Prepapalooza: Final Countdown Begins
May 26, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Nearly 30,000 athletes will take part over the next six days in what will again be the busiest week of the MHSAA calendar, with teams in all nine spring sports competing for District, Regional or Finals championships at sites across both peninsulas.
The first Finals champions of this spring will be awarded Tuesday in Upper Peninsula boys tennis, followed by six more in Upper Peninsula boys and girls golf Thursday and Friday. Four divisions of Lower Peninsula girls tennis start their two-day tournament Friday, and on Saturday, more than 7,000 athletes will join them competing in four Lower and three Upper Peninsula Track & Field Finals.
In addition, baseball, softball and girls soccer teams begin District action tonight, with most of those tournaments wrapping Saturday. Girls and boys lacrosse teams continue Regional play this week, and Lower Peninsula boys golf teams will play Regionals on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Second Half again will serve as your home for all MHSAA Finals coverage, with correspondents providing stories and photos, along with full results, from all of the Upper Peninsula Finals this week and then all 18 LP and UP Finals this weekend, Lacrosse and LP Golf Finals on June 6, and Baseball, Softball and Soccer Finals being played June 11-13.
Check back as well for video highlights from most competitions and sign up to watch all broadcast tournament action over the next three weeks for only $9.95 on MHSAA.tv. All schedules, lists of competitors and tournament brackets updated with scores real-time can be found on MHSAA.com. Keep connected as well with the MHSAA’s social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Wayne's Derrick Powers Past Reigning Champ to Clinch Division 1 Title
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2025
ALLEN PARK – All Dylan Harnden could do was shake his head.
In attempt to repeat as Division 1 singles champion Saturday at Thunderbowl Lanes, he ran into a buzzsaw named Lyman Derrick III.
The Wayne Memorial sophomore, standing just 5-foot-3, couldn’t miss. His two-handed style produced games of 257-233 and he emerged as champion over Harnden, who shot 444.
“He had the front seven and the front six; there was nothing I could do,’’ admitted Harnden.
Said Derrick: “I would describe my style as unusual.’’
Derrick broke 200 pins in 11 of his 14 games Saturday. His dad, Lynam Derrick Jr., saw this coming.
“He has been bowling since he was 4,’’ said Derrick Jr. “At 6 he almost threw a 300. My friends won’t even bowl with him anymore.
“He has put in a ton of work. So proud of him.’’
Said former PBA pro John Mazza: “He is amazing.’’
Derek Kern of Muskegon Mona Shores shot a 300 in the second game of qualifying. He eventually finished as the ninth qualifier at 1,320.
The top spot went to Haden Hebel of Hartland at 1,372, followed by Davison’s Joe Merz at 1,366, Jenison’s Benjamin Slagter at 1,355 and Matt Sprau of Portage Central with a score of 1,351. Harnden was seventh at 1,331.
Hebel advanced against Cole Rogus of Macomb Dakota, 459-453 to face Andrew Fsadni of Salem, who had knocked out Kern, 401-385.
Merz eliminated Johnathan Hatcher of Belleville, 466-453, then took on Harnden, who had defeated Jacob Kondratyev of Troy, 450-383.
Slagter also moved on by defeating Noah VanderVelde of Zeeland West, 435-424, but Sprau was defeated by Andy Folks of Belleville 439-344 to move on against Derrick. Derrick had downed Devin Harris of Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 385-339
Feeling right at home, Harnden moved past Merz to reach the semifinals with a 477-402 victory. Derrick advanced to the semifinals, besting Folks 428-361 with top seed Hebel then in the way. Hebel advanced with a 459-452 thriller over Fsadni.
Slagter joined him in the semis with a 482-420 victory over Roberts, which included a 277 game, and squared off against Harnden, who won 435-383. Derrick ended the top seed’s run, eliminating Hebel, 390-369.