As the Royal Oak Leprechauns fight for a playoff spot, a collective of former Catholic League stars have played integral roles in the team’s success this summer.

Some, like Aidan Schuck, a Detroit Catholic Central grad who just finished his freshman year at Oakland University, are done for the summer — in his case, his last game with the Leprechauns came last weekend — but have left their mark.

Schuck batted .337 this summer for the team, with 23 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. But he hit his stride as his time with the team wore on, and began to put together a hitting streak that eventually reached double-digits.

“I didn’t even have an idea the streak was going on until I think it was the 15th game,” Schuck said. “I was told by one of our interns who does the stats and he said you’re two away from the franchise record.”

It ended up as a 19-game hitting streak before it was snapped, and at one point included a span of five games where he had 13 base knocks. “You can tell when you’re doing well, seeing it well, but yeah, I had no idea there was a streak going on. It’s kinda harder once you know about it, because then self-consciously you’re trying to continue it.”

In his first year as a Golden Grizzly, Shamrock batted .279 with 10 RBIs in 18 games, but he believes he’ll be returning to OU as a better player after this summer. “I’d say I had a good year, but there were times where I struggled seeing spin,” he said. “I feel like this summer, I made a big jump and I was able to hit off-speed pitches and drive them the other way. Obviously, this was my freshman season of college and I saw new to seeing a lot of the pitching, but playing (as many games as I did this summer) against college pitching, , that’s the best way to get better, seeing arms like that every day. Overall, I developed as a hitter.”

From Brother Rice, Tristan Crane (Eastern Michigan) played 39 games for the team, batting .305 with a .378 on-base percentage and drove in 29 runs. Fellow Warrior Owen Turner (Yale) drove in 21 runs while stealing eight bags in 40 appearances.

The Leprechauns’ all-star representative this season, infielder Ryan Tyranski (Cincinnati), another one-time staple in the Brother Rice lineup, has been a fine example of the difference a year makes. He played 31 games in Royal Oak in 2024 and batted .262 with 12 RBIs and six stolen bases in 31 games. This summer, he’s hitting at a .296 clip in 54 games, has hit a pair of home runs (along with four triples), driven in 33 runs and swiped 19 bags.

On the mound, another Warriors’ alum, Wyatt Ruppenthal (Kalamazoo College), has been one of the Leprechauns’ best arms. In 14 appearances, the 6-foot-2 righty has sported a 3.58 ERA over 27 2/3 innings, striking out 29 with a solid 1.30 WHIP.

For some, it’s a chance to thrive while getting to know ex-rivals even better, and also forge new bonds.

“It’s awesome playing with all the Catholic League guys the whole summer,” Schuck said. “There’s time we’ve had debates in the dugout about who was better in high school. It’s fun getting to know those guys you somewhat knew (when) playing against them, but were never on the same team. Then they’ve got new guys who’ve come in towards the second half of the season, guys like Danny Cook from Pepperdine, a couple guys from Colorado, and it’s good getting to know those guys from all across the country as well as ones we already know.”

With just single-digit games remaining, the Leprechauns have a string of games at home coming up that includes Military Appreciation Night Sunday afternoon against the Kenosha Kingfish and Fan Appreciation Night on Tuesday evening against the Kalamazoo Growlers.

Skating Club of Novi coach Julie Mitts saw opportunity for her students when U.S. Figure Skating launched its Excel Series to pair with its longstanding Championship tier.

“Prior to (the Excel Series), we just entered competitions, went, competed, won or cried and went home,” said Mitts, a Crestwood High School grad who competed herself for over 15 years and has been coaching in Novi for at least that long. “At that point, the Excel Series was only two or three years old, and not many people understood what it was or how it gave purpose. Once I learned (about it), I started talking to skaters more, convincing them to enter the series. It gives you something to fight for.”

Last year, several of her skaters entered, and one, Tessa Meadows of Northville, qualified for nationals in the Novice Division.

Efforts to push more skaters toward the series again paid dividends when Mitts went with a trio to the Excel National Festival held several weeks ago in Colorado Springs.

Abby Yin, who will enter her sophomore year this fall at Novi High School, was the standout, capturing first place in the Intermediate Division.

Competition for each year in that division begins in January and runs through early June as skaters at their respective levels can enter up to four different competitions that are Excel certified anywhere in the country, which is split into three regions that send six qualifiers each to the nationwide festival. There, skaters have a camp where they partake in the ranked competition, and also perform in an exhibition to add some enjoyment to the experience.

Mitts complimented Yin’s mindset over the course of the year, saying, “Abby was very driven. She held the No. 1 spot at the Intermediate Level, but she wanted to skip one competition the other girls were going to because she wanted time to improve on things she didn’t like. I asked her and said that’s kind of strange, because the judges were applauding (her). But she wanted to work on her speed, polishes, finishes. She did that, and I think it paid off (even though) I don’t think she had or needed to. That’s just the kind of kid she is.”

Also competing from the club were Aubrey Tieu of Northville and Naomi Jude of Northville, who will each be freshmen this year at their respective high schools. Tieu placed 11th in her Division, while Jude took 16th.

“All three had almost flawless practices, and all three it was their first time skating at nationals,” Mitts said. “They were a little intimidated I think at first when they saw the stadium and started to ease into it. They did altitude training at home and wore masks as they did their programs trying to prepare, so they definitely worked their tails off leading into leaving for Colorado.”

For anyone who might consider Skating Club of Novi on just a “recreational” level, the organization is proving it is a step or two higher on the ladder with multiple competitors in the past several years earning national plaudits.

As Mitts put it, “We’re starting to get girls who are doing big things.”

The club is based out of Novi Ice Arena, which just underwent significant renovations over the summer that lasted nearly a month. Those upgrades included a new dehumidifier to improve ice quality, sand floor replacement on both ice sheets, and upgraded heaters that make for a more comfortable experience.

Adding to the atmosphere, banners recognizing the accomplishments by those from Skating Club of Novi are planned to be raised this week. That includes several banners with Yin’s name on it for her achievements in ice dancing. Yin is looking to add another as she and several others from the club are competing at the end of this month in the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships, part of part of US Figure Skating’s National Qualifying Series and Solo Dance Series.

Like other sports dominated by the travel scene, there’s no true offseason in figure skating. That means Yin and others will hit the reset button and soon begin preparation for next year’s competitions.

“We’re in the process of looking for new music and gonna start a new program,” Mitts said. “Abby’s taking the next step and moving up to the Novice Division. We’re probably tracking to where she’ll go Senior (Division) her senior year depending on the elements and what she’s able to do, but I think this year she’ll go Novice, and I think she has a chance to do pretty well.”

PONTIAC – Following repeated chants of “We want JaMo,” the boys and girls planted near the 50-yard line at Notre Dame Prep High School were greeted by not one, but two Detroit Lions players.

Somewhere around 300 participants from ages 6 to 16 showed up for the youth football camp Sunday afternoon featuring Lions receiver Jameson Williams, who was joined by teammate Kerby Joseph.

All campers got a photo with Williams — and a few did as well with Joseph, who even signed one participants’ shoes — and a couple of lucky ones were able to haul in a deep pass from the four-year pro.

“I do it just to see the smiles on the kids’ faces, you know, bring joy to them,” Williams said. “They might not ever get to see a person in my position because (some of them), they stay to themselves, don’t get out in the community. I want to be a face in the community, help the kids, give some motivation.”

Kids were split into age groups and rotated through a number of stations at the camp, presented by, FlexWork Sports Management, a company that teams up with college and pro athletes throughout the US and Canada. Stations included a variety of exercises, including back pedal and ladder drills.

When asked if any campers have tried to race him, Williams laughed. “Nobody, but they always ask me about whether I’m faster than another player, and I always yes,” he said.

Due to injury, Williams never ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, leading to questions over what his time would be, only amplified by his claims he could run a 4.1 in the dash. Williams said on Sunday that he may not do a 40, but that he would probably run a 100-meter dash at some point in the future for fun.

When asked about the first player he was wowed by at a camp when he was younger, Williams named fellow St. Louis native and former New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney.

Campers weren’t the only ones getting face time with the Lions’ speedy target. Irish football players who were scattered throughout the stations as volunteers also got to meet and greet with Williams before things got underway.

“This is awesome,” said Josh Laura, a defensive back who will be a senior this fall for the defending D5 state champs. “Just being out here with the guys, showing the little kids what football’s like, it’s just a great experience for everyone and great for all us to be out here.”

ND Prep head coach Pat Fox was present, too, and talked about the benefit of opportunities like Sunday to expose so many kids to the campus.

“It’s a fantastic thing,” Fox said. “We’ve got beautiful facilities, and I think that’s tremendous. But more importantly, I think it perpetuates the game of football. It gives young kids a chance to enjoy playing this great game with some new kids, gives our kids a chance to work with them, show a little patience, giggle and laugh. And we got a chance to meet Mr. Williams and meet Kerby Joseph, and what a nice couple of young men they are. So yeah, we’re really excited, and we’re happy to have kids on our campus whenever we can.”

For the Irish players, getting out on the field on a hot, sunny afternoon was a reminder that practices are just on the horizon.

“Oh, absolutely,” Laura responded when asked if it gets the juices flowing. “We’ve got a strong squad coming back on offense and defense, bringing back our quarterback, linebackers on the squad. I’m so excited for this year and the team.”

Hundreds of kids showed up at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep High School for a youth football camp featuring Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams on Sunday, July 13, 2025.

Utica Ford head coach Matt Joseph will have a trio of his own players under his wing on the Red Team for Tuesday’s Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association Division 1 all-star game at Davenport University Softball Stadium.

The Falcons, who won 32 games this season, including a regional championship, have the most players from any program for the D1 game. They’ll be represented by catcher Sam Norrito, outfielder Brooke Williams and pitcher Jenna Walters.

“It is special to be able to coach these three players in their last official high school softball game,” Joseph said. “I was probably more excited than the kids when I got the text asking me to coach. “They have all given so much to our program. They all compete as hard as any I have coached and more importantly they are great people. I am very blessed and lucky to have been able to coach them these last four years.”

Dakota outfielder Jenna Higgins joins those three as the other Macomb County rep on the Red team.

From Oakland County, Stoney Creek third baseman Danielle Bryant and Walled Lake Northern first baseman Katelyn Stallings will also team up with the Macomb quartet for Joseph and Saline coach Rebecca Suiter.

Stallings’ inclusion comes after the Knights had a trio of their own (Lauren Fox, Patelyn Gribben, Kayle Turmell) picked to play in last year’s D1 game.

South Lyon head coach Jerry Shippe will be one of the skippers in the opposite dugout for the White Team. It features Lake Orion second baseman Addy Dukus and Lakeland’s Brynn Taliercio, selected as a utility player. Like Stallings, Dukus reps a Dragons’ program that had a trio (Grace Luby, Sydney Bell, Anna Gardner) selected to last year’s festivities.

State champion Richmond will be represented by a pair of players in the D2 game. Catcher Ashley Stafford and pitcher Katie Shuboy will lace up for the Red Team.

In the Division 3 game, Clawson pitcher Sarah McLeod was selected from a Trojans team that won 23 games and reached a regional final.

Games begin at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex on Tuesday with the D1 matchup, set for 10 a.m. The D2 game is scheduled for noon, followed by the Division 3 contest at 2:30 p.m. and the D4 game at 4:30 p.m.

The backstop of the Orchard Lake St. Mary’s back-to-back-to-back state championship teams, Ike Irish, was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday, the third primary member of those title squads to be drafted.

Several hours later, another of the OLSM champs, Nolan Schubart, went to the Cleveland Indians in the third round (Pick 101).

The first athlete in school history to be drafted in the first round of any sport’s draft, Irish joins former Eaglet teammates Brock Porter (Round 4, Pick 109 in the 2022 Draft by Rangers) and Alex Mooney (Round 7, Pick 218 in 2023 Draft) to be drafted, giving the OLSM program 11 overall picks.

While Mooney was drafted right on the heels of the Eaglets securing their third straight title — 2019, 2021 and 2022 — with a perfect 44-0 season, Irish spent three seasons at Auburn. He earned Freshman All-America honors by four different organizations in 2023, and was first-team All-SEC and a Buster Posey Award semifinalist in 2024, then became Auburn’s seventh consensus All-America as a junior.

Irish hit .364, slugged .710 with 13 doubles, two triples and 19 home runs for the Tigers in 2025, driving in 58 runs, with an OPS of 1.179, but spent much of the season playing right field after a shoulder injury — a broken scapula on a hit by pitch in March.

A 6-foot-5, 223-pound left-handed-hitting corner outfielder for Oaklahoma State, Schubart has 60-grade power, according to MLB.com, hitting 23 home runs (and falling two hits short of winning the Big 12 Conference triple crown), earning All-America honors from several publications for the second straight year, and Acacemic All-American honors the last two, just the second player in OSU program history to do it twice.

He finishes his Cowboys career with 59 home runs — one every 10 at-bats — ranking fourth in program history in round-trippers, ninth in slugging percentage (.705), 10th with 199 RBI.

Prep roundup: OLSM baseball sets new state record for consecutive wins

 

The best of the Macomb Area Conference came out on top, 9-4, in the second edition of the MAC vs. OAA All-Star softball game held Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at Oakland University.

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP – Several years ago, there was uncertainty within the Syron family as to who might be around for another year of the golf tournament that its name sports.

Fast forward to this year’s Syron Memorial Tournament, the 57th edition, and everyone is celebrating good health that was far from a given not long ago.

“It’s been fantastic,” Shawn Syron said following the conclusion of Friday’s opening round. “The family’s really come together. It’s been so fun to just celebrating positive things. This tournament is always a celebration of the past, but for us, of going forward to. The next generation, having Kyle out there, it’s so much fun.”

Two years ago, the feel-good story was that Kyle became the fourth generation in the family to take part in the tournament at Pontiac Country Club.

On Friday, Mike drove the cart as Kyle got his first 18 holes in of the three-day tournament, a reality that couldn’t be taken for granted after a life-threatening health scare for Mike within the past several years put everything in doubt.

“A year-and-a-half ago, they gave me less than a month to live,” Mike said. “Luckily, I got a transplant. Now, I get to watch my son golf. It’s very heartwarming.”

Speaking beyond the green of the 18th hole as the group that included the family and members of the Country Club’s staff wrapped up, Mike talked about what it meant to be present and watch his son carry on the legacy. “It’s one of the best feelings I’ve had,” he said. “Watching Kyle, he’s really progressed the last three years, and it warms my heart, and our family’s. With all the tragedy we’ve had the last few years and what I went through the past two.

“It’s really nice, especially in this tournament, where, it’s named after my grandpa, then my dad and uncle ran it, and now, my brother and I, my cousin, basically took it over, so it’s a very special tournament for us, and something special for Oakland County and the state of Michigan to have this tradition keep going.”

Photos from Round 1 of the 57th Annual Syron Memorial Tournament

After scores that he only defined as "a lot worse" -- Kyle only began golfing a few years ago -- his first several years participating, Kyle carded an 84 on the first round. "I play probably four times a week here, play with my friends, just trying to practice."

In regards to his aim of continuing to improve his showing, he added, "Hopefully, I get a tee time assigned (at the tournament) one day."

Speaking about what it means to have his dad healthy and watching on, Kyle added, "It's a lot of fun. I didn't know if I'd have him out here again, so it means everything to be able to play with him."

Golden Tee

The shot of the opening day came from Josh Bauer of West Bloomfield, who grew up just a hop and a step away from Pontiac Country Club. He had a hole-in-one on the 16th hole during Friday's opening round.

Mike noted that Mark, the son of Lloyd Syron and the Country Club's longtime manager who won the tourney back in 1990, had achieved the feat on several occasions.

Return of the Kings

According to the clubhouse scorecards, four previous winners returned to take part in this year's Syron Memorial.

That includes last year's victor, Sean Friel, along with John Quigley (2023), AJ Johnson (2010), and three-time champion Anthony Sorentino (2012, 2020, 2022)

Chad Gehres was leading after Friday's first round with a 65, but Quigley was tied with Jerred Barley just a stroke behind him, while Sorentino and Friel (67) are also both in the mix.

Eleven golfers scored under 70 and one managed a hole-in-one on the back nine during the opening round of the 57th Annual Syron Memorial Tournament on Friday, July 4, 2025 at Pontiac Country Club.

Eight players from Oakland County, including two each from Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, were named to this year’s Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Dream Team.

A Division 1 regional finalist, Brother Rice’s Dream Team pair are senior infielder Cole Van Ameyde and sophomore catcher Broder Katke.

Van Ameyde, off to Michigan State in the fall, batted .398 for Rice, led the team with a .547 on-base percentage and had a team-high 10 home runs while tying for the team lead of 40 RBIs.

Katke hit .374 on the year, leading the Warriors in doubles with 17 while driving in 39 runs and swiping 16 bags, all while serving as a fixture behind the plate.

The Eaglets were repped by the tandem of Luke Crighton and Hudson Brzustewicz.

Committed to Indiana, Crighton started his spring with a no-hitter, and finished it nearly just as strong, tossing a complete-game shutout in the Eaglets’ district championship win.

A Notre Dame commit, Brzustewicz was just as integral to the Eaglets’ postseason success. He hit a grand slam in the district semifinal win against Detroit Country Day, drove in a pair of runs in the regional championship against Lake Shore and had four RBIs in the D2 quarterfinal victory over Yale.

Novi southpaw Uli Fernsler (TCU), also in the top-tier of the state’s talented senior pitching crop, drew in scouts thanks to a 0.33 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 42 2/3 IP.

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Drake Roa was selected as an infielder but also dealt it on the hill for one of the top D2 programs in the state. In addition to batting a team-high .464 average, Roa homered three times, drove in 24 runs and nabbed 30 bags. On the bump, he pitched 19 frames, converting all seven of his save opportunities with just a 0.37 ERA.

An all-LVC, all-district, and all-region pick, senior catcher Kaiden Kapa made the Dream Team from Waterford Kettering. He ended the year with 19 RBIs and posted six three-hit performances over the course of the year for the Captains.

Rochester Adams outfielder Koltyn “Flip” Watters was the lone freshman to make the Dream Team. He led the Highlanders in both batting average (.469) and OBP (.545), along with a handful of doubles, 21 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.

Bay City Western’s Luke LaCourse was selected as the 2025 Mr. Baseball.

 

DIVISION 1

Joining Van Ameyde and Katke from Brother Rice (both first-team), senior pitcher Blake Ilitch and freshman outfielder Maksim Neshov from the Warriors made the D1 team as second-team selections.

Neshov made an immediate impact, as Katke did last year, with a team-high .417 BA. He accrued eight doubles, homered three times and tied for the team lead in stolen bases with 28.

Ilitch, part of the team’s formidable two-ace staff along with Cole Duhaime, pitched 51 2/3 innings and enjoyed a team-best 1.63 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP. The Ole Miss commit had just a .132 batting average against and struck out 90 on the year.

In addition to Dream Team picks Fernsler, Kapa and Watters, Rochester Adams junior outfielder Matt Toepper was also a first-team selection. He finished with a .436 average, and led the Highlanders in doubles (seven), triples (three), RBIs (25) and stolen bases (30).

West Bloomfield senior Slade Moore and Walled Lake Northern senior infielder Carson Beattie each received second-team nods, also.

When he wasn’t making plays with his glove in center field for the Lakers, Moore, committed to Michigan, made his mark as another of the state’s best left-handers on the mound. He had a pair of five-inning postseason outings in which he struck out eight batters both times and wasn’t charged with any earned runs in either, including West Bloomfield’s 2-0 regional semifinal victory over Lakeland.

Beattie was an on-base machine for the Knights, and along with a slew of walks, he finished with three home runs and 36 RBIs on the season.

 

DIVISION 2

Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s each placed a pair of players — all juniors — on the first-team D2 squad.

From a 29-win Irish team were Roa, also from the Dream Team, and Henry Ewles, selected as a utility player.

Ewles tossed a team-high 65 1/3 innings for Notre Dame Prep and went 7-4 in 11 starts. He had phenomenal metrics with just a 1.29 ERA and 0.80 WHIP, striking out 49 with only 10 walks allowed. At the plate, Ewles batted .420, homering three times while driving in 37 runs, best on the Irish.

Also from the Dream Team for St. Mary’s were Crighton and Brzustewicz.

 

DIVISION 4

A pair of Novi Christian Academy seniors, infielder Tyler Brown and outfielder Luke Gallagher, were each second-team selections, as well as Royal Oak Shrine senior first baseman Jackson Poulton.

In a sweep of Allen Park Inter-City Baptist, two of the Warriors’ best wins of the season, Gallagher combined to go 5-for-8, while Brown went 5-for-5 with nine RBIs, including a double short of the cycle in a 16-5 victory on April 29.

Poulton singled in the go-ahead run and drove in a pair for the Knights in their 3-1 win over Our Lady of the Lakes for Shrine’s district championship.

High school sports seasons are like a roller coaster.

Teams ride the ups and downs of run-of-the-mill games, holiday tournaments and rivalry matchups – a variety of mini-loops and corkscrews – before the big drop that is the postseason.

As writers, we quietly mimic those steps in the background, as we record the many successes throughout the county in a given season.

Typically, throughout those parts of the regular season, a series of league matchups means I wouldn’t run into my Macomb counterpart in Brady McAtamney too often. But when the playoffs roll around, Oakland and Macomb County teams inevitably face each other for the right to advance.

Brady talked about what a frenetic run-up it was for him to the state finals in East Lansing several weekends ago. I joked that mine across the county border wasn’t nearly so, a sign of the see-saw nature in which any given season, it’s either him or I. But we chatted briefly at McLane Stadium when Dakota was playing in the D1 baseball final, then parted ways.

These OAA vs. MAC all-star games at season’s end are another chance for us to intersect when the real ride of the spring is over. Last year, I spent a majority of the game hovering around the OAA dugout, and I assume Brady did something similar.

Last week, for this year’s baseball game between the two counties’ all-stars, Brady and his girlfriend were sitting at a table behind the plate. I hadn’t met her, and we’d spent so little time throughout the spring at the same place at the same time, and so rather than wandering back to the dugout, I pulled up a seat.

We chatted about work. We shared stories about coaches, players. The three of us shared our joy and disdain for pop stars.

Over the past few weeks, Brady and I had talked about anything from video games we had played or planned to play to dealing with seizures, which have been affecting an immediate family member of mine.

I’ve spent most of the week in a hospital watching over that family member, including Tuesday when I got the news that Brady had passed away over the weekend. As it does when you get any kind of text, email or call of that nature, my heart sank.

Just trying to work through the challenges of that, it didn’t really hit me until sometime Wednesday afternoon as I looked out the fifth-floor window of the hospital.

There won’t be any more ribbing each other in our group chat over Troy vs. Athens outcomes, the rival high schools we each went to. No more texting about games we wish we’d gotten to. No more commiserating about the busy season we can relate to.

Brady McAtamney, sports coordinator for Macomb Daily, dies at age 28

There’s no silver lining to the death of someone so young, but I’m dealing with it by finding joy in that decision to sit and chat with Brady one last time watching some baseball together, something he loved, too.

When the softball game between the OAA and MAC rolls around in the next several weeks, there will still be stories to celebrate of players and coaches. But whoever bats, pitches or wins, there’ll be a hole in the lineup without Brady there also. He will be missed.

EAST LANSING – Lake Orion’s Connor Fox doesn’t want to think or talk about repeating in the Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship presented by Imperial Headware, but he admitted it’s cool that Michigan State University’s Forest Akers West Golf Course is hosting.

“It would be cool to win my last GAM junior event at my future place,” said Fox, who over a year ago committed to the Michigan State golf program and this week is playing in the Michigan Amateur Championship in Charlevoix.

He said he plans to approach the 47th Michigan Junior the same way he approached the 46th, which he won a year ago at Ferris State University’s Katke Golf Course.

“I go in wanting to play my best golf, taking it one shot at a time, get into match play and then take it one shot at a time,” he said. “It doesn’t help to start thinking about that trophy or anything like that.”

He did acknowledge winning the title a year ago means a lot to him, and the exemption it earned from the USGA for the U.S. Junior Amateur was something he would love to have happen again.

“It was all very cool, but I just have to approach it all the same way,” he said.

The field of 108 golfers, ages 18-and-under, has been determined by past performance and through sectional qualifiers. They will compete starting Sunday, June 22, for the overall championship or in an age 15-and-under division on Monday.

The golfers playing in the overall division will play 36 holes of stroke play Sunday to determine a medalist and top seed to lead the low-scoring 32 golfers into the match play bracket. The 15-and-under division starts with 18 holes of stroke play on Monday to determine an eight-golfer bracket for match play. The semifinal and championship match rounds for both age divisions will be held on Wednesday.

Forest Akers West is home to the successful Michigan State golf teams. It is one of two courses at the facility (East and West), both of which were redesigned by Michigan State alumnus and highly regarded golf course designer Arthur Hills in 1992.

The West plays from 5,278 yards to 7,013 yards with five tee positions and hosts the Big Ten home competition for the Spartans.

The players in the field are familiar with the Forest Akers properties, which have hosted several GAM junior events and high school state championship tournaments over the years.

Bryan Harris is the PGA golf professional and general manager at Forest Akers and Ben Keeler is the golf course superintendent. Learn more at golf.msu.edu.

Last year in Big Rapids, Fox turned back future MSU teammate Julian Menser, a South Lyon native and Detroit Catholic Central grad, 7 and 6, in the title match. Menser has aged out of the competition and is a current member of the MSU team.

In the 15-and-under bracket, Julian Sinishtaj of Macomb and Warren De La Salle earned the 15-and-under championship with a 9 and 8 win over David Han of Midland in the championship match.

This year, the Macomb Area Conference Bronze ran through Hazel Park, as the Vikings went undefeated in the league en route to earning the MVP and Coach of the Year honors.

Lillian Griffiths earned the league’s highest award while the Vikings’ skipper, Greg Richardson, earned the coaching award. The league’s second-place finisher, Fitzgerald, whose only league losses came to HP, earned the sportsmanship award.

Final standings

1. Hazel Park (16-17 overall, 12-0 league)

2. Fitzgerald Spartans (15-10, 10-2)

3. Sterling Heights Stallions (9-8, 8-4)

4. Madison Eagles (6-7, 6-6)

5. Eastpointe Shamrocks (4-9, 4-8)

6. Clintondale Dragons (2-10, 2-10)

7. Lincoln Abes (0-13, 0-12)

Superlatives

MVP: Lillian Griffiths, Hazel Park

Coach of the Year: Greg Richardson, Hazel Park

Sportsmanship award: Fitzgerald Spartans

All-conference team

La’onna Otis, junior, Hazel Park

Maddi Platt, junior, Hazel Park

Kathryn Chappell, senior, Hazel Park

Ryleigh Adams, junior, Hazel Park

Camilla Polanco, freshman, Hazel Park

Lydia Yokel, sophomore, Fitzgerald

Taylor McCants, junior, Fitzgerald

CaSaundra Smith, senior, Fitzgerald

Aziya Marks, junior, Fitzgerald

A’Nyah Hillie, sophomore, Madison

DaMia Harvey, sophomore, Madison

R’Lea’Sha Currie, senior, Eastpointe

Tyra Thompson, senior, Eastpointe

Kacey Zabel, senior, Clintondale

Honorable mentions

Clintondale: Kylie Violet

Hazel Park: Maddie Meade; Hannah Truba.

Madison: DaNylea Paige; Adeline Klank

Fitzgerald: Brianna Parsons; Aubree Stafford.

South Lyon may have come up short to Saline in the Division 1 softball championship game last weekend, but fans in East Lansing witnessed all the same reasons first-year head coach Jerry Shippe has to be excited about his team next spring and beyond.

“Strong, strong,” Shippe responded when asked about the future of his team. “We’re going to be back again. We’ve got a lot of kids in our JV program, a lot of kids coming in, and the tradition’s just going to continue. I’m very excited about the future.”

Yes, three of the Lions’ handful of seniors were starters, but that leaves a number of key cogs who will keep the gears churning.

Included is the entirety of South Lyon’s pitching staff. Along with sophomore Emma Meyn and freshman Madison Rushlow, junior Havanna Bissett will be back to anchor the rotation after doing a more-than-admirable job of filling the shoes of Ava Bradshaw.

Bissett, who fanned 114 batters in her 104 frames of regular season work, only got better when the postseason hit. In 47 innings of playoff ball, she sported a 1.72 ERA and struck out 37 batters.

Shippe credited her for battling through some injuries, too, and expects her to be even better in her final season as a Lion.

“(Havanna’s) the MVP of this team,” Shippe said following the state final. “We gave her the ball from day one and said, ‘This is your circle, you go out there and take care of it.’ And she has. And she’s a competitor, too. She’s got an edge to her out there in the circle that you’re looking for as a coach.

“She’s kept us in and won more games for us than we probably even expected going into the season. I’m excited to see her in her senior year to see what she can do.”

Otherwise, first baseman Rylee Miller provided the most firepower for South Lyon in the title game, smashing three hits from the leadoff spot.

Oh, and she was just a freshman.

“I’ve known what she can do,” Shippe said of Miller, who is an outfielder first. “Once she got the opportunity and she was comfortable at first, we knew this was where we were going to go with it because we knew what kind of bat she had and what kind of athlete she is as a freshman. She’s resilient. Nothing phases that kid, which is unbelievable as a ninth-grader, and that’s what’s going to make her successful here for the next three years.”

Including the game against Saline, Miller batted .500 in 28 at-bats in South Lyon’s playoff run.

Asked what allowed her to perform on the state’s biggest stage, Miller replied, “I just think I’ve led off like my whole life with travel ball, so it’s just nothing new to me. I just wanted to make a statement because I didn’t really play much early in the season, so to leadoff in the more important games, it meant a lot to me and I just wanted to make a mark.”

Wherever she plays for South Lyon next year, she’ll be joined by several other hitters in the heart of the order, including Ella Glowacki, who will be a senior, and Isabella Bracali, another infielder, who has two years remaining.

Bracali and others also spoke about the importance of Shippe, promoted from his position as an assistant, and how the team’s familiarity with him helped the Lions return to Michigan State for another year.

“It was super important,” South Lyon senior Izzy Nooe said of the continuity it provided. “We knew the year was going to be a little bit different, but it wasn’t just going to be a ‘have fun’ year, and we meant business. I think we showed that by going even further than we did last year, and we had a coach that believed in us and all the girls. We rallied around him, and (the coaches) lifted us up.”

Added Bracali, “(It) was very important. He was a very big aspect of how we got as far as we did. He’s just been there for us all season and been our biggest supporter throughout everything, the wins and the losses.”

Nooe echoed Shippe’s excitement about the talent that will remain after she and her classmates have graduated.

“I think this program is going to be great for a while, and there’s no stopping these girls,” Nooe said. “The energy, the passion that they have and the practice that they put into it, you can really see it, and I’m so excited to see them keeping the program alive.”

CHARLEVOIX – Lorenzo Pinili of Rochester Hills appears to have made Michigan Amateur Championship history at the place where much of the tournament’s history has been made, although a weather-suspended round must be completed before it becomes official.

The 20-year-old Michigan State University golfer and Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice grad shot a course and tournament record 7-under-par 63 for a two-round tournament-record 130 total and has likely earned medalist honors in the stroke play portion of the 114th state championship presented by Carl’s Golfland Wednesday at Belvedere Golf Club.

Pinili played in the morning, however, before heavy rain and lightning forced a delay of just over two hours and finally a suspension of the round at 7 p.m. The round is scheduled to resume at 7:30 a.m. Thursday.

If Pinili remains in front through the completion of the round, he would be the No. 1 seed heading into the match play later Thursday. The medalist has their name added to the prestigious Chuck Kocsis Medalist Trophy.

A lot is yet to be determined, however. The 36-hole cut to the low 64 golfers must be decided before match play begins. Match play will continue through Saturday to determine the champion.

“It’s definitely a nice feeling to say I have a record and that I might be the medalist, just because I know this tournament is really prestigious in Michigan,” he said. “I still have my goal this week, though, to win the championship, and I know to do that in match play you have to take it one hole at a time, one shot at a time.”

PJ Maybank of Cheboygan at the University of Oklahoma, the co-leader with Pinili after the first round, shot 65 for 132 to stand second before the suspension of play. Defending champion McCoy Biagioli of White Lake and Michigan State shot 66 for 134.

Bryce Wheeler of Augusta and Grand Valley State was 2-under total through 14 holes of his round when play was suspended. He was the only other golfer under par besides Pinili, Maybank and Biagioli.

Pinili’s place in Michigan Amateur history should break down like this:

• The 63 is the lowest round in stroke play qualifying in history. It equals a 63 medalist Andrew Chapman of Traverse City shot in 2014 at Belvedere, but the course was played at a significantly reduced yardage and par due to flooding. The non-asterisk record for 18 holes during stroke play in the GAM records was 64 shot by Andy Ruthkoski of Muskegon in 2003, who was medalist that year.

• The 130 stroke play total is the best by one shot in tournament history eclipsing the 131 that Andrew Walker of Battle Creek shot at Country Club of Detroit in 2018.

Pinili’s place in Belvedere history, which includes 40 previous Michigan Amateur Championships, should break down like this:

• The 63 tops the course record 64 that Michigan golf legend Chuck Kocsis shot in 1962 during an October round at the club, and which was equaled by Ruthkoski in 2003 during the stroke play rounds of the Michigan Amateur.

• Emmett French in Aug. of 1929 first set the course record at Belvedere when he shot a 68 in the Great Lakes Open, a professional event created with star touring golfers by golf course architect and first professional William Watson.

• The very next year, in the Great Lakes Open once again, golf legend Walter Hagen shot 65 to set the new mark, which stood in place for 32 years before Kocsis’ 64.

Pinili’s round featured seven birdies and an eagle-3 (Belvedere’s No. 10 hole) against two bogeys. He was low amateur in last week’s Hall Financial Michigan Open at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, and he admitted it has been a while since he consistently shot scores in red numbers.

“The last time I had a run like this was in high school,” he said. “I think a lot of it is momentum and confidence and just knowing I can pull off shots because I have been doing it the last couple of months. I’m trusting in myself and my swing.”

Pinili said solid decisions are leading to his good scores.

“I’m not allowing myself to make big numbers out there, which I think is key,” he said. “That doesn’t matter as much in match play, but I like match play a lot. It gives the underdog a chance to win a match that maybe they are not supposed to win. I just have to prepare to play against myself, and not as much against the other person so that I don’t get out of my game. I’ve played well enough to shoot 10-under so I think if I keep a level head, and just trust my game plan, I’ll have a good chance.”

Maybank made five consecutive birdies in his round of 65 and said he feels ready for match play, too.

“I had it going for a while and my game feels good,” he said. “Lorenzo shot a great round. We’ve been playing against each other for a long time. I feel great for him. It would have been nice to be No. 1 seed, but I’m playing well and now it’s match play. It should be fun.”

BIRMINGHAM – North Farmington’s boys hoops team began its summer with a similar end-of-game scenario to many of the ones that defined its record last winter.

The Raiders played their first game together at Groves High School on Monday evening and defended on the final possession to pick up a 31-29 win over River Rouge.

“We were a lot better defensively the second half,” said North Farmington JV head coach Pete Mantyla, who has been with the school in some capacity for over three decades.

Mantyla was pleased with the way his team — which, sans a player missing with an injury, featured a majority of guys who played big roles last year and will do so again going forward — locked it down in man-to-man as the game wore on.

From a results standpoint, the Raiders early on this past year looked the part of a team that had lost a majority of their talent from the one prior when they ran to the D1 title game against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

But the reality was better than the standings indicated. Their first four losses were all by one possession, not a big surprise from a team that lacked the on-court reps.

“We weren’t finishing out games,” said Raiders forward Connor Brown, who was a sophomore last year. “We were practicing as much as we could. We just weren’t prepared for those scenarios. When we got to them we didn’t know what to do.

“The more we played in games through the season and saw the ending of games, we learned and adapted and were able to finish them out.”

Though he made note of a disappointing loss to rival Farmington in districts, North Farmington went 7-3 in its final 10 games of the regular season, including wins over Clarkston, Avondale and Rochester Adams. Its three losses over that span, including a 55-54 defeat at Groves, came by a combined six points. But three of the victories in the final stretch were secured by a single point, too, indicating the team had show an ability to pull out some of the close ones as well.

Brown, a 6-foot-5 forward who plays his AAU ball with D Rice Elite, is a key piece for the Raiders going forward along with sophomore TJ Wauldron, who has played a lot off-ball but should be a primary ball-handler looking ahead, pairing with seniors Quran Creary and Brendyn Favors.

Beyond them, “It’s a matter of getting the young guys some experience this summer so they’re ready to contribute and fill out those next three or four spots,” Mantyla said.

Games like Monday’s and Wednesday’s game at Groves against Warren Lincoln will prepare North Farmington to better handle pressure next season, when the Raiders will be a little more tested and experienced in their chase for an OAA Red league title. If that late push last year that allowed them to finish third was any indication, they’ll be in the hunt.

“I’m really excited,” Brown said. “I feel like we’re gonna be really good this (coming) year. We’re putting in the work and building experience and coaching up the younger guys to come up and be ready.”

Referencing himself and his three aforementioned returning teammates, Brown added, “I think we’re all gonna have really good summers. We’ve been in the gym together all the time and we’ve got a core group just like two years ago where it’s the four of us. Nothing can break us. We’ll be ready.”

Saline scored a run in four of the first five innings and South Lyon was not able to keep pace as the Lions fell 5-2 in the Division 1 championship Saturday, June 14, 2025 in East Lansing.

EAST LANSING – The hits were there for South Lyon, but Saline’s Abigail Curtis scattered the damage well enough to deny the Lions on Saturday afternoon as the Hornets claimed the D1 state championship with a 5-2 win at Secchi Stadium.

South Lyon junior Havanna Bissett allowed just three more hits than her counterpart, but Curtis paired 13 strikeouts with her seven hits allowed to give the Hornets their first state title in program history.

“There’s so many great softball teams in the state of Michigan, oh my gosh, softball is so strong,” said Saline head coach Becca Suiter, who talked about going next door with her team afterward to support the Hornets’ girls soccer team that was also playing for a D1 title Saturday. “For our community, we’re so happy to be able to do this … It’s just outstanding for female athletics for Saline, and just our community, so we’re really happy we could do this today.”

Shortstop Casey Griffin, who finished 3-for-3, started the game for Saline with a single, and two batters later catcher Sydney Hastings also singled before Gracelyn Waldrop drove in Griffin to immediately put Saline up, 1-0.

That initial lead was short-lived. Also a force from the leadoff spot, Rylee Miller got it kicked off at the plate for the Lions with a single, then Avery Bourlier singled up the right side to put runners at the corners until Isabella Bracali’s bouncer to third allowed Miller to beat a throw to home, as well as the tag, tying the game.

Unfortunately for South Lyon, Saline would pull back ahead in the top of the second when Ava Stripp sent one over the fence in left field by several yards for a solo shot, beginning a chase by the Lions to tie it again or take a lead that didn’t cease until the final out.

There was no big inning for the Hornets, rather just adding to the lead one run at a time. Waldrop’s sacrifice allowed Hastings to score and make it 3-1 in the third, then the Hornets extended the lead to three in the top of the fifth when a two-out single by Madison Bellus into left scored Hastings.

Saline tacked on its final run of the day when Griffin’s single was shot over the glove of a leaping Izzy Nooe at shortstop to score Elizabeth Onyskin in the top of the sixth.

Bracali sent one into the gap in left-center field for a double in the bottom of the sixth, then Glowacki doubled up the middle to drive her in for the Lions’ final run.

Glowacki would advance to third on a wild pitch in the sixth. It was one of four innings that ended with a runner a base short of home for the Lions.

“We just couldn’t take advantage of the runners in scoring position and cash them in,” South Lyon head coach Jerry Shippe said. “We’ve worked on it a lot, we just couldn’t get the clutch hit when we needed to. Hats off to Saline. They hit the ball hard. They’re a really good team. They deserve it. We just couldn’t get that timely hit when we needed to and sometimes it catches up to you.”

A portion of the success for Curtis in limiting South Lyon and the teams that came before — the Hornets (40-3-2) allowed 10 runs over their seven playoff games — can be attributed to an increased reliance on her changeup.

“I kind of picked up that I think they were prepared for her rise ball when we were watching film,” Suiter said. “So I told (Abigail) today, ‘Okay, let’s try a different pitch.’ And she has really great off-speed a lot of people don’t know about, so after that first inning I had a good feeling if we could mix speeds and keep them off-balance, we’re going to be in good shape.”

Photos of South Lyon vs. Saline in a D1 softball state championship

Most wouldn't have picked South Lyon to get a stage past their semifinal finish last spring after graduating Ava Bradshaw, but Bissett's ability to help fill into her shoes and the effort of her teammates allowed the Lions to get out of a region that included top-ranked Mercy and beat a pair of top-10 teams in Northville and Walled Lake Northern to reach Saturday's final.

"I mean, I'm proud," said Shippe, an assistant coach for last year's side. "I'm sitting here, I'm emotional, choked up. I love these kids. It means a lot for the kids who have been here four years, the ones who are still in the program, and it means a lot to everybody who's going to be in this program to see the work they put in and the never-give-up attitude."

Miller, a freshman, finished 3-for-4 to lead South Lyon (33-8) at the plate in the loss. The Lions will graduate a handful from this year's team, but return Miller and Bissett, among others.

Asked how it felt to return to East Lansing again this spring, Nooe, one of those seniors, responded, "It means a lot, especially with this team. We didn't really have any expectations this year and we were just playing for each other. To make it this far, it just feels good knowing that you went as far as you could in your last year, and playing with these girls, it means everything to me."

NOVI – Calling South Lyon starting pitcher Havanna Bissett’s circumstances in the fifth inning of Saturday’s regional championship against Northville a high-leverage situation might have been an understatement.

An error coupled with several singles put the go-ahead runner on first for the Mustangs, who trailed just 2-0 at the time, and getting out of it all unscathed at the time seemed like a dream scenario.

But that dream became a reality. Bissett, aided by a few spectacular plays throughout by her teammates, never allowed a run, and the Lions dispatched Northville 3-0 to claim the regional title at Novi High School.

The Lions were already fortunate to get the first out of that fifth inning when a Northville player advanced too far past second and couldn’t make it back in time, but a single after that followed by a laser hit by Kennedi Adams that clipped off South Lyon shortstop Izzy Nooe’s glove juiced the bases for the Mustangs.

It’s no wonder then with jams like those that Bissett, who got a line out followed by a strikeout swinging to escape that particular one, was “very relieved” when her duties in the circle for the day had concluded. 

“I’m just saying to throw strikes,” Bissett said of her thoughts going back to that fifth frame. “I have to trust my defense. I really couldn’t do it without them, and my catcher (Mady Ferstenau) really helped me out.”

Make no mistake, Bissett helped herself, too, allowing six hits in the seven-inning effort — her second of the afternoon — but the Lions’ defensive effort was integral to keeping their hopes of returning to East Lansing alive.

There were several nice highlights, among them Furstenau gunning a runner out at second in the third inning, or Maggie Badrak backtracking to make a catch in center the play after that. The clear one, though, was a diving effort by Nooe on a ball hit by Jocelyn Burns to shallow left where the ball popped out of Nooe’s glove as she hit the ground, but she was able to trap the ball with her right arm as her body nearly folded over itself to secure the out for what would be another scoreless Northville inning.

“That was insane,” said Nooe, who had an inside-the-park home run the second at-bat of the game and finished 4-for-4 at the plate. “I didn’t know where my left fielder was, but I was feeling it out. I just went for it, then I had to transfer it to my other hand to keep it up. It was crazy.”

South Lyon’s collective heart rate elevated again when, after Bissett recorded consecutive outs to begin the bottom of the seventh, Adams singled between a pair of walks that gave Northville a chance to win it with one swing, but a hard one-hopper back to Bissett and a throw over to first triggered the Lions’ victory and celebration around the circle.

The celebration would be short-lived: South Lyon’s seniors had another hats-off celebration to attend — their graduation — at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, which was slated to begin at 4 p.m., or exactly 30 minutes before the final out.

“It happened last year, too, but with a little different situation,” Lions head coach Jerry Shippe said. “Graduation was in the middle of the regional and we had the early game, so the girls left to graduate, then came back for the regional. It was a little different this year where they had to get out of here real quick, but it makes it more satisfying when you can bring a trophy to graduation ceremony.”

Following Nooe’s four-bagger in the first, the Lions (30-7) had to wait until the top of the fifth before adding to their lead. Ryle Miller doubled, then Nooe dropped a bunt to put runners at the corners, and a sacrifice grounder by Avery Bourlier scored Miller. Despite back-to-back bunt singles by Miller and Nooe that led off the top of the seventh, the Lions’ only run to came out of that inning was from an RBI double by Isabella Bracali.

Bissett spun a two-hitter and struck out nine in South Lyon’s regional semifinal just before that, a 6-1 victory over Bloomfield Hills. Nooe finished 2-for-3 in that one and the tandem of Bracali and Ella Glowacki both drove in a pair of runs.

Anna Carlson and Caroline King had the hits in the loss for the Black Hawks (23-15), who beat Groves 14-6 in a district championship that included a three-run homer by Avery Howland.

“Last year we had four senior graduate, and this year we have six, and all six made all-district,” Bloomfield Hills head coach Phil Appel said. “Like I just said to them, I’m like, all you guys have to do is watch how (the seniors) played this year and we’ll be fine next year. Because if they learned anything from them, it’ll be a great shot. They were amazing seniors.”

Like Bissett, Northville’s Mary Gugala also tossed two complete games on Saturday. The first resulted in the Mustangs’ 1-0 upset of top-ranked Farmington Hills Mercy.

Photo gallery of South Lyon vs. Northville in a D1 softball regional championship

McKenzie Stevens tripled to lead off the third against the Marlins (28-3) and later was walked in to score the lone run, which in itself has been a rare occurrence all year with Kaitlyn Pallozzi on the hill. Gugala allowed two hits and struck out six in the win, while Pallozzi's ended as she fanned a dozen.

"Going against No. 1 Mercy, and their pitcher, obviously, we felt we had to come in here and do things a little bit differently and try to get her and their whole team off-balance," Northville head coach Scott DeBoer said. "We did a lot of looking at things, studying of things, spent a lot of time on the machines and working on bunting and just trying to distract and make (Mercy) try to make some plays.

"(Pallozzi's) going to strike out 12, 14, I mean, she strikes out over 70% of the batters she faces, so we knew we had to do something different. And Mary, a junior, went toe-to-toe with her. She's not gonna throw 65 (mph) right now, but what she can do is spin it in multiple pitches keep multiple people off-balance, and to throw a two-hitter against them, in that game, was phenomenal."

DeBoer did confess his believe that the discrepancy in speed between Pallozzi and Bissett probably negatively effected the Mustangs' performance at the plate in the final and led to being out front and lots of fly balls. Still, he said "to go 35-7 after 34-8 (last year), while starting four freshmen, if you had told me that at the start of the year, I would have signed up for that in a heartbeat ... I'm really proud of this team. There's no losers in a game like that. There's no losers when you get to play in this atmosphere."

South Lyon will see a familiar opponent in Walled Lake Northern in Tuesday's quarterfinal that will be hosted by Northville. The Knights beat Grand Blanc and Lake Orion in their own regional on Saturday. Northern won the only meeting between the teams 5-1 on May 20.

"(Northern is) a very good team, always are, and the girls will be ready for it," Shippe said. "We'll be ready to go on Tuesday."