GRAYLING — It has been quite a six game start for the Grayling boys soccer team after collecting a 4-1 win against Mount Pleasant on Monday, with striker Mitchel Harrington scoring all four goals
Grayling head coach Andy Moore attributed their 6-0 start to the players’ chemistry with one another while adding how well Drake Dunham, Alex Moore and Brody Cobb have stepped up.
Alex Moore transitioned from to a different position this season and has continued to thrive. Cobb has scored in five of the six games played. Dunham finished the night with two assists. Moore had an assist, and Jordan Peters made 12 saves.
“Mount Pleasant was a great team, but we were able to get a couple of quick goals on them, and it turned the tides,” Coach Moore said. “This season, we preach defense.”
The Vikings have allowed a goal or fewer since Ogemaw Heights scored three on them in their second game of the season. They started their season three weeks ago, and since then, Harrington has scored 21 goals in six games. Harrington scored 10 goals this past weekend in the Grayling Invite.
“Not only is he scoring the goals, but he’s such a team leader on and off the field and in film,” Coach Moore said. “He’s taken the team on his shoulders. He’s playing well.”
The Vikings are three games away from surpassing last season’s win total, but winning the LMC title hasn’t crossed the team’s minds yet as they begin conference play Wednesday.
“We said this was the year we are going to make bigger steps in the win column,” Coach Moore said. “We are about there.”
The Vikings open up conference play with three straight road games, starting at Charlevoix on Wednesday before traveling to Elk Rapids on Sept 7. and close out the road trip at Harbor Springs on Sept 11.
“We know we can compete with everyone, and we’ve said that all summer when we did workouts, but the mentality is one game at a time,” Moore said. “I told them don’t look at a calendar and let’s play one game at a time and keep building off that. We can talk about beating Elk Rapids, but we have to beat Charlevoix first, and thats our next focus.”
BOYS SOCCER
Charlevoix 4
Glen Lake 1
Charlevoix: No stats reported.
Glen Lake: Hunter Cox 1 goal; Anthony Forton 1 assist, 5 saves; Jaden Jackson 2 saves.
UP NEXT: The Rayders (2-1-1) host Grayling on Wednesday. The Lakers (0-3) host Traverse City Central JV on Thursday.
Kalkaska 6
Benzie Central 0
Kalkaska: Tripp Wagner 1 goal; Josh Saxton 1 assist; Aiden Flory 1 goal; Jose Saez 1 goal, 2 assists; Adam Williams 1 goal; Kevin Altaca 1 assist; Janne Havesler 2 goals; Kayden Dueweke-Gonzales 4 saves.
Benzie Central: So stats reported.
UP NEXT: The Blazers (3-1-1) host Boyne City on Thursday. The Huskies (1-4) host Glen Lake on Sept 6.
McBain NMC 1
Roscommon 0
McBain Northern Michigan Christian: Gideon Curell 1 goal; Dries VanNoord 1 assist; Blair DeZeeuw 14 saves.
UP NEXT: The Comets (3-3) travel to Shelby on Thursday.
Manistee 3
Ravenna 3
No stats reported.
UP NEXT: The Mariners (3-0-1) host North Muskegon on Wednesday.
Reed City 10
Kingsley 2
No stats reported.
UP NEXT: The Stags (1-3) host Boyne City on Friday.
TC West JV 5
Suttons Bay 2
Traverse City West JV: Nathaniel Dion 2 goals, 1 assist; Gradin Osmulski 1 goal, 1 assist; Tyler Robertson 1 goal; Hudson Ross 1 goal, Bodyn Holmes 3 assists; Jack Chacon 1 assist; Jacob Vogel 8 saves.
UP NEXT: Titans (1-2) travel to Big Rapids on Wednesday.
VOLLEYBALL
Harbor Light 3
Cadillac Home 1
Harbor Light Christian: Anna Zielinski 11 kills, 12 digs; Ava Kenwabikise 12 aces; Charlotte Gagnon 75% serve received; Molly Ogden 31 assists; Lydia Goldsborough 8 kills; Anne Chamberlin 8 digs.
UP NEXT: The Swordswomen host Ellsworth and Mack City for a Tri on Thursday.
Brethren goes 0-2 in Quad
Franfort def. Brethren 25-11, 23-25, 15-7; Mason County Central def. Brethren 25-19, 25-15.
UP NEXT: The Panthers host Manistee on Wednesday. The Bobcats travel to Mason County Central on Tuesday.
Gaylord 3
Cheboygan 2
Gaylord def. Cheboygan 18-25, 25-16, 15-25, 25-23, 5-12.
UP NEXT: The Blue Devils host Traverse City West on Wednesday.
GIRLS GOLF
Manistee finishes 8th at WMC Jamboree No. 2
HOLTON — The Manistee girls golf team finished eighth with a 244 overall score in the second Western Michigan Jamboree at the Waters Edge Golf Course in Holton on Monday.
Senior Annika Haag finished 16th after shooting a 50. Sophomore Clear Wang finished 37th with a 62, and sophomore Olivia Salmon finished 39th shooting a 64.