Reaching Higher Returns, Expands
June 19, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The annual Reaching Higher showcases of Michigan’s top high school basketball players will return for their 10th year June 23 at Milford High School in Highland Township, and for the first time volleyball players will take part in the Reaching Higher experience during a showcase July 18 also at Milford.
Nearly 200 athletes with aspirations to play basketball and nearly 80 with hopes of playing volleyball at the college level will train and scrimmage under the tutelage of high school coaches from across the state and in front of college coaches expected to represent a number of NCAA, NAIA and junior college programs.
For both sports, the Reaching Higher experience includes classroom sessions for student-athletes and their parents as well as on-court drills and scrimmaging. The events aim to give athletes a vision of what it takes to become a college player and also succeed in college life. Reaching Higher is a combined effort by the Michigan High School Athletic Association with the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan and Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association.
For both sports, participants were selected by a committee of coaches association members based on nominations by member basketball or volleyball coaches. A complete list of June 23 expected attendees can be found on the basketball Reaching Higher page of the MHSAA Website, while a complete list of expected attendees for volleyball will be posted closer to that event on the Reaching Higher page for that sport.
The boys basketball event begins at 11 a.m. on June 23, with scrimmages running from 1-3:30 p.m. The girls basketball event begins at 3 p.m., with scrimmages from 5-7:30 p.m. Speakers for the boys session include Reggie Butler, a standout at Southfield-Lathrup High School who went on to play at Xavier University and professionally overseas. Girls session speakers include Cassie Breen, who starred for Brownstown Woodhaven High and Central Michigan University and played professionally this past season in Spain.
Longtime coach Dave Ginsberg will speak with athletes; he coached at a number of Michigan high schools and also was an assistant men’s basketball coach at Central Michigan University for 16 years, and he currently serves as the secretary/treasurer of the National High School Basketball Coaches Association. Longtime high school and college coach Marc Comstock – currently the boys varsity coach at Grass Lake High School – and former Saginaw Valley State University and current Flint Powers Catholic athletic director Mike Watson will conduct sessions with parents during players’ drill and practice sessions.
The volleyball event begins at 9:30 a.m. on July 18. A schedule for the day including speakers will be added to the volleyball Reaching Higher page of the MHSAA Website closer to the event.
Below, State Champs Sports Network explains a little bit more about the history of the basketball Reaching Higher event.
Block Party: 2025 Girls Volleyball Week 3 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
September 10, 2025
We’re having a party, and volleyball fans everywhere are invited.
Volleyball has become Michigan’s most popular girls high school sport, with nearly 20,000 high school players last season. “Block Party” is our newest MHSAA.com endeavor, and we’ll be providing glances at some of the best and brightest on courts all over the state during the buildup to our annual Finals weekend at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
We hope these weekly reports – as they have for football and basketball – shine more light on the week-in, week-out competition that shapes every season, and on programs you may already know about but also several more than maybe you’ll read about for the first time.
This season's first matches were played Aug. 20, making this the midst of our third week (and hence, our Week 3 Report). Records, results and schedules below are based on what’s posted for teams and used to calculate Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) on MHSAA.com. Rankings noted below reflect the latest polls posted by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA).
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. North Branch d. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (25-17, 25-19) The Division 2 No. 3 Broncos finished 6-0 at the Pontiac Notre Dame Prep Invitational, with this toppling of the No. 2-ranked team in Division 3 its best victory.
2. Rockford d. Grand Rapids Christian (25-19, 25-21) The Rams downed the Division 2 No. 2 Eagles and also No. 7 Grand Rapids South Christian among other notables during its Rockford Rumble.
3. Traverse City St. Francis d. Roscommon (25-23, 23-25, 25-20) The Division 3 No. 8 Gladiators’ win over top-ranked Roscommon made a big wave, although St. Francis did also fall to Division 1 Midland Dow on this night.
4. Bloomfield Hills Marian d. Utica Eisenhower (29-23, 19-25, 15-9) This was arguably Division 1 No. 3 Marian’s most impressive win during a MI Elite Program Cup run that also included a two-set sweep of No. 9 Brighton. Eisenhower was ranked No. 6.
5. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central d. Imlay City (25-18, 20-25, 15-11) SMCC’s only loss at Notre Dame Prep was to North Branch (above), and the Kestrels earned a notable victory over Division 2 No. 5 Imlay City along the way.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
Bloomfield Hills (15-1-0) The No. 4-ranked Black Hawks did suffer their first loss of the season last week – in two sets to Marian. But they’ve otherwise have been unbeatable with wins over No. 5 Farmington Hills Mercy, honorable mentions Lake Orion and Novi and another Tuesday over Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, which ended Bloomfield Hills’ season last fall in a District Final. The Black Hawks will see Marian again Thursday.
Rockford (16-0-0) As noted above, the top-ranked Rams cruised through their Rockford Rumble, never dropping a set during victories over South Christian, East Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Christian and Division 1 honorable mention Mattawan. The win over the Eagles was Rockford’s second this fall; they’ve also downed No. 8 Grand Haven, honorable mention Byron Center and Division 2 No. 4 Holland Christian among several impressive squads over the first three weeks.
DIVISION 2
Grand Rapids Christian (7-4-0) The Eagles’ losses have all come to ranked Division 1 teams – twice to Rockford and once apiece to Grand Haven and honorable mention Hudsonville. Meanwhile, Grand Rapids Christian defeated Division 1 No. 7 Jenison and Mattawan at Rockford over the weekend, and most recently Grand Rapids South Christian and Holland Christian at a power-packed tri last week. South Christian had ended the Eagles’ season with a five-set Regional Final loss last year.
Parma Western (9-0-1) The Panthers will pick up Thursday after a two-week match break and are ranked No. 10 in Division 2 coming off last season’s Regional Final run. Their only non-win was a two-set draw with Division 4 honorable mention Adrian Lenawee Christian, and wins over Division 3 No. 4 Pewamo-Westphalia to start the season and No. 9 Hanover-Horton at the Chelsea Invitational stand out most. Parma Western will see No. 9 Tecumseh on Thursday.
DIVISION 3
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (10-1-1) The reigning Division 3 champion is off to another fast start, with that loss to North Branch over the weekend and an early two-set tie against New Boston Huron their only non-victories this fall – and the Kestrels have defeated Huron twice since including 25-18, 25-17, 25-12, on Tuesday. SMCC has lost only four sets total, and only one during an eventual match win.
Saginaw Valley Lutheran (9-2-1) The Chargers aren’t ranked at this time but may get some looks soon. They opened the season with a loss to Division 4 No. 7 Crystal Falls Forest Park at the Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart Invitational, but came back to defeat the Trojans in the semifinals that day before falling to still-undefeated Division 1 Greenville in the championship match. Valley Lutheran has lost only one set over six matches since, to Division 2 Williamston at the Owosso Tournament where the Chargers finished 4-0-1.
DIVISION 4
Hancock (8-1-1) The Bulldogs have followed up last season’s run to the Division 4 Semifinals with a fast start, finishing 4-1-1 at the Kingsford Invitational against a field including several larger opponents after finishing 1-2-1 at the same event in 2024. Hancock will have another chance to improve on last season when it heads to The Rock Invite on Saturday at Gladstone – where it went 1-1-1 in 2024.
Mendon (12-1-1) The Hornets are coming off their toughest weekend of these first few, having finished 3-1-1 at the Cereal City Classic with a loss to Division 1 Battle Creek Lakeview and draw with Division 2 Pennfield but wins over Division 1, 3 and 4 opponents. They also opened the fall with a 5-0 run through the St. Joseph County Tournament as they look to build on last season’s Regional Final run.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Wednesday – Flint Powers Catholic (7-5-1), Yale (14-2-0), Traverse City St. Francis (9-6-0) at Essexville Garber (9-6-2) – This quad features the No. 8 team in Division 3 – St. Francis – and the Division 2 honorable mention Dukes.
Thursday – Fowler (7-2-1) at Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (8-3-3) – The Division 4 top-ranked Eagles visit No. 8 Sacred Heart, which reached the Semifinals last season.
Thursday – Frankenmuth (3-3-4), Rochester (1-6-0), Temperance Bedford (9-1) at North Branch (11-0-0) – In addition to North Branch being ranked No. 3 in Division 2, Frankenmuth is No. 8 and Bedford always is a top team in Division 1.
Saturday – Motor City Power Series at UWM Sports Complex in Pontiac – Division 1 No. 4 Bloomfield Hills, honorable mention Northville, previously-mentioned North Branch, Canton, and White Lake Lakeland will make for an intriguing field.
Saturday – Makayla Kohn Memorial Invitational at Caledonia – The field of Mattawan, Edwardsburg, Byron Center, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, Ionia, Portage Central, Cadillac, Ada Forest Hills Eastern, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central and Traverse City St. Francis includes ranked teams from Divisions 1, 2 and 3.
PHOTO Laingsburg and Bath volleyball players meet over the net while connecting with the ball during a match Aug. 27. (Photo by John Johnson.)