Next Generation Chargers Make C Final
March 23, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
EAST LANSING – Carson Meulenberg and Trenton Koole had never played a game of this magnitude before taking the Breslin Center floor Thursday.
But their dads had, and perhaps indirectly that provided them a little experience. At least it seemed like it.
Covenant Christian didn’t seem bothered by any of the usual anxieties teams face when they play during the final weekend for the first time. The Chargers – in an MHSAA Semifinal for the first time since winning Class D in 1994 – got ahead early and never slowed in downing Manton 62-35 to earn a spot in Saturday’s Class C championship game.
Koole’s dad Scott played on that 1994 team that beat Eben Junction Superior Central 79-70 in the championship game. Scott Koole also played with Dave Meulenberg on the 1993 team that beat Muskegon Western Michigan Christian 53-42 to win the Class D title that season as well.
“To just stay calm, keep your composure, play your best,” Carson Meulenberg recalled of the advice his father gave him before Thursday. “Don’t worry about a lot of things. A lot of it is worrying about nothing, so just go play your game.”
And Covenant Christian’s game this season frequently has focused on defense, which was lockdown against the Rangers and will be especially key in Saturday's 4:30 p.m. Final against Flint Beecher.
Koole blocked Manton’s first shot of the game, and Covenant Christian had three blocks during the first five minutes. The Rangers still hung in to trail only 11-7 at the end of the first quarter, but the Chargers (21-5) scored the first 19 points of the second and never led again by fewer than 20.
They held usually sharp-shooting Manton (21-5) to 22 percent success from the floor, including 16 percent from 3-point range.
“Finally,” Calvin Christian coach Tyler Schimmel said. “To be honest, since the first District game, we haven’t played that well. I told the guys before (this) game, you’re due for one, especially defensively.
“This year, we actually have (had games like this). That’s why I kept telling my guys they’re a good team. They’re capable of doing those types of things.”
Koole led Covenant Christian with a game-high 14 points and eight rebounds, and Meulenberg and junior forward Zach Kaptein both had 10 points. Senior guard Benji Kuiper had six points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals, and junior Tyler Cammenga had nine points and seven rebounds.
Manton’s top three scorers this season were juniors and sophomores; junior Jayden Perry led again with 13 points, and junior Hunter Ruell had eight points.
“On film, we knew they were going to be athletic just by watching them,” Manton coach Ryan Hiller said. “Once they started getting offensive boards, and the transition game, and I don’t know how many shots they blocked that first half … through the first five minutes, we saw a trend there, and we had to adapt the things we normally do, and we struggled there.”
Manton was playing in its first Semifinal since 1996. The Rangers had been eliminated in the District Finals the last three seasons, losing those games by a combined seven points.
Covenant Christian is riding a streak of 14 wins in 15 games, and now has some bragging rights at home in addition to Saturday’s opportunity.
“He talks about it all the time to me, brags and says he made it this far,” Koole said of his dad's Finals memories. “Now I can go back to him and tell him I did the same thing.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Covenant Christian’s Benji Kuiper (12) works to get around Manton’s Jayden Perry during Thursday’s Semifinal. (Middle) The Rangers’ Wyatt Baker gets up a shot with the Chargers’ Carson Meulenberg (24) defending.
St. Mary's Sharp in Breslin Return, Rides Strong Shooting to Semifinals Win
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 15, 2024
EAST LANSING – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s is within a step of finishing off a year-long mission.
With Friday's impressive 82-42 Division 1 Semifinal win over Ann Arbor Huron, the Eaglets find themselves on the doorstep of wiping out last year's disappointment at the Breslin Center.
It's a disappointment that none of the returning players has forgotten, junior Trey McKenney said.
"We've been on a mission all year," McKenney said of playing in Saturday's 12:15 p.m. championship game. "We've taken it one day at a time all year. The last time we were on the biggest stage, we were hurt. Now we just want to get the job done."
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (26-1) fell to Muskegon 65-42 in last year's Semifinal, a game in which the Eaglets shot only 26 percent from the field. It was a complete reversal Friday as they hit 52.7 percent (29 of 55) from the floor, including nine of 18 3-point attempts.
St. Mary’s, which upped its winning streak to 23 games, was in little jeopardy against Huron (22-5). The Eaglets scored 14 of the game's first 17 points, increased their lead to 39-17 at the half and 57-29 at the end of three quarters.
St. Mary’s junior Jayden Savoury said taking last year's playoff run two steps further has been on players' minds all season.
"It's something that's been preached all season," he said. "We came up short last year, and all the accolades and awards don't mean anything because what you remember is a state championship."
McKenney led the team Friday with 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Senior guard Daniel Smythe had 18 points and Savoury 14 points and eight rebounds.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s coach Todd Covert said the quick start was key. Whereas the team made just six field goals in the first half against Muskegon a year ago, the Eaglets shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half against Huron, with seven 3-pointers.
"We tried to get out as fast as we could," Covert said. "We executed well and got the ball into (McKenney and Smythe’s) hands early. We had to be physical to get through their screens on defense. I thought we had a solid effort defensively; we tried to get in the gaps and eliminate space.”
After making the Semifinals a year ago, Eaglets players say they've been aware of having a target on their backs. The team hasn't lost since a 60-55 decision against Detroit U-D Jesuit in the fourth game of the season.
The fact they have typically battled opponents' best showings has actually worked for the team, McKenney said.
"There is a target because of last year's run," he said. "But we don't care. You don't win without having the best players in the state. We embrace pressure."
"We've been No. 1 all year, and people bring their best against us," Savoury said. "We think we have the best team, now we just have to prove it."
Huron coach Mohammad Kasham, whose team had won its MHSAA Tournament games by an average of three points per, said there is little doubt the Eaglets are a power. The game plan included playing a zone defense to offset St. Mary’s perimeter shooters.
"We ran into a buzzsaw," he said. "We picked the worst day of the year to have our worst shooting night. We missed a lot of shots we've made all season. We could never get on a run. We were outplayed and outcoached.
"Give them a lot of credit; they made the shots. We tried to be the best version of ourselves, and we didn't."
Macari Moore had 11 points for Huron.
PHOTOS (Top) Sharod Barnes (0) makes a move into the lane during Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Semifinal win Friday at Breslin Center. (Middle) St. Mary’s Trey McKenney (1) gets up a shot as Huron’s Macari Moore defends. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)