Sizable Fremont Has Big-Time Aspirations
December 5, 2018
By Tom Kendra
Special for Second Half
Fremont is synonymous with babies, as the founding home of Gerber Products and host of the National Baby Food Festival each July.
Some of those babies grow up to be giants – as evidenced by this year’s Fremont Packers boys basketball team.
Senior Logan Karnemaat (6-foot-10) and junior Tristan Campbell (6-8) are the twin towers whose presence sets the tone on both ends of the court for the Packers, who are off to a 2-0 start and have high hopes for the rest of the season.
“I guess you could say we ate all of our baby food, and someone must have put some Miracle-Gro in there, too,” Karnemaat said with a laugh.
Karnemaat knows all about fertilizer as a third-generation farmer. He spends much of his time when he’s not in school or playing basketball working on his family’s 3,000-acre farm operation, which includes crops and livestock.
His life goal has always been to get a business degree and return to run the family farm, with playing basketball almost an afterthought.
When pressed on the subject, he said that both Grace Christian and Calvin College in Grand Rapids have shown interest in him, then quickly added: “There are two more I can’t think of off the top of my head.”
Karnemaat is clearly more focused on making the most out of his senior basketball season, which shows signs of great promise after an impressive 45-35 win Tuesday night at Ludington, which made it all the way to the MHSAA Class B Final in 2017.
“I’d say that was our biggest road win in 10-12 years,” said Fremont coach Peter Zerfas, who is now in his 19th year. “It was how we did it. Ludington is a very good team, but we came out with confidence and we were the more aggressive team.”
The scorebook does not tell the true story of the game, as Campbell scored only seven points and Karnemaat just five. The real story was the rebounding and shot-blocking of the twin towers – Karnemaat finished with 10 rebounds and Campbell had five blocked shots, with both of them altering and contesting countless others.
As a result of their presence, Ludington suffered through one of its worst offensive nights in recent memory, scoring just 18 total points over the first three quarters. Senior standout Josh Laman, who nailed the memorable 3-pointer in the Class B Semifinals two seasons ago to send the Orioles to the championship game, had no field goals in the first half and just 10 total points.
Fremont senior forwards Calvin Miller (11 points) and Julian Echavarria, who also have good size at 6-5 and 6-3, respectively, also contributed on both ends of the court.
Zerfas said the key to the big win was the play of his young guards, particularly junior starters Carter Moon (13 points) and Jaxx Miller, who held up under Ludington’s relentless full-court pressure during the second half.
“We have four young guards, and how well they develop will be the key for us this season,” said Zerfas, whose youngest son, sophomore Joshua Zerfas, is one of those young backcourt players. “We have the size and we have some depth, so if those guards keep coming like they are, we have a chance to be really good.”
Zerfas has the Packers competing at a championship level after back-to-back down years in 2015-16 (6-16) and 2016-17 (13-8). Basketball is a big deal in this small town, which has had some great runs in cross country but for the most part is known for baby food, farming and hoops.
Fremont has won a pack of conference and District championships, but Regionals has generally been the end of the road. In fact, the last time Fremont won a Regional championship was 1956, before losing to Stephenson that winter in the Class B Quarterfinals.
Shortly after Zerfas took over as coach in 2000, Fremont had a string of five consecutive District titles, with longtime nemesis Muskegon Heights ending the Packers’ run at the regional level in four of those five years.
Fremont fought its way back to Regionals last winter, before being humbled by Grand Rapids South Christian and finishing with a 17-7 record.
The Packers feel like they have even more pieces in place this winter and are eager to start work towards their first goal, a Central States Activities Association Gold championship, when they open league play Friday night at Reed City.
Karnemaat, who led Fremont with 14 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots per game last season, can’t wait for back-to-back home games next week against Montague and Sparta.
While he spends much of his time working in relative solitude on the family farm, there’s nothing he enjoys more than the contrast of playing basketball in front of a rowdy home crowd.
“Our students and our community come out and supports us, and it really helps,” Karnemaat said. “We have a good team, but then to have 2,000 fans behind you and get you going, I love it.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Fremont 6-10 senior center Logan Karnemaat holds the ball up high, well out of the reach of two Shelby defenders, during a 75-50 season-opening win Nov. 27. (Middle) Fremont sophomore Braiden McDonald, one of the contributors off the Packers' deep bench, drives to the basket. (Photos by Russell Tindall.)
Breslin Bound: 2022-23 Boys Report Week 10
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 13, 2023
From strictly an anecdotal point of view, it’s appeared Michigan’s best boys basketball teams have matched up more this regular season than most in recent memory.
No doubt, expanding the schedule to 22 games has helped provide a few more opportunities. And it seems like every Saturday over the last 10 weeks has included one or more showcase events where several of the elite have faced off – which makes the nine undefeated teams we have left all the more impressive.
Detroit Cass Tech stands alone among the undefeated in Division 1, while Hart, Olivet and Standish-Sterling are without a loss in Division 2. Laingsburg and Napoleon are undefeated in Division 3, and Mio, Painesdale Jeffers and Taylor Trillium are at 1.000 winning percentages in Division 4. Another 24 teams have only one loss this season, and 20 have only two defeats – and we highlight a number of these teams below.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 73, Detroit U-D Jesuit 62 The Warriors (16-1) completed an outright championship run through the Detroit Catholic League Central, leaving the Cubs (15-3) in second place, and after finishing second to Jesuit last season.
2. Ferndale 82, Port Huron Northern 65 The Division 2 Eagles (9-6) are up to eight wins over their last nine games, this one over another Division 1 contender in PHN (16-2).
3. Munising 54, Powers North Central 49 The Upper Peninsula has four of the top nine teams in Division 4 MPR, and Munising (16-1) sits No. 9 but has another argument to be regarded higher after defeating No. 4 North Central (11-3).
4. Davison 94, Flint Hamady 90 (5OT) The finale of Davison’s Cardinal Classic was classic and memorable finishing in just under two hours and 10 minutes as the Cardinals (13-5) edged the Hawks (15-3).
5. Pittsford 71, Hillsdale Academy 66 (3OT) The Wildcats (12-3) avenged a 12-point loss to Hillsdale Academy (11-4) from Jan. 12 as the top teams in the Southern Central Athletic Association East met for the rematch.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Ann Arbor Huron (16-1) A loss to Saline on Jan. 31 is the only misstep during an otherwise perfect run. Huron can clinch a share of the Southeastern Conference Red championship Tuesday against Monroe, which will go well with showcase victories over Port Huron Northern (16-2) and Benton Harbor (13-4) over the last three weeks. The River Rats also are coming off a 57-41 win over Ypsilanti Lincoln – which defeated Huron in its District opener last season after Huron had finished Division 1 runner-up in 2020-21.
Grosse Pointe South (15-3) The Blue Devils have gone from 11-11 overall and nearly worst to first in the Macomb Area Conference Red, having tied for fourth last season but clinching a perfect run to the league title with last week’s win over Macomb Dakota. This potential showed during two losses to start the season as they fell by only three to Detroit Loyola (17-1) and six to Ferndale, and the third loss was by just seven to River Rouge (12-5). South meanwhile has downed West Bloomfield (12-3), Saline (12-5), Birmingham Groves (11-5) and Roseville (11-6) twice.
DIVISION 2
Warren Lincoln (15-3) The Abes have built on last season’s 19-3 momentum with another league championship, this one in the MAC Gold, and Saturday’s 74-63 win over host Benton Harbor at the Wilson Chandler Shootout was the team’s ninth-straight win. Lincoln has done it against a stacked schedule, falling only to Brother Rice, Warren Fitzgerald and Muskegon (15-1) while defeating North Farmington (15-1), Detroit Martin Luther King and Grand Rapids Northview (13-4) and sweeping Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse (13-4) and Warren Woods Tower (13-5).
Warren Michigan Collegiate (14-2) A two-point double-overtime loss to Grand Rapids Christian on Feb. 4 broke a 12-game winning streak, but the only other defeat came to reigning Division 1 champion Warren De La Salle Collegiate as the Cougars have mostly dominated. A 45-44 victory over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and 63-56 win over Detroit Edison are among the most notable work, with the latter earning Michigan Collegiate the Charter School Conference East championship.
DIVISION 3
Grandville Calvin Christian (15-1) The Squires have followed up last season’s 19-4 finish in part with a 14-game winning streak, their lone loss to Hudsonville Unity Christian on Dec. 9. The two months of undefeated play have included eight wins over teams with double-digit victories, including 62-54 over Hopkins and 60-54 over Wyoming Godwin Heights last week as Calvin Christian finished regular-season sweeps of those opponents. The Squires lead Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian by two games in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Silver with four to play – and they meet Feb. 24 after Calvin won the first round 83-66 on Jan. 27.
Ovid-Elsie (14-2) The Marauders are a combined 30-6 over the last two seasons as they play for a second-straight Mid-Michigan Activities Conference championship. Chesaning (15-3) has become a solid rival – those two have decided the last three league titles – and they’re tied for first with their rematch Friday deciding a share of the MMAC crown. Ovid-Elsie won the first meeting 55-51 in overtime Jan. 16, but had an early loss to Durand (14-3) – which it avenged 49-47 on Friday. Ovid-Elsie’s only other defeat came to undefeated Laingsburg (16-0) – a possible District opponent.
DIVISION 4
Bellevue (14-1) Going over 20 wins with a league championship has become the norm for the Broncos, and they’re working on a possible eighth-straight conference title this winter with their only loss nonleague to Bronson on Dec. 28. They’ve otherwise been perfect and mostly unchallenged, with only one single-digit win. The defensive work has been especially impressive; Bellevue has held three straight opponents (including Pittsford, see above) to under 20 points, and only three opponents all winter have scored more than 32.
Ironwood (13-3) The Red Devils followed two straight sub-.500 finishes with a 12-10 run last season, and they’ve raised their play a few more levels – especially over the last three weeks as they’ve won seven straight beginning with a 54-51 overtime victory over Watersmeet. Ironwood and Watersmeet are the main contenders in the Copper Mountain Conference Porcupine Mountain title race, and they meet again Feb. 16. A pair of strong in-state losses – to undefeated Painesdale Jeffers (16-0) and Houghton (12-3) – also are part of the resume.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Monday – Hillman (14-1) at Mio (14-0) – The leaders of the North Star League’s divisions meet in advance of a possible rematch at their Division 4 District.
Wednesday – Pewamo-Westphalia (12-3) at Laingsburg (16-0) – There are still tough games to win in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference, but getting two clear of the second-place Pirates would go a long way for the league-leading Wolfpack.
Thursday – Richmond (15-1) at Croswell-Lexington (13-3) – The Blue Devils are threatening Croswell-Lexington’s three-year hold on the Blue Water Area Conference title, having won their first matchup 53-44 on Jan. 19 to take the league lead.
Friday – Benton Harbor (13-4) at Niles Brandywine (14-1) – The Tigers’ 73-54 win over Brandywine on Jan. 13 is the difference at the top of the Lakeland Conference standings, and Benton Harbor can clinch a share of the title by finishing a regular-season sweep.
Saturday – Muskegon (15-1) at Grand Blanc (15-2) – The cross-state tilts among contenders are winding down for the regular season, and this will be one of the last but also could be one of the best.
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PHOTOS (Top) Fowler and Bath tip off Friday in a game Bath would eventually win 75-66 in overtime. (Middle) Jakobie Boose (4) elevates for a jumper as Flint Hamady and Davison closed the Cardinal Classic with a five-overtime matchup won by the Cardinals 94-90. (Below) Negaunee's Gavin Saunders (23) is defended by Ishpeming's Griffin Argall (24) during the Miners' 63-42 win. (Photos by John Johnson, Terry Lyons and Cara Kamps, respectively.)