February 2020 Issue of Varsity Monthly Thumb Magazine

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!
MADDI
OSANTOWSKI
REESE
BASKETBALL
TYLER
NELSON
SANDUSKY
BASKETBALL
LAST SEASON, THE REESE GIRLS BASKETBALL
TEAM HAD A 19-3 RECORD, WHICH INCLUDED
A PERFECT 12-0 MARK IN THE GREATER THUMB
WEST CONFERENCE.
For their success, the Rockets were rewarded with four firstteam
all-conference selections (Taylor Findlay, Madi Thompson,
Zoey Persails and Maddi Osantowski), along with a second-team
selection (Savannah Comstock).
With the graduations of Findlay, Thompson, and Comstock, and
the transfer of Persails, Osantowski was expected to be a major
part of Reese’s success this year.
She has not disappointed.
During the month of January, Osantowski, only a sophomore, led
the Rockets to a 6-1 record, averaging 22.3 points per game.
She has recorded a double-double in four of those seven games
(points and rebounds) and is also distributing the ball well, as
she had six assists in games against Bad Axe and Elkton-Pigeon-
Bay Port.
Her month started with a 48-29 non-conference victory over one
of the top teams in the Greater Thumb East, Sandusky.
She nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, nine
rebounds and seven assists.
Osantowski followed that up with a 31-point, 10-rebound
performance against Vassar.
In four of her seven games this month, she has scored at least
20 points, and in two additional games, she scored 19 points.
Osantowski is also a member of the Reese volleyball and
softball teams.
She earned second team all-conference honors this past fall on
the volleyball team, and in the spring, earned honorable mention
all-conference honors as an infielder.
AS THE CALENDAR FLIPS FROM JANUARY TO
FEBRUARY, THE SANDUSKY BOYS BASKETBALL
TEAM FINDS ITSELF RIGHT IN THE THICK OF
THE GREATER THUMB EAST CONFERENCE TITLE
DISCUSSION.
Leading that charge for the Redskins is senior center, Tyler
Nelson.
Averaging a double-double on the season (12.3 points, 10.4
rebounds) Nelson helped lead Sandusky to a 5-1 record in the GTC
East during the month of January.
“Tyler has continued his success from last year,” said his coach
Tristin Pennington. “He has been a huge reason for our team
success over the past few weeks. His game has improved from
a year ago in the fact that he is not as fazed with physical play.
He is a gym rat, so it is no coincidence that he is starting to be a
stat stuffer.”
To go along with his point-scoring and rebounding skills, Nelson
has also contributed 2.2 blocks, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
“The other key component in our success is that Tyler is very
unselfish,” Pennington said. He is seeing multiple defenses focused
on stopping him and he is making the right team play constantly.”
During the month of January, in seven games played, Nelson
scored 98 points, including a 26-point game against Memphis,
where he scored 13 in the first quarter.
“He is a leader on and off the floor, working and volunteering
in the community and his teammates are enjoying making an
impact as well,” Pennington said. “I am so proud of the effort and
commitment he has shown not only to this team, but to making
an impact in Sandusky as well.”
4 February 2020 CONTACT US AT 989-673-5826 VIEW FREE ONLINE AT WWW.VARSITYMONTHLYTHUMB.COM PURCHASE PRINTS AT WWW.MISPORTSPHOTOS.COM