Sports
2008 Argus-Press All-Area basketball
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Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:53 PM EDT
It was a busy winter across the state for high school basketball. With boys' and girls' teams playing in the same season for the first time, there were twice as many teams fighting for gym time and twice as many teams suiting it up for games each week.
And, there were twice as many memorable moments.
There were upsets, nail-biters, buzzer beaters, winning streaks, conference titles and a state championship all on the line this winter for Shiawassee County area basketball teams. And at the heart of each memorable moment, there were Argus-Press All-Area first-teamers.
New Lothrop's girls basketball team made history this winter by reeling off 27 straight wins en route to the Class D state championship. It was only the second girls' basketball title in area history - joining the 1998 Morrice girls - and the first hoops title for New Lothrop's 19 Championship Drive.
New Lothrop posted the most wins in a season by either a boys' or girls' team.
Leading the way to the title for the Hornets were seniors Kayla Gross and Kayla Knieper, both All-Area first-teamers.
Joining the New Lothrop duo on the girls' first team are Chesaning senior Brooke Jastrzembowski, Byron senior Heidi Smithingell, Laingsburg junior Katie Maciejewski and Corunna sophomore Megan Birchmeier.
Gross, Jastrzembowski and Smithingell are all second-time first-teamers while Knieper, Maciejewski and Birchmeier received the honor for the first time.
New Lothrop also placed a pair on the boys' first-team with seniors Ryan Praski and Brandon Baryo. They are joined by Chesaning senior Joe Bitterman and junior Joe Devota, Durand senior Corey Burrow and Byron junior Nick Anibal.
Praski is the lone returnee from last year's boys' team.
The big moments began as soon as the season started and ran all the way through. Here's a look back at some of the highlights.
November 27
The first memorable moment of the season came on opening night as Clare handed New Lothrop's girls a 39-25 loss.
“We're still trying to look back on that,” Gross said. “We're such a good shooting team, but we shot like 12 percent. It made us realize you have to work hard and have to be focused and come out for each game.”
The 25 points was the lowest output for the Hornets on the season and would serve as the team's lone loss on the campaign. Twenty-seven wins later, Gross and Knieper joined their teammates by hoisting the Class D state championship at Eastern Michigan University after a 42-36 win over Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart.
January 4
New Lothrop's boys team headed into the holiday break with a 6-0 record and riding a 45-game winning streak in the Genesee Area Conference.
It wouldn't last long into the new year.
A 1-4 Durand team pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year with a 53-48 win.
“All week during practice, everyone was focused,” Burrow said. “All of our team thought we were going to win.”
January 21
The eighth straight win for Chesaning's girls required a major comeback on the road at Frankenmuth.
After trailing 27-17 at the half, the Indians rallied for a 69-61 win, thanks to a big effort from Jastrzembowski.
“We played so bad in the first half,” Jastrzembowski said. “We got screamed at in the locker room, came out and ended with 30 (third-quarter points).
Jastrzembowski finished the game with 29 points and seven steals. She also tied her own school record with 15 of 18 free throws in the game, including 14 in the second half.
January 23
Devota celebrated his 17th birthday in a big way with 24 points as Chesaning's boys picked up a 66-51 win over North Branch.
“That was the game I started playing better, it was the turning point,” Devota said. “I got more aggressive and then everything just flowed.”
The 24 points started a run to the end of the season for Devota, who averaged 19.5 points for the final eight games.
January 25
Hemlock's perfect record in the Tri-Valley Conference came to a close as Chesaning's boys hit the road and picked up a 50-43 win. It was the fifth win for the Indians in six games.
Devota led Chesaning with 16 points while Bitterman played through illness for four points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
January 31
Byron's girls pick up an emotional 38-34 win over Burton Atherton in the first game without coach Mike Valasek.
Valasek left the team to be with his newborn son Michael Jaden Robert, who was in the hospital with complications.
“It was really hard, because we wanted him there to help us out,” Smithingell said. “But (Valasek's father) was the JV coach and stepped in, so it helped having him there.”
Smithingell had 14 points and 15 rebounds in the win.
Valasek missed the final five games of the season, but said things are going better with his son, who came home last week.
February 11
Laingsburg's girls played spoiler in a landslide victory over Central Michigan Athletic Conference leader Pewamo-Westphalia, 61-39.
“That was our first huge win we've had in a long time,” Maciejewski said, adding that there was a lot of excitement in the gym after the game. “We won by such a big margin, so we were all expecting it.”
The win knocked P-W out of first place in the CMAC. However, a 46-27 Wolfpack win over Portland St. Patrick later in the week gave the Pirates and the Shamrocks each a share of the title.
Maciejewski had seven points in the P-W win and was also instrumental on defense, which was a key to the win. The Pirates shot 13-for-67 on the night.
February 20
Being the only ranked team, Chesaning's girls entered the Saginaw Swan Valley Class B district as the favorite.
It took two overtimes, but Corunna pulled off a 63-57 win over the No. 9 Indians and went on to win the district title two days later.
“Chesaning had been our rivals in everything, that was more than just a district game,” Birchmeier said.
Birchmeier made a layup with 6 seconds left to force a second overtime. Then, she made some clutch free throws in the second OT to seal the win.
On the night, Birchmeier finished with 25 points, six rebounds and four steals. She out-dualed Jastrzembowski, also finished with 25 points.
February 25
Byron's boys brought their best half of the season to the postseason.
After trailing 28-21 at the half in the Class C district opener against Genesee, the Eagles came out on fire in the second half for a 60-48 win.
“At halftime, everybody woke up and started playing like we knew we could,” said Anibal, who believed it was the best half his team played all year.
Anibal finished the game with eight points.
The win kept Byron alive in the district. The Eagles later picked up a 49-45 win over Burton Atherton before losing to eventual state runner-up Flint Beecher, 66-33 in the district championship.
February 28
The title run for New Lothrop's girls cleared a major hurdle with a 45-29 win over Portland St. Patrick for the Class D regional.
“We knew we would run into them sometime,” Knieper said. “We knew they were a good team, so after we beat them, we knew we could go all the way.”
The win ended up being the biggest matchup for the Hornets in the postseason, in terms of rankings. New Lothrop finished the regular season ranked No. 2 while St. Pat was No. 4. The Hornets never saw the first- or third-ranked teams.
In the PSP win, Gross had 10 points while Knieper had seven points and four steals.
February 29
New Lothrop's boys heard the skeptics at the beginning of the season who said that the team couldn't recover from losing four senior starters from the 2007 team.
The doubts were silenced as the Hornets won a second straight district title with a 51-49 victory over Fowler.
“Just knowing we lost all of those seniors last year, we came out and had a winning season and won district,” said Praski, the lone returnee to the starting lineup this year.
Praski was instrumental in the district win. With the score tied in the final 13 seconds, he got a steal at halfcourt and raced to the hoop for the game-winning layup.
The free throw capped Praski's night with 17 points, six assists, four steals and four rebounds. Baryo also had three points on the night.
Voting for the All-Area teams consisted of a three-member panel featuring Argus-Press sports editor Dan Basso along with sports writers Mike Eckert and Jerome Murphy.
Coaches were asked to describe their first-teamer in a word or two. They went on to explain what the player meant to their team.
Here's a look at all of the All-Area selections.
Girls'
First Team
Kayla Gross
New Lothrop senior
“Team Player”
“She did whatever it took to win. Some games it was scoring, some it was rebounding, some it was finding her teammates who had the hot hand and getting them their shots.”
New Lothrop coach
Tom Kohlmann
Gross made the All-Area first team for the second straight year. It was one of several awards for the 5-foot-8 guard, who also was a unanimous GAC Blue selection and a Class D All-State first-teamer.
From behind the arc, Gross shined with a school-record 77 3-pointers (14th all-time in state history) off 43 percent shooting. She was second in the area in scoring with 15.5 points per game and lead the area with 92 assists.
Gross also finished with a team-high 66 steals and was second in rebounds with 147.
The highlight for Gross this season came in the second half of the Class D state championship game against Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart.
“I had only taken one shot in the first half and ended up with 19 points. And the victory,” she said.
Gross will continue her basketball career next year at Davenport University.
Kayla Knieper
New Lothrop senior
“Defender”
“She took on the challenge of covering the best player each game. She was the best at what was the strength of our team.”
New Lothrop coach
Tom Kohlmann
As the top defender for the Hornets, Knieper was a big part of the team holding opponents to an average of 29 points per game.
Three times, New Lothrop held teams to single digits and only allowed four schools to score more than 40.
Knieper also got it done on the other end of the court by averaging 9.4 points per game. She also knocked down 49 3-pointers - third-best in the area.
Knieper also chipped in 75 rebounds, 64 assists and 49 steals.
The top performance for Knieper came in a 69-49 win over Flint Hamady, which was ranked No. 3 in Class C at the time. Knieper finished with 12 points, and a three-quarter court shot to end the first half with a 29-28 lead.
“That was a big momentum changer,” Knieper said. “It was only three points, but it meant us going into the locker room up one instead of down two. That was pretty big against one of the top teams in the GAC.”
Knieper was a GAC Blue first-teamer this season and was an All-Area honorable mention last year.
Brooke Jastrzembowski
Chesaning senior
“Maturity and Leadership”
“Her maturity not only showed on the court, but you can't call her a young girl anymore, she's a young woman. And her leadership was just awesome, all the kids on the team looked up to her.”
Chesaning coach Wayne Scanlon
Jastrzembowski left her mark as the greatest scorer in Chesaning history, finishing her four-year career with 1,069 points, 30 more than previous record-holder Melissa Sager.
This year, Jatrzembowski led the area in scoring by averaging 19.2 points per game. She was second in the area with 47 3-pointers to go with 104 rebounds, 61 assists and 51 steals.
Jastrzembowski was a unanimous Tri-Valley Conference first-teamer and also received Class B All-State honorable mention recognition.
As an All-Area standout, Jastrzembowski became just the third girl to make the list all four years. Joining New Lothrop's Sarah Warner and Byron's Jene Braden - both 2004 graduates - Jastrzembowski was an honorable mention as a freshman and sophomore before making the first team as a junior and a senior.
In a 76-21 win over Montrose this season, Jastrzembowski set a school record with eight 3-pointers while scoring 27 points with eight assists and six rebounds.
Heidi Smithingell
Byron senior
“Nose For The Ball”
“She was one of the most consistent rebounders. Some nights she scored, some nights she didn't. But she consistently rebounded.”
Byron coach Mike Valasek
For the second straight year, Smithingell owned the boards in Shiawassee County and earned a spot on the All-Area first team.
This season, Smithingell was the lone player to average a double-double with 11.6 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. Her 277 boards were more than 80 clear of Katie Maciejewski, who was second.
In Byron's 21 games, Smithingell pulled down 10 or more boards 17 times.
Smithingell also had 39 blocks, 31 steals and 22 assists.
The highlight for Smithingell came in the regular-season finale, a 65-58 win over Burton Bendle. Smithingell scored 16 points to go with 21 rebounds.
Smithingell was a GAC Blue honorable mention and became the first Byron girl to repeat on the Argus-Press All-Area first team.
Katie Maciejewski
Laingsburg junior
“MVP”
“She played about the most minutes and was a consistent hard worker. She was always doing the little things that didn't don't get a ton of press. She was more concerned with the team and how were were doing, that mattered the most to her.”
Laingsburg coach
Brandon Woodworth
Maciejewski may have done a lot of the things that don't get noticed in a box score, but there were plenty of people taking notice to what she did this season.
The postseason honors rolled in for Maciejewski, who earned Laingsburg's team “Most Valuable Player” award to go along with a selection in on the Central Michigan Athletic Conference first team and the Argus-Press All-Area first team.
Maciejewski was an All-Area second-teamer last year and becomes the first Wolfpack to crack the first team since Julia Fischer and Sharisa Petrowsky in 2003.
This year, Maciejewski tallied 194 points and 194 rebounds. She shot 50.3 percent from the floor and added 22 blocks, 31 steals and 17 assists.
She was instrumental in a 10-game winning streak to close the regular season with a 16-4 record and third place in the CMAC.
Maciejewski's biggest game came in the 10th straight win, an historic 46-27 win over Portland St. Patrick. It was the first known win for Laingsburg over the Shamrocks.
In the win, Maciejewski had 16 points to go with a school-record 19 rebounds, including 11 off the offensive glass.
Megan Birchmeier
Corunna sophomore
“Ultimate Competitor”
“She wants to win in all the ways possible. She has drive, focus, heart and she's relentless.”
Corunna coach
Jason Schemenauer
A year ago, Birchmeier was the freshman, backup point guard to then-senior and All-Area second-teamer Kelsey Kingsburg.
A lot changed in the course of a year.
“This year, I felt like the team respected me more and looked to me to step up and make bigger plays,” Birchmeier said.
She responded by leading the Cavaliers with 15 points per game, the third-best average in the area.
Birchmeier added 96 rebounds, 56 assists and 42 steals.
Her efforts this year earned her a spot on the CAAC White first team and the title of “honorary captain” as a unanimous selection.
The highlight of Birchmeier's season came in a 63-57 double overtime win over Chesaning in the Class B district semifinal.
Birchmeier matched Jastrzembowski with 25 points in the contest and added six rebounds and four steals.
“I didn't realize (Jastrzembowski) was scoring so much,” she said. “She does it so easily, I had to match it somehow.”
Birchmeier becomes the eighth Corunna girl to make the All-Area first team and the first since Lauren Gregoricka in 2004. She also becomes the sixth sophomore to receive first-team honors.
Second Team
Hannah Rothney
Morrice junior
With a 14.1 points-per-game average, Rothney finished fourth in the area scoring behind first-teamers Gross, Jastrzembowski and Birchmeier.
The Orioles junior also knocked down 33 3-pointers to go with 104 rebounds, 33 assists and 63 steals.
Rothney - an All-Area first-teamer last year - earned second-team honors in the SMAA this year.
Tasha Stambaugh
Morrice senior
An ankle injury hurt Stambaugh during the campaign, but didn't slow down the senior from once again putting up big numbers.
Stambaugh finished the season averaging 11.5 points per game 161 rebounds, fifth-best in the area. She also finished fourth in the area in blocks with 36, including seven in a loss to Lansing Christian.
Stambaugh was also an All-Area second-teamer last year and earned first-team accolades this winter in the SMAA.
Kayla Galecka
Ovid-Elsie junior
It would be hard to find a stat category that Galecka didn't lead Ovid-Elsie in, or finish in the top three.
Galacka ended her junior campaign as the Marauders leader in points (256), steals (44), assists (83) and free-throw percentage (.633). She was second in 3-pointers with 20 and third in rebounds with 104.
The 83 assists she turned in was second-best in the area.
Galecka was rewarded by earning first-team honors in the TVC. Last year, she was an All-Area honorable mention.
Ashleigh Schooley
Owosso senior
Even though Owosso struggled to put up points this season, Schooley did her part as team captain by averaging double digits with 10.6 points per game.
Schooley received honorable mention honors in the CAAC Red Division, as well as the Trojans' Most Valuable Player and Comeback Player award.
This is the first All-Area recognition for Schooley.
Monica Confer
New Lothrop sophomore
All season, Hornets coach Tom Kohlmann said defense and rebounding would be the key for his team making a run through the postseason.
There was nobody better on the boards for New Lothrop than Confer, who led the team with 185 rebounds for fourth best in the area.
Confer averaged 6.5 points per game and added 66 assists, 56 steals and shot 64.6 percent from the free-throw line.
The New Lothrop center also received GAC Blue second-team honors this season.
Laura Brunet
Byron senior
Brunet was among the area's best in both scoring and dishing out the ball. The Eagles senior finished fifth in area scoring with 12.9 points per game and was third in assists with 81.
In 13 of the team's 21 games, Brunet scored double digits. And she had seven assists four times.
Brunet also added 43 steals, 95 rebounds and was 72-for-89 from the free-throw line for 80.9 percent. She earned second-team GAC Blue honors for her work.
This was the second time Brunet made the All-Area second team. Previously, she was a second-teamer as a freshman at Morrice and was an honorable mention last year.
Honorable mentions
Ashley Root, New Lothrop junior
Morgan Cannon, Laingsburg freshman
Emily Jager, Corunna senior
Katie Vincke, Chesaning junior
Shannon O'Hara, Durand sophomore
Savannah Polhemus, Perry senior
Boys'
First Team
Ryan Praski
New Lothrop senior
“Floor General”
“Ryan was our point guard and he saw everything on the floor before it happened. Everything we did this year went through Ryan and he made things easier for all of the other guys.”
New Lothrop coach Joe Corkran
All eyes were on Praski from the start of the season. As the lone returnee to the Hornets starting lineup and the only returning All-Area first-teamer, Praski was considered by many to not only be the top point guard in the Genesee Area Conference, but among the best in the state for Class D.
“At the time, I didn't think much of it,” Praski said of the pre-season attention. “But when the season started, there was more pressure on me because teams tried to take the ball out of my hand. But, it worked out, I averaged two or three more assists than last year.”
Praski's 114 assists on the season put him 20 ahead of Ovid-Elsie's Jake Munson in the area.
In addition, Praski averaged 11.2 points per contest to go with 130 rebounds and 40 steals. His 130 boards ranked him sixth in the area.
Praski's numbers earned him first-team honors in the GAC Blue and All-State honorable mention.
The highlight of his season came in the Class D district championship game at New Lothrop, where the Hornets picked up a 51-49 win over Fowler.
With the game tied at 49 in the closing seconds, Praski stole the ball from the Eagles and made a game-winning layup to finish with 17 points, six assists, four steals and four rebounds.
Brandon Baryo
New Lothrop senior
“Shooter”
“Brandon's probably the best mid-range shooter I've been around. Teams really tried to key in on him later in the season, but if they left him open he made them pay. He was automatic from 10 feet in.”
New Lothrop coach Joe Corkran
It was now or never for Baryo. After playing a reserve role as a junior, Baryo broke into the starting lineup for the Hornets for his senior season and made the most of his opportunity.
“Knowing it was my last year, I never wanted it to end. So, I had to give it my all,” he said.
That attitude was on display early in the season, as Baryo said the individual highlight of his year came in the third game of the campaign.
On the road against eventual GAC Red champ Goodrich, Baryo hit a baseline jumper with 4 seconds left for a 54-52 New Lothrop win. It was the Martians' only conference loss of the season.
Baryo said it was the first time he made a game-winning shot and capped his night with 17 points.
On the season, Baryo was the team's leading scorer by averaging 11.4 points per game. He also chipped in 84 rebounds and was 39-for-43 from the free-throw line for 91 percent.
His efforts earned him first-team honors in the GAC Blue Division along with Praski.
Corey Burrow
Durand senior
“Captain”
“He was the heart and soul of our team that improved three games from last season. I wish I could bottle his intensity and his passion for the game and sprinkle it on every player I coach. In all the years I've played and coached, he might be the hardest working and most loyal player I've ever seen.”
Durand coach Dave Inman
There was only one captain on the Railroaders team this season. And Burrow lived up to the distinction.
As Durand's point guard, Burrow led the team in scoring with 10.2 points per game. He also knocked down 28 3-pointers, was second in the area in steals with 44, third in assists with 72 and also pulled down 90 rebounds.
Burrow earned first-team honors in the GAC Red and also secured his first All-Area recognition. He became the first Railroader since Drew Youngston in 2003 to make the All-Area first team.
As a three-year varsity player, Burrow suffered through an 0-21 campaign as a sophomore before winning five games as a junior and eight this season.
“Discipline,” Burrow said when asked what the biggest change to the program was. “Our 0-21 year, there was none at all. But our new coaches changed stuff up and made us play as a team.”
Burrow said Inman - the team's first-year coach - made a big impact because as a younger coach, he was able to relate to the players.
The highlight of Burrow's season came in a 53-48 win over New Lothrop, ending the Hornets' 45-game winning streak in the GAC. Durand was 1-4 on the year going into the game.
Burrow finished with 15 points, six rebounds, seven assists and no turnovers in the win.
Joe Bitterman
Chesaning senior
“Consistency”
“In the two years I've coached him, he's averaged a double-double. You know you can count on him for 10 points and 10 rebounds every game. You have to have a lot of energy to get 10 rebounds a game.”
Chesaning coach Jason Danek
There had been a long drought for Chesaning on the All-Area first team. But the selections of Bitterman and teammate Joe Devota to this year's squad marked the first time since Ryan Brady in 1998 that an Indian was honored as a first-teamer.
Brady was the team's assistant coach this year.
“He brought a lot of energy and pushed us to work hard,” Bitterman said.
Devota and Bitterman's appearance on the first team also marked the first time since Chuck Mort and Brent Molnar in 1988 that Chesaning had multiple first-teamers.
Bitterman made the first team by averaging 11 points per game to go with an area-best 63 steals and 197 rebounds, second only to Byron's Anibal.
A 20-rebound performance in a 61-48 win over St. Charles was one highlight for Bitterman, while he also had 16 points, five rebounds and his first 3-pointer in a 55-53 win at Alma late in the season.
Bitterman was named to the TVC second team this year and was an All-Area second-teamer a year ago.
Joe Devota
Chesaning junior
“Shooter”
“Joe is our best perimiter shooter. He averaged over two 3-pointers a game and was a good free-throw shooter. When we needed a bucket, a lot of the times we went to him.”
Chesaning coch Jason Danek
Seven games into the year, Devota was averaging 7 points per game and the Indians sat at 3-4 on the season.
Slowly, he started picking up his game. He scored 17 in a 61-48 win over St. Charles and then 15 three nights later in a 64-46 victory over Ovid-Elsie.
But the defining moment came in a 66-51 win at North Branch on his 17th birthday when Devota dropped a season-best 24 points.
After the North Branch win, Devota continued to put up big numbers and helped the Indians finish with a winning record for the first time since 2005.
Over the course of the season, Devota led the area in both scoring with 14 points per game and 3-pointers with 42. He also shot 75 percent (47-for-62) from the free-throw line and had 73 rebounds and 31 assists.
He was the lone area player to earn first-team honors in the TVC.
Nick Anibal
Byron junior
“Passionate”
“Nick was very passionate and hard working. You check out his stats, he was first on the team in scoring, rebounds, steals, blocks and charges taken. He had a phenomenal year.”
Byron coach Jason Shafer
Since Bill Seling was named to the All-Area first team in 2000, Byron has placed six players on the second team with no first-teamers.
Anibal made his case for the first team in convincing fashion.
The junior center was the lone area player to average a double-double for the season. He was third in the area in scoring with 13.5 points per game and led the area in rebounds with 211.
Anibal also chipped in 48 assists, 32 steals and 17 blocks.
“Last year I was the second option, always,” Anibal said. “This year, I took it on myself to step up, becasue I was the only one returning who had played.”
What also helped Anibal's numbers was the addition of first-year coach Jason Shafer and a priority on constantly attacking the basket.
The defining moment in Anibal's season came in a 73-60 win over Burton Bendle in January. Anibal had 31 points, 20 rebounds and five steals while shooting 12-for-21 from the floor.
“We knew Bendle hadn't won a game and we thought I could do some damage,” Anibal said. “They had one big guy to match up against me, but he wasn't as fast. I was able to slice and dice.”
Anibal made the GAC Blue second team while earning his first All-Area recognition.
Second Team
Brian Sheridan
New Lothrop junior
Sheridan's first year on varsity was a memorable as the junior center averaged 10.5 points to go with 150 rebounds and 25 blocks.
His 150 boards ranked him third in the area behind first-teamers Anibal and Bitterman.
Sheridan was a GAC Blue second-teamer.
Cal Bishop
Chesaning senior
A force in the paint, Bishop led the area in blocks with 41 rejections.
Bishop also averaged 10.7 points per game and was seventh in the area for rebounds with 125. He was also seventh in the area in steals with 33.
C.J. Lott
Ovid-Elsie senior
The area's second-leading scorer, Lott averaged 13.8 points per game to go with 20 3-pointers.
He also had 125 rebounds and 40 steals, third-best in the area.
Lott was named a TVC honorable mention.
Jake Munson
Ovid-Elsie senior
Like his teammate Lott, Munson made the All-Area second team after locking down a TVC honorable mention.
Munson averaged 10.3 points per game and was second in the area in assists with 94. He also had 122 rebounds and 38 steals.
This was the first All-Area recognition for both Munson and Lott.
Stefen MacMaster
Laingsburg senior
As the lone Wolfpack senior, MacMaster put the team on his back down the stretch in hopes of extending the season. He scored 10, 14, 17 and 20 points in the final four games to finish the season averaging nine points a contest.
MacMaster missed seven games due to a hip flexor strain, a broken nose, a concussion and a severely sprained ankle. He was healthy for only half of the team's games.
Laingsburg coach Greg Mitchell said MacMaster could run the point, post up or slash to the basket from the wing.
MacMaster was an honorable mention in the Central Michigan Atheltic Conference.
Justin Carsten
Owosso sophomore
As the Trojans' Most Valuable Player, Carsten earned first-team honors in the Capital Area Activities Conference Red Division along with fellow sophomore teammate Joe Blanchett.
Carsten averaged 11.5 points per game and also chipped in 6 rebounds each night. He also finished with 24 assists and 18 steals in his first year on varsity.
Honorable mentions
Nick Anderson, Durand junior
Klinton Koonter, Laingsburg junior
Andy Hottois, Byron junior
Joe Blanchett, Owosso senior