The Great Burnzini - Championship Weekend

Baseball

MH Bishop Foley v. AA Gabriel Richard (D1 semifinal) – The Ventures get the proverbial monkey of their back by downing the Fighting Irish – a squad Foley has already dropped three ballgames against this season – in another nail-biter.  Danny "Zoom Zoom" Zuchowski throws a gem on the mound, sophomore swat-phenom Luke "The Stick" Ortell comes through in the clutch again with a big time hit late and Brett Sunde wins it for the Ventures with an RBI double in the seventh.

Foley 6, Gabriel Richard 5

Saturday's pick – Foley flies programs' first state title banner by the conclusion of the weekend, sending VENTURE NATION into a state delirium!

Softball

Lakeland v. Troy (D1 semifinal) – This is Lakeland's year. I wrote it at the start of the season and I'm writing it again now. Carlee Meek dusts off the old arm and bulldogs the Eagles past all-state hurler, Jordan Wheatley, in a close one sure to go down to the final out. Meek, who has not pitched much this year after rounding up over 65 career victories in the last three seasons, is 2-0 against the Colts in previous matchups and will by 3-0 by Friday night.

Lakeland 3, Troy 2

Saturday's pick – Eagles skipper Joe Alsup takes home his third career state title and brings Lakeland its first on Saturday afternoon behind a standout pitching performance from Michelle Stiltner and a pair of RBI apiece by Kelsey Johnson and Anna Armstrong.

Soccer

Novi v. Plymouth (D1 final) – Junior keeper Gabby Gauruder is ITZ (IN THA ZONE) for the Wildcats right now and simply can't be stopped. GABBY THE GREAT = STEAL CURTAIN on Saturday, collecting her 18^th shutout of the season and leading Novi to its fourth state title since 2005.

Novi 2, Plymouth 0

Birmingham Marian v. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (D2 final) – You can't Marian's vicious FEARSOME FOURSOME aka Stephanie Pilarski, Erin Ring, Liz Tresnak and Danielle Mazur you can only hope to contain them. Forest Hills can do neither!

Marian 4, FH 2

WOLL/Clarkston Everest v. Kalamazoo Hackett (D4 final) – freshman Ava Doetch has exceeded SWAGGER LEVEL ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND TRILLLION and she is ONLY in the 9^TH GRADE!! Can you say a second state title ring for Lakers two-sport studstresses, Doetch, Megan Topewleski, Jessica Parry, Farrah Nordman and Chantelle Ludwig in the last THREE MONTHS?

As Tina Turner once said, Lakers……YOU'RE SIMPLY THE BEST!

WOLL/CE 3, Hackett 1

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - please keep clicking in to Burney's Bytes this whole summer for continued daily coverage of the local prep scene!!!!!