Category: Sports

KMS eighth grade girls basketball team unites for undefeated season

By Andrea Roberts and Sean Triemstra

Staff writers

MICHIGAN CITY – The 2022-23 Krueger eighth grade girls basketball team had a perfect season. 

The Wolves went 15-0, with several wins coming by blowouts. The girls and the coaches all did their part to cement their undefeated record.

“Everyone’s a family,” team member Gabby Patino said.

MCAS teacher/coach Colin Yarnelle impacts youth through dedication

By Batoul Achy

Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY – Many people sit and watch the world go by, while Colin Yarnelle stands up to make a change. 

Yarnelle, 32, is the defensive backs coach for the Michigan City High School football team, and is a computer science teacher at Krueger Middle School. 

He’s motivated by God, love and curiosity to make a difference in the lives of others. 

“I do what I do because I love life,” Yarnelle said. “Waking up everyday is not an, ‘Oh no, here we go another day again.’ Everyday I wake up I’m like, ‘Oh, I wonder what’s gonna happen today.’”

Krueger, Barker volleyball developing promising athletes

By Iyanna Adkins

Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY – Krueger volleyball coach Mandy Ketcham is making a huge impact on Michigan City. 

She and Barker Middle School volleyball coach Daisy Lee have done their part to re-energize the middle school programs. 

At the moment, Ketcham coaches the eighth graders at Krueger. Ketcham graduated from Michigan City High School in 2005, and played volleyball for the school all four years.

“(Other MCAS coaches and I) want to start building the program back up to how it was when we were playing,” Ketcham said. “And, we’re just trying to work together, and we know middle school is where it all really begins.”

Michigan City’s Walker raised by, gives back to hometown

By Brikiera Franklin

Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY – The common saying is that it takes a village to raise a child.
For Will Walker, that was definitely the case. Walker was raised by parents, teachers and coaches who taught him good values, especially the importance of education.
“My parents would say it took a community to raise me,” Walker said.

Krueger’s Ackerson finds joy, food supply in fishing and nature

By Jasmine Ford

Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY – In today’s world, it’s more and more uncommon to find people who provide food for themselves.

Erica Ackerson is one of those people.

Ackerson, a health and physical education teacher at Krueger Middle School, is a fisher who provides food for herself and her family. She also teaches other people about health and how to get their own food supply.

“It requires time and has required me to learn new skills along the way, but there is also something very satisfying about being able to provide,” Ackerson said.

Krueger’s band performs live for first time since 2019

By David Symons

Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY – After the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, the Krueger Middle School seventh and eighth grade band had to cancel that year’s spring performance.
It was unclear when the band would perform publicly again. That all changed on May 5 when Krueger Middle School’s band played live for the public for the first time since 2019 in the Krueger cafeteria.
George Olson, Krueger’s band director, said that the students’ discipline factored into the success of the concert.
“Many of the students are self-directed, and spend quite a bit of time practicing at home, which helped quite a lot,” Olson said.

Krueger’s Jones takes running and life one mile at a time

By Weston Smith

Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY – Upon walking into Kevin Jones’ classroom, you might think his large display of running medals is a way of showing his accomplishments.
Yet Jones, an 8th grade science teacher at Krueger Middle School, uses his medals to inspire and motivate his students.
“Anyone can do things,” Jones said. “These aren’t a flex, this is more like a, ‘If I can do it, you can do it’ (thing).”