Logo

Hoops on Film: 1976 Class D Girls Final

July 13, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director

One of the earliest championship games in MHSAA girls basketball history is featured 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:

Lake City 58, Perkins 48 – 1976 Class D Girls Final - Abby Currier scored 26 points and Becky Sessions added 22 as Lake City cruised past Perkins, 58-48, for the Class D title. Lynette Royer led Perkins with 23 points. This was the fourth Class D Final, as the girls basketball tournament started in 1973, and remains the lone championship game won by Lake City. The season before, the Trojans had bowed out in the Semifinals against eventual champion Flint Holy Rosary. The two teams met again in the semis in 1976, and this time it was Lake City which prevailed, advancing to the Final the following morning against Perkins and winning the school’s first MHSAA crown in any sport. It was the only appearance ever in an MHSAA statewide tournament final for Perkins, which merged the following year with nearby Rock to form Mid-Peninsula High School, about a half-hour’s drive north of Escanaba.  The newly-formed Wolverines would win the Class D crown in 1977.

Previous releases:
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch
1954 Class A Boys Final: Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) - Watch
1971 Class A Boys Final: Flint Northern 79, Detroit Kettering 78 - Watch

Watch O-K Blue Football Tilt LIVE

October 7, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director 

Among live events available this week on MHSAA.tv is a football game for the top spot in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue pitting Grand Rapids West Catholic at Comstock Park at 7 p.m. Friday.

The teams are tied for first in the O-K Blue at 2-0, with Comstock Park, the No. 2 team in Division 4 in this week’s Associated Press poll, sporting a 5-1 record;  and West Catholic, the two-time defending champion in Division 5, sporting a 4-2 overall mark. The game is being produced by Comstock Park students involved in the School Broadcast Program.

In its seventh 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. 

The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.  

All sporting events – Live or On-Demand – are available on a subscription basis only for their first 72 hours online.  They become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

Here’s the schedule of School Broadcast Program members planning to stream athletic competition this week for broadcast at MHSAA.tv.  On-Demand listings may be available as soon as one hour following an event’s completion.  (List as of Oct. 5):

Tuesday – Oct. 6

Wednesday – Oct. 7

Thursday – Oct. 8

Friday – Oct. 9

Monday – Oct. 12

Tuesday – Oct. 13

Weekly highlights from games produced by participants in the MHSAA's School Broadcast Program are back for another school year on MHSAA.TV. This week's highlights include football games with Houghton Lake at Clare and DeWitt at Haslett and a girls volleyball match between two of the top-ranked teams in Class D, Pellston at Onaway. Watch those highlights below.

Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.

Launching at Midnight every Friday throughout the season is MHSAA Football Friday Overtime on FOX Sports Detroit. Mickey York and Rob Rubick host the weekly 30-minute highlights show. The show will re-air most Saturday and Sunday mornings – and will be archived on the FOX Detroit Website. This week, FFOT will re-air at 6, 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, and 7  a.m. Sunday on FOX Sports Detroit. 

The following games are scheduled to be highlighted this week on Football Friday Overtime:

  • Berkley at Birmingham Groves
  • Farmington Hills Harrison at Farmington
  • Almont at Algonac
  • Haslett at Lansing Waverly
  • St. Johns at DeWitt
  • PLUS – SBP Coverage of Grand Rapids West Catholic at Comstock Park and Midland Dow at Davison.