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.)
Breslin Bound: 2022-23 Girls Regional Preview
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 7, 2023
We’re two weeks and three wins from sending 16 teams to the Breslin Center.
And if District week was an indication, the storybook moments will continue to be plentiful as we surge toward the final rounds of this year’s MHSAA Girls Basketball Tournament.
We give a glance at some of last week's highlights below, and look forward to many more with three Regionals in each division that could be especially intriguing this week. Once again, everything else you could want to know about tickets, brackets and more can be found on the Girls Basketball page. To watch any of several games online, visit the NFHS Network.
“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. Goodrich 54, Lake Fenton 53 The Martians (21-3) had fallen to previously-undefeated Flint Metro League Stars rival Lake Fenton by six, 26 and three over the final five weeks of the regular season, but got past the Blue Devils (23-1) in a Division 2 District Final.
2. Chelsea 51, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard 47 This was a District Semifinal, but more notable as unseeded Chelsea (24-1) downed the Detroit Catholic Bishop Tournament champion and top-seeded FGR (19-4), on the way to then defeating Cardinal Tournament winner and second-seeded Wixom St. Catherine (22-2) in the Division 2 District Final.
3. Negaunee 47, Hancock 44 (2 OT) The Miners (21-4) avenged a 42-31 loss to the Bulldogs (20-2) from Dec. 16 to clinch in Division 3.
4. Farmington Hills Mercy 59, North Farmington 23 The Marlins (21-3) advanced with a Division 1 District title by handing North Farmington (23-1) its only defeat.
5. Olivet 48, Vicksburg 33 The Eagles (19-4), also in Division 2, claimed their first District title since 2011 in handing Vicksburg (23-1) its lone loss.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
DIVISION 1
Coldwater
Kalamazoo Central (20-1) vs. DeWitt (22-2), Holt (20-4) vs. Coldwater (23-1)
Four 20-win teams make any Regional high profile, and this one also includes four league champions. Holt and DeWitt split their regular-season series – Holt winning 55-53 and DeWitt avenging 48-43 – in sharing the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title. But both face teams Tuesday that have lost only once this season – Coldwater to Jackson Northwest, and Kalamazoo Central in its season opener to Muskegon three months ago. Coldwater did avenge that loss to Northwest on Feb. 7 – and their matchups may have given Holt some ideas after the Rams clinched their District last week with a 63-45 win over the Mounties.
Flushing
Sault St. Marie (20-2) vs. Midland Dow (17-7), Flint Carman-Ainsworth (21-0) vs. Grand Blanc (19-4)
Carman-Ainsworth was first, Grand Blanc second and Dow third in the Saginaw Valley League, and the Cavaliers won single meetings with the other two in building a perfect record. After being eliminated by Grand Blanc in a Regional Semifinal last season, Carman-Ainsworth won the team’s Jan. 20 meeting 45-42 – but the Bobcats haven’t lost since. Dow has won two straight Regional titles, and after graduating some serious star power rebounded this season off an 0-4 start to get back to this position – with its SVL loses to Carman-Ainsworth and Grand Blanc both by 14 points. Sault Ste. Marie may be far less familiar to those three, and that’s an advantage as the Blue Devils are coming off defeating the top two in the Big North Conference last week (Petoskey and Traverse City Central) after avenging one of their two losses by downing Great Northern Conference champion Escanaba two weeks ago.
Royal Oak
Detroit Renaissance (20-1) vs. Bloomfield Hills Marian (10-13), Utica Ford (20-2) vs. Farmington Hills Mercy (21-3)
Renaissance’s work in its entirety this season is one of the strongest in the state, with that lone loss by a point in overtime to Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard two weeks ago. The Phoenix open this week with usual Catholic League Central power Marian – which after a rough first few months has won six straight to reach this point – while co-champion Mercy potentially awaits in the Regional Final. But the Marlins – themselves having lost this season only to Gabriel Richard (twice) and Detroit Edison – must be careful with Ford. The Falcons won the Macomb Area Conference White and reached the Red/White Tournament championship game before falling to Grosse Pointe North, another District champion last week.
DIVISION 2
Flat Rock
Romulus (20-4) vs. Redford Westfield Prep (14-8), Detroit Edison (18-3) vs. Dearborn Divine Child (17-6)
It would be easy to call reigning Division 2 champion Detroit Edison the favorite not only to advance this week, but to win it all again. And with its only in-state loss again this season to 2022 Division 1 champion West Bloomfield, that’s a very possible scenario. But there will be plenty of challenges this week, starting with Divine Child and Miss Basketball Award finalist Kennedy Blair. On the other side of the bracket, Romulus has reached 20 wins for the second-straight season and surely would rev up for a rematch with Edison after falling to the Pioneers in last year’s Regional Final. Westfield has played a schedule much like Edison’s including opponents from along the I-96/I-94/I-75 corridors and some top out-of-state teams as well, with notable wins over Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, Riverview and Detroit Country Day among others.
Fowlerville
Lansing Catholic (19-5) vs. Tecumseh (20-4), Ida (15-9) vs. Chelsea (24-1)
Chelsea had arguably the most notable District run in the state with wins over Father Gabriel Richard and Wixom St. Catherine (see above). But if there was a No. 6 on that “Week in Review” list, it would’ve gone to Lansing Catholic for avenging a 10-point regular-season defeat with a 54-42 win over Haslett (22-2). The Cougars have won 17 of their last 18, the lone defeat to the Vikings. But Tecumseh also represents a very real stopper tonight, especially with the possibility of a third game with Chelsea on the line. Tecumseh finished second to Chelsea in the Southeastern Conference White, and its only two losses since December were to the Bulldogs. And all of that said, keep an eye out for Ida. The Bluestreaks emerged from a Lenawee Country Athletic Association that produced five teams (of eight) with at least 15 wins, and three District champions.
Petoskey
Houghton (19-5) vs. Kingsley (15-9), Big Rapids (22-2) vs. Standish-Sterling (21-3)
The Upper Peninsula produced a strong group of contenders who have taken turns challenging each other all season, and Houghton is among those emerging after winning its District Final 63-60 over Escanaba after falling to the Eskymos just two weeks earlier. Seven Gremlins wins have come against opponents with at least 15 victories. Kingsley is similarly tested, having won 11 of its last 15 games and with two of the most recent losses coming to 21-game winners Traverse City St. Francis and Maple City Glen Lake. Big Rapids moved past back-to-back Division 3 runner-up Kent City (20-4) in the Central State Activities Association with league and CSAA Tournament-clinching wins and will be challenged next by a Standish-Sterling team featuring 2,000-point scorer Macey Fegan.
DIVISION 3
Centreville
Watervliet (20-4) vs. Kalamazoo Christian (21-3), Bronson (20-3) vs. Buchanan (21-1)
This list of contenders is as impressive as it comes, with four league champions all with 20 wins. The Bucks – led by Miss Basketball finalist Faith Carson – already own victories over Bronson (42-29) and Watervliet (44-32) from back-to-back games in late January, and defeated 21-game winner Niles Brandywine for the third time, 67-57, to advance. Bronson emerged from a Big 8 Conference with two 20-game winners and no doubt would love to also avenge last season’s 45-37 Regional Semifinal loss to Buchanan, and Kalamazoo Christian avenged its 2022 season-ending loss in downing Schoolcraft for the third time, 38-34, in their District Final last week. Christian also owns a 52-35 win over Watervliet from Jan. 10 – but the Panthers have won 11 straight since falling to Buchanan and were especially impressive doubling up 16 and 17-game winners during their District run.
Dansville
Grass Lake (16-7) vs. Ovid-Elsie (20-4), Dansville (20-2) vs. Springport (20-3)
The Regional includes three more league champions, and Springport the runner-up to Bronson (see above) in the Big 8. Grass Lake is tested, with three wins and also three defeats to teams still playing including an especially impressive victory over Division 1 Saline. Ovid-Elsie is 19-2 since losing to Dansville on Dec. 5, and the two could get a chance to see how much has changed; the Marauders already clinched their District title by defeating Pewamo-Westphalia after losing to the Pirates previously back on Dec. 2. The Aggies have done nothing but impress all season with eight victories total over opponents with at least 15 wins and those losses only to 15-win Portland St. Patrick and Divine Child (see above). And that brings us back to Springport, which certainly could emerge having lost this season only to Bronson twice and Division 2 Olivet (see above) in its season opener.
Houghton Lake
Beaverton (11-13) vs. Lake City (23-1), Traverse City St. Francis (21-2) vs. Hemlock (21-3)
Lake City is a returning Regional champion and perhaps even more impressive this season having won the strong Highland Conference and then defeating third-place McBain and second-place Evart in last week’s District. The challenges will continue starting with Beaverton, which is 8-4 over its last 12 games after a rough start. On the other side of the bracket are two more league champions and 20-game winners, Hemlock from a Tri-Valley Conference West 10-1 that included Standish-Sterling (see above) and St. Francis from the Lake Michigan Conference with its only losses to Maple City Glen Lake (21-2) and Harbor Springs (18-5). Hemlock’s defeats were all to Division 2 teams, including two still playing.
DIVISION 4
Marquette
Ewen-Trout Creek (18-6) vs. Baraga (19-5), Norway (21-3) vs. Munising (16-5)
Everyone here has seen plenty of good opponents, with the two Semifinals rematches from the regular season. Baraga was a six-point loss to eventual repeat champion Fowler from making the Division 4 championship game last winter, and the Vikings are back on the rush. All five losses were to teams that have won at least 16 games – although the most recent was in the regular-season finale, 64-62 in overtime, to E-TC. That win avenged a 50-38 loss to Baraga for the Panthers, and E-TC is similarly tested with all of its defeats to opponents with at least 14 wins. Norway is the winningest of this group and has only one in-state loss – to Division 3 Bark River-Harris on Feb. 13 – plus a 37-20 win over Munising from Jan. 6. The Mustangs similarly have seen many of the U.P.’s small-school best with four of five losses to teams with at least 16 wins.
Pellston
Brimley (12-11) vs. Mackinaw City (23-1), Indian River Inland Lakes (19-5) vs. Johannesburg-Lewiston (19-6)
Mackinaw City has been in this mix for a while, but this might be its most impressive run of the recent bunch with its only loss 59-55 to Ovid-Elsie (see above) on a neutral court Feb. 4. The Comets defeated Inland Lakes 62-43 to win their home tournament Dec. 21, which might have been their most impressive win before clinching the District title with a 59-46 victory over Cedarville (16-5). Inland Lakes’ only defeats since Mackinaw City came to Gaylord St. Mary (21-3), the one team to finish ahead of the Bulldogs in the Ski Valley Conference. Johannesburg-Lewiston finish third in the Ski Valley and won the first meeting with Inland Lakes 49-33 on Dec. 7 before Inland Lakes took the rematch 55-51 on Jan. 24. Brimley has won five of its last six games, with the lone loss during that time by just a point, solidifying a notable rise from three wins two seasons ago to seven last year and now 12 with a District title.
Traverse City West
Gaylord St. Mary (21-3) vs. Onekama (8-16), McBain Northern Michigan Christian (11-10) vs. Maple City Glen Lake (21-2)
This Regional features a pair of powers on opposite sides of the bracket. Gaylord St. Mary won a Ski Valley that has had five teams post 13 or more victories, and the Snowbirds have only one loss (to Division 3 Harbor Springs) since an opening-weekend tournament sweep by Division 2 Escanaba and Division 3 New Lothrop. On the other side is Glen Lake, on a 13-game winning streak with losses to only Division 1 Traverse City Central and Division 2 Cadillac and plenty of idea of what it takes to advance having made the Quarterfinals two years ago and the Semifinals last season. Hoping to play spoiler are NMC – another team from the Division 3-heavy Highland Conference that defeated Manistee Catholic Central (18-6) in their District Final – and Onekama, which plays with Glen Lake and Kingsley in the Northwest Conference and won its three District games all by 13 points or more.
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PHOTOS (Top) Chelsea's Leila Wells was among stars last week as her team went from unseeded to District champion. (Middle) Dearborn Divine Child and Farmington Hills Mercy face off during the regular season; both will play in Regionals this week. (Photos courtesy of the Chelsea athletic department and by Douglas Bargerstock, respectively.)