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.

ROYAL OAK – The Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks got eight goals from as many different players and routed Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 8-0 Thursday night.

The score stayed close for most of the first two periods. The Shamrocks led just 3-0 with three minutes to play in the second period. But then a couple of deflections 20 seconds apart made it a 5-0 game and things started to unravel on the Warriors.

Catholic Central dominated the game from start to finish. Its forecheck and depth were relentless; and while Brother Rice had flashes of offense, the game was largely played in the Warriors’ defensive end.

“I was very pleased. I like the way we played. I like the plays we made,” Shamrocks head coach Brandon Kaleniecki said. “I thought we were very hungry on the puck. The forecheck was really crucial in terms of taking away time and space and giving us opportunity to play in the offensive zone, which is where we want to be. Every team wants to be in the offensive. The game is a lot of fun when you can do that,” he added.

Still, goalie Drake England kept Brother Rice hanging around on the scoreboard most of the night. England turned in an outstanding performance, stopping 54 shots, including 40 of the first 43 shots he saw. But eventually, the Shamrocks just had too many shots from point-blank range and pucks started finding the net late in the second period, a trend that continued after the last intermission.

“He (England) played really, really well. I thought we were hanging in there pretty good in the second period and then they got a couple bounces, one deflection out in front and then one from behind the net, and that sort of broke us there I think, because it started going downhill at that point,” Warriors head coach Kenny Chaput said.

Photo gallery of No. 2 Detroit Catholic Central vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in MIHL North hockey action

Sean Goff, Nicholas McQuaid, Luke Perdue, Myles Schlack, Elian Szerlip, Lucas Szmagaj, Dominic Testani, and Gabe Thompson all scored for Catholic Central, while Ryan Dye and Jackson Leiter each had two assists.

“That’s the story of our team,” Kaleniecki said. “It’s good to see you have goals coming from all different angles, all different guys, all four lines. With our team this year, we kind of have to be that way; and I think that makes us the type of team that we can be successful with,” he added.

As displayed by Thursday's performance, the goalscoring has been well-distributed this season for Kaleniecki's side. No one has hit double-digits yet, though Szmagaj and Thompson are now one away. Dye leads the team in both assists (18) and points (25), while Goff and Sam Masek have 11 and 12 assists, respectively.

Maxxon Sulla, who has split time between the posts this season with Nicholas Kogut, earned the shutout against the Warriors.

Detroit Catholic Central improves to 15-1-1 as it chases yet another state title. The Shamrocks have been a bit less dominant in the regular season than in the last two years, but Catholic Central are still ranked second in the state and should be among the favorites to add another trophy to the case when the state playoffs finish in Plymouth this March.

“Obviously, the record is what it is. We try not to dwell on it when it’s going well or when it’s not. Whether we’ve got a couple more losses or not in our pocket before the end of this year, it’s really about just getting to the point where we really like the team that we are and what we’re capable of when it comes time to play in the playoffs,” Kaleniecki said.

Meanwhile, the Shamrocks still have work to do to claim another league title, leading the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League North Division by just one game over Cranbrook. Detroit Catholic Central is 6-0 in league play and hosts Clarkston in a non-league match up this Saturday before traveling to Trenton next Wednesday for their next MIHL game.

Brother Rice is 4-15. The Warriors will face Orchard Lake St. Mary’s next Wednesday.

CLARKSTON – The Clarkston Everest Collegiate Mountaineers dropped a Catholic High School League crossover matchup to the Jackson Lumen Christi Titans, 56-45, at home Saturday afternoon.

The Mountaineers hung tough early, but a 10-0 run that bridged the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter put the Titans up 21-14, and Everest never led again.

Everest put up a fight to the end, finishing the game on a 7-0 run of its own and outscoring the Titans in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late for the hosts. They came into the game shorthanded, having only seven players available in their first game returning from the holiday break.

Nolan Alban and Dominic Walker each scored 13 points to lead Everest, while Sean Felix had nine points and seven rebounds. Additionally, Benjamin Sasak contributed seven points and six rebounds.

But the Mountaineers never really got an offensive rhythm in this one, and they also had rebounding trouble. The Titans piled up a 33-25 edge on the glass and were particularly effective on the offense boards in the middle two periods when they build their lead.

“That will be a big focus moving forward, just doing a better job on the glass rebounding,” Everest head coach Richie Cross said.

The Mountaineers also had no answer for Jonathan Morgan, who poured in 28 points for Lumen Christi.

After a 24-2 campaign last year that saw the Mountaineers reach a regional final (they lost to eventual D4 semifinalist Allen Park Inter-City Baptist), the Mountaineers are off to another solid start, sitting at 5-3 overall and 2-1 in the CHSL Intersectional 1 Division despite returning only three players who saw significant minutes last year.

“We have one starter from that team and basically two other guys who played a lot of minutes for us,” Cross said. “We’re really fortunate to have a lot of guys that are committed three-sport athletes. I think that really helps on the competitive side, and it really pays off for us,” he added.

Photos of Clarkston Everest Collegiate vs. Jackson Lumen Christi in a CHSL boys hoops crossover

That has not stopped the Mountaineers from scheduling tough games, often against much bigger schools.

“To us, this is just another opportunity to play kind of a crossover in the Catholic League and we're just grateful for Lumen Christi agreeing to play us (and) making the drive,” Cross said. “I think we’ll get there, but we’ve just got to keep getting as much experience for all the guys stepping into bigger roles this year.”

Next up for Everest is a road test against Detroit Douglass on Wednesday before hosting Marine City Cardinal Mooney next Friday to resume CHSL play.

“They (Cardinal Mooney) are always good. They are kind of a rival in recent years just because they’re another good Division 4 program. So you seem them not only in the Catholic League but you see them sometimes in a regional or in the state tournament,” Cross said.

Jackson Lumen Christi used a 10-0 run in the first half to win 56-45 at Clarkston Everest Collegiate on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.

ROCHESTER HILLS – Sometimes teams just have that can’t miss attitude.

Rochester sure did so Friday night against visiting Utica Ford.

In the annual Battle of the Falcons game, host Rochester came out on fire by making nine of its first 11 shots from the field to build a 22-8 lead after the first quarter and never looked back in recording an impressive 75-49 non-league victory over Utica Ford in the 10th annual event.

Unbeaten Rochester scored a season-high in points with 75 – all while shooting 65.6 percent from the floor in the first half and 52 percent overall from the floor in one of the best single-game team field goal shooting percentages in program history and in over 100 years of Rochester basketball.

Although the host Falcons cooled down some in the second half, going 12-for-23 from the floor after shooting lights out in the first half (19-for-29), Rochester never allowed Utica Ford to make a serious threat on the lead.

“I didn’t realize the stat of our field goal percentages, but it did seem like we couldn’t miss for a while there in the first half,” said Rochester coach Nick Evola. “They do love playing with one another. They share the ball. We talk about playing the right way. We share the ball and it moves around. We play with a lot of energy and it seems like we find people in the right spots. I’m happy with the guys making plays – they’ve done that all season long.”

Rochester used a 24-15 second quarter surge to go up 46-23 at the half, while the home-standing Falcons outscored Ford 18-13 in the third quarter for a 64-38 advantage through three quarters of play.

The home Falcons – who led by as many as 31 points at 62-31 late in the third quarter – rotated all 14 players in the fourth frame.

“We just want to go 1-0 each night,” said Evola. “We want to keep working, keep our heads down and keep working hard and keep trying to get better. But you can see it. I think they are having fun out there. I’m proud of these guys. Some of them I’ve had for a long time. It’s a fun group to coach.”

Rochester was 27-for-52 from the floor in the contest, finished 5-for-9 from the foul line (55.6 percent) and made 8-of-19 shots from beyond the three-point arc (42.2 percent). Rochester also out-rebounded the taller Falcons 29-14, forced 17 turnovers, recorded 12 steals and showcased its balance and unselfish brand of basketball by registering 22 assists on 27 made baskets.

Senior guard Luke Lower scored all 20 of his points in the first half, finishing 4-for-8 from beyond the arc while adding four steals, three assists and three rebounds to pace Rochester.

One of five third-year varsity veterans, 6-foot-3 senior forward Anthony Chirco added 15 points and seven rebounds, and 6-2 junior guard Nate Tandy registered 15 points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists as he continued to impress in his first varsity campaign.

Photos of Rochester vs. Utica Ford in a boys hoops contest

A total of 10 Rochester players reached the scoring column, with 6-6 sophomore center Ben Bissett adding six points, four rebounds and four assists while senior point guard Logan Pleasant swished a pair of three-pointers for six points. Rochester’s starting five finished 26-for-44 shooting from the floor (59.1 percent).

Ford finished the night 19-for-44 from the floor, good for a reasonable 43.2 percent. The visiting Falcons also converted 8-fo-21 three-point attempts (38.1 percent). But even with those strong shooting numbers, Utica Ford just couldn’t keep pace with red-hot Rochester’s torrid shooting pace.

Junior guard Aiden Gillich sank four 3-pointers on the night to lead Ford with 12 points to go along with five assists. Senior center Nick Pagel added seven points, four rebounds and three blocked shots, and sophomore forward Mason Marchand and senior guard Jamie Thomas both chipped in with six points apiece.

The visiting Falcons still dipped their wings to a 1-6 record.

“I’m a first-year coach at Ford and we’re still searching for an identity,” said Ford coach George Woods. “We are playing hard, but one game we do one thing well and the next game we do something else well. We haven’t had that complete night yet. That will come with time.

“I think we’ve played a very tough schedule,” said Woods, whose team dropped its second game of the week to an undefeated team, including Tuesday’s 51-38 setback to Division 2 Yale. “In all of my years coaching, I always try to schedule some very good teams to help get us get ready for league play. I think everyone in our league has four, five, six losses overall. Someone will get hot and win our league.

“I think Adam Gillich really came to play tonight,” continued Woods. “He shot the ball well and passed it well. If we can get that type of effort from everybody, we’ll be fine.”

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.

ROCHESTER HILLS – A year ago around the holidays break, Utica Ford pulled away from Rochester down the stretch.

The Ford Falcons earned a 63-48 win in that game between two cross-borders rivals of two traditionally-strong programs – Ford from Macomb County and Rochester from Oakland County.

On Friday night some 54 weeks later, Rochester remembered that defeat.

In a back-and-fourth battle that had the feeling of a state tournament atmosphere, Rochester held off visiting Utica Ford in the annual Battle of the Falcons, 43-42.

Rochester sophomore guard Sam Walker drilled a three-pointer off a senior Kelly Cook feed with 3:05 remaining for the go-ahead points – and the game’s final points overall.

“Last year (Ford) had two really good guards that took over in the second half and we couldn’t stop them,” said second-year Rochester coach Andy Topie. “This was a good win for us because Ford is always a strong program.”

Rochester missed two free throws and also misfired on two point-blank layups down the stretch, while Ford was 0-for-3 from the floor in the final three minutes of the game. Ford junior Lia Raciti’s three-point attempt was off the mark with one second left, as the home-standing Falcons staved off Utica Ford in the final minute.

Rochester opened the game with a 9-2 run, only to see Utica Ford surge back with a 13-0 run to take 15-9 lead late in the first quarter. Senior Aris McDonald hit a late three to make it a 15-12 game at the end of the first frame.

Ford (3-3) kept going inside to 6-foot senior center Claire O’Brien in the first half, where she scored all 20 of her points over the opening half. Ford outscored Rochester 14-12 in the second quarter to take a 29-24 lead into the locker room.

Rochester (4-1) switched up its defensive pressure to go on a 12-5 third-quarter run – and more importantly made life miserable for O’Brien and her teammates on the inside. O’Brien was 8-for-14 from the floor in the first half but finished 0-for-7 from the field in the second half.

“She (O’Brien) was killing us in the first half. She’s a really good player. We pinched her a little bit more and had someone come over on the backside every time she touched the ball,” offered Topie. In the first half we were letting her get to her spots. We tried to take that away and make it a little more tougher by sending someone behind. That really helped us get some momentum and we also started to make more shots in the third quarter,” said Topie. “We wanted to make someone else try to beat us.”

Holding on to a 36-34 lead through three quarters of play, Rochester continued to match Ford’s defensive pressure toe-for-toe and neither team was able to build larger than a four-point advantage in the fourth quarter.

“(Rochester) started to run three girls at (O’Brien) and we needed to do a better job taking care of the ball, kicking the ball out and having other players make shots,” said veteran Ford coach Matt Joseph. “We needed to do a better job of opening up that lane. Rochester did nice job taking that away in the second half.”

Photo gallery of Rochester vs. Utica Ford in girls hoops action

Utica Ford opened the fourth stanza with a 8-2 run with freshman Laila Sosnowski’s triple from the right corner giving the visiting Falcons a 42-38 advantage with 5:15 remaining in the contest. Ford would not score again.

“This is the 10th year in a row we’ve played them and it has become a fun little (non-league) rivalry,” said Joseph. “It’s good competition and we’ve had some great games with them. Both teams I thought competed very hard. It wasn’t always pretty, but I thought both teams fought hard to the end. They were just one point better than us this time around.”

Rochester picked up a layup from sophomore Abby Condon with 4:29 left to cut the deficit down to 42-40 with 4:29 left, while Walker’s triple 1:24 later served as the game-winning dagger.

Senior guard Taylor Parsons had one of the best efforts of her career, scoring 12 with a game-high 14 rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Cook led Rochester with 13 points and four rebounds and Walker finished with eight points and four rebounds for the hosts. Rochester finished 18-for-49 from the floor (36.8 percent) and made 7-of-22 three-pointers (31.9 percent) but finished an uncharacteristic 0-for-5 from the foul line.

Rochester also forced 17 turnovers, had 12 team assists and recorded 10 steals on the night.

“This was, I thought, a great team effort,” said Topie. “We lost one a couple of weeks ago to Romeo where we made some mistakes that really cost us. This time we found a way to win.”

Utica Ford finished 17-for-50 shooting from the floor (34 percent), made 5-of-10 free throws (50 percent) and canned 3-of-15 three-point attempts (20 percent). Following O’Brien, junior forward Emma McNally added eight points and nine rebounds, Sosnowski scored eight points, while Raciti finished with six points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals for Ford.

Utica Ford had 14 assists on 17 made baskets, recorded 11 steals and forced 20 turnovers. The visiting Falcons held a 30-25 edge on the boards.

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.

MILFORD — Coming off a 21-2 season and losing a ton of talent, Oxford head coach Joe Fedorinchik knew that this season would be a struggle at times for his team.

On Tuesday, that struggle came in the form of a 21-point Hartland run that took what was a close game and put it out of reach for the Wildcats as the Eagles prevailed 41-24 in the championship game of the Milford “Skip” Holiday Classic.

Oxford started the scoring on the evening, taking an early 2-0 lead, and a few minutes later regained the lead at 4-3, but the second consecutive 3-pointer by Hartland’s Logan Morrish, who tallied eight points on the night, would put the Eagles ahead for good.

“They (Hartland) were the aggressor tonight, there is no doubt about that.” said Fedorinchik, who graduated four starters from last year’s roster of OAA White champions, including prolific scorer Jake Champagne. “They are a good team, well coached. Number two (Morrish) and 23 (Parker Sundman) are dynamite and they are going to be fun. That is a fun group to watch.”

Still, Oxford kept things relatively close and only trailed the Eagles 12-9 midway through the second quarter until Hartland took control with the aforementioned spurt that lasted into the third quarter. At the end of that run, the score stood at 35-12 in favor of Hartland.

Photos of Oxford vs. Hartland from the 2025 Milford “Skip” Holiday Classic

“I thought for the first quarter and a half we defended pretty dang good," Fedorinchik said. "We struggled to put the ball in the hoop and that makes everything a little more difficult. Some good shooters missed some good looks and we missed some layups. At the end of the day, you are busting your butt playing defense, defense, defense, and you look up, and it is demoralizing when you are still stuck at nine points.”

The Wildcats didn’t fold in the last quarter-and-a-half of play, however, managing to outscore Hartland 12-8. That gave them something of a stepping stone into their next matchup against Utica at home on Jan. 6.

“I love the way we competed," Fedorinchik said. "We executed defensively, the kids were locked in. Again, I think it's just, you look up and we only have nine points, and it starts to psychologically weigh on you a bit.

“I think that (Hartland) is a phenomenal basketball team. I told the boys that's maybe the best team we are going to play until maybe districts.”

In addition to Morrish’s eight points on the evening, Hartland was paced by Sundman, who dropped in 20. Oxford was led by Brennan Elling’s 11 and Brody Casper’s 10 points on the night.

MILFORD 41, SOUTH LYON EAST 36

Typically accustomed to reaching the championship final, the host Mavericks, beaten on Monday 49-37 by Oxford, were victorious in the consolation game that got the action underway on Tuesday.

East outscored Milford in three quarters, but the Mavs were able to turn the tables in the second quarter and flip a one-point deficit into a 13-point lead entering intermission.

Reflecting head coach Dave Gilbert's recent comments about having a deep squad, seven players found their way into the scoring column for Milford compared to a handful for the Cougars, who doubled up the Mavs 12-6 in the third quarter, but couldn't quite make up for scoring just four in that second quarter.

Photos of Milford vs. South Lyon East from the 2025 Milford “Skip” Holiday Classic

Outside shooting helped the Mavs put together their best eight-minute stretch, including a pair of 3-pointers by sophomore Jake Goodnough, who paced his team with 11 points. Dorian Wright also knocked down a pair of triples to finish with nine points and sophomore Nolan Walcott added eight for Milford, who improved to 3-5.

Junior Mason Crosby led all scorers, finishing with 15 points for SL East. Classmate Will Noonan added nine, all on 3-pointers, and senior forward Dalton Dudas chipped in eight.

The Cougars (4-3) return to action on Jan. 6 when they host Dexter. Milford's next outing will be a Lakes Valley Conference game the same day at Walled Lake Western.

Oxford played good defense and kept things close early before a 21-0 stretch by Hartland that spanned both halves was too much to overcome for the Wildcats, who fell 41-24 in the championship game of the Milford “Skip” Holiday Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.

The homages to the impact of the life of longtime CHSL director Vic Michaels continued to pour out on Tuesday, as friends, colleagues and peers tried to grapple with the emotions of his death at age 71.

Most of those noted his impact on high school athletics, but almost all mentioned him as a friend, mentor and confidante.

“I first met him through coaching. We’d be sitting there and looking at him like he was the enemy, but he didn’t do the same. He was always good about putting an arm on your shoulder and asking, ‘How are you doing?’ You thought you had a special relationship with him, but then you realize he did with everyone. That’s what made him special.”

Funeral arrangements have been set for next weekend.

A visitation will be held for Michaels at A.H. Peters Funeral home in Grosse Pointe Woods, from 2-8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, followed by a scripture service at 7 p.m. An instate period will be held on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 at 9 a.m. at St. John of Arc Catholic Church in St. Clair Shores, followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m.

Here are a few of the tributes from friends and colleagues:

Michael Evoy, CHSL student services and athletics coordinator

“He was a typical coach. Didn’t always dole out a lot of comments but if you ever got it, it always meant a lot.”

“It came as a shock, just like it did for everybody. I had just talked to him earlier in the morning, as I have for probably the last 10 years. One of the immediate follow-up reactions I had was, ‘What do I need to do?’ That’s what Vic would have wanted. One of his greatest attributes was to think about others, no matter the situation.”

“How Vic would act with you at a basketball game is the same as he would for dinner, or after mass. He was such a personable individual. He had a special bond with so many people. This isn’t just a loss for the Catholic High School League, it is a loss for all of educational athletics.”

“When we are successful, there is a sense to beat that drum. Vic was against that. It was never about the wins and losses as it was the betterment of the student-athletes. If you do things the right way, success come. If you don’t you won’t last in the Catholic League. It all starts from the top down. He brought a great culture that trickled down all the way to the athletic programs.”

“His favorite time of the year was February. Some of my best memories and learning lessons from him was through the game of basketball, which I love as well. I learned so much just sitting there along the wall, learning the game and talking strategies.”

“It’s that he cared about the student-athletes. The Catholic education, the MHSAA, the Catholic High School League — those are all very important to him. But he always wanted to do what was right by the student-athletes. It wouldn’t be isolated to a non-public issue, but to the entire association.”

Brian Barnes, Madison Heights Bishop Foley athletic director

“Vic impacted ADs and coaches alike. He was genuine, authentic, and took interest in you no matter what school you were from or how your teams were performing. His example of ‘servant’ leadership will continue to resonate with all of us, and I am forever grateful to have known him.”

Betty Wroubel, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep coach and athletic director

“I know I join so many others in being saddened, stunned, and devastated by this loss. We truly lost a remarkable man; a devoted dad, husband, grandpa, friend, and mentor. His impact and influence went far beyond his family, friends, and colleagues.”

“Students, both in and out of the athletic realm, benefited from his wisdom and leadership. His influence was felt not only locally and statewide, but nationwide. What made him truly rare was that he never let disagreements or differences of opinion affect relationships. He had a way of making everyone feel heard, important, and genuinely valued …like you were a true friend of his.”

Kris Daiek, former Riverview Gabriel Richard coach and athletic director

“My heart sank. My heart sank for his family, and for Mike (Evoy) as well. Mike was his right-hand man. That was my first text, was to Mike to let him know I had him in my prayers, and Vic’s family also. I’m just shocked.”

“His whole goal was, ‘how does this help the kids?’”

“It’s funny actually. The arguments we’d have in the Catholic League, you’d think we’re all bitter enemies — Hatfields and McCoys. I was always amazed at how you would be at each other’s throats, but then instantly have each other’s backs when we were out there. That’s a culture that Vic had a lot to do with, and I know (former CHSL director Tom Rashid) had a lot to do with that too.”

“He would use basketball to attack every scenario he got into. But yeah, February down at Calihan Hall was always so special. It was always amazing to see someone who wasn’t trying to own the room, walk in and own the room. We always had good basketball conversations. But everyone did because he always brought basketball into it.”

“He was always talking about retiring. I think he had been retiring for seven straight years. But it grounds you. Here’s a guy that would put everything else aside and looked at it as, ‘How does this help kids?’ When you take that mentality into anything you do in education, which is very difficult these days, you can’t be wrong. That’s kind of what Vic taught me.”

“He was instrumental in high school athletics. I would find it challenging to find someone who has had more of an impact on high school sports than Vic has. Not just sports, but kids’ lives as a whole.”

Clarkston Everest Collegiate football head coach Michael Pruchnicki

“This is a huge loss for the Catholic league and difficult to accept, as it is quite a surprise. With that stated, what an incredible life Vic led giving his life to a mission he believed in and all the lives he affected. Truly a great man!”

The CHSL’s longest-tenured director, Vic Michaels, dies at 71

Allen Park Cabrini football coach RJ Chidester

“Vic ran the Catholic League with great pride and dignity since I was a student-athlete in the early 2000s.  He will be greatly missed, and his legacy will be enduring. Our prayers are with him and his family.”

Dearborn Divine Child athletic director Rick Jakacki

“I met Vic when I came to Divine Child about three and a half years ago. I liked him from the start, but liked him more and more as I got to know him. He was kind, fair, calm, smart, and a great listener. Whenever there were issues, he was someone I could talk with and someone who always answered my calls. He understood what it is like to be an athletic director and the difficulties (and rewards) that go with the job. He is certainly someone who I called a friend, and he will be sorely missed by the Catholic League, the state and so many others. I feel for his family who are suddenly without a great man. My prayers go out for them. I’m a better man and AD for knowing Vic.”

The consolation game of the Milford “Skip” Holiday Classic saw South Lyon East make a late run only to fall short to Milford, 41-36, on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.

HAZEL PARK – Sometimes Julius Wilson wants the ball in his hands.

Whenever Macomb L’Anse Creuse North needed something to happen Monday, it was usually the 6-foot-2 senior guard making something happen. Whether it’s a bucket, assist, rebound or extra pass, Wilson came through in the clutch on numerous times against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at the D Zone Showcase at Hazel Park High School.

Wilson finished the night with 12 points, nine rebounds, three steals and three assists in leading the Crusaders to a 47-40 victory over St. Mary’s, which won a Division 1 state title in 2024.

The win moved L’Anse Creuse North to 5-1 in December – not a bad start for a team that lost most of its players to graduation and transfer.   

“We don’t have a lot of guys back,” admitted Wilson. “We lost three starters to graduation and another transferred. Plus, we had some key guys off our bench that graduated, too. So, I need to step up and lead this team.”

Wilson’s defense, experience, passing and shot-making abilities was on display at Hazel Park. After his team fell behind 14-10 after the first quarter, Wilson spearheaded a team defensive effort that turned the four-point deficit into a 25-20 lead at the half.

Wilson made a multitude of hustle plays in the frame, and a pair of assists helped L’Anse Creuse North close the period with a 12-2 run. In fact, it was his quick dime that set up Preston Ellul with a wide open three-pointer from the corner with 1:30 left in the quarter that gave the Crusaders a 25-19 advantage.

“We do have a young team, but he does a good job leading us and we need him to play that way,” said L’Anse Creuse North coach Kurt Wilson, Julius’ grandfather. “But I do like the way we fought back as a team after not playing so well in the first quarter. We played with a lot more energy in the second quarter than we did in the first quarter.”

Although St. Mary’s was able to trim the LCN lead down to 25-22 with 7:38 left in the third quarter and again whittled the lead down to 29-28 with 2:16 left in the frame on a jumper from Bella Matyus, the young Eaglets could never regain the lead in the second half.

L’Anse Creuse North closed the third stanza with a 7-2 run where sophomore forward James Zipay scored six points in the spurt. Wilson also scored four points with an assist in the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, St. Mary’s did close it down to 36-32 with 7:14 to play on two free throws from Kareem Pruitt, but that was as close as the Eaglets would get. The Crusaders went on a 10-3 run with Wilson’s driving layup gave LCN its largest lead at 47-35 with 1:45 remaining in the contest.

Arber Ljajcaj, a 6-foot-8 junior forward, added eight points, six rebounds, three blocks and two assists, while Zipay twined 11 points and Ellul finished with eight points for the Crusaders.

L’Anse Creuse North finished 12-for-14 from the foul line (85.8) to overcome just shooting 40.5 percent from the floor (17-for-42). The Crusaders did outrebound OLSM 30-23.

“We didn’t bring back a whole lot, so I’m pleased with our 5-1 start,” said Coach Wilson. “We brought back Julius – he’s our only returning starter. We brought back Arber, but he was only just a sophomore last year and he is playing a lot more this season. We have mostly a new team. We do have some things to work on and things to clean up. But I do like the fact that we are winning and learning as we win.”

St. Mary’s lost its top seven players from last year, including graduation loses and transfers, and the Eaglets lack some toughness according to coach Todd Covert.

“It’s a work in progress losing a lot of kids and we had some guys come over from football (late) and they’re still getting acclimated and in (basketball) shape. But I think one thing we are lacking is toughness and I think that was one thing we struggled with today,” said Covert. “I can deal with the missed shots and things like that, but they were just reaching in at time to get a rebound and that doesn’t work. (L’Anse Creuse North) does have some great size and you need to be tough and go in there to get rebounds and we didn’t really do that.”

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.

Lake Orion hosted the 2025 Oakland County wrestling championships on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. Oxford beat out runner-up Clarkston and third-place Rochester Adams for its third county title in the past five years.

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.

The Rochester Falcons defeated the Troy Colts 49-25 in the OAA Red/Blue crossover game played on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Rochester Hills.