Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls District Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 2, 2026
This month's girls basketball championships will once again cap the MHSAA winter tournament schedule, and nearly 670 teams will play in Districts this week with dreams of finishing this three-week run on the season's final day.
We always switch up our “Breslin Bound” format once the MHSAA Tournament starts, as last week’s most intriguing results below are followed this time by glances at three District brackets of note in each division. Host sites are bolded, and teams playing in those brackets are listed by seed as determined by Michigan Power Ratings (MPR).
Everything you could want to know this week about tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Girls Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“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. Howell 59, Belleville 51 The Highlanders (21-1) claimed the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association title by handing reigning Division 1 champion Belleville (21-1) its first loss since Feb. 1, 2025, breaking the Tigers’ 35-game winning streak.
2. Grand Rapids South Christian 52, Rockford 50 The Sailors (22-0) capped a perfect regular-season run by handing the Rams (20-2) their first defeat since Dec. 16.
3. Morenci 39, Blissfield 38 The Tri-County Conference champions Bulldogs completed a 21-1 regular season by edging the Lenawee County Athletic Association-winning Royals (18-3).
4. Negaunee 41, Gladstone 36 Negaunee also capped its regular season at 21-1 by finishing a series sweep of Gladstone (18-4) in a matchup of two more league champs and arguably the best teams in the Upper Peninsula.
5. Beaverton 53, Standish-Sterling 29 Four days after defeating Standish-Sterling (17-4) by 11 in league play, the Beavers (19-2) claimed the overall Jack Pine Conference title by winning this rematch as well.
Districts at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold, and teams are listed by seed:
DIVISION 1
Midland
1. Midland (17-5), 2. Mount Pleasant (16-6), 3. Midland Dow (14-8), 4. Bay City Western (12-10), 5. Bay City Central (1-21).
This bracket includes the entire Saginaw Valley League North except for champion Saginaw Heritage. Midland finished second to the Hawks, a game back, with Mount Pleasant third although those two split their series, the Chemics winning 44-29 on Jan. 9 and the Oilers taking the rematch 48-41 on Feb. 10. Dow lost twice to both of those teams but only by a point to Mount Pleasant the second time.
Muskegon Mona Shores
1. Rockford (20-2), 2. Muskegon (19-2), 3. Cedar Springs (16-5), 4. Greenville (16-6), 5. Muskegon Mona Shores (12-10), 6. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (12-9).
The Rams were Division 1 runners-up last season and have reached at least the Semifinals the last four year. But Muskegon is one of only two teams to defeat Rockford this winter, 58-51 on Dec. 16, and has made an eight-win jump from a year ago. This bracket also includes the River Cities Alliance champion (Cedar Springs) and runner-up (Greenville) among six teams all with winning records.
Utica Eisenhower
1. Utica Eisenhower (19-2), 2. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (18-4), 3. Romeo (16-6), 4. Rochester (10-11), 5. Utica (4-18).
The District bracket is headlined by a pair of league champions – Eisenhower from the Macomb Area Conference Red and Stoney Creek after sharing the Oakland Activities Association Red title. But MAC White runner-up Romeo also is an intriguing contender despite a Dec. 19 loss to Eisenhower, 50-32, and Rochester defeated Stoney Creek 48-29 in their rematch just nine days ago. Eisenhower did also end the regular season with an impressive 50-44 win over Saginaw Valley League South champion Flint Powers Catholic.
DIVISION 2
Non-Traditional (top line hosts)
1. Negaunee (21-1), 2. Kingsford (15-5), 3. Gladstone (18-4), 4. Houghton (16-6), 5. Escanaba (2-17).
There’s an argument to be made that Negaunee and Gladstone – the respective champions of the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference and Great Northern Conference – have been the best in the Upper Peninsula this season. But the top four teams in this bracket are so close statistically that in the week since Districts were seeded Houghton has moved up to second in MPR and Kingsford down to fourth. Negaunee finished a regular-season sweep of Gladstone on Thursday, but last year did the same and Gladstone downed the Miners for the District title. Houghton finished second in the West PAC, and Kingsford was runner-up in the GNC – and Houghton defeated the Flivvers 40-36 on Feb. 19.
Cadillac
1. Big Rapids (17-4), 2. Fremont (19-3), 3. Cadillac (13-8), 4. Ludington (14-8), 5. Reed City (12-10), 6. Newaygo (12-9).
This rare bracket with six teams with winning records seems full of possibilities. Big Rapids, Newaygo and Reed City were the top three teams in the Central State Activities Association Red, respectively, while Ludington and Fremont shared the West Michigan Conference Lakes title and Cadillac is coming off a third-place finish in the Big North Conference. Cadillac defeated Ludington 44-31 on Feb. 9, which will be notable if both reach Friday. But any number of scenarios could play out, including a rematch of those Lakes champs after Fremont won their first meeting by 12 but Ludington won the second by a point in double overtime.
Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills
1. Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (21-0), 2. Grand Rapids West Catholic (16-5), 3. Allendale (10-12), 4. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (9-13), 5. Wyoming Lee (1-17).
The intrigue of this bracket centers on the expected championship matchup between the top seeds. Covenant Christian has nine wins over opponents with at least 14 this winter, including league champs Cedar Springs, Big Rapids, Kalamazoo Christian, Shelby and Holland Christian. West Catholic – the Division 2 runner-up last year – finished second in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold to undefeated South Christian but has its share of wins over league champs as well, downing Parma Western, Saginaw Heritage, Tecumseh, Frankenmuth and Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
DIVISION 3
Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep
1. Kalamazoo Christian (16-4), 2. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep (18-4), 3. Lawton (13-8), 4. Comstock (1-21).
Kalamazoo Christian finished one game ahead of Hackett in winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title, claiming their Jan. 23 meeting by 32 points – but losing the rematch by one last Tuesday. Still, that was the Comets’ first defeat in over a month, breaking an eight-game winning streak. Similarly, that win was part of an 11-game winning streak for the Irish that ended with a loss to Hopkins on Friday. Lawton is another intriguing contender; it’s won seven of its last eight games, with defeats by only one to K-Christian in the midst and two to Hackett before starting the run.
Napoleon
1. Jackson Lumen Christi (18-3), 2. Grass Lake (20-2), 3. Hanover-Horton (17-5), 4. Springport (8-12), 5. Napoleon (5-17), 6. East Jackson (4-18).
The Titans capped their regular season with a 58-56 win over Beaverton (19-3) on Saturday and just as impressively lost to Rockford by only five last Tuesday. They reached the Quarterfinals last season having defeated Grass Lake in the District Final. Grass Lake fell in its regular-season finale to another Division 1 power, Wayne Memorial, by six points, but that was the Warriors’ first defeat since losing to Rockford on Dec. 13. Grass Lake had a big win over Hanover-Horton to start January, but the Comets’ only other losses were two apiece to Brooklyn Columbia Central (18-4) and Division 2 Michigan Center (19-3).
Ovid-Elsie
1. Pewamo-Westphalia (20-2), 2. Hemlock (20-2), 3. Ovid-Elsie (15-6), 4. Ithaca (12-10), 5. St. Louis (11-11), 6. Chesaning (10-11).
A pair of league champions with significant tournament experience anchor both sides of this bracket, with the Central Michigan Athletic Conference’s Pirates having lost to only Division 1 Saginaw Heritage (16-6) and Division 2 Flint Powers Catholic (19-3), and the Tri-Valley Conference Blue’s Huskies fell only to Division 1 Midland Dow (14-8) and Division 2 Freeland (16-6). P-W and Hemlock both won District titles last season. Ovid-Elsie has won at least 18 games the last four seasons and will get to that number again with a championship this week. The Marauders played a good handful of Division 1 and 2 teams as well this season and finished second in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference.
DIVISION 4
Hale
1. Mio (18-4), 2. Au Gres-Sims (19-3), 3. Hale (14-5), 4. Fairview (4-12), 5. Whittemore-Prescott (2-12).
The expected District Final in this bracket would be the third matchup this season between Au Gres-Sims and Mio, which played each other twice over four days in mid-February with Au Gres winning the first by seven and Mio the rematch by four. That led to their sharing the North Star League Little Dipper title. Placing third was Hale, which is a combined 31-11 over the last two seasons and took Au Gres to overtime in their first meeting this winter.
Ishpeming
1. Ishpeming (18-3), 2. Munising (16-5), 3. Cooks Big Bay de Noc (18-2), 4. Eben Junction Superior Central (5-12), 5. Rapid River (5-16).
The Hematites are only two seasons removed from winning the Division 4 title, and they’ve looked to be in similar form most of this season with losses to only Division 2 Negaunee (21-1), Gladstone (18-4) and Houghton (16-6). Ishpeming also defeat Munising significantly in their lone regular-season matchup Feb. 16, but the Mustangs have won three straight District titles and know what it takes as well at this time of year. Big Bay de Noc is intriguing and takes on Munising on Wednesday. The Black Bears won the Northern Lights League and have totaled at least 16 victories four straight seasons.
Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary
1. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (16-6), 2. St. Charles (17-5), 3. Bay City All Saints (14-7), 4. Merrill (15-7), 5. Saginaw Arts & Sciences (10-10), 6. Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central (4-18).
St. Charles and Merrill finished first and second, respectively, in the Mid-State Activities Conference East, while MLS was runner-up to Hemlock in the TVC Blue and All Saints won the Big Thumb Conference Red title. MLS opened this season with a 53-44 win over St. Charles, defeated All Saints 60-51 on Jan. 29 and Merrill 54-34 a week later, and may have to see two of those again with Merrill playing SASA tonight on their side of the bracket and St. Charles and All Saints possible Friday opponents.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” reports 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 X @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) Ishpeming's Jenessa Eagle is defended by Bark River-Harris's Emma Zawada (14) and Melinah Cortez (21) during the Hematites’ 77-45 victory last Tuesday. (Middle) Davison’s Samantha Beller (22) works to get past her Linden defender during the Cardinals’ 49-33 victory also Tuesday. (Ishpeming/Bark River-Harris photo by Cara Kamps. Davison/Linden photo by Terry Lyons.)
Youngest Liedel Providing Prolific Finish to Family's High-Scoring Legacy
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
February 9, 2022
ERIE – An end of an era is coming in southeast Michigan.
Only two miles from Lake Erie, a barn with a basketball court inside has helped develop some of the best 3-point shooters in state history. The youngest of 10 in a basketball-crazed family, Elizabeth Liedel, better known locally as Lizzie, is winding down her senior season and putting up big numbers – just like many of her siblings did.
“When I was younger, I kind of liked softball better,” Lizzie said. “When I got a little older, basketball definitely became my favorite. I think my brothers and sisters had something to do with that.”
So did the barn, which her father Brad built years ago for his power washing business. It wasn’t long after that the barn became home to a half basketball court with regulation backboards and, of course, a 3-point line.
“I try and get out there every day or every other day and work on my shooting,” Lizzie said. “I’ve put up a lot of shots in the barn.”
Lizzie is a senior for Erie Mason, a Division 3 team that is 12-3 and undefeated in the Tri-County Conference. The Eagles can clinch their second-straight TCC title with a win Thursday at home against Morenci. If they are able to capture another league title, you can bet Lizzie will play a key role. A four-year varsity player, she is averaging 28.1 points per game this season.
The family connection to basketball begins with Brad Liedel, who went to Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, where he participated in multiple sports, including wrestling. He was in high school when he coached his first team.
“That was baseball,” he said. “I didn’t coach my first basketball team until after I graduated from high school.”
Brad and Beth Liedel have 10 kids, and all of their names are inspired by their faith – Matthew, Ben, Theresa, Maria, Michael, Sarah, Greg, Mary, Joseph and Elizabeth.
Brad has coached for years, from area high schools to travel ball in the summers.
“The kids will come to the barn, and we’ll play basketball and I put together some teams and we go out and play,” he said. “I love teaching the game and helping kids get better at the game. I just love basketball.”
Brad was a junior varsity basketball coach at SMCC when his oldest son, Matt, won the Monroe County Region Player of the Year honor. Two years later, in 2005-06, Ben Liedel set a state record by making 116 3-pointers, a record that has since been broken.
The basketball legend continued to grow. Sarah played at Erie Mason, as did Greg, who wound up with more than 900 career points.
The youngest three siblings – Mary, Joe and Lizzie – have been the biggest scorers. Mary made 56 3-pointers during her senior year of 2017-18 and finished her four seasons on varsity with 1,784 points. Joe topped 2,200 career points and made 334 career 3-pointers, second in the state record book for career triples, while helping Erie Mason reach the MHSAA Semifinals for the first time in school history before graduating in 2020. Both are continuing their basketball careers at the college level now.
Joe, who started his college career at University of Detroit-Mercy, is sidelined this semester with an injury, which has enabled him to be home and watch Lizzie mature as a player.
“She’s quite a player,” he said. “She’s fun to watch.”
Lizzie was an immediate starter for the Eagles as a freshman. Four years later, she has 1,354 career points and is having an outstanding senior season.
She had a high of 47 points against Blissfield, which happened to be the same night she passed 1,000.
Blissfield coach Ryan Gilbert said Liedel is not someone you want to see get hot from the outside. You also don’t want to send her to the free throw line.
“She has the ability to take over a game,” Gilbert said. “I felt like we contested 90 percent of her shots, and she still got to 47.”
Liedel is not just a scorer, although she has made more than 170 career 3-pointers.
“She draws double and triple teams quite often and she has great vision to keep her teammates involved,” Gilbert said. “What separates her from the rest is her ability to move without the ball, especially right after she gives it up. Something a lot of great players struggle with is moving without the ball; she does not, and it makes her tough to defend.”
Lizzie said the Blissfield game was a special one.
“My teammates were finding me, and I was really feeling good,” she said. “I think I made my first five 3-pointers. I felt like I couldn’t miss. Everything was going right.”
She finished four points behind her sister Mary’s single-game Erie Mason scoring record of 51.
Liedel was invited last summer to participate in the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Reaching Higher showcase.
“It was very different playing against all of these girls you don’t know,” she said. “It was a unique experience.”
Liedel is one of five seniors for the Eagles. They have won 53 games over her four varsity seasons, including a 13-0 record last year before being eliminated from the Division 3 tournament by eventual champion Ypsilanti Arbor Prep. This year’s losses have been to two Division 1 schools – Monroe and Howell – and SMCC.
“I’m happy with how we are playing,” she said. “We really wanted to win the league again, and we have a good shot at it. I love this team. They are helping me do a lot better this year.”
Her offseason work, including playing in the barn, is paying off. She has multiple college scholarship offers, including from Davenport, Indiana-Kokomo and Schoolcraft. Indiana Tech, an NAIA powerhouse, is interested, as is Lake Superior State.
She credits her dad and coaches for helping her game develop. She also gives a nod to her brothers and sisters.
“We are so close,” she said. “I love that. We talk all the time. When I come home after games, they’ll tell me how I did or what I need to do to get better.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Erie Mason’s Lizzie Liedel makes a move toward the basket against Carleton Airport. (Middle) Liedel shows off the family barn where she’s sharpened her shot. (Top photo by Tom Hawley; middle photo courtesy of Brad Liedel.)