Category: Featured Articles
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Patient Wolves emerging as one of state’s best
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com CLARKSTON — It was two years ago when Clarkston girls basketball seemingly fell off the map. The Wolves struggled to a 6-15 record, which included dead last in the OAA Red Division and a first-round loss to Rochester Stoney Creek in a Class A district basketball pre-district contest. […]
Balavich, Galasso shine as Lake Orion ousts Clarkston
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — Come through in the clutch in the postseason, and the friend requests might increase through various social media networks. That could be the scenario for Nick Balavich and Drew Galasso over the next few days. Balavich scored the game-winning goal with just 5:19 left in […]
AOTW: Dubay is Rochester Hills Christian’s three-sport sparkplug
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com ROCHESTER HILLS — Allise Dubay had a decision to make four years ago. Stay at a small school and play three sports or go to a large high school and probably play just one sport. She chose the small-school route and has never regretted it. Dubay is now a […]
AOTW: Lake Orion’s Dohm skies to state title on final run
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com HARBOR SPRINGS, Mich. — Marie Dohm was accustomed to walking off the slopes this season and hearing the announcers read off the times of the competitors. So when they didn’t read hers following her second run of the giant slalom at Nub’s Knob, she was confused. Actually, nervous […]
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Rochester smothers Oxford to advance to district finals
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester girls basketball coach Adam Sheldon has slowly seen his team come of age this season. The Falcons, who finished 3-18 last season, have seen some tremendous improvement in recent weeks, and have picked up a pair of postseason wins on its growing resume. Rochester, which […]
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Unlikely source helps Stoney Creek rally past Adams
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Adams’ defensive plan was simple Wednesday night. Tightly guard Rochester Stoney Creek’s seniors, in particular all-time leading scorer Gabby Yurik, and make the other players beat the Highlanders. The Cougars’ found such a lethal player in freshmen Maria Zandi. Zandi delivered the dagger, a wide-open […]
Sweet Revenge: Catholic Central topples Oxford to reclaim D-1 state title
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com BATTLE CREEK — Mitch Hancock claims he was the first one to duck out of Kellogg Arena following last year’s Division 1 state final wrestling match. This year, he departed in a different fashion. Hancock guided his Novi Detroit Catholic Central team to a No. 1 ranking all season […]
Backstage state pass: Rochester Stoney Creek, Rochester, Lake Orion earn way to final day
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com LAKE ORION — Stress is not the word for it. A total 12 teams, six ranked schools and only four coveted slots for the Division 1 competitive cheer state finals available. Any mathematician will tell you that the odds are impossible that every quality team would gain its […]
Plowing Through: Clarkston stakes claim to first skiing state title
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com HARBOR SPRINGS, Mich. — Clarkston’s ski team had been knocking on the door for greatness for nearly two decades. So when the Wolves had perhaps their weakest performance of the year, it was still enough for Clarkston’s boys squad to finally finish on top of the mountain this […]
TUESDAY’S BOYS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Rochester clinches second straight league title for first time in 23 years; Adams upsets Ferndale; Royal Oak stuns Oxford
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com ROCHESTER HILLS — The last time Rochester captured back-to-back league championships in boys basketball, the trends of rolling pant legs up high or listening to heavy metal music were popular trends and far more common than cell phones are today. There definitely wasn’t the Internet and all of the […]
HOCKEY: Stoney Creek ices Utica in pre-regional; Rochester United blanks LCN
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com ROCHESTER HILLS — In recent years, Rochester Stoney Creek’s boys hockey has enjoyed some success in the postseason. The Cougars have skated to at least the regional finals the past five seasons and even won a regional crown in 2010. Stoney Creek took the first step Tuesday of […]
BOWLING: Clarkston wins first regional title
Lake Orion girls also make cut; Dragons qualify five, Clarkston one individual BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com FARMINGTON HILLS — Since launching its bowling program a decade ago, Clarkston has fielded many quality boys teams. In fact, the Wolves have qualified for the state finals on a few occasions. Clarkston added a first […]
BOWLING: Underdog role fits Oxford just fine in regional win
Troy’s Hulten, Oxford’s Lafnear make singles cut BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com STERLING HEIGHTS — Oxford didn’t mind the underdog role at the 5 Star Lanes regional. Sneaking up from behind like a prowler more suits the Wildcats, who surprised the depth-laden field to claim a Division 1 regional bowling title. After the […]
Cage dominance: Clarkston claims 13th OAA-Red title in 18 seasons
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com CLARKSTON — Since the inception of the Oakland Activities Association in 1994-95, Clarkston has posted one fine record in boys basketball. In fact, no team has won more league titles in the 18-year history of the mega conference than the Wolves. Clarkston added another league championship to its […]
Track icon Ambrose passes at 101
Michigan high school track and field icon Kermit Ambrose, who coached and was an track and field and cross country official for over 60 years in Michigan, has died. He was 101 years old. Ambrose died of natural causes in his Bloomfield Hills residence. Funeral arrangements include the viewing: Friday, March 2, from 4-8 p.m.; […]
Rochester Hills Christian shuts off the ‘Watter’worth, ousts Lake Orion Baptist
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com CLARKSTON — Earlier in the week, Rochester Hills Christian girls basketball coach Paula Bronsing scouted a game featuring Lake Orion and Midland Calvary Baptist, a pair of teams that will be in the Michigan Association of Christian Schools Division I State tournament. In the game, won […]
Stoney Creek rallies past Troy
BY JAKE LOURIM STUDENT CORRESPONDENT j.lourim@comcast.net ROCHESTER HILLS — Though it toted a three-game losing streak into a top team’s home gym Tuesday, things looked okay for a while for the Troy girls’ basketball team. Rochester Stoney Creek made sure they didn’t end up that way. Troy took three key daggers in the second […]
Then there were two: Oxford hammers previously unbeaten Brighton, earns date with No. 1 CC in state finals
BY DAN STICKRADT SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com BATTLE CREEK — Oxford’s Matt Anger missed virtually the whole wrestling season. In fact, a severe knee injury in Week 3 of the prep football season has caused the Oxford senior most of his senior year of athletics. Anger, however, returned to the Wildcats’ wrestling lineup recently and has […]
