VARSITY SKIING GNA boys aim to repeat as conference champions
Elk Rapids High School Varsity Ski Team 2025-2026:
Corbin Bogard, Ben Dyste and Larsen Dyste. Photo by Kim Eardley Photography
The snow that has blanketed the northern Michigan landscape is a welcome sight for the Great North Alpine (GNA) head ski coach Sean Wells, beginning his third season as the GNA co-op head coach.
“The ski season came quick this year,” said Coach Wells. “We had started dryland conditioning but with this nice weather we are having, we were able to get out on skis.”
Coach Wells, a 2014 Elk Rapids graduate, is also a former GNA ski team member, earning all-conference recognition in both the giant slalom and slalom, along with Division 2 second team all-state honors in the GS.
“Things are different as a coach than they were when I was just an athlete, for sure,” said Wells. “Working as a team is the same though. I have had just as much fun coaching as I did when I was skiing. I am looking forward to this year, especially with this winter off to such a great start this year.”
The size of the co-op team can change quickly every season, both in the number of skiers and where they attend school. This season the GNA team is small, with a roster of just 11 skiers. The girls team has only four skiers, all from St. Francis, and the boys team has seven members, three from Elk Rapids and four are St. Francis skiers.
“The team definitely varies year after year, but even with a low number of skiers, the quality of our skiers is very high! With that, I do believe we could have a run at conference champs as long as everyone stays healthy. We can’t risk losing anyone,” Wells said.
The GNA boys won the Northern Shores Conference (NSC) title last season led by Elk sophomore Corbin Bogard, the conference champion in the slalom and GS. Elk freshman Ben Dyste finished second overall in the GS and took third in the slalom. The duo led the GNA boys to a third-place finish at the Division 2 state finals, with Dyste earning all-state first team honors in both the slalom and GS, and Bogard taking home all-state first team recognition in the GS. Bogard also earned first team all-state honors in the GS as a freshman. The Elk duo returns to the slopes for GNA this season, Bogard now a junior and Dyste a sophomore, they will be joined by Elk freshman Larsen Dyste.
“These three are very skilled skiers and are very competitive. As I said, if we can stay healthy, we have a chance for a good run this year,” Wells said.
The GNA ski teams will open the season at the Harbor/Petoskey Invite on Monday, January 5, at Boyne Highlands. The first NSC meet is scheduled for Thursday, January 8, at Nubs Nob in Harbor Springs.
VARSITY BOWLING Bowlers bring experience and state finals goal
Elk Rapids High School Varsity Bowling Team 2025-2026: Nathan Barton, Cohen Reinhardt, Makai Wyatt and Trey Dennis. Not pictured: Zach Cadwell. Photo by Kim Eardley Photography
The Elk bowling team faced a large degree of turmoil last season, beginning with the sudden sale of Lucky Jacks, the venue for all the Elk bowling meets and practices. The conference then moved operations to a bowling alley that was farther away, prompting the Elks to join the Northern Michigan Bowling Conference (NMBC) and practice at Bellaire or Mancelona. The biggest change for the season was having to travel to different locations each week to compete, rather than bowling at one location all season. The Elks met each problem head-on under the guidance of Head Coach Ken Hicks, assisted by his wife Debbie Hicks, the dedicated duo who has been coaching the Elk bowling team since the 2004-05 season. The Elks adapted to the many changes and finished a solid season in a three-way tie for first place in the new conference and missed qualifying for the team state finals by just 180 pins.
The Elk bowlers enter this season without any surprises or big changes, and they are ready to roll. The team lost three seniors from last year, but return a very experienced roster of 11 bowlers, made up of 10 seniors and a sophomore. The Elks are led by senior Makai Wyatt, entering his fourth year on the varsity team. Wyatt made school sports history, becoming the first Elk freshman to qualify for the individual bowling state finals. As a sophomore Wyatt had a solid season but didn’t qualify for a return trip to the state meet. This motivated Wyatt to put in the off-season work, practicing for hours on his game that would pay off with a trip to the state meet last season. Wyatt qualified for the national Junior Gold Bowling Championships for the last two years, and he continues to work on improving his game with the goal of advancing to the state finals in his senior season, possibly as a team.
The Elk team returns a core of solid four-year veterans in Trey Dennis, Cohen Reinhardt, Maia Liggett and Laci Springborn and two-year returnees in Nathan Barton, Cole Davids, Zach Cadwell and Easton Merchant along with first year bowler Jackson Davis. The only non-senior on the team is sophomore Chance Kinnee, returning for his second season.
The NMBC is made of teams from Rogers City, Cheboygan, Petoskey, Boyne City, Grayling, Gaylord and new this season are Bellaire and Mancelona. The Elks will be practicing at either Bellaire or Mancelona.
“We can move players as needed. We bowl two matches every Saturday so we will be moving players around,” explained Coach Hicks. “Our JV do not bowl at Bellaire, Mancelona, Grayling or Rogers City because they are smaller houses.
The Elk varsity team will open the season this Saturday in Bellaire with the opponent yet TBD.
VARSITY POWERLIFTING Varsity powerlifters working hard to compete
Elk Rapids High School Powerlifting Team 2025-2026: Asst Coach Brent Shipman, Head Coach Garrett Skurnit, Landon Porteous, Qwynn Darnell, Emma Eardley, Natalie Kurtz, Lotte Schleicher, Asst Coach Allison Sumerix, Asst Coach/JV Head Coach Bruce Addison. Not pictured: Asst Coach Chris White, Asst Coach Dillon Wiltshire, Giona Oppermann. Photo by Kim Eardley Photography
There remains a steady increase in the growing popularity of powerlifting, but the sport is still not sanctioned by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), meaning the MHSAA does not host postseason competition or provide any rules or regulations. Powerlifting is governed by the Michigan High School Powerlifting Association (MHSPLA), which is responsible for rules, organization and meet scheduling along with putting together separate JV and varsity state finals, adding another level of excitement to powerlifting competitions.
Many schools currently compete in powerlifting, but the sport has not met the requirement of 64 schools offering powerlifting as a varsity sport. This number is required for a sport to be considered for official MHSAA status and while many schools offer powerlifting, they do so as a club team or an unofficial program.
In Elk Rapids the number of students coming out for powerlifting continues to grow. The Elk varsity powerlifting team roster lists six members for this season, four seniors with two years of varsity experience in Landon Porteous, Giona Oppermann, Qwynn Darnell and Natalie Kurtz, joined by first-year senior Lotte Schleicher, an exchange student from Germany and first-year junior Emma Eardley, a strong member of the JV team for several years.
“I can see Qwynn, Natalie and Emma advancing to the Varsity State Meet this year. There are several JV lifters who have the potential to move up to varsity and also qualify for Varsity States. Keep an eye on Gabby Johns, Colin McCormack, and Gianna Maris, there will be others, but those three I’m very intrigued with, based on last year’s performances and the work they’ve been putting in this year,” said powerlifting Head Coach Garrett Skurnit.
To qualify for the JV State Finals, a JV lifter must place first or second at a regional meet or by lifting a qualifying total. The JV State Finals will take place at Oxford Middle School on Saturday, February 28.
To qualify for the Varsity State Finals, a varsity lifter must be in the top 20 lifters of their weight class with a regional total by the end of the season. The Varsity State Finals will be held at Lake Orion High School on Saturday, March 7.
The JV lifters number about 70 this year and through hard work and dedication many will have a chance to move up to varsity, with an exception according to Coach Skurnit. “A JV lifter must qualify for the state finals with a first or second place finish at the first regional. That needs to be locked down before we roll the dice on moving up to varsity competition,” said Skurnitt. “I would hate for anyone to miss out on a JV state meet opportunity because they failed to qualify at the varsity level. If a lifter qualifies at the JV level, then they may have an opportunity to attempt it at the varsity level. JV Head Coach Bruce Addison and I will review those that qualify for JV States and see if their numbers are competitive enough to do varsity.” The large numbers of lifters required some changes in the practice sessions for the season.
“We are still practicing three days a week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, but I anticipated further growth this year and made the decision to introduce two practice sessions, essentially splitting the team into two parts. The 7th, 8th and 9th grade practice from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., then the 10th,11th and 12th grades practice from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.,” Skurnit explained. “There are a total of six coaches this year because even though the team has split into two groups there are 30-35 lifters per session.” Coach Skurnit plans on focusing on the varsity and second session lifters. Coach Bruce Addison will head the first session group, but these plans may adjust as the season progresses.
The Elk Rapids powerlifting team is scheduled to open the season at the Manistee High School on Saturday, February 7.
VARSITY GIRLS HOCKEY Bay Rep girls remain undefeated
A three-game road trip resulted in three wins for the Bay Rep girls co-op hockey team last weekend, giving the Reps sole possession of first place in the Division 1 standings with a perfect 8-0 record.
The Reps were coming off a two-week break in the schedule but showed no signs of rust against the University Liggett School last Friday, finishing with a 6-0 shutout win over the Knights at the McCann Arena, located in Grosse Pointe Woods. The Reps scored twice in the opening period, added three goals in the second and a final goal in the third period for the win. Elk forward Gillian Evina was credited with two assists, the Rep goalie tallied an impressive 101 saves in the game.
On Saturday the Reps recorded a second straight shutout with an 8-0 blanking of the St Mary’s Eaglets, played at the Orchard Lake St. Mary Athletic Complex. The Reps scored all eight goals in the first period, ending the game early with a mercy win. Evina knocked in the fifth goal of the game, her third goal of the season. The Reps outshot the Eaglets 63-3. The road trip ended on Sunday with a 7-1 win over Greater Flint United at the Crystal Fieldhouse. The Reps had a 3-0 shutout going late in the second period, but Flint would score with 2:35 on the clock, the only goal allowed by the Reps during the three-game stretch. The Reps scored 20 seconds later for a 4-1 lead, then piled on three goals in the final period in the win. Evina earned an assist on the final goal of the game; the Reps finished with 46-13 shots on goal advantage in the game.
The Bay Rep girls (8-0) will close out December with a pair of road games this weekend beginning with a three-hour trip downstate to the Hartland Ice House on Friday (7:30 p.m.) for a game against an opponent TBD. The Reps return to the ice on Saturday afternoon (4:00 p.m.) against Walled Lake at the Lakeland Ice Arena.
VARSITY BOYS HOCKEY Bay Rep boys win
Carter Denoyer (5) had an assist against Cheboygan. Photo by Kim Eardley Photography
The Bay Rep boys hockey co-op recorded a second straight win for the first time this season after a dominating 7-1 victory over the Cheboygan Chiefs at Centre Ice on Tuesday. The Reps held a slim 3-1 advantage after two periods of play. Elk forward Carter Denoyer assisted on a goal to open the third period, increasing the Rep lead to 4-1 and opening the floodgates for three more Rep goals in the 7-1 win.
The Reps were in Grand Rapids at the Patterson Ice Center last weekend competing in the West Michigan Showcase and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 shutout over Forest Hills Northern on Saturday. The Reps led 1-0 after the first period, with Denoyer recording an assist. Neither team would score in the second period, but the Reps would find the back of the net twice in the third to secure the 3-0 victory. Denoyer earned a second assist on the final goal of the night.
The Reps opened the Showcase with a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in an 11-round shootout against Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Friday afternoon. The teams both scored a goal in the second period; the score remained knotted at 1-1 through regulation and an overtime period, leading to the shootout. Grand Rapids finally ended the game in the 11th round of the shootout with a goal, handing the Reps a third straight loss.
The Reps began a four-game stretch hosting Petoskey at Centre Ice last Wednesday and watched a 2-0 second period lead vanish with three unanswered third period goals by the Northmen, ending the game with a 3-2 Rep defeat.
The Bay Reps boys (4-6) will seek a third consecutive win hosting the Grandville Bulldogs at Centre Ice on Friday with a scheduled 6:45 p.m. start time.
VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL Elks down Glen Lake in season opener
The Lady Elks opened the varsity basketball season with a 52-35 win over visiting Glen Lake and snapped a two-game losing streak to the Lady Lakers.
The first quarter played out as a back-and-forth battle that was knotted at 9-9 with two minutes to play. Brooke Fluty got open on the left corner and swished a three to give the Elks a 12-9 lead at the end of one. The Lakers opened the second quarter with a bucket to draw within a point at 12-11. Anna Pray sank a three from the right side, Natasha Beebe and Rhielynn Skrocki both followed with a three as the Elks began to pull away, taking a 30-17 halftime advantage that grew into a 40-22 lead at the end of the third quarter. Pray made a pair of free throws to end the game with the 52-35 Elk win. Skrocki finished with 12 points three steals and two blocks, Pray and Beebe each added 11 points, Fluty knocked down eight points and dished out seven assists, Ally Schlicker had eight points and 10 rebounds. The Lady Elks (1-0) traveled to Gaylord on Thursday and will then host Frankfort on Tuesday in a pair of non-conference games.
VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL Elks fall to Flivvers in invitational title game
Caden Schlicker (24) muscles underneath the net to pull down a defensive rebound, as Colin Shockley (33) and Cameron Kerfoot (2) begin to take off on a fast break. Courtesy photo
The second annual Ray Graham Elk Rapids Invitational boys basketball tournament took place last weekend with Elk Rapids finishing in second place after suffering a 56-35 loss to the Kingsford Flivvers in the championship game on Saturday afternoon.
The Elks hosted the two-day tournament, with three strong teams in attendance, including Kingsford, a Division 2 state semi-finalist team last season that made the five-hour trek down from the UP, along with the Ovid-Elsie Marauders who had their season end last year in a Division 3 regional title game and made the three- hour trip north to compete joined by a former conference rival in the Traverse City St. Francis Gladiators.
The game for the first-place hardware between the Elks and Flivvers began with Kingsford opening up a 6-0 lead as the Elks went scoreless for the first four minutes of the opening quarter. The Elks woke up and scored 10 points over a two-minute stretch and took a 10-6 lead. The Flivvers answered with four points to tie the game at 10-10; Jacob Moore scored on a low post bank to give the Elks a 12-10 lead after one. The Flivvers opened the second quarter with a quick bucket to tie the game, then the lead would change hands five times, Kingsford knocked down a pair of threes in the final minute to go up 27-22 at halftime.
The Flivvers started the third quarter with an 8-0 run, increasing the lead to 35-22. Moore drove the lane for two, breaking the Elks’ scoring drought, but Kingsford finished the quarter with a 7-5 run that put their lead at 42-29. The Flivvers controlled the game in the final quarter, outscoring the Elks 14-6 to finish with a 56-35 win and the first-place trophy.
Jayden Hresko had 10 points, Mason Hilley and Braden Fluty both chipped in with six points, Tyler Standfest hauled down six rebounds to go with three steals. The loss was the first of the season for the Elks. “We played a decent first half; in the second half Kingsford ramped it up and we started to struggle offensively,” said Elk varsity basketball coach Kevin Ball. “It’s always good for us to play against some bigger schools and I’m proud of our guys for playing hard against two really good teams that are out of the area.”
The Elks advanced to the championship game after defeating Ovid-Elsie 73-56 on Friday. The Elks were up 23-16 after one quarter of play, then dominated the Marauders 25-9 in the second quarter to take a 48-25 halftime lead. The second half was a closer game, but the damage had been done with the Elks holding a commanding 56-38 advantage at the end of the third on the way to the 73-56 win. Cameron Kerfoot erupted for 23 points, Hresko scored 13 to go with five steals, Moore finished with eight points, Caden Schlicker added eight points, hauled down nine boards and had two blocks.
On Friday Kingsford defeated St. Francis 51-41 to move onto the championship game. In the consolation game played at noon on Saturday, St. Francis won over Ovid-Elsie 57-47.
Elk Rapids (2-1) traveled to Petoskey for a non-conference game on Thursday, then returned home on Friday to face the Kingsley Stags in the Northern Shores Conference opener for both squads.
