SPORTS

VARSITY VOLLEYBALL
Elks closing in on conference title 

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Grace Mischel gets set for a dig against Kalkaska. Photo by Kim Eardley Photography
The Elk volleyball team remained undefeated in Lake Michigan Conference play with a 3-1 win over the Blazers at Kalkaska on Tuesday. The Elks won the opening set 25-20 but let the second set slip away 23-25 for a 1-1 match tie. The third set was close, the Elks held a 22-20 lead, then took the next three points for the 25-20 win. The fourth set was tied at 8-8 before the Elks ran off seven unanswered points and cruised to a 25-13 victory. 

Logan Reasoner tallied 10 kills, Nevada Molby had nine kills, Lili Hoberg chipped in eight kills. Bri Roberts had 16 digs, Grace Mischel added 32 digs and Ryleigh Yocom totaled 51 assists.

The Elks are guaranteed a share of the conference title after the win over Kalkaska, and a victory over visiting St. Francis on Thursday will give Elk Rapids sole possession of the conference crown for the first time since the 2000 season, when volleyball was played in the fall. 

“The girls are very excited to win the conference,” said Elk varsity volleyball coach Connie Gorno. “This year, like last year, there is no conference tournament. The conference winner will be the team with the best overall record.” In the past the regular season conference record normally determined the team seedings for the conference tournament. The winner of the conference tournament was named as the conference champion, regardless of the regular season records.

Playing in the Inland Lakes Tournament on Saturday the Elks won against Inland Lakes (25-19,25-20), lost to Joburg (25-23,18-25,4-15) and tied both St. Ignace (24-26,25-17) and Alpena (25-18,24-26). Mischel had 43 digs, Yocom tallied 64 assists with 20 digs, Roberts added 28 digs, Morgan Bergquist had 10 kills, Addison Jacobs and Ava Knight both had nine kills, Alena LaPointe served up eight aces. Elk Rapids (18-16-5, 6-0 LMC) host St. Francis in the home season finale and Senior Night on Thursday then travel to Frankfort for a non-conference match on Tuesday.

VARSITY FOOTBALL
Elks routed by Boyne 

PictureElk center Jack Wolgamott (60) gets set so the offensive line can follow his lead. Photo by Kim Eardley Photography
 The game against conference leading Boyne City on the road was one of the toughest games on the schedule this season, the Elks played hard but fell 48-0. Despite giving up 41 first half points the Elks never quit, even putting together a strong final fourth quarter drive against the Rambler second unit, giving a look at what next season could be.

The Ramblers scored on runs of 25 and 36 yards for a 13-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Elks had a few bright spots on offense, a scramble for 10 yards and a first down by Elk quarterback Chase DeArment, and a long 32-yard pass to tight end Ryan McGuire. The Elk offensive drives sputtered against the Boyne defense, resulting in zero points. In the second quarter Boyne scored on a 76-yard pass, a seven-yard run, a 50-yard punt return and a nine-yard interception. The third quarter began with the Elks behind 41-0 and a running clock in play.

The final Ramble touchdown came from a 41-yard run midway through the third quarter for the 48-0 final.

Boyne played their second team in the fourth quarter, giving some of their varsity for next season playing time. The Elks responded with an eight play, 68-yard drive, beginning with back-to-back runs from Declan Shockley of 10 and 15 yards through the middle of the Boyne defense. DeArment completed a pass to McGuire for 23 yards and hit John Vanderheide with a 41-yard toss. The Elks drove to inside the Boyne 20, then fumbled away the ball, ending a chance to get on the board. For the game, DeArment had five completions for 103 yards, Shockley ran for 50 yards, McGuire caught two balls for 51 yards, and Caleb Melton led the defense with five tackles.
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The Elks play the season finale at Kalkaska on Friday. The Blazers beat the Elks 30-28 in overtime at Elk Rapids in the season opener for both teams. The Elks and Blazers both enter the game with records of 1-7, the two squads will be playing hard with the desire to knock off the other team and get a second win to end the season on a positive note.

VARSITY SOCCER
Victorious Elks set sights on fourth straight district trophy 

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Coach Nate Plum gives the Elks a last-minute pep talk before taking the field against Cheboygan. Photo by Kim Eardley Photography
The Elk soccer team wrapped up the regular season then sat idle for nearly a week before the postseason was scheduled to begin. The wait didn’t seem to slow down the team on the pitch, the Elks opened with an 8-0 blanking of Cheboygan at home last Wednesday (10/13), followed by an 8-0 second-half mercy win over visiting Grayling on Monday (10/18). The two wins advanced the Elks to the Division 3 District Championship against Traverse City Christian on Thursday hosted by Elk Rapids. The game will be rematch of the district final last year won by the Elks 1-0 and will played exactly one year later. The Elks are looking to claim their fourth straight district trophy and advance to regionals.

Facing Grayling in the district semifinal game on Monday, the Elks quickly built a 6-0 lead 14 minutes into the first half but would add just one more goal to lead 7-0 at halftime. Alex Smith brought the game to a close with a goal four minutes into the second half. Nolan Carroll had a three-goal hat-trick in the first half, Mason Travis, Spencer Ball and Sean Burch each notched a solo goal. Jack Spencer was in goal for the first half, Koa West filled in for the second half. 

The Elks faced Cheboygan in the district opener winning with an 8-0 shutout last Wednesday. Ball had the hat-trick with three goals, Travis and Noah Hilley each scored two goals and Carroll chipped in with a goal. Travis and Carroll had assists, Spencer had one save in net in the first half, West took over for the eight minutes in the second half. 
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The Elks (16-4-3) and the Sabres (16-5) played earlier this year with the Elks getting a 5-0 shutout. Coach Nate Plum feels the Elks are ready for the post season. “It is a new season now, one loss and a team is done. We will need to keep our intensity up, and not let up, not at all,” said Plum. A win will advance the Elks to the Division 3 regional opener in Clare on Tuesday (10/26).

VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY
Janssen and Ward earn cross country LMC First Team 

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Hannah Janssen crosses the finish line in fourth place with First Team All-Conference honors. Photo by Coach Cam Ward
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Elk senior Charlie Ward finishes in fourth place, earning All-Conference First Team honors. Photo by Coach Cam Ward
A pair of fourth place overall finishes earned Elk cross country runners Hannah Janssen (20:44.20) and Charlie Ward (17:15.54 season record) All-Conference First Team honors at the Lake Michigan Conference Championship held in Charlevoix on Saturday. Max Ward finished in the number 14 position (17:50.79 personal record) taking All-Conference Second Team honors, one of just two freshmen boys to earn all-conference. At the conference championship the first seven finishers are named to the first team, the next seven are awarded second team. For the girls, Sarah Zamaites (16-22:04.97 season record), Eva Pray (17-22:05.69) and Hunter Schellenbarger (18-22:10.41 personal record) combined with Janssen to finish in third place (74), behind Harbor Springs in second (59) and St. Francis in first (38). The boys had Caleb Kerfoot (16-18:03.15 personal record) and Christian Kerfoot (18-18:16.41) with the Ward brothers for second place (76), St. Francis finished first (62) and Kalkaska was third (79). The Elk boys last won the conference championship in 2007, the girls last finished in first back in 2006. The Elks had some strong running from Emerson Barnes with a personal record (18:54.04) and Seth Brown finishing with a season record (18:33.02).

“This weather was ideal for running, it was a little chilly, but the sun poked out here and there. The kids have been working hard, and it is showing, and this was the best team finishes we have had in years,” said Elk cross country coach Cam Ward. 
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The Elk Rapids next run at the Northern Michigan XC Championships at Michaywe Pines Golf Course in Gaylord on Saturday (10/23). This meet has nearly 30 teams competing and is considered a tune-up for the upcoming regional meets.

YOUTH FOOTBALL
Championship at Glowicki Field Saturday noon! 

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Coach Mark Schaub and the Elks. Courtesy photo
Sports fans have a chance to see the future of Elk Rapids football when the 5/6th grade Elk football team hosts the Ogemaw Browns in the Youth Football Conference Division 2 Championship at Glowicki Field on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 noon, tickets are just $5.00 to get into the championship game to see the Elk players, who will in a few short years become the Elk varsity football team. Concessions will be available. The Elk 5/6th graders had a strong regular season finishing unbeaten with four wins and one tie, then survived the opening round of playoffs with a thrilling double overtime win over Alpena 24-18 at home! Last Saturday the Elks went on the road for the second round of playoffs, traveling to Ogemaw to face the Gaylord B team, and coming away with a 24-13 win to advance to the championship. 
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“These boys have worked hard, the dedication and work that they put in is unmatched,” said Head Coach Mark Schaub. “This will be the last game of the year and the biggest Super Bowl for 5/6!” Get to Glowicki Field before noon this Saturday, help fill the stands for one final home football game this season. Cheer loud to spur this young Elk team to a trophy win and watch them ring the victory bell one more time! Go Elks!