Falcons Divine in Class B Final Return
August 5, 2016
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
Some great defense in overtime propels Dearborn Divine Child to a championship in this week’s 80s Finals Flashback series on MHSAA.tv.
The sixth game in our weekly summer series is the 1986 Class B Girls Basketball Final between the Falcons and Okemos.
Here’s a look at this week’s game:
Week of August 1 – Dearborn Divine Child 50, Okemos 45 (OT) – 1986 Class B Girls Basketball Final - Runner-up in the 1985 Class B championship match, Dearborn Divine Child battled to a 50-45 overtime win over Okemos. Sue Nissen led the winners with 22 points. Leading most of the second half, Okemos fell behind, 43-41, on Andrea McAllister's breakaway with 1:33 left in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Amy Zack tied the game with a five-foot jumper, and the Chieftains had a chance to win with one second to play in regulation. After being fouled, Zack missed the front end of a one-and-one, and the game went into overtime. Then, in the final minute of overtime, Nissen scored underneath with about 30 seconds to play, stole the inbounds pass and fed Cathy Siroka for another basket. (Watch that last-minute scoring sequence by Clicking Here)
A new game will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 22. DVDs may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the “Get DVD” button below the player.
Previous Flashbacks
July 25: Muskegon 16, Detroit Martin Luther King 13 – 1988 Class A Football Final - Watch
July 19: Northport 80, Beal City 78 – 1988 Class D Boys Basketball Final - Watch
July 12: Detroit Cass Tech 52, Saginaw 51 – 1987 Class A Girls Basketball Final - Watch
July 5: Traverse City 24, Detroit Catholic Central 14 – 1988 Class A Football Final - Watch
June 28: Saginaw Buena Vista 33, Flint Beecher 32 – 1986 Class B Boys Basketball Final - Watch
Hoops on Film: 1976 Class D Girls Final
July 13, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
One of the earliest championship games in MHSAA girls basketball history is featured this week as part of MHSAA.tv’s Hoops On Film Series.
From the late 1940’s to the mid 1970’s the Michigan High School Athletic Association shot portions of the action at its boys and girls basketball finals on 16mm film. The films were loaned out, primarily to the participating schools, to help them relive the moments of playing in a championship game.
While many of the old films have wandered astray over time, about 60 games still exist in the MHSAA archives. Anyone in possession of such a film is encouraged to contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office ([email protected]) to discuss having the film converted to a digital format.
Some of the films only have portions of the second half and the post-game awards; some have most of the action. None of the films have sound. They range in length from 10 minutes to about an hour. A new film will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 17. DVD’s may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the Get DVD button below the player.
Here’s a look at this week’s game, with recap courtesy of MHSAA historian Ron Pesch:
Lake City 58, Perkins 48 – 1976 Class D Girls Final - Abby Currier scored 26 points and Becky Sessions added 22 as Lake City cruised past Perkins, 58-48, for the Class D title. Lynette Royer led Perkins with 23 points. This was the fourth Class D Final, as the girls basketball tournament started in 1973, and remains the lone championship game won by Lake City. The season before, the Trojans had bowed out in the Semifinals against eventual champion Flint Holy Rosary. The two teams met again in the semis in 1976, and this time it was Lake City which prevailed, advancing to the Final the following morning against Perkins and winning the school’s first MHSAA crown in any sport. It was the only appearance ever in an MHSAA statewide tournament final for Perkins, which merged the following year with nearby Rock to form Mid-Peninsula High School, about a half-hour’s drive north of Escanaba. The newly-formed Wolverines would win the Class D crown in 1977.
Previous releases:
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch
1954 Class A Boys Final: Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) - Watch
1971 Class A Boys Final: Flint Northern 79, Detroit Kettering 78 - Watch