Breslin Bound: Girls District Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 2, 2020
The season begins anew tonight for more than 700 girls basketball teams across Michigan.
This week will end with 128 taking a giant first step as they pursue championship opportunities at Breslin Center later this month.
District tournaments tip off all over the state, and again, for the first time, with the top two seeded teams separated on opposite sides of the bracket. Check out “Tracking the Tournament” on MHSAA.com for every matchup from all of them, and see below for some of last week’s most eye-catching scores and three Districts in each division that could play especially important roles in who makes those trips to East Lansing later down this tournament road.
“Breslin Bound” is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. Send corrections or missing scores to [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Detroit Renaissance 44, Farmington Hills Mercy 32 – The Detroit Public School League champion Phoenix (18-2) defeated the Detroit Catholic League Bishop champion Marlins (17-3) in the annual Operation Friendship game.
2. Hartland 32, Brighton 30 – The Eagles (19-1) added this two-point victory to a previous three-pointer over the Bulldogs (17-3) to claim the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association title.
3. Hemlock 41, Ithaca 39 – The Huskies won the matchup of teams both 18-2 overall to clinch the Tri-Valley Conference West title outright.
4. Charlevoix 45, Traverse City St. Francis 11 – Expectations could have sunk preseason when all-stater Elise Stuck was ruled out for the winter with an injury; instead Charlevoix (15-5) won the Lake Michigan Conference, clinching the title outright against the second-place Gladiators (16-4). And Stuck has returned for the postseason
5. Grass Lake 62, Adrian Lenawee Christian 57 (2OT) – Defeating the reigning Division 4 champ should be a major confidence booster for Grass Lake entering the postseason, with the unfortunate sidebar that Lenawee Christian star Bree Salenbien was lost for the playoffs with a knee injury during the first overtime.
Districts at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Bloomfield Hills Marian
1. Bloomfield Hills Marian (15-5), 2. Southfield Arts & Technology (13-7), Birmingham Groves (10-10), Berkley (15-4), Royal Oak (9-11), Birmingham Seaholm (8-12).
Marian capped its toughest stretch of the season with a win over Detroit Cass Tech 45-36 on Thursday, and the Mustangs enter the postseason with the No. 8 MPR in all of Division 1. They face Seaholm first, with Berkley (No. 50 in Division 1) awaiting the winner. On the other side of the bracket, Southfield A&T has the No. 20 MPR after facing many of the state’s best in Divisions 1, 2 and 3, and the Warriors rode a four-game league winning streak to a shared title in the Oakland Activities Association Red. Last season’s Division 1 runner-up will be plenty prepared for its toughest matchups to come, with a 59-47 victory over Carman-Ainsworth on Jan. 28 showing its potential.
Caledonia
1. East Grand Rapids (19-1), 2. East Kentwood (16-3), Byron Center (19-1), Middleville Thornapple Kellogg (11-9), Wyoming (6-14), Caledonia (4-16), Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (3-17).
This loaded District features three of the top teams statewide by Division 1 MPR, with East Grand Rapids No. 5, East Kentwood No. 9 and Byron Center No. 21. EGR won the Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold and a Dec. 17 meeting with East Kentwood 50-43, before the Falcons went 14-1 the rest of the way and claimed the O-K Red title. East Kentwood opens play tonight against O-K Green champion Byron Center, also in a rematch. The Falcons handed the Bulldogs their lone loss of the winter in the season opener, 48-43.
Swartz Creek
1. Flint Carman-Ainsworth (16-4), 2. Saginaw Heritage (12-8), Flushing (15-5), Swartz Creek (13-7), Saginaw (0-18).
Carman-Ainsworth enters the postseason with the fourth-highest MPR in all of Division 1, with Heritage 26th and Flushing 46th. All three are league champions, Flushing in the Flint Metro League Stripes where Swartz Creek finished third. The Raiders and Cavaliers meet in an opener tonight in a rematch of a Dec. 6 meeting won by Carman-Ainsworth 38-30 before it started its march to the Saginaw Valley League Blue title. SVL Red co-champ Heritage awaits on the other side of the bracket, and Carman-Ainsworth also won their lone meeting 58-39 on Jan. 7.
DIVISION 2
Buchanan
1. Edwardsburg (19-1), 2. Three Rivers (17-3), Niles (11-9), Buchanan (15-5), Berrien Springs (8-12), Dowagiac (2-18)
The Wolverine Conference South co-champions top this District, having split their matchups this season – Three Rivers won 62-44 on Dec. 20, and Edwardsburg then won 56-32 on Jan. 31. On the way to a possible third meeting, Three Rivers will have to go through Buchanan and Niles. The Bucks finished second in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red to Niles Brandywine, one of the most highly-regarded teams in Division 4. Niles, meanwhile, was runner-up in the Division 1-dominated Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West.
Cadillac
1. Big Rapids (19-1), 2. Cadillac (19-1), Benzie Central (11-9), Ludington (16-4), Manistee (7-12), Reed City (4-16).
The first four all are top-45 in Division 2 MPR. Big Rapids made a huge jump from 6-14 last season to share the title in a Central State Activities Association Gold that featured five of eight teams with at least 11 wins. After losing to co-champ Fremont by six on Dec. 20, the Cardinals (No. 18 MPR) have won 14 straight. Cadillac’s only loss came to Division 3 contender Maple City Glen Lake by six Feb. 10, as the Vikings (No. 14) otherwise cruised to a Big North Conference championship and also earned a six-point win from Ludington on Feb. 18. Those two face off in an opener tonight; Ludington’s only losses this winter were nonleague as it finished a perfect run through the Lakes 8 Activities Conference and built the No. 41 MPR. Benzie Central will be upset-minded on the other side of the bracket after building a No. 45 MPR by coming in third in a Northwest Conference featuring co-champs Glen Lake and Kingsley.
Chelsea
1. Chelsea (17-3), 2. Parma Western (18-2), Eaton Rapids (14-6), Onsted (13-7), Hillsdale (4-16).
The first four teams listed above all are top-50 by MPR, with Parma Western the second seed but moving past Chelsea over the last two weeks for the District’s highest rating at No. 8 in Division 2. The Panthers are carrying an eight-game winning streak and defeated second-place Battle Creek Harper Creek 51-35 on Friday to claim the outright Interstate 8 Athletic Conference title. Chelsea, No. 11 in MPR, shared the Southeastern Conference White title with Dexter and got a nice test Friday in a 10-point loss to Division 1 No. 1 Ann Arbor Huron. The Bulldogs open with Eaton Rapids (No. 40), which has lost three of its last four but tied for second in a loaded Capital Area Activities Conference White. Onsted (No. 43) awaits the winner of Chelsea/Eaton Rapids.
DIVISION 3
Centreville
1. Centreville (19-1), 2. Schoolcraft (18-2), White Pigeon (15-4), Constantine (7-13), Marcellus (7-11).
Centreville has won the Southwest 10 Conference title all three seasons of its existence and will look to build on last year’s Regional Final run. But the Bulldogs’ only loss this winter came Feb. 7 in the second regular-season meeting against White Pigeon, which tied for second in the SW10 and will be awaiting in a District Semifinal the winner of tonight’s Centreville/Constantine opener. On the other side of the bracket, Schoolcraft won the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley title for the third-straight year, and is likely further motivated after last year’s first-game District exit. Centreville is No. 6, Schoolcraft No. 9 and White Pigeon No. 29 in Division 3 MPR.
Grass Lake
1. Brooklyn Columbia Central (18-2), 2. Grass Lake (18-2), Michigan Center (17-3), East Jackson (10-10), Vandercook Lake (0-20).
Grass Lake has been considered a championship contender nearly all of this season with wins over reigning Division 3 title winner Pewamo-Westphalia plus Parma Western, Michigan Center and more recently reigning Division 4 champ Adrian Lenawee Christian to its credit. But the Warriors did fall in a rematch to Michigan Center, 65-55 on Feb. 4, and the two shared the Cascades Conference title. Grass Lake is up to No. 7 in Division 3 MPR and Michigan Center No. 11, and they face off in a District Semifinal on Wednesday. On the other side of the bracket, Columbia Central is No. 4 in MPR and the top seed after claiming the Lenawee County Athletic Association title. BCC’s losses came to Parma Western in the season opener and Lenawee Christian on Feb. 7, but it swept Division 2 No. 17 Ida.
Lake City
1. Manton (18-2), 2. Lake City (19-1), McBain (13-7), Houghton Lake (12-8), Roscommon (2-18).
Lake City moved all the way up to No. 5 in the final Division 3 MPR with wins over second-place Manton and third-place McBain over the last two weeks to win the Highland Conference. The Trojans – Division 3 semifinalists a year ago – then closed the regular season by handing Bellaire its only loss. The Highland might have been the toughest Division 3 league in the state; Manton finished No. 10 in MPR, McBain No. 30 and fourth-place Houghton Lake No. 53. Manton opens with Houghton Lake tonight, while McBain and Lake City face off in a Wednesday District Semifinal.
DIVISION 4
DeTour
St. Ignace (17-2), Pickford (16-3), Cedarville (12-6), DeTour (7-13), Mackinac Island (7-8).
This District features the Nos. 2, 10 and 14 teams in Division 4 MPR, although the Saints are the reigning Division 4 runners-up and enter with a 22-point win over Pickford and 24 and 36-point wins over Cedarville to their credit. St. Ignace also has wins over Division 1 No. 1 Ann Arbor Huron and Division 2 No. 6 Sault Ste. Marie and No. 20 Goodrich. But all of that said, the Pickford win came Jan. 15 and the rematch was canceled – so the Panthers should be raring for this one if the teams meet in Friday’s District Final.
Hillsdale Academy
1. Camden-Frontier (18-2), 2. Hillsdale Academy (15-5), Pittsford (17-3), Waldron (2-17), Morenci (3-17), Hillsdale Will Carleton Academy (7-10).
Camden-Frontier finished first, Pittsford second and Hillsdale Academy third in a loaded Southern Central Athletic Association East, and they finished Nos. 13, 23 and 33, respectively in Division 4 MPR. Camden-Frontier and Pittsford meet tonight; the Redskins won the regular-season meetings 54-34 and 56-46. C-F split with Hillsdale Academy, losing the first 52-45 but winning the second 45-37. If Pittsford upsets C-F tonight and reaches a Friday matchup with Hillsdale Academy, they too split during the regular season – Hillsdale Academy winning 45-34 on Feb. 15 and Pittsford winning 44-43 five days later.
Lansing Christian
Fowler (16-4), Portland St. Patrick (16-4), Morrice (14-5), Lansing Christian (10-10), Webberville (3-17).
Fowler finished second and Portland St. Patrick third in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference behind reigning Division 3 champion Pewamo-Westphalia, and now they’ll have the opportunity to surge like Fowler did in making the Semifinals last season. Similarly, Morrice finished second in the Genesee Area Conference to reigning Division 3 runner-up Flint Hamady. The Orioles see St. Patrick in a District Semifinal on Wednesday – St. Patrick won a Jan. 22 game with Morrice 52-13, and a repeat would set up a possible Friday rematch with Fowler. The Eagles took both meetings with the Shamrocks this season, but they were close – Fowler won 52-49 on Dec. 18 and then 61-53 in double overtime Jan. 30. Fowler is No. 4, St. Patrick No. 17 and Morrice No. 29 in Division 4 MPR.
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PHOTO: Detroit Edison in Division 2 and Flint Carman-Ainsworth in Division 1 met Feb. 25 and are among favorites in Divisions 2 and 1, respectively. Edison won 73-50. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)
Preview: An Opportunity to Finish as Champions
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 6, 2021
Last season’s sudden halt due to COVID-19 left many girls basketball teams across Michigan stranded heading into Regional Finals.
A number of those teams have earned second chances to finish title runs this weekend.
Below is a schedule of all Semifinals and Finals – Semifinals are Wednesday at Breslin Center in East Lansing and Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, and all four championship games will be Friday at Breslin.
DIVISION 1 - Breslin Center
Wayne Memorial (17-2) vs. Detroit Renaissance (12-4), 3 p.m.
Hudsonville (21-1) vs. Midland Dow (22-0), 5:30 p.m.
DIVISION 2 - Van Andel Arena
Detroit Country Day (15-2) vs. Newaygo (20-1), 3 p.m.
Portland (18-2) vs. Parma Western (18-4), 5:30 p.m.
DIVISION 3 - Breslin Center
Grass Lake (18-1) vs. BYE
Kent City (20-0) vs. Calumet (20-0), 12:30 p.m.
(Hemlock opted out of the remainder of the tournament.)
DIVISION 4 - Van Andel Arena
Carney-Nadeau (22-0) vs. Fowler (14-4), 10 a.m.
Bellaire (17-3) vs. Petersburg-Summerfield (15-5), 12:30 p.m.
Finals - Friday
Division 1 - 12:30 p.m.
Division 2 - 5:30 p.m.
Division 3 - 3 p.m.
Division 4 - 10 a.m.
Spectator limits remain in effect, but all Semifinals will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv and viewable with subscription, with free audio broadcasts via the MHSAA Radio Network. All four Finals will be broadcast by Bally Sports Detroit (formerly FOX Sports Detroit), the first three on the primary channel and the Division 2 Final on the PLUS channel. All four also will be available live on the FOX Sports Detroit Website and the FOX Sports Go! app.
Below is a glance at all 11 teams contending this weekend. Click for the full program. (Statistics below are through Regional Finals except Kent City's includes its Quarterfinal. Rankings are based on the Michigan Power Ratings generated to seed teams at the District level.)
Division 1
DETROIT RENAISSANCE
Record/rank: 12-4, No. 2
League finish: Did not play league games this season.
Coach: Shane Lawal, second season (34-6)
Championship history: Class B champion 2005, three runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 74-64 over No. 13 Macomb L’Anse Creuse North in Quarterfinal, 48-35 over No. 8 Farmington Hills Mercy in Regional Final, 59-43 over No. 16 Grosse Pointe South in Regional Semifinal, 73-65 over No. 27 Wayne Memorial, 57-46 over No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Marian.
Players to watch: Kailee Davis, 5-4 sr. G (16.9 ppg, 36 3-pointers, 3.5 apg, 3.2 spg); Nika Dorsey, 5-11 sr. G (7.1 ppg, 3.3 apg); Shannon Wheeler, 6-2 sr. F/C (11.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg).
Outlook: Renaissance is returning to the Semifinals for the first time since back-to-back Class A runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2011. Davis made the all-state first team last season and Dorsey earned an honorable mention, and Davis will continue next season at Northern Kentucky University. Senior 5-10 guard/forward Mikyah Finley also stretches defenses, averaging 11 points per game with 35 3-pointers entering the week.
HUDSONVILLE
Record/rank: 21-1, No. 9
League finish: First in Ottawa-Kent Conference Red
Coach: Casey Glass, 12th season (174-106)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 56-42 over No. 1 East Lansing in Quarterfinal, 52-47 over No. 6 East Grand Rapids in Regional Final, 62-43 over No. 10 Byron Center, 56-52 and 65-50 over No. 37 East Kentwood.
Players to watch: Jaci Tubergen, 6-0 jr. G (12.1 ppg, 37 3-pointers, 3.9 apg); Alaina Diaz, 5-6 jr. G (10.5 ppg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 spg); Maddie Petroelje, 6-0 soph. F (10.7 ppg, 46 3-pointers).
Outlook: Hudsonville avenged its lone loss of the season against East Grand Rapids in the Regional Final, then handed East Lansing its only defeat to reach the Semifinals for the second time after previously making the trip in 2015-16. Tubergen earned an all-state honorable mention last season and leads a lineup that has put together a combined 43-2 record over the last two seasons and has only one senior starter.
MIDLAND DOW
Record/rank: 22-0, No. 7
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League
Coach: Kyle Theisen, seventh season (143-21)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 42-32 over No. 5 Hartland in Quarterfinal, 41-31 (Regional Final) and 76-55 over No. 3 Flushing, 36-26 (District Final) and 45-33 over No. 36 Midland, 50-44 over Division 2 No. 5 Frankenmuth.
Players to watch: Jada Garner, 5-6 sr. G (15.7 ppg, 43 3-pointers, 2.4 spg); Alexa Kolnitys, 5-6 jr. G (14.9 ppg, 54 3-pointers, 5.1 rpg, 3.0 apg, 3.8 spg); Abby Rey, 5-10 jr. F (11.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg).
Outlook: Dow has been building toward this run with league championships every season under Theisen and four District titles over the last five years. Garner earned an all-state honorable mention last season and with Kolnitys leads a sharp-shooting team averaging nearly nine 3-pointers per game. Only three of Dow’s games were decided by single digits this winter.
WAYNE MEMORIAL
Record/rank: 17-2, No. 27
League finish: First in Kensington Lakes Activities Association East
Coach: Jarvis Mitchell, seventh season (114-45)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 59-35 over No. 32 Temperance Bedford in Quarterfinal, 68-60 over No. 24 Saline in Regional Final.
Players to watch: Alanna Micheaux, 6-2 sr. F (22.9 ppg, 11.9 rpg); LaChelle Austin, 5-8 sr. G (11.8 ppg, 4.7 apg, 4.5 spg); Davai Matthews, 6-2 jr. F (8.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.4 bpg).
Outlook: This will be Wayne’s third trip to the Semifinals in four seasons and comes after sixth-straight league and fifth-consecutive District titles. The Zebras present some serious post presence, in part led by returning all-stater Micheaux. She connects on an incredible 63 percent of her shots from the floor and has signed with Minnesota, while Austin is the main distributor and will continue next season at Eastern Michigan.
Division 2
DETROIT COUNTRY DAY
Record/rank: 15-2, No. 10
League finish: Does not play in a league.
Coach: Jerica Williams, first season (15-2)
Championship history: Thirteen MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), four runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 45-40 over No. 15 Imlay City in Quarterfinal, 51-49 over No. 42 Wixom St. Catherine in District Final, 57-43 over Division 4 No. 2 Plymouth Christian Academy.
Players to watch: Chelsea Abulu, 6-0 sr. F/C; Jaidyn Elam, 5-9 fr. G; Emma Arico, 5-5 fr. G. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Country Day is something of a known unknown; the Yellowjackets have one of the most successful programs in state history, but also return to the Semifinals with a coach new to Michigan, one senior and the rest of the roster made up of underclassmen. Williams coached championship teams in California and Texas after finishing a college career that began at UCLA and finished at San Diego State. Country Day had finished 2-18 last season before flipping things completely around this winter.
NEWAYGO
Record/rank: 20-1, No. 16
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Gold
Coach: Nate Thomasma, sixth season (64-65)
Championship history: Class C champion 1984 and 1985.
Best wins: 55-48 over No. 9 Grand Rapids West Catholic in Regional Final, 47-37 over No. 6 Montague in Regional Semifinal, 49-32 and 69-37 over No. 46 Central Montcalm.
Players to watch: Jaxi Long, 5-6 jr. G (12.1 ppg, 4.0 apg); Jaylee Long, sr. G (12.6 ppg, 33 3-pointers, 3.6 apg); Emmerson Goodin, jr. F (12.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg).
Outlook: Newaygo was another team seemingly on the verge of something special last season when COVID hit, but the Lions have bounced back to make the Semifinals for the first time since their back-to-back championship seasons. The only loss came by five in February to No. 3 Portland. Jaxi Long earned an all-state honorable mention last season.
PARMA WESTERN
Record/rank: 18-4, No. 13
League finish: First in Interstate 8 Athletic Conference
Coach: Gina Fortress, fourth season (57-28)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 55-52 over No. 35 Lansing Catholic in Regional Final, 54-31 over No. 32 Jonesville in District Final, 62-39 over Division 1 No. 42 Jackson Northwest.
Players to watch: Hillary Griffin, 5-10 jr. F (13.3 ppg, 1.7 bpg); Alyna Lewis, 5-6 jr. G (11.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.2 spg); Reece Hitt, 5-3 jr. G (9.7 ppg).
Outlook: Western is making its first trip to the Semifinals and doing so with only one senior – so the future should be bright as well. The Panthers’ losses were all to teams with at least 12 wins this winter, so they’re tested – plus coming off back-to-back three-point wins. Griffin earned an all-state honorable mention last season for a team that was 21-2 when COVID struck.
PORTLAND
Record/rank: 18-2, No. 3
League finish: First in Capital Area Activities Conference White
Coach: Jason Haid, fifth season (67-42)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 47-41 over No. 21 Escanaba in Quarterfinal, 53-49 over No. 5 Frankenmuth in Regional Final, 38-33 over No. 16 Newaygo, 38-36 over Division 1 No. 25 Haslett.
Players to watch: Ashley Bower, 5-10 jr. G (19.5 ppg, 2.8 spg); Ava Guilford, 5-1 jr. G (9.0 ppg, 29 3-pointers); Breckyn Werner, 6-0 jr. C (5.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg).
Outlook: The Raiders are making their first Semifinal trip since 2010 and riding a 12-game winning streak. Portland has improved from a combined 14-30 over Haid’s first two seasons to 20-4 last winter and this season winning second-straight league and District titles. This is another team that should bring back most of the roster next season; only one of three seniors total starts. Bower earned all-state honorable mention as a sophomore.
Division 3
CALUMET
Record/rank: 20-0, No. 11
League finish: First in Western Peninsula Athletic Conference
Coach: Matt Laho, third season (51-14)
Championship history: Class C champion 2015.
Best wins: 73-69 over No. 10 Maple City Glen Lake in Quarterfinal, 65-55 (OT) over No. 14 St. Ignace in Regional Final, 57-41 over No. 15 Menominee in Regional Semifinal, 51-36 (District Final) and 62-54 over No. 23 Negaunee.
Players to watch: Eli Djerf, 5-5 sr. G (20.1 ppg, 45 3-pointers, 5.6 apg, 3.5 spg); Alexis Strom, 5-4 jr. G (9.9 ppg, 4.3 apg, 4.6 spg); Marybeth Halonen 5-8 jr. G (13.6 ppg, 3.1 apg).
Outlook: Calumet has navigated impressively a difficult tournament path to get back to the Semifinals for the first time since its championship season of 2015 – and a roster with only three seniors (and one starting) speaks to the team’s potential for next year as well. The Copper Kings have won 19 games two seasons in a row and clinched a league with four teams in double-digit wins despite the abbreviated schedule.
GRASS LAKE
Record/rank: 18-1, No. 2
League finish: First in Cascades Conference
Coach: Andrea Cabana, fifth season (93-18)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 49-35 (Quarterfinal) and 59-42 over No. 12 Brooklyn Columbia Central, 63-56 (Regional Final) and 80-69 over No. 1 Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, 89-64 over Division 2 No. 1 Harper Woods Chandler Park, 54-48 over Division 2 No. 13 Parma Western, 69-62 over Division 1 No. 2 Detroit Renaissance.
Players to watch: Lexus Bargesser, 5-10 jr. G (21.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 4.3 apg, 3.8 spg); Abrie Cabana, 5-10 sr. G (19.9 ppg, 31 3-pointers, 4.3 apg); Gabrielle Lutchka, 5-11 jr. G (12.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg).
Outlook: Grass Lake is making its first Semifinal trip after earning its first Quarterfinal win since 1979. Abrie Cabana made the all-state second team last season, while Bargesser and Lutchka earned honorable mentions, and Bargesser is one of the most highly-recruited juniors in the state. Grass Lake’s only loss was to unbeaten Division 2 power Detroit Edison, despite playing one of the strongest regular-season schedules in the state in any division.
HEMLOCK
Record/rank: 14-8, No. 62
League finish: Fourth in Tri-Valley Conference 10
Coach: Scott Neumeyer, eighth season (137-48)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 52-33 over No. 18 St. Charles in District Final, 55-43 over No. 4 Reese in District Semifinal.
Players to watch: Chloe Watson, 5-9 soph. G (15 ppg, 51 3-pointers, 5.1 rpg, 3.3 spg); Regan Finkbeiner, 5-6 soph. G (15.5 ppg, 3.4 spg).
Outlook: The Huskies have reached the Semifinals for the first time since 2011 with one senior, one junior and eight underclassmen, with three sophomores starting. Last season’s run was halted by COVID in the Regional Final. Hemlock opened this season with four losses and was .500 heading into the playoffs, but then handed St. Charles its only defeat in avenging a 15-point loss from mid-February. Finkbeiner earned all-state honorable mention last season. UPDATE: Hemlock has opted out of the rest of the tournament.
KENT CITY
Record/rank: 20-0, No. 6
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Silver
Coach: Scott Carlson, 12th season (228-49)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 52-19 over No. 16 Schoolcraft in the Quarterfinal, 53-37 over No. 24 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian in the Regional Semifinal, 63-32 (District Final) and 43-32 over No. 26 Morley Stanwood, 50-27 over No. 24 Hart.
Players to watch: Kenzie Bowers, 5-10 sr. G (20.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 5.0 apg, 5.0 spg); Jenna Harrison, 5-8 sr. G. (11.2 ppg, 3.5 apg); Madelyn Geers, 5-10 fr. G (11.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg).
Outlook: Kent City will be playing in its first Semifinal after making the Quarterfinals for the second time in four seasons. The Eagles set an MHSAA record with 47 points in a quarter earlier this season and 75 in a half, and they’ve been one of the state’s most prolific 3-point shooting teams over the last decade. Harrison’s 86 3-pointers last season ranked 10th-most all-time. She earned an all-state honorable mention last year, and Bowers made the first team. Bowers will continue at Illinois State.
Division 4
BELLAIRE
Record/rank: 17-3, No. 3
League finish: First in Ski Valley Conference
Coach: Brad Fischer, 11th season (225-59)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 43-42 (OT) over No. 16 Saginaw Nouvel in Quarterfinal, 43-39 over No. 20 Frankfort in Regional Final, 44-30 (Regional Semifinal), 54-33 and 37-31 over No. 18 Gaylord St. Mary, 57-33 over Division 3 No. 21 Elk Rapids.
Players to watch: Katie Decker, 5-7 sr. F (9.8 ppg); Emersyn Koepke, 5-7 sr. G (8.8 ppg); Jacey Somers, 6-0 soph. C (14 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.5 bpg).
Outlook: Bellaire will be playing in its first Semifinal after reaching the Quarterfinals for the second time both over the last four seasons and in program history. The only losses were to Division 3 teams that finished a combined 21-4 this winter. Somers earned an all-state honorable mention as a freshman.
CARNEY-NADEAU
Record/rank: 21-0, No. 5
League finish: League standings were not kept this season.
Coach: Ken Linder, second season (41-4)
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2001).
Best wins: 59-41 over No. 17 Ewen-Trout Creek in Regional Final, 62-52 over No. 12 Rudyard in Quarterfinal, 65-50 and 49-41 over Division 3 No. 42 Bark River-Harris.
Players to watch: Tessa Wagner, 6-3 jr. C (23.3 ppg, 17.9 rpg, 5.3 bpg); Taylor Kedsch, 5-8 sr. G (10.7 ppg, 31 3-pointers, 3.6 apg); Haley Ernest, 5-5 sr. G (8.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.8 apg).
Outlook: Carney-Nadeau is a combined 49-5 over the last two seasons and making its first Semifinal appearance since 2005. Wagner made the all-state second team last season and surely is one of the most anticipated players to watch this weekend. Only Bark River-Harris, in the teams’ first matchup, has gotten within single digits of the Wolves.
FOWLER
Record/rank: 13-4, No. 4
League finish: First in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Coach: Nathan Goerge, 11th season (131-111)
Championship history: Class D champion 1991, two runner-up finishes.
Best wins: 62-32 over No. 9 Athens in Regional Final, 64-24 over No. 40 Martin in Quarterfinal, 53-41 (District Final) and 47-40 over No. 42 Portland St. Patrick.
Players to watch: Mia Riley, 5-9 jr. G; Emma Riley, 5-7 soph. G. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Fowler is back at the Semifinals for the second time in three seasons and after reaching the Regional Final a year ago before the season was halted. Mia Riley made the all-state first team last season and Emma Riley earned an honorable mention. All four losses this winter came against teams that won at least 11 games during the regular season, including one defeat to Division 2 semifinalist Portland.
PETERSBURG SUMMERFIELD
Record/rank: 15-5, No. 43
League finish: Fourth in Tri-County Conference
Coach: Mickey Moody, fifth season (41-61)
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Best wins: 44-24 over No. 11 Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes in Quarterfinal, 41-38 over No. 8 Allen Park Inter-City Baptist in Regional Semifinal, 51-48 over No. 38 Sand Creek.
Players to watch: Abby Haller, 5-6 soph. G (12.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 5.1 apg, 4.0 spg, 3.0 bpg); Grace Kalb, 5-5 sr. G (7.1 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.7 spg); Breanna Weston, 5-6 sr. G (11.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.3 apg, 6.0 spg).
Outlook: Summerfield jumped from 5-16 two seasons ago to 13-8 last winter and now has reached the Semifinals for the first time coming off its first Regional title. The Bulldogs have won 10 of their last 11 games. Kalb and Weston are the only seniors; the roster also includes five freshmen and two sophomores among 11 players total.
PHOTO: Portland's Breckyn Werner blocks off the lane during her team's win over Haslett during the regular season. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)