MHSAA Announces Sites, Schedule Details for Winter Indoor Sports Finals

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 10, 2021

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has confirmed sites for its indoor Winter sports championship rounds, including an adjustment for the Individual Wrestling Finals that will allow more fans to attend that event after an increase in spectators limits was put into effect March 5 by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

The Individual Wrestling Finals previously were announced to be competed in full at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. However, a change moving two divisions to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids will allow for more fans, primarily immediate family, to attend. Previously, wrestlers were to be limited to one spectator per participant; with multiple sites, wrestlers will be allowed multiple spectators each.

Similarly, Van Andel and the Breslin Center in East Lansing will host additional events to allow more fans to attend championship rounds in competitive cheer and girls and boys basketball. Both facilities have capacities of more than 10,000 spectators and may host up to 750 per MDHHS guidelines. 

The Competitive Cheer Finals will move to Breslin Center to allow more fans to attend compared to other venues that were being considered. Semifinals in girls and boys basketball will be split by divisions between Breslin Center and Van Andel Arena, in part to provide for greater attendance and also to keep those rounds scheduled to just two locations instead of spreading games across a number of others.

The following are sites and schedules for Finals weekends for the remaining MHSAA Tournaments this winter, with further updates to be posted to the MHSAA Website:

Girls Basketball
Where:
Division 1 and 3 Semifinals at Breslin Center in East Lansing. Division 2 and 4 Semifinals at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. All four Finals will be played at Breslin Center.
When: Semifinals are April 7, with Divisions 3 and 4 beginning at 10 a.m. at their respective sites followed by Divisions 1 and 2 at 3:30 p.m. Finals on April 9 will be played at 10 a.m. (D4), 12:30 p.m. (D1), 3 p.m. (D3) and 5:30 p.m. (D2).

Boys Basketball
Where:
Division 1 and 3 Semifinals at Breslin Center in East Lansing. Division 2 and 4 Semifinals at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. All four Finals will be played at Breslin Center.
When: Semifinals are April 8, with Divisions 3 and 4 beginning at 10 a.m. at their respective sites followed by Divisions 1 and 2 at 3:30 p.m. Finals on April 10 will be played at 10 a.m. (D4), 12:30 p.m. (D1), 3 p.m. (D3) and 5:30 p.m. (D2).

Girls & Boys Bowling
Where:
Division 1 at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Division 2 at Century Bowl in Waterford, Division 3 at Jax 60 in Jackson and Division 4 at Super Bowl in Canton.
When: Team Finals are Friday, March 26, and Singles Finals are March 27. Both events begin at 8 a.m.

Competitive Cheer
Where:
Breslin Center, East Lansing
When: Friday, March 26 – Division 3 at 10 a.m., Division 1 at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 27 – Division 2 at 10 a.m., Division 4 at 3 p.m.

Gymnastics
Where:
Rockford High School
When: Team Finals on Friday, March 26, beginning at 2 p.m. Individual Finals on March 27, beginning at noon.

Ice Hockey
Where: USA Hockey Arena
When: Semifinals on Thursday, March 25, for Division 2 beginning at 4:30 p.m., and March 26 for Divisions 1 and 3 with first games for those divisions beginning at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively. All three Finals will be played March 27, at 11 a.m. (D2), 3 p.m. (D3) and 7 p.m. (D1).

Boys Swimming & Diving – Lower Peninsula
Where:
Division 1 at Hudsonville High School, Division 2 at Jenison High School, Division 3 at Hamilton High School (diving) and Holland Aquatic Center (swimming).
When: Diving on Friday, March 26, and all swimming Finals are March 27. Start times are being determined.

Girls & Boys Swimming & Diving – Upper Peninsula
Where:
Marquette High School
When: Diving this Friday, March 12, 2:35 p.m. Swimming is Saturday, March 13, beginning at 11:05 a.m.

Wrestling – Team
Where:
Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Divisions 2 and 4 in the Arena and Divisions 1 and 3 in the Valley for pre-Finals rounds. All Finals in the Arena.
When: March 30. Quarterfinals will be followed by Semifinals and Finals, with start times to be determined.

Wrestling – Individual
Where:
Divisions 1 and 3 at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. Divisions 2 and 4 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
When: Divisions 2 and 3 on Friday, April 2. Divisions 1 and 4 on Saturday, April 3. Starts times are being determined.

Gazzarari Picks Up Momentum in Bracket Play, Completes Impressive Climb

By Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com

March 1, 2025

ALLEN PARK – A field of heavy hitters filled the Division 1 girls singles championship at Thunderbowl Lanes on Saturday.

Senior Madeline Gazzarari, who qualified 14th, handled that field and won the crown, defeating Rockford’s Sophia DeLuccia 445-385 in the final.

“It has been a long day,’’ said Gazzarari, who is coached by her uncle. Mike Axline. “I started gaining some momentum after qualifying. Going into the third match I felt good. To do this my senior year, this is amazing.’’

Said Axline: “She beat Madison Rue in the first round and Sophia Matheson, who was the third seed today. She shot well. She made a lot of spares.’’

Sophomore Ava Mazza from Utica United was the top qualifier in the girls division at 1,354 followed by Tiara Henderson of Westland John Glenn (1,305), senior Rue of team runner-up Holt (1,289) and senior Matheson of Utica.

Utica’s big three of Mazza, Matheson and Hadley Clark all made the top 16. Mazza and Matheson then advanced to quarterfinals.

Mazza rolled past Haylee Hodges of Saginaw Heritage, 413-328, while Matheson disposed of Paiton Thompson of team champion Grandville, 377-299. Clark ended a tough weekend with a 337-309 loss to sophomore Sofia DeLuccia of Rockford.

Rue struggled and fell to Gazzarari, 406-242, and Gazzarari then faced Madison Thomas of Belleville, a 367-356 winner over Brooklyn Hannah of Livonia Franklin.

Second-seed Henderson survived Jenna McKinzie of Grand Haven, 413-396. Henderson’s next opponent was Aria Ragland of Taylor, who had defeated Sophia Best of Livonia Churchill, 461-320.

Henderson advanced to the semifinals with a 389-316 victory over Ragland while Mazza ended Stephens’ run, 398-352. 

Gazzarari – also a semifinalist in 2023 – ended Henderson’s run, shooting a 222 in the second game to reach the final with a 385-354 victory.

For the second straight year Mazza fell just short of bowling for the championship, losing to Gazzarari 365-361.

Click for full scores.