August 2019 Issue of Varsity Monthly Thumb Magazine

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August 2019 | Volume 7 Issue 8 

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2 August 2019 CONTACT US AT 989-673-5826 VIEW FREE ONLINE AT WWW.VARSITYMONTHLYTHUMB.COM PURCHASE PRINTS AT WWW.MISPORTSPHOTOS.COM

Owner Jason Parmenter 

Magazine Design Alissa Klee 

Photo Editor Kaitlin Gunsell 

Office Manager Brenda Tomlinson 

Regularly Contributing Photographers 

Kaitlin Gunsell - Kaitlin’s Klicks 

Brittany Stilson - BLS Photography 

Gary Koelzer - Gary Koelzer Photography 

Jason Parmenter - Quad N Productions 

Find our photos for sale at: 

www.misportsphotos.com 

View online at 

www.varsitymonthlythumb.com 

Varsity Monthly Thumb has no liability for 

content, representations in advertisements, 

and articles may not express the opinion 

of the editors/publishers/owners. It is the 

buyer’s sole responsibility to clarify any and 

all advertising representations. Any burden of 

proof rests solely on the advertisers. 

Varsity Monthly Thumb reserves the right 

to edit or refuse any advertising or articles 

submitted for publication. We do not assume 

any liability for errors, but will correct it in 

next issue or a credit will be negotiated. 

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property of Varsity Monthly Thumb. 

Articles, editorials opinions in Varsity 

Monthly Thumb do not necessarily reflect the 

opinions of the staff of Varsity Monthly Thumb 

or the publishers. 

Copyright by Quad N Productions, LLC. All 

or part of Varsity Monthly Thumb, including 

photographs, stories and logos, cannot be 

reprinted without permission. 

Varsity Monthly Thumb is published 12 

times a year by Quad N Productions, LLC, 189 

N State St., Caro, MI 48723 

Phone: 989-673-5826 

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Inside 

What’s 

5 VG's Players of the Month 

6 Brown City 

7 Millington 

8 Caro 

10 Bad Axe 

12 Cros-Lex 

13 Harbor Beach 

14 Cass City 

16 Frankenmuth 

18 Reese 

20 Kingston 

21 Bay City All Saints 

22 Sandusky 

24 North Branch 

25 Peck 

26 Caro 

28 Lakers 

29 North Huron 

30 Vassar 

32 Mayville 

33 Akron-Fairgrove 

34 Cass City 

36 Deckerville 

37 Owen-Gage 

38 All Star Baseball 

40 Marlette 

42 Ubly 

44 USA 

46 CPS 

47 Caseville 

Featured Photographer 

COVER IMAGE: Brown City football 

participating in the North Branch 7 on 7 

on 7-9-17. Photo by Jason Parmenter 

Gary Koelzer has been involved with photography since about 1980. While in high 

school, he loved taking pictures at the sporting events, and learned to develop the film 

and print pictures in the darkroom. After high school, Gary began selling cameras at 

a camera store, and went to college to study photography and journalism. With that 

knowledge, he was able to open up a photography studio with two partners. 

Gary became an assistant for a high end architectural photographer out of Detroit 

where he learned how the best become the best. They shot everything from multimillion 

dollar homes, to stadiums, and businesses. This was all prior to the digital age, 

so getting things right in camera was critical. Gary then spent 4 years as a corporate staff photographer for a 

nationwide construction company. He specialized in portraits, industrial, aerial, architectural, as well as specialty 

photography and video. 

Once digital photography came along, Gary jumped into the digital age and began shooting his children’s sporting 

events. After he took his son’s senior pictures, he began to receive inquiries from other seniors for photos. That 

lead to where Gary is today, running his own photography business specializing in high school senior portraits, 

weddings, families, as well as commercial photography. 



VG’s GROCERY 

PLAYERS OF THE MONTH 

Winners are selected for their athletic accomplishments, leadership roles, and 

community impact as the Players of the Month. Not only are the players of the 

month featured in the magazine and recieve a Player of the Month T-Shirt, VG’s also 

provide’s each athlete with a $25 gift card! 

GABBY 

GOUGH 

SANDUSKY 

BASKETBALL 

RICARDO 

MACON 

VASSAR 

BASKETBALL 

SANDUSKY’S GABBY GOUGH WILL BE LEAVING THE 

THUMB WITH A HANDFUL OF HARDWARE AND MANY 

SEASONS OF SUCCESS WITH THE REDSKINS. 

Gough, a 5-11 forward with the Redskins basketball team, finished her 

senior season averaging 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, while 

shooting 41 percent. 

She led Sandusky to a share of the Greater Thumb East Conference 

title this past season, defeating Brown City in the last conference 

game of the season to force a three-way tie along with Harbor Beach. 

In that contest, she led the Redskins with 15 points and six rebounds. 

As a junior, an injury forced Gough, naturally a forward, to play 

minutes at the guard position. 

She averaged 11.1 points per game, shooting 43 percent from the floor 

and 80 percent from the free throw line. 

Following her senior season with Sandusky, Gough committed to 

Lawrence Tech University to continue her basketball career. 

Over the past two months, Gough, who was also a standout on the 

Redskins volleyball team, has played in the Blue Water Area volleyball 

and basketball all-star games, along with the Thumb Sportswriters 

Association all-star game. 

“She had double doubles almost every game this year,” said Sandusky 

head coach Al DeMott of her senior season. “She is a strong all-around 

player, who can score from inside and outside. She is a real match-up 

problem for our opponents. Gabby is going to be some huge shoes to 

fill next season.” 

FOR VASSAR’S RICARDO MACON, HIS 

JOURNEY TO FINDING A COLLEGE HOME WAS 

AN INTERESTING ONE. 

Initially, Macon was set to sign with Michigan Tech, before 

drawing the attention of University of Michigan head coach 

Jim Harbaugh at an all-star game, where he was coached by 

former Wolverine Mike Martin. 

He was offered a walk-on spot with the Wolverines as a 

running back, which he accepted. 

However, an admissions issue caused Macon to reopen his 

recruitment. 

In May, he was contacted by Central Michigan and was 

offered a spot on the team, which he accepted. 

Macon is now working towards his freshman season with the 

Chippewas. 

During his time as a Vulcan, Macon played quarterback and 

wide receiver. 

In his senior season, he threw for 815 yards and five 

touchdowns, and more impressively, carried the ball 187 

times for 1,019 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

As a junior, he threw for 1,432 yards and 14 touchdowns, while 

rushing for 323 yards. 

He will be playing wide receiver with Central Michigan, a 

position he played as a sophomore with Vassar, reeling in 12 

catches for 293 yards and three touchdowns. 

Macon plans on becoming a history teacher after college. 


BROWN CITY 

FOOTBALL 

7-9-19 7 ON 7 AT NORTH BRANCH 

Photography by Jason Parmenter 


MILLINGTON 

FOOTBALL 

7-24-19 7 ON 7 AT LAKERS 



CARO 

SOCCER 

7-26-19 SOCCER OPEN FIELD 


DOING WHAT’S BEST 

IN PRIMARY CARE 

Ashley Young, NP-C 

201 W. Huron Ave, Vassar 

(989) 432-3040 

Tuesday - Friday 

8:00 am - 6:00 pm 

Heather Fryers, FNP-BC 

220 E. Frank St, Caro 

(989) 672-5733 

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 

8:00 am - 4:30 pm 

Friday 8:00 am – Noon 



BAD AXE 

TRIATHLON 

7-14-19 CASEVILLE TRIATHLON 

Photography by Paul Adams 

Alissa Klee Design 

Graphic Design & Marketing Specialist 

alissakleedesign | almaeklee@gmail.com 



CROS-LEX 

BASEBALL 

7-27-19 CASS CITY BASEBALL TOURNAMENT 

Photography by Brittany Stilson 


HARBOR 

BEACH 

FOOTBALL 

7-24-19 7 ON 7 AT LAKERS 



CASS CITY 

FOOTBALL 

8-1-19 SUMMER WORKOUTS 



Reggie Ignash 

covers Michigan 

Auto, Home, Life, Business, 

Farm and more 

(989) 872-4432 

6505 Main St., Cass City 

rignash@fbinsmi.com 

ReggieIgnashAgency.com 


FRANKENMUTH 

FOOTBALL 

6-25-19 7 ON 7 AT FRANKENMUTH 




REESE 

BASEBALL 

7-20-19 MARLETTE 14U TOURNAMENT 


Alissa Klee Design 

Graphic Design & 

Marketing Specialist 

alissakleedesign | almaeklee@gmail.com 



KINGSTON 

VOLLEYBALL 

7-24-19 SCRIMMAGE AT MAYVILLE 

Photography by Kaitlin Gunsell 


BAY CITY 

ALL SAINTS 

BASEBALL 

BCAS @ CASEVILLE 



SANDUSKY 

SOFTBALL 

7-28-19 THUMB ELITE ATHLETICS 



Proudly Supporting 

Our Redskins! 

307 Sanilac Rd. 

(810) 648-3030 


NORTH 

BRANCH 

FOOTBALL 




PECK 

VOLLEYBALL 




CARO 

SOFTBALL 

7-13-19 MICKEY D’S 16U 


Kristina M. Chapelo 

Ph: 989-553-2428 Fax: 989-672-6052 

Associate Broker, Real Estate One-Caro 

kristinachapelo@realestateone.net 

361 N State St, #4, Caro, MI 48723 


25 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL, COURTEOUS SERVICE 


LAKERS 

FOOTBALL 




NORTH 

HURON 

BASKETBALL 

BASKETBALL CAMP AT NORTHWOOD 

Submitted by School 


VASSAR 

BASEBALL 

6-5 BASEBALL REGIONALS 

Photography by Gary Koelzer 



MAYVILLE 

VOLLEYBALL 




AKRON- 

FAIRGROVE 

VOLLEYBALL 

7-30-19 OPEN GYM 



CASS CITY 

BASEBALL 





DECKERVILLE 

VOLLEYBALL 




OWENGAGE 

FOOTBALL 

7-25-19 SUMMER WORKOUT 



GTC ALL STAR BASEBALL 

7-6-19 | Photography by Jason Parmenter 


Your local agent insures your 

and more 

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1701 W. Caro Road 

Caro 

989-673-5588 

dsoper@fbinsmi.com 

DavidWSoperAgency.com 

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UBLY 

MARCHING BAND 

MARCHING BAND CAMP 




USA 

SOCCER 

7-26-19 SOCCER OPEN FIELD 


Your local agent insures your 

and more 

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1701 W. Caro Road 

Caro 

989-673-5588 

dsoper@fbinsmi.com 

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CARSONVILLE 

PORT SANILAC 

FOOTBALL 

SUMMER WORKOUTS 



CASEVILLE 

FOOTBALL 

SUMMER WORKOUTS

August 2019 Issue of Varsity Monthly Thumb Magazine

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