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Football Selection Show Goes Global

October 13, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director 

The watch party of the MHSAA Selection Show on FOX Sports Detroit will go global for the first time Oct. 25, as the 60-minute program announcing the qualifiers and pairings for the MHSAA Football Playoffs also will be streamed online on the FoxSportsDetroit.com website.

Mobile viewing also will be available of the program on FOX Sports GO, which is a free download for Android and iOS devices. The Selection Sunday Show will air live on FOX Sports Detroit at 7 p.m. Oct. 25.

One of the newest members of the MHSAA's School Broadcast Program will debut content Wednesday – live coverage of the Detroit Catholic High School League Boys Soccer Finals. In the first game at 5 p.m., Dearborn Divine Child faces the No. 7 team in the Division 2 coaches poll, Orchard Lake St. Mary's, in the CB title match. The AB championship has Birmingham Brother Rice against Detroit Catholic Central, which is ranked No. 7 in Division 1, at 7 p.m.

The CHSL also will stream its annual football championships Oct. 24 and its girls volleyball finals Oct. 26.

More than two dozen athletic events produced by students involved in the School Broadcast Program are scheduled for the coming week on MHSAA.tv.

In its seventh year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. 

The program also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.  

All sporting events – Live or On-Demand – are available on a subscription basis only for their first 72 hours online. They become available for free, on-demand viewing approximately 72 hours following their completion.

Here’s the schedule of School Broadcast Program events planned this week at MHSAA.tv. On-Demand listings may be available as soon as one hour following an event’s completion.  (List as of Oct. 13):

Tuesday – Oct. 13

Wednesday – Oct. 14

Thursday – Oct. 15

Friday – Oct. 16

Tuesday – Oct. 20

Weekly highlights from games produced by participants in the MHSAA's School Broadcast Program are back for another school year on MHSAA.TV. This week's highlights are from football games East Kentwood at Rockford and Bloomfield Hills at Lake Orion and a boys soccer semifinal match in the Capital Area Activities Conference Cup between Williamston at East Lansing. Watch this week's highlights below.  

Schools interested in becoming a part of the School Broadcast Program should contact John Johnson at the MHSAA Office.

Launching at Midnight every Friday throughout the season is MHSAA Football Friday Overtime on FOX Sports Detroit. Mickey York and Rob Rubick host the weekly 30-minute highlights show.  The show will re-air most Saturday and Sunday mornings – and will be archived on the FOX Detroit Website. This week, FFOT will re-air at 6, 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday; and 7 a.m. Sunday on FOX Sports Detroit. 

The following games are scheduled to be highlighted this week on Football Friday Overtime:

  • Mayville at Detroit Cesar Chavez
  • Southfield at Oak Park 
  • Detroit Catholic Central vs. Warren DeLaSalle at Wayne State University 
  • New Haven at Clawson 
  • St. Clair Shores South Lake at Madison Heights Madison    
  • Plus – SBP Coverage of East Grand Rapids at Lowell and Ironwood at Calumet.

Hoops on Film: 1961 Class D Boys Final

July 27, 2015

By John Johnson
MHSAA communications director

A battle of undefeated teams from schools both no longer in existence is highlighted 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:

Marquette Pierce 68, Freesoil 61 – 1961 Class D Boys Final - After 35 years as a coach in the Upper Peninsula, Vic Hurst was rewarded with his first MHSAA title as Marquette Pierce downed a determined Freesoil squad, 68-61, in a Class D battle of the undefeated. Dave Benson led the Warriors with 17 points, while teammates Dennis DeMerse and the Laurich brothers – Conrad and Larry – each added 15. The matchup came after each school's first Regional crown and ended up the only time either school would ever reach the Finals. Pierce would close after the 1961 season, and its only other Regional appearances came back-to-back in 1955 and 1956. Freesoil would win four more Regional titles during its history – three consecutive form 1966-68. The high school closed after the 2006-07 school year and was absorbed into the Mason County Eastern school district.

Previous releases:
1958 Class A Boys Final: Detroit Austin 71, Benton Harbor 68 - Watch
1976 Class D Girls Final: Lake City 58, Perkins 48 - Watch
1971 Class A Boys Final: Flint Northern 79, Detroit Kettering 78 - Watch
1954 Class A Boys Final: Muskegon Heights 43, Flint Northern 41 (OT) - Watch
1973 Class C Boys Final: Detroit East Catholic 50, Saginaw St. Stephen 49 - Watch