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CPS and Peck, the two smallest school districts, opted not to field golf teams because of conflicts with baseball and track, but both are considering bringing the sport back next spring.

Also, the last organized season, before this spring, for boys golf came in the fall of 2006. So, there was nearly an 18-month layoff for school teams.

While the 2008 season had its complications, players emerged from the competing schools to find their way on the 2008 Sanilac County News All-County Golf Team.

Leading the way this season was Brandon Filbeck of Cros-Lex. The Pioneer senior, a two-time All-County selection, finished the season with a 41.7 scoring average per nine holes. A member of the All-BWAC team, Filbeck, in the post-season, shot an 18-hole round of 80 to help Cros-Lex advance to the Regionals. At the Regionals, he shot a 79 and just missed qualifying individually for the Division 2 State Finals. He was also the medalist at the Sanilac County Golf Tournament at Lakeview Hills with a wind blown 83.

"Brandon was the captain of our team and one of the better, consistent players. He's put a lot of practice time in on his own," said C-L coach Dennis Fabbri. Fabbri also noted that Filbeck's strengths "are his driving of the ball and putting. I played against him in league recently and he shot a 36. He's a good ball striker and his short game is really good."

The second of three Pioneers named to the All-County team is Nick Fabbri. A sophomore, and the son of Coach Fabbri, Nick finished his second varsity season with a 44.06 scoring average. Twice this spring he shot low nine-hole rounds of 40. In the Districts, he fired an 82, just before carding an 82 at the final BWAC Jamboree at Fore Lakes, and he had the second lowest round at the County Tournament with an 88 on the Lakeview Hills North Course.

Coach Fabbri commented, "He's a good driver of the ball. He hits the ball really well; it's just some inconsistency that I see. But, the biggest thing for him is his love for the game. He studies it and lives and breathes it. I think he'll be ready to step up and be a leader next year."

The lone freshman to land on the First Team is Ryan Fabbri of Cros-Lex. A nephew to Coach Fabbri, Ryan averaged 44.76 this season. Early in the season, he had some breakthrough rounds of 38 and 39. He put together an 18-hole score of 84 at the Fore Lakes BWAC tournament.

Coach Fabbri said that Ryan has a great upside in his game, especially if he commits more time to playing and practicing.

"He's an all-around athlete from football to basketball to golf," remarked the C-L coach. "He doesn't put a lot of time in it, but he's a natural athlete. (His game) has some inconsistencies, but it will come around with a little more confidence. The biggest thing for him is his strength. He generates a lot of club-head speed."

Brown City's Joey Wisniewski, like Nick Fabbri, moved up from being a Second Team choice, to the A-C First Team this spring. Netting an overall average of 45.2 this year, Wisniewski, a junior, was the No. 2 golfer in low average in the GTC East. Three times he carded a 41 in nine-hole play. He notched an 86 at the Division 3 Regional and an 88 at Districts.

Neil Kohler, Brown City coach, praised Wisniewski's play. "He was our No. 1 all year. He's a very solid player and posted good numbers all year. He's a very good iron player --if he has a four or five iron in his hands, he's very strong. He's our longest hitter off the tee and he puts in a lot of time on his game."

Another player that made an impact on Brown City's GTC East championship season was senior Nathan North. The Green Devil senior averaged 46.4 for the year, but shot below average in six of his last eight nine-hole scores. North's lowest 18-hole round was an 85 at Brown City Invitational at Holly Meadows.

"Nate's a kid that's been around for awhile and has been very good for us," said Coach Kohler. "There were a couple of rounds that hurt him, average-wise, but he was always competitive with all other No. 2's he went against. After the first five (GTC East) jamborees, he was one of the top three players."

The final member of the All-County Team this season is Erik Glidden of Marlette. The Red Raider sophomore is only beginning to realize his potential. A Division 3 Regional qualifier, he averaged 46.7 this spring. He had a low nine-hole score of 43 and shot a 95 at the Districts.

Bill Kmet, Marlette coach believes Glidden is just now starting to get a feel for the game and a better understanding of all aspects.

"Despite the fact he did not always score well, he was still hitting the ball very accurately. He was just under-clubbing," said Kmet. "I had a chance to watch him more (at Regionals) and he took just 10 putts on the first nine holes É. So, he is good on the greens and has a good short game. He's come along toward the end of the season and his starting to stay focused."

The News' selection as Coach of the Year is Neil Kohler from Brown City. The Green Devils captured the GTC East title this spring, only the school's second championship in the sport. The first came in the now defunct Southern Thumb Association in 1995. Kohler also guided BC to a second straight Regional berth by qualifying at the District level.

"(Winning the league) was a good one for the kids. It's one we thought we had a good chance to do last year, and the year before," expressed Kohler, who added the GTC going to a jamboree (all teams in the division playing at the same, on one course, each date) worked out swell. "The jamboree style - it's really like a tournament and if the kids can handle the pressure. We had a lot of kids step up and play very hard for us. We knew what we were getting with Joey (Wisniewski) and Nathan (North), so the other three (Alex Tunis, A. J. Burton, and Brandon Ford) stepped in and played well." Seven from Sanilac compete in All-Star softball game PORT HURON - A total of 32 players, including seven from Sanilac County, competed in last week's Blue Water Senior All-Star Softball Game held at Memorial Park in Port Huron. The team sponsored by Eastern Michigan Bank held on to win the contest, 9-7, over Citizens First. Among those on that team were Emily Kress and Jordan Alexander of CPS and RaChelle Rich and Ashley Foster of Deckerville. The squad was coached by Christi Pavlovics and Dawn Zapinski of the Deckerville Eagles.

On the Citizens team were Caitlin King and Kayla Roberts of Marlette and Sarah Long from Peck. Brown City's Amada Oligney and Jamie Clark were also invited to play, but had other commitments.

Pavlovics said that coaching her group was simply a great time.

"I had a blast. I didn't really care if we won or lost," she said. "I wanted them to just go out there and have fun. And, we won, which was nice.

"The girls meshed really quickly and got along so well," she continued. "They laughed and joked and high-fived. That was fun. I think we were a lot looser than the other team"

She also said it was special for her to coach her two players, Rich and Foster, one last time.

Highlights for the area players included Alexander (shortstop) hitting a single and also joining up with Kress (catcher) to throw and tag out a runner trying to steal. Rich had five assists/putouts at shortstop, alternating with Alexander. Long, for Citizens, reached base on an error and scored a run. King was the starting pitcher for Citizens, but had to leave the game in the first inning with a back injury.

Home runs by Brittney Rhodes of Marine City and Julie Brickel of Richmond highlighted the overall hitting.

Ron Matthews, SC4 women's softball coach and for mer Cros-Lex coach, organized the event, which was in its second season. At least nine of the 32 players in the game have committed to play for the Lady Skippers next season, including Rich. The others are Kandace Thomas and Jennifer Kilbourn of Port Huron High, Sarah Brennan of Port Huron Northern, Kristen Krighley of Marysville, Candy Resztak of Memphis, Autumn Stawecki of Yale, Jordyn Denomme of St. Clair and Brooke Terwilliger from Otisville-Lakeville. Dogs seized w/pixs 60 animals rescued from house Elderly woman, son may face charges LAMOTTE TWP. - Authorities seized dozens of dogs, cats and birds from filthy conditions at a private residence Thursday afternoon. The owners could lose the animals and may face criminal charges.

"It was really bad," said Carol Schmidt, president of the Sanilac County Humane Society who assisted county animal control officers at the scene.

Thirty-eight dogs, 20 birds and two cats were removed from the property in the 1100 block of North Germania Road, where an elderly woman and her son reside.

"It was filthy, lots of feces built up (in the cages)," she said.

Animal Control Officer Jim Matson said his department received a complaint last Wednesday from a person who purchased a puppy from the residence, noticed the conditions, and then learned the puppy had ringworm which is caused by unsanitary conditions.

Matson visited the house Thursday morning, and observed dirty cages containing dogs stacked on either side of the porch. When the son refused his request to enter the residence, Matson obtained the search warrant and returned with deputies around 1 p.m.

"It's about as bad as it gets," said Matson about the conditions. "Animals with cage bottoms soaked with urine and feces" and a smell that "hits you in the face." Some of the dogs ran loose inside the house, where there were "animal droppings and urine. It smelled pretty bad," he said.

Although the son said he cleaned the cages every three days, "my estimate would be weeks," stated Matson.

There was a dead puppy in one cage, and the "long-haired dogs were matted and full of feces," said Schmidt. "They were not taken care of."

The birds also exhibited signs of neglect. "Lots of feathers gone" and kept in cages with "three or four inches of poop" and broken eggs, Schmidt said.

"The next step is for the veterinarian to examine all the animals and complete a report on the conditions of the animals," said Matson.

"I'm going to petition the court for a hearing for forfeiture of the animals... My goal is to have the report turned in by Monday (June 23)." A hearing is generally held within 14 days after the petition is filed, he said.

Matson said he will seek animal cruelty and neglect charges against the owners.

His initial reaction to the conditions was "someone with just too many animals and kept getting more. You see a lot of it with older people."

The dogs (Yorkie, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, mini poodles and more) and cats - which appeared to be in good condition - were placed in foster care with a Humane Society volunteer, while the birds (parrot, cockatiel, parakeets, etc) were taken to the Humane Society shelter in Carsonville.

"They're going to need lots of medical (treatment)," said Schmidt. In addition to ringworm, she suspects a couple of the puppies might have contracted parvo, a deadly but treatable disease that is contagious.

Schmidt said the non-profit Humane Society will need help caring for the animals and paying the anticipated medical bills. If you'd like to make a donation, call the shelter at 810-657-8962.