Performance of the Week: Ravenna's Emily Postema

April 24, 2026

Emily Postema headshotEmily Postema ♦ Ravenna
Senior ♦ Softball

Coming off a Friday night sweep of Division 2 No. 5 Wayland, Ravenna took on three of the most highly-regarded Division 1 teams in the state Saturday at the Grand Haven Invitational – and downed them all to win the tournament, with major contributions from Postema, a returning all-state honorable mention catcher and one of two seniors helping pace the Bulldogs as they pursue a repeat trip to Finals weekend.

Postema was 2-for-2 during a 10-0 win over Division 1 honorable mention Traverse City Central, drove in the game-winning run in a 4-3 victory over honorable mention Midland Dow and also was 2-for-2 with a double in an 11-0 win over the No. 7 Buccaneers. Ravenna is 15-0 and ranked No. 2 in this week’s coaches poll coming off last season’s trip to the Division 3 Semifinals. Postema also was the starting catcher when Ravenna reached the Semifinals her freshman season, and she was a four-year varsity basketball player as well and earned all-league and all-area recognition this winter. She’ll continue her academic and softball careers at Cornerstone University, where she’s planning to study exercise science with a specialty in cardiac rehabilitation.

@mhsaasports 🥎POW:Emily Postema #ravenna #softball #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA

@mhsaasports 🥎POW:Emily Postema #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #highschoolsports #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA

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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and X @mistudentaid.

Previous 2025-26 honorees

April 16: Katie Berkshire, Gaylord track - Report
March 26:
Kayla Hairston, Goodrich basketball - Report
March 19:
Liam Smith, Otsego swimming - Report
March 12:
Jack Sayen, Houghton hockey - Report
March 5:
Devin Patrick, St. Clair Shores Lake Shore - Report
Feb. 26: 
Madison Nieuwenhuis, Plainwell wrestling - Report
Feb. 20: Sophie Ramey, Allen Park competitive cheer - Report
Feb. 13:
Cam Ryans, Grand Rapids Northview basketball - Report
Feb. 6:
Melanie Kolnitys, Midland Dow basketball - Report
Jan. 29:
Stella Musialowski, Huron Valley United gymnastics - Report
Jan. 22:
Baylor Perkins, Grand Blanc swimming - Report
Jan. 15:
Delaney Vanier, Flint Kearsley bowling - Report
Jan. 8:
Stevie Hall, Detroit Cass Tech basketball - Report
Dec. 18:
Ethan Martha, Ishpeming Westwood basketball - Report
Dec. 11:
Louis Smith, Three Rivers wrestling - Report
Dec. 4:
Traverse Moore, DeWitt football - Report
Nov. 28:
Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield swimming - Report
Nov. 20:
Brady Kieff, Blanchard Montabella football - Report
Nov. 13:
Ella Laupp, Battle Creek Harper Creek swimming - Report
Nov. 7:
Hunter Eaton, Charlevoix cross country - Report
Oct. 31:
Stephen Gollapalli, Lansing Christian tennis - Report
Oct. 23:
Talya Schreiber, Pickford cross country - Report
Oct. 16:
Avery Manning, Dexter golf - Report
Oct. 9:
Brady Van Laecke, Hudsonville football - Report 
Oct. 2:
Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25:
Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18:
Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11:
Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4:
Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report

(Photos provided by the Postema family.)

Performance of the Week: Freeland's TJ Hansen

September 19, 2024

TJ Hansen headshotTJ Hansen ♦ Freeland
Senior ♦ Cross Country

Despite a steamy day at Michigan State, Hansen ran a 15:24.6 to win last weekend’s Spartan Invitational Elite race by nearly four seconds. The victory came against a truly “elite” field; Hansen is the reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion and was followed by Marshall senior Jack Bidwell (fourth in LPD2 in 2023) and Jenison senior Seth Conner (fifth in LPD1).

Hansen has won all but one race since the start of his junior season, and opened this fall with a 14:49.3 – just three seconds off his personal-record run and already 3.5 seconds faster than his championship time last fall at Michigan International Speedway. His 14:52.8 that day at MIS was the fastest Division 2 time in MHSAA Finals 5K history and tied for seventh-fastest for all classes and divisions. He said he’s chasing the 14-minute mark this fall; the fastest MHSAA Finals 5K time was 14:10.4 run by Rockford’s Dathan Ritzenhein in 2000. Hansen also won the 1,600 at the LPD2 Track & Field Finals in June after finishing first in the 3,200 as a sophomore, and he will run on both the cross country and track & field teams at Colorado.

@mhsaasports 🏃‍♂️‍➡️POW: TJ Hansen #crosscountry #freeland #invitational #winner #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA

@mhsaasports 🏃‍♂️‍➡️POW: TJ Hansen #tiktalk #questiontime #ronaldo #bucketlist #travel #laughing #crying #emoji #phone #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

Previous 2024-25 honorees

Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6:
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30:
Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report

PHOTO Freeland's TJ Hansen surges toward the finish of this season's Spartan Invitational Elite race. (Click for more from John Brabbs/RunMichigan.com.)