Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 11
February 17, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Only 10 undefeated teams remain with two weeks to play before the start of the MHSAA Girls Basketball Tournament on March 2.
None of those 10 is mentioned below. Instead, these are some of the teams in each class that impressed last week and appear to be getting hot – just in time to be dangerous for those perfect so far.
CLASS A
Fraser (11-4) – The Ramblers equaled last season’s win total with a 43-28 win over Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse last week; although Fraser fell to nonconference Macomb Dakota on Friday, it continues to lead the Macomb Area Conference Blue with a perfect record in league games.
Plymouth (14-2) – After finishing second last season to eventual Class A runner-up Canton, Plymouth went undefeated in-league this winter to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association South. The Wildcats have won 13 straight, dating to their last loss Dec. 9.
Richland Gull Lake (11-5) – Four losses in five games from mid-December to January knocked down Gull Lake’s record a bit, but the Blue Devils have a chance to avenge the final loss of that run (and the last time it lost this winter) in Friday’s rematch against Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East leader Kalamazoo Central. Gull Lake fell to Central only 47-43 on Jan. 16.
Southfield (15-2) – The Bluejays have gone from seventh in their former Blue division of the Oakland Activities Association to first in the Gold with a chance to clinch a share of the league title tonight. Its losses are to league leaders that each have only one loss – Southfield-Lathrup and Dearborn Heights Robichaud.
CLASS B
Benton Harbor (13-5) – Tigers would need some help to catch Class A Stevensville Lakeshore atop the SMAC West; they play Lakeshore on Friday after losing 71-69 in their first meeting, but trail the frontrunner by two wins. Benton Harbor is riding high regardless, with six straight victories including an impressive pair last week: 90-79 over SMAC East leader Kalamazoo Central and 62-59 to avenge an earlier loss to St. Joseph.
Brooklyn Columbia Central (14-3) – The Golden Eagles came back from a 69-45 loss to Blissfield on Jan. 19 to beat the Royals 51-42 on Feb. 5 and take back a share of first place in the Lenawee County Athletic Association. Columbia Central finished second to Blissfield last season, but can guarantee at least a share of the title by beating Hudson on Thursday.
Jackson Northwest (13-3) – The Mounties entered this first season of the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference as a reigning league champion, having finished ahead of eventual Class B winner Eaton Rapids in their former conference last season. Northwest’s only league loss this winter was to Marshall, its opponent this Friday.
Muskegon Oakridge (16-3) – The Eagles might be fourth-best in Muskegon, but they’re first in the West Michigan Conference and the best among Class B teams in their immediate area. The three losses were to other Muskegon area teams, but Mona Shores, Muskegon High and Reeths-Puffer are all Class A.
CLASS C
Carson City-Crystal (15-2) – The Eagles beat reigning Class D champion Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 48-38 on Friday for a season sweep of the Irish and to clinch at least a share of the Mid-State Activities Conference title. Carson City-Crystal’s losses came over a week in January, by one to Morley Stanwood and seven to Saginaw Nouvel.
Concord (15-2) – Second-place Homer and third-place Reading are among three opponents left on Concord’s schedule, but the Yellow Jackets are undefeated in the Big 8 Conference leading Homer by two wins and Reading by three.
Hancock (11-5) – The Bulldogs sit in the middle of the five-team Western Peninsula Athletic Conference but have come on strong over the last month. Hancock is 8-2 over its last 10 games and gets a shot next week at avenging an earlier loss to league leader Houghton.
Harbor Beach (11-5) – The Pirates are cruising at fourth in the Greater Thumb Conference East, but it’s been a season of swings – and Harbor Beach is back on top of a wave. It started 5-0, then lost four of five, and now has won five of its last six – with the defeat by a point in overtime to league leader Sandusky.
CLASS D
Burton St. Thomas More (10-1) – The Crusaders are dominating the Inner State Athletic Conference for the fourth straight season and are again undefeated in league play with the lone loss to a homeschoolers team during the first week.
Mendon (9-8) – The Hornets trail Class C Bronson and White Pigeon in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph East standings. But they’ve won six of their last eight after a tough start, avenging earlier losses against both in the process, including last week’s 41-38 overtime win over Bronson.
Three Oaks River Valley (9-7) – We’ve highlighted Red Arrow Conference leaders St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic and Michigan Lutheran already this winter, but third-place River Valley also deserves some recognition. The Mustangs have won eight of their last 11 and equaled last season’s win total in defeating Watervliet Grace Christian 34-29 last week.
Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (9-5) – While the school’s boys team is having a rare down season, the girls have bounced back from a midseason lull to win four of their last six after winning six games total a season ago.
PHOTO: Carson City-Crystal finished a season sweep last week of league rival Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).
Lockdown Defense Setting Tone Again as Negaunee Moves Into Regional Round
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
March 9, 2026
NEGAUNEE — Playing tight man-to-man defense has been a Negaunee basketball tradition for many years.
The Negaunee girls did just that Friday night, and it resulted in a 47-30 triumph over Gladstone in a Division 2 District Final.
The victory enabled the Miners to improve to 23-1 and advance to the Regional Semifinal at Manistique, where they’ll face Petoskey (20-3) tonight at 7.
Negaunee is giving up only 30.9 points per game this season. The Miners have held opponents to 27 or fewer points 10 times and allowed more than 39 in only five games.
“I think that allows us to speed up our offense,” Miners’ junior Greta Johnson said of the team’s defensive dominance. “I think it also tends to keep other teams off balance.”
Friday’s victory served as redemption for the Miners, who dropped a 50-47 decision to Gladstone in last year’s District Final.
“You never forget something like that,” sophomore Paige O’Donnell said. “This definitely feels better than last year. We decided we were going to do it for each other.”
The Miners were 22-0 before dropping the District Final last season. This year their only loss was a 51-39 decision at Ishpeming on Feb. 6.
“I think the loss at Ishpeming was good for us," Johnson said. "We realized we had to focus on getting better in every game. You always have to be ready to play.”
This season, Negaunee won the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference and shared the Mid-Peninsula Conference title with Ishpeming.
“Having been able to win the West PAC and share the M-PC title was huge,” coach Mike O’Donnell said. “We try to keep them focused by splitting the season in tiers. Our first tier includes the early-season games, then we have the mid-season and late-season. We had two big battles with Ishpeming, which I think prepared us.
“This is a quick turn-around. There’s a lot to digest in two days. It’s always challenging to play a team which you don’t know like the back of your hand. We’ve got to be focused and ready to go.”
The winner tonight advances to the championship game at Gaylord, where it will face Clare (18-6) or Big Rapids (19-4) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Negaunee is only two seasons removed from reaching the Division 2 Semifinals.
Johnson led the Miners with 17 points and five assists in the District Final. Paige O’Donnell added 10 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Keira Waterman chipped in eight points and seven boards, and classmate Sadie Rogers had four steals.
Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit Lillie Johnson scored 11 points for Gladstone but missed part of the third and fourth quarters with an ankle injury.
John Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
PHOTOS (Top) Ishpeming Westwood's Eliisa Doney collides with Negaunee's Keira Waterman as she drives toward the basket during their game Jan. 16, with Clare O'Donnell (44) also defending. (Middle) Negaunee's head coach Mike O'Donnell talks to his team during a timeout Dec. 19. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)