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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: 9/15/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 15, 2025

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Ann Arbor Pioneer girls and Northville boys – ranked No. 1 on their respective Lower Peninsula Division 1 lists – won the Elite races at the Spartan Invitational which also awarded championships to the LPD1 No. 15 Novi, Holland and LPD3 No. 7 Jackson Lumen Christi girls and LPD1 No. 6 Grand Ledge and LPD3 No. 3 Jackson Lumen Christi boys among several – Athletic.net

2. CROSS COUNTRY Holly’s Duane Raffin Festival of Races crowned 10 champions across five divisions: LPD1 No. 7 Ann Arbor Skyline, Midland Dow, LPD2 No. 11 Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard, Bronson and LPD4 No. 1 Whitmore Lake’s girls; and LPD1 No. 15 Ann Arbor Skyline, LPD2 No. 11 Richland Gull Lake, Flint Powers Catholic, Ann Arbor Greenhills and LPD4 No. 5 Whitmore Lake’s boys – Midland Daily News | Athletic.net

3. BOYS TENNIS LPD2 No. 2 Midland Dow defeated No. 3 Byron Center, No. 6 Portage Central and Grosse Pointe North at the Sunsational Invitational, which included Chargers’ coach Terry Schwartzkopf’s 400th match – Saginaw News

4. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 7 Crystal Falls Forest Park downed honorable mention Hancock to win its first championship at The Rock Tournament in Gladstone – Escanaba Daily Press

5. GIRLS GOLF LPD4 No. 2 Montague carded a 357 to win its Wildcat Invitational by 10 strokes – Local Sports Journal

6. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 6 Grand Haven went undefeated and downed Zeeland East in the deciding match to win its invitational – Grand Haven Tribune

7. BOYS TENNIS Bay City Western was first and St. Clair second at the Fenton Invitational – Bay City Times

8. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD3 No. 2 Pewamo-Westphalia girls and No. 12 boys swept Don Baese Invitational championships – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun | Athletic.net

9. GIRLS TENNIS Norway won three flights on the way to the Kingsford Invitational title – Escanaba Daily News

10. GIRLS SWIIMMING & DIVING Flint Kearsley finished first among seven contenders at the Ogemaw Heights Falcon Invitational – Flint Journal