The Oceana Echo - Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2, 2023

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Benona Shores hosts First Tee golf marathon

The next Asparagus Queen to be named Saturday

Three West Michigan women are hoping to claim the 2023 Asparagus Queen crown this Saturday in Hart, with the National Asparagus Festival’s Queen’s Pageant and Fundraiser taking place at the West Michigan Research Station, 5185 N. Oceana Dr., at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door and a $7 donation is requested of those 13 and up, $5 for ages 6 to 12 and admission is free for those 5 and under. Doors will open at 4 p.m. for attendees to meet the candidates before the pageant begins. Kendra Larios-Mendez, the 2018 Asparagus Queen, will emcee this year’s event.

Light refreshments will be available and are sponsored by Dark Water Coffee Roasters and Merten’s Farmhouse Market LLC. This year’s winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship that

can either be put towards her educational goals, or as a contribution to a local nonprofit organization that the NAF Board of Directors approves.

The three candidates are Mackenzie Leedham, Chelsi Walicki and Emma Woller.

Leedham is sponsored by Change Parts, Inc., and lives in Mason County surrounded by farmland and has an immense desire to learn more about the farming and agriculture industry. Along with her husband, she dreams of creating their own hobby farm with a variety of animals and produce in efforts to become more selfsustainable. Mackenzie graduated from Ferris State University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in health information management with aspirations of pursuing a master’s degree in business administration in the future. She began working with her degree in Cadillac, Michigan immediately after graduating. However, in 2020 she moved back to Mason County out of a desire to spend more time in the community in which she was raised. In 2021, she was able to transfer her job to Manistee to be closer to home. In her free time, 5Mackenzie loves exploring walking trails with her two corgis and bike trails with her husband, as well as other activities such as camping with family, hunting, and boating. She loves asparagus and cannot wait to celebrate

its impact on Oceana County and the rest of the nation.

Walicki is sponsored by Quick-Way Inc. and Walicki’s A-1 Auto Body. She is returning this year after serving as the 2022 Asparagus Queen Runner-Up. She had a great time in 2022 and would like to represent the National Asparagus Festival and Asparagus industry again in 2023. She resides in Ludington but has a strong connection to Oceana County through her family. Following high school, Chelsi earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting at Davenport University and has been employed as an accountant with QuickWay Inc. of Ludington for the last five years. In her free time, she enjoys sports, volunteering with the Oceana County 4-H Youth program, and is a member of the Oceana County Farm Bureau. Her hopes are to begin construction on her new home in 2024 and start on her hobby farm. The events and appearances Chelsi participated in during 2022 has her thinking about new events for the festival and other opportunities to promote the NAF and asparagus industry. In 2023, Chelsi hopes to help the current board reinvigorate the festival to the true celebration it once was.

Woller is sponsored by Woller Shady Lane Farm. Emma Woller is a senior at Michigan State University studying crop and soil science with a

minor in agribusiness management. After graduation, Emma will use this degree working with MSU Extension specializing in specialty crops in Michigan.

Emma has grown up on her diverse family farm where she gained experience growing and harvesting asparagus along with other row crops and raising bottle calves. She grew up participating in Oceana County 4-H and was a part of Montague FFA.

Emma was able to scout asparagus throughout Oceana County while being a scouting intern for Nutrien Ag Solutions of Hart and working with MSU Extension while collecting TomCast data throughout the county in the off season. Emma is currently a Michigan Grown Michigan Great Ambassador for the Michigan Ag Council where she serves the community through farmer’s markets and festivals while promoting Michigan agriculture.

Emma has enjoyed her time volunteering within the Agronomy Club and Sigma Alpha at MSU hosting events promoting Michigan Farm Bureau’s Farm State of Mind Initiative which supports farmers with mental illness. In her future, she would like to be the connection between consumers and growers while being able to support growers with the advancements within the agriculture industry.

Emma is excited to have the potential of being the Asparagus Queen.

By Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Reporter

The average game of golf lasts nine holes for most and 18 holes for the more ambitious. At Benona Shores Golf Course on Monday, May 22, 12 people hit the links with none of them playing less than 100 holes.

The reason for such an outrageous number of holes played? The chance to raise funds for First Tee West Michigan, a nonprofit committed to teaching junior golfers life skills through the game of golf.

First Tee West Michigan is a youth development organization that enables kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By integrating the game of golf with life skills, the staff there creates active learning experiences in an effort to build inner-strength, selfconfidence and resilience.

With donors committing dollar amounts to each hole played, a group that included Donnie Anderson, Rick Zoulek, Keith Zoulek, McKenna Inglis, Chris Wenk, Corey Parmalee, Shawn Pranger, Tyler Rebone, Tony Buck, Amanda Boyk, and the Waugh/Larabee duo set out to play as many holes as possible. The group teed off in the early morning hours, with eyes set on golfing until they were forced to quit.

Anderson played the most holes with 270, which is 100 more holes played than by the next golfer. Anderson started at 6:55 a.m. and had reached 115 holes completed by Noon. Pranger – Benona Shores’ superintendent – golfed 162 holes alongside Parmalee.

Other totals of holes golf included Rick and Keith Zoulek with 144 holes each, Inglis at 100 holes, Wenk at 108 holes, Waugh/Larabee at 126 holes, Rebone at 108 holes and Buck and Boyk at 112 holes.

In total, the group raised $17,776 for First Tee West Michigan.

Mackenzie Leedham Chelsi Walicki Emma Woller

Donnie Anderson played the most holes for the event, with a staggering

Do you remember the time Charlie Daniels came to Val-Du-Lakes in 1983?The July 4th concert was attended by over 6,000.

Pancakes sizzle in the land of Charles Mears

Pentwater VFW breakfast benefits West Michigan S.A.I.L. program

By Nathan Kroon The Oceana Echo Volunteer Correspondent

At 10:36 a.m. Sunday morning, $36 bought three all-you-can-eat plates at the Pentwater VFW Memorial Day Breakfast. The dining hall of Eldon L.Chadwick Post 6017 bustled with activity from 8 a.m. to noon as local veterans and volunteers raised funds for the West Michigan S.A.I.L. program.

Recruits from the Hart football team, led by Coach Joe Tanis, formed a skirmish line on the serving side of the breakfast counter, tongs in hand. Bacon, sausage, and eggs were the order of the day. A cluster of customers ahead drained the reserve of griddle cakes, causing a brief delay. The veterans on KP (kitchen patrol), armed with spatulas and bright red aprons, did not let the heat of the breakfast rush compromise the quality of the fodder. Once resupplied, these pancakes proved to be worth their weight in gold -- golden syrup, that is.

After eating, two “Sunbird” visitors from Quartzsite, Ariz. accepted an interview. “Quartzsite is the Snowbird Capitol of the world,” Con and Carrol Smith explained. “In winter months, the population swells from 3,000 to 100,000. White RVs cover the ground as far as the eye can see.” Following their Snowbird ambassadors, the Smiths have returned to Michigan for a second year. “We like West Michigan for its Pacific Coastal feel, but with better communities. People here show such pride of ownership. Lawns are mowed and kept up, and there are no big-box stores in town. West Michigan towns are very walkable.” Take note, Oceana residents: mowed lawns inspire tourists to return.

The breakfast enjoyed by Con and Carrol was served to benefit West Michigan S.A.I.L., an acronym for Servicemembers Adapting, Interacting, and Living. Curious guests browsed the related literature while president Lee Price represented this Pentwater-based organization in a navy-blue shirt printed with the WMS acronym. He answered questions behind the check-in table as meals were purchased.

“Our mission is to bring veterans together through sailing. We ultimately want to reach the veterans who are isolated, fighting depression and PTSD, and at risk of suicide. We hope to reduce those numbers. Vets who come sailing with us spend five days earning a Basic Keelboat certification. They can then return as a unit, check out a boat, and continue building camaraderie while learning skills.”

West Michigan S.A.I.L. partners with other organizations that offer recreational resources. These partners include the Stony Lake HorseRiding Therapy program, Fly Fishing International, local sportfishing charter boats, and a yoga program based in Pentwater geared toward women veterans.

“Veterans can feel closed off, even from their own families. We hope to connect veterans with an activity they are passionate about, so they can find something to do with other veterans –something constructive. We have six veterans on our board of directors, and we try to connect with that population in every possible way.”

Lee appreciated the fundraising efforts of Pentwater VFW Post Commander Jim Carlson. “We don’t charge the veterans, [these activities are] free to them. We fund the program through events like this breakfast, thanks to Jim. We also write for grants and receive private donations. We are developing public sailing classes and charters as an income source. WMS is the only “US Sailing” accredited sailing school in the state of Michigan,” he

emphasized. “This accreditation allows us to offer training certificates to members of the public.”

These certificates qualify the holder to charter boats in places like the British Virgin Islands, without needing to hire a captain. WMS offers a Basic Keelboat Certificate course, including materials and sea time, for $950. Soon, a Basic Cruising, Bareboat Cruising, and Costal Navigation certificate will also become available.

The pride of the West Michigan S.A.I.L. fleet is a Saber 36 keelboat. This flagship, donated by two Chicago attorneys, is a champion whose history includes two second place titles spread across sixteen Chicago-to-Mackinac races. Two other donated vessels balance the fleet, captained by a staff of five instructors who hail from a variety of Great Lakes states, including Indiana and Ohio. Since its founding in Oceana in 2018, WMS has expanded beyond its goal of serving seven adjacent counties to become a statewide program. It now receives recreational therapy requests from VA clinics in Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, and Traverse City. In September, West Michigan S.A.I.L. will host its second annual Women Veterans Weekend retreat in conjunction with the Motown Women Veterans group of Detroit and Women Injured in Combat of Muskegon.

Captain Lee Price extends a personal invitation to all veterans who feel isolated: “Let’s talk. We can start small, one-on-one or in a small group, even just working on the boats with us. Let’s find something you’re interested in doing.” Vets and civilians alike are encouraged to visit wmsail.com to get involved

VFW Post 6017 served 237 people that day, not only with breakfast, but also with an opportunity to give financially in support of veterans. As we remember our fallen heroes this Memorial Day, let us not forget those still among us who have sacrificed for our safety and freedom. Thank a veteran for his or her service, be they a relative, a neighbor, or a passerby. Members of the Hart football team are also to be commended for the community spirit they demonstrated in this act of volunteerism.

Mark your calendars – the Pentwater VFW will conduct two additional benefit breakfasts this summer July 2 and Aug. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon. Eldon L.Chadwick Post 6017 comprises a membership of more than 70 veterans of foreign wars. The post, founded in 1946, is named for a resident of Oceana County who gave his life for his country during the Second World War. The hall is located north of Pentwater at 8440 Business Highway 31.

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Memorial Day in Shelby

•Amanda and David Dodge/Echo

Speaking of Firsts… 109 Years ago

What’s old is new again.

Below is a printing press similar to what Swift Lathers used to print his first newspaper (above) back in 1919. The type of press is a letterpress printer. Swift printed on this type of press at the Oceana Herald in Shelby. This press was phased out in the 1970’s due to the advance in early computer technology called photo-typesetting. Today, many of these heavy cast iron presses remain where they were once used. Typically weighing over 1000 lbs., they weren’t often moved after were no longer used. Today, there is an art renaissance of crafts people seeking this old equipment. Giving new life to the presses. The artist use them to put their spin on contemporary art projects using this printer. This type of printing creates a tactile and crisp form of printing. Often this is the first experience for the new printer. Most of them have lived only with the flatness of laser printers.

Welcome to Caleb’s Corner

By Caleb Jackson Oceana Echo’s Community Columnist

Hello, and welcome all to my little corner of the newspaper. As this is the beginning of my column, I would like to take the time to introduce myself and explain a little bit of what you can expect to find in Caleb’s Corner.

Full disclosure though, I am fairly new to Michigan. I spent the first 28 years of my life on the Space Coast of Florida in a house that was only a few minutes’ walk from the beach. If ever I wanted to see what NASA was up to, all I had to do was step out onto my front porch on a launch day to watch the rockets go up. At the tail end of 2020, amidst the coronavirus pandemic, I packed up and moved to Michigan with my brother to help take care of our father. My father grew up here, more specifically in Whitehall, and while I was still in college, he was unfortunately diagnosed with ALS. Following this diagnosis, my father made the decision to sell his coastal home in Florida and move back to the tranquil countryside of his youth, where he could live out his twilight years in peace.

The transition for me has been interesting and fun. My definitions of “hot” and “cold” had to be adjusted, but early on I received some good advice from a Michigander that made surviving the winter a lot easier. “There is no such thing as bad weather,” he said, “only bad gear.” Now I find myself wearing coats through that winter that had previously only ever spent time in my closet, plus I am not shy about putting on as many layers as needed to keep warm. Something that would have

seemed ludicrous to do down south.

Although I am living in a new state for the first time in my life, I don’t really get to explore a whole lot. My responsibilities tend to keep me pretty close to home. I have lived in Oceana County for two and a half years now, yet I have only ever been to Lake Michigan once, and I have never even set foot on the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. Still, I have found other ways of familiarizing myself with the local landscape. My interest in the past and all things antique has caused me to explore many unique facets of our cozy little county, and I have met tons of interesting people along the way. I look forward to sharing many of my discoveries here with you in Caleb’s Corner. You can expect to read everything from humorous anecdotes from Oceana’s past to local myths and legends. I will try to keep things as local to Oceana as possible, but if something from the broader area strikes my fancy, and I can rationalize its connection to our county (i.e., stories concerning Lake Michigan or the greater West Michigan area in general), I will probably write about that as well.

In parting, I want to thank all the Michiganders for the warm welcome I have received as a southerner on your stout, northern soil. I would also like to offer a bit of encouragement. We have had some relatively warm days this past week or two. If ever you find yourself fanning yourself with a newspaper on the hazy afternoons this summer, please think of your brothers and sisters melting away in Florida and pour yourself a nice cold glass of lemonade. Drink it in their honor, or, in my case, maybe with a bit of gloating.

Living Legacies : Jan Lathers

By Amanda Dodge The Oceana Echo Community Contributor

“There’s always a project,” Jan Lathers said, reflecting on all of the many adventures that she and her late husband, Dale, embarked upon over their 61-year marriage.

Yet, as with all great stories that need to be told, it is best to start at the beginning. “I am from Hart, Mich,” Jan said. “I grew up right on East Main Street. My dad had Vern’s Garage right there.”

Jan is the daughter of Lavern and Allena Greiner and grew up with two brothers and two sisters.

“It was a family business. Dad did all of the mechanical work, mom did the books and my brothers worked in the garage,” she recalled. “My brother, Nick, took the garage over when my dad retired.

“My dad was raised on a farm out in Weare. He was the oldest of 10 children, and he did not want to continue farming so he went to Flint and learned how to become a mechanic from my uncle and then they moved back and he built his garage.”

Jan said that the business changed names several times over the years. “It was Vern’s Garage. And then it was Greiner and Son’s Garage. And then it was Sunoco. We even had a small gas station at Silver Lake.

“But mostly my dad did a lot of welding and my brother’s did the other kind of work on the cars. And a lot of teenage boys worked for my dad part-time. I hear stories from some of them sometimes,” she recounted with a chuckle.

She added that her brother, David, was an industrial arts teacher in Holton, Mich. east of Muskegon for 30 years, until he retired.

After sharing about her family, the conversation turned towards how she and her husband met.

“Well, actually, we were in high school together, but we never connected,” Jan said. “He was a junior when I was a freshman. I remember seeing him in art class once, or standing by the drinking fountain in the old Hart High School.

“After I graduated, I went to Grand Rapids with three of my girlfriends and we all got jobs and we lived down there together. I was a rate clerk at Hardware Mutuals in Grand Rapids, right downtown on Division and we would come home some weekends.

“And then one August, I think it was 1960, we decided we’d rent a camper at Silver Lake for a week, all of us girls, to have a vacation. Well, we were camping out there and somehow Dale and his friend, Dave, found out that there were Hart girls camping at Silver Lake, so he came by on his flying saucer and stopped and asked if any of us girls wanted to go for a ride. My friend Sally and I got on, and we went for a wild dune ride.”

At this point, Jan paused and smiled, adding “and then he kept stopping by our trailer for several nights. One of those nights, he said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna have a beach party at the lighthouse on Saturday night. You girls want to go?’ So we did and then I went back to Grand Rapids to work, and a few days later, I got a letter from him.”

To this day, Jan emphatically said she “never found out how he got my address.”

In his letters, Jan remembered that Dale asked her if the next time she came home, if he could see her. And she said “yes.”

A week later they began to date, with Jan saying that she could only see him on the weekends due to her job. “He would never show up until 9:30 at night because he drove dune buggies for his brother Bill from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, so after that we’d go to Ludington for a pizza and come back and that was our date.”

Jan said that their courtship was mostly letters, and they just kept writing to each other, almost every single day. She added that Dale was very active at Western Michigan University where he was attending college, acting in plays and he was in University Singers. She was able to visit him a few times, but they mostly saw each other in the summertime.

In the fall of 1961, Dale began student teaching at Godwin Heights in Grand Rapids, and he was living with his sister and her family. Jan said that they babysat for those kids sometimes together, and they saw each other more. “He never really had a car of his own at that time. He would borrow his sister’s car to visit me. In the summer, he would borrow whatever car Bill had available, so when he picked me up for a date in the summer, I never knew what his car was going to look like,” she said with a laugh.

Their relationship continued to grow, and around November of 1961 Dale proposed to Jan. “He graduated on Jan. 20 of 1962 and we got married on Jan. 27, one week after he graduated.”

They were married at St. Gregory’s Catholic Church in Hart. Together they had four sons, Jesse, Gregory, Jeffrey and Jonathon. Jan said that both she and Dale prioritized education and both made great strides in their careers.

After they were married, Jan said they lived in Grand Rapids. “He got his first teaching job at Peach Grove, which was an elementary school. He only taught fifth grade for just one semester and he had to catch them up in every subject. So we spent all of our nights correcting papers when we were first married,” Jan noted. “That fall Northview High School was built, and he was one of the first teachers hired there. He taught speech, debate and drama.”

Jan said that they moved to Rockford during this time and welcomed their first son. Summers while Dale wasn’t teaching, she said, were spent back in Silver Lake, where he continued to drive dune buggies for his brother.

In 1965, Dale’s mother, Celia died, and so he wanted to move back to Mears to be closer to his father, Swift, which is exactly what they did. “He became the principal and eighth grade teacher at Mears School,” she said. “He spent one year there as the principal and teacher and then in the fall of 1967, after obtaining his master’s degree in education, he found a job in Grant, Mich. as principal of the junior high school. We moved to Grant, and we were there for five years.”

She added that while there, he was assistant superintendent, special projects director and he created Camp Success for underprivileged kids. Dale also served as State Vice President of the Jaycees, and obtained an Educational Specialist degree, which is like a second master’s degree.

From Grant, the Lathers moved to Saginaw, with Dale becoming

executive director of the Saginaw Education Association. “He just kept moving up,” Jan said. “There, he represented 1,000 teachers or more in Saginaw. He bargained their contracts and all that stuff because that’s what they do.

I was mostly a housewife, except in Saginaw I did start going back to college and took a couple of classes.”

In 1974, the Lathers moved to Holland, Mich., when Dale took the position of executive director of the Holland Education Association, representing 1,500 teachers in all of Ottawa County.

“We stayed there for 23 years, so we mostly raised our family there,” she said. “In Holland, Dale and three other people decided they wanted to go to law school, and so they drove back and forth to Cooley for a couple of years and he graduated cum laude. So now he had his fourth degree, a juris doctorate.”

Jan said that she worked part-time at an insurance agency while Dale was in law school, and she continued her education by taking some classes at Grand Valley State University in interior design, but they only had a two-year degree.

“When Dale graduated from Cooley Law School, I said, ‘now it’s my turn.’ So then I went to Kendall in Grand Rapids and graduated with a degree in interior design. One of my former teachers decided to go to Florida, so I bought her design business.

“We bought a building in Grand Haven. And one-half was my design business, and in the other half, he opened a small law practice. He was still working for the Michigan Education Association. He did a few things like wills and trusts and stuff like that.

“And then he got an offer from the MEA to move to Lansing to be an attorney for them. So he went from executive director to attorney, and he spent five years in Lansing. He also bought a small house down there, and he was commuting back and forth for five years. I was running my design business and also teaching interior design part-time at Baker College at night.”

After a few years, the Lathers both decided another change was due. Jan stopped teaching and started working for Grand Design and Workshop, which focused on the interior of restaurants. Dale left his job in Lansing, and a position opened up for him in Grand Haven.

Once Dale turned 55 and he could retire, Jan said they decided to come back home. “We were camping up at Silver Lake one weekend and we were just riding our bicycles around and saw a house there that we just loved.

“Oh, and of course he was in heaven up there and we ran a bed and breakfast for seven years. It was called the Dunes Bed and Breakfast. We really had quite a good clientele. We had people from other countries and all over,” Jan recalled. “But after seven years, I found out it was so much work between the house and the grocery shopping, and the gardens, and the lawn, and the laundry. We decided not to do it anymore.

“We lived at Silver Lake for about 20 years, I think. It was a wonderful place to live. He could go up on his dune buggy anytime he wanted to. In fact, one year, we gave a birthday party for our dune buggy, a 1959 Ford, that was

part of Bill’s Dune Rides.

“I love Silver Like, and I love the views. But the winters got pretty rough because you’re so isolated out there. Once Dale’s brother, Bill, died, Dale wanted to live in Mears again. So we wrote down on a piece of paper, all the pros and cons, you know, of Silver Lake versus Mears and I guess he won out.

So we bought his brother’s house.”

And that is where Jan still lives today. During their time in that house, the Lathers were very active in the community, with Dale serving on many boards. They were, and she still is, involved in the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society. “He never stopped getting involved. When you are married to Dale, projects never end. We were always involved in each other’s projects. We just helped each other do these different things.

“I’ve done some design work up here. I’ve done a lot of drafting and I’ve drawn up plans for quite a few things that Dale was involved in,” she said.

In Mears, Jan had an antique store for five years and an ice cream store, and together the Lathers had a passion for many things during their years together. Jan said that they loved to travel, but their greatest love was theater and they greatly enjoyed going to Stratford, Ontario to the Shakespearean Festival there. She added that they have also been to Paris, Italy, twice to London and spent a week in Ireland. Dale was also a gifted public speaker, and that gave the Lathers the opportunity to spend four days in Hawaii.

Jan said that they never recorded Dale’s voice very much, but she did find a 39-minute video of Dale talking about the history of dune buggies which will now be played at the Transportation Museum that is named for Bill, and is part of the Mears Historical Park complex that the Lathers helped put together and celebrates Swift’s legacy. “Family was so important to Dale,” she said. “He really loved his family and his community.”

Dale passed away on Valentine’s Day this year, just three days after his 84th birthday, with Jan holding his hands. “He’s the kind of person that the things he wants to do in life never end. In fact, even at the very end if he had a legal pad and a pen he was happy because he could scribble all the things that he said he still needed to do.”

Jan continues to do many of the things that her husband did, and she said she enjoys spending time in her garden, riding her bike, volunteering and taking classes on subjects she is interested in. She added that her sister lives close by and she gets to see her children a lot. She also said that she plans to do some traveling.

And though she said that the projects she is working on now are small, they will continue to have a lasting impact on this area just as she and Dale have always wanted.

Shelby girls soccer off to fast start in district tournament

By Brendan Samuels

The Oceana Echo Sports Reporter

SHELBY – It’s been a dream start to postseason play for the Shelby girls soccer team as they shot out of the gates with wins over Lakeview (4-1) and Buckley (4-2) in the first rounds of the district tournament.

The Tigers’ journey started Wednesday, May 24 when they hosted Lakeview in the district quarterfinals. Lakeview finished their regular season at 8-8-1, but that mark meant nothing when they were tasked with dealing with the speed of Kendall Zaverl.

It took nearly the entirety of the first half to find the back of the net, but Zaverl managed to notch her first goal with 4:37 remaining before the break. Zaverl ripped a hard shot toward the net and saw it bound over the keeper's head thanks to a helpful bounce off the leg of a defender.

Overbearing power on their shots and speed that kills proved to be the difference for the Tigers and led to more than one of their goals in the 4-1 victory. Zaverl notched her lone goal with speed first and then used her power to punch it in. America Cruz confused the defense on multiple occasions with strikes off her left foot.

“America is really good and she’s

left footed, which is another problem because you don’t expect the ball to come from that side,” Shelby head coach Pete Peterson said. “You’re thinking she’s going to drive it to your right and you’ve got a second to gather up. Then she turns and hits it with her left and that thing curves.”

Cruz was responsible for a late goal that displayed that curve exceptionally. Loading up with a free kick from just outside the opponent’s box, Cruz sailed a shot that hooked downward in an instant, leaving the keeper grasping at air. That shot put a nail in the coffin and allowed Shelby to coast to a semifinals appearance with Buckley, a game that was played on Tuesday, May 30.

Zaverl took over in that semifinals matchup, recording a hat trick as the Tigers added onto their win streak, pushing it to four.

With only five minutes having come off the board, Zaverl found the back of the net to put Shelby up 1-0. Then, in the final 10 minutes of the first half, Zaverl put a penalty kick through and combined with Alyse Erickson to move her team’s advantage to 3-0.

A response from Buckley had the Tigers holding on to a 3-1 lead when Kylie Brown notched her second goal of the tournament thanks to an assist from Zaverl.

Buckley would score one more time near the waning moments, leaving

Shelby one win richer and booking them a spot in the district final with McBain Northern Christian.

After the Tigers initial win over Lakeview, Peterson shared his thoughts on what his team could face if they made it past Buckley.

“McBain Northern Christian are number two in their league up there,” Peterson said. “They play Charlevoix

who’s apparently better than them because Charlevoix has beaten them twice. Everyone else is below them and looking at the records, they’re the top two teams there for sure.”

Shelby is set to take on McBain Northern Christian Thursday, June 1. The results from that contest were not yet available at press time.

Pirates drop regular season finale in shutout loss to Montague

By Brendan Samuels The Oceana Echo Sports Reporter

HART – The 2023 season has been a struggle for Hart’s girls soccer team and their matchup with Montague on Monday, May 22 was no different as they fell, 3-0.

The Pirates, who fell to 3-11-4 on the season with the loss, battled Montague tough for the first 40 minutes of the contest. Neither team was able to find much leverage, resulting in a scoreless first half of play.

“The first 15 minutes we had to find our feet. Monday games are never fun because you don’t have practice before,” Hart head coach Joe Gilbert said. “I’m pleased with the way the girls have come along this season.”

That changed quickly when the whistle sounded signaling the start of the second half. Just four minutes into that period, Montague found the back of the net to take the game’s first lead.

The Wildcats would strike again at the 22 minute mark when their forward lofted a beautiful shot that just missed the outstretched hand of Hart’s keeper Mya Chickering. That put Montague up 2-0 and left Hart scrambling to find a response.

While the offense was unable to do so, the Pirates’ defense gave an admirable effort. Chickering in particular made several great saves, including a full extension vertical grab that took a goal off the board.

“Defense did a great job keeping their composure and not panicking,” Gilbert said. “They looked to play out instead of launching into turnovers.

“We started to lose that in the second half as we started to lose our legs.”

Considering Chickering entered the game feeling under the weather, her performance was even more impressive.

“Mya told me she hadn’t been feeling good all weekend, but she handled it well,” Gilbert said. “She went up and handled balls in the air really well. That’s what we need from a tall keeper and we haven’t had that in who knows how long. Her height and athleticism are a huge asset.”

With just 43 seconds remaining in the game, Montague found one final goal that left them up 3-0 and effectively ended the game.

The Pirates tried to regroup on Friday, May 26 when they started the district tournament against Manistee. Unfortunately, Hart dropped that contest, 3-0, and ended their season with a 3-12-4 record.

Shelby’s Kendall Zaverl rips a shot toward the net after beating out the Lakeview defense. Zaverl has recorded four goals through two games thus far in the district tournament. • Brendan Samuels/Echo

Shelby’s America Cruz chases down a ball in the corner before sending it toward the net. Cruz notched two goals in the Tigers’ quarterfinals win over Lakeview.

• Brendan Samuels/Echo

Shelby’s Aubrey Klotz controls an airborne ball with her inner thigh. • Brendan Samuels/Echo

Hart’s Melanie Arjona battles for possession of the ball with a Montague midfielder. • Brendan Samuels/Echo

The Shelby Township Bark Park is now open

SHELBY – Shelby Township is excited to announce the opening of the Shelby Township Bark Park. The Bark Park, located east of the Mount Hope Cemetery on East Sixth Street in Shelby, is equipped with fire hydrants and an agility course for four-legged friends, and benches for dog parents to rest their two legs. In addition, the park has separate sections for large dogs and for small dogs, a water fountain for both furry animals and non-furry humans, bags and garbage bins for dog waste, and a parking lot to park your four-wheel mode of transportation.

The Shelby Township Bark Park, the first dog park in Oceana County, was paid for with ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds and community donations. The park will provide an opportunity for residents who do not have large properties to roam or for those looking to socialize their dogs a safe place to treat their four-legged friends.

“We are thrilled for the opening of the Shelby Township Bark Park,” said Shelby Township Supervisor Richard Raffaelli. “We are excited to add a recreational outlet for dog owners in Shelby, as well as our friends in Oceana County.”

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