Did you see that? (10/15-10/21)
October 22, 2012
Three MHSAA fall sports came to an end over the weekend, and the tournament for a fourth has begun. Those finishes highlight the non-football best from the week that was Oct. 15-21.
Golf
Rankings play out: The Lower Peninsula girls season came to a close with all four top-ranked teams claiming championships. Plymouth won its first MHSAA title in any sport in Division 1, while Mona Shores became the first Lower Peninsula girls golf team to win four straight by doing so in Division 2. Ada Forest Hills Eastern made it two titles in three seasons by winning Division 3, and Lansing Catholic won its third straight in Division 4. Second Half covered them all. (Division 1) (Division 2) (Division 3) (Division 4)
Tennis
Dynasties continue: Three of four top-ranked teams also won MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys Tennis Finals over the weekend, with the other champion hardly unfamiliar with first place. Ann Arbor Huron was ranked only No. 3 before winning Division 1 for the third time in five seasons. Midland Dow won its fourth straight Division 2 title and Ann Arbor Greenhills won its fifth straight in Division 4. But the biggest headline goes to Detroit Country Day, which tied Ann Arbor Pioneers’ dominance in 2002 with 39 points in claiming the Division 3 title. Second Half also covered all four of these Finals.(Division 1) (Division 2) (Division 3) (Division 4)
Cross country
One streak ends, another begins: The Upper Peninsula season came to an end with its Finals for three divisions. Calumet’s Tara Kiilunen led her team to the Division 1 girls title by winning the individual championship for the fourth consecutive season. On the boys side, Sault Ste. Marie won its first title in 11 years thanks to the individual Division 1 championship of freshman Parker Scott, who finished this season undefeated. Second Half covered all the races. (Girls Finals) (Boys Finals)
Soccer
Powers emerge in Division 1: Lower Peninsula Districts whittled the number of teams still alive down to 64 – 16 in each of four divisions. And the two toughest Districts to navigate were arguably in Division 1. Top-ranked East Kentwood beat Caledonia 6-0 to win that District, but only after the Falcons knocked out No. 2 Rockford in a semifinal and the Rams did the same to No. 7 Okemos in an opener. Rochester Stoney Creek, ranked No. 4, emerged from a district at Rochester that included No. 9 Utica Eisenhower and honorable mention Troy Athens by beating Rochester Adams 2-1 in the title game – after Adams upset Eisenhower in a semi. (Grand Rapids Press) (Oakland Press)
Talented Mercy Lineup Earns Repeat, Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
By
Tim Robinson
Special for MHSAA.com
November 23, 2024
ROCHESTER — It was only fitting that the Farmington Hills Mercy girls swimming & diving team jumped into the deep end of the Oakland University pool after repeating as Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion Saturday.
That's because it was the depth of the team that propelled the Marlins to a dominating performance.
“There was no pressure on us at all,” coach Mike Venos said. “Just go take care of your own business and no matter what, we’re going to walk out of here successful.”
The Marlins won celebrated winners in two relays and an individual race. And when they didn’t finish first, they were placing, finishing with 375.5 points, well ahead of second-place Grosse Pointe South (255) and third-place Birmingham Seaholm (244).
“The thing I love about Mercy is that it’s a true team effort,” Venos said. “We scored multiple girls in almost every event. We do this as a team.”
If there was a surprise, Venos said, it came from sophomore Campbell Shore, who won the 100-yard freestyle in 51.41 seconds. She entered the weekend with the fourth-fastest seed time in that race.
“Winning that was great,” he said.
The Marlins’ total was 50 points better than last year’s, easily holding off any challenges.
For Grosse Pointe South, it regardless was a school-record performance for a team that missed a chance to add to its total due to a disqualification in the 400 freestyle relay.
But South coach John Fodell didn’t dwell on what might have been.
“We had a little bump in the road (Friday) with the DQ, but today the team came together and really swam to get second, and they really battled for that,” he said.
It marked a leap forward for South, which finished fifth last year.
“We started off the meet by winning the medley relay, which was huge,” Fodell said. ‘Whitney (Handwork) won the 50 free (23.71) and Caroline (Bryan) won the butterfly (54.92). So those were nice things that got the motivation going.”
“We came in knowing it was going to be a battle for second, so we were really focused on that,” Handwork said.
Fenton’s Tess Heavner repeated as a double champion, setting a school record and earning All-America status in the individual medley (2:01.07) and also earning All-America in winning the backstroke (54.61).
”The backstroke was the finishing touch, because I had to wait for a long time in between (events),” she said, “I was happy I was able to keep it up and finish strong in that. I really like the IM and the backstroke. They kind of stress me out, but they're probably two of my favorite events.”
Several younger athletes joined Bryan in impressing. Freshmen Aubrey Yarker of Hastings (diving) and Amelia Malarz of Midland Dow (breaststroke) also won individual titles. Ann Arbor Skyline sophomore Adrienne Schadler earned All-America consideration in winning the 500 freestyle (4:54.41) and All-America recognition in winning the 200 freestyle (1:48.79).
But Mercy also served notice that it will be reckoned with in 2025, with just three seniors on this year’s roster.
But that’s a long way off.
One of those Mercy seniors, captain Katie Schwab, tried to articulate how it felt to repeat.
“That feeling is just indescribable,” she said. ‘Like the energy that was here today. It’s more than words can describe, and my heart is just so full being a part of this team.
“We have a really good, strong team, and we're going to be really strong for the next couple of years," she added. "I’m really excited to see where this team goes.”
PHOTOS (Top) Farmington Hills Mercy’s Avery Tack swims to a runner-up finish in the 200 individual medley Saturday at Oakland University. (Middle) Grosse Pointe South’s Caroline Bryan powers to the championship in the butterfly. (Below) Skyline’s Adrienne Schadler swims to one of her two individual titles. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)