Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 8
January 23, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A total of 15 girls basketball teams remain undefeated through what was the midpoint of this season for most across Michigan last week.
But four teams also lost for the first time as league standings began to take shape and contenders began the juggling that will continue over the next month.
Check out the “Rankings” tab above for a list of those with the best records across all four classes, to be updated every Monday during the rest of this winter. Meanwhile, here’s a look at some of what stuck out most for this Breslin Bound report, powered by MI Student Aid.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Saginaw Heritage 50, Midland Dow 47 (OT) – The undefeated Hawks have the upper hand again in the Saginaw Valley League North after Midland took a share of the league title last season by winning their second meeting; the rematch this time is Feb. 10.
2. Sandusky 54, Harbor Beach 35 – The Redskins remained undefeated and took a one-win lead in the Greater Thumb Conference East standings in handing Harbor Beach its first loss in the league and overall.
3. Ithaca 58, Frankenmuth 40 – This is a great sign for Ithaca’s move from Class C to B this season; the Yellowjackets improved to 8-1 while handing the Eagles only their second loss.
4. Farmington Hills Mercy 33, Bloomfield Hills Marian 30 – Mercy added this win to a one-point victory over its Detroit Catholic League Central rival Dec. 9 and cemented itself as the Class A team to watch from that always-strong league.
5. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer 57, Muskegon Mona Shores 48 – Mona Shores could still be a contender in Class A and definitely was the favorite in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black this winter, but Reeths-Puffer has to be as much a part of both conversations after this win.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
Hudsonville (11-1) – A Class A semifinalist last season, Hudsonville opened the O-K Red schedule with a loss to now-.500 Rockford. But the Eagles are back in the title mix with four straight league wins including an impressive 53-43 victory last week over Caledonia.
Utica Ford (10-1) – The Falcons have found a home after finishing 10-13 overall and last in the Macomb Area Conference Red a year ago. Ford’s loss came on opening night to Romeo, by just four, and it leads the MAC White.
CLASS B
Comstock (9-1) – After finishing fourth in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Red last season, Comstock has nearly equaled its 13 overall wins and last week ended Niles Brandywine’s 83-game home winning streak. Next up is undefeated league leader Buchanan.
Houghton (11-0) – After surging at the end of last season to finish 16-7 and win a District title, Houghton has kept it rolling and last week downed rival Calumet 56-40 and being swept by the Copper Kings in 2015-16. All but one win this season have been by 15 or more points.
CLASS C
Jonesville (9-2) – After opening with a pair of losses to Michigan Center and Springport (which are both 9-1) by a combined five points, Jonesville is surging and trails first-place Springport by just a win in the Big 8 Conference. Last week included a 42-40 overtime edging of Adrian Madison, which also is 9-2.
Burton Bendle (10-1) – The Tigers improved from six to 12 to 16 wins over the last three seasons, respectively, and have their sights set on a Genesee Area Conference White title after avenging its only loss this season, to New Lothrop, with a 39-29 win Friday.
CLASS D
Gaylord St. Mary (9-1) – The Snowbirds also opened with a loss, to Class B Clare, but look more like the team that made the Quarterfinals last season and missed advancing farther by just a point. They took over the Ski Valley Conference lead alone last week with a 15-point win over Bellaire.
Hillman (9-1) – The Tigers have rattled off nine straight wins since falling by three to Cedarville on opening night. A 58-37 defeat of Rogers City not only handed their rival its second loss this winter, but put Hillman in first alone in the North Star League Big Dipper as it looks to repeat as champion.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Freeland (10-0) at Ithaca (8-1) – This Tri-Valley Conference crossover features the leaders of the Central and West, respectively, and two that could meet again in the Class B postseason.
Monday – Comstock (9-1) at Buchanan (9-0) – This is the first of two matchups between the leaders of the BCS Red over the next two weeks; see more on Comstock above.
Tuesday – East Kentwood (10-1) at Hudsonville (11-1) – The Eagles, also discussed above, took only one loss in the O-K Red last season … from East Kentwood, the current league leader.
Tuesday – Manchester (7-3) at Pittsford (12-0) – The reigning Class D champion Wildcats have won 39 straight and will get arguably their toughest test of the regular season in this matchup against the Class C Flying Dutchmen.
Saturday – Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (12-0) at Ann Arbor Huron (8-3) – Arbor Prep, after winning Class C last season, is a favorite in Class B this time and gets one of its two biggest tests so far against Class A Huron.
PHOTO: Houghton's Morgan Colling looks for an open teammate as Baraga's Justice Kinnunen (20) helps trap her near the baseline during their game earlier this season. (Photo by Paul Gerard.)
Newaygo Eyeing Another Playoff Run Led by Crew That's Been There
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
December 2, 2021
NEWAYGO - Newaygo made a “Hoosiers”-like run to the Division 2 girls basketball championship game in April, but in its first game back Tuesday, the Lions found themselves trailing at halftime.
Time for seventh-year Newaygo coach Nate Thomasma to peel the paint off the locker room walls?
Nah.
“We were in there about three minutes,” laughed Thomasma, who returns five of the eight players from last year’s magical team. “I just told them we need to do this, this and this and, if we do, then our shots will start falling.”
The Lions must have done those three things, as they outscored visiting Shelby 29-7 in the second half to turn a one-point halftime deficit into a comfortable 47-26 nonleague victory.
Over the final 16 minutes, the Lions looked like a team that could make another tournament run like last season’s, which didn’t end until a 52-32 Finals loss to Portland at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center.
Newaygo got the state’s attention in 2020 with a stunning upset of No. 5-ranked Grand Rapids Christian in the Regional Semifinals on a long-range, 3-pointer from then-sophomore Jaxi Long with six seconds remaining. That excitement was wiped away quickly, as the season ended abruptly the next day due to the COVID pandemic.
The “Little Lions” with their eight-player roster picked up right where they left off last postseason, knocking off perennial powers Grand Rapid West Catholic in Regionals and Detroit Country Day in the Semifinals at Van Andel Arena, before running out of gas in the championship game.
It was a ride to remember for the town of 2,471 residents, located about 30 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, which has just two state championships in school history – won by the back-to-back Class C girls basketball champions in 1985 and 1986.
The Lions are back at it again with a 10-player roster, including five starters who were part of last year’s team – senior forwards Emmerson Goodin, Kayla Fisk and Lily Swinehart, senior guard Jaxi Long and junior guard Grace Painter.
“I really think we have a chance to go just as far,” said Long, whose older sister Jaylee was the star last year and is now getting increasing minutes on the varsity team as a freshman at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids. “We need to play great defense, rely on each other and trust our abilities.”
Jaxi Long showed the ability to heat up from long range, nailing five 3-pointers and scoring 16 of her game-high 24 points to key the second-half run and bring the excited student section in “The Jungle” to its feet. Long added six rebounds and three steals.
As good as Long was after halftime, it was the 5-foot-10 Goodin who kept Newaygo close in the first half, scoring 10 of her 15 points before the break. Goodin grabbed a game-high nine rebounds (putting her over the 500-career rebounds plateau), along with three blocked shots.
Long and Goodin are the captains and unquestioned leaders of this year’s team, which played elevated competition this summer after the Finals appearance, including a demanding week at Grand Valley State’s team camp.
“It felt like we had a target on our backs and that everyone was coming for us,” said Goodin, who was also one of the standouts on Newaygo’s volleyball team this fall, which won a District championship. “We learned how to fight back. It made us a lot better playing those bigger teams that we are not supposed to be able to beat.”
Goodin is the team’s top returning scorer (13 points per game) and rebounder (nine per game). Long averaged 11 points, five assists and four rebounds last year.
Fisk could be the “X factor” on this year’s Newaygo team, with her 5-10 height and long wingspan making her a disruptive force on defense, particularly on the point of the Lions’ halfcourt trap. Fisk finished Tuesday’s game with six points, six steals and four rebounds.
Thomasma, who received honorable mention Division 2 Coach of the Year recognition last season, knows he has a seasoned, veteran team this fall – with four of the team’s five starters being seniors – while all five players on the bench are underclassmen.
“He is positive, and his criticism is always constructive criticism,” said Goodin. “He gets after us, but he doesn’t just yell at us for no reason.”
Newaygo entered last year’s postseason unranked, before reeling off a series of upsets. The Lions finished 14-0 in the Central State Activities Association Gold and 21-2 overall, with both losses coming against Portland.
Newaygo celebrated its runner-up finish with a new banner for the gymnasium, which was unveiled before a football game Sept. 24. Since that time, Thomasma has tried not to look back.
“These girls are confident because of the success we’ve had the past two years,” said Thomasma, who is assisted by Dan Maki. “But this is a new season. We’re going to attack it and make our own legacy.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS Newaygo's Jaxi Long (13) directs her teammates during last season's Division 2 Semifinal win over Detroit Country Day. (Middle) Kayla Fisk brings the ball up court at the Breslin Center. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)