Performance of the Week: Midland Dow's Victoria Garces

October 11, 2024

Victoria Garces headshotVictoria Garces ♦ Midland Dow
Senior ♦ Cross Country

The two-time MHSAA Finals top-five placer is undefeated in three races this season after winning last weekend's Saginaw Heritage Hawks Invitational by nearly 14 seconds with a time of 18:08.47. She opened her season Sept. 21 with a personal-record 17:17 to win the Gold championship at Cadillac's Veterans Serving Veterans Invitational, and that time remains the second-fastest in Lower Peninsula Division 1 this season. 

Garces finished fifth at the LPD1 Finals at Michigan International Speedway as both a junior and sophomore, and she placed ninth in Wisconsin's Division 1 championship race as a freshman. She finished second in the 3,200 (10:21.85) and third in the 1,600 (4:51.28) at this past spring's LPD1 Girls Track & Field Finals, and she will continue her career next fall at Duke. 

@mhsaasports 🏃‍♂️POW: Victoria Garces #crosscountry #HHDow #chargers #run #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA

@mhsaasports 🏃‍♂️POW: Victoria Garces #tiktalk #questiontime #qdoba #hearthands #emoji #gummyclusters #hawaiian #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

Previous 2024-25 honorees

Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26:
Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19:
TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12:
Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6:
Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30:
Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Midland Dow girls cross country program.)

Performance of the Week: Grand Rapids Northview's Cam Ryans

February 13, 2026

Cam Ryans headshotCam Ryans ♦ Grand Rapids Northview
Senior ♦ Basketball

The 6-foot-5 all-state forward scored 41 points as Northview defeated reigning Division 1 champion East Lansing 63-46 at the 2K26 Classic at Grand Rapids Community College – breaking the Trojans’ 40-game winning streak. Ryans also had 10 rebounds and five assists during what also was a matchup of potential Mr. Basketball Award finalists as East Lansing is led by senior KJ Torbert.

Nearly as impressive as the win Saturday was that it came just a day after Northview fell to Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold rival Grand Rapids South Christian, 50-47 in overtime. Northview is 14-4 and tied with South Christian for first in the league. Ryans has scored more than 1,500 points during his career and set his school’s career scoring record during a Jan. 9 win over the Sailors. He’s signed to continue his career at Western Michigan, joining his brother EJ Ryans, a sophomore for the Broncos.

@mhsaasports 🏀POW: Cam Ryans #northview #basketball #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA

@mhsaasports 🏀POW: Cam Ryans #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #highschoolsports #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA

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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and X @mistudentaid.

Previous 2025-26 honorees

Feb. 6: Melanie Kolnitys, Midland Dow basketball - Report
Jan. 29:
Stella Musialowski, Huron Valley United gymnastics - Report
Jan. 22:
Baylor Perkins, Grand Blanc swimming - Report
Jan. 15:
Delaney Vanier, Flint Kearsley bowling - Report
Jan. 8:
Stevie Hall, Detroit Cass Tech basketball - Report
Dec. 18:
Ethan Martha, Ishpeming Westwood basketball - Report
Dec. 11:
Louis Smith, Three Rivers wrestling - Report
Dec. 4:
Traverse Smith, DeWitt football - Report
Nov. 28:
Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield swimming - Report
Nov. 20:
Brady Kieff, Blanchard Montabella football - Report
Nov. 13:
Ella Laupp, Battle Creek Harper Creek swimming - Report
Nov. 7:
Hunter Eaton, Charlevoix cross country - Report
Oct. 31:
Stephen Gollapalli, Lansing Christian tennis - Report
Oct. 23:
Talya Schreiber, Pickford cross country - Report
Oct. 16:
Avery Manning, Dexter golf - Report
Oct. 9:
Brady Van Laecke, Hudsonville football - Report 
Oct. 2:
Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25:
Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18:
Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11:
Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4:
Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Midland Dow girls basketball program.)