Did you see that?
May 14, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
It's league championship time for many MHSAA teams, especially with tennis and track and field Regionals coming up later this week. And the week that was May 7-12 provided for a good share the first of many championship-level opportunities to shine.
Tennis
Streak stopper: The Fenton tennis team ended Holly's 29-season league title run by edging the Bronchos by a point in Tuesday’s Metro League championship tournament. The Flint Journal reported that Madison Ballard became the first Fenton No. 1 singles player to win a league championship in 24 seasons. (Tri-County Times)
Softball
On the rise: Division 1 No. 5 Portage Central swept top-ranked Mattawan -- putting Portage Central ahead by two games at the top of the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West standings. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Strike 75: Fennville’s Selena Beltran-Pena had strikeouts for 25 of 30 outs in two five-inning wins over Martin. Beltran-Pena threw a no-hitter in the opener and a one-hitter in the second game. (Holland Sentinel)
Tuned up: Saginaw Swan Valley beat three ranked Division 3 teams – No. 2 Saginaw Valley Lutheran, No. 4 Tawas and No. 7 Unionville-Sebewaing – as part of a round-robin brought on by a delay at the Hemlock Invitational that forced the tournament to break up into smaller groups of games. Swan Valley is ranked No. 3 in Division 2. (Saginaw News)
Track and Field
Down to the wire: Two of the state’s best boys and girls teams compete in the O-K Red, and Friday’s conference championship meet no doubt provided at least a partial preview of next month’s MHSAA Division 1 Finals. The top-ranked Rockford girls edged No. 2-ranked East Kentwood, while the top-ranked East Kentwood boys ran away from the No. 3 Rockford boys and the rest of the field to win that league title. (Grand Rapids Press)
Record Breaker: Jackson High’s Cierra Pryor won the 100 meters and also the long jump at Friday’s Siena Heights Invitational, with her jump of 19 feet, 1.5 inches breaking a 31-year-old school record. (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)
Just getting started: Richland Gull Lake freshman Kirsten Taylor also broke her school's long jump record, which had stood since 1978, with a leap of 18-5. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Still undefeated: Norway’s Dani Gagne had won all 24 events in which she’d competed through Friday, including winning the 100, 200, 400 and long jump at the Norway Miners Co-Ed Meet. Her long jump of 17-0.5 broke her school record in that event set a year ago, and her 58.61 in the 400 broke another school record set during the early 1980s. (Iron Mountain Daily News)
Baseball
Best of the Best: Richland Gull Lake, ranked No. 3 in Division 2, beat top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian 10-4 in the championship game of its Best of the Best Invitational. Gull Lake also beat No. 5 St. Clair during the event. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
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].
Cabrini Rolls Past Top Two Seeds to Clinch 1st Finals Championship
By
Nick Cooper
Special for MHSAA.com
February 28, 2025
MUSKEGON – First time champions seemed to be the theme at Northway Lanes in Muskegon as Allen Park Cabrini joined girls champs Ravenna in capturing their schools’ first MHSAA Finals team championship Friday.
In an intense atmosphere, Allen Park Cabrini continuously entertained their fans during match play, following a sweep of Benzie Central by taking down No. 1 seed Houghton Lake in four games and then second-seeded Jonesville in the championship match.
“These guys work their butts off. They practice hard and they show up every week. I’m proud of them,” said Allen Park Cabrini head coach Joseph Csernai.
The Monarchs, seeded fourth after qualifying, defeated Jonesville in four games: 153-176, 160-142, 148-132, 214-158.
“They mean the world to me,” said Bryce Cadaret of his teammates. The championship was an extra gift for the gifted bowler as he celebrated a birthday on the final day of his high school bowling career.
“Perfect birthday present,” he noted.
A senior, Cadaret celebrated the outstanding success that his team has enjoyed but also reflected on the time that will be coming to an end as he faces graduation this year.
“(The team) means everything. I’ve been doing this for more than four years. I’ve been with these guys since sixth grade,” he said. “They mean the world to me. I’m just so happy.”
Cabrini’s success has undoubtedly been the result of the team’s skill; however, the Monarchs’ head coach realizes that the school’s support plays a factor in their current success and the success that the team wishes to have in the future.
“Thank you to the parents, fans and everybody. I don’t know what we would do without them,” said Csernai.