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)
Marquette Boys Rally with Richardson to Extend Finals Winning Streak
By
John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com
May 31, 2026
KINGSFORD — The Marquette boys maintained their stranglehold on the Upper Peninsula Division 1 Track & Field Finals title by scoring 117 points Saturday.
The Sentinels, who won for the sixth consecutive year, were followed by Sault Ste. Marie with 103 points and Houghton with 78.
Minnesota-Duluth football recruit Ford Richardson provided Marquette with firsts in the 300-meter hurdles in a season-best 40.99 seconds and the 400-meter dash at 50.84, and placed second in the 100 (11.2).
Richardson, who will play quarterback for the Bulldogs, also won the 300 hurdles in a school-record 40.15 a year ago.
“I’m pretty happy with that,” he said. “Going back-to-back feels real good. My starts went well today. I’ve been working out since basketball. I’m excited about playing college football this fall.”
The Sentinels continued to show their strength in the distances, led by junior Luke Ballard, who won the 800 (2:02.64) and 1,600 (4:24.26).
Senior teammate Rorik Holmquist was runner-up in the 800 in a personal-best 2:04.14 and the 1,600 (4:25.75) and 3,200 (9:41.97).
“My time was not as good in the 3,200 as I hoped, but I’m happy about my 800 and 1,600,” Ballard said. “The difference in the 1,600 was definitely my kick. Once I got around the last turn, I could open it up pretty easily. It’s always good to see the finish line.”
Sault senior Gabe Litzner, an Oakland University recruit, set a meet record in the 3,200 (9:33.81) which was slightly more than two seconds faster than his previous record from two years ago.
Litzner, however, ran his PR (personal record) earlier this spring at Shepherd where he was clocked at 9:06.22.
“I think I’m a little sick today, but I wanted to come here and win one anyway,” he said. “I’m definitely run down. I had been doing races for five months indoors. I’m just happy to bounce back and get a win. I’ve been getting ahead of myself and thinking more about college than high school. Marquette has a good program, and I’m glad they’re here to push me. The 4x800 (3,200 relay) and 1,600, I’m a little disappointed in that. I really had to grind it out in the 3,200. I’m taking a good 10-day break. I’m super excited to run for Oakland.”
Houghton junior Sam Roth claimed the 100 (11.1) and 200 in a school-record 22.53.
Classmate Michael Solena captured shot put (50-1¼) and discus (139-9).
“I’m just excited because the work I put in has paid off,” Roth said. “Brayden (Goudge) is really good. Having someone who’s competitive to run with in practice helps a lot. My start in the 100 was pretty bad, but I caught up. I’m just glad I could get it done. I just hope there’s good competition next year because that pushes you a lot. I’m just happy everything worked out.”
Gladstone junior Andrew Karl soared to victory at 14 feet in pole vault and Escanaba sophomore Andrew Hamlin won high jump (6-2).
Kingsford junior Gaige Sorenson took long jump (21-5) and Marquette senior Jacob Norman took the 110 hurdles (16.28). Sault Ste. Marie won the 400, 800 and 1,600 relays, and Marquette won the 3,200 relay.
PHOTOS (Top) Marquette's Ford Richardson catches his heel on the last hurdle, but he is still able to get the victory just ahead of Kingsford's Sid Olson. (Middle) In a very close 200, Houghton's Sam Roth, second from left, crosses the finish line ahead of Richardson (4) and Sault Ste. Marie's Kyan Hemenway (6). (Click for more from Cara Kamps/RunMichigan.com.)