Final tune up: Marian, Grand Blanc win SEMSL championships
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP — The Southeastern Michigan Ski League is the final tune-up before the state finals and Birmingham Marian served notice one last time that the Mustangs are again for real.
The defending SEMSL champs, also the reigning MHSAA Division 1 state champs, dominated the slopes of Pine Knob Tuesday, winning by over 60 points.
Marian collected 62 points to easily out-distance the rest of the field. Lake Orion finished second with 126.5 points, while Walled Lake Northern (147), Bloomfield hills Andover (151.5) and Walled Lake Central (176) rounded out the top five.
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep was sixth (179), with Grand Blanc (221.5), Brighton (228), Fenton (241), Flushing (287) and Farmington Hills Mercy followed suit in the field, which featured the top three teams and the top 10 individuals in both the slalom and giant slalom from the SEMSL’s four division — Mt. Holly, Pine Knob, Alpine Valley and Mt. Brighton.
About the only thing that could slow down the Mustangs was a major computer glitch which resulted in the official meet results being delayed a couple of days.
“This meet is still a big deal. I know some of the coaches don’t emphasize it as much, but it’s the final tune-up for the state meet,” admitted Robert Rhoades, who has coached the Birmingham Marian-Brother Rice squad for more than two decades. “It still decides the best in Southeastern Michigan and that’s a lot of teams. When you go to the state finals, there’s only three other teams from the northern regional there. You win (the SEMSL) and you already know you can beat everyone down there. It means that you can compete with the northern teams for the state championship.”
It was the fifth overall SEMSL title for Marian, as the Mustangs also claimed crowns in 1990, 1992, 1993 and 2010.
In the boys meet, senior-laden Grand Blanc captured its second straight crown and fifth overall, the others coming in 1986, 1990, 1991 and 2010. The first SEMSL meet was contested in 1975.
Grand Blanc collected 64.5 points to finish just ahead of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (76) and Clarkston (85). It was Clarkston’s first loss this season against teams from Southeastern Michigan.
Birmingham Brother Rice was fourth (156, while Novi Detroit Catholic Central (214), Lake Orion (219), Walled Lake Northern (243), Holly-Oxford Unified (245), Brighton (298.5), Detroit U-D Jesuit (330), White Lake Lakeland (350) and Fenton (422.5) rounded out the 12-school field.
Grand Blanc, which was second at the Division 1 state finals last February, had four top-20 finishers in the slalom and four more top-20 showing in the GS, as the Bobcats pulled away from the pack.
Cranbrook combined for seven top-20 finishes and Clarkston had five in the top-20 between the slalom and GS.
Individually, Clarkston’s Lance Holesbeke won the slalom with a two-run time of 44.83. He was followed by Grand Blanc’s Nick Martin, Birmingham United’s Adam Ketai, Walled Lake Northern’s John Merchant and Andover’s Andrew Thomas in the top five.
Merchant came back to win the GS, putting together a 38.53 effort. Andover’s Thomas was second, followed by Grand Blanc’s James Damone, Clarkston’s Grant Huber and Cranbrook’s Colin Ghesquiere in the top five of the GS.
Marian’s girls performance was similar to Grand Blanc’s boys. The Mustangs had a combined eight top-20 finishes, four in each race, and even had three top-10s in the slalom and two more in the GS.
Marian’s Katie Thibideau won the slalom with a 45.59 clocking. Lake Orion’s Marie Dohm was second, with White Lake Lakeland’s Kelsey Griffin, Flushing’s Shaina Walther and Andover’s Ashleigh Stewart following suit in the top five.
Over in the GS, it was Orion’s Marie Dohm earning the gold with a 39.21 effort. Thibideau was second for Marian, while Marian’s Kelly Lunghamer, Lakeland’s Griffin and Walled Lake Northern’s Kelsey young wrapping up the top five in the GS.
“I thought we took care of business,” said Rhoades. “I think we’re pretty confident right now that we can go up to (the state finals at Marquette Mountain) and do well. We have everyone back from last year, and the girls have had a great season so far. They want to try to repeat as state champs.”
Lake Orion, which failed to advance to the state finals, had a day of redemption at the SEMSL girls meet. The Dragons combined for five top-20 finishes between the two races. Third-place finisher Walled Lake Northern, fresh off a regional championship last week, had three in the top-20 to earn the bronze in the team standings.
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Category: Clarkston, Lake Orion, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek
