SPORTSwww.TheNewsHerald.comSection B Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Youth baseball tourneychamps— Page 7-B

Loopingpays offPair of local high schoolseniors snag lucrative

Chick Evans scholarships

Story by Sara Perez

Swiecki

Kurliko

Each year more than 800 students attend collegeon Chick Evans Caddie Scholarships, whichguarantee full tuition and housing scholarshipto the college of the recipient’s choice.

In Michigan, the choices are The Universityof Michigan or Michigan State University.

This year more than 200 high school students earnedEvans awards, 30 of them from Michigan. Two of those – Trenton’s Brian Kurliko and Carlson’s JosephSwiecki – are from the Downriver area.

The Chick Evans Scholarship program came intobeing in the early part of last century when Evans, anoted amateur golfer donated some money he earnedfrom making some golf videos to the Western Golf Association (WGA) to set up a college scholarship fundfor deserving caddies.

The first scholarship winners went off to school in1930, since then, the Chick Evans Fund and the WGAhave sent nearly than 10,000 caddies to college.

Most of the scholarship win-ners attend one of 14 universitiesacross the country with EvansScholarship Houses.

In addition to U-M and MSUthose schools are the Universityof Colorado, the University of Illinois, Indiana University,Marquette University, Miami(Ohio) University, the Universityof Minnesota, the Universityof Missouri, Northern IllinoisUniversity, NorthwesternUniversity, Ohio State University,Purdue University and theUniversity of Wisconsin.

Kurilko was sponsored for thescholarship by The Golf & CountryClub where he has caddied since hewas in the seventh grade.

“I learned how to talk to a lotof different people.” said Kurilkoabout his caddying days.

Kurilko will attend theUniversity of Michigan with his Chick EvansScholarship where he will major in biomedical engi-neering.

“Becoming an Evans Scholar is the greatest honorthat I have ever achieved,” the Trenton High grad said.

“The values of hard work and academic successthat the Evans Scholarship represents will continueto drive me toward succeeding as a Wolverine and anengineer after graduation.”

Kurilko’s older brother Michael Kurilko is a previ-ous recipient of a Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship andis the president of the University of Michigan EvansScholar Chapter.

Caddying at The Grosse Ile Golf & Country Clubwas a huge boost toward winning the scholarship,Brain and his family said.

“The Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club has beenwonderful in their sponsorship of the scholarship andtheir help with Brian’s (and Michael’s) applications,”said Mike Kurilko, Brian and Michael’s father

Brian Kurilko said he is very grateful for receivingthe scholarship and to those who helped him alongtoward it.

“I owe Andrew Jasina, Jim Coleman and all thegreat people at Grosse Ile for sponsoring me and Mr

Swingin’ and flingin’ in SouthgateTrenton’s Jack Wilson(swinging above), somefriends and a whole lotof competitors were onhand last weekend asthe city of Southgatehosted the2012 Southgate TitansBaseball Tournament forplayers between theages of 9 and 16. Theevent is just the first ofseveral baseball tourna-ments hosted by localcommunities. BeginningFriday,Trenton will hostthe Paul Martin Classicand July 6-8 theRiverview BaseballAssociation will host its2012 HardballTournament.

great people at Grosse Ile for sponsoring me and Mr.Mike Walters, my high school counselor, for all of hishelp with applying for the Evans Scholarship.”

Swiecki, who will use his scholarship to attendMichigan State, caddied at Meadowbrook Country clubin Northville.

“I would first like to thank my parents, Dan andRobin Swiecki, and my boss Mr. Jeff Coleman,” saidSwiecki.

“At Meadowbrook Country Club: Mr. Marini, Mr.Mills, Mr. Evans and Mr. Berman.

“They have all helped me in the process so muchby telling me what to expect and keeping me from get-ting overwhelmed in the application and interviewprocesses.

“I would like to thank the entire Evans Committee,Mr. Mike Skuratovich and Mr. Pat Coleman for intro-ducing me to caddying and the scholarship, as well.

“You have all forever changed my life.”While at MSU Swiecki plans to study political sci-

ence and then go on to law school to study criminallaw.

Swiecki said he is humbled by receiving the ChickEvans Scholarship.

“Receiving this scholarship means more than just afull ride to me,” he said.

“It means the chance to go to a big university, a life-long goal of mine, to succeed and be able to do what Iwant with my career and my life in the future.

“I will be the first person in my household to gradu-ate from college, when I do so, and without the ChickEvans Scholarship I would not have been able to do it.”

Chick Evans Scholarships are awarded to applicants

PLEASE SEE EVANS /5-B

2012 MHSAA Golf State Finals

Cast in bronzeGrosse Ile golfers settle for third placeBy Brian KalisherThe News-Herald

After finding success onthe course all season, theGrosse Ile golf team’s yearended just short of fulfill-ing an ultimate goal.

The Red Devils cameaway with a third placeoverall finish at MichiganState University’s ForestAkers East course duringthe Division 3 state finalslast weekend, shootinga combined 602 for bothdays and just falling shortof state champ Jackson

Lumen Christi (596).The Red Devils actually

tied for second place, butwere edged out by Horton-Hanover in a tie-breaker.

“We didn’t play as wellas we needed to at the statefinals this year,” CoachCharlie Butler said.

After Day 1 on the links,the Devils were tied for sec-ond with Jackson LumenChristi and Grand RapidsWest Catholic at 302, justfive shots behind Hanover-Horton’s impressive 297.

Rob White and MacHowey led their squad

with 73, followed by AgronZiberi (76), Rob Lane (80),and Jimmy Kobrick (82).

“We knew we could dobetter than we did the firstday,” Butler said. “Therewas no way Jimmy wasgoing to shoot 82 again andRob White had some off holes. We knew we coulddo better than the 302 weposted.”

Things were a bit differ-ent on Day 2, as Grosse Ile

 jumped up to play in thefirst pairings with the otherleading teams in the field.

Josh Gaudette replaced

Lane, while Kobrick had amuch better showing thanthe previous day, postinga 72.

“Jimmy played amaz-ing golf that second day,”Butler said. “He wassteady, stayed out of trou-ble, and brought in a roundlike we knew he would.”

Howey followed closelybehind with a 74, trailed byWhite (75), Ziberi (79), andGaudette (82) to score 300for the round.

“I think it was tough forJosh to have to sit a day and

PLEASE SEE GOLF /5-B

Photos by Dave Chapman