Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 1

December 8, 2014

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Some of our favorite stories from the beginning of each season are told when a team, after just a week, has already equaled its success from the previous season.

A few of those are highlighted in this week’s Breslin Bound girls hoops report to kick off 2014-15.

Each week, we’ll look at four teams from each class that stuck out over the previous seven days or the season to that point as we point toward the start of the MHSAA District tournaments March 2.

For schedules of each day’s games statewide and results as we receive them, plus links to each team’s full schedule, results and league standings, click here – and please help us by filling in missing scores or emailing them to [email protected].

Class A

Farmington Hills Mercy (2-0) – The Marlins, Class A semifinalists last season, are proving again already they can win close with 55-52 and 49-46 wins over Waterford Mott and Salem, respectively, to open 2014-15.

Flushing (2-0) – The Tigers improved two wins last season to 13-9, with two losses to Flint Powers Catholic; they beat the Chargers 56-23 on Friday to kick off a perfect first week.

Howell (2-0) – The Highlanders were solid to start coming off a 15-7 finish last season, but with an impressive performance to further generate excitement for the weeks to come; 6-foot-1 junior Erin Honkala had 19 points, 28 rebounds and eight blocked shots in Friday’s 47-30 win over Ann Arbor Skyline. The rebounds tied for 13th most for one game in MHSAA history.

Lapeer (2-1) – The former Lapeer East and West last season finished with a combined record of 13-29; the new schools created from a merger of the old kicked off last week with two wins before falling only 57-47 to always-strong Goodrich.

Class B

Adrian (2-1) – The Maples already have equaled their win total from last season’s 2-19 finish, with a 47-35 overtime victory over Monroe Jefferson among highlights.

Berrien Springs (2-0) – The Shamrocks didn’t win last season until February, but equaled last season’s win total with two victories to start including a 50-48 nail-biter over Cassopolis.

Grosse Ile (2-0) – The Red Devils are looking to build on last season’s 18-4 finish and kicked off this winter with a pair of wins over Detroit Catholic League teams including 42-41 over Livonia Ladywood on Friday.

Haslett (2-0) – The Vikings made the Class A Regional Finals last season finishing 23-2, but are back in Class B and opened with a 63-21 win over reigning Finals champion Eaton Rapids – one of two teams to beat Haslett in 2013-14.

Class C

Grass Lake (2-0) – Last season’s 9-12 finish included a 2-7 skid at the end; the Warriors ended it with a 61-52 win over Concord on opening night and then a 62-36 victory over Cascade Conference foe Hanover-Horton.

Hesperia (2-0) – One week in and Hesperia has guaranteed a better finish than last winter’s 1-18; the Panthers equaled it with a 34-28 win over Mason County Eastern in the opener and surpassed with a 42-30 victory over Kent City Algoma Christian on Thursday.

Lake City (2-0) – The Trojans also started strongly last winter with five straight victories before struggling down the stretch, but looked pretty tough beating Harrison by 15 and Mancelona by 36 last week.

Niles Brandywine (2-0) – The Bobcats have a streak worth statewide attention; they haven’t lost a regular-season game since Jan. 30, 2012, and opened this winter by beating Class A Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 53-46.

Class D

Baraga (2-0) – The Vikings won six games last season, with a 52-point loss to Houghton on opening night; they beat Houghton 33-24 to start this season and are on pace to equal last year’s win total by January.

Bark River-Harris (2-0) – Two of last season’s five losses (to go with 18 wins) were to Crystal Falls Forest Park, but Trojans’ star Lexi Gussert is at Michigan State University now and the Broncos got a hard-fought 36-34 win over Forest Park in their first Skyline Central Conference game.

Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (2-0) – The Irish weren't considered a favorite before winning last season's Class D title; Sacred Heart won't sneak up on anyone this time and opened with their 14th and 15th-straight wins dating to last January. 

Wakefield-Marenisco (2-0) – The Cardinals have been on a nice run since the middle of last season; after opening 2013-14 at 2-7, they finished 8-4 and added another pair of wins to open last week.

PHOTO: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart’s Averi Gamble prepares to shoot in the reigning Class D champion’s 43-35 win over Shepherd on opening night. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).

Century of School Sports: 2025 Finals Begin Next Half-Century of Girls Hoops Championships

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 18, 2025

This weekend the MHSAA will conclude its second of three seasons during this “Century of School Sports” 100th-anniverary celebration with the last of its winter championships – the Girls Basketball Semifinals & Finals at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.

While boys basketball was the first sport to see its champions crowned by the newly-formed Michigan High School Athletic Association in 1925 – and girls have been playing basketball for their schools in Michigan for more than 130 years – girls basketball was actually the sixth girls sport to gain MHSAA postseason championships, with its first Finals played during the Fall 1973.

This weekend’s MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals actually will be the 51st – the tournament was not completed in 2020 due to COVID-19 – and leads us to our first trivia question:

Q: There have been 200 MHSAA Finals championships won in girls basketball. How many schools have won at least one?

A: 105 schools have won at least one beginning when Detroit Dominican, Hudsonville Unity Christian, Hamtramck St. Ladislaus and Ewen-Trout Creek earned the first.

Detroit Country Day remains atop the lists for most championship game appearances (17) and Finals titles won (13). Detroit Martin Luther King and Portland St. Patrick rank second in appearances with 12 apiece. Bloomfield Hills Marian, St. Patrick and now-closed Flint Northern rank second on the championships list with six apiece. Northern won the most consecutively – four straight in Class A from 1978-81.

Here's another potential stumper:

Q: In what sport was the MHSAA’s first statewide girls championship awarded?

A: Gymnastics, with its first Final on March 11, 1972, three months before Title IX was signed into law.

The first MHSAA Girls Gymnastics Final was followed during the 1972-73 school year by the additions of girls Finals in golf, swimming & diving, tennis and track & field. Then came basketball in 1973-74, skiing and softball in 1974-75 (although there were Girls Skiing Regionals beginning in 1952), volleyball in 1975-76 and cross country in 1978-79.

The 1980s saw girls soccer added in 1982-83, with competitive cheer joining the lineup in 1993-94. Bowling was added in 2003-04, lacrosse in 2004-05, and the first MHSAA Girls Wrestling Individual Finals were competed in 2021-22. Field hockey will be the next addition among girls championship sports, this upcoming fall.

Similar to this “Century of School Sports” series, MHSAA.com published a 57-part celebration of “Title IX at 50” during the 2021-22 school year building up to the 25th MHSAA Women In Sports Leadership Conference that following fall. Click to read up on now nearly 53 years of MHSAA girls sports.

Previous "Century of School Sports" Spotlights

March 11: Boys Basketball's Best 1st to Earn MHSAA Finals Titles - Read
March 5:
Everything We Do Begins with Participation - Read
Feb. 25:
Slogans & Logos Remain Unforgettable Parts of MHSAA History - Read
Feb. 19:
MHSAA Tickets Continue to Provide Fan-Friendly Value - Read
Feb. 11:
We Recognize Those Who Make Our Games Go - Read
Feb. 4:
WISL Conference Continues to Inspire Aspiring Leaders - Read
Jan. 28:
Michigan's National Impact Begins at NFHS' Start - Read
Jan. 21:
Awards Celebrate Well-Rounded Educational Experience - Read
Jan. 14:
Predecessors Laid Foundation for MHSAA's Formation - Read
Jan. 9:
MHSAA Blazes Trail Into Cyberspace - Read
Dec. 31: 
State's Storytellers Share Winter Memories - Read
Dec. 17: 
MHSAA Over Time - Read
Dec. 10:
On This Day, December 13, We Will Celebrate - Read
Dec. 3:
MHSAA Work Guided by Representative Council - Read
Nov. 26: 
Finals Provide Future Pros Early Ford Field Glory - Read
Nov. 19:
Connection at Heart of Coaches Advancement Program - Read
Nov. 12:
Good Sports are Winners Then, Now & Always - Read
Nov. 5:
MHSAA's Home Sweet Home - Read
Oct. 29:
MHSAA Summits Draw Thousands to Promote Sportsmanship - Read
Oct. 23:
Cross Country Finals Among MHSAA's Longest Running - Read
Oct. 15:
State's Storytellers Share Fall Memories - Read
Oct. 8:
Guided by 4 S's of Educational Athletics - Read
Oct. 1:
Michigan Sends 10 to National Hall of Fame - Read
Sept. 25: MHSAA Record Books Filled with 1000s of Achievements - Read
Sept. 18:
Why Does the MHSAA Have These Rules? - Read
Sept. 10: 
Special Medals, Patches to Commemorate Special Year - Read
Sept. 4:
Fall to Finish with 50th Football Championships - Read
Aug. 28:
Let the Celebration Begin - Read

PHOTO Bloomfield Hills Marian's Trina Govan (42) and teammates celebrate during the closing moments of their 71-49 win over Flint Powers Catholic in the 1988 Class A championship game. (MHSAA file photo)