Owen-Gage takes on Saginaw Arts & Sciences

USA

The firts half of this contest was plenty of up and down the court action - but after the dust settled the Patriots had the upper hand over the Lakers 22-21 at the half. The Lakers went on a nice 11-4 run in the last five minutes of the second quarter to scratch their way back into the game.

The 3rd quarter saw the Patriots scoring machine in high gear puttin gup 22 points to take a 14 point lead into the fourth.

The LAkers had one more run in them and was good for am 11-2 run but came up short as the Patriots cruised the last 6 minutes to keep themselves in the thick of the league title race.

In Coming Home festivities Grant Gnagey and Shelby Pietruck were named Coming Home King and Queen

It was all Patriots from front to back as they defeated the Lady Lakers 63-45.

It was the Jillian Williamson show as she led her team with 28 points on the night. Just about everything she put up went in.

The Lakers were flat according to Coach Comment. They didn't have an answer for Williamson and her friends down low.

The Lakers were without Pietruck but Comment couldn't attribute their weak performance to her absence. Pietruck thinks she may be back next week which may put a spring in the team's step upon her arrival on the floor.

From Bearcats to Lakers

Eric LaBuhn, with parents Steve and Vicky, and Jordan Kaufman, with parents Robin and Dave.

LaBuhn dominates the line against Reading.
Kaufman stops this Royal Oak Shrine running back.

Ubly’s Kaufman and LaBuhn sign with Grand Valley
BY CHRIS OGRYSKI
EDITOR

UBLY - It was an opportunity that was too good to pass up.
For as long as they can remember, Jordan Kaufman and Eric LaBuhn have been teammates. It started at the earliest levels of football and continued through to their senior year of high school, where the duo was an integral part of an Ubly team that made it to the state finals.
It was only fitting that when these two players were deciding where to play college ball that they would opt to remain teammates for several more years and both commit to Grand Valley State University.
Kaufman and LaBuhn, who will be roommates at GVSU, signed their letters of intent last Wednesday (National Signing Day), and become a part of a program that is 102-6 over their last eight seasons with four NCAA DII National Championships (2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006) and five title game appearances (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006).
“Our coaching staff did an outstanding job of identifying talent and then recruiting those kids to be a part of…our football program,” Laker’s head football coach Chuck Martin said in a press release about this year’s recruiting class.
He added, “We always want to recruit the State of Michigan first and I am extremely happy with what we were able to get from our home state.”
What Grand Valley got was a versatile athlete in Kaufman who, despite earning first team All-State honors in Division 7 & 8 as a quarterback and being named All-Thumb Player of the Year in football with 40 TDs and nearly 2,500 all purpose yards, is probably better suited for defense at the college level. Kaufman, who had 69 tackles and four interceptions as a senior, will play defensive back for the Lakers.
“He is an unbelievable defensive player,” Bearcats coach Bill Sweeney said during Ubly’s post-season run. “As good of an offensive player as Jordan is, he may be better on defense.”
In LaBuhn, GVSU picks up an extremely agile and cerebral 6’5”, 300 pound offensive linemen, who earned All-State accolades. LaBuhn was also a first team All-Thumb selection on both the offensive and defensive line.
“As Grand Valley said (about him), he is big, he’s huge, he has great feet and gets off the ball. He really is a ‘can’t miss prospect.’ They are really excited about his ability,” Sweeney explained.
He added, “That’s all they talked about was his striking ability and they couldn’t believe how well he got off the ball.”
While GVSU is getting two talented athletes, the players recognize what a true opportunity it is to play for this DII powerhouse. “I wanted to go somewhere where we were going to win games and I want to play for a National Championship on a college level,” LaBuhn explained.
“At Grand Valley, I’m not (necessarily) saying we are going to, but we have a very good chance to,” he added. “It is just a really good program they have going on over there and I know that is the best school for me to help me develop as a football player.”
Kaufman agreed with LaBuhn’s sentiments. “We came out of really good tradition here in Ubly and to go onto the college level to a place that has a better tradition then we do here, it is going to be a great steppingstone for us as football players and student athletes,” he said.
LaBuhn’s size and agility sparked the Laker’s interest very quickly. “Grand Valley offered Eric pretty early in the process,” Sweeney said.
It was an offer that was too good for LaBuhn to turn down. “We (Jordan and I) were getting recruited by the same schools and I made the decision two or three weeks before him that Grand Valley was where I wanted to be,” LaBuhn remembers. “I called coach (George) Barnett, he is the offensive line coach, and I told him I wanted to come play there for him.”
“And then Jordan committed a little bit later,” he added.
Kaufman was still undecided at that point, but in some ways, so was Grand Valley. “One of the big things for Grand Valley was, and I had a few other colleges ask me, ‘Is he bent on playing quarterback?’” Sweeney said.
“I told them he is a quarterback, because that is what we needed. He is a football player, he plays everywhere, he does everything and he’ll play wherever you ask him to play,” he added.
“You really had to get it in their heads, no (he didn’t necessarily want to be a QB), he wanted to play football and I thought defense would be the best spot for him all along.”
Once the Lakers took a look at what Kaufman could do on defense, their decision became a lot easier…you could say it was love at first sight. “Grand Valley called me and they wanted a highlight of him just hitting and I said no problem. They took one look at the tape and called me and said, ‘This is a no-brainer, he’s just that good,’” recalled Sweeney.
Kaufman was equally smitten with GVSU, when he visited the campus. “I wanted to still play with Eric, but Northwood was definitely up there (on my list), too,” he explained.
“I went and took my visit to Grand Valley, when I went down there and saw the atmosphere and I saw the facilities; I knew on my way back that it was where I was going,” he added.
“I had a lot of time to think about it on the ride home and it gave me a lot of insight about what I wanted to do,” said Kaufman.
Knowing he’d be playing with his long-time teammate, helped make a tough decision much easier. “I knew I would have someone there that I know and we could work out in the first year and all that makes things easier,” he said.
Also making the transition to college easier is the fact that both Kaufman and LaBuhn will be playing the positions they truly love. “My whole life I have preferred playing offense,” said LaBuhn. “There is just something about run blocking that I like.”
“I like knocking people down and I like being a part of putting points on the board,” he added.
“I think the deciding factor (in being on offense instead of defense), was the guy who recruited me was the offensive line coach and he…figured I’d be more of an asset to the team playing left tackle and protecting the quarterback than anything else,” said LaBuhn. “He figured I could really come in there and help out.”
Sweeney explained that LaBuhn is so well-suited to play tackle in college, because he “is so cerebral, he has great footwork and it won’t take him long to figure out blocking schemes.”
He also noted that with LaBuhn’s ability “to dominate one side of the line” and his ability to communicate to the other players, that he believes Eric will be successful at the next level.
“I think they will help out GVSU tremendously if they stay injury free, if they stay focused and do well on their grades.
Much like LaBuhn, Kaufman enjoys the opportunity to hit people as well, just on the other side of the ball. “The hitting aspect is the part of the game I like most,” he said. “Going up and being able to pop someone is probably the best part.”
He added, “The physicality and intensity of the game is above all others. You don’t get the same kind of intensity (in other sports) like you do on a football field. The intensity…makes it so addicting.”
Kaufman admitted that the increased physicality in college likely hurt his chances of playing on offense. “With my mentality, I probably wouldn’t make a very good quarterback; I’d be liable to get hurt very easy,” he said. “Defense is kind of a second nature now with the preparation we’ve had with coach (Jim) Becker training us.”
Sweeney agreed that Kaufman belongs on defense for the Lakers. “Big hitters get (big) hits three or four times a year, Jordan was getting three or four a game, because he is just so talented, quick and his closing speed.”
“He had people sized up, it is just ability, it is a talent,” he added, noting he has never coached a player with Kaufman’s closing speed before. “You wish everyone could do it, but that is why there are high school players and why there are college players.”
And Sweeney knows that Kaufman and LaBuhn are definitely in that next echelon of player. “These two are the most talented players we have ever had (here at Ubly),” Sweeney said, noting they are the only Bearcat football players he knows of who have played DII football (they have had some DIII players).
“These guys are just really, really special players,” he added. “The recruiter said these two kids will put Ubly on the map.”
In terms of the school itself, this year’s football team set the bar for what all other Ubly teams will hope to achieve. Kaufman and LaBuhn offered some advice to the future generations of Bearcat players looking to leave their mark. “Football has always been my favorite sport and I’ve always loved doing it,” Kaufman began. “(To be successful at it) you have to be in the weight room, you have to get faster and stronger than your opponent.”
LaBuhn added, “If I could sum it up in one word it would be ‘commitment.’ That was my mindset all year, it was 100 percent football; it was all I worked on.”
Kaufman and LaBuhn will head to Grand Valley for the annual spring game on April 11, at which time they will be fitted for their uniforms and gear. They will report to camp later in the summer.
While at Grand Valley, LaBuhn plans to major in Business or Movement Science, while
Kaufman is also considering those fields.

You make the call...

Through their first eight games of the season, Owen-Gage averaged 67 ppg. Last night against Caseville, they exceeded that average by 32 points, beating the Eagles 99-52.
Earlier in the season when these two teams tangled, the Bulldogs won 82-49, with the 82 points being a season-high at that point.
I'm not going to offer an opinion either way on this, but just put up some facts and let you decide.
Here are some facts that might indicate they were trying to run up the score:
1. Heading into the fourth quarter, Owen-Gage led by 28 points (74-46)...definetly a very comfortable lead.
2. In the final eight minutes, they converted on three three-point chances; I'm not sure how many they shot.
3. According to reports from the game, most of the starters were in the game until the final two minutes.
4. According to reports, Bulldog's coach Derek Howard seemed to be scoreboard watching. He was visually agitated when the team missed an easy opportunity for a lay-up in the fourth.
Here are some facts that might indicate otherwise:
1. Owen-Gage wasn't putting any full-court pressure on Caseville in the final quarter. So they weren't trying to create quick turnovers or easy baskets with defensive pressure.
2. The Bulldogs did get some fast break chances off of steals, but they didn't appear to be fast breaking every time down the court, they did run a regular set offense.
3. Had Owen-Gage wanted to score 100 for sure, they wouldn't have pulled some of the starters. I believe the team is eight or nine deep, so it's not like they could have taken everyone out.
4. Caseville has given up over 80 points twice this season prior to the game, so the Eagles surely have some holes on defense.
Those are the facts as I know them. From what I've heard, read and been told, I see Owen-Gage as a team that had a chance to try to score 100 and went for it. In the process, the score got out of hand. Is that running it up or not? Yes and no.
By going for 100, the score got more lopsided, but I think that when you are running up the score there has to be some malice, some intention to make a point or embarras your opponent.
Was Caseville embarrased by losing by 47? That remains to be seen. I think we can safely assume yes.
But did Owen-Gage seek out to embarrass them? I don't think so, I think they saw an opportunity and tried to take it. It is such a fine line, I mean can you do one and not do the other.
The only incident I can remember of a team intentionally trying to score 100 on a team was a Caseville-Port Hope game years ago, back when Jim Quinn was leading the Eagles, who ran through the NCTL like a hot knife through butter for several seasons. Quinn boldly proclaimed after the game that his team was trying to send a message.
Until I hear similar words come out of the mouth of Derek Howard, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
But that's my opinion. The point of this post is for you to make the call...

Stat Leaders update

Boys Stat Leaders
Through Thursday, Jan. 29*
Points per game (Minimum nine ppg)
G TP PPG
1. Sean Clancy, North Huron 10 203 20.3
2. Jacob Murawske, Harbor Beach 9 174 19.3
3. Jordan Kaufman, Ubly 6 92 15.3
T3. Luke Flannery, Bad Axe 8 122 15.3
5. Scott Fletcher, USA 6 87 14.5
6. Jakob Holland, USA 6 85 14.2
7. John Iseler, North Huron 10 140 14.0
8. Tyler Kubacki, Ubly 10 138 13.8
9. Brent Reil, Owen-Gage 8 107 13.4
10. Nick Zaleski, Owen-Gage 8 103 12.9

Free Throw percentage (Minimum nine attempts, 55 percent)
FM FA FT %
1. Luke Flannery, Bad Axe 21 26 .808
2. Devon Prich, Owen-Gage 14 18 .778
3. Tyler Kubacki, Ubly 28 37 .758
4. Kevin Dubs, EPBP 12 16 .750
T4. Shane Ginther, Harbor Beach 12 16 .750
6. Jordan Kaufman, Ubly 18 25 .720
7. Nick Zaleski, Owen-Gage 12 17 .706
8. Sean Clancy, North Huron 30 43 .698
9. Eric Montreuil, Owen-Gage 15 22 .682
10. Jacob Murawske, Harbor Beach 14 21 .667
T10. Mitch Cleary, Ubly 16 24 .667
T10. Brandon Sorenson, Ubly 10 15 .667

Three-pointers per game (Minimum one per game)
G 3’s 3’s pg
1. Luke Flannery, Bad Axe 8 27 3.4
2. Jacob Murawske, Harbor Beach 9 28 3.2
3. Devon Prich, Owen-Gage 8 23 2.9
4. Grant Gnagey, EPBP 5 9 1.8
5. Scott Fletcher, USA 6 13 2.2
6. Sean Clancy, North Huron 10 19 1.9
7. Nick Wehner, Bad Axe 8 14 1.8
8. Charlie Karafa, Caseville 6 10 1.7
9. Justin Cleary, Ubly 10 14 1.4
10. Dustin Ostrander, Caseville 6 7 1.2

Best Game (Most points scored in a game)
1. Sean Clancy, North Huron 33 points vs. Dryden
2. Devon Prich, Owen-Gage 29 points (nine triples) vs. Caseville
T2. Luke Flannery, Bad Axe 29 points vs. Sandusky
4. Sean Clancy, North Huron 27 points vs. Deckerville
5. Sean Clancy, North Huron 25 points vs. Dryden
6. John Iseler, North Huron 24 points vs. Memphis
T6. Luke Flannery, 24 points vs. Deckerville
T6. Grant Gnagey, EPBP 24 points vs. Vassar
9. Jacob Murawske, Harbor Beach 23 points vs. Peck
T9. Jacob Murawske, Harbor Beach 23 points vs. Deckerville
* For all reported scores.

Girls Stat Leaders
Through Thursday, Jan. 29*
Points per game (Minimum nine ppg)
G TP PPG
1. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 11 288 26.2
2. Meaghan Fortsch, Caseville 12 213 17.8
3. Jillian Williamson, USA 10 156 15.6
4. Dani Gremel, USA 10 148 14.8
5. Stephanie Maxwell, EPBP 9 132 14.7
6. Sara Clancy, North Huron 10 131 13.1
7. Bethany Grates, Caseville 12 149 12.4
8. Samantha Breault, Bad Axe 10 110 11.0
9. Samantha Radabaugh, O-Gage 9 94 10.4
10. Shelby Pietruck, EPBP 9 89 9.9

Free Throw percentage (Minimum 55 percent)
FM FA FT %
1. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 72 88 .818
2. Stephanie Maxwell, EPBP 22 28 .786
T2. Shelby Pietruck, EPBP 11 14 .786
4. Brittany Gruehn, USA 13 18 .722
5. Estay Ruppal, USA 22 31 .710
6. Ashley Hattfield, EPBP 20 29 .690
7. Samantha Breault, Bad Axe 26 38 .684
8. Sara Clancy, North Huron 41 61 .672
9. Jillian Williamson, USA 26 39 .667
T9. Nicole Franzel, Ubly 16 24 .667

Three-pointers per game (Minimum one per game)
G 3’s 3’s pg
1. Dani Gremel, USA 10 16 1.6
2. Meaghan Fortsch, Caseville 12 17 1.4
3. Kayla Gust, Port Hope 11 14 1.3
4. Lyndsay White, Ubly 11 13 1.2
5. Stephanie Maxwell, EPBP 9 10 1.1
T5. Shelby Pietruck, EPBP 9 10 1.1

Best Game (Most points scored in a game)
1. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 33 points vs. Sandusky
2. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 32 points vs. Harbor Beach
T2. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 32 points vs. Cass City
4. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 31 points vs. Deckerville
5. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 29 points vs. USA
6. Jillian Williamson, USA 28 points vs. John Glenn
7. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 27 points vs. EPBP
8. Stephanie Maxwell, EPBP 23 points vs. BCAS
T8. Meaghan Fortsch, Caseville 23 points vs. Kingston
T8. Alicia Leipprandt, Ubly 23 points vs. Bad Axe
*For all reported games

The Bulldogs ran wild over the Eagles Monday night and came up just short of the century mark as they scored 99 points to put the Eagles away.

The Eagles put up 52 points on the board in the losing effort.