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].
Marquette Boys Complete Another Finals Sweep, Team Championship Repeat
By
Adam Hinch
Special for MHSAA.com
May 28, 2026
HARRIS — It was a great day for golf with temperatures in the 70s and light winds for the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 Final – and Marquette’s boys played to match to outstanding conditions.
The Sentinels backed up last year’s title as they ended the day with a first-place 295 strokes, finishing ahead of second-place Escanaba at 314 and third-place Houghton with 316. Gladstone finished fourth with 317 and Sault Ste. Marie was fifth with 322.
Marquette junior Seve Swanson had the best day of all in the field as he posted a score of 70 with four birdies.
“The depth of our roster was the key to success today,” Marquette coach Ben Smith said. “Everyone stepped up, and our seniors set the tone and (I’m) just happy for our players.”
Swanson had to use some damage control after a double bogey on the 14th hole. He bounced back with a birdie and three pars to finish the round.
Marquette senior Boden Moore, the 2025 medalist, scored a 72, highlighted by an eagle on the 11th hole – a 501-yard par 5 – and a pair of birdies on holes 9 and 18. Senior teammate Jack Pond also had a good day carding a 74 with a trio of birdies as he rebounded from a tough start on the front nine that included a pair of bogeys and a double bogey all coming during the first six holes.
Escanaba junior Jared Plourde put up the best performance of the day for his team with a score of 74. Plourde got a birdie early, on the third hole, but closed out the front nine with a pair of bogeys. On the back nine, Plourde birdied on the 11th but had bogeys on the next two holes before closing the day with five consecutive pars.
“Our boys played exceptional today,” Escanaba coach Jake Berlinski said. “Jared finished the day tied for third. I couldn't be happier for him and for our team for the way we played today.”
Carson Artley placed fifth on the day with a score of 75 with birdies on the first and ninth holes.
“Carson was right there today,” Berlinski said. “He is one of four guys coming back next year, so our outlook is strong as we move forward to next year.”
Gladstone freshman Karson Delaney tied for sixth on the day, with four birdies and despite a pair of double bogeys on the back nine.
“The driver was perfect on every hole today,” Delaney said. “The putter was good too, but the wedges were shaky today.”
Kingsford senior Owen Edwards also posted a score of 76 with a pair of birdies on holes 6 and 17. Escanaba senior Owen LaBonte ended his high school career in a three-way tied for eighth place with senior Dane Saari from Negaunee and Robert Loukus from Calumet.
Sarri had four birdies on the day, and Loukus had birdies at 9 and 13.
(Photo by Adam Hinch.)