And the 2018 BOTF Winner is ...
February 23, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Neighbors present and past filled Buchanan’s gym a week ago to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the school’s 1978 Class C boys basketball championship.
In their midst, another champion built its case to make the community proud once again.
Buchanan's "Herd" is our Battle of the Fans VII champion, adding to its BOTF II title and adding another point of pride for a community that turns out big to support its school, and vice versa.
"This all couldn't have been possible without our community, the support of our teachers and staff," Buchanan senior Jessica Lee said. "The businesses put 'Good Luck to The Herd' (on their windows). Just the whole town supported us. We both represent each other in a way."
Buchanan will accept its Battle of the Fans VII championship banner during halftime of the first Class B Boys Basketball Semifinal on March 23 at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center. Boyne City and Petoskey also have been invited to Breslin to be honored for this season’s achievement.
Buchanan was chosen based on a vote by the MHSAA’s 16-member Student Advisory Council influenced by public vote on the MHSAA’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites. A total of 9,309 social media votes were received, with those results then equated against a school’s enrollment. This year’s results came out to 5.2 votes cast for every student attending one of our finalist schools – the second-highest average in Battle of the Fans history.
The Council based its vote on the following criteria: positive sportsmanship, student body participation, school spirit, originality of cheers, organization of the group, section leadership and overall fun. New this year, nine semifinalists were selected from the original application group before Boyne City, Buchanan and Petoskey were chosen for MHSAA visits. Cedar Springs, Charlotte, Munising, Negaunee, Pellston and Traverse City West also were among semifinalists.
Buchanan totaled the most public social media support, finishing first across all five ways votes were accepted (Facebook likes and shares, Twitter re-tweets and likes and Instagram likes). Votes were scaled to take into account a school’s size – Class B Buchanan's were worth more than Class A Petoskey's, for example – but The Herd also received the most social media votes total.
Other numbers to consider from this season's contest: The application videos have been watched more than 15,600 times, and the MHSAA-produced videos from our tour stops have more than 2,100 views. The stories detailing the three tour stops plus Tuesday’s explanation of how to vote and the announcements of semifinalists and finalists had been viewed 6,600 times as of 8:30 this morning. The three Snapchat stories covering our visits were viewed nearly 6,000 times combined.
This year’s expanded Battle of the Fans gave us an increased opportunity to see more of our state’s best student sections in action not only longer, but at more levels beginning with organization and planning all the way through execution of some incredible efforts all over our state. Our finalists tour then provided a chance to visit three sections we’ve come to know well – and to see how those sections have grown in their energies and efforts to support their schools and classmates the right way.
Below are our final takeaways from each of those trips.
Authenticity Award: Boyne City
What we saw: This was the second straight year we visited Boyne City for Battle of the Fans, and we were blown away again not just in the promotion by the student-centered Rambler Sports Network leading up to our visit, but by the production of all facets of a game night done right by the Rambler Rowdies and their all-star leaders. It’s impossible to talk about Boyne City’s section and not immediately bring up Captain Rowdy, the inflatable giant mascot funded and purchased by the student section before the start of this school year. As one of the Rowdies leaders said during our pregame meeting, the opportunities to enjoy the new superhero’s antics are endless – and the upside-down head-bouncing Captain Rowdy dance was one of the highlights of this year’s contest. But so too was seeing a few hundred students – from a school with only a few more than 400 – filling the stands to support their boys basketball team from tip-off through the final buzzer.
Why we’re fans: If we’ve learned nothing else from two trips to Boyne City, it’s this – the togetherness and support showed by this student body is absolutely authentic and genuine. What student leaders have accomplished over just a few years is truly amazing, and not at all an act – the Rambler Rowdies love being there and having a blast, down to the band members who asked if they could be part of the cheering section instead of playing during basketball games this season. We’ll surely use as a teachable moment the way the Rambler Rowdies’ leaders took their show on the road to teach younger students in their community how to cheer with the high schoolers. Outstanding seniors who have played a big part are graduating, so we’re eager to see what’s next – but we have a feeling the section will be in great hands.
Model Leadership Award: Petoskey
What we saw: This also was the second straight year we visited Petoskey, and this section again prides itself on cheering for its teams and doing whatever it can to will them to be successful. The Blue Crew is loud – and on the night we visited, this was especially impressive because while the stands were packed for boys basketball, another section of students cheered on the hockey team during a cancer benefit game in honor of a classmate. (That effort wasn’t lost on the basketball fans – they did a fundraiser at their game as well to contribute.) The Blue Crew played out its safari theme to the fullest, and arguably no section in Michigan this year is playing the theme game at a higher level. There’s no question it’s a lot of fun to be part of this section and the fun it comes up with throughout the year.
Why we’re fans: There is a great sense of community surrounding Petoskey athletics, and a lot of it stems from the Blue Crew and the wide variety of leaders who have brought this section roaring back over the last two years. We meet with section leaders before game time during our finalists visits, and the last two years Petoskey’s “crew” has included representatives with ties to a variety of sports and other extracurricular and social groups within the school who come together for common good. New this year was a “rules and guidelines sheet” to guide the leadership as it made decisions, and that will get passed on as new leaders already are being identified. This section truly has been student-built from the ground up, and we can’t say enough about how that work impressed us again.
Battle of the Fans champion: Buchanan
What we saw: A lot of what we expected after three previous stops in “The Woods” – a large group of students occupying one full corner of the gym, chanting and singing and dancing and having just a great time. But hearing leaders tell us beforehand of the section’s “renaissance” this school year gave us a clearer picture of just how much The Herd continues to be immersed in the Buchanan community as a whole – and how the section has hit another new level in 2017-18.
Why we’re fans: Student cheering sections exist to cheer on school teams, and at its most fundamental The Herd provides a ton of support for a variety of Buchanan sports in the fall and winter (and with plans to do so for the first time this spring). But student cheering sections can exist to create so much more as well – and the teary eyes we saw at the end of last week’s visit told some of that story. Unity among grades, among social groups and among students who may have little other reason to spend time together is an incredible thing to behold – and from The Herd’s lip dub application video through its stories of helping new students find a home at the school and others make friends through the student section that they’d never met before … well, we can understand why they tell everyone “there’s not place we’d rather be.”
"We created something from what was created in years past, and made it something we're all part of," Lee said. "Putting all of our heart into something, seeing it become something so amazing ... of course we're going to support (our teams) through every season; we're going to the girls (basketball) game tonight, soccer season and baseball season. But it's just something that was really special for all of us.
"Of course it's my senior year. But the fact that we won something we've been doing my whole time in the high school and being a leader of it finally ... that's so big to me. You have no idea what this means to our whole town and community."
The Battle of the Fans is sponsored in part by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan.
Check out below our stories and videos behind the finalists. Also, click to see student-produced videos from all sections that entered the contest. (Photos courtesy of the Buchanan yearbook staff.)
Boyne City
Read all about it: Boyne City Wants You to Get Rowdy
Buchanan
Read all about it: No Place Buchanan's Herd Would Rather Be
Petoskey
Read all about it: Revived Blue Crew Continues to Thrive
Scholars and Athletes 2014: Class C, D
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 4, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has selected 10 student-athletes from Class C and D member schools to receive scholarships through its Scholar-Athlete Award program.
Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 25th year of sponsoring the award, will give $1,000 college scholarships to 32 individuals who represent their member schools in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament. The first 30 scholarships are awarded proportionately by school classification and the number of student-athletes involved in those classes; also, there are two at-large honorees which can come from any classification.
Each of the scholarship recipients will be honored at halftime ceremonies of the Class C Boys Basketball Final game March 22 at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing. Commemorative medallions will be given to the finalists in recognition of their accomplishments.
The Class C Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are: Melissa Dowell, Clinton; Erin McDonnell, Traverse City St. Francis; Kirsten Olling, Breckenridge; Stephen T. Erwin, Royal Oak Shrine Catholic; Devin Morrow, Three Oaks River Valley; and Ty Michael Rollin, Beal City.
The Class D Scholar-Athlete Award recipients are: MacKenzie Ciganick, Bellaire; Sara Inbody, Deckerville; Grant Hohlbein, Adrian Lenawee Christian; and Steven McKenzie, Marcellus.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class C Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay also is included:
Melissa Dowell, Clinton
Played volleyball, basketball and softball during her high school career and expects to finish with four varsity letters in softball. Contributed to softball teams that won two MHSAA Finals, three District and three Tri-County Conference championships, and played on a District champion in volleyball. Named Most Improved Player in softball as a sophomore and the same for volleyball as a junior; also named volleyball team captain this fall. Served in student government three years including as student body treasurer and secretary this year. Also serves as secretary of her National Honor Society chapter and editor of the yearbook, and is ranked academically among the top 10 in her class. Volunteered multiple times for the Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive and earned CPR certification. Will attend Siena Heights University and study nursing.
Essay Quote: “Playing on a state championship softball team has been an incredible experience. More amazing, however, has been the journey and the lessons learned along the way. I learned that good sportsmanship is like a sacrifice bunt. When I’m given the sign, I step up to the plate and execute without question. I don’t expect a display of fireworks or a grand headline in a newspaper.”
Erin McDonnell, Traverse City St. Francis
Participated in cross country, basketball and track and field and anticipates graduating with eight varsity letters. Ran on MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 champion 1,600-meter relay in 2012 when St. Francis finished team runner-up and was a contributor when the Gladiators won the team championship in 2013. Served as a captain on her cross country and track and field teams in 2013 and her junior varsity basketball team. Earned individual academic all-state honors in cross country three times and a variety of other team, league and region awards for athletic and academic performance. Participated in her school’s Key Club all four years of high school, its National Honor Society chapter as a junior and senior and as student body treasurer this school year. Undecided on where she will attend college but plans to study biology.
Essay Quote: “Compassion from a sportsmanship standpoint is simply respect. Through good sportsmanship, we develop and show compassion by actions such as lending a hand to another teammate (who) has fallen down or congratulating a team after a hard-fought win. ... By having compassion in sportsmanship, we show a love and respect for others leading to nothing but appreciation and respect in return. “
Kirsten Olling, Breckenridge
Became the seventh in MHSAA girls cross country history to win four Finals championships and set the Lower Peninsula Division 4 Finals record with a time of 17:44.9. Also won the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 3,200-meter run championship the last three seasons and the 1,600 as a freshman. Served as captain of her cross country team the last three seasons and her track and field team. Named academic all-state in cross country three seasons. Served as her class’ vice president and the yearbook sports editor and won multiple leadership awards as part of the Future Farmers of America. Served as an assistant coach for her local Girls on the Run program. Will attend Arizona State University and study biology with a minor in kinesiology.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship is more than just playing fair. True sportsmanship is knowing that your opponent has the same goals, helping others reach those goals and working hard every day. ... I get excited when I hear I get to race against the best. Sportsmanship is not about being happy even if you lose, but it is about helping your competition be their best.”
Stephen T. Erwin, Royal Oak Shrine Catholic
Participated in three years of varsity football, two of varsity ice hockey and expects to play his fourth season of varsity baseball this spring; also played two seasons of junior varsity basketball. Earned all-state honorable mention as a hockey goaltender and all-league baseball honors the last two seasons. Served as captain of his junior varsity basketball team and has been named captain of the baseball team for this spring. Served as student council class treasurer all four years of high school and has been a member of the National Honor Society for three years. Named Homecoming King this fall and earned Shrine Knight Award as the Most Outstanding Freshman Student. Serves as leader of the Shrine Service Club and has participated for four years as a coach and counselor in the Angel’s Place summer baseball program. Will attend Saint Louis University in Missouri and study either sports business or aviation.
Essay Quote: “A display of sportsmanship is important in educational athletics because it acknowledges the respect of other athletes and their roles. Simple handshakes after the game or some action on a bigger level are ways to show sportsmanship. ... Sportsmanship, in my mind, is not only respect but also caring for another athlete who has similar goals.”
Devin Morrow, Three Oaks River Valley
Participated in varsity cross country, basketball, golf and track and field and anticipates graduating with 10 varsity letters including four in golf. Served as his golf team’s captain three seasons and also as a basketball and cross country co-captain. Has participated in student government, National Honor Society and Business Professionals of America all for three years, and Students Against Destructive Decisions and his school’s band and drama club for four years. Served as his class’ president the last three years and also as president of his SADD and NHS chapters. Received Best Drum Major award at the Hastings Marching Invitational. Volunteered for three years as part of a Michigan Department of Transportation Highway Cleanup community service project. Will attend the University of Michigan and study engineering.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship is much more than following the rules of the game. Sportsmanship allows for a highly competitive sporting event to maintain a dignified manner no matter the outcome. ... All in all, it makes sense to look at sportsmanship in a similar way that we view friendship – treat the people you play with and against as you would like to be treated yourself.”
Ty Michael Rollin, Beal City
Played four seasons of varsity football, two of basketball and will play his fourth season of varsity baseball this spring. Earned all-state honors in football as a senior and honorable mention as both a sophomore and junior, and also earned all-state honors in baseball as a sophomore (second team) and junior (first team). Contributed to a football MHSAA Finals runner-up finish in 2012 and a baseball MHSAA runner-up in 2013, and also to a Regional championship in basketball. Served as a coach at Beal City’s youth basketball camp the last four years and coached the eighth grade football team that finished league champion. Earned his school’s Principal’s Award as both a freshman and junior and participated in the Natural Helpers peer assistance program for two years. Will attend Central Michigan University and study pre-medical and dentistry.
Essay Quote: “A positive attitude regarding my own performance, my coaches, my teammates and my opponents is of utmost importance when it comes to good sportsmanship. ... I am a strong believer in not engaging in negative speech of any kind with my opponents. Being a team captain and a leader for many sports teams, throughout the year, I am constantly reminding my teammates to just walk away when an opponent is talking ‘smack.’”
Other Class C girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Korinna Corbin, Addison; Elizabeth Baker, Bronson; Amanda Reagle, Homer; Mandy Haferkorn, Iron Mountain; Megan Chapman, Ishpeming Westwood; Keara Wilson, Marlette; Grace Leighton, Mendon; Allie Kendall, Saginaw Nouvel; and Kari Feddema, Schoolcraft.
Other Class C boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Matthew S. Johnson, Fennville; Carter Ballinger, Jonesville; Luke Joseph Smigielski, Mancelona; Dakota Hall, Marlette; Bradley Schaub, Marlette; Kyle Baxter, Mayville; Jason Beckman, Shelby; James Barber, St Charles; and Nicholas DeSimpelare, Unionville-Sebewaing.
Overviews of the scholarship recipients of the Class D Scholar-Athlete Award follow. A quote from each recipient's essay also is included:
MacKenzie Ciganick, Bellaire
Played four seasons on the boys soccer team, three of basketball and will run her fourth season with the track and field team this spring. Qualified for the MHSAA Finals in track and field the last two seasons when she also served as a captain, and earned all-league honors the last three years. Played on a league and Regional champion soccer team this fall and a two-time District finalist basketball team. Earned academic all-state honors the last three years in soccer and academic all-conference the last three in track and field. Has maintained all A’s through every marking period of high school and will graduate as her class' co-salutatorian. Participated in National Honor Society for two years, on the school’s athletic council as a sophomore and as her church’s teen representative the last two years. Also has served as school president for the Antrim County Youth Coalition the last two years. Will attend Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, to study pre-physician assistant.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship in educational athletics goes far beyond shaking hands at the end of the game. I learned lessons ... throughout my four years of participating in high school sports that have shaped me as a human being.”
Sara Inbody, Deckerville
Played two seasons of varsity volleyball, three of varsity basketball and will play her third on the softball team this spring. Served as captain of all three teams and helped all three win league titles and the volleyball and basketball team to District championships. Received all-league honors or honorable mention in all three sports. Served on student government all four years of high school including three as class president and this year as class vice president. Also participated in National Honor Society the last three years including as secretary of her chapter the last two. Earned Principal’s Award and Outstanding Student Award from the Sanilac County Career Center in 2011. Also participated in Health Occupations Students of America and as a volunteer tutor. Will attend Central Michigan University and study pre-medical with a focus on pediatrics.
Essay Quote: “Helping another person in a way that seems effortless to you, such as picking them up when they are on the ground during a game, is just one simple way to show sportsmanship and get others to realize how big of a difference you can make for somebody.”
Grant Hohlbein, Adrian Lenawee Christian
Played four years of varsity basketball and will play his fourth of varsity baseball this spring, plus three of varsity football and junior varsity as a sophomore when the varsity was eliminated because of a lack of players. Earned all-state and academic all-state honors for baseball, all-league in football as both a junior and senior, and all-county honors in basketball. Served on student council the last three years including as president as a senior. Participated in National Honor Society the last two years and as an international student conversation partner this year. Coached as part of the Lenawee Christian Cougar Camp for four years and officiated football, basketball and baseball for three years for the Christian Family Centre Impact Sport Leagues. Will attend Grand Canyon University in Arizona to study pre-medical.
Essay Quote: “Humanity is resilient, but it is up to us on how quickly we recover from loss. In sports, it is important to learn how to lose just as it is important to learn how to win. A good sport doesn’t let his emotions dictate his behavior.”
Steven McKenzie, Marcellus
Expects to graduate with 15 varsity letters after participating in three years of football and four each of wrestling, cross country and track and field. Served as captain of the football and wrestling teams and helped the football team to a winning record in 2012, its first since 2003. Earned all-league honors in football. Holds a 4.0 grade-point average and is a three-year member of both the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, holding positions of vice president and president, respectively, in his school’s chapters. Also served on his Principal’s Advisory Council for three years and participated in marching band, concert band and 4-H for four years. Earned his student council’s Citizenship Award and also attended the statewide Young People’s Citizenship Seminar. Will attend Michigan State University and study agronomy, soil science and plant science.
Essay quote: “An athlete with good sportsmanship not only strives to improve but strives to improve for the team, not for selfish pride and glory. Anybody who can put (his or her) pride on the line in exchange for good sportsmanship is a champion. Not everybody is willing to work hard for the greater good, no matter how beneficial.”
Other Class D girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Julie Ahnen, Bessemer; Vanessa Freberg, Eben Junction Superior Central; Kari Borowiak, Gaylord St Mary; Lyvia Deaver, Jackson Christian; Erin Gast, Lake Linden-Hubbell; and Jennifer Malcolm, Plymouth Christian.
Other Class D boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Bret Hiveley, AuGres-Sims; Tyler Anthony Johnson, Bear Lake; Jeremy Bigalke, Manistee Catholic Central; Ben Feliczak, Manistee Catholic Central; Alec Firack, Pickford; and Harding Fears III, Southfield Christian.
Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants were to show active participation in other school and community activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.
The Class B scholarship award recipients will be announced on Feb. 11, and the Class A honorees will be announced on Feb. 18.
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The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.