SAC Sound-off: Who do you cheer for most?
May 2, 2012
Our MHSAA Student Advisory Council members all play at least one MHSAA varsity sport, and through their service to the council have learned much more about high school athletics throughout the state.
But when it comes to following sports teams, almost all do their most cheering for those at the college level.
We surveyed our SAC members on what level of sports they pay attention to most. Here’s a look at their answers.
- Ten of 12 who submitted answers said they follow college sports most. Another SAC member said she follows both college and pro equally.
- The breakdown of colleges was a little surprising. Three said the University of Michigan, two said Michigan State University, but two more said Ohio State University. We also had one vote for Hillsdale College and another for Baylor University.
- Two put down the colleges they will compete for next year – University of Miami, Ohio (Grand Blanc’s Bailey Truesdell, in golf) and Notre Dame (New Buffalo’s Lena Madison, in track).
- Truesdell was specific in his selection – he follows Miami’s hockey team the most. Michigan football and softball also were listed by SAC members.
- Four professional teams made the radar of SAC favorites. Two follow the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, and a third follows the Miami Heat. The only Detroit teams to get a mention were the MLB Tigers and NFL Lions, one apiece.
Performance of the Week: Freeland's TJ Hansen
September 19, 2024
TJ Hansen ♦ Freeland
Senior ♦ Cross Country
Despite a steamy day at Michigan State, Hansen ran a 15:24.6 to win last weekend’s Spartan Invitational Elite race by nearly four seconds. The victory came against a truly “elite” field; Hansen is the reigning Lower Peninsula Division 2 champion and was followed by Marshall senior Jack Bidwell (fourth in LPD2 in 2023) and Jenison senior Seth Conner (fifth in LPD1).
Hansen has won all but one race since the start of his junior season, and opened this fall with a 14:49.3 – just three seconds off his personal-record run and already 3.5 seconds faster than his championship time last fall at Michigan International Speedway. His 14:52.8 that day at MIS was the fastest Division 2 time in MHSAA Finals 5K history and tied for seventh-fastest for all classes and divisions. He said he’s chasing the 14-minute mark this fall; the fastest MHSAA Finals 5K time was 14:10.4 run by Rockford’s Dathan Ritzenhein in 2000. Hansen also won the 1,600 at the LPD2 Track & Field Finals in June after finishing first in the 3,200 as a sophomore, and he will run on both the cross country and track & field teams at Colorado.
@mhsaasports 🏃♂️➡️POW: TJ Hansen #crosscountry #freeland #invitational #winner #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🏃♂️➡️POW: TJ Hansen #tiktalk #questiontime #ronaldo #bucketlist #travel #laughing #crying #emoji #phone #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
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Previous 2024-25 honorees
Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
PHOTO Freeland's TJ Hansen surges toward the finish of this season's Spartan Invitational Elite race. (Click for more from John Brabbs/RunMichigan.com.)