Metro area — High school athletes got busy in early February, vying for the Catholic League championships. Here’s a rundown of the month’s action thus far.
Skiing
In the aftermath of Marian’s fourth consecutive CHSL ski title Feb. 13 at Alpine Valley, seniors Kelly Lunghamer and Morgan Kavanaugh credited “hard work” for the team’s success this year.
Lunghamer, sophomore Kat Streng and junior Haley Goeckel were 1-2-3 in the slalom. Goeckel and Lunghamer flip-flopped finishes in the giant slalom. Streng took second again for another 1-2-3 finish for Marian.
On the boys side, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, also coached by Rhodes, reclaimed the CHSL title it lost a year ago to Novi Catholic Central.
Graham Berry, Matt Wellman, Robbie Cort and Geoff Becker were 2-3-6-7 for the Warriors’ 18 points in the giant slalom. Berry, Cort, Griffin Dahl and Wellman finished 3-4-8-13 for 28 points to give Rice its winning total of 46 points.
Girls’ Basketball
Divine Child overcame some early game jitters, according to coach Mary Laney, and stepped on the gas late in the first quarter, and again in the second, to build an insurmountable lead over Mercy for the Catholic League girls’ basketball title.
During one stretch of the game, four different Falcons hit three-pointers in six attempts, including two by Rosanna Reynolds, who scored 20 points, and a couple by a zoned-in Morgan Blair, who scored all of her 14 points in the first half.
Boys’ Hockey
An aggressive offense and a smothering defense was the winning formula for Novi Detroit Catholic Central’s CHSL A-B Division Boys Hockey Championship 5-3 decision over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep Saturday night at the Joe Louis Arena – a new venue for the Catholic League title game.
The defensive effort was particularly important since freshman JV goalie, Spencer Wright, got the call to be in net as sub for CC’s regular two goalies.
“He got the job done,” said coach Todd Johnson. “He’s going to be a good goalie for our program.”
Girls’ Hockey
At 2:09 of sudden death overtime, Mercy’s Madeline McClain was mobbed by her joyous teammates celebrating a dramatic 6-5 victory, snapping Ladywood’s string of six consecutive CHSL championships.
The dramatic moment came less than a minute after an apparent game-winning goal by McClain was waived off by the referee.
“I thought I missed it again, that it didn’t go in,” McClain said of her final shot. “But I turned around and I saw the goalie’s face — and I knew it went in.”
Bowling
Gabriel Richard of Riverview brought its A-game to the lanes, winning the Catholic League championship over Detroit Catholic Central.
In Tier II action, Bishop Foley in Madison Heights won.
On the girls’ side of the alley, Mercy defeatedReginato win the title, while Cabrini won the Tier II tournament.
