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].
Country Day Pulls Away After Power Pair Enters Saturday Tied for Lead
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
June 6, 2026
MIDLAND – There’s a lot of hardware in Division 3 girls tennis between Detroit Country Day, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood and East Grand Rapids.
Since 2010 only Country Day and Cranbrook had been able to claim Finals titles. But before that run, East Grand Rapids captured the top spot seven times over 12 seasons.
So it was no surprise heading into Saturday’s semifinals that two of those traditional powers EGR and Country Day were tied for the lead at 24 points at the Lower Peninsula Finals at the Midland Tennis Center.
Two of the heavyweights were ready to claim another title – and the current streak stayed intact.
Country Day dominated the semifinals and finals, prevailing with 34 points. Bloomfield Hills Marian finished second with 29 points, and EGR was third at 28.
Country Day sophomore Chloe Conniff won the final point for the Yellowjackets at No. 1 singles with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Lilah Zaskowski of Ada Forest Hills Eastern. Zaskowski survived a four-hour semifinal match to advance.
Jiya Gill and Zoe Grebenski claimed the flight title at No. 4 doubles with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Marian’s Lizzie Plunkett and Clare Reaume. The championship was Gill’s second at that flight.
“The only thing we think about is what we can control,’’ Gill said. “We always expect to be here, but our goal is to just go out and play good tennis.’’
Said Grebenski: “We try just to play and not worry about the other things. We played Cranbrook and East Grand Rapids this year, so we knew what to expect.’’
Country Day also captured No. 1 doubles as Quinn Norlander and Helen Benjamin beat Marian’s Allegra Curis and Bri Daood, 6-3, 7-5.
No. 2 doubles went to Marian’s Emerson Turkot and Stella Glorio, who defeated Country Day’s Zoe Bergg and Grace Kaskanis, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2. Marian’s Lexa Hindo and Emerson Villalba won No. 3 doubles with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over top seed Ava Kouza and Julia Geisz of Cranbrook.
While East Grand Rapids didn’t claim the team title on championship Saturday, coach Mickey Mikesell said his team’s future is bright.
“Our doubles teams are experienced, but we have a lot of youth in singles,’’ said Mikesell. “We have great depth. Phenomenal singles. The future is bright as well.’’
Freshman Evelyn Gingras is one of the youngsters. She entered as the top seed at No. 3 singles and won her first Finals title with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Country Day’s Addie Grebinski. Gingras dropped one game in the semifinal and final.
“We’re doing well, and I’m happy to be part of the team,’’ Gingras said. “We’ve worked really hard, and our coaches have put in a lot of effort.’’
Country Day’s Karishma Vakhariya, the top seed at No. 2 singles, said the goals stay the same each year.
“A three-peat would mean we bring in the right players every year,’’ she said. “Everyone believes they can win their flight. There’s a lot of pressure, but when you’re on the court the only thing you can think about is winning.’’
Vakhariya defeated East Grand Rapids’ Farha Malviya 6-2, 7-5 to win the flight. Marian freshman Gwen Slapak won at No. 4 singles 6-4, 7-6 over EGR sophomore Mia Owings.
PHOTOS (Top) Country Day's Chloe Conniff sends a backhand during her No. 1 singles championship match Saturday. (Middle) Country Day’s Karishma Vakhariya, left, and East Grand Rapids’ Farha Malviya shake hands after their title decider at No. 2 singles. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)