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High 5s: 11/28/12

November 28, 2012

The final MHSAA championships of the Fall 2012 season give us our final High 5s before heading into winter. This week, we recognize both an individual and a team that achieved new heights. 

Drake Harris
Grand Rapids Christian junior
Football

A 6-foot-4, 180-pound receiver who has committed to play both football and basketball at Michigan State beginning in 2014, Harris posted one of the finest receiving season in MHSAA history capped by playing a huge role in his team's first MHSAA championship. The Eagles beat Orchard Lake St. Mary's 40-37 in overtime Saturday for the Division 3 title. His eight catches for a Finals-record 243 yards and a touchdown put his unofficial season totals at 91 catches for 2,015 yards and 25 scores. Once confirmed, the season yardage will rank as the most in MHSAA history and 12th nationally for one season (his yards per game rank fourth and yards per catch sixth on the NFHS lists). Harris also ranked fourth for catches and second for touchdown catches on the MHSAA single-season lists.

Just ducky: "I'm probably more energized now after he hit that kick," Harris said after teammate Joel Schipper's winning field goal Saturday. "I was probably more tired a little bit during the game. But we condition all practice. We play fast. We play like Oregon, move the ball, (at) a high tempo. We're all in condition, so we really weren't that tired." 

Bring on the new guy: Harris has caught more than 3,000 yards worth of passes from senior Alex VanDeVusse over the last two seasons, but will play with a new quarterback in 2013. "I've been with Alex since sophomore year. I guess I have to start over and work hard all next season and hope to get back here."  

Be like Calvin: "Calvin Johnson, I want to be just like him when I get older. I know I'm a little skinny right now, but when I get to college, I know they'll put weight on me. I watch film on him all the time, watch him running routes. So I take my game after him. He's the best wide receiver in the NFL right now, probably one of the best wide receivers to play the game, in my opinion." 

Click to read more. 

Portland football

The Raiders, unranked despite entering the postseason 8-1, finished with their first MHSAA title won in their first trip to the Finals. Portland defeated Grand Rapids West Catholic 12-9 in the Division 5 championship game after knocking out 2011 champion Flint Powers Catholic in the Regional Final. For the playoffs, Portland outscored its five opponents 169-66 while holding three to nine or fewer points. In finishing 13-1 and setting a school record for wins, the Raiders beat nine playoff teams total including eventual Division 3 Semifinalist DeWitt. 

Click to read more. 

Previous 2012-13 honorees:

Powers North Central’s Maddy Corrigan anticipates the official’s signal for pin during her 100th career victory last week at Bark River-Harris.

Corrigan Siblings Carry Success Into Regionals, Celebrate Madalyn's Milestone Win

By John Vrancic
Special for MHSAA.com

February 13, 2025

HARRIS — Like sister, like brother.

Upper PeninsulaThe wrestling season is winding down for Madalyn and Mitch Corrigan, who are already well into their individual championship pursuits.

Madalyn, a senior, wrestles for Powers North Central, and Mitch is a sophomore grappler at Bark River-Harris.

Despite the rivalry, the two siblings cheer for and support each other.

“We try to motivate each other,” Madalyn said. “I tell him, ‘You can do the same and more.’ If he’s in a good mood, he does the same for me.”

Madalyn earned her 100th career victory by pinning her Norway opponent 86 seconds into the 113-pound match during last week’s Division 4 Team District Final at Bark River-Harris.

Her victory also helped the Jets earn their first District title with a 36-30 triumph over the Knights.

“This is pretty exciting,” she said. “This wasn’t a goal I had in mind, but it means a lot. We’re only in our second year. None of us thought this would be possible so soon. I was depending on my teammates to make weight and win the first match so I could get my 100th. I had 14 victories after my freshman year. It never entered my mind that I would reach 100.”

The Jets also topped BR-H 36-30 in last Thursday’s opener, and Norway edged Iron Mountain 36-35 to advance.

Mitch Corrigan, left, wrestles North Central’s Myles Nehring.“I knew Maddy really wanted it,” Mitch Corrigan said. “She looked real happy, and I was pretty happy for her. There’s lot of competitiveness at home. Although, I wanted to see her do well even when they wrestled against us.”

Mitch won his match as well, taking a 13-9 decision at 215 pounds.

“One of our kids had to stop wrestling due to family issues,” he said. “I got bumped up a weight class and made sure to keep my hips back. This has been a big learning experience.”

Maddy Corrigan needed just 44 seconds to win by pin in a 120-pound match during the District Semifinal.

“I had a lot of motivation coming into this meet,” she said. “When I put my first foot on the mat, I told myself, ‘All you got.’ I left everything on the mat.”

Mitch Corrigan said he had high hopes going into Saturday’s Individual District at Manistique, where he reached the championship match and dropped a 15-12 decision to Charlevoix sophomore Ryan Glass at 190 but still advanced to this Saturday’s Individual Regional at Charlevoix.

“Maddy and I will be following each other the rest of the way,” Mitch said.

Maddy Corrigan also took runner-up honors in her Individual District at Gaylord, dropping a 4-3 decision to Frankfort junior Isabella Compton in the 115-pound title bout.

North Central’s team run ended Wednesday in Team Regional competition. But she will compete in the Individual Regional on Sunday at Cadillac.

The Individual Finals are set for Feb. 28-March 1 at Ford Field in Detroit.

John VrancicJohn Vrancic has covered high school sports in the Upper Peninsula since joining the Escanaba Daily Press staff in 1985. He is known most prominently across the peninsula for his extensive coverage of cross country and track & field that frequently appears in newspapers from the Wisconsin border to Lake Huron. He received the James Trethewey Award for Distinguished Service in 2015 from the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

PHOTOS (Top) Powers North Central’s Maddy Corrigan anticipates the official’s signal for pin during her 100th career victory last week at Bark River-Harris. (Middle) Mitch Corrigan, left, wrestles North Central’s Myles Nehring. (Photos courtesy of the Escanaba Daily Press.)