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.
Preview: 1st-Time Contenders, Familiar Favorites Seek History-Making Finishes
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 17, 2022
In a sport often dominated by powerhouse programs, we could see new contenders emerge during this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals.
True, Ann Arbor Pioneer looks tough to beat as it seeks a third-straight championship in Division 1. But even with Birmingham Seaholm pursuing a fourth-straight title in Division 2, it appears Jenison is the team to chase at Calvin University as the Wildcats seek their first Finals team victory in this sport.
In Division 3, the top-two ranked teams have won before – but neither this century. Holland Christian and Milan lead those with championship aspirations.
Competition begins at noon for Friday’s preliminaries and Saturday’s championships. Friday’s action will begin with swimming, with divers taking the pool approximately 3:30 p.m. at all three sites.
A spectator limit of two tickets per Finals qualifier will be in place in Division 2, but all three Finals will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv both days. Click for information on purchasing tickets, plus schedules and qualifiers for all three meets.
Lower Peninsula Division 1 at Oakland University
Reigning champion: Ann Arbor Pioneer
2021 runner-up: Saline
2022 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2. Northville, 3. Farmington Hills Mercy
Pioneer has won the last two LPD1 championships, last season with 405.5 points and a 158.5-point margin over the rest of the field. It’s tough to imagine that streak not growing as the Pioneers enter this weekend with 16 swim entries seeded to score (among the top 16) with eight top seeds – including favorites in all three relays – and two competing divers. Northville finished fifth a year ago and is seeking its first team championship in this sport, entering this weekend with 13 swim entries seeded to score and two divers as well. Mercy was seventh last season but champion three straight from 2017-19, and enters with 10 swim entries seeded to score.
Stella Chapman, Ann Arbor Pioneer junior: The top seed in the 200-yard individual medley (2:04.13) and 100 backstroke (56.07) will be looking to add to individual titles won in the backstroke as a freshman and IM as a sophomore. She’s also swam on four relay champions and is part of two top-seeded relays this weekend.
Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield freshman: She’s burst onto the scene this fall and provided plenty of anticipation as she enters her first MHSAA Finals with top seeds in the 200 freestyle (1:48.87) and 500 freestyle (4:54.65).
Lucy Mehraban, Ann Arbor Pioneer senior: After swimming on two championship relays as a freshman, Mehraban could close her high school career with a few more titles as she’s set to swim on two top-seeded relays and enters with top seeds in the 50 freestyle (23.04) and 100 freestyle (50.31).
Emily Roden, Northville senior: She won the 100 butterfly as a freshman and was second in that race and the IM last season. She enters this weekend with the top seed in the butterfly (55.17) and fourth seed in the 200 freestyle (1:51.86).
Victoria Schreiber, Brighton senior: She’s the fourth seed in the 500 freestyle (5:01.22) and fifth seed in the 200 (1:51.94) after winning the 500 and finishing fourth in the 200 in 2021.
McKenzie Siroky, Livonia Stevenson senior: She’ll chase the all-Finals record of 1:00.48 she set in the 100 breaststroke last season with a top-seed time this weekend of 1:00.77, and she’ll also swim the 50 seeded third (23.49).
Rosalee Springer, Grand Haven junior: The reigning 100 freestyle champion is seeded fourth in that race (51.46) and sixth in the IM (2:10.07).
Ann Arbor Pioneer 200 medley relay: Chapman is likely to be joined by sophomore Ursula Ott, senior Sophia Guo and freshman Kate Van Ryn as they pursue the LPD1 Finals record of 1:42.40. Pioneer has a seed time of 1:43.52.
Alice English, Saline senior: After finishing second at last year’s Final, less than 19 points off the lead, English will pursue her first championship coming off the highest Regional score (426.90) in Division 1.
Lower Peninsula Division 2 at Calvin University
Reigning champion: Birmingham Seaholm
2021 runner-up: Grosse Pointe South
2022 top-ranked: 1. Jenison, 2. East Grand Rapids, 3. Grosse Pointe South
Seaholm is seeking to become the sixth Lower Peninsula girls swimming & diving program to win a fourth-straight Finals championship, but this one might be the toughest to earn as the Maples enter ranked No. 6 – although they will bring 10 swim entries seeded to score and a competing diver. Jenison is seeking its first team championship after finishing sixth a year ago and enters with an impressive lineup including six top seeds, 10 more also seeded to score and four divers. East Grand Rapids is back in Division 2 after claiming three championships in Division 3 – and most recently winning Division 2 in 2017. The Pioneers have nine swim entries seeded to score and three divers competing. Grosse Pointe South finished runner-up last season for the second time in three years, and will make a run at its first team title this time with 14 swim entries seeded to score and a diver competing.
Grace Albrecht, Jenison junior: She’s won the 50 freestyle twice (including last season in a tie) and also was the 100 free runner-up last fall. She enters this weekend seeded first in the 50 (23.31) and second in the 100 backstroke (54.26) and also likely will swim on two top-seeded relays.
Lily Cleason, Ann Arbor Skyline senior: The reigning backstroke champion is seeded first in that race again (53:00) and second in the 200 freestyle (1:50.77) after finishing sixth a year ago.
Samantha Clifford, Birmingham Seaholm senior: She swam on her fourth and fifth champion relays last fall and also won her first individual title in the 100 free while finishing second in the 200. She’s seeded fourth in the 200 free (1:53.32) this weekend and second in the 100 (51.76).
Ella Roberson, Midland Dow senior: After finishing fourth in the 200 free and third in the 500 a year ago, Roberson is a favorite to win multiple individual titles entering the weekend seeded first in the 200 (1:49.56) and 100 free (49.82).
Rhian Russell, Rochester Adams senior: She’s seeded first in the 100 butterfly (54.95) by more than a second and fourth in the backstroke (56.41). She previously was part of Adams’ 200 medley championship relay in 2020.
Layla Umstead, Jenison freshman: She enters her first Finals with a top seed time in the 500 (4:58.81) and seventh seed in the IM (2:09.69), plus she’s expected to swim on two top-seeded relays.
Sophia Umstead, Jenison sophomore: She’s also swimming in her first Finals and with an opportunity to make a historic impact with her top seed times in the IM (1:59.01) and 100 breaststroke (1:01.96) faster than the current Division 2 Finals records.
Jenison 200 medley relay: The expected combination of Albrecht, her freshman sister Emma and the Umstead sisters enters with a top seed time of 1:42.81, which is 1.8 seconds off the Division 2 record but would be the second-fastest time on the list.
Lily Witte, Dexter senior: She’s twice set the Division 2 Finals record for diving and won the event three times, with her 503.55 last season just under six points shy of the all-Finals record. She scored 513.35 to win her Regional by nearly 90 points.
Caroline Li, Okemos senior: Like Witte, she’s one of the nation’s top high school divers – but has finished second to Witte all of her first three seasons. She also won her Regional, with her 463.30 nearly 42 points better than the field.
Lower Peninsula Division 3 at Holland Aquatic Center
Reigning champion: East Grand Rapids
2021 runner-up: Bloomfield Hills Marian
2022 top-ranked: 1. Holland Christian, 2. Milan, 3. Bloomfield Hills Marian
With East Grand Rapids competing in Division 2 again, we’re guaranteed a new champion in Division 3 – and Holland Christian is hoping for its first team title since 1996, while Milan last won in 1977. The Maroons finished fourth a year ago and present a strong lineup this weekend with 13 swim entries seeded to score including two top seeds, plus four divers. Milan is right there with 13 swim entries seeded to score as well, one being a top seed, and two divers competing. Marian’s most recent championship was in Division 2 in 2014, and it will look to take that step again with 10 swim entries seeded to score and a diver this weekend.
Kiera Danitz, Ogemaw Heights senior: She has a chance to sprint to multiple championships as she enters with the top seed in the 50 free (24.15) and second seed in the 100 (53.41).
Ella Dziobak, Dearborn Divine Child freshman: She’ll enter her first Finals as the top seed in the 200 (1:52.99) and 500 (5:06.77) freestyles, both by at least three seconds.
Julijana Jelic, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood junior: After finishing fourth in both the IM and backstroke last season, Jelic is the top seed in the backstroke (59.60) and fifth in the IM (2:15.14).
Scarlet Maison, Standish-Sterling sophomore: She left her first Finals last season with a championship in the IM and 11th place in the backstroke, and she returns as the top seed in the IM (2:08.76) and second seed in the breaststroke (1:07.56).
Lauren McNamara, Flat Rock junior: The reigning champion in the butterfly is seeded first in that event (56.46), and second in the IM (2:11.46) after finishing sixth in that race last season.
Ella Schafer, St. Johns junior: She’s the top seed in the breaststroke (1:06.48) and ranked fifth in the 100 free (54.36), after finishing sixth in the 200 free and ninth in the breaststroke last season.
Laney Wolf, Wayland freshman: Another standout freshman, Wolf enters her first Finals seeded first in the 100 free (53.09) and fifth in the 50 (24.88).
Alicia Viaches, Haslett junior: Viaches posted the highest Regional score in Division 3 (367.75), more than 45 points higher than the rest of the competitors at her site.
Kaitlyn Molnar, Grosse Ile junior: She should build significantly on last year’s 10th-place Finals finish after winning her Regional by more than 60 points with a 366.10.
PHOTO: Dexter’s Lily Witte dives during last season’s LPD2 Finals; she won the diving competition for the third time. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)