Class B: Milestone Momentum
March 16, 2012
EAST LANSING – Shellis Hampton and Tiesha Stokes have enjoyed more victories during their Grand Rapids Catholic Central careers – literally – than most players in MHSAA history.
But there’s something special about winning a championship as a senior – and they hope to cap their final seasons with that lasting feeling Saturday evening.
They and Grand Rapids Catholic earned that opportunity Friday with a 72-49 Semifinal victory over Freeland.
One more win would give Hampton and Stokes each 100 wins for their careers – which would leave them tied for second in the MHSAA girls basketball record book. Both also were key contributors on the Cougars’ 2010 Class B championship team. But they’re cherishing this run even more.
“I think it’s better. We’re seniors. This is our last year in high school,” Hampton said. “We got to win sophomore year, which is great. But you always want to go out with a win. And the only way to go out with a win is to win the state championship.”
Grand Rapids Catholic Central, ranked just No. 10 entering the postseason, will face either Goodrich or Dearborn Divine Child in Saturday’s 6 p.m. Final.
The Cougars were 75-5 over the last three seasons coming into this one, and improved to 24-3 this winter with Friday’s victory. A four-year varsity player can win a maximum of 112 games during her career (and only if her teams don’t receive District byes). Grand Rapids Catholic has reached three of the last four Class B Finals weekends – another big advantage Friday against a Freeland team with no seniors that was playing for its first championship game berth since 1998.
“You have a sense of composure and familiarity, every time you come (to Breslin),” Cougars coach Colleen Lamoreaux-Tate said. “It’s fun to play here, but it felt like just another game.”
That was evident early Friday. Grand Rapids Catholic jumped out to a 23-8 lead midway through the second quarter and led by as many as 35.
Stokes finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and Hampton added 13 points and seven rebounds. Junior Courtney Zenner added 12 points and senior Addie Johnson had 10.
And those were just the offensive contributions. Freeland junior Tori Jankoska, who will sign with Michigan State this fall, ranked multiple Cougars as the best defenders she’s faced this season – although she still finished with 29 points and nine rebounds.
“Normally we can take away either the inside or outside game. But this team had both going tonight,” Freeland coach Tom Zolinski said. “Our inexperience showed a little bit. Definitely, their experience took over early and throughout the entire game.
“It’s an emotional ride. To go high and low just like that, it’s a feeling that will help us for next year.”
The seeds of Friday’s loss should take hold immediately, as Freeland (22-4) had no seniors this season. Zolinski spoke as well of not having to give a sad good-bye speech after the loss; instead, he got his Falcons revved to make a return trip to East Lansing.
“That’s the best part about it. I’ve grown so close to this team already, and we don’t have to say bye to any of our family members, essentially,” Jankoska said. “I don’t think any of our team had ever been to a Regional Finals beside me. … Everyone’s going to be back next year, and hopefully we can make a run at it, since nobody expected us to get here this year. No one knows how far we’re going to get next year."
Click for the box score. Watch the game and both teams' postgame press conferences at MHSAA.tv.
PHOTO: Grand Rapids Catholic Central senior Tiesha Stokes takes a shot Friday. She made 8 of 13 for a team-high 17 points. (Photo courtesy of Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Tecumseh Caps Winter Season with 'Day We Will Remember Forever'
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 22, 2025
EAST LANSING — Before Saturday’s Division 2 championship game against Grand Rapids West Catholic, the Tecumseh girls basketball team had two people for whom it was playing.
One was Bart Bartels, a beloved longtime coach in the community who died during the fall, weeks before practice started. Tecumseh has been honoring his memory all season.
The team also was playing for a fallen teammate. Junior Maddy VanBlack suffered a leg injury during Friday's Semifinal win over Frankenmuth and couldn’t play Saturday, which shortened the bench significantly.
“It was super hard and super emotional,” Tecumseh head coach Kristy Zajac said. “They fought through, and they battled through with six players tonight.”
Indeed they did, as Tecumseh captured its first Finals championship since 1974 with a 54-44 win over West Catholic.
Tecumseh finished the season 27-1, in the process making Bartels’ widow (who was in attendance), VanBlack and everyone else in the community it was playing for beyond proud.
“It’s going to be a day we will remember forever,” Zajac said.
Tecumseh built an early 14-point lead, but ultimately had to hang on for dear life against a hard-charging West Catholic team.
The Falcons whittled their deficit down all the way to 39-38 going into the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get over the hump and take the lead or tie the game.
Leading 41-40, Tecumseh then took a 45-40 lead with 5:26 remaining after a layup by Addi Zajac.
She hit another big layup with 1:54 left to make it 49-44, and then Tecumseh got a stop and a rebound.
Following a couple of West Catholic fouls, senior Ashlyn Moorehead made a free throw to give Tecumseh a 50-44 lead with 1:10 remaining.
Tecumseh got another stop, and then junior Chloe Bullinger sank two free throws with just over 47 seconds remaining to give her team a 52-44 lead.
After a missed 3-pointer, Alli Zajac hit two free throws with 19 seconds left to seal the win.
Alli Zajac scored 14 points, and senior Makayla Schlorf and Bullinger both had 11 for Tecumseh. Addi Zajac had nine points, 12 rebounds and four assists.
“It’s amazing that we got it done,” said Alli Zajac, who has signed to play for Eastern Michigan. “Ashlyn and I have been working towards this since we were little freshmen starting. It’s amazing at the end of my career I get to accomplish something like this.”
Senior Anna Ignatoski had 12 points, and senior Elisha Dykstra added 10 points and four assists to lead West Catholic (24-4), which was making its fourth-straight final-four appearance. Freshman Kenley Slanger added eight points and 10 rebounds, and sophomore Alexis Asekomeh had nine points and three blocks.
The Falcons also were Division 2 runners-up in 2022.
“They’ve been here four years in a row, and that’s unheard of,” first-year West Catholic head coach Derek Paiz said. “I know they don’t feel it right now. But their legacy is going to last forever here at West Catholic.”
Not helping West Catholic’s cause was that it couldn’t buy a basket from 3-point range, going 2 of 21 from beyond the arc.
“They just hit a couple more shots,” Paiz said. “They shot 8 to 10 more free throws than us. They got to the rim a little more than us, and they won the rebound battle (38-33). Credit to them.”
This year’s Tecumseh’s team also will forever be etched in community lore, just like the 1974 championship squad.
“It was sad that this was our last game,” said Moorehead, who also had nine points and a team-high five assists. “But it’s nice to leave a legacy off with a state championship.”
PHOTOS (Top) Tecumseh’s Makayla Schlorf (3) gets a quick five from teammate Ashlyn Moorehead during Saturday’s Division 2 championship game. (Middle) West Catholic’s Katelyn Adams (13) works to get to the basket with Schlorf and Alli Zajac (1) defending. (Below) The Falcons’ Anna Ignatoski (3) defends against Tecumseh’s Ashlyn Moorehead. (Photos by Adam Sheehan/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)