Howell Puts Heart Into Memorial Meet
August 29, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
An online tribute to Mackenzie Watts describes how she “made the people and world around her better.”
The Howell swimming and diving community continues to work so that her memory makes those who come after her safer as well.
Watts died in 2005 after suffering a cardiac arrhythmia. She was a 15-year-old sophomore and key cog on her high school team.
This past weekend, for the sixth straight season, the Highlanders hosted the Kenzie Classic, an invitational that served as a fundraiser for the Howell program and annual Mackenzie Watts scholarship – plus served to promote heart screenings by local National Diagnostic Services in their “HeartMobile” parked outside the pool.
NDS, which also has held screening events at Northville, Canton and Middleville Thornapple Kellogg schools among others, screened 20 students during this Kenzie Classic, said Wellness Director Heidi Enders.
Tests are ultrasound-based and non-invasive, and include an EKG to examine the heart’s electrical system for arrhythmias and an echocardiogram to examine the heart’s structure in case there is a thickening of the muscle (known as hyperthrophic cardiomyopathy). Adults were charged $199 and students $75, with discounted rates for adults in groups and children.
Click to check out coverage of the event from the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus.
Records Revamp
While tracking down 660 football schedules (give or take a few) took up most of the summer, there still was time for a few additions to the MHSAA record book – with more to come.
Track and field fans will notice records from retired yardage events (pre-1982 or earlier depending on the MHSAA class) have been added to the online records here for boys and here for girls.
Cross country fans should check out our lists of top MHSAA Finals times for every division and every class, plus overall top 10 lists for both boys and girls since the race was set to five kilometers in 1980. Click here for girls and here for boys.
Also added or updated were team championship counts for both cross countries, volleyball and girls golf. Click to check out girls golf here and volleyball here.
Fond Football Memories
It has been 30 years since former Genesee all-state running back Don Robinson became the fourth player in Genesee County history to run for more than 300 yards in one game – which he did in gaining 317 on Sept. 23, 1983.
High school football and those memories remain close to his heart even after going on to play at Eastern Michigan University, a stint in the U.S. Navy and a move to Georgia.
He’s paid attention over the years as that “300 club” has grown to 22 players including current New Orleans Saints back Mark Ingram, Jr., and the University of Michigan’s Thomas Rawls.
He’s also a regular reader of Second Half, and asked to send along some words of wisdom to those who will be taking the field to begin the season this weekend:
“When you run out onto the field this season, do me a favor. At least once, pause.
“Look around you. Look at the lights in the sky. See the faces of those that have come to see you play. Listen to the band and the cheerleaders. Look into the eyes of your teammates ...
“Take it all in. When you’re older and miss this amazing game that you are playing, you’ll be glad you did.”
PHOTOS: (Top) A swimmer takes the lead during a race at Saturday's Kenzie Klassic at Howell High School. (Photo courtesy of Howell High School.) (Middle) Genesee graduate Don Robinson runs the ball during the 1983 season. (Photo courtesy of Don Robinson.)
Miss Soccer Winner Bosley Returns, Focused on More Goals to Accomplish
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
April 27, 2023
ROCHESTER HILLS – If there’s any spring sport athlete who could be somewhat excused for suffering from a case of “senioritis” right now, it is Stoney Creek senior soccer player Lilley Bosley.
After all, Bosley already has a college scholarship to the University of Michigan in tow, and she already has been named the winner of the Miss Soccer Award after earning it last year as a junior.
But as much as it seems like she could, there has been no mailing it in this spring. On the contrary, she is playing with the hunger and determination of an underclassmen trying to prove herself.
It’s not even May, and Bosley has 10 goals and two assists for the Cougars, who play in the brutally tough Oakland Activities Association Red and are ranked No. 3 in Division 1 in this week’s coaches association poll.
Bosley has been great her first three years of high school, but appears to be saving her best for last – which is a scary thing for opponents.
“She has become physically stronger and tactically more knowledgeable,” Stoney Creek head coach Bryan Mittelstadt said. “She is a true student of the game and wants to learn as much as possible. She is an avid soccer fan outside of playing and always is willing to share highlights from the night before or player information. She has been a real pleasure to talk the game of soccer with, as well as watching her grow into a leader on and off of the field.”
For Bosley, she has been motivated to excel this year for both her future and present situations in soccer.
She wants to make sure she is fit and in form when she gets to Ann Arbor in August, when the possibility of immediate playing time exists as part of a young Michigan team.
“If I work really hard this summer and during high school season, hopefully I can get to play there,” she said.
But Bosley also is determined to go 100 percent for Stoney Creek for multiple reasons, one being she simply loves playing for her school.
“It’s fun,” she said. “It’s a different atmosphere. You get to play with all of your friends from school, and all the families get to support you. It’s a fun time to represent your school and know everyone is rooting for you. To try and win a state championship where you can put it up in the school and everyone will see it.”
Bosley also is a strong candidate to win Gatorade State Player of the Year and become the first player since Laura Heyboer of Hudsonville Unity Christian in 2007 and 2008 to win the Miss Soccer Award two years in a row.
Winning it as a junior put her in rare company, and certainly came as a surprise.
“I didn’t even know I was up for consideration,” she said. “I knew it’s usually only a senior thing. I was super surprised.”
Bosley projects as a central defender in college and has played that position for much of her club career with the Liverpool Football Club, formerly known as Vardar.
For Stoney Creek though, she has played mostly midfield and forward.
“I was a forward when I was younger,” Bosley said. “My club team was winning 1-0 against some team. My coach decided to put me in center back for the last 20 minutes. I was never put back at forward. I’ll miss it for sure (in college); I love scoring. But you never know. I could sometimes get opportunities and move up (the field).”
Her final and most important motivation for going all out for Stoney Creek is the desire to lead the Cougars to their second Finals championship, joining the 2016 squad that earned the Division 1 title.
That championship team had special meaning for Bosley, not only because she attended a couple of the team’s games, but also because the only goal of that championship game was scored by Emily Solek, the sister of current teammate and friend Lily Solek.
Emily Solek died tragically in a 2020 car crash, and winning a title in her honor would be the perfect way to finish off a terrific high school career.
“That would be awesome to win it again, and hopefully do it for her,” Bosley said.
No doubt, don’t expect “senioritis” to strike Bosley anytime soon.
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties
PHOTOS (Top) Stoney Creek's Lilley Bosley winds up during her team's May 2 game against Royal Oak. (Middle) Lilley Bosley holds up her Miss Soccer Award after receiving it last summer following her junior season. (Top photo by Chris Mudd/National Photo Scout; middle photo courtesy of the Bosley family.)