High 5s: 3/20/12
March 20, 2012
Every Tuesday, Second Half honors 2-4 athletes and a team for its accomplishments.
Have a suggestion for a future High 5? Please offer it by e-mail to [email protected]. Candidates often will have accomplished great things on the field of play -- but also will be recognized for less obvious contributions to their teams, schools or the mission of high school athletics.
Madison Ristovski
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett senior
Basketball
Ristovski led her team to within a win of the Class C championship. She had 15 points and seven assists in a Semifinal win over Concord on Thursday, then scored 42 points -- second-most in MHSAA girls championship game history -- although the Knights fell 61-57 to Morley-Stanwood in Saturday's Final. Earlier in the week, she was named this season's Miss Basketball as the state's top senior player. She was joined on the Knights this season by junior sister Haleigh and freshman sister Lola.
Up next: Ristovski received a scholarship offer from the Unversity of Michigan after her freshman year, and accepted it as a junior. She's hopes to study education, get her teaching certificate and go into school administration.
Before the game, a winning routine: "Every single game day I wear the same outfit to school. I always eat the same pre-game meal -- a cheeseburger and medium fries from McDonald's. I sit in the same spot on the same bus for every game. ... I have to play with curly hair. I can't play with straight hair. I'm very superstitious."
Favorite offensive move: "With my right hand, cross over to the middle and jumpshot."
I learned the most about basketball from: "My dad, Loren Ristovski. My dad first started coaching when I was about nine months old (he coached at Harper Woods for 10 years). That's when he first started taking me into the gym. I could sit up at nine months, and I would roll the ball back and forth with my dad in the gym. I just went to everthing, and I grew up in the gym with my dad."
My favorite player is: "Pistol" Pete Maravich.
Sister power: "I'm really competitive with them in practice. We always go against each other, and we always make sure to push each other the hardest we can. In the games, I'm really supportive of them, but also I tell them when they are doing something wrong. Haleigh is a really good defender, but she can shoot the lights out. Lola can dribble really well and (is strong) in transition. I'm better at going to the basket and finding open players."
Had to be a Wolverine: "When I was in fifth grade, U-M was the very first basketball camp I went to outside of the local rec place and the high school. It was a huge place, and I loved it. My dad and I walked out of Crisler Arena, and my dad looked around and said to me, 'This is where you'll play basketball.' And I was like, 'Are you crazy? Those girls are so big.' My dad said, 'Madison, I promise you'll play at U-M.' Ever since, that's where I wanted to go."
Shar'Rae Davis
Grand Haven senior
Basketball
Davis, a point guard, scored 19 points -- including the winning lay-up with six seconds to play -- as Grand Haven completed an 18-point comeback to beat Grosse Pointe South 54-53 in Saturday's Class A Final at the Breslin Center. The 18-point comeback was the third-biggest in MHSAA girls basketball championship game history. The Buccaneers also beat reigning champion Inkster in their Semifinal. The MHSAA title was Grand Haven's first. The team lost only once this season, early to East Kentwood.
"I'm so happy we lost that game. It definitely gave us a shift back into our mindset that we need to work hard every game to get where we are now -- state champs."
Up next: Davis is remaining quiet at this point about who is recruiting her, but expects to play basketball at the college level.
Staying relaxed before the game: "We definitely listen to music. You would think all us girls would get our heads into it, be super serious. But our team can't be serious. We're an outgoing team. Before (Friday's) game, we were dancing in the locker room. And we definitely have a team prayer thanking God for everything he does for us."
I learned the most about basketball from: "I would have to say my family, every single one. I can't even put it specifically. My dad (Terry Foster), my little brother (Terrence II), my mom (Cavina Foster). They've all just contributed in every way. I love them all."
My favorite player is: "Either Kobe (Bryant) or LeBron (James). Game-wise, they are just pretty amazing. How they're able to stay calm and collected in games, hit shots under pressure, all that type of thing. I try to resemble their games. They're pretty awesome players."
Alexis Huntey
Morley-Stanwood senior
Basketball
Huntey, a 6-foot-1 center, had 27 points and 16 rebounds as Morley-Stanwood won its first MHSAA girls basketball championship by edging Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett 61-57 in Saturday's Class C Final. She also played a sizable role in Morley-Stanwood winning its second volleyball championship in the fall. She was named all-state this winter by The Associated Press and was a Miss Volleyball finalist in the fall. At that time she reported a 3.98 grade-point average.
Up next: Huntey has signed to play volleyball this fall at George Washington University. She's continuing a Division I college legacy in her family -- her father and Morley-Stanwood athletic director Clark Huntey played baseball at Central Michigan.
Basketball vs. volleyball championship: "There's definitely a comparable feeling to it. But it's so different. In basketball there are more nerves. Bigger gyms. It's (Michigan) State. I was really excited."
I learned the most about basketball from: "I would have to say Coach (Bob) Raven. I've looked up to him since I was this tall, and I was a water girl. I've always been so excited just to play for him."
Pre-game prep: "We stretch and then we pray as a team. Bailey (Cairnduff) leads it."
My favorite move is: "I fake up to the left, and the go back to the left."
James Counsman
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett junior
Hockey
Counsman, a left win, had a goal and an assist in University Liggett's Division 3 Semifinal win over Chelsea on March 9, then scored his team's first two goals in its 3-0 win over Houghton in the next day's championship game. The MHSAA title was University Liggett's first in hockey since 1990. Counsman also plays lacrosse.
"I've never won anything of this caliber. It's great. I love it. We've done so much. ... Every guy has worked as hard as he can to make this happen. I'm glad we achieved our goal."
Up next: Counsman is just a junior, but hopes to play college hockey, perhaps at the Division III level, and would like to take a shot at playing juniors as well. At this point, he's considering a major in business.
I've learned the most about hockey from: "(Liggett coach) Robb McIntyre. He's coached me all throughout my growing up. He's been an awesome coach. I've learned everything from him."
I look up to: "Definitely my dad (Rich Counsman). He played college sports (football and baseball at Kalamazoo College), and he's just a great guy. I love him."
Before every game: "I gotta get in my jump ropes. I like to get in a nice long run, not too much stretching, and I gotta have a grape jelly peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. That's what we do. I like Smuckers, Jiff peanut butter. There's a process to making these sandwiches. Every guy makes them before games. Individually wrapped, cut diagonally, grape jelly."
Goodrich Girls Basketball
The Martians finished 28-0 in winning the Class B championship, their first MHSAA title. Goodrich beat a number of ranked teams in Class A, B and C this season, including No. 3 Detroit Country Day, No. 6 Dearborn Divine Child and No. 10 Grand Rapids Catholic Central in the final three rounds, respectively, of the Class B tournament. Divine Child was the reigning Class B champion. Among others to fall to the Martians this season were Class A Semifinalist Inkster and Class C runner-up University Liggett.
Breslin Bound: Girls District Preview
February 27, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We’ve spent the regular season trying to get a grasp of which teams might be the ones to beat once the MHSAA Tournament began.
Starting tonight, every girls basketball team in Michigan gets to start over – and those favorites can show if what they’ve accomplished the last three months will carry over to the most important three weeks of this winter.
Over the next two weeks, we’ll alter the format of our Breslin Bound reports – powered by MI Student Aid – still looking at some of the key results from last week but also at three of the most eye-catching brackets in each class for the upcoming week of playoffs. This week, that means we’ll take closer looks at 12 Districts total in addition to some scores from last week that could be telling as we roll into March.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Martin Luther King 48 Farmington Hills Mercy 45 (OT) – Mercy gave the Crusaders their toughest challenge in two months, but King won the Operation Friendship headliner to finish 19-1.
2. Bark River-Harris 73, Crystal Falls Forest Park 60 – Not only did the Broncos upset a Class D championship favorite, but they also ended up finishing ahead of the Trojans for the Skyline Central Conference West title.
3. Traverse City St. Francis 49, Gaylord St. Mary 39 – The Lake Michigan Conference co-champ downed the Ski Valley Conference winner in a matchup of teams that are a combined 37-3.
4. Hartland 61, Wayne Memorial 48 – The Eagles went from second in the West division last season to overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association champions with this win Friday.
5. Saginaw Heritage 52, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 22 – The Hawks finished 19-1 with this Saginaw Valley League crossover win over South champion Carman-Ainsworth, which suffered two of its three losses this season to Heritage.
Districts at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
CLASS A
Muskegon-Reeths-Puffer
Grand Haven (14-6), Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills (5-15), Grand Rapids Union (2-17), Muskegon (11-9), Muskegon Mona Shores (17-3), Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (15-5).
The three Muskegon teams took turns pushing each other this winter in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black as Mona Shores won the league title, Reeths-Puffer was second and Muskegon High finished third. The Sailors – led by Miss Basketball finalist Jordan Walker – won a District title last year and made the Regional Final, and this season avenged their lone league loss to Reeths-Puffer on Jan. 20 with a two-point victory in the rematch Feb. 17. Grand Haven was the runner-up to East Kentwood in the O-K Red and hardly would be a surprise champion with wins this season over Reeths-Puffer and Muskegon (and an 11-point loss to Mona Shores.)
Saginaw Heritage
Bay City Central (4-16), Bay City Western (13-7), Midland (14-6), Midland Dow (18-2), Mount Pleasant (7-13), Saginaw Heritage (19-1).
Heritage and Dow shared the Saginaw Valley League North title, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the winner of a Wednesday Semifinal between the two determines the eventual champion of this District. Heritage won the first meeting by three in overtime, but Dow won the rematch by two Feb. 10. Midland, on the other side of the bracket, could be ready to pounce in the championship game if that Wednesday winner has a letdown.
Troy
Auburn Hills Avondale (14-6), Birmingham Groves (18-2), Birmingham Seaholm (9-11), Bloomfield Hills (19-1), Bloomfield Hills Marian (15-5), Troy (6-14).
Bloomfield Hills has won 18 straight since losing early to Caledonia, running the table in the Oakland Activities Association White and earning a notable one-point nonleague win over Clarkston along the way. That’s a jump from 14-7 a year ago, when the Black Hawks fell in their District opener to Marian. The Mustangs went on to reach the Regional Final in 2016, and remain among the elite in Class A – especially considering three of this season’s losses came to Detroit Catholic League champion Farmington Hills Mercy. Bloomfield Hills and Marian would meet in the District Final this week – but Avondale will try to break into the mix as well.
CLASS B
Allendale
Allendale (1-19), Coopersville (8-12), Hamilton (19-1), Holland Christian (16-4), Hudsonville Unity Christian (12-8), Zeeland West (9-11).
The top four finishers from the O-K Green will square off again, with Hamilton coming off a perfect league run but with a one-point win over Unity in January and a two-pointer over Holland Christian last month. Hamilton and Unity meet in the 5:30 opener tonight. Coopersville, fourth in the O-K Blue, comes in with five wins over its last eight games.
Birch Run
Birch Run (17-3), Bridgeport (7-13), Carrollton (5-15), Frankenmuth (15-5), Saginaw Swan Valley (15-5).
The most intriguing matchup would come in the District Semifinal, where the host Panthers could see rival Frankenmuth for the first time since breaking the Eagles’ 105-game winning streak in the Tri-Valley Conference East on Feb. 7. But Birch Run must first fend off Swan Valley, which tied for second in the TVC Central behind undefeated Freeland but got within a point of beating the Falcons in their most recent meeting Jan. 31.
Midland Bullock Creek
Bay City John Glenn (16-4), Essexville Garber (13-7), Freeland (20-0), Midland Bullock Creek (11-9), Sanford Meridian Early College (1-19).
Freeland has won five straight District titles but will face its biggest test right away tonight in John Glenn, which eliminated the Falcons in the Regional Final last season on the way to making the Class B Semifinals. Garber in the District Semifinal and likely Bullock Creek in the championship game will give whichever team emerges tonight a few more notable obstacles this week.
CLASS C
Carson City-Crystal
Bath (17-3), Byron (16-4), Carson City-Crystal (17-2), Dansville (1-19), Laingsburg (17-3), Pewamo-Westphalia (18-2).
It would be easy, yet unwise, to look at this District strictly from the point of view that it includes the top three teams from the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, led by champion Bath. The Bees’ losses certainly were impressive – to Class A Howell, Class B favorite Ypsilanti Arbor Prep and to Laingsburg by a bucket. But host Carson City-Crystal has an argument as the favorite; it finished runner-up in the Mid-State Activities Conference to Class D power Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart and split with the Irish. Byron, meanwhile, shared the championship in the Genesee Area Conference Blue and takes on the Eagles tonight.
Negaunee
Gwinn (4-15), Ishpeming (15-5), Munising (20-0), Negaunee (16-4).
There are only four teams at this District, but it’s quite a group. Munising has won all of its games by at least 13 points and all but one by at least 20. The Mustangs are led by a strong senior class that won last season’s District but was stopped by Crystal Falls Forest Park in the Regional; Forest Park is in Class D this season, and regardless Munising beat the Trojans in that 13-point victory. Negaunee and Ishpeming finished second and third, respectively, in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference and are formidable as well; Negaunee won its District in 2016.
Sandusky
Genesee (9-9), Kingston (18-2), Marlette (10-9), Millington (11-9), Reese (18-2), Vassar (2-18), Sandusky (20-0).
We’ve mentioned more than once this season the strength of Class C in the Thumb, and some of those contenders will face off immediately this week. Undefeated Sandusky is on one side of this bracket and could see the winner of a Reese/Kingston Semifinal – although Millington surely will give Kingston a challenge tonight. Sandusky has wins over Marlette (twice), Reese and Kingston this season and hasn’t allowed an opponent to come closer than 10 points.
CLASS D
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian (7-12), Clarkston Everest Collegiate (9-10), Novi Franklin Road Christian (16-4), Waterford Our Lady (15-5).
Our Lady is coming off losses to Class C Royal Oak Shrine and Class B Livonia Ladywood, but made the Class D Semifinals last season and prepped earlier this winter with defeats to Class B Detroit Country Day and Harper Woods Chandler Park and Class A Clarkston. Still, the Lakers could get an early test in Wednesday’s Semifinal against Franklin Road Christian, which has doubled its win total from last season when it won a District title.
Lake Linden-Hubbell
Baraga (17-2), Chassell (15-5), Dollar Bay (8-12), Lake Linden-Hubbell (4-16), Ontonagon (9-11), Painesdale-Jeffers (14-6).
All but Ontonagon are from the Copper Mountain Conference’s Copper Country division, so it’s expected the field will be chasing league champion Baraga again. The Vikings did split with runner-up Painesdale-Jeffers during the regular season and got by Chassell by only two points in their second game, so this week could be tightly-contested. Chassell won the District a year ago.
Pickford
Cedarville (12-8), DeTour (12-7), Mackinac Island (4-11), Pickford (16-4).
Four of six teams in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Athletic Conference won at least 12 games during the regular season, and three of them are in this District. Pickford downed DeTour by 15 and nine in their meetings and split with Cedarville, winning the rematch Feb. 2. The Panthers are playing for a third straight District title.
PHOTO: Muskegon Mona Shores and Muskegon High, facing off earlier this season, are together in one of the strongest Class A Districts this week. (Photo by Tim Reilly.)