Did you see that? (9/17-9/23)

September 25, 2012

The crowning of a new MHSAA soccer scoring champion and some statewide showdowns in golf and volleyball headline the best of the week that was Sept. 17-23. 

Soccer

Chatfield fills it up: Senior Aaron Chatfield, a forward for Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian, scored both of his team's goals in a 7-2 loss Friday to Elk Lake, but in doing so set the MHSAA career scoring record. He now has 174 goals, two more than former record holder Soony Saad of Dearborn. (Petoskey News)

Golf

Cougars edge Bulldogs: Two-time reigning MHSAA Division 4 champion Lansing Catholic edged Brighton 327-336 at the East Lansing Invitational on Sept. 17 at Walnut Hills Country Club. There were nine ranked teams in the 17-team field. Brighton is ranked No. 2 in Division 1. Lansing Catholic's Jacqueline Setas shot a 70 to take the individual medalist honor, and two of her teammates tied for second. 

Volleyball

Blue streak: Richland Gull Lake downed Portage Central in three sets to win the Portage Central Invitational's gold division and a tournament the featured four teams ranked in Class A plus reigning champion Rockford and reigning Class B champion Fruitport (in A this season). Gull Lake moved up to No. 2 in Class A from No. 4 after the weekend, and Portage Central is No. 6. (Kalamazoo Gazette)

Tennis

Ludington on the move: The Orioles have moved up from No. 8 to No. 6 in the Division 4 rankings after downing formerly-No. 2 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett and No. 10 Almont at Saturday's Almont Invitational. (Mlive.com)

Cross Country

Flivver flies on: Kingsford's Dan Kulas claimed the individual championship at the Stephenson Invitational on Saturday in 16:58. He's won four straight races. (Iron Mountain Daily News)

Basketball

Pershing coach steps down: Detroit Pershing boys basketball coach A.W. Canada has resigned, but will remain with the program as an assistant. The Doughboys are regularly in contention in Class A, last winning the MHSAA title in 2009 after also making the Final in 2008. (Detroit News)

Story of the Week

Spring Lake setter lifts Lakers: It's been a little more than a year since Emily Blahnik's mother Brenda suffered a horrific fall that left her with a skull fracture, brain trauma and spinal cord injuries. But with her teammates and community in continuous support, Blahnik has remained a big part of Spring Lake's volleyball program. The Grand Haven Tribune has been covering this story throughout, and Nate Thompson provides us with this update. (Grand Haven Tribune)

Fowler Girls Award 1st-Year Coach with Program's 1st Finals Title since 2019

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

June 2, 2024

HUDSONVILLE — Sometimes it actually isn’t so hard to replace a legend. Just ask Fowler girls track & field coach Neil Hufnagel.

After last year, Hufnagel took over for longtime Fowler coach Jill Feldpausch, who built the program into a dynasty.

Feldpausch led Fowler to five MHSAA Finals titles from 2011 to 2019, but there was no need for anyone to feel sorry for Hufnagel going into this year.

On the contrary, it might have been the track & field version of inheriting a Fort Knox-sized gold mine. 

“She left the cupboards absolutely packed,” he said. 

That was evident during the Lower Peninsula Division 4 Finals on Saturday at Baldwin Middle School, where Fowler reigned supreme again with a dominant performance.

Fowler finished with 70.5 points, well ahead of the 44 collected by runner-up Portland St. Patrick. 

Fowler had only one first-place event finish, and that was in the last one, taking first in the 1,600 relay in a time of 4:08.44.

But that didn’t end up mattering as Fowler used its depth to score points. 

The Eagles, who finished fourth last year, snapped a mini drought by their standards. 

“We talked a little bit about being workmanlike,” Hufnagel said. “We know that it doesn’t take first places to finish first in the state. We had some good team depth, and we were able to use that.” 

Addison's Molly Brown, right, finishes her 100 hurdles championship win.Saugatuck was third with 34 points. 

There were several individual standouts who flanked Fowler’s team victory. 

Buckley senior Aiden Harrand, who will run next for Wake Forest, won the 1,600 in a time of 4:53.25 and the 400 in a time of 58.25. Harrand also finished second in the 800. 

Between cross country and track, Harrand finished her high school career with 10 Finals championships and showed impressive versatility.

“It’s hard for sure,” Harrand said. “I do a lot of distance training. I have to because I have to be prepared for that mile. I think the speed comes naturally. I do a lot of speed workouts and stuff. But you’ve got to train distance.” 

Another individual standout was Addison junior Molly Brown. She repeated in the 100 hurdles in a time of 15.22, and then won the 300 hurdles in a time of 45.07. 

Brown was second in the 300 hurdles last year, and she obviously was thrilled to build on that defeat and set up what should be a big senior year in 2025. 

“I knew the girl that beat me last year graduated, but I knew that coming in this year, I was going to have to run a really good time to win,” Brown said. “I just really wanted to win.” 

In the field events, Marlette senior Olivia Findlay shined the brightest, winning the long jump with a distance of 17-feet, 4½ inches and the high jump in 5 feet, 5 inches.

Other champions included Unionville-Sebewaing sophomore Layla Bolzman in the 100 and 200, Johannesburg-Lewiston junior Allie Nowak in the 800, Whitmore Lake freshman Kaylie Livingston in the 3,200, Chesterfield Austin Catholic senior Lyla Mullins in the shot put and discus and Mason County Eastern junior Payton Haynes in the pole vault. Frankfort (400), Portland St. Patrick (800) and Whitmore Lake (3,200) also won relays. Athens junior Aleyah Deller won the adaptive 100, 200 and shot put events.

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Fowler's Katie Spicer crosses the finish line during a sprint Saturday. (Middle) Addison's Molly Brown, right, finishes her 100 hurdles championship win. (Click for more from Ken Swart/RunMichigan.com.)