Breslin Bound: Girls Regional Preview
March 10, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Coaches always say at this point in the MHSAA Tournament that every team still playing has to be good, if not dangerous no matter what its W-L record shows.
And the last three months have boiled down to a mix of absolutely colossal and in some places unexpected matchups as we pull a week closer to championship time at Michigan State.
The toughest part of this week's "Breslin Bound" girls report was picking just five District Finals to highlight from a variety of great finishes last week. But below are a glance at some of the best, followed by Regionals of particular intrigue.
“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]. Rankings below are by Michigan Power Rating (MPR).
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Macomb Dakota 46, Port Huron 29 – The Cougars (19-4) gave Port Huron one of its closest games of the regular season in a four-point Feb. 18 loss, then handed the Big Reds (21-1) their only defeat in this Division 1 District Final.
2. Manton 26, Lake City 17 – After falling twice by double digits to champion Lake City (20-2) in Highland Conference play, Manton (21-2) got past the rival Trojans – who had made the Division 3 Semifinals a year ago.
3. Freeland 64, Bay City John Glenn 38 – The Falcons (19-4) opened this season 2-3, with a two-point loss to John Glenn (18-5) on Dec. 18, but avenged it in a big way to move on Division 2.
4. Cadillac 35, Big Rapids 31 – The Vikings (22-1) won a Division 2 matchup of league champions, handing Big Rapids (21-2) just its second defeat of the season.
5. Haslett 39, Williamston 37 – These two Division 2 contenders had tied for the Capital Area Activities Conference Red title and split during the regular season, but Haslett (16-7) took the final upper hand after losing to Williamston (18-5) by a point in their previous most recent meeting.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Holland West Ottawa
East Grand Rapids (21-2) vs. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (21-2), Rockford (16-6) vs. Hudsonville (21-1)
West Michigan’s elite have poured into this Regional. Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold champion EGR advanced with a 56-53 District Final win over East Kentwood, which shared the O-K Red championship. The other Red co-champ Hudsonville also earned a big win during District week, handing Byron Center just its second loss on the way to advancing. The Eagles are plenty familiar with, and will be careful against Rockford after beating them twice during the regular season – but by just a point in overtime and then four in the rematch. Reeths-Puffer and East Grand Rapids will meet for the first time this season, and the Rockets are on a two-month surge. They’ve won 13 straight – including avenging both of their defeats – while clinching the O-K Black championship.
Southfield Arts & Technology
Bloomfield Hills Marian (18-5) vs. Grosse Pointe North (16-6), Farmington Hills Mercy (20-3) vs. Detroit Renaissance (21-2)
This Regional has some serious Detroit-area power and should draw statewide interest as well as Renaissance (No. 2), Marian (No. 8) and Mercy (No. 10) all were among the final top 10 in Division 1 regular-season MPR. Tonight’s second semifinal between Mercy and Renaissance is a rematch of the Operation Friendship game won by Renaissance 44-32 on Feb. 27. If Mercy wins the rematch, it may again see Marian, and won two of three against the Mustangs during the regular season as they shared the Detroit Catholic League Central championship and Mercy won the league tournament. But Marian will hardly stroll into Thursday’s final – Grosse Pointe North has won 10 of its last 12 with a pair of victories over Macomb Area Conference Red champion and No. 13 Grosse Pointe South after splitting with South during league play.
Walled Lake Western
West Bloomfield (17-6) vs. Hartland (22-1), Clarkston (19-4) vs. Walled Lake Western (19-4)
Hartland entered the postseason No. 6 in Division 1 and has been an anticipated championship contender all season. But the Eagles – winners of the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West and overall titles – may have to defeat two more league champions to reach the season’s final week. West Bloomfield shared the Oakland Activities Association Red title and entered the postseason No. 18 in Division 1, while Walled Lake Western clinched the Lakes Valley Conference title. Clarkston is in this mix as well and with good reason. The Wolves were third in the OAA Red, just a game out of joining the title share with West Bloomfield and Southfield Arts & Technology, and previously defeated tonight’s opponent Western by 10 in their season opener.
DIVISION 2
Gaylord
Escanaba (13-7) vs. Sault Ste. Marie (20-1), Cadillac (22-1) vs. Standish-Sterling (19-3)
This Regional includes four teams that finished among the top 20 in Division 2 MPR at the end of the regular season, led by No. 6 Sault Ste. Marie with its lone loss Dec. 20 to St. Ignace. That defeat was avenged Feb. 6, and the Blue Devils also own a 63-56 win over Escanaba from way back on Dec. 13 (their scheduled rematch Feb. 28 was canceled). The No. 20 Eskymos earned a one-point overtime win over Houghton and a four-point victory over Gladstone last week to claim their District title, and have won six of their last eight as the head into Regional play for the first time in at least a decade. On the other side of the bracket, No. 16 Standish-Sterling finished second in the Tri-Valley Conference East but took out a league champion – Clare from the Jack Pine Conference – to win last week’s District. Now comes Big North Conference champion and No. 14 Cadillac in a rematch of last season’s Regional Semifinal – a 61-39 Vikings win on the way to eventually reaching the Quarterfinals.
Goodrich
Marine City (18-4) vs. Lake Fenton (17-6), Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (11-10) vs. Imlay City (20-3)
Whichever team emerges from this bracket will have accomplished a historic program achievement. Cranbrook and Imlay City are playing this week for their first Regional title, while Marine City is hoping for its first since 1976 and Lake Fenton its first since 1993. Marine City in the MAC Gold and Imlay City in the Blue Water Area Conference are league champions, and Lake Fenton finished second to Goodrich in the Flint Metro League Stars but then defeated the Martians in last week’s District Final. Cranbrook has been on a nice streak as well after a rough start; the Cranes have won seven of their last 10. Imlay City has won 16 of its last 17, and avenged the lone loss during that run two games later in a District Semifinal. Marine City opened 13-1 and then bounced back last week from a bumpy end to the regular season.
Owosso
Freeland (19-4) vs. Chesaning (19-4), Portland (20-3) vs. Frankenmuth (18-5)
Freeland (No. 7), Frankenmuth (No. 10) and Portland (No. 12) have been climbed among the Division 2 elite, and Chesaning belongs in the conversation with its second-place showing in the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference to Division 3 contender Byron. Chesaning takes on a Falcons team with only two losses against Division 2 opponents and 17 wins over their last 18 games – Freeland also clinched the TVC East title ahead of Standish-Sterling (above) and Frankenmuth. The Eagles did earn a win over Chesaning during the regular season but were swept by Freeland – although they’ll be eager for another rematch after falling to the Falcons by only two and four points in their two meetings, respectively. The Raiders, however, may not allow that to happen as they look to add to their CAAC White and District titles, the former against a league group including four teams that finished with at least 13 wins.
DIVISION 3
Morley Stanwood
Kent City (22-1) vs. Pewamo-Westphalia (21-2), Muskegon Western Michigan Christian (17-6) vs. Ithaca (21-1)
Reigning Division 3 champion P-W ended this regular season No. 1 in Division 3 MPR and has won 17 straight, but will face a Kent City team tonight that surely hasn’t forgotten about last year’s 35-33 Regional Semifinal loss to the Pirates. Both teams are led by mostly the same groups of standouts as a year ago, P-W by a pair of 1,000-point career scorers and Kent City with a host of long-distance shooters who have continued to post record-book 3-point performances. But whichever team wins tonight can’t think all is won. WMC finished second in the Lakes 8 Athletic Conference to Division 2 Ludington and has won 15 of its last 17 games. And Ithaca was runner-up in the TVC West to Hemlock (see above) with their only losses of the season a pair against the Huskies.
Sault Ste. Marie
Calumet (19-3) vs. Ishpeming Westwood (21-2), Charlevoix (18-5) vs. Oscoda (20-3)
Calumet (No. 9), Westwood (No. 14) and Charlevoix (No. 18) all finished among the top 20 in Division 3 MPR, and Oscoda’ only regular-season losses were to Division 2 teams before going on a 14-game winning streak. The Owls open tonight against one of the most intriguing opponents of the entire playoffs. Charlevoix won the Lake Michigan Conference and is riding a streak of 15 victories in 16 games despite playing the regular season without University of Michigan recruit Elise Stuck – who was thought to be lost for the winter with an injury but came back for the playoffs. On the other side of the bracket, Calumet is a rough two weeks from a perfect record – the Copper Kings lost three in a row from Jan. 2-16, including 59-45 to Westwood, but otherwise are undefeated. They won the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference West, and Westwood won the East and is playing for its second-straight Regional title after defeating Charlevoix 47-29 in last year’s championship game for this round.
Unionville-Sebewaing
Flint Hamady (20-2) vs. Bad Axe (11-11), Sandusky (19-4) vs. Hemlock (20-2)
Hamady is playing for its fifth Regional title in six seasons and second straight after winning the Genesee Area Conference title and losing only to Division 1 Davison and Division 2 Flint Kearsley during the regular season. The Hawks – last season’s Division 3 runners-up – first face Bad Axe, one of the best stories of last week statewide after entering the postseason two wins under .500 and winning its first District title reportedly since 1980. The other side of the bracket features a pair of teams also a little more familiar with this stage in the tournament. Hemlock, the TVC West champion, is seeking its second Regional title in three seasons. Sandusky finished second in the Greater Thumb Conference East behind only one-loss Ubly and is back playing in a Regional for the fifth time over the last six seasons after missing out a year ago.
DIVISION 4
Kingsford
Baraga (20-3) vs. Munising (8-13), L’Anse (19-4) vs. Carney-Nadeau (20-4)
Baraga won its first Regional title last season since 1992 and is aiming to repeat after winning the championship in the Copper Mountain Conference’s Copper Country division – although the Vikings did split nonleague with L’Anse, winning the first meeting by 16 but falling in the second by seven. They also have to be careful with Munising, which upset 15-win Rock Mid Peninsula last week on the way to claiming its District title. Carney-Nadeau similarly is surging, but with a different back story. The Wolves finished second in the Skyline Central Conference small-school division to Felch North Dickinson, but then beat North Dickinson by 11 in the District Final a week after losing to the Nordics by 12. And that brings us back to L’Anse, which has a similar story to C-N. The Purple Hornets came in second in the CMC’s Porcupine Mountain division, but downed league champ Ewen-Trout Creek 39-34 in their District Final.
Martin
Martin (21-1) vs. Colon (12-10), Fruitport Calvary Christian (18-3) vs. St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran (21-1)
On one side of this bracket are two teams that have been hoping to take the next step. On the other side, the contenders have done so recently and look capable of going farther if they can emerge from this strong field. Martin is playing for its first Regional title since 1995, and Colon its first since 1994. The No. 12 Clippers’ only loss was to Division 3 Gobles as it played mostly larger schools this season and won the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore ahead of the runner-up Tigers. Colon finished second in the Southern Central Athletic Association West and has won eight of its last nine games after a rough start. Calvary Christian finally broke through for its first Regional title last winter and prepped for another tournament run with a number of nonleague games against bigger opponents – two of its losses came to Division 3 teams, and the Eagles have won 13 of their last 14 games. Michigan Lutheran’s most recent Regional title was in 2017, and they are in the mix again after winning the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference White title and avenging that lone loss to league runner-up New Buffalo with a 54-27 win in the District Final.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (21-2) vs. Ubly (22-1, Mio (10-13) vs. Saginaw Nouvel (18-5)
This is familiar territory for the host Irish, who will be playing for their sixth Regional title in eight seasons although they fell short of this round a year ago. Sacred Heart stormed back to open this season with 16 straight wins and clinch the Mid-State Activities Conference title – and with their only losses to Division 3 opponents. No. 8 Ubly, meanwhile, lost only to Division 2 Caro in December and has won 18 straight – with its best of the bunch a 42-31 victory versus Kingston in the District Final that ended the Cardinals’ season at 20-2. Mio might be considered a surprise but has won six of its last eight games. Nouvel also emerged from a TVC West including Hemlock and Ithaca, with three of its five losses to those teams. But the Panthers handed Hemlock its only league defeat.
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PHOTO: Lake Fenton finished second to Goodrich in league play this winter, but defeated the Martians in last week’s Division 2 District Final. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)
Maska/Shiels/Zajac Family Celebrating, Sharing In Each Other's Hoops Successes
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
March 6, 2024
Call them Lenawee County’s First Family of Basketball.
The Maska-Shiels-Zajac clan have dominated the Lenawee County basketball scene this season with family members breaking records and winning championships in multiple communities.
- Brad Maska has coached Onsted to its third straight Lenawee County Athletic Association championship. His Wildcats are 20-5, won a District and will play for a Division 2 boys basketball regional title Thursday.
- Kristy Zajac, Brad’s sister, is the head coach of Tecumseh’s girls basketball team, which shared the Southeastern Conference White title this season – the program’s first league title in 20 years – and surpassed 100 career wins last month.
- The season came to an end Tuesday for Britton Deerfield and head coach Darren Shiels, who is married to Brad and Kristy’s sister Kelly. But it was the best in BD history and included the program’s first District championship.
“As happy as I was for myself, I think I was happier for Darren,” Maska said, reacting to Britton Deerfield and Shiels upsetting second-ranked Adrian Lenawee Christian in the District Final last week. “I was so ecstatic for them. To lose to that team by 50 points a month ago, to get those kids to believe and come back … I couldn’t believe it.”
The family is tight. They spend summers together at the family cottage in northern Michigan, vacation together every spring break in Florida, and during basketball season it’s not uncommon to find any one of them at each other’s practices.
Over Christmas break, Shiels stopped by Zajac’s Tecumseh practice to help with a specific defense she wanted to implement, and Shiels and Maska shared some strategy at a practice in January.
“We talk basketball all of the time,” Zajac said. “It’s constantly basketball.”
All three played at Britton High School before Britton and Deerfield merged. They all played under the tutelage of Bart Bartels, who coached both the girls and boys varsity teams at Britton for years. He is an assistant coach with Zajac at Tecumseh now.
“It’s really fun to bounce ideas back and forth,” Maska said. “We talk often, probably every other day. It really spurs a lot of conversations. It’s neat to have that family base where we can bounce ideas off each other.”
Zajac has been on the phone this week talking to her brother about their matchups.
"Why reinvent the wheel when you have two great coaches in your family that you can go to for help," she said. "At Christmas this year, all three of us were drawing out plays on napkins. It's always a great resource to have."
Shiels hit the game-winning shot for Britton in its 1995 District championship game, which was the last time Britton or Deerfield won a District basketball title until last week.
He began coaching almost as soon as high school ended and took over the Britton varsity in 2005. He coached his alma mater for four seasons, then Britton and Deerfield became a cooperative program for a couple of seasons, and then the communities voted to join the districts together. He’s been head coach through it all. This season’s 18-7 Patriots were led by Darren and Kelly’s son Logan Shiels, who finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer.
BD has six seniors, including Shiels and Brayden Shiels, a nephew of the head coach, and Ryan Good, a cousin.
“I’ve coached them since they were little because they were all on my son’s team,” Shiels said after Tuesday’s Regional loss to Allen Park Inter-City Baptist. “This is tough. The finality of it all hasn’t hit me yet, but I just think I’m most proud about how the kids all care about each other so much.
“They tell each other they love each other all the time. They’ve played together so long.”
After the District title was won at Adrian College, the Britton Deerfield team held an impromptu celebration at BD. The team gathered in front of family and friends to cut down the nets and talk about the season.
“I was surprised so many people showed up,” Shiels said. “It just shows how big it was to win the District. It’s hard to win a District.”
Maska was a 1,000-point scorer at Britton who played college football at Adrian College. He is in his 17th season as head coach at Onsted. His teams have averaged 15 wins a year and have had two Mr. Basketball Award candidates despite being one of the smallest schools in Division 2.
Ayden Davis is a Mr. Basketball finalist this year and will finish his career with more than 1,800 points, 1,200 rebounds and as the No. 2 shot-blocker in state history.
“Mr. Basketball candidates don’t come around very often, and we’ve had two,” Maska said. “It’s a big deal. We’ve had a lot of success and built a pretty solid program.”
Zajac was the all-time leading scorer during her playing days at Britton and played four years at Eastern Michigan University. She has two daughters on the Tecumseh team, including junior Alli, who recently became Tecumseh’s career scoring leader.
“I told her now that she has the school record, she has to catch me,” Zajac said.
One of the biggest fans in the gym at Onsted, Britton Deerfield or Tecumseh is 92-year-old Urvin Reau.
Reau grew up on a farm a few miles from Britton. He raised six children, including Brad and Kristy’s mom Denise. He is at a game almost every night of the week supporting his grandkids – who coach – and great grandkids who play.
“I always get to the games,” said Reau, 92. “I love to watch the kids play. High school sports are great. They are playing against their rivals. That makes it fun.”
The families got together the Sunday before the boys started District week for a family dinner, and they already have spring break carved out of their schedules.
“Spring break has always been our time,” Maska said. “It’s literally when we all have time to decompress and relax. It’s when we all can get together and discuss a lot of things – good and bad – that we had during the season.”
Basketball season rolls on. Zajac’s team is in the District Semifinals tonight as it tries to repeat as District champ.
Maska said Tecumseh better.
“I already told Kristy,” he said, “that if she’s the one that doesn’t have a District championship when we head down to spring break, she is going to hear about it.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) From left: Cole Shiels, Darren Shiels, Kelly Shiels and Logan Shiels. Darren is the varsity boys basketball coach at Britton Deerfield, Kelly is the longtime scorekeeper and Logan and Cole have both played for their father. (Middle) The Maska family, including from left: Kristy Zajac, Brad Maska, Urvin Reau, Alli Zajac, Addi Zajac, Avery Zajac, Logan Shiels and Gretchen Maska, Brad’s wife. (Photos courtesy of the Shiels/Maska/Zajac family.)