This is some of the action from the Bad Axe - Harbor Beach games on Tuesday

Photo action from tonight

Here are some photos from the USA vs. EPBP baseball/softball double-header. And yes that guy in the first picture got hit in the head with the ball and he was ok.

All-Thumb team is loaded with talent

This week's All-Thumb-centric Huron County Press sports front.

All-Thumb Player of the Year: A.J. Burton, Brown City

All-Thumb Team of the Year: North Huron

All-Thumb Coach of the Year: Mark Gainforth

BY CHRIS OGRYSKI
EDITOR

THE THUMB - What is the difference between the top two players in the area this season? One third place vote.
Brown City senior A.J. Burton edged out USA senior Brandon Bitzer 19-18 to win this year’s Thumb Sportswriters Association Player of the Year honors. Burton garnered two first place votes (five points each) and three second place votes (three points each) for a total of 19 points, while Bitzer had three first place votes and one second place vote for a total of 18.
The other major awards were more cut and dry, as a perfect 20-0 regular season led to North Huron being unanimously named this year’s Team of the Year. The Patriot’s Mark Gainforth, who led a team of unknowns to USA’s first Greater Thumb West title since 2005-2006, won Coach of the Year honors, earning four first place and one second place vote.
The Thumb Sportswriters Association is a cumulative association of Thumb-area sports editors and sports writers from nine Thumb-area newspapers, those of which include: the Huron County Press, Newsweekly and Harbor Beach Times, as well as the County Press (Lapeer), Brown City Banner, Tuscola County Advertiser, Sanilac County News, Sandusky Tribune and Huron Daily Tribune.
Each year the TSA selects a Player of the Year, Team of the Year, Coach of the Year and an All-Thumb team in four sports: football, volleyball, boys basketball and girls basketball.
In order to be considered for nomination to an All-Thumb team, students must attend one of the following schools: Akron-Fairgrove, Bad Axe, Brown City, Caro, Carsonville Port-Sanilac, Caseville, Cass City, Croswell-Lexington, Deckerville, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port, Harbor Beach, Kingston, Marlette, Mayville, Millington, North Branch, North Huron, Owen-Gage, Peck, Port Hope, Reese, Sandusky, Ubly, Unionville-Sebewaing Area and Vassar.
This year’s team is lead by Burton, who proved to be one of the most well-rounded players in the Thumb this season, averaging 14.2 points per game, as well 4.7 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists and 1.7 blocks to help lead the Green Devils to a Greater Thumb East championship.
What put Burton, who scored a season high 28 against Imlay City, over the top in the Player of the Year vote this year was his leadership and defense. “A.J. was our floor general,” Brown City coach Tony Burton said of his son, who was earned honorable mention all-state honors in Class C. “He was our top defender.”
Coach Burton added, “He lives and dies basketball. It just means so much to him. He works so hard at the game.”
“I’m more proud of him as a person than a player.”
Of being named POY, A.J. said, “I feel very honored winning this award with the likes of Jordan Bitzer (2005-2006 winner) and Kevin Ginther (2006-2007 winner).”
“(But) I would rather have (won) Team of the Year,” he added.
Brandon Bitzer, the runner-up for POY, missed the first six games of the season while he recovered from shoulder surgery, but once he returned, his presence was immediately felt. When he returned his team was 4-2 overall, but were a team with many question marks. After he returned, the team went 13-1 the rest of the way with their lone loss coming in a non-conference game.
Offensively, Bitzer averaged 16.1 ppg, while adding seven rebounds, three assists and two steals per game. He shot 77 percent from the free throw line for the season.
“Brandon is a three year starter who showed he can play against any level (competition). It doesn’t matter who is guarding him, he has a unique ability to get into the lane and make people better,” Gainforth said. “What he has brought to our team to elevate us, is something I just can’t describe it and everyone else on the team rose to that (level).”
Perhaps the most fitting tribute to Bitzer’s effort throughout the season was his performance in the districts, where he reinjured his surgically repaired shoulder in the semis against Ubly.
Bitzer left with 1:36 to go in the third and after receiving treatment from trainer Eli Kabban, he returned early in the fourth with his team behind 30-25.
He went on to score 10 in the fourth quarter before leaving the game with 30 seconds left after reinjuring his shoulder for a second time.
His presence on the court made all the difference as the Patriots went on to win the game 41-37.
After two days of rehabbing the shoulder, Bitzer played in the district finals against Cass City, scoring 10 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to put the Red Hawks away. “Bitzer kind of took over (in the fourth),” Cass City coach Aaron Fernald said after the game.
He added, “Brandon has probably been the best player in the league (the GTW) the last month and he proved that again in the fourth quarter tonight. He is the best player in the league; he has the ability to take it over and he did.”
Bitzer explained that this season was the culmination of four years of hard work. “Coach Gainforth told me my freshman year, ‘Either you’re going to be known as Jordan’s brother or you can make your own legacy.’”
“I believe I made my own legacy.”
Green Devils senior Jack McPhail, earned first team all-state honors this season, averaging 18.9 ppg, as well as 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.1 steals. McPhail proved to be the perfect complement to Burton, with his scoring prowess and versatility on offense. “Jack improved his jump shot over the summer, and we were able to bring him off screens for his jump shot,” coach Burton explained. “At 6’4” we also would put Jack in the low block.”
When it comes to diversity, Ubly senior Jordan Kaufman also fits that bill as this year’s Player of the Year in football proved he is just talented on the basketball court. Despite missing four games to an ankle sprain, Kaufman averaged 16.1 ppg, while grabbing 8.4 boards. He also added 2.8 steals, 1.6 assists and 1.1 blocks per game.
Kaufman’s signature game of the season came against Harbor Beach as he scored 41 points, including a 14-of-15 effort from the line, and grabbed nine rebounds. His effort tied Terry Camp for second place on the school’s all-time list for most points in a game.
Bearcat’s coach Joel Leipprandt summed it up best when he said, “Kaufman is a great person to coach!”
Millington senior Tyler Reinert only played two years on the varsity, but made the most of them. This past season he averaged 16.2 ppg, while pulling down 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. Reinert improved his scoring tremendously compared to last season, when he averaged around seven points per game.
Rounding out the squad is the only underclassmen to make the first team, North Huron junior Sean Clancy, who earned honorable mention all-state honors in Class D this year.
Clancy, who scored a season high 33 points against Dryden, averaged 19.0 ppg, while grabbing 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals to help lead his team to a perfect 20-0 regular season and Team of the Year honors. He shot 77 percent from the line and 65 percent from the field.
“Sean worked on his game all summer long, playing in the driveway,” Warriors coach Paul Empkie, who finished as the runner-up in the COY voting, said.
“He is all business when it comes to improving,” Empkie added, noting that Clancy is just as capable of playing guard as he is forward.
Clancy’s teammate, senior John Iseler, earned second team honors by averaging 14.5 ppg and 1-0 rebounds. Iseler proved to be a force on defense, as he averaged 1.7 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
“He’s a workhorse who can run the floor, rebound and is tough around the basket,” Empkie said. “He defends really well.”
Empkie added, “He never quits or jogs. He has a great work ethic and is a great leader.”
Kingston senior Jordan Pennington nearly played his way onto the first team, as averaged 19.2 ppg and grabbed 10.4 rebounds for the Cardinals. Coach Mike Rea noted that Pennington has made big strides on both sides of the ball this season.
In a sign of just how tough it was to make the first team, Peck senior Zac Overstreet averaged 16.9 ppg, 8.3 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and was a first teamer last year, but still just a second team selection this season. “He is 6’4” and our best rebounder and very good around the basket, but is also our best perimeter shooter,” Pirates coach Garnett Kohler explained.
He added, “We went into the season knowing that Zac had to score for us and he responded by putting up impressive numbers.”
Caro senior R.J. Fritz, averaged 12.3 ppg and 11.6 rebounds per game for the Tigers this season. “R.J. worked hard on his shot this summer and hit the boards with a vengeance,” Caro coach Ty Stevenson said. “He was our most consistent player all season.”
Stevenson added, “We’re going to miss his toughness inside.”
Rounding out the second team are 1st team All-GTW selections Reese junior Josh Pickell and Cass City senior Chris Summersett.
This year’s honorable mentions, include several members of league championship teams including sophomore Jake Holland (2nd team All-GTW, only underclassmen on the team) and senior Ryan Zimmer (honorable mention All-GTW) from USA, as well as North Huron senior Anthony Irvine (1st team NCTL North, 10.4 ppg, five assists per game), Brown City junior Josh Moffit (2nd team All-GTE) and Peck senior Bill Burns (1st team All-NCTL South, 15 ppg, 7.2 rebounds).
Rounding out the honorable mentions are Harbor Beach junior Jacob Murawske (1st team All-GTE, 16.1 ppg, made 52 three-pointers) and junior Justin Braun (1st team All-GTE), Sandusky senior Tyler Loding (1st team All-GTE, 9.9 ppg, season high 26 points vs. Harbor Beach), Elkton-Pigeon Bay Port junior Chris Rowe (2nd team All-GTW), Ubly junior Tyler Kubacki (2nd team All-GTE, 11.2 ppg, 6.1 rebounds per game), Owen-Gage senior Brent Reil (1st team All-NCTL North, 16 ppg, two triple doubles this season), Vassar junior Troy Hecht (2nd team All-GTW), Caro senior Andrew LaPointe (9.3 ppg, 5.2 rebounds per game), North Branch senior Deane Baker (11.5 ppg, made 42 threes) and Akron-Fairgrove junior Josh Repkie (12.5 ppg,9.8 rebounds per game).

GTE dominates All-Thumb awards

BY CHRIS OGRYSKI
EDITOR

NOTE: For more photos check out the TSA website by clicking on the link to the right.

THE THUMB – With eight players selected to the All-Thumb team and a sweep of the Thumb Sportswriters Association’s individual awards, the Greater Thumb East proved its dominance this season.
Ubly’s Alicia Leipprandt won Player of the Year honors, while GTE champion Brown City, who won their first league title since 1995 with a 10-2 finish in the league, won Team of the Year and Green Devil’s coach Cindy Burton Coach of the Year.
It is the second straight year that the GTE swept the individual awards, as in 2007-2008 Marlette won the Team of the Year, the Red Raider’s Fred Mroczek won Coach of the Year, and Sandusky’s Marissa DeMott won Player of the Year honors.
This year’s sweep nearly represented a three-peat for the GTE, as in the 2006-2007 season Sandusky was named Team of the Year, Harbor Beach’s Rhonda Gusa won Player of the Year, while the Redskin’s Al DeMott shared Coach of the Year honors with Elkton Pigeon Bay Port’s Todd Comment.
The Thumb Sportswriters Association is a cumulative association of Thumb-area sports editors and sports writers from nine Thumb-area newspapers, those of which include: the Huron County Press, Newsweekly and Harbor Beach Times, as well as the County Press (Lapeer), Brown City Banner, Tuscola County Advertiser, Sanilac County News, Sandusky Tribune and Huron Daily Tribune.
Each year the TSA selects a Player of the Year, Team of the Year, Coach of the Year and an All-Thumb team in four sports: football, volleyball, boys basketball and girls basketball.
In order to be considered for nomination to an All-Thumb team, students must attend one of the following schools: Akron-Fairgrove, Bad Axe, Brown City, Caro, Carsonville Port-Sanilac, Caseville, Cass City, Croswell-Lexington, Deckerville, Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port, Harbor Beach, Kingston, Marlette, Mayville, Millington, North Branch, North Huron, Owen-Gage, Peck, Port Hope, Reese, Sandusky, Ubly, Unionville-Sebewaing Area and Vassar.
This year’s All-Thumb Team is led by Leipprandt, who scored 611 points in 22 games for a 27.8 points per game average, while adding 12.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.6 steals per game.
She improved on almost all of her numbers from last season, when she was also a first team All-Thumb selection and averaged 15.5 ppg, 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Leipprandt, who earned 1st team all-state honors in Class C, shot 84 percent from the free throw line this season (163-of-195) and 81 percent for her career (291-of-359). She will be playing basketball at the Air Force Academy in the fall.
“Not only is she extremely talented, she’s very intelligent and is an excellent floor leader,” Bearcat’s coach Brent Wehner said. “She outworks the other players and never settles for the status quo.”
“It’s an honor to be Player of the Year and on this team,” Leipprandt said. “The girls are great athletes and people.”
Also on this year’s squad is DeMott, who won Player of the Year honors in 2007-2008 when she set a state record by shooting 91.5 percent from the free throw line during that season. She has been on the All-Thumb first team the past three years and was a Class C honorable mention all-state selection.

DeMott is the only player in the history of the TSA to earn first team honors as a freshman and could be the only player to make the first team four times in 2009-2010.
This season, DeMott, who was the only returning full-time starter on her team, led the Redskins to a regional final, where they lost 74-52 to Flint Hamaday.
For the season, DeMott averaged 20.3 ppg in 24 games, as well as 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, four steals and one block. She made 83.5 percent of her free throws this season (116-of-139) and shot 42.2 percent from three-point range (54-of-128).
While the 2008-2009 school year hasn’t even ended yet, DeMott appears to be the early favorite in the race for next year’s Player of the Year. She has the chance to be the first player in TSA history to win more than one POY award in a given sport.
“Winning something like that (POY) trophy is always in the back of your mind, but as long as the team is successful, it’s all good,” DeMott said.
DeMott will face some heavy competition for that award from Brown City junior Kristen Greene, who overcame an injury and still averaged 14.8 ppg in 21 games, as well as 6.7 rebounds per game (141 total), 2.3 assists (48 total) and 2.3 steals (48 total).
“Kristen did everything on the court,” Burton said of Greene, who earned honorable mention all-state honors this season. “We could put her in any position and she would adjust to it.”
While Greene earns a lot of praise for her well-rounded numbers, her leadership ability can’t be overlooked either. “She encouraged her teammates and helped her teammates when they were struggling,” Burton explained.
Millington senior Kayla Doshier ended her career as a three-time All-Thumb selection, including back-to-back appearances on the first team. She averaged 19.2 ppg this season in 20 regular season games (385 total points), while adding six rebounds, three assists, 3.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.
Doshier, who will be playing at Hope College in the fall, made a significant improvement from her efforts in the 2007-2008 season where she averaged 15.6 ppg and 4.9 rebounds. This season, she became the all-time leading scorer for the Cardinals, set the school record for points in a season and set the school record for points in a game with 43 points against Croswell-Lexington.
“Without her, we win two or three games this season,” said Millington coach Mike Gohsman. “She was our MVP and would be the MVP on most teams in our area.”
He added, “Her attitude and work ethic are excellent.”
Rounding out the first team are Reese junior Amber Gotham and USA senior Jillian Williamson, who led their respective teams to Greater Thumb West co-championships this past season with 11-1records in league play.
The 5’2” Gotham, who was an honorable mention All-Thumb selection last year, averaged 13.4 ppg, while adding 2.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.4 steals per game.
Williamson, who was a 2nd Team All-Thumb selection last year, nearly averaged a double-double this season, as she led the Patriots with a 13.3 ppg scoring average, while adding 9.1 rebounds per game. She also averaged 1.7 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. USA coach Dave Bitzer said of his star player, “Jillian was best at the high post. She could take the shot right there, but she also could take the ball to the basket.”
He added, “She gained a lot of confidence this season. She had a lot of big games for us.”
The second team includes several other top players from the GTW including USA senior Dani Gremel, who averaged 13.1 ppg, 8.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.6 steals per game this season and played a big part in her team winning a share of the league title. “Dani is such a complete player,” Bitzer said. “Down the stretch, we wanted the ball in her hands.”
Vassar junior Kayla Verbeek, who averaged 13.1 ppg and 9.9 rebounds in 18 games for the Vulcans. Reese junior Jade Ackerman averaged 13.4 ppg, 4.1 rebounds and three steals, while Laker senior Stephanie Maxwell scored 13.1 ppg on average, while adding six boards, 3.8 assists and 3.5 steals.
The team also includes Caseville senior Meaghan Fortsch, who led the North Central Thumb League in scoring this season with 17.3 ppg average. “Meaghan is a tremendous competitor with a never-quit attitude. She was an excellent ball handler and she controlled the team when she was on the floor,” explained Eagles coach Brian Siegfried.
Rounding out the second team is Marlette junior Amara Wilson, who averaged 12.2 ppg, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.5 steals. Honorable mention selections include Kingston junior Whitney Fox, North Huron sophomore Sara Clancy (1st team All-NCTL North), Port Hope junior Allyson Koglin (1st team All-NCTL North), Brown City senior Michelle Burgess (1st team All-GTE), Sandusky senior Maddie Hale (1st team All-GTE), EPBP junior Ashley Hatfield (2nd team All-GTW), Cros-Lex senior Jackie VanderGraaff , Caro senior Amanda Ellis, Ubly senior Lyndsay White (1st team All-GTE), Carsonville Port Sanilac senior Dawn Albrecht (1st team NCTL South), Millington senior Jamie Frahm, Harbor Beach senior Kaylee Lochrie (2nd team All-GTE), Cass City senior Jennica Richards (2nd team All-GTW), Caseville senior Bethany Grates and Bad Axe senior Samantha Breault.

Who made the 1st Team All-Thumb girls team?

A photo shoot was held last evening in Sandusky for members of the first team of the TSA's All-Thumb Girls Basketbal Team. It was our first venture into doing something of this magnitude and it was a huge success. Thanks to Al DeMott for all his help in making this a reality.
While it is now obvious who the first team is, to find out who is on the second team and who received honorable mentions, as well as who won the individual awards, you'll have to check out Wednesday's paper, as well as the TSA blog, where photos that did not make the paper will be posted.

USA falls to Beecher

You don't have to win a trophy to be a champion and despite losing to Beecher 59-49 in the regional finals at Marlette tonight, USA proved they were true champions this season; worthy of all the admiration they've recevied in recent weeks.

The Pats were down 10 at the half, but cut thinsg to 45-42 with aroudn six minutes to go, but could never get the basket or stop they needed late in the game.

An emotional Mark Gainforth said the hardest part of this all, aside from the loss, will be not being around this great group of kids every day. We'll have more on these games in the Wednesday, March 25 issue of the Huron County Press. Until then, enjoy these photos.

USA does it again!!!

The Patriots did it again, as they advanced to the regional finals with a 68-56 win over Brown City, in essence making them the true champions of the Greater Thumb Conference this season, as the winner of the head-to-head battle of league champions.

USA trailed 32-26 at the half, but used a 27-7 edge in the third quarter to take the 53-39 edge heading into the fourth.

The Pats advance to the regional finals, where they attempt to end a three-game losing streak in regional final games. They last won a regional crown in the 2004-2005 season, which was the year they made it to the state finals.