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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: 3/3/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

March 3, 2025

1. WRESTLING A total of 70 champions were crowned at the Individual Finals, including three who became the 38th, 39th and 40th four-time winners in MHSAA history – MHSAA.com

2. COMPETITIVE CHEER – Rochester Hills Stoney Creek and Allen Park repeated as Finals champions, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep returned to the top and Hanover-Horton claimed its first title – MHSAA.com

3. GIRLS BOWLING Grandville, Swartz Creek, Livonia Clarenceville and Ravenna claimed Finals team championships, and Novi, Tecumseh, Standish-Sterling and Bronson won singles titles – MHSAA.com

4. BOYS BOWLING Utica United, Flint Kearsley, Standish-Sterling and Allen Park Cabrini were team Finals winners, and Wayne Memorial, Vicksburg, Almont and Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central won in singles – MHSAA.com

5. BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING Saline – No. 4 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – claimed its first league title since 2016, winning the Southeastern Conference Red meet to share the overall championship with top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer – Chelsea Sun Times News

6. HOCKEY Top-ranked Flint Powers Catholic came back from a 4-1 deficit to defeat No. 7 Marquette 5-4 in overtime and win a Division 2 Regional title – WNEM

7. GYMNASTICS Hartland scored a school-record 149.175 to claim a third-straight Regional title – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

8. HOCKEY Division 2 No. 2 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice downed No. 3 Trenton 4-2 to clinch a Regional title – Oakland Press

9. HOCKEY No. 6 Salem defeated No. 5 Brighton 7-4 in a Division 1 Regional Final – Hometown Life

10. BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD2 honorable mention DeWitt claimed the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title, its sixth-straight league championship – WILX

Also of note …

BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING Allen Park claimed a share of the Downriver League title, with LPD3 No. 9 Trenton, with a league meet victory – Southgate News-Herald

BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD2 No. 8 Portage Central broke Battle Creek Lakeview’s Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference title streak with a league meet win – Battle Creek Enquirer