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.)
1st & Goal: 2023 Playoff Week 2 Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 3, 2023
The MHSAA Football Playoffs drive on this week with 144 teams playing either 11-Player District Finals or 8-Player Regional Finals and the magnitude doubling as the number of high-profile matchups continues to grow.
More than 145,000 fans watched first-round playoff games across the state, and while the weather certainly has turned more wintery most places, this weekend also provides notable opportunities to take in multiple games – 61 will be played Friday, but 11 on Saturday including arguably the most intriguing games statewide in both 11 and 8-player formats.
Once again, the majority of games also will be viewable on MHSAA.tv, with subscription, and brackets will continue to update on the Football Playoff Scoreboard as results are reported.
Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing matchups, to be played Friday unless noted.
11-Player Division 1
Saline (9-1) at Belleville (10-0), Saturday - Watch
In continuing to build its 35-game winning streak this fall, reigning Division 1 champion Belleville has turned away nearly every challenger by a large margin. But the possibility of this District Final rematch with Saline has been carrying heavy anticipation for a while. The Tigers claimed last year’s District championship meeting 62-44, and once again star quarterback Bryce Underwood will match up with his Saline highly-touted counterpart CJ Carr. The Hornets’ only loss this season was in Week 9, 35-28 to undefeated Lake Orion, which entered the postseason with the highest playoff-point average in Division 1.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY West Bloomfield (8-2) at Utica Eisenhower (9-1) - WATCH, Macomb Dakota (8-2) at Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (8-2) - WATCH. SATURDAY Detroit Cass Tech (7-3) at Southfield Arts & Technology (9-1) - WATCH.
11-Player Division 2
Byron Center (9-1) at Caledonia (8-2)
This will be the second playoff meeting in three seasons for these Ottawa-Kent Conference powers, as they missed each other last year when Caledonia played in Division 1 and finished runner-up at Ford Field. The Fighting Scots emerged from the traditionally powerful O-K Red and have lost only to Division 1 opponents the last two seasons – Belleville in last year’s Final, Rockford twice and Grandville 38-34 four weeks ago. But Byron Center’s O-K White was one of the most competitive conferences in the state this season, and the Bulldogs’ lone slip-up came in Week 6 to Lowell 38-28.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Muskegon Mona Shores (7-3) at Muskegon (8-2), Dexter (7-3) at Gibraltar Carlson (9-1) - WATCH, Roseville (7-3) at Grosse Pointe South (9-1).
11-Player Division 3
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (9-1) at Mount Pleasant (9-1), Saturday - WATCH
Forest Hills Central shared the O-K White championship with Byron Center after finishing Division 2 runner-up a year ago, with its lone loss 15-14 to the Bulldogs in Week 5. The Rangers have been among Division 3 championship favorites all season but head to Mount Pleasant to face an Oilers team that quietly joined that group as well with a perfect run after its opening-weekend loss to Saginaw Heritage – adding a 31-17 win over the O-K White’s Grand Rapids Northview last week. Worth noting, FHC had defeated Northview 45-0 in Week 7.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY DeWitt (7-2) at Mason (10-0) - WATCH, Auburn Hills Avondale (9-1) at Walled Lake Western (9-1) - WATCH, Coopersville (8-2) at Zeeland West (7-3) - WATCH.
11-Player Division 4
Portland (10-0) at Hastings (8-2) - WATCH
Thanks to its schedule filled with Division 3 opponents and still-undefeated nonleague foes, Hastings drew home field for this matchup of league champions and with its only losses this fall during the first three weeks to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Whitehall. The Saxons held off Charlotte 30-28 last week – the Raiders defeated Charlotte 35-8 in Week 7 – and this matchup could be power on power as Portland gets another test for its defense giving up only five points per game this season.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Big Rapids (9-1) at Whitehall (10-0) - WATCH, Freeland (9-1) at Goodrich (9-1) - WATCH, Paw Paw (9-1) at Niles (9-1) - WATCH.
11-Player Division 5
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (9-0) at Corunna (10-0) - WATCH
This is another of the most highly-anticipated games statewide as these two sit as possible Ford Field travelers on the opposite side of Division 5 from the Grand Rapids powers Catholic Central and West Catholic and reigning runner-up Frankenmuth among others in a loaded bracket. Corunna also faced an undefeated team last week, Flint Hamady, and won 45-7, while Notre Dame Prep has defeated three league champions this fall and won all of its games by at least 16 points.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Romulus Summit Academy North (8-2) at Flat Rock (7-3) - WATCH, Macomb Lutheran North (8-2) at Marine City (9-1) - WATCH. SATURDAY Kingsford (9-1) at Ogemaw Heights (9-1) - WATCH.
11-Player Division 6
Warren Michigan Collegiate (10-0) at Almont (9-1) - WATCH
This is a rematch of a 2021 District Final, won by Michigan Collegiate on the way to finishing Division 6 runner-up at Ford Field. The Cougars’ only loss of its last 19 games was to Clinton by a point in last year’s Regional Final, and Michigan Collegiate has played only one game closer than 28 points this season – a 26-20 Week 3 win over Division 4 Detroit Country Day. Almont’s lone loss came just two weeks ago to Division 5 contender Ogemaw Heights. The Raiders’ defense (10.9 ppg allowed) vs. Michigan Collegiate’s offense (43 ppg scored) should be the matchup to watch, although both teams are strong on both sides of the ball.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Negaunee (8-2) at Gladstone (8-2) - WATCH, Detroit Edison (8-3) at Ecorse (8-1) - WATCH, Hart (9-1) at Reed City (7-3) - WATCH.
11-Player Division 7
Lawton (9-1) at North Muskegon (10-0), Saturday - WATCH
North Muskegon has been one of the statewide stories of the year, reaching double-digit wins for the first time since 1986, and with two of those victories the only losses this season for Pewamo-Westphalia and Hart. Last week’s matchup with Union City was the Norsemen’s toughest in a month but they shined with a 27-14 win over another league champion. Lawton is coming off a tough rematch win 36-18 over Schoolcraft after those two decided a league title two weeks earlier, and its only loss was to another league champion, Division 6 Constantine, in Week 3.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Napoleon (9-1) at Jackson Lumen Christi (9-1) - WATCH, Cass City (8-2) at Millington (10-0) - WATCH. SATURDAY Charlevoix (9-1) at Menominee (8-2) - WATCH.
11-Player Division 8
Harbor Beach (9-1) at Ubly (10-0) - WATCH
Ubly’s 56-20 win over Harbor Beach in Week 4 ended up deciding the Greater Thumb Conference East championship, but didn’t send the Pirates off course. They still haven’t given up more than 14 points in a game otherwise and made a loud statement by dealing Beal City its only regular-season defeat in Week 9. That said, Ubly never gave up more than 15 points in a game other than the 20 Harbor Beach scored and didn’t have a game closer than 22 points after missing winning last year’s Division 8 championship by a 26-20 defeat to Ottawa Lake Whiteford.
Keep an eye on these FRIDAY Ithaca (10-0) at New Lothrop (9-1) - WATCH, Hudson (8-2) at Ottawa Lake Whiteford (10-0) - WATCH, White Pigeon (10-0) at Saugatuck (8-2) - WATCH.
8-Player Division 1
Norway (8-2) at Pickford (9-1), Saturday - WATCH
Norway was the undefeated champion of the Great Lakes Eight Conference West, which sent three more playoff teams including three-time reigning Division 2 champion Powers North Central. Notable also, the Knights lost to Lake Linden-Hubbell 54-34 in their opener and then won a rematch 34-6 two weeks later. This too is a rematch, of Pickford’s 40-18 win in Week 7, and the Panthers are coming off a 38-16 rematch win last week over Rudyard after having edged Rudyard only 44-42 in Week 4. Pickford’s lone defeat came in its regular season finale 42-10 to St. Ignace, a possible Semifinal opponent for whichever team wins this game.
Other Regional Finals FRIDAY Indian River Inland Lakes (9-1) at St. Ignace (9-1) - WATCH, Kingston (8-2) at Brown City (10-0) - WATCH, Gobles (8-2) at Martin (8-2) - WATCH.
8-Player Division 2
Climax-Scotts (10-0) at Adrian Lenawee Christian (10-0), Saturday - WATCH
This is another matchup drawing major eyes to some of the state’s smallest schools. After seeing its two-year Division 1 title run end last year with a Regional Final loss to eventual champion Martin, Lenawee Christian has returned to domination with its closest game 20 points and an average margin of victory of 45. Climax-Scotts has played only three games closer than 30 points, including the last weeks in eight and 12-point wins over Pittsford. Climax-Scotts also has been one of the few to play Lenawee Christian tough the last two seasons, falling 28-12 in 2021 but winning last year’s meeting 28-21.
Other Regional Finals FRIDAY Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (9-1) at Marion (9-0) - WATCH. SATURDAY Powers North Central (8-2) at Lake Linden-Hubbell (7-3) - WATCH, Deckerville (8-2) at Portland St. Patrick (9-1) - WATCH.
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PHOTO Corunna's Parker Isham (5) works to get to the edge during last week's District Semifinal win over Flint Hamady. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)