Class B Preview: Challengers & Champion
March 14, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Three Class B semifinalists will journey to Calvin College’s Van Noord Arena this weekend seeking the first MHSAA Finals title in their programs’ histories.
But to celebrate the ultimate prize for the first time, those hopefuls must contend with the reigning champion and the winningest coach in Michigan girls basketball history.
Detroit Country Day and coach Frank Orlando loom large in Grand Rapids as an intriguing bracket prepares to unfold.
Class B Semifinals – Friday
Jackson Northwest (24-1) vs. Michigan Center (23-2), 5:30 p.m.
Detroit Country Day (20-4) vs. Kingsley (26-0), 7:30 p.m.
Class B Final – Saturday, 6:15 p.m.
Tickets cost $10 per pair of Semifinals and $10 per two-game Finals session (Class C and Class B). All Semifinals will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv and viewable on a pay-per-view basis. All four Finals will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Detroit and streamed live on FoxSportsDetroit.com and the FOX Sports Go! app. Free radio broadcasts of all weekend games will be available on MHSAANetwork.com.
Below is a glance at all four semifinalists. 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.)
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/rank: 21-4, No. 2
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Frank Orlando, 37th season (777-117)
Championship history: Twelve MHSAA titles (most recent 2017), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 58-41 over No. 5 Freeland in Quarterfinal, 65-59 over Class A No. 7 Flint Carman-Ainsworth, 66-58 over Midland Dow, 70-58 over Detroit Martin Luther King.
Players to watch: Kaela Webb, 5-7 sr. G (15.9 ppg, 3.6 apg, 3.7 spg); Adrian Folks, 6-0 jr. F (12.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg).
Outlook: Country Day is seeking its third title in four seasons led by Miss Basketball finalist Webb, a standout on last season’s team as well. Senior forward Maxine Moore (9.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and junior guard Jasmine Powell (10.5 ppg, 6.9 apg) also started the 2017 championship game and give the Yellowjackets a veteran presence – even as the team has only three seniors. Although not wins, losses to eventual semifinalists Detroit Edison, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, Wayne Memorial and Saginaw Heritage surely provided preparation for this weekend. Junior guard Maddie Novak also averages 9.5 ppg.
KINGSLEY
Record/rank: 26-0, No. 1
League finish: First in Northwest Conference.
Coach: Matt Schelich, 20th season (335-116)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 49-39 over honorable mention Muskegon Oakridge in Quarterfinal, 58-39 over Kalkaska in District Final, 70-66 and 61-45 over Class C No. 10 Maple City Glen Lake, 72-36 over Manton, 71-21 over Petoskey.
Players to watch: Brittany Bowman, 5-3 soph. G (11.5 ppg, 3.0 spg); Rebekah Crosby, 6-0 sr. C (9.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.4 bpg).
Outlook: Friday’s game will be Kingsley’s second Semifinal ever and first since 2008. All five starters average between 8-11 points per game and bring something important to the lineup. Senior Kelsie Bies (8.3 ppg) had 46 3-pointers entering the week, while junior Jacie King (10.1) also averaged three steals per contest and senior Jalynn Brumfield (9.7 ppg) has the team’s high scoring game this winter. Only two of the Stags’ games were decided by single digits this season – made more impressive as Manton and Petoskey were league champions.
JACKSON NORTHWEST
Record/rank: 24-1, No. 3
League finish: First in Interstate 8 Athletic Conference.
Coach: Ryan Carroll, seventh season (123-40)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 42-35 over No. 4 Hamilton in Quarterfinal, 48-43 over Fowlerville in Regional Final, 66-64 and 47-37 over Class A No. 6 Coldwater.
Players to watch: Sydney Shafer, 5-9 jr. G (17 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.0 apg, 4.0 spg); Ella Bontrager, 5-8 sr. G (11.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.0 apg).
Outlook: The Mounties have made the final week of the season for the first time after winning their fourth District and second league title over the last six seasons. Northwest emerged from an I8AC that produced three District champions and four teams with at least 16 wins this winter. It has won 22 straight since falling early to Battle Creek Harper Creek (16-7). Seven players contribute at least four points per game; sophomore forward Jozie Bontrager is another key contributor at 6.9 points and seven rebounds per contest.
MICHIGAN CENTER
Record/rank: 23-2, unranked
League finish: First in Cascades Conference.
Coach: Joe Lusk, sixth season (100-39)
Championship history: Class C runner-up 2003 and 2005.
Best wins: 63-49 over Harper Woods Chandler Park in Quarterfinal, 49-36 over No. 8 New Boston Huron in Regional Final, 57-41 over Dearborn Henry Ford in Regional Semifinal, 49-39 over Onsted in District Final.
Players to watch: Masyn Shannon, 5-7 sr. G/F; Alize’ Tripp, 5-6 soph. G. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Michigan Center was a District champ in Class C a year ago, but has continued to rise in Class B and with a roster featuring three seniors with eight underclassmen. The Cardinals have won 18 straight, and only one victory this season has been by fewer than 10 points. After a rare down season in 2015-16 at 6-15, Michigan Center is a combined 43-6 over the last two.
PHOTO: Jackson Northwest's Sydney Shafer drives hard to the basket during Tuesday's Quarterfinal win over Hamilton. (Photo courtesy of JTV.)
Goodrich Wins Matchup of Undefeated Contenders to Earn Chance to Finish Unbeaten
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 20, 2026
EAST LANSING – Goodrich hopes to become the next Division 2 champion Saturday at Breslin Center.
But in the meantime, the Martians can lay claim to being the state’s last unbeaten team heading into the final day of the season.
In a matchup of 27-0 teams, Goodrich earned the right to play for its first championship since winning the second of back-to-back crowns in 2013, claiming a 47-41 win over Grand Rapids South Christian in a Friday Semifinal.
Goodrich (28-0) will try to dethrone 2025 champion Tecumseh, which eliminated Goodrich in last year’s tournament, at 6:45 p.m. Saturday.
The Martians made it to Breslin Center undefeated largely because of its stout defense all season, and that was on display against South Christian.
“We were able to do what we’re looking to do every game,” Goodrich head coach Jason Gray said. “And our defense really showed up tonight. They hit a couple of big 3s late against us, but in general, that’s about as good of a job as you can do defending that team.”
The Martians limited South Christian to 16 of 42 shooting from the field, but seven of those field goals came during the first quarter.
Over the last three, Goodrich held the Sailors to 9 of 29 shooting. For the game, South Christian was 3 of 18 from 3-point range.
“Pressure defense pushed us out a little bit,” Sailors head coach Erika Brown said. “We couldn’t get into our normal dribble-drive where we could turn the corner and get into the paint tonight. We weren’t seeing the post as well as we probably could have.”
Goodrich dominated the second quarter and built a big lead during the fourth before holding off a late South Christian comeback.
Leading 36-28 going into the fourth quarter, Goodrich stretched the margin to 14 at 43-29 with 4:59 remaining on a 3-pointer by senior Kayla Hairston.
The Sailors had an answer though, reeling off nine straight points to cut its deficit to 43-37 with 3:13 remaining. The last six points of that run came courtesy of senior Lizzie Woithuis, who drained back-to-back 3-pointers.
“We just knew what we had to do,” Hairston said. “They went on a little run, but that didn’t change our mindset. They didn’t make us rattled. They didn’t stress us out. We just had to play our style no matter what.”
Hairston delivered maybe the biggest rebound of the game after missing two free throws with 58.3 seconds left and Goodrich up 44-39.
After the second miss, she tracked down the rebound near the baseline and got the ball out to junior teammate Baylor Lauinger, who was fouled and hit two free throws with 48.4 seconds remaining to make the lead seven.
Goodrich held firm defensively and hit one more free throw to hold off South Christian.
Hairston scored 17 points, and Lauinger added 11 points for Goodrich.
Goodrich held a 28-19 lead at halftime after a 10-2 run. It was a different story to start the third quarter, as South Christian went on a 7-0 run to cut its deficit to 31-28.
But the Martians scored the last five points of the third quarter and had too much of a cushion for South Christian to overcome.
Sophia Prins, a four-year varsity standout, scored 13 points to lead the Sailors and finish off a tremendous high school career.
“Overall, we can’t let this one game define us,” Prins said. “We have to look back at how good we performed every single game up to this point of the whole season.”
PHOTOS (Top) Goodrich’s Kayla Hairston splits a pair of South Christian defenders driving to the hoop Friday. (Middle) The Martians’ Sydney Place (11) and Sailors’ Sophia Prins watch Place’s shot fall as the official signals a 3-pointer. (Photos by Keionna Banks and John Castine/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)