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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: 9/18/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 18, 2023

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Ann Arbor Pioneer girls – No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – and No. 2 Brighton boys (on a tie-breaker) won Spartan Elite races at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational – Livingston Daily Press & Argus | Athletic.net

2. BOYS SOCCER Marquette traveled downstate and defeated Gaylord, Harbor Springs and Kalkaska to win the Suttons Bay Weber Invitational – Marquette Mining Journal

3. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 6 Temperance Bedford improved to 30-1 with a championship at the Ypsilanti Lincoln Invitational – Monroe News

4. VOLLEYBALL Traverse City Central swept Division 3 No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis to clinch the Cadillac Invitational title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD4 No. 6 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian girls were among champions at the Sparta Invitational – Local Sports Journal | Athletic.net

6. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 2 Romeo girls and No. 7 Oxford boys were among several champions at the 55th Holly Duane Raffin Festival of Races – Athletic.net

7. VOLLEYBALL Homer came back after losing the first set to defeat Parma Western and clinch the championship win at the Spring Arbor Tournament – Jackson Citizen Patriot

8. CROSS COUNTRY The Reed City and Mason County Eastern teams swept titles at the Evart Invitational; Mason County Eastern’s girls are No. 11 in LPD4, and the boys are No. 3 – Big Rapids Pioneer | Ludington Daily News | Athletic.net

9. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 7 Adrian Lenawee Christian won the Eaton Rapids Invitational, and Mackenzie Scheid went over 1,000 career kills for runner-up Coldwater – Coldwater Daily Reporter

10. VOLLEYBALL Niles Brandywine finished an undefeated day as champion at the New Buffalo Invitational – Niles Daily Star