Did you see that? (10/29-11/4)

November 5, 2012

We had champions upon champions upon champions last week, whether they were winners of MHSAA Finals in cross country and soccer, Districts in volleyball or league champs in swimming and diving. 

Girls cross country

Favorites make good: Reigning individual champions Erin Finn of West Bloomfield, Julia Bos of Grand Rapids Christian and Kirsten Olling of Breckenridge all repeated Saturday at Michigan International Speedway, with Macomb Lutheran North's Gina Patterson joining the group. Second Half talked to all four. (Division 1) (Division 2) (Division 3) (Division 4)

Boys cross country

Taking two titles: Highland Milford and Concord won both the MHSAA Lower Peninsula team championships in their respective divisions Saturday and also had the top individuals in those races. Second Half provided same-day coverage from every race. (Division 1) (Division 2) (Division 3) (Division 4)

Soccer

Headed west: A year after Detroit-area teams claimed all four MHSAA LP boys soccer championships, Grand Rapids area teams took back three. East Kentwood, Hudsonville Unity Christian and Grand Rapids South Christian won titles, while Hamtramck Freedom International kept one on the east side of the state with its first Finals win. Second Half covered them all. (Division 1) (Division 2) (Division 3) (Division 4)

Volleyball

Hang that banner: Bay City John Glenn won its first volleyball District championship in the 47-year history of the school, beating Essexville-Garber in four sets to claim a Class B title. John Glenn had to come back after dropping the first game. (Bay City Times)

Hang that banner, part II: Three Rivers also won its first volleyball District championship, downing Vicksburg in four games to claim the Class B championship. (Sturgis Journal)

Copper Kings, once again: After finding itself only two points from the District championship in 2011, and then giving up the final five to lose it, Calumet defeated rival Houghton in three games to take back the trophy after two straight Houghton wins. The Copper Kings are ranked No. 4 in Class C. (Houghton Daily Mining Gazette)

West Iron ends near-decade of dominance: Iron River West Iron County had last won a District title in 2002, before nine straight by rival Iron Mountain. But the Wykons knocked out the Mountaineers in a Semifinal and came back from match point to score the final five and beat Ironwood for a Class C championship. (Escanaba Daily News)

Swimming and Diving

Holland still rules: Coming off their first MHSAA championship in 2011, the Dutch continue to roll and piled up seven O-K Green records in winning that league championship meet. Cassie Misiewicz and Holly Morren each set two individual marks. (Holland Sentinel)

Double Dow: Midland Dow won the Saginaw Valley League championship meet with 638 points, more than double that of the runner-up. The title was Dow's seventh straight. (Midland Daily News)

Wrestling

Longtime Napoleon coach steps down: Todd Anderson announced his resignation after running the program since 1990-91. His father Don Anderson started the program in 1967. (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)

Tennis

Forman is Mr. Tennis: Troy senior Brett Forman, the MHSAA Division 1 champion at No. 1 singles as a sophomore and runner-up this fall, was named Mr. Tennis by the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association. He finished his career with a 77-8 record. (Oakland Press)

Story of the Week

Kirsten fights on: A little more than a year ago, doctors found cancerous tumors throughout Kirsten Longstreth's body, including multiple in her lungs. But the Beaverton senior had fought back to nearly knock the cancer completely out, and while continuing to play sports including volleyball this fall. (Midland Daily News)

Today in the MHSAA: 9/28/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 28, 2023

1. GIRLS GOLF Paige Anderson carded a 4-under 69 to lead Muskegon Reeths-Puffer to the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association title after the team had only three golfers compete in the event last season – Local Sports Journal

2. BOYS TENNIS Flushing edged Goodrich to clinch the Flint Metro League Tournament and its sixth-straight league championship – WJRT

3. GIRLS GOLF Rochester High – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – shot a 310, and Madison Yang won a playoff for the medalist honor at the Oakland County Division 1 Championship – Oakland Press

4. BOYS TENNIS Traverse City Central won the Big North Conference Tournament to claim the league title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. GIRLS GOLF Battle Creek Harper Creek shot a 367 to win the Interstate 8 Athletic Conference Tournament and championship – Coldwater Daily Reporter

6. BOYS SOCCER Big Rapids finished a perfect head-to-head run through the Central State Activities Association with a win over Lakeview – Big Rapids Pioneer

7. GIRLS GOLF Traverse City Central scored a 343 to win the Cadillac Invitational by 10 strokes – Cadillac News

8. BOYS SOCCER Division 4 No. 14 Leland avenged last week’s loss to Suttons Bay with a 2-1 victory to create a three-team tie atop the Northwest Conference – Up North Live

9. BOYS SOCCER Huron League contenders Grosse Ile and Riverview played to a scoreless draw; Grosse Ile is ranked No. 7 in Division 3, and Riverview is No. 13 in Division 2 – Southgate News-Herald

10. BOYS SOCCER Saginaw Valley Lutheran held onto the top spot alone in the Tri-Valley Conference Blue with a 2-1 win over Bullock Creek – Midland Daily News

Also of note …

SOFTBALL Vestaburg and the mid-Michigan officiating community are mourning the death of Wolverines coach Phil Block, who also was a longtime softball and baseball umpire and officiated football, basketball, volleyball, cross country, track & field, swimming and wrestling as well over the last 16 years – Greenville Daily News