Hemlock, Rockford Follow 3-Point Success to 1st Titles, Record Book Fame
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 1, 2023
Hemlock and Rockford's drives to their first Girls Basketball Finals championships in March were paced in part by some of the strongest 3-point shooting in MHSAA history.
The Division 1 title-winning Rams connected on 243 3-pointers – third-most all-time – over 29 games in tying the single-season wins record while finishing 28-1. Grace Lyons, a senior this fall, made the single-season individual list with 70 3-pointers.
The Huskies won in Division 3 having connected on 229 3-pointers over 29 games, seventh-most in MHSAA history, on 678 attempts, which ranks 12th on that list. Chloe Watson made the single-season list with 75 3-pointers, and Regan Finkbeiner did as well connecting on 67.
Watson also made the career 3-pointers list with 224 and Finkbeiner with 194, and 2017 Hemlock graduate Samantha Krauss was added for 65 3-pointers as a junior in 2015-16 and 188 for her career. Additionally, past Hemlock standout Karli Herrington was added for her 317 rebounds in 2012-13, and Peyton Apsey was added for 144 steals in 2010-11.
Watson is continuing her career at Mid-Michigan College, and Finkbeiner is playing softball at Madonna. Herrington went on to play at Central Michigan and Northwood, Krauss played at Ferris State and Apsey played at Oakland.
Read on for more recent record book additions for girls basketball:
Girls Basketball
Hudsonville’s Maddie Petroelje joined the list of top 3-point shooters in MHSAA history as a junior in 2021-22, when she connected on 70 (in just 147 attempts) to make the single-season list. She graduated this spring 16th on the career list as well with 226 3-pointers in 512 attempts over 92 games and four seasons. She is continuing at Loyola (Ill.).
Byron Center’s Avery Zeinstra also finished her career among those top 3-point shooters. She also made the single-season list with 70 in 147 attempts as a freshman in 2018-19, and she capped her career in 2021-22 with 206 3-pointers (tied for 20th-most) in 502 attempts over four seasons and 80 career games. She is continuing at Grand Valley State.
Hannah Thompson was best known for her soccer scoring at Schoolcraft. But she’s made a second MHSAA record book for her 15 steals in a Jan. 28, 2022, basketball win over Galesburg-Augusta. She’s continuing her soccer career at Eastern Michigan.
Baraga’s run to the Division 4 Semifinals in 2022 received big boosts from Corina Jahfetson’s 3-point shooting and Reide Osterman’s defense. Jahfetson was added to the record book with 66 3-pointers over 25 games, including nine in a game against Carney Nadeau – when Baraga as a team made the record book with 14 3-pointers total. Osterman made the record book with 153 steals. Jahfetson graduated this spring, and Osterman is playing at Northern Michigan.
Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation Academy’s Audrey Mileski had one of the busiest games at the free throw line in MHSAA history Dec. 14, 2021. She made 23 free throws – third-most in a single game – against Wyoming Kelloggsville. Mileski graduated this spring.
Sophia Bussell had set Monroe’s single-game 3-pointers record of eight as a freshman two seasons ago, and she bettered it last Dec. 13 by tying for the 10th-most in MHSAA history. She made 10-pointers including the game-winner of a 58-56 victory over Ypsilanti Lincoln. A little less than 10 months earlier, Adrian Lenawee Christian then-senior Kylie Summer also made 10, on 17 attempts, during a 57-34 win over Lansing Christian on Feb. 24, 2022.
Lydia Meredith enjoyed a memorable senior season for Portland St. Patrick in 2021-22, finishing her four-year varsity career with 453 steals over just 80 games. She also was added for drilling 17 free throws in 22 attempts against Fowler. She plays now at Saginaw Valley State.
Gabby Piepho got off to a fast start at Howell as a freshman last season, and at a record-setting pace at the free-throw line. She made 93 of 107 attempts over 25 games, for an .869 percentage that made the single-season list. That included a string of 47 straight free throws that ranks as the second-longest in MHSAA history. As a team, Howell tied for sixth all-time with 301 free throws over 25 games, on 439 attempts.
Kent City’s Lexie Bowers reached the single-season 3-pointers list for the second time last season, connecting on 72 of 233 tries over 26 games (after making 77 as a junior), and finished her four-season varsity career 16th on that 3-pointers list with 225 in 693 attempts over 99 games. She’s continuing her career at Northwood. Kent City as a team also reached the single-season 3-pointers made and attempted lists again, ranking fourth with 753 attempts and tying for eighth all-time by connecting on 202.
Posen then-junior Faith Cousins earned a par of record book entries during 2021-22 for assists. Her 16 in a District Final win on March 4, 2022, remain tied for fifth-most in one game, and she finished with 165 over 22 games for the season. She’s set to begin her softball career at Alma College.
Niles Brandywine went over 20 wins again this past season, finishing 21-3, and again the 3-pointer was a key tool in that pursuit. Brandywine made the record book with back-to-back games of 13 3-pointers to close the regular season, and finished with 175 3-pointers in 592 attempts over 23 games (with one won by forfeit).
Greenville’s Megan Leslie averaged more than two 3-pointers a game during her four-season varsity career, making the record list with 153 total over 76 games through graduation this spring. She’s continuing her career at Alma College.
Successful 3-point shooting played a major role in Saline finishing 21-4 with league and District titles last winter. The Hornets attempted 704 3-pointers – ninth-most all-time for one season – and connected on 191, which is 12th on that list. They made a season-high 14 against Ypsilanti Lincoln on Nov. 29 to make the single-game list.
Marcellus senior Brooklyn VanTilburg enjoyed a big finish to her high school career last winter, making the record book with 16 blocked shots in a game against Centreville and 135 blocks total for the season. She’ll continue at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
Kennedy Gustafson made headlines last winter as a sophomore and earned a pair of record listings for her rebounding. She grabbed 26 in a March 3 District Final win over Muskegon Western Michigan Christian, and she finished with 376 rebounds over 25 games for the season.
PHOTO Hemlock's Regan Finkbeiner, left, follows through on a free throw attempt during last season's Division 3 Final, and Rockford's Grace Lyons launches the game-winning 3-pointer in Division 1.
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls Report Week 6
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 13, 2025
January signals the start of a two-month trek for basketball teams as they push through the heart of winter toward March, the playoffs, and hopefully a trip to East Lansing to finish the season.
It’s also when we start pointing toward our Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) and the data we’re calculating on every MHSAA team in the state to seed our District brackets, which will begin play March 3.
This season, for the first time, those brackets will be seeded in their entirety (not just the top two teams) – making every result that much more important. We detail several of last week’s below, and more matchups coming up as girls hoops teams approach the season’s midpoint.
“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. Grass Lake 53, Detroit Renaissance 49 (OT) Earlier games against tough larger opponents no doubt prepped Division 3 Grass Lake (5-3) to hand the Division 1 Phoenix (10-1) their first defeat, as part of the Rocket Hoop Classic at Westland John Glenn.
2. Rockford 51, Tecumseh 45 The Division 1 Rams’ impressive weekend run of Saturdays continued as they improved to 10-1 by downing a previously-undefeated Division 2 contender in Tecumseh (7-1) at The Platform in Grand Rapids.
3. Tecumseh 53, Chelsea 41 Although it did lose its first game to finish the week, Tecumseh (7-1) earlier earned a significant win to open Southeastern Conference White play by handing Chelsea (6-1) its lone loss.
4. Paw Paw 71, Kalamazoo Christian 61 Paw Paw (7-1) is a one-point defeat from a perfect start and ended the same for Kalamazoo Christian (7-1).
5. Ewen-Trout Creek 56, Lake Linden-Hubbell 41 This could end up a decider in the Copper Mountain Conference as E-TC (9-1) took an important step by handing the Lakes (7-2) their first league loss.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Dexter (6-4) The Dreadnaughts’ four defeats came to teams that are a combined 34-3, and that may have made their record a bit deceptive before handing Saline its first loss of the season last week 55-30. Doing so kept Dexter in a first-place tie with Temperance Bedford in the SEC Red heading into Tuesday’s first of two meetings this season with the Kicking Mules. Dexter also handed Mio its lone defeat, 56-48 on Dec. 28, as it builds off last season’s 17-8 run that included a District title.
Grand Haven (7-1) Coming off a four-place league finish but 18-6 overall record last season, Grand Haven could be poised to make a move in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red. A 60-48 loss to league-leader Rockford on Jan. 3 is a good barometer early, and the Buccaneers bounced right back by downing Hudsonville 57-36 last week. They also handed Midland what remains its only defeat, 50-35 on Dec. 14, and earned a notable 55-22 victory over Ludington – a Division 2 Regional finalist last year.
DIVISION 2
Detroit Country Day (10-0) Country Day just missed eliminating Division 2 champion Detroit Edison in a Regional Semifinal last season, falling 59-57, and the Yellowjackets have stormed through the first half of this winter with wins over Grass Lake, Dexter (both noted above) and last week previously-undefeated Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 49-39 and reigning Division 1 champion West Bloomfield 66-59. Country Day travels to Frankenmuth tonight for what should be a telling matchup, and a Feb. 21 meeting with Renaissance should provide another solid test with the postseason approaching.
Grand Rapids West Catholic (8-1) The Falcons enjoyed a big weekend, first downing O-K Gold rival Grand Rapids South Christian 62-49 on Friday and then 2024 Division 1 quarterfinalist Holt 56-46 on Saturday at The Platform. Expectations were high again this season after West Catholic missed making the Division 2 Final last year with a two-point Semifinal loss. The Falcons’ lone defeat this winter was to Parma Western during the first week, and no other opponent has come within single digits.
DIVISION 3
Lawton (6-1) The Blue Devils have climbed from three to nine to 13 to 16 wins over the last four seasons, respectively, and might be lining up to take another step with their only loss so far to Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep. Lawton bounced back last week to hand Saugatuck its only defeat, 50-43, and will have a chance to move into the lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley on Friday when it sees leader Kalamazoo Christian for the first of two meetings.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (9-0) The Kestrels have a one-game league in the Huron League as they seek to repeat as champions. An early 64-40 win over Riverview was key to that start, and they’ll see one-loss New Boston Huron tonight for the first of two meetings this season. Only Flat Rock, falling 38-30, has come within single digits of catching SMCC, which finished 19-5 overall a year ago. One of those losses came in a split with Carleton Airport, and St. Mary already has defeated the Jets 65-48.
DIVISION 4
Fowler (7-1) The Eagles are a 46-43 loss to undefeated Pewamo-Westphalia from being unbeaten instead, and they’re surely looking forward to that rematch Feb. 5. In the meantime, they’ve kept in contention in the always-tough Central Michigan Athletic Conference with wins over Laingsburg and Portland St. Patrick, and defeats of Alma and last week Lansing Christian also were notable. Circle a Jan. 21 matchup with Division 1 Holt as another that could be telling as Fowler attempts to return to Breslin for the sixth-straight season (not counting 2020, which ended prematurely due to COVID-19).
St. Ignace (8-1) The Saints already have rebounded from their lone loss this season, defeating Sault St. Marie 57-46 on Friday after losing the first meeting 50-49 on Dec. 3 – with Friday’s victory also ending a five-game losing streak against the rival Blue Devils. St. Ignace – 18-8 last season – also owns a solid 56-40 win over Harbor Springs and is tied for first in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Conference with Brimley with their first of two meetings scheduled for Jan. 23.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Detroit Renaissance (10-1) at Detroit Cass Tech (8-2) – Renaissance leads the Detroit Public School League Blue and Cass Tech is second and a game back after the Phoenix won the first meeting 57-48 on Dec. 9.
Tuesday – DeWitt (8-1) at Haslett (7-1) – Picking which game this week was bigger for the Vikings was tough, as they will come off this matchup with their longtime rival to take on St. Johns (8-1) in a key Capital Area Activities Conference Red clash Friday.
Friday – Berrien Springs (7-0) at Niles Brandywine (9-0) – These two are tied for first in the Lakeland Conference as the first round of league games comes to close, and they’ll meet in the league finale next month as well.
Friday – Temperance Bedford (6-1) at Saline (8-1) – The Hornets may be coming off their first loss, but they will have plenty of opportunities to make noise in the SEC Red starting with this matchup against the league’s co-leader.
Saturday – Mio (5-1) vs. TBD at St. Ignace – The Thunderbolts remains one of the most intriguing teams in the state regardless of division, and a matchup with the host Saints (8-1) at the B.C. Pizza Classic no doubt would draw a few eyes.
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PHOTOS (Top) East Lansing’s Sydney Black (11) winds up to send a pass to teammate Navaeh Vasquez while Holt’s Breanna Cornelius attempts to deflect it during the Rams 65-52 win Friday. (Middle) Birmingham Seaholm’s Addy Flynn (24) works to get past Davison’s Gracie Wright during the Maples’ 36-34 overtime victory Thursday. (Holt/East Lansing photo by John Johnson. Seaholm/Davison photo by Terry Lyons.)