Did you see that?
May 29, 2012
The last full week of May usually represents the calm before the storm, at least relatively speaking, that is the MHSAA Spring Finals.
Although the weekend is generally one of the calmest of the season, the week was again filled with local championships, plus the start of lacrosse Regional play.
Here’s our look at some of the highlights from May 21-26:
Track and Field
All Tech in the PSL: Detroit Cass Tech’s girls and boys teams swept the Detroit Public School League championships Thursday, finishing ahead of Renaissance atop the standings in both meets. The girls are the reigning MHSAA Division 1 runner-up and led by senior Kyra Jefferson, who will run at the University of Florida next season. The boys team has hints of the team that won the MHSAA Division 1 football championship in the fall – this team also is coached by Thomas Wilcher, and quarterback Jayru Campbell was among those who shined. (Detroit News)
Still Hornets, with a side of Cougars: In a matchup of two of the best in Michigan from Divisions 2 and 3, the Williamston boys and girls again won Capital Area Activities Conference White championship meet titles -- with Lansing Catholic's boys then splitting the overall league title with Williamston. The Hornets boys are ranked No. 3 in Division 2 and the Cougars are No. 1 in Division 3. Williamston and Lansing Catholic's girls are both ranked No. 5 in their respective divisions. (Lansing State Journal)
Soccer
Okemos claims Gold: The Lansing area boasts top-four ranked teams in all four divisions, and two met for the CAAC Gold Cup championship Thursday – with Division 1 No. 2 Okemos downing Division 2 No. 4 DeWitt 3-1. The CAAC Cup pulls teams from each of its four divisions into a series of tournaments, based on league standings, with the top teams from each division playing for the Golf Cup. To advance to the championship game, DeWitt downed Division 3 No. 3 Williamston in a semifinal, while Okemos beat Division 2 honorable mention Mason. (Lansing State Journal)
Lacrosse
Final countdown: Girls and boys teams statewide began Regionals, with those finishing up this weekend. Of the few early games, the most significant might’ve been in Division 2 girls, where No. 9 Farmington Hills Mercy defeated Ann Arbor Skyline 18-6. (Observor & Eccentric)
Golf
Best by the Bay: For the first time in 18 seasons, Essexville-Garber won the Bay County Invitational, which matches teams from the Bay City area including larger Bay City Central and Western. (Bay City Times)
Fennville
Wes remembered: When Fennville’s Class of 2012 walked Thursday, Wes Leonard was with them. This year’s commencement included a remembrance of the standout, who died on March 3, 2011, as a junior, of cardiac arrest moments after hitting the game-winning shot for his basketball team. Classmate and close friend Selena Beltran-Pena walked with an additional cap, for Leonard, with accompanied by Leonard’s younger brother Mitchell. (Holland Sentinel)
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].
Grandville Girls Go Distance Twice in Match Play to Secure 1st Finals Title
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
February 28, 2025
ALLEN PARK – Paiton Thompson couldn’t stop crying.
The senior anchor bowler helped Grandville’s girls bowling team to its first Division 1 title with a 3-2 championship match victory Friday at Thunderbowl Lanes.
The Bulldogs shot just 116 in the first game against Holt, but won three of the next four, including 158-153 in the finale.
“I told them we had to start making spares,’’ said coach Nick Watkins. “We started throwing and making spares.’’
Said Thompson: “We didn’t get down on ourselves. I can’t stop crying. Being a senior makes this everything to me.’’
There was a clear favorite.
Utica United, a cooperative of bowlers from Utica High and Utica Eisenhower, brought a talented lineup, led by Hadley Clark, Sophia Matheson and Ava Mazza.
All three also qualified for Saturday’s singles championship.
After a series of close calls Friday, the top-ranked Utica squad fell in the semifinals to an inspired Holt team, ranked seventh in the state. That set the stage for the championship against fifth-ranked Grandville, which had raced to the finals by defeating Rockford, 3-0, with the last game a 190-189 thriller.
In the first game of the championship, Grandville had seven opens in the first nine frames in falling to the Rams,153-116.
Still with open frames galore, Grandville tied the match at 1-1, with a 148-132 win in the second game. Holt then took the lead again with a 210-161 verdict in the third.
However, Grandville rallied to tie the match 2-2 with a 181-133 fourth-game win, and then clinched with the five-pin victory in Game 5.
With three of the best bowlers in the Macomb Area Conference Red, Utica United dominated the qualifying round, shooting a 3,404, which was almost 200 pins better than No. 2 seed South Lyon’s 3,220. Macomb Dakota was third at 3,101 and Holt fourth at 3,069.
In the quarterfinals, Utica had a miserable first game, shooting 115 and losing, but rallied to down Walled Lake Northern, 3-1. Meanwhile, Rockford eliminated Dakota, 3-2, winning the deciding game by three pins.
Holt stopped Westland John Glenn, 3-2, to advance against Utica. Grandville was the last team to reach the semifinals, defeating South Lyon, 3-2, to face Rockford.