Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 10
February 5, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Few other regular-season wins could ever produce the joy that comes with a championship-clinching victory. But avenging a loss comes pretty close.
Six teams on this week's list of high achievers enjoyed that feeling last week. The others just continued their impressive recent play -- good news with Districts beginning in three weeks.
Results and overall records below again are drawn from our MHSAA Score Center. The Breslin Bound report will not be published next week but will return Feb. 18
1. Freeland (14-1) – The Falcons became on Saturday the favorite to win Class B next month with one of the best wins of any team this season – 56-52 over reigning champion Goodrich, which hadn't lost to an in-state opponent in nearly two seasons.
2. Bloomfield Hills Marian (13-2) – Marian now has avenged both of its losses, two weeks ago earning a rematch win over Dearborn Divine Child and last week getting the rematch win, 49-34, over Livonia Ladywood.
3. Parchment (14-1) – The Panthers finished second to Olivet in the Kalamazoo Valley Association by a win last season and lost to the Eagles in their third game this winter. But Parchment evened the score last week with a 33-26 win over the Eagles to move into a tie for first place.
4. Midland Dow (16-0) – After being swept by rival Midland last season, Dow got one back last week, 50-45 over the Chemics, before then earning another win over solid Saginaw Heritage 53-38.
5. Battle Creek Harper Creek (12-1) – The Beavers’ only loss, to Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, came during the second week of the season; Harper Creek avenged that loss by beating Loy Norrix 32-29 last week.
6. Howard City Tri-County (11-5) – Only 5-18 a season ago, Tri-County keeps adding to its comeback and has won three straight including an impressive 49-43 upset last week of previously one-loss Kent City.
7. Kingsford (10-3) – The Flivvers already had improved on last season’s 9-13 finish, and by beating Crystal Falls Forest Park 52-51 last week avenged one of their few losses this winter.
8. Davison (14-2) – The Cardinals have won 14 straight since going 0-fer during the final week of November and hold a 3.5-win lead in the Saginaw Valley Association South standings.
9. Portland St. Patrick (14-1) – As stated previously, we don’t like to repeat teams on this list from week to week. But St. Patrick beat Pewamo-Westphalia 32-31 last week to avenge its only loss and move into a first-place tie in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference with only four league games to play.
10. Bronson (10-5) – The Vikings’ only loss since Dec. 27 came to a team from Indiana, and they get a chance to avenge one of their losses when they face Mendon on Friday.
PHOTO: Midland Dow's Kristine Mussell (10) defends during her team's win last week over Saginaw Heritage; Dow is 16-0. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
From Underdogs to Top Dogs: Summerfield Wins 1st Regional Title
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
April 2, 2021
PETERSBURG – Mickey Moody is making a habit out of taking Monroe County schools to new heights.
While coaching Jefferson’s softball team in 2006, the Bears reached the MHSAA Finals for the first time in school history. At Dundee, Moody coached the Vikings softball team to its first-ever Finals championship in 2013 and into the Semifinals in 2019.
On Wednesday, Moody coached the Petersburg Summerfield girls basketball team to the first Regional championship in school history and a berth in the Division 4 Quarterfinals.
“The girls are really playing well,” Moody said. “I’m so excited for them. It all starts with the kids. I am an old school coach. I’m pretty strict.”
Moody has changed the mood at Summerfield, and the success on the court shows.
“When we were freshmen four years ago, things were a lot different,” said senior Grace Kalb. “He’s definitely changed the mindset. All the coaches have. They are very encouraging. They never give up on us, they always tell us to give them everything we have, and we listen.
“You could feel it changing last year. This year, we have continued down that path.”
Summerfield won 13 games last season in a big turnaround, improving from just five wins in 2018-19 and only four in Moody’s first season coaching Summerfield in 2016-17. Despite the lack of historical success, Moody did not hesitate to tell the girls how far he thought they could go this season.
“It started at our first practice way back in November,” Kalb said. “He told us that we had an opportunity to win a Regional, which had never been done before at our school. When we got to Districts this year, we had a plan. This is our year.”
Summerfield was unranked during the regular season. The Bulldogs started out 3-3, including a 33-point loss to Sand Creek. A week later, they rebounded to beat the Aggies by three. Summerfield closed the regular season by winning six of its last seven games and finished fourth in the Tri-County Conference.
“I don’t talk about league championships,” Moody said. “I tell the girls the league is a bonus. I want their ultimate goal to be to go as far as you can. Well, as far as you can means the state finals.”
That is still two wins away, but anything is possible.
The Bulldogs beat Britton Deerfield to win the District title and hosted the Regional which ended with wins against Allen Park Inter-City Baptist and Southfield Christian. The school’s first-ever Regional title came after Kalb scored a career-high 21 points. Sophomore Abby Haller, the team’s top scorer, added 17, and the other senior on the roster, Breanna Weston, scored 11.
“It was amazing to win at home,” Weston said. “It’s been dream come true.”
Moody said the difference in Summerfield’s late-season surge has been defense.
“We are playing much more aggressive defensively,” he said. “We have been able to put a lot of pressure on teams. They’ve always played hard, but we are coming together now.”
In addition to the two seniors, Summerfield has two juniors in Sydney Redlinger and Elaney Fisher and two sophomores, Haller and Destanee Smith. Moody has five freshmen on the varsity right now.
“All five girls of our starters are shooting the ball super well,” Moody said. “Everyone thinks Abby is going to be our leading scorer, but all of the girls are shooting well. That helps because teams can’t just key on one girl.”
Kalb and Weston are four-year players.
“Grace is my steady engine,” Moody said. “I know she’s going to play well defensively. She always does. Her leadership on the floor is even more important.”
Weston has upped her game in the postseason as well.
“This is the best she’s shot in her four years,” Moody said. “She averaged about 12 points a game during the regular season but has stepped up in the tournament. She looks to score a lot more right now.
“From the time they were freshmen until now, their knowledge of basketball has improved so much. They’ve gotten better every year.”
Moody said the foundation was set for this year’s tournament run with last year’s loss in the Division 3 District. The Bulldogs lost to a solid Blissfield team.
“We played very well,” he said. “I think with that game, the girls saw what they were capable of. Right then we set the goal of getting out of Districts this year.”
Weston said the Bulldogs believed in Moody because he believed in them.
“It was different before,” she said. “Before, we were the underdogs. Now, we are the top dogs. We have done something that’s never been done before in our school’s history. It has been a surreal moment. We are making our marks now. It’s been a great ride.”
Moody got his start in coaching on the softball diamond, not the basketball floor. He is in his 10th year coaching the Dundee softball team but has not started coaching the Vikings yet this spring. Before Dundee, he coached four seasons at Jefferson.
“My assistant coaches are running things for me,” he said. “I love softball, but my main focus is the basketball team right now.”
The Bulldogs will take on Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes on Monday in St. Clair Shores.
“We’re going to have to come up with a really good scheme,” Moody said. “They are a good team. Our girls are excited about being this far. I am really happy for them. It’s nice to see their hard work pay off.”
Anything is possible at this point of the season. Summerfield is not planning to back down just because the Lakers might have more postseason experience.
“I’ve been blessed,” Moody said. “Once the kids understand what we are trying to do and the goals, things fell into place. Every team I’ve coached, the work ethic has been outstanding. Once they get confidence, they just take off.”
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) Summerfield’s Grace Kalb, left, makes a move to the basket during her team’s District Final win over Britton Deerfield. (Middle) Bulldogs coach Mickey Moody shows off some of the latest hardware won by his program. (Below) Breanna Watson unrolls a layup against the Patriots. (Photos by Mike Doughty.)