Did you see that?

April 16, 2012

Check out our must-know scores and news from April 9-14.

(Click on links for coverage.)

Baseball

Milestone victory: Johannesburg-Lewiston coach Rick Guild won his 700th game, becoming the ninth Michigan baseball coach to do so according to the MHSAA record book. Guild took over the Cardinals program in 1975. (Gaylord Herald Times)

No-no No. 2: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett’s Alex Daar threw his second no-hitter of this young season, striking out 15 in a 4-0 win over Livonia Clarenceville. He also struck out 15 in his first no-hitter this spring. (Detroit News)

Softball

One day, two no-hitters: Saginaw Valley Lutheran pitchers Sarah Appold and Kelsey Schaus combined to no-hit Flint Southwestern for the day on Saturday. Appold threw a no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader, striking out 14, while Schaus did the same in the second game while striking out 11. (Saginaw News)

Soccer

Hornets sting Mason: In a matchup of reigning District champions in Divisions 3 and 2, respectively, Williamston downed Mason 3-1. Both teams likely will be ranked when the first polls are released this week. The Hornets are 4-1, with their lone loss to Birmingham Marian, and with Hudsonville Unity Christian and a tournament including Flint Powers Catholic, Detroit Country Day, Frankenmuth, Plainwell and Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard coming up over the next two weekends. (Lansing State Journal)

Tennis

West Ottawa wins at Lowell: Holland West Ottawa, which tied for 12th at last season’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final, edged currently-ranked Division 3 No. 8 Grand Rapids Catholic Central 47-44 to win the Lowell Invitational. (Holland Sentinel)

Media

Thanks, Jim: Longtime Port Huron Times-Herald sports editor Jim Whymer retired from the paper after more than 33 years. An enthusiastic advocate of high school athletics, Whymer has been a tireless presence both in his community and statewide serving as a voting member of various Associated Press committees for football and basketball rankings and all-state teams. (Port Huron Times-Herald)

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.

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