LL-H Sweeps Houghton County Track Invitational – Friday Sports Wrap

Click on the highlighted scores for more game details.

High School

In high school softball yesterday…
• Hancock split their doubleheader at Ishpeming, dropping the opener 4-3, then taking the nightcap 23-7. In game one, the Bulldogs fell behind early, then came back to tie the game in the top of the sixth. Ishpeming’s Peyton Manninen singled home the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. In game two, Sadie Biekkola hit a grand slam, as the Bulldogs scored seven in the fourth inning. Brooke Koskela also slugged a grand slam, as Hancock plated 12 runs in the sixth.
• Calumet trounced Iron Mountain 21-2 and 21-3.

In softball today…
• Hancock entertains Bark River-Harris.
• Lake Linden-Hubbell welcomes Gogebic.
• L’Anse hosts Ironwood.

In baseball yesterday…
• Hancock v Westwood – no report
• Jeffers swept Ironwood 7-1 and 9-3. In the opener, Levi Frahm pitched a 2 hitter with 11 strikeouts. Frahm and Cody Turner each had two hits and Turner drove in four runs. In the late game, three double plays helped out Chase Kinnunen. Frahm led the offense with two hits and three RBI.

On today’s baseball schedule…
• Hancock plays at Houghton. Coverage will begin at 3:45 on the Voice of the Gremlins, 97.7 The Wolf.
• Lake Linden-Hubbell hosts Gogebic.
• L’Anse entertains Ironwood.
• Ontonagon plays at Ewen-Trout Creek.

In baseball tomorrow…
• Houghton and Calumet compete at a tournament in Negaunee.
• Jeffers entertains Westwood.

Plans have been announced for the dedication of Houghton’s baseball field. The field is being named for John Bostwick, who was the head coach of Houghton High School’s first baseball team, and was instrumental in bringing high school ball to the Copper Country. Bostwick passed away in 2019. The ceremony will take place a week from tomorrow at 9:30 at the field, behind the high school. The ceremony will be followed by the first John Bostwick Memorial Tournament, which will feature Houghton, Calumet, Hancock and Westwood.

The Houghton girls soccer team v Sault Ste. Marie yesterday – no report.

In golf, local teams competed at the Bulldog Invitational at the Portage Lake Course yesterday.
• Houghton won the boys team title, nine strokes better than Hancock. Calumet placed third, followed by Negaunee, Jeffers, Baraga, Westwood, Iron Mountain and Dollar Bay-Tamarack City. Hancock’s Jackson Sintkowski medaled with a 73. Houghton’s Marino Pisani was one stroke back. See full boys results here.
• Calumet took the girls team competition, followed by West Iron County, Negaunee and Houghton. Lily Keranen and Maretta Kangas of the Copper Kings finished first and second individually. See full girls results here.

Today in golf, Jeffers, Lake Linden-Hubbell, Chassell and Baraga will be among the teams at the Ontonagon Invitational.

In track and field, Lake Linden-Hubbell swept the Houghton County Invitational yesterday. Houghton, Calumet and Dollar Bay-Tamarack City rounded out the top four on each side.
• On the boys side, Matthew Jokela of the Lakes claimed the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes. Gabe Popko won the 300-meter hurdles and the discus throw. Chassell’s Kalvin Kytta took the 1600 and 3200-meter runs.
• On the girls side, Lake Linden’s Emily Jokela won the 200-meter run and the 300-meter hurdles. Caitlyn Strom of the Copper Kings claimed the 100-meter dash, the long jump and the pole vault. Jackie Kiilunen took the shot put and the discus throw.
• See full results here.

In track today, Houghton, Calumet and L’Anse will be among the competitors at the Negaunee Invitational.

Two new sports are being added to the high school schedule. Boys volleyball and girls field hockey will be elevated to varsity status beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, following an observation season this coming year. Field hockey will be staged in the fall, and boys volleyball in the spring. At its recent meeting, the MHSAA Representative Council also shortened the length of the winter sports season by one week in 2024-2025. Beginning next season, district tournaments in basketball and soccer will be fully seeded, using the Michigan Power Rankings system. Until now, only the top two teams in each district were seeded. And there’ll be a change in the way 11-player football divisions are constructed. Division Eight will be limited to schools with enrollments of 250 or less. The remaining schools will be equally divided into the top seven divisions.

NHL

In second-round NHL tournament play last evening…
• The Rangers edged the Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime. New York leads that Eastern Conference series 3-0.
• The Stars held off the Avalanche 5-3. That Western Conference series is tied 1-1.

Tonight…
• The Bruins welcome the Panthers. That Eastern conference series is tied 1-1.
• The Canucks host the Oilers. Vancouver has a 1-0 lead in that Western Conference series.

NBA

In NBA Conference semifinal play last night…
• The Cavaliers stifled the Celtics 118-94. That Eastern Conference series is tied 1-1.
• The Mavericks outscored the Thunder 119-110. That Western Conference set is tied 1-1.

Tonight…
• The Pacers host the Knicks. New York leads that Eastern conference series 2-0.
• The Timberwolves welcome the Nuggets. Minnesota leads that Western Conference series 2-0.

MLB

The Tigers had yesterday off, and host the Astros tonight. Casey Mize will start against Framber Valdez. Coverage will begin at 6:15 on 99.3 The Lift.

The Brewers pounded the Cardinals 7-1 last night. Rhys Hoskins, Jake Bauers and Joey Ortiz homered. Christian Yelich had three hits.

The Brewers entertain the Cardinals again tonight. Lance Lynn will start for Saint Louis. Milwaukee has not yet named a starter.

Local Sports Broadcasts

• Today – Baseball – Hancock at Houghton – 3:45 broadcast on the Voice of the Gremlins, 97.7 The Wolf.
• Monday – Softball – Houghton at Calumet – 3:45 broadcast on the Voice of the Copper Kings, KBear 102.3.
• Wednesday – Softball – Houghton at Hancock – 3:45 broadcast on the Voice of the Gremlins, 97.7 The Wolf.
• Thursday – Baseball – Calumet at Hancock – 3:45 broadcast on the Voice of the Copper Kings, KBear 102.3.

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