Did You See That? (April 22-28)
April 29, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The clouds finally began to break last week. And as expected, teams in every spring sport quickly got started catching up on what they'd had to put off most of this month.
Read on for some of the top headlines from all over the state, plus our favorite story – which highlights a pair of officials who will be recognized this weekend for their dedication to high school athletics.
Good Read of the Week
Father/Daughter rule the diamond: Ralph Burr will be among those celebrated by the MHSAA this weekend for 50 years of service as an official. But the past 20 have been his favorite – his daughter and umpiring partner Jackie will be recognized this weekend for her two decades of service. (Muskegon Chronicle).
Softball
McClure strikes again: Manchester pitcher Katie McClure set her school's career record of 511 strikeouts after totaling 27 more at Saturday’s Concord Invitational. Her team won the event by beating the host 3-1 in the final. (Jackson Citizen-Patriot)
One vs. One: In what has become arguably the best softball rivalry in the state, Stevensville Lakeshore swept Mattawan 4-2 and 9-4 on Thursday in a matchup of top-ranked teams. Lakeshore is ranked No. 2 in Division 2, while Mattawan holds the top spot in Division 1. (St. Joseph Herald-Palladium)
Another Clinton ace: That’s Cami Prater, who has taken over for graduated standout Tierney Nelson and no-hit the No. 5-ranked host at Saturday’s Springport Invitational. Prater hit a home run as Clinton won last season’s Division 3 championship game. (Adrian Daily Telegram)
Snowbirds down No. 1: Gaylord St. Mary scored in the bottom of the seventh inning to upset Division 4 No. 1 Onaway 2-1 a week ago before settling for a hard-earned split. (Gaylord Herald-Times)
Girls Lacrosse
“Play Day” perfection: Rockford hosted its fourth “Play Day” on Saturday, and the Division 1 top-ranked Rams finished it with wins over No. 2 Hartland and No. 3 Brighton. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, No. 2 in Division 2, also beat Hartland, along with Troy Athens and Division 2 No. 3 Ann Arbor Pioneer. (Grand Rapids Press)
Boys Golf
Upper hand, DCC: Detroit Catholic Central won what is one of the most competitive regular-season events every spring, claiming the Division 1 portion of the Traverse City Central Invitational by edging reigning champion Muskegon Mona Shores. Mona Shores finished third and DCC sixth at last season’s MHSAA Division 1 Final. (Traverse City Record-Eagle)
Baseball
Long time coming: Gladstone earned its first wins 4-3 and 5-0 over Negaunee on Friday, and those also happen to be the program’s first victories in more than a half century. The Escanaba Daily Press reports this as Gladstone’s first baseball team in 54 years. (Escanaba Daily Press)
East Lansing rises at Dow: East Lansing needed just about every one of its 16 runs over the final two games of Saturday’s Midland Dow Invitational, but came away with the championship after beating Division 3 No. 4 Saginaw Nouvel 8-7 in the final. East Lansing advanced with an 8-6 win over Dow. (Saginaw News)
Weisenberger throws no-no again: Sanford Meridian had three wins after Thursday, and two were no-hitters by pitcher Jonah Weisenberger. He threw his second in that night’s opener against Beaverton. (Midland Daily News)
Portage Northern rallies: The Huskies look like they could be an emerging force again from the Kalamazoo area, and moved to 5-2 by winning their home invitational Saturday. Portage Northern defeated Division 4 No. 2 Gobles in the championship game. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Track and Field
Hornets buzz: Williamston’s boys, who tied for ninth at last season MHSAA Division 2 Final, won the Spartan Classic at Michigan State University, finishing eight points ahead of Division 1 power Rockford. Reigning Division 1 girls champion Grosse Pointe South won its side of the meet by a much more significant 51 points. (Playmakers.com (full results), Lansing State Journal)
All-Battle Creek is all Lakeview: Battle Creek Lakeview continues to dominate its city’s track and field scene, and again won its all-city meets Friday. The girls won despite not running standout Sarita Dotson, who was out with an injury. (Battle Creek Enquirer).
Football
Stoney Creek celebrates Fisher: A Rochester Hills Stoney Creek football coach remembered Thursday how Eric Fisher was 6-foot-1 and 150 pounds as a high school freshman. That night, Fisher was selected first in the NFL draft out of Central Michigan University by the Kansas City Chiefs. (Detroit News)
Today in the MHSAA: 6/14/17
June 14, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
After one of the most momentous days of the 2016-17 school year, we tracked down coverage of nearly all 32 baseball and softball Quarterfinals and four soccer Semifinals – and be sure to check out as well the announcement that a longtime coach and official will receive the Medal of Honor.
Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.
Baseball
Division 1: Northville earned its first Semifinal berth since 1972 with a 9-5 win over Rochester – Observer & Eccentric
Division 1: Reigning runner-up Saline edged Holt 3-2 to return to the Semifinals – Saline Post
Division 1: Grand Haven continued its longest run ever with a 2-0 win over Saginaw Heritage – Grand Haven Tribune
Division 1: Reigning Division 3 champ Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett continued its run through Division 1 with a 6-0 win over Sterling Heights Stevenson – Detroit News
Division 2: Dearborn Divine Child will return to McLane Stadium for the second straight season thanks to a 6-2 win over Macomb Lutheran North – C&G Newspapers
Division 2: Stevensville Lakeshore rode a Quarterfinal shutout into the final weekend of the season – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Division 2: Chelsea scored all of its runs in the first inning and hung on to down Corunna 5-4 – Ann Arbor News
Division 2: Bay City John Glenn advanced to its second Semifinal with an 11-1 win over Sault Ste. Marie – Bay City Times
Division 3: Madison Heights Bishop Foley will return to the Semifinals after an 8-0 win over Riverview Gabriel Richard – Oakland Press
Division 3: Two pitchers combined on a no-hitter to get Traverse City St. Francis past Grand Rapids West Catholic – Traverse City Record-Eagle
Division 3: After a Quarterfinal loss last year, Schoolcraft returned and downed Homer 6-1 – Kalamazoo Gazette
Division 3: Caro won a pitchers dual 2-0 over Hemlock – Midland Daily News
Division 4: Gaylord St. Mary will play at MSU for the second straight season thanks to a win over Rudyard – Gaylord Herald Times
Division 4: Unionville-Sebewaing returned to the Quarterfinals after losing last season, but this time downed Royal Oak Shrine 4-3 – Huron Daily Tribune
Division 4: Portland St. Patrick shut down annual power Muskegon Catholic Central to return to the Semifinals – Lansing State Journal
Division 4: Hudson edged St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic 3-2 – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Girls Soccer
Division 2: Top-ranked Bloomfield Hills Marian moved on to the Final with a 2-0 win over Linden – Oakland Press
Division 2: Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern remained undefeated with a 4-1 win over Holland Christian – Grand Rapids Press
Division 3: Flint Powers Catholic fended off one of its few tests this season, downing Macomb Lutheran North 2-1 – Flint Journal
Division 3: Freeland stunned three-time reigning champion Hudsonville Unity Christian 3-2 – Saginaw News
Softball
Division 1: Reigning runner-up Macomb Dakota got past Garden City 6-5 – Macomb Daily
Division 1: Clarkston scored the lone run in the seventh inning to down Walled Lake Northern – Oakland Press
Division 1: Grandville will play in a Semifinal for the first time since 1982 thanks to a win over Midland – Grand Rapids Press
Division 1: Mattawan also will return to the Semifinals thanks to a 9-4 win over Monroe – 13ABC
Division 2: Stevensville Lakeshore will make the trip back to the Semifinals after shutting down Spring Lake – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Division 2: Reigning champion Richmond got one step closer to playing for a repeat with a win over Dearborn Divine Child – Port Huron Times Herald
Division 2: Escanaba shut down Saginaw Swan Valley in a Quarterfinal for the second straight season – Saginaw News
Division 2: Ida downed Flint Powers Catholic 8-0 to earn a Semifinal berth – Flint Journal
Division 3: Shepherd’s Haley Peska threw a perfect game in her team’s win over Millington – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Division 3: Gladstone came back to down Grandville Calvin Christian 2-1 – Grand Rapids Press
Division 3: Napoleon downed Coloma 9-7 to make the Semifinals for the first time – Jackson Citizen Patriot
Division 3: Reigning champion Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central advanced, downing University Liggett 5-0 – 13ABC
Division 4: For the third time in four seasons, Kalamazoo Christian earned a Semifinal berth – Kalamazoo Gazette
Division 4: Coleman reached its first Semifinals since 2005 with a win over Holton – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Division 4: Top-ranked Indian River Inland Lakes secured its return to the Semifinals with an 11-1 win over Rogers City – Alpena News
Division 4: Ottawa Lake Whiteford pulled a win closer to playing for its first championship since 1987 by downing Unionville-Sebewaing 1-0 – Bay City Times
Good Read
Longtime Michigan high school coach and wrestling official James C. McCloughan will receive the Medal of Honor for risking his life on nine occasions to rescue wounded comrades while serving in Vietnam – USA Today