Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Boys Regional Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 3, 2026
Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian Academy won its first District championship in boys basketball last week. Fruitport won its first since 1938.
Yale defeated Croswell-Lexington and Marshall defeated Battle Creek Pennfield in District Final matchups of teams that shared league titles. Ann Arbor Pioneer, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Colon and Detroit Cass Tech all finished second in their leagues this season but won their Districts as well, defeating their respective league champions to advance to this week’s Regionals.
Districts offer every team new life and second chances – and after a week full of those, 128 hopefuls are only three more wins from booking a trip to Michigan State.
Find everything you need to know this week about tickets, brackets and more as the tournament continues on the Boys Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network, and see below for several of the intriguing matchups. Host sites are in bold.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Cass Tech 66, Detroit Martin Luther King 23 The Technicians (18-6) avenged a pair of regular-season losses to rival King (18-6) in a big way in this Division 1 District final after previously falling by seven points Jan. 21 and then 68-63 in the Detroit Public School League Tournament championship game on Feb. 15.
2. Rockford 83, Muskegon 70 The Rams (20-3) won this Division 1 District Final matchup for the second-straight season, ending Ottawa-Kent Conference Green champion Muskegon’s run at 20-3.
3. Hudsonville Unity Christian 60, Grand Rapids South Christian 39 This Division 2 District Final pitted the champs from the O-K Black and Gold, with Unity (21-3) adding to its 17-point win over the Sailors (20-4) from Dec. 12.
4. Colon 54, Mendon 47 The Magi (20-4) had finished second to Mendon in the Southern Central Athletic Association West after losing in overtime both times they faced the Hornets (22-2) during the regular season, but got past them in regulation in this Division 4 District Final.
5. Grand Rapids Catholic Central 44, Grand Rapids Christian 41 The Cougars (18-6) had fallen to Grand Rapids Christian (17-6) by nine points just 10 days earlier to lose the O-K White title to the Eagles, but rebounded to win a Division 2 District title for the third-straight season.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Caledonia
Grand Rapids Northview (20-4) vs. Grandville (14-10)
Holland West Ottawa (13-11) vs. East Kentwood (21-2)
Grandville and West Ottawa deserve nods for reaching this week, the Bulldogs for avenging two regular-season losses to Hudsonville with a 49-37 District Final win and the Panthers as they added to a nice streak of four wins in five games by joining Grandville, East Kentwood and Rockford as one of four District champs from the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red. But the most anticipated matchup this week would see O-K Gold co-champion Northview take on the Falcons, who won that O-K Red that also will see all six teams finish with winning records this season.
Detroit Renaissance
Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (19-5) vs. Detroit Cass Tech (18-6)
Farmington (12-12) vs. Warren Fitzgerald (18-6)
Brother Rice and Cass Tech have been in the statewide favorites conversation most of this decade, and although neither won its league this season it wouldn’t be shocking to see either playing at Breslin with an opportunity to win it all in two weeks. Only three of Rice’s losses were to in-state opponents – East Lansing (23-1), Rockford (20-3) and Detroit Catholic Central (17-6) – and Cass Tech’s six defeats came by a combined 21 points. Farmington has emerged after finishing fifth in the Oakland Activities Association Red and defeated Redford Thurston (20-3) to advance, and Fitzgerald has won 12 of its last 15 and claimed the Macomb Area Conference White title.
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix
Jackson (18-6) vs. Kalamazoo Central (20-2)
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (16-7) vs. East Lansing (23-1)
Reigning Division 1 champion East Lansing has been stopped only once this season, by Grand Rapids Northview on Feb. 7. The Trojans also defeated Loy Norrix 78-50 two weeks ago, and last year downed Kalamazoo Central by 35 points in the Regional Final. The Maroon Giants are among the state’s elite again this season and perhaps even a step up from a year ago, with losses to only Detroit Martin Luther King (18-6) and Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (19-5). The focus is on those two, but Jackson has won 11 of its last 12 games, and Loy Norrix has its most wins since 2011-12.
DIVISION 2
Fowlerville
Chelsea (18-5) vs. Marshall (19-4)
Lansing Sexton (22-2) vs. Michigan Center (20-3)
All of these teams are league champions, Sexton in the Capital Area Activities Conference White, Michigan Center in the Cascades Conference East, Chelsea sharing with two others in the Southeastern Conference White and Marshall as co-champion in the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference. Marshall downed the other I8AC co-champ Battle Creek Pennfield to advance and also defeated Michigan Center 64-50 on Dec. 13. Sexton defeated Chelsea by two points last season in their Regional Final and has been even better this winter with its only losses to Division 1 East Lansing and Lansing Waverly. Michigan Center bounced back from two losses to end the regular season, and Chelsea has three defeats by one or two points and shared the SEC White title with Division 1 teams Ypsilanti Lincoln and Jackson.
Manistique
Kingsford (16-6) vs. Cheboygan (18-6)
Ludington (22-2) vs. Gladwin (23-1)
Gladwin won the Jack Pine Conference overall championship and is riding a 23-game winning streak since falling to Sanford Meridian (17-7) in its season opener. The Flying Gs take on another league champion in Ludington, which won the West Michigan Conference Lakes and has lost to only Division 1 Traverse City West (16-5) and North Muskegon (22-2). Those two will play one of the most intriguing Regional Semifinals in any division, but Kingsford or Cheboygan also will be formidable Thursday. The Flivvers made the Division 2 Semifinals a year ago, defeating Ludington by 40 in the Regional Final along the way. Cheboygan has doubled its win total this season from two years ago and got through close games with Grayling and Ogemaw Heights last week to advance.
Owosso
Flint Hamady (16-6) vs. Frankenmuth (23-1)
Freeland (21-3) vs. Portland (18-5)
This group is a complete repeat of last year’s Regional that saw Freeland advance to the Quarterfinals by defeating Portland. Heading into this year’s bracket, Frankenmuth finished first and Freeland second in the Tri-Valley Conference Red, and Freeland handed the Eagles their only loss, 54-48 on Feb. 13, after Frankenmuth had won their first meeting 47-43. Hamady won the Genesee Area Conference Blue and advanced to this week with a 17-point win over Flint Powers Catholic (16-7). Portland finished second in the CAAC White behind Lansing Sexton (22-2) and has won nine of its last 10 games.
DIVISION 3
Cass City
Reese (15-10) vs. International Academy of Flint (18-4)
Sandusky (16-7) vs. Harbor Beach (21-3)
Harbor Beach has totaled at least 20 wins the last three seasons and reached the Regional Final a year ago, but must defeat a familiar opponent for a third time to take that step again. The Pirates won the Big Thumb Conference Black and Sandusky finished third – and Sandusky also had a win over Reese just two weeks ago. The Rockets emerged by upsetting Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (19-5) in their District Final and now must take on another league champion in IAF, which won the Genesee Area Conference Red. The Phoenix bounced back from a pair of losses to end the regular season to earn their second District title over the last three years, and all of IAF’s defeats came to opponents with at least 18 wins.
Clinton
Ottawa Lake Whiteford (21-3) vs. Onsted (22-2)
Jonesville (18-6) vs. Ecorse (18-5)
Whiteford/Onsted should be another Regional Semifinal with notable statewide interest as both are league champions – in the Tri-County Conference and Lenawee County Athletic Association, respectively – with only a handful of losses between them. Whiteford actually shared the TCC title but has won 11 straight games and lost only twice to in-state opponents. Both Onsted defeats came to Division 2 teams. Ecorse also is a league champion, in the Charter School Conference Silver, and only three years removed from a run to the Division 3 Semifinals. Jonesville was the runner-up in the Cascades Conference West and reached this week with two five-point wins in its District including a triple-overtime victory over Hudson.
Kingsford
Ishpeming Westwood (23-1) vs. Menominee (20-4)
East Jordan (22-2) vs. Elk Rapids (20-3)
This is another field of four league champs, starting with Western Peninsula Athletic Conference winner Westwood, which made the Division 3 Semifinals a year ago and defeated Great Northern Conference champ Menominee 55-52 on Feb. 6. That was one of three Maroons defeats against teams still playing this week, and Menominee is only two years removed from winning a Regional title. East Jordan won the Ski Valley Conference and defeated Mancelona (21-3) for the third time this season to win their District Final. Elk Rapids won the Northern Shores Conference and has lost to only Division 1 and 2 opponents. The Elks got past Northwest Conference champion Maple City Glen Lake by three points last week to advance.
DIVISION 4
Detroit Douglass
Detroit Douglass (17-7) vs. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (21-3)
Whitmore Lake (17-7) vs. Southfield Christian (19-5)
Inter-City Baptist defeated Douglass in a Regional Semifinal a year ago during its run to Breslin and has lost to only Division 1 and 2 teams this season that all have won at least 17 games. The host Hurricanes also have lost to only Division 1 and 2 teams, all with at least 14 wins – and Douglass nearly made the PSL championship game before falling to Cass Tech in overtime of their semifinal. Inter-City Baptist won the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Blue and has two victories over both Whitmore Lake and Southfield Christian, which split their regular-season series with Whitmore Lake winning the first game and the Eagles taking the rematch.
Hillman
Rudyard (14-10) vs. Pickford (23-0)
Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian (16-7) vs. Hillman (21-2)
As noted above, Northern Michigan Christian is coming off its first District championship in this sport. The Eagles also have a win over Rudyard this season and a 23-pointer over Posen – which shared the North Star League Little Dipper championship with Hillman. That adds another level of intrigue to this bracket as Hillman and Posen split and Hillman lost their second meeting – although the Tigers already avenged their other loss, to Rogers City, twice including last week. Pickford has 27 and 29-point wins over Rudyard this season and is pursuing a second-straight Regional title after missing a trip to Breslin last season with a two-point Quarterfinal loss. Rudyard has won 10 of its last 13 games and in its District Final avenged a 20-point loss to Brimley from 10 days earlier with a two-point win.
Merrill
Fowler (22-2) vs. Baldwin (20-4)
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (22-1) vs. Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central (16-7)
This power-packed Regional starts with Tri-unity, the reigning Division 4 champion with its only loss this season to Division 2 Fruitport (21-3) on Dec. 20. The Defenders must first take on a Nouvel team that finished second in the TVC Blue and has won eight of its last nine games including 55-50 over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (18-5) in their District Final. And whichever team comes out of Fowler/Baldwin will provide a major challenge as well. The Eagles also ran into Tri-unity last year – in the Division 4 championship game, won by the Defenders 49-32 – and Fowler’s only losses this winter were to Division 3 Pewamo-Westphalia (22-2). Baldwin will do its best to prevent that rematch and is plenty capable after avenging an earlier defeat to clinch the outright West Michigan D League title while riding a run of nine wins over its last 10 games.
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PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Cass Tech’s Amari Wash (11) makes a move toward the lane during his team’s Division 1 District Final win over Detroit Martin Luther King on Friday. (Middle) Marquette's Ford Richardson gets up a shot while surrounded by Traverse City West's Ashton Royle (15), Jacob Banish (1), Blake LaFaive (5), and Carter Grubb (3) during the Sentinels’ 69-52 Division 1 District Final win. (Below) Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Ortonville Brandon face off in a Division 2 District opener. (Cass Tech/King photo by Olivia B. Photography. Marquette/TC West photo by Cara Kamps. Notre Dame Prep/Ortonville Brandon photo by Terry Lyons.)
Flights, Flexibility, Fun & New Friends All Parts of Beaver Island's Sports Story
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
August 27, 2021
Chartered flights and overnight stays for all away games are part of the normal routine for one northern Michigan high school’s student-athletes.
Opportunities to make lots of new friends always come with the games too.
That’s the norm for Beaver Island athletes representing the Lakers in soccer, volleyball and basketball while competing in the Northern Lights League.
“We fly everywhere, and it is awesome,” says second-year soccer coach Bryan Doughman. “I thoroughly enjoy the travel.
“The biggest challenge is the kids forgetting something, and I am ultimately responsible for ‘How am I going to fix this?’”
Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan, northwest of Charlevoix in the Lower Peninsula and southeast of Manistique in the U.P. The island is home to 600 year-round residents, with 60 students kindergarten through 12th grade, including 17 in grades 9-12 this school year.
Doughman manages a restaurant on the Island. He is a native of Cincinnati. Coaching the co-ed soccer team has permitted him to make his first trips to the Upper Peninsula and Mackinac Island.
But social aspects provide the most benefit for the student-athletes. The Islanders will make their first trip of the season Sept. 15 to Concord Academy Boyne. As they do at home, the Islanders will play a game Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. The overnight experience is provided by the home school.
“The kids will be seeing and meeting new friends,” Doughman noted. That’s what they ultimately look forward to … socially with different people.
“We all know the situation of going to work where you interact with the same people over and over again and can’t wait to meet new people,” he continued. “That’s what they kinda go through their whole lives.”
Beaver Island’s girls volleyball team opened its season Aug. 27 with a pair of losses at Maplewood Baptist in Kinross, located in the eastern Upper Peninsula.
The soccer and volleyball teams will open their home seasons Sept. 10 and 11, hosting Hannahville Nah Tah Wahsh, another U.P. opponent.
“The island community enjoys being able to come and cheer on the island teams,” noted second-year volleyball coach Bridget Martin.
The boys and girls basketball teams will go through their seasons this winter similarly. Athletics and social opportunities are a source of satisfaction for Kerry Smith, Beaver Island’s athletic director. She grew up on the Island and competed for the Islanders.
“The best part of being an AD on an island is the great deal of satisfaction I get from watching our kids be able to connect with other kids their age and play a sport and have a great time doing it,” Smith said. “The kids here know what a privilege it is to be able to have a sports program, and they show their appreciation through their outstanding sportsmanship – and that makes me beam with pride!”
Dianna Behl, Beaver Island’s language arts teacher, will take over the girls basketball team this winter. She has served as the school’s Nordic ski club advisor the past four years and has practiced with the basketball team frequently. She was a three-year letter winner at Charlevoix High School.
She’s expects her team to benefit from players taking part in fall sports.
“I am very excited for our season because many of the players are participating in soccer and volleyball, so they should be in great shape for basketball season,” she said. “I hope to build on their solid base.”
Dan Burton will be entering his seventh season as the varsity boys basketball coach. He’s also developing an elementary basketball program and guiding the middle schoolers. He expects to have a middle schooler or two join the high school team to fill out the roster this winter.
“The best part of coaching is getting these the students an outlet for sports,” said Burton, a business owner on the island. “Otherwise, there’s nothing much else to do in a small town like this.
“Keeping a sports program is the most important thing.”
The soccer team also is relying on middle schoolers as it attempts to find enough players to compete. The co-ed roster is dominated by girls, and the Islanders have only two seniors and one junior on the squad.
“I just hope we can improve a lot on our basics this year,” Doughman said. “I hope to just have fun. The biggest challenge is they’re all first and second-year players, except for a handful.”
Weather is the most difficult challenge of being an island-based sports team, the coaches acknowledged.
“The greatest challenge of coaching an island team is Mother Nature,” Behl said. “The girls practice hard for days and then at the last minute bad weather comes in and the planes aren't flying us out, or our competition in, for the games.
“It is heartbreaking and happens every season,” she continued. “Nonetheless, I am so impressed with how well the girls handle it. It is a life lesson in flexibility, and they are pros.”
Because of those frequent weather changes, spotting the athletic director in the school hallways often is a bad sign.
“The weather is a major frustration and always a factor for us,” Smith said. “On game day, I try not to show my face down in the high school wing because the kids always think I am coming to deliver bad news.”
The school often chooses which teams will go on to MHSAA postseason play based on their success in the league. Beaver Island sent its boys basketball team to Districts last season.
The last Beaver Island team to move past the first round of Districts was the volleyball team in 2013. The Islanders beat Mackinaw City and went on to play Engadine before seeing their season come to an end. The school’s best-ever tournament run was by the soccer team in 2005.
“They were District winners; this was the farthest any team has ever gone,” Smith recalled. “It was a huge celebration. The team was greeted by the fire trucks, parents and pretty much the whole community when they flew home that day.”
Beaver Island anticipates sending the boys basketball team to Districts again this year, and possibly the girls basketball team as well.
Mackinac Island is the Islanders’ favorite place to travel, according to coaches’ consensus. That’s the host for the volleyball and soccer Northern Lights Conference tournaments.
“One of our favorites would have to be Mackinac Island because the girls enjoy flying to another island, riding in the horse drawn carriage and the rare treat of getting to go to a Starbucks,” she said.
Mackinac Island will host conference tournaments for soccer Oct. 16 and volleyball Oct. 23.
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Beaver Island's Ella Moon passes during a volleyball match this fall. (2) Olga Burton winds up to serve. (3) Beaver Island plays its lone home soccer game during the 2020 season. (4) The Beaver Island boys basketball team participated in District play this past winter. (Photos courtesy of the Beaver Island athletic department.)