10 to Remember: Spring 2015
June 25, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The close of June officially ends of another school year. And this season’s MHSAA Finals provided another strong finish with a number of memorable moments sure to be recalled for years to come.
Below is one person’s list of the 10 most significant, drawn from the title-earning performances of 129 teams and hundreds of individuals this spring.
10. Rockford Holds On for Third Straight Girls Lacrosse Title
The Rams saw an 8-1 lead dissolve to a one-goal advantage after Bloomfield Hills Marian scored in the 22nd minute of the second half of their Division 1 Final. Rockford goalie Katie Elwell turned away a shot to tie the game with 55 seconds left, and her team won a jumpball deep on its side of the field with 36 seconds to play to hold on to a 10-9 victory – and claim a third straight MHSAA championship. Rockford is one of three programs to win four MHSAA titles during the 11 seasons of tournament sponsorship. Marian is a two-time runner-up.
9. Hartland Baseball Goes 10 Innings to Win First MHSAA Title
Hartland scored in the first inning of the Division 1 Final in pursuit of its first MHSAA championship in the sport – but then didn’t score again until the bottom of the 10th inning. Junior pitcher John Baker threw all 10 innings for the Eagles, allowing only five hits and striking out 11 batters, and he also had two hits and drove in the game’s first run. Portage Northern also was making its first MHSAA Final appearance in baseball.
8. Northville Girls Tennis Joins First-time Champs; Nguyen Joins Elite
The Northville girls tennis team was one of 32 teams over all sports that won their first MHSAA championships during the 2014-15 school year. The Wildcats finished an impressive five points ahead of Midland Dow, winning three doubles and two singles flights. Utica’s Davina Nguyen, meanwhile, finished as one of the most accomplished champions in MHSAA history, becoming only the sixth player to win at least three titles at No. 1 singles. Nguyen also won in Division 1 as a freshman and junior.
7. Cranbrook Kingswood Regains Boys Lacrosse Title on Last-Second Winner
Johnny Wagner scored 177 goals over his three-season varsity career for Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, but his last had to be the most spectacular. Three days after sending the Cranes to the Final with an overtime game-winning goal, Wagner scored in the Division 2 championship decider with 10.5 seconds to play to give his team the final edge in a 10-9 victory over Okemos. The winner was his fifth goal of the game.
6. Gull Lake Girls Soccer Wins Again on Shootout Success
The only shots to find the net in the Division 2 Final came during an overtime shootout won by Gull Lake to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 victory and their third straight MHSAA championship. That’s not to say the game lacked for excitement, with the teams combining for 37 shots. Gull Lake had also won its Regional Semifinal in a shootout and finished the spring 25-1-1. Fenton was making its first MHSAA Finals appearance in the sport, seeking its first title in any sport since 1993.
5. Warren Regina Softball Stuns After Slow Start
Teams that open 3-11 usually don’t finish as championship contenders – but those teams don’t have the MHSAA’s winningest coach, Diane Laffey, running the show to go with a strong group of upperclassmen who emerged from a competative Detroit Catholic League Central. Regina won its sixth MHSAA title and first since 2007 by downing favored Caledonia 5-0 in the Division 1 Final. Senior Marissa Tiano struck out nine batters in giving up only two hits after giving up only four hits in a 7-1 Semifinal win over Mattawan.
4. DeWitt Boys Golf Sticks Winning Shots; Carlson Goes All-Time Low
DeWitt senior Geoffry Croley birdied off the flagstick on the No. 18 hole at Forest Akers East to help the Panthers edge Cranbrook Kingswood 594-595 and claim the Lower Peninsula Division 2 title, its first since 2011. His younger brother, freshman Joey, made par on his final hole (No. 16) to also help secure the win. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s Nick Carlson finished his high school career with a second individual title and the all-time low 36-hole score in MHSAA Finals history, a 134, to edge Matt Harmon’s 135 for East Kentwood in 2001.
3. Saline Unbeatable in Claiming First Girls Soccer Title
The Hornets compiled one of the most impressive seasons in MHSAA girls soccer history in making their first Final and then winning it. Saline gave up a mere four goals – tied for third-fewest in MHSAA history – in 25 games and finished with a 22-0-3 record capped by a 4-0 win over Grand Blanc in the Division 1 championship game. The team’s 22 shutouts also rank tied for third in MHSAA girls soccer history. Senior Taylor Mulder set a school record with 43 goals this season with her second of this game.
2. Legend of Beaubien Grows with Monroe St. Mary Softball Title
Meghan Beaubien already was known by those who follow softball statewide – not many sophomores get a chance to commit to the University of Michigan so early. But what she and the Kestrels did in winning the program’s first MHSAA championship was pretty legendary. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central outscored its postseason opponents by a combined 29-0 over seven games, beating Bronson 2-0 in the Division 3 Final with Beaubien taking a perfect game into the seventh inning and hitting a two-run homer.
1. Fisher, Saline Finish Strong in Boys Track and Field Final
The Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final was filled with notable finishes – including a pair that will be listed in the national record book next month. Saline won its second MHSAA title in the sport and first since 2006, finishing ahead of East Kentwood – champion five of the last six seasons. The Hornets were keyed by a 3,200 relay of Logan Wetzel, Josiah Humphrey, Austin Welch and Kevin Hall that finished in 7:38.97 to rank among the best all-time in U.S. high school history Grand Blanc senior Grant Fisher posted the second-fastest 1,600 time in U.S. high school history, going 4:00.28.; he graduated with five individual MHSAA Finals titles. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills’ Donavan Brazier also re-set the all-Finals record in the 800, running 1:48.98.
PHOTO: Grant Fisher, far right, set an MHSAA all-Finals record in the 1,600 that also ranks as the second-fastest in U.S. high school history. (Click to see more from RunMichigan.com. Photos by John Brabbs.)
1,000-Point Scoring Pair has Howardsville Christian Eying Postseason Possibilities
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
February 5, 2025
MARCELLUS – Despite facing a shorter bench and tougher schedule this winter, Howardsville Christian’s boys basketball team still started this season much slower than head coach Ken Sparks had anticipated.
But Sparks, now in his fourth season, said the Eagles are highly confident they can achieve big things before the 2024-25 campaign ends.
Two reasons why are the exceptional play of shooting guard Kaden Sparks – Ken's son – and point guard John Paul Rose. The two four-year varsity players and senior starters both recently eclipsed the 1,000-point career scoring mark.
Howardsville Christian has fewer than 80 students, and they were the first pair in school history to achieve that milestone during the same season. A total of 17 players are now on the Eagles’ 1,000-point list, led by Dylan Jergens, the third-leading scorer in MHSAA history with 2,782 career points. All of their names appear on a banner on the wall behind one of the baskets inside the school gymnasium.
Needing just two points to reach his career milestone, Kaden Sparks scored a game-high 27 points in a 57-46 loss by Howardsville Christian to Division 2 Edwardsburg in the Tri-State Holiday Classic on Dec. 14 at Southwestern Michigan College.
Rose achieved the rare feat in the Eagles' 55-44 win over St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic on Jan. 7. Rose needed 30 points to reach 1,000 and scored exactly that many.
Making their feats even more impressive is that both Eagles starting guards stand just 5-foot-9.
Out of necessity, Kaden Sparks and Rose both made immediate impacts as freshmen on the Eagles' varsity.
"We knew that Kaden and John Paul were going to be good players from the very start of their careers. Both of them became starters right away because we didn't have lot of impact returners in the way of upperclassmen. That forced them to play at a high level early on, and now it’s really paying off for both of them," said Ken Sparks, a 2000 Howardsville graduate and also a member of the 1,000-point club. "When both Kaden and John Paul are on the court, they find a way to get the ball to the other. Even though they are our main scorers, they are also our top two guys in assists and work hard to get everyone else involved.
“Having two guys in the same class reach 1,000 points is really special. We try to make it a big deal so it inspires our younger kids in the program to work hard and achieve similar success when they reach the high school level."
Kaden Sparks’ strength and athleticism is a big reason why he leads the Eagles in every statistical category. Through 16 games, Sparks is averaging 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.2 steals per game.
"We're confident if Kaden gets the ball inside the post that he can still finish against bigger guys because of his strength. That's a big reason he is able to lead us in rebounding, because he does such a great job of boxing out," Ken Sparks said. "His athleticism and quickness help him anticipate where the ball is going. Defensively, he's led our team in steals the last couple seasons. As a coach, out of nowhere you'll see him intercept the ball and head the other way downcourt. He has more speed than most other players on the floor. Offensively he's always shot one of the higher percentages during his career."
On Jan. 2 in a game against Battle Creek St. Philip, Kaden suffered a bad ankle sprain that sidelined him nearly three weeks. But he's returned to top form.
"Scoring 1,000 points has always a goal of mine, and it’s neat to accomplish the same thing my dad did, but to also have a teammate from my class achieve that too is pretty special as well," Kaden Sparks said. "I don't consider my scoring as my biggest contribution to the team though. I pride myself on defense and try to motivate my teammates to do the same. That's what wins championships."
Rose is currently averaging 19 points, 6.2 rebounds, three assists and 2.1 steals per game. Scoring and rebounding have been his two biggest areas of improvement the past two years.
"John Paul led us in scoring as a junior. He was a great young point guard his freshman and sophomore year and led our team in assists. I've gotten several compliments from opposing coaches about what a great ballhandler he is and his ability to run the point guard position. He's been a good mainstay for us that way," Ken Sparks said. "He has a very solid mid-range jump shot and also has a knack for finishing well under the basket. His quickness allows us to put him on the other team's best offensive player too. From a leadership standpoint, he's very vocal on the court and is a good encourager for our younger players in practice. Like Kaden, he's really put in the time during the offseason to improve."
Rose credits cousins David and Michael Crips, both assistant varsity coaches at Howardsville, as being big influences to him in basketball.
"Those two have helped me a lot in my development and inspired me to work hard. Last year we had six losses and three of those were to Our Lady of the Lake Catholic, so being able to get my 1,000th point this year against them was pretty special," Rose said. "I'm proud that I've become a better ballhandler. I have a good mid-range shot, while Kaden is a better 3-point shooter. But I feel like I've made my most improvement defensively."
Last year Howardsville finished 19-6, losing in the Regional Semifinals 49-43 to Our Lady of the Lake.
"I think we have a good shot to repeat as District champions, but it’s going to be tough with (Kalamazoo) Phoenix and Marcellus is a pretty good team as well," Ken Sparks said.
Howardsville's overall record stands at 6-11, including a 4-4 mark good enough to tie for third in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph League. Kaden's career point total now stands at 1,168, and Rose had scored 1,092 entering Tuesday's home game with Covert.
One of Howardsville Christian's other losses came Dec. 28 to Jackson Northwest, a Division 1 school, 73-51 in the Spring Arbor University Shot Clock Classic.
The Eagles, with six games remaining, have their sights set on finishing the regular season on a strong note and building momentum for the postseason. Howardsville Christian has won six District titles over the last nine seasons, including a run to the Quarterfinals during Jergens' senior year in 2018.
Howardsville Christian will be one of five teams vying for the District title Feb. 24-28 at Marcellus High School, along with the host school, Phoenix (12-1), Kalamazoo Heritage Christian and Lawrence. Howardsville lost to Phoenix 53-50 on Dec. 20.
"If we could win our remaining regular-season games, that would give us momentum for the postseason. John Paul and I are a big presence and give our team lots of energy when we are on the floor, so that makes us work that much harder to help our team succeed," Kaden Sparks said.
Howardsville's head coach is confident his Eagles can work some postseason magic, especially with five seniors joined by three talented freshmen to make up the current roster.
Other Eagles seniors besides Kaden Sparks and Rose playing key roles are guard Sean Kimble, 6-4 center Isaac Nagel and 5-11 forward Jonah West. Leading a solid freshman class are 5-10 guard Kole Sparks – Kaden's younger brother – 6-3 Keaton Grandlinard at forward/center and 6-2 forward Caden Grant.
"Our No. 1 goal is to repeat as District champions. I know we're about to turn the corner. We wanted to challenge our kids by scheduling some tougher games this season and finish in the top of our conference," Ken Sparks said. "We've really spoke with our other seniors and younger guys about stepping up in scoring, rebounding and defense. Everyone plays a role, and I think it’s set us up for a good run here at the end of the season."
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) At left, Howardsville Christian’s John Paul Rose (3) brings the ball upcourt this season against Cassopolis. At right, Kaden Sparks drives around a screen set by a teammate against Kalamazoo Phoenix. (Middle) Howardsville Christian teammates and coaches pose for a photo after Sparks surpassed 1,000 points for his career during a loss to Edwardsburg in the Tri-State Holiday Classic at Southwestern Michigan College. (Below) Howardsville teammates and members of the coaching staff celebrate Rose reaching 1,000 career points against St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic. (Howardsville/Cassopolis photo by Brooklyn Scheidel. Howardsville/Phoenix photo by David Sparks. Banner photos by Kristen Sparks.)