2009 All Area Baseball Team: County will have a tough time replacing some its most lovable seniors

In a matter of innings and with just a few poorly located pitches and errant swings the curtain closed.

Two weekends ago marked the final high school contests for many extraordinary county stars — and they will not be forgotten, and possibly not even replaced.

This year of baseball in Hillsdale County was full of surprises, good and bad, and while no team survived past the first game of regionals there was plenty of excitement.

The Jonesville Comets revived their program under Dale Steward; Reading’s Rick Bailey took his lumps early and taught his team how to win down the stretch en route to another district championship; Camden-Frontier rose from the ashes to win an SCAA East Division crown and nearly knocked the Rangers out of the postseason; Pittsford showed life and exceptional character under the leadership of Chris Hodos, Quincy continued to be one of the most consistent programs in all the area, and Hillsdale was Hillsdale — breathtaking at times and hard to figure out at others.
What I will remember most though is not the games or the scores or the stats — hands down it’s all about the seniors who we will never have a chance to appreciate again.

For starters, Scott Lantis and Mitchell Gabriele are Hillsdale Hornets no longer. It sounds weird, it is weird and losing them is kind of like taking the explosions and guns out of action movies.

Some area residents might be tired of hearing their names and seeing their faces plastered all over the sports section, but they have earned every bit of attention they have received.

There is good reason Gabriele will be playing football and basketball at Adrian and Lantis will be suiting up as a Hillsdale College Charger.

Lantis was his usual self pitching this year, going 9-1, but if was his defense as a shortstop and leadership that trump everything else.

Gabriele’s desire to ruthlessly dominate made him the best defensive catcher in the area once again and during the postseason he was locked and loaded at the plate, as if to say the only fitting end to his career would be another state championship.

Teammate Dillon Dirth benefited from Gabriele’s great game-calling abilities, tying a school record with nine pitching victories.

He only played for Chris Adams for two years after transferring, but his progress was a treat to watch and he was easily one of the most pin-point accurate pitchers in the county.

While he could blow through opposing lineups, teammate Tyler Vandeberghe could sprint around the basepaths and his feistiness and athleticism reminded me of a young Ricky Henderson. Not bad for a middle of the order guy.

Keeping the senior theme going, the Big Eight had a darn good local trio of its own.
Jonesville’s Ben Stemen kept his temper in tact in ’09 and drove in a school-record 52 RBIs on his way to being named league MVP.

Quincy senior Brandon Stempien went 8-2 on the hill, with a no-hitter tossed in and hit .438 with 36 RBIs to boot.

Probably my favorite of all the Big Eight stars who are now graduates is a Reading Ranger though.

Ryan “Bulldog” Dillon was in essence the perfect point guard in every sport he played. He connected with Rick Bailey to the point that he was basically another coach and motivator for his teammates.

He may not have been blessed with the same raw skills as some kids around here, but he was blessed with a true understanding of how to come through in the clutch, how to treat people and how to make high school athletic fans proud.

I truly hope someone fills the cleats of these seniors because they were phenomenal to cover, and there a few juniors well on their way.

Kurtis Tyler and Jake Jividen of C-F are example 1A. Tyler throws fireballs from the mound like he’s Super Mario and Jividen has a nice mix of power and patience at the plate.

In Jonesville, John Sigler hit an astonishing .481 this season and also proved he’s more than just a knuckleballer in going 9-1.

Eric Stetler of Quincy hit .340 and won seven games as the No. 2 pitcher and Pittsford junior Seth Weber is a bit unassuming at times, but he’s a grinder on the hill and has better pop at the plate than you would expect from a guy his size.

As long as I live I’ll be interested in the paths some of these youngsters take, but based on the determination and results I saw from them on the diamond I’m sure there are plenty more proud moments on the way.

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Hornets on high: Hillsdale crushes Webberville to gain share of SMAA crown

[caption id="attachment_607" align="alignleft" width="450" caption="Hillsdale senior Scott Lantis is greeted by teammates after his first of three home runs Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Nick Sarles / HDN."][/caption]

By Jim Pruitt / Hillsdale Daily News

The Hillsdale Hornets destroyed an out-matched Webberville team Tuesday night to claim a share of the SMAA baseball conference title.

The Hornets celebrated their win by smashing a piece of cake into the face of coach Chris Adams who celebrated his birthday Tuesday as well. This was the school's fourth conference title in five years.

The Hornets swept the Spartans in two mercy-rule shortened affairs, 12-0 and 18-3, to move 13-1 in the conference and 17-7 overall. Hillsdale's lone league loss was to co-champion Western.

“It's good to be co-champs if you are going to share it with a good team like Western,” Adams said. “We had two decent games against them and managed to run the table.”
The title sets the Hornets up for a deep run in the postseason, which Adams said is the program's goal.

“It's a sign of our success,” he said.

As for the Webberville sweep, Adams was happy to be able play everyone. The team responded with a 30-run, 32-hit attack that featured four home runs, and several extra-base hits.

Scott Lantis led the attack with a 6-for-8 day with three home runs and 10 RBIs to pace Hillsdale.  Dillon Dirth had a two-run homer in the first game.

“What a day at the plate,” Adams said of Lantis' effort. “We need him to start hitting the ball.”

Webberville played with only eight men in the first game due academic ineligibility of two players.

Hillsdale opened the first game by sending 10 men to the plate and scoring six times.

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Cardinals take two from Hornets in cross-county clash

[caption id="attachment_532" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Hillsdale senior Scott Lantis tags out Coldwater junior Seth Szafranski Thursday, but Szafranski would have the final laugh, in a Cardinals sweep. Photo courtesy of Gary Baker / Coldwater Daily Reporter."][/caption]

Coldwater junior Seth Szafranski was too much and the Hillsdale Hornets late-inning rallies weren't quite enough Thursday.


The Cardinals toppled the Hornets 10-8 and 4-1 in a doubleheader in Coldwater. Hillsdale took a 3-2 lead to the fourth inning of the opener, but a five-run in­ning by Coldwater proved to be enough.


The Hornets scored two runs in the seventh to make a 10-6 game just a two-run affair and they even loaded the bases, but they left them that way.

Bobby White was victori­ous for the Cardinals, while Hillsdale's Mitchell Gabriele (1-1) took the loss on the hill, striking out three and walking three.


Szafranski was a home run shy of the cycle for Coldwater, knocking a sin­gle, double and triple to go with an RBI.


Derek Miller added a three-run home run in the fourth for the Cardinals.


Darren Wisely had three hits and two RBI for Hills­dale and Dillon Dirth added a home run and drove in two runs.


Charlie Vear and Mitchell Gabriele also picked up two hits apiece.


Both teams committed five errors in what Hornet head coach Chris Adams called a 'far from perfect contest'. Nonetheless, Adams was pleased with how his troops battled.


"We were down 10-6 and we kept fighting. My guys show they don't quit and they have some mental toughness," he said.


In the nightcap it was more of the same for his squad though.


Szafranski added three more hits, including the homer that eluded him in the opener, and from Adams' recollection the dinger was no puny home run.


"His bomb in the second game is probably still going — it landed somewhere over by the soccer field," he said. "Szafranski is a stud, let me tell ya. He was defi­nitely a Hornet killer today."

The Hornets scored their lone run in the seventh in­ning, when they once again saw the game come to an end with the bases juiced.


Josh Plant earned the pitching victory for Coldwa­ter, allowing just five hits, while Wisely (1-3) suffered the loss, striking out three and walking three.


Wisely and Gabriele both had doubles in the loss.


The 10-6 Hornets turn around and take on league foe Albion in a home dou­bleheader this afternoon, beginning at 4 p.m. The Hornets lead the SMAA.

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Still on the market: Gabriele mulling college options, hoping scholarship offers are still to come

[caption id="attachment_438" align="alignright" width="154" caption="Despite being named an all-state selection in three sports. Hillsdale High's Mitchell Gabriele is still waiting for a scholarship offer."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on April 24, 2009
Mitchell Gabriele is much more polished and perceptive than average 18-year-olds because of the lessons he has learned in sports.

But nothing could have prepared him for what he calls a “bumpy road” on the recruiting trail, one that has forced him to look at his destiny in life as one dictated by forces beyond his control.

With his 12th and final season as a Hornet quickly evaporating, Gabriele figured spring baseball would be a time to enjoy some final malarkey with his high school teammates and possibly make a deep run in the state tourney before heading off to play college ball, but instead he is still sending out tapes and e-mails, trying to figure out why no one is offering him a scholarship.

All part of the game

For a kid who relishes having the ball in his hands with the game on the line it couldn’t be more frustrating, but the things he has taken to heart the past few years have prepared him for this.

For one, he learned through athletics that his über-competitive drive can get the best of him sometimes and considering the consequences before taking action is a wise option.

He has also learned waiting his turn, behind the likes of Tyler Laser and CJ Hinkle among others, was especially fruitful — for when it was his turn to take the reigns he already knew what to expect.

In just a few shorts years Gabriele has experienced being part of a state championship baseball team and he’s also digested the feeling of going 2-for-22 in his final high school basketball game; he’s been thrown out of a high school contest, hit the game-winning 3-pointer, scored dozens of important touchdowns and come up just short enough times to keep him hungry.

Most impressively though, he has learned the commitment it takes to be one of the best athletes in the state at every sport he plays, to the point he was able to reach a goal he set for himself prior to high school — being named an all-state performer in baseball, basketball and football.

But nothing, not volunteering in the community, getting hassled about whose homeruns went farther by his older brother Marco, or the priceless advice he’s received from high school coaches and parents could have prepared him for this question: “Why has no college or university offered him an athletic scholarship, a chance to take his skills to the next level?”

The answer seems to be mysterious, and somewhat baffling — something Gabriele’s closest confidants, teachers and family members just can’t figure out.

Where is the love?

The cupboard is not empty, it is just not stocked the way Gabriele envisioned it.
The Ferris State football program invited him for an official workout, only to call him and tell him they would be glad to have him walk on, but they wouldn't be offering him “preferred” status.
And on April 19 Gabriele went to an official basketball workout at Grand Valley, one of Division II’s most heralded sports schools, but as his father John Gabriele said, “It sounds like he felt good about the workout, but you never know exactly what they’re expecting and what they are looking for.”

Gabriele said Division III Adrian has offered him a chance to play basketball and football as a Bulldog next fall, which he’s honored by, but he still thinks he’s a D-II talent who has proven worthy of a scholarship at a higher level.

Gabriele, who led the Jackson area in points per game on the hardwood this season, and led the Hornets to another state playoff berth in football in his first and only year as the quarterback, said maybe he is just getting overlooked because he’s from a small school recruiters haven’t heard of.

Or maybe coaches and scouts think he’s too small to play quarterback or not quick enough for college basketball.

Or maybe there is no reasonable explanation at all, as Hornets basketball coach Brad Felix insists.

“I’ve reached out to a number of coaches, in fact I’m calling Albion’s coach tonight,” Felix said several weeks ago. “I’m not trying to push him on them, but probably just calling for the same reason you would, to figure out what’s the deal here.”

Felix said the lack of interest and phone calls regarding Gabriele had him wondering if he somehow had misread the senior’s ability or potential. But after a season in which Gabriele was named County Player of the Year by the HDN, a Jackson Citizen Patriot Dream-Team selection, and an honorable mention all-state representative by the AP, Felix said he is confident he is talking up a consummate talent when he talks to prospective schools.

“Statistically speaking, other than points per game, he put up numbers….(21.3 points,4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.2 steals per game, to be exact) I don’t know if you can compare them totally to Tyler Laser, but assist wise he’s the best I’ve coached and he was still doing (all that). And he couldn’t be more competitive, he’s a great competitor,” Felix said. “His basketball IQ is the best I’ve had, he’s the best quarterback I’ve ever coached. He’s not the best player I’ve coached, there’s a little bit of a difference, but I’ve even told Mitchell this — he’s the best player I’ve coached as far as he knows what I want him to know.”

Maybe those intangibles are what caught the attention of Grand Valley, but Gabriele thinks it’s odd that the Lakers are the only one giving him a look.
“It’s so unbelievable, because Grand Valley is the top of the GLIAC pretty much every year and they ask me to come for a workout….but it’s kind of weird,” he said. “Because the top in Division II is (interested) and I sent out like 19 or 20 tapes for a whole bunch of Division II and some small Division I (schools) and they’re the only ones who have responded for basketball.”
Gabriele said he also received a small amount of interest from Central Michigan University for football and he sent them some video clips, but he never heard back from them, and expects his 6-foot frame is at least two or three inches from ideal.

He may a bit on the small side, but his numbers aren't. In the 2008 football campaign he completed better than 60 percent of his passes for more than 1,500 yards and 21 touchdowns, while also running for over 800 yards and 18 scores.

John Gabriele, who played football and baseball at Hillsdale College in his younger years, said this isn’t the script he thought Mitchell’s senior year would follow, but his son has stayed strong.

“I just thought Mitchell’s senior year was going to determine whether he was more suited for football, basketball or baseball,” he said. “But he’s a pretty strong kid as far as mentally, so he bounces around pretty good and he always seems to land on his feet.”

Why not a Charger?

In the next few months Gabriele will land his feet on a college campus he’ll call home, but it won’t be at Hillsdale College.

This has perplexed Felix and Gabriele himself, but upon closer inspection it appears grades, not Gabriele’s completion percentage or assist-to-turnover ratio is the reason he won’t be donning Charger blue, like teammate and close friend Scott Lantis, who has committed to play baseball at the college.
Gabriele said being shunned by the college he grew up near stings, be he is not bitter, and thinks it is a privilege to play at there given their academic and athletic record, not a right.

“It kind of hurts, being the local kid and all and not having the eyes on you from your local college…they don’t see something in me like Ferris did, but it happens,” he said.

Gabriele also said he is proud of many of his fellow county athletes who have suited up for the Chargers in various sports the past few years, but he thinks he is at least as talented as most of them.

“Hey look at me, I’m standing over here,” he said. “It’s hard to get into that school though…but you know it’s a possibility I could transfer to a school that’s bigger like (Hillsdale) if I do go to Adrian, but it’s hard.”

It’s so hard to get into Hillsdale College, whose 2008 freshman class entered with average GPAs of 3.73 and composite ACT scores of 28, that Hillsdale College men’s basketball coach John Tharp said he regularly has to turn potential recruits aside simply because they don’t meet the lofty admissions requirements.

Tharp is prohibited by NCAA rules and regulations to comment specifically on Gabriele’s situation because he is an unsigned recruit, but he did shed some light on what types of academic standards he is expected to uphold.

“Right now we’re really kind of looking at 25 (on) ACTs, it’s kind of our base for recruiting kids at. Kids who maybe have a lower ACT score than that better have a particularly high GPA,” he said. “If it’s a 25 (on the ACT) they may have a little lower GPA, but it’s kind of how we have to do things.”

Gabriele scored a 20 on his ACT and carries a 3.6 GPA.

Tharp added that Jeff Lantis, the college’s head of admissions is “an absolutely wonderful man, who does his job extremely well” and the athletic department has the trust of the admissions office to only bring in students that meet their stringent criteria.

John Gabriele said he is surprised his son’s academic resumé isn't quite good enough for the college, but the family has decided to just accept Hillsdale's decision.

“I’m a little disappointed…but we don’t have much control over that and what is, is,” he said. “We’ve just pretty much accepted it. It’s discouraging, but we’ve accepted it.”

Felix said he understands the college has a status quo to uphold, but he still thinks something is fishy based on previous experiences with recruits.

“As far as Hillsdale is concerned, they kind of gave me the grade issue, but he’s got a good GPA and 20 (on the ACT) and I know when we were pushing Tyler (Laser) around that would’ve got him anywhere. So I’m not sure about that reasoning right now,” he said. “All of it seems kind of weird to me. I respect coach Tharp and think he respects me, so I’m not going to say he’s feeding me anything because I don’t think so, but there is something strange about it all.
Gabriele’s athletic partner-in-crime the last three years, Scott Lantis, said it is an interesting situation, but one he is in a tough position to comment on.

As Gabriele said though, if he is set on being a Charger at some point in his college career, transferring is a possibility, much like current Hillsdale College forward Luke Laser did. Laser played under Felix in high school and went to Saginaw Valley State to play hoops before Tharp brought him in as a transfer.

Gabriele has been a regular at Charger basketball games the last few years and he said he's confident he is a GLIAC-caliber guard, although he admits he has plenty of room to improve as well.

“Of course like anybody who has a lot of improving to do right out of high school I would have the same. Everyone does — if you’re Michael Jordan or you’re Mitchell Gabriele, you have a lot to learn.”

Just letting it all happen

Though this question-filled, pressure-packed saga has worn on Gabriele at times, the enlightening part is it has given him perspective on the challenges ahead.

At this point he knows he wants to go into pre-med and play college athletics at the highest level possible, but little else.

But Felix and Hornets head football coach Marc Lemerand have helped him see this situation through lenses filled with life experiences and faithful hope.

“Like Coach Lem told me when I talked to him about it: ‘Mitchell, like my mom told me one time, everything will happen for a reason, everything will be fine if you just let them happen,” Gabriele said. “So I’m letting them happen and I did get a phone call from Grand Valley, which is letting it happen, and hopefully other doors will open.”

Felix is of the same mindset.

“Really I’m just a little disheartened and hope he gets the chance he deserves,” he said. “But you try and go with the philosophy that everything happens for a reason and hopefully the Lord will shine down on you and if He doesn’t right now then He must have another path or other plans down the road for you.”

As of right now, those other plans could include Gabriele enrolling at Adrian College, something he has started to warm up to the past few months.

He said he would rather play one sport at the Division II level than two at D-III, but he “loved” his visit to Adrian and said he was blown away by the facilities and locker rooms, comparing them to some Division I schools he’s seen.

“I know Adrian is Division III and that’s something I was kind of iffy about doing, but they’re going to let me play basketball and football there, so that’s a big possibility,” he said. “I know every college feels ‘we’re going to build a family here’, but they really do. It was the first program that sent me stuff from kids who have played football and went on to bigger and better things and are like heads of corporations and stuff now. They send me stuff that tries to put it all in perspective and show me the true meaning in life.”

Gabriele said the Bulldogs graduated their starting QB from last season and are willing to give him a chance at the spot if the coaching staff thinks it’s his best position, and that is an endearing prospect for Gabriele because he said he still “wants the ball in his hands”.

At the end of the day all Gabriele really wants is a chance — a chance to prove he is better than the naysayers think and an opportunity to prove he was one bona-fide prospect who slipped too far under the radar somehow.

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Hornets out-slug the Tigers, score 24 runs in sweep

[caption id="attachment_417" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Hillsdale junior Kirk Putnam put this Hudson pitch over the wall in the first inning Thursday, for his first career homerun as a varsity player. Photo by Nick Sarles / HDN."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on April 17, 2009

A first-year varsity player hitting his first varsity homer in his very first home at-bat is one way to set the tone.

The Hillsdale Hornets can thank Kirk Putnam for doing just that Thursday.

The junior slugger drilled a pitch over the left field wall as part of a six-run first inning in the first of two Hornet wins over the Hudson Tigers, in a non-conference double-header.

The Hornet bats were alive all evening, as Hillsdale compiled 19 hits and 24 runs in 14-5 and 10-6 victories, evening its record at 2-2.

If conference's gave out Comeback Player of the Year awards, Putnam would be the early front-runner in the SMAA. He didn't play a single game last season, sitting out due to a back injury and he only took a few at-bats over the weekend, yet Hornet head coach Chris Adams said he likes his power in the eight-spot and thinks Putnam is capable of hitting around .280 or .290.

"He's got some pop and he's strong, kind of in the mold of a Drew Berube or Matt Ryan," Adams said.

While he provided some fireworks early on, Dillon Dirth was a hitting machine in the opener, getting three hits, including two doubles and driving in three RBI. He also scored three runs.

While senior stars Scott Lantis and Mitchell Gabriele struggled, going a combined 1-7, plenty of other players picked up the slack.

Kurtis Condon went 3-4 with two runs and an RBI, while Tyler Vanderberghe and Drew Byers both picked up hits off the bench.

"This might be one of the deepest teams I've had," Adams said. "Today Lantis caught, played in the field and at second, and Mitchell pitched and played first, and he's our everyday catcher; there is a lot of competition still taking place at the positions and I told guys not to be surprised when they move around."

One thing that wasn't moving around as much as Adams would've liked in game one was Darren Wisely's fastball.

He earned the victory despite walking nine and allowing five hits and four earned runs. He struggled to get the ball up into the strike zone and he threw 113 pitches in just four innings of work.

Nonetheless, Adams said it is just some minor adjustments that needed to be made.

"He's one of the guys who plays ball year round, and his dad is an assistant, so I'm not worried, we just have to work with him on some mechanics," Adams said. "Four of his walks he had full-counts on, so he was close."

For Hudson (4-4), Alex Middleton showed signs of brilliance, striking out Gabriele and Lantis back-to-back in the fifth, but giving up six runs in the first inning and three more in the third was insurmountable.

He struck out five, but took the loss after allowing 10 earned runs and 11 hits in five-and-a-third innings.

He was also one of Hudson's bright spots at the plate, going 3-3 with two RBI.
Leadoff hitter Taylor Milligan was the definition of an "on-base" guy in the first game, walking five times and scoring three runs.

The nightcap also included a six-run outburst from the Hornets, but this time it was in the bottom of the sixth.

Condon's two-run double put the Hornets ahead, and they added several insurance runs for good measure.

Dirth had another good outing in the second win, picking up a double and single and scoring two more runs.

Jenkins also added an RBI and two runs, while Wisely had two hits.

Gabriele started for Hillsdale and went four innings, allowing four runs (one earned) and striking out two, but it was Condon who picked up the win. He went the final three innings and gave up two runs on two hits.

Mitchell Webb suffered the loss for Hudson and the defense behind him didn't help his cause. He allowed 10 runs, but only three of them were earned, as the Tigers committed four errors.

Luke Milligan led Hudson with three RBI.

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COMING TOMORROW: FINALLY — A SIT DOWN WITH HILLSDALE COLLEGE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DON BRUBACHER DISCUSSING THE INCIDENT INVOLVING THE COLLEGE NEWSPAPER, CHARGER BASEBALL TEAM AND ANIMAL CARCASSES.

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Gabriele named All-State First-Team by BCAM

[caption id="attachment_407" align="alignright" width="215" caption="Hillsdale High School senior Mitchell Gabriele was named a First-Team All-State Selection for Class B by BCAM Tuesday."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on April 15, 2009

While Hillsdale High School senior three-sport star Mitchell Gabriele continues to wait for the right opportunity to continue his athletic career in college, the accolades continue to roll in.

On Tuesday it was announced Gabriele was a first-team all-state selection for Class B on the Basketball Coaches of Michigan (BCAM) "BCAM's Best" team.

Gabriele was named an AP honorable mention recipient in Class B several weeks ago, to go along with being selected for the Jackson Citizen Patriot's Dream Team and being named the County Player of the Year by the Hillsdale Daily News.

Gabriele averaged 21.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in helping guide the Hornets to a 14-7 mark.

He also averaged 3.2 steals per game and made 55 3-point field goals on the season.
Brad Felix said.

"Mitchell is a great kid man, especially behind the scenes where not many people see the relationship between a player and their coach. Not many days go by where he doesn't come and see me and chat."

Felix said the two have built a very close relationship the last few years, and added that Gabriele must've hugged him five times on the last day of meetings at the end of the season.

Before Gabriele's career came to an end Felix said he matured into the type of floor general every coach dreams of.

"Other than points per game — he put up numbers that I don't know if you totally compare to Tyler (Laser), but assists wise...he's the best assists guy I've coached and he grabbed five or six rebounds a night and led us in steals and deflections," he said.

"And his basketball IQ is the best I've had, he's the best quarterback I've had."

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2008-09 All County Boys Basketball Team

Just a tip, the ZOOM function may come in handy if trying to read the top part on this one. Feel free to leave comments on if you agree or disagree with these selections. And just FYI, I did indeed consult most area coaches on who they felt was deserving on the honors.

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Good things come in sets of three

[caption id="attachment_297" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Hillsdale senior guard Mitchell Gabriele was named to the SMAA First-Team for his efforts on the court this season."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on March 18, 2009

Trio of Hornets honored by SMAA
Following a 14-7 season that included a an 8-4 mark in SMAA play, three Hillsdale seniors, affectionately called “The Big Three” by Hornet coach Brad Felix were honored by the conference for their play.
Senior guard Mitchell Gabriele, one of the Jackson area’s leading scorers, was the lone SMAA First-Team selection.
He averaged 21.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.1 steals per game this season.
He also mae a team-high 53 3-pointers and scored 43 points in a game earlier this year.
At the end of December he was named the Pat Paterson Holiday Tournament MVP for Hillsdale’s pool.
6-4 big man Nick Kelley was named an SMAA Second-Team selection in his final season.
He was a double-double machine, averaging 12.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest.
He also averaged 1.8 steals and 1.2 assists per game, while shooting nearly 53 percent from the field.
Senior guard Scott Lantis was an Honorable Mention pick by the league.
He also averaged 12.7 points per contest, to go with 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
He made 37 3-pointers on the year.
The SMAA First-Team consisted of these four players aside from Gabriele: Thomas Lovachis of Stockbridge, Ryan Hobson of Albion, Nate Scholten of Western and Albion’s Justin Edmonds.

Chargers have three earn All-American status
Each year, the Hillsdale College track teams end up well-represented among the nation's best, and the 2009 version was no different.
Aaron Falk, Andrew Dodson and Jared Krout all earned All-American status this weekend at the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Houston, Texas.
This was the second consecutive year Dodson has been named an indoor track All-American, both times placing among the top eight in the country in the high jump event.
Dodson was tied for seventh in Division II with his best jump of 6 feet, 8 inches. His two-time All-American status makes Dodson one of the best high jumpers in the past decade at Hillsdale.
Falk has emerged as a dominant athlete in the weight throw event over the past two years, and at this year's championships, he only added to that reputation. He placed fourth in the nation with a weight throw mark of 64 feet, 10 inches, also earning five points for the Charger team at the national meet.
Krout, who already has many All-American honors on his impressive resume, tacked on another one with his performance in the long jump event. His mark of 23 feet, 6 3/4 inches was good enough for eighth place, and his fifth All-American honor in three indoor track seasons.
On the women's side in the meet, two impressive performances were turned in by Marta Schiewe and Amanda Putt, though neither were able to advance to the finals in their respective events.
Schiewe ran the 400 meter dash in just 59 seconds, a blazing-fast time. Putt, a freshman, turned in a mile run in 5:10, both performances putting a cap on excellent seasons for each.

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Failure may be fruitful for Hornets

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

A column published in the Hillsdale Daily News on March 11, 2009

Call me a loser, because in fact I like losing.

I was a starter on a JV basketball team that lost 16 times in 20 tries my sophomore year, I lost out on a $10,000 college scholarship by .04 of a grade-point and I've lost myself numerous times, only to have God bring me out a better man.

From my experiences you can either let losing eat you alive and turn you into a spiteful, regretful person or you can lose admirably and try hard to learn from failure.

On Monday night I saw the Hillsdale Hornets boys basketball team lose, but during and after the disheartening 60-32 district defeat at the hands of Coldwater I saw kids maturing and how losing can truly impart wisdom on individuals.

Take senior star Mitchell Gabriele for example. He is arguably one of the finest scorers in the greater-Jackson area, but he also has a tendency to let his über-competitive personality take over for the worse at times.

Getting thrown out of the first contest this season and sometimes taking poor shots out of frustration much to the dismay of his coaches are just two examples.

But if Monday night is any indication, he has matured the past few months and winning is still what drives him, but not what controls him.

In the midst of the worst shooting performance of his career, a 2-for-22 outing, Gabriele remained poised and just kept willing himself to get open and try to lead the troops back.

When he could’ve barked at the refs for not calling obvious contact he remained tight-lipped and prepared to go to work on defense; when his outside shot continued to rim out he started posting up and trying to get even better looks, instead of just hoisting up bad shots because the game was already decided.

"Yeah I was getting contact, but they were letting us play on both sides of the ball,” he said. "It is frustrating... anytime you shoot that bad when you're averaging as many points as I am. When they're not falling and they should be falling, and you're trying to get your team back on top and trying to get the 'W' it's very frustrating and it hurts."

Yes losing hurts but no one should let it define who they are, and to his credit Gabriele quickly found the positive in the darkest of moments last night, something that’s not always easy after failing to meet expectations and letting down a rather passionate fan base.

“Toward the end of the season we had two back-to-back losses and this one kind of sticks a dagger to your heart. But you know, we played well the whole season and there are no regrets, we don't regret anything, but it's too bad we couldn't pull out a 'W' tonight," he said. "Like coach said earlier on, he was talking to people in the community and they were like 'I think it would be good if you guys won five games' and then we came out and won (14), so it feels good."

Sometimes effort doesn’t equal results every time out in life, whether at work, in relationships or in striving for goals and the Hornets now know that all too well.
Head coach Brad Felix said the team executed his game plan to a near tee and he had no reason to yell at them, because missing shots, shooting 21.8 percent from the floor, was not a result of being undisciplined or ill prepared, it kind of just happened.

It is a reminder that we aren’t always in control of everything no matter how hard we try to and there are always unknown variables involved — such as Coldwater point guard Cameron Holicki (26 points, five assists) in Hillsdale’s case. Or just tough-luck rims or mounting pressure, pick your poison.

Senior Scott Lantis said it would've been nice to have gone out playing better and it wouldn't have stung so much if they could have shot decent, but instead of looking at it as an end all he still gave credit to Felix for having them prepared and told it as it was without sugar-coating it.

"We've got some athletes here, we've got some players and if we would've gone out and shot well and they beat us, I think we'd have a little better taste in our mouths," he said. "We had the looks, the game-plan was there, but you can't coach shooting and like coach said, we weren't trying to miss. The game-plan was perfect, coach had us ready, we just couldn't finish."

In the wake of one of their most difficult nights as high school athletes Gabriele and Lantis were good enough to take the time to be honest with me and try to put it all in perspective. No excuses, just heavy hearts, but hearts that were thankful for the opportunities they've been given. I wouldn't say they were joyful in defeat, but they were at least respectful and reflective.

Lantis talked about how he felt their senior class had stayed loyal to the Hornet tradition and Gabriele said he was proud to have gone to battle with his fellow seniors, even though they'll never win a district title.

It would do us all some good to remember that Michael Jordan was cut from his JV basketball team, the apostle Paul was once a Pharisee and we all fall short, but can choose how we act and react in the face of failure.

Being a proponent of failing for your own good once in a while, I was impressed with how Hornet players handled themselves at a most vulnerable time.

Lantis' last words to me after the game were "God bless you" — and no, I didn't sneeze.

A fitting ending to another life experience that everyone involved will remember, and a hopeful look at how very special some of our area teenagers really are.

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Just not on target: Hornet boys shoot 21 percent in first-round loss

[caption id="attachment_265" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Nick Kelley (40) and Scott Lantis (30) walk off the court for the final time as Hillsdale Hornets basketball players."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sport Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on March 10, 2009

The one thing coaches say you can't teach is the one thing the Hillsdale Hornets boy's basketball team couldn't do Monday.

In a first-round district showdown with Coldwater the Hornets took care of the ball, played solid defense for four quarters and executed their game-plan almost to a tee according to head coach Brad Felix — but they couldn't shoot worth a lick and their season is now over because of it.

The Hornets shot just 21 percent from the field as a team, senior guard Mitchell Gabriele was held to seven points on a 2-for-22 shooting effort and for the second straight meeting Cardinals' point guard Cameron Holicki was the man of the hour in a 60-32 Coldwater victory.

It was an unfathomable way for the Hornets to end a season in which they finished 14-7 and almost pulled off an SMAA championship.

Hillsdale players were antsy to finally get over the hump and win a district title with this group of guys, but a short-handed Coldwater team, who was without starters Jacob Robison and Bobby White due to team violations, shot 58 percent from the field and ended the game on an astonishing 35-6 run.

Felix said he wasn't angry whatsoever, just disappointed.

"I told them it was a tough way for the seniors to finish their career. Quite frankly we're real disappointed...we picked a horrible time to shoot the ball like that. It's a little embarrassing," he said. "They play good man-to-man defense, but I'll tell you what man, we got good shots. We had a real good game-plan coming in and we were getting the ball where we wanted it and to the people we wanted to be touching it."

Coldwater head coach chalked Brian Stevens chalked the win up to defense and heart.

"That was our best defensive effort all year right there. And you know we had to really step it up because we knew we were going to have some guys out, but it was just a fantastic effort," he said. "I've never been more proud of a group of kids than I was tonight. The telling thing here is we have a good team and we don't have to rely on just two people."

It also didn't hurt that Holicki had one of the best games of his career on the same night Gabriele's had one of his toughest outings.

Holicki scored 13 first-half points, the same number the Hornets had in falling behind by 10 at the break, and he finished the game with 26 points to go with six boards and five assists.

Stevens said Holicki was at his best when Hornets defenders got right up in his face and he was able to drive by them and get to the lane.

"He's a gamer. He knew he was going to have to step up ands play huge tonight with a few guys out," he said. "The guy is a great competitor... they just gave him the opportunities and he took them."

For the Hornets, Gabriele gave it his all and even hit a key 3-pointer early in the second half to begin a run that would give the Hornets a 26-25 advantage, but no one had an answer to why the ball just wouldn't fall through the cylinder.

"It is frustrating... anytime you shoot that bad when you're averaging as many points as I am. When they're not falling and they should be falling, and you're trying to get your team back on top and trying to get the 'W' it's very frustrating and it hurts," he said.

Felix said he doesn't understand what happened, but he has sympathy for his floor general.

"It's tough to fathom. I just feel bad for Mitchell that he's got to finish his career like that. That's his last game and he probably couldn't have shot the ball any worse than he did," he said, "He's a competitor man, and we were going to keep throwing him the ball and getting him looks and we even tried to get him the ball inside. The sets we ran worked, we got him shots on the block and he just couldn't finish."

Backcourt mate Scott Lantis had a little better success, knocking down three 3-pointers en route to 11 points, but he said the sting of losing in such a fashion is pretty strong.

"I just think it would've been nice if we went out playing well. We've got some athletes here, we've got some players and if we would've gone out and shot well and they beat us, I think we'd have a little better taste in our mouths," he said. "We had the looks, the game-plan was there, but you can't coach shooting and like coach said, we weren't trying to miss."

For the Cardinals, who will take on Parma Western in the semifinals Wednesday, Seth Szafranski pitched in nine points and Sam Foster and Spensor Tanner both put in seven.

Nick Kelley had six points and six rebounds in his final game as a Hornet.

Despite the defeat, Felix said he was extremely proud to have coached a team who was led by a senior class who had to overcome the shadows of players like the Laser brothers and Mike Blanchard.

"I think they've overachieved really and it's a credit to them. Another thing I'll remember is they're competitors, they always go the extra mile and they've been loyal parts of our program," he said. "I enjoyed coaching those guys and I thought they had a great year. We didn't finish it how we wanted to, but overall it was a pretty good year."

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The 2008 Rich J. Wutz Up Now? Awards (The Academy's don't hold a flame)

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

An exclusive Walters 'n Words blog

Alright, to be frank I really needed something worthwhile to do while my Wifey was watching the Oscars because A.) The so-called “reporting” at the red-carpet, a.k.a. the stripping of one’s dignity so they can slobber all over Diane Von Furstenberg’s and Vera Wang’s (these are dress brands men, it’s okay to go “metro” once in a while) is sickening B.) I don’t know two-thirds of the jokes because while half the world is watching E! to catch up on their Hollywood Insider stuff I am busy following unscripted, yet still extremely cinematic events also known as sports and C.) the Pistons game I’m watching on the 13-inch next to the Oscars can’t even hold a flame to the Hillsdale Academy-Waldron girls hoops bout (which is fitting because some of those girls wanted to throw down) last night

So without giving you further explanations of why I completely understand why you’d be better off reading this than do anything else, here’s what’s going down — it’s not groundbreaking, but you don’t want to miss it.

These are the first (and probably only) ever Rich J. Wutz Up Now? Awards, awarding extraordinary achievement in Hillsdale County High School sports during the 2008 calendar year. Considering I am currently the only employed media member in the county whose job is to focus only on sports, sorry Bob Flynn, these HAVE to have some validity or at least I can force to you to pretend they do because there’s no one to compare me to.

Remember these are up for debate, but all voting parties sided with me. Enjoy.

Best picture:
The Reading Ranger football team’s run to the state semifinals
There was no happy ending here, but what local team actually made the playoffs and won its final game during 2008? That would be none.
The Rangers gallop toward history was a fun one because they ran for nearly 1,000 yards every two games, they were led by the little “engine that could and did” Trent Morris, who led the conference in rushing TDs and interceptions and of course because the entire town wanted a say in how the story came together. Or should I say the whole town wanted to make sure everyone at the HDN knew the story should be the most important local event from early October to mid-Novemeber.
Runner-up: Hillsdale Academy girl’s basketball team

Best director:
Marc Lemerand, Hillsdale football
This is probably the hardest category to select, just because I have a lot of respect for so many of the county’s coaches and am constantly impressed at how much love and time they sacrifice for the betterment of area high schoolers.
The reason Lemerand is the winner is because he took a first-year quarterback, first-year running back and a few new transfers and guided his boys to yet another conference title, another playoff appearance and within a few completions of a postseason win over highly heralded Lumen Christi.
Plus, I haven’t found another coach in the area who has more players consistently say how essential a coach has been in their overall transition to being a man. A lot of the men and women roaming the sidelines in the county are committed to making a difference beyond just winning, but by my estimation Lemerand could be doing what he does at the college level for a whole lot more money and attention. But neither matter much to him.
Runner-up: Mickey Rowe, Jonesville wrestling

Best actor:

Mitchell Gabriele, Hillsdale


Question: Who’s the top athlete at the top high school in the county and who has had there picture in the HDN more times in the last year than anyone else? Answer: Gabriele.

He impressed me with his ability to stay calm in his first year as quarterback and he led the area and the SMAA in every major passing category while also rushing for a boatload of yards and touchdowns.
Now he’s leading the entire Jackson-area in scoring on the hardwood and beginning to consistently dish out 6-9 assists a night.
Considering baseball is his third sport and yet he’s still a better than average hitter and easily the best defensive catcher around, there’s little argument on this one.
He’s a fun one to watch (and write about) because you never know when he’s going to blow up or just flat out go off — and if you watch him much, you know I’m talking about both his game and his behavior.
Runner-up: Trent Morris, Reading

Best supporting actor:
Scott Lantis, Hillsdale
He’s the perfect opposite to Gabriele out on the playing field, usually staying out of the spotlight and in control. He’s the kind of teammate you always hope you will have and he can either make the big play or just set it up for someone else.
Plus, he’s a flat out stud on a baseball diamond. Hillsdale College is lucky that the Lantis family is a Charger family because plenty of other school’s could have used his services.
And he’s not called “Mr. Big Shot” in high school hoops for nothing.
Also, his name is in the Hornet record book for receiving so much the school might as well plaster his picture on the back of all wideouts jerseys for the next 10 years.
Plus, setting complete objectivity aside, he’s one of my favorite people to work with in the county.
He knows what really matters in this life and he knows how to own up when he makes a mistake.
Runner-up: Ethan Smith, Hillsdale Academy

Best Original Screenplay:
“The offensive lineman who looks like Reggie Miller”
No, seriously, if you haven’t seen Pittsford senior Clark Pelham play basketball, you need to rearrange your schedule because he has just five regular season games left in his career. He doubles as an all-league lineman for one of the county’s best football programs and looks nothing like an “en fuego, money from any spot beyond 18 feet” shooting guard / shooting forward for lack of a better term, exactly what he is.
When you see him warming up you figure he’s probably a very undersized big guy who is used mainly for extra fouls and an occasional jumper or two, but then he goes off for 22 points and hits 5-of-7 threes and you wonder if maybe in fact fundamentals and a pure stroke still have a place in modern day basketball.
It is certainly a thing of beauty to watch, because Pelham uses the gifts God gave him to do things that seem “original” to anyone who has ever thought of what the usual role for an offensive lineman is on the hardwood and I applaud his confidence and how easy he makes sinking 25-footers look.

Best makeup:
Nick Kelley, Hillsdale
“Makeup” is a loose term in this case and I don’t spend my time checking out high school athletes up close anyways….eww, gross.
What makes Kelley the run-away victor in this category is his super long, white snake-like thing that completely engulfs his left arm every basketball game.
It is like Allen Iverson without the dreads — and sick crossover — sorry, Kelley, and it always makes me smile.
Refs do double-takes and then Kelley has to go explain himself before almost every contest.
I still contest that the elastic white sleeve must provide Kelley with an extra set of eyes because he makes some terrific passes for a big man. Either that, or it has a thin layer of a white Airhead on it, which the ball sticks to, which explains his 4-5 steal games, which are a quite normal occurrence.
All things considered I think Kelley uses it for some sort of medical reason and not to intimidate anyone, but for the ’Dale it’s pretty darn gangsta.
Props to Slick Nick.
Runner-up: Nothing can touch the huge white snake Kelley wears

Ok, it's been an hour now and I need to quit staring at computer screen because I already do that for 16 hours a day. Did I just out myself on how enslaved I am to my job? Crap.

And I appologize that I didn't get to the Best Actoress or Best Supporting Actres, but a big bowl of Chocolate Fudge Brownie Chunk ice cream and my Xbox 360, and oh yeah my wife, all kept calling my name.

Thanks for reading, let me know where I err'ed and I shall return.

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A bevy of 3-pointers more than enough as Hornet boys coast

[caption id="attachment_130" align="alignright" width="225" caption="The Hornets are still on track for a shot at an SMAA crown after Friday night's victory."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on Feb. 21, 2009

Everything looked good from a distance for the Hillsdale Hornets Friday night.

A 26-point first half lead looked good to Hornet faithful in the stands, three players with at least 15 points looked good to head coach Brad Felix and almost every open 3-pointer looked like it was going in — and most of them did.

Senior Mitchell Gabriele drained seven 3-pointers, one short of Tyler Laser's school record, backcourt mate Scott Lantis hit five triples and the Hornets buried 13 shots from behind the arc altogether in a 75-56 SMAA road win at Leslie.

Gabriele poured in 28 points, including 13 in the first quarter, Lantis added 20 and Kelley finished with 15.Beyond their amazing efficiency from long range the Hornets did a much better job of keeping the Blackhawks stars in check than they did in past meetings.

Senior Trent Page scored 17 points in his first game back from a leave of absence after scoring 24 the last time he played the Hornets and Travis Crowe added 17 as well, 13 less than he scored at The Hive earlier this season.

The Hornets jumped out to a 24-11 first quarter lead behind four 3-pointers and then equaled that feat in the second quarter to take a 45-24 to the break.

The Blackhawks went on a little 6-0 run in the early stages of the third quarter and traded baskets with the Hornets throughout the second half, but got not closer than 16.

The win kept the Hornets SMAA title hopes well and alive and set up a mega showdown with Albion next Friday on Hillsdale's home floor.

The Hornets took out the Wildcats in Albion on a crazy banked-in Gabriele 3-pointer in overtime earlier this year.

The winner of Friday's contest will be outright conference champions.

Prior to that bout the Hornets host non-conference foe Harper Creek at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

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Hornets fly past Orioles at The Hive

[caption id="attachment_107" align="alignright" width="197" caption="Hillsdale guard Kyle MacDonald attacks the Quincy defense in the first half Tuesday night. "][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Feb. 4, 2009 edition of the Hillsdale Daily News

Quincy likes to walk the ball up the court, while Hillsdale is obsessed with running the ball up the floor, making the opposition pay for costly turnovers.

Tuesday night the Hornets were the ones actually turning the ball over more often than not, but they kept running and gunning and Quincy couldn’t keep up.

Senior point guard Mitchell Gabriele turned in his usual stellar performance with 30 points, 10 assists and seven steals and the Hornets overcame 24 turnovers in an 86-55 rout of the Orioles.

Usually an easy win to improve to 7-3 on the season would cause for celebration, but not in the Hillsdale locker room, where they have their sights set high this season.

“You would’ve thought we got beat in the locker room. The guys realize as much as the coaches do that we really didn’t play very well defensively. Our containment was bad, I thought we gave up too many layups and too many offensive rebounds and that’s a concern for us,” Hillsdale head coach Brad Felix said. “Obviously we’re scoring points, I’m just concerned that when we get against a team that can stop you from scoring 60-65 you’ve got to win with your defense and we’ve struggled all season long.”

Struggle is a relative word though and the Hornets hardly struggled on offense. They used a 12-0 run to start the game and 8-0 burst right out of halftime to give them a majority of their cushion.
On the evening the Hornets shot 53 percent from the field and drained eight 3-pointers and Felix admitted that shooting has been something he’s been stressing more of late.

“I don’t want to take credit but I have to say I’ve committed more time to shooting in practice then I probably have ever done in my career,” he said. “You’re always ‘X’ing and ‘O’ing in practice and kind of get away from just shooting the ball a little bit.”

Senior Nick Kelley scored 17 points, mostly on bunnies that he has had a tendency to miss as of late, and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds.

Scott Lantis pitched in 10 points, Kyle MacDonald put in nine, including two 3-pointers and Kurtis Condon scored seven.

For Quincy, effort was never a question, but it was a constant battle to find open shots they could knock down. When they were trying to stay close in the second quarter they couldn’t finish several offensive putbacks and throughout the game their jumpers just wouldn’t stick.

Nonetheless, Quincy head coach Ritch Adams thought it was a good learning experience for his boys, especially since it didn’t count in the conference standings.

“I thought we learned a lot. I think Hillsdale plays a little bit more intense than we’re used to seeing night to night and I thought after about the first three minutes we matched them pretty well,” he said. “I thought the big difference was they lit it up from outside and we had trouble buying anything from outside.”

Adams said he was pleased with his team’s defensive effort for the most part, but admitted Gabriele was at times more than his team could handle.

“We didn’t do a very good job of stopping him, but we’re not the only ones and it’s not like he had a bunch of open layups. We had guys there and he knocked them down anyway,” he said.

Dustin Truitt had a strong outing for the Orioles with nine points and 11 rebounds and Eric Stetler led Quincy with 12 points.

“We usually run more sets and are patient offensively and against them it’s just tough to do. If you’ve got a guy in your face you’ve just got to dribble past him and make a play,” Adams said referring to his team’s performance on offense.

Felix said the Big Eight is just a different style of basketball than his team is used to seeing and despite wishing for a little more out of his defense, it was still a win to be proud of.

“We’re all talking about what we didn’t do well, but it’s not that grim, it’s still a good win for us,” he said. “They have a  winning record and are having a good season and we beat them handily. We’ve got to be happy about that.”

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Homecoming romp

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

[caption id="attachment_80" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Hillsdale senior Mitchell Gabriele led the way with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists Friday night. "][/caption]

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on Jan. 31, 2009

There was no way Hillsdale was letting Stockbridge ruin this year’s homecoming festivities.

In 2008 the Panthers rolled into the Hive and shocked the Hornets in front of a lively crowd, one of two losses Hillsdale took at the hands of Stockbridge last season, but in 2009 some inside-out domination by the Hornets turned the Panthers inside-out.

The Hornets (8-3 overall, 4-1 SMAA) out-rebounded the Panthers 59-27 on the glass and buried a season-high 10 3-pointers en route to a 77-52 conference victory.

“They did ruin (homecoming) for us last year and we did come off our loss to Western (Wednesday) but we bounced back well. We made some shots, played good ‘D’ and I’m just glad we came out on top,” said Hornet senior Mitchell Gabriele, who scored a game-high 22 points to go with nine rebounds and seven assists.

Early on it looked like the contest might be a toss up with the two teams trading baskets, but an 8-0 spurt highlighted by several steals and layups by Gabriele gave the Hornets a 21-17 cushion after one quarter.

It was more of the same early in the second quarter with Panthers forward Thomas Lovachis hitting a triple to pull his team within 24-28, but a steady flood of Hornet 3-pointers soon followed.

Kurtis Condon hit a long-ball, Kyle MacDonald drilled one from the top of the arc and Mike Bakerjian came in off the bench to drain a pair of 3-pointers, the second with 15 seconds left in the half to give Hillsdale a comfy 41-25 lead.

“It’s only one game so I don’t want to get too excited, but we’ve got guys who are capable of shooting from the outside and it’s just a matter of getting everyone clicking at once,” Hillsdale head coach Brad Felix said. “If we can get Mitchell, Mac and Lantis all shooting the ball well with Bakerjian coming off the bench...it makes our inside game all the more potent.”

The Hornets were 10-of-25 from 3-point range as a team and as Felix said, it certainly opened things up inside.

Senior Nick Kelley was a double-double machine with 15 points and 16 rebounds, despite missing a handful of shots within a few feet of the basket.

Brennan Holroyd pulled down 13 boards and the Hornets more than doubled up its opponent on the glass.

“We knew we were bigger than they were and I feel now looking at the game that we were more physical than they were and it showed. Last game we weren’t physical, but tonight we got after it,” Gabriele said.

Gabriele was pleased with the post production, but more excited about how he and his teammates lit up the scoreboard from long range.

“It’s a confidence builder shooting the 3-pointer like that. It will really get you down if you’re missing and keep missing and keep firing, but when we make those shots it gets the crowd going and pumps us up,” he said.

Felix said he was pleased with Gabriele because he told the entire team they had to move the ball more and find open teammates following the loss to Western and his point guard led the way in that department Friday night.

Gabriele said it’s all about being a smarter player and letting the game just happen.

“I’m just trying to have the game come to me,” he said. “I’ll get my points and coach sat down and talked to me about how sometimes I might force it or try to do a little too much. It was good just dishing it out tonight.”

Backcourt mate Scott Lantis pitched in with 13 points and MacDonald finished with eight.

Lovachis led Stockbridge with 15 points and despite just returning from a bout with mononucleosis Jeff O’Brien pitched in 10.

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Gabriele nails 3 in OT to seal deal for Hornets

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

As published in the Hillsdale Daily News on Jan. 24, 2009

If Mitchell Gabriele missed his final shot, people may have said it was poor shot selection, a bad choice by a senior leader.

Instead, Gabriele banked in a wild, heavily-defended 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to lift Hillsdale to a 60-59 overtime road win in Albion, prompting teammate Scott Lantis to kiss him on the forehead and giving the Hornets a leg up in the SMAA race.

Gabriele, who has been scoring all over the court lately was limited to just five points in the first half, in part because of foul trouble, but he finished with a game-high 28 and made key plays in clutch situations.

The first half was out of character for both teams and the Hornets scored just nine points in each of the first two quarters and faced a 23-18 deficit at the intermission.

But six quick points by Gabriele, on a 3-pointer and 3-point play, drew the Hornets (7-2 overall, 3-0 SMAA) within 26-27 early in the second half.

Lantis swished a long ball near the end of the third quarter and yet another Gabriele triple early in the fourth gave the Hornets a 42-39 lead, their first since it was 5-2.

Meanwhile Albion forward Justin Edmunds found his rhythm inside and he scored 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half.

After a Nick Kelley putback gave the Hornets a 3-point lead with 2:33 remaining Edmunds nailed a 3-pointer and the back-and-forth drama was on.

After several baskets by both teams, Joe Jones drove to the baseline and scored to put Albion up 53-51. Jones scored 10 points Friday, all of them in the fourth quarter and overtime.

On the Hornets ensuing possession Lantis missed a 3-pointer, Kelley missed a tip-in, and Kyle MacDonald missed a triple off another offensive rebound, before Kelley was finally fouled on yet another rebound.

Kelley has struggled at the line this season, but he calmly stepped to the line and made both free-throws to make it 53-all with just 33 seconds on the game-clock.

The Wildcats had one final shot, but Ryan Hobson missed a fall-away jumper with four seconds left to send the game to overtime.

No team gained more than a 2-point lead in the extra period and with 25 seconds remaining Albion clung to a 59-57 lead.

Then desperate to make something happen Gabriele launched up his fateful final shot, before Hobson missed a jumper and Kelley pulled down a rebound.

Lantis finished with 13 points, after going just 1-for-11 in Tuesday’s loss against Coldwater and Kelley put in 12 points.

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Tale of two halves plays into Cards hands

[caption id="attachment_18" align="alignright" width="455" caption="Cameron Holicki was bonafide money Tuesday night leading Coldwater to a 73-61 win over Hillsdale by putting up 18 points and nine assists. Photo by Larry Jose, Daily News."][/caption]

By RJ Walters / Daily News Sports Editor

Published in the Jan. 21 edition of the Hillsdale Daily News

In a battle of two of the finest guards in connecting counties the quicker, calmer one came out on top Tuesday night.

Mitchell Gabriele led Hillsdale with a game-high 32 points, but Coldwater guard Cameron Holicki was by far the quickest guy on the floor and his 18 points and nine assists helped the Cardinals (7-4) overcome an 11-point second quarter deficit to down the Hornets 73-61 at The Hive.

"We couldn't contain (Holicki), he just killed us. He penetrated us to death," Hillsdale head coach Brad Felix said. "I could really give a rip on how many points anybody else had on that team, I guarantee you they were a result of Holicki. Either him penetrating and dumping it or penetrating and shooting it, where we helped and were out of position for the rebound and they got cheap ones off the glass."

Combined with 19 points and 16 rebounds from forward Jacob Robison, Holicki's efforts were too much for a Hornets (6-2) team that got just three points from Scott Lantis and saw Nick Kelley (10 points) foul out early in the fourth quarter.

It didn't help much either that Hillsdale shot just 34 percent from the field, allowing a Cardinals team that shot 53 percent back into the contest despite 16 turnovers in the first half and 26 overall.

Gabriele had 15 points before the intermission and the Hornets got out to 28-17 lead, before Coldwater closed the gap to 33-27 by halftime.

"We just weren't playing our style of basketball. We had 16 turnovers, they had 10 offensive rebounds and in my mind that's 26 possessions that we gave them," Coldwater head coach Brian Stevens said in regards to the first half.  "So if we just cut down on those things we knew it would be a better half and that's the way it worked out."

It was better for the Cardinals, in just a number of minutes. Spensor Tanner and Robert White hit back-to-back three pointers and coupled with several Hornets miscues Coldwater had a 44-41 lead. They wouldn't trail the rest of the way.

Much of the reason was Robison who scored 14 points in the second half and had three monster blocks during the decisive final two quarters.

"We had film and scouting on him and he's another matchup issue. But again, I don't think he hurts us that much if we contain Holicki," Felix said.

Stevens said he was very pleased with how Robison and his teammate fought back, but wanted to talk more of his team's defense than offense.

"I've got to give credit to (Bobby) White because he did a great job on Gabriele. He really took a lot of shots out there...and we kind of took him out of his game so I think that was a big key," Stevens said. "It was just a matter of playing our game and the last 16 minutes I was really happy with the way we kept our composure and played our kind of basketball."

Gabriele was 10-of-25 from the field, including 2-of-9 from beyond the arc and back-court mate Lantis was just 1-for-11 from the field.

Felix said he knows his guys have better efforts in them and in the in the big picture this game doesn't worry him.

"It's a non-league game, it's a good measure-up for us at districts, but I don't think we can't beat that team. We learned some things from it, we take some notes and move on, it's that simple," Felix said. "We need to play teams like that and it gives us a bit of a gauge of where we're at if we want to win a district championship."

To go along with his 32 points Gabriele notched seven boards, six steals, three assists and two steals.

Kyle MacDonald pitched in eight points, including two triples for Hillsdale.

Tanner finished with 11 points for Coldwater and White added 10.

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