Hoops on Film: 1961 Class D Boys Final
July 27, 2015
By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director
A battle of undefeated teams from schools both no longer in existence is highlighted this week as part of MHSAA.tv’s Hoops On Film Series.
From the late 1940’s to the mid 1970’s the Michigan High School Athletic Association shot portions of the action at its boys and girls basketball finals on 16mm film. The films were loaned out, primarily to the participating schools, to help them relive the moments of playing in a championship game.
While many of the old films have wandered astray over time, about 60 games still exist in the MHSAA archives. Anyone in possession of such a film is encouraged to contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office ([email protected]) to discuss having the film converted to a digital format.
Some of the films only have portions of the second half and the post-game awards; some have most of the action. None of the films have sound. They range in length from 10 minutes to about an hour. A new film will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 17. DVD’s may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the Get DVD button below the player.
Here’s a look at this week’s game, with recap courtesy of MHSAA historian Ron Pesch:
Marquette Pierce 68, Freesoil 61 – 1961 Class D Boys Final - After 35 years as a coach in the Upper Peninsula, Vic Hurst was rewarded with his first MHSAA title as Marquette Pierce downed a determined Freesoil squad, 68-61, in a Class D battle of the undefeated. Dave Benson led the Warriors with 17 points, while teammates Dennis DeMerse and the Laurich brothers – Conrad and Larry – each added 15. The matchup came after each school's first Regional crown and ended up the only time either school would ever reach the Finals. Pierce would close after the 1961 season, and its only other Regional appearances came back-to-back in 1955 and 1956. Freesoil would win four more Regional titles during its history – three consecutive form 1966-68. The high school closed after the 2006-07 school year and was absorbed into the Mason County Eastern school district.
Previous releases:
1958 Class A Boys Final: Detroit Austin 71, Benton Harbor 68 - Watch
1976 Class D Girls Final: Lake City 58, Perkins 48 - Watch
1971 Class A Boys Final: Flint Northern 79, Detroit Kettering 78 - Watch
1954 Class A Boys Final: Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) - Watch
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch
Football League Contenders Face Off on MHSAA.tv, Bally Sports Detroit, State Champs! Sports Network
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
October 6, 2021
A trio of Friday (Oct. 8) football games with likely league title implications highlight another full week of broadcasts on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network, and MHSAA media partners.
In the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference, two of the three teams sharing first place face off as Stevensville Lakeshore (5-1) travels to St. Joseph (5-1). In the Kensington Lakes Activities Association East, tied-for-second-place Dearborn Fordson (5-1) will host first-place Livonia Churchill (6-0) in a matchup that could see the latter claim a share of the league championship with a victory. Both of those games will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv, with kickoffs at 7 p.m.
This week’s Bally Sports Detroit live cable game features the leaders in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red as Caledonia (6-0) goes to Rockford (6-0). That game will be broadcast on BSD’s primary channel as well as online and on the BSD app. State Champs! Sports Network also will stream live on its website a meeting of league leaders Saturday as Warren Michigan Collegiate (4-2) hosts Harper Woods Chandler Park (4-2) for first place in the Charter School Conference East. Both games kick off at 7 p.m. on their respective game days.
Week 7 of the football regular season will see more than 175 games broadcast on MHSAA.tv, with more than 120 boys soccer games broadcast during the final full week of that sport’s regular season and more than 300 volleyball matches streamed live as that sport moves into its final month before District play begins.
See below for links to a number of notable events on the Network this week:
FOOTBALL
Oct. 8, 6:50 p.m.: Birmingham Groves at Rochester Adams
Oct. 8, 7 p.m.: Davison at Midland
Oct. 8, 7 p.m.: Stevensville Lakeshore at St. Joseph
Oct. 8, 7 p.m.: Utica Eisenhower at Macomb Dakota
Oct. 8, 7 p.m.: Portage Northern at Portage Central
Oct. 8, 7 p.m.: Holt at East Lansing
Oct. 8, 7 p.m.: Novi at Howell
Oct. 8, 7 p.m.: Livonia Churchill at Dearborn Fordson
VOLLEYBALL
Oct. 6, 6:15 p.m.: Flushing at Fenton
Oct. 7, 7 p.m.: White Lake Lakeland at Walled Lake Northern
Oct. 9, 10 a.m.: Bronson at Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
BOYS SOCCER
Oct. 6, 6:45 p.m.: Grand Rapids Northview at East Grand Rapids
Oct. 6, 7 p.m.: Walled Lake North at South Lyon
Oct. 7, 7 p.m.: East Lansing at Okemos
Click the links below to see all three sports’ listings in full:
Football – Volleyball – Boys Soccer
NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $10.99 per month. Subscribers have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. School Broadcast Program participants benefit as a portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program.
More than 400 MHSAA member schools are participants in the School Broadcast Program, now in its 13th year, producing games using traditional hands-on student crews or via Pixellot cameras installed at stadiums and gymnasiums across the state. A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.