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.
Hartland Adds 3rd Title to Growing Championship Tradition
March 12, 2022
PLYMOUTH — For decades, young hockey players in Trenton have grown up dreaming of playing for the high school team.
That dynamic is playing out these days in Hartland, which has become an elite hockey community during coach Rick Gadwa’s 11 seasons at the helm.
Hartland took the ice for the MHSAA Division 2 championship game Saturday at USA Hockey Arena with a couple dozen youth hockey players hanging over the railing near the tunnel cheering on their heroes.
The Eagles left the ice once again as champions, winning their third MHSAA title in the past five seasons with a 3-2 overtime victory over Trenton.
Hartland has won three championships and been runner-up twice over the past 10 seasons. The Eagles also reached the Semifinals two years ago when COVID-19 restrictions shut down winter tournaments including hockey before its conclusion.
“We’ve had a ton of success,” Gadwa said. “What’s impressive about this group is none of these guys have been to USA Hockey Arena. We had quite a bit of returners who were with us last year when we lost to a very good Byron Center team (in the Quarterfinal).
“So, there’s a tradition of excellence right now. To see them get here this year and fight the way they had to fight and get it done just makes our tradition so much stronger. It’s something for guys coming in next year to try to get to.”
Freshman Ian Kastamo was one of the young Hartland kids who watched the Eagles during their annual visits to USA Hockey Arena. He was particularly riveted to the team in 2019 when his brother Sam was on the championship winner.
“I watched games my whole life,” Kastamo said. “I’ve seen the big crowd, the energy, how fun it looks. This is my dream come true to play for this team, much less win the state championship.”
Kastamo not only won a state championship, but he experienced one of the greatest moments in a hockey player’s life by delivering it with an overtime goal. Kastamo scored 3:22 into overtime when he knocked in the rebound of a shot from the left point by Jorden Haydu.
“The puck was in their zone, and I went straight to the net,” Kastamo said. “Shot from the point, rebound and I just lunged and banged it home. It’s what you dream about on the backyard rinks, acting like you scored the overtime winner.”
The Eagles had to rebound mentally after allowing the game-tying goal late in the third period.
Having taken a 2-1 lead on Ashton Trombley’s goal at 16:08 of the second period, Hartland was two minutes away from winning in regulation time.
A penalty with 1:57 remaining put Trenton on the power play. Moments after Hartland’s Ben Pouliot missed an empty net by inches on a shot from deep in the Eagles’ zone, Trenton tied it on a goal by Hayden Oboza with 1:32 left in the third.
Trenton almost didn’t make it to overtime, but sophomore goalie Noah Miklos came up with an enormous save when Lucas Henry got the puck alone in front of the net in the final minute. Miklos finished with 31 saves.
“I don’t really know what happened,” Trenton coach Chad Clements said. “One of our D got caught up ice. There was a turnover. He’s all alone with a minute left. For him to make that save was unbelievable. Obviously, it allowed us a chance to go into overtime and allowed us a chance to try to win the game.
“In the playoffs, he’s been unbelievable. We have two young goaltenders who split time this year. For Noah to step forward and play well for us in the playoffs was really nice.”
Trenton opened the scoring on a power play goal by Carter Allen at 13:52 of the first period, but Henry tied it 28 seconds later.
Hartland goalie Kameron Ragon made 17 saves, finishing his senior season with a 21-0 record. Hartland lost five games, none with Ragon in net.
PHOTOS (Top) Hartland’s bench empties after the Eagles clinch the Division 2 championship Saturday. (Middle) Trenton goalie Noah Miklos and defenseman Xaver Gradinscak wall off a Hartland attack in front of their net. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)