Top five contenders for the 2018-19 Class C title

Detroit Edison Public School Academy has won the last two Class C titles in Michigan and, barring some sort of catastrophe, it appears like there’s very little way they’ll avoid winning a third next winter. The only team to beat the Pioneers in this year’s regular season was Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, and they paid that back in bunches in the title game. Furthermore, with the graduation of seven seniors, including Miss Basketball finalist Lasha Petree, the Gators may take a step back to reload this season, making it just that much more unlikely that anyone will find the magic formula to beat Edison. The only thing that might stop Edison’s march to a three-peat in Class C might be a classification change up to Class B, should the Pioneers choose to make the move, to challenge themselves. <strong>Detroit Edison PSA (24-1)</strong> You could argue that the Pioneers, who only lose two seniors in Oretha Humphries and Tennessee State-bound Ashley Primas, have one of the top two or three players in each of the subsequent three graduating classes. Point guard Damiya Hagemann was one of the best freshmen in the state, while Gabrielle Elliott was one of the best two or three sophomore, and rising senior Rickea Jackson might be the best player in the state, regardless of class or classification. Even without the 6-foot Primas, the Pioneers can still throw four players 6-0 or better at you. <strong>Kent City (22-4) </strong> The Eagles started three freshmen — Jenna Harrison, Audrey Dreyer and budding superstar Kenzie Bowers — and two juniors, and made it all the way to their first quarterfinal berth since 1989, before running into top-ranked Pewamo-Westphalia. In all, the Eagles had five freshmen, four sophomores three juniors and three seniors, with the top eight in the rotation all returning. Bowers averaged 19 points per game, but dropped 37 on Beaverton in the postseason. <strong>Pewamo-Westphalia (25-1)</strong> The Pirates went into the Class C postseason ranked No. 1 in the state, and unbeaten, then rolled to the semifinals without only one opponent — Springport, a seven-point win in the district finals — coming within 15 points of them. That run ended with a thud in the semifinals, an 11-point loss to eventual champ Detroit Edison that was the Pioneers’ closest playoff call. Edison beat the Pirates in the Class C title game a season earlier. P-W graduates the majority of its size in two 5-foot-10 senior starters — Emily Spitzley and Kate Hengesbach — but returns four of its top five scorers. Three of those players just entering their junior seasons, led by Hannah Spitzley, point guard Ellie Droste and Kiera Thelen. <strong>Schoolcraft (24-1)</strong> For two straight seasons, the Schoolcraft Eagles have made it as far as the quarterfinals, and next year might be the season they make it one step (or more) further, especially with Ypsilanti Arbor Prep likely to be reloading. The Eagles lose 1,000-point scorer Lydia Goble to graduation, along with Clara Hedges and Kennedy Leighton, but return rising junior point guard Gabi Saxman, rising senior small forward Chloe Outman and 6-foot sophomore-to-be Anna Schuppel in the post. <strong>Niles Brandywine (22-3)</strong> A perpetual powerhouse in Southwest Michigan with their “Black press” defense, the Bobcats return nearly everyone from a squad that was ranked No. 9 at the end of the regular season, and lost to Schoolcraft in the regional finals. Two seniors, Melanie and Alexia Martinez, will be lost to graduation, while rising junior point guard Zakiyyah Abdullah returns, along with Malikiyyah Abdullah and rising senior forward Nicole Sachman. <strong>Honorable mentions:</strong> New Lothrop, St. Ignace, Hemlock, Laingsburg, Maple City Glen Lake