ALPENA -- Jay Smith still remembers the crowds, still remembers coming into packed gyms with fans eager for the chance to see him play. Smith was the kind of can’t-miss player fans had to see to believe. Over the course of four years at Mio High School, Smith was a scoring machine and ...

ALPENA -- Sometimes, golf keeps Faith Egli laying awake at night. When it comes to teaching golf, especially to youngsters, Egli is always thinking about how best to teach the finer points of the game and help foster a love of golf in those she teaches. “When they actually get it, it’s ...

ALPENA -- Over the course of his high school career, Tony Byers Jr. delighted fans and befuddled opposing goaltenders on the way to scoring a lot of goals for the Alpena High hockey team. Byers may have made things look easy, but all of those goals came after countless hours of hard work: * ...

ALPENA -- If things had gone a little differently, Kurt Golder may have been a wrestler. As a youngster, Golder tagged along to his older brother Dave’s wrestling matches and looked up to him. “Your older siblings become your heroes, and that’s what I was motivated by,” Golder ...

ALPENA -- As far back as he can remember, Dan Rohn has been around baseball. “It started with my grandfathers and my fathers and uncles,” Rohn said. “My brothers and I all played growing up, and we all played collegiately and we all played professionally.” From Alpena High School to ...

ALPENA -- When it comes to baseball, Blaise Ilsley’s name is synonymous with success. From winning youth baseball titles to having collegiate success to playing in the major leagues, Ilsley made an impact on every team he played on. “Blazer was the best athlete by far,” Tony Byers. ...