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: 10/15/20

October 15, 2020

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

A few more league races in volleyball and cross country came to an end Wednesday, while Boys Soccer Districts kicked off across the Lower Peninsula. 

1. Cross Country: Zeeland East’s girls claimed the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title, its first in the sport, while Zeeland West won the boys championship – Holland Sentinel Girls/Boys 

2. Volleyball: Niles swept Buchanan to clinch the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red title – Niles Daily Star

3. Boys Soccer: Macomb Lutheran North advanced in Division 3 with a District shootout win over No. 3 (MPR) Richmond – Macomb Daily

4. Boys Soccer: Rochester Hills Stoney Creek edged Rochester in overtime in a Division 1 opener – Oakland Press

5. Boys Soccer: No. 13 (MPR) Maple City Glen Lake scored two second-half goals to get past Charlevoix 2-1 in a Division 4 District opener – Up North Live

6. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 10 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian finished a win over Whitehall with a 31-29 fourth-set victory to advance in the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Tournament – Local Sports Journal

7. Boys Soccer: Hemlock opened its Division 3 District with a win over Saginaw Swan Valley – Saginaw News

8. Boys Soccer: Marcellus Howardsville Christian remained undefeated with a Division 4 District win over Lawton – WWMT

9. Volleyball: Division 2 No. 3 Cadillac improved to 30-5 with a sweep of Traverse City Central – Cadillac News

10. Boys Soccer: Essexville Garber built on its recent success with a Division 3 District win over Unionville-Sebewaing – Bay City Times

Also of note …

Volleyball: From Tuesday, Division 4 top-ranked Mendon swept Centreville to clinch the Southwest 10 Conference title – Sturgis Journal

Cross Country: From Tuesday, the Morenci girls and Erie Mason boys won Tri-County Conference finals – Adrian Daily Telegram

Cross Country: From Tuesday, Benzie Central swept the Northwest Conference championships; the boys are ranked No. 10 in LPD3 and the girls are No. 4  – Benzie County Record Patriot

Boys Soccer: From Monday, Livonia Stevenson downed Division 1 No. 14 (MPR) Salem to claim the overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship – Observer & Eccentric

Cross Country: From Monday, Sault Ste. Marie finished championship runs in the Straits Area Conference; the boys are an honorable mention in UPD1 and the girls are No. 3 – Sault Ste. Marie Evening News