TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City St. Francis football showed it belongs back in the state conversation Saturday.
The Gladiators trailed fellow powerhouse Lawton 14-0 at halftime, then rattled off 31 unanswered second-half points for a 31-14 victory at Thirlby Field in Traverse City.
“The kids grew up a lot today,” TCSF head coach Josh Sellers said.
Lawton, frequently running behind 285-pound Northwest commit Mason Mayne, piled up 167 yards of first-half total offense to St. Francis’ 48, but the Gladiators came up with several timely defensive stops to limit the Blue Devils to two scores. A Sam Wildfong fumble recovery and a Matthew Kane fourth-down sack ended two Lawton drives inside the TCSF 25.
“They just physically dominated us in the first half,” Sellers said, adding that those stops to prevent the deficit from growing larger than two scores really helped morale.
Cam Sellers scored SF’s first two second-half touchdowns, with others coming from Evan Belanger, Wildfong and Braxton Lesinski. A Sellers 50-yard punt return helped set up at TD.
“Harrison Shepherd, even in the first half, was coming downhill on defense,” Josh Sellers said. “Michael Frederick at middle linebacker was slicing and dicing in there.”
St. Francis outgained Lawton 255-57 in the second half for an overall 253-224 advantage.
TCSF’s Warren Asher booted a 64-yard punt in the second quarter.
Lawton and St. Francis tied 0-0 in the junior varsity game, with both teams moving to 1-0-1. The Blue Devils had a slight advantage in total yardage, 171-151.
The Gladiators (2-0), ranked No. 2 in Division 7 in the first coaches association poll, travel Friday to Berrien Springs for a JV-varsity doubleheader.
FOOTBALL
Benzie Central 25
Lansing Eastern 20
Benzie: Rowan Zickert hit Tyler Brooks for a 23-yard fourth-quarter touchdown to give Benzie a 25-20 home win over Lansing Eastern; Andrew Gray 48 rush yards; Zickert 61 yards passing, 2 pass TDs, 33 rushing; Mason Childs 1-for-1 passing for 24 yards and a TD to Brooks; Brooks 4 catches, 79 yards, 3 TDs; Childs 7 tackles; Grayson Converse 7 tackles, sack; Adam Coyne 5 tackles, sack.
UP NEXT: The Huskies (1-1) travel Friday to Frankfort.
Marion 44
Onekama 8
Onekama: Luke Bradford 130 pass yards, 1 TD; Arden Bradford 2 catches, 7 yards, 2 two-point conversion; Andrew Potter 1 catch, 70 yards, TD; Nathaniel Barnett 1 catch, 44 yards, 15 tackles; Hunter Niesen 7 tackles; Thomas Marcoux 12 tackles; Tyler Hart INT, 5 tackles; game raised $7,270 for the Disabled American Veterans to help with the purchase of a new medical transport van.
UP NEXT: The Portagers (1-1) travel Friday to Brethren.
SOCCER
TC West 3
Hudsonville 1
TC West: Kallen Ray goal; Lincoln Lockhart goal; Bodyn Holmes goal; Brody Plumstead assist; Aidan Orth assist; Camden Tkach 4 saves, assist.
JV: Lost 1-0.
UP NEXT: TC West (6-1-2, 2-0 Big North) at Cadillac, Tuesday.
Elk Rapids splits in Williamston Showcase
Williamston 2, Elk Rapids 1: Blake Springstead goal; Tyler Standfest assist; Caden Schlicker 4 saves.
Elk Rapids 6, Big Rapids 0: Dalton Timmer 3 goals; Jayden Jresko goal, assist; Noah Liggett 2 goals; Will Vanderheide assist; Jack Dupuie assist; Elliott Pray and Jacob McManus combine on shutout (zero saves between them).
UP NEXT: The Elks (5-5) host Grayling, Monday.
Gaylord 4
Glen Lake 1
Glen Lake: Ollie O’Neal goal; Tanner Crick assist; Anthony Forton 6 saves.
UP NEXT: Glen Lake (4-5) hosts Suttons Bay, Monday.
Mt. Pleasant 5
Cadillac 0
UP NEXT: The Vikings (3-4, 1-1 Big North) host TC West, Tuesday.
VOLLEYBALL
TC Central wins Mitten Bay Classic title
Team scores (at Bay City Central): TC Central def. Essexville Garber 25-16, 25-21; def. Beaverton 25-10, 25-11; def. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port 25-11, 25-6; def. Saginaw Valley Lutheran 25-14, 25-14; def. Bay City Western 25-17, 25-16.
UP NEXT: The Trojans host Gaylord, Wednesday.
Kingsley wins own invitational title
Scores (18 teams): Kingsley def. Beat 25-4, 25-9; def. Benzie Central 25-9, 25-7; def. Lake City 25-9, 25-9; Quarterfinals def. Leland 25-8, 25-7 (quarterfinal); def. Pine River 25-7, 25-11 (semifinal); def. Gaylord 25-12, 25-20 (championship match).
Individual stats: Jenna Middleton 45 kills, 21 digs; Marisa Graham 24 kills, 2 blocks; Sarah Wooer 6 kills, 98 assists, 3 blocks, 17 digs; Isabelle Seitz 29 digs, 12 aces; Aizlyn McKinley 16 kills, 43 digs, 24 aces; Delaney Case 18 kills 5 blocks; Alaina Stewart 10 assists, 13 digs, 2 aces; Hanna Curtis 20 digs, 9 aces; Middleton, Graham, Wooer on all-tournament team.
UP NEXT: The Stags (13-3-2, 1-0 Northern Shores) host Kalkaska, Tuesday.
Elk Rapids claims title in own tourney
Scores: Elk Rapids def. Ogemaw Heights 25-17, 25-23; def. Waterford Our Lady 25-17, 25-23; def. Grayling 25-18, 25-13; def. Alpena 25-17, 25-16; def. Boyne City 25-2, 25-18 (championship match).
Individual stats: Caroline Best 36 kills, 37 digs; Rhielynn Skrocki 31 kills, 15 aces; Gaby Morton 20 kills, 4 blocks; Mattea Ball 10 aces, 30 digs; Haleigh Yocom 6 aces, 45 assists; Ashley McCann 4 aces, 41 assists.
UP NEXT: The Elks (12-2) host Cheboygan to open up Northern Shores Conference play Tuesday.
Leland 0-3-1 at Kingsley Invite
Scores: Kingsley def. Leland 25-8, 25-7; Leland split with Manistee 25-16, 18-25; Gaylord def. Leland 25-15, 25-16; Pine River def. Leland 25-23, 25-12.
Comets leaders: Abby Hicks 13 kills, 8 aces, 19 assists, 22 digs; Kally Sluiter 11 kills, 3 aces, 32 digs; Sophya Sluiter 3 kills, 2 aces, 5 digs; Cielle Fort 7 kills, 1 ace, 26 digs, 1 block; Abby Martini 3 kills, 3 aces, 1 assist, 5 digs, 2 blocks; Molly Rousseau 9 assists, 10 digs, 1 ace; Lia Kiessel 11 digs; Aubrey Rousseau 15 digs; Adalee Ramirez 2 digs.
TENNIS
TC Central wins Flushing Invite with 3-0 record
Team scores: TCC 8, Gibraltar Carlson 0; TCC 8, Mildand 0; TCC 6, Flushing 2.
TCC flight champions: Tanner Cooley (1S) 3-0; Alex Lamphier (2S) 3-0; Riley White (3S) 3-0; Haru Matsuzaki (4S) 3-0; Max Betten/Helly Taylor (1D) 3-0; Asher Peterson/Finn Fisher (2D) 3-0.
TCC flight runners-up: Nate Brewer/Chris Girrbach (3D) 2-1; Oliver Christensen/Holden Beery (4D) 2-1.
St. Francis 1-2 in downstate quad
Owen Jackson won all three of his matches at No. 1 singles to extend his season winning streak to 15. Jackson is 17-2 this season.
Team scores: TCSF 5, Saline 3; Detroit Catholic Central 7, TCSF 1; Grand Haven 7, TCSF 1.
TC West 0-2 at Allegan Invite
Team scores: Allegan 5, TCW 3; Hudsonville Unity 6, TCW 2.
TC West leaders: Steven Biteman/Jonah Arbuckle (1D) 2-0; Ryan Goodrich (2S) 1-1; Tyler Chan (4S) 1-1; Nolan Bildeaux/Owen Jongelkrijg (4D) 1-1.
Deadline for prep calls (231-933-1410) is 10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday. Please give scores, record, next opponent, stats with names spelled when leaving a message. Or email resports@record-eagle.com or fill out the online form at record-eagle.com/prepscores.