Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 7
January 16, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The girls basketball regular season reached the midpoint last week with its share of surprises but also performances as expected so far.
Powers like Pittsford and Saginaw Heritage rolled through the first half 10-0 – the Hawks are discussed quite a bit in this week’s Breslin Bound report powered by MI Student Aid. But we also have more improved achievers to highlight, including one of our smallest schools that calls the northern Lower Peninsula home.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Marshall 41, Jackson Northwest 40 – A one-point win over its Interstate 8 Athletic Conference rival helped start Marshall’s surge last season to the Class B title, and history seems to be repeating itself to this point.
2. Pewamo-Westphalia 38, Laingsburg 31 – The previously-undefeated Wolfpack was the talk of the Central Michigan Athletic Conference and Class C statewide, but the Pirates have moved ahead in both conversations with this win.
3. Midland Dow 52, Midland 51 – One-loss Dow survived an early scare against the rival Chemics as it looks to challenge Saginaw Heritage again in the Saginaw Valley League North.
4. Detroit Country Day 67, Flint Hamady 28 – Handing Class C contender Hamady its first loss in this way was another indication that most of Class B is chasing the undefeated Yellowjackets.
5. East Kentwood 47, Caledonia 42 – The Falcons moved into first place alone in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red with a win that should prove key even though it came near the start of the league season.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Dearborn (7-2) – The Pioneers had a tough stretch over the holidays with an overtime loss to Belleville and another defeat to neighbor Dearborn Divine Child. But they opened the winter by handing Northville its only loss this season, and a 60-48 win over Robichaud on Friday was similarly impressive.
Saginaw Heritage (10-0) – After winning its first 15 games last season, Heritage is off to a similar start with nine wins by at least 25 points. Coming up Tuesday is Midland Dow – the team that broke last season’s streak and with which the Hawks shared the Saginaw Valley League North title.
CLASS B
Hamilton (8-1) – Aside from a four-point overtime loss to Hudsonville, Hamilton has been perfect as it looks to improve from last season’s runner-up finish in the O-K Green. A 50-37 win over second-place Holland Christian on Friday put the Hawkeyes in first alone.
Kalkaska (5-0) – The Blazers might be lined up for a special season after finishing second a year ago in the Lake Michigan Conference to Traverse City St. Francis. Kalkaska downed St. Francis 61-51 on Saturday to take over first place.
CLASS C
Adrian Madison (8-1) – A Regional finalist last season, Madison has been on a tear again since falling to Lenawee Christian in its opener. The Trojans are back in first place in the Tri-County Conference and have seven double-digit wins.
Blissfield (8-2) – Ida was one of our featured Class B teams last week, but Blissfield moved into first place in the Lenawee County Athletic Association by handing the now second-place Bluestreaks their first loss 52-49 on Friday. Blissfield's defeats were to 2016 Class B semifinalist Bay City John Glenn and one-loss Class A Utica Ford.
CLASS D
Engadine (7-1) – The Eagles have improved from three, to seven, to 11, to 14 wins over the last four seasons and could take another step this winter. The lone loss came in their opener to Munising, which they see again next week.
Bear Lake (6-2) – Friday’s 38-33 win over Pentwater gave Bear Lake as many wins as last season. And the Lakers should contend in the West Michigan D League as well, with a victory already over contender Custer Mason County Eastern.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Saginaw Heritage (10-0) at Midland Dow (8-1) – For all of the reasons mentioned above, this is one of the biggest games in Class A during the regular season.
Tuesday – Bloomfield Hills Marian (7-2) at Farmington Hills Mercy (7-2) – A Class A contender regularly comes out of the Detroit Catholic League Central, and these are the best so far of a strong group.
Tuesday – Stevensville Lakeshore (7-1) at Edwardsburg (6-1) – This nonleague matchup could be telling for both Class B hopefuls and likely will be closer than last season’s Lakeshore 19-point win.
Wednesday – Bellaire (6-1) at Gaylord St. Mary (6-1) – These two are tied for first in the Ski Valley Conference and among the north’s elite in Class D.
Thursday – New Boston Huron (7-1) at Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (6-1) – SMCC, third place in the Huron League, gets the co-leaders back to back taking on Huron after facing Carleton Airport (6-1) on Tuesday.
NOTE: The Clarkston/Detroit Martin Luther King game Monday also would have made this list but had begun before this report was published.
PHOTO: Saginaw Heritage guard Moira Joiner (4) protects the ball during the Hawks’ game last month against Solon, Ohio. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Countdown to Calvin: Girls Report Week 9
January 29, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
As we embark on the final month of this girls basketball season, the first league championships are being clinched and the first conference tournament brackets are filling in.
And on cue, potential MHSAA title contenders continue to rise.
A matchup of two champions from a year ago and the continued surge by the reigning Class A winner are among subjects of today’s report. Countdown to Calvin is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. To offer corrections or help us fill in missing scores, email me at [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Edison Public School Academy 62, Detroit Country Day 46 – Reigning Class C champion DEPSA has bounced quickly back from its lone loss earlier this month, to Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, with this win especially impressive over the reigning Class B title winner.
2. Pittsford 56, Bellevue 40 – The undefeated Wildcats have won 67 straight games, tied for the fifth-longest winning streak in MHSAA history, and this one over the two-loss Broncos was the 66th in a row and one of most impressive this winter.
3. Bloomfield Hills Marian 34, Farmington Hills Mercy 25 – They could meet again in the Catholic League A-B Tournament in two weeks, but Marian gladly will take in a regular-season sweep of its rival, which could end up cementing the Catholic League Central title.
4. Harper Woods Chandler Park 59, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep 35 – Chandler Park looks ready to make a move in Class B, with this the most recent of intriguing results against tough competition.
5. Freeland 71, Hemlock 35 – Freeland has put together another strong run, improving to 11-2 with the latest this victory over previously-undefeated Hemlock in a crossover of first-place teams in the Tri-Valley Conference Central and West, respectively.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Flushing (11-2) – With a group of key seniors to replace and a couple of tough opponents to start this winter, Flushing fell out of the Class A conversation for a bit. But the reigning champ Raiders are back in with 11 straight wins since those opening losses to Flint Carman-Ainsworth and Midland Dow. They’ve opened up a nice lead in the Flint Metro League, but a Feb. 6 matchup with Goodrich will be telling.
Grosse Pointe North (9-2) – The Norsemen, 12-11 a season ago, are on a five-game winning streak that has included avenging this season’s losses to Macomb Dakota and Warren Cousino. That run has put North just a half-game behind Dakota in the Macomb Area Conference Red standings, but with a couple of tough matchups with Port Huron Northern coming up over the next two weeks.
CLASS B
Clawson (12-1) – The Trojans clinched the MAC Bronze championship outright last week and have won every league game by at least 14 points. They can finish a second straight perfect run through the league schedule Thursday at New Haven and soon could equal last season’s 16 wins as well – the only loss was by five to Madison Heights Bishop Foley (now 8-5) at the beginning of December.
Detroit Mumford (10-3) – The Mustangs are perfect in 2018, enjoying a six-game winning streak capped by last week’s 74-66 victory over league rival Detroit Renaissance. Mumford ended 2017 with three straight losses to Class A powers Detroit Martin Luther King, Clarkston and DeWitt, but should be tough in the Detroit Public School League and Class B tournaments.
CLASS C
Flint Hamady (9-4) – A string of four losses in five games quieted talk about the usually dominant Hawks, but it’s important to keep those defeats in context – they came to Chandler Park, Goodrich, Flint Beecher and Country Day. Hamady, a Class C semifinalist last season, avenged the Goodrich loss with 49-44 win Friday and gets Beecher this Friday.
St. Ignace (12-0) – The Saints have been a level above even the best teams on their side of the Upper Peninsula and below the bridge. The latest evidence was last week’s 68-21 win over Cedarville, which is leading the Eastern U.P. Athletic Conference and is 12-2 overall – the Trojans also lost to St. Ignace at the start of December. Circle a Feb. 10 game against Class B Goodrich and Feb. 17 against Detroit Edison among the most intriguing matchups in the state the rest of the way.
CLASS D
Morenci (10-2) – Losses to Pioneer North Central (Ohio) and undefeated Class C Pittsford are all that’s kept Morenci from perfection as it’s looked to build on last season’s 13-9 finish. The Bulldogs finished second in the Tri-County Conference last year but lead it today coming off a two-point win over reigning league champion Adrian Madison last Thursday. Morenci still has both games with second-place Ottawa Lake Whiteford coming up as the first was postponed two weeks ago.
St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran (11-1) – Aside from an early six-point loss to Watervliet (now 8-3), the Titans have been perfect. They have a commanding lead in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference White and have played only one other game where the margin has been fewer than 17 points – a three-point win over Class B Buchanan (now 7-4).
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – East Lansing (13-0) at Williamston (14-0) – The Hornets have continued their perfect run despite losing top guard Maddie Watters to a season-ending injury two weeks ago; East Lansing is a Class A contender and should be the toughest test before playoffs begin.
Thursday – Clarkston (11-2) at Southfield Arts & Technology (9-4) – The Wolves are undefeated in the Oakland Activities Association Red with a 55-50 win over Southfield A&T on Dec. 22 remaining the Warriors’ only league loss.
Thursday – Macomb Dakota (10-3) at Port Huron Northern (10-4) – This matchup might have the best chance to mixing up what’s becoming a mashed-up MAC Red race; these two are among four teams at the top with either two or three league losses.
Friday – East Kentwood (14-0) at Grand Haven (10-3) – The Falcons finished the first half of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red schedule undefeated, but their closest win in or out of league this season was a four-pointer over Grand Haven in the first meeting Jan. 5.
Friday – DeWitt (12-1) at St. Johns (8-3) – The Panthers lead the Capital Area Activities Conference Red by two wins on St. Johns, but the Redwings are 5-1 since falling to DeWitt by 12 in mid-December.
PHOTO: A Freeland ball handler navigates the Hemlock defense during last week’s meeting of first-place teams in the Tri-Valley Conference. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)