Highlight Reel: Class C-D Girls Semifinals

March 17, 2017

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director

The first day of the MHSAA Girls Basketball Finals at the Breslin Center in East Lansing produced three first-time finalists in the Class C and D fields for Saturday's championship games.

Class C

Detroit Edison PSA 54, Flint Hamady 31

Edison Scores On A Steal - Detroit Edison scored the first 11 points of this Semifinal, with Gabrielle Elliott capping the run on this play. Elliott had 24 points in the game. 

Hawks On A Run - Aryana Naylor led Flint Hamady with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Detroit Edison, including this fastbreak basket in the third quarter. 

Pewamo-Westphalia 64, Maple City Glen Lake 51

Lakers Out to Early Lead - Maple City Glen Lake led throughout the first half in its Class C Semifinal with Pewamo-Westphalia. The Lakers got a three-point play along the way from Allie Bonzelet. 

Spitzley Leads Pirates - Pewamo-Westphalia pulled away in the fourth quarter against Maple City Glen Lake in the second Class C Semifinal. Emily Spitzley had a double-double for the winners with 24 points and 12 rebounds. 

Class D

Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary 64, Engadine 59

Panko Paces Cardinals - Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary led by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter against Engadine. Rylee Pankow makes it 62-49 with this jumper. 

Vaughn Goes Coast-To-Coast - Engadine led late in the first half against Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Class D. Olivia Vaughn gives the Eagles the lead driving the length of the floor for a basket.

Pittsford 57, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart 39

First Class Scout - Scout Nelson scores on a putback for Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart in the second quarter against Pittsford. Nelson led the Irish with 16 points. 

Clark Down The Lane - Maddie Clark led Pittsford with 19 points and eight rebounds against Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, with two points off this power move to the basket in the third quarter. 

PHOTO: Maple City Glen Lake's Kelly Bunek launches a shot during Thursday's Class C Semifinal against Pewamo-Westphalia.

Hoops on Film: 1976 Class D Girls Final

July 13, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director

One of the earliest championship games in MHSAA girls basketball history is featured this week as part of MHSAA.tv’s Hoops On Film Series.

From the late 1940’s to the mid 1970’s the Michigan High School Athletic Association shot portions of the action at its boys and girls basketball finals on 16mm film. The films were loaned out, primarily to the participating schools, to help them relive the moments of playing in a championship game.

While many of the old films have wandered astray over time, about 60 games still exist in the MHSAA archives. Anyone in possession of such a film is encouraged to contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office ([email protected]) to discuss having the film converted to a digital format.

Some of the films only have portions of the second half and the post-game awards; some have most of the action. None of the films have sound. They range in length from 10 minutes to about an hour. A new film will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 17. DVD’s may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the Get DVD button below the player. 

Here’s a look at this week’s game, with recap courtesy of MHSAA historian Ron Pesch:

Lake City 58, Perkins 48 – 1976 Class D Girls Final - Abby Currier scored 26 points and Becky Sessions added 22 as Lake City cruised past Perkins, 58-48, for the Class D title. Lynette Royer led Perkins with 23 points. This was the fourth Class D Final, as the girls basketball tournament started in 1973, and remains the lone championship game won by Lake City. The season before, the Trojans had bowed out in the Semifinals against eventual champion Flint Holy Rosary. The two teams met again in the semis in 1976, and this time it was Lake City which prevailed, advancing to the Final the following morning against Perkins and winning the school’s first MHSAA crown in any sport. It was the only appearance ever in an MHSAA statewide tournament final for Perkins, which merged the following year with nearby Rock to form Mid-Peninsula High School, about a half-hour’s drive north of Escanaba.  The newly-formed Wolverines would win the Class D crown in 1977.

Previous releases:
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch
1954 Class A Boys Final: Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) - Watch
1971 Class A Boys Final: Flint Northern 79, Detroit Kettering 78 - Watch