Three years after its inaugural season the Frontier International Academy soccer team became Division 4 state champs. The unranked Knights beat five top-ten teams on their way to the title match and defeated eighth-seeded Grand Rapids Covenant Christian 3-2 in the championship game.

By Ian Perrotta

Before last Saturday (Nov. 3), most people had never heard of Frontier International Academy. It only took 90 minutes to change that.

The school’s unranked soccer team stunned No. 8 Grand Rapids Covenant Christian, beating the Chargers 3-2 in the Division 4 final to become state champions. It was only the third year Frontier International has participated in the sport.

Frontier International took an early lead two minutes into the game and never looked back. The team was up 1-0 after the first half junior midfielder Mujeeb Nahshal scored his sixth goal of the season with an assist from senior forward Baleegh Algahim.

In the second half, the Knights sealed the deal by scoring two more goals in rapid succession. Both goals came from Algahim, who scored on an assist from Nahshal and then two minutes later with a head shot.  Algahim finished the season with 25 goals total.

Along with its explosive offense, the team’s defense also played a big role in the championship game. Grand Rapids was held at bay throughout much of the match, and even when they managed to shoot the ball goalkeeper Ammar Abdullah saved 12 of 14 shots.

Though the Grand Rapids team put up a good fight, Frontier had already faced much stiffer competition from other teams in earlier playoff rounds.  The Knights beat five top-ten teams before making it to the championship, including No. 1-ranked Lansing Christian in the regional finals.

With an impressive run like that, it’s safe to say the upstart team from Hamtramck will not go unnoticed next year. The squad will remain mostly intact — only four members will be lost to graduation — and according to Frontier International Athletic Director Mohammed Alasanai, the JV team is full of talent.

“We had a great season this year,” said Alasanai. “And we expect to be competitive next season, too.”

For the Hamtramck High School baseball team, it's their championship year.

By Alan Madeleine

Last week, Hamtramck High’s boys’ varsity baseball team won their first district championship since … well, since anybody can seem to remember.

And the remembering seems to be a bit murky.

It’s certainly the first one since the Michigan High School Athletics Association has been posting records, which goes back to 1997, 15 years ago.

Adam Mused, the coach of the team – he also doubles as the wrestling team coach – says that the general consensus is that it’s the first district title in 27 years, although, in a press release he made available, he notes that alumnus Jeff Olko thought the last title came in ’87, which would be 25 years ago, not 27.

Whatever the case, living in the now brings us to this title – one that Mused says was born of the two most important “B” words in the game: to “battle,” and to “believe.”

“Going into our second season,” Mused writes, in the opening to his letter, “we (the new coaching staff) are no strangers to baseball… just new to coaching a varsity team.”

Mused had come from winning a championship last year in the 18-and-older Connie Mack league of the Michigan Chapter of the American Amateur Baseball Congress. The AABC is a serious prep association, with a number of different leagues ranging from those for 9-year-olds on up.

Mused cites two games, in particular, which seemed to set the tone for his 15-man squad’s season: the very opening game, against Ecorse, where his team overcame a 6-1 deficit to win late, 7-6; and then the third game (following their first loss), where the team again found itself down big, this time by seven runs early to St. Clair Shores Southlake, only to fight back for a 16-14 eventual victory.

The team finished 16-9 overall, 14-8 for the regular season, and did indeed bring home the district championship title before getting roughed up in the playoffs, which were held this past Saturday at Livonia’s Ladywood High. Hamtramck was taken out 11-0 in that game by Dearborn Divine Child.

Still, it was a season to be very proud of overall, and Mused sounds excited for next year as well.

“We have a group of … sophomores and juniors that are set to come back next year,” his upbeat letter reads. “We are poised and hungry, even more.”

And so — on to next year’s field of dreams…

The Hamtramck boys varsity basketball squad is on a roll.

With the district playoffs just around the corner, the Cosmos have put together a winning streak.
Last Friday, Hamtramck slammed Dearborn Riverside Academy 60-40 at home on Senior Night.

And on Tuesday night, they edged Hazel Park 43-39 for their second victory in a row.

The Cosmos’ record now stands at 4-12. However, all four wins have come in the 2012 portion of their season.

Since the midseason point, Hamtramck has started to show its competitive side by winning four games and losing four others by very narrow margins.

“Our hard work is really starting to pay off,” said Bill Gergosian, Hamtramck’s head coach.
For the Cosmos, things may be coming together just in time for the postseason.

On March 5, Hamtramck will travel to Old Redford Academy for district playoffs.

The Cosmos have drawn Old Redford Academy, the host team, in the first round. The Old Redford Academy Ravens are currently 7-7 this season.

Tomorrow is a word filled with optimism for football in Hamtramck.

This past season, the Hamtramck High School team finished 3-6, knocking them out of the state playoff picture. But, despite the varsity team’s record, the future looks bright.

The Cosmos will lose only four seniors to graduation, leaving a strong crop of younger players returning who are more experienced.

But the potential for future success can also be found at Kosciuszko Middle School.

This year, the Cougars enjoyed an undefeated season, finishing 4-0.

“They had a great group of 25 kids,” said Leo Wells, Hamtramck’s varsity football coach. “They played real hard.”

Wells said he’s optimistic about the program’s chances for future success after what he saw from the Kosciuszko team this season.

Cougars running back Allante Bell proved to be a seventh grade sensation with 850 rushing yards on the season.
“He’s a quick, powerful back,” Wells said. “He has a natural ability.”

The team’s other running back, Dejon Thomas, also stepped into some crucial situations this season, Wells said.

He also credited the team’s offensive line. According to Wells, eighth grader Jaquan Reed, who anchored the Cougars’ offensive line, has the potential to play a big role on the varsity team as a freshman next season.

“He has an outstanding motor,” Wells said. “He plays to the whistle.”

Wells had plenty of praise for other players on the offense, such as: Trevor Stafford, Jasmine Ponjezic, Austin Adair, Simon Gevreziabher and Michael Mitchell.

The team’s quarterback, eighth grader Devon Freeman, is expected to be a standout on the varsity level in the future.
“He’s an excellent athlete with leadership ability,” Wells said.

The Cougars defense, which allowed an average of just 8 points per game, also has some players worthy of mention.

Defensive linemen Devonte Kendle and Earnest Myles combined for 15 quarterback sacks this season.

“When these kids get to the high school level, they have the potential to be a very special group,” Wells said.

Jonathan Blanding

By David Piestrzynski

If you’ve watched Hamtramck’s football team play this season, then you’ve probably seen Jonathan Blanding.
On the field he was pretty much everywhere.

Blanding, the team’s senior captain this season, starred for the Cosmos on both sides of the ball at running back and linebacker.

This season, Blanding had 108 tackles and had several multiple-touchdown games.

“He’s just a smart player,” said Leo Wells, Hamtramck’s head football coach, who first encountered Blanding as a sophomore. “He’s gone from night to day since then. He’s come a long way.”

Wells said Blanding was a sophomore with some raw talent, but he had a lot of work to do to improve.

But over the past few years, Blanding has hit the weight room, and also attended several elite football camps to become a complete player.

Blanding began his football career as a defensive back, but as he got bigger, the move to linebacker was a natural progression.

“He’s a great tackler and a tough kid,” Wells said.

Despite his success on both sides of the ball, Blanding said he has more fun on defense, which makes sense.

His defensive statistics have included games with as many as 18 tackles.

“He’s always around the ball,” Wells said of Blanding’s instincts as a defender.

But Blanding is a bit more modest about his individual success.

“I just do what I’m supposed to do,” he said. “I do what the coaches tell me.”

While his days playing football for the Cosmos may have ended last Friday, Blanding’s not likely finished with football.

He said, right now, he’s working on polishing his grades and ACT score and targeting a potential football scholarship.

According to Wells, Blanding certainly has what it takes to play at the next level.

“If he stays focused, then he’ll succeed,” Wells said.

This season didn’t go as planned for the Hamtramck’s football team.

Its final game last Friday against Southfield Bradford Academy served as another disappointing loss for the Cosmos.

They lost 30-8 in a game filled with missed opportunities on offense.

Hamtramck threw five interceptions during the game, including three in the end zone.

“We just made too many mistakes,” said Leo Wells, Hamtramck’s Head Coach.

The loss drops the Cosmos to a final record of 3-6.

During the game, Wells said he was forced to press a lot of younger players into duty.

However, next season is already shaping up to be an improvement. The Cosmos only played with four seniors this season, and will be returning most of their starters for the 2012 football season.

Senior running back and linebacker Jonathan Blanding was one of the bright spots for Hamtramck. Blanding had 14 tackles and caught a touchdown pass.

The Hamtramck High School Football team snapped a three-game losing streak last Friday with a 48-0 thrashing of Saginaw Buena Vista.
The Cosmos were dominant on both sides of the ball.

They charged out to a 42-0 lead late in the second quarter, and held Buena Vista to just one first down the entire game.

“This was the most complete game we’ve played this season,” said Leo Wells, Hamtramck’s head football coach. “(Buena Vista) had some good athletes. But we were able to out there and handled our business.”

The Cosmos did it on the ground, and in the air, offensively.

Junior running back Kevin Bell had 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and junior Wontay Jackson added 83 rushing yards. Jackson also found the end zone twice for the Cosmos.

Senior running back Jonathan Blanding, mostly known for his contribution to the Hamtramck running game, had 84 receiving yards and caught two touchdowns.

The Cosmos also provided some fireworks on defense.

Kevin Bell, who also played defensive back, took an interception 72 yards for a touchdown.

Despite the Buena Vista’s offensive line averaging nearly 260 pounds, Hamtramck’s defense held them to six yards overall.

With the win, Hamtramck improved its record to 3-5 overall.

The Cosmos look to finish strong in the season finale against Southfield Bradford Academy on Friday, Oct. 21.

While Hamtramck’s season didn’t go as well as expected, Wells said the team is looking to end on a high note.

“We’re treating this as the first game of next season,” he said. “It’s also a chance for us to end the season undefeated on the road.”

With several players returning for next season, and Hamtramck’s middle school football team currently undefeated, Wells said the football program has a bright future.

By David Piestrzynski
Special to The Review

To say the least, this season’s Homecoming game didn’t go as expected for Hamtramck’s Cosmos.

A series of injuries to key players, and some missed first half scoring opportunities, resulted in a 35-6 loss to Macomb Lutheran Westland last Friday.

Hamtramck’s offense moved the ball efficiently throughout the first half, but was unable to capitalize until Senior Deantre Teat scored on a 72-yard touchdown catch just before the break.

The Cosmos were unable to find the end zone after that.

“This one really just got away from us,” said Leo Wells, Hamtramck’s head football coach. “We probably should’ve done more in the first half, but we let some opportunities slip through our fingers.”

The second half was filled with misfortune for the Cosmos.

Junior wide receiver and defensive back Wontay Jackson, who had more than 150 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Cosmos the previous week, left the game with an ankle injury.

Hamtramck also lost Junior running back Kevin Bell to injury, along with a pair of starting offensive linemen.
With only 17 players dressed for the game, Wells said the injuries were difficult to overcome.

“We aren’t a deep team,” he said. “We had about 10 guys who played every minute, so by the end we were pretty banged up.”

Hamtramck’s defense held its opponent to just one first half touchdown but, following the injuries, Westland was able to score 28 points after the break.

The loss drops the Cosmos to 2-5 overall, with two games remaining.

Hamtramck plays its final home game of the season this Friday, Oct. 14 at Keyworth Stadium against Saginaw Buena Vista. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The season finale is Oct. 21 against Bradford Academy, with the game being played at Livonia Clarenceville High School.

Hamtramck’s football team is looking to bounce back after two consecutive home losses.
Last week, the Cosmos fell at home to Melvindale ABT 48-28, dropping their overall record to 2-4.

Leo Wells, Hamtramck’s head coach, believed his team matched up well with Melvindale ABT, but a slow start made the game more difficult than expected.

“We fell behind real quick,” he said. “They switched up from what had been scouted, and showed some formations we hadn’t seen before.”

The surprise formations, along with what Wells called a few “little mistakes,” made adjustments difficult for the Cosmos.

“They were a fast team,” Wells said.

However, the Cosmos were able to fight their way back into the game. Trailing 26-6 at halftime, Hamtramck battled back to get within 6 points of the Melvindale ABT squad.

But 26-20 was as close as they would come.

Wells said some penalties and turnovers by his team offset an otherwise productive offensive performance.
As a team, the Cosmos rushed for more than 300 yards offensively.

“We definitely moved the ball,” Wells said.

Junior Wontay Jackson has 155 yards rushing and two touchdowns for Hamtramck, and senior Jonathan Blanding pitched in with 92 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Blanding had 18 tackles for the Cosmos.

While the game’s final outcome was disappointing, Wells said he’s optimistic about the Hamtramck football program’s chances in the weeks — and seasons — to come.

“We have a lot of young guys playing football for the first time,” he said. “It’s a very steep learning curve.”

The Cosmos current roster features only four seniors, and has three freshmen starting on the offensive line.

Despite the team’s limited experience, Wells said he fully expects a solid performance in this week’s Homecoming game against Lutheran Westland.

The game is Friday night at 7 p.m. at Keyworth Stadium.

“We’re looking to bounce back big this week,” Wells said.

The Cosmo’s hopes of making the state football playoffs took a hit after losing to Harper Woods last Friday in a defensive battle.
The team fell to 2-3 after losing 8-6, in a game that didn’t see any scoring until the fourth quarter.

“We had opportunities,” said Leo Wells Hamtramck’s head football coach.

The Cosmos moved the ball consistently, but were unable to capitalize in the scoreless first half.

Their best opportunity came on an interception, which was nearly returned for a touchdown, late in the second quarter by Wontay Jackson, a junior defensive back and running back.

Meanwhile, Hamtramck’s defense was able to keep Harper Woods out of the end zone until a touchdown and two-point conversion made it 8-0 early in the fourth quarter.

The Cosmos were able to respond with a touchdown of their own on the next possession.

After marching to midfield, Wontay Jackson broke free on a 50-yard reverse play to give Hamtramck its only touchdown.
However, the Cosmos were unable to make the two-point conversion to tie the score.

The defense was able to get the ball back, but a final drive for the Cosmos stalled on a failed fourth-down conversion attempt.

Despite the loss, Wells said he was pleased with his team’s effort, which included shutting down Harper Woods’ offense in the red zone on several occasions.

The Cosmos got solid defensive performances from several players including senior running back and linebacker Jonathan Blanding, who had 16 tackles in the game.

Also, DeAngelo Frontroy had seven tackles and a quarterback sack, and Wontay Jackson had 12 tackles, along with an interception on the defensive side.

Next up for Hamtramck is a home game vs. Melvindale ABT this Friday.

The Cosmos have four games remaining, and need to win all four to qualify for the state playoffs with a 6-3 record.

“We have to run the table,” Wells said. “But we match up well. We’ll be in every game.”