Kosmo is sorry for the delay in his 3 stars for the opening day of the baseball, softball and soccer state tournaments on Tuesday, but with all the postponements due to rain, Kosmo thought he would just do a combined Tuesday/Wednesday 3 stars. Unfortunately, more rain pushed things back further, so Kosmo will just go with the limited action from Tuesday for his 3 stars. Here they are. Third star Madison Duncan, Avondale soccer - It wasn't easy for Avondale, but the Yellow Jackets survived Farmington, winning 4-3 behind two goals from Duncan. Second star Alex Carpenter, Lake Orion softball - While the baseball team was nearly no-hit, Carpenter teed off on Waterford Kettering pitching, collecting three doubles and a triple in a 12-1 Lake Orion rout. She also had two runs and three RBI. First star Avery Dudek, Waterford Kettering baseball - So how many had a 13-19 Kettering team beating state-ranked Lake Orion in the first round? The biggest reason the upset happened was Dudek, a lefty who was incredible on the mound, tossing a 2-hit shutout and taking a no-hitter into the last inning in a 1-0 win over Lake Orion.

It didn't rain! Kosmo is sorry for being absent last week, but the fact everything not under the sun (get the pun?) was postponed due to awful weather. But there were plenty of sunny skies and great individual performances under perfect weather on Monday so Kosmo here to offer his 5 stars. 5th star Jordan Ewald, Farmington Hills Mercy softball - In a Mercy lineup full of young stars it is still nice to have a veteran glue player. Ewald sure is that, as she had two hits and five RBI in an 11-4 win over Ladywood in the Catholic League A-B final. 4th star John Van Hoef, Troy Athens baseball - Call him the area's king of walk-off grand slams. Van Hoef hit his second walk-off grand slam of the year to finish off a 13-2 win over Bloomfield Hills in the second game of a doubleheader. As a result, Athens is in first place in the OAA Blue. 3rd star Allie Barsh, Wixom St. Catherine softball - Obviously more attention should be paid to this program that won its first ever Catholic League C-D title. Barsh was a big reason why, hitting a 2-run single in the 6th inning to provide the winning runs. 2nd star Amelia Denison, Southfield Christian softball - A powerful bat for a small school, Denison had quite a day in the first game do a DH sweep over Parkway Christian, collecting four hits and 7 RBI. No wonder a university was named after her. 1st star Jim Crosby, Birmingham Groves baseball - No doubt former player Pat Caputo is proud. One of the pillars of high school baseball in the state recorded his 700th win on Monday with a win over Cranbrook. Everyone say "Hey! Hey!" In salute.

Given the NHL playoffs are going full force, one would think this wouldn't be the first edition of Kosmo's 3 stars for the spring. But Kosmo overslept from a nap, and who in this world hasn't done that? No worries though because your seer is here to make it up to people. In fact, here are 5 stars from Monday, not 3. Fifth star Joe Alsup, Lakeland - Yes this is a coach, but there is no way Kosmo can't mention him since he earned his 1,000th career win on the diamond yesterday. Truly a legend in the high school softball ranks. Fourth star Sally Muller, Troy - Forget a hard out, Muller was an impossible out for Troy's softball team. She went 6-for-6 in a doubleheader sweep of Stoney Creek. Third star Mackenzie Norton, Waterford Kettering softball - Norton sure showed that she is ready for Wednesday's showdown with Lakeland, as she homered twice and had 5 RBI in a rout of Brighton. Second star Michael Busse, Rochester - Kosmo wouldn't shoot a 173 on the South Course at Oakland Hills, let alone a 73. But that was what Busse did in not only winning the Next Tee invite as an individual, but helping Rochester win the team title. First star Josh Bays, Lake Orion - A senior pitcher who must like pitching on Mondays. After shutting out Clarkston last Monday, Bays was even more dominant in a game against Rochester, throwing a no-hitter and striking out 14. It was like there was a mini-hurricane in Lake Orion with all the swings and misses.

If you are wondering where Kosmo has been, let's say he has been taking a nice nap. Anyway, your seer is back up and ready for the last 6 weeks of this year's prep sports calendar, starting today with what could be a nice milestone for a legendary coach. Lakeland softball coach Joe Alsup will be going for his 1,000th career win against Howell today, which obviously would be an incredible feat. Whether Alsup gets it today or another time, it will happen and hopefully set off a nice celebration.