Did you see that? (9/10-9/16)
September 18, 2012
One of the state's premier regular-season cross country events plus some big-time volleyball in the Upper Peninsula highlight the non-football highlights from the week that was Sept. 10-16.
(Click for the Drive for Detroit football report.)
Cross country
Elite meet at MSU: The Spartan Invitational, run at Michigan State's Forest Akers East Golf Course, is arguably the most competitive regular season event in this sport and draws a number of top teams from all over the state for a series of races. Champions on Friday were the Waterford Mott boys and Grosse Pointe South girls in the Elite races, the Ithaca boys and North Muskegon girls in the White division, the Haslett boys and the Spring Lake girls in the Bronze division, and Bloomfield Hills Lahser boys and Jenison girls in the Green division. Click the "Playmakers" link for results and the others for coverage. (Playmakers.com) (Grand Haven Tribune) (Lansing State Journal)
Volleyball
Capital of UP volleyball: Calumet, ranked fourth in Class C this week. defended its title at the Articatz Invitational Autumn Classic in Marquette by winning all 12 of its games. The field also included Marquette, Houghton and Escanaba among others. (Marquette Mining Journal)
Trojans at home above the net: More of the Upper Peninsula's top teams met nearer the Wisconsin border. Crystal Falls Forest Park, ranked No. 6 in Class D, defended its home tournament title with a 2-1 win over No. 10 Lake Linden-Hubbell in the final. (Iron Mountain Daily News)
Golf
Lakeview owns Battle Creek: Lakeview continues to rank among the state's best teams in Division 2, at No. 3 this week. And there's no question it's the best in Battle Creek, as evidenced by a sixth-straight All-City championship won with a score of 176 -- 45 strokes better than runner-up Harper Creek. (Battle Creek Enquirer)
Recognition
Clawson names Judy Hacker Field: Hacker, who died in 2011, was a pioneer of girls sports in the southeastern corner of the state during her time at the school from 1963-95. She coached basketball, volleyball, softball, track and field and field hockey at the school. The school dedicated its softball diamond in her name Saturday. (Oakland Press)
Moment: Look Back at Boys Track's Yesteryear
April 24, 2020
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Today's look back at MHSAA Finals past provides a pair of opportunities to take a trip back in time to a recognizable place as it hosted some of the legendary champions in state boys track & field history.
This collection of clips from the 1965 and 1968 Lower Peninsula Class A Finals at Michigan State University were donated to the MHSAA archives by Roseville High School and includes a variety of races and pole vault from those meets.
The 1965 championship was won by Kalamazoo Central, while Battle Creek Central repeated in claiming the 1968 title. Also notable: That 1968 meet saw Flint Central finish team runner-up for the sixth-straight season.
Flint Central's Len Hatchett was among stars of the 1965 meet as he won both the 120 and 180-yard hurdles. Battle Creek Central's Arnie Williams was a repeat winner in the 100.
The 1968 Finals saw a pair of two-time winners – Flint Central's Herb Washington in the 100 and 220 and Pontiac Central's Robert Johnson in the two hurdles races. Washington had won both sprints in 1967 as well. He went on to earn All-America honors four times at Michigan State while tying or breaking world records multiple times. He also played briefly for MLB's Oakland A'S and was drafted by the NFL's Baltimore Colts.