Winter Sport Season Wrap Up/Spring Season Kickoff

Hello sports CK sports fans! I hope you had a great spring break! Our winter sport season was very successful and we are very proud of the accomplishments of our students and coaching staff. Our numbers for the winter season exceeded last year’s numbers (118 boys vs 117 last year) and our girls participation numbers (67 girls vs 56 last year). Our students represented Cranbrook Kingswood in 262 competitions this winter season with phenomenal results both as competitors and CK fans! I hope you enjoy the recap of some of the team highlights and individual accomplishments.

Both our girls and boys ski teams qualified for the State Championships at Nub’s Nob.

The boys ski team finished 2nd in Divisionals, 2^nd in Regionals and 4^th overall at State. Josh Bernard and Christer Aikens earned All Division and All Region Honors. Jack Briggs and Jay Ghesquiere were also recognized on the All Region Team. Bernard, Aikens, Briggs and Erik Moffett all made Honorable Mention All State.

 The girls finished 2^nd in Divisionals, 3^rd in Regionals and 9^th in State. Claire Giampetroni was honored on the All Division, All Region and 2^nd Team All State teams with a 10^th place overall finish at States. Joining Claire, Hannah Strauss made the All Regional and Honorable Mention All State Teams. Allie Murphy also made the All Divisional and All Regional Teams. Scarlett Shader also earned all Region honors.

The boys basketball team won the Metro Conference Championship outright for the first time in 25 years! Sterling Morrow (soph) earned Metro Conference MVP and 1^st Team All Conference Honors. Joining Sterling, older brother (Junior) Steven Morrow, senior Alec Schimpke, and senior captain Michael Pagoda also earned All Metro Conference Honors on the 1^st team. Junior George Orley was recognized on the 2^nd Team All Conference list. Coach Shane Finney was awarded the metro Conference Coach of the Year!

Congratulations goes out to junior Eva Heidingsfelder (1^st team), soph Paige Weaver and freshman La’Shay Edwards (2^nd team) for earning All-Metro Conference honors on the girls basketball team.

The boys swimming and diving team had 11 students the  make the cuts to qualify for the State Finals. The team finished 15^th in State. Chris Samul, Drew Brannigan, Alex Hogan, Matthew Liu, Daniel Misra, Jon Withrow and senior diver and captain Amrit Trewn will be representing CK at the State Championships. Making the All State Team were Matthew Liu (taking 3^rd in the 200 IM) and Alex Hogan (who took 7^th in the 100 Backstroke). Cranbrook also hosted the MHSAA diving regionals and Amrit was the regional diving champion! We also wanted to recognize Amanda McGinnis from our girls team who was selected as a MISCA Academic All-American and Candidate for NISCA All-American. 

 Our number two ranked girls hockey team upset the number one ranked Gross Pointe South team in double overtime to win the Division I State Championship! The team had a tremendous season with a regular season record of 19 wins and 3 losses. The girls defeated Plymouth Canton Salem (a tri-op team made up of the three schools ) 2-1 to win the quarter final game and Gross Pointe North in the semi-final game.! Congratulations goes out to junior Captain Caley Chelios and soph Colleen Jacoby for making First Team All State. Colleen has also been honored as the State’s Most Valuable Goalie! Senior captain Nana Kikuchi was recognized as the State Academic Player of the Year! Also honored were Amanda Schimpke and Julia Bleznak who were chosen to the All League Team.

 Our number one ranked Division III boys hockey team finished the season with a record of 22-7-1 and our 15^th State Championship!!! After winning the regional championship on our home ice, the team defeated Flint Kearsly in the quarter-finals, Calumet in the semi-finals and knocked off Flint Powers 3-1 to bring back the State Championship trophy. Senior Captain Patrick Brown was recognized on the Dream Team, achieved 1^st Team All State and 1^st Team Michigan Hockey League and was honored as the MIHL Co-MVP. He also was honored on the Oakland Press All County 1^st Team.Joining Patrick on the All State team was Alex Loewenstein, Captain Kevin Collon, and Thomas Scoggin on the 1st Team.  Will Miller and Spencer Tamler also earned Honorable Mention All State honors.

Loewenstein, Tamler and Scoggin also earned 2^nd Team All League honors and Honorable Mention Oakland Press All County. Collon and Miller joined their teammates on the Honorable mention Oakland Press All County Team. Collon, Loewenstein and John Stockman were also recognized on the Academic All State Team! Head Coach Andy Weidenbach was awarded Division III Coach Of The Year!

 Now comes the big push for our spring sports season with lots of opportunities to compete and lots of opportunities to come support your fellow students and show your CK spirit as fans! Our early season participation numbers look great with 193 boys and 163 girls participating. There is definitely lots of action every day on our fields and courts after school!

 Coach Matt Gump is excited about his returning boys golf team. The boys have worked hard for the past nine months and the team expects to challenge for the State championship this season.

 The Girl’s Lacrosse Team is off to an enthusiastic start as they are strong in numbers this year and have many talented new freshman that will add to the depth of our team.  After going 22-1 last season Coach Melinda Saylor knows the team will have to stay dedicated and focused to remain Midwest Champions and bring home a state title.

Our Boys Lacrosse team is senior heavy.  Returning All-State earners Will Miller, Andrew Stanton, Dakota Sherman, and Kevin Collon are looking to improve on last years semi-final loss. Anchored by Jacob Braykovich in net, the defense should be experienced and stingy. Andrew Stanton quarterbacks the attack alongside Billy Stacy and jr Blake Carlson. Our Middies are led by Will Miller alongside seniors Kyle Lynch, Ryan Safian, and Alec Schimpke. Coach Justin Ronayne and his staff are trying to shape up a well rounded team, getting great effort from everybody on the roster. They have set their sights very high and are looking forward to a great season.

 
The girls tennis team numbers are the highest they have been in three years. Although Coach Cullen lost three outstanding starters to graduation off of last year’s State Runner Up team, he has three outstanding freshmen that will contribute to the varsity this season.  With most of last year’s experienced doubles teams returning, they are looking forward to a great season and the chance to compete for the State championship.                                                                                                                    

 The 2010 CK Varsity Softball Team, lead by junior captains Alyssa Barone and Grace Mathieu, is very excited about the upcoming season.  Pitchers and catchers have been practicing since November and the entire team has been taking batting practice on weekends since January.  With only one returning senior, the eight juniors, two sophomores, and three freshmen are exhibiting the chemistry and attitude needed to establish a winning program. A stated goal is to win the last Metro Conference championship and help CK keep the Metro Conference All Sports trophy.

 The eightieth season of track and field on the Cranbrook campus has begun with a bang.  Coach Miller and staff are enjoying the largest team in years (+70 on the boys side alone) carries on a rich tradition of one of the oldest sports on campus. The State finalist Zander Tallman, along with many other experienced runners and throwers returns to lead a handful of new athletes, while the girls team looks to possibly field both sprint and distance relays. This depth alone may significantly contribute to success in conference competition. Right now the track is dry, the weather has been relatively mild, and the athletes and coaches look forward to an outstanding final season in the Metro Conference.

The girls soccer program is currently working hard during tryouts.  The varsity soccer team is lead by captains Sarah Saeed and Kelsey Martin.  The Team is coming off a very successful 09 campaign as Metro Conference Champions.  Coach Chad O’Kulich looks forward to building another cohesive TEAM both on and off the field.

The baseball team under the guidance of Coach Andy Fairman returns 4 players from a 22-7 squad a year ago.  This years team is led by senior captains Pitcher Nick Cassell (signed with Lehigh) and shortstop Alex Loewenstein. After excellent spring break training trip in Florida (our 58^th trip), the team should challenge for the final Metro Conference Championship before heading into the tough Catholic League next year. If you haven’t been out to the field yet, we are all very excited about the recent construction at Jack Sanders Field.  Two new dugouts, a brick and limestone retaining wall, and professional netting give the field an incredible look and feel. We extend a big thank you again for all of the individuals who financially supported the renovation and building of our new stadium.

 
Last but surely not least, the 2010 CK Crew has 40 members. Eleven of the boys and ten of the girls are returning, experienced rowers, including 5 seniors who are in their fourth year on the team.  The team is preparing to race in four regattas this year, including the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association (MSRA) Championships in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Over 50 schools from 7 states will compete at this very competitive regatta.  The team will also compete for state championships at the Scholastic Rowing Association of Michigan Championships in Grand Rapids.  Twenty schools will race at this event. The team is happy to have one brand new boat christened the "Harry Miller" after our beloved long time supporter, coach and CK bus driver. The new boat was purchased with donations and a generous contribution from the CK Booster Club.

Enjoy the spring!