'Prepapalooza' Kicks Off 3-Week Celebration
May 31, 2016
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 Wednesday in Upper Peninsula boys tennis (UPDATE: both U.P. tennis Finals have been moved to Thursday due to rainy weather concerns), followed by six more in Upper Peninsula boys and girls golf Thursday. 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 14, and Baseball, Softball and Soccer Finals being played June 19-21.
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.
PHOTO: The Unionville-Sebewaing softball team celebrates last season's Division 4 championship.
Repeat Champs Cranbrook, Greenhills' Oral Reign in Division 3
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
October 16, 2021
MIDLAND – Since 2011, Ann Arbor Greenhills, Detroit Country Day and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood have dominated the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Boys Tennis Finals.
Saturday was no exception at the Midland Tennis Center.
Heading into the semifinal and final rounds, Cranbrook had a one-point lead over DCD with Greenhills four points behind but with a contender in each of the four singles flights.
But strong in singles and doubles, Cranbrook repeated its 2020 championship, edging both Greenhills and Country Day. Cranbrook won with 32 points, while DCD had 27. Greenhills was third with 25.
The No. 1 singles showdown was a repeat of last year’s with senior Mert Oral of Greenhills facing Cranbrook junior Owen DeMuth. Last year Oral won 6-0, 6-1 as No. 1 singles was the only individual championship contested due to COVID-driven Finals format changes.
On Saturday, Oral was gunning for his third straight title.
“We’ve played a couple of times this year, and things didn’t go my way,’’ said DeMuth heading into the match. “I’m looking to change things.’’
“I’ve played him three times this year and won all three,’’ said Oral. “I don’t know if there’s an advantage there. We know each other, and we’re going out there to do our best.’’
Up 2-1 in the second set, DeMuth started cramping in his left leg – limiting his mobility and evaporating his chance at the upset. He ended up retiring trailing 5-3.
“It’s kind of surreal right now,’’ said Oral. “Heading into this year, I definitely felt the pressure after winning the last two state titles. I couldn’t take a match or a practice off because I knew I was a target. I tried to stay focused and not think about the undefeated season and defending what I had done the last two years. I had seen everyone so many times, and I knew everyone was gunning for me.
“I’ll always remember my teammates. I can’t believe it’s over. More than success on the court, (I’ll cherish) the relationships and memories with my teammates and coaches.’’
Cranbrook’s No. 2 doubles team of Jacob Coburn and Sebs Taubman defeated Country Day’s Aiden Khagany and Clay Hartje, 6-4, 6-7 (4-6), 6-3 in a matchup between past Finals flight champions.
“My partner and I have played these guys before; they’re a really good team,’’ said Coburn. “They’ve won a state championship; we’ve won a state championship. We lost to them this year.
“We won the first set. They came back on us and won the second. We got it together in the third. It was 2-2 and we have a chance to break and (Tabuman) hit one down the line for the break.’’
Coburn credited the championship to great leadership.
“We have four great captains, and this is just a solid group,’’ said Coburn. “We have some young kids coming up who are going to be good. I didn’t join the team until my junior year. It’s a great overall program.’’
In No. 4 singles, sophomore Caden Che of Cranbrook beat top seed Kabir Rajendra of Ann Arbor Greenhills 6-4, 6-5 before Rajendra retired due to injury.
“I’m in awe,’’ said Che. “This was a great tournament. I’m happy to be here, and it’s great to win.’’
At No. 3 singles, Kabir’s brother, Chakor, won 6-3, 6-0 against Patrick Tiwari of Cranbrook.
At No. 1 doubles, Country Day’s Alex Pollak and Petros Kalabat upset top-seeded Tanner Warners and Dream Kwon of Grand Rapids Christian, 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2.
At No. 2 singles, Rishi Verma of Greenhills held off Ian Pinnoo of St. Clair 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (6-4).
Country Day’s No. 4 doubles team of Razi Nassif and Aayush Dagar beat Aryan Tiwari and Praneel Pillarisetty of Kingswood, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1.
Cranbrook’s Ryan Michaels and Andrew Fink bettered Sam Van Schepen and Ethan DeBlecourt of Grand Rapids Christian, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 3 doubles.
PHOTOS (Top) Cranbrook Kingswood’s Owen DeMuth returns a volley during Friday’s opening rounds at Midland Tennis Center. (Middle) Detroit Country Day finished runner-up in Division 3. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)