by Justin Gibson | Dec 12, 2019 | Sports, Vicksburg
By Travis Smola
The scoreboard said 42-7 in Vicksburg’s first-round playoff loss to the Paw Paw Redskins, but the game was closer than the score indicated.
The Bulldogs moved the ball but stalled on their first two drives on costly interceptions thrown by quarterback Jacob Conklin. Paw Paw took advantage of the turnovers and scored on long runs on both drives to make it 14-0 early.
“In a playoff game, let alone a regular season game, turnovers are big. You’ve got to capitalize. One was at the five-yard line,” Head Coach Tom Marchese said. “You can’t make mistakes in a playoff game.”
On the next drive, Vicksburg defense stepped up and forced a turnover on downs. But they couldn’t convert that play into points. On Paw Paw’s next drive, they scored again on a 37-yard run to make it 21-0. “It looked bad in the scores the first half, but really they had three long runs,” Marchese said. “We were making them earn it. They just caught a crease on those three plays.”
The Bulldogs continued to stymie the Redskins on shorter runs. But they couldn’t stop the big play. Just before halftime, Paw Paw had a huge 72-yard run to make the score 28-0. After the half, the defense stepped up and the third quarter was largely a stalemate.
Finally, late in the third, Conklin hit Toby Stock for a 35-yard touchdown pass off a play-action. The extra point made it 28-7.
“I’m proud of the kids. They fought until the end and made some plays at the end there,” Marchese said.
In the fourth quarter, Paw Paw scored two more times to end the game 42-7. Vicksburg had been off to a hot start in 2019, winning its first three games and starting the season 5-1. But the Bulldogs suffered a plethora of injuries down the stretch, especially to the running game with injuries to players like Jacob Baird, Tim Axtell and Jayce Todd causing trouble for the run game.
“Injuries didn’t help, not at all,” Marchese said. However, he said he was proud of the seniors especially for battling back to the playoffs after they missed out last season. The Bulldogs are going to lose key players this year, most notably offensive and defensive lineman Kyle Rose, who wants to play for the Air Force Academy next year.
“He’s been a mainstay on our offensive line for the last three years,” Marchese said. He noted he saw a lot of maturity and leadership emerge from Rose in the last year.
“I was proud of him this year for being a vocal leader, which he really hasn’t done before,” Marchese said. “I put it on him to start talking more and he did an awesome job of it.” Overall, the Bulldogs will graduate 16 seniors.
Another big loss will be the receiving duo of Chase Myers and Lucas Hatridge, who became two of Conklin’s favorite targets this year.
“I thought we probably had the best two receivers in the league, Toby and Chase; they made plays when they were there,” Marchese said. “There’s a lot of good personalities out of that senior group.”
by Justin Gibson | Dec 12, 2019 | Sports, Vicksburg
By Travis Smola
The Vicksburg varsity volleyball team earned a chance to play for the District Championship after a big, three-set sweep of Parchment in the semi-final round.
The first set against the Panthers could have gone either way as the two teams traded scores back and forth. It ended up being the momentum-changer for the other two sets. “I think how it changed us was we realized we couldn’t play that way,” Head Coach Katrina Miller said afterwards. “I thought Parchment played really well, they were loud and aggressive, and we were really quiet.”
But after Tailynn Knapp drove home the final point on an ace serve to take the first set, 25-23, things quieted down significantly on the opposing bench. The Lady Bulldogs took an early lead in both sets that was never threatened as the girls went on to win 25-17 and 25-16 in the next two.
Helping lead the charge were outside hitters Hannah Vallier and Rylie Richter. The girls tallied over 20 kills between the two of them. “Vallier has had awesome nights, Richter has had awesome nights, but to have them both on together hasn’t happened all year,” Miller said. “That was phenomenal. That’s why we won right there. They just couldn’t stop them.”
She also praised the work of Camille Wadley, who set up most of those kills. “She’s our rock, she’s our captain,” Miller said. “There were balls that she set that we didn’t think she could set. And all of a sudden, she pops it outside to Hannah and we get a kill out of it.”
The win brings the team’s record to 25-20-5 after another decisive and sweeping victory over Comstock earlier. The Lady Bulldogs were to face Plainwell for the District title.
by Justin Gibson | Dec 12, 2019 | Sports, Vicksburg
The Vicksburg volleyball team is surrounded by its fans after winning the District championship.
By Travis Smola
There was something magical in the air as the Vicksburg varsity volleyball team captured a district title in a hard-earned sweep over Plainwell on the Trojans’ home court.
“I think a coach knows her team well enough that when you’re sitting on the bench you can feel whatever it is that’s in the air, you can feel it,” Head Coach Katrina Miller said. “And I could feel that even though we were losing points and we were struggling a little bit, that we weren’t going to let it go.”
The Lady Bulldogs were down 3-0 to start the opening set before storming back and taking control of the match. Much of the momentum came from the serving of Remi O’Neill, who served up two aces in a row in her first rotation serving. From there, the Lady Bulldogs feasted on Plainwell mistakes and won handily 25-13.
The second set was a different story as the two teams traded blows back and forth in a nail biter. Late in the match it was tied 23-23, then 24-24 before the Lady Bulldogs pulled away for a 27-25 win.
“Honestly, I can’t point out one person that was outstanding because they all worked so well together and did what they needed to do,” Miller said.
The third set saw Vicksburg get down early. They started making uncharacteristic mistakes, like those the girls had forced on the Trojans in the first two sets. At one point they were down seven points and it looked like the meet would go to a fourth set. But then the Lady Bulldogs came charging back.
Finally, they tied it up 23-23. The next play was the wildest one of the match. Plainwell put the ball in the rafters, but still managed to get it back over to the Vicksburg side, much to the surprise of the Lady Bulldogs. After two hits went nowhere, Rylie Richter made a miraculous punching save from far out right in front of the bench. The ball barely cleared the net, but eventually led to match point. On the next serve, Plainwell hit the ball into its own net to give Vicksburg the 25-23 win.
The last few points of the match were punctuated with a series of wild and ridiculous saves that had fans on both sides of the gym on their feet in disbelief. The only one who wasn’t surprised by them was Miller.
“We kept saying before we came out to this game that we are prepared as we can be,” Miller said. “So, those saves, while they were amazing and exhilarating, I wasn’t surprised because I knew, like we were going to give everything we had.
A big factor was the serving of Chloe Hatridge, Hannah Vallier and Marley Ferguson, who forced Plainwell to scramble and commit errors through all three games.
“We have had a really good serving team all year, but you know, my big thing when I’m working with the girls is to just not be scared to miss,” Miller said. “We talked about it a lot yesterday at practice and they did. So that was awesome.”
Vicksburg lost to Edwardsburg in the first round of Regional play on November 12 at Otsego.
by Justin Gibson | Dec 12, 2019 | Sports, Vicksburg
Rylie Richter and family.
By Linda Lane
At a signing event with nine other incoming freshmen recruits, Rylie Richter of Vicksburg signed a letter of intent to play softball with Lawrence Technological University (LTU), in Southfield. The four-year athletic scholarship was offered by Coach Karen Baird. Richter will pitch for LTU in fall 2020 and spring 2021 as well as playing infield at third or first base.
Nearly a year ago, Richter made the trek to Southfield to practice with the LTU team. She received an offer two weeks later. “It was nerve-wracking but really fun to practice with the team,” Richter said. She felt confident after the practice when players struggled to hit her pitches. LTU is an NAIA Division II team, playing in the WHAC Conference. It will play Central Michigan, Sienna Heights, Michigan-Dearborn, Indiana Tech and other teams.
Richter played varsity softball for all four years while at Vicksburg High School. She has also played travel softball for the past eight years, most recently playing with the Indiana Shock team.
Richter also played volleyball with VHS as an outside hitter and middle back. She has been elected to the volleyball First Team All Conference, and First Team All Regional. She was nominated for All State, but hasn’t heard if she has achieved it.
“I’ve made life-long friends with team members on the softball and volleyball teams at Vicksburg. When you play sports for four years, you spend a lot of time together. It creates a special friendship. It’s been one of the greatest experiences of being in high school for me,” Richter said.
Richter plans to study arts and sciences at LTU, pursuing a medical degree. Her parents are Kelly and Dave Richter.
by Justin Gibson | Dec 12, 2019 | Sports, Vicksburg
Tailynn Knapp.
By Sue Moore
Playing college softball with a sister will be one of the big rewards for Tailynn Knapp who signed her letter of intent recently to play for Central Michigan University (CMU) a Division I school. Her sister Shaidan Knapp will be a senior there next year, playing centerfield while Tailynn will compete to play as an infielder. Both girls competed for Vicksburg in multiple sports but softball was their favorite. “It will be so cool to again join my sister playing softball,” Tailynn said. “She has enjoyed great success at CMU, ranking third on the team with a .300 batting average and honor roll grades.”
Both sisters have been heavily schooled in softball by their grandfather Ed Knapp who coached football, wrestling, baseball and softball while a 35-year teacher at Vicksburg High School. His philosophy of winning has carried over to Tailynn. “It’s the basics that wins ballgames. Learn the mechanics and a player will have success,” he taught her along with many other athletes he coached.
Tailynn was four years old when she started tagging along for Little League practice with her sister who is three years older. That extended to a student visit at CMU in 7th grade when Shaidan was being recruited. “I loved the campus then and know I will love it next year. I get to live in the dorm with another softball player as a roommate while Shaidan will be living off campus as a senior. I was able to get in front of the coaches by going to their camps. My travel squad is out of Grand Rapids which the CMU coaches monitor.”
“They won’t be disappointed with Tailynn at CMU,” said her dad Tom who has also been her coach, cheerleader and driver to many practices. “Our car is like a locker room,” he quipped. “Tailynn gets her funkiness, aggressiveness and relentlessness from her mom JuliAnne. I love watching her play. At 5 ft. 2 in. she is quick, works out to build her core strength with a lot of lifting thrown in. She plays a short and long game, while setting records last season for Vicksburg.” She sports a healthy 3.85 GPA going into the last semester and intends to major in health sciences or bio medicine at CMU.
A three-year letter winner at Vicksburg, her career totals include 146 runs scored, 87 RBIs, 63 walks, 43 stolen bases, .562 slugging percentage and .510 on-base percentage. She was named a first team all-conference in 2019 as a junior. She hit .430 with 60 runs, 49 hits, 11 doubles, 3 home runs and posted a .632 slugging percentage and .569 on-base percentage. Knapp was selected second team all-district and first team all-conference in 2018. She received first team all-conference honors in 2017. She also earned three letters in volleyball and played travel ball with the Michigan Elite softball team.
by Sue Moore | Dec 12, 2019 | Government, Vicksburg
Bill Hunt brought his utility bill to the Vicksburg Village Council meeting to voice his concern about being charged interest because he didn’t receive his previous quarterly billing.
Bill Hunt complained to the Vicksburg Village Council about his water bill after he was charged past-due interest when he had failed to pay the previous quarterly bill.
Hunt, who resides on Kathryn Street in the Hughey sub-division, was one of 404 residents who had not received an invoice for that quarter. Village Manager Jim Mallery explained that billing is outsourced to a company which stamps and mails the bills for the village. Mallery said he has authorized village staff to waive the charges if the resident has always been on time with payment in the past. About 100 homes out of the 400 have a good payment record, he said.
Drinking water testing in the village will continue by outsourcing it to a Plainwell company, following resignation of a village employee who had carried out the task. Nobody else in the Department of Public Works (DPW) has the certification. Mallery stressed that the testing must continue to insure safe water in the village. The cost is $28,000 per year.
In other monthly business, the Planning Commission will absorb the Downtown Development Authority through new ordinances to update bylaws and rules of procedure, Mallery told the Council. Current members of the DDA can apply to take a seat on the commission which will be enlarged from seven members to nine. John DeBault, long-time chair of the DDA, wondered what his role would be under the new system. Denny Olson asked if the projects the DDA sponsors such as Christmas in the Village and the façade grants will go forward. Mallery assured him that these projects would go forward, possibly under a sub-committee of the Planning Commission, and that DeBault would be invited to apply for one of the additional seats.
“We don’t have any intention of getting rid of any of the great strides the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has made in the last few years,” Trustee Tim Frisbie said. The shift will begin in January.
The Council also approved a contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to receive grant funds for the trail that is to be extended north from the current trail to the Portage city line.
Mallery’s assistant, Alex Lee, reported on plans to rebuild the village’s web site and incorporate live streaming of council meetings. The target date is January. Lee assured members that the improvements will be fully operational by then.
