Lee Thompson

Bay City

Sports Writer at Bay City Times

Bay City Times/MLive sports writer, father of four, trying to use the one-liner to make the world a better place

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Articles

Fiona Meisel steps in at keeper and saves the day for John Glenn soccer

1 day ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

BANGOR TOWNSHIP, MI – Fiona Meisel wasn’t on the roster. But she was on the radar. When the John Glenn girls soccer team lost its two-year starting goalkeeper to injury prior to what seemed like a season of high promise, the Bobcats went looking for someone who just might save the day. Meisel was at the top of the list. “For whatever reason, I thought of her immediately as somebody with the athleticism and the right mindset to jump in and do that,” Glenn coach Matt Kraft said.
Garber doesn’t have to look far to find heir to retiring boys soccer coach

2 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

ESSEXVILLE, MI – Bill Williamson gave Essexville Garber boys soccer a spark. Now he’s passing the torch. After 13 seasons at the helm of the Dukes, Williamson retired from the position of varsity head coach. And his successor is already decked out in Garber blue. Garber girls soccer coach Brent Betzold was named boys soccer coach on Friday and now begins preparation for his first fall sports season.
UPDATED high school baseball state tournament brackets from regionals to finals

2 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

A look at the Michigan High School Athletic Association baseball state tournament brackets, showing the road from the regional semifinals to the state championships for each of the four high school baseball divisions for 2025. If you would like your local high school sports news delivered free to your inbox daily, click here and sign up for one of our local high school sports newsletters. Love reading about local sports? Don’t miss any of the excitement from the season ahead.
Everything is falling into place for No. 2 Standish-Sterling after tourney triumph

2 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

Standish-Sterling is sitting pretty. Playing a sparkling brand of ball – while perfectly positioning itself for the next round – the Panthers disposed of Ludington 10-2 in the Division 2 regional semifinal Thursday at Big Rapids. “This was our best overall game,” Standish coach Ryan Raymond said. “I really like where we are at right now.
One name emerges as stat champ in four categories on Bay County Baseball Leaders

2 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

BAY CITY, MI -- Jack Wetters has leadership skills that don’t show up on the stat sheet. But that doesn’t mean he’s not a stat-sheet leader as well. The Bay City All Saints captain put together the kind of season rarely seen in 2025, emerging at the forefront of four of the seven statistical categories on the Bay County Baseball Leaders listing.
Pinconning is picture of confidence in returning to regional final

3 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

PINCONNING, MI – The surprise factor has vanished. But it has been replaced by something far more potent for the Pinconning baseball team. One year after an unexpected run to the regional championship, the Spartans are on the verge of a repeat performance. Pinconning rolled to a 9-0 victory over Roscommon in the semifinal round, playing like a confident bunch. “The seniors have taken the reins for this team and they showed we belong,” Pinconning coach Casey Pashak said.
Near-perfect pitching propels No. 2 Bay City Western in 1-0 thriller

3 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

A one-run lead is never safe. But somehow Jack Sequin made it feel comfortable. The Bay City Western pitcher delivered in sparkling fashion when his team needed it most, facing one batter over the minimum to power the No. 2-ranked Warriors to a 1-0 victory over Traverse City West in the Division 1 regional semifinal. “I told the team you don’t get any style points this time of year,” Western coach Tim McDonald said. “Sometimes you need to win 1-0 games and sometimes you need to win 8-7.
Bay City area baseball: USA sidelines All Saints in classic playoff thriller

3 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

BAY CITY, MI -- A look at high school baseball regional semifinal action involving teams from the MLive Bay City coverage area for June 4, 2025. Bay City Western in Division 1 and Pinconning in Division 3 saw their games delayed to later Wednesday due to weather while Standish-Sterling’s game in Division 2 was postponed to Thursday. D4: USA TAKES THRILLER FROM ALL SAINTSThe edge-of-your-seat moments were many.
Trent Smith brings sophomore spunk and spark to district champ Hopkins

3 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

HOPKINS, MI – A little youthful energy goes a long way on the baseball field for Trent Smith. Whether he’s hitting, pitching or playing the field, the sophomore provides a unique spark for the Hopkins baseball team. “Trent can be a vocal leader and brings a lot of enthusiasm to the team,” Hopkins coach Patrick O’Dell said.
It’s tough to top Isabelle Becker’s running resume for Bay City Western

4 days ago | mlive.com | Lee Thompson

AUBURN, MI – Isabelle Becker is a natural born runner. And she’s part of Bay County’s first family of track and field. But none of that guarantees success in the heat of competition. The Bay City Western senior takes care of that part by herself on a daily basis. “She’s very talented, but it comes from working hard. Don’t short-change her on that,” Western girls track and field coach Stefanie Wilson said. “She’s definitely a fighter.