http://www.glcc.edu RSS feeds for Great Lakes Christian College 60 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/231/OFL-2013-Preview.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=204&ModuleID=717&ArticleID=231 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=231&PortalID=0&TabID=204 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/231/OFL-2013-Preview.aspx Yep... It's that time of year again. Time to lace 'em up, head out to The Rock, and compete in the ultimate althletics challenge of Great Lakes Christian College... OFL. Four teams will compete, but there's only room for one champion on this campus! (It's a small school...) Green Team come in captained once again by Mike Vickers, who has quarterbacked them to two consecutive league crowns. Some familiar faces, including first overall pick Landon Koch and flashy speed-back James Keys, coupled with fresh talent in Danny Buegar make this team an early favourite to three-peat. Black Team, headed up be Matt Barnum, will showcase a high-powered offence led by quarterback Joey Whittaker. He'll have plenty of options, with Allen Lippert, DeAngelo Brown and Donneal Jones creating a nightmare for opposing secondaries. Red Team will bring it's fair share of talent to the league table this season; as captain Brandon Smith has assembled a large cast of talented athletes. Can Josiah Leblanc, Ryan Steere, Isaac Magley and Danny Holland lead this team to glory? The all-new Blue Team, captained by Jon Vallejo, has a host of talent; and quarterback Adam Burton will have a pair of big-time targets to give the ball to in Jimbo Harvey and Luke Folkerts. The first games are Tuesday afternoon; Green v. Black - 4:30 p.m. Red v. Blue - 5:30 p.m. Check back soon for game summaries and results!   Colton Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:53:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:231 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/230/2012-3-Crusaders-Take-Final-Bow-In-Regionals.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=204&ModuleID=717&ArticleID=230 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=230&PortalID=0&TabID=204 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/230/2012-3-Crusaders-Take-Final-Bow-In-Regionals.aspx   As the clock ran down against Maranatha on Thursday in the quarterfinal of the NCCAA D-II Midwest Regional tournament, the Crusaders may have played the best three minutes of basketball that they played all season. Unfortunately, in the words of George Brown, they probably needed four. The Lakes fell short, 84-80, after rallying from a 15-point deficit with only three minutes remaining. This defeat means that GLCC are eliminated from the tournament (won by #1 seed Northland on Saturday), and that their season is over. Kyle Downing led the team with 23 points, while Devlin Jefferson and Maurice Jordan contributed 19 and 15 respectively. Jordan also led the team in rebounds with ten, and Troy Aubrey had an outstanding 13 assists, the highest for any Crusader this season. "It's disappointing," said head coach John Piercefield, "we wanted to win at least one game at regionals this year." Then he added with a smile, "at least there's always next year." This season wasn't an easy one, as the team didn't win a game in the fall semester. Following the break, however, an influx of new talent and a rejuvenation of spirit saw the Crusaders win some impressive games against IU-Northwest, Valley Forge, and conference foe Moody Bible Institute to earn themselves the #5 seed in the conference. Great Lakes will host the 2014 regional tournament at the Doty Center in a year's time. The basketball season will pick up again this October; you can find the schedule here at glcc.edu as soon as it becomes available.         Author's Postscript: I want to thank everyone who helped me write the blog for soccer and basketball this season;   Thanks to Robyn Orme for her oversight and all of her help and encouragement.   Thanks to Lloyd Shearer for getting the ball rolling on this project and helping me to realise my dream of being a sportswriter.   Thanks to Coach Piercefield for always making himself available for me all season and really supporting this project all the way.   Thanks to all the players for letting me pester (interview) them after each victory and defeat, and for providing me with great material, on and off the playing field, to write about each week.   Thanks to you, the reader. Thanks for hanging in there with us throughout the year and supporting the Crusaders through the entire season! You guys are the best!   Finally, all praise, thanks, and glory be to Jesus, who did what He did so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.   Keep checking back often for OFL updates, beginning today, and for offseason updates and news!   Thanks again for everything, The Author   Colton Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:34:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:230 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/227/Crusaders-Rout-Moody-In-Regular-Season-Finale.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=204&ModuleID=717&ArticleID=227 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=227&PortalID=0&TabID=204 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/227/Crusaders-Rout-Moody-In-Regular-Season-Finale.aspx 0-22 suddenly seems so far away... After a terrible start to the season, these Crusaders look like they could beat anybody in their conference after a 78-53 drubbing of Moody Bible Institute on Saturday night; their third win in as many weeks. It was also their first road win of the season, as well as their first conference win (after the November victory over Lincoln was rescinded due to an eligibility issue). The Lakes fell behind early, 23-11, but went on a 12-2 run to close the half down by only a pair, 23-25. The second half; sheer domination. 'This was a great team win', said Nathan Shelton after the game, 'Even after (not playing well) in the first half, we were only down by two, and we just got out and played as a team in the second half. It was a steamroll.' Moody temporarily increased their lead to seven early on, but the Crusaders came charging back, putting up 55 points in the second half in an absolutely dominant performance. 'We played a complete game,' said Luke Folkerts, 'We had our ups and downs, but we overcame our slumps. Late in the second half, we took care of what we came to do and finished the game.' Kyle Downing and Maurice Jordan both led the team with 16 points, while Devlin Jefferson also put in 14. Jordan and Troy Aubrey both had seven rebounds. The Crusaders shot 6/12 from beyond the arc and 48% overall. This win propels the Crusaders into the conference tournament, where they have been named the number five seed, and will play #4 Maranatha Baptist at Grace College in Grand Rapids at 4:00 on Thursday. The winner will move on to the conference semi-final against #1 Northland International on Friday. Colton Sun, 17 Feb 2013 01:08:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:227 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/225/Great-Lakes-Struggle-In-Back-To-Back-Blowouts.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=204&ModuleID=717&ArticleID=225 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=225&PortalID=0&TabID=204 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/225/Great-Lakes-Struggle-In-Back-To-Back-Blowouts.aspx This wasn't an easy week to be a Crusader basketball player, as the Lakes fell hard both to Rochester, 96-65 on Wednesday, and Robert Morris-Springfield, 88-66 on Friday night. The team continued to miss key players due to injury, including Troy Aubrey on Wednesday and Kyle Downing on Thursday. Great Lakes will have one more chance to redeem themselves before regionals; against Moody on Saturday.  Colton Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:36:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:225 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/222/Crusaders-Get-Blown-Out-By-Andrews.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=204&ModuleID=717&ArticleID=222 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=222&PortalID=0&TabID=204 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/222/Crusaders-Get-Blown-Out-By-Andrews.aspx The Crusaders obviously had not recovered from their loss to Grace the previous night when they played went to Andrews on Wednesday, suffering a 55-87 blowout. The team, still missing key contributors Tyler Piercefield and Michael Vickers, looked lathargic and sluggish from the start, and never really had a chance in this one. Donneal Jones, with 15 points, may have been the only bright spot. The good news for the Lakes is that they will get a week's worth of rest before heading out to take on Rochester on the 13th. Colton Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:52:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:222 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/221/Great-Lakes-Come-Up-Short-Against-Grace.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=204&ModuleID=717&ArticleID=221 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=221&PortalID=0&TabID=204 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/221/Great-Lakes-Come-Up-Short-Against-Grace.aspx Both Crusader teams fell just short against Grace on Tuesday; the girls by the score of 52-64, the guys, 67-72. The Lady Crusaders fell behind early, but recovered to recapture the lead by halftime, 28-26. Unfortunately, they could not hold on to it in the second half. Grace grabbed the lead back as the second half started and never looked back, cruising to a 64-52 win. Caiti Piercefield led the Lakes with 16 on her Senior Night. No one took an early advantage in the guys game, the lead went back and forth throughout the first half ended with Grace holding a narrow 31-28 advantage. Grace got the lead up to nine with ten minutes to go before the Crusaders began a comeback; with four minutes to go, DeAngelo Brown nailed a bucket that tied the game at 59. Unfortunately, the success was short-lived, as Grace began to pull away again. The Crusaders fought back strongly, but some missed free throws and a pair of untimely turnovers saw Grace ahead at the final buzzer, 67-72. Maurice Jordan and Kyle Downing both led the team with 16 points, Jordan also had nine rebounds. The team shot a frustrating 4-20 from beyond the arc and a pedestrian 15-24 from the stripe. The Crusader men next take on Andrews on Wednesday night in Berrian Springs, starting a five-game road trip before regionals.  Colton Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:49:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:221 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/220/Crusaders-To-Take-On-Grace-In-Home-Finale.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=204&ModuleID=717&ArticleID=220 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=220&PortalID=0&TabID=204 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/220/Crusaders-To-Take-On-Grace-In-Home-Finale.aspx Some have called it 'amazing', others even 'irresistible'. Around here, however, there is only one word for Grace. Rival. It's been a busy week in sports, and it's finest moment is only just about to begin. El Clasico, Super Bowl, step aside. Okay, that's a stretch. It may not exactly be Duke-UNC, however, this is the biggest game of the year for the Crusaders. The men's team that started the season 0-22 (yes, 0-22) has since won two of their last three, slaying the relative 'giants' of Indiana University-Northwest and Valley Forge Christian College. The women's team knocked off Kuyper last week, giving them their first win of the season. "We're ready to beat anybody!", says assistant coach Carmichael Gully, "They're meticulous, they're fundamentally sound, and they're physical. That's going to be hard for us mentally. But can we beat them? Yeah!" "We're ready," says men's leading scorer Kyle Downing, "I think when they come to our house and we have a big enough crowd, I think we can do it." "We're going to treat them like another team," says Mike Vickers, "Grace is a rivalry game but we treat every game like it's another team but also like it's a championship game; like this is the last game we need to win for our crowd. Our crowd has been here, cheering us on and we want to bring wins to them." Oh, and did we mention that this is against Grace? Or that it's senior day for Tyler and Caiti Piercefield? Or that the game has been declared a blackout and all student attendees are strongly encouraged to wear everything black? Unlike the Super Bowl, however, the lights should remain on. Or that it's against Grace? Oh, wait, we mentioned that... Tuesday. 5:00 and 7:00. Doty Center. Be there. Colton Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:11:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:220 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/219/Crusaders-Stun-2-Valley-Forge.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=204&ModuleID=717&ArticleID=219 http://www.glcc.edu/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=219&PortalID=0&TabID=204 http://www.glcc.edu/Athletics/AthleticsNews/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/219/Crusaders-Stun-2-Valley-Forge.aspx The Crusaders continue to do their best Cinderella impression, pulling off a 78-75 upset of NCCAA Division II #2 Valley Forge Christian College. "This is our Kansas!" said Mike Vickers after the game, "We are finally trusting each other, and wanting a change from what we used to do." The two teams were well matched from the start, with no team able to build a lead of more than six points in the game. Great Lakes led 42-37 at the break. The lead continued to change hands until the very end, when Kyle Downing nailed three free throws in one trip to give the Crusaders a lead they would not relinquish with 1:03 to go. Downing led the Crusaders with 25 points and eight rebounds. "I was proud of the guys and the way they held themselves together." said head coach John Piercefield, "everything counts, everything you do in a tight game like this." "The team is a good team," said Troy Aubrey, "We got up for this game. This game was a game to show us what kind of team we are, and when we play like this and win over a good team it means a lot, it gives us confidence going into the next game against Grace." The final home game of the season features the Crusaders taking on rival Grace College at 7:00 p.m. at the Doty Center. Stats for the game as recorded by Valley Forge Christian College Colton Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:03:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:219