Michel Finishes with Story to Tell
June 11, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Andrew Michel received the heart-breaking news only moments before leaving his golf team’s Regional on Friday to get ready for that night’s Brownstown-Woodhaven prom.
But missing making the MHSAA Finals by a stroke was not the first thing he shared with those who asked about his day at West Shore Golf and Country Club in Grosse Ile.
Instead, the graduating senior told of the 132-yard shot he dropped for a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th hole, his second ace but first in competition.
Michel finished with a season-best 76, missing the cut for this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final by a stroke despite firing another eagle during the final holes of his round.
“At the start of the day, I told myself don’t leave anything on the table. Go for it on every hole, make every shot and just have fun at your last tournament,” Michel said Tuesday afternoon as he readied for that night’s graduation ceremony. “Being a senior, I went for everything.”
The best part might’ve been how he came back from a disappointing previous hole.
Michel had just finished off a triple bogey on No. 11, and admitted he was down on himself. He stepped to the next tee with his pitching wedge, and “I didn’t really care what happened. I chose the club I like to hit on that hole, and in the air I was thinking it was really good,” he said.
The ball touched down on the green and spun back into the hole.
Michel also played golf and soccer at Brownstown-Woodhaven. He’ll attend Grand Valley State University in the fall, study engineering, and will try to walk-on the Lakers’ golf team.
“Deep down inside,” he said he’s disappointed he won’t be playing at Michigan State’s Forest Akers West on Friday. But he’s got a quite a highlight to take with him from his final high school round.
“It was very bittersweet. I really wanted to go to state,” Michel said. “But the hole-in-one balanced it out a bit.”
Eye on the official
Hopefully you caught our MHSAA benchmarks piece (also published on Second Half) on longtime official Lamont Simpson, who has worked not only MHSAA Finals but NCAA tournaments and is one of 32 officials in the WNBA. (Here’s the link in case you missed it.)
He also became that league’s first to wear the referee cam, debuting the new gear during a recent game between the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever.
The camera provides plenty of ref’s-eye views. Click the video below to check it out.
Wheels of Steele
We’ve been watching the inspiring progress of Frankenmuth runner Bobby Steele especially over the last few years as his story became known across the Lower Peninsula.
Steele, who is visually impaired, has run cross country and track for the Eagles, thanks to the help of guides who ran with him to help him stay on course.
If you haven’t heard Steele’s awesome story, check out this 8-minute video. Not only did Steele run, but he cut roughly 12 minutes off his first cross country times over the course of his career.
Hartland Soars on Vault in Final Rotation To Finish Repeat Championship Run
By
Brad Emons
Special for MHSAA.com
March 7, 2026
HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP – Friday’s MHSAA Gymnastics Team Final went pretty much according to script in what became a three-team race at Milford High School.
Hartland, scoring 146.50 points, fended off challenges from upstart Farmington United (145.45) and last year’s runner-up Rockford (143.85) to earn its second-straight title and third in school history.
Rounding out the top six in the 12-team field were Plymouth (142.325), host Huron Valley United (141.375) and Parma Western (139.750).
“It’s the best feeling ever, honestly,” Hartland coach Gavin Kress said. “It’s such a great feeling. You honestly don’t think about it until you are actually in it.”
Rockford has nine Finals titles to its credit, including three straight from 2022-24, while Farmington has five.
Hartland, which entered the meet after scoring a Regional-best 147.750, saved its best for last nailing the vault routine with a 37.425 on its final rotation.
“Event-wise, it was vault where we got four top scores that we needed,” Kress said. “That’s what pulled us (away from the rest of the field). Floor was really a beneficial thing for us, and I think ending on the vault gave us the push to get us the win.”
Among Hartland’s standouts was senior Alexis Fundich, who will attempt to win the Division 1 individual title Saturday after finishing second a year ago.
“We had a few mess-ups, but overall, we were working hard and did well, it was good” Fundich said. “That was a great way to end the meet, and it really solidified our spot. I think definitely it’s one of our strongest (apparatus). Our floor is pretty strong for us as well, too.”
Hartland won last year’s crown by 2.05 points over Hartland, but this time it was Farmington making a serious push.
“Honestly, that was not expected, but they did great,” Kress said of United. “Honestly, when we go out there, we watch Farmington and Rockford because we know they are our biggest competitors. To hear that they got second place was amazing, and they deserved that spot.”
Veteran Farmington coach Jeff Dwyer, finishing his 38th season, was elated with his team’s result.
“I knew we were in it with Rockford, Plymouth, Huron Valley, and I knew Hartland,” he said. “I kind of thought they were not maybe untouchable, but they’ve got some studs that are really hard to touch.
“Just proud of our girls. We couldn’t have done any better, I think. That was our highest score all year. And to close on the beam, you’re saying, ‘Come on,’ that’s a nerve-wracking event and I think we were the highest scoring beam team.”
Senior Mikayla Dicks was the all-around individual star for Farmington United with the meet’s highest total of 37.925. She posted the highest score on the uneven bars (9.475) and had the second-highest score on the balance beam (9.6) behind Huron Valley’s Stella Musialowski (9.725).
Meanwhile, Fundich posted a 37.625 all-around that was the meet’s second highest, thanks to tying for the top score on floor exercise with Rockford’s Elise Watkins (9.65) and scoring the second highest on the uneven bars.
“I can always count on beginning with her ever since her sophomore year,” Kress said. “She’s always been a clean gymnast and a strong gymnast. I can always rely on her out there and showing what she can do. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
Friday night’s event was a team competition, which will be followed by the individual Division 1 and 2 Finals competition beginning at noon Saturday at Milford.
“It feels really good especially losing those seniors (from last year), with all the hard work we put in,” Fundich said. “It’s an amazing feeling. We knew it was kind of between Farmington and Rockford. We kind of knew we had a little bit of competition. It got a little nerve-wracking towards the end, but we just still hit our routines and it paid off.”
PHOTOS (Top) Hartland’s gymnasts share a moment during their rotation on vault at Friday’s MHSAA Team Final. (Middle) A Huron Valley United gymnast competes on balance beam. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)