Did you see that? (Winter begins)

November 27, 2012

Fall has ended and winter has begun. And every Monday we'll post here some of the most headline-worthy results and major news coming from all over our state. 

Hockey, Upper Peninsula bowling, gymnastics, Upper Peninsula swimming and diving and competitive cheer all are underway, although the majority of competitions in the latter four take place after the start of the new year. Girls basketball, Lower Peninsula swimming and diving and bowling all begin this week. 

And next week sees the starts of the rest: boys basketball, boys and girls skiing and wrestling. 

We're busy populating MHSAA.com with schedules for all sports and especially basketball, and will display every score that comes in for any sport. Anyone can enter scores by simply registering on the site. Feel free to give us a hand, and keeping tuning in to Second Half for more features, rankings and the like all winter long. 

Emeralds Complete Their Half of Title Sweep with Team, Individual Champs

By Jason Juno
Special for MHSAA.com

May 31, 2023

NORWAY – Manistique’s Ryan McEvers said he would have been happy with a score in the 80s at Wednesday’s Upper Peninsula Division 2 Final.

That makes sense, considering his coach Tim Noble couldn’t remember him recording a score in the 70s at a tournament before.

McEvers, a junior, stepped up at the right time, shooting an incredible 74 at Oak Crest. That score won him the Division 2 individual title and pushed the Emeralds to the team championship.

Norway's Carson Chartier chips toward the green at Oak Crest. Had he shot in the 80s, Manistique would have finished behind Painesdale Jeffers, which ended three strokes back in second place.

Noble thought a Manistique boys and girls team title sweep was possible. But he admitted he was more confident in the girls, who won as well Wednesday.

That is, until McEvers shot an even-par 36 on the front nine, the best of anyone on the course.

“I knew we were suddenly in it for the boys,” Noble said.

It was the Emeralds’ first team championship since 2007.

They did it with two players in the 70s – Landon Dougherty shot a 78. Manistique finished with a score of 331, while Jeffers was at 334. The Jets were led by individual runner-up Todd Rautiola, who carded a 76.

The Emeralds’ Grant Mason follows his shot. Jeffers didn’t have anyone else in the 70s, though. They didn’t have anybody have a day like McEvers, whose personal best in any round of golf before Wednesday was a 78.

“I’d be happy shooting in the 80s today,” he said. “But the guys that I was playing with were fun, and I felt really good about it. I didn’t look at my scorecard until the end, and it all added up nicely.”

Noble said he was texting McEvers’ dad updates all day – “and he couldn’t believe it.” McEvers’ teammates surrounded him afterward, and they expressed their disbelief as well. 

“I think I counted I only had two bad shots,” McEvers said. “My drives were straight. Putting from the fringe probably saved me a lot. But it was all coming together nicely.”

Oak Crest may have lent a helping hand.

“This course is made for a player like Ryan – short, precision,” Noble said.

Norway’s Carson Chartier shot a 77 to finish third. Hancock’s Jackson Sintkowski shot a 78 to match Dougherty in fourth.

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Manistique, including individual medalist Ryan McEvers, celebrate Wednesday’s championship sweep. (Middle) Norway's Carson Chartier chips toward the green at Oak Crest. (Below) The Emeralds’ Grant Mason follows his shot. (Photos by Jason Juno.)