And the 2013 BOTF winner is ...
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 22, 2013
Josh Money had gone to just about every Buchanan boys basketball game during his first three years of high school, usually one in a semi-full section of stands.
But as the senior “Trophy Buck” stood in front of his school’s newly-created “Herd” for its first theme night on Dec. 7, he hardly could believe his eyes.
He, his classmates and athletic director Fred Smith had hatched the idea of creating the section only a few months before. But as Money looked up to see – and hear – dozens of students dressed up for “Christmas on the Court” and waving “Buck Power” spirit towels, he began to believe winning this year’s MHSAA Battle of the Fans II was possible.
Late next month, they'll hang an MHSAA championship banner announcing the Herd as this year's BOTF champion and the best student cheering section in Michigan.
“Words can’t really explain it. It just feels good that we are the best. There’s no guessing. We are the best," Money said. "I’m proud of our school, proud of our community. How much support we had throughout has just been amazing. I never knew it was going to come out to be this big.”
The most wide-spread slogan of many put out by this year’s MHSAA Battle of the Fans II champion starts with the friendliest of greetings – “Welcome.”
But to see the entire Buchanan community – from elementary schools students to high school leaders to grandmas and grandpas locking arms and standing together – in our eyes, there was no more meaningful sign of the community-building power of the Herd.
Buchanan was chosen based on a vote by the MHSAA’s 16-member Student Advisory Council influenced by public vote on the MHSAA’s Facebook page. A total of 8,024 fans voted in the MHSAA Facebook poll, with those results then equated against a school’s enrollment.
Buchanan far and away received the most Facebook votes – 4,522, or 63 more than the size of the town’s population. Zeeland East received 2,056 votes. The Student Advisory Council based its vote on the following criteria: positive sportsmanship, student body participation, school spirit, originality of cheers, organization of the group, section leadership and overall fun.
Other numbers to consider from this season's contest: The 26 application videos have been watched more than 24,000 times, and the MHSAA-produced videos from our tour stops have 10,033 views. The stories on the five finalists plus Tuesday’s explanation of how to vote had been viewed 17,206 times as of 8:30 this morning.
As this contest comes to a close, we remember fondly each of our Battle of the Fans visits this winter. Any of the five schools would've been a worthy champion.
Here’s some of what we enjoyed most about each finalist:
Tradition Doesn’t Graduate Award: Frankenmuth
What we saw: More of what made Frankenmuth our inaugural BOTF champion in 2012. A large crowd reaching to the top of the bleachers, completely engaged in the game throughout, and having a blast from opening tip to final buzzer. And when it comes to halftime, no one is more creative – the “Silent Night” sing-along at center court was a solid follow-up to the 2012 halftime chicken dance.
Why we’re fans: Watching Frankenmuth from the outside makes the casual observer want to jump in and take part. The Eagles simply have a blast, regardless of who is standing at the front directing traffic. Nearly all of the section’s leaders graduated last spring, but roles (and in a few cases, costumes) were handed down, and a few key juniors already are involved – meaning we could see Frankenmuth among the finalists again in 2014.
All in the Family Award: Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard
What we saw: A true community where one might not expect to see it – a school which draws students from not just Ann Arbor but a handful of neighboring towns as well, yet gets constant support for multiple sports no matter what day of the week. This section has plenty of history, and some recent tragedies sadly showed again the strength of Gabriel Richard’s bonds.
Why we’re fans: A fun clip we didn't use in the video showed piles of props scattered next to the stands – the necessities of putting on an ultra-creative “Beach Night.” Our favorite was the human wave, which was then surfed by one of the section leaders. We were impressed by the big plans being made for the “Masquerade for Mott” fundraiser for the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, and just the overall connection throughout the section and with its basketball team on the floor, and cheerleaders and dance team on the sidelines.
One Voice, All Day Award: Zeeland East
What we saw: Members of “The Coop” don’t leave their responsibilities as student section members at the door. Living their brand of “rowdy” is a fulltime deal. Zeeland East was our largest school among this year’s finalists, but also has the most developed Facebook presence and a strong Twitter following to spread the word and keep the ideas flowing 24/7. And “High 5 Hallway” – a game day occurrence during which hundreds of Zeeland East students meet in one hallway during a break, form lines and high five each other – was our favorite new idea of this year’s tour.
Why we’re fans: From “High 5 Hallway” to the way senior leaders plant themselves with the underclassmen at the top of the section, the sense of unity was unmistakable despite the large size of the school and its section. Leaders have a constant dialogue with their athletic director – something we've found is a must for top sections – and it’s easy to get worn out just watching this non-stop Coop party.
Make a Difference Award: Vandercook Lake
What we saw: The lessons taught by Vandercook Lake’s group of 13 senior leaders are twofold: Make the most of your four years cheering on your classmates, and it’s possible to accomplish any number of goals by being driven and organized. The Jayhawks got this section going this fall in part to acquire a new mascot costume; they ended up with that costume, school flags, spirit towels and a legacy ready-made for the next group to pick up and continue building.
Why we’re fans: We have a lot of respect for a large group of students pulling together with so many possible viewpoints and abilities and turning out something this positive. Vandercook Lake also was our smallest finalist this year – but showed us a section much larger than its relative size and comparable in creativity and spirit with schools much larger. These students had an idea and made it happen.
Battle of the Fans champion: Buchanan
What we saw: All five of our finalists have created something of value in their respective schools and their communities as a whole. But nowhere is that presence felt quite like in Buchanan.
“The Herd” was little more than a group of milling “deer” a few months ago. Today, it’s a community staple, a point of camaraderie welcoming to all students not only at the high school but all the way down to the kindergarten classes. The section is invited weekly to community events, and the comments posted on our Facebook page and Second Half stories came from parents and grandparents, recent alums and those who graduated and left town long ago.
There’s a lot of pride in Buchanan, and Buchanan takes pride in the Herd.
Why we’re fans: Buchanan does this the right way. The “Woods” are lively, but positive. The Herd is creative and a little silly, but connected to the game and supportive of the team.
And someone give these students their honorary marketing degrees right now; by branding phrases like “Herd Dat!” with younger students, they've ensured this section will live on for years to come.
“Walking through the school, or in front of the stands, all the little kids are all about it,” Money said. “(They’ll say,) ‘Josh Money, you should do this. You should do that.’ I’m getting messages all day, every day from little kids telling me what we should do.
“To have something that great keep going for years, it’s going to be pretty cool to see.”
Now our finalists will take their acts to a bigger stage – clips from all five MHSAA tour stops will be shown on the main scoreboard during the Girls and Boys Basketball Finals in March at the Breslin Center.
All five sections are ambassadors of the best of student cheering sections in our state. We’re glad to congratulate them for setting awesome examples of the fun that can be had while keeping to good sportsmanship and a positive vibe.
And we’ll be proud to award Buchanan its championship banner – Herd Dat, loud and clear.
Click to check out our the stories and videos behind the finalists. Also, click to see student-produced videos from 26 sections who entered the contest. (Photo courtesy of Caryn DeFreez, DeFreez Photography.)
Scholars and Athletes 2013: Classes C, D
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 5, 2013
Eleven student-athletes from Michigan High School Athletic Association Class C and D member schools have been selected to receive scholarships through its Scholar-Athlete Award program.
Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 24th year of sponsoring the award, will give a $1,000 college scholarship to 32 individuals who represent their member school in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament. The first 30 scholarships are awarded proportionately by school classification and the number of student-athletes involved in those classes; also, there are two at-large honorees which can come from any classification.
Each of the scholarship recipients will be honored at halftime ceremonies of the Class C Boys Basketball Final game March 23 at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing. Commemorative medallions will be given to other finalists in recognition of their accomplishments.
The Class C Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are: Kylei Ratkowski, Bronson; Grace Smith, Kalamazoo Hackett; Nicole Winter, Watervliet; Jesse Anderson, Union City; Ashwin Fujii, Ann Arbor Greenhills; Connor Lockman, Royal Oak Shrine.
The Class D Scholar-Athlete Award scholarship recipients are: Elyse Kathleen Lisznyai, Hillsdale Academy; Elena Victoria Luce, Mason County Eastern; Charles Barchett, Watervliet Grace Christian; Chip A. Blood, Hillsdale Academy; Francisco Jay Noyola, Lansing Christian.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class C Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay is also included:
Kylei Ratkowski, Bronson. Three-time letterwinner in volleyball and basketball, serving as team captain in both sports. Also won a letter in track and field. Was all-conference and all-area in volleyball as a senior, and also a third-team all-state selection. Was Homecoming Queen in 2012. Class treasurer throughout high school and served for four years on student council, the last two years as vice president. Active in National Honor Society, Varsity Club and 4-H; and served as an officer in all three groups. Volunteers to instruct and officiate in youth girls volleyball and basketball and to work with a local food pantry and visit shut-ins. Plans medical studies at the University of Notre Dame or Michigan State University.
Essay Quote: “Athletics is about more than winning, it is about creating winners with the right attitude. It is about developing athletes that genuinely care about their opponents and do the right thing when put to the test. Sportsmanship is essential to educational athletics and we as athletes and fan of athletics need to do all we can to insure sportsmanship remains a significant part of every game.”
Grace Smith, Kalamazoo Hackett. Will earn her fourth varsity letter in soccer this spring, and also won three varsity letters in basketball. Was captain of basketball team this year, and most valuable of soccer team last spring. An Academic All-State honoree twice in both sports. Has also won all-district and all-league awards twice in soccer. Three-year member of National Honor Society, Student Athletic Advisory Board and Quiz Bowl team at her school. Was president of Student Athletic Advisory Board as a Senior, and Quiz Bowl team was a state finalist last year. Editor of student newspaper and Synthesis Literary Magazine. Has volunteered with Salvation Army, Vacation Bible School and Habitat for Humanity. Plans biology or pre-medical studies in college.
Essay Quote: “We both desperately wanted to win, but we saw the other person was more important than the outcome of the game. We did whatever we could to help our team win, but we did not do it out of hatred for our opponent. When the game was over, our friendship and mutual respect was still intact.”
Nicole Winter, Watervliet. Will earn 15 varsity letters in four different sports – four each in volleyball, basketball and softball; and three in track and field. A team captain and most valuable player in volleyball and basketball; and has earned all-conference honors in all four sports. Will finish basketball career as school record holder in assists and three-point field goals, and will likely top the 1,000-point mark in scoring. Also won Academic All-State award as a junior in basketball. President of school’s Student Council and vice president of the National Honor Society, and was also a class officer three times. Editor of school yearbook and member of newspaper staff; won an award for outstanding achieve as editor of the press association at Girls State. Will attend either Calvin College or Hope College to study communications, English or history.
Essay Quote: “No one will win every game; therefore, it is critical to learn how to conduct yourself after wins and losses. Losing is one of the toughest events to go through, but you learn more from one loss than from one hundred wins.”
Jesse Anderson, Union City. A four-year performer in both cross country and track and field. Helped track team to last three Big Eight Conference titles, and second place finishes at MHSAA Finals. Won all-conference honors as part of two relay teams and in two individual events. Was most valuable on 2012 cross country team. President of his class for three consecutive years, and vice president of National Honor Society. Active as a volunteer with local Red Cross and March of Dimes, and a member of his church youth group and 4-H. Served as editor of school yearbook. Won DAR Good Citizen Award and was twice selected as school Student of the Month. Plans medical studies at Grand Valley State University.
Essay Quote: “To truly know what sportsmanship is, you must be put in situations where being a good sportsman is not the easiest thing to do and making, at times, the unpopular choice to do what is right instead of what is easy.”
Ashwin Fujii, Ann Arbor Greenhills. A team captain in cross country and track and field, winning four varsity letters in both sports. Won All-State honors in cross country as a Junior, and as also an Academic All-State honoree. League champion in 3,200-meter run in track. Also a three-time letterwinner in swimming, where he holds several school records. On the Student Council for four years, elected president as a Senior. Was on the Chess Team and part of the Green Initiative Group for two years. Served as a volunteer swimming coach for kids recovering from cancer therapy. A National Merit Scholar Semifinalists, and a two-time Greenhills School Academic Scholar honoree. Will attend the University of Michigan and study engineering.
Essay Quote: “Just as competing with sportsmanship will make you better, competing without it will do nothing but make you dirtier and more disrespectful. Competitors lacking sportsmanship might win at first, but they won’t improve.”
Connor Lockman, Royal Oak Shrine. Will earn his fourth letter in track and field this Spring to go with four letters in soccer and one letter in cross country. Has served as a team captain in cross country and track and field. An all-league performer in all three sports, was league 800-meter champion the past two years. Has participated in the MHSAA Finals in both cross country and track. Was academic all-state and track team most valuable in 2012. Other school activity involvement includes National Honor Society, Ski Club, Backstage Tech Crew, the Winners Circle leadership forum, and a leader in Kairos. Has also been a youth soccer coach and referee. Will attend Michigan State University to study pre-law.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship is turning for the finish line with one hundred meters left and not giving up. Running toward the pain because you are the anchor of your 3,200-meter relay. Second place would not matter that much for you because you have three more opportunities at a championship. Your teammates may not though. You run towards the pain for your teammates and that is true sportsmanship.”
Other Class C girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Alyssa R. Briolat, Ubly; Kara Craig, Schoolcraft; Lindsey Dopheide, Lawton; Margaret Elizabeth Durbin, Boyne City; Macayla Geiner, Hart; Natalie Perry, Sand Creek; Theresa Pickell, Reese; Abigail Radomsky, Kalamazoo Hackett; and Faith Schroeder, Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary.
Other Class C boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Brian Christopher Aldrich, Kalamazoo Hackett; Kenner Broullire, Manistique; Jesse Corbat, Breckenridge; Parker Eldred, Blanchard Montabella; Zachary A. Kerr, Saugatuck; Mike O'Brien, Maple City-Glen Lake; Elliott Rains, Sand Creek; Quinton Rice, Marcellus; and Luke Schaffner, Clinton.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class D Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay is also included:
Elyse Kathleen Lisznyai, Hillsdale Academy. Will earn 16 varsity letters in high school career in basketball, cross country, golf and track. Began high school competition in eighth grade because of school’s small enrollment, and won all-state honors in cross country and track in 2008-09. Ran leg of winning 3,200-relay at MHSAA L.P. Division 4 Track & Field Finals in 2010, was part of two medaling relays in 2012. Played in Division 4 Golf Finals five straight years, and finished sixth individually in 2012. Captained golf and track teams. Participated throughout high school in 4-H, Student Council, Drama Club, Chamber Choir and in church youth group. Student Council and National Honor Society officer. Plans to study pre-law at the University of Michigan.
Essay Quote: “As an athlete in the MHSAA, I have dedicated myself to a level of integrity and honesty that manifests itself in my behavior on the field and in the classroom. While I made this commitment as a sportsman, it had taken roots much deeper than in the athletic arena, before I was even old enough to participate in sports. This devotion to the protection of that which is true, good, and beautiful was taught to me as a child by my parents, solidified as a student at Hillsdale Academy, and perpetuated always by a firm belief in God.”
Elena Victoria Luce, Mason County Eastern. Lettered in five sports – basketball, volleyball, softball, soccer and cross country – earning 17 letters. Captained basketball, soccer and volleyball squads; and was all conference in those sports, as well as softball. Academic all-state selection in basketball, and winner of 2012 BCAM Three-Point Shooter’s Challenge at MHSAA Basketball Finals. Class president through middle school and high school. Active in Varsity Club, National Honor Society, Quiz Bowl and yearbook editor. Has been a religious education at her church, and volunteered with the Special Olympics and AYSO Soccer. She plans to pursue a degree in accounting or business in college.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship allows our athletic activities to maintain a competitive level, yet, we are still able to remain respectful to our opponents, and we can maintain our dignity. Nobody wants to feel degraded or put down in anything they do, and sports are supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Sportsmanship is important because it allows all of these things to be possible, and displaying these characteristics allows teams and athletics to be successful in anything they do.”
Charles Barchett, Watervliet Grace Christian. Team captain in all three of his sports – baseball, basketball and soccer. All-conference performer in baseball and soccer. Won team most valuable honors in soccer as a goalie and set school single season record for saves in 2012. Academic all-state honoree in baseball. Participated in 4-H and Buddies In Christ throughout high school. Also took part in drama, National Honor Society and Student Council. Volunteers with the Berrien County Youth Fair, his school cafeteria and as statistician for boys basketball team. Plans to attend Bradley University.
Essay Quote: “Actions speak louder than words, and my actions on the field or court exemplify my personal leadership and integrity. In my mind, that leaves me with two options: play with sportsmanship or don’t play at all.”
Chip A. Blood, Hillsdale Academy. Played varsity basketball, golf and soccer throughout high school and lettered in basketball and golf as eighth grader due to school’s small enrollment, earning 14 letters. Team captain, leading scorer and all-conference in all three sports. Has played in MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Finals in each of the past four years, placing third in 2010 and eighth in 2012. Four-year participant in Knights of Columbus Squires, Student Council, Drama Club and as volunteer with Salvation Army. Played French Horn in school band, participated in National Honor Society and various church activities. Will study economics at the University of Notre Dame.
Essay Quote: “In my participation in athletics, one trait has always been deemed most valuable in a competitor: sportsmanship. Every organization seems to champion this virtue. However, it begs the question: what defines sportsmanship, and why does it matter…four years of high school have answered the question for me, and I have had the pleasure of seeing true sportsmanship exemplified.”
Francisco Jay Noyola, Lansing Christian. Won all-state honors in soccer, and also participated in basketball and golf. Team captain in golf and soccer, and won all-conference awards in both. Has made mission trips to Guatemala the past three years and Mexico this year with schoolmates, helping build soccer fields. Member of National Honor Society, Sexually Mature Aware Responsible Team (SMART), Science Olympiad, and is active with church youth group. Plans to attend Hope College and study engineering.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship affects the game and the team. Knowing how to handle my emotions has made me a better sport, and having teammates who are good sports makes the game more fun. Sportsmanship is an essential part of educational athletics because it makes sports worth playing.
Other Class D girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Anna Marie Couture, Posen; Sarah Cullip, St. Ignace; Erica LeClaire, Dollar Bay; Christina Smith, Gaylord St. Mary; Kari L. Steenwyk, Ellsworth; and Krysta M. VanDamme, Rock-Mid Peninsula.
Other Class D boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Brett Branstrom, Rock-Mid Peninsula; Matthew R. Katz, Tekonsha; Alexander G. Knight, Lake Linden-Hubbell; Joseph Samuel Paquette, Munising; and Hunter Selby, Genesee Christian.
Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average, and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants were to show active participation in other school and community activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.
The Class B scholarship award recipients will be announced on February 12, and the Class A honorees will be announced on February 19.
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