Elite Eight - Top Dogs

8. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood/ Birmingham Brother Rice Golf

I don’t know if it’s possible to put together a more dominant effort on a stage as big as the state finals, than what Cranbrook did this weekend. After shooting a very strong 299 on day one of the tournament, the Cranes didn’t leave any doubt that they were tops in Division 2 on Saturday as they shot a sizzling 289 and beat second place DeWitt by a whopping 27 shots.

The Warriors finally captured the elusive state title that they have missed out on for the past 14 years. But thanks to an impressive showing on day two of the Division 1 golf state finals, Brother Rice edged out Battle Creek Lakeview by one stroke after shooting a 297 on the second day.

7. Brett Sunde, Madison Heights Bishop Foley Baseball

Sunde went 3-for-5 on the weekend with a double in the semifinal game. Then he hit one of the longest home runs you will see in a high school game, and he did it in the state title game against one of the state’s top pitchers while drawing three walks. Sunde helped lead the Ventures to a repeat as Division 3 state champions on Saturday and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 35^th round of the MLB draft. Not too bad of a spring, is it?

6. Birmingham Marian Soccer

The Mustangs got back to their winning ways after missing out on last year’s state title as Marian knocked off defending state champions Plainwell, 3-1 to win the Division 2 state title. I’ll admit that I couldn’t have been more wrong about the Mustangs, and they showed just that as they dominated Plainwell from start to finish, which is exactly what they’ve done during their entire playoff run.

5. Madison Heights Bishop Foley Baseball

The Ventures capped off their back-to-back state championships in dominating fashion as they topped Saginaw Nouvel 6-2 in the semifinal game on Friday and then disposed of Lansing Catholic, 8-2 in the state championship game. Over the past two years, Bishop Foley put together an 80-6 record after finishing this season with a 41-3 record behind perfect records from pitchers Garrett Schilling (14-0) and Brian Bayliss (15-0).

4. Mackenzie Larson, Birmingham Marian Soccer

Larson has been overlooked in the postseason because of the high scoring Mustang attack, but the senior keeper has been as good as it gets and that was the case once again on Saturday as she stopped seven of the eight shots she faced. Larson caps off her high school career with three state championship rings and helped lead the Mustangs to an impressive 22-2-1 record this year in net.

3. Brian Bayliss, Madison Heights Bishop Foley Baseball

Not sure how much better the season could have gone for Bayliss, as the senior ace finished with his unblemished 15-0 mark and had an ERA of under 1.00 and did it against some of the state’s elite teams. Bayliss capped off his remarkable senior season by leading the Ventures to the Division 3 state title, by pitching seven innings of six-hit baseball and fanned eight Lansing Catholic batters on the day.

2. Kelly Sweeney, Birmingham Marian Soccer

Is Sweeney really a freshman? It’s a fair question, because the freshman phenom has played like a seasoned veteran all year long, especially in the playoffs. Sweeney came up big once again for the Mustangs, as she netted a pair of second half goals in less than 10 minutes that then gave Marian a commanding 3-0 lead early on in the second half. It’s scary to think that she’s only going to get better over the course of the next three years.

1.Garrett Schilling, Madison Heights Bishop Foley Baseball

Schilling was, without a doubt the MVP of the championship weekend as the super soph put on a show all weekend long. On Friday, Schilling pitched a gem as he shut down Saginaw Nouvel and led the Ventures to a 6-2 semifinal win as he fanned seven batters. But that’s not all of the damage that Schilling did on the weekend as he proved to be a menace at the plate as well.

Friday, Schilling went 2-for-4 with three RBI to help his own cause, then on Saturday, he went 2-for-4 with two RBI, including what proved to be the game winning RBI single in the third inning to give the Ventures a 3-0 edge. Schilling is showing that not only is he going to be a long term ace, but he will also be one of the main offensive contributors for Bishop Foley for the next two years.

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State Semifinals and Finals Predictions

Baseball

Division 3 State Semifinals

Madison Heights Bishop Foley vs. Saginaw Nouvel

Bishop Foley has been flat out dominant all season long and that has had a lot to do with its pitching. Brian Bayliss has been as good of an ace as any in the state, while Garrett Schilling has put up ace-like numbers as well.

Prediction: Bishop Foley 6, Nouvel 1

Mancelona vs. Lansing Catholic

Both teams are coming off of a thrilling extra-innings win, but Lansing Catholic has been dominant all season long behind its 30-5 mark, so the edge will go to Lansing Catholic.

Prediction: Lansing Catholic 8, Mancelona 3

Finals

Madison Heights Bishop Foley vs. Lansing Catholic

Bishop Foley has had some of the best pitching in the state all season long, while Lansing Catholic has been one of the top offensive teams from start to finish. But in the playoffs, good pitching always beats good hitting.

Prediction: Bishop Foley 4, Lansing Catholic 0

Softball

Division 1 State Semifinals

Lakeland vs. Mattawan

The Eagles have an incredibly tough path to get to the final game as they have face defending state champion, Mattawan. The Wildcats have yet to allow a run in the playoffs while mowing through the competition, but Lakeland has been nearly unbeatable over the course of the past few months.

Prediction: Lakeland 2, Mattawan 1

Hudsonville vs. Garden City

Hudsonville won back-to-back state titles in 2009 and 2010, but missed out last year. Now the Eagles look motivated to get back to the state title game as they have been dominant all season long.

Prediction: Hudsonville 3, Garden City 2

Finals

Lakeland vs. Hudsonville

Lakeland has just found ways to win this season, starting off 16-2 this season without junior ace Selena Hicks and then rallying for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in a quarterfinal win over Sterling Heights Steveneson.  It won’t be an easy task to knock off a 38-3 Hudsonville team, but Lakeland just has the feel of a team of destiny and it helps to have some of that Joe Alsup magic.

Prediction: Lakeland 3, Hudsonville 2 (10 innings)

Girls Soccer State Finals

Division 1

Troy vs. Okemos

Troy went into this season as the No. 3 ranked team in the nation, and for good reason. The Colts are as talented and as deep as anybody around and that has started to show during the playoffs. Keeper Alison Holland has proved to be one of the best keepers in the country all season long and should prove to be the difference against an Okemos team that is ranked second in the state.

Prediction: Troy 2, Okemos 0

Division 2

Birmingham Marian vs. Plainwell

Plainwell has allowed just one goal throughout the playoffs, but Marian has scored 19 goals throughout the playoffs, so expect a contrast of styles in this game. Plainwell is the defending state champion, while Marian won two straight titles in 2009 and 2010. I’ll give the ever so slight edge to the defending state champions in this game.

Prediction: Plainwell 3, Marian 2 (2 OT)

Division 4

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes/Clarkston Everest Collegiate vs. Grandville Calvin Christian

Lakes/Everest has yet to lose a game this season, and the perfect record was put to the test on Wednesday when the Lakers topped defending state champion Bishop Foley. First year head coach Katie Hearn has the Lakers rolling along this year, and Calvin Christian is just one last hurdle they have to clear to cap off a perfect season.

Prediction: WOLL/CEC 3, Calvin Christian 1

Battier Chasing Down NBA Championship

Shane Battier has accomplished plenty during his basketball career. The former Oakland County and Birmingham Detroit Country Day star led the Yellowjackets to a 3-peat between 1995-1997. In 1997, Battier was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Michigan, an award given to the top high school basketball player in the state. Beyond high school, Battier’s high school career, he’s played in two NCAA National title games with national powerhouse Duke and has won one – coming in 2001 over Arizona. Battier also won the NCAA Player of the Year award and went on to be the sixth overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.

After signing with the Miami Heat in the offseason, Battier will now be the fourth former Oakland County prep basketball player to play for an NBA title. If the Heat and Battier are able to win a title, Battier will join B.J. Armstrong (Birmingham Brother Rice) as the only players from the county to win an NBA championship. Armstrong was the point guard for the Chicago Bulls in the early 90’s as the Bulls won three straight titles from 91-93.

Other recent former Oakland County prep stars to play for NBA championships are Walker Russell (Pontiac Central), who was a part of the 1988 Detroit Pistons squad that lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Southfield’s Ira Newble is the other Former county star to play for an NBA title as he played alongside LeBron James in 2007 for the Cleveland Cavaliers who were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs.

Elite 8 - Weekend Warriors

8. Riley Kennedy – Birmingham Brother Rice Lacrosse

After Brother Rice fell behind in the Division 1 state title game, Kennedy simply took over as the senior led the Warriors attack that went on to take a 7-2 lead after falling behind 2-1. Kennedy capped off his high school career with five goals in the state title game as Brother Rice won its 10^th straight state title with a 14-8 win over Ann Arbor Pioneer.

7. Brian Bayliss-Garrett Schilling – Madison Heights Bishop Foley Baseball

Both Bayliss and Schilling put together dominant performances on Saturday as Bayliss nearly threw a shutout in the regional semifinal win over Dundee, and Schilling throwing five innings of one-hit ball in the regional final win over Riverview Gabriel Richard. The Ventures are now rolling towards a repeat thanks to their aces.

6. Taylor Timko – Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Soccer

Timko is as good of a goal scorer as there is in the state. The super-soph had already tallied 27 goals heading into Friday’s regional final against Grosse Ile, but she’s still not done scoring. The Michigan commit netted two more goals on Friday night, as she helped lead the Irish to a 4-1 win over the Red Devils and lifted her season scoring mark to 29.

5. Kelly Sweeney – Birmingham Marian

It’s hard to believe that Sweeney’s just a freshman, because the Marian star has been playing like a senior all year long. Friday night was no exception as Sweeney scored both Marian goals to lead the Mustangs to a 2-0 win over Fenton. This season’s Marian team might be younger than most year’s, but the Mustangs have plenty of players playing like upperclassmen, starting with Sweeney.

4. Jake Lowery-Jacob Jessen – Hartland Baseball

Lowery shut down Rochester Adams in the second regional semifinal game on Saturday, allowing just two hits during his seven innings of work, while Jessen was just as dominant in the regional final against Lake Orion as the senior allowed just one hit over his five dominant innings on the mound. The 1-2 punch of Lowery and Jessen could very well lead the Eagles to a state title.

3. Hannah Grieb – Rochester Adams Soccer

Can you say clutch? Grieb spent the majority of the 2012 season on the Highlander’s JV squad, but earned her way onto the varsity roster for the postseason and she took full advantage of the opportunity. Shortly after the start of the second overtime in the regional final, Grieb netted the game winning goal to lift Adams to a 2-1 win over Midland Dow. That’s about as clutch as it gets.

2. Jessica Parry – Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes/Clarkston Everest Collegiate Soccer

Parry is as good as it gets when it comes to taking free kicks, and she showed just that on Friday afternoon. Parry recorded the final two goals of the Laker’s regional final win over Saginaw Nouvel, both on free kicks. The first tied the game at 3-3 and the last came with just over six minutes to go to record the game winner. Parry also assisted on the second goal of the game for Lakes/Everest on a free kick pass to Ava Doetsch.

1. Selena Hicks – Lakeland Softball

Hicks defined dominance on Saturday afternoon, as the junior ace pitched a total of 14 innings and allowed just five hits and zero runs, while striking out 20 batters. Hicks shutdown a dangerous Athens team in the regional semifinal, limiting the Red Hawks to just three hits, and only one through the first six innings. In the regional final, Hicks held a Romeo team that had plated seven runs against Clarkston to just two hits in seven innings to lead the Eagles back to the state quarterfinals where they will face Sterling Heights Stevenson.

Catching Up on the Recruiting Trail

Over the course of the past week, several Oakland County football players have received plenty of interest from the Division 1 level. So here's a quick rundown of what has happened on the recruiting trail as of late.

Farmington safety Isaiah Gourdine joined Walled Lake Western defensive back Josh Jones on the list of area athletes that have received offers from the Iowa Hawkeyes football program over the past few years. If Iowa can land both of these standout secondary studs, the Hawkeyes will be landing two of the state’s best and most underrated players.

The Hawkeyes will learn if Jones will be joining their squad for the 2013 season as the junior will make his decision between Iowa and Illinois on Friday (June 8^th).
:12:05 UPDATE: From what I've been told, Jones is NOT expected to make his decision on Friday and will take more time to make his decision.

Also receiving an offer from the D-1 level recently was Auburn Hills Avondale’s Clark Clancy who was offered to play for Western Michigan, while South Lyon East quarterback Cam Thomas was offered by Grand Valley State.

Thomas has already received an offer from Bowling Green and will likely hear from several more Division 1 schools before his high school career is over.

Avondale track and field star Kyle Redwine is considering USC as well as a number of other PAC-10 and BIG 10 schools to run at next year. Redwine won the Division 2 state title in the 100 meter dash and is also regarded as one of the nation’s top 200 meter dash runners as well. Redwine’s teammate, Nate Chapman committed to run at Michigan earlier this spring.

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Oakland County Softball District Preview

Davison District

Winner: Grand Blanc

Explanation – Grand Blanc is the most complete team in this district with the combination of pitching and hitting, and that’s the key to get to regionals.

U-D Jesuit District

Winner: Detroit Renaissance

Explanation – This might be the easiest road to regionals in the state, and Renaissance has the best team.

Warren Regina District

Winner: Warren Regina

Explanation – Home field advantage is always a plus for teams, but Regina doesn’t really need it. Regina will cruise.

Troy Athens District

Winner: Troy Athens

Explanation – This was easily the hardest district to predict and it will come down to rivals Troy and Troy Athens. Usually I’d give the upper hand to the team with the experience and that’s Troy. But pitching in the postseason is the difference maker and Athens has just that with Haley Zemmer.

Utica District

Winner: Rochester

Explanation – The Falcons have been overlooked all year long, but have quietly put together an impressive season. Romeo will head into this district as the favorite, but Rochester will continue its Cinderella season.

Lake Orion District

Winner: Clarkston

Explanation – The Wolves have been one of the county’s top teams all year long, and they shouldn’t have much trouble moving onto regionals. Megan Hastings and Sydney Hasselbach will give Clarkston all of the offense it will need.

Lakeland District

Winner: Lakeland

Explanation – Lakeland is now at full strength and they are making teams pay for it now. With Selena Hicks back and Kelly Merkle, Sierra Burke and Hannah Szajner among others playing well, Lakeland has as good of a shot as any to be playing for it all in a few weeks.

Brighton District

Winner: South Lyon

Explanation – South Lyon and Brighton are the only two teams in this district with winning records, so I’ll give the advantage to the Oakland County team.

Southfield-Lathrup District

Winner: Birmingham Groves

Explanation – The district winner will likely be West Bloomfield or Birmingham Groves. West Bloomfield has the always strong pitching from Allyson Kus, while Groves has Keely Nowland. But the difference maker could very well be Zoe Schmerin who can flat out hit.

North Farmington District

Winner: Farmington Hills Mercy

Explanation – As long as North Farmington advances to the semifinals, Saturday’s semifinal between the Raiders and Mercy could be one for the ages. Mercy’s Kayce Nieto has thrown three no-hitters in a row this year, while North’s Katy Severson has thrown a perfect game and a no-hitter as well. The first team to score just might end up winning.

Livonia Ladywood District

Winner: Livonia Ladywood

Explanation – There’s a reason why Ladywood was Catholic League champs this year and it’s the same reason the Blazers will be District champs.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep District

Winner: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

Explanation – Experience is always a positive in the postseason and the Irish have tons of it on this year’s squad and that will make the difference this week.

Warren Fitzgerald District

Winner: Hazel Park

Explanation – It’s been a pretty memorable season for Hazel Park this year, but it won’t end this week thanks to its impressive lineup.

New Haven District

Winner: Madison Heights Bishop Foley

Explanation – The Ventures have had a nice season this year and have done it quietly, but Bishop Foley will make some noise with its offense once the playoffs get under way.

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes District

Winner: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes

Explanation – Lakes has continued to dominate this district year after year and this year won’t be any different.

Southfield Christian District

Winner: Southfield Christian

Explanation – Southfield Christian has too much talent to lose this early, and head coach Ken Brown will be retiring at the end of the season and the Eagles are looking to send him out on top.

Oakland County Baseball District Preview

Davison District

Winner: Davison

Explanation – Davison has the best pitching and the best hitting out of this district. Not sure if there is anything else that the Cardinal need.

U-D Jesuit District

Winner: U-D Jesuit

Explanation – It always helps to have a district on your own field, but Jesuit doesn’t need the home field advantage.  Jesuit will have no trouble here.

Warren De La Salle District

Winner: Warren Mott

Explanation – I’ve always been a believer in strong pitching is what wins in the postseason and Mott has just that in senior Lucas Ross.

Troy Athens District

Winner: Auburn Hills Avondale

Explanation – Back to the topic of pitching in the postseason, the Yellowjackets have who might be the most underrated pitcher in the state. Senior ace A.J. Susick has been dominant all season long, posting a 10-1 record and an ERA of under 1.00. It also helps that Avondale is one of the better hitting teams in the area as well.

Utica Eisenhower

Winner: Stoney Creek

Explanation – Once again, pitching wins in the postseason, and if that’s the case, the final should come down to Romeo and Stoney Creek and I’ll give the edge to Zak Northrup and Co. Nikko Gonzalez should carry the load offensively for the Cougars.

Lake Orion District

Winner: Lake Orion

Explanation – It’s been five years since the Dragons won a district and most know what else Lake Orion did in 2007, they won the state title and this year’s squad might be capable of doing just that. With Brad Schaenzer and the OC’s Randy Johnson, Nick Deeg, Lake Orion could be well on its way to a long run in the state tourney.

Lakeland District

Winner: Hartland

Explanation – It’s going to take a big time upset in this district for someone to unseat Hartland. Just too much pitching for the rest of the teams to score enough runs in order to knock off the Eagles.

Brighton District

Winner: Walled Lake Western

Explanation – Western’s Cam Vieaux has been as dominant as it gets this year, averaging almost two strikeouts per inning and holding an ERA of under 1.50. But look out for rival Walled Lake Central who has shown that it can beat the Warriors.

Southfield-Lathrup District

Winner: Birmingham Brother Rice

Explanation – The biggest argument against the Warriors this year has been their youth. So what? Talent is what wins and Brother Rice has tons of it. With Brothers Mike and Matt Ruppenthal taking care of the pitching duties, teams are going to need more than a little bit of luck to score multiple runs against the Warriors.

North Farmington District

Winner: North Farmington

Explanation – This was probably the hardest district to predict, but North Farmington looks like a team ready for a playoff run. It won’t be easy as the Raiders will take on Farmington on Tuesday, then Catholic Central and likely Novi in the final, but North Farmington might be able to squeak by in the end.

Livonia Ladywood District

Winner: Dearborn Divine Child

Explanation – The only team that might have gotten an easier draw than Divine Child might be U-D Jesuit.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep District

Winner: Bloomfield Hills Andover

Explanation – Andover can do it all, whether it’s hitting or pitching, the Barons have one of the best squads from top to bottom. There isn’t a team in this district that can match Andover’s pitching staff and that will be the difference next week.

Warren Fitzgerald District

Winner: Ferndale

Explanation – Saturday’s district final should come down to Ferndale and Madison Heights Lamphere, and Ferndale has what Lamphere doesn’t: experience. That will be what makes the difference for Ferndale.

New Haven District

Winner: Madison Heights Bishop Foley

Explanation – Does there really need to be an explanation? The Ventures are back and better than ever in a year where many expected them to have to rebuild. Brian Bayliss has been as good of an ace as any this year and the Ventures are dominating opposing pitching this year.

Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes District

Winner: Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest

Explanation – Lutheran Northwest continues to dominate this district with some of the best pitching and hitting from top to bottom. Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes will challenge the Crusaders, but in the end, Lutheran Northwest will move on to regionals once again.

Southfield Christian District

Winner: Novi Franklin Road Christian

Explanation – Franklin Road Christian is quickly becoming of the state’s top powers in Division 4. But what separates it from the rest of the schools is the fact that this squad has a couple of eighth graders to fill out its roster. Look out for junior Nick Harris who can flat out hit, as he’s hitting over .500 this year.

Warriors Way

Walled Lake Western’s Devin Reed tore up the track last Friday at the Milford Division 1 track and field regional and now he’s being rewarded for his impressive performance.

Shortly after taking a pair of first places and two more second places, Reed was offered to run for the University of Detroit Mercy. Then Reed was invited to run at the Midwest Regional track meet, a meet for the top athletes in the Midwest.

Not too bad of a week is it?

Next weekend, Reed will take aim at trying to win a state title at East Kentwood in the Division 1 meet.

Joining Reed at the state meet will be Vinny Gjokaj who committed to throw for Michigan State back in the fall. Gjokaj is one of the state’s and nation’s top discus throwers after his throw of over 183 feet earlier this season. Gjokaj, who has cleared the 50 foot mark in shot put, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of trying to play some football for the Spartans in the fall either.

Gjokaj could have some company in East Lansing after next year as Warrior junior defensive back Josh Jones recently was offered to continue his football career past next season at Michigan State. Jones recently committed to play for the University of Toledo, but there is a strong chance that he changes his commitment at some point before next February’s signing day.

Elite Eight - Oakland County Girls Softball Rankings

1.Lakeland

The Eagles are peaking at the right time after pummeling the state’s No. 5 team, Plymouth 12-4 in the KLAA Association tournament. The return of Selena Hicks has been a big boost, and the Lakeland lineup might be the best in the state from top to bottom. Lakeland is primed for a run to cereal city.

2. Clarkston

With an OAA Red title in hand, Clarkston is looking like as good of a bet as any to end up in Battle Creek. The Wolves have been as consistent as it gets both in the field and at the plate and that should carry over into the posteseason.

3. Farmington Hills Mercy

Kayce Nieto has been flat out dominant this year, after throwing three consecutive no-hitters and the Marlins have been able to score some runs as well. It’s all coming together for the Marlins and with the type of pitching that they have, they’re the last team anybody wants to face come playoff time.

4. North Farmington

Speaking of dominant pitching, Katy Severson has been lights out lately. She has thrown a no-hitter and a perfect game in less than a week while combining for another no-hitter as well. The Raiders are also rolling on offense, so this will be a force to be reckoned with in the weeks to come.

5. Troy

After a slow start, the Colts have been one of the hottest teams in the state and they won’t be slowing down any time soon. With the senior presence of Kamryn LaCarter and Laney Hart as well as Kristen Shelter, Troy is a team with a ton of experience and it will come in handy throughout the playoffs.

6. Troy Athens

Haley Zemmer is setting records at an impressive rate, and she’s not a senior, nor a junior, but a sophomore. Zemmer has the pitching and Melissa Palmer has the hitting, and this duo will make the Red Hawks a hard team to eliminate in the tournament.

7. Rochester

The Falcons have been winning quietly, but they will make their fair share of noise come playoff time. Senior Maggie Irvine can get the job done in a number of ways, whether it’s at the plate with some power or in the outfield where she’s become one of the area’s top defensive players.

8. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

Much like Troy, the Irish have a ton of experience and it will be a big boost over the course of the next couple of weeks. With a senior laden team led by Katy Roose, Courtney Wroubel and Gabby Fazio, the Irish can and will score runs during their tournament run.

Weekend Winners - Raising the Bar

With regional track meets all wrapped up, here's a look at some of the top performances from the weekend and how they stack up against the top athletes from around the state as the state meets are less than two weeks away.

Lakeland’s Garret Zuk put on a show on Friday at Milford that won’t be forgotten any time soon. Zuk dominated the 3200 meter run from start to finish as he crossed the finish line with a time of 9:00.9 and beat the second place runner by exactly 20 seconds. With his time in the 3200 meter run, Zuk is now the top ranked athlete in the event in the state.

Even though Auburn Hills Avondale’s Kyle Redwine was disqualified in the 200 meter dash, the senior still won the 100 meter dash with a red-hot time of 10.40 and ran legs on the first place 400 meter and 1600 meter relay teams. Redwine is the fourth ranked sprinter in the 100 and No. 1 in the state with a top time of 10.34.

Redwine isn’t the only Avondale runner that heads into the Division 2 state meet as he will be joined by Nate Chapman who clocked a 48.5 400 meter dash time which ranks him third in the state and first in Division 2. Chapman also won the 800 meter run, and joined Redwine on the 1600 meter relay team.

Birmingham Detroit Country Day looks like it is in a great spot to be in contention for a state title on the girls side, as Brittney Mann won both the shot put and the discus with ease. The Yellowjackets also have Kendall Baisden back from injury as the junior took home the regional title in the 400 dash and ran legs on the first place 400 meter and 800 meter relay teams.

Country Day also has 100 meter dash regional champion Sydney Cureton who also anchored the 400 relay team for the Yellowjackets on Friday.

Mann is the top ranked thrower in the state in both throwing events, while Baisden is already the No. 1 400 runner in the state for Division 2 and is fourth overall.

Ortonville Brandon’s Tiffani Owens matched the 11.94 time of Cureton on Friday in the 100 dash as the two sprinters are tied for the top spot in the event.

Owens also went on to win the 200 dash with a time of 25.04 which ranks her as the second best athlete and the top runner in Division 1 for the 200.

On Saturday, Farmington’s Aaron Howell put together an impressive performance of her own as Howell won the long jump with an impressive leap of 19 feet and later picked up a regional title in the 300 meter hurdles. Howell’s jump ranks her second in the state, less than two inches off of the state’s best mark this year.

West Bloomfield’s Erin Finn was her usual dominant self on Saturday at Farmington as Finn won regional titles in the 1600 meter run as well as the 3200 meter run where she beat the rest of the field by nearly a full minute. Finn’s time in the 3200 is tops in the state and fifth in the nation and fourth in the state in the 1600.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s Sarah Barron won the 1600 run at Bloomfield Hills Lahser, blowing away the redt of the field in the 1600 run as well as the 800 run and was on the first place 1600 relay team. Barron is currently the No. 1 1600 and 800 runner in Division 2 (No. 2 overall).

To the surprise of nobody, Walled Lake Central’s Cullen Prena continued to shatter records as he set a Milford regional record in the discus event with a toss of 182-11 while also grabbing a win in the shot put. Prena currently ranks No. 1 in Division 1 in the state for both shot put and discus.

Staying on the topic of Walled Lake Central throwing, junior Josephine Jackson won the shot put with a toss of 35-2.5 and took second place in the discus event. Jackson is tied for sixth in the state in discus with a throw over 128 feet last week.

Walled Lake Western’s pole vaulting trio of Connor Westphal, Jacob Janke and Parin Kothari continued their remarkable seasons as they finished in first, third and fourth on Friday at Milford.

Western’s Devin Reed won the 100 meter dash and was also on the first place 800 meter relay team for the Warriors.

Lake Orion’s Alex Roberts won both hurdle events and the long jumpat the Ortonville Brandon regional while Cory Ester won the 100 meter dash and was on the 1600 relay team. Roberts ranks fifth in the 300 hurdles and the 110’s while Ester also finds himself in the top 10 for the 100 dash.

Milford’s Brandon Wallace and Brian Kettle both put together strong showing on their home track as Wallace dominated the rest of the field in the 800 while Kettle outkicked everyone to win the 1600 run. Kettle is the No. 2 ranked runner in Michigan in the 1600.

Holly’s Luke Schwerin won the 800 in the Brandon regional, crossing the finish line in under 1:55 and is in the top five in the state in the event.

Jeff Aririguzo has flown under the radar for much of the season, but once again ran away with wins in the 100 and 200 meter dashes and ran a leg on the first place 400 relay team for West Bloomfield. The senior sprinter is now in the top five in Division 1 and is ranked 10^th overall in the 200.

Walled Lake Northern’s Ryan Smitt won the 400 meter dash by a full second at Milford, and also ran a leg on the first place 1600 meter relay team. Smitt now ranks eighth in the 400 run in the state for Division 1.

Novi’s Kerri McMahon ranks second overall in the state in the high jump after her jump of 5-6 at the Farmington regional on Saturday.

The Pavlika sisters, Sam and Taylor, continued their strong seasons in the throwing events as Sam took first in both the shot put and the discus while Taylor placed second in the discus and fourth in the shot put. Sam is the No. 1 thrower in Division 1 in shot put and is in the top 10 in the discus. Taylor ranks 16^th overall in discus.

Oxford’s Brooke Kovacic won the 1600 run as well as the 3200 at Brandon on Friday and is in the top 10 for the 3200 and finds herself just outside the top 10 in the 1600.

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