Two historic barns in Salem Township will be dismantled plank-by-plank this winter, according to a story in the South Lyon Herald.
The barns, located on 7 Mile and Angle roads in the northeast corner of Washtenaw County, originally were built in 1850.
Linda Dowsett, who bought the property from her parents in 1974, told the Herald the barns are the second oldest in the county.
Andrew Mutschler
Courtesy of WCSO
Andrew Brian Mutschler, 18, was recently charged with various counts of thievery in three separate cases, Ann Arbor police said.
Mutschler has been charged with retail fraud, second-degree home invasion and larceny from a vehicle.
The retail fraud case dates back to November when he is accused of "brazenly" grabbing a large quantity of cigarettes from a gas station in the 2000 block of West Stadium Boulevard, said Ann Arbor police Lt. Robert Pfannes.
Police say Mutschler entered the store sometime before 1:29 a.m., loaded up on cigarettes right in front of the clerk and fled on foot. He is charged with third-degree retail fraud for the incident.
Mutschler also is accused of breaking into a house around the holidays.
Police were dispatched to a home in the 700 block of North Fourth Avenue the afternoon of Dec. 20. A back door was kicked in while no one was home and the house was ransacked, Pfannes said.
There were multiple items stacked by the door ready to be carted out, but police believe something caused Mutschler to flee before taking anything,
In the third incident, Mutschler was arrested Jan. 13 for a allegedly stealing an iPod from a car in the parking structure at 500 E. Washington St. Pfannes said the victim witnessed someone in the vehicle and gave police a description that matched Mutschler's appearance.
Undercover plainclothes officers found and arrested Mutschler in Liberty Park Plaza. The victim's iPod also was recovered.
Mutschler was arraigned on the three charges at various times from the Washtenaw County Jail since his arrest, court records indicate.
He remains in jail on various bonds: 10 percent of $1,000 for the larceny charge, $1,000 cash for the retail fraud charge and 10 percent of $10,000 for the home invasion charged. He is set to appear in court on Feb. 7.
View Mutschler alleged crimes in a larger map
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
The woman who was raped while she was sleeping in her Ann Arbor apartment in July will benefit from an account accepting donations from anyone interested in helping her and her husband with medical bills.
After seeing multiple comments posted on the AnnArbor.com story from Thursday’s sentencing hearing, the woman and her husband told AnnArbor.com an account had been set up. Anyone interested in donating money to her is encouraged to log in to PayPal and send a donation to annarbordonate@hotmail.com.
Marcus Wilson, 18, was sentenced to between 20 and 30 years in prison for breaking into the woman’s home through a window, choking her until she was unconscious and raping her on her bedroom floor. As a part of his sentence, Wilson was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the woman.
However, considering his lengthy jail sentence, it’s unlikely that money will find its way to the woman and her husband in the near future.
The woman said in statements to the court Thursday the couple have been forced out of their Ann Arbor apartment and have moved in with his parents. The woman suffered nerve and ligament damage in her hip, back and shoulder during the assault and has been told by doctors she’ll need to be treated for the rest of her life.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Jamal Poplar, right, defends in a game against Dexter last season for Willow Run.
AnnArbor.com file photo
The Willow Run boys basketball team has been awarded a win via forfeit, after the MHSAA determined that River Rouge used an ineligible player during the Dec. 14 game between the two schools.
According to the minutes of the January MHSAA Executive Committee meeting, the association was provided “erroneous information” in the process of verifying the eligibility Jamal Poplar, who transferred from Willow Run to River Rouge during the offseason.
Poplar, a junior forward, made his season debut in that game, and helped River Rouge to an 81-27 road win.
Willow Run athletic director Matt Seidl questioned Poplar’s eligibility following the game, saying that he should be subject to the transfer rule, which states that students who change schools must sit out until Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
River Rouge athletic director Joe Emery said that Poplar was eligible under an exception to the rule, because he moved with his mother into the River Rouge school district. The MHSAA gave River Rouge written word of that fact before the game.
But according to the MHSAA, after the Dec. 14 game “it was learned that the student previously lived with grandparents and did not actually move with his mother,” thus making him subject to the transfer rule.
Poplar didn’t play from that game until after Martin Luther King Day.
The forfeit win gives Willow Run a 5-7 record on the season.
Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.
Girl Scout troops from the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area are aiming sales at shoppers hitting the store to stock up on Super Bowl snacks this weekend.
Troops will be setting up booths to sell their famous cookies at several businesses during the day on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday
Sunday
“The cookies will fit right in with Super Bowl food staples like nachos, wings and chips,” said Amanda Kremer, product program specialist for the Ann Arbor regional center.
According to Jane C. Parikh, communications specialist for Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan, Girl Scouts have been doing this for several years.
Last year, Parikh said 180,000 boxes of cookies were sold Super Bowl weekend in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas.
She also added the participating businesses do not charge the troops to sell cookies on their premises.
This year's cookies will be distributed to local troops by the new regional center that opened Monday at 444 James L. Hart Parkway, Ypsilanti Township.
Parikh said there are 5,500 active Girl Scouts in the area. In 2012, they sold a total of 610,000 boxes of cookies, the proceeds from which stay within GHSOM.
"Basically it’s up to the girls how they want to use it," she said.
Parikh said most troops put the money towards community service projects, but some may use it to go to camp or to fund international trips through the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
According to GSHOM, the national Girl Scout Cookie program generates $790 million annually from the sale of more than 200 million cookie boxes per year to more than 50 million customers.
Kody Klein is an intern for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at kklein@mlive.com
The owner of a popular farm market west of Dexter has pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, the Humane Society of Huron Valley said Friday.
Burton Hoey, who operates Jenny’s Market at Island Lake and Dexter-Pinckney roads, is scheduled for sentencing on March 28, the humane society said in a news release.
Burton Hoey tends to a horse at Jenny's Market in this file photo
AnnArbor.com file photo
The market is a popular spot in the fall for families seeking cider, doughnuts, pumpkins and pony rides.
Humane Society investigators seized two horses, four donkeys and two goats from Jenny’s Market Sept. 6, alleging they were in varying stages of neglect. A horse, which was suffering from the respiratory disease heaves, later died, lead cruelty investigator Matt Schaecher said.
Hoey was initially charged with three counts of cruelty to two to three animals. Prosecutors dropped one charge, Schaecher said.
A no-contest plea is not admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing.
“We’ve been to Jenny’s Farm Market numerous times over the past 10 years because of complaints of abused and neglected animals,” said Schaecher. “We see this conviction as a victory for the many animals that have suffered. We know there are many community members and families that will feel the same.”
Hoey said Friday that he had agreed to the no-contest plea in exchange for a reduction from $11,000 to $4,000 in the amount of money he would have to pay for boarding the seized animals and also to save money on legal fees.
"I might have lost anyway," he said. "I didn't stand a chance from the day they came here."
He said the seizure of the animals was unjust.
“Someone set me up to get the Humane Society to come out here and take some of the animals that were being treated,” he said.
In September, Hoey said the organization overreacted in seizing the animals.
He said he was treating the horse with heaves as best he could, but a veterinarian had told him nothing could be done for her, he said.
The other seized horse had an abscess on its hoof that Hoey said had already healed.
Hoey said the Humane Society said the donkeys’ hooves needed trimming, but he said he acquired them last fall from someone who had not trimmed their feet, and he was in the process of gradually trimming them back.
As for the goats, he said investigators thought they were underweight, but Hoey said they were underfed when he bought them months ago and he has been nourishing them back to health.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail and and/or a $2,000 fine and/or 300 hours of community service, but Schaecher said it’s typical in such cases for the court to impose a fine and probation and order the defendant to make restitution.
The humane society will ask the court to bar Hoey from contact with animals during his probation, Schaecher said. Hoey said he still has five Percheron horses on the property.
The humane society is adopting out the seized animals. The goats seized from the market have already been adopted but two miniature donkeys and two full-size donkeys as well as one horse are available for adoption. For information about adopting them, email adoptions@hshv.org or call (734) 661-3511.
The animal cruelty case is one in a series of problems for Hoey’s business that began in September 2011 when a hayride accident paralyzed an employee. The employee has sued over the incident. Lawyers are working out a settlement in the case.
The day after the accident, Webster Township delivered a stop-work order to the market alleging violations of zoning ordinances.
In late October that year, Hoey reported that two men attacked him at the market and stole several months worth of proceeds at the business. Washtenaw County sheriff’s deputies have dropped their investigation of the attack, saying Hoey wasn't cooperating and had failed a polygraph test.
Hoey sued Webster Township in April 2012 over its refusal to grant him a permit to install a bathroom. In denying the permit, township officials said Hoey had failed to submit a required site plan. Hoey and the township still are working toward a settlement.
Last fall, the township brought a complaint against Jenny’s Market, alleging that what Hoey calls a “haunted straw maze” is a public nuisance and unsafe. Judge Timothy Connors denied a request for a preliminary injunction seeking to have the maze shut down. Hoey and the township also are working toward a settlement in that case.
Washtenaw County Commissioner Yousef Rabhi holds his hair Friday at Salon 344, at 344 Ashley St., in Ann Arbor. The haircut marked the end of Rabhi's fundraising campaign for homeless relief agencies.
Amy Biolchini | AnnArbor.com
Rabhi, 24, is known for his long mane of black, curly hair. He hasn’t cut it since 2005, and it reaches almost to his waist.
Rabhi was elected chairman of the board in January at the beginning of his second term. He announced the fundraising effort in November at a board meeting, when he said that he wanted to be able to contribute to Washtenaw County agencies working to help the homeless.
The money will go to Safe House Shelter, the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County and the Alpha House run by the Interfaith Hospitality Network, and the more than a foot of hair that Rabhi had cut off will go to Locks of Love.
Donations were coordinated by the United Way of Washtenaw County, and were collected from Thanksgiving to the beginning of January.
Yousef Rabhi's hair before the haircut.
Amy Biolchini | AnnArbor.com
The haircut was purely his own decision, Rabhi said.
Though he was advised during his election campaigns to cut his hair and shave off his facial hair, Rabhi said he wanted to stay true to himself and kept his appearance the way he wanted it.
Friday, Rabhi brought in a picture of race car driver Dario Franchitti as an example of what he wanted, but he let Salon 344 stylist Mary Lammers take the reins.
“I’m just a commissioner, I’m not a hair stylist,” Rabhi said.
Watch the video of the process to see the final product:
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Michigan's secretary of state reversed course Friday and said her agency will issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, changing her mind after the Obama administration clarified the issue.
Ruth Johnson speaks during an event in this file photo.
MLive file photo
President Barack Obama, who last June announced a policy letting some illegal immigrants apply for temporary work permits if they were brought to the country as children, on Jan. 18 cleared up remaining concerns that a small number of states — including Michigan — had about their legal status.
"The feds now say they consider these young people to be lawfully present while they participate in the ... program, so we are required to issue driver's licenses and identification cards," Johnson said in a statement. "I will continue to follow the law."
She had come under pressure from civil liberties and immigrants' rights groups who said many other states were issuing licenses. A coalition filed a federal lawsuit in December asking a judge to declare that those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program were eligible for licenses.
Iowa had a similar change of heart last week. Arizona and Nebraska continue to prohibit the affected immigrants from having licenses, while North Carolina officials have not confirmed if they will be making licenses available, according to the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocates.
In a statement, ACLU of Michigan attorney Miriam Aukerman said Johnson's decision is a victory for young people who have "only known this country to be home."
Michigan freshman Cristoval "Boo" Nieves celebrates after scoring the game winning goal in the Wolverines' 3-2 win over Michigan State at Yost Ice Arena Friday, February 1, 2013.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
Updated 9:57 p.m.
The Michigan hockey team has given its fans plenty of reasons to boo this season, with one of the worst seasons in the Red Berenson era.
The sellout crowd at Yost Ice Arena let the "Boo"s rain down on the ice on Friday night, but it was in celebration, not frustration.
Cristoval "Boo" Nieves scored two goals and had an assist in the Wolverines' 3-2 win over rival Michigan State on Friday, earning him first-star honors and giving Michigan a chance at its first series sweep of the season.
The teams conclude the weekend series at Joe Louis Arera on Saturday (4:05 p.m., FSD).
It was Michigan's first win at home since Dec. 15, and because its last home series of the year falls on spring break, it was also the Wolverines' last chance to play in front of their full compliment of rowdy student fans.
"I haven’t heard the building like that in a while, and that’s what it’s like when you lose, but when you win, especially against State, it felt great," said Michigan sophomore forward Phil Di Giuseppe, who assisted on both of Nieves' goals. "The crowd was behind us and I think it helped us a lot tonight."
Nieves' first goal of the night, scored on the power play, gave Michigan its first lead one minute, 57 seconds into the third period. But it didn't even last a minute after Jake Chelios, son of former Detroit Red Wing Chris Chelios, evened the score at 2-2 on the very next possession.
More coverage: Photo Gallery | Boxscore
Berenson said he was concerned at the time because this year's team has had a tendency to let such quick shifts in momentum impact it negatively. He was pleased to see the Wolverines respond positively.
"We’ve talked about letting things bother us or not bother us and I didn’t think we let it bother us," Berenson said. "I mean, we didn’t like it, but I think we had built up some confidence in the game and kept going and then the puck went in."
Nieves' second goal of the night gave the Wolverines (9-16-2, 6-13-2-2 CCHA) the lead for good as he sprinted from Michigan's blue line to the mouth of the Spartans goal, finished off a Di Giuseppe pass 4:51 into the third.
Nieves got the puck to Di Giuseppe after a hard hit caused a Michigan State turnover and took off for the net. His efforts were rewarded with his sixth goal of the season.
Michigan forward Cristoval "Boo" Nieves scores his second goal of the night to put Michigan up 3-2 against Michigan State Friday, February 1, 2013.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
"He’s been a dangerous player, one of our most dangerous players nearly every game, especially in the second half and it’s nice to see him get rewarded," Berenson said.
Michigan State (7-17-3, 5-13-1-0) struck first, 4:53 into the first period when Brent Darnell went high on Jared Rutledge's glove side. Darnell didn't have a very good angle, but the puck found the back of the net, regardless.
It was Rutledge's first start since an exhibition loss to the U.S. National Team Development Program on Jan. 4. He finished with 21 saves. Berenson said he's leaning toward starting Rutledge on Saturday, but that the decision had not been made yet.
"I thought he played well. He won’t like the first goal, but he hasn’t started a game, outside of the USA game in a month and I just thought it was time," Berenson said. "He showed that he wasn’t as ready in the first half of the year and I can’t tell you he had a good game against the USA team, but I just thought it was time, let’s see what we’ve got here and he came up with a good game."
Derek DeBlois evened the score at 1-1 7:20 into the second period, finishing off a perfect backdoor pass from Nieves after a giveaway in the Michigan State zone. The goal won't go down on on the scoresheet as a power play goal, but Michigan was basically still on the man-advantage with the Spartans' fifth skater still skating toward the action when DeBlois scored.
"I don’t know that our power play played that well, but we took advantage of loose pucks," Berenson said. "There were a couple of loose pucks or turnovers and all of a sudden it was in the net."
Michigan has yet to sweep a series this season and therefore the players have not been able to partake in the tradition of singing the fight song in the locker room after a sweep. Saturday will be the sixth opportunity Michigan's had for a sweep this season.
"It’s definitely something I want to do before my freshman year’s over," Nieves said. "I think it’d be a huge confidence booster and it’d be nice to be part of that tradition."
Michigan State goalie Jake Hildebrand finished with 34 saves on the night.
Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.
The Michigan hockey team broke it's three-game losing streak on Friday night and won for the first time at Yost Ice Arena since Dec. 15. The Wolverines got a pair of third period goals from freshman Cristoval "Boo" Nieves to defeat arch rival Michigan State, 3-2.
Courtney Sacco is a photographer for AnnArbor.com.
Pioneer's Aedan York drives to the basket during the first half of the Pioneer-Saline game Friday.
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
Even at three-quarters of his normal ability, Pioneer forward Jibreel Hussein can put a game away.
After Saline cut the deficit to two points with 3:23 left Friday night, Hussein went on a personal 7-0 scoring run, providing the defense as well, over the next minute to help put the game away in a 58-53 win.
Game of the Week Coverage: Boxscore | Photo Gallery | Saline struggles inside despite dangerous weapon in loss to Pioneer | Friday night roundup
Following a make to extend his team’s lead to five, Hussein recorded a block on the other end, then hit a 3-pointer. On the Hornets’ next possession, he recorded a steal, and scored a basket on the other end, prompting a stunned Saline team to take a timeout.
After a pair of Tevis Robinson buckets, Pioneer had completed an 11-2 run.
“We just had to finish the game in the fourth quarter,” Hussein said. “I saw them coming back on a run, and I just knew I had to do something to help out the team.”
Saline hit two late 3-pointers to get as close as three points in the final minute, but Pioneer point guard Duane Simpson-Redmond hit two free throws with seconds left to ice the game.
Friday marked the second time this week Hussein’s late heroics have helped the Pioneers pull out a close win. Tuesday at Skyline, he hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to put his team ahead.
In the opening minute of that game, Hussein suffered a shin injury, one that he said kept him at about 75 percent for Friday’s game.
“I just focused on getting the win,” Hussein said.
Hussein finished with a game-high 20 points, plus six steals, two blocks and four rebounds, followed by Robinson with 12 and Aedan York with 10. Michael Hendrickson scored 16 points to lead Saline, while Reece Dils had 15 and Max Recknagel had 10.
With the win, Pioneer (10-3) stayed in the SEC Red hunt with a 5-1 record, a game behind Temperance Bedford. Saline fell to 7-6 and 1-5 in the league.
The late Pioneer run helped shake a pesky Saline team that never led after the opening minutes, but hung around until the end.
Saline made 3’s on two of its first four possessions to take an early lead, but scored only one more basket the rest of the quarter. Pioneer went on an 11-2 run to take the lead after one quarter.
Saline stayed in the game primarily due to its shooting from deep, never falling behind by more than 12. The team hit seven 3’s, four from Dils and three from Hendrickson.
The Pioneers still had a chance to put the game away, up eight early in the third, before turning the ball over on four of five possessions.
“I thought that really hurt us, and it gave Saline a chance to get back into the game,” Pioneer coach Rex Stanczak said.
But in the end, Saline’s turnovers hurt the most, as the Hornets committed 27 of them, compared to 14 for Pioneer. Saline coach Eric Williams said that and offensive rebounding were keys to the game.
“We’re obviously going to have turnovers, but if we limit them, if we do a much better job of boxing out, this could be a much different game,” Williams said.
For Pioneer, even after playing three tight games that came down to the end, the schedule doesn't look to get any easier. For its Tuesday crossover, the Pioneers drew two-time defending SEC White champs Ypsilanti, which is unbeaten in the SEC White play this year.
“If we want to have a chance to win the league, we’ve got to go to Ypsi and beat them,” Stanczak said. “We’re capable.”
Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.
The Pioneer High School boys basketball team defeated Saline 58-53 on Friday night in the AnnArbor.com high school basketball Game of the Week.
Daniel Brenner is a photographer for AnnArbor.com.
Saline junior Max Recknagel passes in the first quarter of Friday's Saline-Pioneer game.
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
Saline hung in Friday’s game and had a chance to upset Pioneer due in large part to its 3-point shooting.
But the Hornets coach Eric Williams knows his team has an underutilized weapon inside that can put his team over the top.
“I’m not bashful in saying I don’t think there’s a player in our league that can stop Max (Recknagel),” Williams said.
Saline fell, 58-53 on the road, despite hitting seven 3’s in the game.
Game of the Week coverage: Boxscore | Game Story | Friday night roundup
But Williams’ message to his team at halftime wasn’t about 3-point shooting. It was about getting the ball inside to Recknagel, who managed 10 points for the game, with limited touches.
Williams knows finding ways to get Recknagel, whose size (6-foot-6, 230 pounds) presents matchup problems to virtually any opponent, is key.
“We preached getting the ball inside,” Williams said. “We did a poor job of getting him the ball. They did a great job of pressuring our guards to make the pass hard to get in there.
“The fault falls on obviously me, but guards have got to do a better job, and Max has got to do a better job of getting open,” Williams said.
For Saline’s guards, there’s a fine line to cross when they’re bringing the ball up the floor. Williams wants them, particularly Reece Dils and Michael Hendrickson, to look inside.
But he also doesn’t want his best shooters passing up good shots.
“It’s a fine line,” Williams said. “I don’t want Reece to force shots, but he’s a very good shooter, and I want him to look for his shots.”
Yet relying heavily on outside shooting still nearly gave the Hornets an upset win on the road. After Pioneer went up by 11 late in the game, Saline made a run that included a pair of 3’s to pull within three in the final minute of play.
“When you can match three for two, you’re going to make some runs,” Pioneer coach Rex Stanczak. “Unfortunately for us they made it late, but we were able to come through at the end.”
Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.
This file will be updated throughout the night
AnnArbor.com Washtenaw County Scoreboard
Skyline snapped a two-game winning streak Friday.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
Skyline 62, Monroe 52
Story | Boxscore
With three double-digit scorers and effective defense supplying the thrust, Skyline generated a 13-point swing in the fourth quarter and ran off with a league victory.
Visiting Skyline (5-7, 2-3 SEC Red) outscored Monroe 24-11 in the final frame. Marquis Wesley racked up a game-high 19 points and six rebounds for the victorious Eagles.
Wesley went 7 for 7 from the free-throw line, part of Skyline's season-best 19 of 24 team performance. Foul shots were a factor late as the Eagles clinched the win.
"We had the maturity to stick with it at the end, especially at the line," Skyline coach Mike Lovelace. "Bounces weren't going our way and shots weren't going in for a long time. It was the perfect recipe for a close game."
Tristan Wilson scored 14 for Skyline while also adding six rebounds and five blocks. Peter Bakker-Ardema contributed 12 points by burying four 3-pointers.
Temperance Bedford 75, Huron 65
Story
Despite a 29-26 lead at halftime, the Huron (6-5, 4-2 SEC Red) fell to Temperance Bedford 75-65.
"In the third quarter, they really hurt us on the boards," Huron coach Waleed Samaha said. "Our kids competed hard. It was a learning experience. They are first in the league, and we are one of several teams trailing behind."
Ypsilanti 71, Chelsea 39
Story | Boxscore
Freshman Corey Allen had 19 points and Lavonte Davis earned his third double-double of the season in Ypsilanti's comprehensive home win. Davis, a senior Northwood University recruit, controlled the paint for Ypsilanti (10-2, 6-0 SEC White), as he scored 18 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and added three blocks.
"Lavonte realized this was his last Friday-night home game so he wanted to play hard," Ypsilanti coach Steve Brooks said. "He's really enjoying his senior year. He leads by example."
Jaylen Johnson had similar success, as the Ypsilanti junior earned 14 points and nine boards while blocking four Chelsea attempts. Classmate Janeau Joubert contributed 11 points and nine assists.
Nate Bossory was Chelsea's top scorer with 15 points. He and Logan Brown made a pair of 3s each for the Bulldogs (3-9, 2-5 SEC White), who host Ann Arbor Skyline on Tuesday.
Dexter 52, Adrian 36
Story | Boxscore
Brandon Bellottie's 16 points and a big first quarter helped Dexter even its season record with the Southeastern Conference White Division home win.
"We got off to a good start and we shot the ball well in the first quarter," Dexter coach Randy Swoverland said. "We were able to break their press, and we capitalized off that."
Derek Seidl added 12 points for Dexter (6-6, 3-2 SEC White), while Brandon Bednarz had eight.
Tecumseh 44, Lincoln 40
Story | Boxscore
Devin Haygood and Tyler Hinton led Lincoln (5-7, 2-4 SEC White) with eight points each.
Lincoln coach Rich Marion was disappointed in his team’s defensive lapses down the stretch.
“I knew it was going to be a low scoring game, given the matchups and how they play,” Marion said. “The biggest disappointment was giving up 16 points in the fourth We have to learn that our calling card is going to be our defense.”
Milan 82, Carleton Airport 46
Story | Boxscore
Milan forced a combined 13 turnovers in the middle two quarters, leading to a 51-25 scoring advantage.
"I thought we did a much better job with our full-court pressure," Milan coach Josh Tropea said.
C.J. Turnage led Milan (12-1, 8-0 Huron League) with 22 points, followed by Latin Davis' 15, Thomas Lindeman's 11 and Stephen Evans' 10. Sophomore Nick Perkins finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and five blocks.
Willow Run 68, Arbor Prep 54
Story | Boxscore
Senior Daquanta Brown had 18 points for Willow Run (5-8, 3-1 Metro Conference), Jermayne Nathan had 17 and Tyler Brooks had 15.
Junior Tariq Stinson had 23 for Arbor Preparatory (6-6), making seven field goals, four 3-pointers and shooting 3 for 8 from the free-throw line, and Adrian Harrison scored 13.
With a seven-point lead Willow Run pulled away from Arbor Preparatory in the fourth by outscoring Arbor Preparatory 20-13.
"We took control in the third quarter and our pace as exactly what we wanted,” Willow Run coach Tim Cain said. “We pounded it down low and let Jermayne Nathan take care of the rest. Being unselfish was what got us the lead.”
East Jackson 88, Manchester 66
Story | Boxscore
Jordan Heuser led Manchester (1-13, 1-7 Cascades) with 13 points. Coach Dave Arnold praised his efforts in what's been a long season for the Flying Dutchmen.
“Sometimes when you struggle guys start to loosen up the baseball gloves and get ready for spring break,” Arnold said. “Not these guys. They want to finish strong. They lost to probably the best team in the league.”
Clinton 68, Whitmore Lake 57
Story | Boxscore
Devon Kowalewski led Whitmore Lake (4-9, 3-5 Tri-County) with a game-high 18 points, and Rory Judge added 16 points for the Trojans.
Greenhills 69, Newport Lutheran South 42
Story | Boxscore
Greenhills (11-1, 10-0 MIAC Blue) jumped out to a 32-12 halftime lead and did not look back. Andrew Khouri led all scorers with 30 points, and Emmet Kulka added 12 points and four steals.
"I think Andrew is now 24 points away from 1000 in his career," Greenhills coach Andrew Wright said. "We're up two games in the conference. We may be able to at least tie for the championship depending on what happens tonight."
Washtenaw Christian 57, Central Academy 48
Story | Boxscore
James Pipe led Saline Washtenaw Christian (8-4) with 18 points, as the Wildcats withstood Ann Arbor Central Academy’s (5-7) fourth-quarter comeback attempt. Brian Stout added 16 points, Mathias Donat scored 12 and Josiah Donat recorded 10 points.
“We’re getting a number of layups and perimeter shots,” Washtenaw Christian coach Dan Benefiel said. “We’re taking care of the ball.”
Ann Arbor Central Academy’s Hassan Attar scored 21 points, while Mohamed Issa had 15 points.
“They had some good perimeter shooters,” Benefiel said. “We made Hassan Attar the focuse of our man-to-man defense.”
Westland Huron Valley Lutheran 54, Calvary Christian 42
Story | Boxscore
After tying up the game halfway through the fourth quarter, Calvary Christian Academy’s (1-12) offense stalled, and Westland Huron Valley Lutheran pulled ahead with a 12-0 run for the win.
Calvary Christian’s David Walker led with 11 points, followed by James Bergler and Johnny Bryant with 10 points each.
Hillsdale Will Carleton 50, Rudolf Steiner 47
Story | Boxscore
Hillsdale Will Carleton Academy's Chase Harrington drained a half-court shot with 1 second remaining to get the win.
With about one minute left, Ann Arbor Rudolf Steiner (9-6, 5-1 Mid-South Conference) forced an over and back call to take possession. Rudolf Steiner called a timeout and drew up a play for senior captain Koji Vroom.
Vroom took a 15-foot shot with about 10 seconds left and missed. Will Carleton Academy got the rebound, took the ball to half court and called a timeout.
After the timeout, Harrington shot the ball from half court and made it.
"We gave them enough time to throw up a prayer, and it was answered," Rudolf Steiner coach Nick Sherwood said. "Our philosophy was win the game or go to overtime."
Vroom had 19 points and teammate Ben Hadlock had 15 points. Steven Molitor had six rebounds for Rudolf Steiner.
AnnArbor.com Coverage
Pioneer 58, Saline 53
Story | Boxscore | Photo Gallery | Saline struggles to go inside
This file will be updated throughout the night
AnnArbor.com Washtenaw County Scoreboard
Ypsilanti's Jasmine Jones dribbles against Dexter earlier this season.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
Ypsilanti 46, Chelsea 40
Story | Boxscore
Jasmine Jones and Cara Easley scored 14 and 12 points, respectively, to lead Ypsilanti's (9-5, 4-4 SEC White) comeback victory. Chelsea led 29-21 through three quarters and was led by Grace Sauers' 20 points.
"We didn't close the game out," Chelsea coach Todd Blomquist said. "We were really lackadaisical with the ball and committed a lot of turnovers."
Chelsea (9-5, 6-2 SEC White) committed 25 turnovers, however, the team was 13 of 17 from the free-throw line.
"Even when we got good looks at the basket, we were missing them," Blomquist said.
Saline 41, Pioneer 35
Story | Boxscore
Saline (9-6, 5-3 SEC Red) played a strong second quarter, outscoring Pioneer (8-6, 3-5 SEC Red) 12-7 to earn a seven point lead at halftime, led by senior Caitlin Ellis with a career-high 21 points and 19 rebounds.
"Ellis was a force at both ends and on the boards," Saline coach Jeff Waltz said. "She played really hard and it was a delight to watch."
Senior Jennifer Fichera led Pioneer with 18 points, and Brianna Worthing added 10 points for the Pioneers.
Fichera got into foul trouble early in the game, which resulted in a 20-9 lead by Saline in the second quarter.
The Pioneer offense came alive in the third quarter, outscoring Saline 15-8.
Saline will face Ypsilanti Lincoln on Tuesday.
Huron 46, Temperance Bedford 36
Story | Boxscore
Huron relied on a strong first half to grab the win and improve to 9-4 overall, 7-1 in the SEC Red.
Huron led 27-11 at the half and never looked back as Ariel Bethea and Bianca Williams led with nine points apiece. Micah Robinson added six points, seven rebounds and five steals.
Skyline 43, Monroe 31
Story | Boxscore
Skyline started the game out strong, with a 10-3 lead after the first quarter, led by Anita Vandermuelen's 13 points, and Mai Morris scored 10 points for Skyline.
With the win, Skyline (6-9, 1-7 SEC Red) claimed its first conference win in school history.
In the fourth quarter, Monroe made a comeback to cut the Skyline lead to five or six points, but Skyline was able to hold off the attack with a strong presence from the free-throw line, going 12-of-14 in the fourth, according to Skyline coach Keith Wade.
"We went for a spread offense and tried to run out the clock, so it forced Monroe to have to foul us down the stretch," Wade said. "The girls did a great job controlling the ball and making free throws."
Dexter 46, Adrian 10
Story | Boxscore
Riley McDonald and Taylor Olson scored 18 and 11 points, respectively, to lead Dexter's stifling defense.Kim Buie led Adrian with four points.
"We have a pretty balance scoring team," Dexter coach Mike Bavineau said. "It's usually six to eight points apiece, but today was above average."
Dexter (14-1, 8-0 SEC White) plays on the road against Ann Arbor Huron on Tuesday, Feb. 5.
Lincoln 43, Tecumseh 36
Story | Boxscore
Dominique Foley led Lincoln with 13 points, and Arie Cargor and Katelyn Morris both finished with 11 as Lincoln improved to 11-4 on the year, 5-3 in the SEC White.
Jaslynn Rollins scored six points and grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds for Lincoln. Rollins added eight blocked shots.
"We became lethargic and very complacent after the first quarter," said Lincoln coach Mike Foley. "We took control in the first, but this turned into one of our slower games. There were a ton of calls and no flow to the game."
Willow Run 46, Detroit University Prep 39
Story | Boxscore
Tied 20-20 at the end of the first half, Willow Run (6-7, 3-2 Michigan Metro Athletic Conference North) outscored Detroit University Prep 26-19 in the second behind the offense of Samaria Canada and Sarah Tubbs and the defense of China McGee.
“I think we did a better job of addressing Gyanni Townsend,” Ypsilanti Willow Run coach Cliff Russell said. “We switched China onto her defensively, and she made her take tougher shots. We got more steals and a lot of fast-break baskets in the fourth.”
Townsend led Detroit University Prep with 27 points.
Missing two starters, Willow Run’s remaining players had to fill in the holes. Canada led with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, followed by Tubbs with 15 and McGee with 10.
Greenhills 42, Newport Lutheran South 28
Story | Boxscore
Jackie Oestreich led Greenhills (8-6, 7-2 MIAC) with 23 points, 10 rebounds and four steals, as the Gryphons lead 15-7 after the first quarter.
“Oestreich had a solid game inside,” Greenhill’s coach Rachel Cortis said. “Even if she missed her first shot inside, she was doing a good job following it up and getting second chance points.”
Rudolf Steiner 36, Hillsdale Will Carleton 15
Story | Boxscore
Rudolf Steiner (9-2, 5-0 Mid-South) scored 11 in the first quarter, keeping Hillsdale Will Carleton scoreless, led by Tessa Belanger with 12 points. Abby Andrews added five steals.
Rudolf Steiner had 31 rebounds and 18 steals. They play at Lansing Christian on Monday.
Clinton 60, Whitmore Lake 32
Details not available
Sandra Bernhard publicity photo
So when the TV, film and stage star found herself performing for a half-filled room at The Ark on Friday night, in her home state of Michigan, she made no attempt to hide her annoyance.
“Thanks everybody from Michigan for coming out tonight,” said Bernhard, drily. “ I thought, ‘I’m going to get back to Michigan, I haven’t been there in a while.’ And it’s like, ‘Oh, gee, great. Thank you for a half-filled room. Thanks for making a girl feel welcome.’”
Pointing out her couture - a sleeveless, knee-length black dress with a plunging V neckline, paired with patterned black tights and black Manohlo Blahnik heels - Bernhard continued, “I’m giving glamorous road warrior for about 50 people at the Ark.”
But, as if to reward those who did brave frigid temperatures to come out, Bernhard added, “You get all the prizes and the cookies tonight.”
Among the prizes and cookies was an eclectic handful of songs - sung by Bernhard, backed by a three piece band (guitar, drums, piano) also dressed in black. The musical lineup included a rousing cover of Laura Nyro’s “Stoney End,” which opened the show; Mocedades’ Eurovision hit from 1973, “Eres tu”; a satirical reprise of Lady Gaga’s ultra-somber, Thanksgiving special performance of “I’m on the Edge”; “Before the Parade Passes By,” Friday night’s hands-down musical highlight, from the classic musical “Hello, Dolly”; and REO Speedwagon’s “I Can’t Fight This Feeling,” which closed out the nearly 90 minute set.
Along the way, the crowd got to hear about why Bernhard doesn’t like to refer to her longtime girlfriend as her “partner” (“What are we, in some sort of a law firm together, doing some litigation and light lovemaking on the side?”); what her friend Michele Lee’s house is like (“10,000 square feet of ‘Knots Landing’ fun”); and her recent experience at Jane Fonda’s 75th birthday party, where she rubbed elbows with Sally Field, Lily Tomlin, Joni Mitchell, Rosanna Arquette and Warren Beatty.
“I’m old, old, old, dear friends with Warren,” Bernhard said. “I used to hang out at the house on Mulholland around the butcher block kitchen table eating freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and shooting the s***. We never got it on. We kissed a little bit at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, but that’s as far as it went. That’s why he trusts me and still loves me. And Streisand came in, looked me up and down, like she always does. Threatened.”
Bernhard’s cabaret-like show has an edgy, stream-of-consciousness vibe, so tangents and detours are simply part of the ride.
Additional topics included: Bernhard’s strong preference for Whole Foods over Trader Joe’s, Michelle Obama, and Michele Bachmann, with whom Bernhard shares a common experience: both women worked on Kibbutzim in Israel at the same time in the 1970s.
“I thought, what was Michelle Bachman doing in (Israel)? Some light reconnaissance work for the rapture?” Bernhard quipped.
Bernhard, who has a 14 year old daughter (Cecily), has never made parenting a building block of her comedy, but during Friday night’s show, she talked about a recent family vacation; the Halloween costume Bernhard rejected for her daughter (“We’re not doing ‘sexy panda.’ Pull it back”); watching “America’s Top Model” re-runs with her daughter (a bit that includes Bernhard’s hysterical, must-see impression of host Tyra Banks); and Cecily’s comedy preferences.
“Cecily is completely unimpressed by me and my comedy,” said Bernhard. “She loves Amy Poehler. Amy Poehler’s adorable. But Amy Poehler isn’t telling her to hang up her wet towels, either.”
Friends Cindy Safilian of West Bloomfield, Robin Nice of Troy, and Mary Ann Kirsbaum of Sylvan Lake were among those who came out to see Bernhard’s show.
“I loved to hear about her hobnobbing with the elites,” said Nice.
“I personally loved it,” said Safilian of the show. “She has a beautiful voice and she’s hilarious.”
And Kirsbaum, likely speaking for a number of women in the crowd, noted, “I was jealous of her shoes.”
Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.
Sandra Bernhard returns to The Ark at 8 tonight. Tickets are available online. Also, check out our interview with Sandra Bernhard.
Ulta in Arborland opens Feb. 8.
Angela Smith | for AnnArbor.com
The Illinois-based salon and beauty superstore chain says this makes 550 stores in 45 states. The beauty business is growing in profits as well. The brand reports a 23 percent rise in holiday sales for the fourth quarter of 2012.
Ulta in Arborland Mall, located in the southwest corner of the Washtenaw Avenue shopping center, will be similar in size, layout and product offering to the Ulta store in Cranbrook Village on Eisenhower. The store will be 10,000 square feet and will include a 950-square-foot salon. Both stores follow the layout for Ulta stores nationwide, offering more than 500 different brands of products, plus full salon services.
Carolyn Sutphen, the store’s event planner, confirmed that Ulta has hired more than 20 employees from the Ann Arbor area for the new store.
The beauty superstore is sharing the former Borders location in Arborland with retailer Five Below, which opened in September.
Ann Arbor-area shoppers also can look to Briarwood for new offerings for makeup/beauty product stores. L'Occitane en Provence opened in December, and Lush Bath and Body is under construction in the mall’s center court area, where Rogers and Hollands was previously located.
Ulta Beauty in Arborland Mall will hold its grand opening during its first weekend. Free makeovers and giveaways will be available for the first 1,000 shoppers beginning at 9 a.m. Friday.
Ulta is at 3529 Washtenaw Ave. in Ann Arbor.
Angela Smith is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com.
The city of Ypsilanti will plant 500 trees this year on the Water Street property to increase and diversify its public tree stock and improve the overall tree canopy.
The city cleared the former Gilbert Park on the Water Street property to install a tree nursery.
Tom Perkins | AnnArbor.com file photo
The trees will be planted in the city's tree nursery on the southeast corner of the Water Street property in the former Old Gilbert Park baseball diamond.
The city is working to revitalize its "urban forest" and in 2011, the city completed an inventory of its existing public trees.
The inventory check revealed the city's trees are more on the mature side and in need of increased diversity. Ypsilanti has about 8,835 trees, stumps, and planting sites not including private backyard trees.
The city was able to use grant funds to plan and develop the tree nursery to help grow 500 to 600 trees over three to five years to be planted as street trees throughout the city.
City Planner Teresa Gillotti said the city received a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant that was one of President Obama's efforts to make sure attention was paid to the Great Lakes region.
Ypsilanti resident Stefanie Stauffer, right, and Ann Arbor resident Adrienne Ziegler cut off excess foliage for the Ypsilanti Water Street Trail.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com file photo
Gillotti said a specific call was made to urban forestry projects and the city received a $144,000 grant to cover the project. The saplings are expected to cost anywhere from $3 to $22.
Ypsilanti has partnered with ReLeaf Michigan, a nonprofit tree organization, to help recruit and train volunteers to help plant and tend the nursery.
Volunteers have planted about 350 trees since the tree nursery was created in spring 2012, ReLeaf project forester Christine Forton.
"We have a lot of connections to volunteer groups to oversee the survival rate of these trees," Forton said. "We have a diverse range of trees. We've ordered some native and not native trees. They range from oaks to tulip trees."
The city, along with ReLeaf, is now looking for 125 volunteers to help plant the bare-root saplings on April 19 and April 20. Forton said the project will replace some of the trees that were lost in 2012.
"This is the second phase of this tree nursery," Forton said. "The survival rates of the ones that were planted were very low due to the drought and we had a very hot season last year."
Forton said a pump being powered by a small solar panel will pump water from the Huron River to irrigate the trees. A contractor has been hired to come in after all the trees are planted to make sure each sapling has an irrigation line in place.
After the trees are planted and have grown for three to five years, the city will transplant them to parks and places for street trees around the city.
Gillotti said the purpose of the tree nursery is to further the appeal and walkability of the city. Gillotti said studies have shown that communities with an ample amount of healthy trees and a tree canopy often benefit from higher property values and commercial activity.
"This has always been a part of Ypsilanti's identity," Gillotti said. "We felt a nursery was a great way to engage residents in the process."
Those interested in volunteering can email Forton at cforton@releafmichigan.org for more information.
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.
Danielle Cassetta plays "guitar" with her son Ian in a playroom at Acorn Glen Cooperative Preschool.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Child-directed learning and parent participation are the pillars of Acorn Glen Cooperative Preschool, set to open in September 2013.
Danielle Cassetta, a California native, is in the process of obtaining her child care license from the state of Michigan and hopes to launch the preschool out of her home at 1547 Miller Ave. on Ann Arbor’s west side.
During the past several months, Cassetta and her husband, Jered, a social studies teacher at Ypsilanti New Tech High School, have transformed their home and backyard into a preschooler’s paradise.
Three garden areas, roaming chickens, a sand pit, mud pie kitchen, “fairy forest” and a hammock-like xylophone now comprise the Cassettas’ backyard. Also, once the weather warms up, there will be a sunflower house and play structures.
Inside, all of the rooms are loaded with shelves and boxes of toys, instruments, hand-died pasta and arts-and-crafts supplies. Most of the toys are methodically labeled to promote literacy and to help the preschoolers learn various words.
Danielle Cassetta plays a kid-friendly instrument that she built and strung between two trees in the backyard of her home and soon-to-be preschool.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
One parent from each family will assist and join in the play one morning per week from 8:45 a.m. until noon. The day of the week is agreed upon by the parent and Cassetta at the time of registration and may depend on space.
Cassetta said Ann Arbor has a number of excellent cooperative preschools, like Little Lake Learning Community, but what sets Acorn Glen apart is its intimate and curriculum-free environment.
“The difference is the bulk of the day is planned and executed by the children,” she said. “ A typical preschool consists of a day where the moment they come into the classroom there is a set of ideas of what will be offered for the children that day. It’s planned and adult-directed. And I think you lose a little something when that happens. The children lose the ability to know how to have a voice.”
Cassetta said there is so much emphasis placed on kindergarten readiness and raising the bar of academic excellence earlier and earlier these days. Her preschool will allow students to subconsciously absorb academic standards, rather than having them force fed.
“I’ve always believed that optimal learning happens when there is optimal buy-in on the part of the students,” she said. “You can achieve this with adult-directed activities every now and then, if they are really intriguing to the children. But there are casualties to the child when it’s a model that is used everyday.”
Among the casualties she lists are children’s interest levels, diversity of thought, the ability for children to acquire planning or time management skills and the sense of power or fulfillment in learning.
Acorn Glen will accept up to 12 students per class, not including Cassetta’s own son, 2-year-old Ian, who will be part of the cooperative. Cassetta and her husband also are expecting their second child in early summer.
Cassetta has five years of experience in childhood development and daycare programs, including as a co-director for It’s A Small World in Ypsilanti. Additionally, she volunteered for a year at Ann Arbor Open, helping out in classrooms and during afterschool programs. Cassetta obtained her bachelor’s degree in global studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Cassetta’s dreams for Acorn Glen began percolating during her internship in 2009 with Rocky Mountain Participation Nursery School, a cooperative preschool in San Francisco. She saw this school as the perfect blend of parent involvement and support as well as child-driven learning.
She is excited about opening a cooperative preschool in Ann Arbor and sees her preschool’s philosophy in line with schools such as Little Lake Learning Community, Ann Arbor Open and Community High. Cassetta said she feels a movement could be in the making to offer more authentic and relevant educational experiences to Ann Arbor families.
Acorn Glen is open to the community now in the form of Saturday play-dates. Several open houses will take place prior to September. The next is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. A second open house will be from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 16.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Jeff Rampinelli was voted "Most All-Around" by his Tappan Junior High classmates the same year John Harbaugh was voted "Most Athletic." He remembers John as being "upright" and a "genuine person"
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles about the Harbaughs' time in Ann Arbor. For more about the brothers’ on-field performances, check back next week on AnnArbor.com.
John and Jim Harbaugh will be the first brothers to vie for the ultimate prize in football on Sunday as they lead the Ravens and 49ers onto the field in New Orleans. Forty years ago, the two competed with and against each other in Ann Arbor while their father coached under Bo Shembechler.
Neither Jim nor John was born in Ann Arbor, but both were shaped by their time in the city. Here for middle and high school, they did what teenagers do everywhere — played sports, made friends, and chased girls. But when you talk to the people they came in contact with — teammates, friends, coaches, and even opponents — it is clear that through their loyalty and competitiveness, both left lasting impressions.
The Harbaugh brothers’ careers, and their impending showdown in Super Bowl XLVII, has re-connected a community of Ann Arborites who knew the would-be coaches in their earlier glory days.
Jim Harbaugh throws a pass on the run in a Junior Packers game.
Photo Courtesy John Hendershot
“It’s really been great reminiscing about them and just about our times together.”
As we have covered the brothers this week, a number of those memories have made their way to us here at AnnArbor.com. We could not publish every great story or anecdote, but here are a few that we felt represented the pair and offered a glimpse into what they would become.
Jeff Michlin, The brothers’ pee wee hockey coach:
“Back in the 1970s I was a student at Eastern Michigan University . I had a passion for hockey and coaching, so I volunteered to coach youth hockey in Ann Arbor. I coached the pee wee level (11-12 year olds) there for several years.
“I had this one kid on my team whose main sport was not hockey, but he was a natural athlete and very enthusiastic... Many times between periods, after I gave my usual speeches and critiques, I would have him stand up and talk. Here was this 11-year-old kid standing up, encouraging his teammates, saying ‘Let’s go get ‘em. How bad do you want it? You have to have the killer instinct!!’
“I loved this guy because he played hard, even though he was just learning to skate, and he led by example with intensity but not arrogance. His teammates respected him and I was lucky to have him (and his older brother) on my team.
“His name was Jim Harbaugh. I coached many more years, many sports, had the joy and privilege of coaching my own son and daughter, but I will never forget Jim Harbaugh leaning on his stick, standing on his skates, pumping his fist, excoriating his teammates, firing them up — ‘You have to have the killer instinct!!’
“So, am I surprised he was one play away from being in the Super Bowl as a quarterback and is there next week as a coach? Not surprised at all.”
Don Dufek, former University of Michigan football player, remembering the brothers’ and their father, former U-M defensive backs coach Jack Harbaugh:
Don Dufek played both football and hockey for Michigan in the early 1970s
Grand Rapids Press file photo
“What I saw [of Jack Harbaugh as a coach] I think is reflected in his sons getting into coaching, it’s that he loved what he did. He came into work every day having fun and making it really fun for you and I’m sure that’s why those guys both coach.”
Jeff Minick, family friend and teammate:
“We met them through the Junior Packers [football team.] There was a lottery and there were too many players and not enough positions and John wasn’t picked. He was an alternate.
“But even though he couldn’t play, He was always there supporting his brother, supporting his team, wearing his jersey. He would just come to every practice and watch.
“ We would get kicked out of [the U-M practice facility] because Jim would be throwing the ball to us and we’d get in the way and Bo would kick us out.
“We’d all go to Michigan stadium and we would emulate what it was like to play at Michigan stadium for the wolverines and Jim would throw passes to us and we would mimic Bob Ufer calling touchdowns for us.”
Dot Maszlewski sent us this image of Jim Harbaugh posing with her grandchildren on picture day at Michigan Stadium in 1986.
Courtesy Detroit News, which allowed this online use of the image
“I was Jim’s age but went to Scarlett instead of Tappan. I only knew them through Jr. Football at first, but competed against Jim through Jr. High sports and into High School. “Jim always remembered me though. I saw him several times in Ann Arbor when he was at U-M and he even remembered me when he tried to catch on with the Lions at the end of his career before he retired .
“I took my kids to Lions training camp that August (in Saginaw in those days) and following the afternoon scrimmage, the players walk down a fenced walkway to the locker room. The fence separated them from the fans. The players would sign autographs though and that day, Jim was mobbed for 30 minutes but we waited.
“I finally yelled in his direction, “Hey Jim, remember the Jr. Packers?” He looked right at me and came right over. He talked to my kids and me for about 20 minutes. My kids thought (and still think) that it’s cool that I know him.”
Pete Cunningham contributed to this report.
Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Reach out to Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2
