Mold Remediation in White Lake, MI

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to celebrate five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting impression on our community.

Patch In Town, Patch Staff

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the White Lake-Highland area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. While this list is just a snapshot, there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area.

A White Lake native, Grace Stark has established herself as one of the top hurdlers in the nation. A Lakeland High School graduate, she dominated Michigan’s high school track scene, winning multiple state and national titles in the 100m hurdles and sprint events. Stark’s talent carried over to the international stage, where she competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing fifth in the women’s 100m hurdles. With a background in gymnastics and a natural ability to leap over obstacles, she has continued to excel as she pursues a professional track career.

Highland native Danny Davis has been a defining figure in competitive snowboarding. The Olympian athlete finished 10th in the halfpipe at the 2014 Winter Games and has competed in multiple X Games, Grand Prix events and Dew Tour championships. Known for his smooth style and creative approach, Davis is a founding member of the Frends Crew, advocating for a rider-focused snowboarding culture. Despite a serious back injury in 2010, he made a strong comeback, cementing his legacy as one of Michigan’s most accomplished snowboarders.

Though originally from Royal Oak, professional football player Darrell Harper left a lasting impact on Highland Township, where he settled later in life. A star halfback and kicker at the University of Michigan, he was an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 1959 before being drafted by both the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills. Harper made history in 1960 by scoring the Buffalo Bills’ first-ever regular-season points with a 35-yard field goal. After his playing career, he became a respected high school coach and educator, earning a spot in the Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. His legacy lives on in the many athletes he mentored and the generations of students he inspired.

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A dominant force on the softball field, Lauren Memmer made history at Lakeland High School before continuing her career at Saginaw Valley State University. Named Miss Softball of Michigan in 2007, she earned All-American and all-state honors while setting the state record for career pitching wins and single-season victories. Memmer’s achievements secured her a place in the Lakeland High School Hall of Fame, and she was widely recognized for both her athletic and academic excellence.

White Lake’s McCoy Biagioli made Michigan golf history by becoming just the 11th player to win both the Michigan Amateur Championship and the GAM Championship in the same year. A standout golfer at Ferris State University, he proved himself against the state’s top amateurs, delivering clutch performances, including an 18-foot putt to secure a semifinal victory at the Michigan Amateur.

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.

A fast growing Oakland County​ youth baseball organization​​ is adding a second park this year.

Patch Staff

MILFORD, MI — A fast-growing Oakland County youth baseball organization is adding a second park this year.

Lakes Baseball, based at Hickory Glen Park in Commerce Township, announced Friday they will also play games at Carrie Janowski Memorial Athletic Park in Milford.

League officials said Milford residents can expect the fields at Janowski Park to be active in the evenings on most weekdays and some weekends with Lakes games and practices throughout the spring and fall.

Janowski Park is named after Carrie Janowski, a Milford resident who passed away on May 22, 1985 at age 9. Carrie was an incredibly active young girl who played multiple sports and attended Lakeland Elementary School, league officials said.

"It is very exciting to announce that Lakes Athletics and LCB Baseball have added a second park to our organization," Vice President of Lakes Athletics and President of the LCB LegendsTravel organization Jay Fuhs said. "Lakes and LCB has seen massive growth in both recreational and competitive baseball, and adding this second park to our organization allows us to continue to set ourselves apart from other organizations by ensuring all coaches have more than enough practice time on nicely manicured fields, while also allowing us to expand game opportunities for all ages."

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The non-profit has nearly 230 youth on 20 different travel baseball teams, ranging from the 8U to 18U levels through the LCB Legends program. In addition, the group offers spring, summer and fall recreational baseball programs at all levels from t-ball to high school.

The league saw 650 registrations (most since the COVID-19 pandemic) and league officials are expecting even more this year.

"As an 8U coach as well as a board member and Chief Director in charge of all our rec programs, I was proud to be a part of the group that worked to get this agreement done. We won’t stop here, our board is continuously adding more elements to the Lakes Baseball experience to benefit our kids playing at all levels of our organization," Lakes Baseball Coach Frank Novak told Patch in an email.

The league has rapidly expanded from eight teams (pre-pandemic) to 22 teams in 2025, making it the fastest-growing league in Oakland County. League officials said several alumni of both the travel and the recreation programs make High School baseball rosters locally, and believe more will be in the future.

The league is also expanding its off-season programs, such as clinics and training for both travel and recreation level players. Additional training and resources are also available for coaches.

In celebration of adding the second park, Lakes Baseball is offering a special flash sale opportunity for $10 off a spring or summer registration, and $10 off a registration to the March 22 or 29 indoor youth clinic, Lakes Spring Training.

The offers are good through 11:59 PM on Sunday, Feb. 9 . To redeem these offers, use the following codes when registering on lakesathletics.org:

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