Preview: Classic Clashes and Broken Records Expected
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 5, 2021
The attention that will be paid to one of the Lower Peninsula Boys Track & Field Finals on Saturday will go past usual interest in just a local school or single division.
Many eyes will be turned to the Division 1 meet, featuring among many Ann Arbor Skyline senior Hobbs Kessler, who has made national news over the last few weeks by setting the national high school record in the 1,500 (3:34.36) and qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the event.
But he’ll be facing some familiar competition in his distance races at East Kentwood – including Hartland junior Riley Hough, who edged Kessler by two seconds in the Division 1 cross country final this past fall.
Their matchup is just one of many stories worth tuning in for this weekend. Events at all four sites begin at 10 a.m. (EDT) and tickets to attend can be purchased online only at GoFan. The meets also will be broadcast on MHSAA.tv and viewable with subscription. Click to watch each division: LPD1 | LPD2 | LPD3 | LPD4.
Below is a glance at team contenders and individuals to watch in all four divisions.
Division 1 at East Kentwood
Top Regional scores: Macomb Dakota 160, Traverse City West 145½, Northville 136, Novi 136.
Team forecast: East Kentwood won the last three championships before COVID, with Ann Arbor Pioneer finishing runner-up in both 2018 and 2019. Dakota is an interesting possibility this time with qualifiers throughout the meet. Fenton has top-three seeds in six events, and Zeeland West is another team with scoring opportunities in a variety of events.
Trey Gardette, Ann Arbor Huron: The senior sprint star has taken amazing strides over the last two years and may be on the verge of an unforgettable finish to his high school career. Gardette’s top-seed 10.5 in the 100 is a blink faster than the LPD1 Finals record of 10.53, and he’s second-seeded in the 200 and also will run on the 400 relay.
Riley Hough, Hartland: The I-96 corridor has been the center of distance running this school year, and Hough hopes to follow his Division 1 cross country championship in the fall with titles in the 1,600 and 3,200. He’s seeded first in the former with a 4:13.93.
Hobbs Kessler, Ann Arbor Skyline: He’s slated to run the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and on the top-seeded 3,200 relay (7:53.30) Saturday. He won all three of those open races at his Regional, and so while he isn’t top-seeded in any that likely means little as he could drop major time.
Tamaal Myers II, Detroit Cass Tech: The Technicians standout junior has the top 110 hurdles seed time (14.06) by nearly a second and is tied for the top seed time in the 300 (39.32). He’ll also run the 400 and on the 1,600 relay.
Brandon Miller, Fenton: He finished fifth in the 200 as a sophomore in 2019, but he can take a massive leap Saturday as his top seed time in that race (21.25) is five hundredths of a second off the meet record. He’s also the second seed in the 100 with a seed time of 10.60 that is seven hundredths of a second off that meet record. And he’ll also run on contending 400 and 800 relays.
Division 2 at Zeeland
Top Regional scores: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 216½, Dearborn Divine Child 186, Frankenmuth 164.
Team forecast: Four teams have won this championship over the last four seasons. Flint Powers Catholic is a possibility to make it five as it runs for its first team title led by sprint standouts and relays. Frankenmuth with top qualifiers in the sprints, relays and field events is another to watch in what lines up to be a low-scoring team race. A total of 10 schools won championships in this division over the previous 11 seasons before 2020 was canceled.
Ryan Brenner, Frankenmuth: The senior Eagles hurdler is the top seed in the 300 with a time of 40.1 and also will run on the top-seeded 1,600 relay (3:28.44) and high jump.
Jamal Hailey, Berrien Springs: The standout junior sprinter has the top seed time in the 100 (11.04) and the third-fastest in the 200, and he’ll also run on the second-seeded 400 relay.
Austin Hamlin, Flint Powers Catholic: The Chargers sophomore would play a major role in any team title pursuit, entering with the top seed in the 200 (22.5), third-fastest in the 100 and as part of the top-seeded 400 relay (43.3) and fourth-seeded 800 relay. That 400 relay time is a second off the meet record.
Alex Mansfield, Monroe Jefferson: The junior thrower is another who has made a major move over the last two years. He enters Saturday with the top seed in the shot put (56-3) by two feet and the top seed in the discus (163-11) by nearly 10.
Luke Stowasser, Edwardsburg: The junior Eddies jumper also is top-seeded in both of his events, with a 22-6½ in the long jump and 6-10 in the high jump. That high jump is six inches better than the field and two off the meet record. He was the high jump runner-up as a freshman.
Division 3 at Jenison
Top Regional scores: Grass Lake 132, Caro 129, Pewamo-Westphalia 126 1/3.
Team forecast: Grass Lake will be pursuing its first team title since 1970 and has six top-four seeds leading the way. Figuring the next few contenders is difficult with points looking to be spread among a number of teams.
Brennan Bargesser, Grass Lake: A drive for the team championship would include significant points from Bargesser, who is seeded first in the 200 (21.98) and 400 (49.34) and second in the 100 for his final high school meet. He’ll also run on the top-seeded 400 relay (44.14) – that seed time is one second off the meet record.
Hunter Jones, Benzie Central: The sophomore standout has two Division 3 cross country championships to his credit and will make his Track Finals debut as the top seed in the 3,200 (9:37.42) and a likely contender in the 1,600 and 800 as well.
Josh Jones, Harrison: He’ll close his high school career running the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, with his 1,600 seed time (4:19.84) topping that event list.
Brenden Quackenbush, Chesaning: He’s set to establish himself in both throws at this level Saturday, with the top seed in the discus (143-0) by nearly two feet and the third seed in the shot put.
Derrick Voltz, Carrollton: A qualifier in the 100 as a freshman in 2019, he could cap his junior season as a two-event champion. He’s seeded first in the long jump (23-2) by nearly a foot with that leap only five inches off the meet record. He’s also the top seed in the 100 (11.11) just ahead of Bargesser.
Division 4 at Hudsonville
Top Regional scores: Lutheran Westland 171, Reading 170, Carson City-Crystal 147.
Team forecast: Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep was the back-to-back champion before COVID, and Saugatuck was the Division 3 runner-up in 2019 but is back in Division 4. Saugatuck won’t run a relay this weekend but has favorites in the hurdles and distance events, and Breckenridge’s strengths in the sprints and relays should make it a team title contender as well as it seeks its first championship.
Coleman Clark, Carson City-Crystal: The lone returning champion in this division won the 3,200 as a sophomore in 2019 and will run that race along with the 800 and 1,600 and as part of the top-seeded 3,200 relay (8:19.40).
Benny Diaz, Saugatuck: The junior sprint/hurdles standout could make a run at four individual titles Saturday or next season. He’s the top seed in both hurdles races this time (15.01 in the 110 and 40.59 in the 300), and the fourth seed in the 200 and seventh in the 100. He was third in Division 3 in the 300 as a freshman.
Zane Forist, Carson City-Crystal: He was the runner-up in the discus and eighth in the shot put as a freshman two years ago, and he’s aiming for much more this time. His top-seed throws of 196-8 and 64-4, respectively, would both set LPD4 championship meet records – both by roughly six feet.
Nik Pettinga, Saugatuck: A top distance runner in cross country the last few seasons, he is looking to finish as a champion in his last high school meet and enters as the top seed in the 1,600 (4:26.99) and second seed (to junior teammate Max Sharnas) in the 3,200.
Charlie Steinhaus, Breckenridge: The speedy senior would help lead any charge for a team championship, entering as the top seed in the 100 (11.01) and second in the 200. He’ll also run on the top-seeded 400 relay (44.51) and second-seeded 800 relay.
PHOTO: Carrollton’s Derrick Voltz, right, breaks across the finish line during the 100-meter preliminaries at his Division 3 Regional at Shepherd last month. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
200+ Volleyball Matches on MHSAA TV
October 5, 2020
By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
More than 700 events in multiple sports at multiple levels of play fill the coming week’s schedule for the NFHS Network and MHSAA.tv.
More than 300 varsity events – nearly 200 of them in volleyball – will be available. Monthly subscriptions are $10.99. Click for a complete list of upcoming games, and for a complete list of on-demand games.
Fans also can type their school name into the search field on the MHSAA.tv page to search for events. Varsity games being streamed also have links from the MHSAA Website’s Score Center, and from the schedules on individual school pages. Clicking on the green TV set icon listed next to an event will take you directly to a game.
Here is a list of Varsity sports events taking place over the coming week on the NFHS Network/MHSAA.tv (Home team generally listed first):
Football
Friday - October 9
Redford Union vs. Garden City - 5 PM
Kingston vs. Merritt Academy - 6:45 PM
Saranac vs. Pewamo-Westphalia - 6:45 PM
Hartland vs. Northville - 6:45 PM
Lowell vs. Byron Center - 6:50 PM
Manchester vs. TBA - 7 PM
Waterford Kettering vs. White Lake Lakeland - 7 PM
Rockford vs. Grand Haven - 7 PM
Mason vs. Fowlerville - 7 PM
Novi vs. Howell - 7 PM
Vicksburg vs. Paw Paw - 7 PM
Mason vs. Fowlerville - 7 PM
Lake Orion vs. Clarkston - 7 PM
Saline vs. Temperance Bedford - 7 PM
Comstock Park vs. Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian - 7 PM
Caro vs. Marlette - 7 PM
Corunna vs. Owosso - 7 PM
Hemlock vs. Carrollton - 7 PM
Peck vs. Caseville - 7 PM
Portage Northern vs. Portage Central - 7 PM
Chesaning vs. Durand - 7 PM
New Lothrop vs. Ovid-Elsie - 7 PM
Wayland Union vs. Ada Forest Hills Eastern - 7 PM
Frankenmuth vs. Alma - 7 PM
Birmingham Groves vs. Birmingham Seaholm - 7 PM
Brighton vs. Plymouth - 7 PM
Reed City vs. Newaygo - 7 PM
Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood vs. Macomb Lutheran North - 7 PM
Watervliet vs. Kalamazoo Hackett - 7 PM
Vermontville Maple Valley vs. Merrill - 7 PM
Otisville LakeVille vs. Byron - 7 PM
Walled Lake Northern vs. South Lyon East - 7 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. Sterling Heights - 7 PM
West Bloomfield vs. Oxford - 7 PM
Millington vs. Midland Bullock Creek - 7 PM
Sturgis vs. Dowagiac Union - 7 PM
Bay City John Glenn vs. Essexville Garber - 7 PM
Harbor Beach vs. Memphis - 7 PM
Freeland vs. Saginaw Swan Valley - 7 PM
Walled Lake Central vs. Waterford Mott - 7 PM
Holt vs. East Lansing - 7 PM
Vassar vs. Bad Axe - 7 PM
East Kentwood vs. Jenison - 7 PM
Maple City Glen Lake vs. Mancelona - 7 PM
Cedar Springs vs. Grand Rapids South Christian - 7 PM
South Lyon vs. Walled Lake Western - 7 PM
Petoskey vs. Cadillac - 7 PM
Macomb L'Anse Creuse North vs. New Baltimore Anchor Bay - 7 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. St. Joseph - 7 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Saginaw Arthur Hill - 7 PM
Troy Athens vs. Berkley - 7 PM
Ortonville Brandon vs. Lake Fenton - 7 PM
Norway vs. Gwinn - 8 PM
Saturday - October 10
Brethren vs. Baldwin - 1 PM
Warren De La Salle Collegiate vs. DeWitt - 3 PM
Boys Soccer
Tuesday - Oct. 6
St. Joseph vs. Kalamazoo Central - 6:30 PM
Lake Orion vs. Bloomfield Hills - 7 PM
Troy vs. Birmingham Seaholm - 7 PM
Novi vs. Brighton - 7 PM
Troy Athens vs. Rochester Adams - 7 PM
Wednesday - Oct. 7
Manchester vs. Bronson - 5:30 PM
Ithaca vs. Midland Bullock Creek - 5:30 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. Roseville - 6 PM
Corunna vs. Holly - 6:15 PM
Freeland vs. Frankenmuth - 7 PM
Clare vs. LeRoy Pine River - 7 PM
South Lyon vs. TBA - 7 PM
Waterford Kettering vs. TBA - 7 PM
Hemlock vs. Saginaw Nouvel - 7 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. TBA - 7:15 PM
Thursday - Oct. 8
Warren De La Salle Collegiate vs. New Baltimore Anchor Bay - 5 PM
Ithaca vs. Alma - 5:30 PM
Waterford Kettering vs. Pontiac - 6 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. TBA - 6:30 PM
Cadillac vs. Traverse City Central - 6:45 PM
Petoskey vs. Gaylord - 6:45 PM
East Grand Rapids vs. TBA - 6:45 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Troy Athens - 7 PM
Saline vs. Temperance Bedford - 7 PM
Troy vs. Rochester - 7 PM
West Bloomfield vs. TBA - 7 PM
Birmingham Groves vs. Birmingham Seaholm - 7 PM
Northville vs. Salem - 7 PM
Bloomfield Hills vs. North Farmington - 7 PM
Novi vs. Plymouth - 7 PM
Friday - Oct. 9
South Lyon East vs. Farmington - 4 PM
Garden City vs. Dearborn Heights Crestwood - 4 PM
Warren Woods Tower vs. Fraser - 5 PM
Mason vs. St. Johns - 5 PM
Novi vs. Northville - 7 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. St. Clair - 7 PM
Saturday - Oct. 10
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Dearborn Divine Child - 10 AM
Comstock Park vs. Grandville Calvin Christian - 10 AM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. TBA - 11:30 AM
Monday - Oct. 12
Warren Woods Tower vs. Marysville - 5 PM
Bad Axe vs. Bay City John Glenn - 5 PM
Manchester vs. Blissfield - 5:30 PM
Royal Oak Shrine Catholic vs. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest - 5:30 PM
Chesaning vs. Saginaw Swan Valley - 6 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. Harrison Twp. L'Anse Creuse - 6 PM
Romulus Summit Academy North vs. Detroit Cass Tech - 6 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Bay City Central - 6 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Niles - 6:30 PM
Macomb L'Anse Creuse North vs. Grosse Pointe North - 6:30 PM
Saginaw Heritage vs. Davison - 6:45 PM
Petoskey vs. Traverse City West - 6:45 PM
Saline vs. Monroe - 7 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. Ferndale - 7 PM
Novi vs. TBA - 7 PM
West Bloomfield vs. Royal Oak - 7 PM
Lake Orion vs. Clarkston - 7 PM
Troy vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate - 7 PM
South Lyon vs. South Lyon East - 7 PM
Northville vs. TBA - 7 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. TBA - 7:15 PM
Girls Volleyball
Tuesday - Oct. 6
Dearborn Heights Robichaud vs. Dearborn Heights Crestwood - 4 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. New Haven - 6 PM
Vermontville Maple Valley vs. TBA - 6 PM
DeWitt vs. Fowlerville - 6 PM
St. Clair Shores Lake Shore vs. Sterling Heights - 6 PM
Williamston vs. Grand Ledge - 6 PM
Sturgis vs. Edwardsburg - 6 PM
Wayland Union vs. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills - 6 PM
Mayville vs. Bay City All Saints - 6 PM
Chesaning vs. Ovid-Elsie - 6:15 PM
Otisville LakeVille vs. New Lothrop - 6:15 PM
Ovid-Elsie vs. Chesaning - 6:15 PM
Grand Rapids Christian vs. Byron Center Charter School - 6:15 PM
St Johns vs. Lansing Catholic - 6:20 PM
Brighton vs. Canton - 6:30 PM
Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central - 6:30 PM
Flint Powers Catholic vs. Saginaw Heritage - 6:30 PM
Suttons Bay vs. Kingsley - 6:30 PM
Highland Milford vs. White Lake Lakeland - 6:30 PM
Southfield Christian vs. Livonia Clarenceville - 6:30 PM
Manchester vs. Napoleon - 6:30 PM
Howell vs. Hartland - 6:30 PM
Frankfort vs. Leland - 6:30 PM
Watervliet vs. Fennville - 6:30 PM
South Lyon vs. Walled Lake Northern - 6:30 PM
South Lyon East vs. Walled Lake Western - 6:30 PM
Durand vs. Mt Morris - 6:55 PM
Saline vs. Ann Arbor Pioneer - 7 PM
Morley Stanwood vs. Kent City - 7 PM
West Bloomfield vs. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek - 7 PM
Maple City Glen Lake vs. Onekama - 7 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Dearborn Divine Child - 7 PM
East Kentwood vs. Holland West Ottawa - 7 PM
Hart vs. Ravenna - 7 PM
Bear Lake vs. Big Rapids Crossroads Charter - 7 PM
Pentwater vs. Mason County Eastern - 7 PM
Kingsford vs. Iron Mountain - 7:15 PM
Caro vs. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker - 7:30 PM
Kingston vs. Akron-Fairgrove - 7:30 PM
Bad Axe vs. Cass City - 7:30 PM
Wednesday - Oct. 7
Flint Kearsley vs. Flushing - 5:15 PM
Fenton vs. Swartz Creek - 5:15 PM
Linden vs. Holly - 5:15 PM
Niles vs. Comstock - 6 PM
Corunna vs. Lake Fenton - 6:15 PM
Stevensvile Lakeshore vs. Mattawan - 6:30 PM
Allen Park Cabrini vs. Riverview Gabriel Richard Catholic - 6:30 PM
Novi vs. Livonia Franklin - 6:30 PM
Bay City John Glenn vs. Alma - 7 PM
Macomb Lutheran North vs. Waterford Our Lady - 7 PM
Freeland vs. Saginaw Swan Valley - 7 PM
Frankenmuth vs. Essexville Garber - 7 PM
Bloomfield Hills Marian vs. Farmington Hills Mercy - 7:15 PM
Warren Regina vs. Royal Oak Shrine Catholic - 7:15 PM
Hemlock vs. Standish-Sterling - 7:30 PM
Clare vs. Pinconning - 7:30 PM
Thursday - Oct. 8
Armada vs. Armada - 4:30 PM
Saline vs. TBA - 5 PM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. TBA - 5 PM
Romulus Summit Academy North vs. TBA - 5:30 PM
Durand vs. Clarkston Everest Collegiate - 5:55 PM
Fowlerville vs. Williamston - 6 PM
Vicksburg vs. Paw Paw - 6 PM
Peck vs. Caseville - 6 PM
Sturgis vs. Dowagiac Union - 6 PM
Kinde North Huron vs. Dryden - 6 PM
Holt vs. St Johns - 6 PM
Lowell vs. East Grand Rapids - 6:15 PM
New Lothrop vs. Montrose - 6:15 PM
Highland Milford vs. Wixom St. Catherine - 6:15 PM
Ovid-Elsie vs. Ashley - 6:30 PM
Huron Valley Lutheran vs. Novi Christian Academy - 6:30 PM
Sterling Heights Parkway Christian vs. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist - 6:30 PM
Manchester vs. Hanover-Horton - 6:30 PM
Walled Lake Western vs. South Lyon - 6:30 PM
Walled Lake Northern vs. Walled Lake Central - 6:30 PM
Oakland Christian vs. Brighton Charyl Stockwell - 6:30 PM
Saginaw Heritage vs. Flint Carman-Ainsworth - 6:30 PM
Ann Arbor Greenhills vs. Ann Arbor Pioneer - 6:30 PM
White Lake Lakeland vs. Waterford Mott - 6:30 PM
Southfield Christian vs. Lutheran Westland - 6:30 PM
Grand Blanc vs. Lapeer - 6:30 PM
Escanaba vs. Stephenson - 7 PM
West Bloomfield vs. Birmingham Seaholm - 7 PM
Marcellus vs. Bloomingdale - 7 PM
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian vs. Wyoming Kelloggsville - 7 PM
Hart vs. Muskegon - 7 PM
Garden City vs. Melvindale - 7 PM
Grandville Calvin Christian vs. Wyoming Lee - 7 PM
Bloomfield Hills vs. Lake Orion - 7 PM
Rockford vs. Jenison - 7 PM
Troy vs. Troy Athens - 7 PM
Caro vs. Unionville Sebewaing - 7:30 PM
Livonia Clarenceville vs. Plymouth Christian Academy - 7:30 PM
Friday - Oct. 9
Riverview Gabriel Richard Catholic vs. Madison Heights Bishop Foley - 7 PM
Macomb Lutheran North vs. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood - 7 PM
Marian vs. St. Catherine of Siena Academy - 7:15 PM
Dearborn Divine Child vs. Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard - 7:15 PM
Saturday - Oct. 10
Caro vs. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker - TBA
Wayland Union vs. Shelby - 8 AM
Multi-team Event @ Plainwell – Part 1 - 8 AM
Caro vs. Oscoda - 8:30 AM
Troy Athens vs. TBA - 8:30 AM
Suttons Bay vs. TBA - 8:30 AM
Grandville vs. East Grand Rapids - 8:30 AM
East Kentwood vs. Grand Rapids Northview - 8:30 AM
Multi-team Event @ St. Johns - 9 AM
Frankenmuth vs. Bay City Central - 9 AM
Hopkins vs. Allegan - 9 AM
Niles vs. Edwardsburg - 9 AM
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. New Baltimore Anchor Bay - 9:30 AM
Escanaba vs. Gladstone - 10 AM
DeWitt vs. TBA - 10 AM
Morley Stanwood vs. TBA - 10 AM
Caro vs. TBA - 10 AM
Multi-team Event @ Plainwell – Part 2 - 12 PM
Monday - Oct. 12
Warren Woods-Tower vs. TBA - 4:30 PM
Norway vs. Escanaba - 6 PM
Munising vs. Powers North Central - 6 PM
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Portage Northern - 6:30 PM
Big Rapids vs. Morley Stanwood - 7 PM
Plymouth Christian Academy vs. Lutheran Westland - 7 PM
Grandville Calvin Christian vs. Wyoming Kelloggsville - 7 PM
Pentwater vs. Baldwin - 7 PM
Tuesday - Oct. 13
Dearborn Heights Robichaud vs. Hamtramck - 4 PM
Multi-team Event @ Dollar Bay - 4:20 PM
Multi-team Event @ Galesburg-Augusta - 5 PM
East Lansing vs. TBA - 5 PM
Holt vs. TBA - 5 PM
Bay City John Glenn vs. Saginaw Arthur Hill - 5:30 PM
Wayland Union vs. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills - 6 PM
Sturgis vs. Vicksburg - 6 PM
Mayville vs. Caseville - 6 PM
Vermontville Maple Valley vs. Stockbridge - 6 PM
Romulus Summit Academy North vs. Dearborn Henry Ford Academy - 6 PM
Plainwell vs. Hopkins - 6 PM
Grand Rapids Christian vs. East Grand Rapids - 6 PM
Madison Heights Lamphere vs. Warren Mott - 6 PM
Mt Morris vs. Otisville LakeVille - 6:15 PM
Chesaning vs. Montrose - 6:15 PM
Hartland vs. Canton - 6:15 PM
Novi vs. Northville - 6:30 PM
Whitmore Lake vs. Allen Park Inter-City Baptist - 6:30 PM
South Lyon vs. South Lyon East - 6:30 PM
Southfield Christian vs. Plymouth Christian - 6:30 PM
Walled Lake Northern vs. Highland Milford - 6:30 PM