Wednesday Ball Park Play

Wednesday Baseball & Softball Games: 
BOYS
Game 1: Sandusky 15, CPS 0
Game 2: Sandusky 11, CPS 5
Game 1: Yale 5, EPBP Lakers 3
Game 2: Yale 7, EPBP Lakers 1
Game 1: Frankenmuth 7, Vassar 2
Game 2: Frankenmuth 1, Vassar 0
Game1: Saginaw Valley Lutheran 7, Reese 5
Game 2: Saginaw Valley Lutheran 8, Reese 1
Game 1: Caro 17, Hemlock 1
Game 2: Caro 10, Hemlock 2
Game 1: Brown City 15, vs Capac 0
Game 2: Brown City 15, vs Capac 1

Sandusky's Jenna Stauffer slides safe for an in the ball park home run.

GIRLS
Game 1: Sandusky 14, CPS 3
Game 2: Sandusky 13, CPS 3

Game 1: EPBP Lakers 5, Yale 3
Game 2: EPBP Lakers 10, Yale 1

Game 1: Brown City 3, Capac 2
Game 2: Capac 9, Brown City 7

Game 1: Reese 7, Saginaw Valley Lutheran 2
Game 2: Saginaw Valley Lutheran 1, Reese 0

Game 1: Imlay City 5, North Branch 1
Game 2: Imlay City 2, North Branch 1

Sandusky vs CPS - Tag is made and....

...YOUR OUT!!!!

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Thumb Tailgater Website

All Thumb Area Girls Basketball Team Honors

The Thumb Sportswriters Association have chosen the thumb area girls basketball team. Thumb Tailgater Sports was invited and honored to participate with a vote in this process.

The Thumb Sportswriters Association, is comprised of writers and broadcasters from the Michigan thumb area involving; The Huron Daily Tribune, Sanilac County News, Huron County Press, Sandusky Tribune, Tuscola County Advertiser, Thumb Tailgater Sports, and 92.1 FM. The group comes together to review the season involving players and teams, along with nominations and recommendations from area coaches as well.
A 5-3-1 voting system was used to determine the major awards.

To see full results of the 1st Team, 2nd Team, Honorable Mention, Player Of The Year, Defensive Player, 6th Player, Coach Of The Year, along with photos and in dept statistics go to the Thumb Sportswriters Association blog.  The All Thumb Boys Basketball Team will be announced in one week.
Thumb Tailgater Sports was able to get interviews with the All Thumb Girls 1st Team. The sound quality is not so great as there was a baseball practice going on inside the Bad Axe Gym where the media conducted interviews. Thanks to Steve Jias of In Focus Photography, for taking the pictures.

The 1st Team All Thumb Girls Baketball

(L to R)

Marlette - Amara Wilson, Reese - Jade Ackerman, Sandusky - Marissa Demott, Brown City - Kristen Greene, Port Hope - Allyson Koglin, Reese - Amber Gotham

Tuesday Bat Action

Tuesday Baseball Games:
Game 1: Millington 6, Mayville 5
Game 2: Millington 13, Mayville 2

Game 1: Otisville Lakeville 10, North Branch 0
Game 2: North Branch 5, Otisville Lakeville 5 - tied & Postponed, Darkness

Dryden vs Almont - Doubleheader
Memphis vs M.C. Cardinal Mooney - D.H.

Girls Softball Games:
Game 1: Otisville Lakeville 9, North Branch 6
Game 2: North Branch 6, Otisville Lakeville 4

Game 1: Mayville 7, Millington 4
Game 2: Mayville 11, Millington 1

thumbtailgater@gmail.com

Baseball & Softball Season Begins!

Thumb Tailgater Sports is now moving forward with high school baseball & softball in the Greater Thumb Conference & North Central Thumb Leagues, and some other thumb area schools. We will be preparing for our first live audio/video webcast in April. A number of schools get their baseball & softball season into gear on Monday today.
The season actually got underway on Wednesday, March 24th, and through the week, with some teams getting in a couple games before the Easter Spring school break.
To all coaches and parents - send us your information regarding scores, stats, schedules etc.!!

Monday Baseball:
Game 1: Deckerville 1, vs CPS 0
Game 2: Deckerville 16, vs CPS 4

Game 1: Caro 3, vs Cass City 2 - Mlive Game Summary
Game 2: Caro 4, vs Cass City 3

Game 1: Vassar 8, vs Millington 7
Game 2: Millington 10, @ Vassar 0

Game 1: Reese 10, vs Freeland  3 - Mlive Summary
Game 2: Freeland 6, @ Freeland  4

Lapeer West 4, @ Yale 3

Lapeer East 12, vs Capac  0

Girls Softball:
Game 1: Deckerville 14, CPS 1
Game 2: Deckerville 17, CPS 0

Game 1: Reese 7,  Freeland  0
Game 2: Reese 9, Freeland 9 - Tie 7 innings due to darkness

Game 1: Cass City 6,  @  Caro  2
Game 2: Cass City 14, @  Caro  1

Vassar vs Millington

Saturday Boys Baseball & Girls Softball:
Memphis 8, Marine City 6
Marine City 10, Memphis 1
Cass City vs Dryden - ppd (Friday, March 26)
Capac vs Dryden ??? (Wednesday, March 24th)
Mayville @ Frankenmuth - ? Softball (Thursday, March 25)


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Saturday Boys Basketball State Championships

Class A 
Kalamazoo Central 74, Ann Arbor Huron 65 - Final Summary

Class B - 8 pm
Detroit Country Day 71, Lansing Sexton 47

Class C 
Melvindale ABT 59, Suttons Bay 43 - Final Summary

Class D  
Muskegon Western Michigan Christian 66
Marine City Cardinal Mooney 56 - Final Summary


That wraps up the Michigan High School Boys Basketball season!

Thursday MHSAA Semi Finals Boys Basketball

The Boys Basketball Semifinals start Thursday with the Class C & D taking place. Good luck to the Marine City Cardinal Mooney Cardinals who defeated the Bay City All Saints on Tuesday to make it to their first ever semifinal.
The only teams returning from last years semifinals are Muskegon Western Michigan, Melvindale Academy Business Tech and Kalamazoo Central.

Class C - Thursday, March 25
Melvindale Academy Business Tech  86, Flint Beecher 65
Suttons Bay 52, Bridgman 38

Class D - Thursday, March 25
Muskegon Western Michigan Christian 62, Covert 61
Marine City Cardinal Mooney 66, Eben Junction Superior Cenrtal 55

Friday Schedule:
Class A - Friday, March 26
Ann Arbor Huron 76,  Southfield 64
Kalamazoo Central 68,  Detroit Denby 49

Class B - Friday, March 26
Detroit Country Day 72, Muskegon Heights 47
Richland Gull Lake 55, Lansing Sexton 50

MHSAA
Watch - or - Listen

Tuscola County Advertiser, Thumb Tailgater Article

Sports Editor Chad Wingert of the Tuscola Country Advertiser did a sports article on Thumb Tailgater Sports. 
Go get a copy of the Tuscola County Advertiser's, Wednesday, March 24th edition to read and keep.
Or read the online version at Tuscola Today website.

*Sports Story

*Full Interview

thumbtailgater@gmail.com

Thumb Tailgater Area Basketball Coverage Ends

Tuesday night was the last game of the basketball season on Thumb Tailgater Sports. It featured a great quarterfinal game between the Bay City All Saint Cougars and the Marine City Cardinal Mooney Cardinals, where history was made. The game was pretty much tight throughout the whole game, where the largest lead of the game had to be by at least seven points and that never lasted long. Cardinal Mooney came away with the victory making a clutch three pointer late in the 4th quarter and then made some key free throws down the stretch of the last minute and a half to come away with a 51-47 victory. Cardinal Mooney made school history this year by winning their District Title since 1989, a Regional Championship, win a Quarterfinal game, and now going to it's first State semifinal game ever! The Cougars had their chances to come away with the victory in the last 3 minutes, but this game got away from them. The speed and different defensive set ups utilized by the Cardinals kept the Cougars in check and off balance the whole game. Add also to the fact that the All Saints poor three point & free throw shooting hurt them big time.
It was also a historic moment for Thumb Tailgater as the whole crew came together for this last game of the year for our area coverage - we survived! We also want to thank Waterford Mott High School for their hospitality and to the Athletic Director Rick Dorn.
Thumb Tailgater Sports also wants to thank all the fans support through this football & bakstball season. It isn't over yet! We will now move on to cover at least one weekly live baseball or softball game this year! Check in for that very soon after Easter break!
Here are some photos of the game that Sports Writer Paul Adams of the Huron Daily Tribune took for us.

#5 Zach Smith goes for a basket between Justin & Thomas Villano

#14 Kevin Swiercz runs along the baseline for a shot against the close defense of Andrew Beeler

#23 Drew Janer makes a giant leap in the paint for a basket

Garrison Glowniak goes for three pointer before #20 Adam Pijaszek can set up to defend

#40 Jusin Villano shoots and scores...

...then #3 Tommy Twardecki answers right back with a fast break layup for two!

The Bay City All Saint Cougar student section

The Thumb Tailgater Sports Crew

GTC Boys Basketball Represented In Quarterfinals

The Greater Thumb Conference will be represented by the Bay City All Saint Cougars in the boys basketball in the Class D No.14 Quarterfinals on Tuesday night, taking on Marine City Cardinal Mooney. The game will played at Waterford Mott High School.
Thumb Tailgater Sports will be presenting that game live on the internet starting at 6:30pm. Special guest and sports reporter for the Huron Daily Tribune - Paul Adams will be there along with the Thumb Tailgater Sports crew all together for the first since February 18th. Adam Filkins, Mike Smith, Mark "Mad Dog" Dimon, & Eddie Fury will be there on hand to give some major in depth coverage of the game. We will also have some photos put up after the live webcast on the blog and Facebook page.
It is also a historic moment for Thumb Tailgater Sports as we made it through this long basketball season. A big thank you to all the fans who supported the coverage this past football & basketball season. And look forward to the Spring High School Sports Season as we will bring some big coverage surprises!

Boys Basketball Quarterfinals:
CLASS D
No.14 @ Waterford Mott High School
Marine City Cardinal Mooney 51, Bay City All Saints 47
Thumb Tailgater Webcast

No.13 @ Jackson High School
Covert 83, vs Camden-Frontier 57

No.15 @ Traverse City Central 
Muskegon Western Michgian Christian 80, vs Buckley 51
(Muskegon Western won State Title last year)


No.16 @ Escanaba
Eben Junction Superior Central 74, Cedarville 61

Other Class A, B & C Quarterfinal Games: MHSAA

thumbtailgater@gmail.com

Sunday Sadness - More NCAA Bracket Busts

March Madness is just that - MADDENING!!! The Thumb Tailgater Webcasters who entered the NCAA College Basketball Tournament Contest are pretty much done, with their winner of the tournament going to the Kansas Jayhawks who were eliminated by the "Cinderella" team of Northern Iowa on Saturday night. With Michigan State winning with a thrilling last second 3 pointer on Sunday afternoon, some of entrants have the Spartans winning the whole enchilada. The next opponent for MSU - yep, Northern Iowa. The person leading in the brackets is a 3 1/2 year old little girl. Oh boy....
Thumb Tailgater Sports will be back on the internet with a live audio webcast stream of the Class D boys basketball quarterfinals that pits Greater Thumb Conference team of the Bay City All Saint Cougars facing off against Marine City Cardinal Mooney. That game is on Tuesday, March 23rd, with coverage starting at 6:30pm.

Saturday State Finals - Girls Basketball

CLASS D
Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes 48 - MHSAA Game Summary
Adrian Lenawee Christian 43
**Waterford Our Lady is the team that defeated thumb area team Deckerville Lady Eagles in Quarterfinals.

CLASS A
East Lansing 65, Detroit Renaissance 54 - MHSAA Game Summary

CLASS C
Flint Hamady 68, vs St.Ignace 66 - 2 O.T. : MHSAA Game Summary

CLASS B
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 51, Detroit Country Day 43 - MHSAA Summary

Thursday & Friday Girls Basketball Semi-Finals

I am still in "bracket buster shock" after some first round upsets in the college basketball NCAA tournament. Hope it does not continue today...
There is still high school basketball - although there are no longer any TTS coverage teams in girls basketball playing, the team that defeated the Deckerville Lady Eagles have made it to the state finals. Good luck to Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes!

Thursday Semi-finals:
CLASS D
Waterford Our Lady of Lakes 54, Ontonagon 33
Adrian Lenawee Christian 54, Central Lake 39
Final:Waterford Our Lady vs Adrian Lenawee Christian- Sat.10am

CLASS C
Flint Hamady 48, New Lothrop 43
St.Ignace 64, Niles Brandywine 35
Final: Flint Hamady vs St.Ignance - Saturday, 4pm

Friday Semi-Finals:
CLASS A
Detroit Renaissance 50, Canton 47
East Lansing 70, vs. Detroit Pershing 62
Finals: Detroit Renaissance vs East Lansing - Sat.12 noon

CLASS B 
Detroit Country Day 71, vs. Kingsford 31
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 51, Portland 25
Finals: Grand Rapids Catholic vs Detroit Country Day - Sat.,6pm

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Bay City All Saints Regional Champs

The luck of the Irish was on the side of the Bay City All Saint Cougars as they move on to the No.14 Quarterfinals. The Cougars defeated the North Huron Warriors in the No.28 Regional final 62-54, for their second straight Regional championship. The Villano "Towers" were very effective on defense, rebounds and scoring. TTS unofficial stats had Justin Villano with18pt, Thomas Villano 15pt, and Drew Janer 14pts, for the All Saints. North Huron leading scorer was Eric Dhyse with 17, Sean Clancy chipped in 13, and John Schramski dumped in 8pt. Also would like to point out that the North Huron team stayed on the court floor as medals & plaque was presented as a show or respect and good sportsmanship.
Bay City All Saints will face off against Marine City Cardinal Mooney in the Quarterfinals to be played at Waterford Mott High School on Tuesday, March 23rd, with start time to be determined.

Bay City All Saints - Class D No.28 Regional Champions

The Villano brothers, Thomas, Aaron, & Justin. 

Wednesday Regional Pot Of Gold

Thumb Tailgater Sports returns with a live internet audio webcast of high school boys basketball action on this St.Patrick's Day! It features the fierce rivalry of the Bay City All Saint Cougars and the North Huron Warriors! This clash between the teams is for the Class D No.28 Regional Championship. Which team will have the luck of the Irish on their side and find their way at the end of the rainbow and go home with a pot of Regional gold? Coverage starts at 6:30pm!
Harbor Beach Pirates also hope for a Regional Championship win over a pretty tough Saginaw Buena Vista team. That game starts at 6pm, and will be broadcasted on WLEW Cruise 102.1 FM.
Tuesday night wrapped up the Thumb Tailgater Sports area coverage of girls high school basketball. The Deckerville Lady Eagles succumbed to Waterford Our Lady Of The Lakes in the Class D No.14 Qurterfinals, 62-55. It was a great run for the Lady Eagles who earned a District & Regional championship along the way. At the half Deckerville was down only by three with the Lady Lakers leading 27-24. But Waterford Our Lady came out hot and never relented the lead. Good luck to the Lady Lakers in the semi-finals.

Boys Basketball Regionals - Thumb Tailgater Area Teams:
CLASS D
No.28 Regional Final @ Deckerville High School
Bay City All Saints 62, North Huron 54 - TTS Webcast

CLASS C
No.22 Regional Final @ New Haven High School
Saginaw Buena Vista 81, Harbor Beach 65

thumbtailgater@gmail.com

Tuesday Thumb Girls Quarter Final Bounce

The last lone thumb area girls basketball team will take on a strongly favored foe on Tuesday night. Thumb Tailgater Sports will be there for a live internet audio webcast to see if an upset could come to be. It is a rematch from last years Regional semi-final where Waterford Our Lady Of Lakes defeated the Deckerville Lady Eagles, 69 - 37.
This years rematch however, is in the Quarter Finals. The game will be played at Carsonville-Pt.Sanilac high school. Whoever wins tonight will move on to the Semi-Finals.
Coverage starts at 6:30pm. Quarter final games start at 7pm.

Girls Basketball Quarter Finals:
CLASS D 
No.14 @ CPS High School
Waterford Our Lady Of Lakes 62, Deckerville 55 - Thumb Tailgater Webcast

No.13 @ Jackson H.S.
Adrian Lenawee Christian 39, Battle Creek St.Phillip 32 

No.15 @ Benzonia-Benzie Central 
Central Lake 51, Mt.Pleasant Sacred Heart 45

No. 16 @ Sault Ste Marie-Sault Area 
Ontonagon 50, Johannesburgh-Lewiston 47

Other MHSAA Quarter Final Games

Rematch Set At Regional Final On Wednesday

In the semifinals of the Class D No.28 Regionals at Deckerville High School, North Huron was almost eliminated out of the playoffs. But the Warriors came from behind late in the 4th, to defeat a very good Burton Genesee Christian team 64 - 60. At the end of the 3rd North Huron was down 47 - 41, then mounted the comeback win with 24 points in the 4th!
The Soldiers had the Warriors on the ropes with a 13 point lead a couple of times in the game. But Michael Buholtz sparked the come back drilling a couple 3 pointers. Both teams were in foul trouble and in the double bonus on the charity stripe.
That advantage however went to North Huron as both Cory Babiszewski & Sean Clancy made some key free throws within :19 seconds left in the game. Clancy by the way was limited to about 10 points total in the game. However the rest of team all contributed to make up for that "X-Factor".
North Huron now faces off against their nemesis in the playoffs for the last couple years against the Bay City All Saints who had no trouble with the Peck Pirates, rolling on to a 67 - 45 win. The Pirates did play hard and were very pesky against the Cougars, all the way to the final buzzer.
This time the rematch between North Huron & Bay City All Saints is for the Regional championship and not in the districts.
Hear the replays on the Thumb Tailgater Sports archives. The Regional final coverage will start at 6:30pm.

Sean Clancy makes a key free throw the seal the win.

Cory Babiszewski takes the lead for North Huron free throws.

The Warrior fans celebrate the comeback victory.

Mighty Monday Boys Basketball Regionals

Thumb Tailgater Sports returns to the superhighway of the internet with a live audio webcast of the Class D No.28 Regionals at Deckerville High School. All the games that will take place will be covered.
Pre-Game starts at 5:30pm.
Thumb Tailgater Sports will also be getting updates on the Class C Regional at New Haven High School, which Brown City & Harbor Beach will be participating in.
Good Luck to all!

Boys Basketball Regionals - GTC, NCTL & BWAC Area Teams:
CLASS D
No.28 Regional - Deckerville High School
North Huron 64, vs Genesee Christian 60 - T.T.S. Webcast
Bay City All Saints 67, Peck  45 - Thumb Tailgater Webcast

CLASS C 
No.22 Regional - New Haven High School
Saginaw Buena Vista 68, Brown City 36
Harbor Beach 58, vs Sanford Meridian 44

CLASS B
No.13 Regional - North Branch High School
Saginaw Swan Valley 70 , Yale 53
Flint Powers Catholic 51, Pinconning 41

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Saturday Thumb Tailgater Update

Thumb Tailgater Sports will be covering the entire Class D No.28 Regionals at Deckerville High School, that starts on Monday evening. Live coverage starts at 5:30pm.
We will also cover the girls basketball Class D No.14 Quarter Final game at Carsonville-Port Sanilac High School, that takes place on Tuesday. That game pits thumb area team - the Deckerville Lady Eagles versus Waterford Our Lady. Live coverage starts at 6:30pm.

Here are some pictures that Thumb Tailgater was able to take at the boys basketball Kingston District Championship game, where Peck defeated Deckerville 49- 34.

Coach Garnett Kohler & Mrs."Coach" Kohler

Peck's #12, Devin Meddangh

Peck's #3 - Kolin York, and #13 Gerald Pathic

Stream Play Link to the Peck vs Deckerville District game.

Friday Thumb District Championship Final Scores

CLASS D
No.114 @ Kingston High School
Peck 49,vs Deckerville 34 - Thumb Tailgater Webcast

No.115 @ North Huron High School
Kinde-North Huron 50, vs Akron-Fairgrove 37

No.116 @ Bay City All Saints School Gym
Bay City All Saints 62, vs Saginaw Michigan Lutheran 47

CLASS C
No.81 @ Memphis High School
Brown City 58, Memphis 27

No.90 @ Bad Axe High School
Harbor Beach 61, Ubly 51

CLASS B
No.57 @ Cros-Lex High School
Yale 49, vs North Branch 46

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Say Hello To Port Hope Lutheran School

Thumb Tailgater Sports was asked to do a presentation at Port Hope Lutheran School this afternoon at about 1:45pm. I am going to try the video webcam, if that don't work then it's audio webcast. The signal is a little there along the lakeshore of M-25 in Port Hope. So check in if you can to hear or see these bright kids!

Port Hope - St.John Lutheran School, Thumb Tailgater Sports, Interview with Kayla Gust, Port Hope Basketball player. NCTL North & District Champions.

Friday District Championship Guys Night Out

Thumb Tailgater Sports has more thumb area high school basketball playoff action tonight, with coverage of the boys Class D No.114 District Final at Kingston High School. It features defending District Champions, the Deckerville Eagles facing off against the Peck Pirates.
The Eagles would like to match the success that the Lady Eagles have been having so far in the playoffs. However the Pirates have been stealing some great victories when it matters the most. Especially the shocking win over NCTL South Champs, the CPS Tigers. It should be a great matchup and a preview of the NCTL South versus the Greater Thumb East, who will be full time rivals come next year! The game will be live on Thumb Tailgater Sports starting with coverage at 6:30pm.
Plus there is more great District Final action going on with many thumb area teams.


Friday Night District Finals - Boys Basketball Thumb Area Teams:
CLASS D
No.114 @ Kingston High School
Peck 49,vs Deckerville 34 - Thumb Tailgater Webcast

No.115 @ North Huron High School
Kinde-North Huron 50, vs Akron-Fairgrove 37 - Paul Adams, Huron Daily Tribune

No.116 @ Bay City All Saints School Gym
Bay City All Saints 62, vs Saginaw Michigan Lutheran 47

CLASS C
No.81 @ Memphis High School
Brown City 58, Memphis 27

No.90 @ Bad Axe High School
Harbor Beach 61, Ubly 51

CLASS B
No.57 @ Cros-Lex High School
Yale vs North Branch

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Deckerville Lady Eagles Regional Champs

**Special congratulations goes out to the Deckerville Lady Eagles as they fought off a tough Port Hope Lady Bluestar team to win the Class D No.28 Regional Championship 41-30; the first since 1985!
Port Hope hung in there through 3 1/2 periods - but the stamina and speed of the Lady Eagles defense was too much in the end.
Deckerville heads to the quarter finals to be played Tuesday, at Carsonville-Port Sanilac High School against a very strong Waterford Our Lady Lakes. The Lady Lakers took down Marine City Cardinal Mooney 39-32, in the No.27 Class D Regional final.