The Tigers have two more postseason award winners.

Left fielder Riley Greene and utility man Zach McKinstry won American League Silver Sluggers Awards on Friday night. The awards go to the best hitter at each position and are voted on by MLB managers and coaches.

McKinstry had 23 doubles, 12 homers and a .259 batting average. His OPS was .771 and his WAR was 2.8 – both career bests.

Both Greene and McKinstry made the AL All-Star team at midseason.

Last week the Tigers’ Dillon Dingler won the AL Gold Glove Award for catcher. The Cy Young will be awarded next week and Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal is one of three finalists. Skubal won the Cy Young in 2024.

The National League Silver Slugger winners were announced Thursday night.

AL winners

C – Cal Raleigh, Seattle

1B – Nick Kurtz, Athletics

2B – Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York

3B – Jose Ramirez, Cleveland

SS – Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City

OF – Riley Greene, Detroit

OF – Aaron Judge, New York

OF – Byron Buxton, Minnesota

DH – George Springer, Toronto

UT – Zach McKinstry, Detroit

NL winners

C – Hunter Goodman, Colorado

1B – Pete Alonso, New York

2B – Ketel Marte, Arizona

3B – Manny Machado, San Diego

SS – Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona

OF – Juan Soto, New York

OF – Corbin Carroll, Arizona

OF – Kyle Tucker, Chicago

DH – Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles

UT – Alec Burleson, St. Louis

BIRMINGHAM – Oftentimes, high school football playoffs games can be decided on a couple of key plays.

Birmingham Groves picked up two major plays Friday night and a lot of little ones in recording a 36-22 Division 2 district finals triumph over visiting Warren Cousino.

Jeremiah Whitley had an 85-yard rushing touchdown and Dominic Taylor added a 62-yard pick-six to go along with a sack and eight tackles in leading the Falcons to their sixth district title in program history.

It was Taylor’s interception returned to the endzone that broke the camel’s back, as Cousino was trying to put together a game-tying drive. 

“So basically we have been going over that all week about there passes. We have a great scout team – the whole team played great defense. And I just baited him (the quarterback) on that interception,” said Taylor, one of just three returning starters this season. “I just stayed there in the middle, caught the ball here, brought the ball to my chest and took it to the house. That was a game-changer.

“We might have lost a lot of guys that graduated. But our seniors have been together since we were sophomores and we had to realize the great guys leave – great classes leave and we knew we had to step up as seniors,” added Taylor. “We’ve been playing football long enough to step up. We want to make a name for ourselves and we wanted to win another district championship and go even further this season.”

After starting 2-3, the Falcons (8-3) have now won six straight games.

Veteran Groves coach Brendan Flaherty saw his young team really start to mature by mid-season and the Falcons have taken flight this year into the regional finals.

“Judah Skobie got that huge block (on the long) touchdown run by Whitley and Dominic had that interception returned for a touchdown. You talk about guys making big plays,” smiled Flaherty. “This was a tight football game and we knew they had some players. They are a great team. It’s the second round of the playoffs and there’s no weak teams at this stage. They’re all good teams now. Cousino tested our mettle a little bit and they are well-coached and I have a ton of respect for what they’ve been able to do.

“But our guys have matured a lot this season. We did start 2-3,” continued Flaherty. “I just think that these guys mostly had new roles this season and it took some time. But we made plays tonight that we might not have early in the season. We had those two long scores, had some nice drives, tipped some passes (in the secondary) and just did a lot of the little things it takes to win a great football game.”

Groves racked up 350 total yards in the slugfest Friday – 310 on the ground and 40 through the air – and had three rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown and one interception for another score in downing the high-powered Patriots, who came in averaging 33.1 points a game.

The Falcons never trailed and advanced to the regional finals for the second straight year and sixth time since 2016. Groves – which won regional championships in 2016, 2018, 2022 and 2024 – will visit fellow powerhouse Detroit King for the regional title next weekend.

Groves went ahead for good when Whitley scored on a 6-yard run with 6:12 left in the third for a 29-22 advantage in the tight game.

With Cousino (7-4) driving as part of a 12-play series, it was Taylor who leapt in front of a Cousino receiver while quarterback Brick Sandridge was being hit and picked off the pass before racing 62 yards for the score and a commanding 36-22 lead with 1:46 still left in the third quarter.

The Groves defense made that 14-point lead stand down the stretch, as Cousino had its last two drives stall out on downs.

Cousino finished its best season in several years with a 7-4 record and a berth in the district finals. Coach Brandon Genette and his staff have quickly turned the program around with a respectable 24-16 record over four seasons (2022-2025).

Before then, Cousino finished 0-9 during the 2021 season and actually forfeited their last four games and scored just 42 points that season.

“The seniors were freshman when we started the rebuild and they stuck around to help us make the district finals this year,” said Gennette. “The previous four years before I got here, Cousino was just 3-31 in that time span. I can’t thank these seniors enough, really all four senior classes, for relaying our foundation and helping us become a very competitive team again. It’s been a long time.

“We lost to a very good Groves team with a lot of tradition. They were a play away from getting to the state finals last season and they are always making runs it seems,” added Gennette. “We knew this would be a tight game and I think it just boiled down to them making a couple of more plays than we did tonight. Hats off to them.”

On just the second play from scrimmage, Whitley broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and also picked up a huge block from Scobie and raced 85 yards for the score and a 7-0 advantage, as Groves never trailed in the game.

After Cousino countered with a swift four-play drive capped by Daniel Carter’s 38-yard touchdown sprint, Groves went ahead again on its next drive.

The Falcons jolted ahead 15-7 with 6:10 still left in the first quarter when quarterback LeVelle Shannon hit Joshua Hammonds on a 15-yard strike down the middle and Whitley scored on the ensuing two-point conversion run.

The conversion was set up by an offsides call against Cousino.

The Patriots did claw to with 15-14 with 2:15 left in the first stanza when Sandridge scored on a 1-yard plunge.

Groves again took the lead when Whitley scored on a 5-yard touchdown sweep around left with 10:02 remaining in the second quarter and Gage Watters drilled his second extra point for the 22-14 halftime lead.

Cousino finally evened the score in the third quarter after a nine-play drive ended with Sandridge connecting with Julian Hayes with a 15-yard scoring toss where Hayes displayed his best version of shake and bake around a pair of defenders along the left since to tie the game at 22-22 with 9:42 remaining in the third frame.

That would be the last time the Patriots would score this season, as Cousino finished with a 353-212 scoring edge this season – the third time in four seasons the Patriots reached the postseason after years of misery.

Whitley finished with 25 carries for 238 yards and his three rushing touchdowns. Shannon finished 3-of-7 for 40 yards passing with six carries for 25 yards on the ground and his one touchdown run.

Hammonds had two catches for 35 yards and also recorded six tackles and two sacks for the Falcons. Taylor added a pass breakup to aid his strong night. Connor Eldredge and Kam Smith both chipped in with four tackles apiece for Groves.

Cousino still racked up 340 total yards on the night. LJ Hayes had eight catches for 101 yards and Sandridge was 17-for-36 passing for 204 yards, but his receivers dropped five passes and the Groves defense did a great job breaking up several passing plays in the secondary. Carter had 19 carries for 127 yards to lead Cousino’s running game.

ROCHESTER HILLS — Senior quarterback Ryland Watters threw for four touchdowns and ran for another as Rochester Adams dispatched Stoney Creek 43-18 in Friday’s district finals.

“We worked hard for this one. We knew it was a battle, especially last game,” Watters said. “It feels great to be Rochester champions, beating them twice. They’re a great football team, and beating Rochester (High) twice as well is a great feeling.”

Early on, the Cougars’ offense was moving the ball. Stoney Creek took the opening kick off and drove 53 yards in 14 plays before coming up short on fourth-and-goal.

Adams, by comparison, needed only three plays to score. Watters hit Matt Toeppner on a screen pass to the short side, and Toeppner picked up a couple of blocks, racing down the left sideline for a 93-yard touchdown. A 2-point conversion gave Adams an 8-0 lead, and the Highlanders would never trail.

Stoney Creek finished its next drive, a 12-play possession capped by a 13-yard TD pass from Brandon Gergics to Jake Lantzy that made the score 8-6.

But Adams would roll after that. The Highlanders kept hitting big plays, including a 57-yard touchdown from Watters to Cameron Dawood on their next possession that made it 14-6. That was the first of three touchdown catches on the night for Dawood.

“That was the game plan going in,” Adams head coach Tony Patritto said. “They were trying to guess what we were doing and taking some gambles, and we made some good checks and made some really nice plays.”

Adams finished the game with 15 plays going for 10 or more yards. Meanwhile, the longest play for Stoney Creek covered just 14 yards until the Cougars finally hit for several big gains on their final drive. By that time, though, the visitors were down 43-12. Once the Highlanders got dialed in on defense, Stoney Creek’s offense ground to a halt. After running 26 plays on their first two drives and gaining 118 yards, the Cougars generated just one first down on their next six trips.

“We just didn’t make enough plays tonight, and that was the frustrating part for us. We had a couple of good drives early on to put the ball close to the end zone and just couldn’t capitalize on it,” Cougars head coach Rick Powell said.

Photos of Rochester Adams vs. Stoney Creek in a D1 district football championship

With the win, Adams improves to 9-2 and will take a six-game winning streak into next week’s regional matchup against Romeo. The Highlanders and Bulldogs met on opening night with Adams winning 39-7. But after dropping its first two games, Romeo has now won eight of its last nine contests, including a 56-0 destruction of Macomb Dakota on Friday.

“Romeo is just crushing people,” Patritto said. “We’re going to have to be at our very best to beat them. They’ve got to come here, but the first game means nothing. They have us on film, we have them on film, so it’s really just about execution now.” He added that, “High school football is a momentum sport, and it’s really what the kids believe in. Our kids are starting to believe in themselves a little bit more, and I think that’s the difference.”

Stoney Creek finishes 7-4 in Year 2 under Powell.

“We’re just trying to take it one step at a time,” Powell said. “Last year, we made the playoffs and lost to these guys in similar fashion. This year, we challenged our seniors. What were our seniors going to do? What would they make for the program and for the team? And they really stepped up. Our motto and our goal was '1% better,' and if you look at the season overall, as a whole, we got 1% better as a program, and the seniors did it all. They lead the way. They were true to who they were, and I thank them for everything they did."

The Cougars will graduate 24 seniors, but also return many key pieces from this year’s team.

Rochester Adams defeated Stoney Creek 43-18 to win the D1 district title on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 at Adams. The Highlanders host Romeo next week in regionals.

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

That turned out to not be the case.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TROY – Down a set and facing a 24-20 deficit in the second set of its Division 1 district final with Birmingham Marian, it’s like a light went off in the head of Bloomfield Hills senior Kayla Nwabueze on Friday night.

Nwabueze would spark a 6-point rally with four kills to push the Black Hawks to a 26-24 win in the second set and completely shift the momentum of the game.

From there, the Black Hawks took the next two sets behind a match-high 29 kills from their Miss Volleyball finalist, as No. 2 Bloomfield Hills topped No. 4 Marian 18-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 at Troy Athens High School.

“I was just telling myself that this could possibly be my last game, and I need to just go out hard, and I need to go out with the bang,” Nwabueze said of her mindset to close the second that. “My mental space just changed.”

Bloomfield Hills (39-6-1) didn’t hide its strategy once it started to work. They set Nwabueze everywhere on the floor and challenged the Mustangs to stop her.

“I think everybody saw that Kayla got a little bit hot. I think the setter found the hot hitter for sure,” Bloomfield Hills coach Brian Kim said. “We were fortunate to be able to come back in that second set and then just ride that momentum into sets three and four.”

Nwabueze, a Harvard commit, put down another eight kills in the third set, then nine in the fourth to wrap up the match. Her final two kills came from the back row to push the Black Hawks to a 24-21 advantage.

“She is by far the best hitter in the state. Honestly, she’s the best hitter I’ve ever seen in the state,” Marian coach Mayssa Cook said of Nwabueze. “In all the years I’ve coached, nobody, in my opinion, that we’ve ever played, even touches her as far as talent goes.”

Marian (44-6) started fast, taking a 5-1 lead in the first and never trailed to pick up a 25-18 win. In the second set, the Mustangs would lead 8-1, but eight service errors in the frame opened the door for Bloomfield Hills to rally, which it did.

“It didn’t help that we missed eight serves. In the second set, we missed eight serves. We had a seven-point lead twice. We were still up 24-20 and missing those serves at critical moments got (Nwabueze) to the front row quickly,” Cook said.

Nwabueze felt the momentum shift after that second set, as it seemed to put the Mustangs on their heels, while her teammates started to play with more confidence.

“I definitely did,” Nwabueze said on if she felt the momentum changed after the second set. “I was really happy that my team started riding behind me, and our whole energy just flipped.”

It wasn’t just Nwabueze’s play on the court that helped turn the tide. She was the first to speak in each huddle, and she was coaching up her teammates following the first set, telling them to remain confident. To Kim, that just defines why she’s more than just an on-court leader.

“Her leadership really shows, and everybody on the team, I think even spectators, everybody can see what kind of leader that she really is,” Kim said of Nwabueze. “As hard as she plays, everybody else follows her lead. So, she’s really something special.”

When the match concluded, Nwabueze and her teammates collapsed to the floor in joy. When the district trophy was handed out to Kim, he immediately walked it toward his senior star.

“It was definitely a feeling of relief that we didn’t have to keep fighting anymore,” Nwabueze said of seeing the final point. “We didn’t have to take it further than we needed to, and that we got the job done.”

Aiding Nwabueze and the Black Hawks in the win was junior setter Brynn Wilcox, who recorded 43 assists. Freshman Emily Nwabueze, the sister of Kayla, added seven kills while sophomore Allison Stakoe had four.

Photo gallery from the D1 volleyball district final between Bloomfield Hills and Marian

Marian was led by senior setter Allie Davison, who had 34 assists and five aces. Junior Sophia Smith recorded 15 kills, while sophomore Quinn Nelson had 10 kills with four aces.

The Mustangs will graduate four from their 2025 roster, but will return a loaded roster once again for the 2026 season.

“Wanting it is one thing, showing it is another thing,” Cook said of her team. “I know we wanted it. We've worked hard all season. We've been a top-five, maybe even top-four, team all season. It sucks that we saw them in districts, for sure, because we are better than a team that loses in districts. But ultimately, you have to show up and play who is in front of you. Bloomfield Hills brought their A+ game against us.”

The Black Hawks will now head to Marian next week for regional play. They open up with a regional semifinal against Grosse Pointe South at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

“There are a lot of players on the team that had to step up in different moments. So, every player on the team contributed throughout the season,” Kim said. “We’re excited to see how this season goes.”

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

Bloomfield Hills defeated Birmingham Marian 18-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 in a Division 1 district volleyball final at Troy Athens High School on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.

Nwabueze wills Bloomfield Hills to 4-set district championship win over Marian

ORCHARD LAKE — Championship mettle and experience certainly took over for Orchard Lake St. Mary’s on Friday in a high school football rematch against Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice.

Leading by one late in the first half against a Brother Rice team that beat St. Mary’s on its field just three weeks ago, St. Mary’s scored four unanswered touchdowns to win a Division 2 district final, 35-14.

“I thought our boys were excited for the moment and I think experience helps,” St. Mary’s head coach Jermaine Gonzales said. “I told them all week that we’ve been in the playoffs before. This is not new to us. Just to stay the course and when there is adversity, don’t panic.”

Brother Rice, which earned a 43-31 win at St. Mary’s on Oct. 17, bounced back this year after some uncharacteristic down years.

A roster dominated by freshman and sophomore standouts, Brother Rice grew up a lot in the second half of the season after a 2-4 start, winning four straight to make the playoffs and signaling a possible return to the program’s glory days with all its young talent.

“Shout to Orchard Lake, they did a great job today and had a great game plan,” Brother Rice head coach Aaron Marshall said. “But our future is bright. I’m proud of our boys. We’ll get back in the lab and get better.”

On this night though, St. Mary’s was too much after most of the first half was pretty much even.

With 3:29 left in the first half, St. Mary’s went up 14-6 on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Jabin Gonzales to Lorenzo Barber, who got loose on the sideline and outraced the defense to the end zone.

Brother Rice received the second-half kickoff, but St. Mary’s forced a three-and-out deep in Brother Rice territory and got the ball back at the Brother Rice 45.

Two plays later, Gonzales and Barber hooked up for a 36-yard touchdown pass that gave St. Mary’s a 21-6 lead with 9:50 left in the third quarter.

After forcing another Brother Rice punt and taking over at the Brother Rice 31, St. Mary’s went up 28-6 with 5:47 left in the third on a 2-yard touchdown run by Barber on fourth-and-goal.

Following an interception by Luke Jackson, St. Mary’s went up 35-6 on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Gonzales to Chad Willis with 4:42 to go in the third quarter.

“We focused the whole week this week,” Barber said. “Got in the film room and saw what we did three weeks ago and the mistakes. We just took advantage of what they gave us and made the most of it, that’s all.”

Brother Rice ended the St. Mary’s run with 2:51 remaining on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Drake Martin to Christian Marshall and a successful 2-point conversion.

St. Mary’s opened the scoring with 7:43 remaining in the first quarter, taking a 7-0 lead on a five-yard touchdown run by Camari Patterson.

The score was set up by a 17-yard scramble on fourth-and-14 to the Brother Rice eight by quarterback Gonzales.

The drive was set up by a 53-yard kickoff return to open the game by Barber.

Brother Rice put together a drive and cut the St. Mary’s lead to 7-6 with 6:47 left in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal by Deondre Hill out of a wildcat formation.

Following a penalty on St. Mary’s that moved the ball to the 1-yard line, Brother Rice decided to go for the 2-point conversion, but St. Mary’s defensive end Ryan Harrington batted down a pass to thwart the conversion attempt.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OXFORD – When you step inside the Oxford High School gymnasium and look up at the volleyball championships banner, it seems like it must be a misprint.

The last district title for the Wildcats came in 2002?

Though it didn’t seem like 23 years had passed, it actually had.

It was something that stuck with first-year head coach Jen Bunting when she took over the program this fall, and she used it as motivation throughout the season.

That was definitely the driving force this week with Oxford hosting districts, as the Wildcats followed up a five-set semifinal win over Lake Orion on Wednesday with a dramatic five-set win over Clarkston on Thursday in the final to give Oxford its first district championship since 2002.

“This is my first year as varsity coach and I saw (the Volleyball banner), and I made our slogan this year on the back of our shirts say, ‘it was our year,’ because it is our year,” Bunting said. “I don’t even know what to say right now. I’m just in awe, but the girls fought for it. They started strong, and they finished strong. This means so much to me.”

The Oxford roster wasn’t even born the last time the Wildcats managed to win a district title, but Thursday they came away with a 20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 12-25, 15-12 victory.

After dropping the first set, the Wildcats (25-12-5) found a groove and took the momentum away from Clarkston (23-5-1). The Wolves struggled to finish points as Oxford’s blocking and defensive play kept rallies going before the Wildcats found ways to capitalize.

“We knew it was a quick tempo with the setter, the setter pushing those quicks out to the outside. I just said, ‘arms up, fast. Let’s get a block on it.’ We started blocking the line. We adjusted. I adjusted my defense around there. I have a strong middle back, left back. So, we focused blocking the line to take away that line shot, because I knew my defense on the left side was solid to dig anything that they were giving to us,” Bunting said of the defensive approach.

Oxford took the second and third sets to put Clarkston with its back against the wall. But, the Wolves responded in the fourth by scoring the final eight points thanks to a pair of kills from Kaylynn Johnson and Josie Seets, each, as well as two aces from Stella Smith.

The dominant fourth set could have shaken Oxford, but the Wildcats came out with a 4-0 start in the fifth set and never trailed in the final frame.

“We needed to be humble out there. We needed to play with pride, play with our minds and our hearts, and just be a team out there, and they pulled together,” Bunting said of what she told her team going into the fifth set.

The set would get to 8-8, but Oxford scored six of the next seven points to take control. Mazzee VanderKaay had two key aces, while the Wildcats won a long rally at 12-9 when Sienna Austin instinctively threw an arm out to keep the ball alive, and it found its way to the floor on Clarkston’s side. At that point, the title felt inevitable.

“We weren’t looking past them. I mean, they’re playing great volleyball. We played them early in the season and were able to get a win and, but they’ve been playing very good lately,” Clarkston coach Ali Smith said of Oxford. “They battled their butts off last night against Lake Orion, and they just find ways to keep the ball in play, and I think that was the difference tonight.”

Photo gallery of a D1 district volleyball final between Clarkston and Oxford

Clarkston fought off three match points but an attack error ended things and gave the Wildcats the win. The Wolves struggled to maintain an offensive flow throughout the match. When they were able to get in a grove, the Wolves pulled away in the first and fourth sets.

“I just thought our execution over the course of the entire night was very inconsistent, so it was really hard to really tell what we were going to get at any given moment,” Smith said.

Tara Swanson and Brenna Mirovsky led the defensive effort for Oxford with dozens of timely digs to keep points alive. Olivia Laura and Ellasyn Glaz each had three blocks in the win as well. Offensively, Mirovsky had 13 kills, while Alexia Decker had seven. VanderKaay recorded four aces, while Jessa Romine had three.

Maya Kuebler had 17 kills to lead Clarkston, while Johnson had 12 kills, and Seets had 10. Marlie Smith had 42 assists with five kills and three aces.

The Wolves will graduate four seniors from this roster but bring back a lot of experience in the 2026 season. Smith is hoping her players will carry Thursday’s loss with them into offseason training.

“I hope they remember this feeling for a long time, and it is fuel for the fire for next year,” Smith said. “I feel like every year we come back with something to prove, and unfortunately, if three points go a different way, we're in a different position. But, you know, just not our year.”

Oxford advances to next week’s Division 1 regional tournament at Clarkston. The Wildcats draw Chippewa Valley in Tuesday’s regional semifinal at 5:30 p.m.

Now the Wildcats can focus on ending a new streak, as they haven’t won a regional championship since 1997.

“Just keep being the team. Teamwork, trusting each other, trusting the team, and keep pushing hard,” Bunting said of advancing in regional play.

Oxford defeated Clarkston in a Division 1 district volleyball final at Oxford High School on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. The Wildcats won by scores of 20-25, 25-19, 25-17, 12-25, 15-12.

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

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Mila Holloway scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting, added eight assists and seven steals and No. 13 Michigan opened the season with a 100-40 win over Canisius on Tuesday night.

Mary Copple (Brighton HS) had eight points to lead Canisius, which went 12 of 31 from the field (39%). Michigan had 13 field goals in the third quarter alone.

The Golden Griffins shot 57% in the first quarter but only got up seven shots because of 14 turnovers and trailed 23-14. It was 51-26 at the half when 23 turnovers became 26 points.

The Wolverines’ third game is the first against a Power 4 team, facing Notre Dame in the Shamrock Classic in Detroit.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Theryn Hallock and Grace VanSlooten combined for 37 points on 16 of 21 shooting, Kennedy Blair had a double-double and No. 23 Michigan State opened the season with a record-breaking 125-39 win over Mercyhurst on Tuesday night.

Hallock scored 19 points, VanSlooten 18 and Blair had 14, on 6-of-8 shooting, and 12 assists. Four other Spartans reached double figures. Rashunda Jones and reserve Amy Terrian both had 15, and backups Emma Shumate and Jalyn Brown had 14 and 13, respectively, off the bench.

Michigan State shot 62% with 13 3-pointers and had just three turnovers while turning 36 Mercyhurst turnovers into 62 points.

Lena Walz and Cici Hernandez both had nine points for Mercyhurst, under first year Erin Mills-Reid.

The Spartans scored the first nine points of the game and after the Lakers hit a 3-pointer reeled off 16 straight points. Mercyhurst knocked down another three and Michigan State finished the quarter with 11 straight points for a 36-6 lead.

The Lakers were 2 of 11 with 10 turnovers in the first quarter and Michigan State, which was 15 of 22 (68%), proceeded to score the first 13 points of the second quarter for a 24-point run. Add another 10-0 run and the Spartans were up 66-18 at halftime, a Breslin Center record for points in a half.

The Spartans have six-straight home games and don’t play a scheduled Power 4 opponent until meeting Wisconsin in a Big Ten Conference game on Dec. 7, their ninth game.

GRAND LEDGE — Detroit Country Day did the heavy lifting in the first 40 minutes, scoring three goals by halftime to beat South Haven 4-1 Saturday afternoon to win the D3 state title.

It marks the 16th state championship in program history and Country Day’s second under Steve Bossert after last lifting the D2 trophy seven seasons ago.

“On our practice jersey, we’ve got all the numbers,” Country Day senior forward Micah Zacks said. “I’m glad we got to add one.”

It looked written in the stars by the interval for the Yellowjackets, who already began to pepper South Haven senior netminder Alex Jaimes (1.20 goals per game allowed through regionals) within the opening 10 minutes. However, just after that a throw-in led to an aerial opportunity for sophomore Rye Clegg, whose header from seven or eight yards out was directed well to make it 1-0 Yellowjackets 10:31 into the game.

Philip Mateer executed a roulette away from his defender to carve a chance out for Yousef Darwich that required a low save by Jaimes less than five minutes later, but moments after Darwich knocked again and wouldn’t be denied, doubling the lead with a little less than 25 minutes to play in the half.

That ended any hopes the Rams (18-5-4) may have had of relying on their size and the abilities of Jaimes to weather the early onslaught unblemished.

“When we’ve scored early this year, then we can keep the ball away from teams, and then they have to try and get us and we can move it around them,” Bossert said. “It’s just really difficult to play against, so getting that first goal early, then another one, it was a little like the semifinal game (against Lansing Catholic) where we just kind of piled them on (from there).”

In this case, the pile-on initiative was carried out by Country Day’s senior offensive leaders, Tino Haratsaris (22 goals, 19 assists entering the final) and Zacks (15 G/14 A). Haratsaris got onto the ball to the goalkeeper’s right near the end line, then played a cutback pass for Zacks, who met the ball with a rising effort into the net that made it a three-goal affair with over 18 minutes still to play before the break.

Country Day had to wait until after intermission to continue padding its lead, but tacked on its last goal with 35:35 remaining as Haratsaris assisted Zacks in very similar fashion to the previous one.

“I just work with (assistant coach Ricardo Lopes) all year on driving to the baseline and dropping that slotback pass,” said Haratsaris, who estimated he’s played nearly 100 games with Zacks. “We work on it so much, I just know where he’s going to be, and he’s just a great striker.”

“I can’t say enough about Tino,” added Zacks. “He’s great. When I’m making a run I know he’s going to find me with the ball, and just being able to finish past a great goalie, it felt great.”

Jaimes did his best to keep it from getting too out of hand, laying out to deny Kris Bushkashi as he reached double-digit saves with still over 20 minutes remaining. Zacks nearly traded his scoring boots for the assisting hat on a ball teased behind the line to Haratsaris, but a shot off the toe of his boot swiveled wide of the post with a little over 17 minutes left.

Both attackers had a laugh when asking if there was a concerted effort to get Haratsaris a goal as time was winding down and the result all but certain.

“Yeah, I was definitely hoping (Tino) would get one,” Zacks said, “but he’s got more goals than me, so it’s alright.”

It seemed as though the best chance for South Haven would be part of a sequence just inside the final 10 minutes. A free kick where the Rams’ players were searching to get a foot to a ball rattled around among the crowd briefly before the Yellowjackets put out the fire. However, the Rams settled on a more spectacular consolation effort when, after Country Day starting goalkeeper Mitchell Hamway’s day was done, junior Jaden Bolhuis rocketed a shot from at least 35 yards distance into the opposite upper-90.

The Yellowjackets (22-2-1) began the season at the Boyne Mountain Invitational, where they suffered a 1-0 loss to Forest Hills Central. They went on and avenged the only other regular season games they didn’t win — a draw to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep and a loss to Ann Arbor Greenhills — by beating those teams back-to-back in districts (Notre Dame Prep) and regionals on their way to the summit.

“Every year I tell my wife that we don’t have it this year, and the first day of tryouts we always look kind of ragtaggy,” Bossert said. “Right after tryouts, we went right up to Boyne and had four games against some pretty good competition, and we played really well, were moving the ball all over the place, and it just seemed like we were going to be able to keep the ball … After we came back from the Boyne trip, I said (to my wife), ‘I think we might be pretty good.’ A couple weeks after that, I said, ‘I think we might do this.’

“We beat a ton of ranked teams all year, and had the top MPR, and it just seemed like we were going to get here. We just had to take care of business, and they did it today.”

Opposite top-ranked DCD, South Haven came into the playoffs outside the polls, but toppled a handful of top-15 sides to reach the final. Country Day beat the Rams for a pair of state championships while coached by Paul Bartoshuk (2004, 2009).

The Yellowjackets previously won it on Bossert’s watch in D2 in 2018, then were runners-up to Hudsonville Unity Christian in D3 two seasons ago.

“It feels great,” Haratsaris said. “We’ve been working at this for four years, and we knew we had the group of guys that was going to be able to get the job done. As long as we stayed close together, we were going to finish it off, and here we are, champions.”

By Richard Silva, The Detroit News

ALLEN PARK — In their professional careers, this is Round 4.

But in their lives, they’ve squared off countless times.

Within Sunday’s game between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings lies a matchup layered with history and competition: Amik Robertson vs. Justin Jefferson. The two are incredibly familiar with one another, having grown up attending rival high schools in Louisiana. Robertson went to Thibodaux. Jefferson went to Destrehan. They battled at college camps throughout their recruitments before Robertson committed to Louisiana Tech. Jefferson ended up at LSU, where he spent three seasons and won a national championship in 2019.

Robertson had a standout performance while shadowing Jefferson in Week 18 last season, helping limit the receiver to 54 yards on three catches, way below his career average of 95.6 yards per game, which is currently the highest for any player in NFL history. The Lions, who beat Minnesota at Ford Field to secure their second consecutive NFC North title, benefitted from a handful of errant throws from former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Still, Robertson was attached to Jefferson’s hip throughout, barking out some smack.

“A lot, but I’ve always been a confident guy,” Robertson said, when asked how much confidence he drew from that January outing. “Of course, it gave me a lot of confidence, just to show the world that I can play this game. That was new to the world, old to me.”

In their three previous meetings, Jefferson has caught 12 of his 20 targets for 162 yards and a touchdown, though he left their first duel with a chest injury in 2023 (when Robertson was still on the Las Vegas Raiders) after playing only 13 snaps. Jefferson beat Robertson for a 25-yard touchdown in Minnesota last season.

“I love his competitive spirit,” Jefferson said this week of Robertson. “I love the way he approaches the game, his energy, his trash talk. That’s all something that I’m used to, with knowing him and playing against him. I just love that type of energy and love that type of competition.”

Although Sunday’s game has less stakes than last year’s Week 18 bout, Robertson intends to approach it with the “same smoke.” His competitive edge doesn’t come from playing in big-time moments. That helps, naturally. But, as he put it, “any time you get to step foot on that grass and face an opponent, you’ve got to come with the same smoke, man. You can’t get too high because that’s when you get knocked off.”

Respect between Robertson and Jefferson is high. Robertson called Jefferson an “All-World talent,” and Jefferson said Robertson has “always been a baller.” That esteem, however, won’t diminish any of the competitive juices Sunday, when Robertson hopes to move to 3-0 against Jefferson in a Lions uniform.

“It’s definitely weird going up against him for this long period of time,” Jefferson said. “I’m pretty sure he’s the only one — especially through high school, college and now into the league — that I’ve went up against my whole entire career. It’s been a fun matchup.”

ALLEN PARK— The Detroit Lions have swung a deadline trade in three straight seasons, acquiring pass rusher Za’Darius Smith and receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones in 2024 and 2023, respectively, and sending tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.

“Look, I don’t,” Campbell said, when asked if he expects the Lions to be active before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t. (Holmes has) brought up a couple of things already, but there again, I’m so focused on the here and now and the roster we have in place, getting these guys ready to go.”

There aren’t many holes for the Lions to fill. They could target a cornerback, given the position’s attrition, but Terrion Arnold is expected to return against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, and veteran D.J. Reed (hamstring) figures to be back at some point. Plus, Detroit’s depth on the outside — notably, Rock Ya-Sin and Nick Whiteside — has stepped up mightily in recent weeks.

How about a pass rusher? The Lions are down Marcus Davenport (chest), but Campbell believes he’ll come off injured reserve this season, and Al-Quadin Muhammad has proven to be a viable option opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Muhammad has 27 pressures and five sacks through seven games, including a career-best nine pressures in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 20.

“I love where we’re at,” Campbell said. “I think the roster is healthy, I think it’s in a good position, I think we have depth. But like I said, (Holmes is) always looking to improve the roster. That’s one of his jobs, and he does a hell of a job at it.”

Campbell wouldn’t share how many potential trade targets Holmes has approached him with, but he described the two as having “open communication.” Holmes, assistant general manager Ray Agnew and the front office do their work, studying those around the NFL who could potentially be had. If enough boxes are checked, Campbell gets looped in.

“If there’s somebody he knows that he feels good about, and that I would, then he’ll bring it,” Campbell said of Holmes. “Otherwise, he doesn’t bog me down with any of that. Listen, the amount of time spent and players that are looked at between he and Ray and that staff, you’d be shocked the hours that goes in. They’re doing the legwork. If there’s somebody that he thinks is intriguing, he thinks the price could be right, it’s somebody, maybe, he fits us, it could be a need, then it comes to me. Like, ‘Hey, let’s check this out.’

“But otherwise, he just kind of stays away from that. Which is all good, man.”

Happy Halloween

The Lions recently had their team Halloween party, and we saw some creative costumes come to life. Quarterback Jared Goff was the chef from Pixar’s “Ratatouille.” Rookie receiver Dominic Lovett was the Joker. Offensive lineman Christian Mahogany was Shrek.

But none of those getups have anything on what Campbell wore many years ago, when his wife, Holly, purchased him an outfit so that he could pretend to be Marilyn Monroe. Campbell recalled the costume Friday, tabbing Holly as “the creative one” in their relationship.

“I actually had broken an ankle, so I was on crutches, too,” Campbell said. “So, that was great.”

Told he’s a good sport, Campbell replied: “Yeah, I guess so. Alcohol helps.”

The Campbell residence plans to hand out Reese’s and M&Ms to Friday’s trick-or-treaters. “That’s usually kind of been the staples. That’s where we go,” Campbell said. “It’s not the caramel apples or anything.”