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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: 6/3/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

June 3, 2021

1. Boys Golf: No. 2 East Grand Rapids shot a 302 to win its Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional, followed by No. 4 Spring Lake and No. 6 Ada Forest Hills Eastern – Grand Rapids Press

2. Boys Golf: Troy Athens shot a 305 in LPD1 to win its first Regional title in this sport since 1993 – Oakland Press

3. Softball: Three Rivers’ Kali Heivilin moved to the front of the statewide home run race this spring, becoming the first to break the single-season record with her 27th homer coming against Berrien Springs – JoeInsider.com

4. Boys Golf: LPD4 No. 6 Maple City Glen Lake shot a 324 to edge No. 4 Charlevoix by a shot and clinch its first Regional title since 2012 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. Boys Golf: LPD3 No. 4 Big Rapids clinched its fifth-straight Regional title, shooting a 329 to tie Elk Rapids and winning on the tie-breaker – Big Rapids News

6. Boys Lacrosse: No. 4 Rockford locked up its fourth-straight Division 1 Regional title with a 16-5 win over Grandville – FOX 17

7. Boys Lacrosse: No. 5 Lake Orion won its second-straight Division 1 Regional title, this time with a 13-4 win over Rochester Adams – Oakland Press

8. Girls Soccer: Hartland stopped a late penalty kick and then scored the game’s lone goal in a 1-0 Division 1 District Semifinal win over Brighton – Livingston Press & Argus

9. Girls Soccer: Maggie Evans broke her sister Hanna’s Whitehall career goals record with three more in a Division 3 District win over Shelby – Muskegon Chronicle

10. Softball: Division 4 No. 2 Unionville-Sebewaing handed Division 3 top-ranked Millington its first defeat this spring, 9-1 – Mid-Michigan Now

Also of note …

Wrestling: Holt is mourning the death of coach Rocky Shaft, who led the Rams to a 618-106 record from 1980-81 through this winter – Lansing State Journal