Here is a list of the top performers in high school sports from the Battle Creek Enquirer-area for the week of April 14-20.
Our weekly top performers list and athlete of the week nominees are compiled courtesy of information provided to The Battle Creek Enquirer by coaches, athletic directors or team statisticians through emails or mentioning @bcesports in game results and highlights posted toFacebook.
If a top performer’s name doesn’t appear on the list, encourage their coach to email submissions to bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com.
MORE:Vote for Battle Creek Enquirer Athlete of the Week - April 14-20
Baseball
Harper Creek's Brayden Bess helped the Beavers beat Lakewood Lake Odessa 10-0, earning the win, giving up one hit and striking out four. Bess also had two hits, including a double, and scored two runs
Pennfield's Calvin Paesens threw six scoreless innings in a conference win over Parma Western, striking out seven. Paesens also went 7-for-18 for the week with a home run, triple and seven RBIs.
Marshall's Lincoln Fuller had a big tournament as the Redhawks won the Union City Tournament. Fuller allowed one hit, striking out seven in six innings in the championship game. At the plate, Fuller had four hits and four RBIs over two games. Redhawks pitcher Austin Miller also earned a win in relief in a 2-1 conference win over Coldwater, while adding an RBI single.
Lakeview's Sam McCullough drove in four runs on three hits as the Spartans defeated Portage Northern 12-5 in conference play. McCullough also helped the Spartans get a 9-6 win over Loy Norrix with two hits.
Gull Lake's Max Markham was 7-for-15 for the week and teammate Bryce Wartella went 3-for-6 with a home run.
Softball
Harper Creek's Sophia Kline went 9-for-16, batting .563 on the week, including three home runs and three doubles and teammate Kaylee Kilpatrick was 11-for-19, batting .579 with nine RBIs, two home runs and three doubles as the Beavers went 2-3 as a team, splitting a doubleheader with Jackson Northwest and beating Division 1 Grand Ledge and going extra innings in a loss to state-power Howell.
Lakeview's Angelia Palma hit two home runs and drove in six runs as the Spartans defeated Portage Northern 14-4 in conference action. Palma also earned the win as a pitcher, allowing four hits and striking out nine. Teammate Marin McCullough added a home run, three RBIs and scored four runs. McCullough added two runs scored in a 6-3 win over Northern in the nightcap. The Spartans' Delaney McCullough also had a big week for Lakeview as she had 13 strikeouts in a 7-0 win over Loy Norrix and 10 strikeouts in a win over Portage Northern.
Bella Ryan helped Marshall sweep Coldwater in a conference doubleheader, coming up with three RBIs and two runs in the first game and adding two hits and two RBIs in the second game. Teammate Layne Churchill earned the win as the pitcher in the first game, allowing one earned run, while also adding two hits in each game and four RBIs in the nightcap.
Ashlynn Gilbert went 3-for-4 with six RBIs, including a single, double and a triple for the Climax-Scotts/St. Philip co-op team in a win over Bellevue. For the week, C-S/St. Philip went 3-0.
Soccer
Harper Creek's Shelby Cushman had two goals as the Beavers earned a 4-0 shutout victory over Allegan in non-conference action.
Kendall Rahn had three goals and two assists in a 5-1 Pennfield win over Bloomingdale in the third-place game of the Bloomingdale Tournament.
Marshall's Nyla Whittaker had three assists in a Redhawks' 8-0 win over Hillsdale. She also scored the first varsity goal of her career in a 3-2 loss to Trenton.
Golf
Harper Creek's Colton Beard started the season with standout performances, shooting a personal-best 74 in the first Interstate 8 Conference meet of the season, helping the Beavers finish first as a team. Beard also had a 75 to finish fourth overall individually as Harper Creek took fourth overall in the Coldwater Invitational.
Boys/Girls Track
The Harper Creek boys track team won the Lakewood Invitational at Maple Valley. Dominic Lowrie finished first in the 1,600 (4:34.29) and 3,200 (9:53.07, as well as second in the 800 (2:01.23) and was the anchor on the 3,200 relay (8:30.58) with the team of Brock Hibbs, Christian Ayres, Cooper Gardner.
The Harper Creek girls track team won the Lakewood Invitational at Maple Valley. Julia Faber finished first in the 800 (2:32.85), second in the 3,200 (12:48) as well as third in the 1,600 (5:35.78). She also was part of a first-place 1,600 relay (4:24), along with Aubrie Stuart, Jasmine McBride and Camille Robinson. Stuart was first in the 300 hurdles (53.22) and part of a first-place 3,200 relay team with Ella Laupp, Ellie Feneley and Piper Smith. Harper Creek's Izzie Miller won both the shot put (37-6.5) and the discus (133-6).
The Lakeview girls tied for first place at the Huskie Invitational at Portage Northern. Arenn Starks took first in the 300 hurdles (48.76) and second in the 100 hurdles (17.67). She was also part of a first-place 800 relay (1:48.48), along with Lailah Jones, Lilamae Frank and Abbigail Kline. Spartan thrower Gabriella Melges won both the shot put (31-11.5) and the discus (102-6). Raegan Magnus was an individual champ as well, winning the high jump (5-0).
The Lakeview boys took third at the Huskie Invitational at Portage Northern. Devyn Brown took first in the 300 hurdles (41.24), as well as being part of a first-place 1,600 relay (3:30.96) with Austin Kowalski, Brody Brown and Carter Hughes, plus a second-place 800 relay (1:32.96). Trevor White was also first as an individual, winning the pole vault (12-0).
The Battle Creek Central girls track team competed at the Byron Center Bulldog Games. Bearcat senior Erykah Alexander won the 100 (12.44) and the 200 (25.54).
Marshall's Jack Bidwell won the 1,600 (4:21.87) and 3,200 (9:14.27) at the Ralph Rice Invitational at Parma Western. He was also the anchor on the 3,200 relay (8:07.40) with the team of Reece Davis, Ty Winchell and Abraham McHugh.
Bill Broderick can be reached at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick
