By John Raffel
MaxPreps.com
The Class A state championship in Michigan boys basketball has come down to Saginaw or arch-rival Saginaw Arthur Hills in each of the past two seasons.
Don't be surprised, Saginaw High coach Lou Dawkins says, if it's one of those two teams again.
Dawkins' team defeated Detroit Redford 79-57 in last season's title game. The previous season, Arthur Hill won the crown. Dawkins brought his team into the first week of this regular season fresh off a 25-1 mark last year and making it very clear another state title is a team goal.
"That's our goal every year," Dawkins said. "We're always keying on trying to win a state championship. We've had the teams that can win it with size, quickness and speed. It paid off at the end."
Dawkins said his team's inter-city battles with Arthur Hill "have probably been the best rivalry in the state of Michigan. If they moved that game to the Palace of Auburn Hills (20,000 home of the Detroit Pistons), they'd probably get a sellout. Both teams have great programs. That's why the rivalry has been so big."
No team in Michgan has won consecutive Class A state titles since Pontiac Northern did it in 2001 and 2002.
"Our goal is to do it two years in a row," Dawkins said.
Saginaw is led by 6-foot-7, 235-pound product Draymond Green, who will play for Michigan State and Tom Izzo next year.
"For every game, the key is playing hard and focusing on teamwork," Green said.
Girls Basketball
The fall of 2006 was a memorable season in girls basketball for the Detroit area school of Fraser, which made it all the way to the state finals in Class A before losing out to Detroit Martin Luther King.
Fraser was 23-5 during the 2006 season and made it to the state title game for the first time. After the first two weeks of this season, Fraser is 2-1.
"Our goal is to get back (to the state finals) this season," said Fraser coach Dave Kuppe, whose team lost 44-38 to Detroit King in the title game. "The kids understand that working hard in the off-season and playing good defense has been the key."
Fraser wants another crack at the title, but Kuppe admits that getting back won't be easy.
"We lost nine seniors last year and one of our juniors decided to play only volleyball," Kuppe said. "But we started two sophomores in the state championship game. They'll be our strength."
Becka McHenry and Kelsey Irwin are back as guards for Fraser as juniors. This marks the first season of winter girls basketball in Michigan.
"The change in seasons has things messed up," Kuppe said. "But our goal right now is to get out and improve. As I look at our line, next year, with the juniors we've got, will be a really big year for us. But this season, we have an opportunity to do a lot of good things."
Wrestling
Two of the top Division 2 wrestling programs in Michigan, Lowell and Greenville, took to the mat for a regular season dual Wednesday with Greenville prevailing 45-15.
Last season, Greenville also took the regular season meeting, but Lowell turned things around by February and won the regional title showdown. The Red Arrows went all the way to the Division 2 state title match before losing to Allegan 34-27.
Greenville improved its record to 7-0 with the victory over Lowell, which fired out to a 12-0 lead before being ouscored by the Yellow Jackets 45-3 the rest of the way.
"I didn't know what to expect to be honest with you," Greenville coach Paul Johnson said. "We'll see each other at the end of the season at the regionals."
Tyler Keselring, a 103-state champion last year for Greenville, leads the way for the Yellow Jackets' state title hopes.
"This was a huge match for us," said Keselring, who is at 119 pounds this season. "It's proves we're doing good right now. We have to keep things in line."
"Every match is critical for us," said Greenville's 215-pounder Ike Hansen, who got a pin against Lowell. "This is our biggest match of the year, however."
