Did you see that? (9/17-9/23)
September 25, 2012
The crowning of a new MHSAA soccer scoring champion and some statewide showdowns in golf and volleyball headline the best of the week that was Sept. 17-23.
Soccer
Chatfield fills it up: Senior Aaron Chatfield, a forward for Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian, scored both of his team's goals in a 7-2 loss Friday to Elk Lake, but in doing so set the MHSAA career scoring record. He now has 174 goals, two more than former record holder Soony Saad of Dearborn. (Petoskey News)
Golf
Cougars edge Bulldogs: Two-time reigning MHSAA Division 4 champion Lansing Catholic edged Brighton 327-336 at the East Lansing Invitational on Sept. 17 at Walnut Hills Country Club. There were nine ranked teams in the 17-team field. Brighton is ranked No. 2 in Division 1. Lansing Catholic's Jacqueline Setas shot a 70 to take the individual medalist honor, and two of her teammates tied for second.
Volleyball
Blue streak: Richland Gull Lake downed Portage Central in three sets to win the Portage Central Invitational's gold division and a tournament the featured four teams ranked in Class A plus reigning champion Rockford and reigning Class B champion Fruitport (in A this season). Gull Lake moved up to No. 2 in Class A from No. 4 after the weekend, and Portage Central is No. 6. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Tennis
Ludington on the move: The Orioles have moved up from No. 8 to No. 6 in the Division 4 rankings after downing formerly-No. 2 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett and No. 10 Almont at Saturday's Almont Invitational. (Mlive.com)
Cross Country
Flivver flies on: Kingsford's Dan Kulas claimed the individual championship at the Stephenson Invitational on Saturday in 16:58. He's won four straight races. (Iron Mountain Daily News)
Basketball
Pershing coach steps down: Detroit Pershing boys basketball coach A.W. Canada has resigned, but will remain with the program as an assistant. The Doughboys are regularly in contention in Class A, last winning the MHSAA title in 2009 after also making the Final in 2008. (Detroit News)
Story of the Week
Spring Lake setter lifts Lakers: It's been a little more than a year since Emily Blahnik's mother Brenda suffered a horrific fall that left her with a skull fracture, brain trauma and spinal cord injuries. But with her teammates and community in continuous support, Blahnik has remained a big part of Spring Lake's volleyball program. The Grand Haven Tribune has been covering this story throughout, and Nate Thompson provides us with this update. (Grand Haven Tribune)
Schafran Strikes Gold Close to Home Claiming Grass Lake's 1st Singles Bowling Title
By
Jeff Bleiler
Special for MHSAA.com
February 28, 2026
JACKSON – Marielle Schafran will not have to travel far to reminisce about what turned into a magical day on the lanes.
The Grass Lake High School junior became the first individual bowler in school history to claim an MHSAA Finals championship, winning the Division 3 singles title Saturday at JAX 60 — a short drive west of her school.
“It’s an amazing feeling being in my hometown, winning states,” she said. “I never thought I’d be here, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my family, friends and coaches.
“Now every time I come here it’ll remind me of it.”
She’ll likely linger a little longer at lanes 13 and 14, the site of the championship match against Otisville-LakeVille Memorial senior Myla Upthegrove. Schafren found herself in a 10-pin hole after the first of two games in the final despite rolling five strikes.
Trailing 180-170 and coming off a spare and open frame in the first two frames of the second game, Schafren rolled a six-bagger and eventually finished with 233 to Upthegrove’s 194 for a 403-374 victory.
The individual title helped ease the sting of the top-ranked Warriors falling in the Semifinals of the team event the day before to eventual champion Milan.
“I came in with a fresh mindset and knew that it’s a new day and everything’s different each day,” she said. “Just come in, make my spares and make good shots.”
Grass Lake coach Lindsey Torcolacci said it took a bit of convincing on her part to show Schafren that a Finals title was attainable.
“Today she came in and she wasn’t sure,” Torcolacci said. “I told her, ‘You’ve got this. You’ve been working for this for a while.’ We’re so proud of her.”
Schafren qualified 11th of 16 with a total of 1,088 after closing with games of 219 and 190. She opened match play with scores of 181 and 188 to beat Bronson freshman Audrey Shiery then secured a 389-317 victory over Flat Rock junior Diane Percha in the quarterfinals.
She advanced to the championship with games of 241 and 202 for 443 — the best two-game total of any competitor in the bracket — to defeat Grand Rapids West Catholic senior Ashley Van Linden.
Upthegrove qualified eighth with a total of 1,138 that included three games north of 200. She rolled 225 and 206 to win her first-round match over Ogemaw Heights senior Elena Martinez then pulled off a huge upset in the quarterfinal by sidelining top seed Maggie Smith of Milan, who dominated qualifying with a six-game total of 1,350 on scores of 247, 212, 203, 232, 207 and 249. Her score was 143 pins clear of second-seeded Averie Via of Ishpeming Westwood.
Upthegrove won 383-360 to advance to the semifinals where she defeated Madison Heights Bishop Foley senior Jacey Thibodeau 380-349.
“Honestly I was very surprised,” Upthegrove said of her runner-up finish. “I didn’t think I’d make it this far. It was a lot of fun.”