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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:

Today In The MHSAA

Today in the MHSAA: 2/3/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 3, 2025

1. WRESTLING Division 1 No. 2 Brighton finished first and No. 4 Hartland second at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Tournament – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. WRESTLING Division 4 No. 2 St. Louis clinched its 11th league title in 12 seasons by finishing first in the Jack Pine Conference – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

3. WRESTLING Gaylord clinched its 17th-straight Big North Conference title – Petoskey News-Review

4. COMPETITIVE CHEER Rochester claimed a third-straight league title, finishing less than a point ahead of runner-up Stoney Creek at the final Oakland Activities Association Red competition – Oakland Press

5. WRESTLING For the second-straight season, Melvindale finished first and Dearborn Heights Crestwood second in the Western Wayne Athletic Conference – Southgate News-Herald

6. WRESTLING LeRoy Pine River finished a sweep of Highland/Mid Michigan Conference championships with a first place in the individual tournament – Cadillac News

7. WRESTLING Division 4 No. 9 Bronson finished a sweep in the Big 8 Conference – Coldwater Daily Reporter

8. WRESTLING Division 2 No. 10 New Boston Huron also finished a championship sweep, in the Huron League – Southgate News-Herald

9. WRESTLING Division 4 No. 7 Lakeview finished an undefeated sweep of Central State Activities Association championships – Greenville Daily News

10. BOWLING The Ishpeming/Negaunee girls and Ishpeming Westwood boys were champions at the Upper Peninsula Bowling Conference finals – Marquette Mining Journal

Also of note …

GIRLS BASKETBALL AJ Rickli became Paw Paw’s all-time leading scorer during a 50-47 win over Vicksburg, and Kalamazoo Christian’s Jordyn Bonnema set a single-game scoring record against Parchment – Kalamazoo Gazette

BOYS BASKETBALL Flint Carman-Ainsworth’s Donovan Hamlin reached 1,000 career points during a win over Detroit Catholic Central – WJRT

GIRLS BASKETBALL Audrey Wardlow became the third in program history to reach 1,000 career points for Pinckney – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

WRESTLING Southgate Anderson finished an outright championship in the Downriver League – Southgate News-Herald

WRESTLING Division 2 No. 8 Freeland finished first and Essexville Garber second in the Tri-Valley Conference – Bay City Times

WRESTLING Lapeer finished first and Midland second in the Saginaw Valley League – Midland Daily News