Two members of the Climax-Scotts boys track team participated in the 11-team Big Throwers Meet at Schoolcraft May 27 and one Panther came away with a second place finish.

The C-S boys finished in a tie for fourth place with Otsego, totaling 12 points. Battle Creek Harper Creek won the event with 20 points.

C-S did not have any participants in the girls competition.

Junior Gabe Walliczeck finished second in the discus competition with a throw of 153’4”, 5 feet, 1 1/2 inches behind the first place thrower.

Senior Sam Bleeker finished eighth with a throw of 117’1.5”.

Bleeker finished sixth in the shot put competition with a throw of 43’9” and Walliczeck was a scratch due to a hand injury.

Big Throwers Meet At Schoolcraft
C-S Results
Shot Put - 12lb Varsity - Finals
6. Sam Bleeker, 43’ 9”, Gabe Walliczeck, SCR
Discus - 1.6kg Varsity - Finals
2. Gabe Walliczeck, 153’ 4”, 8. Sam Bleeker, 117’ 1.5”

No state finals golf qualifiers for C-S

The Climax-Scotts golf team finished 13th at the 18-team Division 4 regionals at Hampshire Country Club in Dowagiac May 28 under rainy conditions.

C-S did not have any golfers qualify for the State Finals.

The top three finishers not on a state finals qualifying team, qualified for the individual state finals. Those top three placers were Isaiah Ryall (White Pigeon), with a 79, Cam Bingaman (Mendon), with an 80 and Tyler Slade (Hillsdale Will Carleton Academy) with an 82.

The Panthers finished with a 392 on the 18-hole course.

Kalamazoo Hackett was regional champions with a team score of 313. Hillsdale Academy (329) and Cassopolis (332) were the other team state finals qualifiers.

Cole Reitz was low shooter for C-S, finishing with a 95. Luke Piper, with a 98, Jackson Bagwell, with a 99 and Cole Curtis, with a 100, rounded out the scoring for the Panthers.

Carter Pio also participated and finished with a 128.

 Division 4 Golf Regionals at Hampshire Country Club in Dowagiac, MI
1.Kalamazoo Hackett 313, 2.Hillsdale Academy, 329, 3. Cassopolis, 332, 4. Springport,, 352, 5.White Pigeon, 357, 6.Centreville, 360, 7. Mendon, 361, 8. Potterville, 366, 9.   Bridgeman, 368, 10. Colon, 373, 10. Will Carleton Academy, 373, 12. Marcellus, 378, 13. Climax-Scotts, 392, 14. Athens, 397, 15. St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake, 407, 16. Gobles 433, 17. Maple Valley (only 3 golfers) +96, 18. Burr Oak (only 3 golfers), +200
 
Climax-Scotts Results
Cole Reitz                       95
Luke Piper                      98
Jackson Bagwell             99
Cole Curtis                     100
_______________________
                                       392
 Carter Pio                    128

The Climax-Scotts girls softball team could not overcome a chilly hitting performance, leading to a 12-0 loss in five innings to Portland St. Patrick May 30 at Potterville in the district tournament semifinal game.

C-S finishes the season with a 10-9 record.

C-S managed four hits, with Ashlynn Gilbert claiming the only extra base hit, a double.

C-S’ scoring opportunities were limited to a few.

The Lady Panthers had just one runner on base in the first inning on a walk.

C-S did get a runner in scoring position until the second inning when Lylah Parrish singled and advanced to second base on a wild pitch, but the inning ended on a strikeout.

The Lady Panthers’ best chance of scoring came in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Gilbert hit a double to left field. She advanced to third on a single by Addi Dzwik, who moved up to second base on the 
throw in. 

The scoring threat ended on a bunt attempt.

Kendal Reitz had a two out single in the fifth inning.

Addi Reeves suffered the loss on the mound. She allowed six hits, seven earned runs, seven walks and struck out seven in five innings pitched.

District semifinal (At Potterville)
Portland St. Patrick 650 10 - 12-6-0
Climax-Scotts          000 00 -  0-4-3
C-S hits: Kendal Reitz 1, Ashlynn Gilbert 1 (double), Addi Dzwik 1, Lylah Parrish 1
Losing pitcher: Addi Reeves - 5 IP, 6 hits, 12 runs, 7 earned runs, 7 walks, 7 strikeouts

Lady Panthers Clip Martin In Regular Season Finale

The Climax-Scotts girls varsity softball team took a three-game winning streak into the district tournament by recording a 9-8 non-league win over Martin May 27 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School in the regular season finale.

A five-run fifth inning proved to be the difference for C-S after Martin came back from a 9-2 deficit with three runs in the sixth and seventh innings only to fall short.

Kendal Reitz, who knocked in one run, and Addi Dzwik, who had one RBI, each had two hits for the winners.

Addy Reeves earned the win, allowing eight hits, eight earned runs, and 13 walks to go with 10 strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
Martin            000 023 3 - 8-8-7
Climax-Scotts 201150 x - 9-7-1
C-S hits: Kendal Reitz 2 (1 RBI), Addi Dzwik 2, (1 RBI), Holly Talbert 1, Lylah Parrish 1 (1 RBI), Addy Reeves 1 (1 RBI), 
Other C-S RBI: Natalie Smith 1
C-S stolen bases: Holly Talbert 2, Ashlynn Gilbert 1, Ona Newland 1, Kendal Reitz 1
Winning pitcher: Addy Reeves - 7 IP, 8 hits, 8 runs, 8 earned runs, 13 walks, 10 strikeouts

By Bruce Rolfe

The Climax-Scotts mens track team earned all-state medals in five events while the girls had one athlete finish in the top eight to earn an all-state medal at the Division 4 State Finals May 31 at Baldwin Middle School.

The C-S 4x100-meter relay team made up of Chase VanMiddlesworth, Elijah Bowron, Maximus Wurtzel, and Luke Lawrence, was seeded 10th but finished fourth for an all-state medal with a season best time of 44.77.

The 4x200-meter relay team composed of Maximus Wurtzel, Chase VanMiddlesworth, Luke Lawrence and Elijah Bowron, lowered their school record time  to 1:32.37 to finish fifth for an all-state medal. The quartet entered the state finals seeded sixth.

The 4x200-meter relay school record time was set in 2013.

C-S senior Sam Bleeker beat his previous best throw by over two feet in the shot put with a throw of 47’8” to finish sixth for an all-state medal.

Junior Gabe Walliczeck finished fourth in the discus with a distance of 152’8” for an all-state medal.

Sophomore Annabelle Edwards was the lone all-state medal recipient from the girls track team, finishing seventh in the high jump with a height of 4’11”.

The seventh place finish by the boys with 22 points was the highest place finish for a C-S boys track team at the state finals since the 2012 team finished fourth and the 2013 team finished sixth. 

Lawrence just missed out on an all-state medal in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing ninth with a time of 42.07, .23 behind the eighth place finisher.

VanMiddlesworth did not make it out of the 200-meter dash preliminaries, settling for a 13th place finish with a time of 23.24.

Walliczeck, who has been battling a hand injury for quite some time and hasn’t thrown in a while, did attempt to throw the shot put at the state finals but his hand remained sore and he fouled on his attempts according to C-S coach Dave Lodes.

Rosendo Garcia competed in the high jump, finishing 10th with a height of 5’10”, two inches behind the eighth place finisher.

C-S sophomore Sophie Braithwaite qualified in the 100-meter dash but did not make it out of the preliminaries where she finished 16th with a time of 13.26.

Paige Amos, who qualified for the state finals in the 200-meter dash, also did not make it out of the preliminaries, finishing 20th with a time of 27.53.

The 4x100-meter relay team made up of Amos, Braithwaite, Edwards and Holly Talbert finished 15th with a time of 53.46.

The same quartet finished 20th in the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1:54.19.

Men’s Division 4 State Finals
C-S Results
Men’s D4 200 Meters 
Prelims:
13 Chase VanMiddlesworth, Climax-Scotts, 23.24a; Mens D4 110m Hurdles 39” 
Finals: 4: Luke Lawrence, Climax-Scotts, 15.20a; Prelims: 6-Luke Lawrence, Climax-Scotts, 15.58a; Mens D4 300m Hurdles 36” 
Finals: 9-Luke Lawrence, Climax-Scotts, 42.07a; Mens D4 4x100 Relay Finals: 4-Climax-Scotts (Chase VanMiddlesworth, Elijah Bowron, Maximus Wurtzel, Luke Lawrence), 44.77a PR; Mens D4 4x200 Relay  Finals: 5: Climax-Scotts (Maximus Wurtzel, Chase VanMiddlesworth, Luke Lawrence, Elijah Bowron), 1:32.37a PR; Mens D4 Shot Put 12lb 
Results Field Series - Finals: 6: Sam Bleeker, Climax-Scotts, 47’ 8”, Gabe Walliczeck, Climax-Scotts, ND; Mens D4 Discus 1.6kg Results Field Series Finals: 4: Gabe Walliczeck. Climax-Scotts, 152’ 8”, 29: Sam Bleeker, Climax-Scotts, 116’ 0”; Mens D4 High Jump Results Field Series Finals: 10-Rosendo Garcia, Climax-Scotts, 5’ 10”

Women’s Division 4 State Finals
C-S Results
Women’s D4 100 Meters  Finals:
Prelims: 16-Sophie Braithwaite, Climax-Scotts, 13.26a; Womens D4 200 Meters 
Finals:
Prelims: 20-Paige Amos, Climax-Scotts, 27.53a; Womens D4 4x100 Relay  Finals: 15: Climax-Scotts (Paige Amos, Sophie Braithwaite, Annabelle Edwards, Holly Talbert), 53.46a PR; Womens D4 4x200 Relay 
Finals: 20. Climax-Scotts - A (Paige Amos, Sophie Braithwaite, Annabelle Edwards, Holly Talbert), 1:54.19a; Womens D4 High Jump Results Field Series Finals: 7-Annabelle Edwards, Climax-Scotts, 4’ 11”

By Bruce Rolfe

While there was initial disappointment following a 6-5 walkoff loss to Olivet in a pre-district game May 27 at Olivet that ended their season, the Climax-Scotts varsity baseball team can look back on a very impressive season.

The Panthers complete the season with a 14-4 record, with all four losses coming in tightly contested games and to larger schools. 

C-S led Division 1 Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 3-2 entering the bottom of the fourth inning but suffered a 9-4 loss.

The Panthers suffered a walkoff 3-2 loss to Division 1 Battle Creek Lakeview.

C-S lost to Galesburg-Augusta 4-1 in a game the Panthers led 1-0 early, and trailed 2-1 after four innings before G-A pushed two more runs across.

 Olivet was ranked 17th in the final Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association poll.

C-S was trailing state ranked Hackett 3-2 in an incomplete game in the first game of the season when the game was halted in the third inning because of poor weather.

“Unbelieveable,” said C-S coach Kevin Langs when asked his thoughts about the season.

“Think of the only four losses we had and the teams they were played against. They were tight. Two of them walk offs against Lakeview and against Olivet. 

Seniors playing in their final games of their high school careers were Gavin Eyre, Logan Gilbert, and Jackson Bagwell.

“Gavin Eyre is going to go down as one of the best baseball players that’s ever played here. Logan’s (Gilbert) just a tough nut. Jack Bagwell’s the most improved player we’ve seen. He’s a comeback player. The way he 
played baseball this year, unbelieveable. From only having one hit his whole life. A lot of credit goes to Jack,” said Langs.

Holding a 5-4 lead and needing just one more out in the bottom of the seventh inning to advance out of the pre-districts, the Panthers saw their season end with a heartbreaking 6-5 setback to Olivet.

Olivet emerged as district champions by defeating Comstock 9-0 in the district semifinal game May 30 and  Galesburg-Augusta 10-0 in the district championship game later in the day. Olivet took a 26-7 record into the regionals.

With C-S clinging to a 5-4 lead entering the bottom of the seventh inning, relief pitcher Lincoln Dzwik got the first two batters and had Olivet’s Linkin LaPaugh  in a 3-2 count but he walked the Eagle hitter.

Caleb Waffle then hit a long ball over the head of Panther centerfielder Carter Dzwik for a run scoring double that tied the game.

“I wish at the end I would have done a better job. Put us in a no doubles look in the outfield. I think that would have given our outfielders a better chance to make that last play. Because our centerfielder was close and if I would have had him five steps deeper, a no doubles look. And I didn’t put us in a no doubles look,” said Langs.

The Panthers were now in survival mode, just trying to extend the game to extra innings but Olivet finished the rally.

With runners on second and third base Olivet scored the walk off winning run on an unusual play.

With the Olivet runner on third taking a large lead and third baseman Hunter Piper off the bag, Lincoln Dzwik threw to third for a pickoff attempt. The Olivet runner immediately dashed for home and Piper’s throw home was too late.

(Photo by Bruce Rolfe)

“It’s just the beauty of the game of baseball. We talk about, at our level, it’s 21 outs, seven innings. You’re trying so hard to get to that 21st out. Baseball is such a special sport compared to football, basketball and anything else. We’re a good baseball club and we’ve proven that. If that’s not the best baseball team in the Lansing area. We are toe to toe and had our shots,” said Langs.

C-S was sloppy at times, totaling two wild pitches, including one that led to a run and the Panthers had three errors that lead to four unearned runs.

The Panthers got off to a strong start by pushing three runs across in the top of the third inning. Gavin Eyre, who had a double, and Carter Dzwik, who had an RBI single, delivered key hits.

Olivet responded by scoring two runs on a C-S error and an RBI single.

The Eagles tied the game in the top of the third inning on a two out RBI single.

C-S seized the momentum back in the top of the fifth by extending the lead to 5-3.

Gavin Eyre delivered an RBI single and Bagwell scored on a pass ball.

Olivet sliced the deficit to 5-4 on a wild pitch.

Starting pitcher Carter Dzwik of Battle Creek St. Philip, playing for C-S on a co-op arrangement along with his brother Lincoln, pitched a strong game to keep C-S close.

He pitched the first five and two-thirds innings and gave up five hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Three of the four runs he allowed were unearned.

“Carter Dzwik just pitched his heart out. 107 pitches, battled and wanted to go the whole distance. He put us on his back and gave us a shot,” adds Langs.

Gavin Eyre, who was playing with an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury that allowed him to hit but not pitch or field, finished with two hits including a double. He drove in one run and stole one base.

He finished the season with a robust .563 average and a team leading 25 RBI.

Lincoln Dzwik suffered the loss, allowing two runs (one earned), one hit and two walks in one inning worked.

Climax-Scotts 300 020 0 - 5-4-3
Olivet              201 001 2 - 6-6-3
C-S hits: Gavin Eyre 2 (double, 1 RBI), Carter Dzwik 1 (1 RBI), 
Other C-S RBI: Hunter Piper 1
C-S stolen bases: Gavin Eyre 1, Maximus Wurtzel 1, Logan Gilbert 1, Jackson Bagwell 1
Starting pitcher: Carter Dzwik - 5.2 IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 1 earned run, 4 walks 3 strikeouts
Lincoln Dzwik - 1 IP, 1 hit, 2 runs, 1 earned, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts

headlines The Climax Crescent

• Record holders
• C-S school board adopts 2025-2026 budget showing projected deficit of $153,302
• Pretrial in Village of Climax murder case set for July 7
• Climax Township Board approves joint agreement for early voting location
• G-A School Board adopts budget for 2025-2026

headlines National

• California Supreme Court OKs provisional licensure—but not for all February candidates
• ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
• What skills do new lawyers need? Lawyers asked to provide answers in new survey
• 7 partners leave this BigLaw firm for new boutique after pro bono deal
• How ethics reforms in Arizona led to LegalZoom’s law firm
• AI takes on starring role in 4 articles published by law journal