Madigan Johns hit four straight free throws in the closing seconds as the Ishpeming Henatites topped the West Iron County Wykons, 59-55, in the Class C regional semifinals Tuesday night in Escanaba. Click the above headline for details, and to see photos, videos.
Ozzy Corp scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner in the fourth quarter, and the Ishpeming Hematites held on to beat Pewamo-Westphalia, 22-16, to win the MHSAA Division Seven state championship Saturday at Ford Field. Click the above headline to read the story from MHSAA.
The third time was the charm for the Detroit Loyola High School football team on Saturday at Ford Field. After losing to the Ishpeming Hematites in each of the last two Division Seven state championship games, Loyola finally got a trophy by posting a 29-8 win. Click the above headline for the details, courtesy of the MHSAA.
The St. Ignace High School girls basketball team showed why it is one of the top-ranked teams in the state Tuesday night. The Saints raced to a 16-0 lead and beat the Ishpeming Hematites, 66-30, in the Class C regional semifinal. Click the above headline to read more details, and to see photos and videos.
As 2014 begins, here's a look back at an extremely emotional 17 months for Ishpeming's Jeff Olson. He suffered the tragedy of his son's suicide and played a part in Eric Dompierre's long battle to be able to play beyond his 19th birthday. But then came two state football championships in a row, and a new job as the head coach of the Hematite varsity basketball team. Click the above headline to read more.
The Ishpeming High School football team repeated as Division Seven state champions on Saturday, beating Detroit Loyola, 22-12, at Ford Field. Click the above headline to read the game story and statistics. You can also watch a replay of the game, and the post-game press conferences, provided by the MHSAA.
Eric Kostreva scored three touchdowns to lead the Ishpeming Hematites to a 20-14 win over Detroit Loyola Saturday to win the Division Seven state championship at Ford Field. An emotional Hematites team pulled one of the biggest upsets in MHSAA championship history, beating the state's top-ranked team that was filled with future college talent. Click the above headline to read the story.
Three Upper Peninsula high school football teams played in state semifinal action on Saturday. The Ishpeming Hematites beat Pewamo-Westphalia, 8-7, to advance to next week's state championship game in Detroit. The Menominee Maroons lost a heartbreaker to Grand Rapids West Catholic, 20-17, and the St. Ignace Saints were beaten by Beal City, 25-7. Click the above headline to read recaps of all three games.
The magazine Sports Illustrated is running a series titled "Underdogs: Inspiring Stories in High School Football". And this week's episode, dated September 18th, highlights Ishpeming Hematite Senior Eric Dompierre. Click the above headline to see the video and the page that SI set up about Dompierre and the Hematites.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association says that its member schools have overwhelmingly approved a change to the association's age-limit rule, which will allow kids with disabilities to apply for waivers to be able to play sports even if their 19th birthday falls before September 1st. This will likely mean that Ishpeming High School student Eric Dompierre, who has Down Syndrome and has been fighting for a chance to play basketball in his senior year, will be allowed to play. Click the above headline to read more details.
The Gladstone Indians American Legion Baseball team managed to get just two base hits, but took advantage of five Ishpeming errors to post a 4-0 win Tuesday at Don Olsen Field. The game was halted in the third inning because of a rainstorm, and after a 25-minute delay, the game was finished on a muddy field. Click the above headline to read the game story, and to see more pictures and videos.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association's Representative Council met Monday in Gaylord, and voted to send a proposal to its member schools allowing for waivers to the MHSAA's 19-year-old age limit rule. This comes amidst public pressure to allow Ishpeming High School student Eric Dompierre to play for the Hematities this next school year. Ballots will be mailed to schools this week, and it will take a two-thirds vote of the schools to change the rule and allow kids like Dompierre to play. Click the above headline for the story, and listen to audio.
The Gladstone High School tennis team barely broke a sweat on Monday as the boys defeated the Ishpeming Hematites, 8-0, at Pfotenhauer Park. Three of the Gladstone wins were by 6-0, 6-0 scores, while three others went 6-0, 6-1. Also on Monday, Escanaba beat Iron Mountain in a make-up match, 5-3. Click the above headline to see all of the scores. Pictured: Gladstone's #1 singles player Aaron Parmet did not lose a game all afternoon long on Monday.
A 19-year-old Ishpeming High School student fighting for the right to play basketball next school year testified before a Senate committee on Wednesday. Eric Dompierre has Down Syndrome, and is trying to convince the Michigan High School Association to waive a rule that forbids him to play because he is too old. The committee unanimously approved State Senator Tom Casperson's resolution on the issue, urging the MHSAA to change the rule for those students who have disabilities. Click the headline to read more.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association is facing mounting public pressure to make changes to its rule that forbids kids who turn 19 years old after September 1st from playing varsity sports. This rule came to light with the case of Eric Dompierre, an Ishpeming High School student who has Down Syndrome and wants to play basketball for the Hematites in his senior year. Click the above headline to read the entire story, and to listen to our interview with Senator Tom Casperson.
