Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls Report Post-Break
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 5, 2026
Holiday break is over, and school is back in session – and the great majority of Michigan’s high school girls basketball teams will be through the first quarter of their seasons by the end of this week.
There’s plenty to catch up on from the last two, so we’ll jump right in with our first “Breslin Bound” report of the 2026 calendar year.
“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. Grand Rapids West Catholic 54, Tecumseh 52 The Falcons (6-1) avenged their 54-44 loss to Tecumseh (6-1) in last season’s Division 2 championship game.
2. Rockford 52, Howell 36 The Rams (5-1) handed the Highlanders (6-1) their lone loss this season in a semifinal of their Cornerstone University Holiday Classic Gold bracket.
3. Freeland 57, Hemlock 43 The Falcons moved to 3-2 at the Huskie Holiday Classic in handing host Hemlock (6-1) its only defeat.
4. Niles Brandywine 60, Kent City 42 These two were undefeated when they met Dec. 30 at Kalamazoo College, and Brandywine remains 5-0 while Kent City is 4-2.
5. Tecumseh 41, Detroit Edison 28 Although Tecumseh did finish holiday break with a loss, it started with this notable win over Edison (4-3) at the Detroit Renaissance Phoenix Classic.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Belleville (5-0) The reigning Division 1 champion Tigers defeated host Detroit Renaissance at the Phoenix Classic at the start of break and followed that up with their most impressive victory to date – a 65-50 win over Indianapolis Lawrence Central, arguably the top team in Indiana after winning a state championship in 2024 and finishing 22-2 a year ago. Belleville finished 28-1 last season, and will have a chance to avenge that lone loss a second time when it travels to Wayne Memorial on Jan. 16.
Wayne Memorial (5-0) The Zebras also own a win over Renaissance and have allowed only Muskegon to come within double digits, downing the Big Reds 55-48 at the West Michigan Hoop Summit at Aquinas College. Wayne and Belleville both play in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East and will see each other twice, and the Zebras nearly made it a third time last winter falling a win shy as their playoff run ended in the Division 1 Semifinals.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids South Christian (6-0) The Sailors defeated Coopersville and Muskegon Reeths-Puffer in Cornerstone University Holiday Classic games, the latest victories from a start that’s seen every win by double digits and the closest 10-pointers over Hudsonville Unity Christian and Holland Christian. South Christian finished 24-3 a year ago with two losses to Grand Rapids West Catholic – Tuesday’s opponent – including by two points in a season-ending Quarterfinal.
Negaunee (7-0) This team surely entered this winter extra motivated after suffering its only loss last season in a District Final. The highlight of the Miners’ strong start arguably has been a 45-39 win over reigning Division 4 runner-up Ewen-Trout Creek as part of Negaunee’s Irontown Holiday Bash. The Miners had defeated Kingsford the day before, and have won the rest of their games this winter by at least 11 points.
DIVISION 3
Jackson Lumen Christi (5-1) The Titans defeated Detroit Edison 50-49 on Saturday at the Detroit Cass Tech Showcase to add to an impressive start that’s also included double-digit wins over Michigan Center, Salem, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard and Mio. All but Salem currently have winning records, and Salem is 4-4. The only loss under first-year coach Scott Stine – who led Ypsilanti Arbor Prep to last year’s Division 3 title – came against Ohio’s Whitehouse Anthony Wayne, an Ohio state runner-up last season.
Union City (7-0) The Chargers already have surpassed last season’s 6-17 finish, avenging last-winter losses to Napoleon, Homer and a pair to Springport. Last year did provide a sign of improvement – Union City won more than four games for the first time since 2017-18 – and these first four weeks of 2025-26 could be signaling a big jump in process. Five of these first seven wins came by double digits.
DIVISION 4
Baraga (6-0) A pair of 12-point wins over L’Anse and Houghton have been the toughest challenges so far for the Vikings, who are seeking to advance past their District this season for the first time since finishing Division 4 runner-up in 2022-23. On Thursday they’ll face Hancock, which ended Baraga’s season at 16-7 last March. A trip to Ewen-Trout Creek on Jan. 13 could decide the Copper Mountain Conference title, as Baraga finished second and a game back of E-TC a year ago.
Petersburg Summerfield (7-0) Summerfield tied for second in the Tri-County Conference last season and ended its playoff run at 17-7 with a District loss to TCC champion Morenci – but will get its first opportunity to avenge last winter’s three losses to Morenci on Thursday at home. The only single-digit wins so far this winter came against Division 1 Ann Arbor Skyline and Monroe, and the Bulldogs also see Division 1 Allen Park on Tuesday before hosting their league rival.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Pewamo-Westphalia (4-0) at Flint Powers Catholic (5-1) – Powers is coming off its first loss, but can rebound quickly by avenging last year’s 53-50 loss to the Pirates.
Tuesday – Grand Rapids West Catholic (6-1) at Grand Rapids South Christian (6-0) – These two shared the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold title last season, and West Catholic won their third meeting in a Division 2 Quarterfinal.
Tuesday – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (5-1) at Warren Regina (7-0) – St. Mary’s was a co-champion in the Catholic High School League Central West last season and Regina looks like one of the contenders this winter.
Wednesday – Evart (4-0) at McBain (4-0) – These two are tied early atop the Highland Conference after Evart finished first and McBain tied for second last season.
Friday – Ishpeming (5-0) at Negaunee (7-0) – These two look like the top contenders again in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference East after Negaunee won it and Ishpeming was second a year ago.
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PHOTOS (Top) Livonia Stevenson’s Bella Sapia (23) drives into the lane during her team’s win over Berkley on Dec. 23. (Middle) Negaunee's Clare O'Donnell looks for an open teammate during her team’s Dec. 19 win over Ishpeming Westwood. (Stevenson/Berkley photo by Douglas Bargerstock. Negaunee/Westwood photo by Cara Kamps.)
Pittsford Arrives at Cusp of History Again
March 16, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Their record alone – 102-2 – is simply incredible to consider.
And by the end of Saturday morning, Pittsford seniors Jaycie Burger and Maddie Clark could finish their careers alone as the winningest girls basketball players in Michigan high school history.
The Wildcats’ all-state duo tied former St. Ignace standout Kelley Wright (102-5 from 2011-14) for first on the MHSAA's varsity wins list with their team’s 57-39 Class D Semifinal victory Thursday over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
And that set up one more history-making opportunity Saturday for a team that has put its small Hillsdale County town on the sports map. Top-ranked Pittsford will take on unranked Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary in the Class D Final riding a two-season, 54-game winning streak as it looks to finish with a second straight Finals title.
“It’s, honestly, kind of unbelievable,” Burger said. “We come from a small town. No one had every heard of it before the first time we came here. Pittsford … tiny. Like Maddie said last year, we just got a Family Dollar, and that’s like the biggest news ever.
“So for us to be able to come here three years in a row and have the possibility to win a second state championship is just awe-inspiring. And I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to play this long with these girls and with my team, and I’m thankful to do something that’s this great.”
Pittsford will attempt that repeat finish at 10 a.m. Saturday. But getting the opportunity wasn’t as easy as showing up Thursday to what’s become a home court away from home.
Wildcats coach Chris Hodos called Sacred Heart the toughest team his has faced this season, and with good reason. The Irish, without a senior, fell to only 25-2 with the loss after playing in their third Semifinal in four seasons. Sacred Heart was Class D champion in 2015 and fell to Pittsford in the championship game last winter, 48-30.
The Irish led into the second quarter this time and tied the score again with two minutes to play in the first half – before the Wildcats scored the final five points of the half to slowly start to pull away.
“Very simple. Our gameplan was to attack the press and attack the basket,” Sacred Heart coach Damon Brown said. “The energy of putting pressure on them was something we really wanted to do. I think last year we were a little hesitant. I think we were caught up in the moment last year, but this year we were more aggressive. I loved how we played this year.”
Pittsford stifled Sacred Heart with defense and rebounding, forcing 28 turnovers while giving the ball up only 13 times and outrebounding the Irish 37-29 – including 21-5 on the offensive boards.
Clark led with 19 points and eight rebounds, and Burger had 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Junior guard Marissa Shaw chipped in eight points and eight steals – her 171 steals this season rank seventh in MHSAA history.
“Her anticipation is just off the hook,” Hodos said. “You can’t say enough about her. She made big baskets for us tonight. She makes some great passes.”
Sophomore guard Scout Nelson led Sacred Heart with 16 points, and junior forward Sophia Ruggles added eight points and five rebounds. As noted, Sacred Heart didn’t have a senior – the Irish were paced by six juniors, two sophomores and three freshmen.
“The locker room was a little bit different this year. There was some sadness, but the motivation and the energy to get back at it again and get back here next year has already started,” Brown said. “And that’s what I like, a group of girls who are committed to being the best team they can be. This is just a small hurdle that we’ll overcome.”
“I think it’s a big motivation for us,” Ruggles added. “Like he said, we’re all hungry to get back in the gym and compete, and it just adds a little fire to (our) want to get better.”
Meanwhile, Pittsford's four seniors, including forward Katelyn Kafer and guard Katie Clement, can cement their Breslin legacy with one last win.
And they're prepared to face the hype that will go with that historic opportunity.
"As long as we keep the same mentality we’ve had all year, just to play our game and execute our gameplan, we should be OK,” Burger said. “As long as we don’t let the hype that surrounds the state championship interfere with our team chemistry and our gameplan, I think that definitely should be OK.
“But it’s definitely going to be surreal feeling. It’s going to be the last time I’m out there with my girls. And it’s going to be, definitely, a game to remember.”
PHOTOS: (Top) A pair of Pittsford defenders tie up Sacred Heart’s Sophie Ruggles during Thursday’s Class D Semifinal. (Middle) The Wildcats’ Maddie Clark (10) works to get a shot up over Grace Reetz (2).