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: Championship Chances Abound
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 4, 2020
Considering the majority of Michigan high school bowling divisions have recently enjoyed frequently-changing champions, it’s especially impressive that Flint Kearsley’s girls will enter Friday’s MHSAA Team Finals seeking their seventh straight Division 2 title and Bronson’s boys will be going for a third straight in Division 4.
Those teams are two of six 2019 champions returning to contend for titles this weekend at four sites: Division 1 at Allen Park’s Thunderbowl Lanes, Division 2 at Waterford’s Century Bowl, Division 3 at Jackson’s JAX 60 and Division 4 at Lansing’s Royal Scott.
Saturday’s Singles Finals, meanwhile, will produce at least five new champions across the eight boys and girls tournaments, as only two of last year’s winners will be back for this season’s final day.
Below is a look at possible contenders for all eight championships, both team and singles. Action begins both days at 8:25 a.m. Click for the full list of qualifiers, and come back to Second Half all weekend for coverage from all four Finals sites.
Division 1 Girls
Team: Reigning Division 1 champion Jenison was among six Regional title winners last weekend, rolling the second-highest score in the Division at 3,700. The high score was produced by No. 4 Lake Orion, which won at Grand Blanc Lanes with a 3,923 that outpaced No. 3 Flushing by nearly 300 pins. New Baltimore Anchor Bay, last season’s Finals runner-up, also won its Regional with a 3,592, and top-ranked Westland John Glenn finished second at Canton’s Super Bowl but did qualify for this weekend. Total, seven of the top 10 in the most recent coaches poll advanced to the Finals. No. 8 Salem, No. 5 Farmington and No. 7 Warren Cousino also won Regional titles.
Singles: Jenison senior Anna Bartz was a Finals semifinalist last season and won her Regional on Saturday with a 1,299, and senior teammate Lauren Slagter also was a semifinalist in 2019 and qualified again. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore junior Dani Decruydt was the Finals runner-up last year and will compete again as well after snagging the final qualifying spot at Sterling Heights’ Five Star Lanes. Flushing senior Evelyn Cano, Lake Orion senior Cheyenne Washington, Wyandotte Roosevelt senior Alicia Rager, Anchor Bay junior Kaitlyn Cavender and Farmington junior Carrington Beaman also will be back for the Singles Finals after making the match play last season. Grand Blanc junior Leah Williams, North Farmington senior Lyric O’Steen, Anchor Bay freshman Melanie Straub, John Glenn junior Anna Maxwell and Roosevelt freshman Angelita Rodriguez also won Regional titles last weekend.
Division 1 Boys
Team: We’re guaranteed a new champion as 2019 winner Farmington Hills Harrison closed its doors last summer. Last year’s runner-up and current No. 6 Oxford had the second-highest Regional score in Division 1 last Friday, rolling a 4,330 to win at Grand Blanc Lanes. No. 3 Macomb Dakota rolled a Division-best 4,354 at Five Star Lanes and is plenty familiar at the Finals, finishing runner-up in 2018. Only five of the top 10 ranked teams advanced to this weekend: Dakota and Oxford will be joined by No. 1 Utica Eisenhower, No. 2 Waterford Kettering and No. 4 Farmington in the field of 18. Farmington edged Kettering by 62 pins at Waterford’s 300 Bowl, and Eisenhower finished just 27 pins back of Dakota at their Regional.
Singles: Walled Lake Central senior Jarrod Willbur and Salem senior Jon Hall both made the semifinals last season, but only two others will be back from that larger match play group – Livonia Franklin junior Ken Kloth and Midland junior Izaac Goergen. Goergen rolled the fourth-highest Regional score (1,357) although it was the second highest at Grand Blanc Lanes behind Davison senior Brendan Ashley’s 1,400. Grand Haven junior Justin Strait, Farmington senior Julien Stout, Utica Eisenhower senior Dylan Kelley, Salem senior Noah Samuels and Dearborn Edsel Ford junior Aiden Newman also won Regional titles.
Division 2 Girls
Team: Top-ranked Flint Kearsley has won six straight Division 2 championships and rolled a 3,844 to win the Regional at Gaylord Bowling Center by more than 550 pins. However, No. 8 Coldwater had the day’s highest Division 2 score, winning its Regional at Kalamazoo’s Continental Lanes with a 3,864, nearly 650 pins better than that field. No. 2 Tecumseh, No. 3 Carleton Airport and No. 7 Mason also are among Finals qualifiers, Tecumseh and Mason after winning Regional championships. Tecumseh has finished Finals runner-up to Kearsley the last two seasons.
Singles: Reigning champion Omani Morales will be seeking a repeat as a senior and won her Regional at Comstock Park’s Westgate Bowl last week with a 1,146. Coldwater junior Noella Keplinger made the quarterfinals last season and was another Regional champ Saturday, rolling a Division 2-best 1,238. Muskegon Mona Shores senior Lindsay Cross, Flint Kearsley junior Allison Eible and Croswell-Lexington senior Katelyn Heiden also will be back this weekend after playing in last year’s match play. Kearsley junior Megan Timm, Warren Woods Tower senior Cassie McCarren, Charlotte junior Abigail Mather and Tecumseh junior Liza Verrier rounded out Saturday’s Regional champs.
Division 2 Boys
Team: Eight schools have finished either champion or runner-up in Division 2 over the last four years, but reigning champion New Boston Huron enters this weekend ranked No. 1 and rolled the highest Regional score in Division 2 last weekend – a 3,972 to win at Westland’s Town and Country Lanes. No. 2 Dearborn Divine Child also was at that Regional, and No. 4 Jackson Northwest, No. 5 Cadillac and No. 7 Owosso also made the Finals, Northwest and Cadillac winning Regional titles. Three other teams broke 3,900 – Westgate Bowl champion Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills and Continental Lanes top two Byron Center and Middleville Thornapple Kellogg.
Singles: Cadillac’s Kyle Vermilyea was the only non-senior to make last season’s Division 2 quarterfinals, and he’ll be back among expected contenders after also finishing as singles runner-up in 2018. Warren Woods Tower senior Noah Tafanelli also qualified for the Finals match play in 2019 and won his Regional last week at Westland’s Oak Lanes, while Grand Rapids Northview senior Dan Frey was a match play Finals qualifier last year and finished second at his Regional last week at Westgate Bowl to freshman teammate Kyle Pranger. Petoskey senior Nathan Waldron, Thornapple Kellogg junior Michael Willshire, Jackson Northwest sophomore Damein Milliman and Allen Park sophomore Nathan Roberts also won Regional titles.
Division 3 Girls
Team: Coloma is the reigning champion and returning. But top-ranked Flat Rock rolled the highest Division 3 Regional score last week, 3,591 at Flat Rock Lanes, and will be seeking its first championship since 2012 after reaching the semifinals a year ago. No. 2 Jonesville, No. 3 Midland Bullock Creek, No. 4 Clare, No. 5 Coloma, No. 8 Caro and No. 10 South Haven all qualified for this weekend as well, with Clare, Coloma and Caro among the Regional champions. Unranked Essexville Garber joined Coloma and Clare in breaking 3,500 pins last Friday.
Singles: Clare senior Jenna Betts is the reigning Division 3 champion and won her Regional on Saturday at Cheboygan’s Sparetime Lanes. Adrian Madison senior Isabell Young also will be back at the Singles Finals after making the semifinals in 2019, and Flat Rock senior Amy Jackson was the Regional runner-up at Flat Rock Lanes and made the quarterfinals last season. Hillsdale junior Karissa Manifold and Otsego senior Carley Blanchard also are returning after advancing to last year’s match play, and Livonia Clarenceville senior Madilynn Kieling made the quarterfinals in 2018 and should be a top contender coming off a Regional title Saturday at Flat Rock Lanes. Caro’s Baylee Hutchinson was the only bowler in Division 3 to outscore Kieling on Friday, posting a 1,238 to win at Richmond’s Strikers Bowling Center. Whitehall junior Karli VanDuinen won her Regional at Wyoming’s Park Center Lanes and should be in the mix too after making the Division 2 semifinals last year. Hopkins junior Kennedy Gill and Birch Run sophomore Cheyenne Brown also won Regional titles.
Division 3 Boys
Team: Seven schools have won Division 3 championships over the last seven seasons, and there will be a new champion Friday as reigning title winner Gladwin did not qualify for the Team Finals. Neither did top-ranked and 2019 runner-up Ogemaw Heights. But No. 2 Jonesville – the 2018 champion – posted the highest Regional team score in Division 3 of 4,054 at Flat Rock Lanes. No. 3 Sanford Meridian, No. 5 Flint Powers Catholic and No. 10 Paw Paw also qualified for this weekend, Powers and Paw Paw winning Regional titles. Belding fell just shy of joining Jonesville over 4,000, winning its Park Center Lanes Regional with a 3,957.
Singles: Cheboygan senior Dawson Campbell snagged the final qualifying spot at Sparetime Lanes to earn the opportunity to go for a repeat after winning last year’s final by 64 pins. Similarly, the opponent he defeated in last year’s semifinals – Muskegon Oakridge senior Josh Felcoski – snagged the final qualifying spot at Park Center Lanes. Saginaw Swan Valley junior Braydon Lemmer, Capac junior Adam Savage and Livonia Clarenceville sophomore Jacob Johnson also will be back after making the match play last year. Savage won his Regional at Strikers Bowling Center with a 1,347, second only to Jonesville junior Logan Teubert’s 1,401 in winning at Flat Rock Lanes. Cheboygan freshman Cole Swanberg, Garber junior Braedyn Hofmeister, Durand senior Cooper Neyman and Remus Chippewa Hills senior Bradyn Fate also won Regional titles Saturday.
Division 4 Girls
Team: Bronson broke Vandercook Lake’s two-year hold on Division 4 last season and will have a chance to repeat after snagging the final qualifying spot at Jackson’s JAX 60. Finishing just above Bronson there was reigning runner-up East Jackson, and both trailed champ Quincy by more than 100 pins at a Regional that also saw No. 5 Hanover-Horton and No. 10 Vandercook not advance. Bronson is ranked No. 2 and Quincy No. 7, and they will be joined this weekend in part by top-ranked Oscoda, No. 4 Bad Axe and No. 8 Sandusky, the only top ranked teams to make the Finals field. Quincy’s 3,414 was the Division 4 Regional high, and the Orioles will be rolling for their first Finals championship.
Singles: Two-time champion Mackenzie Johnson from Vandercook Lake graduated, but last season’s runner-up Dakota Smith will be back in contention now as a senior. Only five non-seniors made the match play last season, and all five have qualified for Saturday’s Finals. Joining Smith from that group will be Rogers City junior Chandra Ganske, Pittsford junior Kathryn McArthur, Hudson senior Kaitlyn Yates and Hanover-Horton junior Kassidy Alexander. Alexander won her Regional last weekend with a Division 4 high of 1,201, while McArthur was first and Yates second at Tecumseh’s Ten Pin Alley. Ishpeming Westwood freshman Kylie Junak, Fowler junior Siera Feldpausch, Byron junior Allison Glass and Bad Axe freshman Destiny Ranquist also won Regional championships.
Division 4 Boys
Team: Two-time reigning champion Bronson will go for the three-peat after finishing runner-up at the JAX 60 Regional, three pins behind Vandercook Lake. But the competition should be fierce, with top-ranked Grass Lake rolling a 3,895 to win its Regional at Ten Pin Alley and Rogers City throwing the Division 4 high 3,903 to win at Lucky Jack’s in Traverse City. No. 2 Whittemore-Prescott was second to Rogers City, and No. 4 Manchester was second to Grass Lake. No. 5 St. Charles was first and No. 3 Ithaca second at Bay City’s Bay Lanes at a Regional that saw No. 6 Unionville-Sebewaing not advance.
Singles: There is lots of opportunity as all eight quarterfinalists from last season graduated. Westwood junior Robert Papp, Burton Bendle junior Nick Love and Grass Lake junior Sean Wyers all are back after making the match play in 2019, with Wyers a Regional champion last weekend. USA senior Ethan Androl rolled the highest Division 4 Regional score, 1,284, and joining him and Wyers as Regional winners were Bronson senior Bryan Foote, Byron senior Kurtis Hatch, Ravenna senior Ethan May and Traverse City Christian junior Hunter Haldaman.
PHOTO: A Clinton Township Chippewa Valley bowler steps into his approach during last weekend’s Division 1 Regional. (Photo courtesy of C&G Newspapers.)