Coming up on 2H (11/16-11/18)
November 16, 2012
It's another Finals weekend, with MHSAA championships to be decided in three sports over the next two days. And Second Half will have coverage of every game, match and meet.
Tune in late Friday for coverage and photos from the 8-player Football Final pitting Bellaire and Deckerville at Greenville High School.
On Saturday, we'll have coverage of all four Volleyball Finals at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena, plus coverage from each of three Lower Peninsula Swimming and Diving Finals thanks to our crew of knowledgeable correspondents.
MHSAA 11-player football Semifinals are all Saturday, so keep an eye out later today for a brief preview of each of those games, plus the story of Saginaw Swan Valley sophomore running back Alex Grace. He's run for more than 2,000 yards in helping the Vikings get back to the Semis in Division 4.
Gazzarari Picks Up Momentum in Bracket Play, Completes Impressive Climb
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2025
ALLEN PARK – A field of heavy hitters filled the Division 1 girls singles championship at Thunderbowl Lanes on Saturday.
Senior Madeline Gazzarari, who qualified 14th, handled that field and won the crown, defeating Rockford’s Sophia DeLuccia 445-385 in the final.
“It has been a long day,’’ said Gazzarari, who is coached by her uncle. Mike Axline. “I started gaining some momentum after qualifying. Going into the third match I felt good. To do this my senior year, this is amazing.’’
Said Axline: “She beat Madison Rue in the first round and Sophia Matheson, who was the third seed today. She shot well. She made a lot of spares.’’
Sophomore Ava Mazza from Utica United was the top qualifier in the girls division at 1,354 followed by Tiara Henderson of Westland John Glenn (1,305), senior Rue of team runner-up Holt (1,289) and senior Matheson of Utica.
Utica’s big three of Mazza, Matheson and Hadley Clark all made the top 16. Mazza and Matheson then advanced to quarterfinals.
Mazza rolled past Haylee Hodges of Saginaw Heritage, 413-328, while Matheson disposed of Paiton Thompson of team champion Grandville, 377-299. Clark ended a tough weekend with a 337-309 loss to sophomore Sofia DeLuccia of Rockford.
Rue struggled and fell to Gazzarari, 406-242, and Gazzarari then faced Madison Thomas of Belleville, a 367-356 winner over Brooklyn Hannah of Livonia Franklin.
Second-seed Henderson survived Jenna McKinzie of Grand Haven, 413-396. Henderson’s next opponent was Aria Ragland of Taylor, who had defeated Sophia Best of Livonia Churchill, 461-320.
Henderson advanced to the semifinals with a 389-316 victory over Ragland while Mazza ended Stephens’ run, 398-352.
Gazzarari – also a semifinalist in 2023 – ended Henderson’s run, shooting a 222 in the second game to reach the final with a 385-354 victory.
For the second straight year Mazza fell just short of bowling for the championship, losing to Gazzarari 365-361.