Did you see that?
June 4, 2012
Saturday annually is the busiest high school sports day on the MHSAA calendar.
The Spring Finals match began with Girls and Boys Track and Field and Girls Tennis Finals at sites all over both peninsulas. There were Regionals for both boys and girls lacrosse, which finish up this weekend. And, of course, there were Districts galore for softball, baseball and girls soccer.
Here's our sampling of some of the highlights:
Girls Track and Field
19 records fall: It was quite day across the seven MHSAA Girls Track and Field Finals, with 19 records broken, and two athletes – Reed City’s Sami Michell and Norway’s Dani Gagne – winning four individual events apiece. (Second Half)
Coast to coast: The Grosse Pointe South 3,200 relay was responsible for one of two all-Finals records, and ran a time of 8:48.29 that also surpassed the national record for that event (but may or may not stand as the national record, depending on what other times were run and will be submitted after this spring.) (Detroit Free Press)
Boys Track and Field
LP filled with first-time champs: Lake Orion in Division 1, Auburn Hills Avondale in Division 2 and Lansing Catholic in Division 3 won their first MHSAA team championships. Also, nine records fell across the state. (Second Half)
Quite a comeback: Marquette trailed Gladstone by 27 points at the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Final with four events to run. But the Redmen outscored Gladstone 42-0 over those events to win their third straight championship. (Marquette Mining Journal)
Girls Tennis
Southeast sweep: Detroit suburban schools claimed all four MHSAA Lower Peninsula team championships – Grosse Pointe South in Division 1, Birmingham Seaholm in Division 2, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood in Division 3 and Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart in Division 4. (Second Half)
Freshman reigns: Utica freshman Davina Nguyen beat both the first and second seeds on her way to claiming the individual championship at No. 1 singles in Division 1. Nguyen was seeded fifth. (Macomb Daily)
Boys lacrosse
Cranbrook comes out on top: Cranbrook-Kingswood, ranked No. 3 in Division 2, emerged from a Regional that also included No. 4 Haslett/Williamston and No. 5 East Grand Rapids, beating the latter 8-4 in the Final. (Bloomfield Patch)
Girls lacrosse
EGR plays to top ranking, again: Rivals East Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Catholic Central met in one of the multiple close Regional Finals, with the top-ranked Pioneers downing No. 2 GRCC one more time, 11-9. (Grand Rapids Press)
Baseball
It’s Holt, again: The Rams claimed their second championship in a week over rival Grand Ledge – both have been ranked in Division 1 this season. Two weeks ago, Holt split with the Comets to win the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue. Standout Justin Alleman gave up two hits and struck out 18 as Holt also won Saturday to claim a District title. (Lansing State Journal)
Softball
In the end, it’s Mattawan: The season-long battle for statewide Division 1 and Kalamazoo-area supremacy was decided in part at Saturday’s District at Portage Central. Reigning MHSAA champion Mattawan emerged as the winner from a field that included top-ranked Portage Central – which was upset by Kalamazoo Loy Norrix in a semifinal. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Soccer
AAGR moves on: Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, No. 8 in Division 3, shut out No. 7 Jackson Lumen Christi 3-0 in the Division 3 District final at Brooklyn Columbia Central (AnnArbor.com)
Century of School Sports: We Recognize Those Who Make Our Games Go
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 11, 2025
A long-held and common philosophy among those serving in educational athletics is that celebrations of achievement should be focused primarily on the student-athletes who participate in MHSAA sports.
But those making those activities possible also realize more than most how much is accomplished behind the scenes – and the MHSAA annually recognizes those contributors as well.
Every school year, the MHSAA presents a series of service awards, voted upon by its Representative Council. Nominations are due by Nov. 1, and awards are then presented over the following months.
Below are brief descriptions of the MHSAA’s awards, and more information including all past honorees is available on the Awards page.
Winners of the 2024-25 Women in Sports Leadership, Nate Hampton Champion of Progress in Athletics and Charles E. Forsythe Lifetime Achievement awards will be announced later this month. This school’s year’s Vern L. Norris Leadership in Officiating Award honoree will be announced in April, and Allen W. Bush Meritorious Service Award winners will be announced later this spring.
Women In Sports Leadership Award: The MHSAA has honored 38 leaders since 1990 with this award, which is presented either during the every-other-year Women in Sports Leadership Conference or during MHSAA Finals in years between conferences. The WISL Award recognizes the impacts of women coaches, officials and athletic administrators.
Nate Hampton Champion of Progress in Athletics Award: The newest addition to the MHSAA’s annual honors was presented in 2024 for the first time and recognizes leaders who promote the advancement of opportunities for women, minorities and other underrepresented groups within interscholastic athletics, while serving as an administrator, coach, official, educator or school sports leader. Hampton served as an MHSAA assistant director for 32 years, retiring in 2021.
Charles E. Forsythe Lifetime Achievement Award: Since 1978, the Forsythe Award has honored 74 individuals who epitomize excellence and service throughout the interscholastic community based on outstanding contributions at the local, regional and statewide levels. Forsythe was the first fulltime executive director of the MHSAA, serving from 1931-68.
Vern L. Norris Leadership in Officiating Award: A total of 34 officials have been recognized with this award since 1992 for their participation in local officials associations, mentoring of other officials and involvement in officials education. Candidates all have been registered with the MHSAA for 20 or more years at the high school level. Norris served as the MHSAA’s executive director from 1978-86 and on staff for 23 years total, and also was a highly-respected game official.
Allen W. Bush Meritorious Service Award: Beginning in 1992, the Council has honored 108 individuals for their contributions in a number of roles including coach, administrator, game official, trainer, doctor or member of the media – focusing on candidates who have served without receiving much attention for their difference-making work. Bush was the MHSAA’s second fulltime executive director and served from 1968-78.
Previous "Century of School Sports" Spotlights
Feb. 4: WISL Conference Continues to Inspire Aspiring Leaders - Read
Jan. 28: Michigan's National Impact Begins at NFHS' Start - Read
Jan. 21: Awards Celebrate Well-Rounded Educational Experience - Read
Jan. 14: Predecessors Laid Foundation for MHSAA's Formation - Read
Jan. 9: MHSAA Blazes Trail Into Cyberspace - Read
Dec. 31: State's Storytellers Share Winter Memories - Read
Dec. 17: MHSAA Over Time - Read
Dec. 10: On This Day, December 13, We Will Celebrate - Read
Dec. 3: MHSAA Work Guided by Representative Council - Read
Nov. 26: Finals Provide Future Pros Early Ford Field Glory - Read
Nov. 19: Connection at Heart of Coaches Advancement Program - Read
Nov. 12: Good Sports are Winners Then, Now & Always - Read
Nov. 5: MHSAA's Home Sweet Home - Read
Oct. 29: MHSAA Summits Draw Thousands to Promote Sportsmanship - Read
Oct. 23: Cross Country Finals Among MHSAA's Longest Running - Read
Oct. 15: State's Storytellers Share Fall Memories - Read
Oct. 8: Guided by 4 S's of Educational Athletics - Read
Oct. 1: Michigan Sends 10 to National Hall of Fame - Read
Sept. 25: MHSAA Record Books Filled with 1000s of Achievements - Read
Sept. 18: Why Does the MHSAA Have These Rules? - Read
Sept. 10: Special Medals, Patches to Commemorate Special Year - Read
Sept. 4: Fall to Finish with 50th Football Championships - Read
Aug. 28: Let the Celebration Begin - Read
(MHSAA file photos.)