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
MHSAA TV Live Broadcasts Return
September 8, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
A new season of live high school sports coverage is underway on the NFHS Network and MHSAA.tv, with the coming week’s schedule packed with boys soccer and girls volleyball action.
More games than ever before will be available online beginning this season, with approximately 260 MHSAA member schools taking part in the School Broadcast Program with Pixellot units being installed at their athletic facilities or schools still producing games using traditional hands-on student crews.
Pixellot is the NFHS Network’s automated production solution. More than 400 Pixellot units are already installed or about to be installed in high school stadiums and gymnasiums around the state. The NFHS Network has been offering schools up to two free Pixellot units since early July – with the schools only needing to cover installation costs.
Additionally, MHSAA regulations regarding live video broadcasts and streaming have been relaxed during the pandemic to allow schools to use their choice of means to distribute games to fans who are unable to attend because of government-imposed spectator limits. Third-party broadcasters – like local television stations and cable television outlets – also are allowed to originate games live.
In the coming week, more 300 events will be available on the NFHS Network/MHSAA.tv. Monthly subscriptions are $10.99. Click for a complete list of upcoming games and for a complete list of on-demand games.
Fans can also type their school name into the search field on the MHSAA.tv page to search for events. Here is a list of varsity sports events being broadcast over the coming week:
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL (Home team listed first)
Wednesday – Sept. 9
Multi-team Event @ Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 5 PM
Niles vs. Berrien Springs - 6 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Portage Northern - 6:30 PM
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood vs. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic - 6:30 PM
Petoskey vs. Traverse City Central - 6:30 PM
Traverse City West vs. Gaylord - 7 PM
Cadillac vs. Alpena - 7 PM
Macomb Lutheran North vs. Allen Park Cabrini - 7 PM
Hemlock vs. St. Louis - 7:30 PM
Thursday – Sept. 10
Grand Rapids Christian vs. Grand Haven - 5 PM
Mt Morris vs. TBD - 5:30 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Linden - 5:45 PM
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills - 6 PM
Armada vs. Richmond - 6 PM
Harbor Beach vs. Brown City - 6 PM
Kinde North Huron vs. Mayville - 6 PM
DeWitt vs. Williamston - 6 PM
Fowlerville vs. St Johns - 6 PM
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian vs. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest - 6:30 PM
South Lyon East vs. White Lake Lakeland - 6:30 PM
Flint Powers Catholic vs. Midland - 6:30 PM
South Lyon vs. Waterford Kettering - 6:30 PM
Macomb L'Anse Creuse North vs. New Baltimore Anchor Bay - 6:30 PM
Negaunee vs. Ishpeming - 6:30 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Wayland - 7 PM
Hopkins vs. Wyoming Godwin Heights - 7 PM
Fremont vs. Big Rapids - 7 PM
Maple City Glen Lake vs. Buckley - 7 PM
Bear Lake vs. Mason County Eastern - 7 PM
Gladstone vs. Escanaba - 7 PM
Friday – Sept. 11
Marquette vs. Eben Junction Superior Central - 6:30 PM
Saturday – Sept. 12
Cadillac vs. Big Rapids - TBA
Novi vs. TBD - 8 AM
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian vs. TBD - 8:30 AM
Corunna vs. TBD - 8:30 AM
Mt Morris vs. TBD - 8:30 AM
East Kentwood vs. Rockford - 8:30 AM
Multi-team Event @ Mason – Part 1 - 8:30 AM
Caro vs. TBD - 9 AM
Cedar Springs vs. Greenville - 9 AM
Multi-team Event @ Petoskey - 9 AM
Cadillac vs. Essexville Garber - 9 AM
Pellston vs. TBD - 9 AM
Multi-team Event @ Petoskey - 1 PM
Multi-team Event @ Mason- - Part 2 - 1:30 PM
Peck vs. TBD - 6 PM
Monday – Sept. 14
Multi-team Event @ Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 5 PM
Fenton vs. Holly - 5:15 PM
Flint Kearsley vs. Swartz Creek - 5:15 PM
Linden vs. Flushing - 5:15 PM
Bay City John Glenn vs. Essexville Garber - 5:30 PM
Corunna vs. Goodrich - 6:15 PM
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood vs. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett - 6:30 PM
Calumet vs. Marquette - 6:45 PM
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian vs. Comstock Park - 7 PM
Morley Stanwood vs. Holton - 7 PM
Harrison vs. Sanford Meridian - 7:30 PM
Tuesday – Sept. 15
East Grand Rapids vs. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern - 6 PM
Peck vs. TBD - 6 PM
Kinde North Huron vs. Kingston - 6 PM
Williamston vs. Eaton Rapids - 6 PM
Romulus Summit Academy North vs. Dearborn Henry Ford Academy - 6 PM
Harbor Beach vs. Ubly - 6 PM
Cedar Springs vs. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg - 6 PM
Wayland vs. Lansing Catholic - 6 PM
Mayville vs. Akron-Fairgrove - 6 PM
Chesaning vs. Durand - 6:15 PM
Gladstone vs. Ishpeming - 6:30 PM
Westland Huron Valley Lutheran vs. Bloomfield Hills Roeper - 6:30 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. Marine City - 6:30 PM
Northville vs. Canton - 6:30 PM
Painesdale Jeffers vs. Dollar Bay - 6:30 PM
Galesburg-Augusta vs. Kalamazoo Christian - 6:30 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Flint Powers Catholic - 6:30 PM
Negaunee vs. Escanaba - 6:30 PM
Novi vs. Hartland - 6:30 PM
Brighton vs. Salem - 6:30 PM
South Lyon vs. South Lyon East - 6:30 PM
Sterling Heights Parkway Christian vs. TBD - 6:30 PM
Calumet vs. Hancock - 6:45 PM
Marquette vs. Wakefield-Marenisco - 7 PM
Big Rapids vs. Newaygo - 7 PM
Plymouth Christian Academy vs. Livonia Clarenceville - 7 PM
Cass City vs. Vassar - 7:30 PM
St Charles vs. TBD - 7:30 PM
BOYS SOCCER (Home team listed first)
Tuesday – Sept. 8
Ithaca vs. Alma - 5:30 PM
St. Joseph vs. Kalamazoo Loy Norrix - 6:30 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Portage Central - 6:30 PM
Cedar Springs vs. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg - 6:45 PM
East Grand Rapids vs. TBD - 6:45 PM
Bloomfield Hills vs. TBD - 7 PM
Saline vs. DeWitt - 7 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Bloomfield Hills Roeper - 7 PM
Walled Lake Western vs. South Lyon East - 7 PM
Walled Lake Central vs. Waterford Kettering - 7 PM
Freeland vs. Birch Run - 7 PM
White Lake Lakeland vs. South Lyon - 7 PM
Brighton vs. Howell - 7 PM
Wednesday – Sept. 9
Plainwell vs. TBD - 6 PM
Hemlock vs. Standish-Sterling - 7 PM
Thursday – Sept. 10
Manchester vs. Stockbridge - 5:30 PM
Warren De La Salle Collegiate vs. Detroit Catholic Central - 6 PM
Chesaning vs. Otisville LakeVille - 6 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Richland Gull Lake - 6:30 PM
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Middleville Thornapple Kellogg - 6:45 PM
Clare vs. Ogemaw Heights - 7 PM
Bloomfield Hills vs. Oxford - 7 PM
South Lyon vs. Walled Lake Northern - 7 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep School vs. TBD - 7 PM
Troy vs. Berkley - 7 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Romulus Summit Academy North - 7 PM
South Lyon East vs. Walled Lake Central - 7 PM
Brighton vs. Novi - 7 PM
Howell vs. Salem - 7 PM
West Bloomfield vs. Utica - 7 PM
Freeland vs. Bay City John Glenn - 7 PM
Friday – Sept. 11
East Grand Rapids vs. TBD - 4 PM
White Lake Lakeland vs. Walled Lake Western - 4:45 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. Warren Woods-Tower - 7 PM
Saturday – Sept. 12
Multi-team Event @ Pontiac Notre Dame Prep - 9 AM
Monday – Sept. 14
Ithaca vs. Hemlock - 5:30 PM
Manchester vs. Quincy - 5:30 PM
Vicksburg vs. Allegan - 6 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Midland - 7 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. Macomb L'Anse Creuse North - 7 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. East Kentwood - 7:15 PM
Tuesday – Sept. 15
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood vs. Macomb Lutheran North - 4:30 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Battle Creek Central - 6:30 PM
Petoskey vs. Cadillac - 6:45 PM
Grand Rapids Catholic Central vs. Cedar Springs - 6:45 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Plymouth Christian Academy - 7 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. TBD - 7:30 PM
Now in its 12th year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. Pixellot – The NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution – is used by schools wishing to live stream games, but lacking the ability to staff the events. The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.
NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $10.99 a month. Subscribers will have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. All content becomes available for free, on-demand viewing 72 hours after being shown live. A portion of every subscription sold by an SBP school goes to benefit its program.
A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.