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].
Sachs Surges from Start to Lead Holland West Ottawa to LPD1 Finals Sweep
November 5, 2022
BROOKLYN – Helen Sachs of Holland West Ottawa doesn’t run alone in many cross country meets, which is unusual for an elite runner.
The best runners have to learn to race solo, because there will be meets in which they can simply overwhelm the competition.
But there is always at least one worthy competitor nearby when Sachs races. She runs on the same team as senior Arianne Olson, herself one of the top contenders at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
So, Sachs was surprised to find herself already alone at the front just 200 meters into the race. She never allowed the pack to catch up, winning by 24.73 seconds with a time of 17:18.74.
“I saw nobody in front of me except for the start when they all went off,” said Sachs, a sophomore. “I was just in front. I was like someone is gonna be coming up behind me, because I know the state meet is when people just go for it. No one came up with me.
“It was kind of weird. I was looking forward to some competition or people to run with. It was still fun to run in such a big race, though. It was cool.”
Sachs won eight of her 10 races this season, placing second in the other two to Olson. Olson, who was third in Division 1 last season, placed ninth this time in 18:27.13.
That powerful 1-2 punch up front allowed West Ottawa to win the team championship in dominant fashion, 97-172 over runner-up Romeo.
The Panthers placed their five scoring runners in the top 50, while every other contending team had at least one scoring runner place in the 100s.
Training daily with such a powerful team helped Sachs become an MHSAA champion.
“I just picked up on the dedication, getting everything in,” she said. “Our coaches this year focused more on recovery, like running easy, focusing on recovery, which has helped the mindset of everyone on the team.”
Sachs was a ready-made contributor to the West Ottawa program, finishing fifth in Division 1 last season. But even after finishing among the state’s elite a year ago, she didn’t believe she could win an MHSAA individual championship until she started winning big races early this year.
“It’s surreal,” she said. “Last year I was fifth. This year, winning the state championship was crazy. It doesn’t feel real.”
Rounding out the West Ottawa scorers were 38th-place senior Megan Postma, 49th-place sophomore Jane Olney and 50th-place freshman Ava Porras. Grandville senior Allison Arnsman was the individual runner-up in 17:43.47.
PHOTOS (Top) Holland West Ottawa’s Helen Sachs closes in on the finish and her first MHSAA Finals championship. (Middle) West Ottawa’s Arianne Olson and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central’s Clara James-Heer lead another pack down the stretch. (Click for more from Dave McCauley/RunMichigan.com.)