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.)
Atlanta Embracing Pressure of Undefeated Season with League Title On Line
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
October 23, 2025
Losing a volleyball match was something of a welcome possibility a few weeks back for fifth-year Atlanta coach Amy Mullerd.
Now, Mullerd has no place for that thought – and her players are right there with her.
“I kind of was hoping maybe if we took a loss, it would be okay,” Mullerd admitted of much earlier-season thoughts. “Now, you know, if we take a loss, it’s trouble one way or the other, but … I think that they are enjoying the pressure of being undefeated.”
The last time the Huskies lost a set was in last year’s Division 4 Quarterfinal match against Hancock. Atlanta got there by breezing to a District championship and 3-0 wins over Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian and St. Ignace to claim a Regional title.
Today, the Huskies are 28-0 on the season and undefeated in North Star League play. They’re playing league rival Hillman this evening with a third-straight league title and undefeated season on the line. Hillman is also undefeated in conference play, and likely will play Atlanta again this weekend in the league’s annual tournament, which does not impact the NSL championship race.
Hillman is also likely to be a District opponent in November as the Huskies also host Onaway, Posen, and Rogers City.
Atlanta is not looking past Hillman or the District. But while the Huskies are committed to one game at a time, they do have their sights on an even deeper postseason run this year.
Winning out is on their mind, pressure or not, as the school community is getting behind their possible historic run.
“I like to make sure they focus on one game at a time, because you have to be able to adapt to whatever team you play,” said Mullerd, who previously coached volleyball for 20 years before breaking and then returning to the sidelines at Atlanta. “We're just doing it one game at a time, but they have set their goals and they've seemed to reach most all of them so far. So we'll see.”
The Huskies are facing tonight’s match as just another moment of feeling pressure to remain undefeated.
“There's pressure, but it's not really Hillman that we have pressure against,” pointed out Olivia McSwain, a senior setter, who has topped 3,000 career assists this season to set the school record. “It's the fact that we are undefeated.”
Alliyah Hagemeister, a senior who breaks her own school kills record with every successful swing, downplayed the pressure to win tonight.
“I don't think there's any pressure, but it's just a big day as that's our conference,” she said. “It's make-or-break for a conference win, so it's just a really exciting day.”
Kacie Moldenhauer, one of four sophomores on Atlanta’s nine-player roster, is excited to see how much the team’s hard work will pay off tonight and the rest of the season.
“It’s a big game for us as a team, as in there's a lot of pressure for being undefeated,” she said. “And we have been working very hard to get to this point, and like past years building up to this point, and we also go against our rivals. We're just really excited for this game and ready to give it a roll for the pressure that we have.”
Another of the Huskies’ sophomores, Jyl Larson, has never experienced a loss to Hillman and she’s not ready to do so.
“I think that we just need to be ready for whatever, and just play our best,” acknowledged Larson, who leads the team in digs.
The Huskies also have two freshmen in their lineup, and no juniors. They regularly play three seniors after losing only one major contributor from last season to graduation.
Atlanta players all believe they are the favorites to once again capture the District crown.
“Making it through Districts and Regionals (last season) was definitely a surprise to a bunch of people around us because I don't think they thought we could do it,” Hagemeister said. “To get to where we were last year was a huge accomplishment, and I think this year, we'll definitely go further.”
Mullerd inherited an Atlanta team five years ago that found competing at a varsity level nearly impossible. They were playing mostly junior varsity squads and seldom picking up victories.
That’s not been the case since she took over, although she gives credit to the players for buying into doing the work.
The Huskies won 18 matches in Mullerd’s first season. These days, all kinds of trophies are accumulating because of the team’s strong work ethic.
“All credit goes to the girls buying in that, you know, things just aren't easy. I just gave them the tools,” Mullerd said. “And if you want to have a winning game, you’ve got to put in the work. You have to come to practice, and you have to put the work in. Anything worthwhile is not easy.”
And she loves the team’s winning mindset.
“They bought in and it's just an amazing turn, being a team that won nothing to a team that now never expects to lose,” she said. “We're feeling pretty strong – we feel really good about our chances, but you never know any given night what could happen. So we're ready for anything.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Atlanta players celebrate during a match this season. (Middle) Alliyah Hagemeister elevates for a kill attempt. (Below) The Huskies enjoy a moment with their mascot. (Photos by Jenna McSwain.)