by Justin Gibson | Feb 12, 2020 | Sports, Vicksburg
By Jim Hamrick
The last week of December 2019 found avid Vicksburg area goose hunters Neil Kreamalmeyer, grandson Michael Wright Jr. and long-time hunting partner Jack Smith in preparation mode for the hunt.
The last weekend of December, Saturday, thee 28th, and Sunday, the 29th, is set aside as a late goose season. This is to allow reduction of the local population which no longer migrates and allows a last chance for waterfowl hunters to enjoy their sport. Hunters are allowed to harvest three Canada geese during the two days.
Kreamalmeyer and his team covered many miles in advance, scouting for fields that geese were using for daytime activities. Eventually a field holding large numbers of birds was selected. Locating the owner and obtaining permission to hunt was a challenge. They did get permission and the owner even offered information about an irrigation pond the geese were using. This pond turned out to be a perfect hunting location.
The day before the hunt was set-up day. Kreamalmeyer used an A-frame blind for hunter concealment. Once the blind was up and secure, it was covered with local foliage from the field for camouflage. A spread of 140 decoys was set out to put arriving geese at ease and encourage them to join the group already on the ground. The site was ready and the tired hunters called it a day.
At 5 a.m. on Saturday, the hunters were up with minimal sleep. Anticipation makes sleep a hard commodity to come by, they say. Coffee, snacks and other comfort items were packed. They stopped by a local 24-hour eatery for a ritual glazed doughnut to complete preparations.
Arriving at the hunting location set off a flurry of activity. Headlamps, tools (guns), calls and comfort items were placed in the blind. The spread was checked and floater decoys put out. A flight of ducks left the pond that sat through all of the guys’ early activity. Their truck was moved away with “shooting light” approaching. Their places were occupied in the blind, tools (guns) on the ready. Jack forgot his calls, so he had to run to the truck and back.
Action began immediately, tools (guns) had just been loaded with (go fast-non-toxic fodder) no lead-shot shells, when four mallard ducks showed up. Kreamalmeyer called them in to range; one was downed. A lull in activity saw coffee and doughnuts were all out but Wright spied a flock of geese inbound. Only one was downed from the group. The advancing morning brought more and more birds. The shooting improved and at 8:45 a nine-bird limit was filled.
Three happy hunters collected their harvest and equipment. “Grandpa, we won!” shouted Kreamalmeyer’s grandson. He reported they didn’t win the next day. That is why it is called hunting!
The birds were taken to Stubby’s in Vicksburg or Barrett’s in Portage for processing into sausage or jerky.
Kreamalmeyer has harvested over 400 birds and collected 90 leg and neck collars. Collected collars reported to wildlife biologists help track the population and health of the flocks.
Kreamelmeyer was born and raised in Vicksburg, worked 30 years at Simpson Paper and retired from AM General military Humvee support team in 2018. His hobbies are hunting, shooting and fishing. He is also a certified fast pitch softball official.
by Justin Gibson | Feb 12, 2020 | Sports, Vicksburg
The Manski family from left to right, Brett Manski (18), Shari Manski (55), John C Manski (36), John W Manski (60) with their medals.
In 2013 when Shari Manski began training for her first marathon, she never imagined that running would turn into a family sport. Over the years growing up in Pavilion Township, the Manski kids have participated in many local sporting activities – hockey, baseball, and golf, to name a few. However, adding competitive running to the list was a family challenge that only this mom could dream up.
Over the past seven years, Shari, now 55, has been fortunate to have her family join in the excitement of running. Children John C, 36; Scott, 27; Sarah, 25; Brett, 18; and their father, John W, 60, continue to be inspired by Shari’s focus and joy of running. Shari’s encouragement comes with the phrase, “Finish, don’t be last, and don’t get injured.” The Manski family has been able to stay healthy and fit through running while ultimately enjoying the fun of running together.
In January 2014, Shari, John W., John C., Scott, and Sarah completed the Walt Disney World Marathon near Orlando, Fla. Earning their first Disney Medal inspired them to return to Florida in January 2015 to compete in the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. During the Marathon Weekend, runners are eligible to compete in the Goofy Challenge, a half-marathon on Saturday and a marathon on Sunday, as well as the Dopey Challenge where runners must complete four races in four straight days – 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon, for a total of 48.6 miles. The end result for completing what Disney World calls “the ultimate endurance challenge” is the receipt of six specially crafted Disney medals.
In 2015, due to age restrictions, Brett, then 13, was only eligible to run the 5K and 10K, with a promise from his parents to return to Disney World when Brett turned 18. This January, five years later, the Manski family returned to Florida to complete the Dopey Races – again! Although Scott and Sarah were unable to compete due to graduate school commitments, they, along with their brother, Joseph, 35, and grandmother, Kate Scandlon, were at home cheering for family members Shari, John W., John C., and of course, Brett, as he completed his first Dopey Race.
The first two races, 5K and 10K, were like practice runs for the Manski family. With the half-marathon more of a challenge because of the added distance, it was the marathon that proved to be exceptionally challenging this year. During the race, the Michigan family didn’t realize that Orlando experienced a record high temperature of 85 degrees on marathon Sunday. The temperatures were far different than the Michigan practice temperatures of 30 degrees. Even with the unusually high temperatures, race volunteers ensured there was plenty of water and nutrients available as the Dopey runners made their way through the four parks of Walt Disney World. Brett, Shari, John C., and John W. were all “race finishers” of the 2020 Dopey Challenge.
In addition to the Dopey Challenge, the Manski family enjoys competing in Run Disney races on a regular basis. Following their first Dopey in 2015, the six Manski runners completed the Dumbo Challenge in Anaheim, Calif. at Disneyland. By completing a half-marathon in both Disney World and Disneyland in the same year, each Manski family member earned a Coast-to-Coast medal which features Walt Disney on a diamond-shaped medal. In memory of the special event, Scott created a YouTube video featuring the Manski family as they ran in Disneyland and through Anaheim.
In November 2016, Shari, John W., John C., Scott, Sarah, and Brett competed in the Wine ‘n Dine at Walt Disney World. The Wine ‘n Dine is a three-race event weekend (5K, 10K, and half-marathon) where runners are invited to a special Epcot runner event featuring wine tasting and gourmet appetizers following the races. In May 2017 Shari and John C., competed in Star Wars Weekend – the Dark Side in which runners compete in a 5K, 10K, and half-marathon. In February 2018, Shari, Sarah, and friend Brittany Heather traveled to Walt Disney World for the Princess Runs. The three-race event is known for the many runners who dress in Disney Princess-themed costumes as they run through the Magic Kingdom.
What’s the next Disney Race for the Manski family? Even on the plane ride back to Michigan from the Dopey Race in January, the Manski family was talking about scheduling another Wine ‘n Dine weekend at Disney World.
John and Shari came to this area in 1986 from Pennsylvania. John, a director at Pfizer, retired in December. Shari works for Pfizer in the Audits and Inspections Team. The Manski children have attended Vicksburg Community Schools. VHS graduates John C. (2002), Joseph (2003), Scott (2011), Sarah (2012) will have the opportunity to watch their youngest brother, Brett, graduate from VHS in May. Brett is a drum major for the VHS Big Red Machine, an Eagle Scout and a member of the VHS Golf Team.
John C., a Grand Valley State University graduate, is an aseptic operator at Pfizer who lives in Portage. Joseph, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, lives in Kalamazoo and hires his own staff for personal support. Scott, who will be completing his PhD graduate studies in statistics at MSU this spring, is a Kalamazoo College graduate. Sarah, who completed her master’s degree in mathematics at Dartmouth, is also a graduate student at MSU in statistics. She is also a graduate of Kalamazoo College. Brett is undecided on which college he will be attending although K-College and MSU are near the top of his list.
by Justin Gibson | Feb 12, 2020 | Sports, Vicksburg
By Travis Smola
The Vicksburg varsity boys’ basketball team has struggled a bit this season and now holds a 3-5 record after a nail-bitingly close loss to Dowagiac 57-50 in January.
Right now, Head Coach Josh Noble says the team is focused primarily on finding its identity. “I thought tonight we got a little bit closer to that,” Noble said. “Tonight, we did a good job of managing what they do well, which is just convincing you to not turn the ball over. For the most part, we did okay. We still have to clean it up.”
The Bulldogs and Chieftains traded the lead back and forth several times. Both teams had 10 fouls in the first half alone. Kyle Rose led the scoring charge for Vicksburg. He’s averaged 13.7 points per game this year and put up 15 against Dowagiac. Dillion Shook was the next leading scorer with 14 points. He made the night a double-double with 12 rebounds, including several key ones that helped keep Vicksburg in the game late.
Jacob Conklin had 13 points. Tyler Kienbaum and Chase Myers each had two and Levi Root and Ethan Buscher each had a couple of free throws. Near the end of the game, the team battled back to within three in the last minute and a half of the game.
“We had three or four great looks at a three,” Noble said. He said he enjoyed drawing up some plays late in the game and the Chieftains did give them the looks they had hoped for on those plays. The Bulldogs just couldn’t get the shots to drain.
Since coming back from winter break, the team lost to Portage Northern 61-35 and Sturgis 68-46 before bouncing back against Plainwell with a 49-33 win. They lost to Edwardsburg 53-43 and Fennville 69-51. “Right now, our team, we’re playing for March. We want to get in the playoffs on a good note and the loss to Dowagiac was a step back, but it wasn’t a huge step back,” Noble said.
by Justin Gibson | Feb 12, 2020 | Sports, Vicksburg
Hannah Vallier is announced in the starting lineup for Vicksburg’s girls basketball team.
By Travis Smola
The Lady Bulldogs varsity basketball team picked up its fifth win of the season on home court against Dowagiac, 51-33.
The girls started off scoring well, but struggled a little on defense. Although they never gave up the lead, they did let the Chieftains hang around for longer than Head Coach Tim Kirby would have liked. “We found a way to make enough baskets in the first half to have a lead,” Kirby said. “But I told my girls I didn’t want to give the other team any hope, and I felt like we gave them hope in the first half.”
Leading the scoring charge for the Lady Bulldogs was Hannah Vallier, who put up 19 points. She just missed getting a double-double with nine rebounds. Kelsey Diekman was the next leading scorer with 12 points. Chloe Hatridge scored 11.
Sydney Finos put up three points while Payton Lewis and Danielle Diekman each had two while Kaitlynn Szdlowski and Olivia Grinnell each added a free throw to round out the scoring. “Our defense was better in the third quarter even though we didn’t score as well,” Kirby said.
The team was able to finish out the game strong and end a two-game losing streak. Vicksburg is 2-2 since returning from winter break. They won the first game after the break, against Portage Northern 55-12. “If we play defense and rebound, we’re going to be okay,” Kirby said.
The next two games, however, saw a few problems. The Lady Bulldogs fell to Sturgis 49-34. Kirby said some foul trouble is what led to that game getting away from them. Three players were sick at the next game against Plainwell. The result was a 47-21 loss. “We let a couple get away from us that we probably felt we should have won, but tonight was a big one for us,” Kirby said.
The girls are in a decent position with a .500 record going into the second half of the season. They do face some tough road games ahead. “We’re 5-5, I feel like we probably should be maybe 7-3 right now,” Kirby said.
by Justin Gibson | Feb 12, 2020 | Sports, Vicksburg
By Travis Smola
In their latest quad meet at home against Paw Paw and South Haven, the Vicksburg varsity wrestling team lost both matches. The score may have been 53-30 in Paw Paw’s favor, but it was the second time they had faced this team recently. Head Coach Jeff Mohney said their latest match went much smoother. “We’re improving, we’re just young.”
The big highlight of the match-up against Paw Paw was Kenny Stermer in the 189-pound weight class. Stermer got off to an early lead in points that he never relinquished. It was 15-5 and the match nearly went the entire six minutes. He scored a pin fall victory with just 11.6 seconds left.
The Bulldogs had Gunnar Niewiadomski and Daxton Rugg pick up quick pinfall victories against the Redskins. In the second half of the meet, when the team faced South Haven, they were at an early disadvantage simply because the first four weight classes were vacant.
Many of the boys did put in spirited efforts, even in defeat. Mohney said they’ve been well engaged. Exam week was a distraction during this latest quad meet. The team is learning to roll with it. “We stress academics first, so the classroom always comes first, wrestling comes second,” Mohney said.
The team had hoped to get more freshmen competing in JV events this year. Unfortunately, the arrival of winter in Michigan cancelled a few of those events. On January 18, the JV team was scheduled to go to Harper Creek for an event. When that event was cancelled, Mohney moved a few boys over to a varsity Individual tournament in Marcellus happening the same day, where they did very well. The experience should help with future events.
“The freshmen coming in have to learn how to deal with academics, have to learn how to deal with training,” Mohney said. “They have to learn the environment of wrestling; it’s just a whole new ballgame for them.”
by Justin Gibson | Feb 12, 2020 | Schools, Vicksburg
Rachel King, second from right, speaks to the Vicksburg School Board as she proposes a new leadership course for high school students.
By Sue Moore
Rachel King gains inspiration from her Vicksburg High School’s Aim Higher students every day. They are excited about the work they are doing, she told the Vicksburg School Board at its January meeting. “I want to do more to help them but I don’t have enough time in the day to give them. There is no limit to what they could do if they had more than just their club involvement.”
A course in leadership was King’s answer. She has designed the curriculum to reflect the work of the PeaceJam Foundation, an international organization of young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, their communities, and the world. They get inspiration from the 14 Nobel Peace Laureates who serve on the board and actively pass on the spirit, skills, and wisdom they embody.
Aim Higher will now have a one-credit elective Leadership class that meets for the whole year, due to King’s inspiration. They will learn how to become effective leaders in their community, their country and on a global scale. The focus is on leadership through service to others while using the PeaceJam curriculum.
“The leadership students will be able to see the value of service and understand the need to effective leadership to enact effective change,” King’s proposal said. “The skills they learn and the experiences they will have in the course will carry through all aspects of their lives, helping them both in and out of school. It will build a foundation for future service and leadership roles after high school,” she said.
Students will become community advocates by seeing how they can work toward impactful and sustainable change. Each will design an individual service project that aligns with a student’s personal mission statement. They will become mentors to other students and community members to ensure sustainability of their efforts, King wrote. Effective leadership, positive team collaborations, service to others, research and data collection, community engagement and project planning are key components in the course.
King’s daughter, MacKenzie, a Vicksburg High School graduate, was King’s inspiration to start the Aim Higher club and now the leadership class. As a student at Western Michigan University in 2018, King was named a Trailblazer by the Haworth College of Business. MacKenzie became a mentor to the Vicksburg students. She has done considerable volunteer work abroad. She just returned from working in refugee camps in Greece. MacKenzie is all about humanitarian work, her mom said. She brought two other VHS grads, Casey Hall and Madelyn Geiger, with her to Aim Higher to help with mentoring. They are now in the global leaders’ program at WMU.
King has about 25 students now who meet regularly as an after-school club. About 140 are in the club she started last year in the fall. They can come and go as their outside activities demand.
They did a dog wash to raise funds last spring. It’s all student driven on what needs to be done to volunteer. One person in the group, whose mother works at Wyndham West in Kalamazoo, knew the seniors who lived there could use some help. They have been going there one day a week to lend a hand.
The club memberss will attend the Great Lakes PeaceJam spring conference in Kalamazoo in March.
