Looking Back: Top 10 High School Athletes of 2011

Oakland County Patch sites were there to cover many of the biggest moments in prep sports in 2011. Here's a list of 10 of the top athletes, based on their incredible performances during the past year.

This lists focuses on athletes from schools in Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Ferndale, Royal Oak, Troy and West Bloomfield.

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Make sure to check out our list of top 10 high school games this year in Oakland County. Click and .

1.

Cross Country; Track and Field

Erin Finn was easily the most dominate high school athlete in Michigan this past year.

The girls cross country star won the , nearly set a new course record with at the Oakland County Championship and was the top girls runner in the Oakland Activities Association White division.

Oh, and she finished the high school cross country season undefeated.

Recently, she finished third in the to qualify for the national championship meet in San Diego. In San Diego, , which earned her All-America status.

Finn, who  missed being a dual sport state champion by nine seconds. In the spring, she as well. She finished nine seconds behind Gabrielle Anzalone of Grand Blanc in the 3,200 meter run.

Finn's accomplishments are all the more impressive when one looks back just 18 months, when to her hip  and tibia, forcing her to miss most of the track and field season. She rebounded early last year as a sophomore, then took the state and country by storm  through this fall's cross country season.

2. Amir Williams

Detroit Country Day Basketball

Williams was one of the top post players in high school basketball last year. Before heading to Columbus to play for Ohio State, the center helped led the Yellowjackets while averaging over 18 points per game, 12 rebounds and five blocks a game.

He was third in the Mr. Basketball voting behind Dwaun Anderson from Sutton Bay and LaDontae Henton from Lansing Eastern. He was also a McDonald's All-American.

3. Brittany Mann; Kendall Baisden (TIE)

Detroit Country Day Track and Field

The stars of the Detroit Country Day Track and Field team helped bring the Yellowjackets i in more than 20 years. The girls helped Country Day win the Division 2 crown by combining for five individual state titles.

Mann dominated the shot put and discus while Baisden won all three of the sprint races -100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter - at the 2011 state meet.

Baisden’s time in the 100-meter dash of 11.92 seconds set a new Lower Peninsula Division 2 state meet record.  Over the summer, Baisden won the 400-meter race at the New Balance Outdoor nationals in North Carolina and then went to the AAU Junior Olympics and did the same with a time of 52.87. She is considered one of the top, if not the top, 400 meter runner in the country.

Mann also competed at the AAU Junior Olympics and finished both her events (discus and shot put) in the top 10. She nearly brought home first place in the discus with a throw of 147.08,  but was beat out by Alisha Bradshaw from North Carolina, who threw a 147,10. In shot put, Mann finished in 10th place with a throw of over 39 feet. She is also nationally ranked in both events.

5. and (TIE)

Golf

Even though both golfers fell short of their stated goal to win individual state titles for the Maples, they still had tremendous seasons.

Biggs followed up her 2010 championship with a this season. In Division 2 at Katke-Cousins Golf Course, Biggs shot a 165 (first round 83, second round 82) and was eight strokes back of first place.

On the boys side, of joining Max Kollin of North Farmington and Kyle Kenkel of Davison in a one-hole playoff for state champion. Ruffino shot a 145 (first round 75, second round 70) and his 70 on Day 2 was tied for the second best round of the tournament.

In July, Ruffino was named Mr. Golf for the state of Michigan for his sophomore season that included a first place finish at Seaholm’s regional and the Pinckney Invite. He had a busy summer competing nationally and is ranked on the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) circuit.

7.

Tennis

The Michigan High School Tennis Coaches' Association voted Cahn as the No. 1  senior singles player for Division 1 by naming him . The senior lost in the finals of the No. 1 flight at the state finals to Tyler Gardiner of Northville. He finished the season 21-2 and was all first-team all-state.

8.

Wrestling and Football

The Eagles athlete is a beast on the mat and the football field. His year started out with at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the state individual wrestling finals. Farris was All-State for the second straight season and improved three spots from his performance in the finals as a Sophomore.

In the fall, Farris was a key piece for the on offense and defense. He led the team in receiving and earned All-OAA honors as a defensive back.

His year ended back indoors with a second-place finish at the Oakland County Championships this month.

9.

Football

A truly special year for a special player.

Church certainly put his stamp on the Warriors football program. He set new school records for yards in a season, most points scored and most touchdowns.

In the state finals, , the sixth most yards in MHSAA finals history. His big game helped .

10.

Football

Ross is gearing up to play for the University of Michigan next fall, but boy did the linebacker look ready for the next level already this year.

He helped led the Eaglets to a by anchoring the middle of the defense. He finished the season with more than 120 tackles and picked up All-State and All-League honors along the way. Recently, he was picked to play at the .