Ubly highlights and photos coming tonight!!!!

Just wanted to let everyone know we'll have pictures and some early analysis up following today's game. We all know it is a little drive there, but we should have pictures up within about 1 1/2 hours after the game. I'll be heading to my mom's following the game to have a belated birthday celebration for my wife with my side of the family, but I'll be working up the photos on the way there and will post them upon my arrival.
Later tonight, there will be audio up and some added analysis. Have fun and drive safe!
Anyone wishing to leave some well wishes for the Bearcats can do it here.

Ubly audio is now online

Here is what all you Ubly fans have been waiting for...tons of new audio from Ubly coach Bill Sweeney and some of his key players.
Bill Sweeney on the Reading game:
http://www.box.net/shared/tau7y2x0h3
Sweeney talks about how disappointments in 2006 & 2007 shaped this team:
http://www.box.net/shared/sf9g06o2ah
Cleary, Kaufman & LaBuhn talk about how 2006 shaped them:
http://www.box.net/shared/pe3np5gx69

Directions to the Ubly-Reading game

For those looking for directions to this Saturday's Ubly vs. Reading game, here are directions courtesy of our friends at Mapquest.com. Just copy and paste this address below and should be able to access it:
http://www.mapquest.com/mq/1-SQj0
Here is another cut & paste for you...this will help you find local restaurants in the area where you may want to grab a bite at on the way home:
http://www.mapquest.com/mq/9-k9Ha0GSfF517KIHACosk

Community Support

Photo courtesy of Ubly Community Schools

They say that every championship run takes a total team effort. Here's a little message from Ubly Superintendent Ken Sweeney on how one local businessman stepped up for his team when they needed him the most:

Local businessman Shawn Wright, owner of Ubly Meat and Grocery, took time to assist the Ubly football team by preparing an area for the team to practice. Ubly received over 6” of snow this week which forced alternate practice schedules for the Ubly Football Team. Special thanks to the Cass City School for allowing the Ubly football team to practice on their field early in the week. Cass City did not have accumulated snow on their field.

I (this is Chris again) wanted to plug a fundraiser being held for the family of David Osentoski (Ubly player who died of cancer this year) to help with funeral expenses. On Monday, Dec. 1 and Tuesday, Dec. 2 from 4-8 p.m. Pizza Hut in Bad Axe will be holding a fundraiser. Volunteers will be waiting the tables and all tips will go to the Osentoski Family.
I encourage all to go out and get a good meal for a great cause on those days. Now, I can only have pizza once or twice a month after my "incident," but I'm going to make sure one of my of two trips to the Hut next month takes place on one of those two days.

Everything you wanted to know about Reading but where afraid to ask

Ubly Bearcats (12-0) vs. Reading Rangers (12-0) @ Howell High School
* Reading is averaging 44 ppg on offense (527 points scored) and allowing just 13 ppg on defense (153 points allowed), compared to 47 ppg on offense (569 points scored) and 10 ppg allowed defensively (122 points allowed) for Ubly.
* The Rangers favor the run, as they have rushed for 4,246 yards on 535 carries this season for an average of 7.9 yards per carry.
* Reading’s top rusher is senior Trent Morris who has run for 1,587 yards and 25 TDs on 174 carries, while senior Trevor Ryan has added 1,205 yards and 11 scores. Third back Brian Rauth, a junior, has rushed for over 800 yards and 15 TDs. Defensively, Morris led the team with over 100 tackles at the linebacker position and eight interceptions.
* In terms of passing, QB Joe Hubbard was 54-for-98 passing for 935 yards and 14 TDs and seven interceptions.
* The Rangers are a perennial playoff team as they have made the postseason in 10 of the last 11 years and 13 of the past 16 seasons. However, those appearances haven’t been that successful, as this the first time Reading has won a district or regional title.
* Reading advanced to the semis with a 28-20 win over Decatur this past weekend. In that game, they ran 61 plays (all rushing) and ran for 353 yards. Morris had 183 yards and two scores on 28 carries, while Ryan added 102 and a TD. Defensively, the team allowed 321 yards of total offense.

Ubly photo gallery and audio is now online

Dalton O'Connor makes the tackle.
Jordan Kaufman on a 66 yard TD run. Also seen are O'Connor (52) and Brandon Lemke (68).

Kaufman gets tackled.

An Ubly defender makes the tackle against Shrine.

Kaufman on a nice run in the third quarter.

Kaufman avoids a tackle on a TD run.

Ubly fans prepare to storm the field.

Kaufman

Justin Cleary

Justin Cleary gets tackled.

Mitch Cleary runs for a first down on a play that was designed originally to be a pass play for Cleary and turned into a long run. Cleary was tackled at the end of the run and the victim of a helmet to helmet hit. He injured his shoulder on the play and had his "bell rung," but returned on defense several plays later.

Justin Cleary

Shrine fumbles near the goal line. Kaufman tries to shed this tackler.

Brandon Sorenson celebrates the win and honors his teammate.

Here are some photos from this week's game. Hope you enjoy!

Yes we know there are a lot of pictures of Kaufman, who again was a human highlight reel for his team, but we also prominently showcased six or seven teammates, as well.

Overall, we'll take whatever good photos we can get on a rainy, windy, cold, cloudy day like yesterday, even if there are more of one athlete than another.

As for audio, here are the links to both Bill Sweeney's post-game comments and an interviews with Mitch Cleary and Jordan Kaufman...

Sweeney's thoughts: http://www.box.net/shared/b6q43dkql2

Cleary & Kaufman: http://www.box.net/shared/2sx7q9q7t5

Ubly 32, Royal Oak Shrine 14

Hands are burning right now as they warm up from abysmal whether but an awesome game. Bearcats trailed 7-0 early, but rallied to tie it at seven. Shrine coughed up the ball on the kickoff return and Ubly scored to take a 14-7 advantage.

Shrine came back to add one in the second to make it a 14-14 battle, but got the ball with about three to go and scored for a 20-14 halftime edge.

Shrine could not put points on the board on their first possession and Ubly got the ball back and extended the lead tro 26-14. They got a late score with 11 seconds left from Alex Peruski to put some extra icing on the cake.

We'll put up pictures, audio and such tomorrow. For tonight, this editor needs to thaw out and visit with some my Ubly alumini friends who are back for the game.