Lowell football coach Noel Dean is happy to finally be playing a local school of its size.

The Red Arrow mentor of 17 years may be sorry for what he wished for after Friday night’s encounter with Forest Hills Central.

The list of big schools Lowell has played over the opening five weeks includes Rockford, Grand Haven, Muskegon and Jenison.

“We haven’t had to deal with injuries up until now. Playing teams of that size takes a toll on you,” Dean explained.

While its school size may be similar, don’t be fooled, Forest Hills Central’s physicality and size can also take a toll on its opponents.

“Central has put together an outstanding group of seniors and some juniors and sophomores who are excited to play together,” Dean said. “Their play this year has  been impressive.”

The most  recent win was a dominating 43-7 performance over East Grand Rapids. First year coach, Tim Rogers while happy with the win over the Pioneers, remains cautiously optimistic.

“It was a pretty good win, but there is room for improvement,” Rogers explains. “While East is still a very good, well coached program, it is not the team it once was.”

The Rangers are led by 20 mentally and physically talented players, according to their coach. They will have to call on all of that Friday night in Lowell if a victory is to be the outcome.

“Lowell is a very good football team every year that is well coached. Its signature philosophy is to bring pressure and to run the football,” Rogers explains.”If you can’t handle that, defeating Lowell probably isn’t going to happen.”

Both teams enter the contest at 4-1. Lowell’s only loss was to Muskegon (36-21) while the Rangers singular defeat came against Zeeland East (27-23).

“Our kids continue to play hard and stick to our brand. I’ve been happy with them. It’s been hard to keep them rested and healthy,” Dean said. “We will find some things out over the next couple of weeks.”

Central, who comes over to the O-K White from the O-K Black, finds itself in a three-way tie with Lowell and Grand Rapids Christian (defending O-K White champions), making Friday’s game a key early season league game.

The two teams last met in the playoffs a year ago with Lowell winning 13-6.

Category: General | Comments Off on Lowell, FHC football battle has O-K White significance, again!

Shane Fairfield talked to his Big Reds, prior to Friday night’s matchup with Lowell, about having an answer to Red Arrow big plays and scoring drives.

“I called them momentum changers,” he explained after Muskegon’s 36-21 victory in the battle of Division 2’s top two ranked teams in the state.

The Lowell, Muskegon rivalry has been built on playoff confrontations over the last five years. The Red Arrows came in having won the last three meetings.
Friday, however, was different. It wasn’t win or go home.

“Playing Lowell during the regular season was a chance for our guys to go out and enjoy the night and to take in what they have invested into. It was great out here tonight. This is what high school football is about,” Fairfield said.

The Big Reds biggest game changer on Friday night came in a span of 10 seconds. Lowell came out in the second half and on a 73-yard pass-and-catch from Titan Anderson to Cody Bieri took its first lead of the night 21-20.

After an exchange of punts, Marcus Smith turned the corner on the Red Arrow defense and raced down the Muskegon sideline for an 88 yard touchdown, re-establishing the Big Reds as the game’s lead dog, 26-21.

“We had a breakdown their at about the 10. Had we been able to keep them there maybe we could have been able to come away with a different outcome,” said Lowell football coach Noel Dean.

What followed on Lowell’s next possession may very well have sealed its fate. A bad snap from center on fourth down at its own 28 yard line, set Muskegon up first-and goal from the Lowell four. Two plays later John Hall punched it in from the three, extending Muskegon’s lead to 12 at 33-21.

“Muskegon is a well organized football team and speed is a strong component of that,” Dean said afterwards. “I’m proud of our kids and the enthusiasm they played with and now its about getting back to work. We will begin to do that Monday morning (6 a.m.).

The Big Reds grabbed and early first-quarter lead on a 15-yard touchdown burst from Smith. They extended their lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter when Smith did it again, scoring from 27 yards out this time.

The Red Arrows facing an early exit from game relevance, battled back. Anderson connected with Kyler Shurlow on a 15-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone, cutting the deficit to 14-7.

Smith, as he did all night, had a answer… a momentum changing play. He raced 43 yards on the Big Reds next possession building the lead up to 20-7.

Lowell responded with a six-play, 45-yard scoring drive that ended with Anderson sneaking over from the two yard line.

Muskegon added a 22-yard field from Adrian Briseno late in the fourth quarter.

Over a three week stretch, Lowell finishes 2-1 against O-K Red opponents. The Red Arrows defeated Rockford and Grand Haven before losing to the Big Reds.

Muskegon’s win Friday night is what many believe is just the first of two meetings between these football powerhouses. The next is likely to come in the playoffs.

“Can someone please beat them in the first round,” Fairfield concluded.

Category: General | Comments Off on Momentum changers lift Muskegon past Lowell, 36-21

Kyler Shurlow pulls down a sensational seven-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone to extend Lowell’s lead to 14-6.

With his club’s 14-12 fourth quarter lead was  in intimate danger,  Lowell foorball coach Noel Dean was just hoping his Red Arrows could flip the switch.

And then it happened, the flip got switched. Kyler Shurlow, having been picked on all night by the Buccaneer passing game, intercepted a second down pass in the corner of the end zone.

Some 16 seconds later Lowell quarterback Titan Anderson raced 80 yards for a touchdown;  90 seconds later Zach Huver picked up a Grand Haven fumble and raced 25 yards for a touchdown; 40 seconds later Shrlow intercepted another pass.

The flip of the switch changed a  precarious 14-12 lead into a 29-12 non-conference win over its O-K Red foe.

“The boys stepped up and played their hearts out,” Dean said. “I was hoping they could flip the switch in that fourth quarter. When Shurlow intercepted the pass in the end zone I let out a WooHoo. It was a tough night and there was a lot of pressure playing against a team in the O-K Red and trying to compete.”

For Grand Haven coach Mike Farley there was pride for the way his club competed and the realization his club was a play away from possibly defeating one of the state’s tp notch football programs.

“In that situation if we punch it in it’s a different game,” Farley explained.

In actuality, this game – the Fifth Annual Pink Arrow Pride game is different. A game where Lowell players are asked to play the game for someone else, for people journeying through their battle with cancer; for those in the community whose lives have been taken by cancer.

The game, the community event has raised over $1 million since its inception in 2008.

Lowell jumped out to an early lead Friday night when Anderson raced 25 yards on the Red Arrows second possession for a 7-0 lead.

Grand Haven answered two minutes later when Abe Westerman found the end zone from 11 yards out. The PAT was missed and Lowell’s lead was one (7-6).

The Red Arrows authored their longest drive of the evening in the second quarter, a 12-play, 80-yard march with Anderson connecting with Shurlow on a seven-yard touchdown pass, extending Lowell’s lead to eight at 14-6.

The Buccaneers cut the deficit to two in the third quarter on a 20-yard pass play from Michael Penland to Jake Lovett. The PAT was again missed and the Red Arrow lead was two at 14-12.

Lowell finished with 292 yards rushing and 32 yards through the air. Anderson led the way with 160 on the ground and two touchdowns.

Grand Haven was held to a minus 39 yards rushing  while throwing for 287 yards.

Neither team threatened to score until the Buc 62-yard drive to the Lowell eight in the fourth quarter which ended on a Shurlow interception?

“I felt like they were picking on me on me all night,” Shurlow said afterwards. “The coaches kept telling me that I was doing well and that they were making good plays.”

Shurlow was rewarded. The guy being picked on, on second and eight, picked the football up off the turf of the endzone, held it up for the officials to see and was granted a game-saving interception.

“The ball hit the ground. The officials didn’t see it. It wasn’t an interception. A couple of my teammates said ‘hey dude you didn’t catch that’,” Shurlow explained.

But after the challenging night he had, Shurlow was happy to take it.

With it and the Lowell win, the Red Arrows are now 3-0 with a trip to Muskegon on Friday. Lowell is now  2-0 against O-K Red opponents.

“Muskegon is a very good football team a better football team than we are right now,” Dean concluded.

Category: General | Comments Off on Lowell flips switch in 29-12 Pink Arrow victory over Grand Haven

Lowell quarterback Titan Anderson has played in front of big crowds before, however, the game had already long been decided.

The opening night of the 2012 high school football season, was different, it was the senior quarterback’s time and place for prime time.

Anderson led the Red Arrows out onto Rockford’s Ted Carlson Memorial Field (The Ted) in front of a large crowd against one of West Michigan’s top football programs.

While Anderson’s numbers weren’t going to earn him player of the week, his  growing confidence and and maturity within the game definitely earned him  the respect of his teammates and coach.

Anderson rushed for 131 yards and threw for 89 in Lowell’s 16-6 win over Rockford.

“Our kids played well, I was proud of them,” Lowell coach Noel Dean said. “The beauty is there’s a lot to improve on for both clubs and to be able to come into this place with such a great atmosphere and a great crowd and beat a program of this stature, with the group of coaches that they have, I’m really hopeful for the future.”

Lowell, held to 16 total yards on its first two possessions, began its third possession on its own 20, trailing 6-0.

A well balanced mixture of of runs by Anderson and running back Kanon Dean with completions to Jeff Houston (26 yards) and Kyler Shurlow (16 yards) and a Rockford personal foul led to Dean busting into the end zone from the two yard line giving Lowell a 7-6 lead at halftime.

A Lowell defense which stymied the Ram running game throughout, also provided a constant pressure on Rockford quarterback Austin McKellar. The pressure eventually put points on the board in the third quarter when McKellar dropped back into his end zone on third and 12 from the Ram four yard line. Pierce Watson, Stormzand and Zach Huver brought McKellar down, giving the Red Arrows two points and a 9-6 advantage.

That score held until the fourth quarter when Anderson played pass and catch on a 17-yard touchdown seam pass to Huver, extending Loewell’s lead to 10 at 16-6.

Rockford’s only score of the night came in the opening quarter on a Connor Darby 35 yard run. The Rams were held to 68 yards on the ground in 26 attempts.

Lowell rushed the football 46 times for 171 yards

The Red Arrows were one of five teams in the newly aligned O-K White to post non conference wins on high school’s football’s opening week. Caledonia beat Holland (45-7), Forest Hills Central outscored Zeeland West (59-58), Grand Rapids Christian got by South Christian (38-28) and Jenison bested Grandville (27-20).

East Grand Rapids, however, fell to Grand Rapids Catholic Central 33-14.

Lowell is home on Thursday when it hosts Lansing Eastern (0-1), who lost 33-20 to Cadillac.

Category: General | Comments Off on Lowell’s defense and Anderson’s emergence as QB lead Red Arrows to 16-6 win over Rockford

Lake Odessa, Michigan (Sunday, August 19th, 2012): THIS Saturday, August 25th is a very big night at I-96 Speedway located West of Lansing and East of Grand Rapids in Lake Odessa, Michigan as it is the 5th annual Dirt Gold Cup Championship Extravaganza / 2012 Season Championships for ALL FOUR weekly divisions within the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Racing Series!

The 2012 Track Champions will be crowned in the Miller Lite UMP Super Late Models, Accurate Engines UMP Modifieds, Rudd’s Septic Service UMP Street Stocks, and Smyrna Bar & Restaurant UMP Sport Compacts as all four divisions return to the fast 3/8s (0.375) mile high-banked dirt oval. In addition the 2012 Rookies of the Year titles will also be decided on an action packed night at the track.

It’s also Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club Night as all 2012 MARFC members in good standing who show their 2012 Membership Cards will get into the races for absolutely FREE! For more information on how to become a MARFC member, go to their website at:http://www.marfc.org/

If that all wasn’t enough, it’s also the 4th annual Relay for Life Celebration at the track as the RFL Time will be doing the silent auction/raffle and have already began to collect donations. If you have anything you would like to donate, please contact a team member and they will get it from you. After The Races, the “Steel Gray Band” will be playing well into the evening. For Saturday, August 25th, Pit Gates Open: 3:00p.m. – Grandstands Open: 5:00p.m. – Practice Starts: 6:00p.m. -Racing STARTS: 7:00p.m.

Tickets remain on sale for the 5th annual Dirt Gold Cup Championship Extravaganza. Get your Tickets in Advance and avoid the long lines at the front gate as well as the Race Day Ticket Price Increase for the 2012 Season Finale.

Tickets Prices for Saturday, August 25th are: Adults (13-61)-$12.00 – Seniors (62 and Over)-$10.00 – Kids (6-12)-$6.00 – Children (5 and Under)-FREE. Family Pass $32.00 (A family pass will get Two “2” Adults and Two “2” Kids into the races. Once inside, the Kid’s Club is Free for the Kids). Pit Passes are $25.00. For more information and to order tickets in advance, click on the link below:http://www.showclix.com/event/226248
—————————————————————————–
Then I-96 Speedway will take an extended vacation before returning to action on Sunday, October 14th as the cars and stars of the United States Auto Club (USAC) AMSOil National Sprint Cars Series will make the return trip to West Michigan and race on the famed ½ (0.500) mile high-banked dirt oval after getting rained out back on August 10th.

Superstars like Five Time & Defending Series Champion Levi Jones as well as Indy 500 starter Bryan Clauson, Current Points Leader Jon Stanbrough, Veterans Dave Darland, Tracy Hines, and many more will make the trip north in the series’ first appearance at I-96 since 1996.

Joining the USAC AMSOil National Sprint Cars Series on the famed 1/2 mile will be the Accurate Engines UMP Modifieds as well as a “Run What You Bring” division featuring any type of car such as Limited Late Models, Pro Stocks, Pro Trucks, Street Stocks, and more (excluding Super Late Models)  The Schedule of Events and Starting Times for this event are also “To Be Announced.”

Race Fans who already purchased Advance Tickets will still be able to use those in October and now there’s plenty of time to still get tickets for this event for those that haven’t at the link below: http://www.showclix.com/event/226174 and for more information about the USAC AMSOil National Sprint Cars Series, go to their website at: www.usacracing.com

I-96 Speedway is located at 3823 Portland Road in Lake Odessa, Michigan. For more information about the on-going 2012 racing season, please call: 1 (616) 642-0555 or visit the website at: www.i96speedway.com You can also follow along all season long by becoming a fan on the tracks Facebook Fan Page. Just go to: www.facebook.com/i96speedway and click on “Like” button. You can even follow us on Twitter as well, just go to: www.twitter.com/i96speedway and “Follow” us today.

Category: General | Comments Off on 2012 Track Champions To Be Crowned During 5th Annual Dirt Gold Cup At I-96 Speedway

We’re a weekend away from the start of the All Star break. Have you looked to see who’s leading the divisional races, Yankees, Rangers, White Sox, Pirates, Nationals and the Dodgers.

Are you serious? The Pirates, White Sox and Nationals! All three are playing many games over .500. None of them were expected to do much in 2012. With the possible exception of the Nationals. There are a few who thought Washington might sniff contention,  but I’m not sure they were believing what they were writing.

Most writers had the White Sox penciled in at 72-75 wins. With the pitching of young arms f Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, the Sox may finish closer to 88-90 wins than 75.

Then there’s Pittsburgh, a club that was riding a 20-year losing record streak coming into 2012. Last time the Pirates tasted success were the days of a  “small headed” Barry Bonds. Pittsburgh entered the weekend at 46-36 and riding a five-game winning streak. How are the Pirates doing it? Starting pitching, starting pitching and relief pitching. Pittsburgh also has one of baseball’s most dynamic young baseball talents in Andrew McCutchen.

Baseball, you gotta love it… the season is filled with stories.

Category: General | Comments Off on Baseball’s divisional races 1/2 full of surprises

Back To The Buckeye State For Chad Finley As JEGS/CRA Heads To Shady Bowl

DeWitt, Michigan (Thursday, July 5th, 2012): The last time Chad Finley and the Chad Finley Racing Teams raced in the state of Ohio, they were enjoying the accolades of Finley’s Win at Columbus Motor Speedway in Columbus, Ohio back on May 26th in the CoughlinCars.com 100 Presented by JEGS.com, Finley’s first career JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by GM Performance Parts.

Finley and the CFR Team are looking for a repeat performance in the Buckeye State this Saturday, July 7thas the JEGS/CRA combatants head down to the uniquely shaped 3/10s (0.300) mile semi-banked paved oval of Shady Bowl Speedway, located southeast of Lima in DeGraff, Ohio for the running of the Shady Bowl 100 Presented by JEGS.com; The official halfway point of the 2012 season for JEGS/CRA.

“We’ve got good race cars, we just seem to have ran out of luck again I guess,” Offered the DeWitt, Michigan driver. “We can win at any moment, but just can’t get all the way over the hump on bad luck you could say. It’s tough on all of us, but we can’t give up we have to just keep digging. We’ll get there, just when is the question.” He added.

Finley’s Father and Car Owner, Jeff Finley has seen and raced on the unique layout that is Shady Bowl Speedway having competed in what is now the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards back in 1990s. The elder Finley won an ARCA Pole Award at the roller coaster-ish facility in 1999 and ran second in the event losing to nine-time series champion Frank Kimmel by a half a car length and hopes his advice and knowledge of the facility can help his son this weekend.

“I’m not sure there is much I can tell Chad. I had hair back then and that’s how long ago it’s been.” Laughed the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame member. “I liked the track back then, but Chad has his own personality behind the wheel and figures things out quickly. I’m just the tire guy and part of the crew. I am praying for some good luck is all like the rest of these guys do week in and week out.”

“I’ve been doing this long enough to know only the strong survive.” The Car Owner and Father continued. “For every high moment there are more bad moments in this sport. Just the nature of it, but what do you do. You got to keep moving forward. It’ll all work itself out.” He ended.

In the last JEGS/CRA event back in July 1st in the Auto Value Parts Stores & Certified Service Centers 100 Presented by JEGS.com at the fast 3/8s (0.375 mile high-banked paved oval of Springport Motor Speedway located in Springport, Michigan, just 45 minutes south of the CFR race shop in DeWitt. After Qualifying an impressive second quick, he would start on the outside of the second row after the inversion draw of a five.

During the Auto Value Parts Stores & Certified Service Centers 100 Presented by JEGS.com and after getting to as high as third, he slipped back to fourth and was battling with another car and after contact, Finley would end up spinning and making contact with the wall and ending his night. “We’re all just very disappointed right now. There are some guys you can race with all night long and race them hard and not touch each other the whole time. Then there are other drivers out there that you just can’t do that with.” Finley explained.

So far in six JEGS/CRA events, Finley has collected his One Win at Columbus to go with Three Top Five finishes which also account for his Three Top 10 showings. The other three races so far in the series have seen Finley get bitten by the bad luck bug with the latest proof being the Springport event just six days ago. Despite that, Finley is solidly in fifth place in the season long points chase, just three points out of fourth, and 73 markers out of the points lead.

Throughout the remainder of the 2012 racing season both of Finley’s CRA cars, (JEGS/CRA & ARCA/CRA Super Series) will be sporting identical black paint schemes and carrying the familiar #42, with sponsorship decals on each Ford Fusion from; Auto Value Parts Stores & Certified Service Centers, as well as AutoParts2020.com, XLT Engineering, NorthsideTowing.net, Rain Eater Wiper Blades, Nalett Trucking, Howe Racing Enterprises, The Air Lift Company, Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil, Memphis Wood Fire Grills, Staubli Products, QuicShine99, Hyperco, Maurer’s Textiles, Superior Racing Images, and M.P.H. Promotions.

To learn more about Chad Finley Racing and to inquire about sponsorship opportunities available for the rest of the 2012 racing season, log on to the CFR website at: www.chadfinleyracing.com You can also follow CFR on Facebook as well as Twitter, just log onto: www.facebook.com/chadfinleyracing and: www.twitter.com/chad_finley

—

Category: General | Comments Off on Back to Buckeye State for Chad Finley as JEGS/CRA heads to Shady B owl