MADISON HEIGHTS — Both were happy to be there, but there could only be one to emerge between Walled Lake Central and West Bloomfield Saturday afternoon.

Ultimately, the Vikings outpinned the Lakers 220-212, 191-180 in the finals to win the 2026 Oakland County boys bowling tournament.

“We haven’t really done well here (recently),” Walled Lake Central head coach Jeff DeSlippe said. “But I’d say this is probably one of the biggest highlights we’ve ever had (as a program). It’s a career win.”

Walled Lake Northern, who won the regional the Vikings were in last postseason, finished top of qualifying with a 3,907 total, followed by South Lyon East (3,866), but the margins were slim for the top-3 as the Vikings came in just behind that at 3,863.

When match play began, WL Central defeated Avondale (201-156, 171-132), Detroit Catholic Central (197-174, 232-178) and then Clarkston (223-200, 212-212) in the semifinals to reach the championship.

“We felt pretty confident going in, and I don’t think we were too concerned about anyone really until West Bloomfield,” DeSlippe said.

In singles play, Vikings senior Connor Martin was dominant, his best competition proving to be runner-up Joe Lindholm of Troy (717), who rolled a 300 in his first game. That pair aside, there were fewer than 10 other scores of 250 or higher throughout the singles portion, but Martin compiled scores of 235, 257 and 267 for a series total of 759.

“It’s incredible,” Martin said. “I’ve never shot that high of a series before ever in high school. I was nervous at first, but throughout the day I got better. I was just making good shots, being happy.”

Martin, who went to states as a freshman, now has a special tool in his box that has taken him up a level.

“I gave him my bowling ball (I used in) my men’s league,” DeSlippe said. “I found a new ball that I don’t like as much. Now I’m just wondering if I can get the ball back.”

“Yes, very,” Martin responded when asked if he’s been improved since he began utilizing it. “It goes through the pins better, hits them stronger.”

Central’s next-best performer in individual play was Justin Jensen, who finished 15th individually (636), followed by Aaron Dorfman (33rd, 605).

West Bloomfield was the more unexpected of the two to reach the final. Beyond the Knights, Cougars and Vikings, The Lakers finished 10th in qualifying behind Southfield A&T, Oxford, Catholic Central, Lakeland and South Lyon. North Farmington, Royal Oak, Lake Orion, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Avondale, Clarkston and Mott also qualified to the Round of 16.

West Bloomfield had just one bowler inside the top-40 individuals in Mason Ermis, whose output of 647 was good for 12th. Collectively, the Lakers beat South Lyon, then Waterford Mott and Lake Orion to reach the final.

Photo gallery from the 2026 Oakland County boys bowling tournament

As far as West Bloomfield's first-year head coach Reg Watts is aware, this is the first time the program has reached the finals of the county tournament. "As a matter of fact, this is our first year winning trophies."

While the Lakers were in a strong regional last postseason, led by Troy Athens, who won last year's county tourney, they finished fifth in that regional. On top of it, they graduated seven seniors.

"Last year, we were pretty good," Watts said. "But this year, a couple of my guys bowled a lot over the summer, some of them that were JV (last year). I'm really deep in good bowlers this year."

Watts also believed that his team could take it up a notch in the last stage Saturday. "I guess my guys just woke up," he said. I knew there was another level. We were performing below my expectations at the beginning of the tournament, but I expected us to do well."

He said this also raises the ceiling on what the Lakers can achieve this postseason, adding, "It does, because we've never made it (this far here) before. This is the second trophy for us this year, not the last .. and I have most of my bowlers -- Mason, Jayden (Watts), Brenden (Doyle), that's my core -- coming back next year, so we'll be even stronger."

After Martin and Lindholm, the rest of the top-10 individuals were Oxford's Dom Hambly (696 series), Walled Lake Northern's Ethan Faurote (685), Southfield A&T's Anthony Jones II (682), Clarkston's Gavin Pittman (676), WL Northern's Hunter Clary (674), A&T's Aiden Mason (661), and South Lyon East duo Dain Virdee (657) and Thomas Martin (651). Mason had the best individual one-game score aside from Lindholm's 300 with a 276.

Junior Harlem Simpson finished with a team-high 28 points, leading four double-digit scorers in Birmingham Groves’ 80-48 win at Royal Oak Thursday night.

She was joined in double figures by teammates Mallory Killian and Jacey Roy, who each scored 15 points, as well as Sophie Schwanik, who ended with 13.

Lydia Dickens scored 10 points, Dimyah Jackson had nine, and Alyssa Rozycki and Kolbie Roelofs each had seven in the loss for the Ravens (4-6, 0-2 OAA White).

After starting 0-2, the Falcons have won six straight. That includes an 83-39 win on Jan. 13 in which Simpson poured in 42 points (and pulled down 14 rebounds), Killian had 17 points and six assists and Roy had nine points and steals each.

More girls basketball

WEST BLOOMFIELD 54, OXFORD 41 >> The Lakers won their second in a row at home on Thursday night and improved to 5-3 on the season. West Bloomfield head coach Darrin McAllister collected his 102nd win after hitting the century milestone on Dec. 28 against Cass Tech in a 59-48 victory.

FARMINGTON HILLS MERCY 54, DETROIT KING 17 >> Caroline Paluk tallied 11 points and Abby Bores ended with 10 to help the Marlins improve to 7-1 on the year Wednesday evening.

TROY ATHENS 56, WARREN WOODS TOWER 43 >> Madi Stencel had 15 points, Laityn Dennis had nine and the tandem of Kaitlyn Piggott and Gabby Bieniek each finished with seven in the fourth win in a row by the Red Hawks (8-2) on Tuesday.

ROMEO 52, TROY 35 >> Maci Zeiter scored a team-high 20 points and Rachel Zapatka added a handful for the Colts (5-2) in Tuesday’s loss to the Bulldogs.

SOUTH LYON EAST 52, MILFORD 47 >> Kaitlyn Therrian scored a team-high 15 points on Tuesday for East, who improved to 9-0 overall and 2-0 in the LVC. Ashlyn Lutz finished with a game-high 17 points and Madison Cornett added nine for the Lady Mavs (6-2, 2-1).

LINDEN 54, ORTONVILLE BRANDON 35 >> A hot start and a solid rebounding effort wasn’t enough for the Blackhawks (2-6) on Tuesday evening. Ellza Rizzo had 14 points, nine rebounds and five steals, freshman Avery Odinga had 14 points and seven rebounds and sophomore Maddie Heverly pulled in 10 boards in the loss.

Boys basketball

MADISON HEIGHTS LAMPHERE 57, CLINTONDALE 29 >> Evan Landstrom led all scorers with 20 points, while teammates Mychael Foster and Gavin Abbott chipped in 16 and 10, respectively, and Jack Robinson dropped 10 assists in Wednesday’s road win by the Rams (8-2).

MADISON HEIGHTS MADISON 63, HAZEL PARK 51 >> Madison pulled away in the second half to claim the MAC Bronze Division win Wednesday. Myani Franks scored 17 points to lead the Eagles (4-6, 1-1). Christian Payne added 12 points, Christian Barnett followed with eight points and Nehemiah Patman also scored eight points for Madison.

BIRMINGHAM SEAHOLM 46, TROY ATHENS 29 >> Evert Wertz scored 16 points, Bryan Pohl had nine and Brody Feldmaier added seven in the victory by the Maples (4-7, 2-0 OAA Blue) on Tuesday.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS 66, TROY 47 >> Daron Mason scored a team-high 18 points, while Meyer Saperstein (15), Carter Hartfield (11) and Brennan Bies (10) also finished in double-digits for the Black Hawks (9-2, 2-0 OAA Blue) Tuesday night.

WALLED LAKE CENTRAL 62, SOUTH LYON 52 >> Evan Brown carried the scoring load for the Vikings (7-5, 3-0 LVC) in Tuesday’s win. Johnathan Matthew had 13 points, plus Asa Clay and Anthony Camacho both chipped in a dozen for Central in its league conquest.

ROCHESTER ADAMS 58, LAKE ORION 44 >> The Highlanders (8-4) won their third game in a row on Tuesday and their sixth in the last seven contests. Lake Orion dropped to 5-5 overall despite 20 points from Nathan Giacolone and 10 from fellow senior Jackson Shoskey.

Hockey

ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S 10, TRENTON >> Already cruising to victory, the Eaglets scored half of their goals in the third period Thursday evening. Matthew Mourad scored twice, Daniel Ramos scored and assisted three times and Charlie Roberts scored his team-best 17th goal of the year for St. Mary’s (12-4).

CRANBROOK-KINGSWOOD 8, PORT HURON NORTHERN 0 >> The Cranes outshot the Huskies 22-7 in the second period Thursday evening and cashed in during that span with goals by Matthew Mooradian, Kyle Braunscheidel, Efe Oztorun and Jack Shenkan. On top of that, Oztorun added another goal in the third and Cam Rocchini finished with a goal and three assists for Cranbrook (11-4).

UTICA EISENHOWER 8, M-1 UNIFIED 0 >> The Griffins (3-15) produced 22 shots, but couldn’t put one past Eagles netminder Connor Holmes in Thursday’s defeat.

BIRMINGHAM UNIFIED 3, ROCHESTER UNITED 3 >> Neither team could net a game-winner in overtime Wednesday’s matchup. Goals by Dylan Turnbull, TJ Maguet and Connor Cichocki had Rochester (16-2-1) leading 3-1 and gunning for a victory until Ryan Sloan and Connor Bozek hit in rapid succession to tie it up for Birmingham. Ryan Sloan also scored for BU (10-6-1) in the deadlock.

SOUTH LYON UNIFIED 4, SALEM ROCKS 0 >> SOUTH LYON UNIFIED 4, SALEM 0 >>Connor Day and Jackson Curtiss each put two goals in during Wednesday night’s win by Unified (15-2). Nathan Ligi, Braden Hillebrand, Aidan Herrera and Ryan Laird all had a pair of assists and Keegan Korpi recorded the shutout.

Rochester put up its most points in a game this season and remained unbeaten with a 75-49 win over visiting Utica Ford on Friday, Jan. 2, 2025.

An attempted 3-pointer in the final seconds by Utica Ford was missed, allowing Rochester to send its fans home happy with a 43-32 victory Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 in Rochester Hills.

All it took was a couple weeks worth of evidence that Birmingham Groves’ new approach this season was going to result in some eye-popping numbers.

Averaging 60 points in their two first games? Nothing out of the ordinary.

Then the Falcons set a new school record for points in a game when they beat Fenton 103-45 on Dec. 16. Just three days later, they improved to 2-2 by waxing Fraser 92-61.

Triple-digit evenings are going to mean double-digit individual performances will be more common in that neighborhood, whether it’s Sophie Schwanik, Mallory Killian, Jacey Roy or take your pick.

But no one is benefitting more than Groves junior Harlem Simpson, as if she was going to fly under the radar for long regardless.

Nothing tells the tale better than the Falcons’ loss to Mercy in their second game of the season. Simpson, who admitted it wasn’t her brightest and best performance, was quiet for three quarters. Then she ripped off five 3-pointers in the fourth and still finished with 26 points.

Against Fenton, Simpson was far more efficient, shooting over 53 from the field (including 7 of 12 from downtown) as she finished with a new career-high 45 points.

In the victory over the Ramblers, she nearly followed up with a triple-double, scoring 35 points while pulling down 13 rebounds and finishing with seven steals.

The points will pull in the most attention, but Simpson’s ability to be a disruptive force with steals like she had against Fraser are what will only make Groves more dangerous as they acclimate to the Grinnell system, which second-year head coach Jessica Duleba installed over the summer.

“It’s just new,” Simpson said after the Mercy loss. “We’ve just got to get used to it. We’ve got to know we can still take layups, know that we don’t have to shoot all the time. We’ve got to listen to coaches, but if you are open, you’ve got to see it, and when you get the ball you’ve got to realize it. But we’ll get used to it.”

Simpson has basketball in her blood. Her mom, Kisha, graduated as Michigan State’s all-time leading scorer and was the program’s first All-American, enough to earn her a place in MSU’s Hall of Fame (2011), and older brother John helped make Groves history by being part of last year’s senior class that brought the Falcons their first OAA Red title.

Harlem began to make her own name known on a bigger stage with AAU performances this past summer and her development has earned her double-digit Division 1 offers that include Penn State, Oakland, Detroit Mercy and Central Michigan, though that attention doesn’t seem to bother her or have her in any rush to decide on a destination. “You just gotta keep it spread out,” she said after at least a few schools were in attendance watching the loss to the Marlins. “I’ve been on a few visits. I’m just talking to everybody, feeling them out, figuring out where I want to be at.”

One of the state’s best from the Class of 2027 has the quickness to get by defenders, but her perimeter offense is where the focus has been placed to make her even more dangerous.

“In practice, she’s shooting the ball at 80%, so for me, she has the green light,” Duleba said. “If you’re open, you better shoot it, because I’ll take my chances (with her). I think that’s the biggest improvement in her game that she’s now added that 3-point shooting piece, because there isn’t a girl that can stand in front of her. I’d like to know who’s a better ball-handler than she is.”

Harlem talked about the work that’s seemed to translate into these recent performances, saying, “Every day, every practice, 100 threes over the summer. I was in the gym every day, every week shooting threes on the gun, getting up over 500 shots every day.”

Considering that Roy is the team’s only senior, the ceiling for the Falcons seems to match its talented star.

“It’ll be good,” Simpson said. “Everyone will get more comfortable with each other because there’s a lot of freshmen that are playing and a lot of us hadn’t played together. We’ve just got to get used to playing with each other and we’ll be straight.”

Duleba issued a reminder after falling to 0-2 that the goal was to be winning in March, but with the results Simpson and her teammates are producing already, opponents won’t be sleeping on the Falcons when that time comes.

With competition present from several other top-10 Division 1 programs, Oxford used three first-place finishes to win Saturday’s Oakland County wrestling championships hosted by Lake Orion.

The Wildcats, who finished fifth at last year’s meet, entered sixth-place in the most recent D1 poll, one spot behind Clarkston and four spots ahead of Rochester Adams. That ended up being Saturday’s top-3, with Oxford taking the top spot by accumulating 279.5 points, followed by Clarkston with 258.5 and Adams with 216.

The hosts came fourth place with 164 points, and Catholic Central, whose best placements came courtesy of third-place finishers Adam Brannan (106) and Ryan Totten (132), finished just behind the Dragons with 159 points. Starting with Lakeland (157.5) in sixth place, Brother Rice (136.5), WL Northern (129.5), West Bloomfield (121.5) and South Lyon (120) rounded out the top-10.

Clarkston also came runner-up in 2024 (Adams ended fourth when Detroit Catholic Central, the top-ranked D1 team and three-time defending state champs, brought enough firepower to the tournament to rack up 294.5 points.

The win gave the Wildcats their third first-place trophy from the county meet in the past five years (2021, 2023).

The 126-pound weight class saw Oxford’s Gavin Lewis, who finished third-place at state last year at 113 (and won the 120 division at the county meet last winter), defeat Adams’ John David Quinlan in the final, 4-1. Landon Johnson defeated Walled Lake Northern’s Dillon Welling 10-0 to claim the championship at 138 pounds, while the 285-pound class belonged to the Wildcats’ Liam Samborski, who pinned Lakeland’s Andrew Neumann in the second period.

Altogether, Oxford had 11 medalists, including three third and fourth-place finishers each.

In the championship round of the 106-pound weight class, Clarkston’s Joey Hahn defeated Oxford’s Rocco Amaya 17-2, and at 113 pounds, Lakeland’s Cameron Schneider defeated Novi’s Ezra Krage, 14-3. In addition to Schneider, the Eagles added another gold at 120 pounds when Benjamin Rickard outpointed Troy Athens’ Derek Gonzalez, 17-4. Gonzalez was the lowest seed (eighth) to reach a final Saturday, defeating top-seeded Nazar Kadi of Stoney Creek by majority decision in the quarterfinals, then South Lyon’s Colin Fournier (a 4-seed) to reach the championship bout.

Photo gallery from the 2025 Oakland County wrestling championships

Hahn wasn't the only one from the Wolves to stand atop the podium. In the 132-pound final, Clarkston's Gavin Culloty defeated Wesley Honniss with a first-round fall, and at 150, his teammate, Nate Carter, defeated West Bloomfield's Christian Ausi by technical fall (18-2). In arguably the most dramatic win by the Wolves, or of the afternoon entirely, Ayden Mutter managed an escape with just five ticks left on the clock to defeat Novi's Anthony Madafferi by a 9-8 decision.

In the 144 division, Isaac Fandakly beat Lake Orion's Donovin Findlay by fall with 1:10 to go in the opening period.

Brother Rice's Deacon Macneill, who reached the third-place match of last year's Division 2 state finals, beat the top-seeded 157-pounder, Stephan Lezotte of Athens, with a 10-4 decision victory. The Warriors had another finalist in Emmanuel Shango, who reached the 175-pound final as a 5-seed before coming up short against Waterford Kettering's Jamari Powell, who beat him 15-6 by majority decision.

After Welling reached the finals at 138, WL Northern got its titlist in the 190-pound division when James Moore scored a pair of takedowns to help beat Trey Setter by technical fall (17-0).

Rounding out the championship action, South Lyon's RJ Green pinned Adams' Maxim Vostryakov with 1:12 remaining in the first period to win the 215-pound title.

TEAM SCORES: 1. Oxford, 279.5. 2. Clarkston, 258.5. 3. Rochester Adams, 216. 4. Lake Orion, 164. 5. Detroit Catholic Central, 159. 6. Lakeland, 157.5. 7. Brother Rice, 136.5. 8. WL Northern, 129.5. 9. West Bloomfield, 121.5. 10. South Lyon, 120. 11. Troy Athens, 112.5. 12. Holly, 108. 13. Novi, 105.5. 14. Bloomfield Hills, 91. 15. Stoney Creek, 87.5. 16. Rochester, 83. 17. Waterford Kettering, 76. 18. Berkley, 63.5. 19. Notre Dame Prep, 50. 20. Avondale, 49. 21. Ferndale, 48.5. 22. Royal Oak, 45.5. 23. Southfield A&T, 44. T-24. Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Troy, 43.5. 26. Birmingham Seaholm, 43. 27. South Lyon East, 30.5. 28. North Farmington, 29. 29. Waterford Mott, 28.5. 30. Brandon, 26.5. 31. Birmingham Groves, 24. T-32. Pontiac and Royal Oak Shrine, 23.5. 34. Milford, 23. 35. Farmington, 21. 36. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 14.

Senior Da’ron Mason’s huge outing helped lead Bloomfield Hills to a 75-49 win Thursday evening over Berkley.

The Wayne State commit dropped 33 points and Ryan Hunt added 21 to help the Black Hawks improve to 5-0 on the season.

The Bears fall to 1-4 on the season with the road defeat.

More boys basketball

LAKELAND 49, OXFORD 40 >> Junior Chase Carson scored a team-high 14 points and Austin Porcasi added 13 Thursday as the Eagles improved to 4-1 on Senior Night.

MADISON HEIGHTS LAMPHERE 45, BIRMINGHAM SEAHOLM 40 >> Jack Robinson had 11 points, as did Gavin Abbott, who hit the go-ahead 3-pointer that helped the Rams win their fourth in a row and improve to 5-2 on Thursday. The Maples (2-4) have nine days off before their next game at the North Farmington Holiday Extravaganza.

TROY 51, FRASER 31 >> Hayden Oriol scored 15 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter of the Colts’ victory on Thursday. Will De Armit added seven points in the Colts’ win, which gives them a 5-1 record on the year.

Girls basketball

ROCHESTER 49, TROY 25 >> Rochester knocked down seven triples in the first half, including four by Kelly Cook, and the Falcons moved to 3-1 at home Thursday. Stella Marlow added 10 for Rochester, while Olivia Jasniewicz scored a team-high 13 for the Colts (3-1).

Photo gallery of Rochester vs. Troy in an OAA girls hoops crossover

MILFORD 44, LAKE FENTON 32 >> Ashlyn Lutz had three 3-pointers as part of a 30-point night and teammate Cara VanGoethem added six in a Lady Mavs (3-1) home win Thursday.

LAKELAND 50, OXFORD 43 >> Aubrin Miller poured in 28 points and Peyton Baer scored 13 to lead the Eagles (3-2) past the Wildcats (2-2) for a senior night win on Thursday.

ROCHESTER ADAMS 46, ROYAL OAK 29 >> The Highlanders improved to 2-1, while the Ravens, led by 11 points from Allie Hills and four blocks by Lydia Dickens, fell to 1-3 after Thursday's OAA crossover contest.

TROY ATHENS 43, BIRMINGHAM SEAHOLM 26 >> The Red Hawks bounced back from their first loss of the year to Lake Orion by beating the Maples at home on Thursday and improving to 3-1.

BERKLEY 48, WARREN COUSINO 33 >> Freshman forward Niqco Shoulders led with 14 points as the Bears (1-3) collected their first victory on Wednesday.

BRANDON 58, BURTON BENDLE 22 >> Junior Ella Rizzo filled the stat sheet with 21 points, six steals and rebounds each, and a handful of assists in Thursday's win. Sophomore forwarded Maddie Heverly added eight points and 10 boards and Elin Austin swiped it consistently for six steals in the home victory by the Blackhawks (2-2).

WALLED LAKE CENTRAL 49, OAK PARK 37 >> Sophomore Eleanor Heitsch finished with a game-best 17 points as the Vikings (1-3) got their first victory on the season Wednesday night. Naveah Butler, also a sophomore, scored 14 in the Knights' (1-1) road defeat.

Hockey

ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY'S 9, GROSSE POINTE SOUTH 1 >> Emmett Pilch opened up the scoring, then Thaddeus Raynish's team-leading 14th and 15th goals were among the others for the Eaglets (8-2), who beat the Blue Devils at home on Thursday.

ROCHESTER UNITED 5, PORT HURON NORTHERN 2 >> A first-period goal by Connor Cichocki (14th of the season) and a shorthanded one by Ethan Haselhuhn ensured United (10-2) never trailed Thursday night at McMorran Arena.

RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD 8, BROTHER RICE 1 >> Logan Jardine assisted Alex Slapak for the lone goal by the Warriors (3-6) on Thursday.

NOVI 2, LIVONIA 1 >> The Wildcats outshot the Red Stallions 43-11 as Cori Hastoy and Lucas O'Brien each hit for goals in Novi's second win of the season on Wednesday.

WALLED LAKE UNITED 3, LAKES UNITED 1 >> Gavin Grondin gave Lakes (4-5) an early lead, but Brady Martel, Cooper Auten and Brady Frelich all scored in the third to seal the comeback for Walled Lake (5-4) on Wednesday evening.

DEXTER 3, DETROIT COUNTRY DAY 2 >> The Dreadnaughts handed the Yellowjackets (9-1) their first loss of the season on Wednesday in spite of goals by Michael Curis and Henry Hannibal.

TROY UNITED 11, FARMINGTON UNITED 1 >> Following a scoreless opening period on Wednesday, Farmington (4-8) got a goal from Ethan Apostolovski, then Troy (11-2) scored three in the second period to take the lead for good.

ROCHESTER HILLS – The height and length advantage Stoney Creek held over Rochester Adams translated in expected ways when the two rivals met Friday night.

Toss in the benefit the Cougars had of already playing two games compared to the fact that it was the Highlanders’ season debut, and it all helped Stoney leave Adams with a 43-32 road victory in the crossover matchup.

With the win, Stoney has nine in a row over Adams, who last beat the Cougars 43-27 on Jan. 24, 2020 at Oakland University.

It would have been the second game of the year for the Highlanders, but the cancelation of Wednesday’s game with Bloomfield Hills due to the wintery conditions eliminated a chance to get some more reps in before facing one of their city rivals.

“I won’t make any excuses for our unforced turnovers and things like that we could have done better,” Adams first-year head coach Justin Howard said. “But I would have loved to have one game under our belts so we could go to the drawing board before (this). But (Stoney’s a) great team. They’re tall, they rebound, move the ball very well.”

The Cougars, on the other hand, had the fortune of already playing two games this week — both wins — against Walled Lake Northern and Lakeland before this.

“Oh yeah, it helps,” Cougars head coach Columbus Williams said. “We went out and played a tough Northern team, which gave us a gritty win. Then we went to Lakeland and had another gritty win, and it just got us prepared for the moment and got us prepared for when they had that little rush at the end. We didn’t panic. It’s just normal basketball.”

Stoney’s lead grew to as large as 16 points in the fourth, but as Williams referenced, Adams made a late push in the final 2:30 that began with a 3-pointer by senior Nora Camaj, one of just two triples in the entire game by either team.

Two more turnovers forced by Adams led to baskets by junior London Guthrie and senior Nadia Heppner and allowed the Highlanders to get it within nine points on several occasions, but the Cougars never let it get within two possessions in the final minute.

“You gotta love rivalry games,” said Williams, indicating it played a part in the fight Adams showed to make it a game late. “I think when he called a timeout, it got his girls up, especially the seniors. We’ve been blessed to knock them off the last couple years, and I know they wanted to beat us, so they gave us a good little push there.”

The reason for so few 3-pointers? Stoney is happily to utilize its frontcourt advantage (provided by Calista, Izzy and Abby Ivezaj) against most teams, and that length led to four or five shots by Adams that were blocked or altered around the perimeter.

Howard and the Highlanders won’t see too much verticality like that in the OAA Blue this season, but regardless, it provides a good test. “Early in the year, you don’t even want to talk about moral wins, but we did a lot of positive things tonight, especially (against) a team a couple of levels above us … And I think, too, trying to change the system a little bit from last year is tough on a new coach and players that are used to moving a certain way, so I’m trying to add a little bit movement to it. Just a little more practice (needed),” he said.

Senior Faith Zoldos led the Highlanders with eight points, while classmates Raegan Jerrell and Alyssa Stephens added six. Stoney Creek senior Jadelynn Freeman led all scorers with 16, and junior teammate Samantha Fulkerson added nine in the win.

Photo gallery of Rochester Adams vs. Stoney Creek in OAA girls hoops crossover action

"We've just got to keep cleaning up on our guards," Williams said. "We've got a young point guard in Samantha, teaching her the ways. She's the next one up and we've just got to keep working with her, keep getting her to identify the defenses and where we need to go with the basketball, where to go with the hot hand, just kind of get her going."

Stoney finished third in the OAA Red last season, but should contend for the title this year with the teams it finished behind last winter, Clarkston and West Bloomfield.

"Man, it's going to be tough, but I'm excited for it," Williams said. "I think we've got a good group and we'll give it a good battle this year. That's one of our goals, to win the Red."

Adams ended last year 10-11 and right in the middle of the OAA Blue standings. It figures to be a deep, competitive division again.

"I think the expectation is, if I can get the players to run the offense, simplify it a bit, we should be able to compete in the Blue this year," said Howard, who was the program's JV coach previously. "I love what I saw tonight, now we're just going back and fixing one thing at a time."

Howard's Highlanders are back in action Monday at home against Utica. The Cougars get back on the court when they travel to Goodrich next Wednesday.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep was rewarded with five selections on the 2025 Michigan Sports Writers Division 5-6 All-State football team after a second consecutive trip to Ford Field.

Three from the Irish – quarterback Sam Stowe, receiver Drake Roa, and linebacker Brody Sink – were first-team picks, while the duo of offensive lineman Jack Williams and defensive lineman Henry Ewles earned second-team nods. All five are seniors.

ND Prep’s QB1, Stowe threw for 2,761 yards and 41 touchdowns (with only five INTs), also finding the end zone with his legs four times. He’ll graduate as the program’s all-time leader in both career passing yards and TDs.

One of his favored targets, Roa finished the season with 70 catches, good for 975 yards and 16 receiving TDs. Another of them, Sink (who had over 100 receiving yards and a TD reception in the state final), earned plaudits on the defensive side of the ball for having over 100 tackles, as well as two sacks, one forced fumble and a pair of recoveries.

The 6-5, 225-pound Williams was a two-way player along the Irish fronts, as was Ewles, who ended the year with over 70 tackles (including eight in the state final), three sacks, and like Sink, a forced fumble and two recoveries.

In addition to the Irish handful, Hazel Park running back Montrell Parker was a first-team pick by writers.

Parker, a senior for a Vikings team that bowed out in the playoffs to ND Prep, carried the ball 179 times for 1,820 yards – amounting to over a first down per carry – and reached paydirt 23 times.

The Michigan Sports Writers all-state teams — formerly the Associated Press teams — are voted on by a panel of sportswriters from around the state.

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The 2025 Michigan Sportswriters Division 5-6 All-State football team, which was selected by a panel of sports writers from around the state.

DIVISON 5-6

Player of the year: Jacob Timmer, Grand Rapids West Catholic

Coach of the Year: Rob Beaudrie, Newport-Monroe Jefferson

First Team All-State

QB – Sam Stowe, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

QB – Luke Beaudrie, Newport-Monroe Jefferson

RB – Montrell Parker, Hazel Park

RB – Ethan King, Belding

RB – Brody Corneau, Almont

RB – Galvin Albring, Ida

WR – Ezra Rowekamp, Kalamazoo United

WR – Drake Roa, Pontiac Notre Dame

WR – Jamison Pelt, Saginaw Swan Valley

WR – Evan Szalay, Flat Rock

OL – Sullivan Garvin, Allegan

OL – Matt Mazur, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard

OL – Garrett Russell, Traverse City St. Francis

OL – Antwon Baker, Jackson Lumen Christi

OL – Luke Purvis, Frankenmuth

DL – Kenneth McClinton, Detroit Denby

DL – Andre Meade, Kent City

DL – M.J. Dailey, Montrose

DL – Corde Anderson, Whitehall

DL – Logan Evans, Richmond

DL – Calvin Marshall, Ogemaw Heights

LB – Cohen Ferqueron, Almont

LB – Jael Djouguem, Grand Rapids West Catholic

LB – Brody Sink, Pontiac Notre Dame

LB – Brayden Sweeney, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

LB – Sean Walicki, Jackson Lumen Christi

DB – Corie Kanitz, Ogemaw Heights

DB – Matthew Bacholzky, Almont

DB – Hunter Wilkinson, Kalkaska

DB – Kam Reynolds, Saginaw Swan Valley

ATH – Cash Tedford, Frankenmuth

ATH – Keegan McCue, Kalamazoo United

K – Landon Smith, Grand Rapids West Catholic

Second Team All-State

QB – Hadyn Hinkle, Michigan Center

QB – Grady Augustyn, Grand Rapids West Catholic

QB – Lleyton Hoard, Frankenmuth

RB – Kyle Greiner, Hart

RB – Jackson Malburg, Armada

WR – Austin Schwartz, Grayling

WR – Brennan Forward, Michigan Center

WR – James Milanovich, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard

WR – JJ Hollister, Richmond

OL – Zack Williams, Pontiac Notre Dame

OL – Braxton O’Bryant, Ovid-Elsie

DL – Chris Fox, Michigan Center

DL – Henry Ewles, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

DL – Cash Cooper, Jackson Lumen Christi

LB – Colton Goethals, Kingsley

LB – Elon Jones, Ogemaw Heights

DB – Razach Spillers, Flint Elite

Honorable Mention All-State

QB – Jackson Herder, Kalamazoo United

RB – Paul Sattler, Jackson Lumen Christi; Collin Abram, Grand Rapids West Catholic; Gavin Lewis, Kingsley; Ca’Mari Reese, Muskegon Orchard View; Kamall Hillard, Grand Rapids Catholic Central; Jack Deitsch, Reed City; Michael Reid, Detroit Central.

OL – Trevor Rawson, Kent City; Ethan Hock, Ogemaw Heights

LB – Isaac Fair, Whitmore Lake; Preston Six, Oakridge; Luke Joslyn, Caro

ATH – Griffin O’Neal, Montrose; Evan DellAngelo, Negaunee

Madison’s Nehemiah Patman, WOLL’s Jack Miller voted to D7-8 squad by Michigan Sports Writers

If you’re a fan of rivalries and parity in boys hoops, this year’s OAA White Division is the place.

It’s a league that looks a bit different than last winter, with Lake Orion and Oxford as the only holdovers. But partially by way of the fact that it includes two fewer teams this season, it figures to be quite the wide-open race for the crown.

That should leave at least a few programs believing it can be kings, including Rochester.

It’s a challenge the Falcons appear well-suited for judging by their 3-0 start. That includes a win each over a MAC Gold (St. Clair Shores Lakeview), White (Utica) and Red (Chippewa Valley) team. All of those victories have come by at least 20 points, so early results, including the most recent one, a 66-46 triumph over the Big Reds last Saturday, have been promising.

While Rochester’s first half against Chippewa Valley may have been more ho-hum, a 30-point third quarter was convincing evidence of what the Falcons can do in an eight-minute span.

The Falcons earned their seat at the table by going 13-1 in the Blue Division (the only defeat a 53-29 loss to runner-up Pontiac) to earn themselves promotion, though a portion of the foundation was laid even before that.

“I mean, it started a few years back,” Rochester head coach Nick Evola said. “A lot of these guys are three-year varsity guys, and they took their lumps early, but they’ve always competed, you know? They were a little young a few years ago, but all of that has prepped them. They have a relentless work ethic and they come out here and they love each other. They’re a tight-knit group and they play for each other. No one cares who’s got the most points.”

The eye test seems to support Evola’s claim that his squad has great balance on offense. Senior Logan Pleasant, one of those experienced returners, provided outside shooting in the Utica win, but even when Rochester’s deep ball wasn’t the bread and butter in the most recent win, the length of its forwards and the will to drive and draw fouls presented the opposition problems.

“We have multiple guys that can do multiple things — inside-out, mid-range — so it makes it tough (defending us) because everyone’s contributing and you can’t just focus on one guy,” Evola said.

One component of the frontcourt and another of the veteran bunch, senior Anthony Chirco, scored 21 points against Chippewa Valley. He’s continued to improve as both a scorer and rebounder, and he echoed Evola’s comments on the cohesiveness of the side, saying, “This class is great. We’ve been playing together for a long time and I just think it shows and helps with our chemistry a lot.”

Some of the selflessness might even be considered hereditary. Junior Nate Tandy is one of two new starters along with sophomore Ben Bissett — Luke Lower, another senior and the team’s other returner in the starting five, scored 10 on the Big Reds — a year after Tandy’s brother, Jake, was a contributor for last year’s league champs.

Nate, who equaled Chirco’s 21 points against Chippewa Valley thanks in part to nine trips to the free-throw line, only played JV as a sophomore, but Evola and the coaching staff got him part-time reps practicing then with varsity, and it seems to have, along with some driveway battles over the years with his older brother, paid dividends.

“It’s a big leap,” Tandy said. “(Being mixed in last year), it helped mentally I would say just seeing what the varsity atmosphere is like. The first two games (this season), I was getting comfortable, and then I feel like (against Chippewa Valley) was my coming out game.”

Part of the intrigue of this year’s White Division is not just the perceived equality, or the introduction of OAA newcomer Waterford Mott (2-0, 1-0), but the fact that all three Rochester schools are paired together, which makes for rivalry battles where the stakes are increased.

“Obviously, last year, there may not have been many expectations for us coming off an eight-win season, but we knew what we were capable of and we got better,” Evola said. “But I’ve told them, not only are we now in a tougher league, we’re not under the radar. People know we’re going to come to work, and we’re going to take every team’s best shots. The league’s really tough, and it’s wide-open … and I think what’s cool about the league as well, it’s not just our rival schools, but it’s Lake Orion and Oxford, so everything’s kind of close proximity. It builds more rivalry, more cross-town travel, and I think it’s exciting.”

The feeling is shared by at least one of those rivals.

“We split with (Rochester and Stoney) last year, so certainly talent-wise, we’re right there,” Adams head coach Isaiah Novak said after his own team’s game at Saturday’s MAC/OAA Showcase hosted by Rochester. “Both teams are very well-coached, even with a new coach (Stoney’s Marko Tomich) coming in, I think he’s going to do a great job. It’s great too as far as fan engagement. I think all three schools struggle at times getting students to basketball games, but anytime we play against a Rochester school, we get a packed house, so I think it’s gonna be fun for everybody involved.”

That trio, including the Falcons, will have some time to continue and improve before those battles take place. The first of them, which sees the Cougars travel to Rochester, isn’t until Jan. 9.

ROCHESTER HILLS – The banked 3-pointer by Rochester Adams senior Josiah Fazecas to close the first quarter of Saturday’s MAC/OAA Showcase game against Dakota had teammates in a frenzy and the Highlanders feeling good.

Dakota head coach Paul Tocco, whose team trailed 13-6 at that point, wasn’t quite as enthused about those opening eight minutes.

“I thought we came out lethargic and a little lazy in the first quarter,” Tocco said. “Credit to Adams, who played really hard. They moved the ball well, played disciplined basketball. We didn’t come out with our normal enthusiasm.”

The tables turned swiftly as the Cougars outscored Adams 17-2 in the second quarter, the catalyst for their 60-53 win over the Highlanders at Rochester High School.

Simply put, Tocco said his team “played Dakota basketball” in that second stanza.

Highlanders junior Cannon Flynn scored his team’s only points early in that second quarter, but he collected his third foul that subjected him to the bench for the final four minutes before halftime.

“They got up and pressured us and we couldn’t get into any of our sets, our actions,” Highlanders head coach Isaiah Novak said. “We really rely on attacking closeouts, getting into space and knocking down shots, and we had a really tough time creating advantageous situations for ourselves. Then when we did and got the open shot, they just weren’t falling for us tonight. I think we probably missed five layups in the first half. And it was hard to get those layups, right? So we just didn’t take advantage of the options we did have.”

Novak was reluctant to place too much blame on the foul trouble of his standout player and lone returning starter for his team’s struggles, though it was clear what impact he had when he was on the floor. Flynn scored 13 of his game-high 15 points in the second half of the loss.

“A lot of what we do goes through (Cannon), but in some ways, these early season challenges are a good thing,” Novak said. “There’s gonna be times throughout the season where he’s in foul trouble or something else happens and he’s got to be on the bench. Although they’re difficult when you reflect on one game, I think in the overall season, things like that can be challenges that can be good for us in the long run.”

Photos of Dakota vs. Rochester Adams in boys basketball action at the MAC/OAA Showcase

While that disparity in the second quarter didn't put the game away for the Cougars, they continued to utilize a balanced offensive effort in the third when they outscored Adams 21-13 to effectively put the game to bed.

"I've got nine seniors, and I've never coached (that many seniors) before," Tocco said. Five (start) and any one of them can play on the floor at a time. I have really good underclassmen as well, so we've got a really deep team."

One of those seniors, Tovin Williams, led Dakota with 13 points, while classmates Brayden Lee and Benji Jackson added 11 and nine, respectively. Seniors Daniel Terski and Zeke Wilson each finished with 10 for Adams.

The Cougars (2-1) also won at this event last year, beating Lake Orion as part of an 8-1 start. They finished the year just 14-10, though Tocco attributes that just as much to a difficult set of league opponents as anything. "If you look at the Red, you're looking at Warren Lincoln, back-to-back state titles. Grosse Pointe South, a very well-coached team, a lot of good pieces. Chippewa's athletic, Roseville are a really good team this year, and Port Huron Northern, they beat us last year (in districts), it was tough to beat them. So it's a tough MAC Red, and coming back (this year) it's even tougher, so we've got to get ready for that play, and that's what we're doing playing in tournaments and and against good teams like Adams right now."

As to what the Cougars can do to improve upon last year's 3-7 league mark and how they're better this go-around, he added, "We're better defensively this year in our half-court defense. We have five guys that are locked in like we were in that second quarter. And we probably want to start and finish quarters a little better, or start and finish games better. I won't say I'm not happy to win, but we didn't start well and didn't finish well (tonight)."

Novak didn't want to use the fact that his team was coming off a game against Clarkston (a 68-44 loss) on Friday night, though said it could have played into some tired legs for the Highlanders (1-1). "It's possible, but we know the challenges that come with scheduling the way we do," he said. "You're playing Clarkston and Dakota, those are two of the best teams in Macomb and Oakland County, and playing back-to-back makes it even more difficult, but I think it's an opportunity for our kids to come out and know where we're at compared to the best. It exposed our weaknesses early, and now we can identify them and work on them, hopefully correct al ot of those things before we get into the league."

Adams continues with another non-league game on Tuesday at home against Birmingham Seaholm. The Cougars resume play on Wednesday with a MAC Crossover at Utica Ford.

Dakota trailed after the opening quarter, then jumped out to a big lead by halftime and went on to beat Rochester Adams 60-53 in the MAC/OAA Showcase on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 at Rochester High School.

When Pontiac Notre Dame Prep senior quarterback Sam Stowe’s injury prevented him from finishing last weekend’s D5 state championship, it gave those unfamiliar with the Irish a chance to see one of the other cannons at the team’s disposal.

Fellow senior Drake Roa, one of Stowe’s most-preferred targets this season, let it rip for another, classmate Brody Sink, for a 60-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the fourth quarter of the 42-14 loss to Grand Rapids West Catholic.

It’s not the first time the pair have played pass and catch this year, either. The Irish opted for some trickery in the first quarter of their Week 3 loss against Gibraltar Carlson and Roa found Sink on a crossing route for a 35-yard gain.

Baseball knowers are aware of the arm that Roa has. Earlier in the fall, he committed as a shortstop to Michigan.

But Irish head coach Pat Fox has had the scouting report long before most, and indicated that at one point, it looked like it would be Roa, not Stowe, who would lead offensive coordinator Jason Whalen’s unit.

“Initially when (Drake) and Sam came in, we thought Sam was going to be a tight end and Drake was gonna quarterback,” Fox said.

“After about two weeks, we figured out that’s probably not how it’s gonna roll.”

It worked out pretty well for both. Stowe led the Irish to the state title in his first year as starter in 2024, completing over 71% of his passes for 2,751 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns (to go with seven rushing TDs).

This season, Stowe tossed over 40 TDs, with Roa hauling in 16 scores as he also accounted for nearly 1,000 of Stowe’s passing yards.

The injury suffered late in the first half at Ford Field marked an unfortunate ending to a brilliant two-year run for Stowe.

“Sam’s a tremendous quarterback, so fantastic of a young man,” Fox said. “It was hard to see him get hurt. He wanted to come back in and he couldn’t. We couldn’t let him come back in. We didn’t want to put him at risk, and he’s going to be shooting 3-balls in two weeks playing basketball.”

West Catholic head coach Landon Grove was very complimentary of Notre Dame Prep’s QB1, too, saying, “I don’t know how Sam Stowe doesn’t have a scholarship somewhere. He’s one of the better quarterbacks we’d seen on film. He’s a fantastic player and it was a testament to our defense (how we) defended him.”

Fox was choked up once or twice when elaborating on the legacy that this year’s senior team has left considering how far he’s watched them come, or perhaps more appropriately, watched them grow.

“I remember Sam whipping off his sweater and dancing at the Christmas concert and his sister tackling him trying to get it back on him when he was four years old,” Fox said. “I’ve known Brody since he was in fifth grade. Anthony Tartaglia, Ben Liparoto, Jack Williams, and Logan Tuttle, I’ve known all of them since they were little boys, little teeny kids.”

Fox has boasted about being one of Oakland County’s winningest programs over the past seven years, and the senior class specifically helped ND Prep compile a 39-9 record over the last four seasons, including that coveted title win last year over Frankenmuth, who Fox admitted he was glad not to face again in the final.

“My sophomore season, we had a great team,” Sink said following the championship loss. “We had a great quarterback, some great players, and we ended up losing to a really good Corunna team. But I knew. Because we have a strong senior class, I didn’t hang my head. I knew we’d come back the next year. We had a great senior class last year, and at the beginning of last year we started rolling, and I was like, ‘This is going to be something special the next two seasons.’ We stayed the course and it was a very special past two years.”

Asked whether the next generation of Irish who witnessed this group accomplish all it did might be more inclined to dream big, Fox responded, “You would hope they do. But every group is different. Every challenge is great. We have great kids.”

Replacing the current bunch becomes Fox’s next task, but one he knows won’t come easy.

“We’ve got five juniors,” Fox said. “We’ve got work to do.”

Trailing Grosse Pointe South by four points, Farmington Hills Mercy edged out the Blue Devils in the last event of Saturday’s D2 girls swimming and diving state finals in Ypsilanti to be crowned champs for the third year in a row.

The foursome of Avery Tack, Campbell Shore, Lyla Collins and Ella Hafner — none of which are graduating following this season — slipped past GP South by a little over a second with a time of 3:26.05 in the 400-meter relay. That gave Mercy 337 points to South’s 335.

It secured the sixth title under head coach Michael Venos, including the second three-peat. The Marlins’ previously won a handful of titles in a row (2007-10 in D2, 2011 in D1) under former coach Shannon Dunworth. The win also marked Mercy’s 14th championship overall.

The schools from Birmingham came in just behind the Mercy-GP South tandem. Seaholm came third place with 260.5 points, followed by Groves with 155.5. Berkley took eighth with 96 and South Lyon East came in ninth with 94 to round out the top-10.

Beyond that, Royal Oak finished 11th (74 points), Rochester Adams ended 12th (69), South Lyon was 15th (47), Walled Lake Northern finished 17th (27), North Farmington took 23rd (19) and Holly finished 26th (13).

GP South beat out Seaholm (Leah Isaksen, Payton Garn, Layla Stephens, Madailein Howard; 1:46.96) and Groves to win the 200 medley relay and jump out in front to start the day at Eastern Michigan. In the 200 free relay, the Blue Devils won again, just barely defeating Mercy’s same quartet by 31-hundredths of a second.

Elsewhere, the Marlins made headway when Hafner (1:47.53) came runner-up in the 200 free to Adrienne Schadler (1:46.85) of Ann Arbor Skyline as both surpassed the former D2 record held by Marian’s Mollie Pulte. Tack, who took second in the 200 IM as a sophomore, won it this time around with a time of 2:04.64.

Hafner set a new D2 record in the 500 free with her prelim time of 4:49.74, but a mark of 4:49.90 in the finals was only good for second as Schadler raised the bar with a winning time of 4:48.50.

West Bloomfield’s Eichbrecht wraps career in record-breaking fashion at D1 swim and dive finals

South Lyon senior Emma Klotz was just two-hundredths away from winning the 50 free event a year after Whitney Handworth of GP South, who again took first, beat Klotz out by three-hundredths. However, Klotz got her revenge in the 100 free, banking the Lions 20 points with her time of 50.70 that beat out runner-up Handwork (50.92).

Seaholm's Isaksen was just the winner of the consolation final in the 100 backstroke last fall as a sophomore, but showed off her improvement and came second this year by finishing with in 56.83. Her teammate, freshman Payton Garn, shared the spoils with Groves' Livvy Kamp as both split first-place honors in the 100 breaststroke with their finals times of 1:02.76.

Additionally, Rochester Adams junior Morgan Rea scored 431.75 points to handily win the diving competition.

Berkley senior Tessa Moleski was the victor in both the 50 and 100-yard paralympic freestyle.

Division 3 at Holland Aquatic Center

Bloomfield Hills Marian finished runner-up for the second year in a row, ending Saturday's finals with 228 points compared to the 373 scored by winner East Grand Rapids.

Cranbrook-Kingswood, who took second in 2023, finished sixth place this year with 134 points, and Country Day was seventh with 116. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep ended 24th place with 16 points, and Bishop Foley came 30th with six points -- five of those earned by sophomore Avery Wood in the 100 breaststroke.

EGR won all three relays. The Pioneers set a new D3 record of 1:44.65 in the 200 medley, which saw the Yellowjackets (Quinn Norlander, Jill Heller, Allie Schwartz, Lauren Clark) end just behind them in a time of 1:48.55. Marian (Cece Grace, Lila Soloman, Peyton Rehbine, Catherine Howe) was runner-up to EGR in the 200 free relay. The Mustangs finished that one ahead of Country Day (1:39.33) with a mark of 1:37.43.

Country Day's Norlander, a third-place finisher in two individual events as a sophomore last season, ended only behind Wayland's Laney Wolf as she came second in the 100 freestyle in a time of 51.32. Additionally, Norlander shaved almost three seconds off her finals time from 2024 in the 100 backstroke. Her second-place mark of 54.77 was only second-best to Camryn Siegers, who set a new D3 record (53.37).

In the 500 free, Marian junior Stella Glorio (5:10.58) only trailed repeat winner Ella Dziobak of Divine Child as no one came close to her finish of 4:56.20. The Mustangs also scored 16 points with Soloman's third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.06).

All of the Irish's points derived from freshman Anna Caudill's third-place finish in diving (369 points).

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — In nearly every set of Tuesday night’s D1 regional semifinal, Birmingham Groves built an early lead of at least four points over St. Clair Shores Lakeview.

Twice the Huskies tied those sets, and though they controlled another from start to finish, it proved to not be enough as the Falcons emerged victorious in four sets, winning by scores of 25-22, 25-23, 17-25, 25-17.

Tuesday’s second semifinal at Marian High School between the two young teams began with the Falcons jumping out to a 10-4 start, yet eventually Lakeview vanquished the deficit and led at 17-16.

With Groves up 22-21, sophomore Kamryn Bambrough and Olivia Michalak provided points to leave the Falcons one away, and though a tip by sophomore Lauren Boatman provided the Huskies hope, Groves didn’t let it slip.

Again, the Falcons established a 9-3 advantage in the next set, but Lakeview was pesky as ever to get it even at 16-all. When Groves followed that up with three unanswered, Lakeview answered with five of the next six. Still even at 23-23, senior libero Margaux Nollet stepped up to push one over, then a tandem effort at the net for the winning point put Groves up two sets.

Asked bout the team’s propensity to come out of the gate on a roll in sets, Groves assistant coach Ashley Dixon responded, “Our girls have been working hard all season to make that who they want to be. In that third set, we kind of fall short sometime, but I think we’ve been proving time and time again that that’s not us.”

The exception to the Falcons’ early rule came with Lakeview on the brink of elimination. This time, the Huskies (15-21-1) got off to a 10-5 start, and as Groves labored through some attacking errors, Lakeview’s lead remained steady around six or seven points throughout as senior CeCe Decker set up Boatman and classmate Emma Mulrenin on back-to-back kills to win the third set.

“I think it’s somewhat (to do) with the perception we started the year with ourselves,” Lakeview head coach Kevin Nugent said of his side’s ability to battle back after falling behind. “Being a strong team and figuring out as the match goes along that we can do a lot of things that we’re prepared to do and just sticking with the process. I think that’s probably the difference in a lot of these games. We’ve just had those slow starts, and then you work a lot to get back in it, and you kind of get spent. And then you need every point at that point, and it gets exhausting trying to win points, especially against a team that has good hitters that can put the ball away.”

Photos of Birmingham Groves vs. St. Clair Shores Lakeview in a D1 volleyball regional semifinal

As Nugent alluded to, that effort seemed to finally take its toll by the time the Huskies battled back from Groves' third early lead. Ahead just 7-6, the Falcons went on a 7-1 run and gradually mounted a cushion of double-digits.

Still, Lakeview made the Falcons breathe a sigh of relief after staving off the match point seven consecutive times before Groves could finish the job.

On laboring to get that decisive point, Nollet, one of just four seniors for the Falcons, said, "(It was) just trying to stay confident. Don't be afraid. We were up by a lot, so I wasn't too afraid. It would have been nice to get it done quicker, but we stayed as a team and finished it strong, so it was OK ... I think our energy definitely up (as much in the third), and we had troubles with communication, but we cleaned it up pretty quickly."

As with Groves, Lakeview relied on few (three) seniors this season, so its future remains bright despite what it will miss from Decker, Mulrenin and Bethann Dostine.

"We return a lot of young kids," Nugent said. "Our seniors were incredible this year. They really set a great example, so I think the team coming back next year has a much better understanding of what's required to be successful. I owe that debt of gratitude to them and their sacrifices. So I really look forward to next year, but gonna miss the seniors, because they were really valuable to the culture, the team, everything."

Groves' next task on Thursday is formidable in No. 2 Bloomfield Hills, who beat Grosse Pointe South in the evening's first semifinal. But in the moment, the focus for the Falcons was on going as far as anyone in the building from the program could recall. They were last district champs in back-to-back years in 2013-14.

"I've been with Groves for four years, and we've always kind of lost earlier during districts, so it means a lot to be able to push into regionals, especially since we haven't done it for volleyball in a long time," Nollet said.

With so much returning, she speculated like it could be the first leg of another back-to-back, adding, "Honestly, the underclassmen are really, really strong, and it just makes me excited for what Groves has to come. I'm excited for them next year to kind of build on this momentum."

CLARKSTON — When Clarkston was forced to settle for a 42-yard field goal from Aidan O’Neill in the last 10 seconds of the first half, it seemed consequential considering Grand Blanc’s offense was also thriving up to that point.

That turned out to not be the case.

The Wolves’ offense continued to feed many mouths Friday night, which ended in hoisting a D1 district championship following their 44-22 win over the No. 4 Bobcats.

It’s a stark contrast to the Wolves’ 41-0 loss in the district final last year to Rochester Adams, who then beat the Bobcats 21-14 in regionals.

“Last season was tough, and we had a horrible game (against Adams), not gonna lie,” Wolves senior Griffin Boman said. “But this just shows where we can be and we’re gonna try to make it to Ford Field.”

Though Boman and his brother, Lukas, tend to get plenty of due praise for their offensive accomplishments, the spotlight was big enough for many others in Friday’s triumph, which never saw the sixth-ranked Wolves punt.

Signs of a shootout began when Clarkston junior quarterback Alex Waszczenko spun out of a tackle and dove across the pylon on a 17-yard touchdown run with 8:49 on the clock in the opening quarter. Within the next 1:50, a tipped pass from Grand Blanc senior quarterback Jake Morrow fell into the hands of Angelo Chapman for a 60-yard gain, then Jeremiah Coleman’s 24-yard completion down the left sideline tied the game, 7-7.

The Wolves quickly chunked down the field in response, and Waszczenko, who had three receivers lined up right, opted to go over the middle to Hank Hornung. It resulted in a 27-yard touchdown, the first of a few significant plays by Clarkston’s senior receiver.

Morrow, who threw for over 300 yards in the loss, orchestrated the Bobcats down the field on their next drive, but Griffin Boman got his hands on a fumble recovery when Grand Blanc was approaching the end zone and ran it back roughly half the length of the field to the Bobcats’ 27-yard line. Clarkston handed the ball to Griffin on fourth-and-2 for a 4-yard gain, and several plays later he turned a 12-yard run around the left edge, making it 20-7 with 8:01 to go in the second quarter after Grand Blanc blocked the extra point.

Aided by a 41-yard completion to Micah Kemp and a roughing the passer penalty against the Wolves, Morrow finished off Grand Blanc’s next possession with a 1-yard keeper that cut the lead back to one score with 3:41 remaining in the first half, which preceded Clarkston’s drive that resulted in the field goal that made it 23-14.

After halftime, a sack by Gabe Mansour and a penalty against the Bobcats on their drive to start meant their punt only pushed Clarkston back to start at the Bobcats’ 42-yard line. Griffin Boman converted on fourth-and-2 from the 34 for a 12-yard gain, and on the next play Waszczenko went untouched on a run into the end zone that made it 30-14 less than five minutes into the third.

“I see what I can on the field,” said Waszczenko when asked how much of his rushing production was by design. “When we’ve got reads, I take what I can and I can use my legs. It helps our offense a little bit, having us three in the backfield, me and (the Bomans).”

Despite a sack by Hunter Kauth early in the corresponding drive by Grand Blanc, Morrow ended up throwing a 28-yard TD pass to Kemp, and then connected on a crossing route with an open Caseton Sendry for the 2-point conversion that made it 30-22 with 2:40 left in the penultimate quarter.

It only stayed a one-score contest for 19 seconds, however, as Hornung took an end-around 70 yards to the house.

“Honestly, it was great,” Hornung said. “I got great blocks. Without Cam (Love) and that block (from him), I wouldn’t have been able to get down there.”

Photos of No. 6 Clarkston vs. No. 4 Grand Blanc in a D1 district football championship

The Bobcats looked as if they might bite back yet again when their first play of the next drive resulted in a 44-yard catch by Kemp to continue his big night, but after a 14-yard catch by Daylin Taylor that got it to the Wolves' 3-yard line, Clarkston's defense stiffened. Kauth broke up a pass intended for Kemp, then Love was in on coverage on the fourth-down attempt in the corner of the end zone for Sendry, handing the ball back to Clarkston just 13 seconds into the fourth.

Clarkston then effectively put the game to bed with a 74-yard completion on third-and-6 to Hornung and a 3-yard rushing TD by Griffin Boman the next play for the game's final score with 7:25 remaining.

In desperation mode but also in Wolves' territory, Morrow went deep on third-and-15, but Love picked it off and ran it back roughly 30 yards with 5:36 left in the game. Clarkston got all the way down inside the 10-yard line and likely could've tacked on another TD, but instead knelt the rest of the time away, the only possession in which the Wolves didn't score on all night.

"(A shootout) was definitely a possibility, especially the way that the game started," Clarkston head coach Justin Pintar said. "I just thought the offense did a great job. The offensive line gave our guys opportunities to run the  ball, and when our playmakers got the ball in space they showed what they could do. I thought Alex played an outstanding game running and throwing the ball. He showed what he's capable of doing. Our offense started the season really well -- maybe had a little bit of a lull in the middle -- but I think we've played great football on that side of the ball the last couple months."

Previously unbeaten Grand Blanc finishes the season with a record now identical to the Wolves (10-1), who remain in their own backyard for next week's regional game against No. 2 Detroit Catholic Central. The Shamrocks beat Hartland 45-7 in their district final.

Grand Blanc’s offense was formidable, but Clarkston’s was even better in the Wolves’ 44-22 district title win Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Clarkston.

MACOMB — Despite winning a combined 77 matches the past two years, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep hadn’t added to its cabinet of postseason trophies since reaching a regional final in 2022.

For a long stretch, playoff silverware felt like a given for the program considering the fact that, amongst the three state titles the Irish won in 2013, 2017 and 2021, they were district champs in all six seasons in-between.

Since nearly all of Notre Dame Prep’s seniors weren’t yet on varsity when they were freshmen, failure this week meant they could be the first class in several decades to graduate without the experience of lifting a trophy in the playoffs.

The Fighting Irish and their seniors avoided such a fate Thursday night at Lutheran North, where they defeated the host Mustangs 25-17, 22-25, 25-20, 25-11 for a D2 district title.

“We talk all the time about the legacy that was built before us and how every game we show up to play for them and the people who built this program, and I think that’s what we did tonight,” said Notre Dame Prep’s Ellie Whalen, one of the team’s five seniors, but the only one other than Samantha Broutin who was playing varsity during that regional run in 2022.

Irish classmate Grace Hannan added, “I think we started off the season rocky, and knew from the start we really had to build this program and that we were playing for our legacy. We came, we showed up and I think we all played for the team and really played our hearts out.”

When the Irish (31-14-2) won the first set by eight and were leading by four over midway into the second, it seemed as if the Mustangs have their night and season swept away on their own floor. Instead, Lutheran North evened the game at 21-11, then won four of the next five points as a hit by an Irish player sailed too far on the last one, evening the score at a set each.

“We just played better,” Mustangs head coach Paul Drdul said. “We had better offense going and made less mistakes, put more pressure on them, put it all together there. The third game was better, then obviously the wheels fell of a little bit.”

While Notre Dame Prep didn’t quite dominate the third game the way it did the last, the visitors were still in the driver’s seat throughout and led it at one point by eight (22-14). Lutheran North halved that advantage before senior Erin Eby lobbed a ball for junior hitter Nicole McDowell to smack down, winning the third set to open the floodgates.

Notre Dame Prep’s players experienced the same heartbreak as the Mustangs when eventual state champs Country Day beat the Irish on their own floor in the district final last fall.

“The past two years in districts, we’ve played some of the best teams in the state, and to be on the other side of it sucks,” Whalen said. “You kind of feel numb at that point, like, ‘How did I get here?’ I think (Lutheran North) did amazing. They played their hearts out, you could tell.”

“The seniors really just had to show down,” Hannan said. “We knew that this could have been our last game, but we had to show the underclassmen that this is worth fighting for and just bring the energy, help the underclassmen and hold them up, show them what leadership is.”

Photos of Macomb Lutheran North vs. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep in D2 volleyball district championship action

Irish head coach Betty Wroubel heaped praise on her seniors and tabbed it the best performance of the year for several. "It was when we needed it the most," she said. "I didn't know that we could stop their middles. Now, they got their fair share, but we stopped a few of them and it gave us a little bit of momentum.

"I thought we served extremely well. We didn't serve-receive so well. And our freshmen had freshmen moments, but they settled in, thank God, and we came out with it. It's nice to add a number to our record boards."

Wroubel estimated she watched 50 hours of film in preparation for Thursday's final. "I was talking to our assistants on the way over and (told them) I haven't scouted or looked ahead (to regionals) because this game, I knew it was going to be a war ... We haven't gotten over that district (hump) in a few years, so I had to give my kids everything I could give 'em."

The Mustangs (25-11) had won eight of their last nine, a good sign going forward for a team that graduates just four seniors (Gisela Hanna, Grace Tobey, Lillie Meier, Kate Neumeyer).

"We were super young last year (when we) lost four seniors, and we're a little bit older and have everybody coming back except the four seniors, so it's one of those things where we just keep growing," Drdul said. "This is our second time being in the district finals, so hopefully next year, the third time will be the charm."

ND Prep will play either North Branch or Imlay City in regionals at Yale High School on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep defeated host Macomb Lutheran North in four sets to win a D2 district title Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.