Fosmore made four saves.
NMCA hosts Charlevoix in a 6 p.m. MHSAA Division 4 district semifinal on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Cheboygan football loses to Kingsley, NMCA volleyball wins NLC title
Category: General Sports
