Did you see that?
May 21, 2012
Track and field, tennis and lacrosse teams have begun their marches toward MHSAA championships, but a number of sports are making offseason news as well.
Here's our sampling of some of the most intriguing from all over the state last week.
Track and Field
Setting up a showdown: In perhaps the most notable race of last week’s Regionals, Birmingham Seaholm’s Aubrey Wilberding edged Southfield’s Latipha Cross in the 400-meter dash in Division 1 at Farmington. Wilberding ran the race in 56.48 seconds, 19 hundredths of a second faster than Cross, who set an all-Finals record in the race in 2011. Click the link next to each Regional site for results. (MHSAA)
Soccer
Shooting for 67: Lake Fenton sophomore Jordan Newman scored a combined eight goals in the semifinal and championship games of the Genesee Area Conference tournament to lead her team to the championship. She has 54 goals this season – only 13 shy of the MHSAA single-season record with Districts beginning next week. (Tri-County Times) (Flint Journal)
KVA belongs to Kalamazoo Christian: The Kalamazoo Valley Association soccer championship came down to two of the top teams statewide in Division 4 – and No. 2 Kalamazoo Christian edged No. 3 Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central 1-0 in the final. The two were flip-flopped in the rankings heading into the game. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Athletes of the Year
Pinning down a major award: St. Johns wrestler Taylor Massa and Rochester Hills Stoney Creek's Gabby Yurik received the annual Michigan Student-Athlete of the Year Awards from the Detroit Athletic Club, from a group of nominees including Holland's Courtney Bartholomew, Birmingham Marian's Jaynie Pulte, Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett's Madison Ristovski, Plainwell's Lauren Saar and Charlotte's Raychel Wolever, and Grand Blanc's Zachary Carroll, Saginaw Heritage's Evan Chiplock, Bay City Western's Matt Costello, Lowell's Gabe Dean and Oxford's Prescott Line.
Golf
Plymouth rocks: The Wildcats topped a field that included 17 state-ranked teams in claiming the East Lansing Invitational with a two-round score of 595. The tournament was played at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers West and East. Scroll to the bottom of link for full results. (Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association)
Tennis
Match points: Five of the top seven ranked teams in Division 2 emerged from two suburban Detroit Regionals to advance to the Division 2 Finals: No. 1 Birmingham Marian, No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Andover, No. 3 Birmingham Seaholm and co-No. 7s Bloomfield Hills Lahser and Farmington Hills Marcy. Click next to each Regional site to see who qualified for their respective Finals. (MHSAA)
Softball
Perfect, again: Breckenridge’s Sam Willman threw her fifth perfect game this season, striking out 18 and 64 for the day as her team won the Montrose Snowball Tournament on Saturday. She also threw a perfect game two days before. (Midland Daily News)
Stacking numbers: Decatur senior pitcher Erika Southworth won her 100th game last week, then notched her 1,000th strikeout two days later. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Basketball
Detroit mourns coach: Southeastern High girls coach Lisa Blackburn died Saturday at the age of 52. She was a former Detroit Pershing star who went on to play at the University of Detroit. (Detroit News)
Stolz legacy ends: Longtime Okemos boys basketball coach Dan Stolz retired with a record of 428-99 and a winning percentage of .812 in 18 seasons at Okemos and five at Williamston. Stolz took over the Chieftains program from his father Stan, who coached the varsity from 1968-93. (Lansing State Journal)
Wrestling
New coach at St. Johns: The reigning three-time Division 2 MHSAA team champion now will be coached by assistant Derek Phillips, who was promoted last week to take over for the recently-resigned Zane Ballard. (Lansing State Journal)
Media
Longtime editor announces retirement: The state’s print media will wave good-bye to another valuable member when longtime Escanaba Daily Press sports editor Denny Grall retires in two months. He’s been putting pen to paper for 42 years and is especially legendary across the Upper Peninsula. (Escanaba Daily Press)
Editor's note: Did we miss something? Comment below and tell us about it. Is there an event coming up that we should make sure to note? Comment or e-mail [email protected].
Ewen-Trout Creek Earns 1st Title, Marquette & Hancock Add to Win Streaks
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
October 19, 2024
MUNISING — Prior to Saturday, the Ewen-Trout Creek girls cross country program never had a complete team compete at the Upper Peninsula Finals.
The Panthers made up for lost time on a sunny and mild afternoon at the Pictured Rocks Golf Course, earning their first Division 3 title with 54 points. Engadine edged 2023 champion Chassell 100-102 for the runner-up trophy.
“What’s even better is our top five runners are coming back,” E-TC coach Brad Besonen said. “This is going to be a great builder for us. I think this will help the girls’ side and the boys’ side as well.
“Our season is so difficult. We ran against Hancock in two-thirds of our meets and Baraga in all but one race and often against Houghton. We have to work for everything we get.”
Pickford junior Talya Schreiber won the 3.1-mile race in 18:48.8. She was followed by Newberry sophomore Abby Taylor (19:49.1) and her junior sister Samantha Taylor (19:55.9), and Engadine eighth-grader Molly McNamara (20:14.4).
“I think running with these girls helped me a lot,” McNamara said. “I thought this was a strong possibility coming into this race. I think we’ve developed a camaraderie. Finishing runner-up as a team is a great feeling. I think we’re going to have a good team next year. I think this will also help us for track.”
Freshman Bree Besonen led E-TC finishing sixth at 21:28.9.
“We’re like a little family,” she said. “We’re always pushing each other in practice. We’re a young team, which makes it better. Having a full team is very helpful. It’s a big motivator.”
Division 1
Marquette edged Houghton 30-32 for its third-straight Division 1 crown.
Houghton junior Tessa Rautiola gained her second individual title in 19:31.3, followed by Marquette junior Ella Fure (19:44.2) and Houghton freshman Sela Niska (19:51.8).
“It was very close,” Rautiola said. “Their girl taking second was key for them. It was a nice season for our team. We just put in a lot of work. The future looks bright for our team.
“I knew I had to go out and attack all the straight stretches. I just wanted to have a good race. I won as a freshman, and I’m so happy to regain the individual title.”
Fure said she was seeded 10th coming into the Finals.
“I’ve been having some issues with my hip,” she added. “I just had to believe in myself and do it for our team.
“Houghton’s a great team. We knew we were the underdog coming into this meet. I think I prefer the bigger meets. I just need the motivation. I’m really proud of how our team did. I made a hypothetical game plan, and we knew what we had to do. We executed our plan real well.”
Division 2
Hancock proved its tradition is alive and well, earning its fourth consecutive title with 35 points. The Bulldogs, often overshadowed by neighboring Houghton, were followed by Baraga with 67 and Munising at 97.
“We’re a lot smaller than Houghton,” Bulldogs coach Jennifer Smith said. “We also have a good program. The girls know what they have to do. Our tradition is huge. You have to be tough to run cross country. There’s not a lot of glory, but like no other sport we’re all very supportive of each other.”
Ironwood senior Aubrey Smith gained the top individual honor for the first time in 19:57. She was followed by Hancock senior Ella Keranen (20:22.9) and Gogebic (Wakefield-Marenisco) senior Alyssa Shirkey (21:13.2).
“It’s a relief to finally win one,” Smith said. “I was just playing it by ear and ran my own race. Whatever happens, I’ll just do my best out there. This is a great way to end my high school cross country career.”
Shirkey has drawn recruiting interest from Bay College.
“My strategy is always to stay with Aubrey,” Shirkey said. “I attribute my success to summer training and did some 8-mile practices. I think being a senior provided me with special motivation to keep going.”
PHOTOS (Top) Runners – including eventual champion Talya Schreiber of Pickford (307) – begin the Division 3 race at the Upper Peninsula Finals on Saturday. (Middle) Marquette's Maija Maki-Warne (223), Kingsford's Maria Murvich (205) and Marquette's Ella Fure (231) run together during the beginning of the Division 1 race. (Below) Hancock's Ella Keranen (142), Baraga's Princess Pierre (9) and Hancock's Alena Pietila (144) follow race leader Aubrey Smith of Ironwood. (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)