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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: 9/26/22

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 26, 2022

1. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Milan – ranked No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – repeated as Monroe Country champion with Hannah Smith earning “Athlete of the Meet” – Monroe News

2. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 2 Ann Arbor Pioneer, Tecumseh, and LPD3 No. 3 Jackson Lumen Christi girls and LPD1 No. 8 Ann Arbor Skyline, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard and LPD3 No. 4 Hanover-Horton boys won Jackson Invitational titles – Jackson Citizen Patriot | Athletic.net

3. CROSS COUNTRY The Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central and LPD2 No. 3 Otsego girls and LPD3 top-ranked Hart, LPD2 No. 3 East Grand Rapids and LPD1 No. 3 Portage Central boys won at the Cougar/Falcon Invitational – Athletic.net

4. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Wyandotte Roosevelt broke Trenton’s five-meet winning streak in claiming the Downriver Classic title – Southgate News-Herald

5. BOYS TENNIS LPD4 No. 3 Big Rapids won its home invitational against a field that included runner-up Zeeland West and third-place and LPD3 No. 10 (tied) Sturgis – Big Rapids Pioneer

6. CROSS COUNTRY The Midland Dow and LPD3 No. 6 Elk Rapids girls and LPD2 No. 15 Freeland and LPD3 No. 7 Benzie Central boys won Cadillac Invitational titles – Midland Daily News | Athletic.net

7. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 5 Indian River Inland Lakes downed Sault Ste. Marie to clinch the St. Ignace Invitational title – Cheboygan Daily Tribune

8. VOLLEYBALL Sturgis defeated the host in the championship match to win the Bridgman Invitational; Bridgman is ranked No. 9 in Division 3 – Sturgis Journal

9. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 7 Traverse City West, Charlevoix and LPD4 No. 4 Harbor Springs girls and LPD4 No. 3 Petoskey St. Michael, Kalkaska and LPD2 No. 13 Petoskey High boys won Petoskey Invitational championships – Athletic.net

10. VOLLEYBALL Lake City won the Kalkaska Invitational with a defeat of Linden in the final – Cadillac News