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