A fitorntriPy.„ Health & Fitness SPORTS a Up And Coming Academy soccer players earn league honors. -Simone Vitale Band -Rumplestiltskin -Nightline -LUSA -Sun Messengers •Persuasion Murphy Band -Radio City •Cassens " -Newsmaker -Skyline and the Back Street Horns -The Jerry Ross Band -Joyride r\ STRUNG ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT AGENCY Visit our web site www ionoross com Call for free video consultation 248-398-9711 JEWELRY 248-851-5030 6881 Orchard Lake Rd. on The Boardwalk 40 December 23 • 2010 FJA's Max Kepes, Michael Simons, Alex Adler and Josh Newman Steve Stein Special to the Jewish News T he Frankel Jewish Academy boys soccer team is working its way up the ladder of respectability. The Cougars finished 2-4-1 over- all, 2-3-1 in the Catholic League Tri- Sectional Division this fall, but five players earned post-season honors from Catholic League coaches. And the team's records are misleading because three of the defeats were inflicted by opponents ranked in the top 10 in the state. FJA senior center-midfielder Max Kepes and junior sweeper Michael Simons were named All-Catholic. Kepes' season was highlighted by a three-goal hat trick in a 4-0 win over Allen Park Cabrini. Senior goalie Aaron Folbe and junior defender Alex Adler were selected All-League, and junior midfielder- defender Josh Newman was named All-Academic. Kepes and Folbe were two of five seniors on the Cougars' roster. The oth- ers were forward Jamie Daniels, mid- fielder Adam Dennenberg and stopper Aaron Hovey. Hovey won the team's Budnitskiy-Franklin Award for persever- ance, dedication and effort. Coach Bob Rice said the current seniors have come a long way. "When they were freshmen, we rarely finished the first half before the mercy rule set in, and were lucky to score a goal," he said. The Cougars were winless that year. They also were winless the next season, but there were less mercy-rule games. Last year, West Bloomfield-based FJA went 3-3-2 and won its first state tourna- ment game. This season, the Cougars fell only 2-0 to Macomb Lutheran North, 3-0 to Madison Heights Bishop Foley and 4-0 to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook- Kingswood. Even a disappointing 5-0 loss to Southfield Christian in the state tourna- ment wasn't as bad as an 8-0 post-season setback to the Eagles in 2008. "It was a productive season," Rice said. "I think the kids feel they're now part of a real soccer program. They know how to win and they know they can battle some of the best teams in the state." Diamond Gem Temple Shir Shalom is the juggernaut in the Metro Detroit's Inter-Congregational Men's Club Summer Softball League. Shir Shalom won its fifth championship in seven years this summer, beating Temple Kol Ami 16-8 in the title game after going a league-best 11-1 during the regular season. "We have fun:' said third baseman Eric Mintz. And the guys keep it casual. "Most of the other teams have uniforms',' he said. "We don't. That's just not us. We feel it would jinx us:' Shir Shalom beat Temple Israel II 18-8 and Temple Israel I 25-2 in its first two playoff games before topping Kol Ami and reclaiming the traveling trophy that goes to the champion of the 16-year-old league. Bob Tarnow, a league veteran, was the winning pitcher in the champion- ship game. Ron Lippitt blasted a grand slam home run well over the centerfield fence. He was named Bob Tarnow Shin Shalom's most improved player. Also on the Shir Shalom roster were team captain Howard Rosner, Michael Cooper, Brian Efrusy, Richard Elias, Adam Fox, Jeff Fox, David Gach, Gary Grossman, Evan Kaplan, Dan Lippitt, Ryan Schneider, Pat Tigue and Howard 'Whitman. Shir Shalom was followed in the regu- lar-season standings by Beth El (8-3-1), Kol Ami (7-5), Shaarey Zedek (6-5-1), Temple Israel I (6-6), Beth Ahm (5-6-1), Keter Torah (5-7), Adat Shalom (5-7), Bais Chabad Torah Center (3-9) and Temple Israel II (2-9-1). ❑ Please send sports news to sports@thejewishnews.com.