Did You See That? (April 22-28)
April 30, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The clouds finally began to break last week. And as expected, teams in every spring sport quickly got started catching up on what they'd had to put off most of this month.
Read on for some of the top headlines from all over the state, plus our favorite story – which highlights a pair of officials who will be recognized this weekend for their dedication to high school athletics.
Good Read of the Week
Father/Daughter rule the diamond: Ralph Burr will be among those celebrated by the MHSAA this weekend for 50 years of service as an official. But the past 20 have been his favorite – his daughter and umpiring partner Jackie will be recognized this weekend for her two decades of service. (Muskegon Chronicle).
Softball
McClure strikes again: Manchester pitcher Katie McClure moved into ninth in MHSAA history with 511 career strikeouts after totaling 27 more at Saturday’s Concord Invitational. Her team won the event by beating the host 3-1 in the final. (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)
One vs. One: In what has become arguably the best softball rivalry in the state, Stevensville Lakeshore swept Mattawan 4-2 and 9-4 on Thursday in a matchup of top-ranked teams. Lakeshore is ranked No. 2 in Division 2, while Mattawan holds the top spot in Division 1. (St. Joseph Herald-Palladium)
Another Clinton ace: That’s Cami Prater, who has taken over for graduated standout Tierney Nelson and no-hit the No. 5-ranked host at Saturday’s Springport Invitational. Prater hit a home run as Clinton won last season’s Division 3 championship game. (Adrian Daily Telegram)
Snowbirds down No. 1: Gaylord St. Mary scored in the bottom of the seventh inning to upset Division 4 No. 1 Onaway 2-1 a week ago before settling for a hard-earned split. (Gaylord Herald-Times)
Girls Lacrosse
“Play Day” perfection: Rockford hosted its fourth “Play Day” on Saturday, and the Division 1 top-ranked Rams finished it with wins over No. 2 Hartland and No. 3 Brighton. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, No. 2 in Division 2, also beat Hartland, along with Troy Athens and Division 2 No. 3 Ann Arbor Pioneer. (Grand Rapids Press)
Boys Golf
Upper hand, DCC: Detroit Catholic Central won what is one of the most competitive regular-season events every spring, claiming the Division 1 portion of the Traverse City Central Invitational by edging reigning champion Muskegon Mona Shores. Mona Shores finished third and DCC sixth at last season’s MHSAA Division 1 Final. (Traverse City Record-Eagle)
Baseball
Long time coming: Gladstone earned its first wins 4-3 and 5-0 over Negaunee on Friday, and those also happen to be the program’s first victories in more than a half century. The Escanaba Daily Press reports this as Gladstone’s first baseball team in 54 years. (Escanaba Daily Press)
East Lansing rises at Dow: East Lansing needed just about every one of its 16 runs over the final two games of Saturday’s Midland Dow Invitational, but came away with the championship after beating Division 3 No. 4 Saginaw Nouvel 8-7 in the final. East Lansing advanced with an 8-6 win over Dow. (Saginaw News)
Weisenberger throws no-no again: Sanford Meridian had three wins after Thursday, and two were no-hitters by pitcher Jonah Weisenberger. He threw his second in that night’s opener against Beaverton. (Midland Daily News)
Portage Northern rallies: The Huskies look like they could be an emerging force again from the Kalamazoo area, and moved to 5-2 by winning their home invitational Saturday. Portage Northern defeated Division 4 No. 2 Gobles in the championship game. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Track and Field
Hornets buzz: Williamston’s boys, who tied for ninth at last season MHSAA Division 2 Final, won the Spartan Classic at Michigan State University, finishing eight points ahead of Division 1 power Rockford. Reigning Division 1 girls champion Grosse Pointe South won its side of the meet by a much more significant 51 points. (Playmakers.com (full results), Lansing State Journal)
All-Battle Creek is all Lakeview: Battle Creek Lakeview continues to dominate its city’s track and field scene, and again won its all-city meets Friday. The girls won despite not running standout Sarita Dotson, who was out with an injury. (Battle Creek Enquirer).
Football
Stoney Creek celebrates Fisher: A Rochester Hills Stoney Creek football coach remembered Thursday how Eric Fisher was 6-foot-1 and 150 pounds as a high school freshman. That night, Fisher was selected first in the NFL draft out of Central Michigan University by the Kansas City Chiefs. (Detroit News)
Hartland Soars on Vault in Final Rotation To Finish Repeat Championship Run
By
Brad Emons
Special for MHSAA.com
March 7, 2026
HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP – Friday’s MHSAA Gymnastics Team Final went pretty much according to script in what became a three-team race at Milford High School.
Hartland, scoring 146.50 points, fended off challenges from upstart Farmington United (145.45) and last year’s runner-up Rockford (143.85) to earn its second-straight title and third in school history.
Rounding out the top six in the 12-team field were Plymouth (142.325), host Huron Valley United (141.375) and Parma Western (139.750).
“It’s the best feeling ever, honestly,” Hartland coach Gavin Kress said. “It’s such a great feeling. You honestly don’t think about it until you are actually in it.”
Rockford has nine Finals titles to its credit, including three straight from 2022-24, while Farmington has five.
Hartland, which entered the meet after scoring a Regional-best 147.750, saved its best for last nailing the vault routine with a 37.425 on its final rotation.
“Event-wise, it was vault where we got four top scores that we needed,” Kress said. “That’s what pulled us (away from the rest of the field). Floor was really a beneficial thing for us, and I think ending on the vault gave us the push to get us the win.”
Among Hartland’s standouts was senior Alexis Fundich, who will attempt to win the Division 1 individual title Saturday after finishing second a year ago.
“We had a few mess-ups, but overall, we were working hard and did well, it was good” Fundich said. “That was a great way to end the meet, and it really solidified our spot. I think definitely it’s one of our strongest (apparatus). Our floor is pretty strong for us as well, too.”
Hartland won last year’s crown by 2.05 points over Hartland, but this time it was Farmington making a serious push.
“Honestly, that was not expected, but they did great,” Kress said of United. “Honestly, when we go out there, we watch Farmington and Rockford because we know they are our biggest competitors. To hear that they got second place was amazing, and they deserved that spot.”
Veteran Farmington coach Jeff Dwyer, finishing his 38th season, was elated with his team’s result.
“I knew we were in it with Rockford, Plymouth, Huron Valley, and I knew Hartland,” he said. “I kind of thought they were not maybe untouchable, but they’ve got some studs that are really hard to touch.
“Just proud of our girls. We couldn’t have done any better, I think. That was our highest score all year. And to close on the beam, you’re saying, ‘Come on,’ that’s a nerve-wracking event and I think we were the highest scoring beam team.”
Senior Mikayla Dicks was the all-around individual star for Farmington United with the meet’s highest total of 37.925. She posted the highest score on the uneven bars (9.475) and had the second-highest score on the balance beam (9.6) behind Huron Valley’s Stella Musialowski (9.725).
Meanwhile, Fundich posted a 37.625 all-around that was the meet’s second highest, thanks to tying for the top score on floor exercise with Rockford’s Elise Watkins (9.65) and scoring the second highest on the uneven bars.
“I can always count on beginning with her ever since her sophomore year,” Kress said. “She’s always been a clean gymnast and a strong gymnast. I can always rely on her out there and showing what she can do. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
Friday night’s event was a team competition, which will be followed by the individual Division 1 and 2 Finals competition beginning at noon Saturday at Milford.
“It feels really good especially losing those seniors (from last year), with all the hard work we put in,” Fundich said. “It’s an amazing feeling. We knew it was kind of between Farmington and Rockford. We kind of knew we had a little bit of competition. It got a little nerve-wracking towards the end, but we just still hit our routines and it paid off.”
PHOTOS (Top) Hartland’s gymnasts share a moment during their rotation on vault at Friday’s MHSAA Team Final. (Middle) A Huron Valley United gymnast competes on balance beam. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)