All Saints Celebrates on Big Screen
July 31, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Forty years ago, Bay City All Saints brought its hometown the first of two straight MHSAA boys basketball championships – which continue to stand as the only ones won by a Bay City school.
As part of the Class of 1974’s 40-year reunion this weekend, organizers will show the broadcast of that 71-59 victory over Detroit Servite in the Class C Final, on Friday at the downtown State Theater.
The team was coached by Russell “Lefty” Franz, who sits 14th in MHSAA boys basketball coaching history with 545 wins (545-215) at All Saints, Bay City St. Stanislaus and Pinconning achieved from 1953-1991. All Saints repeated as Class C champion under Franz in 1975 with a 79-69 win over Cassopolis.
The Bay City Times caught up today with three starters from that team who are expected to return for the showing of the game. Click to read more.
Rooting for Haske
Northern Michigan basketball fans and supporters from all over are cheering on Traverse City St. Francis boys basketball coach Keith Haske, who is battling throat cancer and seeking treatment in Houston, according to a report by the Petoskey News.
Haske has coached three boys teams to MHSAA Class C runner-up finishes – St. Francis in 2012 and Charlevoix in 2004 and 2001, and also coached at St. Johns prior to taking the Rayders job in 1998. He also coached the Charlevoix girls team to a Class C runner-up finish in 2004.
Click to read more about Haske and how to donate to his treatment.
Thanks, Gary Hice
The MHSAA welcomed 43 new athletic directors to East Lansing today for training as they take over their schools’ athletic departments.
An athletic director we’ll certainly miss is Petoskey’s Gary Hice.
Hice – an MHSAA Allen W. Bush Award winner in 2002 for his contributions to high school athletics – has retired after 30 years as his school’s athletic director.
Click to read more, again from the Petoskey News, about Hice’s service to his school and community.
PHOTO: The Bay City All Saints Class of 1974 reunion this weekend will include a showing of the boys basketball team’s Class C championship game win over Detroit Servite.
Schafran Strikes Gold Close to Home Claiming Grass Lake's 1st Singles Bowling Title
By
Jeff Bleiler
Special for MHSAA.com
February 28, 2026
JACKSON – Marielle Schafran will not have to travel far to reminisce about what turned into a magical day on the lanes.
The Grass Lake High School junior became the first individual bowler in school history to claim an MHSAA Finals championship, winning the Division 3 singles title Saturday at JAX 60 — a short drive west of her school.
“It’s an amazing feeling being in my hometown, winning states,” she said. “I never thought I’d be here, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my family, friends and coaches.
“Now every time I come here it’ll remind me of it.”
She’ll likely linger a little longer at lanes 13 and 14, the site of the championship match against Otisville-LakeVille Memorial senior Myla Upthegrove. Schafren found herself in a 10-pin hole after the first of two games in the final despite rolling five strikes.
Trailing 180-170 and coming off a spare and open frame in the first two frames of the second game, Schafren rolled a six-bagger and eventually finished with 233 to Upthegrove’s 194 for a 403-374 victory.
The individual title helped ease the sting of the top-ranked Warriors falling in the Semifinals of the team event the day before to eventual champion Milan.
“I came in with a fresh mindset and knew that it’s a new day and everything’s different each day,” she said. “Just come in, make my spares and make good shots.”
Grass Lake coach Lindsey Torcolacci said it took a bit of convincing on her part to show Schafren that a Finals title was attainable.
“Today she came in and she wasn’t sure,” Torcolacci said. “I told her, ‘You’ve got this. You’ve been working for this for a while.’ We’re so proud of her.”
Schafren qualified 11th of 16 with a total of 1,088 after closing with games of 219 and 190. She opened match play with scores of 181 and 188 to beat Bronson freshman Audrey Shiery then secured a 389-317 victory over Flat Rock junior Diane Percha in the quarterfinals.
She advanced to the championship with games of 241 and 202 for 443 — the best two-game total of any competitor in the bracket — to defeat Grand Rapids West Catholic senior Ashley Van Linden.
Upthegrove qualified eighth with a total of 1,138 that included three games north of 200. She rolled 225 and 206 to win her first-round match over Ogemaw Heights senior Elena Martinez then pulled off a huge upset in the quarterfinal by sidelining top seed Maggie Smith of Milan, who dominated qualifying with a six-game total of 1,350 on scores of 247, 212, 203, 232, 207 and 249. Her score was 143 pins clear of second-seeded Averie Via of Ishpeming Westwood.
Upthegrove won 383-360 to advance to the semifinals where she defeated Madison Heights Bishop Foley senior Jacey Thibodeau 380-349.
“Honestly I was very surprised,” Upthegrove said of her runner-up finish. “I didn’t think I’d make it this far. It was a lot of fun.”