Powerful Voice for High School Sports
December 19, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Paul Carey was home from the U.S. Army only a few months and just shy of 25 years old when Beal City embarked on its first trip deep into the MHSAA boys basketball tournament.
On the call for local radio station WCEN from gyms at Saginaw Arthur Hill and Lansing Sexton, Carey served as the voice of the previously “laughable” Aggies as they reached the Class D Semifinals before falling just six points short of playing for the title.
“All of Beal City emptied out. They’d never had anything before,” Carey recalled during his annual Thanksgiving weekend visit to the MHSAA Football Finals at Ford Field. “When I got home, within the next two weeks I got a letter from every citizen of Beal City thanking me for broadcasting their games. That’s the kind of appreciation that meant so much.”
During 42 years on the airwaves, Carey was best known as a voice of the Detroit Tigers bounding out of transistor radios all over Michigan, thanks to WJR’s powerful signal.
But for the state’s high school sports community, his legacy is similarly memorable as the voice of the longtime football and basketball scoreboard show and a voter for various all-state teams and wire polls over the decades.
Now 86 and retired since 1991, Carey remains a regular during the first day of the Football Finals, taking in games he broadcast for the MHSAA during the late 1970s and that continue to hold his eye as they have for more than a half-century.
“It was a passion of mine. High school sports always has been,” Carey said. “I think because my dad was a high school coach, and teacher initially, and my brother was a high school coach and teacher, I just grew up in families that appreciated coaching and athletics. I was not a great athlete, but it kept my hand in following sports that way.”
Now, the scores
Carey partnered with Ernie Harwell for Tigers radio broadcasts from 1973-91, including during the march to the 1984 World Series championship. He was named Michigan Sportscaster of the Year six times and to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
But Carey’s early career included sitting on top of a car, plugged into a phone pole, for a Sacred Heart football game at old Fancher Field just a few blocks from his family’s Mount Pleasant home. Among many more accolades are a Distinguished Service Award from the Michigan High School Coaches Association and a place in the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Fame.
In fact, the start of his weekly announcing of statewide football and basketball scores preceded his baseball career by 16 years and ended two months after he announced his final professional out.
The Michigan High School Scoreboard show was a staple of WJR’s late Friday nights from 1957-91. Carey would read every score he could collect from a variety of sources, often organized by league and with state rankings and context mixed in.
His idea came from something similar read by Len Colby for Kalamazoo’s WKZO. Carey’s brother Terry was coaching at Niles during the second half of the 1950s, and he and other coaches would get together to listen to the Friday night scores from the southwestern part of the state.
Carey, who left WKNX in Saginaw for WJR in 1956, explained to then-sports director Bob Reynolds that the station’s strong signal could provide for a truly statewide scoreboard experience.
Carey then connected with Edgar Hayes of the former Detroit Times, who gave the OK for Carey to call the paper on Friday nights to get scores from the Detroit metro area. For the rest, Carey relied on wire services – there were three at the time – who relied on newspapers from all over Michigan to call in scores over the course of an evening.
Before every Friday during high school football season – and later Tuesdays and Fridays during boys basketball season – Carey typed up lists of games based on schedules in the newspaper, with spaces to add scores. More than a few times, Carey raced down a back ramp at Tiger Stadium after a Friday night game, back to the WJR studio, with 15 minutes to prep for the show’s 11:30 p.m. start.
“If the Flint Journal, the Grand Rapids Press, the Traverse City paper didn’t call in scores to the AP, then I was out of luck too. And that happened all the time,” Carey said. “I would call back occasionally, say, ‘Did you get anything more?’ It was a rat race.”
The show originally was set for 10 minutes and then extended to 15. American Airlines sponsored a record show that followed, and Carey’s scoreboard show had a sponsor only once in 35 years. Finishing up on time was expected, even with more than 200 scores to read.
But Carey said he always went 20 minutes, sometimes 25.
“Because I wasn’t done. I just kept right on going,” Carey said. “Jay Roberts did the all-night show most of the time, and he was patient with me. He didn’t say too much on the air about ‘that guy ahead of me took all of my time.’”
Carey continued the “rat race” until his final scoreboard show, Dec. 20, 1991. He retired from WJR at the end of that calendar year. And it's important to note: Carey was never paid a dime extra for doing the program. .
“I think Paul is really just a sports fan, and that came across to the listener on his broadcasts,” MHSAA historian Ron Pesch said. “Paul would gather as much as possible off the wire. He'd interject if scores were missing from sections of the state. Press polls from the Free Press, News, AP and UPI were big, so he could point out close calls and upsets.
“He provided immediacy, or the closest thing to it in the days before cable TV and the Internet, and because of his scoreboard show, you could get the results before the morning paper. For listeners, he brought life to something as simple as game scores.”
First team all the way
Carey, who resides in Rochester, also served as the engineer on Tigers broadcasts for 16 years, through 1990. He broadcast Pistons games on the radio for six seasons and did the first broadcast of a Central Michigan University football game, in 1949.
Harry Atkins, covering Detroit’s teams while with The Associated Press for 29 years including the last 21 as its sports editor for Detroit, took note of his colleague's hard work – and especially that Carey was one of few broadcasters who was a journalist in addition to a voice.
That made Carey's other major role in high school sports a natural fit.
Atkins split The Associated Press all-state selection panels for football and basketball into 11 regions, and Carey represented the Detroit area for a number of years. He also was a longtime voter in those sports' weekly polls.
“Paul is just that kind of guy. He thought it was important and he made time in his busy schedule to do it,” Atkins said “And it had an impact on the other 10 voters on the All-State panels, too.
“Some of them were from small out-state newspapers or radio or TV stations. Yet every one of them knew who Paul Carey was. And when he spoke, of course, with what often is called "The Voice of God," those voters paid attention.”
And he still does, as well.
At the end of each fall, Carey still puts together a compilation of the three high school all-state football teams – Associated Press, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News – and files them with years of research and results.
“It’s important to me. Nobody sees it but me, but I get a certain kick,” Carey said. “Once in a while I’ll see a kid playing at Central, Western or (Michigan) State or Michigan, and they’ll say he came from Clawson. I’ll go into my all-state collections, say that would’ve been 2009 he played, and I find a name.”
In addition to the Football Finals on WJR, Carey was part of the Baseball Finals broadcasts into the early 1990s, continuing to contribute even after his retirement from his fulltime gig.
He spent high school games over the years sitting next to legends like the Free Press’ Hal Schram and remembers when current Free Press longtime scribe Mick McCabe was just a rookie. One of Carey's final broadcasts was a 1992 Baseball Final with his nephew Mike Carey, who continues to broadcast MHSAA championship games to this day.
“I am eternally grateful to Paul Carey. His contribution to high school sports in Michigan has been great and significant,” Atkins said.
“We are lucky to have him.”
PHOTO: Paul Carey (left) and nephew Mike Carey broadcast the MHSAA 1992 Class D Baseball Final between Hillman and Athens for PASS.
Breslin Bound: 2023-24 Boys Regional Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 5, 2024
As the saying goes, at this point in the tournament every team still playing has accomplished something – in this case, winning at least a District championship.
And the path is much shorter for the 128 remaining contenders hoping to find their way to East Lansing in two weeks.
Once again, everything you could want to know this week about tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Boys Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Menominee 51, Iron Mountain 49 These two have seemed on a Division 3 District Final collision course since Menominee (18-6) won their first matchup 60-58 in overtime on Feb. 5, and Iron Mountain (22-2) ended its season with its only losses to the Maroons.
2. River Rouge 59, Dearborn 58 The Panthers (14-10) clinched a Division 1 District title by handing Dearborn (23-1) its only defeat.
3. Saginaw Arthur Hill 53, Freeland 47 The Lumberjacks (17-5) earned one more matchup with rival Saginaw High in this week’s Regional by downing a Falcons team (20-4) that has been in the Division 2 conversation all season.
4. Detroit Cass Tech 61, Detroit Martin Luther King 59 (OT) This Division 1 District Final finished a season series that saw the Technicians win both matchups in overtime, the first by five points.
5. Cass City 51, Harbor Beach 48 The Red Hawks (23-1) clinched their Division 3 District title by avenging their lone loss, 56-43 to Harbor Beach (20-4) on Feb. 9.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Renaissance
North Farmington (19-2) vs. Birmingham Groves (13-11)
Detroit U-D Jesuit (18-5) vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate (15-7)
A Catholic High School League Central team has reached the Division 1/Class A Semifinals five straight seasons (not counting COVID-canceled 2020), and while Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (playing at Milford this week) is the favorite to do that, the regular-season champion has not always ended up the last team playing. De La Salle and Jesuit split during the regular season, Jesuit winning the first time 64-55 and De La Salle the rematch 57-56. On the other side, North Farmington shared the Oakland Activities Association Red title and Groves finished fifth, the Raiders winning their matchups 65-42 and 57-49. North Farmington finished the regular season with the third-highest Division 1 MPR.
Gaylord
Cadillac (19-5) vs. Traverse City West (22-2)
Saginaw Heritage (20-3) vs. Muskegon (21-2)
Coming off two straight trips to the Division 2 Quarterfinals, Cadillac has been even better this season while now in Division 1. The Vikings’ only losses were to Whitehall and Wayne Memorial, and they won the Big North Conference outright thanks in part to 55-44 and 58-44 wins over second-place West. On the other side of the bracket might be one of the most anticipated matchups this week. Heritage won the Saginaw Valley League title as one of eight league teams with at least 13 wins heading into this week, and the Hawks are 14-1 over their last 15 games. Muskegon is the reigning Division 1 runner-up, shared the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title and has a 10-game winning streak.
Northville
Ypsilanti Lincoln (18-6) vs. Wayne Memorial (17-6)
Ann Arbor Huron (19-4) vs. Detroit Catholic Central (15-8)
Lincoln may have cooled off a bit after a 12-2 start, but the Railsplitters have heated up again and defeated Southeastern Conference Red champion Saline 62-57 in last week’s District Final. Lincoln also owns a Dec. 16 win over Wayne, 56-47, although the Zebras also have been surging with 10 wins over their last 12 games. Huron tied for second in the SEC Red but owns a sweep of Lincoln and edged rival Ann Arbor Pioneer 59-57 last week to get here. The favorite might still be DCC, which finished 10th in statewide Division 1 MPR while tying for fifth in the CHSL Central. All but one of the Shamrocks’ losses came in league play, with the first to Dearborn, which finished 23-1.
DIVISION 2
Corunna
Saginaw (15-9) vs. Saginaw Arthur Hill (17-5)
Shepherd (15-9) vs. Flint Powers Catholic (19-5)
Although the end of Saginaw and Arthur Hill’s 114-year rivalry was commemorated with their final regular-season matchup Feb. 16, there was always the anticipation they could meet one more time in the postseason. They’ll do so to open tonight’s Regional, with Arthur Hill having won that first matchup 84-52 but that potentially not indicating much as these rivals rev up for one last meeting. Arthur Hill was third in the SVL and Powers and Saginaw tied for fifth, with the Chargers defeating Arthur Hill 72-67 and falling to Saginaw High 66-56. Shepherd will do its best to break up the SVL reunion coming off two wins over Tri-Valley Conference teams in last week’s District.
Flat Rock
Detroit University Prep (15-8) vs. Romulus Summit Academy North (22-2)
Dundee (20-4) vs. Dearborn Heights Robichaud (19-4)
Summit is playing in a Regional for the fourth-straight season and seeking to advance to the final week for the third time during this run, this time with its losses by a combined four points to Riverview Gabriel Richard (20-3) and Detroit Old Redford (17-7). The Dragons won the Charter School Conference Gold championship thanks to an 85-58 win over runner-up University Prep on Jan. 22, but UPA has seen several more of the state’s top teams and defeated River Rouge among its best victories. Dundee opened this season 14-1 and is on a five-game winning streak that included claiming a second-straight District title. The Vikings are running into a Robichaud team that’s won nine straight games and the outright Western Wayne Athletic Conference title and is making its third-straight Regional appearance.
Wayland
Benton Harbor (23-1) vs. Paw Paw (12-13)
Grand Rapids Christian (22-2) vs. Holland Christian (15-9)
Benton Harbor entered the postseason with the highest MPR in Division 2 and continued to back it up last week with a 60-42 win over Stevensville Lakeshore (13-10) and 58-48 clincher over Niles (19-6). Paw Paw has won five of its last six and will try to add to its upset last week of South Haven (15-7). Grand Rapids Christian was No. 4 in Division 2 MPR entering the postseason and defeated Grand Rapids South Christian (19-6) narrowly last week, 52-49, to advance. It would be easy to anticipate an Eagles/Tigers matchup in the Regional Final, but GRC surely isn’t looking past Holland Christian, which has won seven of its last eight games.
DIVISION 3
Houghton Lake
Ithaca (16-8) vs. McBain (22-2)
Sanford Meridian (20-4) vs. Beal City (20-4)
Three 20-win teams at this Regional quickly grab the attention, and Ithaca like Beal City was a league runner-up this winter. McBain was first and the Aggies second in the Highland Conference, with McBain winning their matchups 60-43 and 72-48. Meridian was the champion of the Jack Pine Conference and didn’t see any of these three teams this season but has only one Division 3 loss, to Pewamo-Westphalia (22-2). Beal City and Ithaca did meet early, with the Aggies winning 74-68 on Dec. 19. The Meridian/Beal City matchup is a rematch of a 2023 District Final, won by the Mustangs 43-40.
Jackson Lumen Christi
Hanover-Horton (16-8) vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (20-4)
Chesaning (24-0) vs. Laingsburg (24-0)
All four of these teams were league champions, but the Tuesday headliner surely is the meeting of undefeated contenders. Chesaning is coming off its first District title in decades, and Laingsburg is seeking its second-straight Regional championship and is a combined 49-1 over its last 50 games. A pair of victories over P-W and a 72-65 edging of Freeland (20-4) remain the defining wins for the Wolfpack, while Chesaning has downed Saginaw Nouvel (19-5) and Durand (19-5) twice among others. Lumen Christi continues to build on its best season since at least 2014-15, with three of its four losses to teams that have won at least 20 games. Hanover-Horton also has made a nice jump returning to Regionals after missing the last two seasons while hovering near .500.
Watervliet
Union City (16-9) vs. Niles Brandywine (21-3)
Schoolcraft (21-3) vs. Watervliet (19-5)
Brandywine joins Benton Harbor (see above) in giving the five-team Lakeland Conference statewide contenders in both Divisions 2 and 3. The Bobcats reached the Semifinals a year ago and have a 64-53 win over Watervliet from Jan. 24. Watervliet and Schoolcraft were the outright champions in the Southwestern Athletic Conference – Schoolcraft in the Valley and Watervliet in the Lakeshore – and Schoolcraft won their Jan. 9 matchup 67-35. Union City finished fourth in the Big 8 Conference but has emerged with eight wins over its last 10 games as it continues to build up its first winning season since 2018-19.
DIVISION 4
Bellaire
Buckley (15-9) vs. Maple City Glen Lake (20-4)
Hillman (22-2) vs. Bellaire (20-4)
Hillman and Bellaire are both league champions, and Hillman has significant recent experience at this level making its third-straight Regional appearance and after reaching the Quarterfinals a year ago. The Tigers remain undefeated this calendar year, while Bellaire has been close winning 16 of its last 18 with the lone losses during that time by a combined three points both to Mancelona. On the other side are a pair of teams familiar with each other, as Glen Lake was second in the Northwest Conference and Buckley finished fourth. The Lakers won their matchups 55-36 and 68-48.
Petersburg Summerfield
Brighton Livingston Christian (18-5) vs. Detroit Douglass (19-5)
Britton Deerfield (18-6) vs. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (20-4)
Douglass won the Detroit Public School League Gold on the way to its third District title over the last four seasons, and the Hurricanes have won 12 of their last 13 games with all of their defeats this season to Division 1 or 2 opponents. Livingston Christian has plenty to be glad about as well enjoying its first winning season since 2019-20 and with eight wins over its last nine games. On the other side are a pair coming off major District Final accomplishments. Deerfield was fourth in the Tri-County Conference but defeated league champion Adrian Lenawee Christian 63-59 after losing their matchup a month earlier by 50. Inter-City Baptist has won seven in a row and downed Taylor Trillium (22-2) in their District Final, 60-49.
Sault Ste. Marie (Regional Final only)
Munising (19-4) vs. Rudyard (18-6) at Manistique
St. Ignace (18-6) vs. Onaway (19-5) at Indian River Inland Lakes
The reigning Division 4 champion Mustangs have won 15 of their last 16 games with a 68-58 victory over Rudyard on Jan. 19 adding intrigue to tonight’s rematch. The Bulldogs have won 11 of 13 games since, a run that included a 73-72 victory over St. Ignace that completed a regular-season split as those two finished third and second, respectively, in the Straits Area Conference. Since navigating a rough patch of four losses over five games as January turned to February, the Saints have won six straight all by at least 20 points as they look to return to the Quarterfinals for the second-straight season. Onaway will be the first to try and stop them, entering with 10 wins over its last 11 games and the loss during that streak to Bellaire (see above).
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PHOTOS (Top) Muskegon finishes a season sweep of Mona Shores with a 61-29 Division 1 District Final win. (Middle) A pair of Holly defenders defend during their Division 1 District Semifinal win over Davison. (Top photo by Tim Reilly; middle photo by Terry Lyons.)