High 5s - 6/19/12
June 21, 2012
The final High 5s of 2011-12 go to a pair of Ishpeming Westwood golfers who led their team to a rare feat of four straight Finals championships, and perhaps the most unexpected team champion of the spring season -- the Dansville softball team, which downed reigning champion Petersburg-Summerfield in the Division 4 championship game.
Berkley LaFreniere
Ishpeming Westwood senior
Golf
LaFreniere completed her fourth and final season on the Westwood golf team this spring by helping the Patriots to a fourth-straight MHSAA title. She shot a 90 to finish individual runner-up at the Division 2 Final to teammate Megan Manninen. LaFreniere also was a forward on the basketball team and played No. 1 doubles for the tennis team that ended the fall with a third-straight Upper Peninsula Division 2 championship. Three of the golf titles were in Division 2, while the 2010 championship came in Division 1.
Winning ways: "It takes a lot of practice. Obviously the time you put in is what gets you the best results. But I also think it's about having fun."
I learned the most about golf from: "My dad (Paul) is a big golfer. We've had a membership at Wawonowin (Country Club) since I was really little. I would say maybe 10 years old (is when I started), maybe even younger."
If I could play with three others: "Rory (McIlroy) from the PGA, Tiger Woods just because he's the best known, and probably Jack Nicklaus. I just always hear about him when I'm watching golf. They always compare things to him."
Up next: LaFreniere will attend the University of Michigan and study one of the sciences, perhaps biochemistry, on the way to becoming a pediatric oncologist. "When they find a cure for cancer, I want to be part of that."
Megan Manninen
Ishpeming Westwood senior
Golf
Manninen, with LaFreniere, also completed her fourth and final season on the Westwood golf team as part of the Patriots' fourth-straight MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals winner. Manninen shot an 87 to also win her second-straight and third total UP Division 2 individual championship. A point guard on the basketball team, she'll signed to play hoops this fall at Lake Superior State University.
I learned the most about golf from: "My dad (Kevin Manninen). He's the manager of Wawonowin Country Club and was the manager as Marquette Golf Course. He played at Oakland University and in a couple of U.S. Open qualifiers."
If I could play with three others: "My dad, Jame (Reichardt, her uncle who died May 14) and my grandpa (Harold Reichardt)."
My favorite golfer to watch: "Rory McIlroy. I enjoyed watching him last year in the U.S. Open. He was new, and he was trying to win for his dad because it was Father's Day. I enjoyed watching him a lot."
My favorite to watch play hoops: "Skylar Diggins, the point guard for Notre Dame. I like her control and leadership."
Up next: Manninen will get the chance to contribute immediately for the Lakers' basketball team, and will major in pre-med with hopes of becoming a physician assistant. "I want to help people, and when I was down at U-M (to visit her uncle at the hospital) I saw a lot of opportunities to do that."
Dansville softball
On Friday, the Aggies won their first MHSAA Semifinal. On Saturday, the finished the weekend with the Division 4 championship. Dansville was in its third trip to Bailey Park over the last four seasons, and defeated top-ranked and two-time reigning champion Petersburg-Summerfield, 3-2. Not only was it the first softball championship in school history, but also the first MHSAA title in any girls sport. The Aggies had entered the postseason ranked No. 9 and finished this spring 31-5.
This spring's previous honorees
- Sarah Appold, Saginaw Valley Lutheran softball
- Katie Brozovich, Clarkston tennis
- Latipha Cross, Southfield track and field
- Sarita Dotson, Battle Creek Lakeview track and field
- Lauren Hooker, East Grand Rapids lacrosse
- Drake Johnson, Ann Arbor Pioneer track and field
- Jake McFadden, Clare track and field
- Sami Michell, Reed City track and field
- Mike Nagy, Manistique golf
- Cullen Prena, Walled Lake Central track and field
- Erika Southworth, Decatur softball
- Nick Stiles, Bath baseball
- Josh Vyletel, Howell baseball
- Malloy Weber, Northville soccer
- Zack Zingsheim, Lansing Catholic track and field
- Garret Zuk, White Lake Lakeland track and field
- Birmingham Seaholm tennis
- Detroit Western International baseball
- Grand Rapids West Catholic golf
- Grandville Calvin Christian soccer
- Grosse Pointe South girls track and field
- Muskegon Mona Shores golf
- Remus Chippewa Hills girls track and field
- Richland Gull Lake baseball
- Stevensville Lakeshore softball
Performance: Richmond's Erin Shuboy
July 1, 2016
Erin Shuboy
Richmond freshman – Softball
During a championship weekend of headline-grabbing pitching performances, the most talked about likely came from Shuboy, who threw a no-hitter to lead Richmond to its first MHSAA softball championship with a 2-0 victory over Vicksburg at Michigan State University. Shuboy shut down a lineup batting .433 to earn the Michigan National Guard “Performance of the Week” for June 13-19.
Shuboy struck out seven and walked only one batter, following a Semifinal where she struck out eight and walked two in a 6-2 win over Escanaba. Batting cleanup, she also drove in runs in both games. She finished this spring with a 17-3 record and 199 strikeouts, and carried a .348 batting average into the final week.
Shuboy’s mom, Bridgette (nee Moore), also was a standout pitcher for Richmond coach Howard Stuart, who has won 954 games over 38 seasons leading the program. Erin Shuboy also plays volleyball and basketball.
Coach Howard Stuart said: “We had to slow her down several times, because even the official said, ‘She’s working too fast. Slow her down.’ So we had to physically slow her down. She was in such a hurry to get the ball and throw it. And there was no mention of no-hitter. Not one word was said to her at all. At the end of the game, she didn’t know. She was so focused. ... What makes her special is her confidence, I think. She believes in herself. She’s not just a pitcher; she pounds the ball. (In the Semifinal), she hit a ball down the left field line that was a line shot, went 150 feet five feet off the ground before it ever slowed down, just a screamer. She can hit. She can do everything. She fields her position well. She used to play shortstop. She plays first base. She’s a pitcher. She’s a solid kid.”
Performance Point: “I didn’t really know it was (a no-hitter) until someone told me. This is just crazy. I just gotta stay focused about every batter, keep taking a batter at a time and play at a time. My change-up was working really good; it normally doesn’t work that good. My fastball, the outside corner, that really helped us out.”
Like mother, like daughter: “She’s always helped me out with everything. She taught me how to throw. She gave me so much advice over the last couple of years. It’s just been a great experience having her.”
Pitching first, batting second: “I like pitching better. It’s just fun being the leader on the mound.”
Learning from a legend: (Coach Stuart) knows what he’s doing. It’s awesome to have him here to tell me what I’m doing wrong and help me with my errors. (He taught me) always keep your composure on the mound and never let anything get to you.”
Sending out the seniors: “I just wanted to help them out, have them have a good end to their senior year. And a state championship would be a good way. … We predicted we were going to have a good season, but I didn’t know we were going to be state champs.”
– Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2015-16 school year, Second Half and the Michigan National Guard recognized a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2015-16 honorees
June 15: Andrew Walker, Battle Creek Lakeview boys golf - Read
June 8: Sekayi Bracey, East Kentwood girls track & field - Read
June 1: Anna Jefferson, Oak Park girls track & field - Read
May 25: Connor Bandel, Oxford boys track & field - Read
May 18: Kalyn Breckenridge, Birch Run girls soccer - Read
May 11: Morgan Beadlescomb, Algonac boys track & field - Read
May 4: Abby Krzywiecki, Farmington Hills Mercy softball - Read
April 27: Mike Mokma, Holland Christian baseball - Read
April 20: Abby Divozzo, Cadillac girls soccer - Read
March 30: Cassius Winston, Detroit U-D Jesuit boys basketball - Read
March 23: Kierra Fletcher, Warren Cousino girls basketball - Read
March 16: Jacob Montague, Grosse Pointe South swimming & diving - Read
March 9: Kyle Tuttle, St. Charles boys bowling - Read
March 2: Brittney Schnicke, Caledonia girls bowling - Read
Feb. 24: Kamari Newman, Detroit East English boys basketball - Read
Feb. 17: Jason Whitens, Powers North Central boys basketball - Read
Feb. 10: Rachel Hogan, Grand Ledge gymnastics - Read
Feb. 3: Nehemiah Mork, Midland Dow swimming & diving - Read
Jan. 27: Mardrekia Cook, Muskegon girls basketball - Read
Jan. 20: Sage Castillo, Hartland wrestling - Read
Jan. 13: Rob Zofchak, Dexter swimming & diving - Read
Jan. 6: Tyler Deming, Caro wrestling – Read
Dec. 15: Jordan Weber, East Jordan boys basketball – Read
Dec. 8: Kaitlyn Geers, Kent City girls basketball – Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Richmond’s Erin Shuboy steps toward the plate during the Division 2 Final on June 18. (Middle) Shuboy unloads a pitch during her no-hit performance.