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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:

Noel Bunch poses for a photo after winning the Division 2 singles title.

Dad's Memory Drives Bunch to Finish Kearsley Weekend Sweep with Singles Win

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

February 28, 2026

WATERFORD — Whenever she got into times of trouble or adversity during the Division 2 Singles Finals on Saturday, Flint Kearsley junior Noel Bunch knew who to turn to for comfort. 

Throughout the day, Bunch said her late father was often on her mind, particularly when she needed a good shot. Her father died last November after battling cancer. 

“Bowling has been a part of my family my whole life,” Bunch said. “(My dad) was a bowler and he taught me how to bowl. I just really wanted to keep the tradition going. I was just trying to think about that it was for him and I could do this.”

Bunch indeed did it for her family and herself, claiming her first individual Finals title and the first for a Kearsley girls bowler since Megan Time won in 2020. 

Bunch also pulled a championship double after being a part of Kearsley’s team title Friday. 

She qualified for the singles tournament the last two years, but didn’t make it past the qualifying block due to a big obstacle,

“This was my first year where I wasn’t super sick,” Bunch said. “I’ve been sick the last two years for states.”

Bunch defeated Three Rivers junior Jayna Larson in the final, overcoming a two-pin deficit after the first game (197-195) to win the second, 224-171, for a 419-368 overall win.

Bunch started off slowly in the second game but caught fire, bowling six straight strikes between the fourth and 10th frames to take control. 

“It was a ball adjustment,” Kearsley head coach Jeff Vanier said. “Her one ball was going a little too long. One lane was hooking more than the other. Once we figured that out, we made a ball change in the 10th frame of the first game. I liked how it read the lanes.”

Bunch went wire-to-wire, finishing first out of the qualifying block and beginning match play with a round of 16 win over Bay City John Glenn senior Haylee Timm.

Bunch then beat Swartz Creek sophomore Allison Temple in the quarterfinals and Dearborn Divine Child sophomore Ella Leieniewski in the semifinals. 

“She has been one of my top bowlers,” Vanier said of Bunch. “She’s either been my anchor bowler or my fourth bowler. She’s my best spare shooter, probably, on my team. She’s been solid all year.”

Larson was the second seed out of the qualifying block, and began her run to the final with a win over Divine Child junior Julia Sovinski in the round of 16. Larson then topped Kearsley senior Delaney Vanier in the quarterfinals and Bay City John Glenn junior Chelsie Voss in the semifinals.

It was the third straight year at the Singles Finals for Larson, who lost in the round of 16 two years ago and missed qualifying by eight pins last year. 

“I was just trying to focus and not be nervous, because when I was nervous I would tend to miss it at the bottom,’ Larson said. “Just be focused and try to hit a good shot.”

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