Breslin Bound: 2021-22 Girls Report Week 8
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
January 24, 2022
With just less than half of this girls basketball regular season remaining, 25 teams (out of 700 teams statewide) are chasing perfection, including 16 that have achieved at least 10-0 records.
Ten of those undefeated teams are mentioned in this week’s “Breslin Bound” report – as are two which recently suffered their first defeat of the winter.
“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. Frankenmuth 63, Midland Dow 60 (OT) The Eagles (9-1), even without a top player on this night, continued to assert themselves as Division 2 contenders by handing Division 1 Dow (9-1) its only loss.
2. Calumet 66, Houghton 49 The Copper Kings (9-0) stand alone as the only undefeated team in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference after delivering a first loss to the Gremlins (11-1).
3. Dearborn Divine Child 47, Bloomfield Hills Marian 43 Divine Child (11-0) completed the first half of the Detroit Catholic League Central schedule undefeated with this win over the reigning champ Mustangs (7-3).
4. Harbor Springs 49, Elk Rapids 48 The Lake Michigan Conference ended the week with a three-way tie atop the standings after Elk Rapids (7-2) defeated Traverse City St. Francis (8-3) on Tuesday, and Harbor Springs (10-1) then edged the Elks on Friday.
5. Paw Paw 46, Otsego 43 The Red Wolves (8-2) moved to the top of the competitive Wolverine Conference North and sent Otsego (10-2) into second.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
Division 1
Grosse Pointe North (9-1) Three Macomb Area Conference Red teams have won nine games, and Grosse Pointe North and Macomb Dakota are both undefeated in league play heading into Tuesday’s matchup. North is the reigning Red champ and went 13-4 overall a year ago, losing twice to rival Grosse Pointe South – with the Norsemen winning their first matchup this season 56-41 on Jan. 11. North handed Macomb L’Anse Creuse North (11-1) its only defeat and also has wins over Port Huron (9-4), Utica Ford (9-3) and St. Clair Shores Lakeview (8-3) and an impressive loss to Farmington Hills Mercy (9-2).
Hudsonville (9-2) After winning the Division 1 championship last April with only one senior starter, the Eagles are gathering steam as expected with their only losses to Midland Dow (see above) and Division 2 power Detroit Edison. Hudsonville handed Rockford its lone loss, 62-48, on Jan. 14, and will face Holland West Ottawa on Friday potentially for the lead in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red (although Rockford could change the narrative facing West Ottawa on Tuesday, while Hudsonville must hold off Jenison). The Eagles also own a 79-51 win over reigning Division 3 champ Grass Lake and edged O-K White leader Byron Center 59-56 in overtime.
Division 2
Grand Rapids West Catholic (10-1) The Falcons are a combined 49-3 over the last three seasons and on the move again after suffering their only loss last season in a Regional Final to eventual Finals runner-up Newaygo. West Catholic is one game ahead of the field as it pursues a third-straight O-K Blue championship, with that lone defeat 50-46 to Rockford (10-1). West Catholic delivered O-K Silver co-leader Sparta its only defeat, on Dec. 10.
Lake Fenton (9-0) The Blue Devils are seeking to repeat as league champions in the Flint Metro League Stars and are tied for first with Goodrich. The first meeting between the two finishes off the first half of the league schedule tonight. No other opponent, league or non, has gotten closer than 17 points to catching Lake Fenton, which is giving up only 26 points per game.
Division 3
Blissfield (9-3) The Royals are playing for a first league championship since 2016-17, and they made the Lenawee County Athletic Association a three-team race with Friday’s 42-36 win over Onsted (8-4). Those two and Brooklyn Columbia Central are tied at the top of the standings with the second round of league games to play. Columbia Central (8-2) defeated Blissfield 41-21 on Dec. 10; the rematch is Tuesday. The Royals’ other losses were similarly strong, to Erie Mason (9-3) and Tecumseh (11-0).
Hart (9-1) The Pirates control their destiny in the West Michigan Conference as they pursue their first league title in at least a decade. After finishing second to Montague the last two seasons, Hart sits a game ahead heading into the second half of the league schedule thanks in part to a 37-36 win over the Wildcats on Jan. 11. The Pirates’ lone loss came to Division 2 contender Redford Westfield Prep on Dec. 4; Montague is the only other opponent to get closer than 12 points.
Division 4
Adrian Lenawee Christian (8-3) The Cougars’ cast is different after graduating significant standouts over the last few seasons, but the results have remained similar. Lenawee Christian has six wins over teams with winning records, having handed Athens what remains the opening-night opponent’s lone defeat. The Cougars also defeated Division 2 Onsted (8-4) last week, and their losses are to Division 4 undefeated Portland St. Patrick, Division 1 Temperance Bedford and Division 2 Chelsea.
Mackinaw City (11-0) The Comets have won between 18-23 games the last three seasons, so success is nothing new. But they are lining up well for an opportunity to take the next step. Mackinaw City is again leading the Northern Lakes Conference as it pursues what would be a fourth-straight championship, and the Comets already have avenged one of their two defeats during last season’s 18-2 run in downing Cedarville 73-46 last week. The other team to defeat Mackinaw City last season, St. Ignace, crosses the Bridge on Saturday.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – Saline (10-0) at Dexter (7-2) – These two are tied for first in the Southeastern Conference Red, with the rest of the league’s teams all with two or more defeats.
Tuesday – Detroit Edison (4-1) at Parma Western (11-0) – The Pioneers have had nearly as many games canceled as played, but bring a win over East Lansing from last week into this challenge.
Tuesday – Rockford (10-1) at Holland West Ottawa (10-0) – Before the Panthers can think about Hudsonville (see above), they’ll need to avenge two 2021 losses to the Rams.
Wednesday – Hartford (9-0) at Watervliet (8-0) – A pair of league leaders face off in what could be a Regional preview.
Friday – Dearborn Divine Child (11-0) at Farmington Hills Mercy (9-2) – Divine Child also must get past Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard on Tuesday, but could be playing Mercy to all but clinch the Central title.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews 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.
PHOTO Mesick’s Kayla McCoy brings the ball upcourt this season. Mesick is 8-2, having already eclipsed last season’s seven victories. (Photo courtesy of the Mesick girls basketball program.)
Arbor Prep Earns Saturday Return Driven by 'Unfinished Business'
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 21, 2024
EAST LANSING — Ypsilanti Arbor Prep won the Division 3 championship just two years ago, but it might as well have been 20 to the Gators.
Arbor Prep’s 2022-23 season ended with a Regional Final loss, and that lit a fire for players and coaches who remembered what it felt like to win it all just a year before.
“Our warm-up shirts say, ‘Unfinished Business,’” Arbor Prep senior Stephanie Utomi said. “We take it personal. We knew from the start of the season — which is June for us — we knew what the goal was. We knew we wanted to get back here. It was a sour taste and it hurt a lot, to say the least. We wanted to go back-to-back. To be here, it’s everything. But the job’s not done.”
That business Arbor Prep wants to finish is just one win away, as the Gators returned to Michigan State’s Breslin Center on Thursday and earned a 52-30 win over Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest in the day’s second Division 3 Semifinal.
Arbor Prep (24-4) will look for its second championship in three years when it meets Niles Brandywine in the Division 3 Final at 4 p.m. Saturday.
The Gators’ only losses this season were to Division 1 or Division 2 opponents: Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, Jackson Northwest, Detroit Edison, and Detroit Country Day.
“Our intentions were to make sure we had the right energy level and the right effort to start the game,” Arbor Prep head coach Scott Stine said. “We were going to try and press them, and we were going to try and create tempo.”
Lutheran Northwest, which entered the MHSAA Tournament unranked and with nine losses, knew full well what it was up against in Arbor Prep.
But that obviously didn’t lessen the experience of reaching the Semifinals for the first time in school history and getting to play on the Breslin Center floor.
The school essentially took the day off Thursday, holding a sendoff for the team as it boarded its bus and then all driving to East Lansing to witness something the school had never experienced.
“This is the first time in our school’s history that we’ve been able to do this, so they made it a really big day for us,” Lutheran Northwest junior Ashley Cadicamo said. “It made every moment count. The fact that we lost, it’s OK. We came here, and we were made to be here.”
The experience should prove especially valuable since Lutheran Northwest had only one senior and three juniors on a roster dominated by underclassmen. The Crusaders had seven sophomores and two freshman on the roster.
“Just being here was just huge for our team and our program, and with one senior, we are looking to possibly be back,” Lutheran Northwest head coach Jimmy Mehlberg said.
Freshman Keaira Spiehs scored six points to lead Lutheran Northwest, which saw nine players score points.
Senior Taylor Wallace scored 14 points, Stephanie Utomi scored 11 and senior Stacy Utomi added 10 points and nine rebounds for Arbor Prep.
The Gators took a 34-16 lead into halftime and then scored the first eight points of the third quarter to build a 42-16 lead with 5:45 left in the period. Arbor Prep increased the advantage to 32 heading into the fourth quarter.
PHOTOS (Top) Arbor Prep’s Taylor Wallace (5) puts up a shot Thursday with Lutheran Northwest’s Charlotte Gramzow (3) defending. (Middle) The Gators’ Angela Meggisson (2) considers her next move. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)