Senior Standouts Rally & Reign in D1

By Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com

March 7, 2020

ALLEN PARK – Denny O’Neill described Cheyenne Washington as a four-year stalwart in the Lake Orion program, coachable and a leader.

He could now describe her as a champion as she rallied from a 19-pin deficit against Lauren Slagter of Jenison to claim the Division 1 Finals singles title Saturday at Thunderbowl Lanes, 392-353.

Slagter opened in the second, fifth and seventh frames to open the door for the Dragons’ senior.

“I just wanted to keep making good shots and have fun,’’ said Washington. “It really didn’t matter about the score. Instead of playing in, like the girls were playing, I had to play outside. I had to change balls because the boys pushed the oil to the outside, but that’s the line I like playing. It’s a great feeling.’’ 

“She’s my team captain this year, and she has great family support,’’ O’Neill said. “She has been a pleasure to coach – very trainable and she listens.’’

Slagter advanced to the final by beating Carrington Beaman of Farmington, 483-385, while Washington eliminated Anna Maxwell of Westland John Glenn, 418-351.

In the boys division, Utica Eisenhower’s Dylan Kelley was trying to add a singles title to his team’s championship on Friday. Standing in his way was smooth lefty Izaac Goergen of Midland. Splits on Lane 5 had Goergen searching for an adjustment. He found it and claimed the title against Kelley, who couldn’t find the pocket.

“I had been throwing urethane all day, the purple Hammer, and we noticed the shot was tighter,’’ said Goergen. “With the girls pushing the oil inside, I had to change balls. I went to my pearl Idol, and it made all the difference. I guess it worked.’’

The Macomb Area Conference bowlers dominated the top spots in both divisions as junior Dani Decruydt of St. Clair Shores Lakeshore was the top qualifier in the girls division at 1,268. Second was Samantha Mason of Sterling Heights (1,267), and third was Allyson Sand of Macomb L’Anse Creuse North (1,262).

Decruydt made a quick exit as the top seed as she was knocked out by 16th seed Kayla Mazure of L’Anse Creuse North (389-382). Mazure advanced to face Washington, who eliminated Noelle Phillips of Traverse City West, 459-417.

Second seed Mason was knocked out by the 15th seed, freshman Angelita Rodriguez of Wyandotte Roosevelt, 372-332. Rodriguez moved on to face Beaman, who had defeated Evelyn Cano of Flushing, 391-380. Beaman overcame some thumb issues and dispatched Rodriguez to advance to the semifinals.

The top remaining seed was Sand, who downed of Carmen Corona of Warren Cousino, 448-336.

Jenison also had two bowlers make it to the round of eight as Anna Bartz beat Ondrea Ream of Traverse Central 403-315 and Slagter knocked out Katherine Dybicki of Belleville, 421-378.

LCN’s Sand and Mazure lost in the round of eight; Sand to Jenison’s Slagter, 472-373, and Mazure to Washington 341-329. Jenison’s Bartz was eliminated by Maxwell, 380-326.

In the boys division sophomore Carter Milasinovich of Utica Eisenhower was the top marksman at 1,395 followed by Noah Samuels of Salem (1,377) and Goergen of Midland (1,365).

The upsets in the boys division started early as well as Samuels lost to sophomore Ben Augustitus of St. Clair Shores Lakeshore (446-393). Salem teammate Jon Hall also lost to a sophomore, Justin Strait of Grand Haven (436-378). That ended the weekend for Salem, which finished runner-up in the Team Final on Friday.

Strait ended Augustitus’ day in the quarterfinal, 409-355, to advance to the semis.

Eisenhower’s Milasinovich also didn’t last long, as he was beaten in the first round of match play by Matt Buck of Rockford (437-373). However, teammate Kelley advanced to the quarterfinal round, opening match play with a win over Julihanni Alcini of Roseville.

Marco Ramirez of Brownstown Woodhaven advance to the semifinals by beating Buck, 484-378 while Goergen bettered Davison’s Brendan Ashley, 428-380. He then faced Kelley, who had beaten David Schaberg of Holt, 474-386. 

Click for full girls results and boys results.

MHSAA Announces Sites, Schedule Details for Winter Indoor Sports Finals

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 10, 2021

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has confirmed sites for its indoor Winter sports championship rounds, including an adjustment for the Individual Wrestling Finals that will allow more fans to attend that event after an increase in spectators limits was put into effect March 5 by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

The Individual Wrestling Finals previously were announced to be competed in full at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. However, a change moving two divisions to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids will allow for more fans, primarily immediate family, to attend. Previously, wrestlers were to be limited to one spectator per participant; with multiple sites, wrestlers will be allowed multiple spectators each.

Similarly, Van Andel and the Breslin Center in East Lansing will host additional events to allow more fans to attend championship rounds in competitive cheer and girls and boys basketball. Both facilities have capacities of more than 10,000 spectators and may host up to 750 per MDHHS guidelines. 

The Competitive Cheer Finals will move to Breslin Center to allow more fans to attend compared to other venues that were being considered. Semifinals in girls and boys basketball will be split by divisions between Breslin Center and Van Andel Arena, in part to provide for greater attendance and also to keep those rounds scheduled to just two locations instead of spreading games across a number of others.

The following are sites and schedules for Finals weekends for the remaining MHSAA Tournaments this winter, with further updates to be posted to the MHSAA Website:

Girls Basketball
Where:
Division 1 and 3 Semifinals at Breslin Center in East Lansing. Division 2 and 4 Semifinals at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. All four Finals will be played at Breslin Center.
When: Semifinals are April 7, with Divisions 3 and 4 beginning at 10 a.m. at their respective sites followed by Divisions 1 and 2 at 3:30 p.m. Finals on April 9 will be played at 10 a.m. (D4), 12:30 p.m. (D1), 3 p.m. (D3) and 5:30 p.m. (D2).

Boys Basketball
Where:
Division 1 and 3 Semifinals at Breslin Center in East Lansing. Division 2 and 4 Semifinals at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. All four Finals will be played at Breslin Center.
When: Semifinals are April 8, with Divisions 3 and 4 beginning at 10 a.m. at their respective sites followed by Divisions 1 and 2 at 3:30 p.m. Finals on April 10 will be played at 10 a.m. (D4), 12:30 p.m. (D1), 3 p.m. (D3) and 5:30 p.m. (D2).

Girls & Boys Bowling
Where:
Division 1 at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Division 2 at Century Bowl in Waterford, Division 3 at Jax 60 in Jackson and Division 4 at Super Bowl in Canton.
When: Team Finals are Friday, March 26, and Singles Finals are March 27. Both events begin at 8 a.m.

Competitive Cheer
Where:
Breslin Center, East Lansing
When: Friday, March 26 – Division 3 at 10 a.m., Division 1 at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 27 – Division 2 at 10 a.m., Division 4 at 3 p.m.

Gymnastics
Where:
Rockford High School
When: Team Finals on Friday, March 26, beginning at 2 p.m. Individual Finals on March 27, beginning at noon.

Ice Hockey
Where: USA Hockey Arena
When: Semifinals on Thursday, March 25, for Division 2 beginning at 4:30 p.m., and March 26 for Divisions 1 and 3 with first games for those divisions beginning at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively. All three Finals will be played March 27, at 11 a.m. (D2), 3 p.m. (D3) and 7 p.m. (D1).

Boys Swimming & Diving – Lower Peninsula
Where:
Division 1 at Hudsonville High School, Division 2 at Jenison High School, Division 3 at Hamilton High School (diving) and Holland Aquatic Center (swimming).
When: Diving on Friday, March 26, and all swimming Finals are March 27. Start times are being determined.

Girls & Boys Swimming & Diving – Upper Peninsula
Where:
Marquette High School
When: Diving this Friday, March 12, 2:35 p.m. Swimming is Saturday, March 13, beginning at 11:05 a.m.

Wrestling – Team
Where:
Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Divisions 2 and 4 in the Arena and Divisions 1 and 3 in the Valley for pre-Finals rounds. All Finals in the Arena.
When: March 30. Quarterfinals will be followed by Semifinals and Finals, with start times to be determined.

Wrestling – Individual
Where:
Divisions 1 and 3 at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. Divisions 2 and 4 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
When: Divisions 2 and 3 on Friday, April 2. Divisions 1 and 4 on Saturday, April 3. Starts times are being determined.