THE WEEK - Nov. 3-9, 2014

Here are Bad Axe athletic events slated for the week of Nov. 3-9, 2014.

MONDAY, NOV. 3
Volleyball Districts - at Bad Axe High School
6 p.m. - Harbor Beach vs Lakers, 6 p.m.
7:30 p.m. - Bad Axe vs. USA, 7:30 p.m.

Girls Junior High Basketball - Harbor Beach at Bad Axe, 5:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, NOV. 4
No events scheduled 

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5
Volleyball Districts - at Bad Axe High School
6 p.m. - Bad Axe/USA winner vs. Ubly
7:30 p.m. - Harbor Beach/Lakers winner vs. Cass City

Girls Junior High Basketball - Lakers at Bad Axe, 5:30 p.m.
MHSAA Sportsmanship Summit at SVSU, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Six students will be attending: Natalie Breault, Mikayla Essenmacher, Kaitlyn Kociba, Tommy Morneau, Clark Brady and Mason Krug. 

THURSDAY, NOV. 6
Volleyball Districts - at Bad Axe High School
7 p.m. - Championship

FRIDAY, NOV. 7
No events scheduled

SATURDAY, NOV. 8
Junior High Wrestling - At Mayville Invitational, 9 a.m. See Coach Hollingsworth for details.

SUNDAY, NOV. 9
No events scheduled

OTHER CAMPUS EVENTS
Monday - Junior Gymnastics, Elementary School

Tuesday - Softball Pitching, Elementary School
Family Enrichment, Elementary School

Wednesday - Baker College, Elementary School

Thursday - Parent-Teacher Conferences, 1/2 Day
Softball Pitching - Elementary School

Friday - Parent-Teacher Conferences, 1/2 Day
Mistletoe Market Set up - Junior High

Saturday - Mistletoe Market, Junior High
Softball - High School Cage

UPCOMING
1. Girls JV/Varsity Basketball Practice Starts Nov. 10
2. Boys JV/Varsity Basektball Practice Starts Nov. 17
3. Varsity Wrestling Practice Starts Nov. 17

Hatchets vs. Yellowjackets

Courtesy Huron Daily Tribune

BAD AXE — Prior to the announcement of the MHSAA’s football playoff pairings last Sunday evening, Bad Axe was uncertain if it had played its last game of the season just a few days prior. 

The Hatchets sat at 5-4 on the year, missing automatically qualifying for the playoffs by a game. 

However, the team garnered enough playoff points during the course of the regular season to earn its way into postseason play. 

The playoff berth was the first for the program since 2001, snapping a streak of 13 consecutive seasons without making the postseason. 

“It should be exciting,” said Bad Axe coach Mark Manenti. “It should be exciting for everybody. For the kids, for the coaching staff, for the community — for all of us.”

While the Hatchets had a streak they were happy to break, their opponent Ithaca has one it would like to keep intact. 

The Yellowjackets (9-0) are currently riding the nation’s longest active win streak at 65 games. They are also the four-time defending Division 6 state champions. 

“It’s great for our program,” Manenti said of the chance to play Ithaca. “You’ve got to look at something — these kids can achieve something that nobody else can achieve right now. They have a chance to go to the playoffs and have a chance to go beat a team that’s been undefeated pretty much for five years.”

Bad Axe will try to tackle that task beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at Ithaca in its Division 6 district opener. 

Despite the nearly two-and-a-half hour distance between the two schools, they do have something in common, which started with a chance encounter at a football coaching clinic in the offseason. 

Manenti said he and offensive coordinator Kelly Durr went to the clinic, with Manenti handling the defensive duties and Durr taking in some offensive presentations. One that happened to resonate with Durr was on the spread offense, put on by Ithaca coaches. 

Manenti said he gave Durr the thumbs-up to explore it further, which eventually led to a meeting with the Ithaca staff earlier this year. 

“They were willing to sit down and talk to us and show us what they do, how they do it, and why they do it,” Manenti said. “They invited us to come down and they were very good to us, treated us with respect, and showed us everything they did.”

Bad Axe took that valuable experience and ran with it, literally. Spearheaded by Durr, the Hatchets installed a spread option attack that has really taken off this season. 

“It’s been successful,” Manenti said. 

While Bad Axe focuses more on running out of the spread, the Yellowjackets tend to throw the ball a little more.

“We’re both going to be similar offensively,” Manenti said. “What they do real well that we haven’t tapped into this year yet is they can pass the ball. They pass the ball very well.”

Manenti said that is a concern his team will look to address this week leading up to Friday. 

“If you watch film on them, even when they are in the playoffs, people really don’t know how to defend them,” he said of the difficult task his defense will face. 

Aside from the opportunity to face a perennial state powerhouse, simply taking the next step into the playoffs is big for a program that hadn’t won more than three games in a season since that 2001 playoff year. 

Things started out bad for the Hatchets this season after they were shutout by Harbor Beach. Despite losing a heartbreaking 34-32 contest to playoff-bound Marlette, the game proved to be the one that turned around the season. 

“I think the kids at that point finally realized that they were able to stick with a team that was supposed to be a playoff contender and compete for their division,” Manenti said. “Then it all just snowballed from there. They started believing in themselves.”

Added Manenti on the turnaround: “The No. 1 reason is the kids. Their work ethic has been very good this year.”

Payoff is PLAYOFFS!!!

Congrats to our Bad Axe football team, which will be making its first trek to the post-season since 2001 after its 26-8 win over Ubly on Friday night.

Now, the 5-4 Hatchets get 4-time defending state champion Ithaca.
The 9-0 Yellowjackets have not lost a game since the Division 6 state semifinals in 2009.
Game time will be 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. 

Any questions on the game can be directed to the athletic department at 989-269-9593.
We will post any other pertinent information when it becomes available.

THE WEEK OCT. 27 to NOV. 2, 2014

Here are Bad Axe athletic events scheduled for the week of Oct. 27 to Nov. 4.

MONDAY, OCT. 27
Junior High Wrestling Practice Starts, JRH Aux Gym.

TUESDAY, OCT. 28
No events scheduled

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 29
No events scheduled

THURSDAY, OCT. 30
Varsity Volleyball - Home Quad with CPS, Harbor Beach, Mayville, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 31
PLAYOFFS - Bad Axe (5-4) at Ithaca (9-0), 7 p.m. Bus TBA.

SATURDAY, NOV. 1
Varsity Volleyball - Almont Invitational, 9 a.m. Bus TBA.
Cross Country - State Finals at MIS, TBA

SUNDAY, NOV. 2
All-League Football Meeting - Cass City High School, 7 p.m. Bad Axe is GTW facilitator.

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Other Non-Sports Campus Events
Monday - Bad Axe Police, JRH Aux Gym til 3:45 p.m.
Monday - Junior Gymnastics, Elementary Gym

Tuesday - Bad Axe Police, JRH Aux Gym til 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday - Family Enrichment, Elementary School, 6 p.m.

Wednesday - NHS Induction, HS Cafe, 7 p.m.
Wednesday - Baker College, Elementary School, 5 p.m.

Thursday - High School Choir Concert, HS Cafe, 1 p.m.
Thursday - High School Quiz Bowl, 3:30 p.m.

Friday - Halloween

Sunday - Youth girls basketball, HS Gym

PRACTICES SCHEDULES
As you are all aware, this time of the year brings EVERYONE into our gyms. Even with the amount of gym space we have, NOT EVERYONE is going to be able to be accommodated when they want to. In fact, we are already having some double-up issues. So, please be patient and please work together as we head into the winter months. We are working hard to accommodate everyone equally.

Softball - Softball is scheduled to use the elementary gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays will be shorter until after Nov. 11 due to Family Enrichment.

2nd, 3rd Girls Basketball - Wednesdays in the elementary gym after school starting Dec. 3. 

4th, 5th, 6th Girls Basketball - Tuesdays and Thursdays, JRH gym from around 6-8. There may be some overlapping with junior high girls hoop in the main gym. 

REMINDERS
1. Starting Nov. 29, boys youth basketball will be in the JRH gym on Saturdays. 
2. Sundays are OPEN in the JRH gym. We do NOT have Men's Basketball League this season.
3. Girls Volleyball Districts start Nov. 3 in the high school gym We will be playing Nov. 3, Nov. 5 and Nov. 6. Girls Basketball has HS Gym Nov. 3, Nov. 5 and Nov. 7 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

WINTER PRACTICE START DATES
1. Girls Varsity Basketball - Nov. 10
2. Boys Varsity Basketball - Nov. 17
3. Varsity Wrestling - Nov. 17
4. Varsity Bowling - Nov. 17

COACHES: If you are planning an event inside the school, please let me know who, what, when, where and why. We had an unplanned event this week in the cafe which has caused issues. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know so we can coordinate set up, cleaning, etc. 

THE WEEK - October 20-26, 2014

Here are Bad Axe athletic events scheduled for the week of Oct. 20-26, 2014.

MONDAY, OCT. 20
No events scheduled

TUESDAY, OCT. 21
Junior High Football - Ubly at Bad Axe: SCORE: Ubly 28, Bad Axe 0

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 22
No events scheduled

THURSDAY, OCT. 23
JV/Varsity Volleyball - At USA. Varsity lost in 4. Finish 6-4 in league play.

FRIDAY, OCT. 24
Varsity Football - At Ubly: SCORE - Bad Axe 26, Ubly 8.

SATURDAY, OCT. 25
Cross Country Regionals - At Wagener Park. See coach for departure time.

OTHER CAMPUS EVENTS
Monday - Junior Gymnastics, Elementary School

Tuesday - College Night, HS Gym. 6:30 p.m. Athletes who want to attend need to leave practices by 5 p.m. High School Gym CLOSED. 
Tuesday - Family Enrichment Night, 6 p.m., Elementary School

Wednesday - Junior High Cross Country Party - After school, junior high cafe
Wednesday - Baker College, Elementary School

Friday - Fall Fun Night, 7 p.m., Elementary School

Saturday - ACT Testing, 7 a.m., High School

THE WEEK - Oct. 13-19, 2014

Here are Bad Axe athletic events scheduled for Oct. 13-19, 2014

MONDAY, OCT. 13
Division 4 Soccer District Game - Harbor Beach vs. USA: SCORE: Harbor Beach 3, USA 0 
_____________________________________________________________________________

TUESDAY, OCT. 14
Division 4 Soccer District Game - Bad Axe vs. Lakers: SCORE: Lakers 3, Bad Axe 1
Junior High Football: Bad Axe at Lakers: SCORE: Lakers 50, Bad Axe 40
 Varsity Cross Country: GTC Invite at USA.






______________________________________________________________________________ WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15
No Events Scheduled




______________________________________________________________________________ THURSDAY, OCT. 16
Division 4 Soccer District Game - Championship: SCORE: Harbor Beach 5, Lakers 2
JV/Varsity Volleyball - Home vs. Reese. JV lost, but the varsity won in 4.

______________________________________________________________________________
FRIDAY, OCT. 17
Varsity Football - Home vs. Vassar. Parent's Night, 7 p.m. Parent's Night festivities will start around 6:35 p.m.

_______________________________________________________________________________

SATURDAY, OCT. 18
Varsity Volleyball - At Mt. Morris Invitational. Bus leaves at 6:10 a.m.
Cross Country - at Caro Thumb Invitational, 9 a.m. See coaches for departure times.

OTHER CAMPUS EVENTS
Monday - Junior Gymnastics, Elementary School
Wednesday - Baker College, Elementary Library
Wednesday and Thursday - Bad Axe Police, Controlled Force, JRH Aux. Gym. Runs til around 4 p.m.

NOTE 1: Various youth and junior high basketball teams will be in the junior high gyms throughout the week. Please work together on days and times.
4, 5 and 6th grade girls basketball will be in the AUX gym on Monday and Thursday. They will go after school til around 5 p.m. Thursday's may be delayed a few minutes because of the police event.

NOTE 2: Saturday's Women's Expo slated for the high school has been cancelled.

DeCourval Soccer Complex

Courtesy Huron Daily Tribune

BAD AXE — It’s never easy to say goodbye. 

But for the Bad Axe soccer community, it was time. 

What started as a youth soccer league back in 1988, came to a bittersweet conclusion Thursday afternoon, during a ceremony that officially named the high school’s soccer field after the only soccer coach the program had ever known.

The DeCourval Soccer Complex, named after the late soccer coach Dave DeCourval, was unveiled amidst the eyes of hundreds of supporters — including family, friends, players and school officials — at a ceremony prior to the Hatchets' contest vs. visiting Memphis. 

“Today, we will be honoring a man who basically brought the game of soccer to Bad Axe,” said Bad Axe Athletic Director Mike Bogan to the many in attendance. 

“As a result, he influenced hundreds of student-athlete’s lives here in the community as a wonderful role model. Today, we honor former soccer coach Dave DeCourval at the newly named DeCourval Soccer Complex.”

The legacy of the late Dave DeCourval was commemorated with the unveiling of a monument at the field’s entrance, which highlights the contributions of a man who gave so much to the program. 

Neatly etched into the back of the memorial are the district title teams of 1997, 2001 and 2007 for the boys program, and 2009, 2013 and 2014 for the girls program. But that only tells a portion of the story. 

“He was the Bad Axe High School boys and girls soccer coach for 19 years and had a special way of holding his players responsible for their actions and being firm, while also being light-hearted, funny, and a great role model,” the monument recaps. 

Amongst the speakers at the event were Bogan, DeCourval’s wife Anita DeCourval, and current Bad Axe soccer coach Adam Sutherland. 

“He would probably be kind of embarrassed, but he liked to do things in a big way, so I think he would think it was just right,” said Anita DeCourval afterward. 

“I look out and I see people from the different years, and I see the parents from the different years, and it’s just very heartwarming and it’s very emotional.”

During her tribute, Anita DeCourval spoke to the crowd how her husband would always lecture his players on dealing with the “Uncontrollables”…a bad call, the weather…and said he would always remind them to simply “Shake it off.”

Dave DeCourval was big on letting the things that couldn’t be controlled slide and honing in on the task at hand. 

In the wake of her husband’s death, an emotional Anita DeCourval spoke of taking that advice strictly to heart.

“I hope you can remember Dave saying, ‘Shake it off,’ and go on focusing on what you can control — yourself. My wish for you is that you live and enjoy each moment of your life.”

DeCourval, the husband of Anita and father of Heather, Matt and Greg, was a former Michigan State Trooper, serving 25 years in the South Haven, Caro and Bad Axe posts, before retiring as a sergeant in 2003.

Despite the lengthy career in law enforcement, he was perhaps more well-known in the community as “Coach DeCourval”.

Amongst his many accomplishments, DeCourval compiled over 250 wins for the boys program.

In 1997, he led the Hatchets to a 19-2-1 overall mark while winning both league and district titles. The program repeated that feat in 2007, going 19-3-1 while again winning league and districts. Another district title was won in 2001.

In his final season coaching the girls team in 2013, DeCourval guided the Hatchets to a district championship. 

The title was the first for the program in five years, and his players helped Sutherland realize his first district title in 2014.

“For 19 years, it was a celebrated tradition of hard work, fun and winning,” Sutherland — a former player of DeCourval — said. “I speak on behalf of the coaching staff and the players — we want to let you guys know that we are keeping this tradition going strong.”

And in fitting fashion, Anita DeCourval added: “It’s time for it to be Adam’s team and not Dave’s team. It’s time for that evolution.”