Renaissance Emerges from Defensive Struggle to Earn Saturday Return
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 20, 2026
EAST LANSING — Detroit Renaissance head coach DaShaun Wood was short yet succinct describing the final minute of his team’s Division 1 Semifinal against DeWitt on Friday.
“It’s like my heart stopped a few times for sure,” Wood said.
He probably wasn’t the only one in what was a thrilling finish to a defensive struggle.
Renaissance ultimately prevailed, advancing to its first Division 1 championship game since 2021 with a 32-28 triumph over a DeWitt team that nearly made it two improbable comebacks in a row.
On Tuesday in a Quarterfinal upset of No. 1-ranked and 2025 Division 1 champion Belleville, DeWitt rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half and a seven-point deficit to start the fourth quarter.
Trailing 28-19 midway through the fourth quarter Friday and having scored just two points during the second half up to that point, DeWitt all of a sudden went on a quick 7-0 run to cut the Renaissance lead to 28-26 with 2:57 remaining in the game.
After the teams traded baskets to make it 30-28 Renaissance, the Phoenix tried to take time off the clock during the final minute and were fouled on two occasions. On both trips to the line, Renaissance missed both free throws – but got the ball back off the second misses both times to retain possession.
“Yeah, that was tough,” DeWitt head coach Bill McCullen said. “We’re so close to one, but we stepped on the end line (after grabbing the rebound), which would have been a huge possession. Obviously, we felt like we had some momentum building and getting our crowd into it.”
Following a timeout, Renaissance sophomore Kassidy Cain was fouled with 15.3 seconds left. Cain sank both free throws to make it 32-28, and Renaissance got one more stop to seal the game.
The Phoenix hopes to win its first Finals title in the largest classification against Muskegon. Renaissance’s previous championship was won in Class B in 2005.
“They’re hungry,” Wood said of Muskegon. “They’re seniors, and they know what’s on the line. We know we’re going to get their best shot.”
Only one player in the game scored in double figures – DeWitt senior Sophia Beland, who finished with 10 points.
Trailing 17-14 at halftime, Renaissance surged ahead with a strong third quarter, outscoring DeWitt 12-2 in the stanza to take a 26-19 lead into the fourth.
“I thought in the first half, we never really settled in offensively,” Wood said. “We’ve had those moments a few times this year, just settling into the game and believing in our abilities.”
DeWitt, which was supposed to go through something of a rebuilding year with just two seniors, finished 22-5 and figures to have a bright future.
In addition to Beland, Carly Dennis was the other senior.
“I’m not sure I can be any more proud of the two of them, their leadership and what they accomplished,” McCullen said his seniors. “Not just this season, but in their careers. We put a lot on both of their shoulders. I mean, you can see today they rarely come out of the game, and we ask a lot of them both offensively and defensively.”
PHOTOS (Top) Renaissance’s Maria Walker (1) follows a screen from teammate Jaebri’an Autry (22) during their team’s win over DeWitt on Friday. (Middle) The Panthers’ Jaynie English (22) and Carly Dennis contend with Walker for possession. (Photos by Keionna Banks and John Castine/Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)
Title IX at 50: Carney-Nadeau Sets Girls Hoops Standard with 78-Win Streak
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 22, 2022
As we wrap up our series of “Title IX at 50” celebrations for the winter sports season, we recall a team that didn’t lose for nearly three of those years.
From opening night 1989 until its Regional Final in 1991, Carney-Nadeau’s girls basketball team won every game – a stretch of 78 straight that remains the MHSAA record in the sport and has been approached by only a few others over the last three decades.
The 1989 team, with Connie Berger’s 22 points leading four scorers in double digits, downed Potterville 73-59 in Class D to win the program’s first Finals championship. The Wolves, who had made the Class D Semifinals in 1988 before registering their only loss that season in ending 25-1, finished 1989 28-0.
Jill Wetthuhn, who had scored 16 points in the 1989 Class D Final, poured in a team-high 19 as Carney-Nadeau downed Fowler 56-31 in the 1990 Class D championship game. The Wolves finished that season 27-0.
Carney-Nadeau had won its first 23 games of the 1991 season when it met also-undefeated Baraga in a Class D Regional Final, and that’s where the streak ended – with a 54-49 Baraga win.
Paul Polfus coached all of those Carney-Nadeau teams, in total leading the program to a 502-124 record from 1979-2005. He brought the Wolves one more Class D title, in 2001.
Pittsford came closest to matching the win streak with 76 consecutive victories from Dec. 1, 2015, through Feb. 26, 2018 – a run which included Class D championships in 2017 and 2018 and began after the Wildcats lost in overtime to St. Ignace in the 2015 Class D Final.
The Flint Northern teams of 1978-81 put together 75 straight wins, and Northern also won 71 straight from Aug. 30, 1994 through Nov. 26, 1996.
Second Half's weekly Title IX Celebration posts are sponsored by Michigan Army National Guard.
Previous Title IX at 50 Spotlights
March 15: Binder Among Voices Telling Our Story on MHSAA Network - Read
March 8: 28 Years, Thousands of Cheers - Read
March 1: Kearsley Rolls On Among Girls Bowling's Early Successes - Read
Feb. 22: Marquette Ties Record for Swim & Dive Finals Success - Read
Feb. 15: Jaeger's 2004 Winter Run Created Lasting Connection - Read
Feb. 8: Marian's Cicerone to Finish Among All-Time Elite - Read
Feb. 1: WISL Award Honors Builders of State's Girls Sports Tradition - Read
Jan. 25: Decades Later, Edwards' Legend Continues to Grow - Read
Jan. 18: Iron Mountain Completes Championship Climb - Read
Jan. 11: Harrold's Achievement Heralds Growth of Girls Wrestling - Read
Dec. 20: Competitive Cheer Gives Michigan Plenty to Cheer About - Read
Dec. 14: Evelyn's Game Had Plenty of Magic - Read
Dec. 7: Council Term Ends, But Leinaar Leaves Lasting Impact - Read
Nov. 30: Basketball Season Ready to Add to Rich Tradition - Read
Nov. 23: Marysville Builds Winning Streak Yet to be Challenged - Read
Nov. 16: Wroubel Has Championed Girls School Sports from Their Start - Read
Nov. 9: Pioneer's Joyce Legendary in Michigan, National Swim History - Read
Nov. 2: Royal Oak's Finch Leading Way on Football Field - Read
Oct. 26: Coach Clegg Sets Championship Standard at Grand Blanc - Read
Oct. 19: Rockford Girls Set Pace, Hundreds After Have Continued to Chase - Read
Oct. 12: Bedford Volleyball Pioneer Continues Blazing Record-Setting Trail - Read
Oct. 5: Warner Paved Way to Legend Status with Record Rounds - Read
Sept. 28: Taylor Kennedy Gymnasts Earn Fame as 1st Champions - Read
Sept. 21: Portage Northern Star Byington Becomes Play-by-Play Pioneer - Read
Sept. 14: Guerra/Groat Legacy Continues to Serve St. Philip Well - Read
Sept. 7: Best-Ever Conversation Must Include Leland's Glass - Read
Aug. 31: We Will Celebrate Many Who Paved the Way - Read
PHOTO Carney-Nadeau celebrates its 1990 Class D basketball championship. (MHSAA file photo)