News and Views from the weekend...

NEWS: Deckerville clinches the North Central Thumb League football championship with a 48-0 blanking over Memphis. 

VIEWS: Take it from me, Deckerville is not your usual NCTL squad.

The Eagles have size, speed and strength. Friday against the overmatched Yellowjackets, they showed off all three in a complete manhandling.

The Eagles had 503 total yards, including 470 on the ground. Defensively, they limited Memphis to 26 yards rushing and 63 yards passing.

The triple threat of tailbacks Cody Ross, Rick Wilfong and Dillon Lundgren combined for 393 yards and six TDs against Memphis.

With their conference schedule now complete, the Eagles have three very tough — and important — non-league games to close out the season.

Test No. 1 comes this Friday when they host a 3-3 — and quite desperate — Marlette squad. The Raiders come in off a hard-fought 45-36 win over Harbor Beach, a game which saw them rack up some major yardage. Quarterback Kolbe Lange will give the Eagles all they want on defense.

Week 8 will see the Eagles host rival Ubly in probably the most anticipated game of the season. If Deckerville can handle Marlette and the Bearcats can beat Brown City — which I think they both will be able to do — it will set up a showdown of a pair of 7-0 squads.

Deckerville has not beaten Ubly since 2006 when the Eagles won in the final seconds.

Week 9 sees the Eagles travel north to Lincoln Alcona.

Regardless of what happens, Deckerville is going to be a player when it comes to the Division 8 playoffs.

And the NCTL hasn’t had a team that could say that in quite a while.

NEWS: Undefeated Reese and Ubly have strangleholds on the Greater Thumb West and Greater Thumb East titles.

VIEWS: No surprises here. 

In the GTW, the Rockets made quick work of Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port, 55-16, on Friday. 

Reese’s next challenge comes this Friday in the annual Pioneer Sugar Bowl at Unionville-Sebewaing Area. 

In the GTE, the Bearcats can clinch the outright league crown this Friday with a win at up-and-down Brown City. 

The big test for the Bearcats is not to overlook the Green Devils, especially with that Week 8 date against Deckerville looming. I doubt a Bill Sweeney-coached team will have much trouble focusing on the task at hand.

NEWS: The GTC and NCTL have four teams at 4-2 and five others at 3-3.

VIEWS: Once again, it’s been quite an unpredictable season.

In the GTW, USA, Vassar and Bay City All Saints are 4-2 while Cass City is at 3-3.

Even with a loss this week against the Rockets, the Patriots still have a shot at six wins and the playoffs. They take on Sandusky in Week 8 and Harbor Beach in Week 9. 

The winner of this week’s Cass City at Vassar game will probably get into the post-season. That makes it a huge game for both teams. The Red Hawks come in losers of three straight while the Vulcans have won four of their last five games.

The Cougars have a tough road in the final two weeks, though should be able to get to 5-2 this week with a win over Mayville. They then take on Reese and 4-2 Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary. For BCAS, a 5-4 mark might be enough to get them into the playoffs. 

In the GTE, Sandusky is 4-2 while Harbor Beach, Marlette and Brown City are all 3-3.

Of those teams, the Redskins and Pirates have a shot. In fact, the winner of this Friday’s game between those two will probably be OK.

In the NCTL, Kingston is 3-3 and needs to win its final three games against Saginaw Buena Vista, North Huron and Mayville. This week’s BV game will be tough.

Of all those teams, I think Sandusky and Vassar will get in for sure. 

And, I think the Week 9 game between Harbor Beach and USA will determine the other qualifier.

NEWS: Cass City and  Brown City are the leaders in the GTC volleyball chase. Caseville and Memphis are running away from the opposition in the NCTL.

VIEWS: Both the Red Hawks and Green Devils face stiff challenges tonight.

At Cass City, the 5-0 Red Hawks host 3-2 Bad Axe in a must-win for the Hatchets if they have any chance at a league title. 

At Marlette, the 5-1 Raiders host the 6-0 Green Devils in another fine matchup. Ubly, I’m sure, is hoping for a Marlette win, considering the Bearcats are 4-2 in league play.

In the NCTL North, 6-0 Caseville holds a three-game edge over North Huron and Owendale-Gagetown. The Eagles earned a huge win last week over a very good Deckerville team.

In the NCTL South, 6-0 Memphis has a two-game advantage over 4-2 Deckerville.

NEWS: There are a pair of tight races in GTC soccer. Harbor Beach and Bad Axe are battling in the North while Marlette and Memphis are super tight in the South.

VIEWS: Harbor Beach is 7-1-1 in the league while Bad Axe is 7-1-2. The Pirates and Hatchets have very tough contests today. Harbor Beach travels to Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port for a night game at 7. Meanwhile, the Hatchets are on the road at Unionville-Sebewaing Area.