The Schoolcraft Board of Education in a brief May meeting learned the state’s budget will include extra funding for school safety which can be used for purchase of security cameras.
Finance Director Kendra Drewyor highlighted other legislative developments, including a new law allowing school districts to use their sinking funds for purchase of buses. It also allows districts to use those funds for security, technology, or real estate for facilities.
In other business, the board approved dairy bids and a proposal to send an HVAC project for the high school out for bids.
Photo by Stephanie Blentlinger, Lingering Memories Photography.
By Mark Blentlinger
Schoolcraft’s girls’ soccer has been putting up some good numbers, boasting an overall 11-5-1 record and tied for third place in the conference.
The team has beaten opponents such as Coloma (8-0), Constantine (8-0), Parchment (7-2), Watervliet (6-0) and Delton Kellogg (5-2) with losses to Kalamazoo Central (0-2) and Black River Public School (1-3). Its tie was to Kalamazoo Hackett (1-1).
Leading the team in goals is senior Abbi Curtis with 23 and 4 assists, followed by freshman Addison Sziede 13 goals and 6 assists, senior Captain Brooklyn Hamelink with 8 goals and 15 assists, and junior captain Gabby Adams with 9 goals and 6 assists. The Golden Eagles completed their regular season against neighboring Vicksburg May 18 with Senior Night. On May 25th they faced off against the Comstock Colts in the MHSAA District Quarterfinals.
The Schoolcraft boys golf team topped all at the White Pigeon Varsity Golf Invitational with a team score of 346. Teams at the Invitational besides Schoolcraft included Sturgis, Colon, White Pigeon(1), Bronson, Mendon, Centreville and White Pigeon(2). That was also the finishing order. Sturgis shot 380, finishing 2nd, and Colon shot 392, finishing 3rd. On the individual side, Schoolcraft’s Jack VanDam was the co-medalist, tying with Graeme Herald of Sturgis. Both players shot a 82. Schoolcraft also had Luke Rykse and Kolbe Lloyd tie for 4th overall, shooting 87. Lucas Wheeler finished in 7th overall with a 90. Aiden Flinton, the final golfer for the Golden Eagles, finished his day at 106.
Schoolcraft is currently in 3rd place in the SAC conference, right behind Kalamazoo Christian and Kalamazoo Hackett. Schoolcraft will play on May 31st the Division 3 Regional 15 tournament at the Medalist Golf Club in Marshall, along with 20 other schools all trying their best to take the regional trophy home to their school and advance to the state championship.
Division 3 state competition will be June 9 and 10 at MSU in East Lansing.
The Golden Eagles trap shooting team finished the regular season in 4th place in its eight-team conference with a total season score of 6,585 targets hit. Out of 7,188 state shooters, Caden Fritts placed 30th, hitting 235 targets out of a possible 250. Hope Wright finished 70th with a total of 231 hits.
The conference includes Napoleon, Memphis, Chippewa, Unity Christian, Harbor Beach, Fruitport and Ulby Junior-Senior high schools. Each of the teams shoot at their own range, then upload their scores to the Michigan State High School Clay Target League.
The conference is part of the USA Clay Target League, which has more than 34,000 students nationwide, including those 7,188 from Michigan. Schoolcraft started its team in 2021 with 17 student athletes. The Golden Eagles had 22 this spring.
The team competes in the fall and spring, and the league is open to students in grade 6 through 12. The league is set up based on a “true team scoring system” in which everyone participates and adds to the team’s score. Age and gender have no factor on an athlete’s shooting time or scoring ability.
Currently the team has 10 of the 22 shooting at the varsity level where athletes need to have a 19.0 average overall: 190/250 targets hit across the season. Many of these young shooters practice daily. Fritts is the team’s number 1 shooter for the boys and Wright, for the girls, is reigning state champion. Wright has earned a $70,000 scholarship to the University of Olivet to continue shooting at the college level.
In the conference top 25 shooters, Fritts finished in 3rd place. Also in the top 25 were Ethan DenHartigh, Thomas Rutkoskie, Ayden Remmert, along with Wright and Addison Smith. Wright was the only Golden Eagle to hit 50 straight targets. Shooters with 25 straight were Fritts, Ethan DenHartigh, Rutkoskie and Ayden Remmert.
The team will send 11 shooters to the state shooting competition on June 11th in Mason. Based on the season averages, Ethan Denhartigh, Fritts, Rutkoskie, Addison Smith, and Ayden Remmert have been invited to participate at the national level at the same venue in July.
The team is self-funded and relies on some generous donors that supply the team with targets and ammunition. Their sponsors include A&B Brush Farms, Roger Sullivan DDS, Lakes Area Conservation Club, Lazy Man BBQ, Michigan Cat, “No Hassle Detassel.” Dick Beatty Barber Shop, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Roberts Excavating, Shamrock Leathers, Schoolcraft Athletic Boosters Club, Walther Farms, Wedel’s Nursery and Words Matter Consulting.
Photo by Stephanie Blentlinger, Lingering Memories Photography.
By Mark Blentlinger
Head Coach Scott Muffley keeps reminding his Schoolcraft baseball team it takes a solid team effort to accomplish what the team wants to do this season. His Golden Eagles have bought into that vision, with the team boasting a 15-10-1 record overall and a 4-4 record in the conference.
Muffley said the team has been decimated by Injuries, including key players Eli DeVisser, Bennet Ellison and Hayden Demaso. “The great thing about this team is that others have stepped up and performed in the absence of these individuals.” This team effort is one of the things Muffley has enjoyed this season. “This is a very cohesive group that truly has a passion for this game.”
The team has been building all season for the post season play, and the team believes it is ready. They have a solid pitching rotation with Fischer Holmes, Easton Pulsen, Austin Jones, Thomas Rutkoskie, Ryley Bruner and Cody Priest. “They have all done a nice job on the mound and continue to get more efficient each day,” Muffley said.
At the plate, Ethan Goddard, Gavin Hart, Jaden VandeWeire and Cody Priest have all been very consistent, each hitting over .300.
During an out-of-conference game vs Mattawan, the team did well, especially on the mound with Easton Pulsen and Fischer Holmes keeping the game close. The team ended up losing by a score of 2-1. Mattawan is a Division 1 school. Next up was Niles, another Division 1 school, and the Golden Eagles were able to top them by a score of 12-2.
Muffley said, “We like what we see, we just need to keep the momentum going.”
The Golden Eagles visited the Lawton Blue Devils on Monday, May 15th for the final conference game of the 2023 season. There, Lawton topped Schoolcraft 12-7.
MHSAA District play starts on May 30th for the Golden Eagles. Schoolcraft plays Centreville at home, as Schoolcraft is hosting District 82.
