1997 Detroit Catholic Central

Season

The 1997 academic team consisted of thirty-seven players divided into two novice teams, two junior varsity teams, and a varsity team. The teams entered thirty-three competitions and won a total of 295 games or 80.6% of those played. The teams brought home a total of thirty-four trophies and awards including fifteen for first place finishes plus an MVP award.

Entered as two teams, the novice level of Coach Welborn and Sroka played in eight competitions and won a total of 47 games. The novice division won four trophies including three for first place finishes.

Led by Coach Tislerics, the two junior varsity teams played in eight competitions and compiled an overall record of 107-15. The junior varsity captured twelve trophies including six for first place finishes. The JV team also became the first in Michigan to compete out-of-state when CC played in the Brookwood High School Invitational in Atlanta on February 8th.

The varsity team of Coach Weinberg entered seventeen competitions from Virginia to California. While compiling an overall record of 141-19, the squad won six tournament championships. With remarkable consistency through a long schedule, the varsity team brought home a trophy from each competition entered.

The 1997 season completed a decade of CC dominance in Michigan academic competition. The varsity team once again won the Michigan Class A State Championship. The 1997 title was the fifth for CC in the ten year history of the Michigan tournament. No other school has won more than twice. Furthermore, CC has now twice won the state title in consecutive years. CC won in 1990 and 1991 as well as in 1996 and 1997. No other school has managed consecutive Michigan Championships.

The CC team took its state Championship into the Nation Academic Bowl played at the University of Southern California. CC posted seven victories before being edged in the semifinals by the eventual tournament champion, Edison High School, Huntington Beach, California. The third place performance in Los Angeles marked the fifth time the varsity academic team has won a national trophy. CC finished fourth in the nation in 1990, third in 1991, and second in both 1994 and 1995.