Bernie Fratto

Speaking
of
Sports 

by
Bernie 
Fratto

 
When Sporting
Worlds Collide

9/17/07

It’s no secret that Michigan State University is a local fan favorite among many Novi residents. And among their 55,000+ enrollees, MSU fields competitive sports teams that in some cases draw from a national talent pool.

So, when three local girls that a grew up just a mile or two from each other form the core of the starting lineup for the Women’s MSU soccer team, that is noteworthy.

I’m sure you remember Novi’s Maureen Pawlak, a 2004 graduate and a brilliant midfielder. And of course you recall 2005 Kristi Timar, who not only capped her senior season by leading the Novi Wildcats to a State Championship, but she was also named Michigan’s ‘Miss Soccer,’ a very prestigious award.

So when MSU returned home last week after a disappointing 1-0 loss to Lehigh, they were not only looking for a rebound victory against UD Mercy, but the game was in fact televised on the newly-formed Big Ten Network.

This is where former foes became friends as Northville’s Lauren Hill scored twice, and Maureen Pawlak put one in the back of the net with just a couple of minutes to go as they led their team to a much needed win, 3-0. The Hill/Pawlak duo’s combined Hat Trick was just what the Spartans needed to get back on track.

Although Hill a 2007 graduate of Northville and member of the Mustangs 2004 State Championship team, was rarely on the same field as Pawlak or Timar while in High School, the rivalry between the two schools has been long established and each side possesses healthy respect for the other.

For fans, it’s easy to follow the progress of Hill, Pawlak, or Timar by logging onto the MSU Spartan official athletic website and following the cues to Women’s Soccer. All games are NCAA formatted in their reporting structure and each box score is replete with startling lineups, substitutions, and all related statistics.

As the threesome prepares for their upcoming Big Ten schedule, it shows once again that worlds collide often and it’s a small world, especially when it comes to athletic competition.

(c) 2007 Novi Information Network
www.novi.org

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Bernie Fratto is a freelance writer, radio personality, and motivational speaker.  His passion for sports comes in part from his experience as a former Cincinnati Red farm- hand.  "Behind every sports story lies the hearts and minds of real human beings" said Fratto.  "These athletic endeavors often serve as a metaphor for the game we call life."

Bernie is also on the broadcast team at Live 97.1FM talk-radio, and is a frequent co-host on the popular "Parker & The Man Show," a nightly sportstalk show which airs Monday-Friday from 7-11pm.