Five season-opening tournaments to catch this Saturday
The 2019 MHSAA Season is officially upon us and the state of Michigan is kicking things off in a big way this Saturday. You can find some great tournament action going on all over the state this weekend. Here’s a…
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Continue ReadingThe 2019 MHSAA Season is officially upon us and the state of Michigan is kicking things off in a big way this Saturday. You can find some great tournament action going on all over the state this weekend. Here’s a look at some of the featured tournaments set to take place.
Lake Orion Tournament – Saturday at Elite Sportsplex in Waterford
The defending D1 state champs welcome a big field of over 20 teams to Elite Sportsplex in Waterford on Saturday. Lake Orion has a lot of big holes to fill coming off its 2018 state title and this tournament will provide plenty of challenges. Joining the Dragons this weekend are fellow D1 semifinalists Mercy and Northville. The Marlins are the preseason favorite to win it all this season but will spend some time early in the year without Jess Mruzik (Michigan), who will compete for the U.S. Girls Youth National Team in Cairo, Egypt in early September. The Mustangs have a new coach, but still have a lot of potential after reaching Battle Creek last fall. Brighton and Detroit Country Day are a pair of teams to watch as well. The Bulldogs have Celia Cullen (Michigan State), our second-ranked player in 2020. Country Day was a young team in 2018, but that could mean big things this year for the Yellowjackets. Serena Nyambio had a big club season and the 2022 hitter is in line for a breakout sophomore season.
Portage Central Tournament – Saturday at Portage Central High School
Some top teams on the west side of the state will be on display at Portage Central on Saturday. The Mustangs host their season-opening tournament and it features Rockford, the 2018 D1 runner-up, as well as D2 state champion Grand Rapids Christian. The Eagles could arguably be the top team in the state this year, returning a lot of top players from last year’s championship squad. Jordyn Gates (Arkansas) is one of the best setters in the state and she has a lot of hitting to work with this season. Rockford graduated four impactful seniors, but still have a veteran team. Livonia Churchill was a D1 quarterfinalist in 2018 and could play spoiler this weekend. Bedford is another team to keep an eye on here. The Kicking Mules graduated a big class, but look like a real contender this year.
Grand Haven Lakeshore Classic – Saturday at Grand Haven
Grand Haven is hosting a tournament that should be highly competitive this weekend. A lot of contenders are in this field. Along with the host Buccaneers, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Hudsonville, Lowell, Novi, Ann Arbor Skyline and Holland West Ottawa are part of this tournament. Lowell is coming off a breakout season in 2018 and the Red Arrows have their sights set on being a contender in the state picture this year. Hudsonville took Rockford to five sets in the regional semifinals a year ago and that loss has loomed large in the offseason. Novi was the three-time state champ from 2015-17 and enters the second year under a new coach with a promising roster.
Dakota Varsity Invitational – Saturday at Macomb Dakota
Dakota hosts a 15-team tournament on Saturday that also has a field of quality teams that could be making an impact this year. Dakota, Stoney Creek, Flushing and Marian have to be among the favorites. Stoney Creek was the OAA Red champ last year and looking to have a lengthy postseason run this year. Marian was one of the better teams in the state in 2018, but couldn’t get past its CHSL rival, Mercy. The Mustangs have a lot of young talent to work with in 2019. Flushing was a D1 quarterfinalist last year and only graduated four seniors from that squad.
Carrie Adams Memorial Tournament – Saturday at Battle Creek Y-Center Multisports Complex
Battle Creek St. Philip hosts a 20-team tournament this weekend featuring some of the best teams from smaller programs. Along with the hosts St. Philip, which won the Class D championship from 2007-14, this field also includes Bronson, the winner of the last four Class C/Division 3 championships, as well as Leland, the 2018 D4 runner-up. Centreville and Camden Frontier are two other teams in the mix this weekend that are coming off strong 2018 showings and could be contenders in the state picture this year as well.