Calumet Invite Produces Northern Stars
September 18, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Calumet Invitational dates back roughly 30 years as an annual staple of the cross country schedule for schools at the northernmost tip of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
A creative move by the Copper Kings last year added some statewide prestige to the event.
Last week, for the second season, Calumet ran the series of races at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, a resort near Copper Harbor and the northern bank of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
Calumet is the northernmost high school in Michigan. And moving this race another 35 miles northeast more or less guaranteed it's the northernmost event run in the state.
"We figured it was pretty safe. We're the northernmost school in the state, and you can only go four more miles and you're in Lake Superior," Calumet athletic director Sean Jacques said. "Nobody else is going to do anything more north than that."
A total of 10 schools were represented this fall in the races for boys and girls varsity, junior varsity and middle schoolers.
Jacques said the event formerly was run at a golf course in Calumet. But a few years ago, Calumet graduate and former Copper Kings cross country runner Dan Harri moved home from Florida to become general manager at the Mountain Lodge (he's also a renowned chef and has owned restaurants in Miami with Hall of Fame Dolphins coach Don Shula).
Harri had asked a few times about bringing a cross country or golf event to the lodge. Jacques told him last year they'd give it a try, so Harri set up a course that includes golf course, a couple of bridges, trails and finishes with a climb on the No. 1 fairway. It also provides various points for fans to watch runners go by, not always available on other courses.
"We were looking for a little bit of a change, and it's a beautiful course," Jacques said. "We thought if people were willing to make the extra drive, it would be really nice."
Calumet won the boys race this season, just ahead of runner-up Houghton. Houghton's girls were victorious, followed by the host Copper Kings.
Click to read more about this year's event from the Houghton Mining Gazette.
Michigan's claim to an NFL evolution
As part of its NFL preview this month, Sports Illustrated reported on one of the most significant developments for offenses over the last few decades – the silent snap count, which is used regularly by visiting teams because offensive linemen can’t hear the quarterback calling for the ball over the clamor of the home crowd.
And the article explained that the silent snap count might’ve gotten its start at one of Michigan’s smallest high schools – Flint’s Michigan School for the Deaf.
Offensive linemen during the 1980s were feasted on by pass rushers like Lawrence Taylor and Bruce Smith, who built record sack totals by blasting past blockers who seemed a step slow. Turns out, that was true. Defensive players were getting an edge by attacking as soon as they saw the ball move. But blockers (especially offensive tackles), focused instead on the defensive ends and linebackers lined up across from them, and didn’t have the luxury of watching the ball – and since they also couldn’t hear the snap count, started each play a step behind.
Enter the silent count. The quarterback signals to the center that he is ready to receive the ball (with a pat on the back, by raising a foot, etc.). The center then raises his head, and after a predetermined count of at least one second snaps the ball without a sound. This means an offensive tackle doesn’t have to listen for a snap count – he just counts after seeing the center get set.
The SI report recognized longtime offensive line coach Howard Mudd as the guru of the silent snap count. But Mudd recalled a conversation he’d had while working for the Seattle Seahawks with another coach, the late Andy MacDonald, who also had coached early in his career at a school for the deaf in Michigan.
The article doesn’t mention Michigan School for the Deaf by name. But it seems to make sense that the Tartars were the first to use the now-revolutionary count. MacDonald – who played at Central Michigan University and went on to coach at Michigan State and four other colleges and also for the Buffalo Bills – grew up in Flint and attended Flint Northern before playing for the Chippewas from 1950-53. The historical web site Michigan-football.com has results for Flint’s Michigan School for the Deaf dating to 1950, making it a decent assumption that MacDonald might’ve gotten in a little early coaching experience at the school down the road from his home.
Click for the SI story and go to page 4 for the mention of Michigan’s school.
Michigan mourns trooper, running standout
The law enforcement community is mourning the death of Michigan State Police trooper Paul Butterfield, who was shot Sept. 9 during a traffic stop in Mason County. He also was a well-known distance runner during the 1980s and the MHSAA Class A cross country champion running for Bridgeport in 1987.
According to a Ludington Daily News report, Butterfield continued running after high school at the University of Tennessee, and also competed at the 1989 Pan American Junior Games in Argentina.
Butterfield was stationed in Hart after previously serving in Manistee, and lived in Mason County. He also had served in the U.S. Army. Click to read more from the Ludington Daily News.
PHOTO: Calumet's Chelsea Jacques (right) won this season's Calumet Invitational with a time of 21:08.06, just ahead of Ironwood's Jessica Gering at 21:46.16. (Photo courtesy of Calumet athletic department.)
Arbor Prep Back on Track After Early Injury, Inexperience Fueled Slow Start
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
March 11, 2025
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
It’s March, and Ypsilanti Arbor Prep will play for a Division 3 Regional championship Wednesday. Nothing unusual about that. What is unusual is the journey for the Gators, who are above .500 for the first time since opening the season with a victory.
At 13-12, head coach Scott Stine said this is not the season he expected.
“The season hasn’t gone the way I probably envisioned it,” said Stine. “I knew we would probably take a step back.”
It was tough to not.
In 2023-24, the Gators won 25 games while playing one the toughest schedules in the state for any division. They beat Niles Brandywine in the Division 3 championship game, collecting the third girls basketball Finals title in school history.
In the first preseason scrimmage this winter, Autumn Pernell torn an ACL. She was one of three seniors on the roster, and Stine anticipated her being the team’s best player.
“If we had Autumn (now), I think we’d probably be one of the favorites to win a state championship,” Stine said. “We played the vast majority of the year without two of our three seniors.”
Stine has had incredible success at Arbor Prep, which is situated in rural Ypsilanti Township, several miles from Ann Arbor and off US-23, not far from Rolling Hills County Park. In eight seasons, Stine is 154-46. Getting to the Semifinals is an annual ritual for Stine.
This year, that didn’t look likely.
After opening the season with a win, the Gators went through two four-game losing streaks.
The Gators were 3-8 at one point. The schedule was not kind, either. Stine, who is an assistant principal and athletic director, had assembled the usual difficult slate for his team to face.
“I think most years we probably play the toughest schedule in the state. I’d say this year we are top five,” he said. “We’ve been challenged. I’ve told the girls for the last couple of weeks that at this point, there is no one that is going to throw something at us that we haven’t seen. Or, no player that we will (face) is better than anyone we have seen. We’ve seen it all.”
That schedule is paying off. But with such an inexperienced team, Stine has had to do a lot more teaching this season.
“This year has taken us back to almost year one of the school when we had just freshman,” Stine said. “Our expectations haven’t changed. How we do things haven’t changed. We have a way that we go about things in terms of effort and play the game the right way. We still go about our practice with the same principles.”
On cue, as March drew closer, however, things began to click.
“Something started to click that last week of the regular season,” Stine said. “I have three sophomores who have improved greatly. They are giving us valuable minutes now, and that’s because they played early on more than I ever thought they probably would have.”
Those sophomores are Jalaya Banks, Madison Dirra and Annecia Clark. Banks and Dirra are starters while Clark has adapted to her role coming off the bench.
Senior Eliza Bush is the Gators’ point guard. She’s a four-year varsity player with the most experience on the team.
“She’s part of the reason why we turned it around,” Stine said. “She has always been a pass-first, set everybody up. This year, we need her to be more offensive-minded. That’s something we’ve been preaching to her all year. She’s really stepped up her game.”
Junior Angela Meggisson is the Gators’ top scorer and rebounder, averaging a double-double. She also leads the team in steals and blocked shots.
“We rely on her playmaking,” Stine said. “She’s got a knack for putting the ball in the basket. She’s in that mold of some of the kids we’ve had in the past. She’s a tremendous athlete who does everything.”
Standing in the way of the Gators reaching the Quarterfinals is 22-2 Blissfield, a team Arbor Prep has become familiar with in recent years.
“Blissfield is definitely the favorite,” Stine said. “They have a great program. I respect them tremendously. He’s a great coach and they play the right way. They have more experience than us, and they are used to winning.”
Blissfield head coach Ryan Gilbert expects a battle.
“They are as well-coached as any team in the state,” he said.
Blissfield knocked Arbor Prep out of the MHSAA Tournament a couple of seasons ago.
“It’s a challenge,” Stine said. “We have three kids who are back from two years ago when they beat us in the Regional Final. We’ll probably talk about that before we play them this time.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a news and sports reporter at the Adrian Daily Telegram and the Monroe News for 30 years, including 10 years as city editor in Monroe. He's written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. He is now publisher and editor of The Blissfield Advance, a weekly newspaper. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Arbor Prep girls basketball coach Scott Stine, pointing, directs his defense during last season’s Division 3 championship game. (Middle) Angela Meggisson (2) handles the ball in the post for the Gators. (Below) Eliza Bush (12) considers her next pass during her team’s win over Niles Brandywine.