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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: 5/1/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 1, 2023

1. TRACK & FIELD The Detroit Renaissance girls and Ann Arbor Huron boys won the 9th Courageous Invitational at Wayne State, with Huron’s Braxton Brann and Oak Park’s Kylee King among standouts – Athletic.net

2. GIRLS TENNIS Lower Peninsula Division 3 top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood downed No. 2 Chelsea 6-2 – Chelsea Sun Times News

3. TRACK & FIELD Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Rachel Forsyth and New Baltimore Anchor Bay’s Thomas Westphal won the elite mile race at the annual Barnyard Invitational in Romeo – Macomb Daily

4. GIRLS SOCCER Plainwell handed Division 1 No. 8 Mattawan its first loss this season, 3-0 – Kalamazoo Gazette

5. GIRLS SOCCER Division 1 No. 2 Rochester won a key Oakland Activities Association Red match over Troy 2-1 – Oakland Press

6. TRACK & FIELD The Hart boys and Pewamo-Westphalia girls won at the Kent City Elite Invitational – Local Sports Journal

7. TRACK & FIELD Traverse City West swept titles at the Mount Pleasant Oiler Invitational; West’s girls are No. 2 in LPD1, and the boys are No. 5 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. BASEBALL Division 2 No. 5 Bay City John Glenn defeated Division 3 No. 16 North Muskegon and Whitehall at the Whitehall Invitational – CatchMark SportsNet

9. TRACK & FIELD The Kingsley girls and Reed City boys were champions at the Reed City Coyote Invitational – Cadillac News

10. TRACK & FIELD The Corunna boys and Chelsea girls were victorious at the Mason Invitational – Owosso Argus-Press