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High 5s: 5/15/12

May 15, 2012

This week's honorees include arguably Michigan's top distance runner, top lacrosse player, and a baseball team looking to assert itself at the top while representing the state's largest city.

Lauren Hooker
East Grand Rapids senior
Lacrosse

(Updated May 19) Hooker, who plays attack, led the Pioneers to a 20-0 start. She's scored 101 goals -- already third-most for a single season in the MHSAA record book, and more than 25 percent of her team's total. Add in her 33 assists, and her 134 total points are fifth in MHSAA history for one season. East Grand Rapids is ranked No. 1 both in Division 2 and regardless of division based on the computer rankings supplied by LaxPower.com. Hooker also was the low scorer on the Pioneers golf team that finished eighth at the fall's Division 3 Final, and she missed the individual top 10 by only two strokes. She's signed to play lacrosse at Marquette University next season.

Scoring touch: "I don't try and dodge all the time. I don't like to work my way through people to score. I just try to find an opening."

Up next: "I'm not exactly sure yet (what I'll study), probably something in the sciences. Maybe something like criminology. I always wanted to be an FBI agent when I was growing up."

I learned the most about lacrosse from: "Two of my best friends play for the University of Oregon (Jana and Jess Drummond). And Coach (Jeff) Oates has spent a lot of time with me, talking to me, helping me during the offseason."

Different strokes: "I love the intensity (of lacrosse). I love the team aspect. It's competitive, but fun at the same time. Everyone on our team loves it together. ... In golf, I like how you're still part of the team, but an individual. To help the team, it's on you. It's a good contrast to lacrosse." 

Garret Zuk

White Lake Lakeland senior

Track and Field

Zuk, the reigning MHSAA Division 1 cross country champion, ran career bests of 9:09.2 in the 3,200 meters and 4:16.92 in the 1,600 to take first in the former and second by two hundredths of a second in the latter at Saturday's Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship meet at Pinckney. But his best moment might've come when he finished second on purpose -- to Walled Lake Northern's Devin Kimberlin in the 3,200 last Tuesday after pacing the sophomore through the race to a career-best time, and then letting him win at the end. (Click to read more). Zuk was an MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award winner this winter and is the co-salutatorian of his class with a 4.22 grade-point average. He will run this fall at Michigan State University.

"I've done it for kids on my own team. Normally, I'm in a position where things are still hanging in the balance and we need the points to win. But the way this meet was ... there was no way we could win. I saw the kind of effort Devin was trying to put in, and there was no reason not to help out."

Up next: Zuk will run both cross country and track at MSU, as is the norm at the college level. He's planning to study mechanical engineering, with an eye on the aerospace field -- think NASA, Boeing, etc. Not surprisingly, math is his best subject.

I learned the most about running from: Retired longtime Lakeland coach Randy Wilkins and current cross country coach Joe Verellen. "The combination of those two (taught me) a lot of what I know and what I practice in my running.

I look up to: "Every American distance runner has to look up to Steve Prefontaine at one time or another. What Pre stood for, the way he went about running; it's inspiring to everyone."

Detroit Western International baseball

The Cowboys are 22-4 and winners of 11 straight heading into Friday afternoon's Detroit Public School League Tournament semifinal. They are the top seed after finishing the league regular season undefeated, and have their sights set on a trip to Battle Creek this month after coming within an out of the MHSAA Semifinals a year ago. Of 16 players on this spring's team, 14 were on last year's as well. Click to read more.

This spring's previous honorees

Watervliet celebrates its first Finals championship in any sport Saturday at McLane Stadium.

Watervliet Baseball Cements 'Legendary' Status with School's 1st Finals Win

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

June 15, 2024

EAST LANSING — The terms “legendary” or “historic” often can be exaggerated, but that forever won’t be the case with the 2024 Watervliet baseball team. 

Going into Saturday’s Division 3 Baseball Final, Watervliet not only hadn’t won a baseball state championship, but longtime athletic director Ken Dietz said the school had never won a state championship in ANY sport. 

That isn’t the case anymore, as Watervliet took its community on a historic ride and punctuated it with a history-making 9-1 title-clinching triumph over Jackson Lumen Christi at McLane Stadium.

Whether it’s parades or festivals over the summer in the community, or for future reunions, the team will never be forgotten in the southwestern Michigan town. 

The championship also was the perfect gift for Dietz, who is retiring after nearly four decades of service.

The Panthers’ Wyatt Epple (10) and Lumen Christi catcher Kash Kalahar follow one of his drives.“The whole town turned up, and we appreciate all the support,” said Watervliet head coach Josh Tremblay. 

The seeds were sown for Watervliet after it lost in the Quarterfinals last year. With only two starters not returning from that team, the Panthers knew 2024 had the potential to be special.

“We lost a game we probably shouldn’t have last year, and we know it,” said Watervliet senior Alex Hicks. “We had a lot built up inside of us that we were going to take it this year. We knew we had the core, and we were ready to go.” 

The Panthers finished the job in East Lansing by doing what they did throughout the MHSAA Tournament – pitch well and play great defense. 

Watervliet (31-7) allowed just seven runs over the entire tournament and didn’t make an error in the Final, while Lumen Christi made five. 

After senior Wyatt Epple allowed just two runs in a Semifinal win over Detroit Edison, sophomore Caleb Jewell did even better in the title decider, allowing just one run, striking out six and walking none in a complete-game effort. 

“We knew we had a lot of guys returning with experience,” Tremblay said. “We had really high expectations. We knew our pitching and our defense was good. We got our bats hot at the right time, and we’re really hard to beat when we have all three working.”

Offensively, junior leadoff hitter Owen Epple led the way with two hits and three RBI, while No. 9 hitter and senior Chase Tremblay had two hits and two RBI. 

Sam Crago (12) slides into home safely for Watervliet.Lumen Christi, which was making its first trip to a championship game since 2015, finished 30-11. 

“It’s a special season for these guys,” Lumen Christi head coach Phil Clifford said. “We won the Catholic League and lost in the state finals. You can’t script it any better than that other than winning this game. I’m really proud of everyone.” 

Watervliet broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning with three runs. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single to right by senior and No 8 hitter Caden Burdick, and then Tremblay hit a sacrifice fly to right for a 2-0 lead. Epple then followed with an RBI single to center. 

Lumen Christi got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, cutting its deficit to 3-1 on an RBI single with two outs by junior Nathan Hinkley. 

In the sixth, the Panthers added a run on a sacrifice fly by Hicks for a 4-1 lead. It was the fourth RBI sacrifice fly of the weekend for Hicks. 

The Panthers then got precious insurance runs in the seventh, scoring five to take a 9-1 lead. The big blow was a two-run double by Epple that made it 8-1. 

Lumen Christi also helped Watervliet’s rally by committing three errors in the final inning.

Click for the full box score.

PHOTOS (Top) Watervliet celebrates its first Finals championship in any sport Saturday at McLane Stadium. (Middle) The Panthers’ Wyatt Epple (10) and Lumen Christi catcher Kash Kalahar follow one of his drives. (Below) Sam Crago (12) slides into home safely for Watervliet.