Wednesday, May 1, 2013
HILLSDALE DAILY NEWS
SPORTS
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HILLSDALE
Hornets top Hudson, Blissfield The Hillsdale High School girls track team posted a pair of victories in Tuesday's Lenawee County Athletic Association double-dual meet. The Hornets defeated Blissfield 86-50 and and beat Hudson 93-51. In the boys event, Hillsdale defeated Hudson 103-33 and fell to Blissfield 80-57. Madison Eves won two events to lead the Hillsdale girls. Eves took first in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 18.4 seconds and won the 300-meter hurdles in 52.5 seconds. Maddie Richards won the 1,600-meter run (5:33.8) and Kasey Caulkins took first in the 400-meter dash (1:07.5). Sarah Kempa won the 800-meter run (2:31.7) and Mallory Hill won the high jump (5-0). McKenna Thayer gave the Hornets a win in the discus with a throw of 101-5. Hillsdale won all four relay events. Zach Hardway recorded two wins for the Hillsdale boys, taking first in the 1,600-meter run (4:41.8) and the 800-meter run (2:08.1). Andrew Bixler-Smith won the 300-meter hurdles in 43.1 seconds, while Jimmy Felske took first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.7 seconds. Reece Stone won the pole vault with a 9-6 jump. Hillsdale will host Ida on Thursday.
PRO HOCKEY
NHL playoffs wild, wide open By Larry Lage The Associated Press
Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane are as good as hockey players get. Their teammates are pretty good, too. In the NHL playoffs, that guarantees nothing. Superstars and teams that were successful in the regular season get sent home, regularly, in the wild and wide-open postseason because seedings are relatively irrelevant. Los Angeles proved that last year, becoming the first team seeded eighth to hoist a Stanley Cup. Since the salary cap became part of the league’s landscape after a lockout wiped out the 2004-05 season, seven teams have won NHL titles and no franchise has
done it twice. Los Angeles’ quest to repeat, as the fifth-seeded team in the Western Conference, began Tuesday night in St. Louis. ‘’The salary cap makes it an even playing field,’’ Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. ‘’Everybody has a chance.’’ Crosby, Ovechkin and Kane hope that’s not the case. Pittsburgh’s star forward may not be cleared to help the top-seeded Penguins try to win the first of 16 games tonight at home against the New York Islanders, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 2007. Crosby practiced Monday, but he hasn’t played in a month because of a broken jaw. For a change,
concussion-like symptoms aren’t keeping him off the ice as they did for much of the last two years. The Penguins have proven they can win without Sid The Kid, especially with Brenden Morrow, Jossi Jokinen and Jarome Iginla - all of whom were acquired before the trade deadline - on their loaded roster. ‘’It’s been great to see the guys come in and adjust the way they have,’’ Crosby said. ‘’Think it says a lot about the players they are and I think it says a lot about our team. Guys are all willing to adjust their roles and do what it takes to win. You don’t get an easy transition like that if St. Louis Blues’ Alex Pietrangelo (27) and Los Angethat’s not the case. We’re les Kings’ Jordan Nolan reach for a loose puck during SEE PLAYOFFS, B2
Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series Tuesday. BILL BOYCE/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CONFERENCE MATCHUP
PREP BASEBALL
Wildcats, Redskins roll to sweeps By Ed Patino epatino@hillsdale.net
ALBION
Concord nips Comets The Jonesville High School boys golf team had its 11-match winning streak stopped Tuesday with a 186-190 loss to the Concord Yellow Jackets in a Big Eight Conference match at Duck Lake Country Club. Jonesville (11-1) still remains in first place in the conference standings. Nick Beatty carded a round of 44 to lead the Comets. Jean Jermay added a 45, while Charlie Hudson shot a 49. Travis Cleveland finished with a round of 52. Clayton Simmons of Concord was the event medalist, finishing with a round of 41.
BATTLE CREEK
Colts remain atop SCAA The Hillsdale Academy boys golf team took first place Monday in a Southern Central Athletic Association jamboree hosted by Battle Creek St. Philip at Binder Park Golf Course. The Colts won with a team score of 170, beating out Jackson Christian, which was second with 173. Liam Wolfram carded a round of 41 to lead the Colts. He was the co-medalist along with Jackson Christian's Noah Schneider. Hunter Murray added a round of 42, while Chip Blood shot a 43. Collin Hubbard and Alex Wood both carded 44 and Logan Tharp finished with a 57 in his first SCAA jamboree.
DETROIT
Tigers honor slain officer A West Bloomfield Township police officer slain in the line of duty was honored prior to the Detroit Tigers game against Minnesota at Comerica Park. The opening of Tuesday's 2nd Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Night was dedicated to Patrick O'Rourke.
Matt Rogers of Hillsdale slides under the tag at second base as the Hornets defeated Blissfield in both games Tuesday night. PHOTOS BY ANDY BARRAND/HILLSDALE DAILY NEWS
Hornets take two from Blissfield By Andy Barrand abarrand@hillsdale.net
HILLSDALE — Fourteen innings wasn’t enough as conference foes Hillsdale and Blissflield took to the diamond Tuesday night. The host Hillsdale Hornets rallied in the top of the 10th inning of the second game as Shawn Miller scored on a pass ball at third base. Miller scored from second base as the throw went under the glove of Blissfield third baseman Chase Lievens. Hornets’ pitcher Taylor Lash retired the next three batters for the Royals as darkness fell over Hornet Stadium. Hillsdale won the game 5-4 giving them a conference
Royals as Hillsdale pitcher James Chase threw a complete game. Chase had nine strikeouts and only allowed one baseon-balls. He gave up his only run of the game in the top of the seventh inning. Hillsdale defeated Blissfield 8-1 in the victory. “Jimmy was dominate on the mound,” he said. Hillsdale coach Scott Chase complemented his seniors on their outstanding leadership in both games. “The seniors nevHillsdale’s Shawn Miller scored the winning run for er gave up in the second the Hornets in the top of the 10th inning of the secgame,” he said. “We have ond game Tuesday night against Blissfield. The Horcontinued to stress to our nets won 5-4. They won the first game 8-1 for a sweep. team to never give up. Miller started the second game for the record of 6-1 and 10-2 The Hornets’ also took overall. the first game from the SEE HORNETS, B2
PITTSFORD — The bats came to life in a big way for the Pittsford High School baseball team. Firing on all cylinders, the Wildcats stormed to 16-1 and 22-0 victories over the Litchfield Terriers in a Southern Central Athletic Association doubleheader Tuesday afternoon. Both games ended after three innings due to the mercy rule. Peyton Lucas earned the pitching win for the Wildcats in the opener, striking out seven and walking one. Justin Easter went 2-for2 at the plate with three RBIs to lead Pittsford (34, 3-2 SCAA), while Bryce Meredith and Levi Hollis were both 2-for-2 with two RBIs. “We’re getting better and doing some good things,” Pittsford coach Chris Hodos said. “We’re working towards the state tournament.” Devin Conley had a hit for Litchfield, while Kitcimawka Williams took the pitching loss. Luke Smith tossed a no-hitter for Pittsford in the nightcap, striking out eight after allowing a leadoff walk. Lance Hoard was 2-for-3 with four RBIs to lead the offense, while Travis Wilson went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. James Kuenzer and Smith both finished with a double and a RBI. SEE BASEBALL, B2
PREP SOFTBALL
Camden-Frontier chops Burr Oak By Ed Patino epatino@hillsdale.net
BURR OAK — Putting together its best offensive outing of the season, the Camden-Frontier High School softball team swept a Southern Central Athletic Association doubleheader from the Burr Oak Bobcats on Tuesday, winning 18-1 and 13-10. Marissa Curry had 10 strikeouts and earned the pitching win in the first game. Katie Fratam, Ellie
Speith and Kasey Follis each went 3-for-5 to lead the Redskins. Speith went 3-for-3 to lead Camden-Frontier (22) in the nightcap, while Kelsea McNeil hit an inside-the-park home run. McNeil struck out seven and walked two for the pitching win, while Curry pitched the seventh inning and struck out the side. The Redskins visit Reading today for a doubleheader.
Litchfield at Pittsford (DH) The Pittsford High School softball team coasted to a sweep of SCAA rival Litchfield, winning 160 and 15-2 on Tuesday. Both games ended early due to the mercy rule, with the first game lasting three innings and the nightcap being stopped after five. Katie Saunders and Taylor Butler each went The Hillsdale High School softball team dropped both SEE SOFTBALL, B2
games of Tuesday’s doubleheader with the Blissfield Royals. JIM DREWS PHOTO