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)
Stokes' Saves Add Record Book Fame to Cass Tech's Historic Start-Up Story
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
July 29, 2022
Na’ja Stokes was part of history as Detroit Cass Tech played its first two seasons of girls lacrosse over the last two years. And her historic achievements as a senior this spring provided the Technicians with their first two entries in the MHSAA record book for her sport.
Stokes made 30 saves – the second-most for a single game in MHSAA history – against Clinton Township Chippewa Valley during a 9-7 overtime win May 10. She finished the season with 207 saves – tying for third-most all-time – in just 14 games played.
Cass Tech as a team, meanwhile, improved from 2-10 its inaugural season to 6-8 this year, with a notable three wins and three one-goal losses over its final six games. Stokes was named to the Division 1 all-state first team.
See below for more recent record book additions in girls lacrosse and 11-player football.
Girls Lacrosse
Saline’s Erin Melcher quickly made an impact on the record book this past season, registering nine goals twice in two games over three days – April 11 vs. Novi, and then April 13 vs. Lansing Catholic. She was a senior this spring.
Hudsonville senior Anna Lobbezoo also got on the record board early this season with nine goals April 27 against Lowell. She will continue next season at University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky.
Football
Belleville’s Brayden Lane became the third kicker from his school to be listed, making the single-season list with 52 extra points over 14 games in 2021 and the single-game list with 10 in a win over Wayne Memorial. He’ll be a sophomore this fall.
Despite a 43-28 defeat to Sterling Heights Stevenson last Sept. 2, Utica senior quarterback Darren Welch enjoyed a memorable performance. He made record book lists with 34 completions, 54 attempts and 410 passing yards. He will continue his career at Hillsdale College.
Bloomfield Hills’ Andrew Siepierski became one of 19 players with at least four interceptions in a game when he snagged four against Troy on Oct. 11. The then-senior also scored the go-ahead touchdown that ended up the game-winner in the 21-10 victory.
Schoolcraft quarterback Alex Thole was entered into the record book eight times for accomplishments over his 35 varsity games from 2018-20. Among highlights, his 7,318 career passing yards rank 11th in state history, and his 93 touchdown passes are fifth on that list. He is playing at Tarleton State in Texas.
Morenci’s 60-41 win over Stockbridge last Sept. 2 made the record book for total points scored between two teams – and a few more times for the Bulldogs’ substantial offensive output. Morenci was added for its 630 total yards (just missing the single-game rushing list with 596) and 61 rushing attempts. Senior Carsyn Varga made the single-game rushing TDs list with six.
Quinn Fracassi and Aidan Vaughan opened their senior seasons last fall in big ways by becoming the first of the 2021 season to return kickoffs 99 yards for a touchdown – and against each other’s teams. Fracassi, for South Lyon, and Walled Lake Western’s Vaughan achieved the feat with their teams facing off last Aug. 26. Vaughan is continuing at Wisconsin, and Fracassi at Eastern Michigan.
Frankfort’s Adam Mills also joined the 99-yard kickoff return list, scoring last Oct. 1 against Maple City Glen Lake. He was a senior and will continue at Albion College.
PHOTO Cass Tech goalie Na’ja Stokes makes a save this past season. (Photo courtesy of the Detroit Cass Tech girls lacrosse program.)