Eaton Rapids Adds to History-Making Run
March 14, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Bailey Baker plans to graduate from Eaton Rapids this spring with 16 varsity letters won in four sports. Like others on her basketball team, she’s had plenty of success on others as well.
But there’s something special about what the Greyhounds have accomplished this week during the longest run in school hoops history.
Eaton Rapids played in its first Class B Semifinal on Friday, and will try for its first MHSAA championship Saturday night after downing reigning runner-up and No. 9-ranked Flint Powers Catholic 46-36 at the Breslin Center.
The Greyhounds – an honorable mention in the final Associated Press Class B poll – have eliminated three top-10 teams during the tournament, including also No. 6 Ypsilanti Arbor Prep in the Quarterfinal and No. 9 Olivet in the District Final. And they continued another impressive postseason streak as well – they’ve beaten all of their playoff opponents by at least 10 points.
“We all have side sports, but this is the one we’re all together,” said Baker, who also next weekend will receive an MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award. “We’ve wanted this forever, and to finally have this opportunity is amazing.
“Win or lose, it’s going to be my favorite high school memory.”
Eaton Rapids can make this historical run even sweeter by getting past top-ranked and undefeated Grand Rapids South Christian in the Final at 6 p.m. Saturday.
It’s unwise to count the Greyhounds (22-5) out.
They’ve had strong teams during coach Willis Whitmyer’s 15 seasons, but the best usually ran into frequent championship contenders DeWitt, Portland or others down the road.
Eaton Rapids also is playing with some emotional edge. All five starters are seniors, and there are eight total. Whitmyer said longtime assistant Richard Stoken will be leaving the program after 13 seasons, and Whitmyer said he’s also not sure if he’ll be back next winter.
“We’ve had five teams I thought could’ve gotten here in my tenure, but we found some way to screw it up or the other team took it from us,” Whitmyer said. “This is huge for us. It’s huge for the community. They’re wrapped up in it, and they should be. They’re a huge part of it.”
The latest stunning performance began with a 14-2 run during Friday’s first five minutes. The Greyhounds carried an eight-point lead into the final three minutes of the first half.
But Powers was not to go that quietly, especially with a lineup filled with contributors from last season’s championship game run. The Chargers (23-3) gained a one-point lead heading into the final minute of the third quarter.
It was short-lived. Eaton Rapids senior center Allie Ditmer scored at the buzzer to give the Greyhounds back the advantage, and they never trailed again.
“We battled back, but I think we started to run out of gas a little bit. I think battling back took a toll on us,” Powers coach Thom Staudacher said.
“It definitely hurts. We’re usually on the other end of the stick.”
Eaton Rapids kept Powers’ trio of senior leading scorers to 19 points, down from their combined average of 33 per game. The Greyhounds also outrebounded the Chargers 38-22, thanks in large part to Dittmer’s 14 boards to go with a game-high 15 points.
Baker provided another little surprise as well. A 54-percent free-throw shooter, she connected on 11 of 12 attempts for the majority of her 13 total points.
“Just being a senior, and with how much we wanted it this year, rather than getting me more nervous it made me more calm,” Baker said of going to the line. “I should be taking those free throws. I’m a senior now. I need to have that leadership.”
Powers will graduate six seniors who helped return the program to the state’s elite. Sara Ruhstorfer and sophomore Francesca Coury led Friday with eight points, while senior Michela Coury had 10 rebounds.
Click for a full box score and video from the press conference.
PHOTOS: (Top) Eaton Rapids’ Bailey Baker pushes past Powers’ Michela Coury during Friday’s Semifinal. (Middle) Coury makes her way to the basket despite being defended closely.
HIGHLIGHTS: (1) Flint Powers trailed Eaton Rapids from the beginning of the game until Ally Haran makes a midcourt steal and converts it into a basket to tie the score at 26-26. (2) After her team fell behind in the final minute of the third quarter, Eaton Rapids' Allie Dittmer scores at the buzzer to put the Greyhounds on top to stay against Flint Powers.
Breslin Bound: 2025-26 Girls District Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 2, 2026
This month's girls basketball championships will once again cap the MHSAA winter tournament schedule, and nearly 670 teams will play in Districts this week with dreams of finishing this three-week run on the season's final day.
We always switch up our “Breslin Bound” format once the MHSAA Tournament starts, as last week’s most intriguing results below are followed this time by glances at three District brackets of note in each division. Host sites are bolded, and teams playing in those brackets are listed by seed as determined by Michigan Power Ratings (MPR).
Everything you could want to know this week about tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Girls Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Howell 59, Belleville 51 The Highlanders (21-1) claimed the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association title by handing reigning Division 1 champion Belleville (21-1) its first loss since Feb. 1, 2025, breaking the Tigers’ 35-game winning streak.
2. Grand Rapids South Christian 52, Rockford 50 The Sailors (22-0) capped a perfect regular-season run by handing the Rams (20-2) their first defeat since Dec. 16.
3. Morenci 39, Blissfield 38 The Tri-County Conference champions Bulldogs completed a 21-1 regular season by edging the Lenawee County Athletic Association-winning Royals (18-3).
4. Negaunee 41, Gladstone 36 Negaunee also capped its regular season at 21-1 by finishing a series sweep of Gladstone (18-4) in a matchup of two more league champs and arguably the best teams in the Upper Peninsula.
5. Beaverton 53, Standish-Sterling 29 Four days after defeating Standish-Sterling (17-4) by 11 in league play, the Beavers (19-2) claimed the overall Jack Pine Conference title by winning this rematch as well.
Districts at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold, and teams are listed by seed:
DIVISION 1
Midland
1. Midland (17-5), 2. Mount Pleasant (16-6), 3. Midland Dow (14-8), 4. Bay City Western (12-10), 5. Bay City Central (1-21).
This bracket includes the entire Saginaw Valley League North except for champion Saginaw Heritage. Midland finished second to the Hawks, a game back, with Mount Pleasant third although those two split their series, the Chemics winning 44-29 on Jan. 9 and the Oilers taking the rematch 48-41 on Feb. 10. Dow lost twice to both of those teams but only by a point to Mount Pleasant the second time.
Muskegon Mona Shores
1. Rockford (20-2), 2. Muskegon (19-2), 3. Cedar Springs (16-5), 4. Greenville (16-6), 5. Muskegon Mona Shores (12-10), 6. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (12-9).
The Rams were Division 1 runners-up last season and have reached at least the Semifinals the last four year. But Muskegon is one of only two teams to defeat Rockford this winter, 58-51 on Dec. 16, and has made an eight-win jump from a year ago. This bracket also includes the River Cities Alliance champion (Cedar Springs) and runner-up (Greenville) among six teams all with winning records.
Utica Eisenhower
1. Utica Eisenhower (19-2), 2. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (18-4), 3. Romeo (16-6), 4. Rochester (10-11), 5. Utica (4-18).
The District bracket is headlined by a pair of league champions – Eisenhower from the Macomb Area Conference Red and Stoney Creek after sharing the Oakland Activities Association Red title. But MAC White runner-up Romeo also is an intriguing contender despite a Dec. 19 loss to Eisenhower, 50-32, and Rochester defeated Stoney Creek 48-29 in their rematch just nine days ago. Eisenhower did also end the regular season with an impressive 50-44 win over Saginaw Valley League South champion Flint Powers Catholic.
DIVISION 2
Non-Traditional (top line hosts)
1. Negaunee (21-1), 2. Kingsford (15-5), 3. Gladstone (18-4), 4. Houghton (16-6), 5. Escanaba (2-17).
There’s an argument to be made that Negaunee and Gladstone – the respective champions of the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference and Great Northern Conference – have been the best in the Upper Peninsula this season. But the top four teams in this bracket are so close statistically that in the week since Districts were seeded Houghton has moved up to second in MPR and Kingsford down to fourth. Negaunee finished a regular-season sweep of Gladstone on Thursday, but last year did the same and Gladstone downed the Miners for the District title. Houghton finished second in the West PAC, and Kingsford was runner-up in the GNC – and Houghton defeated the Flivvers 40-36 on Feb. 19.
Cadillac
1. Big Rapids (17-4), 2. Fremont (19-3), 3. Cadillac (13-8), 4. Ludington (14-8), 5. Reed City (12-10), 6. Newaygo (12-9).
This rare bracket with six teams with winning records seems full of possibilities. Big Rapids, Newaygo and Reed City were the top three teams in the Central State Activities Association Red, respectively, while Ludington and Fremont shared the West Michigan Conference Lakes title and Cadillac is coming off a third-place finish in the Big North Conference. Cadillac defeated Ludington 44-31 on Feb. 9, which will be notable if both reach Friday. But any number of scenarios could play out, including a rematch of those Lakes champs after Fremont won their first meeting by 12 but Ludington won the second by a point in double overtime.
Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills
1. Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (21-0), 2. Grand Rapids West Catholic (16-5), 3. Allendale (10-12), 4. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (9-13), 5. Wyoming Lee (1-17).
The intrigue of this bracket centers on the expected championship matchup between the top seeds. Covenant Christian has nine wins over opponents with at least 14 this winter, including league champs Cedar Springs, Big Rapids, Kalamazoo Christian, Shelby and Holland Christian. West Catholic – the Division 2 runner-up last year – finished second in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold to undefeated South Christian but has its share of wins over league champs as well, downing Parma Western, Saginaw Heritage, Tecumseh, Frankenmuth and Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
DIVISION 3
Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep
1. Kalamazoo Christian (16-4), 2. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep (18-4), 3. Lawton (13-8), 4. Comstock (1-21).
Kalamazoo Christian finished one game ahead of Hackett in winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title, claiming their Jan. 23 meeting by 32 points – but losing the rematch by one last Tuesday. Still, that was the Comets’ first defeat in over a month, breaking an eight-game winning streak. Similarly, that win was part of an 11-game winning streak for the Irish that ended with a loss to Hopkins on Friday. Lawton is another intriguing contender; it’s won seven of its last eight games, with defeats by only one to K-Christian in the midst and two to Hackett before starting the run.
Napoleon
1. Jackson Lumen Christi (18-3), 2. Grass Lake (20-2), 3. Hanover-Horton (17-5), 4. Springport (8-12), 5. Napoleon (5-17), 6. East Jackson (4-18).
The Titans capped their regular season with a 58-56 win over Beaverton (19-3) on Saturday and just as impressively lost to Rockford by only five last Tuesday. They reached the Quarterfinals last season having defeated Grass Lake in the District Final. Grass Lake fell in its regular-season finale to another Division 1 power, Wayne Memorial, by six points, but that was the Warriors’ first defeat since losing to Rockford on Dec. 13. Grass Lake had a big win over Hanover-Horton to start January, but the Comets’ only other losses were two apiece to Brooklyn Columbia Central (18-4) and Division 2 Michigan Center (19-3).
Ovid-Elsie
1. Pewamo-Westphalia (20-2), 2. Hemlock (20-2), 3. Ovid-Elsie (15-6), 4. Ithaca (12-10), 5. St. Louis (11-11), 6. Chesaning (10-11).
A pair of league champions with significant tournament experience anchor both sides of this bracket, with the Central Michigan Athletic Conference’s Pirates having lost to only Division 1 Saginaw Heritage (16-6) and Division 2 Flint Powers Catholic (19-3), and the Tri-Valley Conference Blue’s Huskies fell only to Division 1 Midland Dow (14-8) and Division 2 Freeland (16-6). P-W and Hemlock both won District titles last season. Ovid-Elsie has won at least 18 games the last four seasons and will get to that number again with a championship this week. The Marauders played a good handful of Division 1 and 2 teams as well this season and finished second in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference.
DIVISION 4
Hale
1. Mio (18-4), 2. Au Gres-Sims (19-3), 3. Hale (14-5), 4. Fairview (4-12), 5. Whittemore-Prescott (2-12).
The expected District Final in this bracket would be the third matchup this season between Au Gres-Sims and Mio, which played each other twice over four days in mid-February with Au Gres winning the first by seven and Mio the rematch by four. That led to their sharing the North Star League Little Dipper title. Placing third was Hale, which is a combined 31-11 over the last two seasons and took Au Gres to overtime in their first meeting this winter.
Ishpeming
1. Ishpeming (18-3), 2. Munising (16-5), 3. Cooks Big Bay de Noc (18-2), 4. Eben Junction Superior Central (5-12), 5. Rapid River (5-16).
The Hematites are only two seasons removed from winning the Division 4 title, and they’ve looked to be in similar form most of this season with losses to only Division 2 Negaunee (21-1), Gladstone (18-4) and Houghton (16-6). Ishpeming also defeat Munising significantly in their lone regular-season matchup Feb. 16, but the Mustangs have won three straight District titles and know what it takes as well at this time of year. Big Bay de Noc is intriguing and takes on Munising on Wednesday. The Black Bears won the Northern Lights League and have totaled at least 16 victories four straight seasons.
Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary
1. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary (16-6), 2. St. Charles (17-5), 3. Bay City All Saints (14-7), 4. Merrill (15-7), 5. Saginaw Arts & Sciences (10-10), 6. Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central (4-18).
St. Charles and Merrill finished first and second, respectively, in the Mid-State Activities Conference East, while MLS was runner-up to Hemlock in the TVC Blue and All Saints won the Big Thumb Conference Red title. MLS opened this season with a 53-44 win over St. Charles, defeated All Saints 60-51 on Jan. 29 and Merrill 54-34 a week later, and may have to see two of those again with Merrill playing SASA tonight on their side of the bracket and St. Charles and All Saints possible Friday opponents.
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PHOTOS (Top) Ishpeming's Jenessa Eagle is defended by Bark River-Harris's Emma Zawada (14) and Melinah Cortez (21) during the Hematites’ 77-45 victory last Tuesday. (Middle) Davison’s Samantha Beller (22) works to get past her Linden defender during the Cardinals’ 49-33 victory also Tuesday. (Ishpeming/Bark River-Harris photo by Cara Kamps. Davison/Linden photo by Terry Lyons.)