MHSAA Rankings: January Division IV Top Ten

As the calendar flips to 2025 and with holiday tournaments and showcases winding down. It’s a great time to look at a “not quite” mid season top 10. I’ll begin with Michigan’s smallest classification. I’ll give you a top 10 with corresponding resumes and concerns. For good measure, I’ll provide some additional teams to watch with notes.

If you want to check my work, you can find the final preseason top 10 here

** current records parentheses**

1. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (7-0)

Resume: After returning most of their rotation from a state final appearance. With an unblemished 2024 record, this is a pretty easy call. They haven’t been ducking anyone early. They have quality division wins over Fulton and Vestaburg. However the one that really caught my eye was a 11 point victory against neighboring Beal City. The Aggies handed McBain their only loss of the year. That is solid Division III victory going into the Christmas break.

Concerns: Not many, the Irish are one of the toughest perimeter defensive teams you will see at any level. It’s not rare for a team to have an off shooting night. It’s more difficult to have an off night defensively. The three headed guard attack of Grady Pieratt, Brody Cherry, and Noah Zeien are tough to beat. They didn’t play over the Christmas, I don’t usually love that. That is a long break when you have it rolling. The 2025 slate gets significantly tougher.

2. Fowler (6-2)

Resume: They might have the best inter-division win of anyone. A 62-59 victory over defending state champion Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian. Even more impressive as this was also their season opener. They have something many teams in smaller divisions do not have, size and depth. Asher Koenigsknecht is a talented and steady senior point guard. While 6-6 senior Alex Halfmann is an excellent athlete who is a matchup problem down low. Their two losses were against two quality opponents in larger division, Pewamo-Westphalia (Division III) and Fruitport (Division II)

Concerns: Pewamo-Wesphalia is a state championship program and traditional rival. Those games can go either way. While Fruitport is a good team, they did not feature a lot of size. In that they contest they seemed to struggle to get the ball to Halfmann and finish at the rim. Will need to address that going forward.

3. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist (5-1)

Resume: Full disclosure—after watching them lose handily to Sacred Heart in last year’s semi finals. This was the group I might have had the least amount of confidence in. So much for that. What a strong start to the season. That haven’t played a single Division IV opponent. Most opponents have been from divisions I and II. Only loss was close and came to Detroit Voyageur Prep. One of the more talented young teams in the entire state.

Concerns: Like Sacred Heart, took a long holiday break. They don’t play until the 7th of January. The schedule doesn’t necessarily lighten up, but they do begin to play some Division IV opponents.

4. Frankfort (5-1)

Resume: Only loss was a lopsided affair to Grand Rapids South Christian. Honestly, losing to a Division II state championship contender isn’t much of a demerit. They have an excellent win against a big Glen Lake squad that is more informative of their ceiling as a team. They have an outstanding senior backcourt with Carter Kerby and Tristan Griffin.

Concerns: Another team with a long holiday break. Went into that break with a loss. Not very big along the frontline. They play in a difficult conference. There will be other losses. How they bounce back from those will be telling.

5. Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian (5-2)

Resume: How about this for a resume— I simply can’t take the defending state champion out of the top five with six banners hanging from the rafters. Obviously I don’t view the Fowler loss as a bad loss (see above). There is still plenty of talent on this team with seniors Keaton Blanker (Grace Christian commit) and 6-6 Joey Mellon. After transferring in from a big time program in Kentucky. Noah Silverton could be the top option as he becomes more comfortable in the second semester.

Concerns: Scoring 27 points in a loss to West Catholic isn’t an ideal way to head into the new year. Will the impending retirement of legendary head coach Mark Keeler be a motivating factor or an added pressure point? There are going to hit the ground running with a showcase game against undefeated Adrian Lenawee Christian (see below)

6. Crystal Falls- Forest Park (6-0)

Resume: Haven’t missed a beat after earning the football state championship. This might just be a special group of athletes. The win over Menominee is extremely impressive. As was the win over 2023 state champions Munising. Both schools are now playing in Division III. Sophomore standout Vic Giuliani led the way against Munising with 18 points.

Concerns: As with any team from the remote Upper Peninsula. How much will they be tested? That being said, while they are not playing below the bridge. They should be tested by the time the tournament rolls around. The January 6th matchup against Kingsford is huge. As will a season finale against Division I Marquette.

7. Adrian Lenawee Christian (6-0)

Resume: The Cougars are off to a great start. They might feature the top overall talent int the division in 6-4 junior Jaxon Salenbien. He ended the year on a high note. Scoring 37 points in an overtime victory against Springport at a showcase in Spring Arbor. Notching his 1,000th career point in the process. They also feature guard Daniel Skrupsky who was statistically one of the better three point shooters in the state last year.

Concerns: Having one the best players in the division is a great problem to have. How does the rest of the team coalesce around Salenbien. The schedule will beef up rather quickly. As they open up 2025 against defending state champion Tri-Unity Christian on a neutral court this Saturday.

8. Bellaire (6-0)

Resume: Dealt with some early adversity to take a perfect record into the new year. The senior duo of Jayden Hanson and Drake Koepke has been building towards this year for a long time. The versatile duo looks to be fulfilling their potential. Sophomore Corperryale Somers might be developing into a third option.

Concerns: Last time I promise…. Coming off a long holiday break as a big game with Charlevoix was cancelled due to snow. The schedule will toughen up as that game will be made up this Saturday. A late season long road trip to Grand Rapids Covenant is an aggressive task and will reveal a lot about this team’s mettle.

9. Petersburg-Summerfield (8-0)

Resume: Must be nice to reside in far southern tip of Michigan. Somehow got eight games in the midst of “Snowmaggedon 2024”. They have been dominant, with almost every win coming by 20 points or more. Led by a name you won’t soon forget. Sophomore Jha Jha Hornbeak Jr.

Concerns: Winning all of your games as blowouts can be two edged sword. They are in the same conference as #7 Lenawee Christian. Those two contests will be revealing. Nor sure how much this group will be tested beyond that.

10. Traverse City Christian (7-1)

Resume: Another winter warrior that somehow got eight games in before Christmas. I ranked them initially in the summer. They dropped them for the final preseason poll. I didn’t know how much help senior guard Reece Broderick would have. I was wrong, he has plenty of help. Mainly in the form junior Garett Schultz and sophomore Asher Coates. Broderick is on pace to be one of the better three point shooters in Michigan history.

Concerns: It’s a cliche but it’s true— live by three, die by the three. Only putting up 27 points in a loss to Lake Leelanau St Mary is concerning. They do not have a lot size or experience along the frontline. As an independent, will the schedule be tough enough to prepare them for March?

Honorable Mention

Pickford (3-1) Understandably light schedule after a trip to a gridiron state championship game. Only loss came to a strong Harbor Springs squad.

Lake Leelanau St Mary (5-2) Got off to a fast start. However they have a two game losing streak heading into 2025.

Detroit Frederick Douglass (4-6) Extremely young team that might have the most high level talent in the division. Can they get healthy and gel in enough time for March?

Southfield Christian (6-1) After a slight lull, is this traditional power back? I’ll wait until after a more difficult 2025 slate to make my verdict.