C-D Preview: Favorites Seeking to Finish
March 16, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The proposed favorites at this weekend’s MHSAA Class C and D Girls Basketball Finals have unfinished business from trips to the Breslin Center a year ago.
Ypsilanti Arbor Prep and Pittsford entered the postseason as the top-ranked teams in those classes, respectively, by The Associated Press – Arbor Prep coming off a Semifinals loss in 2015 and Pittsford bouncing back from an overtime defeat in the Class D championship game.
But claiming a title this time won’t be as easy as returning to East Lansing. All four Class C contenders are seeking to play in an MHSAA Final for the first time. Stephenson is seeking the same in Class D – and along with the Wildcats, faces a Semifinal opponent with recent championship history.
All four Class C and D Semifinals will be played Thursday, with all four championship games Saturday.
Semifinals - Thursday
Class C
Niles Brandywine (24-2) vs. Traverse City St. Francis (25-1), 1 p.m.
Ithaca (24-2) vs. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (23-2), 2:50 p.m.
Class D
Pittsford (25-0) vs Waterford Our Lady (20-4), 6 p.m.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (23-1) vs Stephenson (24-2), 7:50 p.m.
Finals - Saturday
Class A - Noon
Class B - 6 p.m.
Class C - 4 p.m.
Class D - 10 a.m.
Tickets cost $8 per pair of Semifinals and $10 per two-game Finals session. All Semifinals will be streamed live on MHSAA.TV on a pay-per-view basis. All four Finals will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Detroit’s primary channel, with the Class B game on a delayed basis at 10:30 p.m. Free radio broadcasts of all weekend games will be available on MHSAANetwork.com.
And now, a look at the semifinalists in Class C and D. Click on the name of the school to see that team’s full schedule and results from this season. (Statistics are through teams' Regional Finals; Ithaca’s include Tuesday’s Quarterfinal.)
Class C
ITHACA
Record/rank: 24-2, No. 7
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference West
Coach: Jessie Rayburn, fourth season (40-42)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 51-43 over No. 2 Flint Hamady in Quarterfinal, 68-45 over Reese in Regional Final, 53-41 over New Lothrop in Regional Semifinal, 57-53 over Hemlock in District Final.
Players to watch: Kayla Belles, 6-3 soph. C (18 ppg, 13.3 rpg, 4.2 bpg, 2.1 spg); Maddie Brock, 5-10 jr. F (9.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg); Brooklyn Dolloff, 5-4 sr. G (9.5 ppg, 3.9 spg).
Outlook: Ithaca has been on the verge of this best-ever run, but it’s still a little incredible given that coach Bob Anderson retired midseason because of health issues. In stepped assistant Rayburn, who was head coach from 2009-11, and the Yellowjackets have barely missed a beat with their only losses to Class B No. 8 Freeland and No. 9 Frankenmuth. Belles has put up some incredible games over her first two seasons, and she’s surrounded in the starting lineup by three seniors and a junior. The Regional title also was the first in program history.
NILES BRANDYWINE
Record/rank: 24-2, honorable mention
League finish: First in Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red
Coach: Josh Hood, seventh season (162-12)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 53-47 over No. 9 Gobles in Regional Final, 40-24 over Grand Rapids Covenant Christian in Quarterfinal, 53-44 over Class B honorable mention Stevensville Lakeshore.
Players to watch: Makenna Hartline, 5-10 sr. C (no statistics submitted); Michaela Hartline, 5-10 sr. F (no statistics submitted).
Outlook: Brandywine is back at the Semifinals for the first time since 2010 and has won at least 20 games every season and never lost more than two under Hood since he took over the program that historic winter. Five seniors start, and while the Bobcats don’t go taller than 5-10, the Hartlines are strong in the post. The only losses this season were to South Bend Adams (Ind.) and Class A Southfield, which finished 20-2.
TRAVERSE CITY ST. FRANCIS
Record/rank: 24-1, No. 3 (tied)
League finish: First in Lake Michigan Conference
Coach: Keith Haske, first season (24-1)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 48-44 over No. 6 St. Ignace in Quarterfinal, 62-55 over Maple City Glen Lake in District Final, 76-72 over Class D No. 7 Frankfort, 51-38 and 54-29 over Kalkaska.
Players to watch: Annie Lyman, 5-10 sr. F (14 ppg); Juliana Phillips, 6-4 jr. F (12 ppg, 10 rpg).
Outlook: St. Francis has won 23 straight since falling early to Class B No. 5 Manistee. Haske coached both the boys and girls teams this season and has taken a girls team this far before – his 2004 Charlevoix team finished Class C runner-up. With two sophomores and a junior in the starting lineup and only three seniors total, this might be the first of a few trips for this group. Senior center Lauren McDonnell adds another 10 points per game.
YPSILANTI ARBOR PREP
Record/rank: 23-2, No. 1
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Rod Wells, fifth season (101-17)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 40-30 over No. 5 Napoleon in Regional Final, 66-42 over No. 10 Saginaw Nouvel, 52-41 over Class B No. 5 Manistee, 50-47 over Class B No. 2 Bay City John Glenn.
Players to watch: Nastassja Chambers, 5-8 sr. G (11.2 ppg, 2.8 apg, 2.8 spg); Ro’zhane Wells, 5-5 jr. G (11 ppg, 3.3 apg, 2.6 spg); Cydney Williams, 5-11 jr. F (7.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.6 bpg).
Outlook: Arbor Prep has won three straight Regional titles and fell to eventual runner-up Hamady in a Semifinal last season. Chambers is the lone senior starter but has been the team’s leading scorer during its two runs to Breslin. And big-game experience isn’t a problem: the Gators again played one of the toughest schedules for a Class C school, handing Class B contender John Glenn its only loss and falling to reigning Class B champion Detroit Country Day and Class A No. 5 Ann Arbor Huron.
Class D
MOUNT PLEASANT SACRED HEART
Record/rank: 23-1, No. 3.
League finish: First in Mid-South Activities Conference.
Coach: Damon Brown, eighth season (153-39)
Championship history: Class D champion 2014, runner-up 2008.
Best wins: 27-26 over Gaylord St. Mary in Quarterfinal, 44-25 over Fruitport Calvary Christian in Regional Semifinal, 54-34 over Big Rapids Crossroads Academy in District Semifinal, 45-40 over Class C honorable mention Morley Stanwood.
Players to watch: Averi Gamble, 6-3 sr. C (16.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.1 bpg); Scout Nelson, fr. G (9.2 ppg, 3.2 apg, 3.3 spg).
Outlook: Sacred Heart has made the season’s final week the last four years and won Class D in 2014 with now-seniors Gamble and guard Megan English in the starting lineup. Gamble was named this week the Class D Player of the Year by The Associated Press. The Irish’s only loss was by five to Class C No. 10 Saginaw Nouvel, and they’ve had only four wins decided by double figures – and given up more than 40 points only three times. Sophomore forward Sophie Ruggles adds 7.6 points and five rebounds per game.
PITTSFORD
Record/rank: 25-0, No. 1
League finish: First in Southern Central Athletic Association East
Coach: Chris Hodos, fourth season (89-8)
Championship history: Class D runner-up 2015.
Best wins: 61-43 over Class D No. 5 Climax-Scotts, 56-36 over Manchester, 53-41 over Belleville.
Players to watch: Maddie Clark, 5-10 jr. F (17.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, 3.5 spg); Jaycie Burger, 5-9 jr. G (19.2 ppg, 72 3-pointers, 6.3 apg, 3.1 spg).
Outlook: Pittsford’s 2015 Finals run ended with an overtime loss in the championship game. Three starters and six of eight players who saw the floor that day returned for this run, with Burger and Clark continuing to shine after breaking onto the statewide scene at Breslin a year ago. Senior center Maddie Ayers adds 8.5 points per game and sophomore guard Sydni Brunette had scored 8.3 off the bench a team outscoring opponents 67-23 on average. The Wildcats haven’t lost a regular-season game since 2011-12.
STEPHENSON
Record/rank: 24-2, No. 8
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Shanna Beal, second season (35-12)
Championship history: Has not played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 60-35 over No. 2 Newberry in Semifinal, 60-36 over honorable mention Crystal Falls Forest Park in Regional Final, 57-56 (OT) over No. 4 Bark River-Harris in District Semifinal, 51-43 over Norway.
Players to watch: Tori Wangerin, 5-10 sr. C (18 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 2.0 bpg); Karley Johnson, 5-8 sr. G (11 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 4.8 apg, 3.4 spg); Kelsey Johnson, 5-8 sr. G (14 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 4.6 apg).
Outlook: Stephenson advanced from its first Quarterfinal since 1982 to its first Semifinal ever while facing most of the best from the Upper Peninsula and avenging an earlier loss to Bark River-Harris along the way. The Eagles made a huge jump after finishing 11-10 during Beal’s first season, and with Wangerin and the Johnsons as the team’s only seniors. Stephenson’s 10-game winning streak has included nine by 13 or more points.
WATERFORD OUR LADY
Record/rank: 20-4, No. 6.
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League East.
Coach: Steve Robak, ninth season (166-56)
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2012), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 51-43 over Kingston in Quarterfinal, 47-35 over Morrice in Regional Final, 40-24 over Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 46-44, 41-23 and 55-53 over Wixom St. Catherine.
Players to watch: Alex Troy, 5-4 sr. G (12.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 3.0 spg); Tiffany Senerius, 5-8 soph. F (12.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.2 spg).
Outlook: Our Lady will make its sixth Semifinal appearance in seven seasons and with all five starters back from last year’s surprise run, when the Lakers advanced after entering the postseason with a sub-.500 record. They have won 10 straight and avenged a loss to Bishop Foley by winning a final rematch in the Catholic League C-D championship game. Our Lady graduates four players, but 10 could return for another run in 2017.
The Girls Basketball Finals are presented by Sparrow Health System.
PHOTO: Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart's Averi Gamble grabs a rebound during a Regional Final win over Portland St. Patrick. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Frankfort 'Factory' Producing Contenders
December 9, 2015
By Dennis Chase
Special for Second Half
FRANKFORT – Tim Reznich and Reggie Manville are fly fishing and coaching buddies.
They share and enjoy mutual interests, especially when it comes to running Frankfort's two successful basketball programs.
Reznich, now in his 14th season, has guided the girls to nine District, four Regional and two MHSAA Class D titles.
Manville, beginning his fifth season, has led the boys to four District and three Regional championships in a row, with a Semifinal appearance in 2014. Before Manville's arrival, the Panthers had gone 11 years without a District crown, nearly 40 without a Regional title and almost 50 without a Semifinal berth.
"Our expectations are high (in both programs)," Manville said. "We've set that bar, and now it's a situation where people expect us to be there. It's a product of past success. Last year our girls and boys were a combined 45-5. That's an unbelievable record when you stop and think about it.
"One of the programs I tried to emulate when I took over was the girls program," Manville added. "They had been there (to the big stage) before; the boys hadn't. I wanted to get us to the point where we were at the same elite level. When I say elite, I mean that you're usually winning a Regional because then you've got a shot at winning a state title. That's where both programs are right now. I joke around with Tim. Being from Flint, a factory town, I like to say this is our Frankfort basketball factory. We've got two shifts going 24/7."
The girls made a serious run at a third MHSAA crown last March, losing to eventual champion St. Ignace in the Semifinals. The Panthers led by 13 in the first half. Then Margo Brown hit seven 3-pointers to fuel the Saints’ comeback.
"They were deep 3s, 23-footers coming off screens," Reznich said. "It was something."
The boys reached the Quarterfinals before falling in overtime to Fulton.
Optimism is high as the teams embark on their 2015-16 campaigns.
Reznich returns three starters, including two-time all-state pick Mackenna Kelly, who signed with Central Michigan University last month. Junior Cecelia Schmitt and senior point guard Anna Hunt are also back. They all have their eyes on the top prize.
"The goal is the same as it is every year – to win a state championship," Kelly said. "That's the ultimate goal, and we're working hard in practice every single day to reach it. That's the plan."
Reznich believes that goal is realistic.
"They've been preparing for this," he said. "They feel good, they feel confident, they feel it's their time to shine.”
The Panthers boast an experienced team with seven seniors, plus Schmitt, who averaged about 11 points a game as a sophomore. Kelly said the chemistry between the players is the strength of the team.
"We've all been together a long time," she said. "We know each other really well."
Chemistry is not the only strength, though. Reznich likes two other qualities his team possesses.
"This might be the most athletic, and the quickest, team I've had," he said.
That helps make up for a lack of size, although Kelly and Schmitt play bigger than their listed heights of 5-foot-10.
Frankfort opened last week with a 57-37 win over McBain, traditionally one of the stronger Class C teams in the north. The Panthers, who shot better than 60 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, led 22-2 after the first quarter.
Satisfying? Sort of, Kelly said. She thought the Panthers lost some intensity after building their lead. She described it as a learning moment.
"That game told us we need a lot of work," the 17-year-old said. "We came out pretty hot – we weren't missing a lot of shots – but we kind of fizzled out. Most of our action was in the first half, which can't happen. It needs to be (like that) the whole game."
Kelly finished with 24 points. A year ago, she averaged 17 points and seven rebounds for the 24-2 Panthers. She said she spent her offseason working on her range and a pull-up jumper.
"I've had a tendency on the fast break to try and plow through everyone, which doesn't go in my favor most of the time," she said.
"She still gets to the rim, but instead of forcing her way to the rim she's worked on a pull-up jumper," Reznich added. "She shot really well against McBain. I expect her to do that all season."
Frankfort’s run the table in the Northwest Conference the last two seasons. Reznich is expecting a battle this season, especially with Maple City Glen Lake picking up Sarah Carney, a transfer from Traverse City St. Francis.
The Gladiators remain a challenge, though, as Frankfort fell to St. Francis 76-72 on Wednesday. The Panthers’ schedule also includes Manistee, Saginaw Arthur Hill and Harper Woods Chandler Park. They'll play Arthur Hill in the Motor City Classic later this month in Detroit. Chandler Park will travel to Frankfort in January.
"We've put ourselves out there (with this schedule)," Reznich said.
So has Manville's team, whose nonleague schedule includes larger schools like St. Francis, Elk Rapids, McBain and Boyne City. The Panthers opened the season Tuesday with a 67-16 win over Class B Remus Chippewa Hills.
"One of reasons we've had success in the postseason is that we've toughened our schedule up," he said. "Like I said, I'm from Flint. That's all we did, played tough teams – Saginaw, three Flint schools, Pontiac. It didn't matter who you played. They were all good.
"As a coach, you want your regular season to prepare you for the tournament. You don't want any surprises. You want your kids to see everything so they're well-seasoned. Wins and losses? I would like to win every game. I'm very competitive. But my main goal is winning championships. That's what I want."
Manville, who coached Charlie Bell at Flint Southwestern, returns five players from last year's rotation. Plus, senior Mason Loney is back. The 6-2 Loney, who was on varsity as a freshman, injured a knee in football and missed his entire junior year.
"Physically, he's about 100 percent," Manville said. "Mentally, he's still working on being more aggressive. He'll be fine. He'll get there."
When Loney was out last season, the Panthers replaced him in the lineup with his younger brother, Matt. Now a sophomore, Matt will be one of the go-to players on the team, along with sophomore Jaylon Rogers, senior point guard Nate Frieswyk, four-year veteran Kole Hollenbeck – a standout on the football team that reached the Regionals – and Tristan Rogers.
"I think this will be the best shooting team I've had here, and the quickest team," Manville said. "We're going to get up and down the floor. We're not big, though, and that could be a problem on the boards. That's something we'll have to continually work at."
The Panthers are 73-25 over the last four years. They were 21-3 last season, one in which the 70-year-old Manville missed several games with health issues. He had back surgery in December, a hip replacement in February. Manville returned to the bench, but then spent the night of the Quarterfinal game in the hospital after having a bad reaction to the medication he was given. He credits his assistant, Dan Loney, for keeping the team on task and on track. Former head coach Dave Jackson also assisted.
"I can't be more pleased with the job he's doing," Manville said of Loney.
Loney had to step in the previous year, too, when Manville suffered a heart attack during the season.
He said he feels "great" now and that coaching gives him a positive outlet in his life.
"Walking in that gym is a plus," he said. "You need positives in your life when things are going bad, and basketball's always been there. Coaching's a love."
Right now, basketball’s a love in Frankfort. The teams are generously supported by the community, the school administration and a lively student body that was a 2014 finalist in the MHSAA’s Battle of the Fans contest.
“The atmosphere here is awesome,” Kelly said. “Everyone talks about the games the day before, the day of, the day after. It’s a fun thing.”
Dennis Chase worked 32 years as a sportswriter at the Traverse City Record-Eagle, including as sports editor from 2000-14. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Mackenna Kelly, left, and Nate Frieswyk have helped Frankfort's teams to MHSAA Semifinals at the Breslin Center during the last two seasons, the girls advancing in 2015 and the boys in 2014. (Middle) Anna Hunt (22) is among returnees for a Panthers team expected to contend. (Below) Boys coach Reggie Manville, with clipboard, discusses strategy with his team during the 2014 trip to East Lansing.