2018 Scholar-Athlete Finalists Announced
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 19, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The 120 finalists for the Michigan High School Athletic Association's Scholar-Athlete Awards for the 2017-18 school year, presented by Farm Bureau Insurance, have been announced.
The program, in its 29th year, has recognized student-athletes since the 1989-90 school year and again this winter will honor 32 individuals from MHSAA member schools who participate in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament.
Farm Bureau Insurance underwrites the Scholar-Athlete Awards and will present a $1,000 scholarship to each recipient. Since the beginning of the program, 736 scholarships have been awarded.
Scholarships will be presented proportionately by school classification, with 12 scholarships to be awarded to Class A student-athletes, six female and six male; eight scholarships will be awarded to Class B student-athletes, four female and four male; six scholarships will be awarded to Class C student-athletes, three female and three male; and four scholarships will be awarded to Class D student-athletes, two female and two male. In addition, two scholarships will be awarded at-large to minority recipients, regardless of school size.
Every MHSAA member high school could submit as many applications as there are scholarships available in its classification, and could have more than one finalist. Saline has four finalists this year, while Negaunee, Rochester and Saginaw Swan Valley each have three. Seventeen schools each have two finalists: Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, Chelsea, East Grand Rapids, Ferndale, Grand Rapids Christian, Harbor Springs, Kingsford, Ludington, Marshall, Northville, Okemos, Paw Paw, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Saranac, Sault Ste. Marie and Troy.
Multiple-sport participation remains the norm among applicants. The average sport participation rate of the finalists is 2.63, while the average of the application pool was 2.20. There are 65 three-plus sport participants in the finalists field, and all but two of the 28 sports in which the MHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments are represented.
Of 396 schools which submitted applicants, 39 submitted the maximum allowed. This year, 1,422 applications were received. All applicants will be presented with certificates commemorating their achievement. Additional Scholar-Athlete information, including a complete list of scholarship nominees, can be found on the MHSAA Website.
The applications were judged by a 64-member committee of school coaches, counselors, faculty members, administrators and board members from MHSAA member schools. Selection of the 32 scholarship recipients will take place in early February. Class C and D scholarship recipients will be announced Feb. 6, Class B scholarship recipients will be announced Feb. 13 and Class A scholarship recipients will be announced Feb. 20. All announcements will be made on the MHSAA Website.
To honor the 32 Scholar-Athlete Award recipients, a ceremony will take place during halftime of the Class C Boys Basketball Final, March 24, at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing.
To be eligible for the award, students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) and previously have won a varsity letter in at least one sport in which the MHSAA sponsors a postseason tournament. Students also were asked to respond to a series of short essay questions, submit two letters of recommendation and a 500-word essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.
Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan was founded in 1949 by Michigan farmers who wanted an insurance company that worked as hard as they did. Those values still guide the company today and are a big reason why it is known as Michigan’s Insurance Company, dedicated to protecting the farms, families, and businesses of this great state. Farm Bureau Insurance agents across Michigan provide a full range of insurance services—life, home, auto, farm, business, retirement, Lake Estate®, and more — protecting nearly 500,000 Michigan policyholders
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
2017-18 Scholar-Athlete Award Finalists
BOYS CLASS A
Kobie Mueller, Ann Arbor Huron
Adam Good, Auburn Hills Avondale
Jacob Willemsen, Byron Center
William Marano, Dearborn Edsel Ford
Anthony Joseph, DeWitt
Ben Forstner, East Grand Rapids
Anthony Kim, Grand Blanc
Nicholas Weigle, Grandville
Yzrael Silguero, Holland
Danny deForest, Holland West Ottawa
Joseph Corner, Holt
Luke Rambo, Marquette
Aditya Middha, Midland Dow
Paul Cheng McKinley, Okemos
David Paquette, Petoskey
Michael Robert Melaragni, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek
Cole Johnson, Rockford
Anthony G. DeKraker, Saline
Aidan Delfuoco, Saline
Reagan Miller, Saline
Emmett Turner, Saline
Hunter Gandee, Temperance Bedford
Nathan Frazier, Warren Cousino
Nick Seidel, West Bloomfield
GIRLS CLASS A
Maggie Wood, Battle Creek Lakeview
Emily Rooney, Birmingham Seaholm
Susannah Deems, East Grand Rapids
Kelly Ann Giles, East Kentwood
Olivia Perkins, Farmington Hills Harrison
Maria Poortenga, Grand Rapids Christian
Sarah Van Dyke, Grand Rapids Christian
Breanna Probst, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central
Lauren Sickmiller, Grosse Pointe North
Samantha Hild, Holly
Talia Naomi Edmonds, Kalamazoo Central
Tess Scheidel, Middleville Thornapple Kellogg
Grace VanArendonk, Muskegon Mona Shores
Kendall Dillon, Northville
Roan Haines, Northville
Anushka Murthy, Okemos
Hallie C. Roman, Port Huron Northern
Kendall Jordan, Rochester
Karlyn Kelley, Rochester
Jenna Norgrove, Rochester
Anna Fischer, St. Joseph
Meghan Monaghan, Troy
Megan Worrel, Troy
Julie Smith, Walled Lake Northern
BOYS CLASS B
Jackson Lund, Big Rapids
Lucas Misra, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
Patrick J. Bertoni, Chelsea
Justin A. Lyle, Dowagiac
Jacob Keener, Ferndale
John Stellard, Ferndale
Vincent Goyette, Flint Powers Catholic
Anthony Harris, Frankenmuth
David Ameriguian, Grosse Ile
Sawyer Perpich, Kingsford
Caleb Schoon, Ludington
William Rayner, Marshall
Thomas Otten, Paw Paw
Anthony Reo, Paw Paw
Hunter Goldensoph, Saginaw Swan Valley
Troy Joseph Distelrath, St. Clair
GIRLS CLASS B
Kate Cao, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
Caroline Hirth, Chelsea
Hannah Shorkey, Essexville Garber
Katelyn Brown, Jonesville
Jordyn Kriegl, Kingsford
Mackenzie Luce, Ludington
Mackenzie Horn, Marshall
Grace VerHage, Otsego
Celia C. Gaynor, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
Lauren Neiheisel, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
Megan Brooks, Saginaw Swan Valley
Emily Buska, Saginaw Swan Valley
Valeta A. Gage, Sault Ste. Marie
Mackenzie M. Kalchik, Sault Ste. Marie
Izabella Marie Taylor, Three Rivers
MacKenzie Desloover, Yale
BOYS CLASS C
Jack Avery Harris, Ann Arbor Greenhills
Parker Hayes, Beaverton
Matthew Harazin, Bridgman
Ilhan Onder, Calumet
Joseph R. Claramunt, Harbor Springs
Thomas Kelbel, Harbor Springs
Evans Brown, Kalamazoo Hackett
Eric Vandefifer, Montrose
Luke Skewis, Negaunee
Colton Yesney, Negaunee
Ben Hogan, North Muskegon
Bryant Kieft, Watervliet
GIRLS CLASS C
Shelby Trevino, Beal City
Kendall Gassman, Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart
Kelleigh Keating, Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart
Ellen Charlotte Laurenz, Breckenridge
Rachel Nesburg, Charlevoix
Morgan Hartline, Marcellus
Clara Johnson, Negaunee
Emily Spitzley, Pewamo-Westphalia
Halie Robinson, Royal Oak Shrine Catholic
Kendahl Grace Overbeck, Saranac
Emma Pachulski, Saranac
Melody Antel, Saugatuck
BOYS CLASS D
Nicholas Burlingame, Ashley
Brendan Delaney, Gaylord St. Mary
Peter Kalthoff, Hillsdale Academy
Andrew Pechette, Kinde-North Huron
Andrew Hager, Mio
Jeremiah Torrey, Onekama
Aaron Jacob Fahrner, Owendale-Gagetown
Thomas Hursey, Suttons Bay
GIRLS CLASS D
Katelyn Smith, Akron-Fairgrove
Corra Hamilton, Athens
Madison Kadlec, Bellaire
Ciera Weber, Fowler
Laura Lyons, Lake Linden-Hubbell
Stephanie Schuman, Lawrence
Ellie Haan, McBain Northern Michigan Christian
Sophie Ruggles, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart
Council Gives Go-Ahead in 3 More Sports
August 20, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association today approved the start of competition in girls volleyball, boys soccer and girls swimming & diving in regions of Michigan authorized for that activity by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders, with competition in those sports pending in regions where those activities are not yet allowed as part of preventing spread of COVID-19.
Schools in the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula – designated as Regions 6 and 8, respectively, by executive order – are allowed to begin competition Aug. 21, as originally scheduled. Schools in all other Regions (1-5, and 7) may continue outdoor practice, pending further executive orders allowing for the opening of indoor facilities and physical distancing while competing in those areas.
Teams began outdoor practice in volleyball, soccer, swimming & diving, cross country, golf and tennis on Aug. 12. Lower Peninsula girls golf and boys tennis, and Upper Peninsula girls tennis began competition Aug. 19, with cross country competition beginning Aug. 21. Football practice began Aug. 10, and on Aug. 14 the Representative Council voted to postpone the Fall 2020 football season to Spring 2021, also due to COVID-19 concerns.
MHSAA staff was authorized by executive order to create all guidance for a return of school sports, and over the last eight weeks has worked to fulfill this mandate while complying with all of Governor Whitmer’s executive orders. The Council was prepared today to approve competition in volleyball, soccer and swimming & diving for all schools in all regions, but was unable to do so because of questions remaining on which activities are still not allowed.
“Our Council has made clear it is ready to offer students these opportunities, pending approval from Governor Whitmer that we may do so,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “We have been told that within a week, future guidance will address athletic issues that exist in current executive orders. We are awaiting that guidance.
“The MHSAA and Representative Council are committed to following all current and future Executive Orders and safety precautions. However, we need more answers before we can give all of our member schools the go-ahead to play each other again, and the majority of our schools are in regions that are not yet allowed to take part in volleyball, soccer and swim.”
For attendance purposes, schools in Regions 6 and 8 may have for indoor volleyball a total of 250 people or 25 percent of a facility’s capacity, whichever is smallest. Indoor pools in Regions 6 and 8 are limited to 25 percent of established bather capacity for that pool. Outdoor competition in Regions 6 and 8 may have 500 people or 25 percent of capacity, whichever is smallest. For all three sports, the total numbers of people allowed to be present include all participants, officials and school and game personnel, media and fans.
The Council also approved out-of-season coaching adjustments allowing football and spring sports coaches more contact with their athletes in advance of the 2021 season.
To provide additional offseason activity for sports that have had their full seasons canceled or moved, the Council approved 16 contact days for football and all spring sports to be used for voluntary practices among students from the same school only. Football may schedule their contact days from Aug. 24 through Oct 31. Spring sports – baseball, softball, girls soccer, track & field, girls and boys lacrosse, boys golf, Upper Peninsula girls golf, and Lower Peninsula girls tennis and Upper Peninsula boys tennis – may schedule their 16 contact days for voluntary practices from Sept. 8-Oct. 31, if the school permits and all safety protocols are followed.
Football and all spring sports then may conduct skill work with coaches and up to four players at a time beginning Nov. 1 until the first day of official practice this upcoming spring. Coaches also may work with an unlimited number of players on general conditioning during that time.
A calendar for the inclusion of football into Spring 2021 will be released later this fall, upon Council approval at a later meeting.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.