Tales of Teams, Trophies & Trinkets
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
March 30, 2016
High school athletics leaves behind an amazing array of treasures – although while buried in a keepsake box, or trophy case, the awards stand silent.
For many, their meaning and worth only continues to grow in value. Yet, in other cases, time can be cruel. For some trophies and trinkets, their worth diminishes as the stories contained within are lost behind retirements, neglect, administration decisions and death.
Following are a few tales that live on from more than a century of Michigan high school sports.
|
1909 |
Muskegon High School |
Track Trophy |
The search continues for the oldest state title trophy presented to a high school in the state of Michigan. This beauty, on display at Muskegon High School within the school’s storied trophy cases, currently leads the pack. In 1909, Muskegon coach Robert Zuppke’s team tallied 43½ points to win the fourth annual Michigan Agricultural College Interscholastic meet in Lansing. The total was the largest sum in the history of the meet, exceeding Detroit University School’s total of 27½ points and Detroit Central’s third-place total of 25 points.
Dominant in the field events, Muskegon was led by George Shaw, who set a new record in the pole vault at 11 feet, 2 inches, and by George Cowley, whose 4:47 time in the mile also set a new mark. Cowley’s time in the mile ranked among the top in the middle west.
Zuppke moved on a year later to coach at Oak Park, Ill., then to the University of Illinois where he became known as one of the great coaching minds in the history of college football. Shaw would school at Northwestern University while Cowley spent some time at the University of Chicago following graduation.
|
1923 |
Dollar Bay |
2nd U.P. Class B Tournament |
Someone within the Dollar Bay roster was once the proud owner of this silver basketball fob, given to team members by Northern Michigan Normal College for finishing second in the 6th annual Class B High School Basketball Tournament hosted at Northern State Normal College. According to documentation on the event, six sessions were held, and during presentation of the awards, only seven fobs were awarded to each of the top three teams. As was quite common at the time, only last names of players were mentioned in the game program and newspaper coverage. I guess back in the day, everyone who needed to know already knew the player’s first name.
Purchased on Etsy, perhaps this medal was owned by Stevens, who played one of the guard spots and served as team captain. He was responsible for all nine of the team’s points in the Class B championship game. Perhaps it belonged to Penphrase or Mattson, who each scored four points in the semifinal round, where Dollar Bay trounced Stambaugh 21-12. Munising defeated Newberry 15-10 in the semifinal, setting the stage for the title game. Munising won the Saturday evening contest, 17-9, and earned the right to play the Class A winner for the “supremacy of the Upper Peninsula." One week later at the Normal Gym, Munising topped Escanaba, winner of the Class A tournament, for the honor.
|
1927 |
J. Perry Austin |
Three Oaks |
4:57.3 |
Along with his brother Phil, Joseph Perry Austin was one of 20 graduates in the class of 1927 at Three Oaks High School (Today known as Three Oaks River Valley). The most famous of the group was perhaps Joe Savoldi, who would star at Notre Dame.
The Austin boys moved to Three Oaks from Waukegan, Ill, when they reached high school age. There, Perry, as he was known among family and friends, would excel athletically and academically, winning the Class C MHSAA state championship in the mile and serving as valedictorian of his class. Phil was salutatorian. This medal, presented at Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science (now Michigan State University) was found on Ebay.
Following graduation, Perry attended the University of Michigan, where he was crowned Big Ten Champion in the two mile in 1931. That same year, Austin was honored by the Big Ten with the conference’s prestigious Medal of Honor, awarded one per sport, for athletic and academic achievement in Track & Field. He would remain at Michigan, earning a doctorate in chemistry in 1935.
After graduation, he worked for Abbot Labs in Chicago. In the 1940s, Austin joined the seminary and became an Episcopalian priest, serving parishes in Wisconsin, Texas and Michigan. Ultimately, he returned to education, teaching high school chemistry in Toledo, Ohio. He passed away in 1991.
His brother Phil would ultimately become an internationally renowned watercolorist and a member of the exclusive American Water Color Society.
|
1940 |
Merrill Vandals scoreboard |
Castle Museum, Saginaw |
As the story goes, Merrill High School students built this scoreboard in shop class sometime during the late 1930s for use in their high school gymnasium. The board served the district for approximately the next 50 years. “It was always an honor to be selected as one of the kids to operate the scoreboard,” recalled Keith Clark, a former Merrill student who in later years served as a coach, then administrator in the district. “One kid would operate the home side and the other would operate the away side.”
When the new high school opened in 1956, the scoreboard remained in place at the building where it served junior high school teams until the 1980s. It was ultimately presented to Walt Krause, a longtime employee of the Merrill school district. Thanks to the efforts of Clark, and the kindness of the Krause family, the board eventually made its way to the Saginaw Sports Hall of Fame with a single stipulation – that the score displayed should always show Merrill leading.
|
1947 |
Brethren Dickson |
Basketball Team |
A scan of a photo cherished by the son of one of the team members, this team picture would likely go unnoticed mixed in with a stack of others. Yet, standing in the back row, wearing number 27, is an individual with a likeness, and most certainly a voice, that would be recognized by tens of millions. The Brethren Dickson basketball team of 1947 was eliminated early in the tournament. The 1932 team finished the year as runner-up to Portage for the Lower Peninsula’s Class D title. In 1963, Brethren lost in the state semifinals to eventual Class D state champion Britton.
Using his full given name, one can argue that James Earl Jones ranks with Earvin “Magic” Johnson as the state’s most famous basketball player, though his fame is for something entirely different than his ability to shoot a basketball.
|
1967 |
Ann Arbor University High School |
Track Trophy |
Found at a thrift store in Ann Arbor, it was purchased for $2.12, tax included. Showing its age, the trophy was earned by Ann Arbor University High’s track team that finished second to Detroit St. Charles.
Ann Arbor University High was a demonstration school operated by the University of Michigan’s School of Education. In 1922, the State of Michigan legislature approved $525,000 for the construction and furnishing of the building near the campus of the university. In the fall of 1924, the school was opened with 123 students in grades 7-12. In 1930, an elementary school was added. According to U-M’s Bentley Historical Library, “the school was used as a demonstration center for educators in the newer practices of educating children.”
University High’s athletic teams were nicknamed the Cubs, an obvious nod to the University of Michigan’s Wolverines. University High continued to operate into the 1960s, when a decision was made by U-M’s School of Education to close the school.
The 1967 team, led by Dave Shipman, finished second to Detroit St. Charles in point total, 64 to 47. Shipman, an individual winner in both the 100 and 220-yard events, also ran on University’s victorious 880 relay team. A year later, the final senior class graduated from the school.
|
1984 |
Brimley High School |
Volleyball |
This medal dates to the days when champions were crowned in volleyball in both upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. (In the year 2000, the tournament was unified.) This is another Ebay find.
Between 1980 and 1990 the U.P. staged a single open tournament for all schools north of the Mackinac Bridge. Despite competing against schools with much larger enrollment, the Brimley Bays captured seven titles during those 11 years of competition. Located just off I-75, coach Charles Compo’s team traveled extensively into the Lower Peninsula to gain experience. The time and travel paid dividends as the team captured five straight titles between 1981 and 1985. The 1984 title came with 15-3, 15-11 wins over Bessemer. That season, Compo was named U.P. Coach of the Year.
“Compo retired in 1990 with an amazing record of 408 victories and only 74 losses,” notes the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame, recognizing the achievements of those squads. “Seventeen of Compo's players would earn all-state honors, a total of 32 times.”
|
2009 |
Allison Pall |
East Grand Rapids |
1:50:09 |
“When the boys on the football team got whiny about practice, their coach would bring them to one of our practices,” remembered Allison Pall, discussing the hours spent training before earning this medal as a member of the East Grand Rapids 200 medley relay team. Those practices were run by legendary swimming coach Milton “Butch” Briggs, Jr. Since taking on the task in fall of 1975, Briggs has led the girls to 19 MHSAA championships and the boys to 10 titles.
Pall, along with schoolmates Ally Bremer, Molly Lundquist, and Karly Surman won the 200 medley relay with an MHSAA Finals time of 1:50.09 at Eastern Michigan. A year later Pall, Bremer, Emily Lundquist and Katie Lachance again won the 200 medley relay, at 1:48.82 at Holland Aquatic Center. The girls clocked a 1:48:75 in the prelims the day prior, establishing a then-school record.
A late beginner in the sport, Pall took up competitive swimming in seventh grade. Following high school graduation, Pall headed to Ann Arbor to enroll at the University of Michigan, where she left behind her swimming career. Her height, an advantage in swimming, meant she was recruited to join the University Rowing team. She stayed for a season, deciding to dedicate herself to studies. Today, Allison is in pursuit of her Master’s degree in Public Health. Her medals will not be found for sale online. They still mean the world to her.
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.
PHOTO: George Shaw prepares for the pole vault for Muskegon High in 1909. (Photos gathered by Ron Pesch.)
Breslin Bound: 2024-25 Girls District Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 3, 2025
Nearly 700 Michigan girls basketball teams will begin their quests this week to finish as one of four holding up championship trophies three weeks from now at Michigan State University.
We always switch up our “Breslin Bound” format once the MHSAA Tournament starts, as last week’s most intriguing results below are followed this time by glances at three District brackets of note in each division. Host sites are bolded, and teams playing in those brackets are listed by seed as determined by Michigan Power Ratings (MPR).
Everything you could want to know this week about tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Girls Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Farmington Hills Mercy 61, Detroit Edison 58 This win over the reigning Division 2 champion Pioneers (14-6) combined with a Thursday win over Detroit University Prep sent Mercy (17-4) from No. 15 to No. 6 in final Division 1 MPR.
2. Negaunee 58, Gladstone 44 The Miners (21-0) completed a perfect regular season, and Gladstone finished 20-2 with its only losses to Negaunee.
3. Jackson Lumen Christi 59, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 53 The Titans (15-6) handed the Kestrels (21-1) their lone defeat of the regular season.
4. Belleville 70, Northville 48 Bellville (21-1) repeated as overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association champion, following up on its shared title in the East by downing West winner Northville (14-8).
5. Freeland 51, Midland 49 (OT) The co-champion of the Tri-Valley Conference Red, Freeland (19-3) earned another boost into the postseason by downing Saginaw Valley League winner Midland (18-3).
Districts at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold, and teams are listed by seed:
DIVISION 1
Hartland
1. Howell (16-6), 2. Hartland (17-5), 3. Brighton (12-10), 4. Milford (13-9), 5. Fenton (12-10).
It wouldn’t be a stretch to see any of these teams shake up the bracket. Howell finished second in the KLAA West and Hartland third, and Brighton fifth, and Hartland actually moved past Howell in MPR after seeding with wins last week over White Lake Lakeland and Livonia Stevenson. Howell did sweep Hartland during the regular season; Hartland split with Brighton, and Howell swept Brighton. Milford finished fifth in the Lakes Valley Conference but defeated Midland Dow early, LVC co-champion Lakeland in their second meeting and lost a pair to the other co-champ South Lyon by a combined seven points. Fenton finished third in the Flint Metro League Stripes.
Midland Dow
1. Midland (18-3), 2. Midland Dow (14-8), 3. Mount Pleasant (15-6), 4. Cadillac (15-6), 5. Bay City Western (11-11).
SVL champion Midland tops a bracket that also includes league rivals Mount Pleasant (tied for third), Dow (tied for fifth) and Western (tied for seventh) – and the Chemics defeated possible Friday opponents Dow by three and 15 and the Oilers by eight during the regular season. Cadillac was the runner-up in the Big North Conference and had won nine straight – including a 43-40 victory last week over Mount Pleasant – before falling to Bay City Western 37-26 on Thursday. Those two open against each other tonight.
West Bloomfield
1. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (17-4), 2. West Bloomfield (14-8), 3. White Lake Lakeland (16-6), 4. Walled Lake Northern (14-8), 5. Walled Lake Central (1-21).
Reigning Division 1 champion West Bloomfield fell off the radar a bit early with a 1-4 start, but is 11-3 over the last seven weeks and finished second in the Oakland Activities Association Red – and defeated champion Clarkston 44-43 last week to avenge an earlier 48-41 loss. All of the Lakers’ losses came against opponents that have won at least 14 games. St. Mary’s shared the Catholic High School League Central West title with Mercy, and its four losses were to opponents that have all won at least 16 games. Lakeland was co-champion in the LVC and Northern finished fourth, and Lakeland’s losses also came against a tough slate as well, as all of those opponents were at least 12-game winners.
DIVISION 2
Chelsea
1. Chelsea (16-4), 2. Parma Western (20-2), 3. Michigan Center (19-2), 4. Brooklyn Columbia Central (11-10), 5. Pinckney (14-8).
Western and Columbia Central are league champions, Chelsea and Michigan Center league runners-up, and Pinckney third from a strong Southeastern Conference White that included Chelsea and one of the overall Division 2 favorites in Tecumseh. Western actually moved past Chelsea in MPR after seeding, with its only losses to league champions Belleville and Grass Lake and a win over another title winner Haslett last week plus Edison on Jan. 23. Chelsea’s losses were to Edison on Thursday, Tecumseh twice and another overall favorite in Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard. Michigan Center’s only defeats were twice to Grass Lake.
Escanaba or Higher Seed (non-traditional)
1. Negaunee (21-0), 2. Gladstone (20-2), 3. Houghton (13-9), 4. Escanaba (9-12), 5. Kingsford (10-11).
The Miners reached the Division 2 Semifinals last season and have won District titles the last three seasons. And as noted above, Negaunee defeated Gladstone last week for the second time, and both of Gladstone’s losses were to Negaunee. There’s a strong argument they are the best teams in the Upper Peninsula this season, and they could meet for a third time Friday. But don’t forget Houghton, which had a bumpy February but started this season 12-3 and lost to Gladstone only 39-36 on Dec. 19. Those two will meet again in a District Semifinal.
Fremont
1. Big Rapids (19-2), 2. Fremont (20-2), 3. Newaygo (18-4), 4. Ludington (16-5), 5. Reed City (9-12).
This bracket includes two teams that have reached Breslin over the last four years – 2021 Division 2 runner-up Newaygo and 2022 semifinalist Ludington among an overall strong group. Big Rapids was the undefeated champion in the Central State Activities Association Red, with pairs of double-digit wins over second-place Newaygo and third-place Reed City. Fremont was first and Ludington second in the West Michigan Conference Lakes, with Fremont taking both of their matchups also by double digits. The Packers have won 12 straight games to reach 20 for the second-straight season, while Big Rapids can reach 20 victories for the second time in three seasons with a win Wednesday.
DIVISION 3
Blissfield
1. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (21-1), 2. Blissfield (19-2), 3. Ottawa Lake Whiteford (14-8), 4. Erie Mason (7-15), 5. Sand Creek (3-19).
St. Mary’s only loss, discussed above, came last week to Lumen Christi, and the Kestrels finished first in a Huron league that included five teams (of eight) with winning records overall. Among early victories was a 28-pointer over Ottawa Lake Whiteford, which tied for second in the Tri-County Conference. Those two could meet again, but only if Whiteford gets through Blissfield, which won the Lenawee County Athletic Association title with losses only to TCC champ Morenci on Thursday and Tecumseh on Dec. 18. Blissfield has defeated SMCC in District play the last three seasons, including in District Finals the last two.
Galesburg-Augusta
1. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep (19-3), 2. Kalamazoo Christian (18-4), 3. Lawton (15-5), 4. Galesburg-Augusta (14-7), 5. Comstock (1-20).
Hackett and Christian played to one of the most intriguing splits this season, Christian winning the first game 52-35, Hackett the rematch 56-55, but Christian winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title by two games ahead of the Irish. Hackett’s loss to Parchment on Feb. 21 was its only defeat since Dec. 13, and Christian sharpened for the postseason with losses to Edison, Saugatuck and Paw Paw as well and a nice win last week over Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver champ Grandville Calvin Christian. Lawton finished third in the Valley, but its only non-Hackett/Christian defeat came to reigning Division 3 champion Niles Brandywine. Galesburg-Augusta was the runner-up in the SAC Central and will play on its homecourt.
Grass Lake
1. Grass Lake (18-3), 2. Jackson Lumen Christi (15-6), 3. Hanover-Horton (12-9), 4. East Jackson (14-8), 5. Napoleon (8-14).
Lumen’s win last week over Monroe St. Mary made a bracket full of surging teams even more interesting. Cascades Conference East champion Grass Lake has won 15 straight games since it’s most recent loss – Jan. 4 to Lumen Christi, 66-56. The Warriors rebounded with wins over Michigan Center and Detroit Renaissance and have rolled since. The Titans are riding an impressive five-game stretch that included a win as well over Columbia Central and with that loss to Tecumseh. Hanover-Horton was second in the Cascades West and has seven wins over its last nine games, and East Jackson – 5-17 just a season ago – has won six of its last seven with only a loss to Grass Lake during that string.
DIVISION 4
Dryden
1. Clarkston Everest Collegiate (17-2), 2. Genesee Christian (19-2), 3. Dryden (12-10), 4. Burton St. Thomas More Academy (9-9).
Everest won the CHSL Intersectional 1 and St. Anne’s Tournament championships, with its only losses to Division 2 Warren Regina and Wixom St. Catherine. But Genesee will provide a high-powered challenge, as the Soldiers are capable of putting up big numbers and have lost only to Division 2 Flint Hamady and Adrian Lenawee Christian. Dryden emerges from the Big Thumb Conference Blue, where it finished third and didn’t lose a game all season to an opponent that finished with fewer than 12 wins, taking on Sandusky and Brown City over the last two weeks.
Frankfort
1. Frankfort (14-6), 2. Leland (16-5), 3. Lake Leelanau St. Mary (14-6), 4. Grand Traverse Academy (14-7), 5. Suttons Bay (2-19), 6. Traverse City Christian (4-13).
Frankfort enters the postseason with two losses over its last three games, but got one that counted big-time as last week’s 18-11 win over Leland solidified an outright championship in the Northwest Conference. Frankfort also won their first meeting 33-26 on Jan. 29, but the Comets emerged from a tough run over the last three weeks to still finish third in the league. Lake Leelanau St. Mary could break up a potential third meeting between those two, having defeated Leland 31-26 on Jan. 14 and tested itself in losses to 20-game winners Evart and St. Ignace over the last two weeks. Grand Traverse has bounced back from a rough February stretch with three straight wins.
L’Anse or Higher Seed (non-traditional)
1. L’Anse (17-5), 2. Baraga (16-6), 3. Hancock (14-8), 4. Lake Linden-Hubbell (16-6), 5. Dollar Bay (8-14), 6. Chassell (4-18).
The second, third and fourth-place teams from the Copper Mountain Conference will contend in this bracket, and Hancock was the runner-up in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference West. L’Anse finished fourth in the CMC but has the top seed and a recent 14-point win over Hancock but also lost to Lake Linden-Hubbell last week 54-50. LL-H has jumped past CMC runner-up Baraga and Hancock in MPR since seeding but took an 11-point loss to Hancock on Feb. 13 to go with a split with Baraga and a sweep of L’Anse. Baraga was the Division 4 runner-up just two seasons ago and fell to eventual champion Ishpeming during last year’s District. The Vikings have won 10 of their last 12 games, with the pair of losses during that run by a combined six points.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) West Bloomfield defenders close in on Tecumseh’s Lauren Kilbarger (12) during her team’s win over the Lakers in December. (Middle) Houghton's Eva Gerard gets a hand up as Ishpeming Peyton Kakkuri take a shot during the Hematites’ 61-49 win Thursday. (West Bloomfield/Tecumseh photo by Team Arreguin Photos. Houghton/Ishpeming photo by Cara Kamps.