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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: 5/24/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 24, 2021

1. Track & Field: Northville’s boys won their first Regional title since 1968, topping a 15-team field in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – Observer & Eccentric

2. Girls Tennis: No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Marian was the champ and No. 5 Birmingham Groves runner-up at their Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional – Oakland Press

3. Track & Field: Carson City Crystal’s No. 3-ranked boys won their first Regional championship, in LPD4 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

4. Track & Field: Petoskey’s girls edged Freeland’s by 1.5 points for the Regional win in LPD2 thanks to a seventh place in the final event – Petoskey News-Review

5. Girls Soccer: Division 2 No. 16 Dearborn Divine Child downed Farmington Hills Mercy 3-2 in the Detroit Catholic League Bishop championship game to clinch its first league title in this sport – Southgate News-Herald

6. Track & Field: Oak Park’s girls edged Detroit Renaissance by 20 points to win their LPD1 Regional – Oakland Press

7. Track & Field: Macomb Dakota swept LPD1 Regional titles, with Clinton Township Chippewa Valley freshman Shamar Heard the talk of the meet. Dakota’s girls are ranked No. 5 and the boys are No. 6 – Macomb Daily

8. Girls Soccer: Armada avenged its lone league defeat with a 7-2 win over Division 3 No. 20 Algonac to secure the Blue Water Area Conference title – Macomb Daily

9. Boys Tennis: West Iron County edged Negaunee by a point to win the Kingsford Invitational, which featured the top teams in the Upper Peninsula – Marquette Mining Journal

10. Boys Golf: LPD1 No. 3 Detroit Catholic Central shot a two-round 620 to win the Katke Classic, with LPD3 No. 1 Hanover-Horton placing second – Big Rapids News

Also of note …

Boys Golf: LPD4 No. 4 Charlevoix wrapped up the Lake Michigan Conference title shooting a 312 – Petoskey News-Review

Boys Lacrosse: Ryan Stadelmaier set the MHSAA single-game record with 16 assists as part of Midland/Dow’s 22-1 win over Linden in a Division 1 Regional opener – Midland Daily News

Baseball: Division 4 No. 14 Muskegon Catholic Central clinched a share of the Lakes 8 Conference title with a 6-1 win over Muskegon Orchard View – Local Sports Journal

Girls Soccer: Schoolcraft’s Hannah Thompson set the single-season state goals record this spring. But the most incredible story tells of how she has saved her mother’s life twice – Kalamazoo Gazette