The backstop of the Orchard Lake St. Mary’s back-to-back-to-back state championship teams, Ike Irish, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday, the third primary member of those title squads to be drafted.
Several hours later, another of the OLSM champs, Nolan Schubart, went to the Cleveland Indians in the third round (Pick 101).
The first athlete in school history to be drafted in the first round of any sport’s draft, Irish joins former Eaglet teammates Brock Porter (Round 4, Pick 109 in the 2022 Draft by Rangers) and Alex Mooney (Round 7, Pick 218 in 2023 Draft) to be drafted, giving the OLSM program 11 overall picks.
While Mooney was drafted right on the heels of the Eaglets securing their third straight title — 2019, 2021 and 2022 — with a perfect 44-0 season, Irish spent three seasons at Auburn. He earned Freshman All-America honors by four different organizations in 2023, and was first-team All-SEC and a Buster Posey Award semifinalist in 2024, then became Auburn’s seventh consensus All-America as a junior.
Irish hit .364, slugged .710 with 13 doubles, two triples and 19 home runs for the Tigers in 2025, driving in 58 runs, with an OPS of 1.179, but spent much of the season playing right field after a shoulder injury — a broken scapula on a hit by pitch in March.
A 6-foot-5, 223-pound left-handed-hitting corner outfielder for Oaklahoma State, Schubart has 60-grade power, according to MLB.com, hitting 23 home runs (and falling two hits short of winning the Big 12 Conference triple crown), earning All-America honors from several publications for the second straight year, and Acacemic All-American honors the last two, just the second player in OSU program history to do it twice.
He finishes his Cowboys career with 59 home runs — one every 10 at-bats — ranking fourth in program history in round-trippers, ninth in slugging percentage (.705), 10th with 199 RBI.
Auburn catcher Ike Irish (18) bats during an NCAA baseball game against Iowa, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (GARY McCULLOUGH — AP Photo)
COMMERCE TWP. — Like the prep softball version of the Hatfields and McCoys, the rivals from the Battle of Bogie Lake Road, Lakeland and Walled Lake Northern, have ‘gotten’ each other so many times over the years, that’s hard to determine what exactly you might be getting ‘revenge’ for.
So neither coach really wanted to bring up what had happened last year, when Lakeland took out Northern, en route to a quarterfinal appearance.
And even though Lyla Turmell and the No. 6-ranked Knights remembered, they didn’t put a whole lot of stock into it.
The junior pitcher had a home run — her third on the day — and an RBI double, and struck out 10, as the Knights beat Lakeland, 6-3, to claim a Division 1 district title on their home field Saturday, their seventh since the 2015-16 season.
“We kind of put it in the past, and we just said ‘New game.’ We beat them in preseason and in the LVC, and we just tried to not let it affect us really, even though we beat them,” Turmell said. “But we just wanted to come out new game, 0-0.”
The Knights (30-6) — who will advance to regionals at Grand Blanc next weekend, facing Lake Orion — did beat Lakeland (25-11) twice back in mid-April, in a high-scoring doubleheader where the two teams accounted for 41 runs.
“It’s always hard to beat a team, a good team, especially a good team like Lakeland, three times,” Northern coach Kristen Woodard admitted. “But no, I didn’t really want to put that (last year’s loss) in their heads at all. I just knew we’d have to come and bring our best, because I know Lakeland would — they always do.”
In the last decade, the two programs have met in the postseason six of the nine times it was held (no season in 2020), with one team or the other winning a district title every single time. In 2017, they both won a district, and met for the regional title.
Walled Lane Northern players mob teammate Makenna Kresbaugh (center) after she gave No. 6-ranked Knights the lead for good in a 6-3 win over Lakeland in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
“They’re a good team. They force you to do things like that (make mistakes) sometimes. And you know, our team, we played really well. I mean, earlier in the year, they beat us up pretty good,” said Lakeland coach Mike Cleary, noting that his team never talked about those April losses again after they happened. “And to go into this game tied in the (sixth) we were in pretty good shape, I thought. But you know what? You know, we did this to them last year. They do it to us this year. It’s tough when both of us are in the same district, because we always have good teams, and it’s seems one of us has to get (knocked) out early, which is, unfortunately, this year it’s us.”
The Eagles were in good shape early, jumping out to a first-inning lead with a solo home run by Brynn Taliercio. But Turmell answered in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot of her own to tie it up at 1-1.
Turmell’s RBI double to the right-center gap in the fourth put the Knights ahead, and they’d add a second run on an error to lead 3-1.
Both teams would pitch around the other’s No. 3 hitter the rest of the way, and that benefitted the Eagles in the sixth, when an unintentional-intentional walk to Taliercio put the tying run on, and Emily Searle’s two-run double tied it at 3-3.
“We just talked about, you know, what we get behind, and we’ve come back with other teams. We were down big against Hartland in the tournament. We came back and beat them, then other teams, we were down, and we battled back,” Cleary said. “So I said, you know, if they get ahead of us, we’re not out of it. And, you know, we came back, we’re down and came back and tied it up again. So that was kind of the team. They didn’t give up.”
Woodard made a trip to the circle to calm Turmell down during the rally, calming her down, making her laugh.
Walled Lake Northern players attempt to douse coach Kristen Woodard (second from right) after the No. 6-ranked Knights beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, to win their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
“Sometimes, I do lighten the mood, but there I just wanted her to get dialed in and just, you know, give her a little extra confidence,” Woodard said. “I just wanted to make sure that she wasdoing all right, because she was getting a little wild there. …And just remind her that they have to hit her best pitch, and just to pitch with that in mind.”
“She told me that, basically, to just throw my game and they have to be scared to hit off of me. And same with hitting too. So they had to throw to me and I had to throw to them,” Turmell said.
Makenna Kresbaugh led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a solo home run to put the Knights back up, 4-3, then after they loaded the bases, tacked on two more runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Olivia Frelick and Kendall Morris to make it 6-3.
It wouldn’t be a Lakeland-Northern matchup without a little controversy, and that came at the end of that inning, when Northern’s ninth hitter to come to the plate was initially called safe, then was called out when the home plate umpire overruled the initial decision.
The was more in the top of the seventh, as the Eagles — down to their final strike — had their own runner called safe on a bang-bang play, but Turmell got the next batter to line out to close it out.
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
Walled Lake Northern 8, Walled Lake Central 2
The second semifinal of the morning was another close one initially for the Knights, tied at 2-2 until the bottom of the fifth, when the Knights put a pair of runs on the board, then added four more in the sixth.
Sam Gillick was 4-for-4 with two stolen bases and three runs scored, while Turmell — who struck out 14 in the circle — homered twice and drove in three runs. Makenna Kresbaugh said a pair of doubles and drove in four runs.
Lakeland 17, West Bloomfield 2 (3 innings)
The Eagles made short work of the Lakers in the first semifinal of the morning, as four batters — Piper Huff, Aubrey VanGoethem, Emilee Dostal and Zoie Gagnon — drove in multiple runs. Gagnon homered and drove in three total.
Melina Wing got the win in the circle scattering six hits and striking out four.
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade.
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern celebrate after they beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, to win their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
Walled Lane Northern players mob teammate Makenna Kresbaugh (center) after she gave No. 6-ranked Knights the lead for good in a 6-3 win over Lakeland in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
Walled Lake Northern second baseman Shaela Byrnes throws from her knees to get an out in a Division 1 district final against rival Lakeland on Saturday, May 31, 2025. The Knights won, 6-3, to claim their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
Lakeland's Brynn Taliercio yells to teammates after putting the Eagles up 1-0 on rival Walled Lake Northern with a first-inning solo home run in a Division 1 softball district championship game on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Northern came back to win, 6-3. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
Walled Lake Northern players attempt to douse coach Kristen Woodard (second from right) after the No. 6-ranked Knights beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, to win their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
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No. 6-ranked Walled Lake Northern beat Bogie Lake Road rival Lakeland, 6-3, in a Division 1 district final at Northern on Saturday, May 31, 2025, as the Knights won their seventh district title in the last decade. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
Lakeland's Brynn Taliercio yells to teammates after putting the Eagles up 1-0 on rival Walled Lake Northern with a first-inning solo home run in a Division 1 softball district championship game on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Northern came back to win, 6-3. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY -- MediaNews Group)
There’s always a benefit to familiarity with a coach, even if that familiarity is based on shared geography.
Hailing from the same place as his new coach, Treyvon Lewis — one of the stars of Ferndale High School’s most recent surge to state prominence in basketball — has committed to play for the Western Michigan Broncos men’s basketball squad coached by Dwayne Stephens, one of the stars of Ferndale’s last run.
“We are excited to add Trey to our program,” Stephens said in a news release. “He is a true two-way player who can defend and make shots at a high level. He’s from the state of Michigan, and we are ready for the immediate impact he will have on our program in all areas, both on and off the court.”
A Mr. Basketball finalist his senior year at Ferndale, the 6-foot-6 Lewis spent the first three seasons of his college career outside his home state, redshirting at Loyola Chicago in 2022-23, then playing in 10 games in his redshirt freshman season, before transferring to Purdue Fort Wayne last season.
He played in all 32 games for the Mastodons last year, averaging 4.7 point and 1.2 rebounds per connect, scoring in double figures in league road wins over Green Bay and Milwaukee.
A four-year varsity player for Ferndale in high school, Lewis led the Eagles to four straight district championships, and two straight final four appearances in Division 2 his final two years as a prep player. He was rated by 247Sports as the top recruit in Michigan as a senior, and a three-star recruit overall.
He was first-team Division 2 All-State as e senior, when he averaged 23 points per game, and finished fifth in the Mr. Basketball voting, behind eventual winner Chansey Willis Jr., a junior on last year’s Broncos squad, which went 12-20, 9-9 in the Mid-American Conference, losing in the first round of the conference tourney.
The Broncos have also signed transfers Jalen Griffith (Navarro College) and Hudson Ward (Penn State), adding to a recruiting class that included Sharod Barnes (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s), Brady Swartz (Grand Rapids Northview), Camden Thompson (Whitehall) and Carson Vis (Grand Rapids South Christian).
Ferndale's Treyvon Lewis (5), a Mr. Basketball finalist his senior year, has transferred to Western Michigan University. (MediaNews Group file)
Listed as a 6-foot-4, 245-pound two-star prospect on his high school recruiting profile as a senior at Birmingham Brother Rice, Luke Newman made himself into a pro offensive line prospect.
And now he’s been picked.
Newman was selected in the sixth round by the Chicago Bears, taken with the 196th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-4, 315 pound offensive guard, who played last season at Michigan State after four successful seasons at Holy Cross, will join former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in the Windy City, part of the crew — along with former Lions guard Jonah Jackson — protecting last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams.
Newman started 49 consecutive games over his final four seasons of college ball, including 37 at left tackle for Holy Cross, and 12 for Michigan State last season, as a grad transfer. He led MSU with 739 offensive snaps, and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten, grading out as the No. 9 offensive guard in the league by PFF during the regular season. Earned FCS All-America honors from different publications each of his final three seasons at Holy Cross.
The Bears have had some experience with Brother Rice players along the line. A fifth-round pick out of Missouri in 2021, Larry Borom played four seasons for the Bears — starting 27 of 47 games — before signing with the Miami Dolphins in March.
Luke Newman (70) of the Michigan State Spartans plays against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Birmingham Brother Rice grad may end up hearing his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft. (GREGORY SHAMUS — Getty Images)
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