Thank You from Second Half
January 25, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Next week will mark the one-year birthday of Second Half, our place to tell your high school sports stories.
And I thank you for helping us to such a great start.
We knew what we hoped to accomplish starting this site a year ago, but we've learned quite a bit during a relatively short time. Although we continue to pursue the mission of being home of the state’s best high school stories and a daily stop for fans, we’ll continue to experiment to figure out what you'd most like to see and how best we can continue to pass along the great things happening in MHSAA athletics.
A few things to call to your attention as we move ahead:
- First and foremost, we strive to tell your stories – hoping to hit every sport and all regions of our state – and have some intriguing ones coming up as we get into the second half of the winter season. Stay tuned.
- Second Half is the home for the “Battle of the Fans II.” We have visits to Buchanan and Vandercook Lake next week, followed by Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and Zeeland East the week after. We’ll announce the winner Feb. 22. All will be found here first.
- We've revamped our video page (see menu across the top of this screen) and will be adding more videos more regularly in the year to come.
- After a brief hiatus, we’ll next week bring back “High 5s” featuring two athletes and a team that have done great things this season.
- What you’re reading now is the first of a weekly “First Pitch” blog that will allow us to post more of the quick hits we run across in our regular travels. Make sure to continue checking out the twice-weekly blog by Executive Director Jack Roberts, as well as the Viewpoints and SAC Sound-Offs supplied regularly by our friends from the Michigan State University Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and the members of our Student Advisory Council, respectively.
- We began providing in-depth statewide coverage – both previewing and then postgame reporting – of our Finals in every sport this fall, and hope to become your first and fastest source for the stories behind our championships.
We’re always looking for ideas both for stories or any other features you’d like to see – and feel free to send them directly to me at [email protected].
And again, thank you again for coming to our site today. We look forward to seeing you more in the year to come.
Marquette Boys End Negaunee's Reign, Claim 1st Finals Title Since 2009
By
Adam Hinch
Special for MHSAA.com
May 29, 2025
ESCANABA – For the first time Wednesday, Escanaba hosted the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Boys Tennis Finals.
And for the first time in 16 years, Marquette finished as champion, edging Negaunee by three points as the Miners sought to add to their two-year title streak.
Marquette scored 17 points, followed by Negaunee with 14, Kingsford with 13, Escanaba with seven, Ishpeming Westwood with four and Gladstone with one point.
“I’m super proud of these guys and the effort they have put in,” Marquette coach Karl Thomsen said. “The work they have put in over the last three years to get the program back where it used to be really shows up in the results this season.”
In singles action, Chase Thomsen of Marquette picked up the championship at No. 1 defeating Kingsford’s Gavin Moore 6-2, 6-3.
“I was definitely a little nervous for this match coming in,” Thomsen said. “After seeing how they were hitting in the other semifinal, I think I channeled it well and played the best tennis I have played all season.”
Thomsen had a bye in the first round and knocked off Ishpeming Westwood’s Jaxon Alderton 6-4, 6-1 on the way to the championship match.
Kingsford’s Landon Adam picked up the championship at No. 2 singles defeating Negaunee’s Ethan Harris 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Adam also had earned a three-set victory over Escanaba’s Connor Howes 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Negaunee’s Kolten Store picked up the No. 3 singles championship, defeating Kingsford’s Evan Grimes 6-3, 6-2 after previously downing Brant Veeser from Gladstone 6-1, 7-5. Elan Chu of Marquette emerged with a hard fought three-set win over Negaunee’s Max Larson in the No. 4 singles final after earning a three-set win over Escanaba freshman Chris Economopoulos 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.
“It was a special moment for all these kids,” Karl Thomsen said. “They watched Negaunee celebrate last season, and it drove them to keep working and it was our goal coming into this season to capture the U.P. Finals.”
In doubles action, Marquette claimed three flight championships. At No. 2, Lucas Belkowski and Conner Henry defeated Escanaba’s Adam Prey and Caden Fulsher in two sets 7-6(5), 6-3 with the first set going to a tie-breaker. Belkowski and Henry also had defeated Jayce Patron and Xavier Grondz of Westwood 6-3, 6-2.
Sentinels Connor Dunn and Winston Leonard earned the No. 3 doubles title clincher over Negaunee’s Hank Tincknell and Vince Tincknell 6-3, 6-2, and teammates Kane Bush and Bode Helman claimed the No. 4 flight with a deciding win over Clark Robb and Andy Yu of Kingsford 6-2, 6-0.
At No. 1 doubles, Kingsford’s duo of Isaac Lebouef and Jacob Crockford defeated Negaunee’s Nolan O’Dovero and Easton Guenette 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. The Flivvers pair also defeated Andrew Lord and Alex Morgan from Escanaba in the semifinals 6-2, 6-2.
PHOTOS (Top) Marquette’s Chase Thomsen prepares to serve during a match Wednesday at No. 1 singles. (Middle) Kingsford’s Fletcher Hulkkonen follows his serve during a singles match. (Photos by Adam Hinch.)