PREP SPORTS ⚫ NEWS AROUND METRO FLINT

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 Friday, Sept. 26, 2025)

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

CLIO (CCN) — The Metro Flint News/Talk microphones were at Goodrich High School for its Game of the week broadcast on Friday night (Sept. 26, 2025).

Naturally since Coach Adam Clark's Clio Mustangs were the Cinderella story of the 2025 prep football season and tied atop the Metro League's Stars Division with Goodrich at 2-0, 4-0 overall.

Goodrich steamrolled Clio 65-14.

But over in the Metro League's own Stripes Division, co-leader Linden didn't expect trouble as one of the Metro Flint regional area's remaining seven undefeated teams. But the upset-minded minded Flushing Raiders went to Linden and shocked the Eagles 34-13.

It was the first major upset of the 2025 campaign after Coach Austin Cook's Raiders had lost three of their first four games this fall.

But don't let records fool you.

Flushing played tough non-league opponents and put on good shows each time.

The Raiders were clipped 27-24 at Ann Arbor Pioneer in overtime before dropping a 14-13 barnburner to Zeeland East.

They then lost 41-12 on opening night at Fenton before finally getting into the victory column last week when spanking Flint Kearsley 45-8.

Clio's community was still buzzing after last week's last-minute touchdown to beat Owosso in a battle of perfect 3-0 teams. It was the first time Clio had a 3-0 start since 1986.

The 26-21 triumph made Clio 4-0 to start a prep football season for the first time since 1972 when going 6-0 before losing 48-8 to a .500 Flushing team in the Big Nine finale. The 1972 league title was Clio's last one before winning it all in 1986 when led by a quarterback named Eric Doyle, now the school's high school principal.

Doyle landed the new role this year after returning to his alma mater as Athletic Director.

With only two other winning seasons in 43 years (1983 and 1986) besides the year Doyle quarterbacked Clio to a league title in 1996, Clio was riding high after beating Owosso in last week's battle of unbeatens.

The last winning season was 24 years ago (Clio went 5-4 when still a member of the old Big Nine Conference) as the Mustangs were bidding for their first league championship since 1996 when going 8-1 to win the Big Nine.

 After reaching the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons, Clark was forced to resign as the Hemlock football coach.

METRO FLINT NEWS/TALK RADIO

GAME OF THE WEEK

Metro League Stars Division

Clio at Goodrich

(Friday Live Broadcast at 6:25 pm on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio Show / Replay at about 8 pm Saturday after Ferris State Bulldogs Game)

METRO FLINT NEWS/TALK RADIO

FRDIAY TAPE DELAY GAME

Metro League Stripes Division

Holly at Linden

(Tape Delay Broadcast at About 10 pm on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio Show / Replay at 9 am on Saturday)

=================================

WEEK #6 PREP FOOTBALL GAMES

Division-by-Division on Friday, Oct. 3

(All Games 7 pm Unless Noted)

Metro League Stars Division

Goodrich at Owosso

Ortonville Brandon at Clio  

Corunna at Lake Fenton

Metro League Stripes Division

Fenton at  Flint Kearsley

 Holly at Flushing

Swartz Creek at Linden

Saginaw Valley League South Division Game

 Saginaw United at Davison

(DTV on Spectrum Charter & 

DTV YoutTube Channel)

Saginaw Valley League South Division

(Non-League Game)

Grand Blanc at Lansing Evertt

 Flint Carman-Ainsworth  at Bay City Western

Genesee Area Conference (GAC) Games

 Flint Elite at Burton Bentley

Genesee at Burton Atherton

 Flint Beecher at Flint Southwestern

(GAC Non-League Games)

 Flint Hamady at Burton Bendle

Tri-Valley Conference Red Division Game

Frankenmuth at Flint Powers Catholic

Big Thumb Conference White Division

Millington at Caro

Big Thumb Conference Black Division

 Vassar at Ubly

Oakland Activities Association-Red Opener

Rochester Adams at Clarkston

Catholic High School League (CHSL)

Clarkston Everest Collegiate at Madison Heights Bishop Foley

Kensington Lakes Activities Asssociation (KLAA)

West Division

Salem at Hartland

Mid-Michigan Athletic Association Games

Montrose at Otisville LakeVille

New Lothrop at Birch Run

 Ovid-Elsie at Durand

Mt. Morris at Chesaning

Independents

Frankenmuth at Flint Powers Catholic

Flint Hamady at Burton Bendle

=================================

WEEK #4 PREP FOOTBALL SCORES

Division-by-Division on Friday, Sept. 26

Metro League Stars Division

Goodrich 65, Clio 14 

Owosso 34,  Corunna 14
Ortonville Brandon 29, Lake Fenton 28

Metro League Stripes Division

 Flushing 34, Linden 13
Fenton 49, Holly 0
Swartz Creek 31, Flint Kearsley 12

Saginaw Valley League South Division Game

 Saginaw United at Davison

(DTV on Spectrum Charter & 

DTV YoutTube Channel)

Saginaw Valley League South Division

(Non-League Game)

Grand Blanc at Lansing Evertt

 Flint Carman-Ainsworth  at Bay City Western

Genesee Area Conference (GAC) Games

 Flint Elite at Burton Bentley

Genesee at Burton Atherton

 Flint Beecher at Flint Southwestern

(GAC Non-League Games)

 Flint Hamady at Burton Bendle

Tri-Valley Conference Red Division Game

Frankenmuth at Flint Powers Catholic

Big Thumb Conference White Division

Millington at Caro

Big Thumb Conference Black Division

 Vassar at Ubly

Oakland Activities Association-Red Opener

Rochester Adams at Clarkston

Catholic High School League (CHSL)

Clarkston Everest Collegiate at Madison Heights Bishop Foley

Kensington Lakes Activities Asssociation (KLAA)

West Division

Salem at Hartland

Mid-Michigan Athletic Association Games

Montrose at Otisville LakeVille

New Lothrop at Birch Run

 Ovid-Elsie at Durand

Mt. Morris at Chesaning

Independents

Frankenmuth at Flint Powers Catholic

Flint Hamady at Burton Bendle

BY ERIC THOMPSON

CCN Sports Writer

(CCN) — Two Saginaw Valley League high school football teams in The Daily Gazette coverage area stayed perfect on Friday night (Sept. 12, 2025).

Grand Blanc knocked off Saginaw Heritage 56-27 while Davison won 31-14 at Traverse City west.

Both local schools are off to 3-0 starts overall.

Meanwhile, Flint Carman-Ainsworth stayed winless by losing 53-18 to Holt on Friday night.

Only Grand Blanc's contest counted in the Valley standings where the Bobcats are 2-0 so far. Davison's first Valley action is this week at Saginaw Heritage.

Lapeer won its Valley opener 21-6 on Friday night at Saginaw United after losing two straight non-league games to start the year.

Grand Blanc beat 

55-49

Saginaw Heritage, Saginaw United and Flint Carman-Ainsowrth

Davison 

at Grand Blanc 

Saginaw Valley League South Division Game

Grand Blanc 56, Saginaw Heritage 27

Holt 53, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 18

Saginaw Valley League South Division

(Non-League Game)

Davison 31, Traverse City Central 14

Saginaw Valley League South Division Game

Davison at Saginaw Heritage

Flint Carman-Ainsworth at Lapeer

Saginaw Valley League South Division

(Non-League Game)

Traverse City West at Grand Blanc

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19 

WEEK #4 PREP FOOTBALL SCORES

Division-by-Division

Metro League Stars Division

Clio 26, Owosso 21

Goodrich 56, Lake Fenton 14

Ortonville Brandon 44,  Corunna 19 

Metro League Stripes Division

 Linden 42 , Holly 6 

Fenton 49, Swartz Creek 0

Flushing 45,  Flint Kearsley 8

Saginaw Valley League South Division Game

Davison 63, Saginaw Heritage 42

 Lapeer 47, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 28

Saginaw Valley League South Division

(Non-League Game)

Grand Blanc 49, Traverse City West 6

Genesee Area Conference (GAC) Games

Burton Bentley 20, Genesee 3

Flint Elite 26,  Burton Atherton13

(GAC Non-League Games)

Sandusky 28, Burton Bendle 20

Flint Hamady 50, Flint Southwestern 6

Sterling Heights Parkway Christian 40, Flint Beecher 20 

Tri-Valley Conference Red Division Game

Frankenmuth 61, Essexville Garber 0

Big Thumb Conference White Division

(Non-League Games)

Cass City 17, Millington 14 (OT)

Big Thumb Conference Black Division

Harbor Beach 51, Vassar 8

Oakland Activities Association-Red Opener

Clarkston 41, Troy 0

Catholic High School League (CHSL)

Allen Park Cabrini 19, Clarkston Everest Collegiate 9

Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA)

West Division

Brighton 17, Hartland 7

Independents

Freeland 48, Flint Powers Catholic 7

Flint Hamady 50, Flint Southwestern 6

=========================================

FRIDAY'S SEPT. 12 WEEK #3 SCORES

Division-by-Division

Genesee Area Conference (GAC) Games

Burton Bendle 22, Burton Bentley15

Genesee 40, Flint Southwestern 0

Burton Atherton 20, Flint Beecher 0

(GAC Non-League Game)

Flint Elite 56, Danville 8

Saginaw Valley League South Division Game

Grand Blanc 56, Saginaw Heritage 27

Holt 53, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 18

Saginaw Valley League South Division

(Non-League Game)

Davison 31, Traverse City Central 14

Metro League Stars Division

Goodrich 48, Ortonville Brandon 7

Clio 48, Corunna 22

Owosso  39, Lake Fenton 35

Metro League Stripes Division

Fenton 41, Flushing 12

Linden 49, Flint Kearsley 19

Holly 36, Swartz Creek 28

Tri-Valley Conference Red Division

Frankenmuth 70, Alma 31

Big Thumb Conference White Division

(Non-League Game)

Millington 55, Sandusky 20

Big Thumb Conference White Division

(Non-League Game)

Reese 42, Vassar 20

Oakland Activities Association-Red

(Non-League Game)

Clarkston 38, Oxford 17

Kensington Lakes Activities Asssociation (KLAA)

West Division

Hartland 42, Plymouth 7

Catholic High School League (CHSL)

Clarkston Everest Collegiate 43

Riverview Gabriel Richard 0

Mid-Michigan Athletic Association  (MMAA)

Montrose 45, Durand 6

Ovid-Elsie 38, Otisville LakeVille 12

New Lothrop 35, Chesaning 7

Mt. Morris 29, Birch Run 6

Independents

Muskegon Mona Shores 62, Flint Hamady 0

Troy 28, Flint Powers Catholic 14

==================================

WEEK #2 RESULTS

Division-by-Division

Saginaw Valley League South Division Game

Grand Blanc 35,Flint Carman-Ainsworth 16

Saginaw Valley League South Division

(Non-League Game)

Davison 23, Warren DeLaSalle 21

Genesee Area Conference (GAC) Games

Burton Bendle 28, Burton Atherton 15

Burton Bentley 20, Flint Beecher 6

Genesee 20, Flint Elite 6

(GAC Non-League Game)

Pinconning 45, Flint Southwestern 6

Metro League Stars Division

(Non-League Games)

Goodrich 21, Lapeer 14

Dearborn Divine Child 35, Lake Fenton 0

Clio 34, Lansing Eastern 13

Owosso  47, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook 19

Clare 43, Ortonville Brandon 20

Corunna 39, Linden 13

Metro League Stars Division

(Non-League Games)

Zeeland 14, Flushing 13

Haslett 15, Fenton 6

Flint Kearsley 8, Bay City Central 7

Holly 20, Farmington 18

Holt 41, Swartz Creek 0
Corunna 39, Linden 13

Tri-Valley Conference Red Division

(Non-League Game)

Frankenmuth 21, Saginaw Swan Valley 14

Big Thumb Conference White Division

(Non-League Game)

Millington 53, Standish Sterling 14

Big Thumb Conference White Division

(Non-League Game)

Elkton Pigeon Bayport 36, Vassar 0

Oakland Activities Association-Red

(Non-League Game)

Harper Woods 27, Clarkston 21

Mid-Michigan Athletic Association Games

Montrose 42, Birch Run 0

 Otisville LakeVille28, Chesaning 0

Durand 40, New Lothrop 33

Ovid-Elsie 43, Mt. Morris 6 

Kensington Lakes Activities Asssociation (KLAA)

West Division

Hartland 30, Novi 0

Catholic High School League (CHSL)

Ubly 22, Clarkston Everest Collegiate 14

Independents

Flint Hamady 38, Detroit Mumford 0

Essexville Garber 34, Flint Powers Catholic 33 

=======================

WEEK #1 NON-LEAGUE SEASON OPENERS

Division-by-Division

Oakland Activities Association-Red

Clarkston 38, Belleville 7

Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic 

Wayne State University in Detroit

Vehicle City Gridiron Classic

at Atwood Stadium in Flint 

Burton Bendle 36, Johannesburg-Lewiston 34

Flint Elite 46, Erie Mason 20

Clio 54, Mt. Morris 20

Millington 35, Reese 12

Metro League Stars Division

Goodrich 17, Frankenmuth 14

Lake Fenton 50, New Boston Huron 36

Clio 54, Mt. Morris 20

Owosso  21, Pinckney 12

Ortonville Brandon 65, Flint Southwestern 0

Fowlerville 39,  Corunna 14

Metro League Stripes Division

Linden 47, L'anse Cruese 14

Ann Arbor Pioneer 27, Flushing 24

Midland Dow 38, Fenton 6

Bay City Western 34, Holly 0

Yale 21, Swartz Creek 6
Ann Arbor 47, Flint Kearsley 6

Tri-Valley Conference Red Division

Goodrich 17, Frankenmuth 14

Big Thumb Conference White Division

Millington 35, Reese 12

Big Thumb Conference Black Division

Vassar 52, Burton Atherton 19

Kensington Lakes Activities Asssociation (KLAA)

West Division

Oxford 23, Hartland 7

Catholic High School League (CHSL)

Western Michigan Collegiagte 32,

Clarkston Everest Collegiate 6

Mid-Michigan Activities Association

Clio 54, Mt. Morris 20

Otisville LakeVille 21, Bath 0

New Lothrop 35, Muskegon Catholic Central 7

Birch Run 49, Carrolton 8

Chesaning 13, Standish Sterling 12

Montrose 36, Riverview Gabriel Richard 0

Saginaw Valley League South Division

Davison 38, Roseville 21

Grand Blanc 35, Muskegon Mona Shores 20

Bay City Central 41, Flint Carman-Ainsworth 16

Genesee Area Conference

Vassar 52, Burton Atherton 19

 Oakland Christian 26, Burton Bentley 14

Burton Bendle 36, Johannesburg-Lewiston 34

Flint Elite 46, Erie Mason 20

 Melvindale Business & Tech 26, Genesee 14

Ortonville Brandon 65, Flint Southwestern 0

Petersburg Summerfield 55, Flint Beecher 14

Independents

Ogema Heights 56, Flint Hamady 8

Imlay City 34, Flint Powers Catholic 13

Friday, September 19, 2025

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

(CCN) — Seven high school football teams in the Metro Flint regional area stayed perfect by winning their Friday night (Sept. 19, 2024) games.

The seven continuing their perfect ways including Clio, Goodrich and Linden from the Metro League, 

Montrose from the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference (MMAC) and both Davison and Grand Blanc from the Saginaw Valley League.

Clio knocked off previously undefeated Owosso 26-21 in an exciting affair at Clio's Pride Stadium.

Davison stayed perfect at 4-0 overall by going into Saginaw and beating Saginaw Heritage 63-42 in its Valley opener.

Grand Blanc, which beat Saginaw Heritage 56-27 last week in Grand Blanc, went to 4-0 overall by stomping visiting Traverse City West  49-6.

Grand Blanc is 2-0 in Valley action.

Burton Bendle from the Genesee Area Conference (GAC) suffered its first defeat in a non-conference game at Sandusky. The Tigers were beaten 28-20.

 Millington from the Big Thumb Conference White Division went down for the first time to end its bid for a third straight perfect 9-0 regular season campaign.

The defending state champs in Division 7 were off to a 4-0 start until Cass City came to town Friday night. The visitors escaped with a thrilling 17-14 overtime victory..

It was the first loss in regular season play for MIllington since Sept. 22, 2022 when beaten 28-24 at Standish Sterling. The loss stopped Millington's regular season winning streak at 27 straight.

While Clio pulled out a victory by scoring in the final minute, Goodrich steamrolled its way to the fourth straight victory of 2025 and 12th in a row in regular season play. They won 56-14 at Lake Fenton.

Goodrich and Clio are now tied atop the Metro League's Stars Division at 2-0. Both schools are now 4-0 overall on the season.

They have a showdown set for Friday night at 7 pm in Goodrich.

Linden went to 2-0 in the Metro League's Stripes Division by blasting Holly 42-6. Fenton went to 2-0-Friday night by blasting Swartz Creek 49-0.

Fenton is 2-2 overall, Linden 4-0.

Montrose went to 4-0 by going into Otisville and bringing the high-flying Falcons back down to earth. The Rams rolled 43-14.

LakeVille lost 38-12 a week earlier at Ovid-Elsie after its first 2-0 football start in 15 years.

Ovid-Elsie also won on Friday night to join Montrose as the last remaining unbeatens in the MMAC. The two co-leaders face each other this week at Ovid-Elsie.

Click Here for Prep Sports Section

Friday, September 12, 2025

(Updated Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025)

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

(CCN) — Mike Jerisk's Bendle Tigers have a perfect 3-0 record, and they've swept the 2025 season series over Burton's other two high school varsity football programs.

They beat Bentley 22-17 Friday night on enemy turf after beating Atherton 28-15 last week at Bendle when rallying to win when  falling behind 7-6 at halftime.

While beating Atherton and Bentley clinched Burton's bragging rights, Coach Jerisk's club has four games to go in the GAC against Flint Elite, Flint Beecher, Flint Southwestern and Genesee.

Atherton rebounded to beat Flint Beecher 20-6 to keep its GAC hopes alive, needing help from one of those four aforementioned opponents which must upset Bendle to give Coach  Chane Clingman's defending champions a co-championship.

Genesee is also thinking "title" in the GAC,

Wolves' boss Cody Clontz has his tiny school on Genesee Road off to a 2-0 start in GAC play. After beating Flint Elite 20-6 in last week's GAC opener, Genesee whipped Flint Southwestern 40-0 on Friday night in a complete whitewash of the Bucs.

 James Stabile 's Bentley Bulldogs also try stay to alive in the GAC race next week when going to Genesee.

Atherton goes next Friday to Flint Elite.

Bendle played in front of a huge crowd for the second straight time in GAC action. They also knocked off two state playoff qualifying clubs from a year ago.

The Tigers overcame a 7-6 halftime deficit to the delight of their home field crowd against Atherton which is the defending champions of the GAC as well as Burton's 2024 city series king over Bendle and Bentley.

It was a different story in the first half Friday night at Bentley.

Bendle jumped out to a 21-3 lead by halftime.

Coach Jerisk and Bentley boss Jimmy Graville agreed before the game that it was an "electric" atmosphere.

Along with the extra big crowd because both teams won their GAC openers last week, Metro Flint News/Talk Radio's microphones were there to broadcast the contest as the area's Game of the Week and WJRT ABC TV filmed a joint interview with both coaches live on its 6 o'clock newscast.

 Jaheem Lewis and Landon Mattis led Bendle's offense in its latest victory while the two-way stars shined on the defensive side of the ball, too.

ewis rushed for 175 yards and scored one touchdown while Mattis threw for 110 yards and two TD's — both to Caleb Bingham who had 56 yards receiving for the night.

Bendle's defense was led by Avery Graham who had 12 tackles and Breion Baker who added 10 tackles to go with an interception that he took back to the house with a 6 yard TV return.

Mattis and RJ Mitchell and Mattis offered strong support with with 7 tackles each and Lewis had 6tackles including a sack for a huge loss. 

Below is a look at the GAC scene with this week's games and scores from Friday night (Sept. 12, 2025) and the previous two weeks:

WEEK #4 GAMES NEXT FRIDAY

Genesee Area Conference (GAC) Games

Burton Bentley at Genesee

 Burton Atherton at Flint Elite

(GAC Non-Conference Games)

Burton Bendle at Sandusky

Flint Hamady at Flint Southwestern

Sterling Heights Parkway Christian at Flint Beecher 

WEEK #3 RESULTS ON SEPT. 12

GAC Games

Burton Bendle 22, Burton Bentley15

Genesee 40, Flint Southwestern 0

Burton Atherton 20, Flint Beecher 0

(GAC Non-Conference Game)

Flint Elite 56, Danville 8

WEEK #2 RESULTS ON SEPT. 5

GAC Games

Burton Bendle 28, Burton Atherton 15

Burton Bentley 20, Flint Beecher 6

Genesee 20, Flint Elite 6

(GAC Non-Conference Game)

Pinconning 45, Flint Southwestern 6

WEEK #2 RESULTS ON SEPT. 5

(GAC Non-Conference Game)

Vassar 52, Burton Atherton 19

 Oakland Christian 26, Burton Bentley 14

Burton Bendle 36, Johannesburg-Lewiston 34

Flint Elite 46, Erie Mason 20

 Melvindale Business & Tech 26, Genesee 14

Ortonville Brandon 65, Flint Southwestern 0

Petersburg Summerfield 55, Flint Beecher 14

Friday, September 12, 2025

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

(CCN) — Nine high school football teams in the Metro Flint regional area stayed perfect by winning their Friday night (Sept. 12, 2024) games.

The nine teams continuing their perfect ways one-third of the way through regular season action are Davison and Grand Blanc from the Saginaw Valley League; Goodrich, Owosso and Linden from the Metro League; Frankenmuth from the Tri-Valley Conference Red Division; Millington from the Big Thumb Conference White Division; Burton Bendle from the Genesee Area Conference (GAC); and Montrose from the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference (MMAC).

Davison and Grand Blanc from the Saginaw Valley League won non-league games, Davison winning 31-14 at Traverse City Central and Grand Blanc knocking off xxxxx xx-xx at home.

Mike Jerisk's Bendle Tigers have now swept the 2025 season series over Burton's other two high school varsity football programs. They beat Bentley 22-17 Friday night on enemy turf after beating Atherton 28-15 last week at Bendle when rallying to win when  falling behind 7-6 at halftime.

Montrose 

Click Here for Prep Sports Section

BY ERIC THOMPSON

CCN Sports Writer

(CCN) — Saginaw Valley League prep football powers Grand Blanc and Davison made strong 2025 non-league debuts on Thursday night (August 28, 2025) on the road.

Davison won 38-21 at Roseville while Grand Blanc avenged last year's season-opening loss at home to Muskegon Mona Shores by winning 35-20 on the west side of the state.

Our Metro Flint regional area's other Valley school, Flint-Carman Ainsworth, appears headed for another tough year after losing 41-16 Thursday on its home field to Bay City Central. The Cavaliers were 0-9 under Dajuan Massey a year ago under Dajuan Massey who resigned after the season.

They try again to get in the win column next week when hosting Grand BLanc in the Valley season opener. as new Coach Mario Harris goes again for his first varsity victory.

Flint Carman-Ainsworth as now lost 11 straight overall, stretching back to 2023. The Cavaliers last won 

The 35-14 loss to Grand Blanc last season

55-8

BY ERIC THOMPSON

CCN Sports Writer

(CCN) — The Metro League had everyone win on opening night except one school in the Stars Division while all but one team lost its non-league opener on Thursday (August 28, 2025) in the Stripes Division.

Goodrich, 2024 state champion in Division 4, opened defense of its title in the Metro League by beating Frankenmuth 17-14 at Goodrich.

It was revenge for last season's 22-0 loss in a non-league opener between the two schools.

Goodrich rolled to victories in its next 13 games en route to the first state championship in school history. Frankenmuth made it to the Division 5 state finals a year ago for the third time in the last five seasons.

Corunna was the only loser among the Metro League's Stars Division teams on Thursday night. Lake Fenton rolled 50-36 over New Boston Huron< Owosso clipped Pinckney 21-12, Ortonville Brandon thumped Flint Southwestern 65-0 and Clio rolled 54-20 over arch rival Mt. Morris. Corunna was a 39-14 loser to Fowlerville.

Linden was the lone winner among Stripes Division teams in Thursday's non-league openers. The Eagles beat L'anse Cruese 47-14.

Stripes Division losers included Flushing being clipped 27-24 by Ann Arbor Pioneer, Fenton dropped a 38-6 decision to Midland Dow, Holly being blanked 34-0 by Bay City Western, Swartz Creek getting dumped 21-6 by Yale and Flint Kearsley being blitzed 47-6 by Ann Arbor Huron.

Here's the schedule for next week's non-league action involving Metro League teams:

Metro League Stars Division Teams

Friday, Sept. 5 Non-League Games

 Linden at Corunna
Lake Fenton at Dearborn Divine Child
Owosso at Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook
Goodrich at Lapeer
Clare at Ortonville Brandon
Clio at Lansing Eastern 

Metro League Stripes Division Teams

Friday, Sept. 5 Non-League Games

Linden at Corunna

Zeeland East at Flushing
Haslett at Fenton
Swartz Creek at Holt
Farmington at Holly
Bay City Central at Flint Kearsley

BY ERIC THOMPSON

CCN Sports Writer

(CCN) — Burton Bendle and Flint Elite were the only Genesee Area Conference prep football winners in opening night non-conference games.

Bendle nipped Johannesburg-Lewiston 36-34 on Thursday night (August 28, 2025) while Flint Elite won the lone contest on the Vehicle City Gridiron Classic card on Friday. Flint Elite, a co-op of players from Flint New Standard Academy and Burton Madison Academy, rolled on the turf at Flint's historic Atwood Stadium to a 46-20 triumph over Erie Mason.

It was Flint Elite's first appearance in the annual Vehicle City Gridiron Classic.

GAC member Flint Beecher also made its first appearance at the annual event staged at Kettering University's stadium. The Bucs were bombed there on Thursday afternoon, 55-14 by Petersburg Summerfield. 

In other week #1 non-league games on Thursday night, Genesee dropped a 26024 decision to  Melvindale Academy Business & Tech and GAC newcomer Flint Southwestern was blasted 65-0 at Ortonville Brandon while Burton's other two schools didn't post opening night success like city rival Bendle. Bentley was beaten 26-14 by Auburn HIlls Oakland Christian and Atherton was thumped 52-19 at Vassar.

Atherton also started 2024 with a loss when Vassar won on opening night in Burton.

The Wolverines went on to win seven of their next eight games in an historic season under Coach  Chane Clingman in the school's return to 11-man play.

It was Atherton's first state playoff appearance last season in 10 years and only the second one in school history since the Michigan High School Athletic Association began its state playoff era in 1975.

The Wolverines won the GAC title with a sparkling perfect 5-0 record it marked the school's first conference championship since joining the GAC 46 years ago when it was previously known as the Genesee Eight Conference.

They capped off GAC perfection by pulling out a 27-27 barnburner over Burton rival Bentley on a late 75-yard touchdown pass from Isaac Embury to Deavante Deleon.

Perhaps more importantly, last year's season finale triumph over Bentley also gave Atherton bragging right in City of Burton football because the Wolverines opened GAC play by blanking Bendle 27-0. 

The last time Atherton beat both Burton rivals in the same season was in 2016.

Atherton opens GAC play next week when going to Bendle. The Wolverine splay Bentley this year on Oct. 10 at home.

Here's next week's schedule for GAC teams:

GAC Friday, Sept. 5 Non-League Game

Burton Bendle at Burton Atherton 

Genesee at Flint Elite

Flint Beecher at Burton BentleyBurton Atherton 

GAC Friday, Sept. 5 Non-League Game

 Pinconning at Flint Southwestern

Week #1 Non-Conference Results

Vassar 52, Burton Atherton 19

 Oakland Christian 26, Burton Bentley 14

Burton Bendle 36, Johannesburg-Lewiston 34

Flint Elite 46, Erie Mason 20

 Melvindale Business & Tech 26, Genesee 14

Ortonville Brandon 65, Flint Southwestern 0

Petersburg Summerfield 55, Flint Beecher 14

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Today is one of my favorite days of the year.

Footballs will fill the air as the new prep season gets underway across the Metro Flint regional area.

I miss the feel of the rickety old press boxes of yesteryear that have been replaced by so many fancy buildings atop the stands at so many beautiful stadiums. Some in our region have even installed the expensive artificial turf once reserved for college stadiums.

But one thing that does not change is the special air that comes with the excitement of a new season. So many hopes and dreams will dim after tonight if the first game does not go well. 

But today is a day for dreaming.

Every single kid running out on the field to jump up and down on each other before the game thinks deep down inside that they will be champions nine weeks from now.

It's why thousands of young athletes give so much of themselves for the sake of the game.

They dream of being winners.

They work hard. They are passionate. They learn to depend on teammates and develop the kind of skills that will follow them throughout their lives. Win or lose, they get valuable lessons.

Lessons they use for the rest of their lives.

I got goose pimples watching my oldest grandson do that running on the field thing last week as he raced out there for his first game of tackle football. It's how every prep football player gets started with his friends in middle school.

 They get to find out if being a star during elementary school in flag football will transition to doing it in pads when the hitting starts. 

For the seniors in this year's class of football stars searching for glory, tonight is the beginning of the end. A final season. A last hurrah.

Whether it ends in disappointment or finishes with a championship celebration, every season starts with so much anticipation for greatness.

Today, every varsity guy runs on the field dreaming of becoming a champion.

It's why so many dedicate themselves with such determination in their training and while lifting weights months before the season starts

The delirious joy that fills every locker room today is a result of a special aura around high school football that makes young men fully invest their time, thoughts, effort, determination and passions into going to war on a football field.

It's a game where even the toughest of them will drop to their knees in the awful sorrow of defeat. It will bring them to tears.

But it will bring them to the brink of manhood.

Good luck young men.

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Mike Killbreath is an award-winning newspaper sports columnist. He appears on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio via The Daily Gazette Sports Weekend Show Sundays from 6-8 pm, The Daily Gazette Sports Night Show weekdays at 6 pm and on The Morning Gazette Radio Show weekday mornings from 8 am until 9:30 am. He's an award-winning news columnist and investigative reporter who is the former long-time owner of the local Metro Flint area chain of 14 community newspapers. This fall will be his 50th year as a journalist. He also hosts a new weekly national TV show known as The American Crusaders on cable TV and various OTT TV live streaming platforms.

BY ERIC THOMPSON

CCN Sports Writer

(CCN) — Two teams that made it to Ford Field for the state finals  a year ago will kick off the 2025 prep football season against each other Thursday night (August 28, 2025) at Goodrich High School.

Clarkston is also featured in one of the marquee opening night battles. The Wolves will be featured on the statewide streaming telecast at 4 pm Thursday by State Champs when facing perennial powerhouse Belleville in the annual Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Goodrich's host Martians, winners of their school's first ever state crown last fall, will host perennial state title contender Frankenmuth at 7 pm.

Frankenmuth reached the state finals last season before losing 42-7 to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. It was the third time the Eagles had reached the state championship game in Division 5 at Ford Field in five years under Coach Phil Martin.

While Martin is the winningest coach in his school's history since taking over the reins in 2018, Tom Alward is also the winningest coach in Goodrich school history. 

Goodrich won it all in Division 4 in 2024 after also reaching the state finals a year earlier for the first time in school history. 

Millington, defending state champs in Division 7, opens its season Thursday at 7 pm against arch rival Reese. They will stage the nightcap in the annual Vehicle City Gridiron Classic at Flint's historic Atwood Stadium.

Earlier Thursday action at the Vehicle City gridiron Classic on the turf at Kettering University's Atwood Stadium will include games at 1 pm and 4 pm. Flint Beecher plays in the opener against Summerfield. The 4 pm match-up features a rematch of the the Metro Flint regional area's longest on-going rivalry between Clio and Mt. Morris.

The Vehicle City Gridiron Classic wraps up with a single game on Friday.at 4 pm. It will pit Flint Elite against Erie Mason High. Flint Elite is a co-op squad of players from Flint's New Standard Academy and Burton's Madison Academy.  

Among the other Metro League Stars Division schools besides Goodrich and Clio with openers on Thursday, Corunna goes to Fowlerville, Lake Fenton hosts New Boston Huron, Ortonville Brandon hosts Flint Southwestern and Owosso hosts Pinckney. All six teams have a second non-league contest next week before their Stars Division slates begin on Sept. 12.

Linden and Swartz Creek open Thursday with home games while the other four Metro League Stripes Division teams hit the road. Linden hosts L'anse Cruese and Swartz Creek hosts Yale while Flushing goes to Ann Arbor Pioneer, Fenton is at Midland Dow, Flint Kearsely is at Ann Arbor Huron and Holly goes to Bay City Western. All six of the Metro's Stripes Division schools also have a second non-league date booked for next week in advance of Sept. 12 Metro League openers.

Frankenmuth opens Tri-Valley Conference Red Division play next week against Saginaw Swan Valley.

Millington has a second non-league date set for next week with its home opener against Standish Sterling. The Cardinals open defense of their Big Thumb Conference White Division title on Sept. 12 in Millington against Sandusky.

Vassar's Big Thumb opener in the Black Division is also on Sept. 12. The Vulcans will host the Reese Rockets after two non-league contests.

Vassar opens 2025 regular season play Thursday night at home with a 7 o'clock kick-off against Burton Atherton which won last year's Genesee Area Conference (GAC) championship in its return to 11-player football.

Atherton opens GAC action next week with a trip to Burton to face last year's No. 2 finisher, arch rival Bendle. The Tigers travel Thursday to Johannesburg-Lewiston their non-conference opener. Other GAC non-league openers on week #1 besides Flint Beecher and Flint Elite playing on the turf at Atwood Stadium and Flint Southwestern visiting Ortonville Brandon include Burton Bentley and Genesee opening at home. Bentley hosts Auburn HIlls Oakland Christian while Genesee plays host to Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech.

Mt. Morris is among seven of the Mid-Michigan Activities Conference's eight teams taking opening night bus rides. The exception is Otisville LakeVille which is at home on Thursday at 7 pm against Bath. Other Thursday 7 pm games include New Lothrop at Muskegon Catholic Central, Birch Run at Carrolton, Chesaning at Standish Sterling and Montrose traveling to Riverview Gabriel Richard

Durand opens at Gladstone with a  6 pm non-conference battle on Friday. The other MMAC school outside our coverage area (Ovid-Elsie) goes to Howard City Tri-County for its non-league opener on Thursday night.

All three local schools in the Saginaw Valley League have non-league openers on Thursday night. Davison is at Roseville, Grand Blanc is at Muskegon Mona Shores and Flint Carman-Ainsworth hosts Bay City Central. All three contests start at 7 o'clock.

Independents Flint Hamady and Flint Powers Catholic both open at 7 pm on Thursday.

Flint Hamady hosts Ogema Heights while Powers goes to Imlay City.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is veteran Goodrich boss Tom Alward. His Martians open defense of their Division 4 state title Thursday night against perennial state title contender Frankenmuth.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

EAST LANSING (CCN) — Midway through the third quarter, Frankenmuth had realistic visions of reaching the prep basketball girls' state finals to take aim at a first state championship under Coach Joe Jacobs.

It was 30-20 over Tecumseh which finished the regular season as the No. 2 ranked team in Division 2. Frankenmuth was No. 4.

But Tecumseh slowly chipped away at Frankenmuth's lead and outscored the Lady Eagles by 19 the rest of the way to win 52-43.

When ahead midway through the third quarter in East Lansing at the Breslin Center in the 2025 state semifinals — It seemed meant to be as Frankenmuth was ahead by 10, and rolling.

It was the worst record ever under Coach Jacobs who had 19-2, 22-3, 25-3 and 22-3 overall records since becoming Frankenmuth's varsity leader.

This year's team went into Friday's (March 21, 2025) state semifinals with four losses and didn't win an outright Tri-Valley Conference Red Division title under Jacobs for the first time. After four straight Tri-Valley-Red championships in a row with perfect 14-0 records, Frankenmuth lost 55-51 on Feb. 7 to Freeland which gained a share of the 2024-25 season championship by winning.

At state tournament time, Frankenmuth got revenge against Freeland in the Regional semifinals by prevailing 53-44.

A run to the state championship almost seemed appropriate since this was easily the best coaching job by Jacobs. His team not only rebounded to beat Freeland after splitting the season series to share the Tri-Valley-Red title, but the Lady Eagles had to overcome losing two of their first three games in non-conference tune-ups to start the campaign.

The only other loss before Friday was 45-36 on Feb 18 at Rockford — a state semifinalist in Division 1 this weekend with a 26-1 record as the No. 1 ranked team in Michigan.

Frankenmuth has only one previous state championship in girls' basketball. It came in 1992 when beating St. Joseph 67-54.

With the 10-point lead midway through quarter number three, these Lady Eagles were on the presbycusis of making it to the finals for the seventh time in school history. They were finalists in 1979 when losing 45-38 to Grand Rapids West Catholic, 1987 when falling 49-34 to Flint Beecher, 1990 when dropping a 47-38 decision to Grand Rapids West Catholic, 1993 when losing 50-43 to Dearborn Divine Child and 2023 under Coach Jacobs when finishing as the runner-up.

Tecumseh had not been to a state championship game in 50 years when a 10-2 run to end the third quarter tied the game at 32-32.

Coach Kristy Zajac shrugged off the slow start by her Tecumseh girls, saying, “Every game all year we start slow, but finish strong, and we were able to pull it out tonight. I’m super proud of these girls because they fought back, and this is a great win for our program.”

Alli Zajac, a Miss Basketball finalist, got into foul trouble early, too, to complicate matters for Tecumseh on Friday. She said, “It’s not a great thing that I was in foul trouble, but I’m kind of glad that I was just so I can see how well they work together when I'm not in there with them. It was amazing to see other girls step up.”

Biggest of all was senior Ashlyn Moorhead and sophomore Addi Zajac. Moorehead popped in 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc and finished with 14 points while her sophomore teammate fueled the comeback with 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Tecumseh now moves on to play for the Division 2 championship at 6:15 pm Saturday at Breslin.

Tecumseh won it all in 1974 and was Class B state runner-up in 1975.

One concern, however, is a final-minute injury to  

Tecumseh junior star Maddy VanBlack who went down with an apparent leg injury.

“Super special for our girls, but that last play of the game is just so hard,” Zajac said. “She’s worked so hard to get back to us after missing almost two years of seasons, and that’s why these girls are all in tears. I feel so terrible for her, and we’re hoping she’s OK.”

 Clare Conzelmann's 3-pointer gave Frankenmuth its biggest lead at 10 points.

The Eagles were in search of a return trip to the Final after finishing runner-up in 2023, but suffered through a five-minute scoring drought during the final quarter and shot a dismal 8-of-27 during the second half.

“One day short of what our goal was,” Frankenmuth coach Joe Jacobs said. “The first half went in our favor, but then they made shots in the second half and the game got away from us. But it doesn’t take away from what these girls accomplished, and we have three seniors that have been here two times, so it was a special opportunity for them.”

Conzelmann led the Eagles with 15 points and three blocked shots. Macy Donovan and Isabelle Bernthal finished with nine and eight points, respectively.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

EAST LANSING (CCN) — Genesee Christian's girls were on the biggest stage in school history Thursday night against their toughest opponent ever in the storied annals of its program.

The tiny Division 4 school on Belsay Road in Burton sent its first team ever to the Breslin Center in East Lansing for the Final Four with a sparkling 24-1 record, and got within a dozen points closer than the average margin of victory so far in March Madness for a tough, tough Fowler club.

 Fowler has had deep tournament runs in recent years, but this season’s journey to the state finals included winning six games by an average of a whopping 37.5 points per contest.

The Lady Eagles beat Genesee Christian by 25. The final count was 57-32.

Fowler, now 26-2, advances to Saturday’s 10 a.m. championship against Ewen-Trout Creek which downed Concord 34-24 in the other semifinal match-up Thursday at the Breslin.

It's the first trip to a state championship game for Ewen-Trout Creek in 40 years since playing in the Class D title game when losing a 43-41 thriller to Potterville.

The Panthers won it all in 1973 when besting North Muskegon 57-48 to win the Class D crown.

Fowler is no stranger to state titles, however, with three of them in the last five years.

“It’s pretty special,” Fowler Coach Nathan George said. “But given the kids I coach, I’m not surprised how focused they are each and every game. While I’m sometimes impressed by the point differential for some of our games, it’s because of the hard work they put in and their willingness to go above and beyond expectations." 

Genesee Christian hung tough in the opening quarter and it was tied 11-11 heading into quarter number two.

Then came a Fowler blitz.

The Lady Eagles outscored the Lady Soldiers 14-2 in the second quarter to take a commanding 25-13 halftime lead, and never looked back. 

The lead swelled to 20 points during the third quarter and it reached 41-24 going into the fourth quarter.

Fowler shot 48.8 percent (20-of-41) from the field including 6-of-16 accuracy from behind the 3-point arc. Senior Brooke Weber scored 14 points, senior Elizabeth Hufnagel scored 13, senior Katie Spicer added 12 points and 7 rebounds and junior Paige Thelen contributed 11 points and 7 rebounds.

Fowler's smothering defense forced Genesee Christian into coughing up 15 turnovers.

Fowler star Hufnagel said, “I think it took us a couple of possessions to just calm down and play our game. When we came out in the second quarter, we knew what we had to do to get a lead going into the half. We were able to settle down. We were able to drive and kick and get to the rim.”

Senior Haven Chapman led Genesee Christian with 18 points in the final game of her historic career. She set her school's all-time scoring record.

Reagan Gardner added 10 points Thursday.

“Amazing, amazing run for this group of girls,” Genesee Christian Coach Jake Boike said. “This has been a special group that we have had our eyes on for a long time. We knew the season was going to go well. We didn’t know how well. We had some hurdles to get over. I’m really proud of the effort they gave today.” 

 PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is action Thursday night in East Lansing as Fowler’s defense collapses to help as Genesee Christian’s Haven Chapman (2) drives during Thursday’s Semifinal at Breslin Center.

BY ERIC THOMPSON

CCN Sports Writer

 (CCN) — Here are the latest highlights from the local prep sports scene during week #1 of the spring season in lacrosse and track for both boys and girls as well as girls' soccer and boys' tennis:

 LAKE FENTON'S BOYS' LACROSSE TEAM beat arch rival Fenton 7-1 on Friday (March 23, 2025) while Flint Powers Catholic lost 14-10 in lacrosse to Lansing Catholic Central. Swartz Creek beat Flushing 17-5 in a Metro League Stripes Division opener. 

GOODRICH beat Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 1-0 in girls' soccer Tuesday, Holly nipped Almont 2-1,  Millington got by Otisville LakeVille 3-2, Clarkston Everest Collegiate lost a 4-3 decision to Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard and Linden lost 4-0 to Lapeer.

In Thursday play, Clarkston Everest Collegiate won 3-1 over Madison Heights Bishop Foley, Goodrich battled to a 1-1 tie with Lapeer, Flint Kearsley lost a 6-3 decision at home to Bay City Central, Swartz Creek was blanked 6-0 at Novi and OtisVille LakeVille lost at home by an identical 6-0 score to Burton St. Thomas Moore Academy.

In girls' soccer openers last Friday, Fenton battled to a 1-1 tie with visiting Lapeer while Flint Kearsley and Genesee Christian opted not to play because of bad weather, Flushing beat Laingsburg 3-1 and Davison lost 2-1 at Rochester Adams.

IN BOYS' LACROSSE ACTION Tuesday, Davison beat St. John's 7-2 and Flint Powers Catholic beat Fenton 14-6 and Grand Blanc lost 9-5 to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.

In Thursday boys' lacrosse action, all three local teams in action were losers at home. Davison lost 7-4 to Bay City John Glenn, Swartz Creek dropped a 5-3 decision to Lapeer and Fenton lost 10-7 to Belleville.

IN GIRLS' LACROSSE on Tuesday, Fenton bested Davison 10-6, Flushing nipped Lake Fenton 9-8 and Swartz Creek topped Flint Powers 17-11 

Swartz Creek went to 2-0 when the Lady Dragons were big winners Thursday in non-league play by bombing Lapeer 11-2 at the Creek.

BY MIKE KILLBREATH

CCN Executive Editor

PLYMOUTH (CCN) — Flint Powers Catholic's hockey club won its second state championship in three years Saturday morning (March 8, 2025)  after coming up empty 46 times in a row at tournament time.

Coach Travis Perry watched his Chargers win i again at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth where Team USA trains as Ethan Haley became an unlikely hero 1:53 into overtime after scoring only three times previously all season. His dramatic game winner lifted the Chargers to a 3-2 triumph over Livonia Stevenson. 

Powers also needed to win in dramatic fashion in the quarterfinals when forced into overtime by Marquette before winning 5-4 on senior star Ayden Cook's fourth goal of the night in overtime.

Cook's game winner propelled Powers into the state semifinals where Perry's boys took care of business by beating Grandville 4-3 to reach the finals for the seventh time in the school's illustrious hockey history.

Saturday was the fourth appearance in a state championship game in Plymouth by Powers since the tournament was moved there in 2003. The Chargers had reached the finals three times prior to that since the state's Final Four games began 50 years ago in Flint at the old IMA Sports Arena, now Dort Financial Center.

Powers Catholic has now reached the Final Four 22 times under Coach Perry and his legendary predecessors — Dave Durkin and Court Benson. The Chargers have won a regional championship 35 times and this year's Saginaw Valley League title was their 34th league championship.

Perry led the 2024-25 Chargers to a 25-4 record to move his all-time mark to 386-117-20. The Valley title this season was the 13th league title under Perry's leadership. He's taken nine of his teams to the Final Four and this year was his fourth visit to the state championship game. He also has 12 regional championships to cement his name for a spot in both the Greater Flint Sports hall of Fame as well as the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame, alongside Durkin and Benson. 

The wild 2025 celebration after Haley's dramatic goal brought back memories of the winner two years ago when Mason Czarnecki scored on a breakaway with 4.6 seconds left in the third period for a 3-2 victory over East Grand Rapids.

Perry said: “It’s a lot different this time around. The first time, it’d been 50 years of frustration, anger. I’d been coaching 17 years, and we lost a couple down here. That was really a monkey off our back. This one really solidifies our program. The biggest thing I told the guys is probably five years ago we came down here looking to compete, not just hoping to compete.”

Perry had only three players on his roster this season who were around for the first state title two years ago. Current seniors Andrew Parmentier, Brody Neelands and Andrew Burny were sophomores in 2023 on a squad that featured 11 seniors and eight juniors.

Forwards Parmentier and Neelands and defenseman Burny are among eight seniors on Perry's 2025 state champs.

The others seniors are goaltender Aidan Gustafson, defensemen Aiden Olah and Blake Dawson and forwards Mitchell Lenger and Landon Miller.

Coach Perry has plenty of talent to build around for next year with three freshman, three sophomores and eight juniors.

The freshmen include defenseman Cooper Massimino and forwards Chase Stevens and Owen Perry.

The sophomores are defenseman Haley, forward Jaden Davis and defenseman Whitman Park.

The juniors are goalie Hunter Clark, defenseman Andon Harwood and forwards Cook, Parker Bendall, Jordan Davis, Logan Nanney, Jack Johnson and Gavin Vorwerk.

Sophomore Haley became the hero after his own season nearly ended in late January when suffering a broken ankle. He said, “I thought I was going to miss more time than I did. The doctor cleared me sooner, so it was very exciting to get back playing with everyone and going to practice every day... My role is definitely an energy guy, I would say.”

He had scored twice in the first three games of the season but only once more after rejoining the lineup late in the regular season. His blast from the right point Saturday was one of the biggest goals in school history to give his Chargers the Division 2 state championship after winning it all in Division 3 two years ago on an equally dramatic goal in the closing seconds by Czarnecki in 2023.

Haley’s shot from the blue line wasn’t a particularly hard shot, but Powers put traffic in front of the net to make it difficult for Stevenson’s goalie to see the puck.

“Before that, Coach said to get pucks on net, get pucks out of our zone, which we did,” Haley said. “I saw a guy on Cooky (Ayden Cook). He slid it down and passed it to me. I just shot it. I thank Parker (Bendall) for screening the goalie. He couldn’t see it.”

Cook had produced the game tying goal to force overtime when bagging the equalizer for Powers with 6:45 remaining in regulation.

It was the 40th goal of the season for Cook who was second team all-state last winter.

Stevenson had taken a 2-1 lead with 12:53 remaining in the second period on a goal by  Riley Rorabacher. Colin Stroble had tied it at 1-1 for Stevenson after Johnson put Powers first with an early goal.

The Livonia squad caught fire late in the season and rallied from a 9-9-2 record to win its last five games of the regular season before winning four in a row in the state tournament.

Stevenson Coach David Mitchell's club lost four straight before the closing run allowing a whopping 19 goals during the four-game losing streak. He said afterward, “I told them they put Stevenson hockey, I don’t want to say on the map, because we’ve never really been off it. But they got us back to the point we try to achieve to get to. I think they did that not only as players on the ice, but as a community. People like Mr. (Arnold) Muscat (Stevenson’s athletic director) and the Stevenson community not only made this an enjoyable ride, but made this a memorable one. It made it easier for us to get inspired to play for a bigger cause.”

 The Spartans made it to the state finals three times in a four-year span after winning it all in their 2013 Division 2 state championship season. They've won eight state titles in school history and  Saturday's state runner-up finish was their fifth.

 Powers senior star Burny said, “It feels like a dream. We came here and made history twice. I wouldn’t have rather done it with any other group of guys.”

Burny's 22 goals were third most on the team behind junior star Cook's 40 goals and freshman sniper Owen Perry's 25 goals. 

Parmentier, honorable mention all-state last season as a junior, scored 12 times in a 48-point season this winter for Powers.

After going down 4-1 in the quarterfinals against Marquette early in the third period, Cook's short-handed goal got Powers within 4-2 and sparked the rally. He also scored the game-tying goal to send it into overtime where he eventually won it.

 The only losses for Powers this season were to Sault Ste. Marie in overtime and to the top three ranked teams in Division 1 — Detroit Catholic Central, Hartland and Howell.

Junior goalie Clark surrendered a stingy 2.2 goals per game while Powers scored at a prolific clip of nearly six goals per game as the state's No. 1 ranked team in Division 2 going into post-season play. Coach Perry's Chargers beat No. 6 ranked Byron Center 4-1 in the regional finals before beating No. 7 Marquette in OT and nipping No. x Grandville 4-3 in the semis.

Other notable victories by the 2024-25 Chargers included an 8-2 romp over Division 2's No. 10 White Lake Lakeland, 4-3 in OT over Clarkston which was ranked No. 4 in Division 1, 4-3 over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s which was No. 1 in Division 3, 4-3 over Houghton which was No. 2 in Division 3, 5-2 over East Grand Rapids which was No. 3 in Division 3, 2-1 over Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett which was No. 7 in Division 3 and 5-1 over Alpena which was No. 8 in Division 3.

Orchard Lake St. Mary won the Division 3 state championship on Saturday after beating East Grand Rapids 5-1 and Alpena 9-1 on the tournament trail. Coach Brian Kanlet's Eaglets blanked Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood in the finals to finish with a 23-5-1 record.

They faced a tough schedule in the North Division of the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League where finishing No. 2 ahead of fellow traditional high school hockey heavyweights Cranbrook Kingswood, Birmingham Brother Rice and Port Huron Northern.

The state's toughest league was won by Detroit Catholic Central which also won it all in Division 1 on Saturday.

Notable on the Metro Flint regional area scene was Detroit CC's toughest game of the season coming against Hartland. The Shamrocks nipped Hartland  2-1 in overtime in the regional finals. 

Coach Rick Gadwa's Hartland club shared the Kensington Lakes Activities Association title with Howell which faced Detroit CC in the finals. Hartland finished 22-4-1 on the season and was ranked No. 2 in the final regular season poll behind the title winning Shamrocks who beat Howell 4-1 on Saturday in the state championship game.

 PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is sophomore Ethan Haley's shot from the point hitting the top corner for the winning goal at 1:53 into overtime Saturday as Flint Powers Catholic celebrated its second hockey state title in high school hockey. Screening Livonia Stevenson's goalie in front of the net is Haley's teammate Parker Bendall. — MHSAA PHOTO BY JOHN CASTINE OF HOCKEY WEEKLY

BY ERIC THOMPSON

CCN Sports Writer

GRAND RAPIDS (CCN) — A fourpeat wasn't in the cards for Rockford's girls' gymnastic s team. Hartland used eight top five finishes at the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) finals to win its first state championship over defending state champ Rockford by a slim 148.57 to 146.525 margin.

A co-op team from Fenton, Linden and Lake Fenton finished fifth with 139.925 points.

Farmington United was third with 144.975 points while Northville finished fourth at 142.575 in the MHSAA Team Gymnastics Finals. 

Hartland had fourth-place finishes in each of the last two seasons although coming in just 2.5 points behind No. 1 Rockford in 2024 and just 4.1 points behind in 2023.

Rockford, Farmington United and Grand Ledge had won 14 state titles since 2008 until Hartland prevailed this season.

Hartland Coach Gavin Kress said "Our motto all year has been ring season. That's what the girls call it — ring season... We've definitely built up to this, and we killed (routines) today. We've beat team and individual records all year. I didn't want to predict this, but the girls did."

Hartland didn't score below 142 points in any of its significant meets this winter.

Led by junior Alexis Fundich and seven seniors, Hartland saved its showing for the state finals.

Fundich finished first on bars (9.6750), beam (9.75), floor (9.7) and all-around (38.425).

Senior Abby Griffen added four top five finishes for Hartland, including a first on vault (9.725). She was fourth in all-around (37.8).

"We've worked hard, so it's not too surprising to us," Fundich said. "We were a little frustrated after finishing fourth last year, but that motivated us. We worked hard and expected to do better than fourth."

Hartland senior Jayden Garcia added, "We got fourth, but we tried to push ourselves more and more. This year, we thought we could do better. We worked from the moment we got fourth last year. We were fired up at every event. Winning state was our main goal."

Rockford Coach Michelle Ankney, who has had six state titles since 2015, wasn't surprised by Hartland's solid showing. She said, "They have some amazing skills, hard skills. We're impressed with them, for sure." 

Coach Kress paid tribute to his team's senior leadership this season as a factor in winning it all, too . He said, "One hundred percent. They support every single person on the team and (helped) build up their confidence. That definitely contributed to our scoring."

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Hartland's Emma Beres competing in floor exercise during the Team Gymnastics Final at Kenowa Hills High School in Grand Rapids.