Concord High School

Fall Sports Results

2011

The Mascot

Football 2011 season preview: Concord has just 15 players, so staying healthy is critical

• 2010 SEASON RECORD: 3-6, 2-5 (t-5th) in Big Eight• Coach: Joe Williamson (3rd season, 9-10 at Concord)• big eight titles: 0 (league member since 1973)• MOST RECENT league title: 1964 (Cascades)• All-time playoff record: 3-3• Longest playoff run: 2001, Division 7 semifinalsThe offenseWith a new quarterback and a rebuilt offensive line, Concord’s offense might take a while to gel.• The quarterback: Taking over will be either Jesse Brigham (5-10, 150, jr.) or Tyler Burch (5-7, 160, jr.). Brigham was the junior varsity quarterback last season but was hindered by an arm injury in the preseason. Whoever is not at quarterback will line up at wide receiver.“Both are shifty, savvy kind of guys who make good decisions, and that’s what we ask,” coach Joe Williamson said.• The one to watch: TE Jesse Wilson (6-2, 210, jr.) started at tackle last season but will use his athleticism to give the Yellow Jackets another offensive weapon on the end.• Other returning starters: RB/WR Drew Philson (6-0, 160, jr.) enters his third varsity season and is the top returning rusher, RB/WR Matt DeHaven (5-10, 165, jr.) moves from tight end, C Rayce Randall (5-9, 175, sr.).• Key newcomers: WR Chevy Burk (6-0, 160, soph.), T Jarrod Hoath (6-2, 210, soph.), G Zach Thompson (5-11, 160, jr.), G Trevor Kalman (5-10, 170, sr.), T Mackenzie Anderson (6-3, 180, soph.), WR Kyle Todd (6-1, 150, jr.).

Football 2011 season preview--continuedThe defenseLast year’s top two tacklers are gone, but Concord expects to build on last year, when the Yellow Jackets allowed their fewest points in four seasons.“We have the best situation defensively in my three years,” Williamson said. “The kids understand what we’re trying to do.”The Yellow Jackets are not blessed with size but hope to disrupt teams with their speed.“It’s about passion and flying around, and our guys have taken to that,” Williamson said. “Defensively, our guys are solid. The only question is our numbers.”• The one to watch: LB DeHaven moves from the secondary, where he has been on the varsity since his freshman year. He was one of Concord’s top five tacklers last year.• Other returning starters: DB Philson has played linebacker the last two years but moves into the secondary, LB Wilson switches positions after being third on the team in tackles last year as a defensive back, DL Randall missed about half the season with injuries.• Key newcomers: DB Burch, DB Brigham, DB Burk, DL Hoath, LB Thompson, DL Kalman, DL/LB Anderson, DB Todd.Last seasonConcord followed up a playoff season in 2009 with a 3-6 mark in 2010. Last season, the Yellow Jackets lost three games by 10 or fewer points. Concord’s three victories came against teams (Hanover-Horton, Quincy, Athens) that combined to go 4-23. The Yellow Jackets are 9-10 in two seasons under coach Joe Williamson after going just 1-35 the four years prior.Our outlookConcord enters the season with 15 players, including two seniors. That doesn’t mean the expectations are low, but the Yellow Jackets will have to be injury-free to stay competitive as they build for the future.

Concord volleyball falls in close three-game match to five-time defending state champion St. Philip

August 20, 2011

The Concord High School volleyball team started its season Saturday with a strong showing against one of the state’s best.Concord took Battle Creek St. Philip to three games before being edged in a quarterfinal match of the St. Philip Invitational.St. Philip, which has played in the Class D state championship match for 10 consecutive years and won the last five, nipped Concord 25-14, 23-25, 15-13.“It was a great match,” Concord coach Kathy Lehman said. “St. Philip is tough.”Maycee Brigham and Andrea Brigham had 25 kills apiece on the day for Concord, which was 1-0-2 in pool play. Andrea Brigham served five aces, and Maycee Brigham made 35 digs.

Concord boys cross country runner Spencer Nousain breaks course record at Pittsford invitational

August 23, 2011

Pittsford Early Bird Invitational: Spencer Nousain broke the course record with a time of 16:14 as Concord had all five scorers in the top 10 to easily win the seven-team meet with 25 points.Nousain shaved four seconds off the previous best time at Pittsford.“He has been working on this since we were there last year,” Concord coach David Jordon said. “That was his focus, and when he got to the last half-mile, he made a big push for it.”Teammates Parker Saenz and Sam Comden were third and fifth, respectively.Brad Briner finished seventh for third-place Jonesville, and Stephan Biggs was second for fourth-place Addison.

Concord girls cross country places six runners in top 10 to win Pittsford invitational

August 23, 2011

Pittsford Early Bird Invitational: Sydnee Hubbard’s meet-winning time of 21:57 led six top-10 runners for Concord as the Yellow Jackets ran away with the seven-team meet with 21 points.Courtney Clark was third, Shayla Neelis was fourth and Tesha Nousain fifth for Concord.Hannah Poling finished seventh for fourth-place Addison.

SMAA Jamboree @ Stockbridge - Girls Golf (8/24/11)

Team Scores1. Parma Western 200 2. Onsted 208 3. Brooklyn Columbia Central 220 4. Stockbridge 232 5. Concord 254 6. Hillsdale 301 7. Webberville 0

Concord Score

Sam Reeve * 58

Lauren Rosenau * 64

Amber Spence * 75

Brittney Stilson * 57

Hanover-Horton makes one score stand in season-opening victory over Concord

August 26, 2011

The Hanover-Horton High School football team put together one sustained drive Friday and did it at an opportune time. The drive didn’t produce any points, but the Comets ran off the final 7:18 of the game to secure a 6-0 season-opening victory over Concord. Ryan Wollpert caught a 41-yard touchdown pass from Clark Vinton in the second quarter, and Hanover-Horton made it stand up. It was the first time since 1975 the Comets won a game with six points. Hanover-Horton marched from its 11-yard line to Concord’s 24 on the game-ending 12-play drive. Before that, Hanover-Horton had 108 yards of offense and four first downs. “We had moments where we moved the ball well and other moments where we couldn’t do a darned thing,” Hanover-Horton coach Tom Gumper said. “I thought we’d be able to handle them up front. They’re a lot more physical than I had planned on.” Concord totaled 152 yards, including just 48 on the ground. “We hoped to be able to run the football better than we did,” Concord coach Joe Williamson said. “They did a good job blowing us up up front.” Concord was somewhat effective with a short passing game, new quarterback Jesse Brigham completing 11 of 26 for 104 yards. But Tyler Hull and Michael Archer came up with interceptions deep in Hanover-Horton territory in the third quarter. “They’re a veteran team, and they’re bigger than us,” Williamson said. “I’m very pleased with our defensive effort. If you told me we would hold them to six points, I’d say we’d win. “We should have been able to get a few in the end zone. But we’re a young team not used to that pressure. We’ll learn from it and get ready for Springport (next week).” Vinton hit Wollpert in stride over the middle for the touchdown pass early in the second quarter. “They were jumping routes on us a couple times,” Gumper said of the play. “We caught them in their outside set. It was just the right call at the right time against the defense they had.” Concord ran 34 plays to Hanover-Horton’s 16 in the first half. The Yellow Jackets drove to the 3-yard line late in the half but had an incomplete fourth-down pass in the end zone. Late in the third quarter, Concord had a first down at the Hanover-Horton 13 when Archer picked off a pass at the 5 and returned it to the Concord 33. Hanover-Horton converted three third downs on its game-ending drive. The biggest of those was the first, when Concord appeared to have the Comets stopped at the 15 but was called for pass interference. “They played their hearts out,” Williamson said of his 15-man squad. “We have a whole season left to go, and we plan to make some noise in the Big Eight.”

Concord Girls Golf finishes 6th at Hanover-Horton Invitational

August 29th, 2011 Cascades Golf Course

Team Scores1. Hanover-Horton 373 2. Napoleon 384 3. Parma Western 418 4. Onsted 438 5. Jackson 439 6. Concord 465 7. Brooklyn Columbia Central 467 8. Vandercook Lake 477 9. Grass Lake 505 10. Hillsdale 620

Concord Boys Dominate Albion XC Invitational

1 Spencer Nousain (Concord) 15:54

5 Parker Saenz (Concord) 17:27

10 Sam Comden (Concord) 17:40

18 Jacob Hall (Concord) 18:10

22 Jesse Hersha (Concord) 18:30

August 31, 2011Team Scores1.Concord 54 2.Eaton Rapids 101 3.Albion 109 4.Napoleon 112 5.Fremont 130 6.Marshall 153 7.Hanover-Horton 158 8.Manchester 160 9.Union City 162 10.Springport 413 11.Lansing Christian 428

Concord Girls Finish 5th at Albion InvitationalAugust 31, 2011

1. Hanover-Horton 60 2. Marshall 98 3. Manchester 111 4. Napoleon 114 5. Concord 123 6. Eaton Rapids 126 7. Lansing Christian 145 8. Fremont 202 9. Union City 303 10. Springport 326

9 Sydnee Hubbard (Concord) 21:13

16 Tesha Nousain (Concord) 22:15

35 Courtney Clark (Concord) 23:21

37 Rachel Clark (Concord) 23:34

Western High School girls golf wins second SMAA Jamboree of the season, Concord finishes

2nd.

August 31st, 2011 White Oaks Golf Club

Team ScoresParma Western 202 Concord 205 Brooklyn Columbia Central 216 Onsted 219 Stockbridge 226 Webberville 282 Hillsdale 300

SMAA Jamboree: Western posted 202 at White Oaks Golf Course to win its second consecutive league meet.Jessica Coleman shot 48 for the Panthers, followed by Henley Nowicki with a 49.Concord’s Cassidy Maule was the medalist with a score of 44, leading the Yellow Jackets to a second-place finish at 205. Brittney Stilson added a 48 for Concord.

Springport football outgains Concord 285-109 in rushing yards to improve to 2-0 on season

September 01, 2011

Springport 34, Concord 12Keith Nebelung scored two first-quarter touchdowns, including an 81-yard run, to help Springport remain unbeaten at 2-0 on the season. Nebelung, a senior, also scored on a 20-yard in the first quarter as the Spartans rolled out to a 28-0 lead late in the third quarter. Kyle Frizzel and Matt Bates both scored rushing touchdowns as Springport outgained Concord 285-109 in rushing yards.“I thought we had a good game plan going in, and we knew after the first game what guys needed to be in what position,” said Springport coach Matt Schwartzkopf, whose team narrowly beat Vandercook Lake 14-7 last week. “We really just continued all week how we left off in the second half.”Jesse Brigham scored on a 1-yard run for Concord in the third quarter and connected on a 4-yard pass to Tyler Burch for the Yellow Jackets’ two touchdowns.Nebelung finished with 129 yards rushing and completed his only pass attempt to Collin Hawes for 57 yards. He also intercepted a pass by Brigham, who finished with 107 yards passing for Concord (0-2).

Concord streaks to finals of JCC Invitational volleyball tournament before

falling to Adrian in finalSeptember 10, 2011

Concord won six straight matches before bowing to Adrian in the championship match.Andrea Brigham had 51 of Concord’s 165 kills in the tournament. Kacy Hersha was next with 32 kills, and Emily Sahagian had a team-leading 13 aces. Maycee Brigham led the charges in the back row with 76 digs for the Yellow Jackets (10-4-2).Adrian won the championship match 25-23, 20-25, 18-16.“We were down 13-9 in the third game before putting together a good run,” Concord coach Kathy Lehman said. “Sydney Martines served for five points and had two aces during our comeback, and Maycee Brigham had some big kills.”Concord led 14-13 in the third game of the championship match.

Western girls golf makes it four straight victories in SMAA jamborees

September 14, 2011

Alyssa Joseph earned medalist honors on Wednesday at Concord Hills Golf Course and helped Western win its fourth straight Southern Michigan Activities Association jamboree.With two more jamborees and the league’s 18-hole final event still to come, Western has 28 points in the league standings to Onsted’s second-place 22.Joseph’s 48 and Jessica Coleman’s 55 led the Panthers to a team score of 221, 14 strokes ahead of Onsted. Cassandra Belen’s 54 helped Columbia Central to a third-place 238. Cassidy Maule shot a 58 to pace fourth-place Concord.

Short-handed Concord football falls to undefeated Union City on roadSeptember 16, 2011

Union City 41, Concord 12Zach Thompson scored a pair of late touchdowns for Concord, which trailed 27-0 at halftime.Jesse Brigham completed 13 of his 28 pass attempts for 136 yards but had a pair of interceptions. Concord (0-4, 0-3), which dressed 13 players, had five turnovers.“To give a team like that extra possessions, that takes away 10 to 15 extra play opportunities, and you didn’t do anything with that,” Concord coach Joe Williamson said.Despite being out-manned by nearly 20 players, Williamson said his team fared well against an undefeated opponent.“I have to give the kids a lot of credit,” he said. “They didn’t give up against a pretty good team.”

Concord volleyball sweeps Quincy to improve to 2-0 in Big Eight Conference

September 20, 2011•Concord def. Quincy 25-8, 25-15, 25-18 Andrea Brigham and Kacy Hersha had seven kills apiece, and Maycee Brigham and Emily Sahagian each served five aces as Concord moved to 2-0 in the Big Eight Conference.

Concord volleyball drops match to Ann Arbor Skyline

September 22, 2011

Ann Arbor Skyline def. Concord 25-20, 25-22, 25-21 Maycee Brigham led the Yellow Jackets with 11 digs and three aces.

Homer football gets four touchdown passes from Lincoln Hackworth to Ricky

Richardson in win over ConcordSeptember 23, 2011

Homer 35, Concord 20Lincoln Hackworth threw four touchdown passes to Ricky Richardson, including three consecutive first-half scores.Hackworth finished with 203 passing yards on 12-for-21 throwing. Richardson had 179 receiving yards.Brooks Bowser led Homer (3-2, 2-2 Big Eight) with 125 rushing yards, and Hackworth added 70 yards and ran in another.Jesse Brigham opened the scoring with a 1-yard run in the first quarter for Concord (0-5, 0-4).“I was impressed with them,” Homer coach Joe Brya said. “Concord never let up. I was pleased with our guys. We overcame the initial blow but came back and answered well.”Brigham also threw a scoring pass to Drew Philson, who had 115 receiving yards in the game.Matt Thompson had the other score for the Yellow Jackets on a 7-yard run.

Concord volleyball wins County Invitational championship

September 24, 2011During a break in the County Invitational volleyball tournament, Concord High School coach Kathy Lehman spoke to her team about tradition.

Lehman is well-versed in Concord’s storied legacy, which the Yellow Jackets added to Saturday with their record 10th County Invitational championship at Spring Arbor University.

Second-seeded Concord dumped top-seeded Lumen Christi 25-15, 25-19 in the finals. Lumen Christi, trying to tie Concord’s record with a ninth county title, instead saw its title drought extended to 16 years. “We really wanted it,” Concord junior Maycee Brigham said. “After coming close last year (losing in the finals), we wanted to win it this year. It’s one of the tournaments we look forward to.”

It was the fifth county title as a coach for Lehman, who also played on Concord’s first County Invitational and state championship team in 1986.

Although they went unbeaten in three pool play matches, Lehman wasn’t sure the Yellow Jackets were sharp enough to claim the title.“We were a little flat in the morning,” she said. “We talked about tradition, about entering the court with a winning mentality, and against Jackson High (in the semifinals) and Lumen Christi, we did that.”

Maycee Brigham, who along with Andrea Brigham led a balanced Concord attack with six kills apiece in the title match, agreed the Yellow Jackets were at their best in that one. “In pool play we weren’t as good as that,” Brigham said. “We’ve been talking about finishing the day, working all the way through, and we finally did it,” Lehman said. “That’s all that matters is how you’re playing at the end. Just like the season.”

Concord defeated third-seeded Jackson 25-17, 25-21 while Lumen Christi topped No. 6 seed Grass Lake 25-4, 25-18 in the semifinals. Grass Lake knocked off No. 4 seed and defending champion Columbia Central 25-23, 23-25, 15-8 in the quarterfinals. Concord put Lumen Christi on its heels right away by scoring the first four points, two on aces by Maycee Brigham, and stayed in control the rest of the first game. The Yellow Jackets served five aces in that game and four more in the second game. Lumen Christi had one ace in the match and missed five serves to Concord’s one. Back-to-back aces by Julayne Brigham and another by Sydney Martines helped Concord turn a 10-6 deficit into a 14-12 lead in the second game, and Lumen Christi never pulled even. “We’ve worked a lot on being a strong serving team,” Maycee Brigham said. “We’ve gotten better about thinking about where the weakness is on the court,” Lehman said of Concord’s serving.

Kacy Hersha made 34 kills, Andrea Brigham had 30 and Maycee Brigham 27 on the day for Concord, which was the second team in the tournament’s 36-year history to win the title without having a member on the all-tournament team selected by the coaches.

Concord boys cross country wins its 21st consecutive Big Eight jamboree

September 27, 2011

In the first boys Big Eight Conference jamboree, Spencer Nousain led Concord its 21st consecutive jamboree win as he finished first with a time of 16:22. Concord finished with 28 points to easily outdistance runner-up Jonesville.Sam Comden (fourth), Parker Saenz (sixth), Jesse Hersha (eighth) and Jacob Hall (ninth) all finished in the top 10 for Concord.Jonesville was led by Brad Briner, who was third in 17:20, and Kage Johnson, who was 10th in 17:51.

Homer girls cross country ends Concord's 13-jamboree win streak in Big Eight Conference

September 27, 2011

Concord High School girls cross country coach David Jordon thought Homer had a talented team this year.The Trojans showed him Tuesday just how right he was.Homer broke Concord’s 13-jamboree win streak in the Big Eight Conference after placing four runners in the top five to win the first league meet of the season.Amanda Reagle and Jessica Reagle finished first and second, respectively, with times of 20 minutes, 21 seconds and 20:48.Homer scored 33 points to Concord’s 41 as the teams combined for seven of the top nine positions. Bailey Manis (fourth) and Johnica March (fifth) placed in the top five for Homer.“We knew it would be a challenge,” Jordon said. “We knew they would be a tough team and somebody who would contend for the Big Eight this year.”Sydnee Hubbard finished third for the Yellow Jackets, who have won the last three league titles. Courtney Clark (sixth) and Jessica Saldana (ninth) were in the top 10 for Concord.

Concord volleyball stays perfect in Big Eight with sweep against Union City

September 27, 2011

Concord def. Union City 25-14, 25-11, 25-15: Andrea Brigham had 12 kills and Sydney Martines had seven aces and three blocks for Concord (19-6-2, 3-0 Big Eight).

Concord volleyball sweeps rival Hanover-Horton

September 29, 2011

Concord def. Hanover-Horton 25-13, 25-17, 25-11 Andrea Brigham finished with 13 kills and three aces as the Yellow Jackets improved to 20-6-2. Alyssa Fausneaucht had six kills and Katie St. John made 14 digs for the Comets (8-15-4).

Concord football shuts out Jonesville for first victory of season

September 30, 2011

Concord 16, Jonesville 0Concord won its first game of the season despite gaining only 193 yards of total offense.“The kids played with a belief they haven’t had all year,” Concord coach Joe Williamson said. “The first five games, they were waiting to see how good the other team was.”Leading 8-0 in the fourth quarter, Jesse Brigham hooked up with Chevy Burk for a 61-yard touchdown pass when two Jonesville defenders collided with each other on the play.Brigham scored Concord’s first touchdown on a 4-yard run in the second quarter.Concord (1-5, 1-4 Big Eight) got a key stop late in the first half, when Drew Philson prevented a touchdown by stripping the ball from a Jonesville ball carrier as the Comets (1-5, 1-4) were on the 1-yard line.“Defensively, we did a great job of making plays,” Williamson said. “Once they got near the goal line, our kids really toughened up.”

Lumen Christi girls cross country wins Division 3-4 race at Haslett Invitational

October 01, 2011

Lumen Christi put four runners in the top 10 and won the Haslett Invitational Division 3-4 race with 33 points.Mickey Ludlow of Lumen Christi won the race in 19:28, with Stockbridge’s Lindsay Poll second in 19:46.“(Ludlow) ran a smart race,” Lumen Christi coach Mike Woolsey said. “She worked the middle to take the lead the last half of the race.”Caitlin Clark was third and Leanne Leuthard took fifth for Lumen Christi, with Sydnee Hubbard fourth for Concord.Stockbridge was second with 53 points, and Concord took third with 70. 

Concord boys cross country wins Division 3-4 race at Haslett Invitational

October 01, 2011

Concord, ranked No. 1 in Division 4 by MichiganCrossCountry.com, lived up to its ranking by placing first in the eight-team Division 3-4 meet at the Haslett Invitational.Spencer Nousain of Concord was first in 16:07. Rounding out the top five were Stephan Biggs of Addison (16:12), Parker Saenz of Concord (16:55), Kyle Losey of Stockbridge (17:01) and Alec Armstrong of Stockbridge (17:08).Concord, with five of the top eight finishers, scored 25 points. Hemlock was a distant second with 63, while Stockbridge was third with 67 and Lumen Christi fourth with 88.Karl Berkemeier was Lumen Christi’s top finisher, taking ninth in 17:24.In Division 1-2, Northwest finished ninth out of 18 teams. Pat Spitler was the Mounties’ top finisher in 29th in 17:51.

Concord Volleyball wins second straight tournament

October 01, 2011

Hillsdale InvitationalConcord dropped one game in five matches on the way to its second straight tournament title.Concord topped Hillsdale 25-9, 25-11 in the finals after a 25-17, 25-23 victory over Hillsdale Academy in the semifinals.Andrea Brigham had 30 kills and 31 digs, Maycee Brigham had 18 kills, nine aces and 45 digs, and Sydney Martines had 20 kills and 12 aces on her birthday for Concord.“(Martines) had a really good match in the final,” Concord coach Kathy Lehman said.

Western girls golf finishes second in final 18-hole league meet, captures SMAA championship

October 04, 2011

SMAA Tournament: Alyssa Joseph shot 95 at Lakeland Hills Golf Course to lead Western to a second-place finish at the season-ending league tournament. The Panthers earned the league championship by winning five of the six league jamborees throughout the season.Western shot 426 in the final meet, falling 12 strokes short of Onsted’s 414. Concord finished with 454 to take third at the league meet, and Columbia Central was fourth with 479.Joseph was one of only four golfers to break 100 and finished four strokes behind Onsted’s Majerle Slater’s medalist-winning 91. Lauren Sutter shot 97 for Stockbridge.

Concord Volleyball sweeps away Homer, stays on collision course with three-time league champ Athens

October 04, 2011

Concord def. Homer 25-9, 25-11, 25-12: Concord remained on a collision course with three-time defending champion Athens in the Big Eight Conference.The two teams are 4-0 in league matches with two more to play before they meet in the regular-season finale.Kacy Hersha had eight kills and Sydney Martines served six aces for Concord.

Girls Golf RegionalsTeam Scores1. Jackson Lumen Christi 356 2. Hillsdale Academy 384 3. Hanover-Horton 393 4. Napoleon 399 5. East Jackson 418 6. Williamston 422 7. Onsted 422 8. Vandercook Lake 453

9. Concord 467 10. Brooklyn Columbia Central 471 11. Grass Lake 485 12. Addison 536 13. Hudson 561 14. Michigan Center 999

Concord football shut out in loss to Reading, which clinches playoff berth with victory

October 07, 2011

Reading 59, Concord 0Reading jumped out to a 34-0 hafltime lead and clinched a playoff berth by improving to 6-1 overall, 5-1 in the Big Eight Conference.The Rangers held the Yellow Jackets to 112 total yards of offense, with Jesse Brigham accounting for 98 of those yards through the air.Zach Thompson had 16 rushing yards to pace Concord (1-6, 1-5), which was in the red zone twice in the first quarter and failed to score.“To get that close twice and walk away without any points, it takes it out of you,” Concord coach Joe Wiliamson said.

Concord girls cross country fifth at Portage

October 08, 2011

Sydnee Hubbard took 17th in 20:19 to lead Concord to fifth place as the top five ranked teams in Division 4 finished in that order in the Portage Invitational.The Yellow Jackets scored 170 points and finished two points behind fourth-place Saugatuck.“It was a great day for us as a team,” Concord coach David Jordan said. “Our goal was to beat Saugatuck, and we were right there.”

Concord boys cross country lives up to No. 1 ranking with victory in Division 4 at Portage

October 08, 2011

The Portage Invitational cross country meet gathers most of the state’s top teams and lets them know where they stand a month before the state meet.For the Concord High School boys and Lumen Christi and Hanover-Horton girls, the news was good Saturday.Concord’s boys lived up to their No. 1 state ranking by winning the Division 4 race.Spencer Nousain won the Division 4 boys race in 15:52 despite recently battling illness, and teammate Jesse Hersha was ninth in 16:50 to lead Concord to first place with 73 points. Second-ranked Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart was second with 97.“We eased up a little on (Nousain’s) training for the last week and a half, trying to get him feeling better from being sick but also feeling better for the regional and state meets,” Concord coach David Jordon said.Eight of the 10 ranked teams were in the race.“If anything, it increases our confidence going ahead,” Jordon said.

Concord volleyball beats Jonesville to remain tied for Big Eight Conference lead

October 11, 2011

Concord def. Jonesville 25-15, 25-14, 25-9: Kacy Hersha had 12 kills and six blocks as Concord remained tied for the Big Eight Conference lead.The Yellow Jackets (31-7-3, 5-0 Big Eight) trailed 15-11 in the first game before Megan Redman served out the game, including four of her six aces on the night.

Concord boys cross country places four runners in top five to easily win Big Eight jamboree

October 11, 2011

Concord ran away with the race, scoring 23 points, while Quincy was a distant second with 78.Concord’s Spencer Nousain finished first in 16:47, followed by teammates Jacob Hull in third in 17:24, Jesse Hersha fourth in 17:29 and Sam Comden fifth in 17:35.Brad Briner was sixth for Jonesville at 17:41.

Concord Volleyball beats Lenawee Christian

October 13, 2011

Concord def. Lenawee Christian 25-19, 29-27, 25-20

 A hobbled Andrea Brigham led Concord (32-7-3) with 11 kills, and Sydney Martines added nine kills with three aces.Brigham’s status was uncertain because of an ankle injury suffered in the Yellow Jackets’ last match.“Everyone stepped up around Andrea,” Concord coach Kathy Lehman said.

Concord football loses after Athens turns two fumbles into touchdowns in final four minutes

October 14, 2011

Athens 26, Concord 20Concord dropped a tough one by losing two fumbles that led to Athens touchdowns in the final four minutes.The Yellow Jackets led 20-12 and had the ball before Athens stripped it and ran it back to the 10-yard line, leading to a touchdown making it 20-18. Concord stopped the two-point conversion attempt to keep the lead, but the Yellow Jackets fumbled again, and Athens scored the game-winning touchdown on a pass with 30 seconds left.“We had our best defensive backs on it, and they made the play,” Concord coach Joe Williamson said.Trailing 6-0 in the third quarter, Concord drove to the Athens 3 but couldn’t score.From there, Athens recovered its own fumble and took it 97 yards for a touchdown.Concord answered with a 65-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Matt DeHaven and then touchdowns by Tyler Burch and Drew Philson in the fourth quarter to take the 20-12 lead.Philson was Concord’s first 100-yard rusher this season with 13 carries for 100 yards, and he caught seven passes for 55 yards.Both teams are 1-7 overall and finished 1-6 in the Big Eight Conference.

Top-ranked Concord boys cross country wins Div. 3-4 race at Sturgis Invitational

October 15, 2011

Concord topped a five-team field in the Division 3-4 race at the Sturgis Invitational by placing three runners in the top 10. Concord, the state’s No. 1 team in Division 4, scored 41 points to Lumen Christi’s 51 and Hillsdale’s 64.Spencer Nousain of Concord won the race in 16:12, with teammates Jesse Hersha fourth and Jacob Hall seventh. Hillsdale’s Zach Hardway was second, 19 seconds behind Nousain, and Jonesville’s Brad Briner took third. Karl Berkemeier was fifth and Charlie Ludlow sixth for Lumen Christi.

Concord volleyball beats Reading to set up big match with Athens next Tuesday

October 18, 2011

Concord def. Reading 25-17, 25-16, 25-14Concord remained tied with Athens atop the Big Eight Conference. Both teams are 6-0 heading into their match next Tuesday at Concord, with the conference tournament to follow to determine the league champion.Kacy Hersha had nine kills and Andrea Brigham had six for Concord. Emily Sahagian led Concord (33-7-3) with 12 digs, while Maycee Brigham added 11 to go along with four aces. Sydney Martines also served four aces.

Concord boys cross country wins sixth consecutive Big Eight Conference championship

October 18, 2011Concord’s boys won their sixth consecutive championship as senior Spencer Nousain earned the Most Valuable Runner award.Nousain won all four Big Eight jamborees this season.Concord’s boys extended their run of Big Eight jamboree wins to 24 as they won their sixth consecutive conference title. The Yellow Jackets scored 22 points in the final jamboree to easily out-distance runner-up Jonesville with 80.Concord finished the four-jamboree season with 96 points, while Jonesville was second with 308.The last time a Concord runner did not finish first at a Big Eight jamboree was in 2007, Kyle Stacks’ sophomore year. Since then, either Stacks or Nousain has won each meet.Nousain won Tuesday’s meet in 16:16, followed by freshman Jesse Hersha at 16:31. Junior Parker Saenz was fourth in 16:46, and freshman Jacob Hall was sixth in 16:50.Five of Concord’s runners were all-conference, including Sam Comden, who sat out Tuesday’s race.“It’s been an amazing season,” Nousain said. “I’ll be honest, I never thought we were going to be this good, and it’s such a great surprise, especially since this is my last year.”Brad Briner was fifth in 16:48 and Kage Johnson 11th in 17:27 for Jonesville.

Concord volleyball wipes out defending Big Eight champion Athens in three to pave road to league titleOctober 25, 2011If there is going to be any drama in the battle for the Big Eight Conference volleyball championship, it will have to wait until Saturday. There was none to be found Tuesday at Concord High School in a showdown for first place. Concord made sure of that, controlling the match virtually from start to finish in a 25-11, 25-11, 25-21 dismantling of Athens. Concord finished the Big Eight regular season with a 7-0 record, while three-time defending champion Athens went 6-1. The regular season and conference tournament Saturday at Homer each count half toward the final standings. That means Concord, which did not drop a game in winning its seven Big Eight matches, would clinch at least a share of the championship by making it to the tournament finals. That would end a three-year title drought — Concord’s longest since winning the first of its 22 Big Eight titles in 1981. “This was the major goal for the girls from the beginning of the year,” Concord coach Kathy Lehman said. “They didn’t care about districts or anything else. Their goal was to win the Big Eight.” That, of course, is subject to review, and the Yellow Jackets could be expected to reset their sights if they continue to play at the level they are. “It’s a stepping stone,” Concord middle hitter Kacy Hersha said. Hersha was one of three seniors honored before their final home match. “You couldn’t ask for anything better,” Hersha said. “We’ve always lost to Athens, so we just said we’re going to win. We had a pep assembly, and that picked our spirits up. That was everything we needed.” Hersha made seven kills and a team-high three block kills to spearhead Concord’s block that had Athens’ hitters frustrated most of the night. Concord was sharp in every phase of the game, outserving Athens, pounding kills and placing tips with far fewer errors than the Indians. “We passed well,” Lehman said. “If we pass, we can set and hit, and we did a great job of passing.” Andrea Brigham had 12 kills and Maycee Brigham eight as Concord totaled 35 kills to 16 for Athens. “We’ve talked about entering the game with an aggressive attitude and maintaining it,” Lehman said. “We’ve been doing that better and better all season. These girls are aggressive by nature.” The only time Concord trailed in the first two games was 1-0 in the second game. The Yellow Jackets scored the first six points of the match and led the first game 14-2. The second game was more of the same, as Concord took an 8-1 lead and never saw the margin get below six points. Maycee Brigham’s seven-point service run put Concord ahead 20-12 in the third game. Trailing 22-13, Athens made its only charge of the night to pull within 23-21 before missing a serve, and Concord finished it with one more block.

Homer girls cross country wins Division 4 regional, heads to state meet with Concord

October 29, 2011

It was a Big Eight Conference sweep Saturday in the Division 4 cross country regional at Hudson.Concord High School’s top-ranked boys team ran away with the regional title — with the other two state meet berths decided in very close fashion — while Homer took the girls title and Concord was second.Homer’s girls scored 43 points for the regional championship, and Concord scored 60 for a repeat finish of the Big Eight. Pittsford claimed the third state meet spot with 74, beating Addison’s 111.Amanda Reagle finished second in 19:55 to lead Homer. Johnica March, Bailey Manis and Jessica Reagle were fifth, sixth and seventh, and Alexis Mestdagh was 26th.Sydnee Hubbard took third place and Jessica Saldana was 12th to lead Concord.Hannah Poling of Addison placed 10th to advance to the state meet.

Concord boys cross country easily wins Division 4 regional; Albion advances to state meet in close finish

October 29, 2011

It was a Big Eight Conference sweep Saturday in the Division 4 cross country regional at Hudson.Concord High School’s top-ranked boys team ran away with the regional title — with the other two state meet berths decided in very close fashion — while Homer took the girls title and Concord was second.Concord put five runners in the top 10 to score 33 points. Jacob Hall was third in 16:44, and Jesse Hersha was sixth in 16:51 and was followed in quick succession by teammates Parker Saenz, Sam Comden and Mason Nousain in eighth, ninth and 10th.In the race for the other two spots in next Saturday’s state meet at Michigan International Speedway, Hudson scored 124 and Albion had 125, nipping Pittsford’s 128, Reading’s 131 and Hillsdale Academy’s 134.Bryan Peoples led Albion with a fourth-place finish in 16:46, and Zach Hudson took 15th.Stephan Biggs of Addison won the race by 31 seconds in 16:10 to qualify for the state meet.

Concord volleyball clinches outright Big Eight title by winning league tournament

October 29, 2011

Concord won all four of its matches to win the tournament and wrap up the outright conference championship. Concord defeated Athens 25-19, 25-11 in the finals of the double-elimination tournament. Athens would have had to beat the Yellow Jackets twice to win the tournament and get a share of the conference title. Andrea Brigham and Kacy Hersha belted 24 kills apiece for Concord, and Hersha made 21 blocks. Emily Sahagian served six aces, and Maggie Beilfuss made 44 digs.

Spencer Nousain repeats as Jensen Memorial cross country winner

October 31, 2011

No records fell this year, but it would be hard to argue the frontrunners weren’t trying.Hanover-Horton High School’s Lindsey Burdette and Concord’s Spencer Nousain, both seniors, ran the J. Chris Jensen Memorial meet as if they were gunning for new marks Monday at Ella Sharp Park.Burdette won the girls race in 18 minutes, 5.1 seconds, missing last year’s record-breaking performance by 2.8 seconds, and Nousain blistered the course in 16:05.7.Burdette won her fourth consecutive Division 3 regional title on the same course Saturday and continued a trend of three-peat Jensen winners, following Western’s Meggan Hubbard and Jackson’s Kristina Olsen. She did not mention last year’s time but acknowledged she was out to run hard.“Usually, a lot of people will take it kind of easy because it’s so close to states, but I look at it as it is five more days before states, and don’t let up,” Burdette said.Nousain, who sat out Saturday’s Division 4 regional meet, was ahead by nearly 150 meters at the one-mile mark and looked like he had not missed a step as he repeated as the meet champion.“It’s a good feeling,” Nousain said. “It’s nice to finally say I’m a senior, because I’ve been waiting for a long time for this moment and to get ready for college.”

Hanover-Horton and Concord set for district volleyball showdown

November 2, 2011Perennial Jackson-area high school volleyball powers Concord and Hanover-Horton will meet at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Vandercook Lake to play for the Class C district title after each team breezed through semifinal matches in three games on Wednesday. The Comets (15-29-4) beat Vandercook Lake 25-13, 25-12, 25-17, while the Yellow Jackets (41-8-3) stopped Michigan Center 25-8, 25-13, 25-11.Andrea Brigham had 12 kills and three blocks for Concord, while Megan Redman finished with 12 digs.“They played real solid,” Concord coach Kathy Lehman said of the Yellow Jackets.Kayla Stull made five digs for Michigan Center. Alyssa Fausneaucht led Hanover-Horton with 10 kills. Somer Sheehan made 16 digs for Vandercook Lake (8-34-1).Hanover-Horton has won 13 consecutive district titles dating back to 1999, despite being in the midst of its third straight sub-.500 season.Meanwhile, Concord is seeking its first district crown since its string of eight consecutive titles was snapped in 2008. The Yellow Jackets’ 41 victories are the most they have had since their 47-win campaign in 2005.Concord swept Hanover-Horton 25-13, 25-17, 25-11 in the teams’ only meeting this season.“It’s going to be a tough match for us, but I think we’re ready for it,” Hanover-Horton coach Kim Travis said.

TEAM!

Concord volleyball wins Class C district championshipNovember 5, 2011It all started with the serve for the Concord High School volleyball team Saturday. For Hanover-Horton, it seemed like the barrage never ended.Concord used a strong serve to set up the rest of its extremely sharp game and rolled over Hanover-Horton 25-10, 25-11, 25-13 for the Class C district championship at Vandercook Lake.With its first district championship since 2007, Concord takes a 42-8-3 record to the regional at Springport, where it faces Pewamo-Westphalia on Tuesday.Hanover-Horton saw its streak of district championships end at 13. It was the longest active streak in Class C and was topped by just two other teams, Fraser in Class A and Marysville in Class B. Hanover-Horton had upset Concord in last year’s district final.“After losing to Hanover-Horton last year, we wanted to redeem ourselves,” Concord’s Emily Sahagian said. “Last year, we had a good season, but we had a young team, and we thought (the postseason) was going to be easier than it turned out to be. This year, we were mentally prepared and ready to win.”Concord is on a roll down the stretch, losing just one match in the last month while rolling to the Big Eight Conference championship.“They felt like they had a letdown at the end last year,” Concord coach Kathy Lehman said. “They focused on that. They did not want to have that.”The Yellow Jackets were deadly from the service line, especially in the first game, when they served eight aces. “We work on serving aggressive (and) smart,” Lehman said. “As the season has progressed, we’ve gotten better and better at that.” Concord finished with 12 aces to one for Hanover-Horton. Even when the Yellow Jackets didn’t notch an ace, their serves often left Hanover-Horton with poor returns. “If you get a good serve and get them out of system, it’s exciting to get a free ball and put it down,” Sahagian said. “The first couple, you want to get them in, then you try to get in the ace serves.” Concord also did not miss a serve until it was inconsequential at 21-8 in the third game. “If we don’t miss serves, it’s usually going to be a good game for us,” Sahagian said. Unlike some coaches, Lehman does not direct her players how or where to serve when they take the ball. “They know the game and the players better than I do,” she said. “They learn in practice, and they can go after it in the game.”Andrea Brigham had nine kills and five blocks, and Kacy Hersha had eight kills and seven blocks for Concord, which got 13 points off blocks.“We’ve been working on that (blocking), because we know it’s going to be very important from this point,” Lehman said. “The teams that are ahead all have big hitters.”Sahagian served three aces in an eight-point run that put Concord ahead 9-3 in the first game, and Sydney Martines had two aces in a six-point run that made it 21-10.Concord ran off 13 points on Maycee Brigham’s serve for a 16-4 lead in the second game. The Yellow Jackets took control in the third game on Julayne Brigham’s six-point service run that made it 15-4.Alyssa Fausneaucht had five kills and three blocks for Hanover-Horton (15-30-4).

Concord boys cross country wins Division 4 state championship, with Spencer Nousain finishing first

November 05, 2011

The Concord High School boys cross country team was back to old form in the Division 4 state meet Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.Senior Spencer Nousain won the individual state title as the Yellow Jackets had four all-state runners and won their second state championship in three years.Concord scored 64 points, followed by Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart with 99 and North Muskegon with 131. That is the same order they were rated at the top of the final rankings by Michigancrosscountry.com. Nousain, who finished second the last two years, was well ahead of the pack during the first two miles. When the competition began to close in, he pulled away for the win on the back stretch of the speedway. His time, 15 minutes, 55.8 seconds, was his third-best in the state meet — all within four seconds of one another. Nousain was glowing after receiving his state-champion medal. “It was a good race,” Nousain said. “It was a lot of fun, and I worked harder than I ever have here.”Teammates Jacob Hall, Jesse Hersha and Parker Saenz were bunched together in 17th, 19th and 20th, and Mason Nousain took 37th. Hall and Hersha are freshmen, and Saenz is a junior. Nousain was the lone repeat all-stater on the team.Concord will lose Nousain but will bring back all of its other runners from Saturday. That bodes well for a run at back-to-back state titles.“We know we’ll have to put in the work to get back here,” Saenz said. “We know it can’t be handed to us on a plate. We’ll have to earn it.”

Girls Place 5th at State Meet

In the Division 4 race, Concord exacted some revenge as it finished fifth, one place ahead of Big Eight champion Homer.Junior Sydnee Hubbard finished 31st, one place out of all-state, but led the Yellow Jackets past the team that ended their streak of conference titles. Senior Courtney Clark, who was 39th, was pleased with Concord’s finish.“We’re happy,” Clark said. “We wanted to finish in the top five, and that’s right where we were.”“Coach (David Jordon) promised us ice cream if we got in the top five,” Hubbard jokingly interjected.

Division 4 State Champions!

Concord volleyball turns momentum at crucial point of Class C regional semifinal victory over Pewamo-Westphalia

November 9thThe Concord High School volleyball team might have grown up a little bit Tuesday night. The reward is that the Yellow Jackets get to keep playing. Concord turned the momentum in its favor at a crucial part of the match and secured a 25-22, 25-11, 21-25, 25-20 victory over Pewamo-Westphalia in a Class C regional semifinal match at Springport. Concord will return to Springport on Thursday for the regional championship match against Bronson, which sidelined Leslie 25-17, 25-14, 25-19 in the other semifinal.After coming out blazing in the first two games, Concord lost the third and fell behind 6-1 in the fourth. During a timeout, coach Kathy Lehman nudged the Yellow Jackets, whose seven letterwinners include the entire starting lineup.“I told them they were playing young,” Lehman said. “They were playing scared, playing not to lose. I told them they did the same thing last year against Hanover-Horton (in a district tournament loss), and that’s not what you want to do any more. Play like you’re a year older.” Concord began battling its way back into the game, took the lead at 16-15 and never gave it up. With the score 20-19, the Yellow Jackets executed to perfection on four consecutive plays for two kills apiece by Sydney Martines and Maycee Brigham for a 24-19 lead. Pewamo-Westphalia stayed alive with a kill before the match ended on a missed serve. Serving was again a key for Concord, which had 15 aces to the Pirates’ five.Concord concentrated its defense on blocking, and it paid off early. The Yellow Jackets finished with 16 blocks, seven of them by Kacy Hersha.But Pewamo-Westphalia began finding its way around the block in the third game, scoring as many points on tips as attacks (six) that game. “They started tipping,” Lehman said. “Our girls don’t like it when they’re tipped at. They like the power game. They took us out of our game a little bit.” Concord roared to a 15-3 lead in the first game, keyed by an eight-point run with two aces by Maycee Brigham. Pewamo-Westphalia tied it 18-18 but never took the lead. That game also ended on a missed serve.Andrea Brigham had the big service run in the second game with three aces as Concord scored nine straight to lead 15-6, and this time the Pirates did not answer. Hersha had 14 kills, Andrea Brigham 11 and Maycee Brigham 10 for Concord. Megan Redman made 14 digs.Concord (43-8-3) and fourth-ranked Bronson (43-8-1) met once this season, Bronson winning 25-23, 25-17 in the finals of the Bronson Invitational.

Concord volleyball takes fourth-ranked Bronson to five games before losing Class C regional final

November 10th After two hours of an intense, closely contested match, there was virtually nothing to separate the Concord and Bronson high school volleyball teams. And the winners knew it.“It could have gone either way,” Bronson coach Jean LaClair said Thursday after her team outlasted Concord 13-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-20, 15-11 for the Class C regional championship at Springport. “The teams are evenly matched in every aspect of the game.” How evenly matched? The outcome was decided by a fifth game that was tied at every point but one all the way to 11-11 before Bronson scored the final four. How evenly matched? There were 11 straight sideouts to start the second game, and the third game also featured a stretch of 11 sideouts in a row.“I told them to walk out with their heads held high, because they battled the whole time,” Concord coach Kathy Lehman said. “Bronson is a very successful team, and we went five games with them and had our chances to win. “We have a bunch of competitors who don’t like to lose. They fought all the way through.”Concord finished 43-9-3 with Big Eight Conference, County Invitational and district championships. The Yellow Jackets escaped the state rankings all season but showed they belong with the state’s best by taking fourth-ranked Bronson (44-8-1) to the wire. “I’m proud of every single one of us,” Concord senior Kacy Hersha said. “We grew so much as a team. We played so hard.” The match was largely one of Concord’s balanced offensive attack against Bronson’s go-to hitter Brooke Pyles. Pyles, a second-team all-state pick last year, collected 30 kills to match Concord’s trio of Andrea Brigham (12 kills), Hersha (10) and Maycee Brigham (nine).“She’s a very smart hitter,” Lehman said. “She hits with power, but then she looks and sees openings. She killed us with the tip to the left corner.” The Yellow Jackets said Pyles’ attacks were different than what they are accustomed to seeing. “She could hit it over the block and then have it drop where we couldn’t pick it up,” Hersha said. Pyles put on a show in the third game to account for 11 points, but Concord still pulled out that game to take a 2-1 lead. Trailing much of the game, Concord scored six straight points — including two blocks for points sandwiched around a kill, all by Hersha — to go ahead 20-16. Concord led 24-22 before a kill by Pyles and an ace tied it. Hersha then landed a kill down the line, and Bronson had a hit go long for Concord’s winning point. There was no momentum into the fourth game, though, as Bronson led all the way and built the lead as high as 22-13. “I wanted to get some momentum going into the fifth game, and all of a sudden we made a game out of it,” Lehman said of her team’s rally to pull within 22-20 before Bronson scored three straight to force a fifth game. Concord’s last lead in that one was 11-10. Bronson tied it on a Concord error, sending Pyles back to serve, and the Vikings won it even with their star hitter in the back row.Maycee Brigham had 21 digs, three aces and five blocks for Concord. She was one of nine juniors on a team that graduates just three, one of whom made a prediction.“They’ll be back next year,” Hersha said.

Girls XC All-Citizen Patriot Team

THIRD TEAMSydnee Hubbard, Concord, JuniorMissed all-state honors by one place by taking 31st at the Division 4 state finals in 20:08 after finishing third at the Hudson regional (19:35).

Honorable mentionCourtney Clark, Concord senior

Spencer Nousain of Concord High School named Citizen Patriot cross country Runner of the Year for 2011

After two years as the runner-up at the Division 4 boys cross country state finals, Concord High School senior Spencer Nousain broke through to the top spot this season.He also won every other race he entered this season with one exception. That was the Spartan Invitational, in which he raced in the top division against runners from much larger schools than Concord. His winning time at the state meet, 15 minutes, 55.8 seconds, was the best in the area at Michigan International Speedway that day, and helped him earn the Citizen Patriot Runner of the Year award. He continues area dominance in boys cross country by Concord High School as former teammate Kyle Stacks won back-to-back honors in 2008 and 2009. His time at the state meet was the 28th fastest time across all four divisions.With Nousain out front, Concord won its second team state title in three years. “It was a great season,” Nousain said. “It was nice to go out on top. I look back and think, ‘Wow, I couldn’t have asked for more.’ ”In his final season, he earned Big Eight Most Valuable Player honors as he swept all four league jamborees. In races against area runners, Nousain was hardly challenged. After the J. Chris Jensen Memorial, Hanover-Horton junior Bryce Stroede, the area’s second-best runner, complimented the winner and runner who beat him by 35 seconds. “He’s at a different level,” Stroede said. “It’s crazy to watch him out there.”Nousain, who is also a key part of the Yellow Jackets’ relay teams in track, is undecided on where he will run in college or what he intends to study.

Spencer Nousain

All-Citizen Patriot XC TeamSECOND TEAMJacob Hall, Concord, FreshmanStrong finish to the season allowed him to take 17th in the Division 4 state finals in 16:40, third in the regional (16:44) and sixth in the final Big Eight jamboree (16:50).Jesse Hersha, Concord, FreshmanPart of the Yellow Jackets’ pack took 19th in the Division 4 state finals in 16:40, sixth in the Hudson regional (16:51) and second in the final Big Eight jamboree (16:31).Parker Saenz, Concord, JuniorHelped lead a group of young Yellow Jacket runners and finished 20th in the Division 4 state finals in 16:41 after taking eighth in the Hudson regional (16:59).

Special mentionSam Comden, Concord, Junior, Ninth in D-4 regional (17:29), 40th in state finals (17:14).

Mason Nousain, Concord, Sophomore, 10th in D-4 regional (17:33), 37th in state finals (17:11)

Honorable mentionTyler Neu, Concord junior

Concord junior Andrea Brigham earns Citizen Patriot Volleyball Player of the Year honor for 2011

As a sophomore, Andrea Brigham was a solid player at the net for a good Concord High School volleyball team. As a junior, her improved defense made her a more valuable member of an outstanding team. Brigham’s role in her team’s success this fall has earned her the Citizen Patriot’s Player of the Year honor for 2011.Brigham is an athletic 5-foot-9 outside hitter who led a balanced offensive attack and helped Concord win the Big Eight Conference, County Invitational and Class C district championships this fall. The Yellow Jackets finished 43-9-3 after being eliminated by Bronson in a five-game regional final match. “The Big Eight was our No. 1 goal, and we had our heads high at the end of the regional,” Brigham said. “It could have gone either way.”Concord achieved its most victories since 2005 and earned its first Big Eight title since 2007 with a team that was especially close, Brigham said. “We’re good friends in school and on the court,” she said. “We had a great season, and it was a lot of fun.” Adding to the fun for Brigham is the fact that she is one of three first cousins on the team. But volleyball isn’t necessarily the topic of conversation or the game of choice for her, Maycee Brigham and Julayne Brigham at family gatherings. All three are also on the basketball team — Andrea was all-area in basketball last year as the leading scorer for the Big Eight co-champs — and Maycee and Julayne are also on the softball team.Concord reigns as the Big Eight champion in all three sports. “I love my cousins,” Andrea Brigham said. “Maycee has a barn with a basketball court, and we go in there and play basketball.” Brigham, an honor roll student who says volleyball is her favorite sport, took a fast track from honorable mention all-Big Eight last year to the league’s MVP this season, when she made 371 kills and 500 digs.“I gained confidence throughout the season thanks to my coach (Kathy Lehman), and she worked on me to become a better defensive player,” Brigham said. “Andrea is aggressive at the net and can mix up her hitting by throwing in a tip or roll here and there,” Lehman said. “Her defense has improved dramatically, and that’s developed her into a very strong all-around player.”

Andrea Brigham

Jackson-area high school volleyball all-area team for 2011

PLAYER OF THE YEARAndrea BrighamConcord junior

DREAM TEAMMaycee BrighamConcord juniorBrigham was solid in every aspect of the game. She made 265 kills, served at 94 percent with 86 aces and made a team-high 548 digs. She was all-Big Eight and all-region for a 43-9-3 team.Kathy LehmanConcord coachConcord went 43-9-3 and captured Big Eight, County and Class C district titles. In eight seasons, Lehman has won six district, two regional, five conference and five county championships.

SECOND TEAMKacy Hersha, Concord, SeniorHersha was all-conference and all-region as a premier blocker for the Big Eight and district champs. She put up 179 blocks and made 292 kills.

THIRD TEAMJulayne Brigham, Concord, JuniorBrigham was the setter for the Big Eight, County Invitational and Class C district champs. She made 1,031 assists plus 323 digs, 70 kills and 65 blocks.

Information courtesy of MiLive!

Pictures courtesy of MiLive, JTV, and Kilbourn Snow