Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Jim Evans
Canvassing the Jaguar sports scene: The playoffs
With playoff competition having either started or about to commence, let’s look at some Valley Center High teams whose seasons are still alive—as well as some other pertinent happenings on the Jaguar sports beat. The boys’ basketball team will enter the postseason with a 7-19 overall record, though it has managed to win two of its last six games. Coach Jon Jones was of a mind that if his Jaguars made it to the Division 5 playoffs, springing an upset or two wasn’t totally out of the question.
Eagles down Jags 38-21 in season opener
Jag running back Lucas Sinohui, who gained 137 yards on the night, lunges forward for some additional ground. Photo by Lenny Kerbs Looking at the big picture, there were some encouraging and hopeful signs that manifested themselves during Valley Center’s home opener last Friday night against Santa Fe Christian. To begin with, Lucas Sinohui showed he has the potential to be another in a long list of standout Jaguar running backs after rushing for 137 yards and tallying three touchdowns.
Jaguars deliver notable net results at league tourney
Guided by head coach Seth Leichtfuss (top left), the Valley Center coed tennis team has experienced both a rewarding regular season and Valley League tourney. Photo courtesy of Seth Leichtfuss Last week at the Valley League Tennis Tournament held on the courts of San Pasqual High, Valley Center High enjoyed one of its most successful efforts ever in that event. Not only did the Jaguars capture the boys singles title but they also prevailed in the mixed doubles.
The Jag Wire Revisited
VC receiver Marlon Bender splits two defenders and prepares to haul in one of his four receptions on the night. Photo by Lenny Kerbs It’s been a quite a while since the Jag Wire last made an appearance so let’s see what the latest installment has to offer.
McLaren Macomb unveils its new mobile medical clinic, puts Cousin Eddie's to shame
It is only appropriate that McLaren Macomb Hospital unwrapped its completely updated and larger mobile Medical Outreach Clinic (MOC) a week before Christmas Day. It is definitely a gift that will keep on giving for years to come. The MOC is a state of art medical facility on wheels. It certainly puts Cousin Eddie’s beaten down RV featured in the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie to shame. The MOC benefits the uninsured and medically underserved population of the county.
Weather conditions call for masks (and social distancing)
This story is brought to you by Peggy Fleming. All right, not really. The idea behind it are the movies “I, Tonya” and “Blades of Glory.” Sorry, more fake news. The true impetus behind this ice skating story is to discover the possible links between the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and how it will impact public skating rinks and sledding hills. Not scientifically like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Nope, merely applications with things like social distancing and crowd control requirements.
Macomb Twp. man comes to the aid of restaurateurs
Tom Sokol doesn’t have any skin in this game. Nor, a horse in the race. Sokol is in the insurance business, so he really does not have any reason to champion the cause of besieged restaurant owners in Macomb Township. COVID-19 has impacted pretty much all businesses, but none as much as restaurants. Doors are closing on establishments, some of them for slamming shut forever. It is a dire situation and Sokol stepped into the fray. He has launched a social media campaign hosted by Facebook.
Local man comes to the aid of restaurateurs
Tom Sokol doesn’t have any skin in this game. Nor, a horse in the race. Sokol is in the insurance business, so he really does not have any reason to champion the cause of besieged restaurant owners in Macomb Township. The coronavirus has impacted pretty much all businesses, but none as much as those in the restaurant business. Doors are closing on restaurants, some of them for slamming shut forever. It is a dire situation and Sokol stepped into the fray.
Some reel-life excitement! Movie theaters reopen
Lights, action, camera (again)! Yep, movie theaters are reopening Wednesday. Say goodbye to the itchy trigger finger and the remote control. Bid a fond adieu to interminably searching the archives of Netflix and Amazon Prime. It is adios to volume controls that are impossible to lasso while watching movies at home. Say hello to huge screens and the gratifying all-encompassing experience of watching movies in a theater again. Just last week, Gov.
Clinton Township puts food, gifts in the present tense
In baseball and softball parlance, charitable causes are right in Bob Cannon’s wheelhouse. Last week’s response to Clinton Township’s participation in a Toys For Tots campaign and a drive-through food collection exceeded expectations. At one point, during the Toys For Tots challenge with Mount Clemens, toy donations filled an entire meeting room at Township Fire Station Four. Combined, Township fire and police departments collected more than a thousand toys.
Some reel-life excitement! Movie theaters re-open Original
Lights, action, camera (again)! Yep, movie theaters are re-opening Wednesday. Say goodbye to the itchy trigger finger and the remote control. Bid a fond adieu to interminably searching the archives of Netflix and Amazon Prime. It is adios to volume controls that are impossible to lasso while watching movies at home. Say hello to huge screens and the gratifying all-encompassing experience of watching movies in a theater again. Just last week, Gov.
Warren-Mott looks forward to regional football final against De La Salle
Sorry, but can you hold please? That might be the most frustrating request of all. Your computer won’t work. It’s frozen solid, like a January in Antarctica. You are trying to reach tech support. Your cable bill is straddling $200 a month and you are trying to figure out all the hieroglyphics on the bill. All of a sudden, your iPhone is malfunctioning. You would be better off communicating through tin cans and a string. Or, thanks to COVID-19, another high school sports season is delayed.
Dominic's Christmas Wish comes true again
A thoroughly disheveled teen. Maybe 17 or 18 years old. He was rummaging through a garbage can outside of the Kroger store on Gratiot and Frazho. Rose Marie Miller was waiting with her grandson, Dominic, in a car outside of the grocery store. “He was looking for something to eat,” said Miler. “He was frantically searching in the trash can. “Dominic was so upset by it. He said we had to help the kid who appeared to be homeless. I didn’t have any cash in my purse.
Christmas carols and swing music for Benny Freeman
Somewhere in the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights, it should read that all youngsters have the inalienable right to sit on a swing and enjoy themselves. That does not seem to be a goal that is too lofty, does it? You know, sitting down. Pumping your feet. Pulling back on the chains. Getting some momentum then comes that feeling of flying. Especially if your eyes are squeezed tight. Soon enough, Benny Freeman will have that right. Benny, who is seven, has Down Syndrome and autism.
He's no ordinary Joe! Richmond resident is a Cornhole champion
Joe Kniesteadt and his stepdad, Robert Terlesky, were the self-proclaimed “Kings of the Backyard.” How did this coronation come about? Simply put, they dominated the Cornhole competition at cookouts. Nope, those family gatherings did not take place behind Buckingham Palace in London. The family resides in Richmond. Cornhole is a game similar to horseshoes except players use wooden platforms and corn bags rather than horseshoes and metal stakes.
Will Cougars' tracks lead to a state championship in football?
Rock’Em, Sock’Em Robots. Round One. Knockout! Round Two. Knockout! Round Three. Knockout! Etc, etc., etc. That has pretty much been the mantra of the football team from Michigan Collegiate. Nine opponents. Nine victories. Not one of those decisions even remotely close. Four hundred and 14 points scored. Only 18 allowed. Somebody pass the smelling salts, That is a mind-numbing differential. Let’s just hope the only foe that the Cougars could not send reeling this season is the coronavirus.
Bah humbug and brisket don't go well together
Shawn Willson is in the food business. (Insert loud sympathetic exhale here) The food business plus the ongoing pandemic equal hard times, right? It has been tough for Willson, the owner of Outlaw Smoke BBQ in Fraser. He’s had a food truck for a couple of years now. This past March (yep, right when COVID-19 was twitching in the starter’s block) he purchased a brick and mortar location at the northeast corner of Masonic and Groesbeck in Fraser. “A lot of people are struggling now,” Willson said.
Picture this: the start of the wrestling season
Photographic memories are mighty rare. You know, the infrequent person who can glance at the Mona Lisa for a brief moment and remember every mole and blackhead. Six wrestlers from coach Ed Skowneski’s Dakota team were missing some photographic memories for a handful of months, thanks to the coronavirus. Every athlete from Dakota who earns all-state honors in any sport gets his or her picture mounted on the wall near the gym.
De La Salle players bowled over by outing
Gutter language. Now don’t get too upset. This kind of gutter language was PG rated. It was heard at Total Sports and it was mid-October. The students at De La Salle Collegiate had a half-day of school and afterwards, the football coaches and players huddled up together for some bowling. The concept was team building and the Pilots were in need of a little bit of construction at the time. They had fallen to DeWitt High School 43-3 in their most recent outing, putting their overall record at 1-3.
Will Dakota unwrap another successful girls basketball season?
The opening day of practice. It’s a little bit like padding down the stairs early Christmas morning. Presents under the tree. A new bike or a video game system? New players on the basketball court. The excitement is justified. Only this year, Phil McCune, the Dakota girls basketball coach, finds his excitement tempered. Who can blame McCune and all of the other coaches out there? The coronavirus and a lump of coal are certainly synonymous. While fall sports were played, games were missed.
It's nearly time to order hoops du jour
The opening day of practice. It’s a little bit like padding down the stairs early Christmas morning. Presents under the tree. New players on the basketball court. The excitement is justified. Only this year, Phil McCune, the Dakota girls basketball coach is a little worried about a lump of coal. The coronavirus pandemic is unfortunately still with us. While fall sports were played, games were missed for some afflicted teams. Weeks were missed. Still other teams barely suited up at all.
Plans made to safely salute Macomb veterans Wednesday
Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon is not a veteran. A slide at home plate while catching for Wayne State University his senior year of college made sure of that. It was the second game of the season for Wayne State. The team was on a spring trip down south. A guy on the opposing team who measured about 6-4, 250 lbs. came barreling toward him. Cannon’s instincts were correct. He hunkered down and blocked the plate just as he had been taught.
Ice cream evokes warm memories; help save the Miller Bros. Creamery
A contentious election. A world-wide pandemic that refuses to bow its head. Grandparents who have not hugged their grandkids in months. Is there any cure for these kinds of blues? How about a blue moon ice cream cone? What about a cup of Michigan Pothole ice cream? A sundae with chocolate sauce and a cherry on top? Even Dr. Anthony Fauci would endorse ice cream as a cure for the blues. The iconic Miller Bros. Creamery in Mount Clemens has been filling those kinds of prescriptions for years and years.
PREP ROUNDUP: Warren-Mott, Michigan Collegiate advance in football playoffs
The 2020 high school football season should have to take a Rorschach test. Those inkblots will reveal things have been certifiably crazy. Temperatures are taken incessantly. Health forms are filled out again and again. Coaches wear masks. Players wear masks. One and all are holding their breath, thanks to the ongoing pandemic. “I was talking to my offensive coordinator the other day.
VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Fraser Ramblers motor to another district volleyball championship
The last AMC Rambler rolled off the production line in 1969. Say hello to the 2020 model of the Ramblers. Coach Kim Argiri-Slone’s Fraser Ramblers defeated L’Anse Creuse in four sets to capture a Division 1 district championship at Lake Shore Thursday night. The L’Anse Creuse Lancers took the first game 25-22. After that, Fraser reeled off three consecutive wins 25-22, 25-12, 25-18. “We lost the first one. We had kind of a slow start. We were a little nervous. We had the jitters.
VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Utica beats Ford to move into district championship match
Some stretches. Some drills. A little Rust-Oleum. Even though coach Jeff LaPratt’s Utica volleyball squad had not played a match in two weeks, the Chieftains were able to shake off the rust and beat Ford in three sets; 25-14, 25-21, 27-25. “We played a little slow,” said LaPratt. “I thought we were pretty fortunate to get a win against a good Ford team. They were MAC Blue champions. “We had not played in two weeks. Other teams we were supposed to play were shut down.
It's time for district volleyball action
Eisenhower finished the regular volleyball season with a 10-0 record in the MAC Red Division. The Eagles were 21-3 overall. By all measures, that is a pretty darn good regular season for coach Caitlyn LaPratt’s team. Only a new season is about to get kick-started. District tournament play begins Monday. Eisenhower and Stoney Creek square off in an opening round match at Ike. “We open our district with Stoney Creek, which will be a great match,” said LaPratt.
ROUNDUP: Clintondale dominates Liggett in district football game
Are there really Dragons? You know, massive lizards that wake up every day with char-broiled morning breath. Fly around all day. Cough and set barbecue grills on fire. The Dragons were on fire Friday night. The Clintondale Dragons quickly extinguished any lengthy playoff dreams of visiting Grosse Pointe University Liggett. Clintondale led 40-8 at halftime in the opening round of the 2020 football playoffs. It was 48-8 after three quarters and the final score was 48-14.
Macomb Family YMCA re-opens Monday
Kerry Jantz preferred the hoops du jour. That was his standard request at the Macomb Family YMCA on North River Road in Mount Clemens. “When I was 12 or 13, I convinced my dad we should get a membership to the YMCA. A friend of mine was always at the Y. I played basketball all of the time,” said Jantz, who is now the Branch Chair at the Macomb Family YMCA. “I grew up at the YMCA,” continued Jantz. That included lots of time logged in the gym. It included countless family hours.
A resilient group of volleyball players prosper at Regina
re·sil·ience noun the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity. That’s what the dictionary says. Here’s what Rebecca Ratkov, the first-year volleyball coach at Regina, says: “These players are really working hard. There are seven seniors on the roster and that means experience. I knew they had a good season a year ago and made it to the quarterfinals,” said Ratkov. “That means they won districts and regionals.
Anchor Bay outlasts L'Anse Creuse North in MAC Red volleyball match
They call Cedar Point the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. L'Anse Creuse North players, including Lily Richter (4), celebrate a point during a five-set match against Anchor Bay. David Dalton Anyone who saw Anchor Bay and L'Anse Creuse North play a MAC Red Division volleyball match Monday night might strongly disagree. Check out the scores in Anchor Bay's victory: 19-25, 25-16, 25-22, 21-25, 15-8. There were more ups and downs than on the Blue Streak.
Thinking about Burger Chef, Howard Johnson's and the coronavirus
Never really thought too much about it. I am a grandpa, decades beyond the days of Clearasil, Sting-Ray bicycles, mandarin oranges encased in Jello molds and dating. When I was a kid, there were Burger Chefs around. You could grab a sub at Kmart and a frozen Coke, too. If you really wanted to impress a girl, it would be a dinner at Howard Johnson’s. No social distancing unless that which was strictly enforced by the aforementioned date.
RIOUNDUP: Dakota runs past Traverse City Central
Here’s a fun fact; North Dakota is the number one producer of honey in the country. Here’s the latest buzz in Macomb County; Dakota High School is one of the leading producers of football victories. The Dakota Cougars unveiled a sting operation Friday night. They downed visiting Traverse City Central 42-16. The victory means they will take a 5-1 record into the post-season. Traverse City Central was undefeated heading into Friday night’s game.
Cousino's soccer season ended by the coronavirus
Chances are good it would have been Cousino taking on host De La Salle in a Division 1 district soccer championship game. The starting time was slated for 4:30 p.m., Thursday. Winner moves on. The season ends for the losing team. The Cousino Patriots never got that chance. Their season ended earlier. It was 10 days ago when a player tested positive for the coronavirus. So it was Lakeview and De La Salle squaring off to decide the district championship.
Cousino's soccer season ended by the coronavirus
Chances are good it would have been Cousino taking on host De La Salle in a Division 1 district soccer championship game. The starting time was slated for 4:30 p.m., Thursday. Winner moves on. The season ends for the losing team. The Cousino Patriots never got that chance. Their season ended earlier. It was 10 days ago when a player tested positive for the coronavirus. So it was Lakeview and De La Salle squaring off to decide the district championship.
Outstanding golfers par for the course at Lutheran North
Name a few very, very bright objects. Say a sparkling diamond. Or that light that emanates from the top of the Luxor hotel in Vegas. Maybe the North Star. As long as the talk has turned North, let’s add one more thing to the list: the future of the girls’ golf team at Lutheran North. Coach John Bergmann’s Mustangs finished second behind Marian at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 state meet played at Forest Akers West in East Lansing on Saturday.
Just horsing around? Eisenhower equestrian team wins another district championship
Grew up on a ranch. Diapers fashioned from denim. Didn’t bother with a stroller. Rode horses her entire life. That had to be the way that Kendall Westgate, a senior at Eisenhower and a member of the equestrian team, was raised, right? Whoa there pardner, don’t jump to any conclusions. “To think that my involvement with horses all started with a Groupon for horseback-riding lessons is crazy to me,” said Kendall Westgate.
Anchor Bay girls, Cousino boys win MAC division cross country meets
Cross Country MAC WHITE DIVISION (Lake St. Clair Metropark) BOYS TEAMS: Port Huron Northern 39, Fraser 74, L'Anse Creuse North 74, Anchor Bay 82, Ford 92, Chippewa Valley 161, Warren Mott 189.
Anchor Bay girls, Cousino boys win MAC division cross country meets
Cross Country MAC WHITE DIVISION (Lake St. Clair Metropark) BOYS TEAMS: Port Huron Northern 39, Fraser 74, L'Anse Creuse North 74, Anchor Bay 82, Ford 92, Chippewa Valley 161, Warren Mott 189.
ROUNDUP: L'Anse Creuse tosses a shutout against Lake Shore
Medieval knights used a lance while jousting. You know, when two knights would line up on horses and come galloping toward one another at about 45 mph. The intent was to turn their opponent into a shish kebab. There were not such cruel intention when the L’Anse Creuse Lancers met visiting Lake Shore in a MAC Blue Division football game Friday night. Not jousting, but not exactly joshing, either. The Lancers scored all their points in the first half on their way to a 36-0 win.
ROUNDUP: Offensive-minded Fitzgerald beats Clintondale in MAC Silver football
Caution, this story may contain some offensive language. No, not that kind of offensive language. Offensive to the tune of 84 points scored in Thursday night’s MAC Silver Division game matching Clintondale and Fitzgerald. The Fitzgerald Spartans put up the most points in a 50-34 victory. “We played pretty well. We have to clean some stuff up. We’ve been scoring a lot of points this year. We put up 60 against Hazel Park and 40 in the Madison game,” said Gary Skop.
Two bucks in one day; that just made sense for Clinton Township hunter
Even William Tell would’ve been impressed. Remember the story of the archer who shot an arrow from his crossbow to knock an apple off the head of his son? Never made big money through a sponsorship from the Mott’s applesauce folks or anything, but at least Mr. Tell lives on in legend. Here’s an impressive update to that story. Clinton Township’s Dick Adlen used his crossbow while hunting for white tailed deer in northern Macomb County. He got two bucks within roughly two hours.
Two bucks in one day; that just made sense for Clinton Township hunter
Even William Tell would’ve been impressed. Remember the story of the archer who shot an arrow from his crossbow to knock an apple off the head of his son? Never made big money through a sponsorship from the Mott’s applesauce folks or anything, but at least Mr. Tell lives on in legend. Here’s an impressive update to that story. Clinton Township’s Dick Adlen used his crossbow while hunting for white tailed deer in northern Macomb County. He got two bucks within roughly two hours.
Michigan Collegiate football coach, players offer food for thought
It’s ironic that every box of food contained a frozen whole chicken. The captains of the rugged Michigan Collegiate football team were helping distribute food to the less fortunate. Eggs, canned goods, pasta that sort of thing. Oh yeah, and a frozen chicken. If there is anything that describes these young men, it is not chicken. The definition of chicken is a domestic bird used for meat and laying eggs. However, chicken is also a slang term for someone who is fearful or cowardly.
Oh deer, Ike's Sydney Palazzolo is a Miss Volleyball candidate
You snooze, you lose. What does that mean anyway? Sleep in 10 minutes and you lose 10 pounds? Grab an extra 30 minutes of shut eye and you don’t hear the folks from Publishers Clearing House at the front door and you miss out on your prize of $1,000 a week for the rest of your life? Eisenhower senior Sydney Palazzolo was simply trying to sleep in last Saturday morning when her mom came rushing into her bedroom and announced there was a deer in the backyard.
No fibbing, Lakeview wins MAC White golf tournament
No need for a polygraph test. Lakeview girls’ golf coach Karen Mazzola and her players all agreed: They were shocked. The Huskies, who had completed MAC White Division dual meet play with a .500 record, surprised plenty of people by winning the league meet played at Oak Ridge Friday. Lakeview finished with 381 strokes, five fewer than Romeo, the regular-season champion. Stevenson, which finished second in the dual meet standings, was third at the White Division meet.
Fraser, Fitzgerald score MAC football victories
Fraser is enjoying newfound football success. Linebacker Corey MacDonald returned an interception for a touchdown and quarterback Brady Berezowsky ran for a touchdown and passed for another to help Fraser defeat host Sterling Heights 22-14 in a MAC Blue Division game Thursday night. The victory raised the Ramblers' record to 2-1 in the division and overall. They won one game last season and one in 2018. Fraser's Corey MacDonald (35) returns an interception for a touchdown against Sterling Heights.
Bidding a fond farewell to the USPBL's 2020 season
A partial inventory while packing up after the unprecedented 2020 United Shore Baseball League (USPBL) season. Cleats? Check. Bats? Check. Uniforms? Check. Thermometers? Check. Disinfectant wipes? Check. Yep, it was that kind of season at Jimmy John’s Field in Utica. “All and all, we made the best of it,” said Andy Appleby, owner and CEO of the USPBL.
Anchor Bay girls, Cousino boys enjoy jamboree wins
Cross country runners know there’s going to be some pain involved in the sport. Running as fast as they can for 3.1 miles is not a leisurely endeavor. And that is just the official distance at meets. Spinning the odometer even longer than that during training is nobody’s idea of a day at the spa. At least even the most inexperienced distance runners at Anchor Bay get some forewarning. Their coach’s name is Jeff Payne. It wasn’t just the odometer that has been working overtime.
Sterling Heights rallies for soccer victory over Fraser
A two-goal deficit did not turn into a six-foot hole in the ground for the Sterling Heights soccer team. The Stallions rallied for a 3-2 victory at Fraser on Monday night. It was a goal by Joe Dedvukaj late in the first half that cut the deficit to 2-1. Kol Camovic got the equalizer 15 minutes into the second half, while Hermez Benjamin converted a free kick with 12 minutes to go in the game to complete the comeback.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Jim
Contact Jim, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack