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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:

Rochester Adams competitive cheer

Adams Leans on Finals Experience in Claiming 3rd-Straight Championship

By Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com

March 4, 2022

GRAND RAPIDS – The Rochester Adams competitive cheer team had a veteran group of athletes who had been there, and done that.

The nine seniors departed the program on top by bringing home one last championship.

The Highlanders captured the Division 1 Final on Friday at the Delta Plex after a highly-competitive run at the title among all eight teams.

The margin of separation between them was less than nine points, but it was Rochester Adams emerging victorious as the Highlanders completed a rare three-peat.

“It just takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but there were 16 girls who have been here since the beginning of our first state title and they've just learned the ropes and they know what it takes,” Adams coach Brooke Miller said. “They just put their whole heart and soul out there today, and it really paid off.”

The Highlanders finished with a three-round total of 793.74 to edge runner-up and 2019 champion Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (791.36).

“I can't put it into words because everything has been leading up to this moment, and we've gotten so close together,” said senior Sabrina Lee, who’s been on varsity all four years.

“It just really means everything to ourselves, this third one, and we just really needed to prove it to ourselves and we finally did. I’m proud of what we put on that mat.”

The two-time reigning champions staked their claim early and snared the lead with their best Round 1 of the season.

“Round 1 was our peak, and we absolutely nailed it,” Miller said. 

They followed with another top score in Round 2 (232.94) before entering the third round with a mere one-point lead over Rochester.

“Another great Round 2, and then we felt like we were ready to hit Round 3,” Miller said. “We had a couple of things that weren’t our absolute best, but we were so proud of ourselves for that.

Rochester Hills Stoney Creek competitive cheer“We had four girls who have been here all four years and some three years, and that leadership and experience were just absolutely valuable to our success today.”

Rochester Adams became the third school in Division 1 history to win three consecutive Finals titles, joining Rochester (which has done so multiple times) and Southgate Anderson.

“This has been a dream come true for us and only a few teams have ever done a three-peat,” senior Elizabeth Doran said. “To do it with my best friends and to make history for our school and to be a part of these teams has been incredible. I’m so sad to leave all of this.”

Stoney Creek secured its highest finish since winning its first championship in 2019.

“It’s a great honor,” Cougars coach Tricia Williams said. “There are a lot of great teams in our state and eight phenomenal teams here today. We just came out and wanted to put our three best rounds on the mat, and I think we did that. Coming out as runner-up feels fantastic.”

The Cougars jumped into second spot courtesy of a flawless third round effort. They tallied the highest Round 3 score of the night with an impressive 321.90.

“All the rounds were important, but we wanted to hit the third round and make sure we felt that feeling of being a team on that mat,” Williams said. “They were on fire, and there was not one deduction in that round. They hit it amazingly well, and I think our score showed that.”

Click for full results.

PHOTOS (Top) Rochester Adams competes on the way to winning its third-straight Division 1 title Friday at the Delta Plex. (Middle) Rochester Hills Stoney Creek celebrates its runner-up finish. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)