Author: Andy Hawley | Page 22

Grass Lake girls basketball embracing excitement of trip to the regional final

March 8, 2017

By Mike Moore Staff Writer Grass Lake — It’s been nearly 10 years since a time like tomorrow night, and before that, well, that’s up for debate. “We did some research, but we’re not totally sure,” Grass Lake girls basketball coach Andrea Cabana said when asked about her team and program and when it last reached a regional final. “There’s some suggestion that in the late 70’s, the team was one of the final eight playing. We’re not sure.” Either way, Thursday night will be somewhat historic, as the Warriors head to the Class C regional final at Adrian Madison for just the first time since 2008. “We are very excited. We set goals all season long, and one at a time we’re finding ways to meet them,” Cabana said. “This was a big accomplishment.” The Warriors reached Thursday’s 7 p.m. final against Blissfield thanks to a 46-12 victory over Ann Arbor Greenhills. The win pushed the Warriors to 18-6 on the season, the most victories for the program in more than 11 years. “It’s been a very exciting time for this program,” Cabana said. “Watching the girls see their hard work and…

Boys District Semifinal Schedule, Wednesday March 8th

March 8, 2017

Class A at Mason Holt (17-4) vs. Western (16-4) 6pm Okemos (12-8) vs. Mason (9-11) 7:30pm Class B at Eaton Rapids Stockbridge (10-10) vs. Olivet (15-5) 6pm Eaton Rapids (6-14) vs. Leslie (13-8) 7:30pm Class B at Onsted Adrian (10-11) vs. Chelsea (13-7) 5pm Onsted (15-5) vs. Hillsdale (21-0) 7pm Class C at Napoleon Napoleon (16-5) vs. Michigan Center (21-0) 5:30pm Hanover-Horton (18-3) vs. Lumen Christi (3-17) 7pm Class C at Sand Creek Adrian Madison (13-8) vs. Hudson (6-15) 6pm Addison (5-16) vs. Grass Lake (9-11) 7:30pm Class D at North Adams-Jerome Hillsdale Will Carleton (3-13) vs. North Adams-Jerome (6-15) 6pm Hillsdale Academy (15-6) vs. Jackson Christian (14-6) 7:30pm

Center looks to stay perfect, Pirates look for upset in district semifinal

March 7, 2017

By Mike Moore Staff Writer When the 2017 boys basketball playoffs began Monday night, Sand Creek was 20-1 and had defeated its first round opponent twice already this winter. That’s the short, and sweet, story Travis Gaddy had for his team Tuesday as Michigan Center preps for its Class C district semifinal against host Napoleon. Pirates coach Jeremy File just may be telling the same story, albeit for totally different reasons. “At this point in the season, you have to be able to throw away anything that’s happened,” Gaddy said of his team, which is 21-0 and defeated Napoleon by 27 points the first meeting and 39 the next. “It’s not always easy for kids to accept that. But that’s what we’re going to drill home. I mean, look what happened to Sand Creek.” The Aggies were undefeated, ranked No. 3 in Class C, and promptly had their season come to an end in a 64-61 loss to Adrian Madison, a team that was 0-2 in previous meetings. Gaddy and his Cardinals must now avoid a similar fate Wednesday night at 6 p.m. or one of the most successful seasons ever will last just…

Kylen Brown Michigan Center Boys Basketball

Boys District Results for Monday, March 6th

March 7, 2017

Class A at Mason Holt 58 Jackson 48 Wednesday - Holt vs. Western at 6pm (JTV), Mason vs. Okemos 7:30pm Class B at Eaton Rapids Leslie 54 Northwest 48 OT Wednesday - Stockbridge vs. Olivet at 6pm, Eaton Rapids vs. Leslie 7:30pm Class B at Onsted Hillsdale 61 Tecumseh 36 Adrian 59 Columbia Central 56 Wednesday - Adrian vs. Chelsea at 5pm, Hillsdale vs. Onsted 7pm Class C at Napoleon Michigan Center 88 East Jackson 58 Napoleon 70 Concord 59 Hanover-Horton 73 Vandercook Lake 59 Wednesday - Napoleon vs. Michigan Center at 6pm (JTV), Hanover-Horton vs. Lumen Christi 7:30pm Class C at Sand Creek Adrian Madison 64 Sand Creek 61 Hudson 47 Manchester 41 Addison 32 Clinton 31 Wednesday - Adrian Madison vs. Hudson at 6pm, Addison vs. Grass Lake 7:30pm Class D at North Adams-Jerome North Adams-Jerome 65 JPEC 24 Hillsdale Academy 57 Litchfield 27 Wednesday - Hillsdale Will Carleton vs. North Adams-Jerome at 6pm, Jackson Christian vs. Hillsdale Academy 7:30pm

Boys Basketball – Monday District Schedule

March 6, 2017

Class A at Mason Jackson (9-11) vs. Holt (16-4) 6:00pm Class B at Eaton Rapids Northwest (4-16) vs. Leslie (12-8) 7:00pm Class B at Onsted Tecumseh (2-18) vs. Hillsdale (20-0) 5:00pm Adrian (9-11) vs. Columbia Central (10-10) 7:00pm Class C at Napoleon East Jackson (7-13) vs. Michigan Center (20-0) 5:30pm Napoleon (15-5) vs. Concord (15-5) 7:00pm Hanover-Horton (17-3) vs. Vandercook Lake (12-8) AT Vandercook Lake HS 7:00pm Class D at North Adams-Jerome North Adams-Jerome (5-15) vs. Jackson Prep & Early College (3-13) 6:00pm

Medendorp’s game-winner lifts Spring Arbor Men’s Basketball over Taylor

February 23, 2017

UPLAND, Ind. – The Spring Arbor University men’s basketball team dropped both regular season meetings to Taylor University but foiled the Trojans when it mattered most, advancing with a thrilling 75-73 victory in the first round of the Crossroads League Tournament on Wednesday night. Junior Zach Medendorp dropped a game-high 27 points, including the game-winning basket in the final second. The Cougars move on to the tournament semifinals where they will meet No. 3 ranked Bethel College on Saturday.

Mulnix and his Panthers understand what’s on the line Friday night at Northwest

February 23, 2017

By Mike Moore Staff Writer Parma — In one way or another, they’ve been talking all year about this, about this goal, about this mission, about how long it’s been since the Western boys basketball team has won a conference title. Well, with Friday’s tilt at Northwest fast approaching, Western coach Ryan Mulnix said simply, “I don’t think we need to talk about it any more.” Those who have followed the Panthers understand what’s at stake, and the kind of drought that can be erased with 32 minutes of good basketball. It was 1995 when the Panthers last won a conference title. With a win in Friday’s 7:30 p.m. tip at Northwest, the worst Western can do is share the I-8 Conference championship. “I think it’s sunk in, everything that’s on the line,” Mulnix said. “And that’s why I think we’ve talked about it enough. It’s time to go play the game.” The Panthers had a chance to secure their spot in history Tuesday night, but were upended by Harper Creek 54-53. “It was tough, it really was,” Mulnix said of the one-point loss. “At the end of the day, though, it…

Grass Lake girls basketball enjoying historic season, with hopes of more to come

February 22, 2017

By Mike Moore Staff Writer Grass Lake — She was a new coach, the leader of a new team that had some lofty goals and one of the worst starts to the season possible. Four games. Four losses. “I think the natural reaction is to start questioning if you’re doing things the right way,” Grass Lake coach Andrea Cabana said. “But we didn’t. I wanted this team to be run by them with a lot of the leadership decisions coming from the players. We stuck to the plan. We stuck with our vision. We just kept grinding.” From 0-4 to 13-6 as of Tuesday night. And that 13-2 stretch includes a 12-1 record in the Cascades Conference, securing the first outright league title for the program since 1988. “It’s a pretty big deal for these girls,” Cabana said. “When I took over and met with the girls before the season, winning the conference was the first thing they wanted to do. They wanted to win the conference and do it outright. They didn’t want to share anything.” The Warriors secured the conference title with a 59-55 victory at Manchester Feb. 16. …

Class C, D Girls Basketball District Tournament Schedule

February 21, 2017

Class C at Michigan Center Monday, February 27th East Jackson at Michigan Center 7:00pm Hanover-Horton at Concord 7:00pm Napoleon at Vandercook Lake 7:00pm Wednesday, March 1st Concord/Hanover vs. Michigan Center/East Jackson 5:30pm Lumen Christi vs. Vandercook/Napoleon 7:00pm Friday, March 3rd Final 7pm Class C at Manchester Monday, February 27th Manchester vs. Grass Lake Hudson vs. Addison Adrian Madison vs. Sand Creek Wednesday, March 1st Clinton vs. Manchester/Grass Lake 5:30pm Hudson/Addison vs. Madison/Sand Creek 7:00pm Friday, March 3rd Final 7pm Class D at Litchfield Monday, February 27th Hillsdale Academy vs. Jackson Preparatory & Early College 6:00pm Jackson Christian vs. Litchfield 7:30pm Wednesday, March 1st Hillsdale Academy/JPEC vs. Hillsdale Will Carleton 6:00pm North Adams vs. J. Christian/Litchfield winner 7:30pm Friday, March 3rd Final 7pm

Class A, B Girls Basketball District Tournament Schedule

February 21, 2017

Class A at Western Monday, February 27th Okemos vs. Western 6:00pm Wednesday, March 1st Holt vs. Mason 6pm Jackson vs. Okemos/Western winner 7:30pm Friday, March 3rd Final 7pm Class B at Columbia Central Monday, February 27th Onsted vs. Hillsdale 5:30pm Tecumseh vs. Chelsea 7:00pm Wednesday, March 1st Columbia Central vs. Tecumseh/Chelsea winner 5:30pm Adrian vs. Onsted/Hillsdale winner 7:00pm Friday, March 3rd Final 7pm Class B at Northwest Monday, February 27th Stockbridge vs. Olivet 6:00pm Wednesday, March 1st Eaton Rapids vs. Leslie 6:00pm Northwest vs. Stockbridge/Olivet winner 7:30pm Friday, March 3rd Final 7pm

Andy Hawley