C-D Preview: Chasing the Champs
March 23, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Two storylines jump out immediately from this weekend’s MHSAA Class C and D Semifinals at the Breslin Center.
Reigning Class D champion Powers North Central has won 53 straight games – and with two more wins this weekend will tie the fourth-longest streak in MHSAA history and set up a run next winter at Chassell’s record of 65 straight victories.
Reigning Class C champion Flint Beecher, meanwhile, is only going for its fourth championship in five seasons.
Six more teams would love to ruin these scenarios.
All four Class C and D Semifinals will be played Thursday, with all four championship games Saturday.
Semifinals - Thursday
Class C
Grandville Calvin Christian (20-4) vs. McBain (26-0), 1 p.m.
Flint Beecher (23-2) vs. Detroit Loyola (21-5), 2:50 p.m.
Class D
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (20-5) vs. Waterford Our Lady (21-4), 6 p.m.
Fulton (19-6) vs. Powers North Central (26-0), 7:50 p.m.
Finals - Saturday
Class A - Noon
Class B - 6:30 p.m.
Class C - 4:30 p.m.
Class D - 10 a.m.
Tickets cost $8 per pair of Semifinals and $10 per two-game Finals session. All Semifinals will be streamed live on MHSAA.TV on a pay-per-view basis. All four Finals will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Detroit-PLUS. Free radio broadcasts of all weekend games will be available on MHSAANetwork.com.
And now, a look at the semifinalists in Class C and D. Click on the name of the school to see that team’s full schedule and results from this season. (Statistics are through teams' Regional Finals except for Tri-unity Christian’s, which are through 18 games.)
Class C
DETROIT LOYOLA
Record/rank: 21-5, honorable mention
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League AA
Coach: John Buscemi, 12th season (171-75)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 58-47 over Hanover-Horton in Quarterfinal, 66-53 over No. 10 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in Regional Semifinal, 69-45 over No. 8 Detroit Allen Academy in District Semifinal, 56-49 over Detroit Martin Luther King.
Players to watch: Romari Ennis, 5-11 sr. G (13.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.2 spg); Dequan Powell, 5-10 sr. G (13.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg).
Outlook: Loyola is no longer just a football school. The Bulldogs built on their third District title in eight seasons with a first Regional championship and will be prepared for more having faced a schedule loaded with larger schools – after falling to Southfield Christian by nine in its opener, Loyola’s other four losses were by a combined eight points to three Class A teams and a Class B. Sophomore guard Pierre Mitchell adds another 11.1 points per game to a balanced starting five.
FLINT BEECHER
Record/rank: 23-2, No. 2
League finish: First in Genesee Area Conference Red
Coach: Mike Williams, 12th season (229-71)
Championship history: Six MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 72-45 over honorable mention Ithaca in Quarterfinal, 78-65 over No. 9 Southfield Christian in Regional Final, 68-62 over Flint Hamady in District Quarterfinal, 58-48 over Class B No. 6 River Rouge, 72-69 over Class A No. 6 Detroit East English.
Players to watch: Malik Ellison, 5-8 jr. G (statistics not submitted); Levane Blake, 6-8 jr. C (statistics not submitted).
Outlook: Beecher has returned to the elite and then some under Williams, who will attempt to lead the Bucs to their fourth title in five seasons. Ellison, Blake and 6-4 senior guard Aquavius Burks all started in last season’s Final as well and key a lineup that lost this season only to reigning Class A champion Detroit Western International and current top-ranked Class A Detroit U-D Jesuit.
GRANDVILLE CALVIN CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 20-4, unranked
League finish: Third in Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver
Coach: Ryan Stevens, 18th season (269-146)
Championship history: Class C champion 1994, Class B runner-up 1992.
Best wins: 64-42 over No. 5 Kalamazoo Hackett in Quarterfinal, 39-35 over Muskegon Heights in Regional Final, 52-45 over Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian in District Final, 63-52 over Class D No. 8 Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 59-52 over Hudsonville Unity Christian.
Players to watch: Tony DeWitte, 6-2 sr. G (18.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.3 apg); Blake Verbeek, 6-9 soph. C (11.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg).
Outlook: Calvin Christian will play in its first Semifinal since the championship season of 1994, with DeWitte pacing a group that has improved eight wins from a year ago. The Squires avenged two of their regular-season losses by beating reigning Class C runner-up NorthPointe during the District, and their other two losses came to reigning Class B champion Wyoming Godwin Heights. Senior guard Braden Stevens adds another 9.4 points and 3.3 assists per game for a lineup that sees all five starters average at least six ppg.
MCBAIN
Record/rank: 26-0, No. 3
League finish: First in Highland Conference
Coach: Bruce Koopman, 22nd season (408-116)
Championship history: Class C champion 2002, runner-up 2011.
Best wins: 60-55 over No. 7 Beaverton in Regional Semifinal, 61-54 over Class D No. 5 Frankfort, 55-52 over Big Rapids.
Players to watch: Craig Sterk, 6-7 jr. F (15.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.2 bpg); Cole Powell, 6-3 sr. G (14.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg); Logan Elling, 6-0 jr. G (14.4 ppg, 54 3-pointers).
Outlook: McBain is nearly a regular during the final week of the season and is back in the Semifinals for the first time since 2011 with its best record at this point during Koopman’s impressive run. Only five games have been closer than 10 points, and three of those five came over the last three weeks. In addition to the three double-figures scorers, five more players average between 3-5 ppg in providing the Ramblers with reliable depth.
Class D
FULTON
Record/rank: 19-6, unranked
League finish: Second in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Todd Walden, 19th season (249-178)
Championship history: Class D runner-up 2011.
Best wins: 51-41 over No. 6 Bellaire in Quarterfinal, 66-54 over Baldwin in Regional Semifinal, 55-42 over Fowler in District Final.
Players to watch: Colton Antes, 6-0 sr. G (19.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.9, apg, 92 3-pointers); Caleb Walden, 5-11 jr. G (9.3 ppg, 44 3-pointers).
Outlook: Fulton is making its third Semifinal appearance in six seasons and second straight, and like a year ago is dangerous to every opponent because of its ability to shoot from the perimeter – Antes will finish this winter with entries on the MHSAA single-season and career lists for 3-pointers. All of the losses were to Class C teams, and the Pirates have won 10 of their last 11 games overall.
POWERS NORTH CENTRAL
Record/rank: 26-0, No. 1
League finish: First in Skyline Central Conference West
Coach: Adam Mercier, 10th season (158-78)
Championship history: Class D champions 2015 and 1984.
Best wins: 75-52 over Onaway in Quarterfinal, 75-45 (Regional Final), 64-61 and 68-54 over No. 4 Crystal Falls Forest Park, 79-54 over No. 6 Lake Linden-Hubbell in Regional Semifinal, 60-48 and 64-60 over Menominee.
Players to watch: Jason Whitens, 6-5 jr. G (22.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 5.8 apg); Dawson Bilski, 6-2 jr. G (15.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.9 apg, 3.1 spg, 2.0 bpg).
Outlook: Powers North Central hasn’t lost since the 2014 Quarterfinals and shows no signs of slowing with its two leading players both juniors. As makes sense for a team averaging 76 points per game, Whitens and Bilski get plenty of help – junior Bobby Kleiman adds 10.5 points, while seniors Troy Ekberg and Morgan Cox round out the starters at 8.4 and 7.3 ppg, respectively, and top-scoring junior sub Marcus Krachinski averages 6.9. The only scare came in the four-point win over Menominee; the Jets have won their tournament games by an average of 35 points per.
WATERFORD OUR LADY
Record/rank: 20-4, No. 3
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Intersectional #1
Coach: Paul Robak, third season (63-10)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 52-46 (Quarterfinal) and 61-58 over Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 58-46 and 48-46 over Royal Oak Shrine, 83-68 over Macomb Lutheran North.
Players to watch: Andrew Kline, 6-4 sr. G (18.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 5.7 apg, 3.1 spg); Devin Senerius, 6-2 sr. G (11.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg).
Outlook: After making the Semifinals last season for the first time since 1993, Our Lady is back for a second straight year and with three starters returning after finishing a point from making its first championship game. The Lakers bounced back big this time after losing the final two games of the regular season. Senior forward Clay Senerius joined Devin and Kline as starters in 2015 and averages 6.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, while freshmen guard Noah Robak averages 9.2 and three others average 4-6 ppg.
WYOMING TRI-UNITY CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 20-5, tied for No. 8
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Mark Keeler, 29th season (546-168)
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2011), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 54-43 over Adrian Lenawee Christian in Quarterfinal, 65-60 (District Semifinal) and 41-39 over honorable mention Wyoming Potter’s House Christian, 58-57 (OT) over Lansing Christian.
Players to watch: Willie Otole, 6-0 sr. G (15.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.9 apg); Braydon Sherrod, 6-2 jr. F (10.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg).
Outlook: Tri-unity is back at Breslin after last finishing runner-up in 2013, and with a team featuring only two seniors in Otole and starting guard Javi Cuevas. The Defenders have won 10 of their last 11 after falling to Class C semifinalist Grandville Calvin Christian on Feb. 12, with the only loss since to Class A Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills. Junior guard Collin Rosendall adds another 11.1 points per game.
The Boys Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System.
PHOTO: Powers North Central locks down Onaway's offense during Tuesday's Quarterfinal win. (Photo by Paul Gerard.)
Reeths-Puffer's 'Marvin Moore Experience' On Track for Memorable Finish
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
May 14, 2026
Not many high school kids have started their own non-profit organization.
But, then again, there are not many kids quite like Muskegon Reeths-Puffer senior Marvin Moore – who as a sophomore founded Rocket-Powered Positive Path Forward, Inc. (Rocket-Powered.org) a nonprofit committed to igniting young people’s confidence, fueling their potential and launching them toward brighter futures.
“I wanted to help kids not get discouraged by seeing negative things online or get down on themselves if it seems like other kids are having all of the success,” said the soft-spoken Moore. “I just want to be there for other people.”
Moore somehow finds time to grow and develop the organization while playing three sports and maintaining a 3.977 GPA, with a schedule packed with Advanced Placement classes.
He is best known as a basketball player, a three-year varsity starter and 1,000-point career scorer for the Rockets. Moore, a 6-foot, 175-pound guard, will play college basketball next year at Kalamazoo College.
“I challenged the younger guys in our program,” said R-P boys basketball coach JR Wallace, who recently completed his second year as varsity coach. “I told them: Marvin is leaving us, but he showed you how to do it, with great humility and the attitude of doing whatever he can for the team.”
Moore was also a standout receiver in football who was having a breakout season as a junior – including during a memorable win over Grand Rapids Union when he caught a touchdown pass, ran for another TD, intercepted a pass and had a long kickoff return. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by a dislocated shoulder against Byron Center – and he decided to not play football his senior year for fear of re-injuring that shoulder and jeopardizing his senior basketball season.
He is now one of the Muskegon area’s top track & field athletes, entering Friday’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Regional at Zeeland as the top seed in the 400-meter dash after a couple of big wins over the past couple of weeks.
Moore achieved one of his main goals earlier this month by winning the 400 at the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association city meet.
Last week, he edged Jenison’s Kole Bassler to win the 400 at the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green meet with a personal-best time of 49.97.
He was able to post that sub-50 second time despite running it right after helping his team to a conference title in the 800-meter relay and also running the second leg of the 400-meter relay.
“He’s always been a little bit tired running the 400 in our big meets so far,” explained R-P boys track coach Don Ketner, who is also hoping for a big day Friday from senior Mason Darke, the top seed in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles. “This Friday, we will finally be getting the full Marvin Moore experience, and we’ll see how low he can go.”
Ketner believes Moore has a shot to eclipse the 300 school record of 48.88, set by Jared Meier in 2008.
Moore, who ranks sixth on the school’s career basketball scoring list with 1,095 points, would love to add his name to the track school record board in the gym which has meant so much to him throughout his life.
He was first moved up to the varsity basketball team late in his freshman year, and truly emerged as a sophomore – averaging 10 points for a Puffer team which finished 19-4 and co-champion of the O-K Green.
R-P lost a loaded senior class after that season (notably current Central Michigan athletes Jaxson Whitaker and Travis Ambrose), and with the Rockets in somewhat of a rebuilding mode, several athletes transferred to other schools.
“There were some schools that reached out and asked me to go there, but I started my whole career at Reeths-Puffer and I wanted to end it here at Reeths-Puffer,” said Moore, the son of Marvin and Kathy Moore, who plans to major in accounting in college. “I wanted to stay with my friends and be there for them and support them any way possible.”
The Rockets struggled on the basketball court the past two seasons, but Moore certainly provided some bright spots. He was a three-time all-conference pick and an MLive Muskegon Area Dream Team selection this past year, averaging 20 points per game despite facing constant double teams.
Moore helped his team snap an 11-game losing streak on Jan. 24, scoring 15 of his game-high 24 points during the fourth quarter including a floater off the glass as time expired in a 65-63 win over visiting East Grand Rapids.
Two weeks later, Moore scored 37 points and almost single-handedly helped the Rockets erase a 10-point deficit against Caledonia over the final three minutes, driving for a bucket during the final seconds in a 65-62 win. He remembers a huge student section was going crazy that night at R-P’s Dan Beckeman Arena, and that excitement carried over to a school dance after the game.
“That was such a fun night all the way around and something I will never forget,” said Moore, who was awarded the prestigious Lux Esto Scholarship at Kalamazoo College.
“We had a lot of losses the past couple of years, but honestly, I will never forget so many of those Friday nights. It was so much fun playing at home and having the whole community there for us.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Marvin Moore, middle, runs the inside lane during a meet this season. (Middle) Moore lines up for a free throw. (Below) Moore breaks away on a run against Grand Rapids Union. (Photos by Joe Lane.)