January:
‘Despite their record, Brandon varsity coed swimming coach Todd Duncan said the team is progressing ahead of schedule.
The host Blackhawks fought a competitive match, but wound up on the short end of a 103-82 contest against Flint Metro League rival Fenton. The loss dropped Brandon’s league record to 1-2.
Nonetheless, Duncan said the Blackhawk program, in its first year as a varsity sport, is moving along quite well.
‘In the end, what Kirk Elsworth wanted was a chance to play running back at the next level.
With that in mind, the Goodrich senior, who set a Genesee County record for most rushing yards in a season and set a state record for touchdowns in a season, has verbally accepted a scholarship offer to play college football at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, a Division I school that plays in the Mid-American Conference.
‘I chose them because it seemed like a nice campus, and I had a good feel about there when I visited,? he said. ‘They wanted me at running back, which is what I wanted.?

February:
‘Brandon’s hockey program has climbed to the top of the Flint Metro League.
The Blackhawks clinched at least a share of the league championship with a 5-1 win Feb. 4 against Lapeer West at the Polar Palace in Lapeer. One more win in its last three games will give the Blackhawks their first outright league title in school history. Brandon is currently 7-0 in league play.
‘Mark Weber is just starting out his Goodrich wrestling career, while Garrett Higdon and Jason Fischer hope to make one last stand.
However, all three have set a standard of excellence for the Goodrich wrestling team this season, and they continued that trend in district competition Feb. 19.
Weber (103), a freshman, and seniors Higdon (112) and Fischer (119) ? won their weight classes at the meet, moving on to individual regional action Feb. 26.

March:
‘Goodrich freshman Mark Weber provided a glimpse of things to come in his opening round match at the state indvidual wrestling finals Mar. 10.
Before the coaches from both teams had a chance to get comfortable, Weber, competing in the Division 3 103-lb. bracket, pinned Roscommon’s Justin Bragg in 26 seconds.
Weber used that momentum to capture the Division 3 103-lb. state championship Mar. 12 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, defeating Chesaning’s Chad Reiber by an 11-2 decision to capture the crown.
‘Prior to their Mar. 9 Division 3 state quarterfinal showdown at the Troy Sports Center, Brandon and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s had never faced each other in hockey.
The Blackhawks can be excused if they have less than fond memories of the Eaglets. St. Mary’s totally dominated on both ends of the ice on their way to a 10-0 rout of Brandon.
The game was stopped with 11:33 left in the third period due to the mercy rule.

April:
‘During his 14 years at the helm of the Brandon varsity baseball program, Coach Ron Wagner has seen plenty of quality players represent the Blackhawks.
So, when he said this year’s Brandon team has ‘the best talent this program has ever had,? those words carry some weight.
Brandon is seeking improvement from a 2004 campaign when they went 19-15 (.559) before losing to eventual district champion Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in district action.
‘Goodrich’s softball team followed up a successful showing at the Hudson Tournament with a sweep of a league foe.
The host Martians defeated Genesee in both ends of an April 18 doubleheader, winning 10-0 in the opener and 16-1 in the nightcap. Only the first game counted in the league standings.

May:
‘The championship tradition continues for the Goodrich baseball team.
In the first game of a May 16 doubleheader against visiting LakeVille, the Martians defeated the Falcons 9-3 to clinch their fourth straight Genesee Area Conference Red Division championship, and ninth in the last 10 years.
Of their nine titles, this is the first Goodrich team to go undefeated in the league.
‘Brandon’s girls golf team made history in their May 9 matchup against Clawson.
The Blackhawks shot a school record in defeating visiting Clawson 186-279 in a match at Goodrich Country Club. Brandon is now 7-3 overall.
Laura Kwiatkowski shot a 42 to lead the Goodrich efforts, while two other Blackhawks shot under 50: Becca Scherer (44) and Casey Nesterowich (49).

June:
‘The second time around wasn’t quite as surprising, yet was just as rewarding for the Goodrich girls track team.
The Martians won their second straight Division 3 state championship in the state meet at Comstock Park June 4. They more than doubled the point total of their nearest opponent, finishing with 93 points to 44 for second-place Albion. Detroit Crockett was third with 31.
The score was far more lopsided than last year’s Division 3 meet, where the Martians edged Lansing Catholic Central 47-45 for the state crown.
‘In an evenly fought matchup, it was one mishap that put an end to the Brandon varsity softball team’s season.
Livonia Ladywood scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth inning to claim a 1-0 victory in a Division 2 regional final matchup June 13 at Birmingham Seaholm.
Ladywood (19-15-1) advanced to the state quarterfinals June 14, while Brandon wrapped up its regular season with a record of 31-10-1.

July:
‘Keith Blakely will have the opportunity to golf among the best of the best later this month.
Blakely, 47, a Groveland Township resident and a 12-year member of Atlas Valley Country Club in Atlas Township, is scheduled to participate in the Buick Open Pro-Am Golf Outing Wednesday, July 27 (the day before the actual Buick Open starts) at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc.
‘Considering they’re relative newcomers to the decathlon and heptathlon, Jeff Decator and Michelle Elliott, respectively, have done well for themselves.
The two recently graduated Goodrich High School students will be competing in the National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships July 26-31 at Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium in Indianapolis.
They both took first place in their respective events at the USA Track & Field regional meet July 7-8 at Eastern Kentucky University, with Decator tallying 5,856 points and Elliott 3,621 points.

August :
‘Brandon varsity football coach Ron Gill is hoping the 2005 campaign will go as well as the team’s offseason program.
Gill, in his third year as the Blackhawks? head man, leads a team that returns between 15-20 seniors, including about 10 starters, from a team that went 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the Flint Metro League last season.
‘While they still have work to do before their season opener, Goodrich varsity football coach Tom Alward said the Martians are heading in the right direction.
The Martians recently returned from a trip to Port Sanilac, where they spent their first practice sessions from Aug. 8-10.
Goodrich is coming off a season where they set a school record for season victories, going 10-2 and advancing to the Division 5 regional finals.

September:
‘It seems the Brandon varsity boys soccer team is making a habit of shutting out opposing teams.
After their first loss of the season Sept. 10, the Blackhawks recorded yet another shutout two days later.
The host Blackhawks defeated Lapeer East 1-0 in a Flint Metro League matchup Sept. 12, improving their record to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in league competition.
‘In only their second trip to the Spartan Cross Country Invitational, the Goodrich girls cross country team again showed they belonged with the best teams in the state.
The Martians finished fifth overall at the invite, held Friday, Sept. 16 at Forest Akers Golf Course in East Lansing. Goodrich compiled a total of 214 points.
Clarkston won the meet with 93 points, followed by Saline (126) and Rockford (143). Last season, the Martians finished second overall with 143 points, trailing only Clarkston (46).

October:
‘Although the Brandon varsity football team fell just short of qualifying for the state playoffs, it was still a landmark season for the Blackhawks.
In their last game of the season Oct. 21, the host Blackhawks defeated Flint Metro League rival Clio 48-20, finishing their season with a 5-4 overall record. Brandon also clinched fourth place in the Flint Metro with a 4-3 league record.
The Blackhawks? record this season is its best since the 2000 campaign, when Brandon went 9-2. It is also Brandon’s first winning season since that year.
‘The tradition is still alive for the Goodrich varsity girls basketball program.
The visiting Martians routed Mt. Morris 78-8 in an Oct. 25 Genesee Area Conference Red Division game, clinching at least a share of the division championship.
This title is the eighth straight league crown for the Martians, including four straight GAC Red titles. Goodrich won four straight GAC titles before the league divided into Red and Blue divisions.

November:
‘Old habits die hard.
That is certainly the case for the Goodrich varsity girls cross country team, who captured their third straight Division 3 state girls cross country championship Saturday, Nov. 5 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.
The Martians compiled a team score of 118 to defeat second-place Jackson Lumen Christi (147) and third-place Hillsdale (150).
Goodrich helped their cause by placing three runners in the top 10 among teams competing in the finals. Junior Kaitlin O’Mara led the Martians by finishing third overall with a time of 18:44.35.
‘Twice is nice for the Brandon girls cross country team.
The Blackhawks qualified for the Division 2 state finals for the second straight year by winning the Region 14-2 meet Oct. 29 at Marysville. The Blackhawks finished with 52 points, well ahead of St. Clair and Fenton, who each finished with 95 points.
Junior Kelsey Carmean and senior Kelly Wilson headed up the Brandon girls? efforts, with each placing in the top ten among all individual runners. Carmean finished third in 19:07, while Wilson was right behind at fourth place in 19:08.

December:
‘Goodrich’s varsity basketball team hung tough with neighboring Brandon for a while in their Dec. 6 contest at Brandon.
However, the Blackhawks went on a big run in the second and third periods on their way to a 70-41 victory in the season opener for both teams.
‘Both Brandon and Goodrich’s varsity volleyball teams split the difference at the annual Goodrich Early Bird Tournament Dec. 17.
The Blackhawks went 1-1-2 on the day, while the host Martians went 2-2-2. Imlay City defeated North Branch in the finals of the tournament.