Eventually, the sun will shine ...
April 25, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We all believe that, right?
Rain – and snow for some – has been the buzzword of this spring sports season. Just about every newspaper is writing about it and every athletic director, coach, player and parent is dreading it on a now-daily basis.
But eventually, we expect the weather to clear up and teams to play catch-up. To that end, there are limitations teams in some sports face when attempting to make up their games – but also opportunities to take advantage of while trying to fill out their regular-season schedules.
- Girls soccer and girls and boys lacrosse teams may play only three games during a week, Monday through Sunday. A weekend tournament – which generally includes 2 to 3 shortened games – counts as only one in this equation.
- Baseball and softball teams can play as many games as they want in a week, but no more than two on a school day – and baseball pitchers must not pitch for two days following their 30th out in a week.
- For tennis, an individual may not play more than three matches in one day – unless she or he is playing in a league championship tournament featuring more than eight schools for which a fourth match would decide the championship. That player also could not have played more than six sets that day heading into that fourth and final match.
- Golf and Track and Field do not have weekly contest limitations. Track and field athletes can compete in only four events per day.
As expected, a number of teams – especially for baseball and softball – are scheduling to smash in as many contests as possible into the next four weeks. Postseason play for tennis and lacrosse begins May 16 – three weeks from today.
But teams do have options.
One rarely used but anticipated to be used more this spring is an opportunity to continue playing regular-season contests through the final day of the MHSAA tournament in that sport. For example, a baseball team can continue making up games through June 15, the day of the MHSAA Finals in Battle Creek. A tennis team can play regular-season matches through June 1, etc.
Also, the MHSAA Executive Committee approved Thursday to allow for this spring two additional multi-team tournament dates for soccer and lacrosse, which will give those teams an opportunity to get in a few more games. That means soccer teams will be allowed to play in four multi-team tournaments instead of two, boys lacrosse four instead of two and girls lacrosse five instead of three.
Teams will have to do some juggling, no doubt, and all other tournament stipulations still apply (games generally are shortened so more can be played, etc.). But with a little creativity, teams could at least get in a few of their make-up games in this way.
Also, the Executive Committee approved a motion to waive the four-contest MHSAA tournament entry requirement for all Upper Peninsula schools in all sports this spring. As of the weekend, snow still covered parts of the U.P.
Gaps shrinking
Much has been discussed about minimums for all four MHSAA classes for 2013-14, and how they are the lowest student totals in at least a decade.
It’s true. The floor in Class A is 893 (down from 911 this school year), Class B starts at 429 (down from 449), Class C at 207 (down from 217) and Class D at 206 (down from 216).
However, there is a better way to crunch the numbers: Consider the shrinking gaps between the largest and smallest schools in each class.
For 2013-14, the gap in Class A is 1,888 students – 261 students fewer than 2007-08 and nearly 900 students fewer than in 2005-06. The gaps between largest and smallest in Classes B, C and D also are trending smaller – which means each class actually includes schools more similar in size, instead of a perceived other way around.
SAC 2013-14 on the way
We’re thankful for a valuable group of students who help us throughout the school year – our 16-member Student Advisory Council, made up of eight seniors and eight juniors from all over the state who are charged with providing feedback on issues impacting educational athletics from a student’s perspective, while also assisting at MHSAA championships and with special projects like the “Battle of the Fans.”
Selecting the next class to join is a highlight of every spring – but hardly an easy process.
A six-member selection committee, myself included, considered 62 sophomore applicants today from all over the Lower and Upper Peninsulas, representing all four of our classes and nearly every sport we sponsor.
Every candidate is impressive for a variety of reasons. That’s what makes this difficult – we could pick any number of combinations to make up our new SAC class, and no doubt leaders galore will emerge from another impressive group.
But there are only eight spots on the council. And we’ll announce who received them later next week.
PHOTO: A golfer attempts to keep warm during a round on a dreary day earlier this season. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Block Party: 2025 Girls Volleyball Week 10 Report
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 29, 2025
League championships have been all but decided, Districts are assigned and brackets drawn, and we’re only a few days from the start of this season’s MHSAA Girls Volleyball Tournament.
That means we’ll be coming back shortly, as our “Block Party” schedule moves up the next edition to Monday so we can preview some of the most intriguing District brackets across the state and all four divisions.
Until then, below are a few more regular-season observations as teams continued with their final tune-ups:
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Rockford d. Farmington Hills Mercy (24-18, 23-25, 15-6) The East vs. West Challenge at Lowell was another opportunity for the Division 1 top-ranked Rams (40-1-1) to show their superiority among the state’s elite – which they did, not only defeating then-No. 2 Mercy (18-4-2) but also new No. 2 Bloomfield Hills and No. 7 Utica Eisenhower among others.
2. South Lyon East d. Farmington Hills Mercy (25-19, 18-25, 25-13) Outside of Rockford, there may be no team hotter than Division 1 No. 5 South Lyon East (37-7-1), which has won 11 straight and followed this with a sweep through the Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.
3. Bloomfield Hills Marian d. Detroit Country Day (25-16, 25-16) The Division 1 No. 4 Mustangs (43-5-0) have won 20 of their last 23 matches, and went 3-0 at the Country Day quad Monday including this sweep of the Division 2 top-ranked Yellowjackets (16-8-0).
4. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern d. Tecumseh (25-21, 25-21) The Division 1 No. 6 Huskies (33-8-1) handed just the second defeat this season to Division 2 No. 6 Tecumseh (51-2-0).
5. Plymouth Christian Academy d. Ubly (25-20, 25-21) A 5-0 run through the Mt. Morris Tournament by Division 3 No. 2 PCA (37-8-1) including this win over the Division 4 No. 3 Bearcats (25-10-4), plus sweeps of Charlevoix and much larger Holt, Essexville Garber and Cadillac.
Watch List
With an eye toward November, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
East Grand Rapids (29-10-0) The Pioneers are among honorable mentions in Division 1 again this week, and despite a pair of losses to Division 2 No. 3 Grand Rapids Christian over the last eight days bounced back to defeat No. 4 Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Division 4 No. 2 Fowler heading into these final few days of the regular season. EGR already has bested last year’s record of 26-16-5 and will enter its District next week as the second seed to Forest Hills Northern. Eight of the team’s losses have come against top-10 teams in Divisions 1 and 2.
Zeeland East (29-4-0) Although the Chix did lose out on a league title Monday falling in five sets to Division 2 No. 5 Holland Christian, that was the team’s first defeat since facing Holland Christian on Sept. 23 – and the only other losses this season came to Division 1 No. 10 Grand Haven. Zeeland East also is among honorable mentions this week and seeded second in a District behind another honorable mention in Byron Center. The Chix do have an early-season win over Holland Christian and have defeated Division 2 honorable mention Marshall and Division 3 No. 6 Kalamazoo Christian among others.
DIVISION 2
Detroit Country Day (16-8-0) The reigning Division 2 champion has been ranked No. 1 this season for all but two weeks, and moved back into the top spot this week after a four-set win over Bloomfield Hills on Oct. 21 – which avenged a loss from the season-opening quad Aug. 26. All eight losses have come against Division 1 opponents, with six to teams ranked or receiving honorable mention currently. Country Day is seeded first in its District, which empties into a Regional that could include No. 2 North Branch or No. 7 Imlay City.
Holland Christian (23-8-0) As noted above, the Maroons have clinched a share of a league championship, in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Black and with Spring Lake to finish the schedule. The closing run to secure the title came after a four-match losing streak that included three defeats to ranked Division 1 teams at the Jenison Invitational, and seven of the team’s losses total have come to ranked or honorable mention opponents. The Zeeland East win noted above also gave Holland Christian one more this season than last, and the Maroons will head into District play a top seed.
DIVISION 3
Byron (28-3-1) The Eagles have won nine straight matches including all four Saturday at the Marine City Cardinal Mooney Invitational, and they already have five more victories than last season – when Byron reached the Regional Finals. They’ve played several matches against Division 1 and 2 opponents this fall, with two of their defeats coming from teams in those divisions, and they also have notable victories over Alma and New Boston Huron among larger-enrollment foes. Byron also will be a top seed in its District.
Morley Stanwood (27-12-0) With eight wins over its last 10 matches, Morley Stanwood has joined the list of honorable mention teams in Division 3 the last two weeks. The schedule has included showdowns with several ranked opponents, with losses to No. 1 Roscommon, No. 2 Plymouth Christian Academy, No. 3 Kingsley and twice to No. 10 Beal City. That schedule has paid off as Morley Stanwood will enter its District as a top seed but with Central State Activities Association rival Kent City the second seed and after Kent City won two of three meetings this fall including in Saturday’s league tournament.
DIVISION 4
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (23-8-6) The 2022 Division 4 champion also made the Quarterfinals in 2023 and the Semifinals a year ago, and has prepped for another potential extended run facing a slate of larger schools and several that also are ranked. Sacred Heart is No. 4 in Division 4, and half of its losses this season are to Division 3 No. 10 Beal City, with the rest to Division 1 honorable mention Traverse City Central and three other Division 1 or two schools. Meanwhile, the Irish also have wins over Division 4 No. 2 Fowler and honorable mention Grand Rapids Sacred Heart.
Wakefield-Marenisco (19-7-0) The Cardinals opened this season with a 3-4 showing at the Copper Mountain Conference tournament, but have since avenged two of those losses and another early-season defeat in downing Ewen-Trout Creek last week. W-M has won eight straight matches since falling to No. 5 Crystal Falls Forest Park at the Trojans’ invitational on Sept. 20, and three losses this season have come against Lake Linden-Hubbell (23-5-0). The Cardinals are seeded second in their District to Forest Park and Thursday against Ironwood can equal their 20 victories of a year ago.
Can’t-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these matches and tournaments coming up:
Thursday – ABCD quad at Traverse City Central – This annual event will see the Division 1 honorable mention Trojans (26-7-0) host Division 3 No. 3 Kingsley (47-4-1) and No. 8 Traverse City St. Francis (24-14-0), and Division 4 Leland (12-25-1).
Thursday – Essexville Garber quad – The Dukes (38-11-3) will welcome Midland Dow (19-12-5), Yale (23-21-1) and Saginaw Valley Lutheran (43-10-3).
Thursday – Buckley quad – The Bears (27-5-1) will host an impressive Division 4 crew of No. 10 Onekama (30-8-3), Bellaire (19-7-4) and Traverse City Christian (24-12-2).
Saturday – Temperance Bedford Spooktacular – The field for this year’s regular-season finale includes Division 4 No. 7 Adrian Lenawee Christian, Division 2 No. 10 Flat Rock and Division 3 No. 4 Hanover Horton among others.
Saturday – Grand Blanc Tournament – The Bobcats will close the regular season with Division 2 No. 2 North Branch and Division 1 Oxford among those in the field.
PHOTOS (Top) Saginaw Valley Lutheran’s Grace Parker (7) elevates to get to the ball as Birch Run’s Teagan Abraham (2) sets up to block Tuesday. (Middle) Saginaw Swan Valley’s Hadley Wagner connects on a kill attempt while Clio’s Alaina Gliniecki (3) and Kelcy Sperling (14) get ready at the net, also Tuesday at Birch Run. (Photos by Terry Lyons.)