MHSAA Preview: Five More For Division IV
After recently concluding the longest running ranking rollout in publishing history. It is quickly now time to expand those lists. In the coming weeks (months ??) I’ll expand each list by five before settling on a final preseason top 10 before the start of the season.
If you missed the initial grouping of ten you can find them here
**teams appear in alphabetical order with last years record in parentheses**
Dollar Bay (20-5)
Last season Crystal Falls Forest Park and Pickford seemed to be on season long collision course that paid off in a classic quarterfinal matchup. While Forest Park is very good once again and are in my initial top ten. Who could be the second team out of the UP this year?
I’m going to give an early look to the far reaches of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The Blue Bolts are coming off a good year and return a very strong backcourt led by senior Liam Tourtillott. Fellow senior Caleb Kentala is a small but experienced point guard. I was very impressed with 6-2 junior Baron Colbert II (pictured) at a showcase in the fall.
Genesee Christian (10-15)
Yes the regular season record was not pretty. However the Soldiers played a difficult schedule and dealt with a litany of serious health problems. Through it all they still made a run to the regional finals where they lost a close one to Kingston. There should optimism for the Flint area parochial school with a long hoops history.
The primary source of optimism is a full year of health from 6-3 senior Cooper Boike. As his surname and school of origin implies. Boike can shoot the basketball with the best in the state. He put in the work this spring and fall as well. Simply put, if there was AAU tournament, elite camp, or exposure opportunity in Michigan. Boike was not only there. He was usually playing very well. Boike won’t be alone. He should get help from fellow seniors Bryce Davis and Ethan Church.
Onekama (19-5)
One of the top ranked 8-man football programs in the state. If you saw them play in the summer, you would not be surprised. The Portagers have bunch of “country strong” players.
Led by 6-5 Luke Bradford, they have the size and skill to play with anyone in Northern Michigan. Bradford is more than just a football banger getting in some cardio. He put together a strong grassroots campaign, testing himself against some of the top players in the state. He will be joined by fellow senior guard Tyler Hart in the deep and talented rotation. I will be curious to see what type of contribution freshman guard Bennett Zeller can provide.
Petersburg-Summerfield (21-2)
The Bulldogs are losing a lot of production from last year’s one loss regular season team. That being said, winning sometimes begets more winning. I also saw enough this summer to believe this squad can still be near the top of the division.
What I saw was the grassroots play of senior guard Brody St John with H2 Elite. The athletically explosive guard with good size will have to carry a heavier load this year, but he might be ready to do it. He shouid get support down low from fellow senior 6-4 Easton Lapoint.
Saginaw Nouvel Catholic (14-9)
A slight rebuilding year was expected after graduating a backcourt helmed by the prodigious Yeager twins. If the Panthers are fully back this year, it will due to the development of another familial backcourt.
Senior Rahmaan Kelley is the returnee who should also be the team leader. The 6-2 combo guard should be more comfortable in his second year in the program after coming over from the the former Saginaw Arthur Hill. The new name to watch is freshman Malik Box. I was very impressed with this duo of cousins during team camps in June. If Box isn’t fully ready. Senior Sean Foley has plenty of experience and track level speed to keep Nouvel backcourt dynamic.
