Performance of the Week: Midland Dow's Austin King
September 1, 2022
Austin King ♦ Midland Dow
Tennis ♦ Sophomore
Over three days last week, Midland Dow played six opponents – including five ranked among the top 10 in Lower Peninsula Division 2. The No. 2-ranked Chargers won five of those matches and tied the sixth, paced by King’s 6-0 performance at No. 1 singles. Dow tied then-No. 1 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, and defeated No. 3 Birmingham Groves, No. 4 Birmingham Seaholm, No. 5 Mattawan, No. 9 Traverse City Central and Gibraltar Carlson, catapulting the Chargers into the top spot in this week’s coaches association poll.
King lost only one set over those six matches – the first against Groves’ Nolan Kovan, last season’s LPD2 Finals runner-up at No. 1 singles. King is 13-1 this season with his only defeat to Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood’s Owen DeMuth, the LPD3 No. 1 singles runner-up the last two seasons. King was 28-7 as a freshman when he also played No. 1 singles and reached the quarterfinals as the sixth seed at the Finals.
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Second Half’s "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
2022-23 Honorees
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Midland Dow boys tennis program.)
Performance of the Week: Grand Rapids West Catholic's Oliver Caldwell
November 1, 2024
Oliver Caldwell ♦ Grand Rapids West Catholic
Freshman ♦ Tennis
Caldwell became the fourth Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis standout – and second from his family in three seasons – to win a Finals championship at No. 1 singles when he claimed the Lower Peninsula Division 4 top-flight title at Midland Tennis Center with a 6-2, 6-3, victory over Traverse City St. Francis' Owen Jackson. Caldwell followed his older brother Simon, who won No. 1 singles in LPD4 in 2022.
After entering the Finals as the top seed at No. 1 singles, Oliver Caldwell won all four of his matches in straight sets, including over fifth-seeded Luke Zhang of Plymouth Christian Academy and the second-seeded Jackson. West Catholic placed sixth as a team at the Final. Caldwell finished this fall 33-1, his only loss to Jackson on Aug. 22 and all 33 wins coming in straight sets.
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Follow the MHSAA on TikTok.
MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
Previous 2024-25 honorees
Oct. 18: Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26: Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19: TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
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
(Top photo by High School Sports Scene; headshot courtesy of the Caldwell family.)