Jackson Area Sports

The Golf Report
Still time to register for Senior County Open

There is still time to register for the Jackson Senior County Open to be played July 11, 12 at Cascades Golf Course.
Online registrations will be accepted until 11 p.m. Tuesday for any golfer 50 years and older.
The 36-hole event is a stroke play event and entry fee is $75 plus $15 per day for cart rental (optional).
The tournament will have three divisions – ages 50-59 for the championship flight, 60-69 for first flight, and 70-older for second flight.
Golfer may play up to participate in the championship flight.
Mike Brockie is the defending champion with a record 10-under-par score in 2025.
For more information go to www.jacksongolf.net and click on tournament registration on top of the Jackson Amateur Golf Tour site.

JCWGA Match Play Championship: The Jackson County Womens Golf Association will play its Match Play Championship at Sharp Park Golf Course July 13-16. Contact Barb Fischer at (989) 239-6678 or go to the JCWGA 2.0 Facebook site for more information.

R.W. Mercer Jackson Junior Golf Tour events: The deadline for the two-person event on Thursday has passed but registration for the tournament at Calderone Golf Club is open. The Calderone tournament will be played Wednesday, July 15, at the 18-hole golf course near Grass Lake. Registration closes Friday at 11 a.m. and for more information or online registration go to www.jjgolftour.com.

Mike Brockie is the defending champion in the Jackson Senior County Open played at Cascades Golf Course.

Thank you to all the new followers. I went over 3,500 followers and 600,000 views in the last 28 days. Simple stuff - names and faces. It still works sports fans. Thank you! Jeff

Nearly 400 compete at Hanover Firecracker race

Photo, story by Jeff Steers
Jackson Area Sports on Facebook

The skies cleared, the rain and lightning stopped, and the heat wave dissipated just in time for the annual Hanover Firecracker 5 Mile Run/5K Walk in downtown Hanover.
Those facts may have brought out a large field.
Nearly 400 participated in the annual event – the halfway point of the ORS Race Series.
That total participating is up nearly 100 from 2025.
Rogan Melling lead a charge of Hanover-Horton runners – past and present – winning the 5 mile event in 25 minutes, 48 seconds.
Mitchell Hiatt of Onsted was second (25:57), and Hanover-Horton runners Cooper Flick (26:34) and Landen Boulis (26:36) finished third and fourth respectively in the 5 mile run.
Samantha Schroeder was the 5 mile winner in the women’s division in 31:44 and Lindsay Harris of Brooklyn was second in 33:28.
Timothy Muckle of Chelsea won the master race (31:25) in the 5 mile run and Barb Meyers was the female master winner in 36:16.
Nathan Blondke of Jackson won the 5K walk (34:15), Jennifer Oakes of Jackson finished second (37:21), Katie Flanagan of South Lyon placed third (38:07), and Tim Jaynes of Napoleon was fourth (38:15).
Go to https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/Overview/10420 for complete results of the event.

Rogan Melling won the 5 mile run at the Hanover Firecracker running event Saturday in downtown Hanover.

Here are photos from the Hanover Firecracker 5 mile run/5K walk. Nearly 400 people participated in the annual event. Look for a short story by noon. Enjoy. https://jacksonareasports.smugmug.com/ORS-Race-Series-Hanover-7-4-2026

Mercer Tour results from Cascades Golf Course

Photo, story by Jeff Steers
Jackson Area Sports on Facebook

Players competed in the R.W. Mercer Jackson Junior Golf Tour event at Cascades Golf Course Monday.
Nearly 120 players competed in the event.
Winners were crowned as Jackson County champions in their age division. Complete results for the event can be found at https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/12523921091166494968
Here are the top golfers in each age bracket.

Boys
10-under (nine holes): Levi Berkowitz 40
11-12 (nine holes): Lucas Rishell 49
Paul Murphy 50
13-18 (nine holes): Cash Jacobs 39
Coltyn Wojtusik 42
11-12 (18 holes): Grayson Herrera 89
Kaline Camilleri 90
13-14 (18 holes): Logan Banks 81
Aiden Mohlman 82
15-18 (18 holes): Bristen Cekander 75
Leo Nguyen 75

Girls
11-14 (nine holes): Viviana Fish 48
Ellie Roberts 53
15-18 (nine holes): Paige Conley 51
Maddie McClain 52
14-18 (18 holes): Jillian Barnes 95
Hannah Beda 97

Leo Nguyen tied for first with Bristen Cekander for the Jackson County champion in boys 15-18 years old age bracket shooting a 3-over-par 75.

Here are photos from the R.W. Mercer Jackson Junior Golf Tour event at Cascades Golf Course Monday. Look for scores later this afternoon. https://jacksonareasports.smugmug.com/Golf-Mercer-Tour-at-Cascades-6-29-2026

C**n completes family golf trilogy at Lyle Ambs Tournament

Photo, story by Jeff Steers
Jackson Area Sports on Facebook

Western High School sophomore Bentley C**n completed the family trilogy at the Lyle Ambs Memorial Golf Tournament at Sharp Park Sunday.
C**n won the championship flight with a 5&3 win over Zach DeFrain in the final Sunday afternoon.
He now joins his grandfather, Rusty, and father, Brian, as winners of the tournament. Rusty won the event in 1978 and Brian earned a victory in 1998.
It was a day of family for Bentley as his mother, Amanda, caddied for him during the tournament.
“She keeps me positive on the golf course,” Bentley said of his caddy. “She gives me advice here and there about what shots to hit.”
Bentley put the pedal to the metal in the championship match against DeFrain shooting a 30 on the front nine going 4 up after nine holes.
“I was just aggressive and made a few putts down the stretch,” Bentley said.
He was nine under par when the match ended on hole No. 15.
He joins Justin Bunch (2020) and Brien C. Charter (1943) as the youngest winners of the tournament.
DeFrain shot a 34 on the front side and 4 under par for 15 holes when the match ended. He defeated Andrew Boldt 4&2 to advance to the finals.
Bentley defeated Gabe Cooper 5&3 in the other championship flight semifinal match.
Luke Girodat defeated Andy Horodecki 5&4 to win the first flight title. He was 3 under par when the match ended on 15. Girodat defeated Jayce Swihart 4&3 in one semifinal and Horodecki defeated Brandon Kulka 2 up in the other semifinal match in the first flight.
Matt Brown won the second flight over John Gaston winning four-of-five holes to end the front nine with a 36. Gaston defeated Bryan Marvin 3&2 in one semifinal match and Brown beat Colin O’Connell 1 up in the other match.

Bentley C**n, center, is joined by grandfather, Rusty, left, and father, Brian, as winners of the Lyle Ambs Memorial Golf Tournament at Sharp Park.

Here are a few awards photos from the Lyle Ambs Memorial Golf Tournament at Sharp Park on Sunday. Congrats to all. https://jacksonareasports.smugmug.com/Golf-Lyle-Ambs-Memorial-Tournament-awards-6-28-2026

Bentley C**n won the Lyle Ambs Memorial Golf Tournament to complete the C**n trilogy at the event. He defeated Zach DeFrain 5&3 in the final at Sharp Park Golf Course. Look for a story within the next hour.

Zach DeFrain will face Bentley C**n for the Lyle Ambs Memorial Golf Tournament title after winning semifinal matches this morning. The twosome is expected to tee off within the hour at Sharp Park Golf Course.