High 5s: 3/20/12

March 20, 2012

Every Tuesday, Second Half honors 2-4 athletes and a team for its accomplishments.

Have a suggestion for a future High 5? Please offer it by e-mail to [email protected]. Candidates often will have accomplished great things on the field of play -- but also will be recognized for less obvious contributions to their teams, schools or the mission of high school athletics.

Madison Ristovski

Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett senior

Basketball

Ristovski led her team to within a win of the Class C championship. She had 15 points and seven assists in a Semifinal win over Concord on Thursday, then scored 42 points -- second-most in MHSAA girls championship game history -- although the Knights fell 61-57 to Morley-Stanwood in Saturday's Final. Earlier in the week, she was named this season's Miss Basketball as the state's top senior player. She was joined on the Knights this season by junior sister Haleigh and freshman sister Lola.

Up next: Ristovski received a scholarship offer from the Unversity of Michigan after her freshman year, and accepted it as a junior. She's hopes to study education, get her teaching certificate and go into school administration.

Before the game, a winning routine: "Every single game day I wear the same outfit to school. I always eat the same pre-game meal -- a cheeseburger and medium fries from McDonald's. I sit in the same spot on the same bus for every game. ... I have to play with curly hair. I can't play with straight hair. I'm very superstitious."

Favorite offensive move: "With my right hand, cross over to the middle and jumpshot."

I learned the most about basketball from: "My dad, Loren Ristovski. My dad first started coaching when I was about nine months old (he coached at Harper Woods for 10 years). That's when he first started taking me into the gym. I could sit up at nine months, and I would roll the ball back and forth with my dad in the gym. I just went to everthing, and I grew up in the gym with my dad."

My favorite player is: "Pistol" Pete Maravich.

Sister power: "I'm really competitive with them in practice. We always go against each other, and we always make sure to push each other the hardest we can. In the games, I'm really supportive of them, but also I tell them when they are doing something wrong. Haleigh is a really good defender, but she can shoot the lights out. Lola can dribble really well and (is strong) in transition. I'm better at going to the basket and finding open players."

Had to be a Wolverine: "When I was in fifth grade, U-M was the very first basketball camp I went to outside of the local rec place and the high school. It was a huge place, and I loved it. My dad and I walked out of Crisler Arena, and my dad looked around and said to me, 'This is where you'll play basketball.' And I was like, 'Are you crazy? Those girls are so big.' My dad said, 'Madison, I promise you'll play at U-M.' Ever since, that's where I wanted to go."

Shar'Rae Davis

Grand Haven senior

Basketball

Davis, a point guard, scored 19 points -- including the winning lay-up with six seconds to play -- as Grand Haven completed an 18-point comeback to beat Grosse Pointe South 54-53 in Saturday's Class A Final at the Breslin Center. The 18-point comeback was the third-biggest in MHSAA girls basketball championship game history. The Buccaneers also beat reigning champion Inkster in their Semifinal. The MHSAA title was Grand Haven's first. The team lost only once this season, early to East Kentwood.

"I'm so happy we lost that game. It definitely gave us a shift back into our mindset that we need to work hard every game to get where we are now -- state champs."

Up next: Davis is remaining quiet at this point about who is recruiting her, but expects to play basketball at the college level. 

Staying relaxed before the game: "We definitely listen to music. You would think all us girls would get our heads into it, be super serious. But our team can't be serious. We're an outgoing team. Before (Friday's) game, we were dancing in the locker room. And we definitely have a team prayer thanking God for everything he does for us."

I learned the most about basketball from: "I would have to say my family, every single one. I can't even put it specifically. My dad (Terry Foster), my little brother (Terrence II), my mom (Cavina Foster). They've all just contributed in every way. I love them all."

My favorite player is: "Either Kobe (Bryant) or LeBron (James). Game-wise, they are just pretty amazing. How they're able to stay calm and collected in games, hit shots under pressure, all that type of thing. I try to resemble their games. They're pretty awesome players."

Alexis Huntey

Morley-Stanwood senior

Basketball

Huntey, a 6-foot-1 center, had 27 points and 16 rebounds as Morley-Stanwood won its first MHSAA girls basketball championship by edging Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett 61-57 in Saturday's Class C Final. She also played a sizable role in Morley-Stanwood winning its second volleyball championship in the fall. She was named all-state this winter by The Associated Press and was a Miss Volleyball finalist in the fall. At that time she reported a 3.98 grade-point average.

Up next: Huntey has signed to play volleyball this fall at George Washington University. She's continuing a Division I college legacy in her family -- her father and Morley-Stanwood athletic director Clark Huntey played baseball at Central Michigan.

Basketball vs. volleyball championship: "There's definitely a comparable feeling to it. But it's so different. In basketball there are more nerves. Bigger gyms. It's (Michigan) State. I was really excited."

I learned the most about basketball from: "I would have to say Coach (Bob) Raven. I've looked up to him since I was this tall, and I was a water girl. I've always been so excited just to play for him."

Pre-game prep: "We stretch and then we pray as a team. Bailey (Cairnduff) leads it."

My favorite move is: "I fake up to the left, and the go back to the left."

James Counsman

Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett junior

Hockey

Counsman, a left win, had a goal and an assist in University Liggett's Division 3 Semifinal win over Chelsea on March 9, then scored his team's first two goals in its 3-0 win over Houghton in the next day's championship game. The MHSAA title was University Liggett's first in hockey since 1990. Counsman also plays lacrosse.

"I've never won anything of this caliber. It's great. I love it. We've done so much. ... Every guy has worked as hard as he can to make this happen. I'm glad we achieved our goal."

Up next: Counsman is just a junior, but hopes to play college hockey, perhaps at the Division III level, and would like to take a shot at playing juniors as well. At this point, he's considering a major in business.

I've learned the most about hockey from: "(Liggett coach) Robb McIntyre. He's coached me all throughout my growing up. He's been an awesome coach. I've learned everything from him."

I look up to: "Definitely my dad (Rich Counsman). He played college sports (football and baseball at Kalamazoo College), and he's just a great guy. I love him."

Before every game: "I gotta get in my jump ropes. I like to get in a nice long run, not too much stretching, and I gotta have a grape jelly peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. That's what we do. I like Smuckers, Jiff peanut butter. There's a process to making these sandwiches. Every guy makes them before games. Individually wrapped, cut diagonally, grape jelly."

Goodrich Girls Basketball

The Martians finished 28-0 in winning the Class B championship, their first MHSAA title. Goodrich beat a number of ranked teams in Class A, B and C this season, including No. 3 Detroit Country Day, No. 6 Dearborn Divine Child and No. 10 Grand Rapids Catholic Central in the final three rounds, respectively, of the Class B tournament. Divine Child was the reigning Class B champion. Among others to fall to the Martians this season were Class A Semifinalist Inkster and Class C runner-up University Liggett.

Unexpected Scorer Ices Unranked Cranes' Record 19th Title Win with OT Goal

March 9, 2024

PLYMOUTH — On one of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood’s least likely championship hockey teams, one of the least likely players was the hero.

Junior defenseman David Schmitt’s fourth goal of the season 3:34 into the third overtime gave the Cranes their 19th MHSAA Finals championship with a 3-2 victory over East Grand Rapids in the Division 3 title game Saturday at USA Hockey Arena.

Schmitt scored from the right point off a faceoff win. It was his second goal of the game and third in two games over the weekend.

“I just went blank,” he said. “Did I do that? It was pretty crazy.”

Prior to the MHSAA Semifinals, Schmitt had only one goal and four assists in 28 games.

The Cranes’ Nick Timko (12) brings the puck up the ice with EGR’s Charlie Hoekstra in pursuit.“Coaches were telling me to get pucks off quick on net and see what’ll happen,” Schmitt said. “I did. I saw a lane, shot it and it went in.

“It’s incredible, but it’s not just me. It’s the team, everybody, the coach, our goalie. Everybody put in equally as much work. I can’t say enough about these guys. It’s an incredible team.”

Cranbrook-Kingswood came into the MHSAA playoffs unranked and completely under the radar, which was understandable given its 11-13-1 regular-season record. And it had been three years since the Cranes’ last Finals championship, their record 18th.

Players and coaches believe the team finally began to gel about a month ago.

“I think it starts at the top with leadership on the team,” Cranes senior Michael Horton said. “I remember coach (John) LaFontaine saying at the beginning of the year and throughout the year (that we’ll struggle) if the leadership on this team cannot come together, because the younger guys will see that and they’ll just be like, ‘Oh, our seniors, our leaders, our whatevers, they don’t trust each other, so how are we supposed to trust them? How are we supposed to trust this process?’ Before every overtime, before every play, we’d go up to each other and say, ‘I trust you. I trust you with everything I have.’”

The championship doesn’t happen without the stellar goaltending of junior Garrett Dudlar, who joined the team around Christmas and made 53 saves Saturday, the second-most in an MHSAA Final. The record of 58 was set by Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Ryan Morley-Stockton in an eight-overtime 1-1 tie with Marquette in the 2008 Division 1 title game.

Cranbrook captains Thomas Kiemel (4), Roman Cicco and Michael Horton (13) celebrate the title.Dudlar stopped the final 39 shots he faced.

“It was definitely different,” Dudlar said of playing triple overtime. “We played a solid game so far, so nothing changed; keep it the same.”

East Grand Rapids senior Glenn Green opened the game by scoring the fastest goal to start a Final, just 12 seconds after the opening faceoff. The previous record of 18 seconds was set by East Kentwood’s Jason Bravata against Trenton in the 1990 Class A Final.

Kyle Braunscheidel responded for the Cranes by the 4:14 mark. The Pioneers took a 2-1 lead into the intermission after James Albers scored on the power play at 15:39 of the first.

Schmitt scored the only goal of the second period just three seconds into a two-man advantage at 8:28.

For the Pioneers, it was the second year in a row they lost in gut-wrenching fashion in the championship game. Last season, they lost 3-2 to Flint Powers Catholic when Mason Czarnecki scored on a breakaway with 4.6 seconds left for the latest winning goal in regulation time in Finals history.

“There’s, what, 142 teams in the state,” East Grand Rapids coach Christopher Newton said. “Not many people are trying to win, trying to get through a season and set high goals. We had that group. It doesn’t come around very much, so it’s really disappointing.”

Click for the full box score

PHOTOS (Top) Cranbrook goalie Garrett Dudlar (1) gets in position to stop a shot from East Grand Rapids’ Ian MacKeigan. (Middle) The Cranes’ Nick Timko (12) brings the puck up the ice with EGR’s Charlie Hoekstra in pursuit. (Below) Cranbrook captains Thomas Kiemel (4), Roman Cicco and Michael Horton (13) celebrate the title. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)