Former MHSAA Coach Lands in NHL
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 5, 2013
This week in the year 2000, Jon Cooper had just finished his first season coaching at any level, having guided the Lansing Catholic hockey team to its first Regional championship in 25 seasons.
It would be the only season Cooper – a local lawyer and former player at Hofstra – would coach the Cougars. But it also was the start of a nearly unimaginable rise that saw him hired to coach the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning two weeks ago.
As the saying goes, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Cooper always was friendly and helpful to this then just-starting local media member, and despite his lone season coaching the Cougars quickly built a local fan base that continues to cheer him on from afar.
An NHL.com piece last week led with the high school angle. Click here to check it out. He took over a team 16-18-2 and near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but Cooper surely will have plenty rooting him on from the MHSAA hockey ranks as he works to bring the franchise back to the playoffs – and we’ll work to catch up with him this summer during his first NHL offseason.
Grand Haven athletics 'Exemplary'
The Grand Haven High School athletic department received this year’s Exemplary Athletic Program Award from the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association during its annual conference last month in Traverse City.
The program was established in 1998 to recognize outstanding athletic programs and give high school administrators a vehicle by which to self-assess their practices and measure improvements.
Characteristics of “exemplary” programs include district-wide commitment, excellence in advancing the growth of well-rounded participants and serving the needs of all involved including parents and staff, and sustained success in teaching the values of high school athletics.
Click for more details on award criteria and a list of previous winners, and additional coverage by Grand Rapids’ WZZM.
Volleyball teams 'dug' deep
Michigan high school volleyball teams playing "Dig Pink" matches combined to raise more than $50,500 for cancer research last fall to rank sixth nationally, according to the Side-Out Foundation, a non-profit organization that heads up the “Dig Pink” initiative.
Class D Engadine raised the most among MHSAA schools – $5,200 – with Kent City, Bronson, Grand Ledge, Allendale, Stevensville Lakeshore, Monroe, Waterford Mott, Coldwater and Grand Blanc also contributing to the grand total. Also, Grand Ledge’s Katie Everts received a Side-Out Ambassador Program award, one of 10 handed out to individuals nationally.
Total, more than $1.1 million was raised nationwide.
Name that trophy
Few if any schools in Michigan have done more work in researching and identifying the trophies in its case than Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, which will celebrate its 100th season of boys basketball in 2013-14.
It's rare the Eaglets historians can’t determine what a trophy celebrated. In this case, hopefully you can help.
We believe it’s a basketball trophy from the 1930s – but haven’t been able to pin down a season or a level of the MHSAA tournament. A few things that make this one unique are the plaque presentation, as opposed to a standard trophy, and the large MHSAA seal in the center. Any ideas? Email me at [email protected].
Giving back to those who gave
Those from the U.S. 23/I-94 area surely remember the tornado that tore through Dexter a little more than a year ago, on March 15, 2012.
Dexter track coaches Bob and Katie Jazwinski are remembering those who helped them rebuild after their home was destroyed by the storm.
In a Second Half report last year, Bob Jazwinski said he’d seen athletes and coaches from Adrian, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Pinckney, Chelsea, Ann Arbor Skyline, Whitmore Lake and the USA junior hockey team among the many who flocked to the community to lend a hand in the cleanup.
The Jazwinskis began repaying the favor three weeks ago on the storm's one-year anniversary with the Dexter F 3.1 Tornado Run/Walk that benefited non-profit organizations that had donated for storm recovery the year before.
Click to read the March 30, 2012 story about Adrian athletes’ contributions to the clean-up.
Last call for basketball
We got off to a late start on entering basketball schedules for this winter – but thanks to some incredibly helpful school, official and fan inputters, we were able to catch up quickly and finish with a nearly-complete list of results and standings for this season.
Still, there are some schools with incomplete schedules or a few scores missing. And before everyone forgets completely about this season, we’re hoping for a little help in finishing this enormous task.
Please check out your team’s page on MHSAA.com and help us fill in missing scores and fix inaccuracies. The latter could include just about anything – an incorrect game date, incorrect opponent or score, team missing from league standings, etc. For corrections, please email me directly at [email protected]. (Note: If a game was cancelled, don’t just delete it – contact me and I’ll add “cancelled” to avoid confusion.)
Why is this important? Two big reasons. First, MHSAA.com publishes the most complete statewide scoreboard with results from every corner of Michigan. And we have the most complete archive of basketball seasons available, currently dating to 2009-10. Help us fill in the blanks, and they’ll be saved for everyone’s benefit for years to come.
I thank you in advance for any help you are able to provide.
PHOTOS: (Top) Jon Cooper's bio appeared in the Lansing Catholic hockey team's yearbook for the 1999-2000 season. (Middle) Grand Haven athletic director Robin Bye (second from right) poses with Gull Lake athletic director and MIAAA Exemplary Committee co-char Marc Troop, Grand Haven athletic secretary Rita Way and Ann Arbor Greenhills athletic director and MIAAA Exemplary Committee co-chair Meg Seng after the Buccaneers received this year's award. (Bottom) Orchard Lake St. Mary's is hoping to identify the championship recognized by this trophy, believed to be from the 1930s.
Block Party: 2025 Girls Volleyball Quarterfinal Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 17, 2025
There are 32 girls volleyball teams playing tonight for trips to the MHSAA Finals, including five teams which have reached championship week for the first time.
Below we preview all 16 Quarterfinals. Links to interactive brackets for all four divisions plus information on purchasing tickets is available on the Girls Volleyball page, and a list version of tonight's slate is posted on the Scores page – with green TV icons linked to broadcasts on the NFHS Network.
Tune back in Thursday as we'll preview all 16 teams headed to Kellogg Arena.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Country Day d. North Branch (23-25, 17-25, 25-15, 25-19, 15-13) In one of the most exciting matches of this entire postseason, reigning Division 2 champion and current No. 2-ranked Country Day (21-8-0) came back from two sets down to defeat No. 1 North Branch (41-9-0) in a Division 2 Regional Final.
2. Kingsley d. Roscommon (25-22, 28-26, 25-19) The Division 3 No. 3 Stags (54-4-1) posted the biggest win of Regional Semifinal night, avenging a pair of regular-season two-set sweeps by the top-ranked Bucks (45-3-0).
3. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central d. Hanover-Horton (25-22, 25-21, 26-24) The sets were close but reigning champion and current No. 5 SMCC (25-4-1) swept No. 4 Hanover-Horton (42-2-1) to clinch their Division 3 Regional Final.
4. Fowler d. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (16-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-11) Fowler (33-8-2) had fallen to Sacred Heart in four sets Sept. 11, and the No. 5 Irish (26-9-6) claimed the first set this time before the Eagles went on their run.
5. Mendon d. Battle Creek St. Philip (25-14, 23-25, 25-13, 25-10) The Division 4 top-ranked Hornets (36-6-1) claimed their first Regional title since 2019 by adding to a regular-season four-set win over the No. 8 Tigers (25-15-5).
Quarterfinals at a Glance
DIVISION 1
Trenton (30-10-0) vs. Farmington Hills Mercy (39-5-3) at Hartland
Mercy entered the postseason ranked No. 3 in Division 1 and has never been lower than No. 5 on the list. Senior 6-foot-4 middle Ella Andrews is a Miss Volleyball Award candidate and has a .355 hitting percentage this fall. Trenton has improved 11 wins from just a year ago and won its first Regional title to reach this week. Senior outside hitter Mia Hyde leads the team in kills (397), hitting percentage and is second in blocks and digs.
Byron Center (36-5-2) vs. Ann Arbor Skyline (28-9-4) at Richland Gull Lake
Byron Center won its first Regional title since 1993 and has just one loss since mid-September – and also a notable tie with Mercy coming just under a month ago. Junior outside hitter Mallory Johnson leads the honorable mention Bulldogs with 330 kills and 437 digs. Skyline is 10-0-2 since the start of October and will be playing in its first Quarterfinal since 2021 but fourth over the last seven seasons. Senior Ryann Brooks leads three Eagles hitters with at least 200 kills.
Bloomfield Hills (41-6-1) vs. Oxford (27-12-5) at St. Clair County Community College
No. 2 Bloomfield Hills also celebrated its first Regional title on the way here, and after entering the top 10 at the start of September has never ranked below No. 4. Senior 6-0 outside hitter Kayla Nwabueze is a Miss Volleyball candidate and has 664 kills. Oxford entered the postseason unranked but claimed its first Regional title since 1997. The Wildcats have won all four of their MHSAA Tournament matches in five sets, with junior outside hitter Brenna Mirovsky (322 kills, 311 digs) among those leading the way.
Traverse City Central (32-9-0) vs. Rockford (45-1-1) at Ferris State University
Central has won 20 of 22 matches since the start of October, and came back after losing the first set to Davison on Thursday to advance and set up this Quarterfinal rematch with Rockford – after the Rams swept last year’s with a 36-34 third-set win. The top-ranked Rams defeated three-straight top-10 opponents to get here. Senior Izzie Delacher (1,207 assists) sets a Rockford offense that includes 6-0 outside hitter Liv Hosford (428 kills), another Miss Volleyball candidate. Junior outside hitter Erica Heffner, with 403 kills, leads four Trojans hitters with at least 200.
DIVISION 2
Detroit Country Day (21-8-0) vs. Lake Fenton (23-15-0) at Mt. Morris
Senior 6-0 outside hitter Elise Hiemstra is a Miss Volleyball candidate and has team highs of 391 kills and 60 aces to lead Country Day, which is coming off the notable win over North Branch detailed above. Lake Fenton claimed its District title by avenging a Flint Metro League championship loss to Linden and has steadily moved up this season, entering the rankings as an honorable mention in mid-October. Senior outside hitter Jillian Ferrill leads the attack with 572 kills.
Grand Rapids Christian (26-8-0) vs. Tecumseh (55-2-0) at Richland Gull Lake
The Eagles entered the postseason ranked No. 3 and spent two weeks in October at No. 1, with their losses this season all coming to ranked or honorable mention teams in Division 1. Christian defeated three top-eight ranked teams in a row to reach this week, and 6-0 junior outside hitter Grace Goodyke (510 kills) has been a catalyst. No. 6 Tecumseh has been nearly unbeatable since falling to Country Day in last season’s championship match, losing this season only to Division 1 No. 6 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern and Division 3 top-ranked Roscommon. Senior Lily Gnodtke (1,044 assists) again sets the attack.
Ogemaw Heights (30-6-2) vs. Fremont (37-13-0) at Ferris State University
Both are playing in their first Quarterfinal. Ogemaw Heights clinched its first Regional title by avenging last year’s District loss to Essexville Garber with a five-set win Thursday after the teams had split regular-season matches. Senior middle Teagan Agren and junior outside hitter Aubrey Evans have both topped 300 kills. Fremont also advanced to championship week for the first time by avenging a loss, downing Fruitport in five sets in their Regional Final after losing their regular-season meeting Oct. 1. Junior middle Taylor DeKuiper is one of three hitters with at least 200 kills and she also leads in hitting percentage and blocks.
Flat Rock (35-7-0) vs. Ferndale (18-3-1) at Saline
These two also are enjoying historic tournament runs – No. 10 Flat Rock winning its first Regional title and Ferndale winning its first since 1978. Flat Rock avenged a pair of regular-season losses to Huron League rival Milan by winning their Regional Final match, and Ferndale advanced with a five-set Regional Final win over Harper Woods Chandler Park, avenging a loss in the Eagles’ regular-season finale. Outside hitters Abi Dutra and Mariah King start and are two of four seniors on Ferndale’s junior-dominated roster. Junior Sarah Giroux is a powerful presence for Flat Rock with 526 kills and a .340 hitting percentage.
DIVISION 3
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (25-4-1) vs. Plymouth Christian Academy (41-8-1) at Saline
These two met three times a year ago, including in a Regional Final as St. Mary went on to win the Division 3 championship. They have not met this season, and the Kestrels entered the postseason ranked No. 5 and Plymouth Christian No. 2. Junior Alexa Turner (632 assists) is again the primary setter for SMCC, which has lost only to Division 1 and 2 schools. PCA similarly has lost only once to a Division 3 opponent. Junior setter Anika Jaroszewski has 1,034 assists directing an Eagles attack with several options.
Traverse City St. Francis (32-16-0) vs. Kingsley (54-4-1) at Traverse City West
This will be the third meeting of these teams over the last month, with No. 3 Kingsley winning the first two. Junior outside hitter Jenna Middleton (669 kills) and senior setter Sarah Wooer (1,428 assists) both have qualified for the MHSAA record book in those statistical categories. No. 7 St. Francis finished Division 3 runner-up a year ago and again is paced by the offensive punch of senior outside hitter Quinn Yenshaw (415 kills, 79 blocks).
Pewamo-Westphalia (31-11-3) vs. Kalamazoo Christian (28-12-3) at Vicksburg
This will be the fourth-straight postseason these two have met; Kalamazoo Christian has defeated the Pirates in Quarterfinals the last two years after P-W won their Division 3 championship match in 2022. They also split a pair of matches at this season’s Muskegon Western Michigan Christian Invitational on Oct. 23. The No. 9 Pirates start all seniors including outside hitter Annika Platte, an all-state second teamer last season. The No. 8 Comets’ attack runs through senior setter Reagan Zuiderveen, who has 966 assists and is a returning all-state third-teamer.
Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest (18-15-1) vs. Saginaw Valley Lutheran (50-10-3) at Mott Community College
Lutheran Northwest has taken another step this season reaching the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2019 and after falling in the Regional Final a year ago. The Crusaders avenged last year’s loss to Cass City to advance to this week. No. 6 Valley Lutheran is making a third-straight trip to the Quarterfinals and can get coach Jon Frank to 700 wins if the Chargers reach Saturday. Junior Kate Belt sets the Valley Lutheran offense and has 1,271 assists, while sophomore Becca Pavlik sets Lutheran Northwest’s attack.
DIVISION 4
Traverse City Christian (29-16-2) vs. Fowler (33-8-2) at Clare
Traverse City Christian will play in a Quarterfinal for the second-straight year. The Sabres entered the postseason amid a rough stretch but then avenged two recent defeats and downed No. 9 Onekama in the Regional Final. Freshman Promise Bouwmeester is part of a two-setter attack and leads with 457 assists and 85 aces. No. 2 Fowler avenged the regular-season loss to Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart to win its first Regional title since 2020. Senior Paige Thelen leads six hitters with triple-digit kills at 440.
Crystal Falls Forest Park (41-1-0) vs. Atlanta (38-1-2) at Manistique
Both of these teams have been near-perfect this fall and bring championship-level experience into this week. Atlanta is playing in a Quarterfinal for the second-straight season and lost only to Hale during its league tournament. No. 4 Forest Park is back with its third Regional title over four seasons and its only loss coming Aug. 23 to Saginaw Valley Lutheran. Senior Ava Fischer leads the Trojans attack with 467 kills and also has a team-high 351 digs. Senior Alliyah Hagemeister has dominated the middle for Atlanta with 610 kills and 94 blocks.
Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (26-12-2) vs. Ubly (29-10-4) at Mott Community College
Inter-City Baptist entered the postseason an honorable mention in the latest coaches poll and hasn’t lost a set during the playoffs – and allowed only one of four opponents to even reach 17 points. Sophomore 6-1 middle hitter Daneris Gomez leads up front with 224 kills and 67 blocks. Ubly is making a repeat trip to the Quarterfinals and is riding a 9-1-1 stretch as it seeks to make the Semifinals for the first time since 2007. Junior Waverly Hagen also stands 6-1 in the middle for the No. 3 Bearcats and has 425 kills and 66 blocks.
Mendon (36-6-1) vs. Hillsdale Academy (25-11-1) at Coldwater
Top-ranked Mendon is seeking to make the Semifinals for the first time since its most recent Division 4 championship season of 2019. Three hitters have topped 200 kills, led by senior Gracie Schultz with 449 to go with her 81 aces and 354 digs. Hillsdale Academy is seeking its first Semifinal trip and is playing in its first Quarterfinal since 2013. The Colts have defeated both No. 6 Concord and No. 7 Adrian Lenawee Christian on the way to this week, in part on the setting of senior Elizabeth Andaloro (657 assists).
PHOTO Rockford’s Mallory Wandel (16) and Grace Crelly (12) put up a block during the Rams’ Division 1 Quarterfinal win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern. (Photo by Michigan Sports Photo.)