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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: 1/5/26

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

January 5, 2026

1. BOYS WRESTLING Top-ranked Detroit Catholic Central edged No. 4 Brighton by a point to win its invitational, which featured four of the top six ranked teams in Division 1 – Detroit Catholic Central athletics

2. BOYS BASKETBALL Stevie Hall scored his 1,000th career point and the game winner in Detroit Cass Tech’s 54-52 win over Cleveland Central Catholic at the Detroit Public School League Holiday Classic – Detroit Free Press

3. GIRLS WRESTLING LeRoy Pine River clinched the Montague Invitational with Kaylee Gibson’s win over No. 2-ranked Lowell in the day’s final match – Cadillac News

4. BOYS WRESTLING Division 2 No. 7 Freeland repeated as Saginaw County champion – Saginaw News

5. BOYS BASKETBALL Michael Lindquist became the second Greenville boys basketball player to reach 1,000 points, doing so during a 71-56 win over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central – Grand Rapids Press

6. GIRLS WRESTLING Bay City John Glenn won the championship at the Reed City Invitational by 30 points – Bay City Times

7. GIRLS BOWLING Rockford defeated reigning Division 4 champion Ravenna to clinch the Fruitport Invitational title – Rockford Athletics

8. ICE HOCKEY Division 3 No. 4 Houghton defeated Division 1 No. 7 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 5-1 and No. 5 Brighton 6-1 during a downstate trip – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

9. GIRLS BASKETBALL Saginaw Heritage handed DeWitt its first loss, 60-55 in double overtime – Saginaw News

10. BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING Spring Lake – ranked No. 8 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – set 34 personal records in winning its home invitational – Local Sports Journal

Also of note …

MHSAA Longtime Catholic High School League director Vic Michaels, a member of the MHSAA Representative Council for more than two decades, died at age 71 – Oakland Press

MEDIA The Detroit and statewide media communities are mourning the death of the Detroit News’ longtime prep sports reporter Dave Goricki – Detroit News

FOOTBALL Lansing Eastern hired Dan Boggan – the winningest coach in Lansing Sexton history – to take over the program – Lansing State Journal