U-M defense
a big concern
Michael Shaw
(left) and the offense
are fine, but the Big
Blue defense needs
to get better in a
hurry.
WEB EXCLUSIVE: SEC power Adrian visits Ypsilanti High in football.
SPORTS
VOICES
DAVE
MERCHANT
Phoenix
rising to
be better
he Phoenix football team
T reached .500 last week with
a very convincing win over
the Tecumseh Indians. This
year’s team has one major com-
ponent that it was missing in
the past: team work.
The team plays a lot more
like a family and a lot less like
a bunch of individuals who are
all looking to be stars. They
share the good and the bad with
each other. Granted a few of
them are more athletic than the
rest, but that doesn’t mean they
are not a team.
Ypsilanti teams in the past
have been a little bit more about
me and a little less about team.
Under coach Jason Malloy that
isn’t how things work for the
team. He is concerned about
all of his students. The reason
I say student and not athlete is
Phoenix players have to have
good grades in order to play the
sport.
There is also a presence on
the field about the team. They
are confident, but not cocky. I
have been very impressed with
their attitudes and the way they
behave on and off the field.
Malloy has even said on more
than one occasion that these
kids need show the community
and school they are good indi-
viduals.
That speaks volumes over
who is better on the football
field. If these kids can learn
lessons they will take with them
for the rest of their lives, then
to me that is better than win-
ning any kind of championship.
Wins will come and go for any
team, but the measure of true
success is the ability of a player
to be respected for what they do
both on and off the field.
Malloy has that mindset. You
can tell he was brought up right
and that he is a man of strong
beliefs. He passes that down to
his coaching staff, as well as his
players. It shows and the kids
respect him for it.
So far this season they have
had some awesome results. At
2-2 they are 1,000 times better
than they were last season. The
two losses were 14-13 to Chelsea
and 25-24 to Milan. Two games
by two points is very impres-
sive.
Austin Sanders has been on
fire since the start of the season
averaging well over 100 yards
a game as a junior. Last week
they went to the air against
Tecumseh and Aaerion Allen
threw for 299 yards and four
touchdowns.
This team is dangerous and
I really think if anyone takes
them lightly it will be a long
night for that team.
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YPSILANTI
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The Phoenix football team is full of talent this season. The entire team is playing much bet-
ter than it did a year ago.
Ypsilanti takes
it to Tecumseh
By Mike Larson
Heritage Newspapers
The Ypsilanti Phoenix
football team made a state-
ment on Friday night when
it hosted Tecumseh.
The Phoenix over pow-
ered their opponent in a
big way, winning the game
handily, 47-23.
“Tonight was just a
great game,” Ypsilanti
coach Jason Malloy said.
“We’ve been waiting for
a breakout game like this
for awhile, and tonight we
got it.”
The Phoenix were domi-
nant over the Indians, tak-
ing a 7-0 lead after the first
quarter and a 20-0 lead at
the half.
“I was really impressed
with the way our offense
played, and the way we
kept after them after get-
ting a lead,” Malloy said.
Ypsilanti opened the scor-
ing late in the first quar-
ter when Aaerion Allen
connected with Marquez
Gollman for a 10-yard
score.
After that, it was all
downhill for the Indians.
Allen passed for two more
scores in the second quar-
ter, a 15-yard pass and a
5-yard pass, both to Devon
Thompson.
After the break,
Ypsilanti kept up the scor-
ing parade when Austin
Sander broke away for a
40-yard scoring run on the
first Phoenix possession of
the half.
Tecumseh finally got on
the board late in the third
quarter, but by that time,
the hole was too deep to
climb out of.
The Phoenix added three
more touchdowns in the
fourth quarter and took the
game by a large margin.
“It’s nice to get a big win
once in awhile,” Malloy
SPORTS
The Ypsilanti
defense
played well in
its win over
Tecumseh
last Friday
night.
said. “These kids deserve
it, they have been working
hard.”
Allen finished the game
by going 15-for-18 through
the air for 299 yards and
three touchdowns.
Thompson led the receiv-
ers with eight catches for
134 yards and two touch-
downs, while Sanders led
the rushing attack with 88
yards on 14 carries and two
touchdowns.
“We threw it around
this game,” he said. “We
have a lot of talented good
Ypsi: Game Day
Ypsilanti hosts Adrian at 7 p.m.
When: Tomorrow at 7 p.m.
Where: Ypsilanti High School
Opponent: Adrian Maples
Scouting report: The Maples are 4-0 and are coming off
an overtime win over Chelsea. Ypsilanti will have to work
hard and use its speed if it hopes to beat the Maples.
Scouting report: Aaerion Allen had almost 300 yards in
the air last week. If he can continue to throw like that and
Austin Sanders runs well the Phoenix have a shot. Adrian is
a sound football team that ran run or throw the ball.
Next up: Ypsilanti is at Dexter at 7 p.m. on Oct. 1.
Dexter
at
Tecumseh
Keep up with
Heritage West
Sports
ACEBOOK
D
SECTION
September 23, 2010
www.heritage.com
CROSS-COUNTRY
Lincoln
harriers
compete
By Dave Merchant She and Czinski now rank as
Heritage Newspapers No. 2 and No. 6 respectively on
The Lincoln cross country
team had a decent showing at
Willow Metro Park on Saturday
at the New Boston Huron
Lincoln’s all-time top 10 list.
Alexa is ranked fourth based
on a time from her sophomore
season.
Invitational.
“Our boys didn’t run as well
as expected finishing ninth out
Earlier in the week at the
Southeastern Conference
Jamboree at Heritage Park in
of 10 teams,” Lincoln coach Adrian, the boys finished 11th
Dan Green said. “Our girls did out of 11 teams just nine points
very well placing sixth out of 11 behind Tecumseh.
teams.” They had strong showings
John Adamovicz medaled from John Adamovich who was
placing 19th in the boys’ race. 28th (17:57), David Adamovich
“I was expecting him to run was 56th (19:06) and Corey
about 20-25 seconds faster,” Crouch was 64th (19:21).
Green said. “That is how I felt The girls finished ninth out
about the rest of the top five, as of 12 teams.
well.” “The Tecumseh coach told
Green said Andrew Elliot me this was the first time we
and Adam Barber both ran sig- had beat them in 11 years,”
nificantly faster than in their Green said.
previous races. Marina Geider was 41st
The girls were led by Marina (22:02), Alexa Geider was 51st
Geider (ninth), Emily Czinski (22:29) and Czinski was 58th
(22nd), and Alexa Geider (31st) (22:39).
all of whom medaled. Aleah
Kramaczyk (36th) just missed Young Ypsi team
out on a medal. The Phoenix boys accord-
“All of the girls except Alexa ing to coach Torin Moore are
far exceeded my expectations very young this season and
for this race,” Green said. have been racing in junior
“Alexa was battling an illness, varsity events. The girls he
so that was expected.” expects to get better each week,
Green said that Marina ran as they will begin running
one of the fastest times by a Southeastern Conference jam-
freshman in school history. borees.
One on One:
With Dunia Ismail
On expectations before the
season: “It started out really
receivers and athletes and good and we practiced real-
we wanted to do something
ly hard and I think we have a
different.” really good team this year.”
He said a balance attack
from the air and on the On early struggles: “We are
ground has been the goal struggling during the games
all season. coming together as a team.
On defense he said that We beat ourselves during
Gollman, Trey Sweeney the game. Even though we
and Ryan Griffin all played might be better than the
well. other team we don’t play
“We held them to 66 well together as a team.”
yards in the first half,” he
said. “Tecumseh gained a On confidence: “When one
lot of yards on us in the of us gets down the rest of
second half.” us get down.”
With the win, Ypsilanti is
On being a captain: “I get so
down on myself when I
make a mistake. I’m not
mad, I just feel bad. As cap-
tain I feel obliged to get
everyone back up.”
On soccer: “Soccer is my
favorite because it’s the
sport I’m the best in. As the
sweeper, I love taking the
ball away from people. It’s
my favorite thing in the
world.”
See full video of the interview:
www.heritage.com
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