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Mann Makes Great on High Expectations

By Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half

April 20, 2017

BEVERLY HILLS – Entering high school, Steve Mann faced high expectations.

His mother and father both experienced much success as student-athletes at Detroit Country Day, and his sister, Brittany, was one of the top track athletes to compete at and graduate from the school.

But while it's still too early to tell, Steve might end up the best of the Mann bunch.

Steve, 18, has played varsity football and baseball for four seasons each at Country Day, earning all-state honors in football this past fall and baseball as a junior. Also an outstanding student, he has signed to continue his academic and baseball careers at Duke University, where he’ll end up unless he’s drafted by a Major League Baseball team this summer and offered a deal he can’t refuse – it’s possible he’ll be taken during the first five rounds.

Country Day varsity baseball coach Steve Lepkowski – a 1993 graduate of the school and former football assistant as well before taking over the baseball program in 2015 – said he’s never coached an athlete like Mann.

“Steve is going to be successful at whatever he does,” Lepkowski said. “He’s a four-year captain here. That’s as unique as you can get. We vote for that. And every year we re-vote, and (each) time we re-voted him in.”

Last season, Mann hit .396 with 25 RBI, 24 stolen bases and 27 walks. Through seven games this season, he’s hitting .536 with three home runs, 18 RBI, nine stolen bases and nine walks. He also is 3-0 pitching with a 1.65 ERA.

In football, Mann played defensive back, quarterback and receiver. He’s 6-foot tall, and his weight has fluctuated depending on what sport he is playing. For football, his playing weight was 195 pounds. For baseball he’s up to 210. Mann is a centerfielder who, out of necessity, also pitches for Country Day. He’s expected to be an outfielder at the next level.

With his Duke signing in November, Mann left a football future behind. But he has known for a while where he wanted to be next. Scholarship offers from a more prestigious baseball conference, the Southeastern Conference, fed Mann’s appetite. But he had his sights set on Duke (which plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference) early on, so when the scholarship offer came, that was the end of his recruiting process.

“The scouts ask me, why Duke? Why not the SEC?" Lepkowski said. "Well, I said, Steve cares about academics. Duke has been number one with him all along. As a sophomore, I asked him, where do you want to go? It was Duke. So I talked with Duke. I know of the coaches there. And I told them I have a player here that wants to go to your school, and they asked who. I told them Steve Mann. They said, Steve Mann? He wants to come here? That was it. I call him the Shane Battier of baseball.”

If an explanation is needed, Battier helped lead Duke to an NCAA basketball championship after being at the forefront of Country Day’s Class B titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997. Battier was named Mr. Basketball by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan as a senior, and Mann is a leading candidate for the Mr. Baseball Award this spring.

Like Battier, Mann also is an outstanding student. He carries a 3.94 grade-point average, taking classes including honors English and advanced placement mathematics and Spanish.

And as for mentors, Mann has to look no further than his living room couch. His father, Steve, also played football, basketball and ran track at Country Day. He caught the winning touchdown pass in the 1986 Class C title game against Muskegon Catholic Central (Final score: 18-14). He went on to play football at University of Wyoming.

His mother, Kira (Lewis), played basketball, lacrosse and volleyball at Country Day before continuing her education at Penn.

Then there’s his sister, Brittany. A 2012 Country Day graduate, Brittany was the Lower Peninsula Division 2 discus and shot put champion as a junior and senior. Country Day won the team title her junior season. Brittany went on to compete at Oregon before graduating last year. She’s enrolled at Southern California and in pursuit of her master’s in communications.

At Oregon, Brittany set the school record in the shot put (57 feet, 4¾ inches) and helped lead her school to its first NCAA team title (2015) in 30 years. She was a four-time All-American.

“I had some big shoes to fill when I came here,” Steve Mann said of Country Day. “Since high school started, even in eighth grade, I knew baseball was going to be it. Before eighth grade I focused on being an athlete. With Brittany coming through Country Day, it was easy to see what I needed to do (to be successful). It was kind of like a competition. I want to be like you, but I want to be better.”

Individually, Mann and his sister are pretty much on par. But there’s that elusive team title he has yet to help win, though he has come close.

County Day lost in the Division 4 Football Final this past November, and last spring the Yellowjackets reached the Division 2 Quarterfinals in baseball before they were eliminated by Dearborn Divine Child, 4-3.

Mann has one more shot.

“I tell myself, I have to win a state championship,” he said. “We’re good enough to win it.”

Mann has always been around sports, even when he was too young to realize it. The year he was born was the year his father became an assistant football coach at Country Day. Whether he was the water boy, ball boy or just tagging along, Steve grew up watching sports.

“I was always with my dad,” he said. “When I was 5, 6 years old, just being out there was great. My dad has taken me through this journey. It was a step-by-step process.

“Another big factor for me was Brittany going on her recruiting visits.”

When he was in the eighth grade, Steve Mann had the opportunity to meet Olympian Devin Allen through his sister. In 2016, Allen became the first man since 1956 to win the 110-meter hurdles at both the NCAA Outdoor Championships and U.S. Olympic Trials. Allen also played receiver on Oregon’s football team.

“I was star-struck,” Mann said. “He was so humble. How could you not want that for yourself?”

Mann is unassuming. Bragging is not a trait his household condones. Great athletes don’t have to tell you how good they are. Their actions do the talking.

His parents deserve much of the credit for this. A part of Mann’s training was to compete against athletes two and three years older to see, for one, how they train and, two, to see how much Mann needed to improve athletically to become like them.

“There were a lot of expectations,” his father said. “He is very self-driven, to live up to both the Mann name at Country Day and to create his own path. I’ve tried to teach him what it’s like to play at the next level.”

As an example, Steve Mann had his son train in the baseball offseason with Major League players who were home away from the game. This experience was not so much about throwing or hitting a baseball. It was about being around those who made it to see how they trained, what foods they ate and the like.

“I did a similar thing with him when he was in middle school,” Mann said of his son. “I’d have him train with the guys in high school, like a Jonas Gray (currently an NFL free agent) and a Bennie Fowler (Denver Broncos). I do that with my younger son, too.”

The Manns' third child is Brandon, who is 13 years old and about to complete the seventh grade. And, yes, Brandon Mann also plays baseball and football, and, yes, his is quite good at both.

Tom Markowski is a columnist and directs website coverage for the State Champs! Sports Network. He previously covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Steve Mann starred as a multi-position football player during the fall and also pitches and plays outfield during baseball season. (Middle) Mann, here at the plate, could be drafted during the top five rounds in June. (Below) Mann prepares to unload a pass last fall. (Baseball photos by D’Andrea Parnell. Football photos by Scott Bertschy.)

Clarkston players celebrate in the Wayne State end zone during their win over Belleville.

1st & Goal: 2025 Week 1 Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 2, 2025

The 51st season of MHSAA playoff-era football kicked off over the weekend with multiple matchups of teams that finished last season at Ford Field and nearly 600 teams total bringing championship dreams into this fall.

MI Student AidEvery one of them remains in the hunt after the first week. But below we have 45 first impressions as we begin our search for the next contenders.

Bay & Thumb

HEADLINER Goodrich 17, Frankenmuth 14 The reigning Division 4 champion Martians ran their record to 2-3 against the Eagles during this recent opening-day series, going ahead for good on Jacob Daggett’s 30-yard field goal. Goodrich’s only defeat last season was 22-0 to Frankenmuth, which went on to finish Division 5 runner-up. Click for more from the Flint Journal.

Watch list Grand Blanc 35, Muskegon Mona Shores 20 The Bobcats didn’t let a two-point loss to Mona Shores last year slow them down on the way to league and District titles, so this win could provide significant momentum as they look to build on that success.

On the move Armada 21, Marine City 14 The Tigers ran their season-opener win streak over Marine City to four with a third win by seven points or fewer during that stretch. Saginaw Swan Valley 55, Croswell-Lexington 35 After starting 2024 with three straight losses – including a third in a row to Croswell-Lexington – the Vikings broke through this weekend with their second highest-scoring game over the last four seasons. Midland Dow 38, Fenton 6 The Chargers broke a streak of three straight season-opening losses to the Tigers in another matchup of annual playoff teams.

Greater Detroit

HEADLINER Clarkston 38, Belleville 7 These two met for a second-straight year in an opener at Wayne State, this time as part of the Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic, and this time with Clarkston coming up big after the Tigers won 35-28 in 2024. The loss was only the third regular-season defeat for Belleville over the last nine years. Click for more from the Oakland Press.

Watch list Detroit Cass Tech 28, Toledo Central Catholic (Ohio) 27 The reigning Division 1 champion Technicians held off a 2024 Ohio state runner-up that also should be among favorites again in the Catholic High School League Central this fall.

On the move Warren Michigan Collegiate 32, Clarkston Everest Collegiate 6 Michigan Collegiate avenged its only regular-season loss of the last two years. Northville 14, Lake Orion 13 The Mustangs also rebounded from a 2024 defeat, having opened last year with a 21-13 loss to the Dragons. Walled Lake Western 51, Milford 26 This matchup determined the Lakes Valley Conference championship last season and could end up key again this fall as Western attempts to win a fourth-straight title.

Mid-Michigan

HEADLINER DeWitt 21, Haslett 3 This was a much different game than when the teams combined to score 111 points a year ago. This time, the Panthers held Haslett to its first single-digit output since midway through the 2023 season, while Haslett’s defense also proved tougher than most against the often high-scoring Panthers. Click for more from the Lansing State Journal.

Watch list Williamston 46, Lansing Catholic 14 After reaching the playoffs last year at 3-6, the Hornets got off to a stronger start by avenging last season’s loss to Lansing Catholic, which went on to finish as Division 6 runner-up in 2024.

On the move Pewamo-Westphalia 35, North Muskegon 6 P-W got a solid jump on the season with a second-straight win over North Muskegon, which made the Semifinals for the second-straight season last fall. Mount Pleasant 35, Saginaw Heritage 13 The Oilers broke a two-game losing streak against the Hawks as they look to build on a seven-year playoff streak. Howell 23, Traverse City West 13 The Highlanders made the long drive north but ran their regular-season winning streak to 10 after finishing last year’s without a loss.

A pair of North Muskegon defenders wrap up a Pewamo-Westphalia ball carrier.

Northern Lower Peninsula

HEADLINER Kingsley 24, Reed City 6 The Stags got off to an impressive start, avenging last season’s 24-22 loss to Reed City, which went on to win a District title in 2024. The pair have met in the playoffs three of the last five seasons and will both play in Division 6 again if they qualify in two months. Click for more from the Cadillac News.

Watch list Traverse City St. Francis 30, Maple City Glen Lake 6 These are two more potential playoff teams after both won league titles a year ago, with this their first meeting since 2021.

On the move Cheboygan 19, Sault Ste. Marie 7 After at one point losing nine straight to Sault Ste. Marie, Cheboygan has now won two in a row and is 1-0 for the first time since 2022. Harbor Springs 18, Morley Stanwood 16 Harbor Springs won for the first time since Week 9 of the 2021 season, breaking a 26-game losing streak. Petoskey 21, Greenville 13 Petoskey also ran its regular-season winning streak to 10 to build on last year’s perfect pre-playoff run.

Southeast & Border

HEADLINER Saline 37, Rockford 28 These Division 1 titans hadn’t met since the 2020 playoffs, and Saline took a massive opening step with an impressive comeback to kick off this season. After Rockford took a 28-21 third-quarter lead on a blocked punt return, Saline rallied to re-tie the score, move ahead with a safety on a Rams miscue and then score one more time to pull away. Click for more from the Ann Arbor News.

Watch list Adrian Madison 56, Grass Lake 0 A 4-1 start turned into a 4-5 finish for Madison last fall, but excitement should be renewed after this win over a Grass Lake team coming off two straight six-win seasons.

On the move Dexter 50, Brighton 27 Add the Dreadnaughts to the short list of teams that finished 9-0 during the 2024 regular season and are off to the right start again. Hudson 44, Fowler 8 The Tigers made a loud statement by avenging last season’s opening 20-6 loss to Fowler, which like Hudson is annually one of the top small-school teams in the state. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 42, Clinton 6 The reigning Division 7 runner-up Falcons actually have won 13 straight regular-season games going back to 2023 – and three matchups with Clinton since falling to the Redwolves in the District Final that fall.

Southwest Corridor

HEADLINER Niles 28, St. Joseph 18 Niles picked up just about where it left off last season when the Vikings finished Division 4 runners-up. Their only loss before Ford Field was 30-7 to St. Joseph, but this time Niles pulled away to avenge and add a second win over the Bears over the last three seasons. Click for more from the Niles Daily Star.

Watch list Berrien Springs 20, Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep 13 These two combined to win 16 games last season, and Berrien Springs had lost its last two openers to Hackett by a combined five points – and also last season’s Division 5 District Final to the Fighting Irish by 17.

On the move Edwardsburg 28, McBain 21 The Eddies opened with a close win over the reigning Highland Conference champion Ramblers. Portage Central 45, East Lansing 0 These two now have split their last four meetings, but East Lansing had won last year’s 31-7. Union City 16, Parchment 14 The reigning Big 8 Conference champion Chargers won this matchup of 2024 playoff teams.

Negaunee's Marshall Peters carries the ball before getting tackled by Marquette's Ben Rayhorn (7), Bodi Bennett (15), and Alex Brennen (9).

Upper Peninsula

HEADLINER Negaunee 30, Marquette 22 Meeting 142 between these neighbors went to the Miners, who improved to 71-60-11 in the series by winning their first matchup against each other since 2017. Click for more from the Marquette Mining Journal.

Watch list Escanaba 21, Kingsford 18 Escanaba came into this fall off its first winning season since  2019, and the good times are still rolling after this first win over the Flivvers since 2019 as well. Kingsford had won last year’s matchup 21-0.

On the move L’Anse 26, Hancock 6 The Purple Hornets won just once over the last two seasons, but started 1-0 with their first win over Hancock since 2022. Bark River-Harris 52, Ishpeming Westwood 8 The Broncos bounced back big from last year’s 24-point loss to Westwood. Iron Mountain 41, Houghton 22 The Mountaineers will roll into this week’s matchup with Bark River-Harris carrying a 27-game regular-season winning streak.

West Michigan

HEADLINER Hudsonville 27, Byron Center 21 In another matchup of teams that finished at Ford Field last November, reigning Division 1 runner-up Hudsonville held off Division 2 runner-up Byron Center, handing the Bulldogs just their third regular-season loss in three years. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.

Watch list Grand Rapids Northview 32, Grand Rapids West Catholic 21 Northview is showing no signs of slowing down coming off arguably its best season in at least recent program history. The Wildcats followed up last year’s perfect regular season by starting a new one downing an annual championship contender.

On the move Grandville 44, Muskegon 40 The Big Reds might be coming off their first sub-.500 season since 1999, but Muskegon is still Muskegon – which means a memorable start for Grandville, with Cass Tech up next. Hudsonville Unity Christian 55, Whitehall 14 The Crusaders’ only loss last season came in their District Final, and an offense that averaged 43 points per game during that run looks ready to roll again. Lowell 40, East Grand Rapids 7 After three straight losses to EGR, including last season by 19 points, the Red Arrows served some early notice.

On Ontonagon's first possession of the game, Jack Nelson (30) catches a pass from Brody Bobula (not shown), while being defended by Ishpeming's Grady Gauthier (3), and runs it in for a touchdown.

8-Player

HEADLINER Newberry 22, Crystal Falls Forest Park 20 Newberry ended last season with two straight wins to come in at 2-7 overall and ran its winning streak to three over the weekend by edging last season’s Division 2 champion. The victory also avenged a 37-6 loss to the Trojans from a year ago and gave Forest Park its first season-opening defeat since 2019. Click for more from the NFHS Network.

Watch list Central Lake 44, Marion 38 The Trojans – also 2-7 in 2024 – provided a strong indication that this could be a turnaround season by avenging last year’s 64-6 loss to Marion, which at a combined 40-6 has been one of the state’s top 8-player programs the last four years.

On the move Britton Deerfield 60, Pittsford 22 The Patriots made it three wins in three tries over the last two years against Pittsford in claiming this rematch of last season’s Division 2 Regional championship matchup. Gobles 54, Climax-Scotts 32 The Tigers are posted a perfect regular season a year ago and started this one with a notable win over a Climax-Scotts team that is coming off an 8-2 overall finish. Ontonagon 21, Ishpeming 14 Ontonagon claimed its fifth-straight opening-night win, this time downing an Ishpeming team that reached the Division 1 Regional Finals last year in its first playing 8-player.

MHSAA.com's weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Click to connect with MI Student Aid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

PHOTOS (Top) Clarkston players celebrate in the Wayne State end zone during their win over Belleville. (2) A pair of North Muskegon defenders wrap up a Pewamo-Westphalia ball carrier. (3) Negaunee's Marshall Peters carries the ball before getting tackled by Marquette's Ben Rayhorn (7), Bodi Bennett (15), and Alex Brennen (9). (4) On Ontonagon's first possession, Jack Nelson (30) catches a pass from Brody Bobula while being defended by Ishpeming's Grady Gauthier (3), and runs it in for a touchdown. (Top photo courtesy of State Champs! Sports Network. P-W/North Muskegon photo by Jim Pivarnik. Negaunee/Marquette and Ontonagon/Ishpeming photos by Cara Kamps.)