10 to Remember from 2011-12
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
July 11, 2012
Second Half's mission in this, its first school year, was to tell the best stories behind the scores and highlights of MHSAA competition.
Of course, every score and especially every championship has a story behind it. The MHSAA awarded 127 team and many more individual championships in 2011-12. Obviously we can't reflect on them all. But these 10 performances were loaded with prestige, drama and accomplishment that made them incredible stories for high school sports fans regardless of hometown or allegiance.
10. Grand Ledge gymnasts earn No. 5
The Comets had to fend off a charge by Canton, but won their fifth-straight MHSAA team title by 0.825 of a point with a final score of 149.400. The fifth-straight title tied the record set by Ludington from 1975-79 and extended Grand Ledge's first-place streak to 75 consecutive events. The next day, senior Christine Wilson and junior Sara Peltier swept the Division 1 and 2 individual titles, respectively.
9. West Bloomfield's Erin Finn joins elite
The Lakers junior said after her Division 1 cross country win that she'd dreamt of winning that title since she learned how to walk. She finished fourth as a sophomore before winning the championship by a little more than a second. After establishing herself as one of the top distance runners in the country in competitions over the winter, Finn finished the school year by winning the 3,200-meter run at the Division 1 Track and Field Final.
8. More and more Morley Stanwood
The Mohawks girls pulled off a rare feat this school year -- after winning their second MHSAA volleyball title in the fall, they added a first-ever girls basketball championship. Both efforts were keyed by seniors Alexis Huntey and Bailey Cairnduf, who had the most and second-most kills in the Class C Volleyball Final and then combined for 45 points and 25 rebounds in the basketball championship game.
That argument was made after Lansing Sexton claimed its second-straight Class B boys basketball championship in dominant fashion. The Big Reds finished 27-1, their only loss by a point to Detroit Pershing, and have won 74 games over the last three seasons -- tied for sixth-most in MHSAA history for that long of a stretch. Guards Denzel Valentine (Michigan State), Anthony Clemmons (Iowa) and Bryn Forbes (Cleveland State) all signed to play at Division I colleges this fall, with junior Jalen Hayes and freshman Trevor Manuel likely joining them in a few years.
Coyotes junior Sami Michell established herself as one of the top hurdlers in MHSAA history at the Division 3 Final by becoming the first Lower Peninsula girl to win four events at a championship meet since Mason County Eastern’s Maria Shoup in 1979. She set Division 3 records in the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and long jump, and her 300 time also was the best in MHSAA Finals history, regardless of division or class. She also won the 200.
Top-ranked Grand Haven's latest run at an MHSAA championship seemed all but over when Grosse Pointe South led the Class A final by 18 points with just under 10 minutes to play. But Shar'Rae Davis' fullcourt sprint and score that began with 12 seconds to play gave the Buccaneers a 54-53 win and their first title. It was the third-longest comeback in MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals history.
Livonia Ladywood had been a favorite to win its first MHSAA title all season -- with four-year pitcher Briana Combs in the circle. But when Combs couldn't finish the Semifinal because of an injury, rarely-thrown sophomore Lauren Hayes stepped in. All she did was finish that game and throw a three-hitter against Saginaw Swan Valley in the Final, while also getting three hits and driving in two of the team's four runs in the championship win.
St. Johns senior Taylor Massa finished off one of the most celebrated careers in MHSAA wrestling history with his fourth championship and not one loss during his high school career. Massa claimed the title at 171 pounds this year to go with others at 145, 152 and 160. He became the 15th in MHSAA history to win four titles, ranks 20th with 221 wins and seventh in the national record book for consecutive victories.
Grosse Pointe South's girls running teams had arguably the most dominant school year in MHSAA history, first winning the Division 1 cross country title before doing the same this spring in track and field. And the Blue Devils did it with mostly the same nucleus contributing to both -- particularly juniors Hannah and Haley Meier, sophomore Kelsie Schwartz and freshman Ersula Farrow. Those four combined to run a national record time of 8:48.29 in the 3,200 relay at the Division 1 Final this spring.
1. Short walk, championship run
Second Half was created as a place to tell great stories, Cass Tech made it easy on the first day of the Football Finals. The Technicians arrived at Ford Field after a short walk from their school. They had never played in a Final before and were unranked entering the postseason. They arrived with a strong group of seniors, but also a freshman quarterback named Jayru Campbell who ended up throwing five touchdown passes in a 49-13 win over No. 2 and perennial powerhouse Detroit Catholic Central.
PHOTO: The Morley Stanwood girls basketball team prepares to celebrate as the final seconds tick off in the Mohawks' Class C Final win. (Click to see more photos from High School Sports Scene.)
Seaholm Builds on 2024 Runner-up Finish to Become 2025 Finals Champion
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
May 31, 2025
KALAMAZOO – Birmingham Seaholm was determined to hoist the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Girls Tennis Finals championship trophy this weekend following its runner-up finish one year ago.
By winning four of the eight flights, the Maples earned that opportunity. They totaled 32 points to cap the two-day tournament in first place Saturday at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium. The title was Seaholm’s second in three seasons.
Farmington Hills Mercy, which entered the weekend ranked No. 1, finished in second place with 25 points. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (23) placed third, followed by Midland Dow (18) and Grosse Point South (16) to round out the top five.
Seaholm came into Finals weekend with extra motivation after losing a 5-3 dual match to Mercy earlier this season. But the Maples claimed titles at No. 2 singles and Nos. 2, 3 and 4 doubles as seven Seaholm flights advanced at least to the semifinal round.
"Last season's second-place finish left us with a bad taste in our mouth. Our team is young, but we are probably the hardest-working team in this state,” Seaholm coach Casey Cullen said. “We practiced on Mother's Day, Memorial Day weekend and a lot of Sundays this season. This group put in the effort because they wanted to be better.
“We started the year ranked No. 4 and began the season losing 7-1 to Cranbrook Kingswood. Ever since that day, these girls have worked their tails off to improve. This championship is really special and a testament to their work ethic, buying into the program and the result of the time and energy they have put into everything."
Fifth-seeded Seaholm junior Jada Josifovski defeated No. 2-seeded Keira Kirkland from Mercy 6-1, 7-5 in the final at No. 2 singles.
"Jada came in seeded fifth and ended the weekend as a state champion. For her to beat the same girl today that she lost to in last year's Finals really says something about how hard she has worked, as well as her teammates," Cullen added.
Seaholm's No. 2 doubles tandem of Anna Olekszyk and Sophia Arndt was victorious 6-1, 6-1, in their final over Mattawan's duo of Valeria Vega and Addy Copeland.
“Our energy and staying aggressive were the biggest keys in our Finals match. We feed off one another's energy very well," Olekszyk said.
Seaholm needed to win just one flight entering the championship round to clinch the team title. Olekszyk and Arndt provided that win. "Winning state as a team is kind've overwhelming, but I am so happy for everyone,” Arndt said. “We've worked extra hard for it.”
At No. 3 doubles, Seaholm's top-seeded duo of Kate Crowley and Cate French defeated Mercy's No. 2-seeded Penelope Livermore and Reese Sinawi 6-3, 6-4. Crowley and French finished the season 30-0.
Seaholm's No. 2-seeded Katie Joyce and Alina Villaire pulled out a 6-4, 6-3 win over Sadie Wolfe and Ava Targosz in the championship tilt at No. 4 doubles.
"We put a great deal of time in working on volleys, especially with our doubles teams. The goal is to make certain they are staying aggressive and assertive,” Cullen said. “One of my favorite things as coach of this program is seeing how well these girls buy into team camaraderie, the little discussions between points and the hi-fives.
"You can easily say our doubles teams are a big strength for us, but you have to really credit our singles flights. We don't have any seniors at those spots. I have a freshman leading the way there at our No. 1 spot with two sophomores and one junior in those singles flights as well. Getting three of those four into the semifinals was big for us. They gave us that extra uplift we needed.
“Every state title is special. I went to Seaholm and to Western Michigan University, so to win this in Kalamazoo is nice as well."
Mercy came into the weekend hoping to secure its first Finals championship, but fell just a bit short.
"You could say us and Seaholm came in as co-favorites. They are stronger at doubles, and I think our singles flights are stronger,” Mercy coach Daniel Murphy said. “We had a couple slip-ups, and Seaholm took advantage of that and was the better team this weekend."
Top-seeded Lauren Jaklitsch and Morgan McKenzie from Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern claimed the No. 1 doubles crown with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Seaholm's No. 2-seeded Jordyn Lusky and Lucy Jen. Lusky was the Maples’ lone senior.
Grosse Pointe South's freshman phenom and top-seeded Dalina Kokoshi captured the No. 1 singles crown by defeating Mercy's Megan Sullivan, the second seed, 6-2, 6-2, in the final. Kokoshi also defeated Battle Creek Lakeview's Maddy Simonds 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinal round.
"Winning state feels amazing. I'm glad to have such a great team. I suffered a leg injury in the offseason, so I had to put in extra training and my consistency on the court has played a big factor this year too," said Kokoshi, who ended her season with record of 28-1.
North Farmington junior and top-seeded Samantha Karoub won the No. 3 singles crown with a 6-2, 6-0, triumph over Katelyn Strong of Grosse Pointe South.
"(Strong) is such a strong player, so I had to remain mentally tough and stay consistent with my shots. I knew I had to win the long rallies because she can get a big boost in confidence whenever she wins those kind of points," Karoub said.
Mercy's top-seeded No. 4 singles junior Gabby Owens repeated as champion of that flight posting a 6-0, 7-5, win over Seaholm sophomore Izzy Bloom.
"My ability to run down every ball and never give up on any point were key today," Owens said. "We had a great season and became closer as a team and were more energetic and vocal this year."
PHOTOS (Top) Birmingham Seaholm’s Lucy Jen returns a shot during a No. 1 doubles match Saturday. (Middle) Grosse Pointe South’s Dalina Kokoshi connects on a forehand at No. 1 singles. (Click to see more from High School Sports Scene.)