Countdown to Calvin: Girls Report Week 11
February 12, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We’re two weeks from the start of District tournaments in girls basketball, and diligently working to bring fans fully up-to-date on what they could see when the postseason begins.
But there are still plenty of substantial games to play … so many this week that league-deciding matchups like Flint Beecher/Goodrich and Hamilton/Zeeland West just missed our “Can’t-Miss Contests” below.
In addition to our weekly “Countdown to Calvin” reports, please be encouraged to check out MHSAA.com; click “Schools” to search for full schedules, results and standings for every team, and click “Sports” and then “Girls Basketball” for brackets for every District and Regional.
Countdown to Calvin is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school on our site. To offer corrections or help us fill in missing scores, email me at [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. St. Ignace 87, Goodrich 56 – Here come the Saints; untested for most of the season, they passed their toughest so far in a big way to remind the rest of the state they’ll be among Class C contenders.
2. Goodrich 57, Flushing 51 (OT) – Don’t sleep on the Class B Martians; four days before falling to St. Ignace, they beat the reigning Class A champion in overtime.
3. Macomb Dakota 51, Clarkston 41 – These two stand to be contenders in Class A, Dakota as the Macomb Area Conference Red co-champ and Clarkston right now trying to close out at least a shared Oakland Activities Association Red title.
4. Midland Dow 52, Midland 33 – The Chargers have won six of their last seven to climb back into the thick of the Saginaw Valley League race, this time avenging a 12-point December loss to their rival.
5. Gaylord St. Mary 38, Bellaire 32 – With this rivalry series between Class D elite went the Ski Valley Conference title, with St. Mary sweeping and hoisting the trophy for the second straight season.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each class making sparks:
CLASS A
East Lansing (15-0) – The Trojans have built on last season’s 21-3 finish with another dominating run. East Lansing opened this winter with a 10-point win over Marshall and has added victories over DeWitt and Williamston – both 15-1 – to a perfect run through the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue that saw them win their first meeting with second-place Okemos by 34.
Utica Eisenhower (15-1) – A 10-point loss to Lake Orion on Nov. 28 has to feel like a distant memory as Eisenhower enjoyed a perfect run through the MAC White after finishing second in the league a year ago. Now comes a major opportunity to impress – the MAC Red/White tournament beginning today and will give the Eagles a chance to match up with opponents from one of the state’s most touted leagues.
CLASS B
Edwardsburg (16-1) – The Eddies are one victory from completing a perfect run through the Wolverine Conference South for the second straight season and have won 14 straight; the lone defeat came by three points to Class A St. Joseph on Dec. 5. Only two other games have been decided by fewer than 14 points, and the District this season includes four opponents Edwardsburg has swept so far.
Kingsley (17-0) – This indeed has been a special season for the Northwest Conference-leading Stags, who have beaten all of their opponents by at least 16 points and most by many more. That 16-point win was the only loss for rival Maple City Glen Lake – which beat Kingsley twice last season to win the league title.
CLASS C
Detroit Edison Public School Academy (15-1) – Although it’s a matchup Edison needs to be watchful for during the tournament, the five-point loss to Ypsilanti Arbor Prep on Jan. 11 has been the only trip-up for the reigning Class C champion. The list of wins is awe-inspiring: Detroit Martin Luther King, Detroit Country Day and Ann Arbor Huron all fell to the Pioneers by double digits.
Maple City Glen Lake (16-1) – The Lakers would be undefeated this season if not for that 16-point loss to Kingsley noted above – and surely they’ve circled the Feb. 20 rematch. Aside from that defeat, only two other games have been decided by single digits – and Glen Lake has won its last five by an average of 44 points per game.
CLASS D
Adrian Lenawee Christian (15-1) – A one-point loss to Class A Monroe in January is all that’s kept Lenawee Christian from a perfect run. Early, the Cougars beat a Class B Ida team that went on to win the Lenawee County Athletic Association title outright. Most recently, they downed Class A Dexter by 14 on Thursday.
Ewen-Trout Creek (12-3) – The school’s boys team has gotten a ton of attention as one of the state’s best in Class D, but the girls are right there as well. A seven-game winning streak included a 54-49 overtime win last week over Ontonagon, the only team with a chance of catching the Panthers in the Copper Mountain Conference Porcupine Mountain division.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Thursday – Bay City Western (14-1) at Saginaw Heritage (14-0) – Western suffered that lone loss to Flint Carman-Ainsworth on Feb. 2, but downing the Hawks would put all three in line to share the Saginaw Valley League title.
Thursday – Detroit Country Day (12-2) at Ypsilanti Arbor Prep (11-5) – The last time these two met, Country Day claimed the 2017 Class B championship.
Friday – Detroit Public School League Final at University of Detroit Mercy – Renaissance (11-6), Martin Luther King (13-2), Mumford (13-3) and Collegiate Prep (11-2) will play semifinals tonight.
Saturday – St. Ignace (17-0) at Detroit Edison Public School Academy (15-1) – Could these be the state’s best in Class C? This one could be a preview of a late March rematch.
Sunday – Detroit Catholic League A-B Final at University of Detroit Mercy – Farmington Hills Mercy (15-2), Bloomfield Hills Marian (13-3), Dearborn Divine Child (12-5) and Livonia Ladywood (7-9) remain in contention with semifinals Wednesday.
PHOTO: Goodrich, here against Corunna, played two of the state’s most notable games last week. (Click to see more from Varsity Monthly.)
Countdown to Calvin: Girls District Preview
March 4, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The countdown to this season’s Girls Basketball Finals at Calvin College speeds up significantly beginning tonight.
Teams all over Michigan will start District play culminating in 128 championships at the first level of the tournament this weekend. 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-popping scores and three Districts in each division that could be especially important pieces to the final puzzle of this girls basketball season.
Countdown to Calvin is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. To offer corrections or fill in scores we’re missing, email me at [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Saginaw Heritage 55, East Lansing 53 – This rematch of last season’s Class A Final also went the Hawks’ way after they won by 21 at Calvin College a year ago.
2. Bloomfield Hills Marian 60, Detroit Mumford 47 – The Detroit Catholic League Tournament champ avenged last season’s loss to Public School League winner Mumford in the Operation Friendship game.
3. Ann Arbor Pioneer 41, Chelsea 39 – The Pioneers’ victory in this matchup of Southeastern Conference divisional champions also was Chelsea’s only loss of the regular season.
4. Wayne Memorial 61, Brighton 48 – East champ Wayne finished the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Tournament having beaten both co-champs of the KLAA West.
5. Stanton Central Montcalm 65, Kent City 42 – The Hornets finished a second straight 20-0 regular season against White Cloud two days later, but 16-win Kent City was one of the toughest obstacles to repeating perfection this winter.
Districts at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Detroit Mumford
Detroit Mumford (15-4), Detroit Renaissance (13-6), Oak Park (5-9), Redford Union (13-5), Southfield Arts & Technology (18-1).
With only a Dec. 8 loss to last year’s Class A champion Saginaw Heritage – and by just two points at that – Southfield A&T has been considered a Division 1 favorite all season. Double-digit wins over Flint Carman-Ainsworth and Detroit Country Day, plus a league sweep of Royal Oak, have backed up that expectation. But the Warriors will have to go through the best of the Detroit Public School League West-Town to get through this week. On Wednesday, A&T will face West-Town co-champ Renaissance, which has a few more losses but against teams like Division 2 favorite Detroit Edison (twice) and Mumford (twice). On the other side of this bracket, Mumford shared the West-Town title because of a split with Renaissance in league play, but won the PSL Tournament. But the Mustangs can’t look past Redford Union tonight.
East Grand Rapids
Byron Center (15-5), East Grand Rapids (18-2), East Kentwood (15-4), Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills (5-15), Wyoming (8-12).
Five of seven teams in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red had winning records this season, making it even more impressive that East Kentwood against finished on top for the third straight season. But one of the Falcons’ few losses this winter came by four Dec. 18 to East Grand Rapids, which went on to sweep the O-K Gold and has won 15 straight games. Those two would meet again in this District Final – but of course, it’s not that easy. Byron Center finished second only to unbeaten Hamilton in the O-K Green and would see EGR in a Wednesday District Semifinal showdown.
Lapeer
Davison (11-9), Flint Carman-Ainsworth (15-5), Flint Kearsley (16-4), Flint Southwestern (1-15), Grand Blanc (15-5), Lapeer (6-14).
One of tonight’s most intriguing openers matches up Saginaw Valley League Blue champ Carman-Ainsworth against runner-up Grand Blanc; the Cavaliers won the regular-season meetings by nine and 13. On the other side, Kearsley finished second in a similarly strong Flint Metro League and gets a test right away against Blue third-place finisher Davison. Kearsley’s losses this winter were to league champ Fenton twice, Macomb Dakota and last week to Edison. Carman-Ainsworth also has seen most of the best, falling to Saginaw Heritage, Southfield Arts & Technology, Midland Dow, Michigan Center, and Edison on Thursday by only seven.
DIVISION 2
Bay City John Glenn
Bay City John Glenn (15-5), Essexville Garber (15-5), Freeland (18-2), Midland Bullock Creek (6-13), Saginaw Swan Valley (8-11).
In addition to winning four straight Tri-Valley Conference Central titles, including this season’s, Freeland has won seven straight District championships. But this bracket threatens that streak. On Freeland’s side is Garber, the TVC East champion. Freeland did beat Garber by 25 on Jan. 8, and the Dukes won’t get another chance unless they win tonight against Swan Valley, which they beat by a point in their season opener. On the other side of the bracket, John Glenn finished fourth in the Division 1-strong SVL Red, with three of its five losses to Heritage, Dow and Bay City Western. John Glenn also owns an early two-point win over Garber.
Harper Woods
Detroit Denby (7-6), Detroit Edison (19-1), Detroit Osborn (9-5), Harper Woods (6-7), Harper Woods Chandler Park (16-4), St. Clair Shores South Lake (9-11).
As noted above, and all season many places, 2018 Class C champion Edison is a major favorite to win Division 2 with its only loss to Ohio powerhouse Columbus Africentric by five points Dec 15. The Pioneers spent the rest of the season beating many of the best across the Lower Peninsula. But Chandler Park, a Class C quarterfinalist last season, is an intriguing opponent should they meet Wednesday. The Eagles also have played many of the elite with some impressive results, including closing the regular season with successive wins over Detroit Cass Tech, Flint Hamady and Ypsilanti Arbor Prep.
Whitehall
Fruitport (3-17), Montague (11-9), Muskegon Oakridge (17-3), Muskegon Orchard View (3-13), Spring Lake (11-9), Whitehall (17-2).
Perhaps the most intriguing opener tonight, at least on the west side of the state, pits Oakridge against host Whitehall. Oakridge edged Whitehall by a win to claim the West Michigan Conference title, but Whitehall’s triple overtime victory in their first meeting Jan. 8 ended Oakridge’s 82-game league winning streak (Oakridge won the second meeting by 13 on Feb 8). Spring Lake finished fifth in a competitive O-K Blue and will be waiting Wednesday for whichever team comes out of what’s sure to be an emotional matchup, and Montague could be ready to play spoiler as well in the District Final.
DIVISION 3
Bloomingdale
Bloomingdale (16-4), Gobles (20-0), Kalamazoo Christian (12-6), Kalamazoo Hackett (9-10), Lawton (1-19), Schoolcraft (18-2).
Gobles won the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore and Schoolcraft won the SAC Valley, and they meet tonight in another of the biggest Division 3 openers statewide. Bloomingdale, which tied for second to unbeaten Centreville in the Southwest 10 Conference, awaits the winner. But because those three are on one side of the bracket doesn’t mean the District Final will be an easy victory for whichever team emerges. Hackett knocked Gobles out of the District the last two seasons, while Kalamazoo Christian finished third in the SAC Valley this winter and has won seven of its last 10 games with just a four-point loss to Bloomingdale on Thursday.
Elk Rapids
Elk Rapids (15-5), Grand Traverse Academy (7-5), Manton (16-3), Maple City Glen Lake (18-2), Traverse City St. Francis (10-9).
Manton from the Highland Conference and Glen Lake from the Northwest Conference are league champions, and host Elk Rapids finished second in the Lake Michigan Conference that St. Francis won just a year ago. Manton and Glen Lake get things started tonight in a rematch after Glen Lake won 37-34 on Feb. 6 and also knocked Manton out of the District last season. Elk Rapids awaits in the District Semifinal having lost to both this season. Glen Lake’s only defeat came Dec. 8 by four to Ypsilanti Arbor Prep.
Pewamo-Westphalia
Carson City-Crystal (17-3), Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian (16-4), Ithaca (12-6), Pewamo-Westphalia (19-1), Saranac (4-16).
After reaching the Class C Final two years ago and Semifinals last season, P-W has been a major Division 3 favorite all winter. Its only loss was to Edison on Jan 21, and the Pirates came back a week later and beat Country Day, to go with an earlier impressive 20-point win over Dow. But again, there are obstacles this first week of the tournament. NorthPointe Christian awaits Wednesday after winning the O-K Silver. On the other side of the bracket, Mid-State Activities Conference champion Carson City-Crystal has won 15 straight including an 11-pointer over 18-2 Reese.
DIVISION 4
Athens
Athens (16-4), Battle Creek Calhoun Christian (16-4), Battle Creek St. Philip (8-12), Bellevue (20-0), Climax-Scotts (12-8).
Four of these five teams are in the Southern Central Athletic Association West, won by Bellevue with Athens finishing runner-up. Bellevue won their two regular-season games by one in double overtime and then last week by 16. They could meet again in this week’s District Final. Calhoun Christian faces Athens on their side of the bracket Wednesday, with a loss to Bellevue in December as well but a 20-point win over Athens in the season opener Dec. 4.
Chassell
Baraga (16-3), Chassell (13-6), Dollar Bay (0-18), Hancock (11-9), L’Anse (11-9), Lake Linden-Hubbell (7-13).
Chassell was last year’s Class D runner-up and hosts a competitive group this week with the chance for a third meeting in the District Final against Baraga. The Vikings won the Copper Mountain Conference Copper Country title with Chassell second this winter, downing the Panthers by 11 and three points in their regular-season matchups. Hancock and L’Anse finished tied for second and fourth, respectively, in the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Copper and will try to play spoilers on their sides of the bracket. L’Anse handed Baraga one of its few defeats, by 12 on Dec. 14.
Morenci
Adrian Lenawee Christian (18-2), Britton Deerfield (6-13), Morenci (9-11), North Adams-Jerome (4-15), Pittsford (16-4), Waldron (13-5).
Lenawee Christian won Class D a year ago and has been considered a contender throughout this season. But only a few removed from its back-to-back title run in 2016 and 2017, Pittsford remains an opponent no one wants to face. They meet tonight, Lenawee’s only losses having come to Division 3 contenders Grass Lake and Michigan Center while Pittsford is riding a 10-game winning streak after suffering first-half losses to Hudson, Manchester, Bellevue and Athens before winning the SCAA East title. SCAA Central champion Waldron awaits the winner on Wednesday. Morenci on the other side of the bracket has bounced back from a 3-7 start this winter.
Second Half’s weekly “Countdown to Calvin” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau 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, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: Essexville Garber took a 41-40 win over Alma on Dec. 14 and will look to add a District title this week to its league championship won this winter. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)