Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 8
January 22, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
With 20 games to play and most teams seeing at least half their opponents twice, finishing the regular season perfect is truly an incredible accomplishment.
The number of teams with the opportunity to do so this season is getting smaller by the week. Keep an eye on the teams topping this week's list of recent high performers as they go for that rare feat – plus the rest of this 10 if they get chances to play spoiler.
1. St. Ignace (11-0) – The Saints haven’t allowed an opponent within 20 points since Dec. 1, and none this season have gotten closer than 14.
2. Detroit Martin Luther King (11-0) – King has been the favorite all season to win Class A in March, and solidified that status further by beating highly-regarded Southfield Lathrup by 18 last week.
3. Niles Brandywine (11-0) – The Bobcats remained perfect in part by handing Mendon its first loss of the season, 51-47 on Thursday.
4. Midland Dow (13-0) – Dow is the team to beat in either division of the Saginaw Valley Association and next week will face Midland for the first time after being swept by its rival last season.
5. Benton Harbor (8-3) – Two of the Tigers losses were by a combined five points, and they won big against expected Big 16 West favorite St. Joseph, 66-37 on Tuesday.
6. Saginaw Nouvel (10-1) – The Panthers make a quick return to this list after beating fellow Class C contender Saginaw Valley Lutheran, 60-50, plus Class A Saginaw.
7. Wayland (8-3) – The Wildcats have won five straight and handed Grand Rapids South Christian its first loss of the season, 57-38 on Friday.
8. Mendon (11-1) – The Hornets may have lost to Brandywine last week, but they also beat 2012 Class D runner-up Athens, 42-27.
9. Fenton (8-3) – The Tigers have won seven of their last eight and are the team to chase in the Flint Metro League after beating Holly 38-27 on Friday and Clio 56-49 on Monday.
10. Hamilton (11-1) – The Hawkeyes have taken another step after losing five games last season, with their only loss this winter to Grandville during a holiday tournament.
PHOTO: Saginaw Nouvel (white jerseys) edged Valley Lutheran 60-50 last week in a battle of Class C powers. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Breslin Bound: Girls Report Week 9
January 29, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Only a month's worth of games remain before the start of MHSAA girls basketball District tournaments. And the teams that made this week's list of high performers surely have hit their strides.
A few have been on point since opening night. Most of the rest this week have suffered only close losses to top competition or have avenged one of their early-season defeats.
Results and overall records below are drawn from our MHSAA Score Center. Are either incorrect? Please help us make the necessary fixes after filling in this brief registration.
1. Reese (13-0) – The Rockets are weeks away from finishing their second-straight perfect regular season, and highly-touted Saginaw Nouvel, by 10 points, was only opponent to come that close.
2. Lansing Christian (13-0) – This might be the best Pilgrims team since it won back-to-back Class D titles in 2003-04; Lansing Christian has played a number of larger schools, and only four total have come within 10 points.
3. Farmington Hills Harrison (13-1) – The Hawks have won 12 straight since falling to Oxford by three on the last day of November; Harrison avenged that with a 48-27 win over Oxford last week.
4. Kent City (12-1) – This level of success is the norm for Kent City, and it's perfect since falling by two to Class A Muskegon in the Eagles’ opener.
5. Petoskey (11-2) – The Northmen have won eight straight since their last loss, to Cadillac, on Dec. 14; they avenged that loss with a 41-40 win over Cadillac on Friday.
6. Haslett (10-2) – Only DeWitt and Saginaw Nouvel, by a combined nine points, have slowed the Vikings this season; Haslett has won six of its last seven.
7. Portland St. Patrick (12-1) – The Shamrocks, Class D Semifinalists last season, have won nine straight with their only loss to Class C Pewamo-Westphalia on Dec. 11.
8. St. Clair Shores South Lake (7-4) – South Lake has won seven straight since opening 0-4; the Cavaliers’ most recent win also was Center Line’s first loss, 45-40.
9. Carson City-Crystal (10-2) – It’s tough to remember the Eagles won only two games two seasons ago; they've lost only two this winter, and already avenged one defeat, to Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart.
10. Dearborn Divine Child (8-2) – Divine Child’s 2-2 start included close losses to Nouvel and equally-talented Westland John Glenn. The Falcons have won the close ones too, with four wins by six or fewer points.
PHOTO: Farmington Hills Harrison (yellow and green uniforms) has won 12 straight games, including this one over Detroit Consortium earlier this season. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)