Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 6
January 13, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Most if not all MHSAA girls basketball teams have reached the midpoints of their regular seasons, or will do so by this week’s end.
And many of the best we’ve seen so far are winners we’ve come to expect over the years – although this week’s list of teams to note again mixes in some that are shining much brighter in 2014-15 than in the recent past.
Class A
Farmington Hills Harrison (7-1) – The Hawks have opened 7-1 for the second straight season, with the only misstep to one-loss Ann Arbor Huron and only one win by fewer than 12 points; Harrison opens Oakland Activities Association Red play Friday against undefeated Rochester Adams.
Gaylord (6-1) – The Blue Devils’ showdown with Traverse City West last week for first place in the Big North Conference was postponed to Jan. 20; regardless, Gaylord earned wins against Cadillac by 15 and Charlevoix by 29 and hasn’t lost since opening night.
Saginaw Heritage (7-0) – The Hawks’ 2013-14 season ended abruptly with an overtime loss to Midland Dow in their District opener, but Heritage has avenged that one already this winter, by 10 points, its closest win as it’s moved to the top of the Saginaw Valley Association North.
St. Johns (6-3) – The Redwings’ losses are to teams with a combined record of 20-3, and they’ve won three straight – defeating Detroit Pershing, followed by 2014 Class A semifinalist Grand Ledge by three last week and then Owosso by 29.
Class B
Goodrich (6-1) – The Martians have a combined five regular-season losses dating back to the start of the 2012-13 season, and the lone defeat this season was last month to Class A power Farmington Hills Mercy. All of Goodrich’s wins are by double figures, including 70-46 over second-place Flint Beecher last week in a matchup of the top two teams in the Genesee Area Conference Red.
Holland Christian (5-2) – The Maroons came back strong from a tough loss to Grand Rapids Christian with a 15-point win over East Grand Rapids and a 20-pointer over Hamilton last week – just in time for Friday’s matchup with rival Holland.
Hudsonville Unity Christian (5-1) – Holland Christian’s colleague in the Ottawa-Kent Green hasn’t lost since falling to Grand Rapids Christian before break and owns a 10-point win over reigning Class B runner-up Grand Rapids South Christian and a 29-pointer over Allendale from last week.
Macomb Lutheran North (8-0) – The Mustangs lead the Detroit Catholic League AA in part after last week defeating Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, the only team to beat Lutheran North during the regular season in 2013-14. That 35-16 win matched the other seven all in double figures.
Class C
Dryden (6-2) – The Cardinals improved from six wins in 2012-13 to 10 last season and look good to surpass that this winter with a pair of wins last week continuing a three-game streak.
Ithaca (7-0) – Longtime coach Bob Anderson keeps leading winning teams; last week’s 77-37 victory over St. Louis was the 1,130th game of Anderson’s coaching career, girls and boys combined, and he has the Yellowjackets on pace to cruise past last season’s total of 10 wins.
Saginaw Arts & Sciences (5-0) – The Dragons were a solid 14-7 a year ago and continue to improve, with last week’s 53-16 win over Owendale-Gagetown by far their biggest this season and a great way to jump into the Michigan Summit League schedule.
Tawas (9-1) – The Braves have surpassed last season’s 8-11 finish and have a pair of two-point wins – over Class A Bay City Central early and Class D contender Posen 38-36 on Monday.
Class D
Felch North Dickinson (4-3) – The Nordics are halfway to last season’s win total of eight and riding a three-game winning streak with the latest 69-46 over Skyline Central Conference opponent Powers North Central.
St. Ignace (6-3) – Never mind the Saints’ three losses; they are to teams that are all in Class C or larger and are a combined 19-4. St. Ignace kicked off the new year with big wins over Class C Charlevoix and Class A Sault Ste. Marie.
Kingston (8-2) – The North Central Thumb League leaders rebounded off a loss to Brown City in that school’s tournament final to beat Peck and Caseville both by more than 30 points last week; Kingston already owns one win against second-place Deckerville, with the rematch scheduled for Jan. 26.
Newberry (8-1) – The Indians are a three-point December loss to Munising from a perfect record this season and opened the new year with a 54-41 win over solid Engadine on Friday; Newberry and St. Ignace face off Thursday for first place in the Straits Area Conference.
PHOTO: Saginaw Heritage’s 44-24 win over Flint Powers Catholic on Jan. 7 was one of the most impressive of its 7-0 start this season. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).
Tecumseh Finds 2nd-Half Stride Again to Reach 1st Final in 50 Years
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
March 21, 2025
EAST LANSING – Tecumseh coach Kristy Zajac wasn’t too worried when her team got off to a sluggish start during the first half of Friday’s Division 2 Semifinal.
The second half has proved to be when her team is at its best.
Tecumseh overcame a double-digit deficit and rallied to defeat Frankenmuth 52-43 at the Breslin Center, earning the program’s first championship game appearance in 50 years.
“Every game all year we start slow, but finish strong, and we were able to pull it out tonight,” Zajac said. “I’m super proud of these girls because they fought back, and this is a great win for our program.”
Tecumseh will play for the Division 2 championship at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, seeking its first Finals title since 1974 and after also finishing Class B runner-up in 1975.
Tecumseh, which outscored Frankenmuth 34-20 during the second half Friday, improved to 26-1. It's only loss was to Division 1 finalist Rockford.
The win was bittersweet, though, after junior Maddy VanBlack suffered an apparent leg injury during the final minute.
“Super special for our girls, but that last play of the game is just so hard,” Zajac said. “She’s worked so hard to get back to us after missing almost two years of seasons, and that’s why these girls are all in tears. I feel so terrible for her, and we’re hoping she’s OK.”
Frankenmuth led 30-20 midway through the third quarter after a 3-pointer from Clare Conzelmann. However, Tecumseh slowly chipped away at the deficit and eventually tied it at 32-32 with a 10-2 run to end the third quarter.
Miss Basketball Award finalist Alli Zajac struggled with foul trouble, but her teammates picked her up and ignited the second-half blitz.
“It’s not a great thing that I was in foul trouble, but I’m kind of glad that I was just so I can see how well they work together when I'm not in there with them,” Alli Zajac said. “It was amazing to see other girls step up.”
One was senior Ashlyn Moorhead, who drained 4-of-6 3-point attempts and finished with 14 points.
“I loved seeing her knock down those 3s and hit those pull-up jumpers,” Kristy Zajac said. “She stepped into beast mode in the second half. She started slow, but I knew she had it in her and stepped up that confidence.”
Said Moorhead: “I knew that my teammates and coaches had confidence in me. I just went up and let it fly.”
Sophomore Addi Zajac also fueled the comeback with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
“She’s one of the best rebounders I’ve ever seen, and we knew that other people had to step up and they did,” Kristy Zajac said. “That’s what is great about this team. There’s not one person you can shut down and then try to beat us. You have to beat all of us.”
An 11-0 run in the fourth quarter sealed the win.
“These girls deserve this,” Kristy Zajac said. “They’ve worked hard for this, and they’ve put in the time.”
The Eagles were in search of a return trip to the Final after finishing runner-up in 2023, but suffered through a five-minute scoring drought during the final quarter and shot a dismal 8-of-27 during the second half.
“One day short of what our goal was,” Frankenmuth coach Joe Jacobs said. “The first half went in our favor, but then they made shots in the second half and the game got away from us. But it doesn’t take away from what these girls accomplished, and we have three seniors that have been here two times, so it was a special opportunity for them.”
Conzelmann led the Eagles with 15 points and three blocked shots. Macy Donovan and Isabelle Bernthal finished with nine and eight points, respectively.
PHOTOS: Tecumseh’s Makayla Schlorf (3) makes her move toward the basket with Frankenmuth’s Grace Brenner guarding her Friday at Breslin Center. (Middle) Chloe Bullinger (10) keeps the ball inbounds, sending it over Brenner’s outstretched arms. (Photos by Keionna Banks/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)