This Week In High School Sports: 1/18/22
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
January 18, 2022
This week's edition highlights a strong start for the Midland Dow girls basketball team, awards Game Balls to high achievers in wrestling, basketball and hockey; and celebrates retiring coaches who are among the winningest in Michigan's girls basketball and baseball history. 
The 5-minute program each week includes feature stories from around the state from the MHSAA’s Second Half or network affiliates, along with "Be The Referee," a 60-second look at the fine art of officiating.
"This Week in High School Sports" is powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury.
Listen to this week's show by Clicking Here.
Previous editions
Jan. 11: Battle of the Fans X "Challenge Round," officiating on the islands – Listen
Jan. 4: Onsted boys basketball, Oxford Strong – Listen
Dec. 15: Winter championship calendar, KLAA/MIHL Memorial Showcase – Listen
Dec. 8: 2021 Bush Award honorees, remembering Tom Rashid – Listen
Dec. 1: 11-Player Football Finals review – Listen
Nov. 23: Volleyball, LP Girls Swimming & Diving, 8-Player Football Finals review – Listen
Nov. 16: Lower Peninsula Cross Country continued, weekend preview – Listen
Nov. 9: Lower Peninsula Cross Country, Boys Soccer Finals review – Listen
Nov. 2: Title IX at 50 celebration, Fall championship broadcasts – Listen
Oct. 27: Upper Peninsula Cross Country Finals review, soccer/volleyball playoff update – Listen
Oct. 20: Lower Peninsula Girls Golf & Boys Tennis Finals review – Listen
Oct. 13: Middle school/junior high cross country Regionals, football playoff selection – Listen
Oct. 6: Upper Peninsula girls tennis champions, football broadcast update – Listen
Sept. 29: Girls swimming & diving "Meet of Champions," Schoolcraft's star kicker – Listen
Sept. 22: Spartan Invitational "elite" races, John U. Bacon's "Let Them Lead" – Listen
Sept. 15: Volleyball powers face off, Tiger Teusink's tennis legacy – Listen
Sept. 8: Fall sports rules changes, Adrian Lenawee Christian inspiration – Listen
Sept. 1: Boys soccer seeding process, Beaver Island athletics – Listen
Aug. 25: Return of Fall sports, “enhanced strength-of-schedule” football playoff format – Listen
Gazzarari Picks Up Momentum in Bracket Play, Completes Impressive Climb
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2025
ALLEN PARK – A field of heavy hitters filled the Division 1 girls singles championship at Thunderbowl Lanes on Saturday.
Senior Madeline Gazzarari, who qualified 14th, handled that field and won the crown, defeating Rockford’s Sophia DeLuccia 445-385 in the final.
“It has been a long day,’’ said Gazzarari, who is coached by her uncle. Mike Axline. “I started gaining some momentum after qualifying. Going into the third match I felt good. To do this my senior year, this is amazing.’’
Said Axline: “She beat Madison Rue in the first round and Sophia Matheson, who was the third seed today. She shot well. She made a lot of spares.’’
Sophomore Ava Mazza from Utica United was the top qualifier in the girls division at 1,354 followed by Tiara Henderson of Westland John Glenn (1,305), senior Rue of team runner-up Holt (1,289) and senior Matheson of Utica.
Utica’s big three of Mazza, Matheson and Hadley Clark all made the top 16. Mazza and Matheson then advanced to quarterfinals.
Mazza rolled past Haylee Hodges of Saginaw Heritage, 413-328, while Matheson disposed of Paiton Thompson of team champion Grandville, 377-299. Clark ended a tough weekend with a 337-309 loss to sophomore Sofia DeLuccia of Rockford.
Rue struggled and fell to Gazzarari, 406-242, and Gazzarari then faced Madison Thomas of Belleville, a 367-356 winner over Brooklyn Hannah of Livonia Franklin.
Second-seed Henderson survived Jenna McKinzie of Grand Haven, 413-396. Henderson’s next opponent was Aria Ragland of Taylor, who had defeated Sophia Best of Livonia Churchill, 461-320.
Henderson advanced to the semifinals with a 389-316 victory over Ragland while Mazza ended Stephens’ run, 398-352.
Gazzarari – also a semifinalist in 2023 – ended Henderson’s run, shooting a 222 in the second game to reach the final with a 385-354 victory.
For the second straight year Mazza fell just short of bowling for the championship, losing to Gazzarari 365-361.