Several Lady Panthers earn
post season recognition
Six members of the Climax-Scotts varsity softball team earned post season recognition and the entire team was recognized for academic accomplishments.
Battle Creek St. Philip’s Addi Dzwik, playing with C-S as part of a co-op arrangement, and C-S junior Holly Talbert were both named to the SCAA All-League 1st Team.
C-S senior Lylah Parrish and junior Addy Reeves were named All-League Honorable Mention.
Dzwik and Talbert were also named to the All-City 1st Team.
The Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association All-District team included Dzwik, Talbert, Reeves, Kyla Etheridge and Kendal Reitz.
The entire Lady Panther team was MHSSCA All-State Academic.
Dzwik finished the season batting .474 with six doubles, one triple and 25 RBI. She shared the team lead with Reitz for hits (27-57).
Talbert finished the season with a .400 batting average. She had one home run and a team leading 30 RBI. She had a team high .727 slugging percentage after recording three doubles, six
triples and one home run. Talbert led the team with 17 stolen bases.
Parrish enjoyed a strong senior season, batting .302 with 15 RBI and seven stolen bases.
On the pitchers mound, Parrish started seven games and was 2-2 with 21 strikeouts over 31 and two-thirds innings pitched.
Reeves started 13 of C-S’ 20 games on the mound. She finished the season with a 5-6 record and 86 strikeouts over 68 innings pitched.
Etheridge finished the season with a .340 batting average and drove in 21 runs. She finished with a .908 fielding percentage.
Reitz had a .391 batting average, sharing the team lead in hits (27) with Dzwik. Reitz scored 31 runs and had 13 stolen bases.
The Lady Panthers finished the season 11-9.
With just one senior (Lylah Parrish) graduating C-S coach Janae Gibson feels the team should be very competitive next season.
“I’m proud of our players and the work they put in to continue towards the development and growth of our program. We are going to miss Lylah Parrish and we are thankful for her time and effort into helping impact our team’s success. We are excited to continue to build on the season we had this year and to see what 2026 has in store for our program,” said the Lady Panther coach.
Gavin Eyre is MVPP of league
for second straight season
By Bruce Rolfe
Climax-Scotts High School senior Gavin Eyre was selected as the SCAA League MVP for the second straight year, highlighting a list of nine Panther varsity baseball players who received post season recognition.
Joining Eyre on the All SCAA 1st team is Logan Gilbert, Carter Dzwik, Jackson Bagwell and Ben Nelson.
Jackson Knickerbocker was named to the All SCAA 2nd team and Hunter Piper and Kai Brown were Honorable Mention.
MHSAA First Team All District Academic Team selections were Carter Dzwik, and Lincoln Dzwik.
Named to the All District First Team was Gavin Eyre as a utility player, Carter Dzwik as a pitcher, and Logan Gilbert as an infielder.
Eyre hit a robust .563 and drove in a team leading 25 RBI. The C-S senior had a .979 slugging percentage on the strength of nine doubles, four triples and one home run. He also came through
in the clutch, batting .600 with runners in scoring position.
He was a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts.
Eyre was a starting pitcher for a portion of the season until a ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury that allowed him to hit but not pitch or field, ended his pitching for the season. He compiled a 3-0 record and 3.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts in just 10 innings pitched.
Gilbert finished with a .340 batting average with 17 RBI and a team leading 34 runs scored. He was perfect on the base paths, stealing a team high 21 bases without being caught stealing.
Gilbert also saw action on the pitchers mound in seven games including three as a starter. He finished with a 2-0 record with a 2.40 ERA and 19 strikeouts across 11 and two-thirds innings pitched.
Carter Dzwik, playing for C-S on a co-op arrangement with Battle Creek St. Philip, was dominant on the pitchers mound. He started a team high seven games for C-S and finished the season with a 3-2 record with one save and an ERA of 0.94. Opponents batted .142 off him. He allowed just five earned runs and 19 hits over 37 innings pitched while striking out a team high 70 batters.
Dzwik finished the season with a .327 batting average and 17 RBI. He added 10 stolen bases without being caught.
Bagwell was the most improved player on the team. According to C-S coach Kevin Langs, the C-S senior had one hit his entire high school baseball career before his senior season but finished the season batting .350 (14-53). He drove in 12 runs and had six stolen bases.
Nelson finished the season batting .351 while knocking in 13 runs.
He flourished in the field, finishing with a .955 fielding percentage with just three errors on 67 total fielding chances.
Knickerbocker was impressive in the field, finishing the season with a 1.000 fielding percentage from the catcher position. He did not commit an error in 129 total chances.
At the plate Knickerbocker finished the season batting .357 with seven RBI.
Brown batted .222, drove in nine runs and had a .278 average with runners in scoring position. He drew a team leading 18 walks and stole five bases without being caught.
Piper put together a strong season, finishing with a .317 batting average (13-41) in 18 games played. He had three doubles, drove in 12 runs and stole three bases without being caught.
Lincoln Dzwik, playing at C-S under a co-op arrangement with Battle Creek St. Philip, saw action on the mound in seven games, including two as a starter. He posted a 2-1 record with a 2.86 ERA He struck out 28 batters in 14 and two-thirds innings pitched.
At the plate, Dzwik drove in six runs in just eight at bats, finishing with a .625 average.
Pursuit of more school records
Climax-Scotts High School senior Gavin Eyre was selected as the SCAA League MVP for the second straight year, highlighting a list of nine Panther varsity baseball players who received post season recognition.
Joining Eyre on the All SCAA 1st team is Logan Gilbert, Carter Dzwik, Jackson Bagwell and Ben Nelson.
Jackson Knickerbocker was named to the All SCAA 2nd team and Hunter Piper and Kai Brown were Honorable Mention.
MHSAA First Team All District Academic Team selections were Carter Dzwik, and Lincoln Dzwik.
Named to the All District First Team was Gavin Eyre as a utility player, Carter Dzwik as a pitcher, and Logan Gilbert as an infielder.
Eyre hit a robust .563 and drove in a team leading 25 RBI. The C-S senior had a .979 slugging percentage on the strength of nine doubles, four triples and one home run. He also came through
in the clutch, batting .600 with runners in scoring position.
He was a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts.
Eyre was a starting pitcher for a portion of the season until a ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury that allowed him to hit but not pitch or field, ended his pitching for the season. He compiled a 3-0 record and 3.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts in just 10 innings pitched.
Gilbert finished with a .340 batting average with 17 RBI and a team leading 34 runs scored. He was perfect on the base paths, stealing a team high 21 bases without being caught stealing.
Gilbert also saw action on the pitchers mound in seven games including three as a starter. He finished with a 2-0 record with a 2.40 ERA and 19 strikeouts across 11 and two-thirds innings pitched.
Carter Dzwik, playing for C-S on a co-op arrangement with Battle Creek St. Philip, was dominant on the pitchers mound. He started a team high seven games for C-S and finished the season with a 3-2 record with one save and an ERA of 0.94. Opponents batted .142 off him. He allowed just five earned runs and 19 hits over 37 innings pitched while striking out a team high 70 batters.
Dzwik finished the season with a .327 batting average and 17 RBI. He added 10 stolen bases without being caught.
Bagwell was the most improved player on the team. According to C-S coach Kevin Langs, the C-S senior had one hit his entire high school baseball career before his senior season but finished the season batting .350 (14-53). He drove in 12 runs and had six stolen bases.
Nelson finished the season batting .351 while knocking in 13 runs.
He flourished in the field, finishing with a .955 fielding percentage with just three errors on 67 total fielding chances.
Knickerbocker was impressive in the field, finishing the season with a 1.000 fielding percentage from the catcher position. He did not commit an error in 129 total chances.
At the plate Knickerbocker finished the season batting .357 with seven RBI.
Brown batted .222, drove in nine runs and had a .278 average with runners in scoring position. He drew a team leading 18 walks and stole five bases without being caught.
Piper put together a strong season, finishing with a .317 batting average (13-41) in 18 games played. He had three doubles, drove in 12 runs and stole three bases without being caught.
Lincoln Dzwik, playing at C-S under a co-op arrangement with Battle Creek St. Philip, saw action on the mound in seven games, including two as a starter. He posted a 2-1 record with a 2.86 ERA He struck out 28 batters in 14 and two-thirds innings pitched.
At the plate, Dzwik drove in six runs in just eight at bats, finishing with a .625 average.
Pursuit of more school records
and team success brings motivation
for C-S track teams
By Bruce Rolfe
With many members from the Climax-Scotts boys and girls track teams returning following a season loaded with success, both teams are motivated to reach new heights in 2026.
The boys track season featured three school records that were set and a third straight SCAA West Division title.
Two members of the girls track team set new school records.
Junior Gabe Walliczeck broke Don Bailey’s 1977 school record throw of 148’10” in the discus early in the season and later broke his own school record twice, finishing with a personal record throw of 155’1”.
The boys 4x200-meter relay team consisting of Chase VanMiddlesworth, Luke Lawrence, Max Wurtzel and Elijah Bowron, broke the school record in the event with a time of 1:32.37. The old school record time of 1:32.5 was set in 2013 by Alex Lodes, Dakota Nowakowski, Kirk Gibson and Zach Nabozny.
Luke Lawrence’s time of 15.14 in the 110-meter hurdles topped Scott Bogard’s school record time of 15.5 that was set in 2005.
Junior Paige Amos broke the school record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.92, eclipsing the time of 27.1 Cherie Swarthout posted in 1985.
While the 12.95 time junior Sophie Braithwaite posted in the regional 100-meter dash preliminaries is slightly higher then Janae Langs’ 12.88 on the record board that that was recorded in 2012, C-S coach Dave Lodes said the older records were based on hand times. However when FAT times are converted Braithwaite has a faster time of approximately 12.65 for the school record.
“The record board is based on hand times so FAT times are converted down as Janae’s was. Converting Sophie’s down gives her the record,” explained Lodes, who said he plans to convert the school record board to all FAT times.
Lodes said the returners are eager to break their own school records however members on both squads are also eager to enter the record book.
He admits with sprinters Luke Lawrence and Chase VanMiddlesworth graduating, it may be challenging for the 4x200-meter relay team to reach times the quartet posted this year.
The C-S coach said 8th grader Alex Albarran displayed some strong potential this year, however no others currently are close to duplicating the times VanMiddlesworth and Lawrence ran.
Lodes said despite the two sprinters graduating, he still feels the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams could be competitive. He cautioned if the two relay teams hope to qualify for the state finals a fourth athlete sprinter will need to emerge next spring.
The Panther coach feels for the first time since he’s been the coach at C-S, the 4x400 and 4x800-meter relay teams could have a good chance of being very competitive next season.
Lodes said Walliczeck is very motivated to build on his success in the discus and reach new levels of accomplishment in the shot put next season.
“Gabe plans to continue working through the summer and wants to break the record for the shot next year. He wants to qualify for the indoor nationals which he said is 54’ for the shot put.
He also wants to get in the 180-200 feet range for the discus next year,” said Lodes.
With just one senior graduating (Lylah Parrish), the Lady Panthers will have a strong nucleus returning next season.
Lodes said while there are pretty good numbers returning, a number of the girls on the track team play softball, which decreases time available for practice.
Similar to the boys returning, Lodes said there are members of the girls track team eager to flourish with an eye on setting new school records.
Lodes said Addy Reeves would like to break the school record in the long jump after having a setback with some injuries this year. She hit her season record distance of 14’11.5” twice this year. The school record is 17’5” set by Cherie Swarthout in 1986.
The Lady Panther coach adds Braithwaite is motivated to lower her school record time of 12.65 in the 100-meter dash and be competitive at the state level. “She will have to get her 100 time down in the 12.5 range though,” points out Lodes.
Lodes said currently, the numbers on both the girls and boys track teams coming up from the 8th grade appears to be lower. He adds many of C-S’ returners on the boys side plays baseball, which could bring a challenge “to get them to that next level where they will be a contender at the state level.”
The C-S coach said Max Wurtzel, in the short sprints, and Alex Wurtzel, in the 400-800-meter range, have strong potential, but both athletes play on the Panther baseball team, which he said could reduce practice time.
Lodes is also happy to have a promising distance runner in Lincoln Bartholomew coming up from the 8th grade that will give C-S an opportunity to score in distance events and potentially help bolster the 4x800-meter relay team.
With many members from the Climax-Scotts boys and girls track teams returning following a season loaded with success, both teams are motivated to reach new heights in 2026.
The boys track season featured three school records that were set and a third straight SCAA West Division title.
Two members of the girls track team set new school records.
Junior Gabe Walliczeck broke Don Bailey’s 1977 school record throw of 148’10” in the discus early in the season and later broke his own school record twice, finishing with a personal record throw of 155’1”.
The boys 4x200-meter relay team consisting of Chase VanMiddlesworth, Luke Lawrence, Max Wurtzel and Elijah Bowron, broke the school record in the event with a time of 1:32.37. The old school record time of 1:32.5 was set in 2013 by Alex Lodes, Dakota Nowakowski, Kirk Gibson and Zach Nabozny.
Luke Lawrence’s time of 15.14 in the 110-meter hurdles topped Scott Bogard’s school record time of 15.5 that was set in 2005.
Junior Paige Amos broke the school record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.92, eclipsing the time of 27.1 Cherie Swarthout posted in 1985.
While the 12.95 time junior Sophie Braithwaite posted in the regional 100-meter dash preliminaries is slightly higher then Janae Langs’ 12.88 on the record board that that was recorded in 2012, C-S coach Dave Lodes said the older records were based on hand times. However when FAT times are converted Braithwaite has a faster time of approximately 12.65 for the school record.
“The record board is based on hand times so FAT times are converted down as Janae’s was. Converting Sophie’s down gives her the record,” explained Lodes, who said he plans to convert the school record board to all FAT times.
Lodes said the returners are eager to break their own school records however members on both squads are also eager to enter the record book.
He admits with sprinters Luke Lawrence and Chase VanMiddlesworth graduating, it may be challenging for the 4x200-meter relay team to reach times the quartet posted this year.
The C-S coach said 8th grader Alex Albarran displayed some strong potential this year, however no others currently are close to duplicating the times VanMiddlesworth and Lawrence ran.
Lodes said despite the two sprinters graduating, he still feels the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams could be competitive. He cautioned if the two relay teams hope to qualify for the state finals a fourth athlete sprinter will need to emerge next spring.
The Panther coach feels for the first time since he’s been the coach at C-S, the 4x400 and 4x800-meter relay teams could have a good chance of being very competitive next season.
Lodes said Walliczeck is very motivated to build on his success in the discus and reach new levels of accomplishment in the shot put next season.
“Gabe plans to continue working through the summer and wants to break the record for the shot next year. He wants to qualify for the indoor nationals which he said is 54’ for the shot put.
He also wants to get in the 180-200 feet range for the discus next year,” said Lodes.
With just one senior graduating (Lylah Parrish), the Lady Panthers will have a strong nucleus returning next season.
Lodes said while there are pretty good numbers returning, a number of the girls on the track team play softball, which decreases time available for practice.
Similar to the boys returning, Lodes said there are members of the girls track team eager to flourish with an eye on setting new school records.
Lodes said Addy Reeves would like to break the school record in the long jump after having a setback with some injuries this year. She hit her season record distance of 14’11.5” twice this year. The school record is 17’5” set by Cherie Swarthout in 1986.
The Lady Panther coach adds Braithwaite is motivated to lower her school record time of 12.65 in the 100-meter dash and be competitive at the state level. “She will have to get her 100 time down in the 12.5 range though,” points out Lodes.
Lodes said currently, the numbers on both the girls and boys track teams coming up from the 8th grade appears to be lower. He adds many of C-S’ returners on the boys side plays baseball, which could bring a challenge “to get them to that next level where they will be a contender at the state level.”
The C-S coach said Max Wurtzel, in the short sprints, and Alex Wurtzel, in the 400-800-meter range, have strong potential, but both athletes play on the Panther baseball team, which he said could reduce practice time.
Lodes is also happy to have a promising distance runner in Lincoln Bartholomew coming up from the 8th grade that will give C-S an opportunity to score in distance events and potentially help bolster the 4x800-meter relay team.
