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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: 11/17/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 17, 2021

1. VOLLEYBALL No. 9 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart advanced to the Semifinals for the first time with a sweep of No. 5 Traverse City Christian – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

2. VOLLEYBALL No. 3 Battle Creek St. Philip went five sets to get past top-ranked Adrian Lenawee Christian in a Division 4 Quarterfinal – Battle Creek Enquirer

3. VOLLEYBALL No. 2 Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central came back after losing the first set to defeat No. 3 Pewamo-Westphalia in four in Division 3 – Monroe News

4. VOLLEYBALL Indian River Inland Lakes will make its first Semifinal appearance after defeating Ironwood in Division 4 – Cheboygan Daily Tribune

5. VOLLEYBALL No. 2 Hudsonville finished a season sweep of No. 4 Rockford with a four-set win in Division 1 – FOX 17

6. VOLLEYBALL No. 5 North Branch will return to the Division 2 Semifinals after a sweep of No. 8 Cadillac – Flint Journal

7. VOLLEYBALL Honorable mention McBain held on 15-10 in the fifth set to defeat No. 6 Calumet in a Division 3 Quarterfinal – Cadillac News

8. VOLLEYBALL Allen Park Inter-City Baptist came back after losing the first set to defeat No. 7 Ubly in four in Division 4 – Southgate News-Herald

9. VOLLEYBALL No. 3 Ann Arbor Skyline is headed back to the Semifinals for the second time in three seasons thanks to a 3-1 win over No. 7 Northville in Division 1 – Ann Arbor News

10. VOLLEYBALL With its top hitter back from injury, top-ranked Pontiac Notre Dame Prep advanced in Division 2 with a sweep of No. 4 Detroit Country Day – Detroit News

Also of note …

VOLLEYBALL Three-time reigning Division 2 champ and current No. 2 Grand Rapids Christian moved to within two more wins of a fourth title with a sweep of honorable mention Niles – Grand Rapids Press

VOLLEYBALL Top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Marian also will be returning to Kellogg Arena after a sweep of honorable mention Davison in Division 1 – Oakland Press

VOLLEYBALL Top-ranked Muskegon Western Michigan Christian advanced in Division 3 with a win over Watervliet – Grand Haven Tribune

VOLLEYBALL No. 10 Macomb Dakota advanced to the Division 1 Semifinals with a sweep of Dearborn Divine Child – Macomb Daily

VOLLEYBALL No. 9 Reese will be making its first Semifinal appearance since 2010 after defeating Royal Oak Shrine Catholic 3-1 in Division 3 – WJRT

VOLLEYBALL No. 3 Lake Odessa Lakewood will return to the Division 2 Semifinals after a sweep of Onsted – Lansing State Journal