This Week In High School Sports: 1/18/22

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

January 18, 2022

This week's edition highlights a strong start for the Midland Dow girls basketball team, awards Game Balls to high achievers in wrestling, basketball and hockey; and celebrates retiring coaches who are among the winningest in Michigan's girls basketball and baseball history. MI Student Aid

The 5-minute program each week includes feature stories from around the state from the MHSAA’s Second Half or network affiliates, along with "Be The Referee," a 60-second look at the fine art of officiating.

"This Week in High School Sports" is powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury.

Listen to this week's show by Clicking Here.

Previous editions

Jan. 11: Battle of the Fans X "Challenge Round," officiating on the islands Listen
Jan. 4: Onsted boys basketball, Oxford Strong Listen
Dec. 15:
Winter championship calendar, KLAA/MIHL Memorial Showcase Listen
Dec. 8:
2021 Bush Award honorees, remembering Tom Rashid Listen
Dec. 1: 11-Player Football Finals review Listen
Nov. 23: Volleyball, LP Girls Swimming & Diving, 8-Player Football Finals review Listen
Nov. 16:
Lower Peninsula Cross Country continued, weekend preview Listen
Nov. 9: Lower Peninsula Cross Country, Boys Soccer Finals review Listen
Nov. 2: Title IX at 50 celebration, Fall championship broadcasts Listen
Oct. 27: Upper Peninsula Cross Country Finals review, soccer/volleyball playoff update Listen
Oct. 20: Lower Peninsula Girls Golf & Boys Tennis Finals review Listen
Oct. 13: Middle school/junior high cross country Regionals, football playoff selection Listen
Oct. 6: Upper Peninsula girls tennis champions, football broadcast update Listen
Sept. 29: Girls swimming & diving "Meet of Champions," Schoolcraft's star kicker  Listen
Sept. 22:
Spartan Invitational "elite" races, John U. Bacon's "Let Them Lead"  Listen
Sept. 15:
Volleyball powers face off, Tiger Teusink's tennis legacy Listen
Sept. 8:
Fall sports rules changes, Adrian Lenawee Christian inspiration – Listen
Sept. 1: 
Boys soccer seeding process, Beaver Island athletics – Listen
Aug. 25:
 Return of Fall sports, “enhanced strength-of-schedule” football playoff format – Listen

Performance of the Week: Grand Blanc's Baylor Perkins

January 22, 2026

Baylor Perkins headshotBaylor Perkins ♦ Grand Blanc
Senior ♦ Swimming

The Bobcats’ standout set Genesee County Meet records Saturday at Fenton in the 50-yard freestyle (21.56 seconds) and 100 breaststroke (56.20) and swam on multiple winning relays including the meet record-setting 200 freestyle (1:30.98) to lead Grand Blanc to a team victory, its 34th at the annual meet. The breaststroke time also set school, pool and Saginaw Valley League records.

Perkins’ 50 time at Fenton ranks 11th among all divisions and ninth among Lower Peninsula Division 1 swimmers on the top times list this winter for that race, and his breaststroke time is the fastest statewide regardless of division. He finished 10th in the 50, sixth in the breaststroke and swam on eighth and 11-place relays at last season’s LPD1 Finals, as Grand Blanc finished 13th as a team. He is unsure what college he will attend after graduation, but is considering the possibility of swimming at the next level and intends to study to become a sports psychologist.

@mhsaasports 🏊POW: Baylor Perkins #grandblanc #swimming #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA

@mhsaasports 🏊POW: Baylor Perkins #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #highschoolsports #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA

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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and X @mistudentaid.

Previous 2025-26 honorees

Jan. 15: Delaney Vanier, Flint Kearsley bowling - Report
Jan. 8:
Stevie Hall, Detroit Cass Tech basketball - Report
Dec. 18:
Ethan Martha, Ishpeming Westwood basketball - Report
Dec. 11:
Louis Smith, Three Rivers wrestling - Report
Dec. 4:
Traverse Smith, DeWitt football - Report
Nov. 28:
Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield swimming - Report
Nov. 20:
Brady Kieff, Blanchard Montabella football - Report
Nov. 13:
Ella Laupp, Battle Creek Harper Creek swimming - Report
Nov. 7:
Hunter Eaton, Charlevoix cross country - Report
Oct. 31:
Stephen Gollapalli, Lansing Christian tennis - Report
Oct. 23:
Talya Schreiber, Pickford cross country - Report
Oct. 16:
Avery Manning, Dexter golf - Report
Oct. 9:
Brady Van Laecke, Hudsonville football - Report 
Oct. 2:
Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25:
Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18:
Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11:
Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4:
Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Grand Blanc boys swimming & diving program.)