Did you see that? (9/3-9/9)
September 10, 2012
School is back in session, and MHSAA teams should be hitting their best strides as league competition gets underway in most sports.
Here's a look at some of the highlights from the first full week of September, with links to additional coverage.
Volleyball
Spikes under the sun: Muskegon Mona Shores finished 3-0 in its home invitational Wednesday against a strong field of Grand Haven, Fruitport and Spring Lake. That's reason to celebrate on its own. But the best part of this story is where the Sailors did their damage -- on two portable courts stretched across the school's football field. (Muskegon Chronicle)
St. Philip takes Cereal City: Despite being one of the smallest schools in the state, it's rare that Battle Creek St. Philip doesn't leave a tournament as champion -- especially in its home town. But the Tigers hadn't won the Cereal City Invitational since 2007, until it did so with a two-set win over Class A honorable mention Temperance-Bedford this weekend. (Battle Creek Enquirer)
FHE is No. 1: Ada Forest Hills Eastern more than justified its ranking as best in the state in Class B by besting many of the best from the Grand Rapids area at the East Kentwood Invitational. Among others in the field were Class A No. 8 East Grand Rapids and reigning MHSAA Class A champion Rockford. (Grand Rapids Press)
Put them in the book: Johannesburg-Lewiston swept Gaylord St. Mary on Tuesday, thanks in part to 10 aces by junior Brittany Cherwinski, a total which will qualify for the MHSAA record book once documentation is submitted. In the team's previous match, junior Julia Nieman qualified for most assists in a match. (Gaylord Herald Times)
Cross Country
Harbor Springs rules the mud: Both the Harbor Springs boys and girls teams won their Charlevoix Classic Mud Runs on Saturday on a course that featured standing water and hay bales among other obstacles. It was the 21st year of the race. (Charlevoix Courier)
Running to records: Sault Ste. Marie has a freshman to watch in Parker Scott, who won his school's Bill Lynn Trails race Saturday in a time of 16:36 -- at least 26 seconds faster than any of the three first-place times from last season's MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals. The time was a school record. (Soo Evening News)
Swimming and Diving
West Ottawa wins West Michigan: Facing many of the biggest and best from that side of the state, Holland West Ottawa won the West Michigan Relays after finishing third in the event each of the last three seasons. Among those also in the field was reigning MHSAA Division 2 champion Holland. (Holland Sentinel)
Tennis
Dow rises again: The Division 2 top-ranked Midland Dow tennis team remained perfect this season by winning its third tournament of the fall, at Grosse Pointe North. Among others in the field were No. 2-ranked Portage Central and No. 3 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (Midland Daily News)
Mendon Closes 2026 Season with Now-Familiar Finish - as Division 4 Champion
By
Tim Robinson
Special for MHSAA.com
June 13, 2026
EAST LANSING – There’s nothing like repeating as a state champion.
Just ask the Mendon softball team, which downed Brown City 6-2 to repeat in Division 4 on Saturday at Secchia Stadium.
But getting there, especially for the first time, is special, too, as Brown City learned during a first-of-its-kind season for the program.
Mendon, which won its first Finals title a year ago, got on top early against the Green Devils, scoring two runs in each of the first, second and fourth innings. The Hornets then turned things over to pitcher Rowan Allen, who allowed only three hits, walked two and struck out 14.
It was a big day for Allen after what she described as an inauspicious start.
“I didn't feel good when I woke up this morning,” she said. “But once we got to the Final, I started feeling good.”
The Hornets (32-3) were feeling better after taking a 6-0 lead. “I felt good when we were six runs up,” Mendon co-coach Steve Butler said.
Allen contributed to the good feelings with a two-run double in the second inning. She went 2-for-2 at the plate and scored three runs.
Brown City made a bid in the seventh inning, scoring a pair of runs before Allen got out of trouble with a final strikeout.
For the Green Devils, it was a season to savor. They had never gotten past the Regional rounds before.
“Last year, we didn’t have Maddie,” Brown City coach Scott Parr said, referring to senior pitcher Maddie Hohne, who missed last season with an injury. “That kid is tough. It’s going to be tough to replace her.”
Hohne struck out 10 for Brown City (26-12).
Mendon will need to replace Allen, too. She kept the Green Devils at bay.
“She has a phenomenal changeup,” Hohne said.
After Brown City scored in the seventh inning, Allen put the final touches on a repeat title.
“I knew I had to buckle down,” Allen said. “I knew I couldn’t give up. My defense was behind me. I just had to finish.”
Senior shortstop Jadyn Samson also had two hits and scored three runs, and senior center fielder Taya Bingaman had two hits and drove in a run. Senior catcher Cienna Nightingale also drove in a run; those three and Allen were the team’s only returning starters from a year ago.
PHOTOS (Top) Mendon’s Rowan Allen (33), Brynley Jungers (12) and Brooke Gerth (6) get ready to start an inning Saturday at Secchia Stadium. (Middle) Jadyn Samson (15) rounds third base as her coach signals her home.