2018-19 Stacking Up With Best on Records
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
March 29, 2019
What a sports year.
There certainly have been some amazing athletic feats over the 2018-19 high school season in Michigan, and it’s just two-thirds of the way complete.
This past fall, Kobe Clark of Schoolcraft scored nine touchdowns in a single game. Stunning!
The winter sports season saw Dylan Jergens of Marcellus Howardsville Christian top the MHSAA single season scoring record in boys basketball, finishing with 971 points. Incredible!
Then a freshman, Emoni Bates, hits for 31 points in an MHSAA Semifinal for Ypsilanti Lincoln. Wow!
So, how does that compare to years past?
First, let’s hit the pool!
SWIMMING
Across the world, as well as in Michigan, record performances seem to fall regularly in swimming. I’m certainly no expert on the sport, but research seems to indicate that optimization of stroke count, kicks and other body positioning (and not a change in the density of H2O) impact the lowering of recorded times in the water. The continued synchronization and optimization of movement may mean we’ll see regular improvement for years to come.
It’s telling that MHSAA all class/division records in eight of the 12 events that make up a girls meet have been set this decade. The remaining four marks date to 2002 or 2007, and are held by Kara Lynn Joyce of Ann Arbor Pioneer or Allison Schmitt of Canton. Joyce, of course, went on to post 18 NCAA championships and four silver medals won during three Olympic competitions. A freestyle specialist, Schmitt won eight Olympic medals across the 2008, 2012 and 2016 games.
This past fall, the triumphs of three athletes, in particular, stand out. Kathryn Ackerman set a new state mark in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:57:25. A junior, Ackerman’s time should place nationally in the top 15 all-time. With the 2018 season complete, she now holds the top four times in the event according to the MHSAA record book.
Senior Ashley Turak sprinted to a new Division I record of 22.10 in the 50 freestyle for Harrison/Farmington on the first leg of the 200 freestyle relay, as well as a time of 22.20 in the 50 freestyle. Both those times also rank in the national record books within the top 15. The MHSAA All-Class/Division Final Meet mark still belongs to Joyce, who posted a time of 22.04, set while leading off the 200 freestyle relay team in the Class A 2002 preliminaries.
Turak again mesmerized the crowd, this time in the 100-yard freestyle, posting a time of 48.72 seconds to win the event. Again, Joyce holds the Michigan All-Class/Division mark with a then-national record time of 48:59 set in 2002.
This November, Grand Ledge junior Lola Mull fell less than a half-second short of her own state mark in the 500-yard freestyle, set in the 2017 preliminaries. Mull owns the state’s top three times in the event, while Schmitt ranks fourth on the list.
Sub 20
A winter sport in Michigan, boys swimming is no different, with records in 10 of the 12 events set in the 2010s. Cam Peel of Spring Lake became the first in state history to break 20 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle, accomplishing the milestone twice this March, first in the prelim race with a record time of 19.86 and again in the finals at 19.91. The marks surpassed the previous best, set by Henry Schutte of Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central one year ago, and also rank among the “Best of the Best” in the National Federation record book.
FOOTBALL
Clark’s nine touchdowns came in Schoolcraft’s 63-27 victory over previously undefeated Constantine in a Southwestern Athletic Conference contest. Thanks to steady rain in the first half, Schoolcraft stuck to the ground game, opening a 21-0 first quarter lead on three Clark touchdowns, one of eight yards, the second of 24, and the third of 10 yards. Constantine battled back to within eight points, 21-13 late in the second quarter, but Clark would score for Schoolcraft twice more during the final three minutes before halftime.
Following a 24-yard scamper, a partially blocked punt would set up Clark’s fifth rushing TD from two yards out with under a minute remaining before the break. (This appears to be a great moment to note that five players have scored five touchdowns in a single quarter). Clark added two TDs in the third quarter and two in the fourth.
Amazingly, Clark’s nine touchdowns and 54 points scored are not state records. In fact, two others have matched the touchdown and point count, while three others have exceeded the accomplishment in each category. Of course, each of those events occurred at least 90 years ago, decades before the introduction of the mercy rule in high school football.
For many years, Herb Dunphy was listed as the state’s record holder for a pair of seemingly untouchable records: touchdowns in a single game and points scored in a game. In 1917 he scored 10 TDs for Lansing Central and stood alone at the top.
But as time has proven again and again, the work of historians and researchers can alter what we believe. In 1986, research by Tom Pellow of Gwinn uncovered that Marmaduke “Duke” Christie of Escanaba had also scored 10 touchdowns, matching Dunphy’s output. In addition, Christie added six point-after-touchdowns that day, totaling 66 points, as Escanaba defeated Ishpeming 102-0 in November 1920.
“In my humble opinion, Escanaba high school in 1920 had one of the greatest football teams that ever misunderstood a signal in any language,” wrote Cy DeLynes, recalling the exploits of Christie and his teammates in the Escanaba Daily Press in 1929. “Christie was its captain. The Duke had a pair of collapsible ankles and he was able to play in only a part of four games. That, however, was just enough time to permit him to score 21 touchdowns and 38 out of a possible 50 points after touchdown – a total of 164 points. He led a backfield that made Knute Rockne’s Four Horsemen look like a quartet of super-annuated milk wagon drivers turning off the alarm clocks at 4 o’clock in the morning.”
A few years later, additional study of yearbooks and newspapers revealed the exploits of Cecil Hardy of Flint Central, again reshaping the scoring entries in the MHSAA record book.
In the 1914 season opener – a 106-0 blasting of Lapeer – Hardy carried for more than 300 yards. Within the first two minutes of play, the captain of the Flint squad had scored the first of 11 touchdowns – a “new” state mark.
“His end running was the feature of the game, his longest run being one for 50 yards and a touchdown on the first play after the kickoff. Time after time as he was making his long runs he appeared to be tackled and would wriggle out of the grasp of his opponent and run 15 or 20 yards further,” was the report of the day.
“How Is This For Football?”
Muskegon 216, Hastings 0
The Boston Globe paired the question with the football score from a Michigan high school game to readers in their Sunday edition back on September 29, 1912.
“Most of Muskegon’s touchdowns were scored on the kick-off,” stated the Globe, “and few required more than one down.”
The score was believed to be a “world’s record” for points scored in a game, at the time. Indeed, the total ranks as the tops in Michigan. Indeed, it was a record nationally, but would be surpassed on three occasions in the coming years, first in 1923, again in 1924 and finally in 1927. With today’s employment of the running clock, the scoring totals will never again be approached.
The score was 40-0 at the end of the first quarter, 102-0 following the second, and 150-0 after three quarters. Touchdowns were scored by nine different players, with six scoring multiple times. As byproducts, captain Fred Jacks finished with nine touchdowns, while Muskegon’s Nelson Stuit booted 24 of 30 extra points in the contest (another state mark that also will never be equaled).
“Although world’s records fell in the game it is not anything to be particularly proud of …” stated the Muskegon Chronicle in the prose of the time. “The visitors had about three men that knew a football from an eff, and those three could not make the Muskegon second team.”
One of the best, as it turned out, was Fred Rehor, Hastings’ “big 220 pound fullback” who would later play for Michigan, then professional ball in Ohio for the 1917 Massillon Tigers, coached by Knute Rockne.
As a result of the Muskegon-Hastings game, “at least three of the football elevens which contracted this year to meet Muskegon high school have begun to make excuses in line with those usually offered before a team quits such an engagement,” wrote the Lansing State Journal. Muskegon rolled up 499 points on the year, but ended a flawless season in defeat, 13-12 against rival Grand Rapids Central in the finale. The loss was blamed on overconfidence.
The aptly named Francis Tallent of Menominee, became the next player to score nine TDs in a game.
Tallent’s skills on the gridiron had been spotted in 1928.
“Standing out like a missing tooth in a front row of the chorus … (Tallent) revealed as speedy a pair of heels as one could ever hope to cast his optics on in a high school game,” wrote one reporter after witnessing the left halfback’s performance in the annual twin cities battle between Menominee and Marinette, Wis., then played on Armistice day. Tallent scored twice in that “M & M” game, a 26-0 win by Menominee.
After thumping Green Bay in its 1929 season opener and a “helpless” Oshkosh Normal (now known as the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh) freshmen team, 46-6, Menominee squared off for its game against “a light and green squad” from Kingsford.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Tallent scored nine touchdowns that day on runs of 46, 72, 90, 64, 50, 37, 90, 85 and 63 yards. In total, the paper noted that Tallent gained 597 yards rushing in the 150-0 thrashing of Kingsford. Other sources noted that it was likely more, as the sum of only the TD runs equaled the 597 yard total. Kingsford would finish its seven-game season without scoring a point. According to the Kingsfordian, the school’s high school annual, the Kingsford players “were no match for the heavier and more experienced teams on the range” that school year.
Menominee’s success and Tallent’s football exploits prompted the Journal-Sentinel to send a reporter to the U.P. to cover the 1929 M & M game between the border schools later that fall. “Mr. Tallent, who runs like the well-known hare and who slips out of tacklers’ arms and hands like a piece of wet soap, scored four touchdowns in the course of the afternoon,” wrote the staffer. “All told, this Mr. Tallent rolled up 284 yards,” as the “pride of the peninsula walloped Marinette,” 49-0, before a crowd of 10,000. The score was “the highest ever piled up in 45 years of bitter rivalry between the two cities.”
Menominee ended the 1929 season undefeated and untied in eight games, scoring over a point-a-minute while claiming the Upper Peninsula championship and demanding statewide consideration for Michigan’s mythical crown. Tallent finished the season with 27 touchdowns.
BASKETBALL
After 35 years, one began to wonder if Mark Brown’s single-season scoring mark, set in 1984-85 during his days at Hastings, would ever be surpassed. Brad Redford, named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball, came close as a senior in 2007-08, falling 17 points shy of exceeding Brown’s total of 969. Prior to that, only Drew Neitzel of Wyoming Park had come within reasonable striking distance, but that happened a decade and a half ago.
This year, Jergens of Howardsville Christian finally topped the total, finishing with 971 points. Jergens accomplished the task in 24 games, two games fewer than Brown, but with the advantage of the 3-point shot. The three was implemented after Brown had headed to college. According to press reports, Jergens had four games of at least 50 points during the season.
Still standing, 40 years later, is Jay Smith’s high school career scoring mark of 2,841 points, set at Mio between 1976 and 1979. Jergens finished third on the list with 2,782 career points, including 320 career 3-pointers – second most in state history. Brown ranks second with 2,789 points scored between 1982 and 1985.
Freshmen
Few followers of prep basketball in Michigan could avoid coming across the name Emoni Bates, especially after the freshman phenom from Ypsilanti Lincoln knocked down 17 points in the Quarterfinals, 31 points in the Semifinal round of the Division 1 tournament, then 23 in the championship game. The immediate question on press row was, “Had another ninth grader ever exceeded his totals in a MHSAA final-rounds contests?” There was nothing to exceed it that I could recall.
While we’ve kept final round records, including single-game scoring marks, the website minimum is 40 points, and we’ve never captured a list that’s broken down by year in school.
So, I decided to dig.
Quarterfinals
The state has certainly seen some talented freshmen pass through the last rounds of the tournament. Monte Morris scored 20 points in the Quarterfinals for Flint Beecher during its Class C run in 2010. Saginaw Buena Vista played two freshmen, Mark Macon and Shawn Randolph, along its route to the Finals in 1984. Macon, at the age of 14, scored 22 points in a Quarterfinal win over Menominee that season. Two players scored 24 points in the quarters as freshmen: Flint Beecher’s Roy Marble, Jr. in 1982 in a loss to Okemos and Manton’s Matt Stuck, who scored 24 in defeat against Mio in 1989. But, according to Detroit Free Press accounts, it appears Michael Payton from Detroit St. Leo is the leading freshman point-getter in the Quarterfinal round. Payton netted 26 in a 74-62 loss to Flint St. Redeemer in the 1970 tournament.
Semifinals
Macon in 1984 and perhaps the most famous of freshmen in MHSAA Tournament history, Willie Betts of River Rouge in 1961, both scored 14 in Semifinal victories. Clyde Corley from Pontiac Central tossed in 16 points during a heartbreaking Semifinal defeat, 53-52, to Saginaw in 1976. Kelvin Torbert posted 17 points (and 10 rebounds) in a 65-62 Semifinal loss to Belleville in 1998. Morris tallied 18 in a loss to Melvindale Academy for Business & Technology in the Class C semis in 2010. So, Bates’ total of 31 certainly appears to top the list.
Finals
Only one freshman prior to Bates has hit for double digits in a state final. In 1992, Saginaw Buena Vista’s Terrance Roberson went 3 for 7 from the field and 4 for 7 from the free throw line to finish with 10 points as the Knights grabbed a 54-44 win over Grandville Calvin Christian.
Please, let me know if I missed a top performer.
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.
PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Haven’s Kathryn Ackerman swims the breaststroke portion of her record-setting 200-yard individual medley this past fall. (Top middle) Harrison-Farmington’s Ashley Turak looks to the clock after her 100 freestyle at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals. (Middle) Schoolcraft’s Kobe Clark. (Middle below) Muskegon's Fred Jacks. (Below) Ypsilanti Lincoln’s Emoni Bates fires a jumper during his team’s Division 1 Semifinal win over Howell
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Boys Semifinals Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 12, 2025
Michigan State University’s Breslin Center will once again provide opportunities for dream finishes for 16 teams concluding another MHSAA boys basketball season this weekend.
Mark Keeler has been involved in plenty. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian’s leader will retire this weekend as the third-winningest coach in MHSAA boys basketball history – and after his 16th trip to Finals weekend.
His Defenders are joined by Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in Division 1 and Warren Lincoln in Division 2 as returning title winners seeking to finish repeat runs. Meanwhile, half of this weekend’s field will attempt to accomplish what Lincoln also did a year ago – end at Breslin as a champion for the first time.
Semifinals will be played Thursday and Friday, with all four championships games set for Saturday.
DIVISION 1 - Friday
East Lansing (26-1) vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary's (20-6) - Noon
Wayne Memorial (24-3) vs. Flint Carman-Ainsworth (22-5) - 2 p.m.
DIVISION 2 - Friday
Kingsford (22-3) vs. Romulus Summit Academy North (23-3) - 5:30 p.m.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central (21-7) vs. Warren Lincoln (21-4) - 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION 3 - Thursday
Ishpeming Westwood (22-5) vs. Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac (20-1) - Noon
Riverview Gabriel Richard (23-2) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (24-3) - 2 p.m.
DIVISION 4 - Thursday
Crystal Falls Forest Park (25-2) vs. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (25-2) - 5:30 p.m.
Fowler (24-3) vs. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (24-3) - 7:30 p.m.
Finals - Saturday
Division 1 - 12:15 p.m.
Division 2 - 6:45 p.m.
Division 3 - 4:30 p.m.
Division 4 - 10 a.m.
Tickets for this weekend’s games are $12 for both Semifinals and Finals and available via the Breslin Center ticket office; for information and links visit the Boys Basketball page.
All Semifinals will be broadcast and viewable with subscription on MHSAA.tv, and all four Finals will air live on FanDuel Sports Network. The Divisions 4 and 1 games will be broadcast on the FDSN primary channel, and the Divisions 3 and 2 games will be broadcast on FDSN Extra. Audio broadcasts of all Semifinals and Finals will be available free of charge from the MHSAA Network.
The Boys Basketball Semifinals & Finals are sponsored by Michigan Achievement Scholarship/MI Student Aid.
Here’s a look at the 16 semifinalists (with rankings by regular-season Michigan Power Ratings and statistics through Regional Finals):
Division 1
EAST LANSING
Record/rank: 26-1, No. 2
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference Blue
Coach: Ray Mitchell, seventh season (124-34)
Championship history: Class B champion 1958, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 72-49 over No. 11 Ann Arbor Huron in Quarterfinal, 77-42 over No. 45 Kalamazoo Central in Regional Final, 65-48 (District Final), 62-60 and 75-65 over No. 9 Lansing Waverly, 84-74 over No. 35 Detroit Renaissance, 69-68 over No. 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 69-54 over Division 2 No. 1 Warren Lincoln, 60-56 over Division 2 No. 6 Romulus Summit Academy North.
Players to watch: KJ Torbert, 6-3 jr. G (20.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg); Cameron Hutson, 6-6 sr. G (18.5 ppg, 49 3-pointers, 7.4 rpg,); Kingston Thomas, 6-5 soph. G (8.0 ppg).
Outlook: This will be the Trojans’ first trip to the Semifinals since 2008, and their only loss came in overtime 69-65 to Muskegon (20-3) on Dec. 21. The three players noted above are all sons of former Michigan State standouts (Kelvin Torbert, Andre Hutson and David Thomas, respectively) and have accounted for 61 percent of East Lansing’s 77 points per game this season, which have come against one of the strongest schedules in the state. Hutson and Torbert both made the all-state first team last season. Senior guard Jayce Branson adds another 7.8 points and two steals per game.
FLINT CARMAN-AINSWORTH
Record/rank: 22-5, No. 12
League finish: Fourth in Saginaw Valley League
Coach: Jay Witham, 12th season (204-69)
Championship history: Class A runner-up 2004 and 2003.
Best wins: 54-51 over No. 25 Byron Center in Quarterfinal, 64-56 over No. 9 Marquette in Regional Final, 64-60 (OT) over No. 3 Rockford in Regional Semifinal, 73-64 over No. 30 Saginaw United in District Final, 84-64 over No. 15 Port Huron Northern, 87-82 over No. 9 Lansing Waverly, 90-88 (3OT) over Division 2 No. 2 Flint Powers Catholic, 55-51 over Division 3 No. 9 Pewamo-Westphalia.
Players to watch: Donovan Hamlin, 6-5 sr. F (14.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.0 apg); MarQuinn Weston II, 5-10 sr. G (14.5 ppg, 41 3-pointers, 3.4 spg); Kendreyas White, 6-6 jr. F (7.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg).
Outlook: Carman-Ainsworth’s first trip to the Semifinals since 2004 began to take shape after a stretch of four losses in five games during the second half of January. The Cavaliers have won 13 of 14 games since, and the District Final victory over Saginaw United avenged a 14-point regular-season defeat. Rafael Murphy Jr. (6.6 ppg) and Fred Thomas IV (6.2) are among four more players averaging at least 5.5 points per game – and Thomas drilled the game-winner in the Quarterfinal. Freshman guard Anthony Mull has been the team’s second-most productive 3-point shooter and is the son of another past Spartan, Anthony Mull, who is also a Cavaliers assistant coach.
ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S
Record/rank: 20-6, No. 1
League finish: Third in Catholic High School League Central
Coach: Todd Covert, 10th season (170-60)
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 58-57 over No. 5 Detroit U-D Jesuit, 54-37 over No. 24 Waterford Mott in Regional Final, 72-41 over No. 20 Grand Blanc in Regional Semifinal, 76-73 over No. 35 Detroit Renaissance, 72-41 over No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 49-48 over No. 17 Grand Rapids Northview, 51-44 over No. 3 Rockford.
Players to watch: Trey McKenney, 6-5 sr. F (22.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg); Sharod Barnes, 6-2 sr. G (11.7 ppg, 4.2 apg); Jayden Savoury, 6-5 sr. F (9.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg).
Outlook: The Eaglets return to Breslin with three starters from last year’s championship run plus senior guard Isaiah Hines (9.7 ppg), a top sub who now starts. Leading the way, of course, is Mr. Basketball Award honoree McKenney, who was also last season’s Division 1 Player of the Year from The Associated Press and has signed with Michigan. He’s the program’s all-time leading scorer, but St. Mary’s still went 4-2 when he was out with an injury midseason – losing to East Lansing by only one point and Brother Rice by two during that stretch. Junior forward Luke Crighton adds another 6.3 ppg, and freshman guard Mateen Cleaves – also a son of a former MSU standout – provides 5.1 points off the bench.
WAYNE MEMORIAL
Record/rank: 24-3, No. 14
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association East
Coach: Steve Brooks, fourth season (60-48)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 70-44 over No. 10 Detroit Martin Luther King in Quarterfinal, 72-70 over No. 5 Detroit U-D Jesuit in Regional Final, 66-49 and 59-54 over No. 32 Belleville, 69-60 over No. 23 Traverse City West, 77-52 and 76-63 over No. 21 Dearborn.
Players to watch: Austin Tory, 6-7 sr. G/F/C (11.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 bpg); Carlos Medlock Jr., 6-0 jr. G (24.9 ppg, 49 3-pointers, 6.0 rpg, 4.8 apg, 3.0 spg); Jaylohn Allen, 6-2 jr. G (17.7 ppg, 58 3-pointers, 4.4 apg).
Outlook: After taking losses to Birmingham Groves (18-6) and St. Mary’s in December, Wayne has won 20 of its 21 games this calendar year and 16 by double digits. Brooks is 384-164 since becoming a varsity coach in 2001 and also took Inkster and Ypsilanti to Quarterfinals; he’s brought Wayne from 2-11 his first season to its first Semifinal since 1997. The third loss this winter was to Novi (19-5), by just two points in the KLAA championship game. Senior guard Jalahn McClellan (4.7 ppg, 29 3-pointers) is another player who must be accounted for on the perimeter.
Division 2
GRAND RAPIDS CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 21-7, No. 25
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference White
Coach: Chris Pearl, first season (21-7)
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2021, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 47-44 over No. 7 Grand Rapids South Christian in Regional Final, 44-35 over No. 4 Hudsonville Unity Christian in District Semifinal, 58-33 and 54-43 over No. 42 Grand Rapids Christian, 59-43 over No. 33 Marshall in Quarterfinal, 71-46 over No. 35 Allendale in District Final.
Players to watch: Izaya Larthridge, 6-5 jr. F (15.5 ppg, 61 3-pointers, 5.1 rpg); Jack Bowen, 6-6 sr. C (7.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg); Brieland Watkins, 6-2 jr. G (10.7 ppg).
Outlook: In addition to its championship in 2021, Grand Rapids Catholic Central finished Division 2 runner-up in 2022 and reached the Quarterfinals last season. They’ve continued to advance under Pearl, who played at Otsego and then collegiately at Sienna Heights, Grand Valley State and Davenport and served as a Catholic Central assistant for a year before taking over the program this winter. All but one of the Cougars’ losses came against opponents that won at least 16 games during the regular season, and the Unity and South Christian playoff victories avenged two of those defeats. Jordan McCoy adds another nine points and 3.6 assists per game.
KINGSFORD
Record/rank: 22-3, No. 3
League finish: Tied for first in Great Northern Conference
Coach: Ben Olsen, first season (22-3)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 48-46 over No. 10 Freeland in Quarterfinal, 72-60 over Division 1 No. 6 Marquette, 57-53 over Division 3 No. 7 Iron Mountain, 59-32 over Division 3 No. 11 Elk Rapids, 57-50 over Division 3 No. 18 Ishpeming Westwood, 56-39 over Division 4 No. 1 Crystal Falls Forst Park.
Players to watch: Owen Olkkonen, 6-3 jr. F (7.0 ppg, 33 3-pointers); Morgan Sleik, 6-4 sr. C (12.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg); Gavin Grondin, 5-11 sr. G (24.3 ppg, 79 3-pointers).
Outlook: Kingsford’s Regional titles last week and last season were the program’s first since 1992, and this will be its first trip to the Semifinals since 1965. The Flivvers avenged losses to Marquette and Iron Mountain along the way, sharing the GNC title with the former, and prior to the Freeland win the other four during the postseason were all by at least 18 points. Grondin earned an all-state honorable mention as a junior and has made nearly 39 percent of his shots from 3-point range. Olsen took over the program this season after previously coaching the boys and girls teams at Gwinn.
ROMULUS SUMMIT ACADEMY NORTH
Record/rank: 23-3, No. 6
League finish: First in Charter School Conference Gold
Coach: Derek Clark, first season (23-3)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 68-41 over No. 37 Lansing Sexton in Quarterfinal, 59-53 over No. 12 Adrian in Regional Final, 60-47 over No. 21 Detroit University Prep, 59-33 over No. 11 Detroit Old Redford, 62-40 over Division 1 No. 28 Birmingham Groves, 65-64 over Division 1 No. 35 Detroit Renaissance.
Players to watch: Amir Perryman, 5-10 sr. G (11.4 ppg, 3.5 apg); Chance Houser, 6-6 jr. F (14.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg); Jordan Fuller, 6-0 jr. G (13.1 ppg, 2.9 apg).
Outlook: Summit is returning to the Semifinals for the second time in three seasons, this time under Clark, who coached Detroit University Prep Art & Design to league and District titles over three seasons before taking over the Dragons. Their losses tell a good story as well; Summit lost to Walled Lake Central (18-5) by just six at the end of December, then by just four to East Lansing and two in overtime to University Prep in a league tournament semifinal. Senior forward Andrew Ashwood (10.7 ppg), junior guard Marquan White (7.5) and junior forward Demetri Campbell (5.6) also bolster the balanced offense.
WARREN LINCOLN
Record/rank: 21-4, No. 1
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Coach: Wydell Henry, seventh season (113-39)
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2024.
Best wins: 59-44 over No. 11 Detroit Old Redford in Regional Final, 66-65 over Division 1 No. 5 Detroit U-D Jesuit, 56-48 and 74-58 over Division 1 No. 15 Port Huron Northern, 56-51 over Division 1 No. 11 Ann Arbor Huron, 76-66 over Division 1 No. 13 Muskegon.
Players to watch: Geon Hutchins, 6-5 sr. G (16.5 ppg); Markus Blackwell, 6-2 sr. G (19.5 ppg, 2.5 apg); Da’Marion Bozeman, 6-5 sr. G (13.3 ppg).
Outlook: Bozeman, Markus Blackwell and senior guard Moses Blackwell (6.5 ppg) all started last season’s championship game, and 6-7 senior guard Christopher Morgan (11.7 ppg) was a top sub and starts now. Warren Lincoln played the second-toughest schedule in any division this regular season, as its opponents combined won 70 percent of their games. The Abes have won 17 straight after working through a string of defeats to Division 1 East Lansing, Byron Center, Brother Rice and Grand Rapids Northview over a six-game stretch in late December and early January. Markus Blackwell made the all-state first team last season.
Division 3
ARTS & TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY of PONTIAC
Record/rank: 20-1, No. 13
League finish: First in Charter School Conference Silver
Coach: Orlando Lovejoy, first season (20-1)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 74-44 over No. 50 Flint New Standard Academy in Quarterfinal, 82-61 over No. 49 Detroit Loyola in Regional Final, 84-43 over No. 46 Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 68-61 over Division 2 No. 11 Detroit Old Redford, 83-67 over Division 1 No. 38 River Rouge.
Players to watch: Lewis Lovejoy, 5-8 fr. G (17.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 8.4 apg, 3.4 spg, 2.3 bpg); De’Vontae Grandison, 6-4 jr. F (13.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 4.2 apg, 3.0 bpg); Terrance Hicks, 6-3 sr. G (15.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.0 spg, 1.0 bpg).
Outlook: ATAP finished 3-12 just two seasons ago and 8-7 last year but has taken a mighty step under Orlando Lovejoy. Losing only to nonleague Division 1 Hamtramck (15-9), the Lions won their division of the Charter School Conference and then reached the league tournament championship game (which was canceled) by getting past Old Redford – which was ATAP’s only single-digit win. The Lions have scored more than 80 points 12 times and 90 in three games. Senior guard Teyshaun Hicks adds another 11.9 points, six assists and one block per game.
ISHPEMING WESTWOOD
Record/rank: 22-5, No. 17
League finish: Second in Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East
Coach: Luke Gray, fifth season (75-37)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 48-40 over No. 16 McBain in Quarterfinal, 62-40 over No. 1 Maple City Glen Lake in Regional Final, 55-53 (District Final) and 61-56 over No. 7 Iron Mountain, 72-44 over Division 2 No. 36 Houghton.
Players to watch: Ethan Marta, 6-4 jr. G (27 ppg, 50 3-pointers, 5.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 3.5 spg); Tristan Miller, 6-1 sr. F (10.6 ppg, 31 3-pointers); Reid Frustaglio, 6-1 sr. F (9.6 ppg).
Outlook: Westwood is traveling to the Semifinals for the first time since 2003, making a jump from 14-10 a year ago and getting past West-PAC East champion Iron Mountain after a regular-season split in the midst of one of the most impressive tournament runs in any division. The losses came in spurts of three and two as Westwood lost a pair of Division 1 Marquette (22-4) and once to Kingsford, which is playing this weekend in Division 2. Westwood also lost a first meeting with Division 2 Negaunee (15-9) before winning the rematch. Marta entered the week making nearly 63 percent of his shots from the floor.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
Record/rank: 24-3, No. 9
League finish: First in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Dominic Schneider, fifth season (98-21)
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2019, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 50-45 over No. 14 Schoolcraft in Quarterfinal, 46-39 over No. 23 North Muskegon in Regional Final, 56-39 over Division 1 No. 20 Grand Blanc, 59-48 and 51-49 over Division 4 No. 4 Fowler.
Players to watch: Grady Eklund, 6-3 jr. G (17.5 ppg, 45 3-pointers, 3.4 apg); Trent Piggott, 6-5 jr. G (8.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg); Dominic Weber, 6-2 sr. G (9.1 ppg, 66 3-pointers).
Outlook: Schneider has directed the Pirates to three league, five District and three Regional titles since taking over the program, and this will be their first trip to the Semifinals since the 2019 championship run. Eklund made the all-state first team last season and can fill the scoresheet when needed. In addition to defeating Division 1 Grand Blanc on Feb. 7, P-W also got looks at strong competition in losses to Division 1 Hudsonville and Flint Carman-Ainsworth and Division 2 Grand Rapids South Christian. The Hudsonville defeat Feb. 18 was P-W’s only loss over its last 19 games.
RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD
Record/rank: 23-2, No. 2
League finish: First in CHSL AA
Coach: Kris Daiek, 14th season (226-75)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 62-30 (Quarterfinal), 82-48 and 88-65 over No. 5 Jackson Lumen Christi, 77-53 over No. 35 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in Regional Final, 81-46 and 88-50 over Division 2 No. 46 Dearborn Divine Child, 79-58 over Division 1 No. 12 Flint Carman-Ainsworth.
Players to watch: Nick Sobush, 5-10 sr. G (19.7 ppg, 53 3-pointers); Luke Westerdale, 6-1 sr. G (16.8 ppg, 86 3-pointers, 3.8 apg); Charles Kage, 6-8 sr. F (11.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg).
Outlook: All five starters and the only sub who saw the floor in last season’s two-point Semifinal loss to Old Redford will be back this weekend, riding an 18-game winning streak and with their only two defeats this time to Division 1 Grand Blanc and Division 2 Flint Powers both in December. Sobush made the all-state first team last season. Senior 6-5 forward Drew Everingham (10.8 ppg, 46 3-pointers) is another returning starter and perimeter threat, and junior guard Derek Lesko (4.8 ppg) fills out that intact starting lineup from a year ago. Senior 6-4 forward Bryce White is adding another 7.3 points off the bench.
Division 4
ALLEN PARK INTER-CITY BAPTIST
Record/rank: 24-3, No. 6
League finish: First in Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue
Coach: Mark Kraatz, 36th season (596-285)
Championship history: Class D champion 1985.
Best wins: 63-50 over No. 17 Kingston in Quarterfinal, 58-41 over No. 8 Clarkston Everest Collegiate in Regional Final, 70-50 (District Final), 64-63 and 56-43 over No. 32 Southfield Christian, 64-61 over Division 1 No. 46 Riverview.
Players to watch: Ethan Esse, 5-10 jr. G (22.3 ppg, 64 3-pointers, 4.6 apg); Carlos Jackson, 6-3 jr. F (11.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 5.0 apg); Mason Kowalski, 6-3 jr. F (9.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.4 apg).
Outlook: Esse and Jackson started on last season’s championship team, and Kowalski, senior guard Josh Hamilton, junior forward Asher Bettinger and sophomore guard Jack Dawson saw the most minutes off the bench and fill larger roles on this team. Esse made the all-state first team last season and has added another bucket to his scoring average while remaining a dangerous threat from 3-point range. Inter-City’s losses came to Division 1 Detroit Cass Tech (19-4) and Taylor and Division 2 Detroit Voyageur College Prep, and the Chargers earned several more wins against larger opponents.
CRYSTAL FALLS FOREST PARK
Record/rank: 25-2, No. 1
League finish: First in Skyline Central Conference small-schools division
Coach: Jason Price, fourth season (70-27)
Championship history: Class D runner-up 1995 and 1981; Crystal Falls, Amasa and Alpha high schools won a combined 14 titles with five runner-up finishes before consolidating into Forest Park in 1967.
Best wins: 45-43 over No. 14 Pickford in Quarterfinal, 58-35 (District Final), 66-44 and 65-54 over No. 5 Norway; 51-34 (Regional Semifinal), 69-58 and 47-36 over No. 18 Felch North Dickinson; 76-41 over No. 24 Ewen-Trout Creek, 62-56 over Division 3 No. 8 Munising.
Players to watch: Kevin Giuliani, 6-5 sr. F (14.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg); Vic Giuliani, 6-2 soph. F (22.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg); Gabe Quevedo, 5-7 sr. G (6.9 ppg, 36 3-pointers, 3.8 apg).
Outlook: Price has taken Forest Park from 7-9 the season before he took over to two straight Regional titles and now the program’s first trip to the Semifinals since 2004. The Trojans tested themselves in losses to Division 1 Marquette and Division 2 Kingsford and also picked up wins over Division 2 Escanaba and Division 3 Menominee. Forward Matt Showers (5.2 rpg) joins Kevin Giuliani and Quevedo in the starting lineup, but they are the only seniors and the top two subs are underclassmen in addition to Vic Giuliani and sophomore Dax Huuki (7.2 ppg) filling out the starting lineup. Sophomore guard Izaiah Tarter adds 8.1 points and 3.8 assists per game off the bench.
FOWLER
Record/rank: 24-3, No. 4
League finish: Second in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Kam Riley, sixth season (77-62)
Championship history: Class D champion 1952, runner-up 2002 and 1950.
Best wins: 66-27 over No. 19 Bellaire in Quarterfinal, 60-53 over No. 11 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart in Regional Semifinal, 62-59 over No. 2 Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 58-46 (District Final), 53-40 and 59-37 over No. 23 Portland St. Patrick; 62-32 over No. 16 Fulton, 69-57 over Division 2 No. 33 Marshall.
Players to watch: Jacob Halfmann, sr. G (12.5 ppg, 41 3-pointers, 4.0 apg); Aaron Simon, sr. G (12.3 ppg, 65 3-pointers); Alex Halfmann, sr. F (11 ppg, 6.7 rpg). (Heights not submitted.)
Outlook: Fowler will play in its first Semifinal since 2002 after winning a District for the second-straight season. The Eagles opened this winter with a win over reigning champion Tri-unity Christian, and their only losses were twice to Pewamo-Westphalia – playing in Division 3 this weekend – and once to Division 2 Fruitport (17-6). Four seniors anchor the starting lineup including the three noted above and guard Asher Koenigsknecht, who adds 11.7 ppg and entered this week with 53 3-pointers. He, Jacob Halfmann and Simon all had connected on at least 38 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc.
WYOMING TRI-UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 25-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Alliance League
Coach: Mark Keeler, 38th season (719-218)
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2024), six runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 56-43 (Quarterfinal) and 58-44 over No. 9 Adrian Lenawee Christian, 80-45 over No. 15 Bellevue in Regional Final, 50-29 over No. 21 Marion, 50-34 over Division 3 No. 39 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, 62-42 over Division 3 No. 12 Beal City, 52-39 over Division 3 No. 14 Schoolcraft, 38-30 over Division 2 No. 5 Grand Rapids Covenant Christian.
Players to watch: Keaton Blanker, 5-11, sr. G (11.1 ppg, 4.2 apg); Noah Silverton, 6-3 sr. G/F (11.1 ppg); Joey Mellon, 6-7 sr. C (13 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg).
Outlook: Tri-unity is not only attempting to send coach Mark Keeler into retirement with one more championship, but also get to Saturday’s Final for a fifth-straight season; the Defenders also won Division 4 in 2022 and finished runners-up most recently in 2021 and 2023. Blanker – who had 11 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in last year’s title game – is the only returning starter from that run although Mellon saw solid minutes off the bench. Sophomore forward Cody Osbun is another returning player who has moved into the starting lineup and averages 7.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Tri-unity’s only losses were to Fowler (noted above) and Division 2 Grand Rapids West Catholic, both in December.
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PHOTOS (Top) Crystal Falls Forest Park's Gabe Quevedo, dribbling, considers his next move during Tuesday's win over Pickford. (Middle) East Lansing's KJ Torbert drives to the basket during a regular-season victory over Lansing Waverly. (Forest Park photo by Cara Kamps. East Lansing/Waverly photo by John Johnson.)