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High 5s: 6/12/12

June 14, 2012

A few thousand teams began this spring on MHSAA fields and courts. Heading into the final weekend of the 2011-12 school year, that number is down to 100 and change.

Each week, Second Half gives "High 5s" to athletes and a team based on their accomplishments the previous week or throughout the season. Below are an athlete and team who will be looking to finish this season with one last win.

Josh Vyletel
Howell senior
Pitcher

Vyletel threw a complete-game no-hitter as Howell beat rival Brighton 4-3 in a Division 1 Quarterfinal on Tuesday to advance to the MHSAA Semifinals for the first time. Vyletel improved to 15-2 this spring, which ties him for 10th in the MHSAA record book for most wins in one season. He’ll take the ball again Friday for the Highlanders against Warren DeLaSalle at Battle Creek’s Bailey Park.

My kind of pitcher: “I want to be a pitcher that’s a go-to guy. I always want to be consistent. I know how to throw strikes; I don’t walk too many batters. I know if I get it over the plate, good things will happen. I’m not really the kind of pitcher that will blow it by you. My game is hitting the corners and such, and when I do it pretty well and locate my pitches, I believe in myself.”

He winds up and delivers: “My fastball moves by itself, and I usually keep them off-balance with the curve. My fastball and curveball I can locate the best.”

No. 1 highlight: “Against Brighton, the last game we played. It was crazy. There was a big crowd, and every pitch the parents and students were just going out cheering. It got my adrenaline going.”

I learned the most about baseball from: “My dad (John) has always been there for me. He’s always backing me up on baseball. He was never a great baseball player, but he says if you believe in yourself you can go far in life. He taught me to believe in myself.”

Up next: Vyletel will attend Lansing Community College beginning this fall and join the Stars’ baseball team. 

Grandville Calvin Christian girls soccer

Calvin Christian will play for its first MHSAA championship Saturday at Michigan State University. Last weekend, the Squires (24-2-1) knocked out two ranked teams in last week’s Division 4 Regional – first No. 8 St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 7-0 and then No. 2 Kalamazoo Christian 7-2. The Squires entered the postseason ranked No. 4.

This spring's previous honorees

Moment: Carey Calls Hillman Tigers' Win

May 2, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Hillman and Athens combined to scatter 15 runs on 18 hits during the 1992 Class D Final, one of the highest-scoring baseball championship games in MHSAA history.

And calling them all was a familiar voice that should bring comfort to baseball fans at least 35 and older as we wait for a return to the diamond this spring.

Longtime Detroit Tigers broadcaster Paul Carey, along with his nephew and also longtime broadcaster Mike Carey, called the action for PASS Sports as Hillman went on to an 8-7 victory to clinch its first Finals championship in the sport. The win also started a string of three Hillman Tigers titles over six seasons.

Hillman won on a one-out, bases-loaded bunt single in the bottom of the seventh inning by Mark McMurray, who plated Tim Jones. McMurray, a freshman at the time, also pitched four innings in the contest.

Click for coverage from the Battle Creek Enquirer and watch the game in its entirety below from PASS (click on the YouTube player and open full screen for better viewing).