Written by Pete Krupsky, Play-By-Play Announcer for the Plymouth Whalers.
In some ways, it was a typical busy Saturday at Compuware Arena as three games were played within an eight-hour span on the double-pad facility.
The same Saturday was also a busy day for radio station 88.1FM WSDP, located at the Plymouth-Canton Education Park. Billed as The Escape, 88.1FM listeners could escape to a hockey doubleheader as two of the games were broadcast from Compuware Arena on the station.
(IN THE PICTURE: Halling on the left, Mills on the right.)
In the afternoon, Canton defeated Plymouth, 3-0, in a local high school hockey rivalry. Later that evening, the surging Plymouth Whalers defeated the Owen Sound Attack, 5-1.
Although the broadcasting team working the high school game for 88.1FM that Saturday has limited experience, they have a passion for their craft.
Freshman Mason Mills did the play-by-play of the Canton-Plymouth game, sharing the booth with his cousin, junior Tom Halling. They may be rookies just learning the broadcasting business, but they’ve made a favorable impression in a short period of time on WSDP Station Manager Bill Keith.
"It is great to have both Mason and Tom on our staff,” Keith said. “We've needed to find some students that are passionate about sports broadcasting for several years. I'm looking forward to hearing the great broadcasts they do for the Canton, Plymouth and Salem High School teams."
Mills and Halling were surprised at the final result of their game. Plymouth (now 15-4-1) was favored going against the Chiefs (now 10-9-1). It turned out to be a different story.
“Plymouth was supposed to come out and pick up a victory,” Mills said. “The game was supposed to be a very uneven match-up between the two schools. However, Canton showed up in the second period and then in the third and Plymouth lost their composure.”
Phil Baciak figured in on all three Canton goals with a goal and two assists. Taylor Baker and Josh Dickson also scored for the Chiefs.
“If you would have seen my expression after the first goal, you would have thought I saw a ghost,” Mills said. “We were talking about it early in the second period (that) Plymouth had full momentum, but Canton came out with one little opportunity and made it (scored a goal). That changed the whole game around.”
Ryan Bazner was the game’s first star in goal for Canton, pitching a 26-save shutout.
“All game long, Mason and I were talking about what a brick wall Bazner was,” Halling said. “He didn’t let anything by and stopped a couple of breakaways. He was outstanding in goal.”
After the game, Mills and Halling talked about getting involved in broadcasting.
“I’m a freshman and just started at 88.1FM,” Mills said. “I always wanted to be on the radio and I like to talk, so I figured what could be better than being on the radio? I love sports and today gives me even a bigger reason to be on the radio.”
“It’s my first year as well (at 88.1FM),” said Halling. “I’m a junior. I didn’t know much about the radio at first, but I heard an announcement at class and my cousin Mason was going to join, so I thought it would be exciting to join with him. I didn’t know much about doing the sports broadcasts, but this is my fifth broadcast so far and I love doing it. It’s a lot of fun.”
The young broadcasting team was asked if they had anyone they looked up to in the business.
“I listen to Ken Daniels on television and I just love the way he sounds,” Mills said. “He certainly makes the game that much more exciting. I guarantee you if his voice wasn’t there, the Red Wings game wouldn’t be so exciting.So when you listen to him, that gives you more motivation to do well.”
“My passion has always been basketball,” Halling said. “My dad and I are huge fans of Michigan basketball. Whenever they are on the road, we are listening on the radio or watching on television. I like to listen to (Michigan radio play-by-lay man) Matt Shepard. He makes me fell like I’m at the arena.”
Halling uses an old school approach for inspiration.
“I like to watch ESPN Classic and watch the basketball games and listen to the color commentators and play-by-play,” he said. “That’s really when the Golden Age of Sports was. Those games show what you need to do to be successful in the business.”
Is broadcasting in their future? Two answers for two individuals.
“I’m still looking into all professions and am trying toexperience every single area,” Halling said. “But the past couple months I’ve been in broadcasting on the radio, I’ve really enjoyed it. I feel like I have a passion for it and it might be something I’d like to do.”
“(I discovered) that something I always wanted to do was to be an announcer and to be on the radio,” Mills said. “With this opportunity, I’m looking forward to pursuing a career.”
Normally, 88.1 “The Escape" specializes in playing independent alternative rock artists not played on any mainstream commercial station in the area. The addition of the Whalers to 88.1FM is a natural tie-in in a lot of ways for everyone in the area. Younger Whaler players go to the Plymouth-Canton Education Park and have a definite presence in the school.
In addition, Plymouth’s move to WSDP has filled a need to get back into radio and have a local, live presence in the area. And with the assistance of the Whalers internet broadcasting partner – INSINC.com – Plymouth fans have a choice of listening to most games locally on the radio or on the internet through
www.plymouthwhalers.com.
And who knows? Much like the Whalers aspire to get to the National Hockey League, maybe you’ll see (or hear) Mason Mills and Tom Halling call a game on the radio or television on a bigger stage in the future.
WSDP is pleased to be the radio home for the 