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].
This Week in High School Sports: 3/19/25
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
March 19, 2025
This final edition of the 2024-25 school year reviews the MHSAA Boys Basketball and Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Finals and awards Game Balls to high achievers from last week's Girls Basketball Regionals.
The 5-minute program each week includes feature stories from MHSAA.com or network affiliates, along with "Be the Referee," a 60-second look at the fine art of officiating.
"This Week in High School Sports" is powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP).
Listen to this week's show by Clicking Here.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
March 12: 1925 MHSAA boys basketball champions, 100 years of buzzer beaters - Listen
March 5: MHSAA Skiing, Wrestling, Competitive Cheer Finals review - Listen
Feb. 19: Antonio Gates selected to NFL Hall of Fame, Scholar-Athlete Award details - Listen
Feb. 12: MHSAA officials in Super Bowls, Ice Hockey Tournament primer - Listen
Feb. 5: MHSAA Tournament broadcasts, growth of girls sports in Michigan - Listen
Jan. 29: 2024-25 Scholar-Athlete Award finalists, 1958 Hall of Fame matchup - Listen
Jan. 22: Salem legend Dena Head, MHSAA's Sam Davis selected to Wrestling Hall of Fame - Listen
Jan. 15: MHSAA.com history, officials recruitment news - Listen
Jan. 8: MHSAA Basketball Tournament schedule, 2023-24 attendance report - Listen
Dec. 18: Ice Hockey season underway, Representative Council presidential succession - Listen
Dec. 11: 2024-25 MHSAA Winter Tournament schedule, inaugural girls wrestling team title - Listen
Dec. 4: 11-Player Football Finals review - Listen
Nov. 27: 8-Player Football Finals review, 1975 Football Finals recollection - Listen
Nov. 20: 8-Player Football Finals history, Southwest 10 Conference Legacy officials - Listen
Nov. 13: "Flashback 100" series, flashback to Escanaba's football championship - Listen
Nov. 6: Boys Soccer Finals, Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals review - Listen
Oct. 30: 2024 Football Playoffs, Lower Peninsula Boys Tennis Finals review - Listen
Oct. 23: Lower Peninsula Girls Golf Finals, Upper Peninsula Cross Country Finals reviews - Listen
Oct. 16: MHSAA Football Playoffs primer, MHSAA/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete Awards - Listen
Oct. 9: National High School Hall of Fame, Upper Peninsula Girls Tennis Finals - Listen
Oct. 2: MHSAA record book, 2024 Boys Soccer Tournament schedule - Listen
Sept. 25: NFHS Network streaming, DeWitt's high-scoring football matchup - Listen
Sept. 18: Cheboygan broadcaster Mike Grisdale, Michigan's national participation ranking - Listen
Sept. 11: MHSAA baseball stars in MLB, 2024 Boys Soccer Tournament - Listen
Sept. 5: Highlighting MHSAA record setters, 50th Football Playoffs - Listen
Aug. 28: MHSAA Summer Olympians, "Century of School Sports" celebration - Listen