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High 5s: 11/14/12

November 19, 2012

All three of this week's honorees have achieved some sort of first-time stardom this fall, either individually or as a team. And both Carli Snyder and Alex Grace will be back next fall to continue building on these accomplishments. 

Carli Snyder
Macomb Dakota junior
Volleyball

(UPDATED 11/19) Snyder, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, was an all-stater her first two seasons of high school. But she will be remembered even more for leading Macomb Dakota this fall to its first MHSAA championship in any girls sport. The Cougars defeated Temperance Bedford in three games in Saturday's Class A Final at Kellogg Arena. Snyder unofficially finished this season with 913 kills, good for seventh in the MHSAA record book since the beginning of the rally scoring era in 2004-05. Her 31 kills against Bedford were third-most for a Final during that time. Snyder already has committed to sign with the University of Florida next year. She likely will be among frontrunners for next fall's Miss Volleyball award. 

Title talk: "We wanted this thing so bad. Every girl on this team wanted it so badly. Megan (Manierski) was setting the ball perfectly. She made it very easy to get kills. ... Just talking about this moment, this gym, it makes you just want to play harder than you ever have."

Winning recipe: "We've been a competitive team in practice and in games all year, so I think that helped us at that moment (in three close Finals games) when we just didn't want to lose. We refused to lose. ... We support each other no matter what. And we hustled so hard."

Shake it up: "We have some secret handshakes with other people, but mine are very complex. I don't know how we went about that. Megan and mine is from "Parent Trap," and then Megan Downey and mine, we just made it up at team dinner. We make it a bit more complex than it needs to be, but it's fun. And it's a great thing to calm us down for a game when we've played a bad one before."

Had to be a Gator: "I like warm weather. I love the coaches. I actually called Florida for my recruiting phone call because I was kinda bored one day at home and I was like, 'I got a letter from them.' I fell in love with the coaching staff, and I told my mom that I needed to go on a visit down there. It's incredible, and when I went down there I was even more in love. Even on the phone, I knew this is where I would end up. It's just that feeling. You know when you get that feeling, and it's incredible."

Click to read more.

Alex Grace
Saginaw Swan Valley sophomore
Football

The Vikings' leading rusher is also one of the leading rushers in the state this season heading into Saturday's Division 4 Semifinal against Detroit Country Day. Grace has gained 2,091 yards plus run for 27 touchdowns, and needs only 109 yards and three more scores to make the MHSAA record book in both categories. He ran for 182 yards and three scores in the Vikings' Regional Final win over Croswell-Lexington. Grace took over as Swan Valley's running back this season after the graduation of his brother Johnathan, who rushed for 1,790 yards last season and now plays at Michigan Tech. Both brothers ran on Swan Valley's 400-meter relay that finished runner-up at the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Track and Field Final in the spring. Alex is 6-0 and 185 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

I'd like to run like: "Even my brother. I like to look at myself as close to him. Professionally, (Minnesota Vikings back) Adrian Peterson. He's a tough runner, fast. He's strong."

Underdogs again: "The last game against Croswell, they were the No. 2 team and we were predicted to lose. But we came back and beat them. I use that underdog feeling to work harder each day."

Best brotherly advice: "Work hard, and if there are doubters, don't let them get you down."

Science and math: (My favorite classes are) biology and economics. They just come easy to me. I enjoy it."

Click to read more. 

Flint Beecher football

The Buccaneers, coached by former Michigan State and NFL standout Courtney Hawkins, were one of the final teams selected for the playoffs, at 5-4 after a 3-4 start. But Beecher advanced to this week's Division 7 Semifinal against Detroit Loyola by eliminating reigning champion Saginaw Nouvel, 19-15, in last week's Regional championship game. Beecher, now 8-4, has made the playoffs six straight years. The first of that run came in Hawkins' second as coach and after 12 straight losing seasons. 

Click to read more. 

Previous 2012-13 honorees:

Bloomfield Hills players celebrate their five-set comeback win over Rockford on Thursday at Kellogg Arena.

Story in Photos: 2025 Volleyball Division 1 & 4 Semifinals

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 20, 2025

BATTLE CREEK – The first day of these MHSAA Girls Volleyball Semifinals saw three of four matches go five sets over 10 hours at Kellogg Arena, with the dramatic moments starting early and ending when the final point hit the floor.

All of the excitement set up Saturday's Division 1 and 4 championship matches, and possibilities for first-time champions in both – but with highly-ranked contenders hoping to stand in the way of those aspirations.  

Saturday’s first two title matches will see the following face off:

10 a.m. – Division 4 – Fowler (35-8-2) vs. Mendon (38-6-1)
Noon – Division 1 – Farmington Hills Mercy (41-5-3) vs. Bloomfield Hills (43-6-1)

Mendon is seeking its first Finals championship since 2019, and Fowler its first in program history. They finished Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the final regular-season coaches poll.

Mercy, No. 3 in the final Division 1 rankings, most recently won the Division 1 title in 2023. No. 2 Bloomfield Hills has never won a Finals title – but ended an incredible run by top-ranked Rockford on Thursday to earn the opportunity. 

Division 2 and 3 Semifinals will be played Friday. Click here for more.

Hockey Weekly Action Photos captured the following from Thursday’s action.

Bloomfield Hills senior Kayla Nwabueze sends a kill attempt into a Rockford block during the Black Hawks' 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-13 win over Rockford.

Bloomfield Hills senior Kayla Nwabueze (far right) sends a kill attempt into a Rockford block during the Black Hawks' 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-13 win over Rockford. Nwabueze finished with 43 kills, which are tied for second-most for a single match during the MHSAA Semifinals or Finals since the start of the rally scoring era in 2004-05. 

Rockford senior Liv Hosford (1) sends a kill attempt into the block of Bloomfield Hills junior Brynn Wilcox (2) and freshman Emily Nwabueze (8). Hosford had 23 kills for the Rams, who finished 46-2-1.

Farmington Hills Mercy junior Kate Kalcynski (2) attempts to slam a kill past Byron Center senior Lainey VanTol (5) and junior Cara Crittendon during the Marlins’ 25-27, 24-26, 25-16, 25-17, 16-14 victory. Kalcynski totaled 30 kills and 21 digs.

Farmington Hills Mercy junior Kate Kalcynski (2) attempts to slam a kill past Byron Center senior Lainey VanTol (5) and junior Cara Crittendon during the Marlins’ 25-27, 24-26, 25-16, 25-17, 16-14 victory. Kalcynski totaled 30 kills and 21 digs.

Byron Center junior Caitlin Hartson (1) attempts to get a kill over the Mercy block of Kalczynski and sophomore McKenzie Andrews (12).

Byron Center junior Caitlin Hartson (1) attempts to get a kill over the Mercy block of Kalczynski and sophomore McKenzie Andrews (12). Hartson finished with 16 kills as the Bulldogs ended their season 37-6-2.

Mendon junior Karyssa Holtz (3) sets as teammates Cienna Nightingale (9) and Sabrina Monroy make their moves toward the net.

Mendon junior Karyssa Holtz (3) sets as teammates Cienna Nightingale (9) and Sabrina Monroy make their moves toward the net. Holtz finished with 40 assists, Nightingale had six kills and Monroy had four in Mendon’s 25-18, 25-22, 27-25 win.

Ubly senior Sophi Heleski (4) elevates for a kill attempt.

Ubly senior Sophi Heleski (4) elevates for a kill attempt. She finished with three kills and four digs for the Bearcats (30-11-4).

Fowler players celebrate their 26-24, 30-28, 20-25, 19-25, 15-8 win over Crystal Falls Forest Park in the day’s first match.

Fowler players celebrate their 26-24, 30-28, 20-25, 19-25, 15-8 win over Crystal Falls Forest Park in the day’s first match.

Forest Park junior Vienna Price (4) sets with senior Elsie Williams (2) ready for the next attack

Forest Park junior Vienna Price (4) sets with senior Elsie Williams (2) ready for the next attack. Price had 17 assists and Williams had 32. The Trojans finished this season 42-2.

TOP PHOTO Bloomfield Hills players celebrate their five-set comeback win over Rockford on Thursday at Kellogg Arena.