It was “not uncommon” that the certificate of compliance issued by the city of Ann Arbor to the owners of 401 S. Division St. expired Jan. 1, the city's rental housing services projects and programs manager Lisha Turner-Tolbert said. That left the building without an up-to-date certificate when it caught fire Jan. 25.

It also was not uncommon that the building did not have an inspection scheduled and was unlikely to be looked at by city officials until late April at the earliest.

No one was injured in the fire at 401 S. Division St. and two dogs in the building were rescued by firefighters.

Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com

“It’s not written in the code anywhere that [property owners] have to call us or to get their certificate renewed within a certain period,” she said.

“Only about 20 percent of our population calls us to schedule an inspection ahead of their expiration date.”

Turner-Tolbert said that due to scheduling restraints, once a property has a certificate of compliance there is no ordinance specifying renewal requirements and the responsibility is on the city to schedule the inspections.

“My goal is to keep it to six months or less after the permit expires,” she said.

“We’ve been working really hard to get the right personnel and be able to keep it to about five months… so right now people whose permits expired in September are having their inspections performed.”

Ann Arbor currently has four rental housing inspectors according to the city’s website.

The city’s eTrackit website that tracks permitting progress shows the certificate of compliance for 401 S. Division St. expired on June 1, 2012, but Turner-Tolbert said that display is the result of a glitch in the system that effected approximately 20 properties.

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

A chimney fire started from a buildup of excess creosote at 6:15 a.m. Friday, at 19511 Cavanaugh Lake Road.

Chief James Payeur of Chelsea Area Fire Authority said the fire was contained within the chimney stack and it didn't spread to the rest of the house.

There were no injuries or property damage.

Several chimney fires have occurred in the past month, including one in Dexter Township and one in Ann Arbor. There also have been several fires that spread from wood burning stoves in Superior Township and Sylvan Township.

Payeur said homeowners with chimneys must take caution to avoid fires like this and advised they research the type of wood they're burning.

"Know what kind of wood you’re burning, because some wood produces higher amounts of creosote when it burns," he said.

Lt. Scott Basar said people also should make sure the wood they burn has been properly dried, because dry wood doesn't have as much of the buildup, which is what starts the fires.

"It’s best to let the wood dry usually for a year, so it’s completely dried out," Basar said.

Payeur also suggested increasing the amount of times per year homeowners get their chimney professionally cleaned. He said this is especially important for people who frequently close the damper on their chimneys to choke the fire, as this reduces the effectiveness of the chimney and increases the amount of creosote because it cools it faster as it’s going up.

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Kody Klein is an intern for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at kklein@mlive.com

Firefighters work to knock down the flames at a home in the 8100 block of Stonegate Drive in Salem Township.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Huron Valley Ambulance spokeswoman Joyce Williams confirmed Salem Township, Superior Township and Lyon Township firefighters were on scene fighting the blaze. Flames were spreading throughout the two-story home as of 2 p.m. Friday afternoon.

One Huron Valley Ambulance crew was on scene but no one appeared to be injured at the home, Williams said. It's unclear if anyone was home at the time the fire started.

The fire engulfed a two-story home on Stonegate Drive.

Firefighters were dispatched shortly after 1 p.m. to the home in the northeast corner of Washtenaw County. Heavy smoke was visible as fire crews approached the home, and Salem Township firefighters requested tankers from other departments to help extinguish the fire.

Northfield Township and Ann Arbor Township firefighters also responded to the scene.

Salem Township Fire Chief James Rachwal said there was no fire hydrant nearby and all water had to be brought to the home. The second floor of the home was completely ablaze when he arrived at the home.

The fire spread to the first floor of the vacant home, which might have been waiting for new residents to move in, Rachwal said.

Winds and icy conditions complicated the firefighters’ job of knocking down the flames. Rachwal lauded the efforts of other departments who helped Salem Township firefighters extinguish the blaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Photographer Daniel Brenner contributed to this report.

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Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

The Ypsilanti-based Aubree's Pizzeria & Grill is expanding into Livingston County and President Andy French said the business hopes to open at least two more southeastern Michigan locations this year.

The Genoa Township location will be the second franchise location.

File photo

Aubree's will open a new restaurant in Genoa Township, near Howell, replacing the former T.W. & Friends restaurant, which was open for 12 years.

The location at 4433 E. Grand River will be the second franchise Aubree's has opened. The first opened in Dexter in 2010.

Joe Kacaj of Oxford and Matthew Morrison of Dexter, partnered to open Aubree’s second franchised location. Of the six Aubree's locations, four are company-owned and two are franchisee-owned.

"I think it's huge expanding to Livingston County," Morrison said. "Being able to get the Aubree’s brand up west into the Genoa Township area, that's huge... It's a lifelong dream to be able to own my own restaurant. It's going to be a beautiful relationship with that community."

French, along with his parents and co-owners Sandee and Bill, have plans to further expand. French said he's considered Ann Arbor as a possible location, but only if it's the right place.

"Ann Arbor is a possibility," French said. "We like southeast Michigan and we see opportunity going west."

French said going west into other communities within the state is something the family will continue to look at. Locations such as Lansing, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids could be viable locations.

"We would be open to doing anything in a two-hour drive time," he said.

French said the business continues to expand because of its pizza and grill concept, which he believes fits in with most communities looking for family-dining options.

"I believe our commitment to supporting the communities we’re in kind of helps us build and grow and expand our brand," French said.

When the restaurant opened its first location in Ypsilanti at 39 E. Cross St. in the 1970s, it was designed to be a corner bar. In its early years and up until about 2003, more than 80 percent of the bar’s revenue was related to alcohol.

French said that's changed over time. Nearly all of the locations see about an 80-20 split between food and alcohol sales, with the bulk being food sales now.

The business has continued to see a large amount of interest from individuals seeking to open franchises.

Andy French said he hopes to open two more locations before the end of the year.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo

"We've been very happy with the level of interest we've received," French said. "We're very excited for this new opportunity in Howell and I believe in the franchisees that will be owning and operating this store... We have a goal of another one to two more restaurants."

The 8,000-square-foot location in Genoa Township will seat about 200 customers and undergo renovations to make it similar to other locations. Morrison said he will hire about 75 people.

"Living in the area, I've always eaten at Aubree's and I've known the French family for a long time," Morrison said. "I thought it would be a great fit for me to move into the franchisee role."

French said the expansion to Livingston County has been in the works for nearly a year. The owner of T.W. & Friends, Dino Tomei, still will own the building and Aubree's will lease the location.

"We like the Howell community," French said. "It kind of fits with the types of communities our other restaurants are in. We believe it's a great opportunity for us and we believe it should be well-received in the community."

The new location will be open by the end of May or the beginning of June, French said.

Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.

Four Washtenaw County police agencies will be stepping up their search for drunken drivers during Super Bowl weekend as part of a special enforcement period.

The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, University of Michigan Police, Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety and Saline Police Department will conduct the increased enforcement of drunken driving laws from Friday until Sunday night.

Last year, 166 people were arrested in Michigan for drunken driving on Super Bowl Sunday in 2012, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Fifty-two of those people were considered super drunk — driving with a blood alcohol level of .17 percent or higher — and two people died in traffic crashes involving alcohol in the state.

In Washtenaw County, officers will work 150 hours on the special drunken driving enforcement. The extra time is paid for with federal traffic safety funds, administered by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

In Michigan, it's illegal to drive with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or higher.

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

A two-car crash has backed up westbound Interstate 94 near Ann Arbor-Saline Road Friday afternoon, but no one has been transported to the hospital, emergency personnel said.

Dispatchers confirmed a two-car crash blocked the road on the southwest side of Ann Arbor earlier Friday afternoon, but both lanes were open as of 3:10 p.m. Huron Valley Ambulance spokeswoman Joyce Williams said multiple crashes were reported in the area.

The crashes started a little before 2:30 p.m. Friday, Williams said. Details about the crashes were not available from dispatchers.

Troopers at the Michigan State Police Brighton Post were not able to give any details about the crashes when reached by AnnArbor.com Friday afternoon. Traffic appeared to be backed up as far as the I-94 interchange with Jackson Road.

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Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

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.

• Read South Lyon Herald article.

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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.

• Previous story: Woman to her rapist: 'Nothing can vindicate your actions'

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.

“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

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

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