Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 2
December 16, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
By next Monday, many girls basketball teams in Michigan will have at least 20 percent of their regular-season games played.
Given last season’s results and players expected back this winter, many of the most impressive performances were expected. But surprise teams are emerging already as well – and building toward what could be an exciting 2020.
This week’s “Breslin Bound” again highlights teams from both groups. “Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. Send corrections or missing scores to [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Renaissance 49, East Kentwood 47 – After defeating Wayne Memorial by 34 on Friday in a Best of Michigan Classic first-day game, the Phoenix further cemented their status as one of the early teams to watch in Division 1 by edging the Falcons during the event’s second day.
2. East Lansing 49, Williamson 30 – The Trojans have loaded their nonleague schedule with title contenders, and the Hornets are among teams with high Division 2 hopes this winter.
3. Detroit Edison 59, Bolingbrook, Ill. 52 – Edison opened its Best of Michigan Classic two-day run with an impressive win against one of Illinois’ annual powers.
4. Flint Carman-Ainsworth 58, Grass Lake 55 – Carman-Ainsworth also has Division 1 aspirations this season, while Grass Lake looks like a team to beat in Division 3.
5. Howell 50, DeWitt 46 OT – The Highlanders finished just above .500 last season but are well on their way after defeating Midland Dow to start last week and finishing by avenging last season’s 10-point loss to the Panthers.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Ann Arbor Huron (5-0) Few if any teams can boast a more impressive group of early opponents, as Huron’s first five averaged 18 wins last season and included 2018-19 Division 1 semifinalists Muskegon and Wayne Memorial and Division 3 semifinalist Ypsilanti Arbor Prep. The River Rats finished 12-10 last season, but appear ready to make a major jump.
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (4-0) The Rockets have been one of the best from a strong lakeshore area for a few seasons, and fell to eventual Division 1 semifinalist Muskegon by just four points in last year’s District Final. Last week’s win 52-43 win over annual power Grand Haven might be telling of what’s to come; Reeths-Puffer fell to the Buccaneers by 25 a year ago.
DIVISION 2
Battle Creek Harper Creek (3-0) Last season’s 15-8 run included a District title, but also two losses to Marshall and another to Battle Creek Central. Harper Creek’s perfect start this winter has included a one-point win over BCC and Friday’s 38-30 victory over Marshall – during which Maddie Alexander scored her 1,000th career point.
Sault Ste. Marie (3-0) The Blue Devils always are solid – last season’s 13 wins were their fewest since winning 12 games in 2012-13. The early returns this winter indicate something more could be in store – after losing last season to Escanaba and splitting with Gaylord, Sault Ste. Marie this time beat the Eskymos by seven and Gaylord’s Blue Devils by 45.
DIVISION 3
Ann Arbor Greenhills (4-0) The Gryphons are one of few if not the only team that already has surpassed last season’s win total, stacking up four after finishing 2018-19 at 3-14. All four this winter have been by nine points or more, with the 48-38 opening win over Westland Huron Valley Lutheran a 25-point swing from last season’s first-night meeting.
Gwinn (2-0) The Modeltowners opened their season last week, and what a week to remember. First came a 61-58 double-overtime win over Bark River-Harris – avenging last year’s 10-point loss. That was followed by Friday’s 50-40 victory over Iron Mountain – which the Marquette Mining Journal reported was Gwinn’s first win in a conference opener since 2010-11. The Modeltowners finished 12-10 last winter.
DIVISION 4
Plymouth Christian Academy (3-0) The initial spark may have lit during the 2018 postseason, as the Eagles entered 5-15 and advanced to a Regional Final. They improved to 12-8 overall last winter, and have opened this season in part by avenging last year’s losses to Division 1 Canton and Livonia Franklin.
St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran (4-0) Fast starts are nothing new to the Titans – they won their first 10 games last season and 11 of their first 12 in 2017-18. But that doesn’t make this early surge any less notable – four wins by an average of 31.5 points, a pretty great way to build on last season’s 18-3 finish.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Okemos (2-2) at Hartland (2-0) – The Eagles have opened with wins over two reigning Finals champions in Saginaw Heritage and Adrian Lenawee Christian, while Okemos’ two losses are by a combined five points.
Tuesday – Marquette (4-2) at Negaunee (3-1) – Marquette won 20 games last season and Negaunee won 16, with their first meeting going to the Miners by five and their second to the Redettes by a point.
Wednesday – Grass Lake (4-1) at Michigan Center (3-1) – Grass Lake was first and Michigan Center second in the Cascades Conference last season, but Michigan Center then defeated Grass Lake to win a District title.
Thursday – Midland Dow (2-1) at Midland (4-0) – Dow won last season’s three meetings by an average of 31 points, but Midland has nearly equaled last winter’s win total with an impressive start.
Friday – East Lansing (3-0) at DeWitt (2-1) – One of the state’s top rivalries saw the Division 1 powers split their two meetings and the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title last season.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: A pair of Bridgeport defenders wall off the lane during Friday’s 57-50 overtime loss to Alma. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Fowler Adds to Stunning Run in Earning Another Trip to Season's Final Day
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 20, 2025
EAST LANSING — Fowler has been no stranger to deep Division 4 tournament runs in recent years, but this season’s journey does have a bit of a different wrinkle.
Simply put, the Eagles have seemed to rout opponents more so than usual en route to another championship game appearance.
The latest result was a 57-32 win over Genesee Christian in a Semifinal on Thursday, which put the Eagles in Saturday’s 10 a.m. championship against Ewen-Trout Creek.
Fowler (26-2) will be going for its third Division 4 championship in five years, and after falling in Semifinals the last two. Given the way this tournament has gone for them, the Eagles may be hard to beat.
In its six tournament games, they have won by an average of 37.5 points, with the closest margin of victory 21 points (57-36) in a Regional Final win over previously-undefeated Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
“It’s pretty special,” Fowler head coach Nathan George said. “But given the kids I coach, I’m not surprised how focused they are each and every game. While I’m sometimes impressed by the point differential for some of our games, it’s because of the hard work they put in and their willingness to go above and beyond expectations."
The teams were tied 11-11 at the end of Thursday’s first quarter. Fowler then dominated the second, outscoring Genesee Christian 14-2 to take a 25-13 lead at halftime.
The lead only grew from there, with the Eagles going up by as many as 20 points during the third quarter and taking a 41-24 advantage into the fourth.
Fowler then ensured there wouldn’t be a comeback by growing its lead further.
The balanced scoring attack that Fowler has featured all year – with six players entering the game averaging at least seven points per contest – was on display again.
Senior Brooke Weber scored 14 points, senior Elizabeth Hufnagel scored 13, senior Katie Spicer had 12 points and seven rebounds, and junior Paige Thelen had 11 points and seven rebounds for Fowler.
The Eagles shot 48.8 percent from the field overall (20 of 41) and made 7 of 16 shots from 3-point range. Fowler also forced 15 Genesee Christian turnovers and had a 29-20 rebounding advantage.
“I think it took us a couple of possessions to just calm down and play our game,” Hufnagel said. “When we came out in the second quarter, we knew what we had to do to get a lead going into the half. We were able to settle down. We were able to drive and kick and get to the rim.”
While running into the Fowler buzzsaw, Genesee Christian rightfully basked in a historic season that saw the Soldiers make the Semifinals for the first time.
Senior Haven Chapman, who’ll graduate as the program’s all-time leading scorer, finished with a game-high 18 points. Reagan Gardner added 10.
“Amazing, amazing run for this group of girls,” Genesee Christian head coach Jake Boike said. “This has been a special group that we have had our eyes on for a long time. We knew the season was going to go well. We didn’t know how well. We had some hurdles to get over. I’m really proud of the effort they gave today.”
PHOTOS (Top) Fowler’s defense collapses to help as Genesee Christian’s Haven Chapman (2) drives during Thursday’s Semifinal at Breslin Center. (Middle) The Eagles’ Elizabeth Hufnagel (5) makes a move to get into the lane.