Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Regional Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 9, 2026
After more than three months of working to get to this point, 128 girls basketball teams need to win only three more games to make it to MHSAA Finals weekend.
The next steps will come this week in Regionals, and we look closer at 12 of those below along with five District Finals among several that jumped off the page Friday.
Find everything you need to know this week about tickets, brackets and more as the tournament continues on the Girls Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network. Host sites are in bold below.
“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. Muskegon 35, Rockford 27 The Big Reds (21-2) won their first Division 1 District title since 2023 and guaranteed Rockford (21-3) won’t play at Breslin Center this season for the first time since 2021.
2. Evart 45, McBain 37 The top two teams from the Highland Conference met one more time, and runner-up Evart (18-3) avenged losses of 24 and 11 points to the champion Ramblers (21-1) by handing them their lone defeat in this Division 3 District Final.
3. Jackson Lumen Christi 64, Grass Lake 53 The Titans (20-3) won this Division 3 matchup of league champions, downing Grass Lake (21-3) for the second-straight season in a District Final.
4. Petersburg Summerfield 37, Adrian Lenawee Christian 31 Two weeks after losing to Lenawee Christian (17-6) for the second time this season, Summerfield (18-6) avenged both defeats in a Division 4 District Final.
5. Livonia Stevenson 58, Farmington Hills Mercy 53 The Spartans (19-5) finished third behind perennial state powers Belleville and Wayne Memorial in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East, but brought home a trophy by downing Mercy (19-5) in Division 1.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Renaissance
Detroit Renaissance (19-2) vs. Livonia Stevenson (19-5)
Wayne Memorial (20-2) vs. Birmingham Groves (18-6)
Renaissance is coming off another Detroit Public School League championship, with both of its losses coming in December – the second to reigning Division 1 champion Belleville (23-1) and the first 55-33 to Wayne, its potential opponent Thursday. To set up that repeat of last year’s Regional Final – won by Wayne – the Phoenix must defeat a Groves team that has enjoyed one of the best turnaround seasons in the state after going 6-16 a year ago. The Zebras – who have lost only to Belleville this season – have defeated Stevenson by 15 and 22 but still must be wary of the familiar Spartans, who have added to their win total now five straight seasons.
Houghton Lake
Marquette (8-14) vs. Midland (19-5)
Saginaw Heritage (18-6) vs. Muskegon (21-2)
Muskegon has gone from 11-12 a year ago to losing this season to only Wayne Memorial (20-2) and Grand Haven (21-3) – and the District Final win over Rockford had statewide reverberations. Heritage and Midland finished first and second, respectively, in the Saginaw Valley League North and split during the regular season, with Midland winning the most recent meeting 46-41 on Jan. 30. Marquette is 6-5 over the second half of the season and coming off its first District title since 2020.
Northville
Saline (21-3) vs. South Lyon East (23-1)
Howell (23-1) vs. Belleville (23-1)
Howell’s 59-51 win over reigning Division 1 champion Belleville on Feb. 26 ended the Tigers’ 35-game winning streak and took this forecasted rematch to another level. But whichever team emerges from that side of the bracket will have to rev back up immediately as Saline and South Lyon East are both capable of moving on to next week as well. Saline’s losses all came to teams still alive – including 58-44 to South Lyon East on Dec. 12. East’s only loss was to Farmington Hills Mercy (19-5), and one more win will give the Cougars twice as many as a season ago.
DIVISION 2
Allendale
Grand Rapids West Catholic (18-5) vs. Spring Lake (15-7)
Sparta (6-18) vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (20-4)
An anticipated Regional Final between 2025 Division 2 runner-up West Catholic and Catholic Central makes this bracket jump off the page, as the Cougars won the Ottawa-Kent Conference White and West Catholic finished second in the Gold and won their Feb. 19 matchup 53-40. But the other two contenders this week definitely have earned some notice as well. Spring Lake finished third in the O-K Black but has won five of its last seven games (with a 47-38 loss to West Catholic mixed in) and dominated its District with 39 and 43-point victories. Sparta had one win since Jan. 2 before last week, but earned four and 27-point victories to advance.
Alma
Flint Powers Catholic (21-3) vs. Frankenmuth (16-8)
Alma (17-6) vs. Portland (20-4)
Powers is seeking its second Regional championship over the last three seasons and has lost only to Division 1 Detroit Renaissance, Midland and Utica Eisenhower while defeating several Division 1 opponents as well. The Chargers also downed Frankenmuth 69-45 on Dec. 15, but the Eagles have won 13 of their last 16 games after playing several more top teams from across the state. Alma finished third in the Tri-Valley Conference Red won by Frankenmuth, but defeated league runner-up Freeland on Friday to earn this Regional game on its home court. The Panthers have won 12 of their last 14. Portland won the Capital Area Activities Conference White with its only losses to Haslett, Frankenmuth and Division 1 Holt and East Lansing. The Frankenmuth defeat was by only two points in their season opener.
Tecumseh
Parma Western (17-7) vs. Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard (16-8)
Haslett (22-2) vs. Tecumseh (22-2)
Reigning Division 2 champion Tecumseh has hardly been slowed again this season, falling to West Catholic by two points on Jan. 3 and then to Ohio power program Cincinnati West Clermont on Jan. 19. But Haslett, playing in its third-straight Regional, should provide another challenge with its only losses this season to Division 1 DeWitt and Rockford. The Vikings’ run has included a 64-41 win over Parma Western in their regular-season finale. Western topped a strong Michigan Center team 56-42 to win its District last week and has faced several of the state’s best as well, and will take on a Father Gabriel Richard team that has navigated the same with three of its losses to Division 1 teams and two more to Division 3 contender Lumen Christi.
DIVISION 3
Bangor
Niles Brandywine (23-1) vs. Gobles (15-7)
Kalamazoo Christian (18-4) vs. Schoolcraft (16-7)
Brandywine has reached at least the Division 3 Semifinals the last two seasons and is a combined 50-2 over the last two with that lone loss this winter to Division 2 Otsego (19-2). The Bobcats’ schedule was filled with larger opponents and included a 73-14 win over Gobles from Jan. 6. The Tigers rebounded from three straight losses to end the regular season to win their District, and two of their defeats also game to Saugatuck (23-1) in Southwestern Athletic Conference Central play. K-Christian was first and Schoolcraft third in the SAC Valley, with Christian winning their games by 29 but then only two points Feb. 13. Schoolcraft impressively downed Centreville (18-5) and Union City (17-7) to win its District, while the Comets have won 11 of their last 12 games and surely have been circling this week after losing the Brandywine in Regional Finals the last two years.
Burton Bendle
Otisville LakeVille Memorial (19-5) vs. Cass City (17-5)
Sandusky (22-1) vs. Genesee (18-6)
The fact Otisville LakeVille finished only third in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference speaks well to the strength of that league, and that no doubt prepared the Falcons well although they now must face a Cass City team that finished second in the Big Thumb Conference White but downed league champion Caro 61-37 in their District Final rematch. Sandusky defeated Cass City 49-32 in its regular-season finale just 11 days ago and won the BTC Black, with its only loss this winter to Division 2 Yale (21-3). Sandusky will see a somewhat familiar opponent in Genesee, which Sandusky defeated in last year’s Regional Final. But Genesee also is a league champion this winter, from the Genesee Area Conference Red, and is keyed by 2,000-point scorer Averie Zinn.
New Lothrop
Laingsburg (20-4) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (22-2)
New Lothrop (22-2) vs. Stockbridge (18-6)
As noted above with Otisville LakeVille, the MMAC as a league was powerful especially at the top this season, and New Lothrop won it with a 16-0 record. The Hornets’ only losses were to Division 1 Midland and Division 2 Freeland. Stockbridge has made an impressive jump this season after going 11-13 a year ago, and the Panthers finished behind only Division 4 contender Concord (22-2) in the Big 8 Conference. On the other side of the bracket are representatives from another top league, the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, which has sent three teams into Regionals and was won by P-W with an 18-0 record including victories of 13 and 23 over Laingsburg. The Pirates certainly are being cautious seeing Laingsburg for the third time, as the Wolfpack finished third in the CMAC but defeated runner-up Bath (19-5) to win their District.
DIVISION 4
Akron-Fairgrove
Kingston (24-0) vs. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian (16-4)
Clarkston Everest Collegiate (17-5) vs. Deckerville (20-4)
A pair of 20-win teams from the BTC Blue could meet again in the Regional Final as league champ Kingston would be seeking to add to 19 and seven-point wins over runner-up Deckerville – which otherwise lost to only Division 2 Yale and Division 3 Cass City this winter. But neither should look ahead. Parkway Christian won the Michigan Independent Athletic Conference Red ahead of Southfield Christian, which is also still playing this week. Everest Collegiate won the Catholic High School League Intersectional #1 title and the St. Anne Tournament, and total has 15 victories over its last 16 games after opening this winter with four losses over the first month including three to Division 1 and 2 teams.
Fowler
Portland St. Patrick (19-5) vs. Climax-Scotts (17-6)
Muskegon Catholic Central (15-5) vs. Whitmore Lake (18-7)
Three of these teams finished fourth in their leagues during the regular season, and the fourth – Climax-Scotts – was a league runner-up. But they all emerged with trophies last week and one will claim another over the next four days. The Panthers have won 10 of their last 11 games after finishing second in the Southern Central Athletic Association West to Mendon, which is also playing this week. Muskegon Catholic Central emerged from the middle of the Alliance League to defeat both co-champions – Byron Center Zion Christian (17-4) and Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (15-6) – to win their District. Whitmore Lake was fourth in the MIAC Blue but repeated as a District champ, and St. Patrick was fourth in the CMAC but also is a repeat District winner and has lost to only Division 3 opponents from its league this winter.
Johannesburg-Lewiston
Buckley (20-4) vs. Gaylord St. Mary (23-1)
Mio (20-4) vs. Frankfort (15-7)
This Regional features three league champs and a team that finished one game out of first place, plus another of the all-time leading scorers in Michigan history. Buckley – which has made an impressive climb after finishing 9-15 just two seasons ago – shared the Northwest Conference title and will take on Ski Valley Conference champion Gaylord St. Mary, which lost to only Division 2 Petoskey (20-3) two months ago. St. Mary has reached at least the Regional Final the last four seasons and fell to Frankfort the last two. Frankfort finished third in the Northwest Conference but only a game off the lead with two and seven-point losses to Buckley. The Panthers will be next to attempt to slow down Mio and Mia McGregor, who is averaging more than 40 points per game. The Thunderbolts have won 11 of their last 12 games and are making their third-straight Regional appearance.
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PHOTOS (Top) Laingsburg’s Mallory Woodbury (10) pulls away the ball and Harper Strouse (5) also defends during the Wolfpack’s 40-23 Division 3 District Final win over Bath on Friday. (Middle) Marquette's Avery Osborne goes up for a shot against Traverse City Central's Sienna Slack during the Sentinels’ 51-43 District Final victory in Division 1. (Below) A pair of Almont defenders block the passing lanes against North Branch during the Broncos' 47-44 Division 2 District win.(Laingsburg/Bath photo by John Johnson. Marquette/Traverse City Central photo by Cara Kamps. North Branch/Almont photo by Terry Lyons.)
Thankful for Lifesavers Who Rushed to His Aid, Sanders Aims to Officiate Again
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
January 14, 2025
Doug Sanders sat quietly thinking about how to best describe what he went through the day after Thanksgiving at Monroe Jefferson High School.
Finally, he just said it.
“Basically, I died twice,” he said, almost apologetically.
Sanders, 56, was officiating a boys varsity basketball game between Petersburg-Summerfield and Jefferson when he collapsed. First responders who were in attendance quickly got to Sanders and began performing life-saving procedures.
Responders performed chest compressions. Twice they used a defibrillator to shock him. He regained consciousness once only to inform the responders they were hurting his chest, then his heart stopped again.
When he left Jefferson that night on a stretcher, he was alert.
“I’ve never seen anything like that in my 24 years coaching,” Summerfield coach Phil Schiffler said. “I’ve seen gruesome things, compound fractures and things, but never someone pass like that, especially someone who was an official, in charge of the game.
“Thank God for the first responders there that night.”
Petersburg residents Matt LaRocca and Aaron Myshock were the first to assist Sanders on the court. Others helped as well, including Summerfield athletic director Kelly Kalb, former Summerfield athlete Brendan Dafoe, a nurse; and Angela Prush, who works at Monroe County Community College as a clinical educator in the respiratory therapy program. Jefferson athletic director Alyssa Eppler helped on the scene as well.
“There was no hesitation,” Kalb said. “As soon as Doug went down, Matt and Aaron took off to the court and got to Doug. Everyone played a role. It was a great collaboration."
Kalb said the MHSAA this year implemented a new policy requiring schools to have an Emergency Action Plan in the event of this very type of emergency. That plan, she said, definitely helped both schools as they responded.
“We lost him a couple of times,” she said. “It was scary.”
Sanders knew something was wrong during the game. Moments before falling to the floor he called over one of his officiating partners, Steve Rechsteiner, and said something was wrong. He asked him to get him some water and said he felt light-headed.
“I said, ‘Help me,’” Sanders said. Moments later, he went to the floor.
As responders attended to Sanders, officials from both schools cleared the gymnasium of spectators and players, and the game was called. Players and fans left the gymnasium that night unsure of the events that had just unfolded in front of them.
“It’s amazing how it all happened,” said Sanders, who has been a registered MHSAA official for more than 30 years. “If I would have been driving or anywhere else when it happened, I may not be here today to talk about it.”
Sanders has had a history of heart problems, and those run in his family. About four years ago, he had open-heart surgery. Officiating another game a few nights before the incident at Jefferson, he had collapsed during a timeout. He was under doctor’s care but felt well enough to return to the court after enjoying Thanksgiving with his family.
The game between Summerfield and Jefferson went into the fourth quarter. That’s when Sanders began to feel something was wrong.
“I am so blessed and grateful to be where the right people were with me,” Sanders said. “I had the right people there at the right time.”
After being transported to a nearby hospital in Monroe, he was sent to another in Toledo. He spent several days in the hospital undergoing heart tests and procedures. He went home for recovery and recently started attending basketball games in the area again.
“People have been so nice through all of this,” he said. “I’ve gotten messages and cards and calls and texts from people all over the place, people I don’t even know. A lot of the officials that I’ve worked with have reached out to me. It’s really a close-knit group.”
Thankfully, his heart is improving.
Sanders is a 1987 graduate of Ottawa Lake Whiteford. He got his start as a referee for youth basketball at Whiteford Elementary School. Then-athletic director John Flynn encouraged him to get his MHSAA registration, and helped him get it. Soon after, Flynn was assigning him middle school games.
Over the years, Sanders began umpiring baseball and added refereeing football a few years ago.
He loves sports and being close to the game.
“That’s why I do it,” he said. “I wanted to be a basketball official because I enjoy working with the student-athletes. I like the exercise, especially during the wintertime. Outside it’s snowy and wet, and this was a way to get out and do something.”
He’s busiest during basketball season where he is assigned as many as four or five games a week. In 2022, he officiated a boys Semifinal game at the Breslin Center. He rarely slows down or takes nights off.
Since the incident, Sanders has been going through a series of tests on his heart and has had an ICD – or implantable cardioverter defibrillator – installed in his chest. An elementary school teacher in Toledo, he expects to return to work soon.
He’s met some of the first responders who helped save him that night at Jefferson but still isn’t sure just how many people played a role. He’s grateful the district had a defibrillator nearby – and especially that people were there who knew how to use it.
Schiffler said people just sprang into action, like they were trained to do.
“I was shook. I’m not going to lie,” he said. “The people who were trained in that knew just what to do.”
LaRocca and Myshock were there watching their sons play on the Summerfield team. Dafoe, who played sports at Summerfield and with Sanders as his referee and umpire on a number of occasions, has a brother on the varsity team.
Sanders is tentatively scheduled to referee a game at Adrian Lenawee Christian on Monday, Jan. 20. He can’t wait to shake the rust off, put on the striped shirt and blow his whistle. He knows there will be eyes on him throughout the game.
“I’ve had so many people tell me, ‘Take the rest of the winter off, don’t come back too early,’” Sanders said. “I want to get back out there. Something tells me in my heart and soul that I’m ready. I had my stress test, and I did well. Am I ready? I want to say yes. I think so. Only time will tell.”
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) MHSAA official Doug Sanders monitors the action during a 2022 Division 4 Semifinal between Wyoming Tri-unity Christian and Genesee Christian. (Middle) Bradley is in uniform for a baseball game. (Below) Bradley makes a call behind the plate during a Monroe County Fair youth softball tournament game at least a decade ago. (Middle photo courtesy of Doug Sanders. Below photo by Kim Brent, courtesy of the Monroe News.)