Highlight Reel: Soccer, Baseball/Softball Finals
June 18, 2016
By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director
The 2015-16 high school sports year concluded early Saturday evening at Old College Field on the Michigan State University campus, as the last champions of MHSAA Tournaments were crowned in Baseball, Softball and Girls Soccer.
Below are links to video highlights from Saturday’s games. Click on the final scores to watch them in their entirety and purchase DVDs.
Baseball
Division 1
O’Keefe Goes Yard - The first home run hit in baseball at McLane Stadium since the MHSAA Finals returned to East Lansing two years ago came off the bat of Saline's Sean O'Keefe in the fifth inning against Warren DeLaSalle; it tied the game at the time.
Bush Drives In Two - Warren DeLaSalle took the lead in the sixth inning on a one-out single by Bryce Bush, which drove in two runs.
Game-Ending Double Play - With the bases loaded and one out, Warren DeLaSalle ends the Division 1 Final with a double play.
Division 2
No Missing Link Here - Linden scored five times in the fourth inning to take the lead. Catcher Jamon Link delivers a bases-loaded single to drive in the first run.
The Big Hit For The Maroons - Holland Christian scored three times in the bottom of the sixth inning against Linden, the last two runs on this drive down the left field line by pitcher Mike Mokma, who also threw a complete game, striking out 14.
Division 3
Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett 12, New Lothrop 0 (5 innings)
Two-Run Single For Fannon - The third inning saw Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett score four times, with two of those runs coming in on this single by Sean Fannon.
Division 4
Sterling Heights Parkway Christian 10, Portland St. Patrick 3
Riley Hits A Rope - Parkway Christian starting pitcher Riley McManus helped his own cause in the second inning with this two-run single, which was part of a five-run at-bat.
Shamrocks Score In Seventh - Portland St. Patrick got some offense in the final inning, resulting in this RBI single by Travis Moyer.
Softball
Division 1
Farmington Hills Mercy 4, Macomb Dakota 0
Around The Horn Double Play - Here's a defensive gem by Macomb Dakota - a double play in the sixth inning against Farmington Hills Mercy. Mercy broke the Division 1 Final open in the next inning to win, 4-0.
Belans’ Blast - Nicole Belans took the first pitch in the top of the seventh inning over the left field fence for Farmington Hills Mercy to ignite a three-run uprising against Macomb Dakota.
Division 2
Kudary Makes The Catch - A great defensive play in the Richmond-Vicksburg game came in the fifth inning when Vicksburg's Carlie Kudary ran down a Amy Thueme fly ball.
Caught At Third - An alert defensive play by Vicksburg catches two Richmond runners at third base to thwart a seventh inning threat.
Division 3
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 6, Grandville Calvin Christian 0
Grace Drives Two Home - Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central added to its lead against Grandville Calvin Christian with three runs in the fifth inning, two coming on this two-out single by Grace Mikesell.
Preserving The Perfect Game - It took a great defensive play by Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central second baseman Peyton Bollenberg in the seventh inning to preserve the perfect game for pitcher Meghan Beaubien.
Division 4
Unionville-Sebewaing 1, Indian River Inland Lakes 0
Patriots Successfully Squeeze It - The only run of the Division 4 Final came in the sixth inning when Unionville Sebewaing's Marisa Morton bunted Kayla Gremel home.
Soccer
Division 2
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 2, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 1 (OT-Shootout)
Huskies Go Long Ball - Forest Hills Northern used this goal by Natalie Belsito off a long free kick to take a 1-0 lead.
Irish Tie It Up - With time winding down in regulation, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep scored on a free kick by Payton Williams to force overtime.
There’s Your Game Winner - Things went to the eighth round of penalty kicks before Rosella LoChirco came through to give Pontiac Notre Dame the Division 2 title.
Division 3
Hudsonville Unity Christian 2, Flint Powers Catholic 0
VanZalen Scores - Hudsonville Unity Christian took a 1-0 lead on Flint Powers Catholic in the first half when Alaina VanZalen goes to the near side for the goal.
One-V-One Insurance - Alexis Ponstein goes on a long run and ends up one on one with the goalkeeper to get an insurance goal for Hudsonville Unity Christian in the second half.
PHOTO: A Holland Christian batter connects with a pitch during the Division 2 Baseball Final.
Ford Field Trip Gives Students Taste of Football Finals Broadcasting
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
December 7, 2021
Four levels above them, in the press box, a group of prospective broadcasters were touring the facilities. The high school students had spent the Fall sports season streaming games to the NFHS Network and now were learning about a career in broadcasting from Eric Vandefifer, a Montrose High grad currently serving as the radio voice of Saginaw Valley State University basketball and as a contributor to a variety of high school broadcast channels including the MHSAA Network.
Seven years ago, Vandefifer was in a similar situation. He was part of a field trip to Ford Field for the Finals that helped him realize sports broadcasting was a career he wanted to pursue. Those field trips were headed by Tom Skinner and Thom Lengyel, who became mentors to Vandefifer. As a high school junior in 2017, Vandefifer was named Best Student Broadcaster nationally by the NFHS Network.
“With Tom Skinner now deceased and Thom Lengyel retired from the broadcast business, I just felt like I had to continue this and their legacy,” Vandefifer said. “It was important to me to keep it going because when I was in school, it was something I looked forward to.”
Nearly 50 students from Lowell, Montrose, Lake Orion, Mount Pleasant and Ann Arbor Greenhills high schools made the Nov. 26-27 trip to Ford Field. They were able to film highlights, interview players, practice announcing the games, meet other members of the press and more. For Vandefifer, giving back to students who are in the position he once was is very rewarding.
“We had the ability to feel like real media members for a day. I wanted to be able to give other students that same opportunity,” Vandefifer said. “Seeing kids who have a love for sportscasting and that drive to get better gives me real hope for the next generation in this business.”
And after the field trips were done each day, Vandefifer put his headphones on, got behind the microphone and called the two afternoon games for the MHSAA Championship Network.
PHOTOS (Top) Eighth grader Sam Belill, left, and freshman Owen Leitelt from Montrose practice calling a game from the Ford Field press box. (Middle) Mount Pleasant make a stop at the press conference room. (Photos provided by the Montrose and Mount Pleasant School Broadcast Programs.)