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Ontonagon On Target in Repeat Run

By John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com

May 30, 2019

GLADSTONE – It was a great day to be an Ontonagon golf Thursday as the Gladiators retained both ends of the Upper Peninsula Division 3 Finals at Irish Oaks Golf Course.

The Ontonagon boys, placing four among the top 10 individuals, totaled 347 strokes on this sunny and mild day. They were followed by Dollar Bay with 357 strokes and Powers North Central at 370.

"Both teams have a lot of senior leadership which is absolutely helpful," said Ontonagon coach Adam Spaulding of his boys and girls lineups. "We had just three meets coming into the Finals due to poor weather. We had to make up for lost time. Our practices consisted of hitting buckets of balls between two holes. We couldn't get on our course (Ontonagon Golf Club) until about May 15."

North Central freshman Bryson Mercier was boys medalist with a 74. Ontonagon senior Ed Polakowski and Big Bay de Noc sophomore Travis Johnson shared runner-up honors at 82.

"I played real good today," said Mercier. "I had been struggling the past week, but made it stress free today. I was nervous coming in, then I settled down after parring the first hole. It got a little windy and a little hard in the end, although I thought I handled it very well.

“Like any sport, there's always room for improvement. I'm going to practice as much as I can and try to get better."

Ontonagon sophomore Tomas Immonen and Dollar Bay senior Drake Schmitz and junior David Strom shared fourth place at 85. Senior Brad Mhyren shot an 88 to tie for seventh and senior Henry Menigoz carded a 90 to tie for 10th for the Gladiators.

"It was crazy taking it two years in a row," said Polakowski of the team championship. "I didn't think we'd be here again this year. We always stay consistent and play a decent game."

Click for full results.

PHOTOS: (Top) The Ontonagon boys golf team is pictured together after winning the Upper Peninsula Division 3 title Thursday at Irish Oaks in Gladstone. (Middle) Powers North Central’s Bryson Mercier. (Photos by Austin Hemmingson.)

High 5s: 5/8/12

May 8, 2012

We're a week away from our first MHSAA spring postseason events, and these contenders -- all reigning MHSAA champions -- have been playing at that elite level all season.

Katie Brozovich
Clarkston senior
Tennis

Brozovich, a Division 1 all-state selection and MHSAA champion at No. 3 singles in 2011, is playing the top spot this season and continuing to shine. She downed Port Huron Northern No. 1 Taylor Sweeney 6-4, 6-1 in the championship match of Saturday's Holly Red and White Invitational, and Clarkston tied for first as a team. Brozovich has signed with Bowling Green State University and is 15-0. She comes from a tennis family -- her grandfather, father and aunt all play, and cousins Lizzie and Rae Brozovich won Nos. 3 and 4 singles for Port Huron Northern at Holly.

Secret to my success: “I condition a lot. I don’t get tired. I can run all day. I can just get to everything. I can keep pressure on opponents. What I’m working on too is every shot getting something on the ball. I try to work really hard on the court.”

I learned the most about tennis from: "My grandpa (Richard Brozovich) drilled me on the court. He knows so much about the game, and we play each other a couple times a week. He helps me condition. ... My coach Joe (Stafford, from Deer Lake Athletic Club) is really good with strokes. He knows my game inside an out."

I look up to: "My aunt Sue Kaleel (formerly Brozovich, Kaleel won four championships at Miami (Ohio) and has competed internationally). I model (my game) after her. She's extremely consistent, but also puts a lot of pressure on her opponent. That's what I want my game to be."

Dream match: "I would like to see (Pete) Sampras play (Roger) Federer right now. Just to know how the old game comes to play against the new style of play. The old strokes against the new."

Up next: Brozovich will study psychology at Bowling Green and hopes to eventually become a psychiatrist. Studies of the mind have always interested her, and like tennis run in the family -- her grandfather and uncle both work in the field.

(Click to read more)

Mike Nagy
Manistique senior
Golf

Nagy, a two-time Upper Peninsula MHSAA individual champion (2009 and 2011; he lost a two-hole tie-breaker at the 2010 Final), shot a pair of 36s to finish first at two recent home matches. He's signed with the University of Tennessee, and according to multiple reports will be only the second Manistique High grad to play any sport at the Division I college level since 1963. He owns his school's record of a 31 in a nine-hole match, shot when he was a sophomore, and he fired an 18-hole 66 at last spring's league tournament. Nagy also played basketball, and set a school record with six 3-pointers in a game this season.

Golf is my game: "I really enjoy the individual part of it. I would say ball-striking (is my strength), with my irons."

I learned the most about golf from: "Probably just on my own. I like to watch a lot of golf, lots of video. (My parents) like to watch it a lot more than they used to." 

I'd like to play like: "I'm a big Adam Scott fan. He has a really nice swing."

If I could pick three more for a foursome: "Adam Scott. And then between Annika (Sorenstam), Tiger (Woods) and Jack Nicklaus. I really liked watching Annika play. She made it look so simple. Tiger, obviously because of what he's accomplished. I'd like to see how he handles it up there." 

Up next: Nagy is considering a major in business. He's hoping to crack the Volunteers' lineup in his first season; there are eight players on the team, and five travel.

(Click to read more.)

Grosse Pointe South girls track and field

The Blue Devils are the reigning Division 1 MHSAA champion and again are led by distance runner Hannah Meier, who set the all-Finals records in the 1,600 and 800 meters last spring. But more is ahead for Meier and especially teammates Haley Meier, Ersula Farrow and Kelsie Schwartz; they've run in the 3,200 relay in 8:59.69, which would crush the MHSAA Finals record if they can do the same next month. (Click to read more.)

This spring's previous honorees