2021-22 Broadcasts Kick Off with Big Football Weekend

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

August 24, 2021

Michigan High School Athletic Association member schools will be featured on more than 300 live-streamed broadcasts during this first full week of the 2021-22 school sports year, headlined by 16 broadcasts of opening-weekend football games on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network and partner Bally Sports Detroit.

Bally Sports Detroit will be providing coverage of all six games of the Xenith Prep Kick Off Classic from Oct. 26-28 at Wayne State University’s Tom Adams Field, including both Aug. 26 games on live cable television. All six Xenith games also will be available on the Bally Sports Detroit website and Bally Sports app.

Meanwhile, MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network will have live coverage of all six games from the Battle at the Big House at University of Michigan and all four games from the Vehicle City Gridiron Classic at Kettering University’s Atwood Stadium.

Here’s the schedule, with links to watch those games online:

Thursday, Aug. 26

► Battle at the Big House: Lapeer vs. Grand Rapids Catholic Central – 12 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

► Battle at the Big House: Midland vs. Traverse City West – 3 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

► Xenith Prep Kick Off Classic: Dearborn Fordson vs. Canton – 4 p.m. – Bally Sports Detroit (also LIVE TV)

► Vehicle City Gridiron Classic: Frankenmuth vs. Goodrich – 4 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

► Battle at the Big House: DeWitt vs. Traverse City Central – 7 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

► Xenith Prep Kick Off Classic: Detroit Catholic Central vs. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley – 7 p.m. –  Bally Sports Detroit (also LIVE TV)

► Vehicle City Gridiron Classic: Flushing vs. Flint Powers Catholic – 7:30 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

Friday, Aug. 27

► Battle at the Big House: Midland Dow vs. Fenton – 12 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

► Battle at the Big House: Saline vs. Hudsonville – 3:30 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

► Vehicle City Gridiron Classic: East Lansing vs. Grand Blanc – 4 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

► Xenith Prep Kick Off Classic: Dexter vs. Birmingham Groves – 4 p.m. – MHSAA.tv (also available on BallySports.com/Detroit)

► Battle at the Big House: Clarkston vs. Davison – 7 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

► Xenith Prep Kick Off Classic: Chicago St. Patrick (Ill.) vs. Warren De La Salle Collegiate – 7 p.m. – MHSAA.tv (also available on BallySports.com/Detroit)

► Vehicle City Gridiron Classic: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Linden – 7:30 p.m. – MHSAA.tv

Saturday, Aug. 28

► Xenith Prep Kick Off Classic: River Rouge vs. Eastpointe – 1 p.m. – MHSAA.tv (also available on BallySports.com/Detroit)

► Xenith Prep Kick Off Classic: Southfield Arts & Technology vs. Detroit Cass Tech – 4 p.m. – MHSAA.tv (also available on BallySports.com/Detroit)

Total, more than 150 varsity football games, more than 100 varsity volleyball matches and nearly 90 varsity boys soccer contests will be available this week on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network, with production by participants in the School Broadcast Program. More than 400 MHSAA member schools are participants in the School Broadcast Program, now in its 13th year, producing games using traditional hands-on student crews or via Pixellot cameras installed at stadiums and gymnasiums across the state. Click for a complete list of upcoming events.

Other intriguing football matchups appearing on the Network include (all 7 p.m. starts):

► Aug. 26: Sterling Heights Stevenson at Rockford

► Aug. 26: Saginaw Swan Valley at Cedar Springs

► Aug. 26: Utica Eisenhower at Lake Orion

► Aug. 26: Alpena at Marquette

► Aug. 26: Edwardsburg at Montague

► Aug. 27: Clarkston Everest Collegiate at Montrose

NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $10.99 a month. Subscribers have access to all live video and streaming statistics across the country. School Broadcast Program participants benefit as a portion of every subscription sold by a school goes to benefit its program. A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.

Hoops on Film: 1976 Class D Girls Final

July 13, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director

One of the earliest championship games in MHSAA girls basketball history is featured this week as part of MHSAA.tv’s Hoops On Film Series.

From the late 1940’s to the mid 1970’s the Michigan High School Athletic Association shot portions of the action at its boys and girls basketball finals on 16mm film. The films were loaned out, primarily to the participating schools, to help them relive the moments of playing in a championship game.

While many of the old films have wandered astray over time, about 60 games still exist in the MHSAA archives. Anyone in possession of such a film is encouraged to contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office ([email protected]) to discuss having the film converted to a digital format.

Some of the films only have portions of the second half and the post-game awards; some have most of the action. None of the films have sound. They range in length from 10 minutes to about an hour. A new film will be posted online each Monday through the week of August 17. DVD’s may be purchased directly from the MHSAA.tv Website – just click the Get DVD button below the player. 

Here’s a look at this week’s game, with recap courtesy of MHSAA historian Ron Pesch:

Lake City 58, Perkins 48 – 1976 Class D Girls Final - Abby Currier scored 26 points and Becky Sessions added 22 as Lake City cruised past Perkins, 58-48, for the Class D title. Lynette Royer led Perkins with 23 points. This was the fourth Class D Final, as the girls basketball tournament started in 1973, and remains the lone championship game won by Lake City. The season before, the Trojans had bowed out in the Semifinals against eventual champion Flint Holy Rosary. The two teams met again in the semis in 1976, and this time it was Lake City which prevailed, advancing to the Final the following morning against Perkins and winning the school’s first MHSAA crown in any sport. It was the only appearance ever in an MHSAA statewide tournament final for Perkins, which merged the following year with nearby Rock to form Mid-Peninsula High School, about a half-hour’s drive north of Escanaba.  The newly-formed Wolverines would win the Class D crown in 1977.

Previous releases:
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch
1954 Class A Boys Final: Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) - Watch
1971 Class A Boys Final: Flint Northern 79, Detroit Kettering 78 - Watch