Lower Peninsula Cross Country, Boys Soccer Finals Make for Big Broadcast Saturday
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
November 3, 2021
All eight Lower Peninsula Girls & Boys Cross Country Finals and all four Boys Soccer Finals will be broadcast Saturday on MHSAA.tv and the NFHS Network, capping a viewing schedule that also will include Soccer Semifinals, Volleyball District Semifinals and Finals and Football District and Regional Finals.
Nearly 2,000 Lower Peninsula runners will take to the course at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday (Nov. 6), with races beginning at 9:30 a.m. Coverage will include views from cameras at starting line, the 1- and 2-mile marks, the finish line and throughout the race from the lead cart.
The Division 4 and 3 races begin at 9:30 a.m. and can viewed at this link: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mhsaa-mi/gam0fa8764d8b
Division 2 and 1 races begin at 1:30 p.m. and can viewed here:
https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mhsaa-mi/gam81321985cc
Saturday’s Division 1 and 4 Boys Soccer Finals will be played at Novi High School, with Divisions 2 and 3 at Comstock Park High School. The larger schools at each site will play at noon, followed by the smaller-school divisions at 3 p.m.
Division 1 – https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mhsaa-mi/gam2b096b5062
Division 2 – https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mhsaa-mi/gam8aea573f91
Division 3 – https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mhsaa-mi/gam8b0ab1143e
Division 4 – https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mhsaa-mi/gam5ad1cdfa45
Audio of all four Boys Soccer Finals will be available at http://mhsaanetwork.com/.
Five of eight Wednesday (Nov. 3) Semifinals also will be broadcast. See schedule with links below:
Division 1 – 6 p.m. – Grosse Pointe South vs. New Baltimore Anchor Bay
Division 1 – 7 p.m. – Northville vs. Okemos
Division 2 – 6 p.m. – DeWitt vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice
Division 3 – 7 p.m. – Allen Park Inter-City Baptist vs. Clarkston Everest Collegiate
Division 3 – 7 p.m. – Grand Rapids South Christian vs. Elk Rapids
The MHSAA Volleyball Tournament continues Wednesday (Nov. 3) and Thursday with District Semifinals, with District Finals also to be played at some sites Thursday and most Friday and Saturday – more than 30 District Finals are on the broadcast schedule.
More than 50 of this weekend’s 11-Player Football District Finals and 8-Player Regional Finals will be broadcast this weekend as well on MHSAA.tv. Links to coverage of both are below:
MHSAA media partner Bally Sports Detroit will continue its weekly live cable TV broadcasts with Friday’s Division 3 District Final of River Rouge (7-2) at Detroit Martin Luther King (9-1). Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on BSD’s PLUS channel, and the game also may be watched on the BSD website and app.
NFHS Network subscriptions begin at $10.99 per 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.
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. A complete list of participating schools can be found on the School Broadcast Program page of the MHSAA Website.
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