It’s been a while since Central Montcalm coach John Kearney has coached a team. But he said he’s back in the swing of things. “I had to dig out a lot of things and remember some stuff from 13 years ago,” he said. “It’s exciting.”

With the start of the girls basketball season last week Terry Larsen began his second run as Montabella girls varsity basketball coach. Larsen, who replaced Scott Jones, served as Mustangs coach from the late 1980s to early 1990s for both the boys and girls teams. He spent the past five seasons as junior varsity coach, including finishing an outstanding 18-2 a year ago.

The boys high school basketball season began on Monday with tryouts and practice. The regular season begins in less than three weeks. The Greenville Yellow Jackets boys basketball team – 15-7 overall last season – is looking forward to the start of the year. Greenville fell two points shy of a district title last season and will be bringing a lot of expectations into the new season.

Montabella’s record season was rewarded by fellow Mid-State Activities Conference South Division coaches. The Mustangs had seven players make first-team all-conference from their 9-2 team, with three of them coming from each side of the ball and one special-teams player.

Not long after the start of the fall high school sports season Tri County High School found itself searching for a new athletic director. In September, former athletic director/boys varsity basketball coach Tim Kisner accepted a teaching and assistant basketball coach position at Lake Superior State University. Phil Butler recently filled the Vikings open AD position.

John Navarre was like every other Michigan alumnus and fan during 2007-2010. Navarre, the former Michigan quarterback from 2000-2003, said it was tough for him, too.

Before the season started, Montabella’s football team had only 18 players and coach David Clay was hoping injuries wouldn’t take a toll on his team. How far the Mustangs have come.

Five times is a charm. That’s how many times it took O-K Conference principals to agree on a realignment proposal.

According to all reports, deer hunters and available deer could set some numerical records this year. Although some hunts are now actually over or ongoing, the firearms season is when we could see approximately 500,000 hunters take to the woods and fields. And that happens Nov. 15 to Nov. 30.

Central Montcalm and Lakeview tied for fourth in the Central State Activities Association at 9-7 within the conference. However, the Green Hornets got one more player on the all-conference first team than the Wildcats.