Westwood Sets Sights on Past Heights
December 20, 2018
By Dennis Grall
Special for Second Half
ISHPEMING – The Westwood Patriots do not have a senior on their girls basketball roster and only two players stand as tall as 5-foot-9.
But don’t overlook this team.
Five juniors who played extensively a year ago provide the leadership and experience, while two sophomores and a promising freshman show excellent potential in the challenging Mid-Peninsula Conference. And they play for a team that is steeped in tradition and success, including a 2003 Class C championship.
Kurt Corcoran, a former Westwood cager, is in his seventh season as head coach. His assistant coach is Irv Dieterle, who is second in the Upper Peninsula among boys basketball coaches with 555 wins. Corcoran played for Dieterle in the 1990s.
“Irv is one of my very best friends in life now,” said Corcoran. “At times I was so angry and frustrated with him as a teenage boy. Now we can sit over a cup of coffee and laugh and laugh and laugh.
“I have the best assistant coach possibly in the nation. I feel very privileged to have him as a friend, assistant and mentor.”
Dieterle provides suggestions at halftime or when asked on the bench. “I would be crazy not to heed his advice,” said Corcoran, who is in charge of this team.
With the lack of size, the Patriots use solid defense and rely heavily on the shooting skills of junior Madi Koski, a three-year starter who was all-conference and All-U.P. as a freshman. In their most recent game, Dec. 18, Koski scored 21 points and hit two 3-point baskets to help subdue Gladstone 50-32.
“Madi is a stone-cold killer when it comes to scoring,” said Corcoran. “I’ll put her shot up against anybody (in high school).”
Her sister Jillian is a freshman with outstanding promise playing like most freshmen riding the roller coaster of success and mis-adventures. She did not score against Gladstone but had 17 points against archrival Ishpeming on Dec. 10.
“They are not the same player. Jillian will sacrifice her body, but Madi is a little more reserved diving into those (piles of) bodies,” said Corcoran. “(Jillian) is a real good ball handler, probably one of the best I’ve seen, but she needs to get stronger and catch up to the speed of the game.”
Jillian Koski has been a point guard since forever but is now at shooting guard, with her sister at the point. “(Jillian) is not on anybody’s radar yet (but) she is catching up with the speed of the game. That takes at least 10 games,” said Corcoran. “She lets the game come to her. Madi has to score. Madi facilitates the game. She wears many hats (scoring, passing, defending).”
He said the young sisters “really have just one goal in common, and that is to win.”
Corcoran is trying to restore Westwood to the level of long-ago years when the Patriots were always among the Upper Peninsula’s elite teams under veteran coach Tom Hammar (nearly 400 career wins) and with such standouts as Sarah Stream and Megan Manninen, who both played in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State, respectively. Jessica Racine also played at Tech, and Chelsea Wealton was another standout.
Two years ago, the Patriots beat unbeaten Norway and all-stater Jordan Kraemer, and last year they beat unbeaten neighbor Negaunee in the District opener. Negaunee and Westwood, two of the best teams in the peninsula this season, will collide in the tourney opener in March after two regular-season league matchups.
“With the guard play we have now and in the future, our goals are set high,” said Corcoran. “But we have to get past that first game to even get out of Districts. I’d be lying if I didn’t say we have our sights set on making a run downstate. They have paid their dues; they want a state championship. That is not a secret, but that is also Negaunee’s goal and West Iron’s goal. That is everyone’s goal.”
Reaching that height would be a big change from where the Patriots were a couple of years ago. The Pats were 5-15 when Madi Koski and fellow junior standout Tessa Leece were in eighth grade.
“As freshmen, they came to a struggling program that had been down in the dumps. They were given the keys to the Cadillac as young teenagers and they really were not ready,” said Corcoran.
But the two frosh made an immediate impact and Corcoran said “from that moment forward the program took a turn for the better. They got to 12 wins and beat 18-0 Norway. (Madi Koski and Leece) are the lead dogs and are really comfortable in their lead roles. They really stepped into a big hole in the program.”
He said his junior aces spend 365 days a year in the gym, and that hard work is catching on with their teammates, such as junior Karlie Patron and sophomore Ellie Miller.
Leece’s sister Mallory is a freshman on the school’s junior varsity. With low numbers (eight varsity players, nine jayvees), the younger Leece stayed with the jayvees but could join the varsity for the postseason.
Corcoran said he is seeing many long-time Westwood fans returning to the gym as they hear about the program’s revival. “We’re turning heads a little bit and people are starting to notice,” he said, admitting that also generates pressure from parents, fans and administrators.
He pointed out the Westwood school district was born in 1974 through a consolidation that brought in students from Champion, National Mine and Michigamme. “Westwood is not a town,” he said of the area west of Ishpeming that covers about 700 square miles of woodlands and water and consists of multiple generational Westwood school families.
With just 17 girls in the basketball program, Corcoran was asked about the future of girls basketball, which in the U.P. has just seven freshmen teams.
He said youth travel programs have made a big impact in recent years – and goals can become misplaced on winning tournaments instead of how many players enjoy the sport enough to continue on into high school.
“They play little (weekend) tournaments and everybody has fun, they have pizza parties at their hotel. Then they get to the high school level and coaches hold you accountable," Corcoran said. "We practice seven days a week, there are no pizza parties, no trophies. They’re in ninth grade and they already have a seven-year career and they’re not having fun anymore.”
“Basketball is a way of life up here and we take it seriously. With that comes a lot of hard work, too.”
Denny Grall retired in 2012 after 39 years at the Escanaba Daily Press and four at the Green Bay Press-Gazette, plus 15 months for WLST radio in Escanaba; he served as the Daily Press sports editor from 1970-80 and again from 1984-2012 and currently is in a second stint as the interim in that position. Grall was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and serves as its executive secretary. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for the Upper Peninsula.
PHOTOS: (Top) Westwood's Tessa Leece (2) drives to the basket while Ishpeming's Emma Poirier defends last week. (Middle) Poirier (2) is pressured by Westwood's Jillian Koski as she heads to the basket. (Photos by Cara Kamps.)
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.)