38 | MAY 16 • 2024
J
N

Three short items:
• The awards continue to pile
up for former Yale University
women’s hockey star Elle Hartje
from Bloomfield Hills, a 2019
Jewish News High
School Athlete
of the Year. Last
month, Hartje was
named the 2023-24
winner of the Sarah
Devens Award,
presented annually
by ECAC Hockey

and Hockey East to a women’s
hockey player who “demonstrates
leadership and commitment both
on and off the ice.” The award
winner receives a $15,000 post-
graduate scholarship. Hartje
ended her Yale hockey career
this past season as the program’s
all-time leader in career assists
(116) and points (168). She was
recently named the team’s
MVP for the 2023-24 season,
and she also received the Yale
women’s hockey program’s

Bingham Award for leadership
and Richard H. Brodhead
Award for contributing to the
team’s success while excelling
academically. She has a 3.92
grade point average.
• Dmitriy Salita, an Orthodox
Jew who was a world champion
boxer and now is a world-
class boxing promoter through
his Southfield-based Salita
Promotions, was inducted
last month into the New York-
based Jewish Sports Heritage
Association. Salita’s professional
record in the ring was 35-2-1 with
18 knockouts.
• The deadline is June
3 to submit applications for

the Michigan Jewish Sports
Foundation’s Dr. Steve and
Evelyn Rosen Stars of Tomorrow
scholarships. Jewish high school
seniors who excel in athletics
and academics are eligible for
the scholarships. Applicants will
be judged on several factors
including financial need, athletic
and academic achievements,
community service and extra-
curricular activities.
Applications are available
at michiganjewishsports.org.
For more information on the
scholarships, contact Don Rudick,
the foundation’s executive
director, at zeedon!@gmail.
com or (248) 390-5891.

M

ichigan.
That was the
answer college foot-
ball fans across the country
were waiting for May 3, when
Birmingham Groves High
School football star Avery
Gach revealed his college
choice in a live-streamed

announcement at Groves.
The 6-foot-5, 290-pound
junior offensive tackle piled
up 40 college scholarship
offers during a recruitment
process that began early in
his sophomore season when
Toledo made an offer.
Considered the second-best

high school football player in
the state in his class in com-
posite rankings by 247Sports
(which live-streamed Gach’s
announcement ceremony on
its YouTube channel) and a
four-star recruit on a five-
star scale, Gach narrowed his
college choices to Michigan,
Michigan State, Ohio State
and Wisconsin before decid-
ing on Michigan.
He said he made his college
announcement earlier than
expected because he wanted
to put an end to the recruit-
ing process, especially with
his senior football season
at Groves just a few months
away.
“I was sick of making col-
lege visits,” Gach said. “They
were getting stressful. I knew I
wanted to go Michigan.
“It was the right choice for
me. Michigan is coming off a
national championship. You
see how many NFL players
they’re producing, especially
O-lineman. And I really love
Coach (Sherrone) Moore and
Coach Newsome (offensive
line coach Grant Newsome).
They treated me right through
the recruiting process.”

Over the past two-plus
years, Gach made visits to col-
leges across the country, was
wooed by college football’s
top coaches, and has been
called one of best interior line
prospects in the country by
recruiting websites.
But he has stayed humble
and grounded. How?
“My family, coaches and
teammates,” he said. “My dad
has always told me that pres-
sure is a privilege. It means
that there are serious opportu-
nities for you.”
Groves football coach
Brendan Flaherty was effusive
in the praise for Gach during
the announcement ceremony.
In addition to calling him
an “entertaining” football
player, a word not usually
associated with an offensive
lineman, and a great teammate
who is the first two-year cap-
tain in his 23 years at Groves,
Flaherty said Gach is a great
classmate.
“This is where I’m most
proud of him,” Flaherty said.
“He’s a great classmate in the
hallways. He’s extremely gra-
cious and helpful, especially
to our special needs students,

True Blue
Birmingham Groves High School
football star Avery Gach ends
speculation by announcing he will
play at Michigan.

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SPORTS

quick hits
BY STEVE STEIN

PHOTOS: GACH FAMILY

Avery Gach
has the hats
of four schools
lined up in front
of him before
announcing his
college choice.

Honors for Elle Hartje and Dmitriy Salita;
Application Deadline Nears for Rosen
Stars of Tomorrow Scholarships

Elle Hartje

YALE UNIVERSITY