D2 Preview: Past Powers, New Hopefuls Bring Stories to Breslin
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 16, 2022
This weekend’s Division 2 Finals bracket might have the most pre-packaged storylines of any of the four divisions that will celebrate girls champions this weekend at Breslin Center.
Detroit Edison returns after the last two seasons were cut short, seeking to add a fourth title in six years with another Miss Basketball leading the way. Detroit Country Day owns the most Finals championships in girls basketball history and is seeking its first since 2018.
Grand Rapids West Catholic hopes to follow the Miss Basketball runner-up to its first championship in more than three decades. And Ludington, making its first appearance at Finals weekend, is looking to add more firsts to a historic run.
DIVISON 2 Semifinals – Friday
Grand Rapids West Catholic (24-1) vs. Detroit Country Day (14-7), 5:30 p.m.
Detroit Edison (17-3) vs. Ludington (20-5), 7:30 p.m.
FINAL – Saturday – 6:15 p.m.
Tickets for this weekend’s games are $12 for both Semifinals and Finals and are available via the Breslin Center ticket office. All Semifinals will be broadcast and viewable with subscription to MHSAA.tv, and all four Finals will air live Saturday on Bally Sports Detroit’s primary channel as well as on the BSD website and app. Audio broadcasts of all Semifinals and Finals will be available free of charge from the MHSAA Network.
Here’s a look at the four Division 2 semifinals (with rankings by MPR and statistics through Regional Finals):
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/rank: 13-7, No. 28
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Jerica Williams, second season (28-10)
Championship history: Thirteen MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 59-55 over Marysville in Quarterfinal, 54-39 over St. Clair Shores Lakeview, 47-45 over Division 4 No. 11 Allen Park Inter-City Baptist.
Players to watch: Jaidyn Elam, soph F (13.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.2 spg); Emma Arico, soph. G (8.9 ppg, 3.4 apg); Ari’Yana Wiggins, fr. F (9.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg).
Outlook: Four starters are back from the team that made last season’s Semifinals, with Elam and Arico joined by junior guard Aysia Yokely (8.6 ppg) and sophomore forward Peja Liles (4.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg). The Yellowjackets have all of that experience and still no seniors, with Elam also having made the all-state second team last season and Arico earning an honorable mention. Country Day saw its share of tough opponents, with six of its seven losses coming against teams that ended up with 14 or more wins.
DETROIT EDISON
Record/rank: 17-3, No. 1
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Monique Brown, 10th season (177-40)
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2019).
Best wins: 53-35 over No. 3 Portland in Quarterfinal, 85-43 over No. 2 Redford Westfield Prep, 67-44 over Division 1 No. 3 Farmington Hills Mercy, 60-32 over Division 1 No. 13 Bloomfield Hills Marian, 60-47 over Division 1 No. 11 Parma Western, 68-30 over Division 1 No. 14 East Lansing, 67-48 over Division 1 No. 1 Hudsonville, 60-52 over Division 3 No. 1 Ypsilanti Arbor Prep.
Players to watch: Ruby Whitehorn, 6-0 sr. G (23.9 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 3.9 apg, 4.5 spg, 2.1 bpg); NaKiya Bonner, 5-6 soph. G (8.2 ppg, 5.5 apg); Madisen Wardell, 6-1 sr. F (13.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg).
Outlook: After last season’s undefeated team was sidelined during Districts by COVID-19, Edison is back looking to add to its three straight Finals championships won from 2017-19. Whitehorn, who has signed with Clemson, gave her program its fourth-straight Miss Basketball Award winner earlier this week, and Wardell will continue her career at DePaul. Edison’s only losses were to Division 1 semifinalist West Bloomfield, Indiana state champion South Bend Washington and Illinois power Joliet West. All but one of the Pioneers’ in-state opponents finished with a winning record this winter.
GRAND RAPIDS WEST CATHOLIC
Record/rank: 24-1, No. 8
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue
Coach: Jill VanderEnde, eighth season (119-69)
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 1990), one runner-up finish.
Best wins: 82-27 over No. 6 Edwardsburg in Quarterfinal, 55-29 over No. 20 Newaygo in Regional Final, 55-43 over Grand Rapids Christian in Regional Semifinal, 64-29 over Grand Rapids Catholic Central in District Final, 63-23 over No. 13 Sparta.
Players to watch: Abbey Kimball, 5-10 sr. G (25.1 ppg, 97 3-pointers, 3.0 apg, 4.4 spg); Cadence Dykstra, 5-9 jr. G (8.2 ppg, 4.5 apg); Elisha Dykstra, 5-10 fr. F (8.3 ppg).
Outlook: West Catholic is returning to the Semifinals for the first time since 1995, when it finished Class B runner-up. Kimball was the Miss Basketball runner-up and added three more 3-pointers Tuesday – the Michigan State signee’s 100 are tied for second-most in a single season in MHSAA history and five off the record. Freshman guard Anna Ignatoski adds 7.8 points off the bench and was the team’s leading scorer in the Quarterfinal win over the Eddies. The team’s only loss was Dec. 23 to Division 1 semifinalist Rockford.
LUDINGTON
Record/rank: 20-5, No. 45
League finish: Tied for first in the Lakes 8 Activities Conference.
Coach: Warren Stowe, second season (34-10)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 30-27 over No. 5 Frankenmuth in Quarterfinal, 34-31 over Negaunee in Regional Final, 54-36 over Standish-Sterling in Regional Semifinal, 38-33 over Muskegon Western Michigan Christian.
Players to watch: Keelyn Laird, 6-3 jr. F (10.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.2 apg); RyAnn Rohrer, 5-10 sr. F (10.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, 3.3 spg); Abi Bandstra, 5-9 sr. G (4.5 ppg, 2.8 spg).
Outlook: Ludington will be playing in its first Semifinal since 2004 and has won 17 of its last 18 games. The Orioles avenged an early defeat to league rival WMC and also got good early prep in losses to eventual Division 1 semifinalists Hartland and West Bloomfield, and Muskegon Reeths-Puffer. Only one opponent has put up more than 40 points during the 18-game run – Cadillac, which scored 47 in handing Ludington the lone loss over that stretch. Junior forward Olivia Lynn adds 7.5 points off the bench.
PHOTO Detroit Country Day’s Jaidyn Elam brings the ball upcourt during last week’s Regional Semifinal win over Livonia Clarenceville. (Photo by Douglas Bargerstock.)
Saints Finish Perfect Run with 4th Title
March 16, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Saturday’s Class D Final at the Breslin Center lined up to finish with another celebration for Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, and one that would be etched into MHSAA history as the Lakers aspired for a fourth-straight title.
But St. Ignace also has been a regular in East Lansing the last four seasons. And the Saints had a little bit of history to contend with as well.
St. Ignace, owners of three MHSAA titles, had never finished a season perfect – until Saturday, when the Saints outlasted the Lakers for a 59-44 win to finish this winter 27-0.
“I kinda had a little worry there because we’ve never been a state championship team with an undefeated season,” St. Ignace senior Sarah Cullip said. “We’ve always had that pain of a loss, and we didn’t want that to happen again. We had a lot of inspiration from outside ourselves, and even within ourselves, I think.”
St. Ignace entered the postseason ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press’ Class D poll, while Our Lady (21-5) was No. 9. This was the Saints’ fourth straight trip to East Lansing; they made the Class C Semifinals a year ago, beat Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett for the title in 2011 and lost to Flint Hamady in overtime in the 2010 Final.
In fact, St. Ignace was the only team in East Lansing this weekend that could match Breslin experience with the Lakers. Cullip played in her seventh tournament game at MSU, while senior Morgan LaVake and juniors Kelley Wright and Emily Hinsman all played in their fifth Saturday.
Coach Dorene Ingalls has coached all four champions during her 14 seasons running the program.
“Any time you win, it’s like the first time,” she said. “It’s a new group, with different reasons, different themes. It’s just like the first time. It’s been a journey. We’ve all grown together. I’m just thankful.”
Waterford Our Lady finished 21-5 and 88-19 over the last four seasons. Seniors Lexie Robak and Ava Doetsch started for all four of those teams, and in all four Breslin championship game appearances.
For much of Saturday’s game and especially the start, it looked like they and their teammates would join Flint Northern’s 1978-81 teams as the only ones to win four straight MHSAA girls hoops titles.
The Lakers opened in a fullcourt press that forced four straight turnovers to start the game. Robak hit two 3-pointers and senior Jessica Parry completed a three-point play as Our Lady jumped to a 9-5 lead a little more than five minutes in.
But St. Ignace soon figured out the press – and responded with a similar strategy that eventually would lead to the Lakers’ undoing.
A few plays in particular got Ingalls thrusting a fist in the air. The first came on the last shot of the first quarter. The Saints broke the press, and Wright found Cullip crossing to the basket behind the defense for an easy lay-in. St. Ignace ended the first quarter up 15-12.
The next came 3:35 into the third quarter. Hinsman broke through the defense, scored, was fouled and finished the three-point play while Ingalls gave an approving nod from the bench. Those points pulled the Saints within one of the lead, and Hinsman’s bucket a minute later gave them their first lead since the first minute of the second quarter.
“They’re good at what they do. They’re here for the fourth time for a reason,” Ingalls said of Our Lady’s defense. “We were trying to get Emily to come to the middle and execute strong. When we tried to get up the right side and pass it up the right, it didn’t turn out well for us.
“The kids were able to keep their composure, keep at it.”
And turn the tide. Riding a matchup zone with halfcourt pressure, St. Ignace made it 38-38 with a quarter to play and then opened the fourth on a 9-0 run. The Lakers never recovered.
For the game, St. Ignace had only 11 turnovers to Our Lady’s 27, and scored 30 points off those turnovers to Our Lady’s 11 after takeaways.
“Looking at my players, they didn’t necessarily look open. That was the pressure they were putting on me,” said Doetsch, who mostly ran the point. “I didn’t have to pass, but nobody looked open. So it made it difficult to get the offense going.”
Hinsman finished with 20 points for St. Ignace, with Cullip adding 16 and grabbing nine rebounds and Wright scoring 10 and dishing five assists.
Lexie Robak led the Lakers with 25 points, including six 3-pointers – which tied her for second-most in an MHSAA girls basketball championship game. Parry added 10 points and six rebounds.
She also played in all four championship games, and the rest of the team’s six seniors – Brianna Topolewski, Marina Anderson and Haley Howell – all made their second title game appearances Saturday.
“My shot was going in, so I was kinda happy throughout the game. We had a good four years,” Robak said. “I just wanted to come out and have fun, and that’s what I did. It was a good last game with these cats.”
“That’s what it comes down to,” Our Lady coach Steve Robak agreed. “Of course, we all wanted to win. We left our hearts out there in the fourth quarter, gave it everything we had. At some point there are some tears, and you’re upset. But I feel a lot like Lexie; while it’s sad we didn’t win, and I wish we’d done some things differently, I’m just so proud of this group.
“To get here four times in a row, and win three, I don’t know how you could feel too much sadness for too long.”
PHOTOS: (Top) St. Ignace players celebrate during the final seconds of their Class D championship game win over Waterford Our Lady. (Middle) St. Ignace's Sarah Cullip (left) attempts to drive around the Lakers' Ava Doetsch. (Top photo by HighSchoolSportsScene.com; middle photo by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)