10 to Remember: Winter 2012-13
April 4, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
This winter in Michigan will be remembered by some as lasting seemingly forever. But at least we had plenty to enjoy over the five weeks from the end of February through March.
Below are 10 stories from this winter's Finals that we're likely to recall for years to come. They aren't necessarily the 10 most exciting moments, but rather 10 stories of particular significance covering every sport the MHSAA sponsors during this mostly-indoor season.
A few that just missed the list: Livonia Stevenson winning that hockey town's first hockey title, St. Ignace's first perfect girls basketball finish, Flint Beecher's last-second success in the Class C Boys Basketball Final, East Grand Rapids' four-point win in Division 3 swimming and diving and the emergence of Troy's Christina Shabet as the MHSAA's top gymnast.
There are plenty of others we could mention as well. Feel free to post about them after checking out our 10.
Saline Seniors Leave Mark
One of the most impressive swimming and diving classes in MHSAA history finished its high school career March 9 in Holland the same way it began four seasons ago. Saline won its fourth-straight Lower Peninsula Division 1 championship anchored by seniors David Boland, Josh Ehrman, Michael Bundas and Adam Whitener, who combined hold four Division 1 Finals individual and two relay records. Ehrman finished his prep career with the all-class/division records in the 200-yard individual medley and 100 breaststroke, and those four hold the all-class/division record in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:30.01 – good also for third in the national record book. Click to read more.
Fowlerville’s Coon Finishes with 4
Only 16 others had accomplished what Fowlerville’s Adam Coon achieved to finish his MHSAA wrestling career. And none had done so wrestling at the heaviest weights. On March 2 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Coon became the 17th athlete to win four MHSAA wrestling individual titles by picking up his second at 285 pounds after also winning two at 215. He finished his career with a record of 211-3 and won 194 straight matches dating to his freshman season. Click to read more.
Comets Shine for 6th Consecutive Gymnastics Win
Despite graduating the Division 1 all-around champion (again) and facing a talented Canton team (again), Grand Ledge won the team title again – for the sixth-straight time, the longest streak in MHSAA gymnastics history. On March 8 at Canton High School, the Comets scored 149.350 points – fifth-most in MHSAA Finals history. What are the chances for seven in a row? They’ll have a strong start: junior Presley Allison won the Division 2 all-around title the next day, and freshman Rachel Hogan won the Division 1 floor competition. Click to read more.
Hudson Completes Drive for 5
The Tigers won three of the final four matches to edge Hesperia 32-24 in the Division 4 Team Wrestling Final on Feb. 23 at Kellogg Arena and earn their fifth-straight MHSAA title – tying the 2002-06 Davison teams for the longest such streak since the Team Finals began in 1988. Hudson was loaded with 11 Individual Finals qualifiers, including three who went on to win their weights the following weekend. Click to read more.
This Time, It’s Romulus’ Turn
Romulus advanced to Boys Basketball Finals weekend at Breslin Center for the fourth time in six seasons, and on March 23 left with its first MHSAA championship since 1986. The Eagles had just fallen short a number of times during the recent run, but controlled from the tip in downing Detroit Southeastern 61-49 to claim the Class A title. Romulus finished this season 27-1. Click to read more.
Grand Haven Wins Repeat Class A Final
Only a few things about Grand Haven were the same this season as in 2011-12, including one significant advantage – 6-foot-5 center Abby Cole. After putting up 23 points, 19 rebounds and 12 blocks in a Semifinal win over Westland John Glenn, she tallied 11 points, seven rebounds and eight blocks in a 60-54 overtime win over Grosse Pointe South on March 16 at the Breslin Center to give the Buccaneers two straight Class A title wins – both over the Blue Devils. Click to read more.
Puck Stops Here as Brighton Marches On
The Bulldogs claimed their second-straight Division 1 hockey championship March 9 at Compuware Arena with what has become a characteristic defensive stand, this time in a 2-1 win over 10-time champ Detroit Catholic Central. Brighton goalie James Milletics stopped 37 of 38 shots against him, and his team finished a 12-game winning streak during which it gave up only 12 goals total. Click to read more.
No Stopping Carlson’s Cheer Dynasty
All four MHSAA cheer champions March 2-3 at the Grand Rapids DeltaPlex were repeat winners from 2012, but Carlson faced an intriguing set of circumstances. Although coach Danielle Jokela basically had served as a co-coach with Christine Wilson through four titles over the previous five seasons, this was her first time leading the team solo with Wilson now coaching Brighton. And the Marauders pulled out a third-straight title despite losing all-stater Annie Hajec to an injury during the Regional the weekend before. Click to read more.
Trojans Skiers Second No Longer
Traverse City Central’s girls skiing team had finished MHSAA runner-up five straight seasons before hoisting its first championship trophy since 2005 on Feb. 25 at Boyne Mountain. The Trojans finished with 81 points, 11 better than runner-up Walled Lake Central. Shannon Weaver was the individual runner-up in both the slalom and giant slalom to lead the effort. Click to read more.
Vandercook Lake Wins Battle of Bowling Powers
After facing each other and splitting the last two Division 4 titles, it seemed fate that Vandercook Lake and Sandusky should meet again in the 10th year of the MHSAA tournament on March 1 at Sunnybrook Golf and Bowl. The teams were separated by only six pins with three frames to roll before Vandercook Lake pulled away for a 1,322-1,166 win. The Jayhawks' Malloree Ambs won the individual title the next day. Click to read more.
Block Party: 2026 Girls Volleyball Week 4 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 16, 2026
Let the Party begin again.
Welcome back to Block Party, our weekly reports following our MHSAA-member teams as they navigate the regular season – with a hoped-for final destination of Finals weekend at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
Every week from here out we’ll look at matches from the previous week that caught our eye, a pair of teams in every playoff division making moves and upcoming matches or tournaments of particular interest.
Records below are those reported and tracked on this website, and rankings referred to below reflect the latest polls posted by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA).
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Utica Eisenhower d. South Lyon East (25-23, 22-25, 15-11) This win over Division 1 then-ranked No. 6 East was perhaps the most notable of No. 7 (now No. 6) Eisenhower’s 6-0 day to win its Program Cup, which also included victories over Dexter, Troy, South Lyon, Macomb Dakota and honorable mention Lowell.
2. Macomb Lutheran North d. North Branch (22-25, 26-28, 25-23, 25-19, 15-12) Lutheran North jumped from honorable mention to No. 8 in Division 2 this week, with this comeback win over the previously-No. 5 Broncos sure to have made an impact.
3. Farmington Hills Mercy d. Bloomfield Hills Marian (25-21, 27-25, 25-21) This was the second time in two weeks the top-ranked Marlins faced No. 2 Marian, and the second time they won although this time in a sweep.
4. Elk Rapids d. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (27-25, 25-18) The Division 3 No. 5 Elks finished 3-0 at their invitational, with this sweep of the Division 4 No. 5 Irish likely a reason they moved up a spot in their ranking.
5. Ishpeming d. Negaunee (25-16, 19-25, 25-18, 8-25, 15-12) These rivals went to five sets for the second-straight season, but this time the Hematites bounced back from a rough fourth game to finish the victory.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Battle Creek Lakeview (14-3-2) Lakeview is an honorable mention in Division 1 this week after finishing 4-0-1 at its invitational, which included victories over Big Rapids, DeWitt, Division 4 top-ranked Battle Creek St. Philip and Battle Creek Harper Creek and a split with Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep. The Spartans are perfect in September and building on a 9-0-1 streak since their most recent defeat, which came in three sets to Division 2 No. 7 Marshall on Aug. 29.
Byron Center (17-3-0) A perfect run at Caledonia’s Macayla Kohn Memorial Invitational on Saturday included victories over Division 1 honorable mention Mattawan, Cadillac, Portage Central, the Fighting Scots and Division 2 No. 6 Edwardsburg, with only one set lost on the day. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 4 in Division 1, with wins over No. 10 Lowell and Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids South Christian among additional headliners during the early going.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Christian (15-0-0) The Eagles are ranked No. 1 in Division 2 coming off last season’s run to the Semifinals, and pairs of wins over Utica Eisenhower, Lowell and singles over Division 1 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian and Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids South Christian are more than enough to back that up. The Eagles have lost only six sets all season while also facing Division 1 No. 8 Grand Haven and multiple honorable mention earners.
Parma Western (13-0-0) The Panthers have lost only two sets to open this season and Thursday swept Tecumseh, avenging a pair of losses from last fall including its season-ender in the Regional Final. Western also defeated Division 3 No. 6 Clinton and Ida at Tecumseh and sits No. 5 in Division 2 with a perfect run at the Chelsea Invitational last month and a victory over Division 4 No. 2 Adrian Lenawee Christian among highlights.
DIVISION 3
Clinton (14-5-1) The Redwolves have strung together a pair of outstanding seasons and tested themselves out of the gate this fall defeating Division 1 Midland Dow, Division 2 Petoskey and Division 3 No. 3 Roscommon but also falling to Division 2 No. 4 Kingsley and honorable mention Tecumseh, and the next weekend to Division 2 No. 7 Marshall with a tie against Battle Creek Lakeview. They’re keeping up that pace – falling to Tecumseh and Parma Western last week – and that level of competition no doubt will pay off as this season continues.
Roscommon (14-5-2) Coming off last year’s 45-3 run, stopped only by eventual champion Kingsley in the Regional Finals, Roscommon has loaded up the schedule again with four of these losses coming opening week at their own round robin where they defeated Petoskey but lost to Tecumseh, Midland Dow, Kingsley and Clinton. The Bucks are 13-1-2 since with the ties to Division 1 and 2 teams and the other loss also to Dow.
DIVISION 4
Bellaire (9-0-1) The Eagles have won three straight District titles and are nearly perfect through the first month of the regular season, with only a tie against Charlevoix during opening weekend – and Bellaire also defeated Charlevoix that weekend at the Pellston Tournament. The Eagles have lost only two sets all season, the other to Mancelona before coming back to win in three during the Battle of M-88.
Hancock (12-2-1) A 2-1 win over No. 4 Crystal Falls Forest Park on Saturday at The Rock at Gladstone certainly was the highlight of a 4-0-1 day that saw the tie come against the Division 2 host Braves. Forest Park and Hancock have met in Regionals both of the last two seasons, so keep in mind that potential rematch as the season progresses. Both Hancock losses came during opening weekend at the Kingsford Invite against the Division 2 Flivvers.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Thursday – Traverse City St. Francis (14-6) at Elk Rapids (9-1-2) – This will be the first of two matches over the next two weeks between the Division 3 No. 5 Elks and honorable mention Gladiators, who also saw each other in last season’s District Final, won by St. Francis.
Saturday – Battle Creek All-City Tournament at Lakeview – Battle Creek Pennfield (7-3-1), St. Philip (11-4-2), Central (0-5), Harper Creek (12-7-1) and the Spartans (14-3-2) will compete in this annual event, with Lakeview the reigning champion.
Saturday – Lake Odessa Lakewood Tournament – A notable field includes Division 2 top-ranked Grand Rapids Christian (16-0) plus East Grand Rapids (5-3), Big Rapids (11-3-3), Caledonia (9-7), Delton Kellogg (10-1), Petoskey (3-10) and Cedar Springs (2-10-2).
Saturday – Byron Center Invitational – The Bulldogs welcome an impressive group including Grand Rapids West Catholic (5-1-2), Mattawan (8-10), Edwardsburg (9-3), Fruitport (12-2-2), East Kentwood (1-14), Portage Central (14-4), Kalamazoo Central (11-8-2) and Wayland (4-11-2).
Saturday – Mount Pleasant Oiler Invitational – The Oilers (10-5) will welcome Freeland (8-7-2), Elk Rapids, Roscommon and Grand Ledge (10-2).
PHOTOS (Top) Bloomfield Hills Marian puts up a block during its match against Farmington Hills Mercy last week. (Middle) Bath’s Kyria Pairolero (10) elevates to get her hand on a ball against Portland St. Patrick. (Marian/Mercy photo by KMS Photography. Bath/St. Patrick photo by John Johnson.)